Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/94

 gentry, soldiers and hangers-on of the feudal princes, idle, lazy and overbearing, when full of saki, are sometimes dangerous, and have given foreigners in times past much trouble. The spot on the road is here pointed out to us where Mr. Richardson, a young Englishman, was killed eight years ago. He was riding with two other gentlemen and a lady towards Yeddo, and met by a band of Prince Sateuma’s retainers, who stopped and assaulted them, killing Mr. Richardson, and severely wounding the other gentlemen of the party. Few foreigners can pass this spot without a sympathising interest in the fate of this unfortunate young man, who was just on the eve of his departure for home, after a long sojourn in the East. For this outrage $100,000 indemnity was demanded, and after much evasion on the part of the Japanese, exacted. The murderers not being given up for punishment, the town of Kagosima, the capital of Satsuma’s dominions, was laid in ashes by a British fleet. Thus England takes care of her subjects in the East, and no wonder that to claim that nationality here is like the ægis of a “Roman citizen,” 2,000 years ago.

A ride of about an hour brings us in sight of what may be regarded as the entrance to Yeddo, which encircles the head of a sickle-shaped bay, with small insular forts to the right, and many houses and temples, and gradually ascending heights covered with stately trees to the left. Slowly we make our way through the crowded street, and as we approach the capital the traffic on the road increases. Here is a family of the poorer class, apparently with all their worldly goods, leaving the city, the wife and her child doubled up in a cango, the husband, with two boys and a porter, carrying the heavier baggage. And here we pass two little boys, certainly not over eight years old. They belong to the upper class, for each one wears a sword stuck through his girdle, nearly as long as the boy himself. It would seem quite impossible for the little fellow to draw his weapon, but the young sprig of aristocracy struts along with an important air, other boys, as well as men of lower rank, carefully making way for him. This seems most absurd and laughable to us, but here, as in England only a century ago, to wear a sword is the distinguishing mark of a gentleman.

Ag we approach Sinagawa, the great suburb a mile long immediately before Yeddo,