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

GROUPS OF MUSICIAX8 AND FISIIERMliN. 87
men look a great deal smaller than they are. They have hats like small
mnbrellas, and made of plaited straw, to keep the sun off, and they have
them tied down under the chin with cords as big as a clothes-line. Doctor
Bronson says these are the lower class of Japanese, and that we
liaven't seen the tine people yet. There are three musicians, at least they
arc called so, but I can't see that they make much that I should call music.
One of them has on one of those great broad hats, another has his head
covered with a sort of small cap, while the third has his skull shaven as
smooth as a door-knob. The man with the hat on is blowing a whistle
and ringing a small bell, the second is beating on a brass plate with a tiny
drumstick, while the third has a pair of clappers which he knocks togeth-
er, and he sings at the same time. Each of them seems to pay no attention
to the rest, but I suppose they think tliey are playing a tune. Two
of them have their legs bare, but they have sandals on their feet, held in
place by cords or thongs. The man with the hat must be the leader, as he
is the only one that wears trousers, and, besides, he has a pocket-book hung
to his girdle. I wonder if they make much money out of the music they
are playing *
" A couple of fishermen just stopped to look at the musicians and hear
the music. One had a
spear and a net with a
basket at the end, and the
other carried a small rod
and line such as I used
to have when I went out
for trout. They didii't
have much clothing,
though — nothing but a
jacket of coarse cloth and
a kilt made of reeds.
Onlj^ one had a hat, and
that didn't seem to
amount to much. The
bareheaded one scowled
at me, and I think he
can't be very fond of
foreigners. Perliaps the
foreigners deserve to be
scowled at, or, at any rate,
some of them do. J.^r.VNESE FISHEUMEN.