[Illustration:  Travelling Merchant (Native Drawing.)]

[Illustration:  Otinta Lama.]

The merchants have a general right of entree to all parts of the town on these occasions.  In the illustration, the procession is passing through the official quarter of Yeddo, the Tycoon’s palace forming the subject of the background.  They halt from time to time in their progress, which is enlivened by songs descriptive of their various callings, and the beating of huge drums, and blowing of strange discordant instruments.  There is a kind of analogy between our industrial exhibitions and these festivals; and, whatever the purpose may be for which they were originated, it is plain that they admirably represent the industry, wealth, and resources of the country.

‘Otinta Sama’ is a comical divinity, who is laughed at by some, and believed by others to inhabit certain miniature temples, which are crowned with cocks with outspread wings, as that bird is supposed to be his favourite incarnation.  On holidays and festivals, his temples are frequently carried about on the shoulders of his votaries, who are generally the most ignorant and superstitious of the people.  This is always a subject of merriment with the unbelievers, who crowd round the temples and oppose their progress, and indulge in witticisms at the expense of the divinity and his bearers.  This sometimes leads to a disturbance, but only when the parties concerned have been indulging too freely in their favourite saki.

[Illustration:  Saki-drunk. (Native drawing.)]

The intercession of Otinta Sama is principally sought in times of drought or of heavy rains; the temple in the one case being brought out and exposed to the sun, and in the other sprinkled with water, by way of intimating the immediate necessity for his good offices.

CHAPTER II.

FIRES AND FIRE-BRIGADES

Fires are necessarily frequent, as the majority of the houses are constructed of wood; and such dangerous articles as paper-lanterns, small charcoal fire-boxes, and movable open stoves, for household purposes, are in common use.  The candles burnt in the paper-lanterns render them extremely dangerous, as they are fixed by a socket inside the lower end of the candle, which fits on a peg in the lantern—­generally very loosely; and as they flare a great deal, very little wind or motion will cause a conflagration.  Fires are, mostly attributed, however, to the ‘chebache,’ or small charcoal fire-box, which is used for smoking purposes.  It is placed on a small stand in the middle of the thickly-matted rooms, the smokers sitting round drinking saki, and occasionally filling their small pipes.  Their method of smoking, like all the rest of their habits, is remarkably peculiar; for, after inhaling a few whiffs, the smoker invariably knocks out the half-consumed remnant on the ‘chebache,’ and, presently refilling, commences another pipe, and so on, two or three times in succession, rarely troubling himself about the ashes of the last, which the slightest current of air may carry unperceived to smoulder in the combustible flooring.