[Illustration: 'I trust you, honourable sir, to speak further if you so desire.'] Shibusawa or The Passing of Old Japan By I. William Adams [Illustration] Illustrated by E. Dalton Stevens G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press 1906 COPYRIGHT, 1906 BY I. WILLIAM ADAMS =The Knickerbocker Press= PREFACE To hope to understand in a few short years or even in a lifetime the development of the humane, refined, and notably progressive people of Japan would be presumptuous; yet, if I can in these pages contribute in some degree toward that end, I shall feel amply rewarded. I am indebted to those who have preceded me in this field for much of my detail. I shall, moreover, always hold that to my Japanese friends and others, who so cheerfully rendered me assistance in obtaining original matter, should be attributed any merit which this tale of old Japan may possess. Without them it could not have been, and for its shortcomings I alone am responsible. NOTE.--The superior figures throughout the text refer to the notes in the appendix. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTORY vii I. THE CHRISTENING 1 II. EARLY LIFE 12 III. MEETING WITH KINSAN 21 IV. COURSE DETERMINED 29 V. THE HIDDEN CAVE 35 VI. THE PLEDGE 47 VII. AN UNEXPECTED COMMAND 51 VIII. THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY 59 IX. THE WEDDING FEAST 65 X. THE STOWAWAYS 78 XI. CAST ADRIFT 81 XII. A WOMAN'S PRIVILEGE 89 XIII. DANGER IN SHIBUSAWA'S ABSENCE 97 XIV. THE "NO" DANCE 104 XV. HOME ABANDONED 111 XVI. A GREAT SORROW 118 XVII. THE CHILD 122