round his loins. A barbarous place, this! though he may have been
excused for it in such hot weather as it was. The sun's rays were strong
and the water glimmered in such strange colors as to dazzle one's sight
if gazed at it for long. I had been told by a clerk of the ship that I
was to get off here. The place looked like a fishing village about the
size of Omori. Great Scott! I wouldn't stay in such a hole, I thought,
but I had to get out. So, down I jumped first into the boat, and I think
five or six others followed me. After loading about four large boxes
besides, the red-cloth rowed us ashore. When the boat struck the sand, I
was again the first to jump out, and right away I accosted a skinny
urchin standing nearby, asking him where the middle school was. The kid
answered blankly that he did not know. Confound the dull-head! Not to
know where the middle school was, living in such a tiny bit of a town.
Then a man wearing a rig with short, queer shaped sleeves approached me
and bade me follow. I walked after him and was taken to an inn called
Minato-ya. The maids of the inn, who gave me a disagreeable impression,
chorused at sight of me; "Please step inside." This discouraged me in
proceeding further, and I asked them, standing at the door-way, to show
me the middle school. On being told that the middle school was about
four miles away by rail, I became still more discouraged at putting up
there. I snatched my two valises from the man with queer-shaped [B]
sleeves who had guided me so far, and strode away. The people of the inn
looked after me with a dazed expression.

The station was easily found, and a ticket bought without any fuss. The
coach I got in was about as dignified as a match-box. The train rambled
on for about five minutes, and then I had to get off. No wonder the fare
was cheap; it cost only three sen. I then hired a rikisha and arrived at
the middle school, but school was already over and nobody was there. The
teacher on night-duty was out just for a while, said the janitor,--the