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

222
THE BOY TKAVELLEUS.
head ^vas taken to a ihoiukI by the side of the road, where it was phiced
on a post. According to law, it was to remain there six da3's, as a terror
to all who were disposed to do wrong. It was the first Japanese execu-
tion I ever witnessed, and my last."
Frank asked the Doctor if tins execution was anything like the "hari-
kari" of which he had read, where a Japanese was said to commit suicide
by cutting open his stomach.
tiling."
'' Kot by an}' means," was the answer; "hari-kari is quite another
" Please tell ns how it is performed," said Fred.
"It is not altogether a ])leasant subject," remarked the Doctor, with a
slight shudder; "but as wc want to learn all we can of the manners and
customs of the people we are among, and as we are now among the Jap-
anese, I suppose we must give some attention to hari-kari.
" To understand the question thoroughly, it will be necessary to bear
in nnnd that the (Ji-iental way of thinking is very often the exact reverse
of our way. We have one idea of honor and the Japanese have another ;
who is right or who is wrong we will not pretend to say, as each party has
its own particular views and will not readily yield to the other. Writers
on Japan differ eonsidei'ably in their views of Jajianese points of honor,
and there are disagreements on the subject among the Jajjanese them-
selves ; therefore I cannot speak with absolute exactness about it. Ac-
cording to the old code, all persons holding office under the government
were I'equired to kill themselves in the way mentioned whenever they
had eomnutted any crime, though not till they had received an oi'der to
do so from the court. If they disobeyed the order, their families would
be disinherited, and none of their descendants would be allowed to hold
office ever after ; consequently a regard for one's family required a
cheerful submission to the custom. There was no disgrace attached to a
death b}' hari-kari, and in former times its occurrence was almost an every-
day affair. One writer says, 'The sons of all persons of quality exercise
tliemselves in their youth, for five or six yeai-s, with a view to performing
the operation, in case of need, with gracefulness and dexterit}- ; and they
take as nmch pains to acquire this accomplishment as youth among us to
become elegant dancers or skilful horsemen; hence the ju'tifound con-
tempt of death which they indjibe in early years.' Curious custom, isn't
it, according to our notions *"'
Both the boys thought it was, and said they were glad that they were
not l>orn in a country where such ideas of honor prevailed.
The Doctor told them that an old stcu'v, which he had no doubt A\'as