variegated, some with the flag of Japan-the majority with the flag of Japan on one side, and on the other the flag of the United States-the banner of the stars blended with the banner of the sun. The announcement that the cholera would interfere with the festival gave great uneasiness, and the papers showed the disappointment of the people. So, after many debates, and in the hope that the cholera would abate, it was resolved to postpone the popular fête until during the last days of the General's visit. The date was fixed for the 25th of August.

It was a day of general festivity and rejoicing. Tokio fluttered with flags. People came in from the country, and as I strolled out in the morning, I noted curious groups, wandering about seeing the sights. All work was given up, and the city had that holiday look which you note at home in our own towns on a festival day. The Japanese love a festival. They rejoice in the sunshine, in the trees, in doing nothing. The pleasure-loving side of their character is what first attracts you. In this you are constantly reminded of the French. They are like the French in their gayety, good-humor, courtesy, and love of pleasure; like the French, too, as history shows, in their power of forming daring resolves, and doing terrible deeds. The day was very warm, but the people did not seem to mind the weather, going about in the lightest clothing. In the matter of clothing, your impression as you look at a Japanese crowd is, that Japan is an empire of thirty-five millions of people, and fifty thousand pairs of pantaloons. Travel in the East soon deadens any emotions you may have on the question of clothes, and what you note in a Japanese crowd is the lightness and gayety of the people, the smiling faces, the fun-loving eyes. Moreover, you note the good order, the perfect order, the courtesy, the kind feeling. I have come to the conclusion that the mob is a product of our Western civilization. I have never seen a crowd, a multitude, until I came to China and Japan. But here I have not seen a mob. You look out upon such masses of human beings as our sparse countries could not show. You look upon what you could call without extravagance a sea

573 of faces. But it is the sea when the sun shines upon it, and the light plays over the waters, and the waves ebb and flow with genial, friendly welcome. The good-humor and the patience of the crowd seemed to have no end. General Grant and party left Enriokwan at two o'clock. The hour and the route and every step in the programme had been considered,

and set down in a programme, and we found ourselves going through the day as though we were in a drama, and everything had been written down for us and for everybody else by a careful prompter. General Grant's party on the occasion was a large one. As the fête was partly in his honor, and all the people were out to see, and his progress was to be in state, it was thought that the presence of the naval officers would be a compliment to the

citizens, and add to the interest of the day. Accordingly the General invited Admiral Patterson, Captain Benham, and the leading officers of the American ships to join him at the palace, take luncheon, and go with him to the park. At the hour named our company started from Enriokwan, and what with. our Japanese escort, and our friends from the navy in their uniforms of blue and gold, it was quite a procession. The party rode in the Emperor's state carriages, preceded and surrounded by cavalry, and going at a slow pace, so that the crowd could see the General. I should say that the distance from Enriokwan to Uyeno was three miles, and every step of the way was through a crowd. Every house was decorated with flags and lanterns. The people, as the General's carriage came near, would rush to the windows and look in, but there was perfect order and courtesy.

As we approached the park the crowd grew denser and denser. The streets at certain points were covered with arches of evergreens and flags and lanterns, with inscriptions in Japanese. When we came to the park a line of infantry was drawn up, and as the General's carriage slowly turned in, the soldiers presented arms, and a Japanese band played "Hail Columbia." We drove on until we came to a certain part of the gardens, where we halted. Here a committee was in waiting, and the General was informed that, as a memento of his visit, it was hoped that he and Mrs. Grant would each plant a tree. This was done, and already the stone monuments were erected which signified the event in an inscription in English and Japanese.

This ceremony over, we re-entered our carriages and drove to the pavilion prepared for the General. This pavilion was a small Japanese house swathed in American flags. Here we were joined by Mr. Bingham and family, and several American friends. Just beyond us was a canopy reserved for the foreign ministers, where we met Sir Harry Parkes, the Chinese minister, and other members of the diplomatic body. Shortly after General Grant arrived the sound of guns and the music of the band playing the Japanese national air announced that the Emperor was on his way.

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When the Emperor arrived on the ground he gave a special audience to General Grant and his party. Then advancing into a large pavilion, he received the foreign ministers and the naval officers who were present. Sir Harry Parkes, the British Minister, made a few remarks to his Majesty on behalf of

the diplomatic corps. This ceremony passed, the Emperor took his seat in a high amphitheater, General Grant sitting on his right, the ministers of the cabinet surrounding him. Here he remained for an hour, while there were various sports and amusements, mainly feats of horsemanship. When his Majesty retired, the General, accompanied by the cabinet, dined, and when the sun went down were escorted back to their pavilion. After the fireworks, which were unusually beautiful, the General and party drove home. I recall this drive as among the most extraordinary phases of our Japanese visit. For miles the General's carriage slowly moved through a multitude that might have been computed by the hundreds of thousands, the trees and houses dangling with lamps and lanterns, the road spanned with arches of light, the night clear and mild, all forming a scene the like of which I had never witnessed, and which I can never hope to see again. It was the culmination of the General's visit to Japan, the highest honor that could be paid to him by the Japanese government and people.

ENERAL GRANT made a short visit to Hakone to see the beautiful scenery that surrounds Fusiyama. On his return he prepared to leave Japan. We had already stayed longer in the country than we had intended, but life was pleasant in Tokio, and every day seemed to open a new scene of beauty and interest, and we felt ourselves yielding to the fascinations of this winning civilization. The hospitality of our hosts seemed to show no sign of weariness. We became attached to our palace home of Enriokwan, and began to feel acquainted with the rooms, the curious figures on the walls, the odd freaks in the way of gardening, the rustic bridges, the quaint and clean little summer-houses, where we could sit in the afternoon and feel the breezes from the sea. The weather kept unusually warm, and with the heat