This name signifies 'not two, but one mountain,' the
Japanese thinking it impossible that there can be another like it in
the world. The lovely little island is called Inoshima, and is conical
in shape and covered with evergreens and Buddhist temples, with a few
small fishing villages scattered on its shores. We walked right across
it in about an hour; so you may imagine it is not very large. The sea
teems with curiously shaped fish and beautiful shells. The staple food
of the inhabitants seems to be those lovely 'Venus's ears,' [17] as
they are called--a flattish univalve, about as big as your hand, with
a row of holes along the edge, and a lining of brilliant black
mother-of-pearl. These were lying about in heaps mixed with white
mother-of-pearl shells, as big as your two fists, and shaped like a
snail-shell.
[Footnote 17: Haliotis.]
[Illustration: Inoshima by a Japanese Artist.]
Our _jinrikisha_ men deposited us at the bottom of the main street of
the principal village, to enter which we passed through a simple
square arch of a temple. The street was steep and dirty, and consisted
principally of shell-fish and seaweed shops.
An old priest took us in hand, and, providing us with stout sticks,
marched us up to the top of the hill to see various temples, and
splendid views in many directions.
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