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The main land on this (W) side of Sendai Bay is hilly, wooded, and wild; but does not appear to be farmed, as in most parts of Japan, and the patches of cultivated ground are few and far apart. In fact I have never seen, except further north in the province of Matsu, a more scanty population, and so little cultivation. Ichinomaki is a dirty, dilapidated town, built on the banks of the river Katikami. It commences at about half a mile from the mouth of this river, and extends in an irregular way for three quarters of a mile up both banks. The population I should judge to be about 7,000, all of a very poor class of people. I did, however, meet one or two rice merchants at the head man’s establishment at another town near here, which I shall mention presently. There is no Government Official at Ichinomaki, merely a head man, an authority found in even the smallest Japanese villages. The Katikami is a fine and swift body of water, having a width abreast of the town of about 300 yards and a depth of 30 feet, but unfortunately like most other rivers failing into an open Bay, has a bar, with only 12 feet of water on it. It is not a tidal river, the body of water being too great and powerful to allow of its being so; it is also clear enough to be drinkable half a mile up. A few large junks were anchored off the town, but the banks, which are piled and rudely wharfed were crowded with large and perfectly flat-bottomed boats, 450 and 60 feet long by 12 and 14 ft. broad; these boats go 50 ri up the river (according to the boatmen) and bring rice from the interior, and when loaded draw about 18 inches of water. When the rice is bring brought down in the autumn, I have no doubt the town will show a little more life, but at the present time (July) a more torpid place I have never seen in Japan. In the extreme north east point of the Bay, three and a half miles from Ishinomaki, is a fishing village, named Wadanaha, with a population of about 2,000; and very filthy. The stench from the rotting débris of fish, which covered the wharf, was sickening. Skin disease certainly was evidently prevalent. Ichinomaki depends on its supply of fish from
