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HARVESTING THE RICE.
267
In a few moments Oto made his appearance, and, after salut-
ing his friends, observed, What do you say ? Will you run
down to Kamakura? Do you not want to have another look
at the Dai-Butsu? If you hurry up we can catch the next
train to Yokohama and take jin-riki-sha from there. My
father and mother wish to join us. Why cannot your parents
go
too ? M
HARVESTING RICE.
Everything was soon arranged and the party started.
There are many rice fields between Tokio and the port, so the
young Americans had an opportunity of seeing the crop harvested.
Women and men, armed w r ith quaintly shaped sickles, were
cutting the partly ripe grain or tying it into bundles, which they
fastened to high racks, in order that it might dry and harvest.
As the train passed, the laborers would pause in their oc-
cupation and gape at the swiftly moving carriages, then resume
their work with a will.