Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
herself of outer garments to swim from tropical beaches, had herself
hauled to the masthead to admire the view and braved the fierce-
ness of the elements although she knew she had no stomach for it.
She was a woman of spirit and we should not be too hard on her if
her cultural vision was blinkered by a Victorian detachment and an
assumption of superiority.
Japan, where the Brasseys spent a month in enthralled sightsee-
ing, was in the grip of winter. Snow and frost gave way to steady rain.
But nothing dampened the visitors' ardour for exploration. They
made a frenzied tour of palaces, temples, ornamental gardens,
castles and markets. Tom was even presented to the Mikado. And, of
course, they had to buy souvenirs. It is surprising that there was any
space left below decks for more curios. At every port of call hours
had been spent bartering with the natives for basketwear, needle-
work, horse harness, jewellery and other examples of local crafts.
Now they added to the collection toys, clothes, fans, embroidered
silks and brocades, lacquerwork, vases - and birds. The quantity of
livestock on board was by now prodigious:
I bought some fine bantams at Yokohama, and a whole cageful of
rice-birds. They are the dearest little things, and spend most of the day
bathing and twittering, occasionally getting all together into one nest,
with their twenty-five heads peeping out . . . I hope I shall take them
home alive, as they have borne the cold very well so far. We have also
some mandarin ducks on board, and some gold and silver fish with two
tails. Our sailors have over a hundred birds of their own . . . don't know
where they can keep them.
20
This was obviously in the days before quarantine restrictions
and health regulations governing the import of livestock.
If Japan was to Annie's liking, China or, at least, Canton, the only
city she visited, was not. Why, the people actually ate the flesh of
