This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... himself of the casket and the sweet princess who had given it to him. Forgetful of her injunctions, he suddenly lifted the lid, upon which, its contents issued forth in the form of a purple vapor and floated away through the air in the direction of the island. The casket had contained an elixir which gave to its owner perpetual youth, and as soon as it passed out of his possession Urashima was instantaneously transformed Into a greyheaded, decrepit old man, and finding the tomb of his parents, he there ended his days. Moral: the good boy of Urashima, even in the palace of the seagods, forgot not his old parents and his duty to them. Now we are nearing the place where the Richardson tragedy occurred. Just at the commencement of this avenue of trees, last month, on a Sunday, four or five Englishmen and one lady started from Yokohama for a pleasure-ride; and although they had been requested by government officials not to ride on the Tokaido that day as a prince would be passing from Yedo to his southern province with his retinue of servants, they disregarded alike law of God and the wishes of the government, and came over to this road. As they met the cortege, instead of drawing off to one side to let them pass, they dashed into the midst of them, which in the eyes of Japanese was a direct insult, and immediately swords were drawn; one man, Richardson, wet falling from his horse, was slashed in many places, others escaped with slight wounds, while the lady having her hat cut from her head and a slash on her arm. It produced intense excitement at the time and frightened us in Kanagawa, not a little. Doctor Hepburn was called at once to the wounded men, but Richardson had died soon after the encounter. We have not been on the Tokaido since...