quite nine by twelve feet. They must have been at it hours, for there were ponds, bridges, tiny hills and ravines and much planting in moss and other little greens. So intent on their task were they that we stood watching full two minutes before our presence attracted their attention, and yet the oldest of the group must have been under ten years of age.
Fig. 237.—Japanese park seats at Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto.
One partly hidden view of the temple is seen in Fig. 236,
the dense mountain verdure rising above and beyond it.
And then too, within the temple, as the peasant men and
women came before the shrine and grasped the long
depending rope knocker, with the heavy knot in front of the
great gong, swinging it to strike three rings, announcing
their presence before their God, then kneeling to offer
prayers, one could not fail to realize the deep sincerity and
faith expressed in face and manner, while they were obliv-