Page:Things Japanese (1905).djvu/397

Rh loosely to avoid elasticity, but not loosely enough to present any "catch" in slinging the ball. The interior of this scoop or net measures 4 in. by 2½ in. The balls are of four kinds,—plain white, plain red, banded red, and banded white. They measure 1½ in. in diameter, weigh about 1¼ ounce, and are formed of small pebbles wrapped in rice straw or bamboo fibre, and coated with several layers of thin paper fastened up with rice paste.

The correct number of players is fourteen—seven a side—but the game is sometimes played with a greater and often with a less number. Each side wears a distinctive badge—white and some colour. The players with white badges play with white balls, those with coloured badges play with red balls.

The court is a rectangular enclosure railed in by a stout bamboo post and rail fence about 4 ft. high, except at one end, where a boarded fence or screen about 8 ft. high replaces the post and rail. In the centre of this screen is a circular hole about 1 ft. 6 in. in diameter, behind which is fixed a netted bag rather longer than an ordinary landing-net. This is the goal. Eighteen ft. from this goal screen, another post and rail about 3 ft. 6 in. high are fixed as a barrier right across the enclosure. Three ft. nearer the goal, a balk-line formed by a bamboo embedded in the earth is fixed paralled to the barrier and goal fence. At the other end (entrance end), another barrier forms a small enclosure for attendants with balls and rackets. Close to this end are openings in the side post and rails, allowing the players ingress and egress. The space thus railed in measures 180 ft. from barrier to barrier, 60 ft. from side to side.

The players having entered the enclosure on horseback, each provides himself with a ball of similar colour to the badge worn by his side, the ball being carried balanced in the net of the racket. Each side then forms in single file at the entrance end of the enclosure, so that the two files are parallel both to the