Page:Things Japanese (1905).djvu/152

140 A lawyer desirous of attracting foreign clients ends up his business card by the cryptic announcement: "I can manage the affairs without any affliction of an English."

A "Guide for Visitors to Atami" informs us that the geyser there ''was discovered by a priest named Man-gwan who made many improvements on the springs. Before that day, the springs boiled out in the sea, and was a suffering to aquatic families If a people can not come to Atami is better to bathe in that water once or twice a day, and take good exercise in clean airs.'' By "aquatic families," let it be noted, the writer means, not—as might perhaps be supposed the fishermen, but the fishes. This Atami Guide-book is, however, quite eclipsed by "A Guide on Hakone,"—a perfect jewel, which sells on the spot for "30 zonts." Here is part of its description of the locality in question:—''Whenever we visit the place, the first pleasure to be longed, is the view of Fuji Mountain and its summit is covered with permanent undissolving snow, and its regular configuration hanging down the sky like an opened white fan, may be looked long at equal shape from several regions surrounding it. Every one who saw it ever has nothing but applause. It casts the shadow in a contrary direction on still glassy face of lake as I have just described. Buildings of Imperial Solitary Palace, scenery of Gongen, all are spontaneous pictures. Wind proper in quantity, suits to our boat to slip by sail, and moon-light shining on the sky shivers quartzy lustre over ripples of the lake. The cuckoo singing near by our hotel, plays on a harp, and the gulls flying about to and fro seek their food in the waves. All these panorama may be gathered only in this place.''—Nor are mere creature comforts less well-provided for in this paradise than esthetic pleasures. Forty-five houses, we read, ''among whole machi are the hotels for cessation of travellers. Each of them has an untiring view of garden and an elegant prospect of landscape; hence many visitors are assembled at the summer days to attend their own health. Breads, fleshes of fowls and animals, and fresh fishes transporting on from Yoshihama and Fukuura satisfy the relish of people. The milk is distributed to the hopers by the branch store in Hakone of''