The great Osaka Matsuri are over at Inst, and if they sero not 80 bravely kept up by the natives this year as they were last, it was not the thought of their little beants of worthless mi-bue—for like the lazzaroni of Naples, the Japanese in holiday time ignore the minor cares of life—but the almost incessant and unlooked for rainfall that damped their ardour. By Jove and it "was damp, too! The most inveterate anti-teetotaller in Osaka couldn't have the face to say he was "dry" for many hours together daring the time the Afatsuri las-te
and the neighboring villages are divided into seven For the purposes of the exrnival, Tam told, Osaka districts, each of which have two days allotted them, between the: 14th and the 30th of the sixth month, siring which they make merry at their own particalat festivals. The district in which the Foreivn Concession is situated is avery Inrze one, embracing as it docs the Ten-mar-hoshi (the bridge nent the castle, which is said to be 780 feet long,) and the Vauxhall G dens" hotel. For several days previous to "Gur sun," the crews of the many-vared racing galleys have been practising for the regatta, making day and night hideous with their boisterous clamour. These "galleys" do not differ in general from: the boats used the Kobe boatmen, excepting in the coarsely ca and colored scroll work that covers their sides. Some are larger than others and carry as many perhaps as twen-throwers, who, all but naked, keep stroke tothe beats of a drummer, who stands at the stern." All shout in unsion...As the contests near their-close, the yelling and drumming become deafening, the whole scene is a perfect aquatic saturnalia, The noisy working of the cara in the rowlocks may be heard at a great distance, shen it sounds exactly like the thumping of a ship's pumps being worked to a lively tune. Except clu ring a Fin pour, those streets in which the Maduri is held present a'lively appearance. Every inhabitant appears with one or more bran new articles of dress, and the coitures of some of the damsels are miracles of art, such as would put Truefit himself to shame,—not a hair is out of place. Tt was a puzzle to me how they mmnnogedit-y due cupply of hairdressers must have a Timit, and no Japanese gil, except. the very. poorest, ever thinks of-dressing her own hair at any time. But on enquiring of one charming demoiselle of my acquaintance, whose headdress was perfection itself, the mystery was explained;'she had her hair dressed two days before the Matsuri! Had she been a beef-fed Snstead of'a'rice-eating maiden, I doubt whether she would have slept-with such absolute tranquility as she must have done. Nearly every house in a Matsuri district his-a large ovaliantern of white paper hung before it, upon which are painted -various colored emblems'and devices, - i of the street are exactly alike.
Now and then one comes to a house, the rent of the ground-floor department of which has-ben removed, and the carpot-"ed interior, with'its walls hung with' drapery, is ex-to view.. In some of these rooms are placed various floricultural and -arboricultaral curiosities, some merely monstrosities. In others sized-figures of famous heroes and heroines of Japan, dressed in costly garments, resplendent with gold and silverembroidery, and furnished with bows and quivers, swords and daggers, of the most elaborate description. 'These interiors are lit up -at night, and are well' worthy of inspection. From -the expensivenessof the figures in question, I imagine they are loaned or hired from' one district to another during the carnival. Every now and then the sight-seer comes upon a cumbrous, richly carved, wooden, shrinelike affair (not unlike the Lord-Mayor' te-coach), which is drawn through the streets by scores of children and men, whilst one'or more men-~inside' the vehicle (2) beat drums and: strike bells. These -nonde—j|' script constructions are sometimes -very costly; that belonging to the the Osaka -Ay-tahs is said to be worth 2,000" rios.: Some day. perhaps, I'll tell you- more about those -Ay-tahe—of: Japan—who, as! "by writers on lapehet for my reading extends, have hitherto-been unnoticed
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.