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there are stationary ladders erected in the middle of each village as fire outlooks. But I think it was near Gonohe where I noticed one on the top of a hill within sight of the town, which the people informed me had been erected in former times when the inhabitants of the neighbouring province of Tsugaru, and those of Nambu did not live on the best of terms, frequent raids being made by one side into the territory of the other, and vice versâ. A bell was hung on the top of this ladder at the sound of which the whole village was aroused. These former feuds are now nearly forgotten, but still the people of these neighbouring provinces are quite distinct from each other. In physical appearance and hardihood the advantage is on the side of the people of Nambu.
On the 8th of November, I travelled 812 ri from Sampongi viâ Sichinohe to Nohitsze on the shore of Awomori Bay. Very little of this district is under cultivation, it being mostly large stretches of prairies and open rolling country, the roll being heavier as Nohitsze is approached. The season and weather being unfavourable the mire in the hollows was very deep, so much so that our horses could with difficult step from one rut into another, dragging their bellies over the intervening ridges. In dry weather, however, the travelling ought to be remarkably good. The soil is black mould, in most part of considerable thickness, underlying which is a layer of clay, and then volcanic pumice, which in some places, comes neat the surface.
I passed not far from the Yachingashira Farm, where Messrs. Lucy and McKinnon, in company with two Japanese officials, are raising stock and grain. The first named gentleman I was fortunate enough to fall in with that evening at Nohitsze and learned from him the present state and prospect of the establishment. They own some 200 head of cattle: 50 pigs, 8 brood mares, 1 foreign stallion and 4 foreign bulls. Their isolated situation may be imagined when I say that I was the third white man Mr. Lucy had seen for the last two years.
Nohitsze is favourably situated at the southern extrem-
