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The American Presbyterian Mission has a commodious hospital, pleasantly situated on the river bank, which enjoys a high reputation among the natives. There are two distinct tribes of Laos inhabiting this district. The women, on account of their peculiar headgear and jackets of dark cloth and short sarong, are interesting. The cultivation of rice is the prevailing industry in this district.
Judging by the number of Siamese feasts and festivals there are in the calendar, a holiday must always be in order. The Siamese official year opens April 1st, and about that time, a date regulated by the moon, the New Year holiday occurs. This is not celebrated quite as vigorously as it formerly was, but the country people make it the occasion for performing some great deed of merit, and this proves a time of harvest for the priests. Every one wears his best clothes, a special kind of cake is served, and the temples are thronged. Gambling laws are set aside, and in every house may be seen some game of chance. On the evening of the second day, for the festival continues through a period of three, all the guns along the palace walls are fired thirty-six times.
The Astronomical New Year soon follows, when the images of Buddha are sprinkled with water, while the priests hold a festival at the royal palace. Priests and aged people are presented with gifts.
When the sixth Siamese moon is at its full, the birth, inspiration, and death of the Lord Buddha are observed with great veneration; good deeds prompt every one, alms are given to the poor, and fine robes sent to the priests.
Twice a year the ceremonial drinking of the water of allegiance takes place at the royal palace. The princes, nobles, and principal Government officials assemble, drink, and sprinkle their foreheads with water in which various weapons have been dipped. Appropriate religious services are also held. The principal European officials also conform to this custom, which usually occurs in the months of March, April, and September.
The ploughing ceremony takes place in May and marks the beginning of the planting season. The King is represented by the Minister of Agriculture, who goes with a procession to the selected spot, and, after some religious service, takes hold of a plough which is drawn by two gayly bedecked oxen. After scratching the ground for about an hour, four ladies of the royal household, attired in ancient costumes, sow various kinds of seed carried in gilded baskets. The grain thus scattered is considered sacred, and there is a wild scramble for it at the close. Many signs and symbols are attached to various parts of the ceremony, which usually takes place at Dusit Park.
A swinging festival is very unique and interesting, but is quite complicated and has to be seen to be understood. The swing is very high and I think is stationary.
Another ceremony is the giving of priests' robes. This lasts a month, and the King or his deputies visit every Wat in the kingdom. At this time the boat racing at the Pakman Wat occurs, and the royal barge and State boats are all brought out for the occasion. At another festival, the Loy Krathong (all these celebrations have their Siamese names), the river Menam and the canals present a gala appearance, being dotted at night with thousands of miniature ships, rafts, and boats, each brilliantly lighted and bearing offerings to the goddess of water. This festival occurs in October and November.
But the greatest occasion of the year is the King's birthday, September 20th, the three following days being included in the festival. Everywhere the city is a blaze of red and white bunting, and at night it is brilliant with myriad lights, presenting a fairylike scene. About this time the Foreign Office gives its annual ball, a brilliant occasion for which invitations are in great demand.
Siamese ceremonies are quite as peculiar as their feasts. The habit of cutting the long tuft of hair, which is left on children's heads until they have attained their growth, is very striking, and at the royal palace very elaborate preparations are made, which include religious ceremonies and the use of a golden jewelled instrument resembling shears.
In Siam cremation is the general way of disposing of the dead. Among the wealthy classes the body is embalmed and kept sometimes three years before the ceremony, which is conducted with great pomp and on a very expensive plan, gifts being distributed among all the attendant friends and sums of money given to the priests and to the poor. The Chinese, of which there are large numbers, are usually buried, but in case of a mixed marriage the children are cremated.
There are many superstitions. A peculiar one in court circles is the wearing of a different-colored panung each day of the week,—on Sunday, red; Monday, cream; Tuesday, purple; and so on,—for good luck. Another is the use of buttons adorned with representations of animals, symbolical of the year in which certain persons are born,—this also for good luck. The tendency naturally leads to great respect being shown to fortune-tellers. The youth of Siam are, however, it is said, outgrowing this superstitious condition.
One time-honored custom is, however, in greater vogue than ever, and that is massage, which is employed by all classes.
While the foreign residents of Bangkok are not large in number, they have made their impress felt, and in no way more markedly than in the amusements which they have inaugurated. There are sixteen organizations, many of them recreation clubs for golf, tennis, and cricket, but there are also a literary club, a dramatic club, a Philharmonic Society, and a gymnasium. Bangkok has a good library, containing books of travel, reference, and fiction.
Racing is popular and is generally attended by the King, who gives gold cups for prizes. Hunting is in great favor, for game can be found near Bangkok, and at not a remote distance lurk the rhinoceros, buffalo, tiger, leopard, deer, antelope, hare, and crocodile. Elephants abound, but may not be shot.
Bangkok, as a city, becomes distinctively individual as one learns more of it; for instance, the telegraph and the telephone lines are controlled by the postal department and are working satisfactorily under this regime. As early as 1902, important fiscal changes were introduced: one was the closing of the mints to free silver, and the other an issuance of paper currency notes. The first meant the practical adoption of a gold standard. I cite these examples as showing still further progressive methods.
There are holiday resorts on the east coast of the gulf, where Bangkok residents can retire for a change of air. These have been mentioned. There are also remoter places of great interest farther in the interior and in the mountains, which will soon be available for travellers.
Rathburi is an old walled town of importance. Near here, the French Catholic priests have a mission house and seminary. The American Presbyterian Mission owns a fine hospital, and two missionary families are stationed here.
Phrapatoon is the seat of a large pagoda which is visible for many miles around. It was formerly gilded and was built in style similar to the pagodas seen in Burma.
With all the available information about the kingdom of Siam, one cannot but feel that it has a future full of possibilities; certain it is that the measures already inaugurated by the King are made for the welfare of his people.
The tropical growth of Siam impressed us only slightly, as we had just come from Java, "the garden of the earth." Otherwise we should have been enthusiastic over the beauty of the landscape and the luxurious growth of trees and plants.
There was no special programme on our last morning in Bangkok, and so I wandered around for final impressions and for photographs. I had an amusing little talk with what proved to be the court photographer. Among other notables of the realm, he showed me a picture of the Crown Prince, whereupon I innocently asked him how many sons there were. He replied, "Sixty-seven," and that he had taken all their photographs. The reply was rather startling, and I impulsively asked, "And how many daughters?" He looked blank and admitted that he did not know. Of course I understood that the family relations of the King were modelled on strictly Oriental lines, and that he had three legal wives, the number prescribed by law; but I was unprepared for a statement that showed a daughter in a royal household to be such a nonentity as the above implied.
When I visited the market, I saw an unlimited number of fruits as well as vegetables; cocoanuts, plantains, bananas, durians, pineapples, bread-fruit, jack-fruit, dates, almonds, pomaloes, mangoes (fifty varieties), mangosteens, custard apples, limes, oranges, tamarinds, figs, and papayas, all are to be found here in their proper season. I did not even know the names of some, but never again do I hope to see such a display.
There were fewer flowers than I had been led to expect, but the flora of Siam is said to be particularly rich in unusual varieties of orchids, which are found flourishing abundantly even in the jungles, and a visit would well repay a collector. A person can find a rich field in Siam along many lines of investigation.
We left Bangkok in the afternoon on the steamer Nuen-tung for a five days' return trip to Singapore. I have already alluded to the "sand bar" which is an obstacle to navigation; hence it is that the heavy freight vessels anchor fifty miles distant at Koh-si-Chang, but I learned later that this obstacle could have been removed by dredging, had not the authorities declined to take any action, as the "bar" furnished a safe means of defence should war ever occur.
We saw various pagodas as we advanced; the most noted example was in the village of Pakman. As viewed through masses of foliage, it reminded us of the trip on the Irrawaddy River in Burma. A cargo of rice was taken on at Koh-si-Chang, and we did not leave there until eleven, the day following. A group of islands similarly called was a feature of the trip. It was cooler when we entered the Gulf of Siam, and the China Sea was favorably smooth. The conditions of the steamer were unchanged, but they had grown familiar to us, and even the cockroaches no longer intimidated me.
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SINGAPORE: We arrived at Singapore early in the morning, and for a third time viewed the shores; on this trip we went to the Raffles Hotel for a brief sojourn. The place is airy, capacious, and semi-Oriental, and reminded us of Colombo, as did the temperature, for although but two degrees from the equator, the air was like June at home, and without any of the chill in the evening that we sometimes experience; so it was a great pleasure to sit out in the corridor-like veranda and listen to the music. It was all so contrary to our expectations, for we had been told fearful tales about heat, insects, and general discomfort on the Malay Peninsula, or on what they term the "Straits Settlements."
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JOHORE: To commence with, we devoted the first afternoon to an excursion to Johore, the capital of an independent Malay province, whose Sultan reigns with pomp and ceremony. After a railway ride, we took the ferry across the river, where a scene of loveliness awaited us. The city is unpretentious in appearance, but our afternoon excursion revealed to us a varied landscape with a tropical growth. We visited a plantation where india rubber, one of the chief articles of export, is cultivated; then a large Mohammedan mosque, finely located on an eminence. The tiger house on this particular day held but one inmate, who showed no desire to devour us.
The grounds surrounding the palace are as spacious and as well cared for as a botanical garden, with the brilliant flowers, blossoming trees, and a great number of red sealing-wax palms. The palace is luxuriantly embowered in vines and trees. Johore is a famous gambling-place, but the "parlors" were deserted on this afternoon, and we could see only the fine furnishings in carved teakwood.
The stay in Johore ended with tea at a hotel. Here we saw the real Sultan entertaining a party of Europeans. He looked young and was dressed in an immaculate English style, quite unlike the striped calico suits displayed by royalty at Jeypore, India. He came in a French automobile, and is said to pass half his time in Singapore, being fond of society. We arrived in Singapore for dinner, and during the evening a delightful surprise awaited me in the appearance of two Milwaukee friends.
The following day much ground was covered, for, by invitation of Cincinnati friends, I took a motor ride of about forty miles amidst undreamed-of beauty, both near the city and in the surrounding country. There were streets lined with villas whose gardens were full of a luxuriant growth of shrubs and flowers; some of them had the quaintest high-arched gateways, with coats of arms and animals carved in stone on each side of the entrance. The Botanical Gardens were very interesting, as was also the park, miles from the city, and laid out around the reservoir, which furnishes all the water supply. We went on and on until we reached the "Gap," where a mountain view awaited us. We visited the shops and bazars before luncheon, and in the afternoon all of us explored the native Malay quarter. The dress of the women was unlike any other seen in the Orient. The Chinese seemed to be the real residents, for everywhere they prevailed in large numbers.
In whatever direction we went, new features revealed themselves, and we commended the wisdom of Sir Stamford Raffles in founding this island city with its wonderful harbor, where shipping from almost all parts of the world congregates, making the active sights at the quay at once novel and business-like. Indians, Sikhs, Malays, and other nationalities are represented, but the Chinese perform all the menial labor required.
The coolie is a character,—patient, hard-working, uncomplaining, supplying a demand throughout the Orient, made necessary, as we have seen, by the indolence of the Burmese and of the Malays, to mention only two examples.
Singapore is very gay in the season, and a centre for the wealth of the Far East; indeed, sultans and nabobs consider it a veritable Paris.
The last morning of our stay, I went around in a jinrikisha, and my man was as fleet as a horse. I had an experience trying to find so simple an article as a paper of pins, visiting shop after shop. Evidently they have not learned the ways of the American department store!
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HONG-KONG: We sailed in the late afternoon on the steamer Moltke for a five days' voyage to Hong-Kong, with a feeling that we had experienced no discomfort but much pleasure in the seemingly maligned city of Singapore.
We passed the Strait of Malacca without any untoward excitement, and we steamed along pleasantly with a group of passengers who looked well-bred and agreeable; as time went on, our first impression of them was corroborated. A delightful feature aboard was music every evening in the salon, mostly singing. There was a service on Sunday, both for the first-class and second-class passengers. We soon entered the China Sea, which was to be our sole waterway to Hong-Kong, fifteen hundred miles distant, or rather to the Straits of Formosa, which guard the China Sea on the north, as the Strait of Malacca does on the south. We reached port on the morning of March 20th, and the approach—past many islands, along the fine harbor, with its high rocky shores, towering mountains in the background, and a terraced city in the foreground—gave us a new sensation. We landed at Kowloon and were taken across to Hong-Kong (which, properly and legally speaking, is Victoria).
Fronting the landing is a long street of fine stone business houses, which extend tier after tier from the shore and in a way represent the city's commercial importance.
The Hong-Kong Hotel is situated in the business centre; although under English management, the service was entirely Chinese, and at luncheon we were confronted by an array of waiters with braids around their heads and wearing long blue garments made like aprons; the ensemble was indeed most depressing. The menu presented a curious feature, the courses being numbered, and you were expected to point to the number, but woe to any one who wished an egg boiled four minutes or a piece of rare roast!
Hong-Kong is on the north shore of the island, and dampness prevails even when it does not rain (there is an unusual amount of rain); in consequence, great care has to be observed by the residents, both of their homes and clothing. Yet, notwithstanding this and other disabilities, the English have made the island "blossom like a rose." Engineering enterprise has converted the mountain-side into an attractive residence centre. A railway leading to the Peak (the highest point in the landscape) is not only a convenience, but a pleasure on account of the magnificent view afforded along the ascent. A little lower is an attractive Peak Hotel, which is popular with residents. At every point on the heights there are features to impress one, as we found the afternoon of our arrival, when we took jinrikishas to visit Happy Valley, where are located the public garden and the Protestant cemetery, which is also laid out like a park. The Catholic cemetery is near by and has the same general features. Happy Valley is also the scene for various sports, such as golf, tennis, croquet, and racing, in which Hong-Kong abounds.
The afternoon of our visit, we walked about to various points, enjoying the views, and commending the perfection which had been wrought since 1842, when China ceded the island to Great Britain. Realizing that Hong-Kong was destined to be a world port, England some years since leased a portion of the mainland from China for further harbor facilities. This strip extends back thirty miles and is held for a term of ninety-nine years. The city retains its former name, Kowloon, but its business facilities are all under English management. The miles of docks, warehouses, shipyards, and machine shops are another proof of the wisdom and forethought with which Great Britain carries out her plans for colonizing alien places.
Hong-Kong was destined to be our headquarters for nearly two weeks; it is a convenient point from which to make excursions. On the first Sunday morning I attended service at the English Cathedral; the building is on the heights, surrounded by a well-kept close and overlooking a fine residence portion of the city. I was conveyed to church in a sedan chair on account of the steep ascent. During our excursion to the Peak, we first took a railway chair, then a sedan chair; leaving that, we had a long climb before we reached the summit, where there is a flagstaff. What a view was before us—mountains in the distance, the harbor and the islands, shipping of all kinds, and roofs of every description! Descending, we had tea at the Peak Hotel. Another afternoon we went in a launch to Kowloon. We took a jinrikisha for a general exploration of the old Chinese city, and aside from what has been indicated, we went through the native quarter, saw several temples, visited a Chinese school, and ascended the high wall for a view. Much of the wall is unimpaired. A drive in the country followed, and we saw many tiny Chinese gardens and a number of cemeteries.
The jinrikisha ride to Aberdeen, a fishing village some miles distant, proved delightful. The roadway was sometimes close to the water's edge; then we ascended and looked down over low cliffs, with coves ever and anon dotting the shore. It reminded me continually of the ride from Sorrento to Amalfi, and again of the Upper Corniche drive from Mentone to Nice.
Early on Wednesday, March 25th, we left on the steamer Keung Shang for a visit to Canton, ninety miles distant. Leaving the commercial city and a fleet of shipping vessels behind us, we had some miles of lake scenery; then we had islands and the coast line beyond. Soon we were in Pearl River, and the surroundings grew more picturesque,—now a little village near the water's edge with a mountain behind, and then more islands and more mountain ranges. We had a glimpse of Castle Peak, two thousand feet high. We then passed an immense prominence, called the Half-Way Rock. At a place known as Tiger's Mouth, fortifications were seen. The country soon becomes flat, with rice fields and fruit farms; we saw the Whampoa Pagoda and some miles farther on the Honam Pagoda. Near Canton, we passed another pagoda, and then the white spire of the French cathedral gleamed out, and our goal was reached. It is a most interesting river trip, and is unfortunately more often taken at night, in order to economize time.
The first impression of Canton is one of noise, a fearful din rising and falling in a kind of cadence, and seeming to proceed largely from an immense flotilla of boats extending a long way, tied, in a majority of cases, seven and eight rows deep—craft of all kinds, sampans, junks, rice boats, freight, each with its quota of humanity, for this is a veritable floating city, with a life all its own, and almost wholly independent of the Canton proper which we were about to visit and which numbered a hundred thousand souls.
We had not anticipated much enjoyment in Canton, having read of the dirt and smells, but we had not expected to be deafened at our very entrance, and I think for the time being it dulled the consciousness of this wonderful spectacle of a floating independent city just at the door of a city whose name is famous the world over.
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CANTON, March 25th: We were soon conveyed up a back canal to the Shameen (the name of the city of foreign concession), where our quarters, the Hotel Victoria, were located. My room was situated on the ground floor, the gallery opening on a large garden or court, abloom with trees and flowers. There was no key to the door, and strangers were all about me, but the complacent manner in which I met this fact caused me to realize that my courage was greater than when at Jeypore in far-away India.
The first afternoon, a jinrikisha ride convinced us that we were in the most congested city on the face of the globe; a city of streets so narrow that two chairs could hardly pass each other; a city of strange sights and more violent contrasts than any we had yet seen. And the smells!—the English language does not contain words strong enough to describe them. In the bazar portion of the city we were diverted by the box-like shops, with their open fronts, and filled with curios, works in jade, wood, and unique articles of feather jewelry.
Then the wonderful Chinese signs! We had noticed and admired them in Hong-Kong, but in size and beauty they now far excelled anything of the kind we had seen before. They extended from an upper story, for these bazars were many of them on the ground floor of four-story apartments, each story having its front gallery where one could witness diversified scenes of family life. The signs are about a half a yard wide and are decorated from top to bottom, with gold and brilliant colors, the Chinese letters forming a large feature of the display. These signs (sometimes five grouped together) are wonderfully effective, as they sway back and forth in the wind, and they are a partial indication of the Chinese industry which prevails.
There were larger shops in better locations in the city, and here we found the grass linen embroidered articles and the crape for which Canton is famous.
The following morning, we departed on a more serious sight-seeing expedition, to include all manner of typical Cantonese places, but before I had been out an hour I decided that the description of one temple only would not adequately convey a true impression, for everywhere we went things seemed unreal and grotesque, but interesting. First, we entered what our guide termed the Medicine Temple, not so very large, where on the opposite side of the room huge idols were placed before all manner of receptacles for holding medicine; next a Buddhist Temple, very inferior to any we had seen; then a Confucian temple, plain like the majority of them; while a Shinto temple had the characteristic torii before it. This latter I will describe when Japan, the land of the torii, is the topic.
The Five-story Pagoda is quite imposing, as it is placed on the city wall and commands a wide view. It is the custom for parties to go there and take their picnic luncheon, and our guide had planned for us to do this, but unfortunately the pagoda was being repaired and visitors were not permitted. So we proceeded to a large building on an eminence, which was furnished like a club house and was evidently for public use. There was a conventional garden in front, affording a very extended view.
A visit to the so-called "Home of the Dead" followed; this was unlike anything ever experienced before. We entered an enclosure, laid out partly as a garden; there were walks leading around, and some of them had low rooms at the sides, with open fronts, while on a plinth rested coffins of different styles; the bodies within were awaiting burial. Flowers were scattered here and there, and I believe fruit, food, and offerings of various kinds also.
We next visited the place of execution, which was ghastly with its associations, and the executioner swung the large instrument around, as the guide explained the process of decapitating heads. But fortunately for our nerves the place then contained only long rows of jars from a pottery near by.
The Nambo Prison proved to be a wooden affair, gates and all, but the poor unkept, unwashed victims who glared at us through the bars looked too sickly and emaciated to offer any resistance, even had they a mind to escape.
By far the most interesting place we visited was the Temple of the Five Hundred Genii, with large brass gods seated on opposite sides of a long hall,—the Temple of the Five Genii, and the ancestral temple of a certain royal family of China. We first entered a large enclosure, then a goodly-sized audience room, and next the temple proper. The three walls of this room (as I remember them) were fitted up like an immense cabinet, with rows of drawers, each supposed to contain some document relating to that particular ancestor. There was one upright vacant space which the guide said would be filled when that branch of the family died.
We were here without a "Murray," as in Java and Siam, so we graciously accepted such information as our most intelligent guide could give us, who, by the way, was the original guide of Canton, two sons now following in his footsteps, for the father in his later years rarely accompanies parties. He is a gentleman, affable, well dressed in Chinese brocade, and less unresponsive than are most Chinese; it was indeed a pleasure to be "conducted" by him.
The Hall of Examination is open to the public only once in three years, when students of high-school grade are examined for entrance to a university course, eighty-seven of the applicants being chosen. The hall has, on three sides, little box-like slates about six by eight feet, furnished with only a plank on which the student must sit and sleep. He is shut in there for three days, food being given him on entering for the entire time. This torture is repeated three times, so that nine days of purgatory have to be endured before the goal is reached.
The aristocracy of Canton is not one of wealth, but of intellectual honors; many of the Chinamen who are seen wearing horn-rimmed spectacles are either of a literary turn of mind or are attempting to pass as such.
Seen from the city wall or any very high point, Canton seems a city of roofs, with scarcely an opening and not a vestige of green. The narrow streets are many of them covered with awnings. It is a city of great color, the brilliant signs, the covered palanquin chairs, the costumes of the wealthy Chinese, all contributing to the riotous effect. It is a city of very wide contrasts, for rich and poor jostle each other on the streets and their homes are often side by side.
Canton is, after all, even with the noise, smells, and dirt included, a fascinating city, and while one would not care to remain long in it, one should never omit it.
Shameen, the island of concession, where are located two hotels, consulates, churches, some shops, and the homes of all the foreign residents, is a most pleasing place. Long avenues of trees are seen on every side, the grounds of many of the homes sloping to the river, which of itself adds to the beauty; the water is spanned by two iron bridges which are locked every night; everywhere a general air of refinement prevails. This very Shameen furnishes the greatest contrast of all to hoary, venerable old Canton.
It is claimed that Canton's origin dates from three hundred years before the Christian era. The city was then encircled by a kind of stockade made of bamboo and river mud, and it resembled a camp in most of its details. A thousand years and Canton is alluded to as a commercial city, with a special commissioner appointed by the Government to superintend foreign trade. At an early date the great pass was constructed through the Mei-hung range of mountains, and this proves to be one of the principal trade-routes in use at the present time. Another thousand years and we have the city of to-day, with its peculiar conditions, its fascinations. Surely its age commands our respect. Its people, seemingly impassive, are a subject for study, as are all the Chinese. Will the Western mind ever be able to understand this? I have a theory that behind the impassiveness there is a certain kind of responsiveness if it can be reached, but thus far I have only been able to test it upon house servants in California and those who have served us at different points in our trip. I have met persons who share my belief, their opinion being based on an acquaintance with the educated class.
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MACAO, March 28th: We again took the steamer Kian Tang for an eighty-mile run to Macao. The scene is quite as varied and pleasing as the passage from Hong-Kong to Canton. There were numerous islands, and, on the mainland, villages were seen with occasional forts which told the story of past invasions. Rice fields and great groves of mulberry trees indicated some of the chief industries of China. Macao is situated on the western shores of the estuary of the great Pearl River, sometimes called Canton River. It was founded early in the sixteenth century by the Portuguese, who were the first nation to invade the Eastern seas in the interest of commerce, having aided the Chinese during the invasion of pirates. As a reward, in the year 1557, the rocky peninsula was given to them, the Portuguese having previously made use of it as a trading-station and a naval depot.
Macao is beautifully located high above the sea, and the approach is fine; the first impression is of a Mediterranean port, but on landing, the style of the buildings and the arrangement of the streets reminded me of Spain, while the blended coloring on the parapet and walls (which only time can give) was like Ponta Delgada of the Azores. Our hotel stood on an eminence overlooking the sea, indeed so near the sea that the moan and swish of the waves were always with us. The view from my balcony brought to mind the outlook from the old monastery at Amalfi, Italy. The whole atmosphere of the place was peaceful, and this was its chief attraction. We were there over Sunday, and the impression was deepened. Our arrival being early in the morning, we at once commenced our tour of observation, our guide seeming quite intelligent. We knew that the population of Macao was about eighty thousand, and, with the exception of a few Portuguese officials, entirely Chinese, so we were prepared for Chinese scenes, and it seemed quite consistent that we should first visit a large opium factory, this drug being one of the large exports of Macao. Here was explained the entire process of manufacture, from the poppy leaf to the final shipment; and for a further object lesson, we were taken into a room arranged for smoking opium, where sat three richly dressed Chinamen, half reclining; two had already passed into the temporary land of bliss and the third had the far-away look in his eyes that betokened semi-unconsciousness.
The fourteenth-century facade of San Paulo greatly interested us aside from its architectural merit; it stands to-day, as it has stood for generations, the sole remnant of a fine cathedral which perished in an earthquake. It is like a sentinel pointing the way to a better life. The modern Catholic cathedral had no distinctive features. The English church was unpretentious, but the Protestant cemetery adjoining contains tablets sacred to the memory of many military and naval officers and also of missionaries and their families; I remember especially the stone erected to a Rev. Mr. Morrison, one of the early missionaries to China.
Macao's chief claim to renown is its association with Camoens, the great Portuguese poet of the sixteenth century, whose epic poem, "The Lusiads," has been translated into most known languages. This poem was written during his ten years' residence in Macao, and the garden, grotto, and bust of Camoens are all a memorial tribute from a fellow countryman, Lorenco Marques. The garden and grotto were interesting, and the bronze bust which rests on a block whereon is engraved a poem to Macao by an English scholar, Sir John Bowring, is fine in design and execution. It is interesting to note that through "The Lusiads" Camoens was permitted to return to Portugal to end his days, he having been banished twice because his views were too outspoken. He died at Lisbon in 1580.
The shops in Macao were of no special interest, and the street scenes lacked life and color. A long drive followed luncheon, first to the wonderful Bund, here called Praia Granda, which is semi-circular like the harbor, and the street fronting the water is lined with homes or business houses. Not one discordant note is here found. The drive is protected on the water side by a high stone coping, and it was being extended far beyond the original curve on the right-hand side, while at the left it leads out into a prolonged drive, first on the heights where are located residences and a club, then on to the country, until we reach the dividing line between a Portuguese possession and China. This is marked by an imposing arch. On the outskirts we visited several factories, one for weaving matting, another for the manufacture of every form of fire-works (a regular Fourth of July supply), and that the realism should not be missing, some small boys on the corner exploded a bunch of fire-crackers.
There were other factories, but the most interesting was one devoted to the manufacture of silk thread from cocoons. It was very large, and only women and girls were there employed, and the deft way in which they caught the silk end from the cocoon (the latter is first placed in boiling water) and wound it on reels quite won our admiration. We were then taken to rooms where large twists of silk were placed ready for shipment to England, a package not over two feet square representing an investment of many thousands of dollars. The long drive to the hotel ended an eventful day; the evening was to furnish further excitement in a visit to some fan-tan parlors for which Macao is noted; indeed, it is the Monte Carlo of the Far East, and I fear this feature attracts more tourists than the beauty of the location. Certain it is that the steamers from Hong-Kong supply a large contingent that comes hither daily, since both fan-tan and lotteries are prohibited in Hong-Kong. All the parlors are under Chinese management and are extensively patronized. Some are said to be very luxurious in their appointments, being, of course, for the wealthy patrons, who do not, however, sit on the floor where the gambling is going on, but in a little room arranged with galleries all around. Their servants sit below and receive from them an indication as to certain numbers which may win or lose as the wheel of fortune turns. There are retiring-rooms for the opium smokers and separate places for serving refreshments. Such a condition represents the aristocratic status of the game. The reverse aspect is seen in the miserable "joints," which are too dreadful even to contemplate. Here is where Macao derives the revenue to carry on its fine improvements, and, as in Bangkok, there is no intimation of a desire to reform the evil.
The Chinese have also invaded Burma, and intermarriage with the Burmese maidens is becoming general. Java is not exempt from their presence; in Siam they are very numerous; in Singapore they permeate everywhere; and in Macao they are possessors of the field. Truly their colonizing power is tremendous, and, unlike the British, they commence downward and work upward, the coolie ever being the advance guard.
On Sunday morning there was no service at the English church, and so two of our party, by invitation of the missionary, Rev. Mr. Todd, attended a Chinese service held in rooms which were far from adequate for their needs. A Sunday-school of about two hundred children was just leaving as we entered, and their interested faces made me hopeful that this early influence might save them from the fan-tan attraction. The service was in Chinese, but the reverend gentleman, not being fluent in the Chinese language, first gave a paragraph in English, and this was translated by his wife into Chinese, which made it more interesting and assuredly more understandable to us. The audience paid the closest attention, and to my surprise their faces revealed an animated response. The women were dressed in the long black coats and loose trousers seen everywhere, but their hair ornaments were of gold, set with jewels, and their earrings jade or large pearls of great value. At the close of the service a man arose and evidently made a most impassioned appeal, judging by the intonation of his voice and the spontaneous applause he received. At the close Mr. Todd told us that it was an appeal for money with which to secure a better place of meeting, and that the Chinese women in front had already given two hundred dollars toward the movement.
On Monday morning the steamer Suitai carried us safely back to Hong-Kong. The harbor looked more attractive than ever, and we were glad to be again under English rule. On entering the hotel, an incident occurred that lent coloring to my "theory." In order to explain, I must go backward. On my first arrival at the hotel I had placed some photographs on my chiffonier, and among them was the one of little Katharine in the dog-cart with Omg, our American China boy, standing by her. The following morning on entering my room, I saw both of the men who were in charge of the cleaning gazing intently at the picture; turning around, one of them asked, "You know China boy?" I assented, and then told him something of the Chinamen who were employed in California. This seemed to please them both immensely. On my return from Canton and Macao, I walked down a long hall to my room and encountered several of the so-termed "boys," every one of whom smiled and greeted me. I was puzzled for a moment,—they had formerly seemed so impassive,—and then I remembered the morning's incident and inferred that all had seen the picture and had been told that I "knew China boy."
Manila was in our original itinerary, and on our first arrival in Hong-Kong we were given our choice of a trip there or of the one we had enjoyed at Canton and Macao, as the visit to Manila would have afforded us but one day in Canton without even a glimpse of Macao. We thought we had chosen wisely, but that evening, when we heard the enthusiastic report of several who had just returned from Manila, I regretted that we could not have done both, which would be my advice to all future tourists.
We had three more days in Hong-Kong. There were jinrikisha rides, shopping, and attendance at a Chinese theatre where much noise, vigorous action, and very little dramatic talent were in evidence. It was, however, interesting to watch the people, and to note their enthusiasm, with no impassiveness now, as well as the peculiar mixture of costumes. The business streets were full of life and action, and the shops contained a very tempting array of articles. One afternoon I took a jinrikisha ride on the Bund, past the great warehouses, or godowns as they are called, filled with goods or food stuffs for shipment to every port in China. Hong-Kong also aims to be a centre of supply for the shipping of the world that comes to her door, and her dockyards and shops are said to be equal to the demand. Somewhere I have seen this statement, "that if Hong-Kong could be a port of origin instead of a port of call, her commercial importance would equal that of London." The means of transportation are varied, including electric cars, carriages, jinrikishas, and sedan chairs. These may sometimes be seen following each other in succession. The streets show the cosmopolitan side of the city's life, as denizens of almost every clime assemble there, in the interest of business or of pleasure.
The militia gives a dash of color to the scene,—the officers with their uniforms, and the ever-present Tommy Atkins in his khaki suit,—besides the wealthy Chinese in robes of brocade, the first of the kind we had seen, and the coolie in short jacket and blue knee trousers, the color being a badge of servitude. The English social life of the city is also said to be very agreeable to residents, or to those who remain long enough to participate in it, and I can now understand the enthusiasm of friends who once resided there. When we left Hong-Kong, we felt that we could have lingered much longer and been happy.
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SHANGHAI: Our approach to Shanghai was through the Wusung River, as all large steamers are obliged to anchor at the bar. A launch was taken for a ride of sixteen miles. The river banks were picturesque, and little villages were succeeded by a vast amount of shipping, while factories and warehouses from an artistic standpoint spoiled a large space of the water front, the redeeming feature further on being a Public Garden, the Consulates, and a collection of fine business houses.
We arrived at Shanghai on the morning of April 6th, and at once proceeded to the Hotel Astor; then we left almost immediately for a general drive, as we were to remain only for the day. We first visited the native quarter, where the streets were narrow; but, in comparison with Canton, they seemed much less crowded. We saw the exterior of some temples and an interesting tea-house and bazar which were similar in arrangement to those in Canton, and contained about the same articles. The native town is very tame in comparison with Canton. Before luncheon we visited two large silk houses, where we examined a remarkable display of all kinds of silks and embroideries. After luncheon we proceeded to take what is called the "Bubbling Well Drive," first exploring two interesting tea-houses, one called the "Mandarin Teahouse" being very elegant in all of its appointments. It had a garden arranged in conventional Chinese style, with a rockery, miniature lake, and dwarf trees. On the ride to Bubbling Well Road, we saw many beautiful homes of modern European style, Shanghai being considered a very desirable residence for foreigners. After visiting other points of interest, in the late afternoon we returned to our steamer, having had time only for a bird's-eye view of Shanghai and a brief outline of its places of interest.
Shanghai is situated on the left bank of a stream called the Hiangpo, a tributary of the Yangtse River. Formerly there were an English settlement and an American settlement, the latter with no legal claims. These are now merged into the foreign settlement. There is also a French colony, with its numerous concessions.
The history of the city may be divided into two sections, the pre-foreign period and the foreign period. In both there has been a continuous increase of prosperity and importance, due to furnishing unusual facilities for fostering trade. In the early years Shanghai was subject to frequent raids and disturbances, and in 1543 there was a general devastation. Foreign residence was sanctioned only as a result of the first Chinese war. The signing of the treaty of Nanking threw open Shanghai and four other ports to foreign trade, the latter being Swatow, Amoy, Foochow, and Ningpoo, but these have never acquired the importance of Shanghai, which has the advantage of being at the mouth of the Yangtse River.
In 1849 a concession was granted to the French, but as late as 1850 there were only one hundred and fifty-seven foreign residents, and twenty-five foreign firms doing business. Shanghai is distinctively a commercial city, with a flat location, no background, and an artificial foreground of solid rows of business buildings. The approach to the city reveals a succession of mills, docks, wharves, engineering works, and buildings of every description, except those of artistic and pleasing appearance. The principal streets, the Bund and the Nanking Road, run at right angles to each other, and the chief thoroughfares run parallel to these two. The Bund is broad, fronting the water, and is a popular thoroughfare. The Nanking Road deserves special mention. It begins as a narrow passage-way with foreign business houses on each side; it then widens, and has Chinese shops, with, later on, the recreation ground, Town Hall, and Library. Farther on it is known as Bubbling Well Road.
Shanghai, as a residence for the European, is said to be the finest city in the East as regards modern conveniences, finer than any place east of Suez, but it is a city of contrasts. No centre can offer a wider choice for enjoyment,—the public recreation ground covering eight thousand acres. Within this enclosure is the race course, where cricket, football, hockey, tennis, golf, polo, and baseball are played; and numberless pavilions, dressing-rooms, and a swimming-bath are included in the adjacent building—all free to the public. There are in addition many clubs of a private nature, some social and others musical, and many of them owning fine buildings. Matters of education are not neglected, and the public schools even include kindergartens. There are likewise private schools, but the provisions for educating Chinese children are very inadequate, and mostly of the mission order. The Roman Catholic missions have excellent schools and well-equipped buildings. There is a fine American College, St. John's, that grants degrees. Some institutions are managed by the Chinese, the principal one being the Imperial Polytechnic College, which is housed in a fine block of buildings. There are also various organizations of an intellectual order, such as the Royal Asiatic Society, which is affiliated with a society of the same name in England; and an American Asiatic Society to further interests in the Far East. Architects, engineers, and missionaries likewise have their guilds.
The religious life of the settlement is very diversified, and includes Jews, Parsees, Mohammedans, Greek and Roman Catholics, and members of the Anglican Church; the various forms of the Protestant Church are represented, and most of the missions have their headquarters here.
We returned to our steamer in the evening, and sailed on for Kobe, our point of departure, but we had "stop-over privileges at Nagasaki." Our intervening day was passed mostly on deck, the weather being fine.
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NAGASAKI, April 8th: We arrived at Nagasaki on the morning of April 8th in a pouring rain which rather dampened our ardor, inasmuch as we had a full day's programme arranged. We went ashore, however, and proceeded to the Cliff House for a short time, but as the storm increased we returned to the steamer somewhat crestfallen. The Korea was taking on coal when we left, but on our return there was an ominous silence, and we learned that the workers, thoroughly drenched, had struck and that the vessel would be compelled to remain another day. Hope revived amongst us, and on the following morning the sun was shining brightly. This was the only time I have known a strike to be of benefit.
The process of taking on coal was very peculiar. Ladders were placed up the sides of the steamer, relays of men and women were arranged in nine rows, counting from the bottom; coal was placed in baskets and passed up in fire-bucket fashion with the utmost quickness and dexterity. It continued incessantly until the work was completed. There were more women than men working, and they all wore pointed white handkerchiefs over their heads.
A steam launch conveyed us to Nagasaki, and once there we took a jinrikisha for a memorable mountain ride of five miles, along a road called the Mogi. We ascended gradually from the sea-level, and soon the loveliest view was spread before us. On our right, looking downward, were the sea and the city rising in terraces from the water, the hillsides covered with foliage, all sparkling in the morning light; on our left, foothills, and beyond these the mountains. We stopped at a Japanese tea-house to rest the jinrikisha men, and soon after, we came to a point in the landscape said to be represented in the opera of "Madame Butterfly." Reaching the Mogi, we found another tea-house, and we all alighted and roamed around the point, where we had a magnificent, far-reaching panorama. The descent was quite as enjoyable, and altogether we voted the ride an entire success.
We next visited some bazars. The temples were omitted, but I later visited them on my return trip to North China. Then we returned to the steamer for a late luncheon, and the bevy of animated coal-heavers were still at work. The day following was our last on the steamer, and our way lay through one portion of the Inland Sea, meaning a narrow waterway, the shores of which were visible on both sides.
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KOBE: We arrived at Kobe on the evening of April 10th, and fell at once into the grasp of the custom-house authorities, who proved, however, very lenient. Our valued Director here left us to go on to Yokohama and was succeeded by a Japanese guide, Mr. Macheeda, who took charge of four of the party, small groups and native guides being the policy in Japan.[6] Our abiding-place in Kobe was the Oriental Hotel.
The following morning we went out early in jinrikishas for a general ride through Kobe, going first to the distant waterfall in the mountains, which really proved a fine spectacle. Next we visited temples, then some shops or bazars, and a Satsuma studio, where the whole art process was explained to us by a most courteous Japanese, who spoke English perfectly. All the appointments of the studio were truly Japanese, including the sliding windows and doors, the hardwood floor and the matting walls. Here tea and little cakes were served to us.
We then went to another studio with a different interior. This was larger and more pretentious. Again the process was explained to us in the same courteous way, and we realized that we were now in a land where good manners prevailed. A heavy rain unfortunately set in, and we were compelled to return to the hotel.
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ONOMICHI: The following day we took the train for Onomichi, arriving at our destination in the evening. Here we were to have a new experience, the hotel being strictly Japanese, with not a word of English spoken. First, we were asked to remove our shoes and put on slippers, the alternative being cotton coverings for our own shoes. I preferred the latter. The house was quite large, consisting of two stories. The first floor was, however, occupied by the family. The second floor was entirely devoted to our party, whose suite included several rooms with movable screens so arranged that one large room could be converted into two. There were sliding windows, paper taking the place of glass.
Our beds were the futons, composed of dark red comforters, one below and one above us, with another hard roll for the head. There were no chairs in the sleeping-rooms, but washstands had been improvised, there being dressing-rooms outside of some of the rooms. Concession was made us in the improvised dining-room, a table and chairs being reserved for our special use. On one side of this room there was a slightly raised floor, and here were pretty little side tables and bronze ornaments. Our guide had very considerately brought some canned goods with him and also some bread; the family, however, furnished us with eggs and tea. The mother and two daughters were bright and sunny, as were the little Japanese maids who attended to the menial work. It was altogether a novel experience. The next morning, however, the rain was coming down in torrents, and there was no possibility of our taking a steamer for a trip of several hours to the sacred island of Miyajima, so we reluctantly boarded the morning train for Osaka, arriving there late in the afternoon.
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OSAKA, April 13th: The next morning dawned brightly, and we left in jinrikishas for a general tour, first visiting the fort where stands a noted castle, very picturesque in appearance. We then visited the Exposition of Industrial Arts, which did not seem unlike an exposition at home in its general arrangements. The goods displayed, however, were very different. Then we had a ride along Cherry Blossom Avenue, the trees being laden with the pale pink flower. We visited bazars and noted the general aspect of the place, canals being a dominant characteristic of the landscape. We saw a particularly fine temple among many others. Osaka is a commercial city of great wealth and is more celebrated from a business point of view than from its artistic aspect.
After luncheon we went to Yaba Meczan's Satsuma studio. This artist is celebrated, having taken prizes at both the Chicago and St. Louis Expositions, and his work surpassed any I had ever seen. The decoration on some of the vases was so fine that it required a glass to bring out the full and minute detail. In designing and decorating these vases the work has to be done with a magnifying glass, which is a very severe strain on the eyes. We then proceeded up what is called Theatre Street, so named because of the situation of several playhouses in the midst of prominent shops. Banners and signs were displayed in every available space, all of different colors, and the general effect was very unusual as they floated in the breeze. Later in the afternoon we took a train for Kyoto.
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KYOTO, April 15th: The following morning another heavy rain greeted us. We were now in the Japanese city which retains more of the old life and customs than any other, not having been spoiled as yet by modern innovations. The bad weather abating in the afternoon, we went to the temple Nishi Otani. This is situated on quite an eminence. We crossed a stone bridge spanning a lotus pond, and walked up an inclined way paved with granite, a flight of steps leading to the handsome main gate which faces a strikingly carved two-storied structure. We took our places on the steps and awaited the arrival of the procession of Buddhist priests, this being the chief object of our visit. They came in large numbers, walking two by two, and arrayed in the most gorgeous brocades, no two being of the same pattern. Around the waist they wore wide sashes of equal richness and beauty, and the effect was truly very striking, as they walked up the hill. This was one of the features of the rite of commemoration, the ceremonies continuing through the week. We then visited some shops, of which there are a large number, all of them very interesting.
Shintoism is the State religion, and the following morning we visited one of the temples, named Kitano Tenjin. Entering through the great stone torii or gateway, we found stone lanterns, together with stone and bronze bulls presented by devotees. Another torii and a couple of two-storied gates were passed through, the last being called the Gate of the Three Luminaries, or the Sun, Moon, and Stars. This was the entrance to one side of the square, the other three sides being formed of colonnades. It might be well to explain that a torii consists of two upright columns several feet apart. At the top is a cross-bar extending out about one foot on each side and two feet lower than the top of the columns.
There were many other details noted by us, and it was perhaps the most effective Shinto temple that we saw. We then visited Kinkakuji, more commonly called the "Golden Pavilion." This is Buddhist in character, and there is a monastery surrounded by a fine garden in which is another pavilion. The garden was artistic, in the middle of which is a lake with pine-clad shores and pine-clad islets; this indeed seemed unusual so near a large city. The lake is usually filled with a flowering plant called junsai and is stocked with carp, which always appear on the approach of visitors, expecting to be fed.
All the ancient buildings have disappeared except the Pavilion, which was restored in 1906. It stands on the water's edge and is three-storied. Each floor is furnished with statuettes of different saints and has mural decorations by Kano Masanobu. There are very unusual features connected with this temple. The so-called apartments are in two sets,—one attached to the main building with pictorial sliding screens symbolic of Chinese sages and other subjects by Kano. There are also drawings of birds and trees, and ornaments done by celebrated artists. Folding screens are in common use. One artistic group represents three religious teachers, Confucius, Buddha, and Lao Tze. After showing these art treasures to us the priests served tea, while we sat around in true Japanese style.
After luncheon we went to still another very interesting Buddhist temple, Kiyomizu-dera. Kyoto abounds in fine temples. We left our jinrikishas at the foot of the hill and walked up a long, high lane called Teapot Street because in all the little shops bordering the thoroughfare china and teapots are displayed, forming the favorite purchases of the country people who frequent this temple. The building is situated in a striking position and commands a view of the entire city. The two-storied gateway at the top of the steps was restored in 1897. Outside this gate are two pagodas, each three-storied, and the large green bell, dating from 1624. We then passed up through a colonnade to the main temple, whose rough, hewn columns and bare floor are most unusual. The whole style is original and unique. The great festival day here is on the 17th of August, when a classic concert is given, the musicians being dressed in various unique costumes. They are seated opposite each other in the wings like the two sides of a choir. A dancing stage extends the whole length of its front, and this opens into a hall full of ex-voto pictures, some of which possess great artistic merit. Directly behind this main temple are several other temples and an eleven-storied pagoda which it is impossible to describe here adequately.
On our homeward way we visited the Art Museum. This and the museum at Nara contain the very best collections of early Japanese statuary. The exhibits have been taken or borrowed from time to time from various Buddhist temples in Kyoto and the surrounding provinces. Some date from the seventh and eighth centuries, when Buddhist carving was at the height of its excellence. There are also screens, ancient manuscripts, swords, armor, musical instruments, coins, imperial robes, and miscellaneous articles.
To vary the programme a little, we made an excursion on the following day to Lake Biwa, some miles distant. This is a very celebrated body of water in Japan. We had our choice between returning to Kyoto by the more exciting way of the canal with its long tunnels or going to Otsu. We chose the latter.
Near Otsu there is the largest pine tree in the world, and it has been trained in the peculiar conventional manner employed by the Japanese. Here we had a picnic luncheon and then drove some distance to the heights of Otsu, where one hundred and thirty monasteries and temples are said to be grouped. We walked up the incline, passing many temples and seeing a very ancient bronze bell of great historic interest. Descending, we went through the village of Otsu, which has quite a reputation, since it was the scene of what might have been a very serious accident to the present Emperor of Russia, then czarevitch. He was accompanied by Prince George of Greece, now King George, when savagely attacked by an insane man. Certain disaster would have followed had it not been for the presence of mind of the Prince.
We reached Kyoto at 5 P.M., having had a long, though extremely delightful day. Excursions being in order, we went the next day to "shoot the rapids ending at Arashi-yama." We had various means of transportation during the day, jinrikishas, trains, and a short railway trip which was highly picturesque, the line running along just above the dashing river. At Hozu we took the boat for the descent of the rapids down to the landing-place of Arashi-yama, and this was a most exciting experience, the passage taking about an hour and a half. Great care had to be observed by the pilots of the boats, as there were several parties going down and many others returning. The shores of the river were very interesting, being high wooded hills which were abloom. Arashi-yama is famous for its cherry blossoms. We had a picnic luncheon here and returned to Kyoto by train.
On Easter Sunday I attended a union service, but afterwards learned that there was a special commemoration at St. Mary's, and that the Episcopal Bishop Partridge was at the hotel. There seemed to be a great deal of friendly feeling between the different religious denominations in Kyoto; a little booklet given us at the union service containing information with regard to all the churches, including the Episcopal. Easter afternoon we attended a remarkable Buddhist ceremony in the Chroin Temple on a high hill. At least seventy-five priests were in attendance, all arrayed in their gorgeous brocaded robes and sitting in parallel lines opposite each other. It seemed to be an intoned service. We were separated from the officiants by an anteroom with a high railing, but we could observe all that was going on. This was a part of the ceremonial of the week to which I referred in connection with the Buddhist procession. After watching for a while, we walked about and saw several adjacent temples, marked by their spaciousness.
A visit to the Nijo Castle, by permit, was of great interest. It dates from 1601, and was built by Ieyasu of Nikko memory for his use when visiting Kyoto. It has even in modern times considerable historical interest, as it was here, on April 6, 1868, that the Emperor, on obtaining his ancestral rights by the revolution then in progress, met the Council of State and swore to grant a deliberative assembly and to decide all measures by public opinion. For a long period Nijo Castle was used by the prefecture and was greatly damaged. Since 1883, it has been one of the Imperial Summer palaces. The apartments of the castle are very beautiful; the sliding screens between the rooms and the wooden doors separating the different sets of apartments are all adorned with paintings of flowers, birds, and the like, done by artists of the Kano School. There is beautiful metal work, and the reception hall is decorated with representations of street life in Kyoto and other cities. The ceiling is lacquered.
We also procured a permit to visit the Imperial Palace, which is placed in a large garden like a park. This was spacious, but not so artistic as Nijo; there were many different buildings. We visited several, one known as the Temple of 33,333 Buddhas, and after gazing at the long array of walls and corridors with their ornaments, we accepted the estimate as accurate. One afternoon the great Shinto procession of the year was in progress. We took jinrikishas for quite a long ride, and then arrived at a small suburb of Kyoto, where we had places engaged on the upper gallery of a house. There were great crowds of people, and we waited a long time before the arrival of the first shrine. There were five in all. These shrines were large and ornamental, with a great deal of gilt about them, and they were placed on poles borne upon the shoulders of men. Four other small shrines followed, and before the pageant was over, the afternoon was nearly consumed. This procession was on its way to the great Temple of Inari, several miles distant.
One morning we devoted to visiting two cloisonne studios and some curio shops. The first studio, Nakamura's, was very artistically arranged; one large room encircled a miniature garden laid out in true Japanese style with dwarf trees, rockeries, and a tiny little lake. We saw the whole process of manufacture and it was also explained to us.[7] The specimens were very rare and beautiful. Tea and little cakes were served and great courtesy extended to us. The second studio was similar to this, but a little larger, and again we saw the garden, and again tea was served. Several interesting curio shops were visited, and we then went to the large establishment of Yamanaka, who had fine collections at the Chicago and St. Louis Expositions. We then went over some silk stores, the manufacture of silk being the chief industry; one may purchase all kinds of embroidered goods.
The annual Cherry Blossom Dance—repeated at intervals for one week—occurred at this time. It is preceded by a ceremonial tea. We went at five in the afternoon and were seated around the sides of a large room. Special places were arranged for the pouring of tea, and presently a very pretty Japanese girl appeared and proceeded to heat the water, measure out the tea, put it in the teapot, with many other movements, pouring a little water on it, all in the most deliberate manner, and finally the preliminaries were over, and three pretty little maidens passed the tea around. Another girl in a bright kimono appeared and went through the process again. This was repeated three or four times. We then adjourned to a very large room, like a small theatre, with a gallery at the back, in which we sat. Opposite us was a wide stage, and on either side was arranged a platform about two feet wide, extending the whole length of the room. Here sat the musicians dressed as geisha girls, and the dancers, called Maiko, were also clad in the same manner, with long artistic kimonos and flowers in their hair. The dancers entered and proceeded to the stage; then commenced a slow and measured tread, every movement being graceful. Cherry blossoms were everywhere, even forming the decorations on the wall. Different figures were repeated, but all in that deliberate manner, very little like dancing but more like a devotional exercise. We sat there for about an hour, but cannot truthfully say that we enjoyed the music, as it was somewhat discordant.
Our last day in Kyoto was a very full one. We visited shops in the morning, and in the afternoon went quite a distance to see a historical procession. We were seated in about the same manner as previously described. Those who took part in the procession were geisha girls and novitiates who were to be educated as future geisha girls, their parents giving them over to the instructors at an early age. This was a very interesting pageant. First only one or two would appear in a historical costume of very rich brocade, the hair most elaborately dressed with the ornaments peculiar to that particular period. Next two little girls would appear, also dressed in historical costumes. Then, after a considerable pause, there followed another geisha girl; and thus the procession continued for over an hour. We did not realize until the day following that most of the persons who took part were of questionable morals.
In the evening we attended a Japanese theatre. The play was a historical tragedy called "The Forty-seven Ronans." The stage was well arranged and the action very good; it was far more interesting than the Chinese theatre previously described.
During the week a large Collver party of eighteen arrived at the hotel; they were later to go to North China and by the Trans-Siberian route to Russia. Their Director gave a Japanese dinner in which we were included, Mr. Burton Holmes and his friend being the only other guests present. The dining-room was in the Japanese portion of the hotel, arranged with rugs and draperies covering the hardwood floors in quite an artistic manner, and at the sides were placed cushions on which we were supposed to sit or kneel. The formal exercises were mostly conducted by geisha and Maiko girls, three officiating as musicians, several more dancing, and others serving as attendants. Everything was done in the most measured manner. First, boxes were placed before us containing four articles, all dishes of peculiar concoctions. These were intended, we imagined, for us to look at for a time until the musicians and dancers appeared. The programme was opened with a musical number, which was anything but musical; the dancers then took their positions and went through the usual formal measures. There was more music, then another dance. This was repeated three or four times. The attendant geisha girls were seated at intervals in front of the guests.
At a certain signal the music and dancing ceased, and trays were brought us on which were soup (we imagined the famous bird's-nest), a cup of sake, two more peculiar dishes, and also chopsticks! By this time the kneeling process had become rather painful, and I availed myself of the cup of sake, feeling I needed some stimulant. This was the only refreshment I tried, but some of the party had the courage to experiment further. After some deliberation and a little more converse, we arose from our repast and proceeded to the hotel dining-room, where a substantial dinner was served us at nine o'clock. This was altogether the most unique affair of the week and greatly enjoyed by all. The eight days in Kyoto had flown and we would gladly have remained longer. The atmosphere of the place was so truly of the past, the temples so very interesting, and the quaint customs of the olden times so well retained, that it gave a peculiar charm to the place.
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NARA, April 23d: A day's excursion to Nara was planned, but a heavy rain somewhat marred our enjoyment. Nara was once a place of much importance, the capital of Japan during seven reigns, stretching from 709 to 784 A.D. Its chief attraction now is the great natural beauty of the place, some fine temples, and a deer park. Kasuga is a noted Shinto temple. The approach is through the celebrated grounds where were seen many deer, apparently very tame. A fine avenue of cryptomerias added much to the dignity of the approach. The temple stands at the end of a long avenue of stone lanterns, some of which are lighted every night. The main temple is painted red, with brass lanterns, and surrounded by cryptomerias. A religious dance, which is held in a building near by, is one of the many attractive features of this temple. The dress of the dancers is peculiar, composed of a wide red divided skirt, a white under-garment, and a long gauze mantle. The hair is worn in a thick tress down the back, a chaplet of flowers is on the forehead, the face very much powdered, and in the hands are carried either the branches of a tree or some tiny bells which are swayed back and forth in a measured manner. The orchestra consists of three priests.
There is a fine Buddhist temple, renovated in 1898. It is built on the side of a hill; a flight of steps leads up to it and the whole front is covered with metal lanterns which produce a weird effect. Not far distant is a large temple which contains a bronze Buddha called Dai-butsu. When we saw it, the temple was in a chaotic condition, undergoing renovation. The height of the Buddha is fifty-three and one-half feet; the face is sixteen feet long and nine and one-half feet broad. It is in a sitting position, with right hand uplifted. Nara has a fine museum, well equipped for the study of early Japanese religions.
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YAMADA, April 23d: In the afternoon we left for Yamada, the city of the celebrated Temple of Ise. On arriving, we took quite a drive up the mountain side to Furuichi and to the Goni-Kwai Hotel, a large, beautifully situated Japanese hostelry with a European department. This consisted of eight rooms, furnished comfortably in European style, even with grates, but we had the novelty of Japanese environment as we walked down the corridors and passed little Japanese rooms with sliding screens and open windows. In the morning, we walked up the hill and had a magnificent view; we left early in jinrikishas for a long day's programme. First we went through the town, the shops forming part of a long street, with open fronts and interiors. We then crossed a bridge to a suburb which contained the celebrated Temple of Ise. We proceeded up a long avenue, containing torii No. 1, torii No. 2, and torii No. 3, entering what is called the inner Temple of Ise, which, like all Shinto places of worship, is very plain on the exterior. We were not permitted to enter, but were obliged to look through an open enclosure. Our Japanese guide knelt down, bowed, and clapped his hands three times, which is the act of devotion of all Shintoites on their approaching any temple. In the rear there was another temple which we saw only from the outside; the guide told us that at this shrine Marquis Ito came to offer thanks for the success of the Chinese-Japanese war in 1894, and that Admiral Togo also came at the close of the Russian-Japanese war. It is estimated that at least half a million pilgrims repair annually to the Temple of Ise, but the educated class seldom visits the place,—perhaps not more than once in a lifetime.
We then drove eight miles to Futami, a seaside resort with a pretty Japanese tea-house fronting the water. Here is a peculiar formation of rock called "The Husband and Wife Rocks," connected by a chain. The bazar is quite interesting, and we had our luncheon at the tea-house, served in Japanese style, which means that we would have had nothing but tea if our thoughtful guide had not brought a basket with us. The return trip of eight miles was over a little different route, more picturesque even than the first. Arriving at Yamada, we went to the outer Temple of Ise. Here, as in the inner temple, there is a large house for sacred dances.
Many tea-houses in Yamada furnish music during the evening. We visited a very artistic place, said to be five hundred years old, and there we saw one of the sacred dances peculiar to that province.
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NAGOYA, April 25th: We left in the morning for Nagoya, and were guests at the Nagoya Hotel. This is a flourishing, commercial city, with one of the longest and widest streets we had seen in Japan. The garrison occupies the castle, whose approach is the same as in the olden time—through gates and past moats. This castle was erected in 1610 by twenty great feudal lords to serve as a residence for Ieyasu's son. Like other Japanese castles, it is a wooden building, standing on immense walls which are eighteen feet thick. The castle has been taken by the Imperial household and is preserved as a monument of historical interest. The two golden dolphins with silver eyes which can be seen glittering all over the city from the top of the five-story donjon were made in 1610 at the expense of the celebrated general, Kato Kiyomosa, who also built the donjon, or keep.
The apartments of the castle are very beautiful. The sliding screens between the rooms and the wooden doors separating the different suites are all adorned with paintings of flowers and birds. Leaving these apartments, we visited the historic donjon, a gloomy building of stone on the exterior, but furnished with wooden staircases within. The fifth story commands an extensive view of the town, the sea, and the vast plain,—rice-fields and mountains stretching in the distance. The roofs of the keep are of copper, and its massive gates are cased in iron.
Nagoya is noted for its manufacture of porcelain and cloisonne. There is one celebrated Buddhist temple, Higashi Hongwanji, and the Museum. There are also extensive parks and parade grounds. In the evening of our stay there, the unexpected occurred. We had known for some time of the approaching Imperial Cherry Blossom Garden Party at Tokio. A telegram arrived, stating that our invitations awaited us in Yokohama; we were most fortunate, since they were in great demand. A hurried consultation followed, but as the remainder of the party expected to sail for San Francisco on May 13th, they declined to change their programme, while I accepted the invitation, having two weeks' more time in Japan during June; I regretfully bade adieu to the party, and the following morning proceeded to Yokohama.
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YOKOHAMA, April 26th: The next two weeks I was to be thrown upon my own responsibility. I arrived at Yokohama in the evening and anticipated a departure the following morning for Tokio. A pouring rain, however, caused an unexpected postponement. There were many disappointed guests in the Tokio hotels which were crowded in view of the great annual event. This is said to be very beautiful in all its appointments, the profusion of cherry blossoms being an attraction, as is the presence of the Emperor and Empress. The rain abating at noon, the grounds of the Crown Prince's palace were opened and the persons who were in Tokio availed themselves of the privilege of visiting them. A fine collation was served. The Emperor and Empress, however, did not appear, and the usual extremely formal ceremonies were dispensed with. It is the custom to give the inmates of the hospitals in Tokio a rare feast from what is left of the banquet. I had a busy day in Yokohama, which I found an attractive modern city, with beautiful shops, pleasant hotels, and a great crowd of visitors. I left early the following morning, April 28th, for Nikko.
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NIKKO, April 28th: The sky was overcast when we started, and before noon there was a heavy rain which prevented any enjoyment of the really fine landscape. The Japanese proverb in substance runs: "Do not use the word 'magnificent' until you have seen Nikko." This had been ringing in my ears all the way, and to be compelled to proceed through the long street of the village in a closed jinrikisha was tantalizing. The Nikko Hotel was to have been my destination, but I met friends on the train and was persuaded to accompany them to the new Kanaya Hotel, situated nearer the village on a height. My programme in Nikko could only include three days; hence I decided that a study of the various temples, a general view of the city, and an excursion to Lake Chuzenji must suffice.
The following morning the sun was shining, and I departed early to visit the temples. The way lay down to the river Daiya-gawa. From the bridge in actual use and at a short distance I beheld the "Red Bridge," formerly lacquered and having brass ornaments, sacred to royal use only, and held in veneration by the Japanese. A long avenue of cryptomerias followed. This tree is like the redwood of California when used in the interior of a building; indeed, after a long period of time, the coloring is precisely the same. This I noticed in the Imperial palaces at Kyoto.
I walked up the avenue with a feeling of awe, and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere of Nikko was surcharged with an element of sanctity, and that no one could gaze on the mountains and the groves of cryptomerias without being somewhat better than before. At the end of the avenue the perspective is wonderful, for one looks through a series of great stone toriis, gray with age, and sees along the way objects that are of interest, a five-story pagoda being the most striking. This approach is to the great Temple of Ieyasu, the illustrious Shogun and founder of the Tokugawa dynasty and, like the other great temple and mausoleum of his grandson, Iemitzu (farther on), was erected in the seventeenth century, at a time when the art of building shrines was at its perfection, as was the work in lacquer and bronze, wood carving and decorative painting. Every detail is perfect, and the great predominance of red and gold lacquer with its setting of green produced a striking effect, but without being in the least garish. Indeed, the keynote to all the buildings and interiors we have seen in Japan, of any age whatsoever, has been chasteness of design and harmony. If we sometimes find a discordant note in modern Japanese art, I fear Western taste has had some influence, if it be true that the producer ever seeks to please the purchaser.
With all this perfection on every side, it becomes even more difficult to give any adequate description, so that an outline comprising only general details will be suggested. A quotation explains my position fully. Dr. Dresser once wrote: "Any words that I can use must fail to convey any adequate idea of the consciousness of the work, the loveliness of the compositions, the harmoniousness of the colors, and the beauty of the surroundings here before me; and yet the adjectives which I have tried to heap one upon another, in the hope of conveying to the reader what I—an architect and ornamentist—feel when contemplating these matchless shrines, must appear, I am afraid, altogether unreasonable." The difficulty is further added to by the fact that there are in all six groups of temples with numerous associated buildings and gateways in the near vicinity, although Ieyasu and Iemitzu are the most famous.
The approach to Ieyasu Temple is most unusual. Within the two courts, each with toriis and stone steps, are many notable adjuncts to the temples, the five-story pagoda, one hundred and four feet high, being a marvel of rich lacquered walls. It has peculiar brass-trimmed roofs and bells hanging from every angle. Three artistic buildings are used as storehouses, where articles employed in worship, pictures, and many treasures of Ieyasu are deposited. Near by is a finely carved gateway leading to a beautiful carved water cistern which is cut out of one solid piece of granite and sheltered by a roof supported on twelve square pillars of stone, all erected in 1618. A beautifully decorated building behind this is the depository for the complete collection of the Buddhist scriptures, contained in a fine revolving octagonal bookcase with red lacquered panels and gilt pillars. In the centre of this court stands a fine bronze torii. A flight of steps gives access to the second court. Just inside of this are two stone lions in the act of leaping down; on the right stand a bell tower, a bronze candelabrum presented by the King of Loochoo, and another bell presented by the King of Korea; there is also a bronze candelabrum from Holland. This diversity of gifts indicates the general interest at that time in this shrine. All of these articles are of very unusual style of workmanship.
At the left extremity of this same platform stands the Temple of Wakushi, dedicated to the patron saint of Ieyasu, for which reason its Buddhist emblems have been left intact. The building is a blaze of gold and harmonious colors. Stone steps lead up to the exquisitely beautiful gate called Yomei-mon; it has a fence on each side. Passing through the gateway, we entered the third court, in which the Buddhist priests used to offer liturgies on the occasions of the two great annual festivals. In this court are also two buildings, one containing a stage for the performance of the sacred dance, and the other an altar for burning the fragrant cedar while prayers were recited. Next we have the Karu-mon or Chinese gate. It gives admittance to the main shrines. The folding doors of the oratory are lavishly decorated with arabesques of peonies, in gilt relief.
The chapel is a large matted room, forty-two feet long by twenty-seven feet deep, with an antechamber at each end. The chapel and the antechambers are all very profusely decorated with pictures on the walls, with carved panels and painted ceilings. The Holy of Holies of this temple is accessible to the public only by special permit. It is composed of three chambers, and here Japanese Buddhist art is exhibited in its perfection,—a blaze of gold and color, with its elaborate paintings of court personages, its precious woods, inlaid and carved, and its richly lacquered pillars and splendid metal work—the whole a marvel of detail, all the more marvellous because it is in perfect preservation. Now that it has been changed into a Shinto shrine and is under the patronage of the Government, the Buddhas and attendant Buddhas of the olden time are no longer to be seen.
An old mossy staircase and a time-worn pavement lead to Ieyasu's tomb, before which stand two long tables. Here are placed the usual bronze ornaments, consisting of a stork, an incense burner, and a vase of bronze lotus flowers. The tomb, shaped like a small pagoda, has a single bronze casting of a light color, produced, it is said, by a mixture of gold. Leaving the mausoleum, I passed down through the courts and gateways until I came to the avenue of cryptomerias, visiting a number of temples on the way, and finally I reached Iemitzu's temple. A massive stone staircase and a fine gateway are among the many details of an attractive exterior that claim attention. The temple is much less magnificent than Ieyasu's, but a more perfect representation of the Buddhist art, inasmuch as here can be seen the interior as it was originally. After the restoration in 1886, the interiors of all the other temples were changed to meet the requirements of the Shinto faith, that being the State religion. The tomb is reached by a flight of steps running up the side of the wall. It is of the same general style as that of Ieyasu. In the afternoon a walk back of the temple of Ieyasu revealed more stone lanterns, shrines, and toriis.
At Nikko the homes are attractive, with their open space and their verandas. The Park and Botanical Garden are also not without interest. Sometimes a shrine could be seen, and with the inmates dressed in pretty kimonos, it was truly a fascinating picture, unlike anything that had elsewhere struck our fancy. The invariable smile, bow, and courtesy that always greet you place a finishing and charming touch to the whole.
The bazar or long street of shops was enticing, with so many souvenirs to choose from. The thoroughfare itself presented a never-ending panorama of carts, packhorses, natives, pilgrims, and tourists.
There were several tempting excursions of two or three miles each, the most celebrated of which was to Lake Chuzenji, eight miles distant. This required an early morning departure in a jinrikisha. The ride there was through a region which affords a fine example of the Japanese method of cultivating the soil. The little homes were attractive. Potatoes, rice, and millet seemed to be the principal crops. Chuzenji Lake is a marvel of beauty, with its many walks along the shore. Luncheon was served at the hotel. It is estimated that ten thousand pilgrims come to the village during July and August to make the ascent to the sacred mountain, Nantaisan, two thousand feet above the sea-level. This is not so very difficult, since at points there are stairways that give ready access. Shrines and tea-houses are stationed all along the road, as the Japanese never neglect creature comforts. Eight miles further on is situated Yunoto village and the lake which bears the same name and is celebrated for its hot springs. This place is said to be as attractive as Lake Chuzenji. We left Nikko on an early morning train with a strong desire some day to return and make a more protracted stay.
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TOKIO, April 30th: Leaving Nikko, with an altitude of two thousand feet higher than the sea, for Tokio, one hundred miles distant and at sea-level, was a decided drop. The day was bright and the views from the car window gave one an ever-varying panorama, consisting of mountains, a long avenue of tall cryptomerias that seemed to extend for miles, cultivated fields, and luxuriant vegetation freshened by the recent rain. Nature put forth her loveliest Spring tints, to which cherry blossoms ever and anon gave a touch of color. Arriving at Tokio in the afternoon, and going to the Imperial Hotel, I had a two days' reunion with eight of the "party" who had already arrived there. We took a general drive on the first afternoon, past the palace built on the ruins of the old Shogun palace, in its new guise a long rambling building of yellow brick. The old gateways with their towers were at the front entrance and were a feature of the scene. The arrangement of the rooms in the interior of the palace was said to be pleasing, the dining-room being unusually large. The walls and decorations are also fine, but the furnishings, a mixture of Japanese and European styles, are not so harmonious. We also passed the Crown Prince's palace, and then went on from Hibiya Park to the street on which are situated the brick buildings of the Naval Department, the Judicial Department, and the Courts of Justice.
We saw the Russian Embassy, the Chinese Legation, and also some palaces and residences of many officers and foreign embassies. This neighborhood, called Nagata-cha, is the most fashionable in Tokio. Near the palace lies a garden planted with azaleas, and also containing some trellises wholly covered in season with wistaria. We also passed a fine Shinto temple and several statues, and, on an eminence, saw the Russian Cathedral, consecrated in 1891.
The following morning we went to Shiba Park. Until 1887 this formed the grounds of a great Buddhist temple, and here are still preserved the mortuary temples of several Tokugawa Shoguns, Ieyasu, the founder of that dynasty, having chosen it as the temple where the funeral tablets of himself and of his descendants should be enshrined. There are several temples in the park, and they rank among the chief marvels of Japanese art. They are somewhat after the style of the temples at Nikko. All of them have a wonderful setting of green, the many fine trees and the beautiful park forming an excellent background. Each of these mortuary temples consists of three parts, an outer oratory, a connecting gallery, and an inner sanctuary. In each of these the decorations are of gilt and different colors, with elaborate patterns which are almost dazzling to the eye.
On one occasion we visited Ueno Park, famed for its temples and tombs of the Shoguns; it is a most popular resort in Tokio, and is celebrated for its display of cherry blossoms in the month of April, during which season there are held gala times. Six Shoguns, members of the Tokugawa family, lie buried at Ueno. In general style the tombs here resemble those at Shiba Park.
There are many objects of interest in Ueno Park other than its temples. One is the bronze image of Buddha, twenty-one and a half feet high, known as Dai-butsu, near which is a massive torii. We passed along an avenue of stately cryptomerias where stands an ancient pagoda. There is also a long row of very large stone lanterns, presented as a tribute to the memory of the Shogun, Ieyasu. While in Ueno Park the attendant pointed out, in a small enclosure, two diminutive trees,—a hinoki, planted by General Grant, and a magnolia by Mrs. Grant during their visit to Tokio.
The Ueno Museum proved interesting, particularly in the historical and archaeological departments. Near the Museum is a public library and reading-room—the largest in the Empire. In the distance we saw the Imperial University, which has a very high reputation, even foreign students attending there for the purpose of studying art.
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ASAKUSA: The district of Asakusa possesses a fine park, and here also is the spacious Temple of Higashi Hongwanji, the chief religious edifice of the Monto sect of Buddhists. It is very plain in its architecture, but is noted principally for its proportions. The area of the matted floor of the nave alone is one hundred and fifty mats, and around the front and sides is a wooden aisle one hundred and twelve feet wide.
Tokio has many other temples and parks, but of these, as I have said, Ueno is the most popular; around us were crowds of gayly dressed grown people and children, all in holiday attire; various games for adults and children were in progress, and there was a tea-house where refreshments were being served. To me this appeared in very truth a park for the people.
The Botanical Garden is also quite interesting. A long, imposing street led down to it from Ueno Park, and on this were situated the principal shops of the city, with curio nooks in abundance. These, of course, were larger and more pretentious than the bazars spoken of elsewhere, some of them being three stories in height, the first of the kind we had seen in Japan. Taken as a whole, Tokio is a large, populous city, with a bright future before it. I now was obliged to turn my face toward Yokohama, it being a comparatively short distance from Tokio. Here I found a number of friends whom I had met at different points and who were about to leave for San Francisco,—my own departure for North China to occur the following morning.
To visit North China, I was compelled to return to Shanghai in order to join the Collver Tours party I had met at Kyoto. I left Yokohama on March 3d by rail for Kobe, arriving at the Oriental Hotel about 9 P.M. The route by day was very pleasant, as we saw much fine scenery, and for some time Mt. Fujiyama rose before us in the distance. At Kobe I found that the steamer, Mongolia, would be delayed, and therefore I would need to remain there until the second day. The following morning, I took a jinrikisha ride to the country and revisited several points of interest.
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June 6th: I was awakened at seven on the morning of June 6th by the voice of the guide saying, "We are now in the narrowest part of the Inland Sea." I arose quickly, and, glancing out of the port-hole, beheld a scene of loveliness which caused a spontaneous exclamation, "Oh, how beautiful!" Before me on the left was an island clad in verdure; behind, the towering mountains; then farther off, a lesser peak, sloping down to the sea; a promontory jutted out at the right, ribbed with terraces from which peeped forth tiny shoots of delicate green. Scarcely had I time to catch a glimpse before the panorama changed. This scene was repeated with slight variations until suddenly there appeared a break, and in a cove were moored many little boats; next came a tall mountain sloping down to the sea, with a wealth of foliage along the side, while on the top was a fringe of tall trees, like so many hills seen in Japan. I had cause to wonder if this too was not one of the many expressions of Nature's artistic sense.
One scene succeeded another, and I became almost oblivious to all thought of dressing until the gong rang for breakfast. I felt rebellious, and, on that morning at least, the meal seemed a desecration, the sacrifice of an opportunity. Once before, I had a similar early morning experience; that was at Laggan, on the Canadian Pacific Railway, when, on awakening, I beheld directly opposite my window lovely Lake Louise and the beautiful glacier mirrored within the opalescent blue. This day in Japan ended with a glorious sunset, and, as the gold and azure melted away into nothingness, it was a fitful close to hours of rare enjoyment.
On the morning following, I was again awakened, this time by the magic word Nagasaki, and I beheld another never-to-be-forgotten scene. The harbor and shipping lay in the foreground; beyond the shore line rose large buildings, smaller ones creeping up the mountain side; this whole panorama was bathed in sunlight. Immediately on landing a jinrikisha ride was enjoyed, and I was propelled about in an aimless fashion, enjoying the street scenes, visiting the heights, and the Horse's Temple. It was a restless, irresponsible kind of day that I enjoyed, and I returned to the steamer at five o'clock with considerable regret. Half an hour later we were sailing away for Shanghai; and again we saw islands, promontories, and inlets quite like those of the day previous.
On Saturday morning, the 9th, we were anchored at Wusong, waiting for the arrival of the health officer. Thereafter we took a ride of an hour in the steam launch. Shanghai seemed more European on our second arrival, and the Bund on the front more attractive. We made the Palace Hotel our destination, and learned with regret of the non-arrival of the Trans-Siberian party from Manila. Some steamer friends and other acquaintances were at Shanghai, and the time passed pleasantly amongst them. |
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