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DISTANCES TRAVELLED 158

AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN MONTHS.

YOKOHAMA.

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN, Oct. 10, 1889.

At 9.50 A.M., on the morning of the 8th of September I went aboard the vestibule train of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, at Forty-second Street, New York; and having travelled on the principal railroads around the world, I can truly say that no train which has ever carried me has approached this one in luxurious ease, comfort, and safety. The train rolled into the Chicago depot at 9.50 the next morning--exactly twenty-four hours. I was detained in Chicago for two days, and then left by the Rock Island route for San Francisco.

At Ogden, we were detained two days by the burning of a bridge built over a ravine--one hundred feet long and about the same height. The fire destroyed the massive snow-sheds and great trees for a long distance. The fire took place Friday. Telegrams were sent to Sacramento, and the next day word came that twenty-one car loads of material had been sent with mechanics to erect a new bridge.

The new bridge was erected in four days. Our train was the first to pass over it, and I remarked how substantially the new erection had been constructed. We reached the summit at noon, and the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, at midnight.

I found myself the sole occupant of a large and well ventilated state-room. At 3 P.M., Captain Ward, standing on the bridge, gave the signal, and the voice of an officer sang out, "All ashore that's going." Several hundreds of Chinese men and a dozen women, in showy dresses, crowded the wharf. The friends of the missionaries on the wharf sang a parting hymn. The big propeller started. A tug pulled the ship's bow around, and away we went on our voyage of 4,700 miles across the Pacific. We passed the Golden Gate and the Seal Islands--covered with huge seals--and then on towards our destination.

I soon made the acquaintance of most of the passengers, forty-five in number--including fourteen missionaries of the Presbyterian Board, nice young people going out to their duties in China and Japan. I took my seat at the dining-table, and found that I had at my right an agreeable companion, a captain in the German army, and at the left a charming miss of ten, Bessie, daughter of J. De Romero, secretary of the Spanish Legation to China.

The first week out was a rough one. The weather was bad, and the ship rolled fearfully, so that we could not walk on deck. The waves were immense, and consequently nearly every one was sick. I felt a little nausea for a couple of days, but soon did duty regularly at the fine feast placed before us three times a day, the specialty being splendid California fruits--peaches, plums, grapes, and oranges, any of which would bring a prize in an agricultural show.

Day after day the tireless engine drove the propeller. The splendid ship rushed on and on, not a moment's stop the entire distance. Not a sail or a steamer seen from port to port, and not even a whale. Once some porpoises and flying-fish, and once, when a thousand miles from land, a land-hawk lighted on the cross-trees, and proceeded leisurely to feast on a captured bird, and during the night flew away.

The never-ending water was very impressive in its desolation. Better weather came, the ship was steady, and we could walk on deck. My little friend and I romped along the deck from end to end in safety, but once a rude wave threw us down, and dashed us against the sides of the vessel, taking off some inches of skin from me, but the child was unhurt, and I did not mind a little thing like that.

I had early made the acquaintance of Mr. Mathews, the chief engineer, and once went into the hold and inspected the boilers and machinery of the huge ship. I spent a good deal of time in the chief engineer's room, listening to strange tales of ship and shore.

On the 9th inst., as we were approaching our destination, I was shown an engrossed resolution complimenting the captain, beautifully illustrated with a pen-and-ink sketch of the ship by Se?or Romero. After dinner, one of the passengers was selected to make the presentation address. He said:

"'O'er the glad waters of the dark blue sea, Our thoughts as boundless and our souls as free, Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam, Survey our empire and behold our home.'

"Our only home indeed for a brief period of time. But who can fail to remember the pleasant acquaintances made, even if we go around the world? For 'they that go down to the sea in ships; that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.' Even if we look upon the lofty Himalayas, the Alps, the Apennines, and the Juras, and linger about gigantic Mont Blanc and her white-robed sisters, or the beautiful Jungfrau, or sail along the classic shores of the blue Mediterranean,--wherever we go, and whatever we see, the scenes on this good ship will be photographed, as it were, on our memories as long as we live--the romps on the deck, perchance with a charming miss; or the tramp, tramp with military regularity with those of mature age; the hours of looking upon the moonlit sea, listening to the song and music of our missionary friends. God bless them and their cause!

"The temporary annoyance of sea-sickness will be forgotten. And now, fellow-passengers and friends, let us resolve that, like the passion-flower of the wilderness, which always bears within its bosom the true cross, we will bear within our bosom the true cross of 'enmity towards none, charity and goodwill for all,' and thus we shall be an honor to ourselves, the dear ones at home, the country we came from, and our God.

"Captain Ward, by directions of the passengers on this ship, permit me to present to you an engrossed resolution, signed by all of us, and beautifully illustrated by Se?or Romero, and expressing the hope--which has been so often said before on like occasions--that your voyage through life may be as safe and pleasant as you have made ours. I bid you farewell."

The captain made a suitable reply, and the company all stood up and drank his health.

YOKOHAMA.

YOKOHAMA, Oct. 12, 1889.

The Grand Hotel, where I am located, is very large and first-class in all respects. It is two hundred feet long, fronting the matchless bay, with an extension along a canal of two hundred feet.

From the room I occupy, I look down upon the canal and a fine bridge which spans it. Across this bridge goes a constant procession of men, women, and children, some horses and carriages, and occasionally a single ox drawing a cart. But every thing looks so different, and is managed so differently from what one has been accustomed to, that I am more and more impressed with the idea that I am no longer in this world, but in some wonderland beyond the stars.

One of the naval vessels flying the British flag is an immense iron-clad of six thousand tons. With the commander, Captain May, I became acquainted. He has on board an Armstrong gun of one hundred and twenty tons, the largest I think ever made, which will throw a bolt of half a ton a dozen miles, and penetrate through a wrought-iron plate twelve inches thick.

The captain expressed himself as having serious doubt of the efficiency of such monster ships and guns in actual warfare, as smaller, swifter crafts could run around them, and have great advantages in that respect.

Most of the coal used in this part of the world comes from England, and is consequently very high-priced.

The harbor is crowded with many large passenger steamers, and a great fleet of fishing craft. Towards evening the latter presented a beautiful appearance, coming in.

I took a short walk beyond the canal and over steep hills. There are few horses or oxen to be seen. Most of the transportation is done by men. A two-wheeled cart, loaded with perhaps five hundred brick, was being pushed up a steep hill by eight men, who rested often and were much fatigued by their exertions.

Away we went at a tremendous pace, each having a Chinese lantern, my carriage leading. We passed through well-lighted streets, lined with stores filled with showy goods, into the suburbs, a mile or two away, and stopped at a tea-house, where we were received with much bowing and ceremony by the women in charge, who spoke a little English. We were shown up a narrow stair-way into a small hall, and a bargain was made for a national performance by two musicians and ten dancing girls, who presently appeared, draped in beautiful Japanese costumes. These dancing girls were all very pretty, with their almond eyes and dark skins, and apparently not more than twelve or fifteen years old. They were the most jolly and laughing young women one ever saw. They shook hands with all the company, and then danced very nicely, to very poor music, in their swaying robes. At a signal, these robes were thrown aside, and the girls appeared in long loose dresses made of white and red material, much like the stripes on the American flag. The dancing, which was very graceful, continued for some time; but the show became somewhat monotonous. The ladies did not care to see any thing more, and we came away. Again we took to the road, making a very unique procession by moonlight--passing over many bridges and boulevards, and rows upon rows of brilliantly illuminated tea-houses,--and returned to the hotel.

The natives do not wear European clothing as much as I expected. The upper part of their persons is covered with a loose sack, often open in front, and the jolly and laughing children of ten years and under are generally entirely nude.

This morning all hands took another trip through the markets. We examined cane factories, and stores filled with silks and beautiful goods of native manufacture. Again we looked upon the street scenes and their never-ending wonders.

From my bedroom window I see a large factory for the making of ice, which is sold at a penny a pound and is the greatest of comforts in this country. Butter and cigars are so strong and bad that I have left off the use of them, and do not expect to try them again until I get to Austria; but soda-water of excellent quality is to be had everywhere, and is a great comfort.

We spent the evening listening to the splendid Japanese Marine Band which played lovely music for two hours in front of the hotel; all the musicians were natives. It was gayly bright at the hotel, the entire front being illuminated by paper lanterns of various colors; the big ships in the bay shown by their own numerous lamps, and the light of the full moon glittering upon the moving waters. I have seen no such beautiful show since 1887, when, at the city of Florence, I witnessed great festivities attendant upon the unveiling of a statue to an Italian patriot; the great dome of the cathedral, the bridges, and the boats on the river Arno, the palaces on the hills, and the whole beautiful city being illuminated in the most splendid manner--but this is a digression and I must write now about Japan.

I have to-day wandered about the city alone, and have seen more of the well-to-do natives. These are better dressed--always the flowing dressing-gown pattern, and stilted and inconvenient slipper-like shoes.

Everywhere, the babies are carried in bags, on the backs of their mothers, or more often by the older children. There are great numbers of babies to be seen all over the city, carried about in this way, and they always appear very happy, well fed, and comfortable.

This morning at two o'clock I was awakened by an earthquake which rolled my bed about the room. It lasted twenty seconds or so, but I did not think it worth while to get up, and soon went off to sleep again. I am told such entertainments are frequent in this country, and one must get used to them.

TOKIO.

TOKIO, JAPAN, Oct. 15, 1889.

After being entertained at Yokohama, on the morning of the 14th instant, with a slight earthquake, we left for this, the capital city of the Empire, on a finely built and equipped, narrow-gauge railroad. Every square yard of the country we traversed was cultivated in the highest degree--Distance eighteen miles, time one hour.

I noticed that the locomotives, cars, and all the equipments about the railroad were of English manufacture from Manchester and Birmingham. I was informed that most of the twelve hundred miles of railroads in Japan were owned and run by the Government. The chief in charge is a native educated in England, who scouted the idea that any other country could produce any thing fit to be used on railroads.

After passing through streets for some miles, we came to others, wider and lighted brilliantly by gas and electricity, through which carriages were not allowed to pass. The houses, for miles, were occupied as tea-houses, and were brilliantly illuminated, like the gin palaces of London, or the whiskey saloons of America. Great vans were passing along, on which dancing and theatrical performances were going on. There were also a good many theatres in active operation.

One of the evenings that we were in the city, these streets were occupied by an immense annual flower show, one of the features of which was a big elephant constructed of chrysanthemum flowers of many colors. The effect was very gorgeous.

The next day we spent going about the great city and seeing its wonders, chief of which is the Mikado's palace and grounds. I called on the American Minister and asked him to get me a permit to go into the palace, but he said it was impossible, no foreigners being allowed in the palace or the grounds. The palace and gardens looked like immense fortifications, being surrounded by three moats, each a hundred feet wide, and filled with water, and by three stone walls, each thirty or forty feet high.

The palace is in the heart of the city, and I should say the grounds were two hundred acres in extent, all, including the neighboring streets, being lighted by the New York Edison Company. I saw the superintendent who had charge of the construction of the plant, who said it took them a year to do it.

The women to be seen in the streets and tea-houses are invariably small and very pretty, except some of the married ones, who have their teeth colored black in accordance with an ancient custom, which makes them look hideous.

It is very cool in this part of Japan at this season. There is not sufficient frost to affect the crops, but one gets cold riding about--and there is no efficient method of heating the houses. There is no coal used for domestic purposes, and wood is very scarce and high. If you ask for a fire, at most hotels, they bring you a copper pan containing ignited charcoal covered with ashes, which does about as much good as a kerosene lamp. I suffer greatly with the cold, and would be glad to pay a large price for a pair of Arctic overshoes.

The price of newspapers, printed in the English language, at Yokohama is twenty-five cents a copy, or thirty dollars per annum. They have very little news, and almost none from America.

We went through the museum, and saw many extraordinary curiosities of ancient and modern Japan. Among them was a stuffed rooster in a glass case, whose tail feathers were ten feet long. I thought there was some humbug about it, but I afterwards saw a live one with tail feathers twelve feet long.

The public buildings are modern, large, and handsome, and the people very polite and good-natured. The streets are narrow. Great crowds are everywhere. It seems to me that I must have seen a hundred thousand people to-day. Every thing about the city is strange, often disagreeable and offensive. A couple of days in it is quite sufficient, and I shall be very glad to go away to-morrow.

NIKKO.

NIKKO, JAPAN, Oct. 20, 1889.

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