. Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's mission to China and Japan in the years 1857, '58, '59 . arted immediatelyafter breakfast on a shopping expedition. Turningto the left on entering the main street, we followed FIRE-LADDERS. 133 it for upwards of an hour. As our horses stepped outwell, I should judge the distance traversed to havebeen about four miles. Throughout its entire length,we passed between crowded lines of spectators, andthrough a long series of barriers. I observed that wewere preceded by runners, who went in advance toinform the ward-keepers of our ap-proach. At mostof the barriers
. Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's mission to China and Japan in the years 1857, '58, '59 . arted immediatelyafter breakfast on a shopping expedition. Turningto the left on entering the main street, we followed FIRE-LADDERS. 133 it for upwards of an hour. As our horses stepped outwell, I should judge the distance traversed to havebeen about four miles. Throughout its entire length,we passed between crowded lines of spectators, andthrough a long series of barriers. I observed that wewere preceded by runners, who went in advance toinform the ward-keepers of our ap-proach. At mostof the barriers aladder was erectedwith a bell at thetop of it, to berung in case of ladders pre-sent a singular ap-pearance as youpass along thestreet, and look asif they formed partof a show, and onlywaited for the don-key. The houseswere most of them built of wood, but tiled, and of two stories. Thearchitecture of Japan, however, is so unpretend-ing, that although the streets are broad and clean,and thronged with passengers in the business quar-ter, they are by no means imposing. Here and. A Fire-Ladder (from a native drawing.) 134! WE ARE MISTAKEN FOR CHINESE. there we pass a building higher than the rest, builtof unburnt brick, with iron shutters. This is a fire-proof store, in which property can be stowed awayin safety at the first tinkle of the fire-bell. Some ofthe houses are supplied with large tubs, kept con-stantly full of water, in anticipation of the samemuch-dreaded element. As the only foreigners of whom the untravelledinhabitants of Yedo have ever heard are the Chinese,we had the very high compliment paid us of beingsupposed to belong to that favoured nation ; so that,as in China you are called, as you ride along thestreets, a barbarian or a foreign devil, in Japan thegamins run after you and say, Look at the China-men *There go the Chinamen! while theircommercial instinct is betrayed by the shout, Chi-namen, Chinamen ! have you anything to sell V This trifling circu
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