The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

176
THE BOY THAVICLLERS.
These niiiners are in the eiii])loy of the men who supply live fish for
the tables of those who live at a distance from the sea or from the lakes,
and are willing to pay for the luxury. A runner stands waiting, and the
instant the fish is in his charge he is off. If the distance is great, there
are relays of men stationed along tlie route ; and so the precious merchan-
dise goes forward from one to the other without a moment's dela}-. Only
the wealthy can afford this mode of transporting fish, as the cost is often
very heav}-. Some of the princes, in the olden time, were in the habit of
eating fresh fish at their tables every day that had been brought in this
way for a hundred and fift)' miles. Great quantities of fish are still car-
ried in this primitive manner, but not for such long distances as formerly.
Mail)' fish are transported on horseback, in bari'els of water; but the most
delicate and valuable ai'e borne only on the shoulders of men, as the jolt-
ing of a horse will soon kill them.
After tlieir bath, the boys returned with the Doctor to their breakfast
in the hotel. The breakfast was almost identical with the dinner of the
BUtAKFA^T IS KLAl)^.
previous evening ;
and as their
appetites were not set so sharp-
ly, the consumption of food was
not so great. After bi'eakfast
they went on a stroll tlu'ough
the streets of the town and up
the sharp hill where it is built.
The shops along the streets
were filled with curiosities,
made principally from shells
and other marine products
and the Doctor said he was
forcibly reminded of [Naples,
Genoa, and other seaport
places along the Mediterra-
nean. There were numerous
conch -shells ; and Fred was
desirous of blowing them, un-
til told by the Doctor that
they had probably been blown
by many of the Japanese pilgrims, and he would run the risk of con-
tracting some troublesome disease which liad been left from tiie sores
on their lips. So the boys were cautious, and politely rejected the
invitation of the dealers to make a trial of the sonorous qualities of their
;