Cl^ntnsll Hmncrottg Utbrarg CHARLES WILLIAM WASON COLLECTION CHINA AND THE CHINESE THE GIFT OF CHARLES WILLIAM WASON CLASS OF 1S76 1918 Cornell University Library G 440.C32 In the wake of the setting sun 3 1924 023 252 582 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023252582 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN «H IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN BY JAMES CARTER Attttiof of "Six Moaths in Europe and ttie Orient" ILLUSTRATED .... LONDCasr .... Hurst and Bkckett, Limited J82, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C . INSCRIBED WITH MUCH REGARD TO THE Right Hon. sir Robert Bond, P.C, K.C.M.G., LL.D., Premier of Newfoundland. PREFACE. I AM conscious that apology is due, my readers, for the crude style in which these wayside notes have been compiled. They cannot pretend to be much more than a rescript of my journal, recording any impressions gleaned as I went westward in the wake of the setting sim, towards that yet uncharted place where he is said to rise in the east. My own little stock of know- ledge kept increasing as I went, yet I do not anticipate that the world's stock wiU be one whit extended by what I have written. Travel expands the mind — one sees how differently others view things ; then we begin to appreciate their wisdom, and to depreciate our own. The traveller finds the world full of paradoxes. He discovers that there is neither east nor west ; what yesterday was west, becomes east as he shifts his tent. Even the infaUible calendar appears to be untrue when he reaches home again. My fond hope is that my indulgent reader wiU not be critical as he follows my bird's-eye view of the places visited, set in an atmosphere of local colour as true as my feeble pen can paint it. James Carter. Balsam Place, St. John's, Newfoundland, July, 1908. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. PAOE Departure from Newfoundland— Tempestuous Voyage — Dangers of the North Atlantic — Ice Floes and Growlers — Halifax and Nova Scotia — Arrival in New York — St. Louis — Rocky Mountains and Denver — Colorado Springs — Pueblo and the Arkansas River— Canon of the Grand River— Salt Lake City i CHAPTER II. Ogden — The Nevada Railway — The Truckee River and Lake Tahoe— Colfax — Oakland — Los Angeles ; its beauties of climate and vegetation — Santa Monica — Pasadena— Whittier — Mount Lowe — Catalina — Long Beach — Redlands and San Bernardino — Santa Ana . . . . . . .22 CHAPTER III. Los Angeles — Oakland — Berkeley — San Francisco — Sacramento — Visit to Mount Tamalpais — En route — Honolulu . . . . . '53 CHAPTER IV. Voyage to Yokohama — View of Mount Fuji — Yokohama — Visit to Temple of Buddha — ^Jinrikisha Men — Kanagaroa— Kamakuea and Temple of Hachinam —Sacred Island of Enoshima — Flower Culture in Yokohama . . -83 CHAPTER V. Tokyo — Exhibition in Ueno Park — Nikko — Cascades and Temples — Mausoleum of lyeyasu — Visit to Lake Chuzenji — Temple of Temetsu and Mausoleum of the Shoguns — Japanese Street Life — Actors and Fortune Tellers — Law Courts and Judges — Wrestling — Miyanoshita . . . ... 97 CHAPTER VI. Hakone — Miyanoshita — Shiznoka — Beautiful Scenery — Nagoya — The Castle of N^oya — Porcelain Manufactory — Kyoto — Visit to the Imperial Palace — The Castle of Kyoto . . ... . . 123 CHAPTER VII. Shooting the Hodzu Rapids — The Golden Temple at Ayashi Yama — ^Japanese Theatre — Osaka — Visit to the Mint — Nara — Japanese Gardens — Onomiachi . 146 CHAPTER VIII. The Inland Sea — Miyoyima — A Japanese Dinner — The Yoshiwara — The Geisha — Marriage and Divorce in Japan — Okayama — Kobe — The Inland Sea — ki ......... 170 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. PAOK Shanghai — ^Yellow Sea — Wei-Hai-Wei — Chefoo— Street Scenes — River Life — Tientsin — Peking — The Temple of Heaven — Funeral Procession — The For- bidden City ......... 196 CHAPTER X. Peking — The Rivers of China — Education — The Civil Service— Political Reform — Hankow — ^The Yang-tsi-Kiang — Street Traffic — Nanking — Peasant Life — Shanghai ......... 227 CHAPTER XI. Courts of Justice — The Bund and Foreign Concessions — Chinese Restaurants — En Route to Hong Kong — Methods of Agriculture — Opium Smoking — Hong Kong — Family Customs — Social Observances — Shops and Theatres — The Peak — Commercial Importance of Hong Kong ..... 254 CHAPTER XII. Canton — River Life — Visit to the Flower Boats — Duck Breeding — Magistrate's Court — Prisons and Punishments — Description of the City — On Board s.s. Moravia— Singapore — Johore — Malay Characteristics — Penang — Departure for Ceylon .... . . 289 CHAPTER XIII. Colombo — Visit to Mount Lavinia — Tropical Scenery — Kandy — Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya — ^The Temple of the Tooth — Ancient Buddhist Scriptures — Matale — ^Tea Cultivation — Nuwara Eliya — Bandarawela . . . 319 CHAPTER XIV. Tea Industry— Climate of Ceylon — Natural Resources — Native Races — Village Life — Failure of Coffee Planting — Cocoa and Rice — Other Products Kalutara and the Rubber Plantations ..... ^.% CHAPTER XV. Courts of Justice — Public Institutions — System of Administration — The Fisheries of Ceylon — Pearl Divers — Gems and Precious Stones . . . • S?'! CHAPTER XVI. Departure from Ceylon — ^Aden — Its Strategic Importance — The Red Sea and Suez Canal — Ismailia and Port Said — Arrival at Marseilles — Gibraltar — The Bay of Biscay ........ ^qq CHAPTER XVII. Plymouth and its Heroic Past — Devonport and Naval Dockyards — The Hoe Mount Edgcumbe — St. Andrew's .Church — The Barbican — Exeter The Castle and Cathedral —The Guildhall — Visit to Topsham — Beauties of Devon — Farewell .... . . APPENDIX 411 449 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. View of Canton . Frontispiece. Sealers in St. John's Harbour Facing page 2 Iceberg off St. John's „ 2 Mormon Tabernacle 26 Calla-lily Field, Los Angeles .... 26 Moanalua Park, Honolulu .... 75 Flower Market, Honolulu 75 View of Mount Fuji 86 The Bund, Yokohama 86 Street scene, Yokohama 89 The One Hundred Steps, Yokohama 9° Country road near Yokohama .... 93 The Great Buddha at Kamakuea 93 Japanese girl 98 The Pagoda at Nikko . . 19 104 Chuzenji Road, Nikko 152 Theatre Street, Yokohama .... 152 Miyoyima, Inland Sea 172 Yoshiwara, Tokyo 178 Maruyama, Nagasaki 184 Street scene, Shanghai 199 Life on a Chinese Sampan .... 199 Funeral procession, Peking .... 217 The Temple of Heaven, Peking 217 Chinese lady 243 Tea house. Old Shanghai 249 Street scene, Shanghai ,, 360 Chinese restaurant „ 260 Palms in Gleneally, Hong Kong 271 Chinese shop signs .... 275 Xll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Statue of Queen Victoria, Hong Kong Bridge connecting Shameen with City of Canton Flower boat, Canton Chinese Court of Justice . Chinese mode of torture . Native boats, Singapore Holy cows, Penang Native village, Penang Cocoanut Lane, Penang . Beach Street, Penang Natives, Penang The Harbour, Colombo Street scene, Colombo The Lake, Kandy » . The Gardens, Peradeniya . The Temple of the Tooth Native fruit shops Plucking tea Preparation of plumbago . Gathering cocoa Plucking cocoa Marseilles from the Harbour Palais de Long Champs Entrance to the Port, Gibraltar Gibraltar .... The Hoe, Plymouth The Barbican, Fish Quay . Theatre Royal, Plymouth The Cathedral, Exeter The Guildhall, Exeter Facing page 282 )) 293 I) 293 9) 300 )9 300 99 309 99 3" 99 314 9) 314 99 316 99 316 99 319 99 319 99 329 99 329 99 337 99 337 99 341 J) 357 )9 357 99 364 99 406 9J 406 99 408 99 408 99 412 99 412 99 422 99 431 99 437 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. CHAPTER I. Departure from Newfoundland — Tempestuous Voyage— Dangers of the North Atlantic — Ice Floes and Growlers — Halifax and Nova Scotia — Arrival in New York — St. Louis — Rocky Mountains and Denver— Colorado Springs — Pueblo and the Arkansas River — Canon of the Grand River — Salt Lake City. A CHRONICLE of the impressions of a trip round the world would be obviously incomplete if it failed to touch upon those tender feelings which affect the heart as one severs home ties to wander for months on many foreign strands. Though not a New- foundlander by birth, the writer has long loved the land of his adoption, where his patronymic has during two centuries been woven in the history of England's oldest colony. Home is ever where the heart lies, Eind I confess that the further I went afield, the more did I feel knitted to the rugged strand of Terra Nova. So long as life holds the fort within the old weather-bedten, timeworn battlement, my pulse will never cease to beat in harmony with the roll of her shingled beach, and in symphony with the surging biUows that crest and foam beneath her beethng cliffs. And so, as I steamed out of the Narrows very early one bleak spring morning, I vainly strove to soothe the sad sense which springs of parting, by thoughts anticipating the tropical beauties which lay before me. At such a time one can realize the poignant grief which gnaws at the heart-strings as the involuntary exile, despairing of any return, drags himself from the place he long called home. It was on March 14th, 1907, that I started to emulate my great fellow- Devonian Drake in a chase of the setting sun, but under vastly different circumstances. The good steamship Silvia, which has since reached the haven of lost ships, was an immense advance I 2 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. on the little Golden Hind ; while the central "I" of my little drama am a peaceful passenger, instead of the most fearless dare-devil who ever paced a deck ; steam instead of sail ; plea- sure instead of prizes ; rest instead of attack ; the twentieth century instead of the sixteenth. But if we had no human foe to fight, we had from the moment we left our harbour every prospect of a battle with the Arctic ice. Even the Newfound- lander, familiar as he is from childhood with bergs and floes, and to whom " the ice " has a meaning different from that which it bears to others, proceeds with utmost circumspection as he sails in an iron ship through waters which at this season of the year are apt to narrow and be obliterated all too quickly, when " upon the Atlantic the gigantic storm-wind of the equinox " forces thousands of square miles of floe-ice towards the granite battlements of the rock-ribbed coast. The stoutest ship caught in its crushing folds is as helpless as thistledown in the clutch of a giant. On such occasions the passenger pins his faith on the experience of the ship-master, and is comforted by confidence that among the seamen who navigate every New- foundland vessel, are many hardy sea-dogs, whose betters are not to be found in the confines of the world ; and who from boyhood — ^in fact from heredity — have been trained to meet and overcome difficulties and dangers by others unsurmount- able. The heart of the boldest seaman unused to Arctic travel, would quail when for the first time he woke in his berth to the shock of the stroke of a " growler," or to the grinding, saw-like sound of thin ice as an iron steamer forces through it. Even the lesser quality of ice which the seahng-stekmer hustles aside, would in the Thames be voted icebergs by the thousands who would press to view them. I question whether the round world can afford a more stupendous sight, or whether the mind of man can conceive a grander impression than an ocean covered thickly, from horizon to horizon, with huge lumps of ice ; yes, and say two hundred miles in all directions further than eye can reach ; the average size of each piece of ice being not less than that of a small church. Happily we had clear water all the way to Cape Race, after which the chances of being pinned and crushed are considerably lessened. Halifax, our first port Sealers in St. John's Harbour getting ready for the icefields Iceberg off Si. John's. \^Faciiii^ p. 2. VOYAGE TO HALIFAX. 3 of call, is 540 miles from St. John's ; but the voyage thither is lengthened by one-fourth if the course be made outside Sable Island. At this equinoctial season, and in these boisterous waters practically the " roaring forties," the trip to Halifax in an iron boat is apt to be attended with real danger ; but we were so fortimate as to have a very fine and smooth passage, without any more sign of ice than its glare on the distant horizon. Even under these conditions, so favourable com- paratively speaking, the chill air, the intermittent showers of sleet, the ubiquitous waves of deadly-dull hue, the all-pervading prospect of bleakness wherever the eye sought rest and found none, were superabundant proof that the sailor's life in these latitudes is most unenviable. What the poor fellow must suffer who comes northward out of the tropics, where, perhaps, he has pawned all but his thinnest clothing, when he is com- pelled to stand his watch day after day, amid showers of spray and bursting seas, which encase both him and his ship in ice as they fall, is worse than any inferno can produce. ' ' Ye gentlemen of England, who live at home at ease, How little do ye think upon the dangers of the seas ! ' ' We are properly proud of our maritime record— grand in the past, great in the present — but we utterly fail to fathom the profound depths of misery which "poor Jack" is condemned to endure ; the appalling dangers he is called on to face. Her sailors made Britain great ; they will yet make her far greater. They deserve better at the hands of a forgetful nation. But we are on a south-westerly course towards warmer latitudes ; and we may well hug, within our winter overcoats, the hope that comfort is not as far away as it appears to be. We landed at Halifax on the 17th — a day which in St. John's is annually celebrated to the pious memory of St. Patrick. If Newfoundland has its cold season, it has thousands of warm Irish hearts. I attended the morning service at St. Paul's Church. I think the incumbent is a Newfoundlajider. The sermon emphasized the Christian duty of thanking God, the great Giver of all good ; text from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colos- sians : " Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving 4 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. thanks to God ; " quoted the motto taken by the third Prince of Wales at his baptism of fire, " Ich dien " — which should be ours all through life, and of every Christian member of the family. Illustrated the automatic clock of St. Mark's, Venice. When the hour is struck, two figures appear, striking the hour : moral to be deduced therefrom : we should not Mve as such, but as responsible beings. That it happened, once upon a time, as the nursery story goes, a very long time ago, that a work- man was repairing the clock, and in doing so was struck on the head by one of the figures with the iron striker, and was kiUed ; that such killing was not murder, there being no animus or evil intention or responsibility thereby. Our life should, and must, be a loving service, and that we shall be held responsible for all our actions done in the flesh. To the stay-at-home this duty of thankfulness may be a postulate ; to the traveller, it is an axiom. I have often been struck by the appropriateness of the roadside cross in European countries, before which the way- farer may rest awhile, and thank God. On the i8th, took a walk through the chief streets of Halifax ; weather mild and spring-like. The snow is melting, and sleighs have given place to wheels. Business in the shops appeared to be dull. I found nothing new to interest me, as Halifax is almost another edition of St. John's. My dreams were dis- turbed by the persistent racket of the donkey-windlass taking on board cargo, fish and herring in casks. (I here digress to say that " fish " means codfish. In aU matters of cod, Newfoimd- land takes the lead, even to the extent of dictating nomen- clature.) Sailed for New York at 7 p.m. on the 19th. Did not make very satisfactory progress, being so deeply laden. It is remarkable how greedy the traveller is for more speed, even though the place he has left is dear to him, and the place to which he goes has no attractions ; yet the restless demon of locomotion demands that he get on faster. Doubtless the sailor soon loses this dissatisfied spirit ; he has long ago learned that he will get there all right by and by, and that the slower the pace the bigger wiU be the little pile which he wiU have to spend at the port of discharge. If you ask me why it is that sailors are, as a rule, more lovable, why they possess more ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK. 5 bonhomie than landsmen, I would answer that he is much more natural ; he has so little fuss and worry in his make-up ; he is more hke a big boy out of school ; his hard life has ingrained into every fibre of his being a host of manly characteristics ; he has lived so much at close quarters with other manly men that he has little selfishness left in him ; he has fought real hardships so long and so well that the little ills which make the landsman cranky have no effect on his seasoned nerves. Among many sailors, how few " Dick Deadeyes " there are ! The blessing of God rest on the whole race of seamen ; it is due to them, one and aU. " Oh, Newfoundland and Cape Shore men, and men of Gloucester town ! With ye I've trawled o'er many banks and sailed the compass round ; I've ate with ye and bunked with ye, and watched with ye all three. And better shipmates than ye were I never hope to see ; I've seen ye in the wild typhoon beneath the southern sky, I've seen ye when the northern gales drove seas to masthead high ; But summer breeze or winter blow from Hatt'ras to Cape Race, I've yet to see ye ttiith the sign of fear upon your face." March zoth. — Strong breeze, and fine bright day. Saw several light-ships, and a number of three and four mast schooners (barques and barges) towed by a steamer. On each side of Massachusetts shore, going through what is called the " Vine- yard Sound," where the Silvia lately came to grief, there was no appearance of any snow to be seen on the land ; we had a strong breeze, but the water smooth. zxst. — Fine day ; arrived at the pier. New York, at 10 a.m., passing under three suspension bridges ; stopped the ship to take the doctor on board ; also the pilot ; passed muster with doctor, and sent our trunks on shore to be examined by the Customs. On getting the permit, took a cab for "St. Denis Hotel," Eleventh Street, Broadway, and arrived there at noon. After lunch went to Fifth Avenue, walked as far as Seventy- eighth Street, and visited St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathe- dral ; then took motor-car for Fourteenth Street, and returned to hotel. In the evening went to the theatre, Ben Hur ; very good acting and mise en scene. 22nd. — ^Fine day. Went to the Hippodrome. The play 6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. was one of great merit, of spectacular effect, not to be outdone anywhere in splendour of grouping and scenery. It was a scene of the earher days of America. A stage-coach was attacked by Indians and a fight ensued ; some tricks cleverly done, and elephants and seals exhibited. Fine horsemanship by cowboys ; the concluding part, Neptune rising out of the Sea with His Retinue, was especially good. There was quite a large lake of water, with numerous figures rising and sinking in shells and boats ; very picturesque in their costumes, seaweed cling- ing to their garments. The stage setting was remarkably good and realistic, and in some of the tableaux were a number of figures of sea-nymphs, artistically grouped. New York, 2Srd. — ^Fine day, and warm for the time of year. Went in the morning to arrange with Messrs. Cook & Son tickets for " AU round the World." Visited the great jeweller Tiffany in Fifth Avenue. He showed us a large diamond, unset, valued at $50,000 ; also a black pearl about the size of a large currant, valued at $20,000. In the evening went to a vaudeville play. 24th. — Left New York at 2.40 p.m. from the C. P. Rail- way Dep6t, the general central station ; the weather showery. Travelled by the way of the river Hudson to Albany, Buffalo, and arrived at Albany at dusk ; a good many passengers on the train ; they wake up the sleepers very early, and so did not remain up late. 25th. — En route. — ^A very fine day. Arrived at Ohio at 9 a.m. This State along the line shows a fine farming coimtry. There was no snow on the hills, and in the valleys they were plough- ing, and the grass was turning very green ; the meadows were very extensive, and the stacks of last year's crop were not removed. At 12, noon, ran into the State of Indiana, passed a village called Fortville, and arrived at Indianapolis at i p.m., a large city, both farming and manufacturing. Delayed about an hour on the line. Saw a car lying capsized and broken on the bank below the road ; the engineer had, unfortunately, been killed in the accident. Passed Terre Haute ; the fields were green, the trees budding, and some in leaf. At 3 p.m. arrived at Mattoon in the State of Illinois, and at St. Louis at 6 p.m. ST. LOUIS. 7 Crossed over the river Mississippi to the station, thence to " Planters' Hotel ; " rooms $2 up, European plan. It is a very extensive building ; 250 bedrooms, many of which are fitted with baths ; it is handsomely fitted up with much artistic taste. In the evening went to the Ol3anpic Theatre ; the play, called Butterfly, a Coquette, did not much impress me. zbth. — •Visited the city. First went to the Market, where fruit and vegetables were displayed in large quantities, in- cluding abundance of strawberries. There were many other corridors and stalls filled with all kinds of produce. After leaving, we walked through several of the streets of shops, both wholesale and retail ; passed a magnificent Public HaU, extend- ing a whole block, costing millions of dollars, built of marble and granite. The streets were crowded with people, the tram- cars especially so. The shop windows looked bright and attractive, with the large display of Easter goods and novelties. We visited the suburban quarter boulevards, where are many large residences, situated in beautiful parks and ornamental grounds. The gardens especicdly were delightfully green and bright, with tulips, jonquils, and other spring flowers in bloom. We then went to a magnificent pubhc garden, called Shaw, after an Englishman, who had been a large merchant, and built a superb residence on the grounds, which were of Vast extent. He had planted rose-trees, imported from Japan and the East, which were all in bloom ; nothing that I had ever seen could exceed the beauty of the magnolias, tulips, carnations, and the tulip-trees ; flowers of immense size completely covered them ; the garden opened only two days since. The grounds were his gift to the public, and free to all. They had had a very mild winter, followed by a warm spring, with no snow during the past winter. Thermometer at present, 80" F., which will account for the beautiful display. St. Louis has the appearance of being a very busy city, having large factories ; it is a great centre for the building of automobiles ; they do wonders in that line, and have in their stores some very handsome and expensive ones, in prices ranging from six hundred to six thousand dollars. They have an immense printing machine, which is considered the finest in the States. The chief street is called Broadway ; 8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. another handsome street is called Olive ; but there are several others of like proportions, and situated in some of them are palatial hotels. In the afternoon went to see some moving pictures, which were very interesting and reahstic ; also the " performing fleas " drawing carriages, jumping balls, sitting on chairs at table, an astonishing performance, run by foreigners (Italians). Yesterday a tragedy took place in the city. A boy was arrested with another older companion for steahng a hat. His comrade threatened to kill the policeman if he did not let the boy go, and when he put his hand in his side pocket, intend- ing, as supposed, to draw a pistol, the policeman immediately fired, and the man died an hour afterwards under an operation to extract the bullet. The Inspector of Police, on inquiring, absolved the policeman from any blame, and he was accordingly set free from arrest. A postmortem was held on the body of the deceased, who was said to belong to a bad gang which had given a good deal of trouble in the past. Left St. Louis for Denver by the Rock Island train at lo a.m. We passed along the banks of the Mississippi river ; in some places the river was very wide ; the population of Denver is 200,000. 2yth. — Kansas City. — Arrived at Kansas City at 7 a.m. Took an auto for an hour's drive in the suburbs ; traversed some very nice streets lined with large trees in full leaf, with hand- some residential houses on each side, mostly built of brick. The city is not so large as St. Louis, with about half the popula- tion. Passed extensive factories and business premises. Went through a large tunnel under the river Missouri. The town appeared to be built on much the same Unes as other places with regard to its public buildings. Left at 11.20 a.m. for Denver ; passed a fine farming country bordered by the river " KaU." At 2.30 p.m. arrived at the station of Topeka ; popu- lation, 50,000. The peach and other trees were in full bloom ; the winter corn-seed that had been planted in the fall of the year was three or four inches in height, and gave the country a beautiful green appearance. In all this portion of the country there are wide, extensive level plains, making it a fine farm- ing district. The trip across the great plains from the Missouri river to Denver is fuU of interest and variety to one who beholds ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND DENVER. 9 the vast expanse for the first time. Nothing can give such a vivid impression of the greatness of the country as the sight of these boundless prairies. The railroads, for a distance of three or four hundred miles to the west of the Missouri river, pass through thriving cities, to which a comparatively thickly settled agricultural country is tributary. As the traveller looks out of the car window across the billowy expanse, he sees herds of cattle and sheep grazing on the rich bunches of buffalo grass, and occasionally he will catch a glimpse of the flying form of an antelope disappearing over the brow of a distant rise of land. The view of the Rocky Mountains which is seen on approach- ing Denver from the east is one of unsurpassed beauty. From this point there appear to be three distinct ranges ; the first rises two or three thousand feet above the level of the plains, and is cloven asunder by the canons of the streams, streaked with the dark lines of the pines, which clothe its summits with steep slopes of verdure. Some distance behind it appears a second range of nearly double the height, more irregular in its masses, and of a darker hue. Behind, leaning against the sky, are the snowy peaks, all of which are from thirteen to fifteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. These three chains, with their var57ing undulations, are as inspiring to the imagina- tion as they are enchanting to the eye, and hint of a con- cealed grandeur on a nearer approach. 28th. — Denver. — Fine day, but much colder air. At 7 a.m. passed large tracts of snow. The land is said to be good for farming, but there is no water for irrigation. Arrived at Denver at 8 p.m. Took a cab for " Charlton Hotel," small but well situated, near Sixteenth Street, principal quarter for shopping. After breakfast took an observation car and went through the city, a circuit of twenty-five miles, going through all the prin- cipal streets on which the public buildings are situated ; also, to the suburban residential homes, some of them exceedingly large and handsome. It is said that Denver possesses more wealthy men in proportion to its population than any other city in the States. The public buildings, far famed for their richness and architectural beauty, are of vast extent, including universities, public schools, hospitals and churches of aU deno- lo IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. minations. The car service is well carried out, and runs for long distances to the suburbs and country. The insurance buildings, trust, and other offices, are especially large and extensive ; and the shops are equally attractive. They have no " sky-scrapers," as in New York, as the Municipal Council prohibits the erection of any building over ten or twelve storeys. While in the city, we were delayed for thirty minutes by a fire breaking out in one of the suburban homes occupied by a doctor ; it was some time before it was extinguished, and the house was completely gutted. Went to the Tabor Theatre to a matinee ; a very handsome house, nicely adorned, with a fine stage, boxes, and balcony. There was a good attendance present, and the acting was good. In the evening went to a vaudeville theatre. The performance was excellent, and some pieces of music were rendered with great merit by the ladies' band. A beautiful city, beautifully situated, is Denver, with broad, tree-shaded streets, with public buildings of massive proportions and attractive architecture, with residences erected in granite, orna- mented with shrubs and flowers, with charming suburbs, and an outlying country studded with fertile farms and flowering or fruiting orchards. Peace is within her dwellings and plenty within her palaces. Denver has nineteen railroads, and an extensive street railway system, operating one hundred and sixty miles of electric tramway to aU the various portions of the city. The town is lighted by gas ajid electricity ; its principal streets are paved with asphaltum. The Union Dep6t, a massive and handsome edifice, of native stone, is, probably, the most complete of any city of Denver's population. There are ten first-class hotels, provided with aU modem improvements ; to say nothing of some sixty less pretentious ones, with mag- nificent parks, business blocks, and private residences, the homes of mining princes and cattle barons. These and the lovely suburbs, with a grand view of the snowy mountains north and west, and the broad expanse of horizon-bounded plains to the east and south, make Denver one of the famous cities of the States. 2<^th. — Left Denver at 8.30 a.m. for Colorado Springs, and arrived at 11 a.m. Saw the moimtains and Pike's Peak shortly COLORADO SPRINGS. n after leaving, and also passed a small lake noted for the water flowing on both sides. As the train rolls into the station, this beautiful little lake is seen cradled among the hills. Along the shore is a handsome stone embankment, with a boat-house well stocked with boats. The lake is a natural body of water ; a fountain plays in its centre, casting a jet of water to the height of eighty feet. Red-roofed, picturesque cottages nestle here and there among the hills, and boats float gracefully on the bright waters ; and on either hand rugged peaks, pine-clad, and broken by castellated rocks, are reflected in the placid waters. Shortly after arriving at the Springs, went to the " Ormond Hotel," small but comfortable, and joined two young ladies, both nice girls. I found that they were proposing to visit the same places that I wished to see, so we accordingly joined forces, and engaged a carriage for the Cave of the Winds and Garden of the Gods, once Marlow Glen. The Cave of the Winds is a most remarkable cavern, which runs through the mountain about half a mile in length ; wonderful stalactites hang from the sides and roof, formed by the dropping of the water ; they were like ivory and coral hanging in pendants in every variety and shape ; flowers and figures carried patterns in fantastic shapes. We had to pay one dollar for entrance fee. It belongs to private parties. The owners must collect an immense revenue from the thousands of tourists who visit it, who all have to pay without reduction for numbers in one party or family. The only expense to the proprietors is that of keep- ing in repair the mountain road leading to it, about a mile of which is barely wide enough in some places for a carriage to pass between the walls of the moimtains on either side. The next place visited was the Garden of the Gods, which is free to aU ; it is a most extraordinary collection of rocks of every possible shape and form, some of them very fantastic, in which the likeness can be seen of men and animals, as if they had been carved out of the rocks. It is named " Monument Park." In some places are giant brilliant red rocks, castellated in shape, and reaching an altitude of two to three hundred feet. Among them are to be seen grotesque groups of figures, into which the cream-coloured sandstone rocks have been worn by the action 12 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. of air and water through long reaches of time. Some of them resembling human forms have been given names of Indians, some likened to elephants, lions, camels, a queen on her throne, Romeo and Juliet, the duchess, Mother Judy, sentinels, the necropohs (or silent city), fortresses, castles, boats and steamers : in all, a most wonderful collection. Here, also, is obtained a fine view of Pike's Peak, rising to a height of over fourteen thou- sand feet, and Cheyenne mountain range. We had a very fine day ; toward the evening the air was colder, and we could see the snow falling on the mountains. In the Garden of the Gods some of the massive portals of stone spring up from the ground 300 feet above the plain, marking the entrance to their vast tracts of stone filled with weird groupings and figures. The gateway to the Garden rises 350 feet, forming in terra cotta a superb picture of tawny rocks and peaks, where the eagles rest on the rocky crags. The village, called Manitou, is beautifully situated, surrounded by the mountains. Here are some fine residential homes, hotels, and parks, and many other hand- some buildings, pretty cottages and bungalows after the Indian or oriental fashion. Many of the most influential business men of Colorado reside here. No more delightful home-city can be found than this. Mansions and cottages of the highest archi- tectural beauty abound, and the society is composed of cultivated and wealthy people. The town was originally laid out as a health-resort ; and, while it still retains its superiority in this respect, it has grown beyond that single characteristic, and is now a thriving commercial place, in addition to being a favourite residence city. We then drove through the estate of a rich city landowner, who made a fortune by railways, and had a rastle built on magnificent grounds beautifully and artistically laid out with the most lovely gardens and groves of magnificent trees of beautiful foliage. He allowed the public free access through his property and parks, and has spent millions in improving the place — in public buildings, hotels, schools and parks, making and improving roads ; in fact, has built up the greater propor- tion of the village, and has donated money for hospitals or any charitable institution requiring aid, or in any form that may benefit the place. He has two unmarried daughters, who are PUEBLO. 13 generally travelling for pleasure. The proprietor of this fine estate is well advanced in age, is not in good health, and is unable to walk, so that he has to be conveyed in a bath- chair when visiting or going to the grounds of the estate or the village. ZOth. — Pueblo. — Left Colorado at 11.30 a.m. ; beautiful weather. At 12.30 a.m. arrived at Pueblo, called the Pittsburg of the West, on account of its large steel, iron, and other foun- dries. Population 30,000, and is, in consequence, a very smoky town. It is a Uve city, fuU of enterprise and push, and it has been favoured by nature both in situation and sur- roundings. Plenty of coal is found not fifty miles away ; iron ore is not more distant. There are also many great smelters for the reduction of gold and silver ores, together with a large number of manufactories, planing mills, flour mills, and machine shops. The city of Pueblo is surrounded by great stretches of rich agricultural land, which here and there, is in a high state of cultivation ; but the land is ill supplied with water, and requires more irrigation. Where the land is watered it is as fertile as the Valley of the Nile. When it is not irrigated, it is nearly as sterile as Sahara. Large reservoirs to contain water and spring rainfalls are now being constructed ; also canals to lead from the Arkansas river to carry the water on the land. At I p.m. passed a town called Portland, noted for its cement and kerosene oil wells, shipped to all ports of the United States ; it has a larger shipment than Oregon. Arrived at the Grand Gorge at 2 p.m. It was a most majestic sight from the observa- tion car, the mountains towering above the torrent over three thousand feet in height. The length is about ten miles. The narrowest part is known as the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas river. After entering its depths the train moves slowly along and around projecting shoulders of dark-hued granite, deeper and deeper into the heart of the range ; the crested crags grow higher ; the river madly foams along its rocky bed, and the way becomes a mere fissure through the heights. Far above the road, the sky forms a deep blue arch of fight, but in the gorge are dark and sombre shades, which the sun's rays have never penetrated. The place is a measureless gulf, with soUd walls 14 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. on either side ; here the granite cliffs are a thousand feet high, smooth and unbroken by tree or shrub ; no flower grows, and the birds care not to penetrate the solitudes ; the river, dark and swift, breaks the awful silence with its roar. Soon the cleft becomes still more narrow, the treeless cliffs higher, the river more closely confined, and where a long iron bridge hangs suspended from the smooth walls, the grandest portion of the caiion is reached. Man becomes dwarfed and dumb in the sublime scene, and Nature exhibits the power she possesses. The crags menacingly rear their heads above the daring in- truders, and the place is like the entrance to some infernal region, Escaping from the gorge, the narrow valley of the upper Arkansas is traversed with the striking serrated peaks close at hand. Nothing could exceed the grandeur, as well as the im- pressiveness, as seen from the observation car attached to the train, from which a splendid view was obtained as you could see the line over which the carriages travelled with the twists and turns of the road,^as well as the heights of the mountains on each side. We ran through it very slowly, but all too quickly ; one could hardly imagine a more stupendous work of Nature, or a greater feat in engineering than the making of the road through this stupendous caiion, where it seemed impossible that a railway could ever be constructed. There was scarcely room for the river alone, and granite ledges blocked the path with their mighty bulk. Emerging from the canon, beautiful moun- tain views are obtained. At 4 p.m., reached Sahda, situated in the mountains; at the foot of the Grand Gorge flows the Arkansas river. Canon City, Salida, is noted for its silver mines, said to be the most famous in the States ; large smelting plants are in operation. Salida is admirably situated for smelt- ing purposes, and these industries largely enhance the import- ance of this growing city. The view of the mountains is especi- ally grand. The beauty of its situation, the near proximity to hot medicinal springs, and the wonderful salubrity of its climate, make SaUda an exceedingly popular health and pleasure resort. Tributary to the town are mines of copper, silver, gold, iron and coal ; great quantities of charcoal are burnt, and the agricul- tural and pastoral interests are of great extent. Also passed CANON OF THE GRAND RIVER. 15 several mining settlements. Had a beautiful run between the mountains for a long distance, their summits towering to the sky ; at their feet runs the grand river that empties itself into the Pacific Ocean. During the day we passed several small stations of more or less interest. We are now in the vicinity of what is termed the Twin Lakes. They lie at the foot of the mountains — Mount Elbert and La Plata and Twin Peaks, on which rest the eternal snows, each of them higher than the famous Pike's Peak. The valley is surrounded by the lakes up to the very foot of the mountains. Around you on all sides, looming up grand and precipitous, are snow-capped mountain peaks, each of them towering fully a mile high, completely wall- ing you in from the outer world. Leadville is next passed, with a population of 20,000, and on an elevation of 10,000 feet. Leadville is considered a most interesting city. The scenery is magnificent. It is walled in on all sides by towering mountains, whose summits are crowned with eternal snow. Leadville is weU supplied with good hotels, and the boulevard affords one of the finest drives in the State. The city is lighted with gas and electricity ; has telephonic communication with surrounding points, with the usual conveniences of cities of corresponding size. Tennessee Pass is next approached rising along a tortuous path cut in the side hills reaching an elevation of 10,000 feet. The train runs into a tunnel half a mile long, and on emerging in the western end we are on the Pacific slope. We now come to the famous mountain called the Moimt of the Holy Cross, on account of an immense cross formed on the summit. Other canons are quickly passed en route, the principal being the Canon of the Grand River, a most mar- vellous gorge (one of the world's wonders). There gradually the valley narrows ; high bluffs hem us in ; the river is close to the track, and its fertile banks suddenly change into a tumbled, twisted black expanse of scoria ; vast bastions of granite, strata on strata, rise to a stupendous height, braced against rock masses behind them, infinitely, higher and vaster ; these are not made up of boulders, nor are they sohd monohths, like those on the Royal Gorge ; on the contrary, they are columns, bastions, buttresses, walls, pyramids, towers, turrets, even statues of 1 6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. stratified stone, with sharp cleavage not in the least weather- worn, presenting the appearance of masonry. In a moment we are in dense darkness as we enter a tunnel ; then again for a moment the blue sky above us as we emerge, then again dark- ness — absolute, unmitigated blackness of darkness. This must be the deepest dungeon under the castle moat ; but soon again we see the light and the blue sky, with the mountains towering over all. 2ist. — Castle Gate. — Easter Sunday ; a beautiful, fine day, the sun bright and warm. At 9 a.m. passed the Gate, in the form of a castle with turreted tops castellated, standing at the entrance of the Price JRiver Canon. It is similar in many respects to the gateway to the Garden of the Gods. The two huge pillars or ledges of rock which compose it are offshoots of the cliffs behind. They are of different heights, one measuring 500 feet, and the other 450 from top to base. They are richly dyed in red, and the firs and pines growing about them, but reaching only to their lower strata, render their colouring more noticeable and beautiful. Between two sharp promon- tories which are separated only by a narrow space, the river and the railway both run, one pressing closely against the other. The stream leaps over a rocky bed, and its banks are lined with tangled brush. After passing the Gate, and looking back, the bold headlands forming it have a new and more attractive beauty. They are higher and more massive, it seems, than when we were in their shadow. The gateway is hardly lost to view by a turn in the canon before we are scaling the wooded heights ; the river is never lost sight of. The cHffs which hem us in are filled with curious forms ; now there is seen a mighty castle with moats and towers, loopholes and walls ; now a gigantic head appears. At times, side cafions, smaller than the one we are in, lead to verdant heights beyond. Arrived at Salt Lake City at 12.30 and went to the " Knutsford Hotel ; " rooms Si "50 up, modem and up-to-date, with all the recent improvements. Salt Lake City, Utah, or Zion as the city is often called by the Mormon faithful, is one of the most pleasantly situated at the foot of the Wahsatch Mountains ; the northern Hmits extending on the upland, which THE MORMON TABERNACLE. 17 unites the plain with the mountain elevation, 4,260 feet above sea level. The Wahsatch Mountains are a part of the great continental range which divides the far west from the plains which extend from the base of the Rockies to the Missouri river. The city is so situated as to command a view of the entire valley, both ranges of mountains, and the southern portion of the lake. At 3 p.m. went to the Mormon Tabernacle, where all strangers were invited for a musical festival. The Tabernacle is an immense structure, seating 1,000 people. The choir numbers 550 enrolled singers, and is self-supporting. It has one of the finest organs, which is said to be of the sweetest tone in the United States. Indeed, the notes were the clearest I ever heard. The imitation of the human voice was perfect. For a long time I thought there was a concealed choir singing at the back of the organ, so perfect was the rendering ; and I could not believe it was the playing of the organ alone, so perfect was the melody and tone. The acoustics of the building are said to be so perfect that a whisper or the dropping of a pin can be heard at a distance of over two hundred feet. The Temple is a magnificent structure, costing $4,000,000, built of granite ; it has four lengthy spires. No Gentile is allowed to enter the building. It is used generally for baptisms and marriages, and especial prayers for friends, hke masses in Roman Catholic churches. An Elder gave an address on Mormonism ; said that they beHeved in the Bible so far as it was correctly trans- lated, and in the Lord Jesus Christ as divine ; and that, hke Him, they honoured the women. There was a large congrega- tion present. The service lasted one hour. Then went to the bureau of information, and they presented us with a copy of the testaments of their belief. But the Mormon question as a real issue had outlived its usefulness. In Utah, at periods of local political excitement, it is discussed for a time. However, interest in it soon flags, and the people who know most about it. Mormons and Gentiles, go on with their trade and social rela- tions. Once there was hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness between the two classes in Utah ; but better understanding and mutual concessions have liberalized both elements, and they now intermingle in social, political, and business affairs. Took i8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the observation car and went through the streets, which were quite equal to those of other places of the same character in the States, but both streets and sidewalks were wider. The width, exclusive of sidewalks, was fully one hundred and fifty feet. Public buildings were exceedingly fine and architectural. Universities and schools are very extensive, comprising six large buildings in a square, built of granite. Banks, insurance offices, and other public buildings, equally handsome. The shop windows were tastefully adorned with a display of goods for Easter. Then passed to the residential part of the town, where we saw some very superb buildings of brick and stone, with marble facings, some of them costing millions of dollars, beautifully situated in lovely grounds and parks. I do not think they could be excelled, either in beauty or architecture. The streets were also lined with fine trees, pepper, plane, and others, aU in leaf. The vegetation is not as forward as at St. Louis. While I was there the temperature was 62' Fahrenheit out of doors. Passed several smelting places, where work was done in that line, also in mining. They have some fine sulphur springs in the neighbourhood. There are several large buildings connected with the Church, especially the Tithe House, the members of the Church having to pay one-tenth of their earnings every year by money, produce, or merchandise. A very fine Roman Catholic cathedral is being erected in stone. On the outside, over the entrance, is a large coloured picture carved of the Virgin and Child. The EpiscopaHans have several buildings in connection with their church ; schools and hospitals. The Roman CathoHcs are not behindhand in that respect, having many fine institutions. The Presbyterians have a very large handsome stone church ; in fact, all denominations are well represented. The main streets were all crowded, as well as the tram-cars, which were running to all parts of the town, country and suburbs. Passed Brigham Young's old residence ; our guide pointed out the house wherein he died, caUed the " Lion House," on account of a Hon carved on its exterior ; also the now unused cemetery, where he was buried with three of his wives. The social customs of Salt Lake City do not appear different from those of other cities in the States of Hke character. SALT LAKE CITY. 19 The population is 75,000, half of whom are Mormons. The River Jordan is close to the city, and the Salt Lake is fifteen miles distant. The moimtains appear to be quite near, some of them 14,000 feet in height. The daily paper printing company has a very large establishment. In fact, Salt Lake City is up-to-date in every particular, and many of its business men are milUonaires. There are several large social clubs for both men and women, fine stone erections. I was very much impressed with Salt Lake City both as a commercial and reh- gious centre. A large statue of Brigham Young is situated at the head of the Avenue near the Tabernacle. The figure is of bronze, standing on a large granite pedestal ; on the sides are portrayed Indians and trappers. On the gate is a large golden eagle, surmounting a triangle ; it now takes the place of what, in the olden days, was an ancient gate. The eagle has its wings outstretched, preparing to take flight. The Tabernacle roof is supported by forty-six columns of cut sandstone, with spaces between them for doors and windows set in the walls. The roof springs in an unbroken arch, forming the longest roof on the con- tinent. The ceiling of the roof is sixty-three feet above the floor. The organ contains over 5,000 pipes, 108 stops, five complete organs. The pipes are from one-and-a-half to thirty-two feet long. Promontory Point is a long finger of land running for some distance by the lake. Utah valley presents the appearance of a weU-cultivated park. It has an Arcadian beauty, and re- sembles the vales of Scotland. In the centre rests Utah Lake. The valley possesses a fertile soil, and a delightful cUmate, and is one of the best farming sections of the State. Fruit trees and grape vines grow as readily as grass and cereals, and the sugar-beet is rapidly proving a source of great wealth to the farmers in this favoured region. Farm joins farm. Crystal streams water the vaUey ; and scattered about in rich profusion are long lines of fruit trees, amid which are trim white houses. After the vaUey of Utah has been left behind, en route to Salt Lake City on the left of the bank, is seen a smaU vein of yellow water meandering through the sage brush and volcanic scoria. The river is the Jordan, so called because it connects the Utah with the Great Salt Lake, as its namesake connects Gahlee and ■y* 20 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the Dead Sea. The location of Salt Lake City is such as to command a view of the entire vaUey, both ranges of moun- tains, and the southern portion of the lake. The streets are 132 feet wide, bordered on each side with long rows of shade trees. Streams of pure water are conducted in ditches along both sides of all the streets. The business sections are well built, and the business streets are paved. The Temple is the grandest and costliest ecclesiastical structure in the .United States. It was begun in 1853, completed in 1893, and cost $4,000,000 ; it is 200 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 100 feet high, with four towers, one at each comer, 220 feet in height. The walls are ten feet thick, and the massiveness and solidity of the construction in- sures its defiance of the ravages of time for ages to come. It is built wholly of snow-white granite from the CoUinwood Canon ; and, standing on one of the loftiest points of the city, is seen for fifty miles up and down the valley. The hot and warm springs of Salt Lake are highly medicinal, and the large baths at both places are resorted to for many ailments. The attractions within a short radius of the city are varied and numerous ; the rides, drives, and rambles are innumerable ; every taste is catered for. For those who love grandeur, there are the moimtains with their narrow trails, secluded paths, wild cations, and deep gorges ; for those who prefer gentler aspects, the valley, glowing with freshness, affords continual pleasure ; for those craving the mysterious, there is the lake, large, silent and strange. The climate is unexcelled, and ex- cellent electric railways run to all parts of the city and suburbs. Many of the private houses are palatial, and altogether the city is one of rare beauty and interest. The most mysterious thing about the inland sea, apart from its saltness, is the fact that it has no known outlet. A great number of fresh-water streams flow into the lake from all sides, yet the water remains salt, and the lake does not overflow. It has become a fashionable summer bathing-place ; the water is warm — ^much warmer than the ocean, and this pleasant temperature is reached a month earlier and remains a month later. Like the Dead Sea, it is so buoyant that it is impossible for any one to sink, and no inconvenience is experienced from remaining in it a long time. SALT LAKE CITY. 21 In consequence of the Don Pedro Railway to Los Angeles being inundated by the late heavy rains, we had to proceed to Ogden and take the line of railway running to Oakland for San Fran- cisco, and from thence on to our destination, Los Angeles, which necessitated oTir travelling 700 miles extra. CHAPTER II. Ogden — The Nevada Railway — The Truckee River and Lake Tahoe — Colfax — Oakland — Los Angeles ; its beauties of climate and vegetation — Santa Monica— Pasadena — Whittier — Mount Lowe — Catalina — Long Beach — Redlands and San Bernardino — Santa Ana. April 1st. — Left Salt Lake City at lo a.m. for Ogden, and arrived at 12 noon. A small town, about thirty thousand popu- lation ; it is beautifully situated on the west slope of the Wah- satch Mountains. It is weU laid out and substantially built. The streets are wide, regular, well-paved, lined with shade and ornamental trees, and lighted by electricity. The moun- tains, streams and springs supply an abundance of pure water. Many of the private residences are very handsome, and the business blocks solid and of architectural pretensions. It has a large and extensive Town Hall, some fine shops, and a very good street-car service. Ogden has first-class railway facilities ; it is called, on that account, " The Junction City of the West." In Utah the winters are short and mild, and the spring and fall months give almost perfect weather ; the summers are warm, but not oppressively hot, and the nights are always cool, and never moist. Ten miles north of Ogden are hot springs, whose sulphur waters possess peculiar medicinal properties, and are pronounced superior to the Arkansas Springs. Hundreds of invalids annually visit these springs, which are steadily growing into popularity. Ogden is also the centre of one of the richest agricultural and mining districts of Utah. Iron ore is found in great abimdance. We left Ogden at 6 p.m. by the South Pacific Railway for Los Angeles, by way of San Francisco, the direct line from Salt Lake City not nmning. We passed over the Salt Lake at 7 p.m., an immense body of water, extending 126 miles and forty-five miles wide, with an average depth of twenty feet. The line runs over the lake for a distance of thirty 22 THE NEVADA RAILWAY. 23 miles, the road being raised above the level of the water by trestle bridges for half that distance. This trestle work took seven or eight years to build, at an immense expense. It was as if the train were running over a great sea with no appearance of land. There are several large islands situated here and there on the lake, which add to the novelty of the scene. The water has a peculiar green colour. 2nd. — The Nevada Railway. — Cloudy, with rain. Passed several interesting mining places, also the Nevada desert and station, making the western boundary. This stretch of country is the most desolate and uninteresting of any of the deserts crossed on the transcontinental journey. There is an almost total absence of vegetation of any kind, and a remarkable dis- tribution of scoria, the remains of extinct volcanic action. These deposits of black loam are scattered over a greyish expanse of sand. As we approached the Sierra Nevada range of moun- tains, we arrived at Reno at 12 noon, a thriving business centre, possessing aU modem improvements, including electric light. Reno is in Nevada ; the border line between that State and Cali- fornia lies between Reno and Truckee. The Sierra Nevada is practically all in California. Nevada means snow-clad. The State University is located in Reno, and the handsome build- ings attract the attention of travellers. The town was named after General Reno, who lost his hfe in the battle of South Mountain. The railway follows the course of the river Truckee, and is tortuous, giving various and interesting views of the towering rocks, foaming water, and pine-clad mountains. In quick succession more stations are passed. Truckee is the first. Lumber is the principal industry ; they say there is sufficient timber to keep the large saw-mills going for a hundred years. Truckee stands at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada moun- tains, and is the first station we reach after entering the State of California. The town is well built, and extends mainly along the north bank of the river. Where the town now stands once stood a dense forest. The elevation is nearly six thousand feet ; population fifteen hundred. Though the sun is bright, the snow on the hills and plains keeps the air cool. On ascending the mountains we passed through forty miles of snow sheds, and 24 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. showers of snow are falling pretty thick. It often snows in July. Lake Tahoe.—SaiW some very fine large sticks by the sides of the banks that would make good masts for vessels or schooners. The section men have to Hve in the snow sheds all the year round.' Lake Tahoe is fourteen miles south of Truckee ; it is a very beautiful lake; it Hes in the heart of the mountains. It is called " The Gem of the Mountains," and is considered the most beautiful mountain lake in North America. It lies in the heart of the Sierras, 6,200 feet above the sea ; is twenty-four miles in length and thirteen miles in breadth, and 100 to 1,800 feet deep, while moimtain peaks surround it, rising to an additional height of 4,000 feet. Its waters are famous the world over for their crystal purity, and their transparency is so absolute that the fish, which abound in great numbers, can be seen distinctly as they swim beneath at a distance of eighty feet. On its lovely shores are situated most delightful summer resorts. The surroundings of the lake are picturesque in the extreme, bounded as it is by a coronet of mountains which surround it, rising to 10,000 feet. Down the steep covered sides of these mountains swiftly descend numerous beautiful streams and waterfalls. 2nd. — Colfax. — We ran down the mountains and left the snow behind us, and arrived at Colfax, so called after a states- man (Schuyler Colfax), a supporter of the Southern Pacific Railway during the early days of its existence. The town is thriving and prosperous. Fruit-raising has taken the place of the original industry, mining; and the financial results appear to be eminently satisfactory. There is a large and handsome dep6t erected here, it being a distributing point for Nevada City, which hes a few miles north, and a large area of mining and agricultural country. The trains from Nevada City rim to and fro to this dep6t. Elevation, 2,422 feet. The leaves are all out on the trees, and the fruiting plum are in blossom. We passed several vineyards, and large areas of fine cultivated land. 2rd. — Oakland. — ^Arrived at Oakland at 3 a.m. and re- mained until II a.m. Took a walk on the pier opposite the train, Saw across the water of the magnificent bay the LOS ANGELES. 25 city of 'Frisco, and the ferry-boats plying to and fro. San Francisco is four miles distant by Water. The tramcars were running to Berkley, a sister town of Oakland, and of 10,000 population. Large freight and passenger steamers running all day to San Francisco. 4th. — Los Angeles. — Left Oakland, distant from San Fran- cisco eight miles, for Los Angeles at i p.m. The day was very pleasant and warm, with sun shining brightly. Passed several vineyards and orchards of plum and other fruit trees, all in blossom. At fifty miles from Oakland we found all the fields and farming land under water, occasioned by the heavy rains in March. This continued for miles, and has caused great loss to the farmers, as the land cannot be cultivated for some time, and the present crops are destroyed. During and since the early morning we passed through a number of tunnels under moun- tains with snow on their summits. At eight o'clock we ran through a desert of sand, with wild grass and palms caUed " Nisedles." At 11 a.m. we again ascended the mountains, and after a few hours came down again into the plains. The desert is called Mojave, the name of a noted Indian tribe, and is re- markable for the giant cactus {cercus giganticus), which grows to the size of a tree, reaching to an average height of twenty-five feet, and attaining very often sixty feet ; its diameter is two feet and sometimes even greater, with its spreading club-like branches, its trailing bark, and peculiar form. The yucca palm is, indeed, an interesting feature in the landscape. Another attraction is the peculiar form of the buttes, which rise from the desert sand on every side, varying in height from two hundred to five hundred feet, grooved and channelled by the elements. They give variety and interest to the landscape. A third ele- ment is the water-mirage which is frequently seen in this desert. After a few hours we ran along the plains, passing several fine orchards of fruit trees mostly in blossom, and arrived at Los Angeles the following day. Took a carriage for the " Hollen- beck Hotel," situate at the comer of Second and Spring Streets, a fine hotel, handsomely fitted up, with comfortable rooms pro- vided with baths, all well furnished. The valley of San Joaquin has been passed, the heights of Tehachapi have been scaled, and 26 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. we are here at last, after our long journey over the ranges, at the far-famed " City of the Angels." From our cheery heights, as we approach the town, we gaze on a scene of en- trancing beauty. Mountain-girdled, garden-dotted city, lying on the slope of the San Gabriel Mountains, and watered by streams from the heights above, one hardly knows whether to call it a city of gardens and groves, or an immense grove and garden sprinkled with palaces and delightful homes. Health and prosperity seem to have made themselves the presiding deities of the place. We gratefully decide that we have arrived at a point where it were well to let the train, like the busy world it typifies, pass on and away, whUe we rest in this paradise. A home, indeed, fit for the angels ! And while we bask in its sun- shine, gaze at its mountain-peaks, catch glimpses of the ocean, breathe the perfume of its roses and geraniums, or listen to its mocking-birds and nightingales, we unite many a time and oft in thanks to the kindly fate which led our steps to Southern Cali- fornia, and the beautiful " City of the Angels." In walking through the streets we found the air cool and pleasant. The ladies were all in their summer costumes. The streets and shops at night were very brilliantly lighted by electricity, lined with large arc lamps. The cafes and theatres appeared to be all well patronized. In the suburbs the residences were of cottage archi- tecture, and situated in fine lawns and gardens, in which the orange, palm, cypress, pepper, acacia, catalpa, and eucalyptus, umbrella and magnolia trees contrast their different shades of green with the brilliant hues of innumerable flowers of every variety. The blossoms of the creepers over-run hedges and trellised porches, side by side with the wistaria and the scarlet passion-vine. The gardens are in perennial bloom, from the flowering plants and shrubs by which they are surrounded. I cannot name here all the flowering plants ; yet room must be given to the poppies, buttercups, clematis, columbine, larkspur, violets, lupins, bluebells, wild peas, roses, clover, and primroses, that dot the country with brilliant hues in winter, spring, and early summer. The yellow poppy transforms acre after acre into fields of gold ; calla-lilies grow lavishly in the valleys ; and the climbing rose-bushes form avenues to every cottage home, per- The Mormon Taljernacle, Salt Lake City. Calla-lily field, Los. Angeles. \_Faciug p. 26. LOS ANGELES. 37 fumed and garlanded with flowers thriving in perennial beauty, over-arched with branches of the date-palm and magnolia trees ; and, outside the immediate business centre, the streets are shaded with the slender, graceful eucalyptus and the drooping pepper-trees. There is no city whose growth can be compared to that of Los Angeles ; in fact, no city west of the Rocky Moun- tains can boast of such rapid improvement. Thousands have come to Southern California simply to pay a visit, but soon became charmed with its wonderful climate and beautiful sur- roundings ; so much so, that they conclude to remain per- manently in this fair land of sunshine and flowers. A great deal has been written, but, as the Queen of Sheba remarked on her visit to King Solomon, " half has never been told." With the finest climate in the universe, the richest and most in- exhaustible soil, and the vast amount of valuable land in and around Los Angeles, it is no wonder that her present condition is so prosperous. The beautiful avenues extending away to the foot-hills on the east, and to the ocean on the south-west ; the orange-groves within her limits, the magnificent public and private buildings, all tend to make the Angel City a place of wonder. Went for a walk in Main Street and Broadway, both lined with fine wide architectural public buildings and extensive shops. It has a splendidly equipped service of street cars that encircle all parts of the city and suburbs. The shops were very attractive, with large plate-glass windows artistically filled with goods ; jewellery shops were especially handsome and well stocked. Main Street, one of the principal, is the dividing line for east and west ; First Street, the division for north and south. The wholesale houses are scattered along Commercial, Alison and Requena Streets, while the large retail estabhsh- ments are to be found in Spring and Broadway. The streets are wide £ind well paved, and bordered by composite and granite curbing. There are many beautiful parks within the city limits, and the ocean can be reached in less than an hour's ride by a dozen different steam and trolley lines. It has a population of 135,000, is rapidly growing, and is a commercial point of much importance, as well as the centre of an agricultural paradise. A day's ride over the lovely country surrounding Los Angeles, 28 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. through miles of beautiful, long, straight avenues of orange- trees and thousands of acres of grapes, showing every kind of semi-tropical fruit, growing side by side with the more hardy species, both being in the greatest profusion and of the finest quality, wUl convince the traveller from almost any part of the earth that here is surely the paradise of the world. Los Angeles is chiefly modem, for its growth is recent, but there is much of the Spanish atmosphere about it. In the suburbs the Mexicans are numerous, and they have a quarter in the heart of the city. The population also includes several thousand Chinese, who maintain their separate quarter in all the malodorous picturesque- ness characteristic of an American Chinese town. The religious element is also well established ; there are some sixty churches. Young Men's and Women's Christian Associations ; clubs and lodging-places for all classes and divisions of society, with the usual number of hospitals, banks, asylums, theatres and cham- bers of commerce. The observation car makes a tour of i6o miles for the accommodation of tourists through the fairest horticultural region of Southern California. Los Angeles is a first-class American city, fuU of life and bustle. Where I am staying, at the " HoUenbeck Hotel," as many as three thousand cars turn the comer every day. There are many fine wholesale, retail, and business streets, the largest of which are Broadway and Main Streets. It has a very fine and extensive castellated granite Town Hall, occupying a whole block, and a large bank built of the same material. All the business establishments are large and roomy, fitted up very handsomely in the interior. Roller-rinks are greatly patronized in California ; roller-skates are much used by the young girls and children on the pavements, where they have a smooth surface. The floral shops are very attractive, with a large collection of flowers for sale, of all varieties, cut and in pots, and the fruit markets are well filled. Large-sized sweet navel oranges are sold for twenty cents a dozen, and they can be purchased at the packers' at the rate of twenty-five cents a box, that are discarded as ruifit for ship- ment ; also, the poultry and vegetable markets are all well provided, and sell reasonably ; eggs, twenty-five cents per dozen ; butter, twenty cents per pound. The orange has two seasons. LOS ANGELES. 29 spring and fall. In some places they are lying in heaps at the foot of the trees, as the growers do not take the trouble to gather them, for they will not be taken by the packers if there is the slightest mark or injury on the peel. The olive and lemon trees also yield good returns to the growers. The high price obtained for the fruits and the prolific returns from the fruit districts, have raised the price of land in this State to a large degree. In every village you will find the land-agent's office sometimes a mere shack or hut, and lots of land are being con- tinually sold in every small town in the country to the specu- lators interested in that line of business. Everything points to a great future for this favoured land ; there appears to be no poverty, and not a poor person is seen in the streets asking for charity. Labour is high, and capitalists can afford to keep it so with profit to themselves. At this season of the year the sun is warm and bright, but there is generally a nice, cool breeze in the evening, which makes it very pleasant. One cannot be over enthusiastic about Southern California. There is scarcely language glowing enough in which to describe its beauties and resources, its surrounding hills and plains, its fringe of cities and villages and deep blue waters, whose waves beat on a golden shore, shadowed by the simht mountain steeps. There is no monotony in the landscape ; hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise. Travelled all through the country by railway, trams, automobiles, and tally-ho carriages, to the borders of Mexico. Scaled the towering mountains by funicular inclined railways. Like Moses of old on Mount Nebo, surveyed the goodly land on which, like his, my feet will never rest. Inter- viewed the daughters for information which they kindly gave, not only of the country, but of their own sweet selves as well. Appropriated many lovely locations to rest from the heat of the day ; to revel in flowers and oranges ; roamed through bowers and magnificent trees to lovers' walks in shaded woody coverts, by the rippUng brook and mountain-stream, contrasted it with scenes in less favoured lands, and so lingered on, lost to everything else but the beauty of the scene, for ten days, and, like Jacob's service for Rebecca, they seemed to have passed away before they had begun. The air is sweet with the perfume 30 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. of flowers and the fragrance of orange groves, and is wafted by balmy breezes vocal with the music of birds, the hum of bees, with the laughing voices of happy children at play imder the spreading branches of the leafy trees. Is life worth living ? Yes, if anywhere, it is here. What more could one desire ? Life ! It was in every movement and pulse of nature (perennial spring). Love! It was concentrated in our very being. 'To be in communion ! ' Companionship ! We were surrounded by kindred spirits. Why, the very air seemed full of angels — " Los Angeles " — the angels. Is there any wonder that I was loth to leave it ? Shall my eyes ever rest again on a scene so fair and enchanting ? The rising sun will again flood the hills and valleys with gold, but my sight will be closed to its glory. As the last glance from a loving friend is never for- gotten, so wiU Los Angeles be remembered. California is unlike any other land under the sim. It cannot fairly be judged by comparison with other countries. Its scenery is imrivalled any- where ; its climate is the softest known to the temperate zone. It is almost the only land under Heaven where climatic con- ditions are not subject to the laws of latitude. Its .range of productions is unparalleled in any single country of the world. Such a land must be seen through a variety of temperaments, looked at through the experience of years from large personal contact with it, and from many points of view, otherwise much that is written about it, and much that is justly said of it, will seem to be mere imagination. On the mountains one is charmed with the richness of the verdure, and the shrubs and wild flowers that greet the sight. Mountain mahogany, redwood, pines, cypress, maples, china-berry, sycamore, umbrella, greville, and oak trees flourish in great quantities ; ferns, mosses, and trailing roses in profusion and variety ; while the sweet grace of the gold and silver ferns, and the nodding coffee with exquisite grace, seek shelter in hidden nooks. The rose-trees grow to a large size with spreading branches, and they are so fuU of bloom that they have to be protected by crutches from breaking with the weight of the flowers of all hues and shades. It is the fruit- grower's paradise. The following are grown in great profusion and are very productive, viz., the pomegranate, bananas, guavas. THE CALIFORNIAN VENICE. 31 peach, apricots, prunes, pear, apple, plum, olive, loquats, straw- berry, nectarines, grape-fruits, almonds, walnuts, etc., and when these are mentioned the list is only begun. The three-year-old orange-trees have been known to produce a full box of oranges each. It is not alone a land of fruitage and flowers ; in the valleys can be seen orchards, vineyards, groves, cereals, and everywhere luxuriant vegetation. The " El Dorado " of the New World — a gift from the angels — Pueblo de los Angeles. 5th. — Santa Monica. — In the morning went by the car ex- cursion called the balloon trip, to Santa Monica, one of the famous bathing resorts of the Pacific coast. On reaching the open country we pass through a constant succession of vineyards and fruit orchards, until the proximity of the ocean is made known by refreshing saline breezes, and the presence of sand dunes and salt marshes. Running twenty-eight miles along the line of the surf, saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time, and passed through eight modem cities on the route, including a place called Venice ; so named on account of a large lake being made to represent the Italian city by the creation of gondolas, bridges, and other erections over the water, a very good imita- tion, in a small way, of the original. Venice is a complete and perfect little city, with beautiful homes, ranging from summer cottages to mansions. Its main streets border broad sea-filled canals miles in length, furnishing ample boating facilities. Its main business street is arcaded like the Rue de Rivoli of Paris. The Auditorium, the Pavilion, and the " Ship Hotel " are im- portant features. The first is 600 feet out from the shore, and is furnished with glass partitions which can be thrown open at ends and sides. At the entrance to the same pier is the Pavilion, 100 by 150 feet, furnished with ample stage, dressing-rooms, and other conveniences. Alongside the pier is the " Hotel Cabrillo," built in fac-simile of the curious vessel sailed by that Spanish captain three hundred years ago. There is a great outdoor swimming-pool, good fishing, and endless amusements. Venice has already become one of the chief resorts of Southern California. We then visited the famous national home for soldiers, " Sairtelle," maintained by the Government for its disabled volunteer soldiers. Here Missing Page Missing Page 34 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. level beach outward to the ocean rim. The residences are tasteful, many of them elegant, the business blocks substantial ; and every element of comfort and elegance and convenience for the health or pleasure seeker can be found here. 6th. — Pasadena. — A beautiful day. At 9 a.m. took the tramcar from the dep6t for Pasadena. It is quite a large- sized town, with a population of 10,000. Went for a walk to Marengo Avenue, a lovely residential suburb, with splendid houses on both sides of the road, many of them un- attached, with beautiful parks ornamented with palms, flowers and roses in profusion, and orange-trees loaded with fruit. This is the handsomest residential quarter in fSouthem California except Los Angeles, for the residents are mostly millionaires retired from business. The mountains appear quite close, their summits enveloped by the misty clouds. The cottages and houses are completely hidden and covered with roses and bright flowers, and the grounds are ornamented with palms and majestic trees. Both sides of the road are lined with handsome eucal- yptus, pepper, cypress, poppies, plane, magnolia, date-palm, and a host of other flowering trees and shrubs. The roads are all kept in the best order, cemented and macadamized. Auto- mobile carriages are constantly passing ; the line of road con- tinues for two or three miles, Uned on both sides by splendid palatial residences. I walked for over an hour and did not even then reach the end of the road on which these beautiful residences are situated. One of the loveliest towns in the world lies before us when we enter Pasadena. From a sheep-range in 1873 to the paradise of fruit and flowers and verdure which greets our eager eyes to-day, is a magic transformation ; yet such, in a word, is the history of Pasadena. The semi-tropical luxuriance of floral and arboreeil growth which delights us here, has sprung into existence within the marvellously short space of a decade and a half, and nestling here among the orange-groves and fruitful vineyards is a city, the beauty of whose architecture is a glowing testimonial to the good taste, wealth, and liberality of its inhabitants. I know of no pleasanter or more interesting drives than those that may be taken along the broad tree-lined avenues of Pasadena. Within spacious enclosures on each hand PASADENA. 35 may be seen elegant villa residences or splendid mansions, sur- rounded by ornamental grounds of the greatest beauty. Palm- trees, magnolias, century plants, fig-trees, pepper-trees, and an infinite variety of ornamental shrubbery, make these drives entirely novel, interesting and charming. The city obtains an abundant supply of water from the cafion, and the results of irrigation confront one in the wonderful groves of citron and deciduous trees. It has business blocks of metropolitan pro- portions ; spacious and elegant theatres, banks and hotels, large manufacturing establishments, canning factories, electric car lines ; in short, aU the modem conveniences. As a place of residence, I know of no more charming city than Pasadena, whose inhabitants have every reason to congratulate themselves that their lines have fallen in such pleasant places. The won- derful climate of Pasadena is one of its chief attractions. Tourists who arrive in October or November are on the watch for winter ; finally, a rain-storm comes drenching the earth, and a few weeks later the ground throughout the length and breadth of the land is carpeted with flowers, until colour and variety, tint and hue, seem to have run riot ; by this token you may know that the winter is come. The tops of the sierras are clothed with snow, so near that you can see the snow blown high in air by the mountain blizzard ; in two hours' ride you can go snowballing or tobogganing. Yet here in Pasadena the ground is white, not with snow, but with the blossoms of the orange ; there is a carnival of flowers in every door-yard. Here we find the banana, fig, pomegranate, guava, alligator pear, cocoanut, orange, olive, lime, the fan-palm, sago-palm, cactus, the yucca, century plant, cork-tree, rubber-tree, and a host of other tropical forms. Yet it cannot be a tropical climate, as side by side with these is every pine to be found from the Nor- folk Islands to the shores of the Arctic Sea ; firs, spruces ; and as for fruits, we see the apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, nec- tarine, and all the small fruits. Thus it will be seen that Pasa- dena cannot have remarkably warm weather. The summer, with the exception of a few days, is not unpleasantly warm, and it is always pleasant and comfortable in the shade ; while every night there is a cool breeze from the mountains, and every 3* 36 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. day is pleasant, and three hundred and fifty days of the year will permit of continuous out-of-door life in the open sunlight, and at least half of the others may be enjoyed. The country is the land of the open air winter and summer, and the conditions of altitude and nearness to large cities allow all the luxuries and comforts. Whittier. — At 2 p.m. went to Whittier, about two hours' drive from Pasadena or Los Angeles, a small town of 10,000 population. It is the Quaker colony of Southern California ; also, like Redlands, an example of marvellous growth. Ten years ago simply a large barley-field ; now it is tree-clothed, and hundreds of houses make this an ideal foothill city. Whittier possesses city improvements and wealth. Every year it ships several hundred car-loads of fruits, vegetables, etc., etc. Its cannery is one of the largest in the States. Hired a carriage and drove through a ten-acre lot of olive, orange and lemon groves. The orange-trees were loaded with ripe fruit, and their fragrance was exquisite. It is a great place for kero- sene oil ; there are a good many factories for refining, and they put it on the roads to allay the dust, just as other places sprinkle them with water. The distance is eighteen miles from Los Angeles, mostly through a fine country of olive, lemon and orange groves. Noticed a very fine, large fig-tree in fruit ; also a banana, but it was not bearing, and they are not very many in Southern California that are a success. There are more than ten thousand acres of fruit-producing orchards and groves ad- jacent to the thriving little city. It is also famous for its English walnut-trees. They have a fine university and pubhc schools in connection with the town. Whittier is surrounded with most beautiful scenery suggestive of its varied and horticultural wealth, and its proximity to the mountains and the shelter of the range of foot-hiUs make the climate equable, as well as healthy, at all seasons of the year. The scenery is both grand and majestic, and it is not possible, without seeing them, to conceive the beauty of the roses and flowers. In some places the cottages are completely hidden by the immense rose-trees and climbers. yth. — Mount Lowe. — Left for Moimt Lowe at 9.30 a.m. by MOUNT LOWE. 37 tramcar vid Pasadena, aiid at about an hour from Los Angeles took the funicular railway for the first ascent of the moun- tain. Passed Altadena, the highland suburb, a beautiful grove of citron-trees. The Arcadi pear, mango, pineapple, chari- moyec, and other fruits classed as tropical grow here. We then enter the Rubio canon, one of the most beautiful and picturesque spots found in the mountains. One is charmed with the richness of the verdure, and the shrubs, ' ferns and flowers that greet the sight from the valley. The mountains appear to be barren at a distance, but we can see that they are fairly covered with trees and shrubs, mountain mahogany, lilac, holly, and whitewood ; in the deeper canons are redwood, pines, cypress, maples, sycamore, and oak, flourishing in great quan- tities ; and ferns, mosses, and trailing vines in profusion and variety. Many beautiful waterfalls from the hidden recesses of the mountains make one long, as David at Bethlehem, for a drink from its pure, cool stream. Just below is Mirror Lake, which extends across the complete width of the canon, and reaches for quite a long distance to the grand chasm ; the ex- quisite reflection of the trees, shrubs, and towering mountains giving to the lake an indescribable charm. There we ascend the great incline, which takes passengers to the summit of Echo Mountain, where the Observatory is situated, and the great searchlight ; and beyond, for four miles, the electric road winds up the mountains to " Alpine Tavern," affording the most wonderful and far-reaching view upon the road-line of this marvellous effort of engineering skill. " Alpine Tavern " is 1,100 feet below. The summit is 6,ioo feet, and is reached by foot or horseback on a trail of some three miles. The inclined railway is one mile in length, 3,000 feet in direct ascent ; 1,325 feet its steepest grade (62 to 75). Arrived back in Los Angeles at 3 p.m. ; took the cars for Rosedale Cemetery, about one hour and a half's ride from the town. The entrance to the cemetery is superb, with a grand row of magnificent palms on each side. Most of the monuments are under five feet in height, but there are many on a larger scale, principally of granite in the rough and side-polished. There was no especial display of flowers, but the trees and shrubs were very luxuriant and handsome. 38 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Connected with the cemetery was a large stone crematory, with rotund roof of Portland cement ; the sides and walls are of the same material. There was a large wooden receptacle in the shape of an immense cask on pillars, containing water for irri- gation. There were quite a number of large vaults of stone and marble and granite, with iron doors and white marble walls, and high pillars with figures of angels on the summit. On the grounds were several Cleopatra Needles, and a large pyramid similar in form to that of Cheops on the Nile, and several with domes, with figures of saints and angels. One in particular very handsome, built of marble and granite, with a dome with polished pillars surmounted by a globe. Among the trees there were a good many india-rubber and eucalyptus, and other ornamental ones. At the entrance there is a very handsome mortuary, built of Portland cement, for receiving bodies for burial or cremation. The officer in charge said that there were over seventy bodies waiting to be disposed of, either by burial or cremation. One was surprised at the number, as this country ought to be healthy on account of its exquisite climate. How- ever that did not seem to lessen the crop claimed by death. All the necessary appliances are there that modem science can invent, for the disposal of the dead as quickly and as effectively as possible. In the evening went to St. Paul's pro-Cathedral near the park ; a nice church, with fine interior. The congregation was not very large ; the sermon was on the resurrection of Christ. In commencing the service, the choir and the clergy- man entered the church singing, preceded by a large cross. After the collects a hymn was sung, while all the congregation were kneeling, and the prayers were then continued ; and also before the sermon another hymn was sung with the congregation standing ; after the sermon the collection, with the choir sing- ing alone. On leaving the church the cross was carried as before, all the congregation standing, and then finally kneeling in prayer before leaving their seats. The Rector, standing by the outside door, shook hands with all the members of the congregation as they left the church ; in this respect, the service was peculiar or unusual. The altar was richly decorated with flowers, over which was a cross. CATALINA. 39 8th. — Catalina. — Left at 9 a.m. by tramcar for Catalina to Don Pedros, twenty-four miles over a flat, agricultural district. The cars, on approaching Don Pedros, ran over a long trestle- work road for a mile or so over the water or lagoon. San Diego has been termed the Naples of the New World, the great bay city of Southern California, on account of its magnificent natural advEintages. It lies upon a slope facing San Diego Bay. This slope extends back, perhaps an average mile, where it reaches an altitude of 200 feet above the level of the sea, from which point the country extends back in a broad, rolling mesa. With such a slope, and with such an ascending altitude, oppor- tunities are offered for the most wide, sweeping, and magnificent view. At the foot of the city lies the land-locked bay, glistening like a sheet of silver in the genial rays of an unclouded sun. Beyond is the Pacific Ocean, whose long, rolling swell breaks upon a level and far-extending beach, their crests breaking into snow- white foam as they fall with majestic regularity upon the shining sands. The landscape in garb of varying green, the bay and ocean with their ever-changing shades from shining silver to deep, dark blue, form a picture of entrancing beauty which neither pen nor pencil can adequately depict. The population has rapidly increased from 4,000 in 1885 to 30,000 at the present time. It is a shipping port, and has a large lumber trade. At present the Government are building and extending a large crescent-shaped breakwater to protect the shipping, costing, it is said, milHons of dollars. At San Pedro, at 10.30, we embarked for Santa Catalina in a steamer — a nice screw boat, well fitted up. A large number of people arrived by the cars to join the steamer. The water was ex- ceedingly smooth ; the first time that I had travelled on the Pacific Ocean. Arrived at Santa Catalina at 12.30. It has an open bay, and is twenty-two miles long. This group of islands are idyllic spots. Its shores are for the most part precipitous cliffs, which here and there give place to circular beaches ; one of them is the inner rim of a beautiful little crescent harbour ; it contains forty thousand acres. S. Catalina is twenty-seven miles from the harbour of San Pedro. There is an island mountain railway connecting Avalon with Pebble 40 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Beach, affording a great mountain and ocean view. It is called Avalon in consequence of the environment of the sea. The air is balmy throughout the year. It is a perfect place for bathing. The sand, gradually shelving, affords water so pellucid and clear that all seaweed or ocean vegetation and marine flowers can be seen at the bottom. The fish can also be seen swimming at a considerable depth, even to seventy feet. Flying fish are so common as to attract little notice after the novelty of a first acquaintance ; they skim the surface of the water like the swallows. Masses of cratbs and sea anemones are veiy plentiful, and the brilliant, flashing golden fish, swimming in schools near the shore, add to the novelty of the scene. The glass boats are in great requisition, the bottoms being of glass so that the beauties of ocean life can be seen under the crystal waters of the bay. The fishing grounds of the tuna are here situated. They are caught with a rod and line up to two hundred and fifty pounds in weight ; also black sea bass, and various other species of fish in abundance. There is a glass tank exhibit of numerous living marine plants, fish, and other curiosities of the deep sea. Bathing is enjoyed all the year roimd, with other outdoor amusements such as golf, hockey, cricket, etc., rinks and club- houses. The mountain roads and walks are very picturesque, and views of sea and land may be enjoyed. There are a number of first-class hotels in view of the bay in front of the sea-beach, conducted qn the European plan, with spacious baU and recep- tion rooms, bath and restaurants with all the modem improve- ments, brilliantly hghted by electricity. Catalina is a natural sanatorium, visited by aU classes of tourists the world over. The soft sandstone of the cliffs has been sculptured in delicately beautiful designs by the action of the waves into marine grottoes, the home of the sea-nymphs. Left Catalina at 3.15 by steamer to Diego, thence by tramcar to Los Angeles, and arrived at 7 p.m. In the night went to a music-hall theatre for an hour. Saw two comic plays, singing, dancing, and moving pictures. (jth. — Long Beach. — Beautiful bright day. Had no rain since arrival. Took the cars for Long Beach, a distance of twenty-four miles ; arrived in about forty minutes. Surf LONG BEACH. 41 bathing may be enjoyed here the year round, and the accommo- dations are complete in every respect. The beach itself is one of the greatest attractions of the place ; the sands are made hard and compact by the retiring tide, and the drive along the margin of the ocean is undoubtedly the finest to be found anywhere on the Califomian coast. Long Beach has a wharf which extends a distance of seven hundred and fifty feet into the ocean, reach- ing water deep enough to float vessels of the heaviest tonnage. Long Beach has already become a resort of great popularity, and the excellence of its beach, its attractive scenery, and fine hotel, combine to render this popularity greater every year. The line of road from Los Angeles is through a great plain, mostly under cultivation, planted with beans, wheat, oats, and other crops. The population is over twenty thousand. The town is weU laid out, with fine streets, on which are erected fine substantial stone buildings, consisting of banks, offices, and business blocks, with fine shops displaying a variety of goods of all descriptions. There is a very large and handsome pier with pavilion at the far end, fuUy a mile in length, lined with stalls and shops. In the pavilion there is a large and hand- some concert-room capable of seating ten thousand people, where performances take place on specified days. On the beach there is a large swimming-bath, for both sexes, connected with the hotel, with a temperature of 80° Fah., and bathing establishment extending all along the front of the beach for k long distance ; one of the best bathing-places in Southern Cahfomia. The bottom is composed of fine sand, quite hard and firm under the feet ; quantities of fine shells can be gathered at low tide, the surf continually bringing a fresh supply on its roUing billows as it breaks in crested foaming waves over the bathers who frequent the beach in hundreds every day, bathing and taking sun-baths in the sand. Both sexes are to be seen tumbling together in the surf, the ladies especially notice- able in their picturesque bathing costumes. Bathing in the sea can be enjoyed there on every day of the year, both winter and summer, as the air is always soft and balmy, and the sun generally bright and warm. A fine band plays every afternoon in a pavilion erected on the beach for their use. There is a 42 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. very nice paved walk at the margin of the ocean for some dis- tance. The bath-house is situated at the ocean-front — a fine large building, crescent-shaped, with dome supported by Corin- thian piUars with large open portico, where ladies' and gentle- men's bathing dresses may be procured. The beach is well provided with large electric arc Ughts, and at night it is bril- liantly ht, and, with the murmur of the roUing waves from the great Pacific on the sandy beach filled with bathers dipping themselves into the foaming surf, provides a charming picture of seaside life. It is one of the great resorts for all classes, not only from Southern California, but from many distant places. There are many fine hotels where good accommoda- tion can be obtained on moderate terms, and lodging houses, tents, and bungalows in every variety are to be secured, either for a short or long period ; and the cloudless sky and bright sun bring a large party of tourists every year, who spend a portion of their summers here at a time when their homes are embowered, not in roses or flowers, but in snow in less favoured cUmes. There are two large rinks for roUer-skating, which are weU patronized ; one of them is a very fine and extensive build- ing. The rink provides a fine band, and skating goes on in- cessantly day and night. The ladies are very graceful in their movements, and appear to be quite adept in the use of. the skate. Roller-skating is very general in Southern California. The chUdren use them in the open on the side-walks and pave- ments. They seem to be just as rapid as ice skaters, and spend a good deal of their time in that amusement. Although it is very warm outside, the rinks appear to be cool and pleasant, and one would imagine that they were skating on ice, the figures were so similar in practice. AU the towns in Southern Cahfomia are provided with roller-skate rinks, and they are aU weU patronized by the general public. zofh. — Redlands and San Bernardino. — Left by the Salt Lake Railway at 8.30 for Redlands and San Bernardino, said to be the most beautiful orange district in Southern Cali- fornia ; population, 15,000. Arrived at 9.30 a.m. ; a nice clean town ; and at 9.45 a.m. at Ontario, population 5,000, thirty-eight miles from Los Angeles, a lovely fruit- SAN BERNARDINO. 43 growing and agricultural district. These industries are largely carried out in this lovely district, over-shadowed by mountains, ten to twelve thousand feet in height, their snow-capped summits enveloped in clouds. Then passed a small station called Vinewell, with immense tracts of vineyards ; the Ontario vineyards ex- tending from eight to ten thousand acres. We then passed over the great cement bridge, said to be the largest of that kind in the world, from which we enter the wonderful Riverside orange district, where the first stop in our journey is made. Arrived at Riverside, we took an hour's drive in the automobile for twenty miles, fifteen of which went through the orange groves ; they are considered to be the finest in Southern California, valued at from $1,500 to $1,800 an acre ; then to the avenue called the Victoria Avenue, lined with eucalyptus, cypress, pepper, mag- nolia, palms, and many other handsome trees. The roses were in abundance on both sides of the road ; the air was warm and balmy, and the fragrance of the delicious flowers scented the air. I cannot hope to describe the beauty of the scenery. We lunched at the " Glenwood Hotel." Riverside orangeries cover twenty-five thousand acres, and this great extent of territory has upon it between three and four thousand inhabitants. But did anyone ever behold a more beautiful sight than this orchard city recUning in the midst of orange groves, its magnificent avenues lined with ornamental trees, among which the oriental palm is most conspicuous ? Greatest of all the avenues is Magnolia, a seven-mile stretch of lovely double roadway, jewelled with the slender eucal5T)tus, the spreading palm, the drooping pepper- tree, and the graceful magnolia, set off with a bewildering profusion of flowers, through fragrant orange groves white with blossom, or, mayhap, golden with fruit. An electric-car line takes one down the avenue. At night it is illuminated by electricity, and the lights twinkling like stars among the tree- tops means, indeed, that we are transported to fairyland in a midsummer night's dream. The sister avenue, Victoria, is hardly less interesting with its artistic villa residences, sur- rounded with groves of almost oriental luxuriance ; its fine business blocks of brick and stone, handsome hotels, and its surrounding vineyards making it a perfect bower of beauty. 44 IN THE WAKE OF tHK SETTING SUN. Hollyroad was visited, and Sherman's Indian School, under Government management, where seven hundred children of both sexes are being educated free, lessons in fruiting and farming being a prominent feature. We then transfer to the Holly line, passing out from San Bernardino through the main street and across the beautiful valley, into and through the business centre of Redlands, a twenty-mile ride through surpassing loveliness. We then took the Tally-ho coach with four horses through the beautiful flower-bordered park, located on the far-famed Smiley heights, which command a magnificent view of Redlands and the San Bernardino valley, with the snow-capped Sierra Madre or San Bernardino range in the background, above which the mountain peaks of the Baldy San Bernardino and San Jacinto tower over ten thousand feet to the sky. The vista is one of the most entrancing and impressive in all Southern Cahfomia, and can only be appreciated by a visit to the place which com- mands this wonderful view. Returning again to San Bernar- dino, we take the trolly cars over Smiley heights and Victoria Avenue, and rise to a considerable height, the view from which is magnificent. Looking into the canon and over the vaUey, the display of flowers is wonderful : roses, carnations, pansies, and other species, a magnificent display of floral beauty. The large rose-trees were immense, the branches bending almost to the ground with the weight of the flowers. The trees were not one whit behindhand in beauty, comprising the large eucalyptus, pepper, magnolia, red-wood, lignum vitae, and various others. These grounds belong to a rich merchant, Mr. A. K. Smiley, who allows the public free access. He has also a superb resid- ence on the grounds ; the furniture alone is valued at $2,000,000 ; and he has donated to the public a library containing 12,000 volumes, with a building costing $40,000, situated in a park. Leaving the heights, we then drove through a most beautiful park crowded with trees and flowers of every description and variety, among the number a miniature Japanese orange, plums, etc. The view of the country was indescribable. On aU sides groves of oranges and lemons ; the trees loaded with golden fruit, some of them of extra size, called navel oranges ; in some cases the trees bearing so plentifully that they have to be propped SAN BERNARDINO. 45 up to protect the branches from breaking. Also passed acres and acres of orange groves ; on some of the trees the fruit has been gathered, but heaps of ripe oranges were lying on the ground which the owners did not think worth while to gather. We passed a small town called Colton, where a fortnight ago a sad accident occurred owing to the neghgence of the trackman, who left the points open ; consequently the train from New Orleans ran off the track, the Une not being connected, and the engine-driver and eighteen Italians were killed, and others injured. I did not hear that there was any inquiry made outside the Company ; at any rate, the man was not even discharged. He should have been indicted for manslaughter at least. At Los Angeles there are also a good many accidents in connection with the tramcars, by passengers crossing the streets in front of them. Yesterday a man on a bicycle was run over and injured ; they had to take him to the hospital ; he seemed to be in a bad state, and will hardly recover. We also passed through acres of vineyards ; they were clean, with no weeds. The oranges were so plentiful that one could almost pick them from the car win- dows. Beans and peas, and other vegetableSj are grown between the rows of trees. California beans are noted for their ex- cellency. There are large fields of oats and barley ; alfalfa is also much grown for cattle. They obtain several crops a year : — ^six or seven — and it makes very good green provender, as cattle are fond of it, and a good deal is dried and secured for their use. In this district there are 40,000 acres of citrus fruit and 20,000 acres of vineyards. The cement bridge referred to is 1,000 feet in length, and had in its construction 40,000 tons of cement ; the centre wall sixty feet above the river bed ; depth of foundation, fifty feet below the river bed. We travelled on this trip 140 miles on railroad, and by automobiles 15 miles ; trollies, 25 and street cars, 15 ; in all, 195 miles, and changed trains at Riverside for Redlands. The " Mission Hotel " at Riverside was formerly an old Spanish Mission House, rebuilt by the present proprietors, and contains over two hundred beds. A lovely chime of bells rang from the tower connected with the hotel. The building is enclosed in a large court ; the front of the hotel opens on the street. It is very antique, with small 46 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. diamond-pane windows, and low wooden ceilings, with large reception rooms ; an annexe has been latterly added to the building. The Court House at Riverside is a large, handsome building, with statuary on the ends and side of the roof. The canal running mto the town supphes good and pure water for drinking and other purposes, as well as for irrigation. San Bernardino is called " The Gateway of Southern Cahfomia." Situated in a valley of unexcelled fertihty, the product of the soil will be a source of revenue and profit. All modern con- veniences are here developed to their highest state of efficiency ; with wide paved streets, shaded with fine trees, and cemented sidewalks, churches, schools, and public hbraries, with trolly cars, and all fine, modem and up-to-date. To the north a range of high mountains guards against the winds, and furnishes the reservoir that is so vital for the irrigation of the valley below. The population is small, about fifteen thousand, but increasing every year as trade increases. They have some fine banks, insurance, trust, and other offices ; also elegant homes, electric lights and splendid waterworks ; places of amusement are numerous. They have a fine opera house, theatres, and several other places of public recreation, such as roller-skating rinks ; and are well provided with fine hotels, and water from the hottest springs in the world. The highest mountain is San Bernardino Peak, and its companion Greyback reaches an altitude of 14,000 feet. An ample supply of water is sup- plied by artesian wells as well as by the mountain streams. In the mountains large reservoir systems are perfected, whereby immense quantities of water are brought into the valleys for irrigation. Nearly aU the homes in San Bernardino, whether large or small, are embowered in flowers, shrubs, and orna- mental trees ; while elegamt lawns add to the beauty of the town. Although warm in summer in the daytime, the nights are always pleasant, cool and restful. Surrounded everywhere by sunshine and flowers, groves of oranges, the trees loaded with the luxuriant fruit, San Bernardino is an ideal place that few can equal in elegance and beauty. Nature and art have here created a paradise on earth. In the foot-hiUs as well as the main mountain range, are many shady canons and groves, which SANTA ANA. 47 furnish ideal places for outdoor excursions and picnics ; and when another contemplated inclined railway has been com- pleted in the mountains north of San Bernardino, in length 4,170 feet from the summit station of the inchne, connecting with a trolly line to run along the mountain crest, it will present the most picturesque scenic route on the face of the globe. Arrived at Los Angeles at 7 p.m., after a most enjoyable trip. In the evening there was a nice cool breeze, which acted as a tonic after the bright sunshine of the day. iith. — Santa Ana. — Left Los Angeles at 10 a.m. for Santa Ana, thirty-four miles distant by the tramcars. Arriving, went for a walk in the country. Saw some very fine groves of English walnut trees, the fruit just forming. The apricot trees were in profusion, but the fruit had been injured by the late rain, which caused the immature fruit to fall. The tram line of route from Los Angeles is through a level plain, mostly of agri- cultural and pasturage land. Santa Ana is noted for its groves of citrons, apricots, plum, and cherry-trees ; some of them were well forward with fruit. The sycamore trees were very fine, with large spreading branches forming lovely shades from the noonday sun ; one especially large one was fenced and fur- nished with seats around the trunk for outdoor lunch or five o'clock teas. The orange groves were equal to any I have seen ; also the loquat, a species of small plum that is much grown in Southern CaHfomia and is very prolific. The oranges were especially large and fine and in great abundance on the trees ; could pick from the ground from under the trees hundreds that were both sweet and ripe, and, apparently, not in the least in- jured, and the lemons equally so. Went through a lovely shady walk in the country with large trees on each side of the path — eucalyptus, pepper, sycamore, lignum vitae, and many others, some of them in flower. It was in length fully a mile or more, an avenue of great beauty, and making a perfect shade from the sun overhead, both cool and pleasant. Among the trees were some very high and lofty poplars ; it was a perfect lovers' walk, only wide enough for two ^breast. The perfume from the flowers and roses was exquisite, and mixed with the fragrance of the trees and fruits scented the air. Santa Ana, 48 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the county seat of the orange country, is one of the oldest and most thrifty cities of Southern Cahfomia, containing a popula- tion of 10,000. It is substantially built, and is the centre of lovely surroundings and a delightful semi-tropical home life. The roads lead to the most fertile regions tributary to Los Angeles, susceptible to the highest agricultural and horticultural development, with trees of immense size and height ; mag- nolias, all in bloom, and many handsome and rare trees im- ported from Japan. Nothing could possibly exceed the beauty of the flowers ; the roses were especially large and handsome, some of them a rare species of wonderful size, so prolific as in some cases to hide the cottages from view. Nothing, to my mind, could exceed the magnificent scenery of the country and vil- lages in Southern California ; the climate at all seasons warm and equable. May, perhaps, would be the best season of the year to visit it, as Nature seemed to be everywhere at her best, although it must, of course, be much warmer during the late summer months, and perhaps the vegetation not so profuse, as it must have a rest before again bursting out in flower and fruit. Still, it is always fascinating, especially to the wanderer from northern climes. In most places water is scarce ; of course irrigation is indispensable when the soil is packed and dry with the rays of the spring and summer sun. Water is the life of the land, as the Nile is the hfe of Egypt, and the rivers Abana and Pharpar of Syria and Damascus. When this difficulty is removed and overcome by still greater irrigation, nature will doubly repay in kind. Santa Ana is thirty-four miles from Los Angeles, and is the metropolis, commercial and political, of the orange county. It is a modem city, with fine business buildings, paved streets, electric lights, four banks, and an opera house that would do credit to any place on the coast. Its electric street-car system connects with Orange, and is to be extended throughout the valley. Prosperity is very evident at Santa Ana, and that is not to be wondered at, for the surrounding country of Orange is one of the richest sections of Cahfomia, with a wonderful variety of profitable products ; that explains the four banks. I am told that its population has trebled in the last fifteen years. A great many new houses are being built, afid several new busi- SANTA ANA. 49 ness blocks have just been completed. Canning establishments are now in operation. The northern part of the city is noted for its beautiful homes and public parks, one especially very beautiful in Santiago canon, and a fine golf club, and many other sources of recreation. Left Santa Ana at 3 p.m., and arrived at Los Angeles at 4.15 p.m. Went at night to the vaude- ville theatre ; acting, dancing, singing, etc., very good. Los Angeles is a wonderful business centre for aU parts of Southern Cali- fornia. The tram service is well conducted (outside of acci- dents) ; they travel to localities situate within a radius of fifty miles from the town. Above all, the incomparable climate of Southern California is reckoned her most valuable asset. " The finest cUmate in the world " is an oft-heard expression, and it is truly near perfection as anything sublunary. But Cali- fornia is a law unto itself ; it cannot be weighed, measured, or divided in comparison with any other cUmate. It has what may be termed " all-the-year-round climate," where one can enjoy life out of doors in winter as well as summer. But the terms winter and summer are misnomers, for there can be no winter in a land of perpetual bloom. The seasons are two — the wet and the dry season ; the latter is absolutely dry ; and in the short wet season it is in rare cases only that the downpour is steady or continuous. During the winter months there comes some- times a light frost, but never sufficient to damage semi-tropical trees. The snow comes to the foothills, but far up on the sierras it lies white and deep, adding a great beauty to the landscape, and replenishing the reservoirs of nature to irrigate the orchards during the following dry season. The summer temperature is very seldom oppressive, and even the hottest days are followed by a cool, invigorating and refreshing night. Sunstrokes and diseases from excessive heat are strangers to this cHmate. There are no cyclones, tornadoes, or heavy fogs. The average maximum temperature of winter days is seventy degrees, and of the nights forty degrees. The average summer maximum temperature is ninety-five, but the average minimum tempera- ture is fifty-five. Besides all these blessings, there is perfect freedom from insect life, fleas and mosquitoes. The soil and climate of Southern California are particularly adapted to the 4 50 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. cultivation of fruits ; citrons, olives, grapes, oranges, lemons and pomegranates grow to great perfection. Orchards of deci- duous fruits, peach, plum, pear, prunes, apricot, and figs, are numerous. Apples and cherries grow to perfection in the canons and lower slopes of the mountains. Vineyards thrive on hiU-sides and on the sandy plains and the coast, without irrigation. Olives are raised in abundance, and EngUsh walnuts and almonds in large quantities. Smaller fruits and vegetables are raised during the season, and strawberries are on the market the whole year ; while water-melons, canteloupes, and musk melons may be seen growing on the vines until almost Christmas. Hay and grain are produced in abiandance, including alfalfa, a perennial growth, yielding six crops per year. The mining interests are varied. There are several richly productive mines in operation. Nearly all the minerals are represented — gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, borax, turquoise, and saline products. The vast mining resources give emplo5mient to thousands of men, and bring untold riches to the country. Forests of pine and spruce grow on the tops and sides of the mountains. Several large mills are in operation, and the products of these mills are wholly consumed at home, a large portion of the output being used in the manufacture of fruit boxes. The southern portion of Cahfomia has all the appearance of a tropical land without the intense heat ; its tall date and other palms suggest it. It is cooler, however, in summer than any corresponding portion of the Atlantic slope ; and in the winter it is warmer than in Cairo, Florence, or Naples. The air is clear, crisp, and bracing. Humidity is unknown, and a cool breeze from the sea tempers the heat, the thermometer sometimes dropping to freezing ; yet oranges, lemons, limes, and olives are not injured. California in winter is a garden — a land of flowers. In October, or later, rains start the ver- dure, and by Christmas the land is rich in vegetation, wild flowers are in bloom, and the sierras covered with snow. No other country on earth can show such a marvellous contrast. Farmers are ploughing and preparing to plant barley and oats, and every available part will be under cultivation, and the vaUeys a field of gold radiant with a thousand flowers. Verdure every- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 51 where ! The most insignificant cottage is a bower of beauty, overrun with roses, surrounded by green fields. Here are miles of splendid boulevards lined with flowers and lofty palms ; while the whole region is a vast orange grove — a mine of golden wealth. Pasadena, famed as the wealthiest town of its size in the United States, stands at the head of the San Gabriel VEdley, and typifies life in California. In the very heart of winter when the mountains are covered with snow, the out-door visitor can leave an orange grove in full bearing, and in an hour or so go coasting down a snow mountain, or indulge in sleighing. By the aid of the Mount Lowe incline road, it is demonstrated that one could pick oranges, go sleighing, and bathe in sea water at Santa Monica, and return to the orange groves at Pasadena all in one day, having passed from semi- tropical summer to winter and back again within a day, with time to spare ; and almost the same could be done from any of the large towns. In a motor-car or coach one can obtain a near view of the old Califomian and Indian life — the big ranches, the acres of vineyards, orange, lemon, and walnut groves. An ideal trip of this kind would be to start from Los Angeles, going to Riverside and Rubidoux Park, then on to Redlands with its Smiley heights and its incomparable views of the mountains. There is another feature of California — its islands. All are beautiful and interesting, four off Santa Barbara, and four off Los Angeles. Santa CataJina has a population in summer of several thousands at its town Avalon ; it is computed that one hundred thousand tourists visit these islands annually. In the clear, smooth water, between them and the mainland the famous glass boats already mentioned cruise, giving glimpses of the wonders of submarine life in water so clear that the smallest objects can be seen in great depths ; and also the famous kelp forest in which strange and beautiful fishes can be seen. At Avalon frost rarely appears. An ideal, all-the-year- round-summer climate ! A paradise for out-door sports. The islands are the rendezvous of yachtsmen, where the finest sea angling is enjoyed, including the famous tuna. In the fall all along the shores near Los Angeles there is goose and duck shoot- ing, from the blue winged teal to canvas backs, and, when in 4* 52 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. season, the quail ; and from the mountain the bighorn sheep, deer, and antelopes. Go to Southern California if you wish to enjoy all these sports ! Go to California, if you would, in winter, wander through orange groves divided by hedges of blooming roses half a mile in length ! But should you tarry, beware, or you will faU a victim to its allurements, and remain for aU time ! CHAPTER III. Los Angeles — Oakland — Berkeley — San Francisco — Sacramento — Visit to Mount Tamalpais — En route — Honolulu. April 12th. — Los Angeles. — Took a walk through China Town, a street where the Chinese are congregated and have houses, shops, restaurants, etc., on both sides of the street. Also visited the Court House, a large red granite building in an open space, with tower and clock. Left Los Angeles at 5 p.m. by Southern Pacific Railway ; the scenery along the line very picturesque and principally pEistoral ; the green hills and valleys dotted with wild flowers, and miles and miles of lemon and orange groves, and apricot and other trees ; fine scenery for every mile travelled. Passed a good deal of meadow-land, overflown with water from heavy rains last month, in some places creating quite a large lake. Passed over the same part of the country that we had travelled over on coming to Los Angeles. The distance to Oakland is 500 miles. J3th. — Arrived at Oakland at 11 a.m., a city of 200,000 population, several fine retail streets, especially Broadway, and very large shops quite up-to-date with other American towns. Electric lights illuminate the wide and weU-paved streets, and none of the modem improvements are lacking. Schools and churches abound, and it may be said to be a city of colleges. It is also a business town, possessing large mercan- tile and manufacturing establishments, including cotton, jute, flour miUs, and innumerable other institutions, employing a large amount of capital and thousands of men, women, and children. The tram service appears to be weU carried out, running to and from all the principal streets and suburbs. The Post Office is a fine extensive building, with Corinthian pillars 53 54 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. in front, and a number of offices connected with it, and the Postal Department in the inside portion, roomy, and paved with marble slabs ; the walls also are marble ; the ingress and egress well arranged. The City Hall, banks, offices, in fact all the public buildings, can be favourably compared with cities of like size and proportions. Stayed at the " CuUen," which is a commercial hotel, used principally by business men ; American and European plan ; rooms, $i"30 up. Went to a vaudeville in the afternoon, consisting principally of music and moving pictures. Since the earthquake and fire that devastated San Francisco, hundreds have immigrated here, it being only about seven miles distant. Many of them have purchased houses and property, and have consequently turned out the other tenants and taken full possession, paying higher rates for the residences and cottages. T.^th. — Took the cars for the town of Berkeley, three miles distant. A nice clean town, the streets also fine and wide. Passed several very fine residential homes, nicely situated in pretty gardens, embowered with roses and flowers all along the route travelled by the cars. Visited the University for which Berkeley is noted, being the national one for California, situated in beautiful grounds, with extra fine trees. There were six buildings, fine stone erections, well sheltered at the foot-hUls of the mountains, from one to two miles from the entrance from the main road. The park is ornamented with some statuary and valuable trees (ticketed), and a very nice garden well laid out with beds of flowers, to which is attached a large greenhouse and conservatory with dome. There is also on the grounds, a Greek amphitheatre, with a seating capacity of 6,500, said to be the largest in America, where open-air per- formances are held by the students, of which the University has 3,500. The increase of the population of Oakland is un- precedented. In 1900 the population was only 46,000 ; in 1907, it numbered over 200,000 — a most wonderful increase for so short a time. Numbers have come from San Francisco since the earthquake and fire, and have made it their home, and built and rented houses. It is a progressive city, pleasantly favoured in situation, and contains the homes of many of those OAKLAND. 55 whose places of employment are at San Francisco. The number and variety of resorts and places worth visiting, the mild yet exhilarating climate and genial sunshine, the beauty of the city and the charm of the grounds and residences of prosperous citizens, all combine to make Oakland one of the most agree- able resorts en route. The town is beautifully situated on the east shore of the bay, the land sloping gradually down to the waters from the Contra Costa Mountains which rise at the back of the city at a distance of a few miles. The foot-hills are crowned with the suburban villas of wealthy merchants of Oak- land and San Francisco, and from their verandahs can be ob- tained a most extensive and pleasing view of the bay, San Francisco, and the ocean beyond. The houses are tastefully built and many of them are of the greatest elegance, surrounded by extensive and weU-kept grounds, embowered in shrubberies, and glowing with a lavish wealth of roses. There are at present twenty-one public schools and lOO churches of different denominations, showing that the scholastic and religious elements of Oakland have been well provided for. Over 12,000 people are employed in manufacturing establishments of all kinds ; 190 mUes of macadamized streets and roads ; 153 mUes of street railway and nine public parks ; with roller- skating rinks, theatres, operas, halls, as well as other places of public amusement ; so that all the elements, social, religious, or otherwise, are well supplied. Oakland is in sight of the Pacific, and is one of America's great beauty-spots ; all the transcontinental railroads centre here. The Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, and Western Pacific, bring tourists from aU parts of the world to enjoy its climate and picturesque scenery. It has the finest land-locked harbour on the Pacific coast, and from a manufacturing standpoint, where railroad and water arteries converge, is the most rapidly growing city on the Pacific. From the hUl-tops may be seen the whole Bay of San Francisco, the majestic Golden Gate, and the great ocean, besides many other attractions. The value of buildings erected in one year ending 1906, amounted to $3,817,655 ; value of buildings in one month, $970,000. In the afternoon went to Leona Heights by tram- car — a natural park ; eucalyptus, magnolia, pepper, plane, 56 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and other fine, large, umbrageous trees. An inclined railway is used in the working of a mine from the heights. The park is much frequented by pleasure parties in the afternoons. We had a slight shower, the first seen since my arrival in the country. On returning by the cars, we passed Lake Merritt, a natural salt-water lake of 170 acres, situated in the heart of Oakland and within ten minutes' walk of the business centres of the city. There were several sail and rowing boats on the water for hire, and around the lake a pretty serpentine road, planted with palms. Oakland contains fifteen miles of water-front ; the largest wooden vessel built in the country was launched in its harbour ; and trains run throughout some of the streets. In the suburbs in the residential quarter there are some beautiful homes situated in ornamental grounds, with palms and flowers in abundance. On Sunday the streets were crowded, as also the tramcars going and coming to and from places of amuse- ment and recreation ; the vaudeville theatres were all open, also the cigar-shops and restaurants ; all the large shops were closed. Some of the shops are especially large and spacious. The millinery, bonnets and hat emporia were crowded with purchasers ; the artificial flowers were all displayed on open shelves, so that everyone could see for themselves what they required. At night went to the theatre ; crowded house, acting good ; stayed for second performance, the house stUl full, and at the doors as many more waiting for an opportunity to find entrance ; the acting is continual, and recommences every hour and a half. i^th. — Left for San Francisco at 10 a.m. and arrived at 11.30 by train and ferry " paddle " boats ; they are fine, large, and well fitted up with every accommodation ; the trains from Oakland belong to one company ; fare, ten cents. San Francisco is unlike any other city in the United States, and has an atmosphere pecuharly its own. Its delightful climate and beautiful situation, and its cosmopolitan population make fife a succession of varied interest. There is everything to delight the eye and soothe the mind in this lovely city ; and it is small wonder that people come here to linger among such beautiful surroundings. The parks are especially fine, as also SAN FRANCISCO. 57 the scenes in the wonderful harbour. When its name is men- tioned in any part of the world, it is not necessary to say that it is in California, it is one of the cities so well known. It is more remarkable when we consider that fifty years ago the site of the city was a mere succession of sand-hills ; it is now one of the most important stations on the great highway around the world ; it is the metropolis of the entire Pacific Coast extending from Alaska to Cape Horn. The Bay of San Francisco is one of the few great harbours of the world ; others being Rio Janeiro and Sydney. The great bay is nearly sixty miles in length, with an average of ten miles in width, large enough to contain all the navies of the world. Not only is it notable for its size, but it is completely land-locked, with an entrance at the narrowest part only one mile wide, and is particularly safe for shipping, even of the largest class. Additional importance is attached to this harbour, because the outlines of the coast, which extends thousands of miles north and south, form very few harbours of any kind ; those that exist, with few exceptions, being either small or are open roadsteads, or otherwise unsuitable for ex- tensive commerce. It faces the Pacific Ocean — the greatest of all the oceans in the world — and must of necessity have a great future as a distributing centre. Connection with the Panama Canal will bring New York almost 10,000 miles nearer by sea than before, and make it a stiU more important port of call for steamers. The commerce of the world with the Pacific Ocean is rapidly increasing. Not soveiy long ago the shores of the Mediterranean outlined the trade boundary of the world ; subse- quently trade moved to the Atlantic in its efforts to reach the trade of the Orient. San Francisco is the most cosmopolitan city in the United States in proportion to its population ; there are a greater number of residents from foreign lands — Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Scandinavian countries, Greece, Portugal, Armenia and lyiexico. It is different from inland cities, even of large populations. They do not abut upon the world's great highway ; they do not stand at the gateway of an ocean, not to speak of the world's largest ocean. San Francisco is the only city whose streets run down to a great ocean and whose houses stand within the sound of the surf, A 58 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. boulevard runs along the ocean-beach, immediately behind which are the city blocks and the residences- built within a stone's- throw of the pounding surges. The Golden Gate Park extends over 10,000 acres, facing the ocean and being in the city, and exceeds all others in the number and varieties of its flowers. The equably mild climate stimulates and provides the develop- ment of industrial enterprises. Ice does not block the water of the harbour or the approaches thereto ; nor does it congeal the sails and rigging of the sailing ships. California is the greatest fruit-growing country in the western hemisphere ; all the fruits of the temperate and extern-tropic zone flourish in the greatest perfection. It has 30,000,000 acres of fruit-land, and when cultivated is valued at an average exceeding $300 per acre. The earthquake, on the morning of April i8th, was the most severe that has occurred since San Francisco became a great city ; the destruction of several of the largest buildings proves its severity, although many of the elder houses erected by the pioneers and early citizens withstood the shock unharmed. The residential district presents no general evidence of earth- quake damage save fallen chimneys. It was fortunate that San Francisco was only at the beginning of a new era of con- struction, and the business city that was to be was largely of plans yet under contemplation ; the modem steel structures escaped practically without damage by the earthquake, and the construction of the proposed buUdings of similar nature can now be pushed with added assurance of their stabihty. A danger foreseen is a danger guarded against. Beyond any other city, the new Francisco will be proof against earthquake and fire ; the city will be built under the requirements of the new laws, which will prevent faulty construction and promote artistic and architectural effects. The height of the buildings will in future be limited, and avenues will be widened. As with Chicago and Baltimore, the destructive fires in San Francisco wiU, in the end, be the foundation of a finer and greater city. Bad as was this calamity, it was confined to San Francisco and its immediate vicinity. A new San Francisco, more beautiful, stronger, more attractive in every way, is rising from the ashes that cover nearly twelve square SAN FRANCISCO. 59 miles, and will astonish the world by the speed of its recon- struction. Rapidly the city is becoming a bee-hive of activity, and ere long will be clothed anew to invite you within the golden gates of the new and greater Metropolis of the Pacific. List of property destroyed, April i8th, 1906 : — Methodist Church, had eleven churches and nine missions ; nine churches were seriously damaged. It had 3,000 members before i8th April, and 2,300 after the fire. 497 blocks of buildings and four square miles of territory were destroyed. Total loss, $100,000,000. Fifty-nine miles of street made impassable ; 200 miles of city street railroads made inoperative. Have erected the first year 9,000 buildings, one finished each day ; one-third of burnt area covered. $70,000,000 in new buildings granted ; Baltimore granted but $28,000,000 in two years after her fire. Fifty thousand men at work rebuilding ; only 20,000 in building trades before the fire. Wages paid, $52,000,000, or $200,000 per day each working day. Bank clearings in igo6, $146,000,000 more than 1905 ; $2,500,000 more in 'March, 1907, than March, 1906. Collected $2,000,000 more in duties on imports in 1906 than 1905. Five thousand two hundred sales of real estate in the year, value $22,000,000. Population before the fire, 470,000 ; one month after, 175,000 ; now 470,000. Took cars for the Flood Building, in which is situated Messrs. Cook & Son's office. The streets were com- pletely blocked with horses and carriages, waggons and carts, brick, lumber, and automobiles. Had to leave the tramcar for another, as ours was stopped by the traffic and goods of every description in the way. Called on the agent of the steamers, but could not obtain a ticket for the Korea, leaving on Tuesday, April 23rd, as my name had not been sent to the office ; requested to call again on Friday. Went again to the ferry and took a car for Cliff and Seal Rocks House. On the fiigher portion of the town one can get along aU right, no con- gestion, as the fire or earthquake did not injure it ; the buriit portions were in the main business part. Where all the banks, insurance offices, hotels, shops and emporia were situated, is now a desert. There is no line of street or anything to point out the way in what was once a beautiful and fashionable portion of the town, where all the handsome shops and business 6o IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. houses were situated. Here, also, was the " Palace Hotel " — not a vestige of which remains but the blackened ashes and crumbling walls and chimneys of what was once one of the finest hotels in America ; all now in waste and desolation, with here and there an unfinished erection looking gaunt and weird amidst its blackened surroundings. The bustle and confusion is something awful, especially to a stranger coming from fine cities to this vast desert of desolation. Was glad to be able to leave it. In about an hour we arrived at Cliff House, over- looking the bay and Golden Gate. Walked through a beautiful park on Sutro Heights, well laid out in trees and flowers, with rows of lovely palms, shrubberies and statuary. Also on the rising land a kind of fort where there is an Observatory, from which can be obtained a grand view of the ocean, the Golden Gate, and the harbour. The Cliff House stands on an eminence close to the sea at the end of a rocky point. It is a large erection, and stands alone, above the surf and booming waves of the great Pacific ; on the rocks in front are many seals. The grounds above are called the Sutro Heights, and are free to the public. On the ocean-front is a wide, macadamized road lined on one side by the water and beach, and on the other for some distance by shops, restaurants, a theatre, roller-skate rink, and several public houses and small hotels. The beach con- sists wholly of sand, no stones or pebbles to be seen. An iron pier runs out for a short distance ; it is slight and narrow and has no pretensions in style or otherwise. Then went to the Golden Park ; it is well worthy of the name, being beautifully laid out, reaching four miles to the entrance of the Golden Gate ; the trees are very fine, and of all descriptions — eucalyptus, oak, redwood, pepper, and the many varieties that flourish in the balmy air of this favoured clime. Within the park are buffaloes, deer, and a few other animals ; an aviary with a good many varieties of birds enclosed in a large crescent wire frame with netting, and roof of glass, in which are enclosed shrubs and small trees for the use of the birds. There is a handsome dome-shaped band-stand with Corinthian pillars, and some handsome statuary and galleries, a fine open space in front among the trees with seats for an audience of some thousands. SACRAMENTO. 6i Saw a century-plant that is said to flower only once in lOO years ; this especial one showed a high stalk, partly in bloom, about twenty feet in height ; after blooming, the plant withers and dies. There is a museum in the park near the entrance (but did not visit it). BuUt of cement, leading to the entrance and inside the gates, are several tuimels under the main road. Opposite is a place of amusement called the Shute, with cars running over a crescent line of rails ; also a Zoo, in which is a good collection of animals — lions, tigers, elephants, zebras, and several other species. A lion, called Wallace, is specially to be noted. An inscription on his cage declared him to be the largest lion in the world, and that the London Zoo had offered £2,000 sterling for him — a spread-eagle kind of big talk that I very much doubt. It is not very probable that the London Zoo would require to send to San Francisco for a bigger animal than they already possess. In fact, I think he was once in the London Zoo. Arrived at Oakland by ferry and train at 7 p.m. Never saw such an immense crowd as came over by the boat and train for Berkeley and Oakland ; there were thousands ; filled up every spare place in the large boats and trains. No one who has not been here can conceive the immense traffic that takes place daily between these towns and San Francisco, especially in the mornings and evenings. The labourers have another boat in which they are taken over to San Francisco free of charge. 16th. — Left for Sacramento at 11.30 by train, distance 100 miles, passing Port Costa on the sea-coast ; it has a large trade in sugar refining, and warehouses of large extent. Then crossed the river Sacramento in a very large ferry-boat, holding four trains ; took about half an hour in crossing over the water to Benicia, a manufacturing place — creameries, tanneries, etc. Passed over some agricultural land (the yellow poppy, so prolific in California, covers the fields and hedges), large tracts of vineyards, oats, rye. Arrived at Daves, where there are a good many vineyards, variety of cereals, and much pasturage. In this section of the countiy the land is now overflown by the river for a long distance, as far as the eye could reach, in fact, a perfect ocean of water 62 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. with an island here and there, with trees, telegraph-poles on the side of the line, and the fences under water, and some lying afloat. Thousands of acres were covered by the water. For a long time before this date the trains could not run ; they had to take another and longer course. The trains had to run over the line very slowly, and I noticed many men at work, chiefly Japanese and Mexicans. Arrived at Sacramento at 8.30. Went to the " Capital Hotel," which is well deservmg of the name ; walked through the principal shoppmg and retail streets, some fine buildings and shops, one especially large, unattached, and occupying a whole block, with Corinthian pillars in front, with immense plate-glass windows stocked with all kinds of goods, and models of full-size figures to show off the dresses, etc. ; at night, when lit by electricity, it has a very fine effect. Took the tramcars for Oak Park — principally a place of amusement, with roller-skating rink, chute, and swings, and other varieties ; i.e., restaurants, band-stand, etc. The park is of small size, not specially attractive compared with others. At night the streets and shops were well lit with electricity, and a good many people were in the streets. The population is about fifty thousand. It is considered to be a good fruit- growing country, it has many vineyards, and there is a large business done in the wine trade, for which it is especially noted. The manufacture of wine creates much industry throughout California in the different localities where grapes are cultivated. Visited the California wine manufactory, with extensive premises, where every variety of wine is made, brandy, and other alcoholic spirits ; tested the seven-year-old port : it had a very good flavour. They have very extensive vats and other receptacles, and a large bottling and packing store where many hands are employed, both male and female ; they supply many houses in the trade, and in the United States. On leaving the wine manufactory, there is close by a row of very fine residential houses, large buildings, standing in beautiful grounds, sur- rounded by palms, trees, shrubs, and flowers and roses in every variety. The row is about a quarter of a mile in length ; the side of the road lined with large palms and orange-trees in fruit. Next to the vinery. There is also a large brewery where SACRAMENTO. 63 a very excellent Californian beer is especially brewed. The country around Sacramento is particularly picturesque, and the growth of the trees and shrubs is very rapid. The soil is capable of great fertility, and is well adapted for fruit-growing, and especially for grape-culture of various kinds. The orange and lemon groves are principally at a place caUed Oraville, about twenty or thirty miles from Sacramento, where large quantities are grown ; and they say that the fruits ripen there earlier than in any other place in California. Sacramento is well provided with churches, comprising aH denominations of belief, but as a rule the Americans are not a very religiously inclined race ; the theatre and places of amusement seem to be more to their taste. The Roman Catholic Cathedral is a very fine archi- tectural building, of imposing exterior, with a large dome in the middle ; it is very wide and has a seating capacity for 1,800 — 360 pews of five each ; there are two small galleries, one for the organ, which is a very small instrument for the size of the building. The main altar is marble embossed with gold, around which are several figures of angels, saints and cherubs, Bishop's throne and several side altars ; about fourteen or fifteen stained windows, representing the principal Bible subjects both in the Old and New Testaments. Several days can be pleasantly spent in Sacramento. It is handsomely built, and its shaded streets and flower-ornamented gardens present an exceedingly attractive appearance. It has a complete electric street-railway system. Being the capital of California, the county seat of Sacramento county, and the third commercial city in the State, more trains arrive and depart each day than in any other town in the State. Sacramento being the geographical centre, it is the great distributing point for California. Three-fourths of aU the fruits are shipped from this State. It is at this place that all the principal buyers and shippers locate for the purchase of fruit and vegetables. The Southern Pacific Company shops employ from 2,000 to 3,000 men, and cover an area of twenty-five acres. The largest canning and packing houses, woollen mills, foundry, and machine shops are located here. For a manufacturing town the location of Sacramento cannot be excelled. It is connected 64 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. with San Francisco by many trains daily, and by river steamers. Its wholesale houses transact a large amount of business. 17th. — Took tramcar after breakfast for the country ; the vegetation is profuse, vineyards with fruit trees are in abundance ; the sun bright and warm, the air pleasant and balmy and not in any way oppressive. The men and horses were ploughing between the orange-groves and vineyards, clearing out the weeds. There was a pretty row of small cottages on the line of road all covered with flowers, with orange-trees in front bearing fruit, and roses in profusion. One may well call it the land of flowers and roses ; the box hedges and bushes are artistically trained and cut in many pretty designs. The appearance of the country is very beautiful, but it cannot be compared to Los Angeles or Southern California for beauty, or in the foliage of the trees and shrubs. To enjoy it thoroughly one should not see the south first. The public buildings in the city of Sacramento are fine and architectural, especially the banks — the Cahfomia State Bank of red granite, the National Bank, the People's Saving Bank, and several others are fine, large erections, mostly of granite, handsomely fitted up in the interior, with marble sides and mosaic floorings. The two principal streets in Sacramento, where are situated the chief business places, shopping (retaU and others), banks, theatres, and public buildings, are K Street and P Street ; the others are numbered up to Twenty-eighth Street. The state building, or Assembly, is a fine structure of stone and cement, with Corinthian pillars of Cahfomian granite, and a large dome. It is at present undergoing extensive repairs and alterations, raising the roof. It was erected in 1866 ; they are now putting in all the modem improvements, and enlarging the building generally. It is situated in beautiful grounds, a park of large extent, with rows of handsome palms and stately trees of pepper, eucalyptus, cypress, Japanese box, and many others. The paths are fine and wide, and kept in the best order. On the side next the main road is a magnificent avenue of palms, and facing it is a row of first-class residential houses. All the streets outside the main part of the town are lined on both sides with fine stately trees ; no expense is spared in the upkeep, all being SACRAMENTO. 65 perfect and in the best possible condition. The grounds in which the State House is situated are considered the hand- somest in the United States, a result to which the climate with which California is blessed very largely contributes. Visited the Old Fort, where shelter was found in 1849, when the place was attacked by Indians. It is built of brick with square walls about twenty feet in height, within are cannon and other defences ; the only attraction is the episode and ancient history that, as the ivy, clings to the old tree and makes it more attractive. The Post Office is a fine extensive building of red granite, and the Califomian Bank is of the same material and of like architecture. z8th. — Left for Oakland by train at 8.30. Fine, clear day, with strong breeze. One hour steaming through the over- flow of water extending as far as the eye can reach ; the land near the line seems to be mostly marshy with, in some places, trees standing out of the water. The flood resulted from heavy rains in March causing the rising of the Sacramento river. Passed Daves, and half an hour later Suisin, at Benicia. Took the ferry to cross over the river, as before, a branch of the Sacramento to Nevada and Port Costa, and arrived at 12 noon. After lunch went to Alameda. The old town used to be a dead-and-alive place — since the earthquake at San Francisco it has improved as a residential section ; it is in some respects very picturesque ; its name, like so many in this State, is Spanish. The river is spanned by a large steel drawbridge about 150 yards in length. Then took cars for Hay ward, a country place, a forty-five minutes' drive. We first came to a place called Leander, and passed extensive orchards of apricot and cherry trees in blossom ; between the trees were planted rows of peas, rhubarb and other vegetables. All along the line towards Hayward, the trees and groves were in great profusion. Did not reach the village itself, as the car, on which we had a transfer for about four miles further, had become dis- abled, and could not run the distance without being repaired. As this would have taken some time to do, we therefore re- turned to Oakland. igih. — Fine day. Left Oakland for San Francisco at 12 5 66 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. a.m., and crossed by ferry after leaving the train from Sixteenth Street, Broadway. Then went to the Flood Building to the office of the S. S. Company to obtain a passage in the Korea ; had some trouble in getting one, as the berths were all taken. Messrs. Cook here had not reserved me a berth because they had not been advised from New York. However, eventually obtained No. 28 inside room, both berths. Then went to the " HamUn Hotel," lately built in the burnt district on the European plan ; rooms $1.50 up. There was no restaurant connected with it, so consequently had to go to a coffee-house for meals. In the afternoon took a run in the observation car at a.30 p.m. for two hours and a half. Visited all the streets in the burnt district where the car lines are running. Saw the City Hall ; it must have been a magnificent structure, costing originally $20,000,000 ; the " Palace Hotel " ruins, and all the area which has been devastated by the earthquake and fire. Then went to the Land's End and the Golden Gate and Cliff House, round to the Golden Gate, Park, three miles in extent, and from two to one and a half miles in width, costing $39,000 a year to keep in order. Then to the upper part, west of the city, where the streets and houses were not injured by the fire or earthquake. There are some fine public buildings, viz., hospital, Roman Catholic and several other churches, schools, etc. It is to the lower part of the town that the earthquake and fire did the damage, and destroyed all the fine, handsome buildings, costing millions. It is estimated that the earthquake alone would not have damaged buildings over the amount of six million dollars, but the fire swept all before it, and there is nothing standing but the walls, chimneys and ruins. In the burnt portion of the town were situated all the first-class business houses, banks, hotels, city halls, post office, and various other Government buildings that cost millions of dollars to erect ; now, in this portion of the town, dust and dirt reign supreme, and the traffic is so congested that the tramcars have a difficulty in running, and are so crowded with passengers that it is almost impossible to board one of them. If you are suc- cessful in getting on, you have to commit an assault to get off again. It wiU be a long time before that portion of the city SAN FRANCISCO. 67 will recover its former glory, and though one can guess by the majestic ruins, the nature and character of her former splendour, it is hard to realize what San Francisco was. We then returned, leaving the Golden Gate Park and passing* Sutro Heights, a beautiful park left without any reservation to the public by a philanthropist, after whom the place is named ; thence to Laurel Hill Cemetery, nicely laid out, with fine monuments and shady trees and flowers ; to the affiliated College, and the territory south of Market Street, where is situated the Mission Dolores for orphans ; to the City Hall, in Market Street ; a most interesting ride, giving as it does a splendid view as well as information of the city past and present, in all the different sections ; taking the westerly route and returning in a different direction to the starting point. A short stop is made at a place called Land's End, on the scenic cliff line overlooking the Golden Gate, the harbour, and the coast-fortifications and military reservations. It is said that after the earthquake and fire 280,000 were encamped in the Golden Gate Park, and that the first day there were nineteen births ; I did not hear how many deaths occurred among those who were homeless and had no shelter. It is remarkable that the earthquake, followed by the fire, should have done all the damage in the great business centre, destroying all the principal government and business part of the city, and the handsome shops and stores that formed the splendid lines of street for miles, and that made San Francisco one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. In a financial point of view she was never in a better position ; all the industries were returning good profits to the speculators, and trade in consequence was in a prosperous condition, especially mining, which at that time was returning good results in gold and other metals. 2oih. — The area of the burnt district extends to four square miles, or, say, 2,600 acres. No one without seeing it could conceive or comprehend its utter desolation ; the new erections only add to the weirdness of the scene. To the visitor seeking localities, it is more confusing than a trackless desert. Especially the City Hall and Record Office was a most magnificent structure, costing $20,000,000, and occupying t* 68 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the space of two blocks, with high dome (still standing), and lengthy galleries with pillars of brick and concrete in Corinthian style of architecture. It is said that in the original building there was a good- deal of jobbery and extortion, and that the original foundations were bad, which was the principal cause of the damage by the earthquake. It is now very much injured. It is said that the Government propose to utUize the pillars, walls, etc., in rebuilding. AU the mason work in front is de- stroyed, and the walls are cracked in several places ; the steel work is standing, which may be again utilized. In front of the building is a small square on which stands an iron monument depicting the history of the early days of California, with several side figures. There is no ground attached to the building outside that on which it stands ; it occupies a portion of two streets back and front. In the afternoon went to the Pacific Mail Dock to s.s. Korea, then to the Colonial Theatre matinee. Very poor house, very few being present ; the acting fairly good, the music especially so. 2ist. — Foggy and misty. Left San Francisco at 9.30 a.m., with a gentleman named Wilson staying at the hotel, for Mount Tamalpais. Took the steam ferry for Saucelito, where we tbok the train to the Mill Valley, a lovely little suburban town in a beiautiful copse of woods ; in the background are cottages em- bowered in roses and climbers and flowers of every hue ; it is beautifully sheltered by the majestic trees, and is a perfect httle paradise. Several gentlemen of means from the city of- San Francisco have made it their home and built fine residences in the park-like scenery by which they are surrounded. The scenic railway to Mount Tamalpais is situated just north of the Golden Gate, a distance of about two hours' drive from San Francisco ; it is about half a mile in height, and commands extensive views of mountain, bay, and ocean ; from the mountain peak, being the highest in elevation, you get the fuU expanse of view. At Saucelito, the little Swiss village, you take the train of the mountain railway. Upon leaving the MiU Valley, the road enters a forest of redwood {sequoia sempervirens), for which California is famous, and winds through the beautiful caiion, Blithedale, along its even flowing creek, past numerous suburban MOUNT TAMALPAIS. 69 homes with their pretty ponds and lakes, with a picturesque Japanese village and its quaint oriental homes. Crossing the head of the caiion the road swings back, gradually rising until there are no trees to obstruct the view except where the wooded canons are crossed with redwoods, madroiias, oaks and laurels, lending a pleasant variety to the trip, and preparing for the next outburst of the panorama on a broader scale. Curving through the canon the road crosses around a sunlit avenue, the vast panorama expanding as the Bay of San Francisco opens out, then winding around edges of grand canons and looking down their steep sides, we see far below us the different curves on the serpentine road ; nearing the end of our journey the road turns, and there bursts upon us the grandest panorama of the whole trip. On the summit is a fine hotel. Mount Tamalpais is of an interesting origin. Years before 1849, the year of dis- covery of gold in California, the peninsula north of the Golden Gate was inhabited by a tribe of Indians known as Tamales, and " pais " being Spanish for country, hence the word Tamal- pais. We arrived back at 5 p.m., and much enjoyed the trip. Unfortunately, the view was partly obscured by a mist which at times is very prevalent at San Francisco. There was an immense crowd coming and going to the Mount all day, the trains and railways kept continually going, full each time of passengers which could not be computed at less than a thousand. Con- sidering that the trip costs in transit two dollars each, it proves that the financial condition of the people must be of the best standing, increased, no doubt, by the high price of labour at San Francisco. 22nd. — A trip round the World. — In this day travel, rapid, aesthetic and luxurious, the very contemplation of which would have awed our forefathers, is looked upon as almost an essential part of the education of the scholar, the politician' and the man of business. There is also a magnetic charm about the idea of " A trip round the World." The traveller wonders just how he is going to accomplish it, just where he will go, the strange and interesting scenes he will witness, the people he wiU see ; and, in fact, a hundred more thoughts flit through his brain when the subject is first broached. The first point to con- 70 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. sider is the route. Much has been said and written about the Orient, but one must see it personally to fully realize its vast possibilities, and appreciate its innate wonders and beauties. . The delights of a voyage across the placid waters of the brown Pacific Ocean are to be looked forward to with pleasure. There is an air of romance about the trip ; new acquaintances formed, often ending in close friendship ; confidences and knowledge are exchanged on such a trip, and the world is made to appear even larger than ever. In fact, one leads a " dolce far niente " life, with no thought of trouble or care. One is not long on board ship before he becomes aware of a distinctive atmosphere ; the cares and responsibilities of home are left behind in the pleasant and charming association with our fellow-passengers ; we seem to live in a land of enchantment. Every day as the Orient draws nearer, the prosaic matter-of-fact routine of every- day life fades from the memory, and phrases of " pidgin- English " become familiar, as they are heard so often in con- nection with the tales of old-timers from the far East, always sure to be on board ; luncheon becomes " tiffin," and the traveller begins to learn the distinguishing characteristic of the Japanese, the Koreans, Chinese, and Hindoos. Z'ird. — Left San Francisco by the s.s. Korea, 18,000 tons gross, at II a.m. sharp, for Honolulu ; a number of passengers — saloon, 166, and crowds of friends at the dock (No. 42) to see them off. On leaving, many handkerchiefs were seen waving the final adieu. We remained some time in the bay, and again started at i p.m. ; the pilot left us outside the Golden Gate, and we commenced our voyage for the first port, Honolulu, for which there are a good many passengers. We had a cool breeze and the water smooth. The Korea is a fine boat, a great favourite with the travelling public, and generally carries a large number of passengers. This trip they have 200 for different ports : Honolulu, 65 ; Yokohama, 63 ; and for Shanghai, 30 ; Kobe, 12 ; and Hong Kong, 30 ; including aU hands with crew and steerage, 710. She is handsomely fitted up with aU modem improvements, and well lit with electricity ; her saloons large, commodious, and handsomely furnished, capable of seating two hundred passengers or more VOYAGE TO HONOLULU. n with comfort ; her cuisine is first-class. She is altogethef manned by Chinese ; her captain is a Jap, named S. Sandberg. All the waiters are Chinese, and very good and excellent ones they make, as they are very attentive, quiet, and quick, and seem to give satisfaction to all at table. There is a fine large smoking-room with bar attached, and a beautiful general sitting- room called the Social Hall, writing-room with desk, etc., and a small library for the use of the passengers. We have had, so far, smooth water, beautiful weather, and cool. Up to 12 noon the distance steamed was 341 miles. 2/^h. — A fine time, the steamer running smoothly, the air cool — it is said from a current running from Japan, probably the California coast current. The Chinese have a number of gambling tables on the steerage deck aft — a good deal of money can be lost or won in a short time. The table consists of a board with a number of figures, and the larger the sums of money placed on the figures, the greater the winnings or contra- wise. The manipulation of the system seems simplicity itself. An unattached wheel is turned with a ball with correspond- ing figures. The baU stops either for or against the player, according to his luck, in accordance with the number on the chart covered by the coin. There is no restriction as to the amount of money placed on the figures, silver or gold ; but I notice that in the end the owners, viz., the heathen Chinese, are generally the winners, as the player gets excited if lucky, which of course he must naturally be, and consequently plays recklessly, increases the amount, placing larger sums on a greater number of the figures of the chart. You may cover with coin as many figures as you wish to risk, and, if lucky, your chances of winning larger sums are increased thereby. One gentleman won by that means fifty dollars in a few minutes, and then, by increasing his risk, lost, and was cleared out just as quickly, the luck changing for the other side, viz., the Chinese proprietor, who, in either losing or winning, does not show any concern one way or the other, handing over or picking up the coin without a smile or the turn of a hair. They are great gamblers, and have other modes and ways to vary the monotony, such as dice, of which I did not understand the manipulation. 72 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. At 3 p.m. had a fire-driU ; the crew were aU mustered by the steamer's whistle, and then worked the hose, spurting water on all sides; then another signal, and they sprang to undo the fastenings of the boats, put on the lifebuoys, and partly lowered them, and on another signal, again secured them in their places. They seemed to do the work efficiently, but were a miserable, half-starved, dirty-looking crowd, with their pigtails hanging about their backs. I should not place much faith in them in a case of emergency, though they make, as before re- marked, splendid waiters. The tables are all full of guests, but everything is done quietly and with perfect regularity, without any noise or confusion. They wear over their ordinary clothes a dark blue smock reaching to the feet, and over the arms white sleeves, the head being covered with a black em- broidered cap. The Chinese women dress much the same as the men ; one cannot see any distinction, except that they twist up their hair at the back of the head in a knot. 25th. — Fine day. Water still smooth and weather warmer than yesterday, but cool for these waters. Since leaving, have not seen fish of any description, with the exception of a tail just seen out of the water, and very few birds ; no flying-fish or dolphins as you see in the Mediterranean at this season. Was able to leave off wearing an overcoat to-day on deck. The sea is very calm, no motion on the ship and she is averaging about fifteen knots. Yesterday at noon, distance travelled, 367 mUes. The young people are enjoying themselves. Last night they had a baU on the upper deck, with refreshments. It was nicely illuminated with electric lamps, which had a very pretty effect. Retired at 12 p.m. 26th. — The water stni very smooth and weather fine, with more wind ; consequently having a beautiful passage — if not summer seas, the next possible similitude. A salt-water deck- tank in a canvas saU for those who wish to have a bath. For these waters it is very cool, but balmy and pleasant, making walking on deck enjoyable. People accustomed to travel in these parts are surprised that it is not warmer. No change of clothes required, so far, nor do you require any during the whole voyage. Ran to 12 noon, Thursday, 366 miles. StUl no HONOLULU. 73 sign of any life on the waters, fish or otherwise, except a few gulls. The Pacific is a lonely ocean ; very few steamers or vessels are sighted, and there is nothing to relieve or rest the eye from the apparently boundless waste of waters. The longing for land as the days roll on intensifies, so that the distance of each day's log, recorded at noon, is looked forward to with more and more interest. zjth. — In the morning misty, afterwards cleared to a fine day, very pleasant and cool, the wind moderate, and water smooth as it has been since leaving. The steamer ran the last twenty-four hours 374 miles ; expect to arrive at Honolulu on Monday morning ; distance from San Francisco, 2,100 miles, usual time six days or less. Some of the young men enjoyed a bath in the canvas tank on deck. A quiet day ; nothing to disturb the equanimity of our lotus-like existence. Sighted nothing, not even a fish, the wild waste of waters shows no sign of any life beneath its surging depths. 2^th. — A very calm, fine day, and warm. We are now near- ing the tropic ; the temperature is getting much higher. In the morning at 11 o'clock we had a service. The purser read the prayers, Episcopal-American ; there was a good congregation. The officers and crew, waiters, etc., changed their clothes for white duck, which looked nice and cool as weU as clean. Posi- tion, Lat. 23 '49" ; Long. 15350" ; distance, 365 miles ; course 56 W. 2^th. — Honolulu. — Fine and warm. At daj^ight sighted the land. The s.s. China, bound to San Francisco, exchanged mails at 7 a.m. ; the doctor came on board and examined the ship's company at 8 a.m., when all the passengers were assembled in the saloon at breakfast. Doctor walked past them before the meal was commenced, and being satisfied with their appearance, all passed muster. At 9 a.m. ship moored at the dock and began to discharge cargo. The sixty-six passengers for Hono- lulu and neighbourhood went eishore. A delightful break in the voyage across the Pacific is the stop at Honolulu. The picturesque grouping and tropical luxuriance of vegetation covering mountain, valley and plain and the peculiar beauties of the coast make the Hawaiian Islands the delight of every 74 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. lover of beautiful scenery. The evenness of the temperature and the bracing air of the mountain region make the climate unrivalled. Including the Coral Islets, there are twenty islands, all of them of volcanic origin. The harbour of Honolulu is small, but safe at all times, being perfectly land-locked ; it is deep enough to admit the largest steamer afloat. Like many tropical ports, Honolulu is much larger than it appears as viewed from shipboard, dense shrubberies concealing from sight much of the city and many imposing public and private buildings in the main section. The Executive Building was erected at a cost of $500,000, and is adorned with handsome trees, shrubberies, and flowering plants ; the Queen's Hospital is reached by a famous avenue of palm trees. One of the first places to see is Punch Bowl Hill, the crater of an extinct volcano ; from its summit, 500 feet above the sea, a splendid bird's eye view is obtained of the islands, the city and vicinity to Waikiki, and other places of beauty and interest. The Pali Mount Tantalus and Waikiki are regarded as among the most delightful bathing places in the world. But the greatest of its wonders is said to be the volcano Kilauea, in the Island Hawaii ; its centre is a sunken pit three miles in length, which, unfortunately, we did not have sufficient time to visit ; it would require a fortnight, at least, to make the journey from Honolulu and back, which would involve waiting over for the next steamer. When the crater is in action it is said to be one of the most brilliant of the world's spectacles, and is worth a special visit if it could be seen, as a gentleman passenger of our party, a resident of Honolulu, graphically described it. The burning lake is situated in the southern part of the immense crater ; it appears cloudy during the day, but is brilliantly illuminated at night. One may approach to the very edge of the molten lake with perfect safety, and the liquid lava may be dipped out with cups. The impressive grandeur of this lake of perpetual fire can only be appreciated by those who have had the privilege of seeing it, and no such weird scene is afforded in the world as that of its rolling billows and its fountains of flame shooting up here and there like geysers. Landed with the rest ; took a tramcar and had a very beautiful Moanalua Park, Honolulu. Flower Market, Honolulu. I /-*■'";■ A 75- HONOLULU. 75 ride through the country by the sea-shore, and visited the aquarium — small but very interesting, and containing a good many species of fish, some of them peculiarly striped in several colours ; also a very large turtle, in a tank ; and an immense shark. We passed several bungalows in pretty gardens, sur- rounded with palms, flowers, and tropical plants and vegetation, along the line the cars ran ; saw extensive plantations of bananas divided by wide drains of water ; also rice-fields, and a vegetable with a large leaf, the roots of which (like potatoes), when ground up, are much used by the natives as food. The drive continued through a beautiful park, lovely trees and roses, large palms, with a background of mountains with their summits lost in the clouds. Near the aquarium there is a magnificent hotel called " Moana " close to the fringe of the ocean, with large swimming bath annexed in handsome grounds ; it is much patronized, and is beautifully situated. Some very palatial residences — one called the " Palace," for its extent and splendour, erected by a local gentleman who does a large business in the sugar trade and owns extensive planta- tions some fifteen miles distant. A tree at Honolulu, which is very plentiful in the parks and very prolific, was first planted by a Roman Catholic clergyman who in some way procured the seed, which was not indigenous to the island, but now completely overruns it ; it is called algaruba. Honolulu has several very handsome parks which extend through the town in different localities. We then went by trolly car to Manoa valley in the foot-hills of the mountains, a most picturesque spot, the mountains towering several thousand feet ; the mountain road traverses the island to the ocean on the opposite side. There are but few trees, and but little cultivation, mostly rocky and barren. We then took another car in an opposite direction and passed the residence of the Governor, which is hidden in foliage, palms, and flowers. Then back again to the sea shore, through an area of rice-fields, interspersed with tropical plants, such as pineapple, bread fruit ; also saw a large fruit, called pappias, growing on a kind of palm ; it is as large as a cocoanut and is very prolific ; and several other fruits which I did not know the name or nature of. I was altogether four ;6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. hours in the cars and must have travelled a good many miles to the different sections of the island. There is also a railway that goes for a long distance through the sugar plantations, and to Kilo, another beautiful location and much patronized in the summer, being cooler than the town. Kilo's population, 7,000, chief town of Hawaii on the ocean ; celebrated for its lovely houses embowered in spacious gardens. The town of Honolulu consists of several streets, Oriental in character, and some fine modem buildings ; banks and blocks of business houses, and large up-to-date shops, insurance offices and public buildings. The court house is a fine stone erection, with a large bronze statue of Kamehameha I., king of the islands at the dawn of the nineteenth century ; opposite to which is the State House, a fine building of pretentious size and archi- tecture, with large portal and pillars in front. The Roman Catholics have a very fine large orphanage, with a chapel attached, situated in a closed court with a fountain, and a statue of the Virgin and Child over an umbrageous well in the centre. There are many large shops kept by the Japanese and Chinese, representing all kinds of dry goods, tailoring, dress-making, millinery, etc. The numbers of people of different nationalities give the streets a foreign aspect. The native girls, of fine physique, have quite a market of flowers, which they make up in large wreaths for sale ; it is fashionable to wear these wreaths round the neck ; large quantities were bought by the passengers on board the Korea. These beautiful flowers were of many colours and species, and their perfume was exquisite. The town is well supplied by an enclosed market, where meat, poultry, eggs, and aU kinds of vegetables and fruit are sold. Education is well provided for by kindergartens and other schools. The " Alexander Young Hotel " is a structure of six storeys, with a roof-garden at the fifth floor. The roof is about half an acre in extent, and all around are placed palms, ferns, and tropical plants innumerable. The hotel is of the most modern construction, and is absolutely fireproof ; its length is 465 feet, depth of wings, 112 feet ; the front is dressed sandstone on a steel frame. It is a magnificent building, extending a whole block ; the sides and interior walls are of marble, and the floors HONOLULU. 77 mosaic. This building was erected by an Englishman (whose name is given to the hotel), and cost over a milUon ; but it proved to have been undertaken on too expensive lines — conse- quently the property is heavily mortgaged, and the interest is more than the running profits — some $25,000 or $30,000 a year. The lower part is let for shops and offices ; all the apart- ments are taken up, from which one would have thought that it would pay its running expenses. The central fire station, at Fort Beretama Street, is built of the lava rock of the island, and is well fitted with all the modem appliances. The Opera House is a well-appointed theatre, as is the Orpheum, a popular vaudeville. The electric street railway, which was established in 1901, operates from twelve to thirteen miles of track ; no better street-cars exist anywhere. There are also several well- equipped livery stables with reasonable rates : horse and trap, five dollars a day ; saddle-horse, two dollars. They have a very fine museum, which comprises a rich collection and the relics and heirlooms of the deceased kings, statuary, groups of ancient Hawaiians, etc. ; stone implements, weapons, etc., and other valuable articles. It is free to the public, but was not open on the day we arrived ; consequently did not see it. There are several handsome club houses maintained by Portuguese and Chinese benevolent associations ; and an old one called the " Pacific Club," which had its origin fifty years ago in a mess-room maintained by British residents. The Y. M. C. A., Women's Mission Board, Catholic Benevolent Union, Hawaiian Historical Society, are all well represented at Honolulu. LoceiI press with six daily newspapers. ^oth. — Honolulu to Yokohama, 3,445 miles. — Left for Yoko- hama on Monday, April 29th, at 6 p.m. Fine night. Saw an immense tract of sugar canes on the island, sugar being manufac- tured with great success. The native boys are very dexterous in swimming and diving, and never fail to dive and secure coins thrown overboard by the passengers. On leaving, they followed us for nearly a mile from the dock, and had a long swim to get back, but they are so accustomed to the water that it is second nature to them, and, like young ducks, they are always ready for a plxmge. The Roman Catholic missionaries arrived at Hono- 78 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. lulu early in the last century, and their numbers have increased of late years. They have now one hundred churches all around the islands, and number about thirty thousand members, com- posed of several nationalities. The Roman Catholic Mission has at its head a bishop, assisted by twenty-seven priests, all being under the supervision of the Propaganda in Rome. It possesses three large schools for boys and three for girls, managed by European sisters. The Episcopal Church for more than forty years has had a missionary bishopric of the Church of England. During most of that period there were ecclesiastical parishes in Honolulu, and several country places contained Episcopalians of different nationalities. In 1902 the entire organization passed under the jurisdiction of the American Episcopal Church in harmony with the changed political status of the group. Bishop Staley was the pioneer. Bishop Restarick is the first incumbent of the American juris- diction. The Methodist Episcopal Church is of late organiza- tion ; the society has steadily grown, and has a flourishing Sunday School. Evangelical, Lutheran, and other Christian churches are of later date, and have beautifully designed chapels and other institutions in connection with them. Love for Queen Victoria cherished by British-bom residents was the seed sown by the building in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee, a Home for Incurables, on a beautiful suburban site of six acres, on which a commodious group of buildings was completed in 1902. From the grounds there is an extensive view, embracing ocean, town, mountain, and valley. The Queen's Hospital is a fine building, in the midst of a beautiful park, through which is a winding driveway fringed with regal palms. It is not a free hospital, except for the indigent sick of the Hawaiian race, but it has partly been made such by philanthropic endowment of beds for the same class of other races. The Hospital originated in 1859, imder the patronage of their Majesties Kamehameha' IV. and Queen Emma, for the relief of indigent sick and disabled people of the Hawaiian king- dom, as well as of such foreigners as might desire to avaU themselves of the same. The building contains eleven wards, one hundred and eleven beds, and thirteen private rooms ; it is lit HONOLULU. 79 by electricity. There are other hospitals in the territory, in- cluding Chinese and Japanese, respectively maintained by these nationalities, at Honolulu, Hilo, and other localities of the islands. Honolulu has its annual regatta and other aquatic sports ; and the boat club is well equipped in yachts, and has a large flotilla of sailing boats and surf-riding native canoes. The surf-board, the ancient Hawaiian contrivance, is practised all the year round ; to ride to the shore from the edge of the reef upon the curling summits of an ocean-biUow is a thrilling ex- perience. The fisheries are largely carried on ; the Chinese supplanting the natives. Over eighty different species of fish are caught, by nets and otherwise. The fish-stalls of the public market in Honolulu present a very interesting sight — including turtles, squid, crabs, crawfish, sea-urchins, and other marine animals exposed for sale as food. The fishing flotilla in the Honolulu roadstead makes a picturesque night-scene, as the sampans and canoes carry flaming torches, and the illumination upon the water has a pretty effect. Travel about the islands is full of interest to the sightseer. Sandy beaches, verdant stretches and lofty mountains are everywhere so varied as to engross attention, and are- of superlative beauty. On the south side of the island of Hawaii is afforded a different series of pictures : tropical forest running well-nigh to the water's edge, the coast line unbroken by stream or river. Along the coast is Kealakekua Bay, where Captain Cook, discoverer of the group, met his death. The sportsman has a veritable paradise in these islands. In season, wild ducks, pheasants, plover, doves, etc., are abundant ; also large game, such as boars, wild cattle, and dogs, and to some extent, deer ; also many game-fish may be caught with rod and line. A sport, well worth while, too, is the killing of the man-eating shark — tiger of the sea. The growth of the sugar-cane in the islands has exceeded all previous estimates of its wealth. Extending from the city of Honolulu for seventy miles away to the west and north there is almost a continual line of cane- fields, broken here and there where the hills reach to the sea, forming dark, precipitous walls between which and the white surf is stretched along the Oahu railway-line, eighty-four miles 8o IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. in length, half way round the island. The sugar is admitted free to the United States markets, with the result that the industry has now well nigh doubled. More than a hundred millions are now invested in plantations, which employ 60,000 to 75,000 men directly, and the output now exceeds four hundred thousand tons per annum. Rice also flourishes weU in the fresh-water lowlands ; also pineapples, for the canning of which there are four factories. The banana industry is also veiy largely carried on ; rubber plantations, with upwards of one hundred thousand trees ; also coffee and tobacco. Fruits, as may be expected, are very prolific, such as oranges, limes, grape-fruit, avocado or alligator pears, mangoes, water-melons, etc., etc. The oranges can be put on the market a month earlier than those from California. Under the setting sun in the Mid-Pacific lie the islands of the Hawaiian group, which present to the traveller all the alluring features that are combined in pictures of sea and sky, plain and moun- tain ; landscapes magnificent with bright sunshine, and fragrant foliage with brilliant colourings in bush and tree, with temper- ing trade-winds and soft airs, make it a most delightful climate. At any time one can visit Hawaii ; so perfect is the temperature that the climate is always alluring. Of profound interest to the visitor is Kilauea, on the island of Hawaii, about a day's journey from the capital city of Honolulu. Here eternal fires glow and throb at the bottom of a great oval chimney a thousand feet deep vertically, with a diameter of, say, two miles. The visitor may with impunity approach to the edge of the pit Halemanman ("House of everlasting fire"). It has never been known to burst forth to endanger life. The crater of Kilauea is about seven and three-quarter miles in circumference, with an area of four and a quarter square miles. The bed of the crater is about one thousand feet below the level of the rim to the north and east. On the edge stands the " Volcano House," a modem hotel, with aU the comforts and luxuries of modem life, with sulphur-baths, where one can enjoy them with the heated steam pouring into his apartments directly from nature's own cauldron. There are several other volcanoes which are now extinct. Kealakekua ("The house of THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 8i theTsun "), is the largest known extinct crater, being at its greatest width seven and a half miles, and having a circum- ference of about twenty miles. The population of the islands is computed to be 154,000, of which 63,220 are native bom, and 90,780 foreign bom; comprising white people, Chinese, Japanese and negroes. The islands were discovered by Cap- tain Cook in 1778. The race was almost totally isolated for nearly thirteen hundred years prior to that period. They are noted for their skill in handicrafts, their topa clothes, jewellery, clocks, helmets, canoes, etc. They are a fine race, and the women are especially noted for their intelligence, physique, athletic, supple figures, and open countenances. Besides fruit and other industries, they have many large stock-ranches ; horses, mules, and other animals return fair profit to their raisers. The United States have a garrison of coast artillery, besides the estabhshment of a fortified army- post at Honolulu, a naval station on the water-front, on which they hold large reservations, upon which docks have been constructed with neat buildings for the offices of the com- mandant and staff. The surrounding grounds have been trans- formed into a beautiful sea-front park. A steamer of the navy is attached to the station, and army-transport-ships call here regularly on voyages between San Francisco and Manila. The relations between the Hawaiian Islands and the United States have always been very close, owing to the nearness of California's markets and supplies. The business and social life is dominated by men of American parentage, although there exist great mercantile houses founded by Europeans during monarchical days which have continued to do business, some of them for three-quarters of a century. The view from the opening of the harbour is very impressive. Before us is an undulating plain, while, beyond, small islands dot the bay into which the coast is scalloped by protruding points. As far as the eye can reach towards the northward, the white line of surf marks the reef. Green in varying shades predominates where the rice, the sugar- cane, the meadow grasses, with shrubs and forest trees, fill the vista ; and away in the north sparkles a sea rivalling in blue the arching vault, so that the horizon-line is but dimly traced. 6 82 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. The laying of the Commercial Pacific Cable has made the islands accessible everywhere. Wireless telegraphy connects the various islands, and the telephone is everywhere. The banking facihties are ample and of the best, and no tourist or home-seeker can feel out of the world. The islands were annexed to the United States, July 7th, 1898. Early in the last century a chief, Kame- hameha, warred upon his neighbours and successfully overcame the chiefs of the other islands, routing them in battle ; and built up the empire on modem lines. The reign of Kamehameha continued until 1874. The revolution of 1893 resulted in over- throwing the dynasty and prepared the way for a republic, dating from July 4th, 1894, which continued until annexation became effective, after which Hawaii became a territory, with the general form of government of those already existing, but with somewhat wider legislative and executive powers, by reason of the greater distance between the seat of central govern- ment and the territory. Eight of the islands are inhabited. CHAPTER IV. Voyage to Yokohama — View of Mount Fuji — Yokohama — Visit to Temple of Buddha — Jinrikisha Men — Kans^af oa — Kamakuea and Temple of Hachinam — Sacred Island of Enoshima — Flower Culture in Yokohama. May 1st. — Beautiful day, and calm weather. Saw no appearance of any fish-life. The gulls are still with us. The night continued fine. 2nd. — The weather beautiful as before, with the sea smooth — barely any motion in the ship. Saw, for the first time since leaving San Francisco, a school of dolphins playing. We are taking a northern course, which to Yokohama is one hundred miles shorter than that taken in the winter season, which, at that time, is not taken, it being both colder and rougher than the southern route. The night cloudy, but fine, with cool but balmy breeze. During the silent hours of the night we dropped Friday, May 3rd ; its shadow was incorporated with its fore- runner, and in the morning we woke up on Saturday, May 4th, and heard or saw nothing of our lost day, that, for us, was never bom — Friday, May 3rd, a.d. 1907 ! Non est inventus. This day is not to be found for us ; in our longitude it is nil. No record is made in accordance with our method of computing time ; it is as if it weie unborn. And for one day, one hour, one minute, one second, we need no crucified Saviour, we have no sins to mourn for, no omissions or commissions to answer for. " To be or not to be, that is the question." Is it better never to be bom, and commit no sin ; or to be bom, and sin, and lie at the feet of our Lord like Mary Magdalene with humble and penitent heart seeking forgiveness, and to hear Him say, " Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool ; and though they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as snow " ? Have we any doubt as to the answer ? What does our Saviour 83 6* 84 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. say ? " It would have been better for that man if he had never been bom." If so, Judas could not have betrayed our Lord. Why ? Because unconscious thoughts or actions require no mediator between God and man : there is no life to be kindled anew. The seed cannot germinate until it is sown and planted ; God alone can give it life and increase, and to that life, eternity, where time and tide shall be no more ; no sea, no sun, " for the Lord God shall be the Hght thereof ; " no latitude or longi- tude, for who can measure eternity ? There can be no space or distance from the creature to the creator. Why ? Does not the Spirit of God fill all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein ? His presence is everywhere. " The heavens are His throne ; the earth His footstool." He walketh upon the wings of the wind, in the whirlwind and in the still small voice. Therefore we must, if we possess life eternal, dwell with Him and in Him, without which there csm be no hfe in us. " Behold I have told you all things. Believe in me. If it were not so, I would have told you. In My Father's house are many mansions. Behold I go to prepare a place for you, that, where I am, ye may be also." 4th. — Fine, calm day, and pleasant breeze ; water smooth, sun bright. No fish to be seen, or any vessel in sight. Nothing has occurred to create even a flutter of excitement amongst either the passengers or crew. The purser at night sang several songs in the music-room ; he has a very good voice and received much applause. 5th. — Day fine and sun bright ; wind moderate. Steamer running at the usual rate (15^ knots), each day much on an average since leaving, the weather being fine and wind moderate. There is practically no change. At 11.45 a.m. the purser read prayers in the " social hall " ; fair congregation present. The night was cloudy and dark, with no moon, with a few showers of warm rain ; the wind balmy and pleasant. 6th. — Fine day, sun bright, and wind balmy. Met one of the passengers — a gentleman from New York, a Mr. C. S. Schultz, president of a bank, who is travelling round the world. He kindly gave me some information about Japan, from Murray's Guide Book. In the afternoon it became foggy and misty, VOYAGE TO YOKOHAMA. 85 with slight showers ; in consequence, the steamer had to keep blowing the whistle each minute. In the night the wind freshened and the fog cleared. yth. — Fine day, with a clear, brisk breeze. We had a nice time during the night. Had our third fire-drill since leaving San Francisco. The crew (Chinese) went through the routine expeditiously, first by turning on the water through the hose all around the outside of the steamer and bringing along the buckets ; then putting on the life-preservers and lowering the boats, each crew taking their places for their special boats ; then securing them again. The orders were given by the steamer's whistle. The last twenty-four hours recorded the best run since leaving, 395 miles. Fine night. &h. — Misty, with rain and strong breeze ; the sea rough, the temperature cold. Visited the engine-rooms and machinery accompanied by the engineer, descending to the six large boilers at considerable depth below the decks, which could be realized by looking up the air-shafts. All the machinery was exceedingly bright and clean, showing careful attention. There is also connected with the engine-room an apparatus for freezing. No expense in the fittings has been spared ; it is said that the steamer cost $3,000,000. During the night the sea still rough and the wind fresh. <)th. — Fine day, both sea and wind moderate, and sun bright ; temperature the same. At 12 noon saw a large school of dolphins playing and jumping out of the water. We are nearing Yokohama ; at 12 noon it was only 122 miles distant, and we expect to arrive between 7 and 8 p.m. The first sight of the shore of Japan naturally caused some excitement among our passengers. Before going to Japan, in making a tour of the world, the mind is naturally surcharged with the thought of the unseen and the unknown, when placed in juxtaposition on the borderland of the aspirations. It is beyond the ideal, and the first sight of, to him, the New World, would fill even the shallowest with a thrill of awe, and make even him a worshipper of nature. In the monotony of life on ship-board, although surrounded by all the luxuries of modem civilization, you have almost forgotten the existence of trees, 86 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. fields, houses, rivers, and mountains, for the grey-blue ocean has become merged in the grey-blue sky in one sensation of unfathomable monotony. At last the cry of " land " is heard ; a welcome sound, vibrating over the vast waste of waters ; a small white object is seen standing in the midst of the ocean. As you approach, it rises higher and swells visibly, till at last it looms up as a shapely mountain-top. It is " Fuji," the sacred mountain of Japan, whose snowy crown pierces the celestial blue at a height of almost three miles above the ocean from whence you see it ; yet at first it appears' to rise but a foot above sea-level. For hours we steer straight for that snowy land- mark, which grows large and larger as we, with our field-glasses, watch it. In the hazy atmosphere its base is invisible, so that its sun-lit, glittering, snow-clad summit seems to float in the clouds even after the peaks and ridges of surrounding mountain ranges have come dimly into view, confirming our approach to land and giving us a standard wherewith to measure the grandeur of Fuji. The first sight of land, especially after a long voyage, is always a fresh delight, a thrill which repetition does not weaken ; how much keener, therefore, must be the sensation of catching the first glimpse of a country which seems to be like the visit to another planet. Before Yokohama is reached there is a large bay, then a smaller one. At the entrance to the large bay, just half-way between the promontories, lies the island of Oshima, guarded by a volcano whose constant smoke threatens an eruption on the slightest provocation ; while to the right a lighthouse is seen, green hillsides, and curious villages. Nor was it the landscape alone that had changed ; the ocean itself was now a smooth mirror of gay oriental life. During the four or five hours which we took in steaming up the bay at slackened speed we passed several Japanese vessels, coasting steamers, innumerable fishing-boats, mostly with large, square sails, and junks of various sizes going out to fish. The nearer we got, the denser became the throng of vessels (among which we have slowly to pick our way) ; vessels of all sizes, from the huge war- ships of different nations, nearly always lying anchored there, to the local sampans which crowd around us, and which are sculled by dark-skinned people in various styles of undress, \'ie\v of Mount Fuji. ^'"^S^*- i The Bund, \'okohama. \/'ai-ini; p. S6. YOKOHAMA. 87 Some wear only a sort of blouse of blue cotton, others only a pair of trousers ; the small boys have no use for any sort of covering, and the men do not encumber themselves with any more than they can possibly do without. Some of the boats carried female members of families engaged in cooking or other domestic occupations, while the wind or oars were carrying them to the fishing grounds. Products of the farm and garden filled up some of the other junks, the occupants of which hailed us in Japanese — to us a strange language in a strange land, vibrat- ing on the perfumed air like the notes of a Samisen harp, the national musical instrument of Japan. We arrived at Yoko- hama at 8 p.m., and saw the lights from the shore along the water-front ; remaining in the stream until next morning. Two or three steam tugs came from the shore belonging to the Company and two hotels, " Grand " and " Palace." 10th. — Yokohama. — Wet day, and disagreeable. Left the steamer Korea at 8 a.m. A great change from yesterday — blowing strong breeze. After breakfast we went on shore in the steam tugboat to the " Oriental Palace Hotel," and got the luggage from the Custom House without any trouble or delay, and only superficial examination ; after recording our names, engaged rooms at eight yen per day, including board, equal to four dollars. Situate on the Bund, the handsomest street in Yokohama, on which every visitor takes his first jinrikisha ride ; it ends at the " Grand Hotel." As no houses are built on the ocean-side, it presents everywhere a fine view of the harbour, with its international mixture of English, American, German, French, and other men-of-war ; Japanese junks, sam- pans, yachts. The houses on the Bund and Main Street are all of stone, and often two or more storeys high ; whereas the dwellings of the Japanese in the native quarters are of the lightest possible material — wood, bamboo, and paper. So close to the ocean is the Bund that the waves often dash over it. Club life plays a prominent rSle in Yokohama ; the English Club is affliated with similar organizations in Japan, whose members are admitted to the privileges while visiting Yoko- hama. The German Club is thoroughly Teutonic, being partly social and partly musical. The residences of the well-to-do 88 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. foreigners are picturesquely situated on the Bluff, many of them surrounded by luxurious gardens, with glorious views of the ocean on one side and Fuji on the other. The three main parts of the foreigners' settlement, the Bluff, the Bund, and Main Street, are marked off from the Japanese division. One can spend hours in the native part without being reminded of the surrounding settlement. In the winter they have a series of concerts, theatricals, and balls, at which the fair sex is always in a grievous minority. The scarcity of women is the moral bane of these foreign communities in the East ; it leads to concubinage and greater evils. The local Yoshiwara contains the finest buildings in the city. The road to Mississippi, Bay is lined with tea-houses, where merry girls invite passers-by to a cup of tea or rice-wine. The tea-houses in Japan are an institution, a kind of wayside inn that exists everywhere (that is, where there is a road to travel and a man to walk over it) ; they consist of an open verandah under a roof or gallery, with a low table of about a foot in height, and matted floor, with cushions. Of course, the main attractions, perhaps more especially for the male sex, are the pretty little mousmees, or waitresses. It would be ultra vires for a member of the masculine gender under eighty to pass the radius of the mousmees' bright, alluring eyes without partaking of their hospitality and resting awhile. There is no charge made by the hostess ; the aesthetic little damsels will graciously prostrate their lithe bodies at your feet, and the amount of the gift that they receive from you will be the gauge of your appreciation of their charms and attractions. Went for a walk through the town, and saw a number of jinrikishas ; it is surprising how quickly they run through the streets, which are mostly narrow and the shops small, with the exception of a few large ones containing curios and superior articles, silks, etc., etc. Went to Cook's to exchange United States money for Japanese, and to the Bank of Yokohama, a very large and extensive building, handsomely fitted up, with marble side walls and mosaic paving, and handsome stained-glass roof over the banking room ; the building is of granite, with fine approach to entrance ; a large number of clerks, both in European and Japanese dress. It is the chief YOKOHAMA. 89 bank of Japan. The men and women of Japan wear wooden clogs, with a rise of side pieces of wood four inches high, which keeps the feet well off the roads, and keeps them dry and clear of the wet and mud, many of the workmen wearing a grass coat to protect them from the rain. It turned out a very wet day, with heavy rain — the first day of rain since leaving Newfound- land. The jinrikisha men, some in tights and others with bare legs and on their heads a peculiar straw hat, in shape like a large mushroom, are able to travel at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour, and keep up a constant run all the time, equal in speed to some horses ; they would tire a horse out in long distances. They are very small, but of wonderful muscular strength in their limbs, carrying heavy loads that one could hardly lift from the groimd, both in hauling and with poles on their shoulders. The boats are called sampans, sharp in the stern, and safe in a heavy sea. The canal was crowded with all kinds of boats, lighters, steam-tugs, etc. Went to the telegraph office, post office, and in the principal street called Main, where are mostly situated the public stores, etc. nth. — Fine day, with strong breeze of wind, and dusty ; a great change from yesterday. After breakfast visited the shops, antique and others, some large premises with very costly articles, and returned to lunch in a jinrikisha ; and again hired jinrikisha and ran through the streets for two hours, some of which very narrow, with small shops like bazaars in the Orient but more regular and in line, both sides of the streets, with all kinds of articles for sale of every description. Passed several large warehouses where tea in large quantities is manufactured and packed and prepared for market ; also some theatres, where the acting was in progress, which takes the whole day to get through, consequently we did not enter. Then moimted a lot of stone steps to the Temple of Buddha ; on the summit was a tea-house, which we patronized. At the entrance of the temple was the usual triangle. The temple was very small inside, and was lit with fights ; its name was " Nogayani." Outside was a hiU or embankment full of images, large and small, and stone monuments of different shapes and sizes, but not used as a cemetery. We then descended the hill to another temple be- 90 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. longing to the Shinto belief. While there a woman came to pray ; she clapped her hands, standing erect, threw some money into the temple, and retired. From thence we went to the one hundred steps in stone with an iron balustrade ; visited another tea-house, were introduced to the girls inside, and were treated by them very courteously and entertained with tea and cake. It appeared to us strange that at every temple and tea-house girls seemed to predominate, being, as it were, necessary for our spiritual welfare. On leaving this, we passed several other narrow streets with small shops, as before, on each side of the street, and of the same character. The shops and streets were crowded with all nationalities — Japanese, Chinese, Europeans, etc., and a number riding in jinrikishas, going and coming in all directions, with a few carriages, some with a pair of horses, the driver dressed in a kind of blue sack trimmed with white, and a sash of same colour. The children were not the least to be noticed in the crowd, many of them little mites of four or five years of age, with infants on their backs (tied on with sashes), and playing on the pavements. One sees so many scenes not found in pictures or described in books of travel, e.g., men carrying queer-looking packages with a long pole on their shoulders, which are picturesque and solely Japanesque. Saw but few policemen ; those we saw were nicely dressed in unifo. m, wearing a sword. There did not appear to be anything calling for their interference ; nothing in the shape of rioting or drunkenness, nor fighting or quarrelling ; the utmost good- will appeared to dominate all classes. There were no young rrlen loafing about the streets, or standing at corners ; all seemed to be employed, and although wages are very low, there are no strikes or disturbances. We were charged only fifty sen (equal to twenty-five cents of our money) for two hours ; and the charge for one day is only one yen and fifty sen (equal to seventy-five cents). In a jinrikisha one feels as if he were in a baby-carriage ; they are very comfortable and run along quickly and smoothly without any jerking, and are easier than a carriage with rubber tires. Everyone seems to use them ; they are to be met with wherever you go. The jinrikisha men are very obliging and patient ; it is quite a pleasure to hire them. The One Hundred Steps, Yokohama [Facing p. 90. KANAGAROA. 91 They are absolutely good-natured, and are so content with what you give them that one feels ashamed to offer them so low a fare. We passed through a small park with some trees and shrubs, but not many flowers. There was a band-stand, and several seats for the use of the public distributed in places under the trees, but they did not appear to be much patronized. The Japanese do not use chairs in their houses ; they prefer to squat on their haunches much in the same way as the Arabs do ; and although the upper classes of society are quickly adopting European ways and manners, both in private and public life, the working class stiU adhere to their old customs, and are as primitive as they were a thousand or more years ago. The Miyajime is in front of all the temples ; its construction is simple, consisting of two large, heavy posts with a bar across the middle, and a heavy, ornamented cross-bar on the top, gilded with figures and letters of large size, giving the name of the temple it commemorates. X2th. — Fine, bright day. Went for a two hours' drive through the town in a jinrikisha. Visited tea-room Gensha, and had some sweet cider ; removed shoes before entering. The streets were crowded with all classes of people, and appeared to be doing a great trade. AU the theatres were in ftiU swing, and crowds outside each. In one of the streets an auction was taking place, attended by a large crowd. Passed through a park which had band-stand and seats for the public ; a number of people were walking about the grounds, and children play- ing. There were a number of trees and shrubs, but very few flowers. Passed through a very narrow street, barely six feet in width, intersecting other streets, principally occupied by tea-houses and small shops. In the streets are quite a number of vendors, picturesque figures, carrying articles for sale swxmg in baskets at each end of a long pole. On and over the shops are Japanese signs in flags and large letters. The flags in front of the theatres are very large, and on prominent poles. After lunch took a carriage and went to Kanagaroa, about five miles from Yokohama, and visited a temple. The streets were a con- tinuation of small shops, containing all kinds of goods for sale ; jnany artisans were at work — bookbinders, weavers, tailors, 92 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. carpenters, basketmakers, bamboo and screen manufacturers, bakers, barbers, etc. In one barber's shop a girl was shaving a customer. There were street-vendors of all descriptions. In another shop were two men, naked, making a wooden hammer for taking off the husks from rice. The weight these people carry with a pole and two baskets, or tabs, is surprising. I lifted one basket to test the weight ; it was fully one hundred and fifty pounds, and this a small man carried apparently with- out difficulty. A funeral passed us ; in front there were several men bearing large globes and lanterns ; then a lot of jinrikishas headed by the priest in robes ; and then the corpse on a large hearse, the coffin being covered with white material. A lot of men followed, walking in pairs (there were no women present), making quite a long and imposing procession. The train passed on the way to Tokyo ; the cars are narrow and small — as also the freight-cars and the engine. There is not much difference between the first and second class, except the price ; the third- class carriages are patronized mostly by the labouring or poorer classes, and are crowded with passengers. The tramcars are also full of passengers so that it is difficult to get a seat, and many are obliged to stand. The carriages are small and heavy looking, and not open as one would expect to find them at this season of the year. Visited a few Japanese houses ; they are small, and divided only by screens, which can be removed at pleasure, leaving all the room in one. No furniture of any description, the floor covered with matting ; the walls and other parts are very fragile ; they must be very cold in winter. They are heated by earthen charcoal stoves ; the cooking is done by the same process, but they live principally on fish, eggs, rice, fruit, and vegetables, so that there is not much done in that line. The Japanese are most industrious, and no one seems to be idle ; young boys assist in working at the different trades, and the girls in looking after the shops, house, etc. Even little children of four or five years of age act as nurses in carrying on their backs little tots still smaller, and are running about the streets playing just as lively as if they were free of any burden ; and although the infants on their backs, tied by a sash, are boxinced about, you never see or hear them crying. Couiitiv road iitai" ^'<^kohLl.llla. The Great Biuldha at Kamakiie {I-acu};^- p. 93. TEMPLE OF HACHINAM. 93 but they appear to be enjoying the games and gambols of their little nurses, who appear to be perfectly indifferent to their little charges, who, in their turn, seem indifferent to the locomo- tion and jumping. It looks inexpressibly funny, and one can scarcely imagine that the bundles on their backs are not dolls instead of little mites of humanity, and that they are not taken back to their mothers broken up and smashed. 13^^. — Fine, bright day. Left at 10 a.m. for Kamakuea by railway and tramcar. Passed through a very picturesque line of road, with gardens and cottages — the roofs were thatched with straw ; and a pretty country road laid out in gardens and rice-fields. The rice-plots were covered with water, and were being prepared for planting. There was more water on the fields than usual, on account of the late season being very wet. The barley -fields were very fine, and would be ready for harvesting next month, as the ear had formed on the stalk. On first leaving, we ran by the side of the canal, which was crowded with boats of aU sizes and descriptions, and on the water front a number of small shops of all kinds. On leaving the canal the line verges to the country, which was very pretty — rolling hills and plains, and copses of wood. On arriving at Kamakuea we first visited the Temple of Hachinam, a historic shrine and also a museum of relics. We then took jinrikisha for the famous Diabatsu of great Buddha — an immense bronze figure forty-nine feet in height, the eyes of solid gold. It has been standing there for 700 years. This monument is considered to be one of the greatest of Japan's many ancient works of art. We went inside the figure and climbed by steps to the head, the brains of which consisted of a small bronze figure of burnished brass and copper. The grotmds are very prettily laid out, and the trees trimmed as pyramids, rotund, and other shapes ; the azalea shrubs were very handsome, in full flower of all shades. We then proceeded by jinrikisha to Enoshima, the sacred island, across an arm of the sea, reached by a narrow foot-bridge of some length. The island is famous for its many shrines and beautiful walks through the temple grounds, and the cave-temple to the goddess Benten Sama. In the village there are a number of quaint shops, in 94 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. which can be purchased curious sea novelties, such as shells, grasses, stone cut in various shapes, cups, balls, etc., grass sponges with beautiful stems, and various other curios found in the neighbourhood. The island is exceedingly picturesque, and is beautifully clothed with woods to the water's edge. On the beach there is surf-bathing, and a number of fishing boats and nets. The village where the fishermen reside is very picturesque, and all the implements of their industry may be seen. Then again by jinrikisha over the sandy beach to a tramcar for Fugisanva to take the train at Kanagawa for Yokohama. The line the tramcar travelled was exceedingly picturesque, running through the middle of a forest or belt of pine, fir, bamboo, and mulberry trees, which are grown in large quantities to feed the silk-worms, so necessary for the silk-trade for which the country is famous. The Oil Trust Company are doing a large business at Kanagawa, and have erected large brick warehouses, and are still building others, also large tanks to contain the oil — giving labour and employment to a large number of people, both male and female. On arriving at ,pur destination, Yoko- hama, we again took the tramcar, which was so crowded that there was hardly standing room, and visited another of the canals, of which there are a number — also full of boats, lighters and tugs, and on the front small shops in a continuous row, of which there appears to be no end, each containing its especial line of goods for sale, and also artisans at work at their trades. We witnessed an auction of vegetables in a large store ; it was very interesting and there appeared to be a lot of rivalry among the bidders. We went to a street of Chinese houses, shops, and business places ; generally their places of residence were fine, large buildings, built of brick. The barbers' shops appear to be doing a good business in shaving and trimming the pig- tail " queues " of their customers. The place was remarkably clean, and had every feature of prosperity ; in other portions of the town the shops are not so large and roomy ; and are so close together that there is no space between them. The country villages are the same. That would give the idea that the land was of high value, but in the coimtry districts and villages this would not be the case. One is surprised at the YOKOHAMA. 95 number of small shops in the precincts of the town as well as in the villages, representing so many trades. We saw in the barbers' shops girls having their hair arranged, which, with the Japanese women, is always in one fashion ; they never wear any covering on their heads, and their jet black hair looks very attractive in the way in which it is arranged. At night the streets have a very pretty effect when every shop has its lanterns lit with coloured lights ; in the main streets gas-lights are used. In the hotels electric lights are used. There are a number of guests staying at the hotels, especially at the " Grand " and " Oriental Palace " hotels, both extensive buildings situated on the Bund opposite the ocean. From their windows a fine view is obtained of the steamers anchored in the stream. At present there are several English and American ships of war. At night the hotels are very gay, the band plays in front, and Indian jugglers, dancing girls, and others, amuse the guests. There is also a show of small figures something like our Punch and Judy. From the middle of March until the end of July the hotels are pretty well crowded by tourists and travellers from the East, Australia, India, from England and America, some of them going round the world for pleasure. As many of these are ladies, the dinner hour at the hotel is very gay — the ladies and gentlemen are in full dress. At present, at the " Grand," there is a personally-conducted party from Los Angeles on a four months' tour from and back ; time, eighty-six days, for $765, including aU expenses. i/[th. — After lunch drove in jinrikisha to the European quarter in the suburbs ; some very fine houses of English archi- tecture situated in pretty grounds ; one, a very handsome Japanese house, similar in architecture to a temple, belonging to an American who does a large business. Near this is a Roman Catholic Mission church and a large school for boys and girls, some hundreds of whom we saw at play on the grounds. We then proceeded to Mississippi Bay, called so in consequence of Commodore Perry, of the United States, having visited it ; the scenery was exceedingly pretty. Skirting the shore are a number of cottages thatched with straw, and a lot of fields of barley and rice. A thunder storm coming, we were glad to take 96 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. shelter in a hotel from the rain. We visited a very extensive nursery — the Yokohama Gardeners' Association groimds, cover- ing 200 acres of land. There were large conservatories, greenhouses and stores, too numerous to mention, and the floral and nursery business is carried on in the most perfect manner. Palms, peonies, plums, cherries, evergreens, magnolias, and all classes of shrubs are in cultivation ; also 600 to 800 varieties of chrysanthemums, including about seventy new species with different shades of colour on one stem. The great show flowers of Japan are the cherry, the plum, the lotus, the wistaria, the azalea, the chrysanthemum, the common camellia, the iris, the beautiful calamus, the tree peony, the hibiscus mutabilis, peach blossom, the eulalia japonica, the camellia sasankwa, and the maple. Roughly speaking, January is marked by the plum blossom (ume) ; February, peach blossom (momo) ; March, common camellia (tsubaki) ; April, cherry blossom (sakura) ; May, azalea (tsutsuji) and tree peony (botan) ; Jime, iris (ayame) and calamus (shobu) ; July, lotus (renge) ; August, fuyo ; September, susuki ; October, chrysanthemum (kiku) ; November, sasankwa ; December, tea (cha). The common red camellia, which strews the groimd with its single scarlet blossom, is a plant (or rather, a tree — for it grows forty feet high) of ill omen ; its fallen blossoms signify decapitated heads. The best place in Tokyo to see the azalea is Mukojima on the river banks, which is also famous for its camellia, plum, and cherry blossoms. But the most beautiful sight, and best appreciated, are the acres and acres of wUd scarlet azalea, which grows in almost impenetrable thickets near the famous temples of Nikko and Nair. The chief iris and calamus beds are at Horikiri, and the maple groves at Shinagawa, the port of Tokyo. And, finally, the tea, the finest in the world, is to be found best in little low shrubs, protected with high matting screens, at Uji, near Kyoto. To see the lotus in all its glory one must go to the lake at Ueno, and the moats of the castle of Tokyo. CHAPTER V. Tokgo — Exhibition in Ueno Park — Nikko — Cascades and Temples — Mausoleum of lyeyasu — Visit to Lake Chuzenji — Temple of Teraetsu and Mausoleum of the Shoguns— Japanese Street Life —Actors and Fortune Tellers — Law Courts and Judges— 'Wrestling — Miyanoshita. May 15th. — Tokyo. — Fine day. Left hotel at 9 a.m. ; took jinrikisha and drove to the railway station. The streets were crowded with people in consequence of a religious festival ; all the shops were lined with lanterns and flags, which last night were Ut up ; it lasts for several days, but is local and confined to Yokohama. We went to the Temple on the hiU, which was crowded. The shops were also doing a good trade in selling lanterns, flags, and other ornaments. Large bamboo poles were in front, \Vith signs on bunting, and there were decorations over the houses all along the several streets. We left by rail for Tokyo. The scenery all along the line pastoral — barley, rice, and other vegetables ; gardens with cottages roofed with tiles, and others with thatched-straw roofs. The distance is only eighteen miles, which occupies half an hour. Took a jinrikisha for the " Imperial Hotel," a fine extensive building, situated in beautiful grounds, with palms, shrubs, flowers, and with good open space and carriage drive, and garden nicely and artistically laid out ; the accommodation first-class. Large and handsome dining-room, very excellent bedrooms, large and roomy, with windows open to a gaUery, furnished with flowers and seats, etc. After Itmch we took jinrikishas and drove to the Temple of Buddha, situated in Shiba Park, erected by one of the great Shoguns who were the first religious Sovereigns of Japan, and who erected several temples. The wood-carvings of the Temple, although several centuries old, are exquisite ; most beautiful 97 7 98 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. flowers, birds, reptiles, dragons, ^etc, perfect to nature, prove the genius of the people at that early period in arts still practised by their descendants. The pillars of the Temple are of wood, richly lacquered with gold ; the beams iron, inlaid with gold, as also the carving on the roof and sides, but on the outside con- siderably frayed by the action of the weather during so many centuries. The Temple is surrounded by magnificent grounds, overshadowed by century-old pines and cryptomeria trees. While there, over one hundred grown-up girls, from some school or college, entered the Temple, and on sitting down were addressed by the priest, who gave them the history of the Shoguns. We then went to the Tomb of the Shoguns, which was enclosed as a sacred place. One monument was of iron, embossed with gold and lacquered in red, another was of wood, very richly gilded ; in the courtyard are large bronze lanterns. The altar of the Temple is separated by a large screen ; the sanctum contains three double-roofed shrines of most gorgeous lacquer. Afterwards, we walked up the hill to Maruyama, where is situated the " Tokyo Hotel," overlooking the bay ; a beautiful view of the town can be had from the terrace on the top. The city of Tokyo contains 2,000,000 inhabitants ; it covers 100 square miles, contains 220,000 houses, and not less than 3,200 temples. It is well provided with steam and horse railways, electric hghts and telephones. Sumida, the great river, rims through the city, and is crossed by many fine bridges, some of recent construction. The naval buildings are very handsome, as also the Court House, very fine erections ; the City Hall, banks, post office, and especially the Government buildings of stone and brick. We then went through the park leading to the Imperial grounjds aijd Palace. The trees were magnificent, both in size and height, some of them perfectly straight and as erect as the mast of a vessel. The grounds are surrounded by a low bank, planted with trees. Originally there were nine gateways, but many more have been added ; some of the old gates are stiU preserved, though never closed. The Imperial Palace is not open to the public, and is enclosed by a high wall covered with a tiled roof ; it consists of several palaces, haUs and pavilions, connected by corridors, so that visitors may Japanese girl. [Facing p. gS. TOKYO. 99 pass from one to the other without leaving the buildings. The grounds are large and open, shut off by a moat, over which is a bridge. The roads are kept in good order, and are much used by the general public. There could be no better place for reviews or military drill, where large space is required. Tokyo no longer adheres to the purely Japanese style of architecture, which gives such a picturesque character ; the city and suburbs are now changing to the European, and the aspect arising from the mixture of past and present is not to the eye as pleasing as the old state, nor is the appearance and dress of the natives in touch with the new order of things. A figure in bare legs and naked feet with a pair of wooden clogs does not seem to fit in with the European style of dress. It appears more in keeping with the old portion of the town, its small shops and narrow streets. The head-dress of the women consists of their own natural hair, artistically arranged. No other head-dress is used than that which nature has given. A Japanese girl neatly dressed in the costume of the country is attractive, but the dress of any other country does not improve her appearance, style, or figure. j.6th. — Fine day, with bright sun. After breakfast went to the Exhibition, situated in Ueno Park, which is .the chief plea- sure ground of the city. Here are to be seen the tombs and temples of the great Shoguns. In the springtime the great Festival of the Cherry Blossom takes place. The park covers many acres, and has a number of handsome trees and small copses ; also a very pretty lake ; nice road for driving or cycling, and many pietty walks under the shade of the trees. The Exhibition buildings are very extensive, consisting of several departments, each in separate sections, containing specimens of all the Japanese industries and manufactures of the country, artistic or otherwise ; a very large collection, including works of art, paintings, drawings on velvet and wood, carving in ivory, bone, wood, etc. Some of the exhibits are beautifully executed, costing thousands of yen. On each article the price is marked, and it is open for purchase, the firms owning or making the goods being represented by clerks, chiefly girls, who record the pur- chase and give a card by which the purchaser can claim the 100 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. articles at the close of the Exhibition on paying the value checked against him. There is such an immense variety of goods that it is impossible to describe them. Especially noticeable are the silver ware and the Damascene articles, beautifully inlaid with gold and silver on iron ; also the silk and embroidery done by hand in chaste designs — birds, flowers, etc., on kimonos and dresses ; the beautiful artificial flowers so true to nature ; baskets, bamboo ornaments, porcelain, and a thousand others of equal beauty. Implements of war are well represented in cannon, guns, and small arms, etc. ; also a large collection of aU kinds of machinery, which one is more than astonished to find in this far-off Land of the Rising Sun. The entrance- fee to all the different departments was only two cents, giving all classes an opportunity to visit them. The Exhibition, in consequence, was crowded. It was very interesting to watch the movements and dress of the people ; and one matter is specially worthy of notice, that there was no policeman to be seen inside the building ; also, no crowding or pushing, or even loud talking. The utmost good order prevailed ; everyone was courteous and smiling, each making room for the other to see the most interesting parts, and leaving open spaces for others to walk about to the different sections, where they were most interested. And this, it must be remembered, is the conduct of a city of 2,000,000 inhabitants, where the low charge of entry gives almost free access to all the poorest classes. The rehgious element was also well represented in shrines, some of them very handsomely carved and lacquered in gold and brass Damascene work on iron. They are intended for private houses, where an altar is set up for family worship, and are copies of those used in the Buddha and Shinto temples, some of them very expensive, artistically carved and manufactured. In going to and coming from the Exhibition, we drove through miles of streets with small shops on both sides, containing every description of commodity. These shops and streets are legion, and as close as possible to each other. When it was first said that England is a nation of shopkeepers, Japan was but little known, otherwise the saying would never have been coined, for it is not possible that Nippon can be excelled in that TOKYO. 10 1 line. The streets in Tokyo are wider than in Yokohama, but with the exception of modem buildings and new streets, and the public and Government erections of European architecture and designs, the shops in general are of the same status. It was very interesting to watch the children in the streets ; they appear so contented and happy ; even the smaller ones strapped on the backs of others, a size or so bigger, show no sign of discomfort, but watch the play of their elders with equanimity and content. Although tossed about, they seem to have a charmed Hfe, and never come to grief. The cars, too, are full to overflowing ; half the passengers having no sitting room, and the children with their nurses are squeezed into the crowd ; not a cry is heard, some of the little ones carrying dolls or their mother's wooden clogs in their fists, with their little black heads protruding from their picturesque surroundings. The streets are wonder- fully striking with the continuous line of small shops for miles without a break, with the occupants working in the shops at their several trades ; also in front, almost in the street, watch- making, tailoring, making straw sandals, and the peculiar wooden clogs that are worn by men, women and children alike ; cooking fish, which they sell hot and smoking from the pots and frying-pans. These shops, connected with large jewellery estabhshtnents, druggists and dry goods stores, and cutlery, are a picture that can be seen nowhere in the world outside Japan. The rikisha-runners dodge the carriages and tramcars in a continuous run, which they are able to keep up all day long, with bare legs and feet over the hard ground ; and this they are well satisfied to do for one and a half yen a day (equal in our money to seventy-five cents), always in good humour and contented with their small pay, and never thinking of disputing their fare. One is surprised how they are able to support themselves and children, of which they have a goodly number; they are seen in every part and section of the town, and in every place of amusement and entertainment. However, the jinrikisha carriages are cheap, costing about one hundred yen. They have a hood which can be swung well over the front to protect the passenger either from sun or rain, and have a waterproof apron in front and one behind ; no matter 102 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. how hard it rains, one is well protected, and the water runs off as from a duck's back. The men, however, are lightly clothed, with only a thin cotton jacket and short calico breeches, either white or black, with nothing on their feet but straw sandals. Some of them have blue drawers fitting close to the legs and feet, and occasionally use a black oilcloth jacket when it rains. They continue at a constant run hour after hour, such as no horse could keep up without time to feed and rest. lyth.—Nikko.—Leit Tokyo for Nikko at 10.30 a.m. by rail, and arrived at 3 p.m. The scenery along the line is exceedingly picturesque, mostly pastoral — barley, rice, pease, and other vegetables ; with straw-roofed villages clustered in the vaUeys and under the shelter of the hills, and pretty little gardens taste- fully laid out with shrubs and flowers. As we drew nearer to Nikko the view was magnificent ; the hills, covered with foliage with the handsome cryptomeria, cedar, and other trees, with the azalea, dogwood, wild pear, and shrubs in flower, made a superb picture. Nikko has a two-fold charm — the charm of nature, supplemented by art and her temples. A Japanese proverb says : " Do not use the word magnificent, until you have seen Nikko," and the very first vista proves the truth of the saying. Its beautiful mountain cascades and waterfalls, of which there are over thirty, and its grand trees, are famous. No more charming resort can be found than Nikko, lying, as it does, 2,000 feet above the level of the sea ; the air pure and cool from the breath of the mountains, and the valleys and hills ablaze with flowers, interspersed with the beautiful dark and hght pink flowers of the azalea, which in May cover the plain in profusion. But, unfortunately, we could not remain to admire it, as it came on to rain heavily, which is very prevalent in that region, so we took jinrikisha for the " Nikko Hotel," which is situated in charming grounds, the mountain peaks rising gracefully with beautifully green foUage to pyramid tops in wonderful varieties of colour. We were prevented by the rain, which later on came with great violence, from leaving the hotel. One gets the impression that these 2,000 feet are gained on the way from the railway station to the hotel at the other end of the town ; it is almost two miles, all the way NIKKO. 103 up-hill, along a street which seems to consist chiefly of small curio and photograph stores. Nikko is said to be the rainiest spot in Japan as well as the most beautiful ; indeed, much of its charm is derived from this source, for it must take almost a small ocean to feed the tumultuous river that runs through the town and the thirty waterfalls and cascades ; nor would the picturesque mountain-slopes be so deep and green, or the lakes so brimful, were it not for these frequent rains. Water- falls, cascades, lakes, trees, ferns, mosses, mountains — these are the scenic charms which attract thousands of pilgrims every summer, even if the famous temples built centuries ago in honour of departed heroes, and considered the most beautiful and richly adorned monuments in the empire, were not here. The hotel is a mixture of Japanese and European. In the Japanese portion the rooms are partitioned by screens that can be removed at pleasure, leaving the front (glass), which opens out on a verandah, where beautiful views are to be obtained. The hotel being full of guests, we were glad to obtain rooms in the annexe, which is the Japanese portion, and has lately been added for Japanese guests, who come there from all parts of the country. They are making a still further extension, which in point of size will be larger than the original, plastered in European style, which they expect to complete during the present summer. The Japanese are first-rate workmen, neat and expeditious, and it is surprising how quickly they get through their work. Their methods of carpentry differ from the Euro- pean. For instance, in using the saw and plane they do so back- ward ; Eind when chopping wood and planing boards they use no stand, but do the fine portion of their work sitting on the ground. The village of Nikko is very interesting to visit. It is a long street of small shops facing each other on both sides, where all manner of curios can be purchased, some of them of rare quality, fetching high prices ; all kinds of carving in ivory and wood. Damascene work, pottery, some rare pieces, and consequently high prices. It is very easy to spend a large sum of money in a very short time if one were disposed to invest in the curios displayed in the shops. Some of them are very artistic in design and workmanship, as the Japanese are ex- 104 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. tremely clever in that sort of work ; as also in box-making and lacquering, but especially in fine carving. You will see very small boys at work, and it is surprising that they are so proficient at so early an age on objects, the making of which one would expect to take some time to learn. This shows that their in- telligence and industry are of a high order. i8^A.— Fine day, after the heavy rain of yesterday. After breakfast, went to the Mausoleum of lyeyasu — the splendid gate- way shrines, store-house, bell-tower, the marvellous workman- ship of which one is never tired of examining, even if it takes a whole day. The drum-tower and various other buildings are aU decorated with intricate wood-carvings of flowers, birds, animals, plants, and various other objects. Many relics and presents to the Shoguns are received and preserved here. In front of the temple was the usual Torii, which always indicates a temple, and inside the gate a very fine pagoda of five storeys, under which some notable has been buried. lyeyasu, the first Shogun of the powerful Tokugawa d5masty, founded Yeddo (Tokyo), and inaugurated the policy of isolating Japan from the rest of the world, which lasted more than two centuries. There was a large tank of holy water, a glass of which we drank, sold by a Japanese girl for a few sens or any sum you pleased to give. The pagoda is also highly decorated in harmonious colours, and round the lower part are the signs of the zodiac. From the Torii a pavement of about forty yards leads to the Mo-mon, or Gate of the Kings. We next went to the Temple of Sambutsudo, a large temple, with a gallery surrounding it, and in the nave at the back three very large gilt gods seated in lotus flowers, beautifully inlaid with gold. In the interior of the Mausoleum lyeyasu the pillars are exceedingly hand- some, said to cost 40,000 yen. The ceiling is handsomely decorated in chaste colours. In the inner chamber a richly gilded room is reserved for the Mikado and family ; those at the sides are similarly decorated for his suite and household. The carvings and paintings of figures and animals are very rich in many colours. The Mausoleum was the burial-place of the first and third Shoguns of the Tokugawa hne of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The temples are repositories of The Pagoda al Nikko. [Faring p. 104. MAUSOLEUM OF lYEYASU. I05 Japanese fine art works, are considered more superb than any other in the empire, and stand amidst the most pleasing sylvan scenery, the grounds and gardens being exceedingly picturesque with shrubs and flowering trees. We saw a fine cherry-tree full of double flowers still on the tree. There was a large number of people from the adjacent country of both sexes, forming parties, and accompanied by a guide to explain the places visited. They were distinguished by wearing a yellow flower m the hair, and it was surprising to see amongst them many aged people, especially as they had to mount over one hundred stone steps. These old people, having no hair, had, in conse- quence, no flower. On entering the temple, they all prostrated themselves before the shrine. A great local festival, for which they were preparing, is to be held on the first and second of June. The sacred palanquins containing the divine symbols are then borne in procession, when ancient costumes, masks and armour are donned by the villagers, old and young aUke taking part in the display. We were shown the sacred horse (a pony), that is used on these occasions by the priests to carry sacred vestments, etc. ; it is not used for any other purpose. A number of the pilgrims were visiting the temple, and piurchasing for a sen a small saucer of com which they gave to the horse. By the number present, and the number of saucers of com purchased, no doubt he was getting a good feed. In front of the temple on each side are two bronze images with forbidding looks to scare away any evil from entering. Connected with it was a museum of curios, of the time of the Shoguns : vestments, arms, robes, armour, and other relics of three centuries past. The Shoguns were the first reigning kings who ruled the people and built the temples. They acted in a dual capacity — as priest as well as king. It was the custom for rich men to leave large sums of money for presents and to adorn the temples ; many large bronze lamps were given, and shrines. On the grounds are two large pagodas containing books, of which it is said there are 10,000, as a library for the use of the priests cilone, no one else having access to them. The roofs of all the temple and buildings were covered with fine bronze. When the sun shines on them it has a glorious effect, bringing io6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. out all the colours on the beautiful gold and lacquered carvings of flowers, birds, and animals, the beauty of which cannot be adequately described. In front of the temple we saw a shrine in which was a woman clothed in white, wearing on her head a large and peculiar hat something in the shape of a mushroom ; she was turning herself round and bowing very low, ringing bells, her body moving to the time of the musical notes ; every- one passing the shrine threw on the mat in front a small coin. There were so many visiting the temple that a good sum must have been collected, though the sums given were small. It appears that all religions — Christian, Buddhist, Shinto, Hindoo, Mohammedan, etc. — one and all, cannot survive without the help of the almighty doUar. After lunch we went to the sacred bridge, lacquered in red and gold, which is used only by the Imperial family — except at festivals or religious services and processions from the temple with the sacred shrines and lanterns. The red bridge was built in 1638 on the spot rendered famous by an old Buddhist legend of Shodo Shinin. The sacred books in the temple library tell us that this saint, being in pursuit of four miraculous clouds of different colours which rose straight up into the sky, found his advance barred by a broad river which poured its torrent over huge rocks and appeared to be utterly impassable ; but he fell on his knees (or, probably, squatted on his heels), and prayed ; whereupon there appeared on the opposite bank a divine being of colossal size, who flung across the river two green and blue snakes, and in an instant a long bridge was seen to span the waters Mke a rainbow. When the saint had crossed it, both the god and the snake-bridge vanished, and this miracle is now commemorated in the manner described. A mile or so from the bridge is a beautiful avenue of cryptomeria trees four or five miles in length, planted more than three hundred years ago. The trees are close together, and some of them 250 to 300 feet in height, with beauti- ful foliage ; in many cases two trees of equal height growing out of the same stem. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the vista of these magnificent trees looking up the avenue or down, or the richness of their foliage. The country itself is beyond compare, with the wild azaleas in full MAUSOLEUM OF lYEYASU. 107 flower growing on the sides of the hills, and their profusion of flower gives a wonderful variety of colouring, overshadowed by the superb trees in the background, leaving a perfect blaze of colour with the hght and dark greens of other shrubs, and the white flowers of the dog-weed. We then crossed the river Diayagawa, spanned by several bridges, under which it runs in rapids, to a Japanese tea-house, situated in a beautiful garden, where we were regaled with cakes and tea served by some grace- ful Japanese girls. At the site in the grounds set apart, in which to erect a palace for the Mikado, the view is very beautiful, taking in the village of Nikko ; the " Kanaya Hotel," situated in beautiful grounds, with its garden in landscape style ; the Exhibition building, with the beautiful hills beyond, situated in ferneries and mountain passes, their peaks rising one above the other in the richest of colouring, so that pen cannot do justice to the beauty of the scene. One might gaze and gaze, and yet gaze, and still gaze, and find the eye utterly incapable of conveying to the senses half of its incomparable beauty. I have seen in Southern Cahfomia some scenes of indescribable beauty, but for foHage and variety of colouring nothing so en- trancing or fascinating as the Nikko hills and mountains. Cah- fomia is modem — Japan is an ancient country. In the garden a few single and double flowers still left on the cherry-trees had survived the storm of yesterday. We went for a stroll through the picturesque village. The houses are mostly roofed with straw, the open shops in front containing aU kinds of goods for sale : curios and carvings in ivory, bronze and wood ; all the trades are represented, and the artisans at work — carving, shoe- making (straw and wooden clogs), tailoring and a host of others. Some houses are roofed with tiles, ornamented on top. The water power, from the river, is immense ; but it is not availed of except by a few wheels pounding rice and removing husks. Noticed a number of women in trousers leading horses loaded with vegetables and other goods — in Japan they always walk in front of the horse and cart and never behind with reins — and men carrying goods in panniers on a long pole across the shoulder. The carts and omnibuses have low wheels in front, but most of the carriage- work is done by jinrikisha-men all over io8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the country. In Tokyo alone there are 10,000. It is amusing to watch the girls with the children in their charge tied to their backs ; I saw one girl with two on her back, leading another by the hand ; httle children of five and six years of age have still younger children strapped to their backs. One little tot bowed as we passed, and others, almost too small to speak, waved their little hands with the utmost good humour. The street scenes were most interesting. We saw two men and a small boy carrying up-hill a barrel of cement (on poles) that weighed 400 lbs. The loads they carry are astonish- ing — small men, some under five feet in height ; little children also carrying heavy buckets of water on a pole, the buckets suspended at the end, showing how early training can strengthen the muscles of the body to a wonderful degree of power and strength. The ability of the shoulder to bear the weight of their burdens without injury or strain to the body, is demonstrated by young children of five years of age carrying babies on their backs while they play with other children quite happily and contentedly. if^th. — Whit Sunday. — Beautiful day. Left after breakfast for Lake Chuzenji, with three jinrikishas and nine men to assist, in consequence of the extra labour in chmbing the hills and mountains. It is situated eight miles from the hotel, and is one of the principal points of interest in Nikko. The lake is situated 4,375 feet above sea level. We ascended by a winding path of picturesque beauty. The green peaks clothed with foliage, the handsome cryptomeria trees, the profusion of azaleas loaded with light and dark pink flowers, the white flowering dog- wood, wild pear, cherry and various other flowering shrubs, and also a few double cherry blossoms of a late date, and at the top of the mountains the maples just coming into leaf, gave a variety of colours of almost every shade. At places in the road crossed canons and precipices, at the foot of which the rapids flowed hundreds of feet below. The jinrikisha ran alarmingly near the precipice's edge, and as there were no rails or protection we were kept in a fever of excitement at every turn, as we roimded the curves of the moimtain passes and gulches. We followed the course of the river Daiya as far LAKE CHUZENJI. 109 as Futamiza, about three miles, where the road to Chuzenji turns off to the right, still going by the river side — the scenery wild and picturesque. A winding path leads up to a narrow ridge, where is a resting-place or tea-house, where we were attended by a Japanese girl with tea and cake. On the oppo- site side is seen a pretty view of two cascades, Hannage and Hodo. From this point the ascent to the top is steep and arduous. At the distance of a mile farther, at the charmingly situated tea-house, Nakanochaya, there is a local curiosity, " Jishakrisiki," a magnet-stone, which we tested with a com- pass, the needle of which was rendered useless by the magnetic attraction. We we e here again served with tea and cake, with a profusion of bows. On the summit a path to the left leads to a plateau commanding a fine view of the waterfall Kegon No-taki, of 350 feet in height. We descended to nearly the bottom of the fall by steps wild and rugged, but protected by a small wooden rail, until we could obtain a full view of the falls. Although it was a difficult descent, and in some places dangerous, we were well rewarded. At that point the falls could be seen shooting down from the mountains in a long continuous chain or line, tumbling into the pool below. It was a wonderfully beautiful sight, the cascade falling from the summit to the main pool at its foot, without a break, in one graceful stream. The view at the foot of the fall as the eye rests on the heights above is superb and inspiring, as the water comes thundering down into the pool at our feet, tossing the wreathing spray into a cloud of mist, as it rushes beyond us to the swift-flowing river, to be carried away by the rapids imder the bridges, to the placid stream far away. We still have to wind the mountain passes another mile or so before reaching the lake — the view, if possible, increasing in grandeur as we pro- ceed. We had to walk a good deal of the distance ; it was not possible, even with three men, to ride up the steep ridges. At last, pretty well used-up, as well as shaken, we arrived at the summit over the lake, and by a decline of about a quarter of a mile reached the lake, where it opens up before us sur- roimded by the hills, mountains, and high bluffs which rise in pinnacles and peaks thousands of feet more above the lake ; no IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and still further beyond we see higher mountain ranges with snowy summits, whose glittering tops dazzle us as the sun's rays rest on their virgin sides of white, amid the varied foliage of rainbow tints of colouring — green, pink, and white, with the blossoms of the azaleas, dogwood, wistaria, and other flowering shrubs. The " Lake Hotel " where we had lunch, is pleasantly situated at the foot of the lake, and is much fre- quented by tourists ; it has large dining and other rooms, billiard-tables, etc., and provides all requirements necessary for fishing in the lake, which is well stocked with salmon trout, perch, and various kinds of fish, a good deal of which is caught and sold in the markets. In returning, as we descended the steep mountain passes, two men behind with ropes prevented the jinrikisha (in the winding road and curves) from shooting over the precipices into the depths be^ow, and as we turned the comers we closed our eyes in fear and trembling, wondering how much of our bodies would survive to reach the bottom. However, we thankfully escaped being pulverized, and got back to the hotel in about half the time it took us to ascend, arriving safe and sound at 4.30, after a most delightful, but thrilling trip. After a rest we took a walk through the village, and then to the " Hotel Kanaya " and to the Imperial garden and grounds, beautifully situated amid flowering shrubs and magnificent cryptomeria, with a background of green hills and mountains so rich in foliage. A series of winding steps leads to the summit, the view from which can hardly be excelled in beauty of prospect. Many pagodas and summer-houses have been erected. On the summit is a stone Torii and small shrine, with large stone lanterns. The hotel has a handsome vestibule with large hall and separate budding for dining-room, large reception-room, billiard-rooms, bar, smoking-rooms, etc., and is handsomely furnished, upholstered with velvet, and has al: the modem improvements — electric light and excellent accommodation. 20th. — Beautiful day. After breakfast went to the Temple of Temetsu, and Mausoleum of one of the Shoguns. At the entrance by the gate were two figures in red and green colours, with fierce expression, to frighten away evil from entering. We TEMPLE OF TEMETSU. in found nine priests serving at the temple, assisted by four stu- dents in white, and led by the high priest in vestments. Behind them were four musicians with helmets. The priests were chant- ing some kind of litany as they walked around the shrine, bowing low at each turn as they passed around ; they held in their hands silver dishes, on which were placed pieces of paper and a book of prayers. The high priest then entered the shrine, and sat in front, lighting the incense ; then rang a small bell, whereupon they prostrated themselves to the ground and sang a low, musical measure, the high priest commencing with notes sound- ing like an organ, the others following and taking up the notes, which they continued for some time ; then the musicians com- menced to play with a bugle, a flageolet, a quaint instru- ment like bagpipes, and a drum. They threw on the floor pieces of paper (to represent money) from the plates they held, which were picked up by one of the assistants in white after they retired. At the nave of the building at the back of the temple is another shrine, highly ornamental in rich colouring, which is kept sacred and entered only by the high priest ; at the far end is a screen, behind which the high priest retires. We next visited the mausoleum, surrounded by a stone fence, a bronze urn, and in front two pelicans representing one thousand years of life, and two tortoises representing five thousand years of life. Many women were employed in the temple grounds working and weeding. It was astonishing how quickly they turned over the stones, removing every one forward in a line, going over much ground in a short space of time. We then went to a large round building, containing a panorama of the battle of Japan three hundred years ago. It was a splendidly realistic tableau, the country being very naturally represented, partly in facsimile or outline, and partly in painting, with modelled figures taking part in the battle. The hills and mountains were exceedingly good ; so much so, that one would think he was looking at real life and scenery. The lower portion of the building contained pictures of the Shogim Temetsu, representing the principal events in the history of his life ; others represented the battle of Japan, and the landing of Commodore Perry from his war-steamer. We met several travelling in sedan chairs, 112 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. carried by two men on a long pole on the shoulder ; in the hand they carry a stick to assist them. On our journey to the lake we met a good many of these old-style chairs, some borne by four men, two at each end. They are mostly used over rough roads where jinrikishas cannot travel. Other temples at Nikko appertain to the Shinto religion ; these are very plain, without any carving, gilding, or adorning, and are, consequently, not much visited. All Buddhist temples, on the contrary, are handsomely decorated with gildings, carvings of birds, flowers and other designs of the past centuries. They were nearly all built by the Shoguns, and are exquisitely and artistically lacquered with gold in varied forms and colours ; forming, on the whole, a magnificent spectacle as a memento of the genius of the de- signers of past centuries, each one vying with the other in the grandeur and beauty of its gilding and carving, and in the size and dimensions of the temple buildings. Trees long ago planted near the sites have now produced the magnificent cryptomeria, and others which in rows, or clusters, or avenues, give such a grand effect to the temple grounds. From time to time as occasion requires, they are added to or replaced by others. Many of the fine trees still remaining are said to be three hundred years old ; and beside each tree are young trees ready to take the place of those so old as to demand removal. Thus the beautiful prospect will be preserved to coming generations. In the olden days the sites of these temples were occupied by forts. Living amid such surroundings the people of Japan have developed art instincts admirable as they are original, and have accordingly supplemented the graces of nature with other creations which rank with the greatest decorative master- pieces of aU time. Without that acquaintance which can be had only by a personal visit to the localities themselves, it is impossible to fully realize the combination of scenic loveliness and artistic genius. Those who have once visited Japan can never tire in recalling her charms and the pleasant remem- brances of the courtesy and kindness of her people, whom, in spite of their being a yeUow race, of religion not Christian, one cannot do otherwise than like, admire and respect. Mis- sionaries are apt to be surprised when they find that a non- JAPANESE CHARACTERISTICS. 113 Christian country has developed such a noble type of modern civilization, which puts many of our so-called Christian com- mimities to shame. Why is it that Japan is singled out to be praised and wondered at by us Christians ? Is it because she successfully operates a constitutional government, a system which it is said to be impossible for orientals to adopt ? Is it because she has an excellent navy and a powerful army, the efficiency of which became fuUy recognized by the astonished world during the recent conflict with Russia ? Or because of her people's unique patriotism ? Or because in commerce and industry Japan can compete with any first-class nation in the world ? I think it is because she embodies all these attributes, and because of the wonderful adaptability of her people in bringing to her shores the arts and sciences of all other nations, and the prompt and infallible genius of her people to improve thereupon, with an industry which overcomes aU obstacles. Love of cotmtry, which they call " Bushido," and an innate determination for the public improvement and welfare, is the supremest type of patriotism. After lunch we again visited the shops to make a few purchases. We met a procession of 250 school children, who had come from the neighbouring country to visit the temples and Exhibition. The party comprised a fine sample of intelligent-looking girls, all dressed alike in red skirts ; they were coming out of the Exhibition as we went into the building. It is a large stone building, and was erected three years ago. In the interior are several rooms containing articles of art — carved ivory, cabinets, bronzes, and other articles, comprising all kinds of porcelain, flowers, pic- tures, paintings done on silk, water-colours, shrines and figures — some of them costing from one thousand to fifteen htmdred yen. They are samples from the principal shops of Tokyo and other towns ; five per cent, is charged for storage, and any article can be purchased for the value marked on the goods, which are sold at the lowest possible price. Most of the articles are fine art curios. The Japanese are exceedingly fond of flowers and decorations ; outside every house in the villages, no matter how poor or small, flowers are hung in a receptacle containing water ; you will not find any house without them. 8 114 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. The Japanese are a most intelligent and industrious people, which is shown by the fact that children of eight or nine years of age tend the shops during the absence of their parents ; and boys of from ten upwards assist in all the trades — carving, carpentry, shoe-making, and others — with great proficiency. That they are a quiet, peaceable people goes without saying. You never see (at least we have not) any squabbling, wrangling, or fighting ; and the jinrikisha-men never dispute over their fares, nor is there any jealousy if one man is taken in preference to another. When they brought us from Miyanoshita to the hotel, a distance of four miles, it was through pouring rain, yet they asked only forty-five sen each, equal to twenty-two and a half cents of our money. In consequence of the rain we doubled the fare, but even then it was altogether too low. The children are always happy and contented ; perhaps it is because they are usually carried on the backs of their mothers or rela- tions, which results in their spending the greater part of the day out of doors, they are consequently very healthy and strong. The street scenes are so novel and interesting, and one is so constantly seeing variety not seen elsewhere, the houses being all open when the screens are removed, that the whole domestic life of the Japanese affords an ever-changing picture. One is charmed in watching their occupations and the mode of every- day life, and the kind and courteous relations with each other, which no doubt is engendered by the free intercourse of family life. Every hour of the day, if not oftener, a bell, sounded from a tower in the temple-grotmds, gives the correct time to the village. Their theology accepts Buddha as the Mediator between God and man, and they pray to him as such. The Shinto faith especially teaches the worship of ancestors. The Imperial family belong to the Shinto belief, which is supported by the Government. The priests of Buddha rely on the people for support, but that reUgion is recognized by the State, and some support to its temples is given from the general funds. In consequence of their profuse adornment, carving, gilding, etc., the Buddhist temples are more costly in their up-keep. The Shinto temples are very plain, without any carving or adornment, and are, therefore, less expensive to keep. TOKYO. li'S and have no interest to tourists. Near the park is a small English church, for the use of the English and American residents. 2ist. — Tokyo. — Beautiful bright day. Left Nikko at 9 a.m. by rail for Tokyo. The country traversed was very picturesque and pastoral — small forests of trees here and there at the foot of the mountains ; the foliage, azaleas, and other flowering shrubs adding to its beauty ; the plains set out in barley, rice and other vegetables. The yellow barley adds its own colour to the landscape, and will soon be ready for harvest. We arrived at Tokyo at 2 p.m., and took jinrikishas for the " Imperial Hotel," and for the Park and Buddha Temple — very large, but not so much ornamented as that at Nikko. The street, if it may be so termed, approaching to the temple, has more the appearance of a bazaar than any of the others. The shops are fuU of goods of all descriptions, but especially fancy articles, and are ornamented with flags and lanterns on long bamboo poles. Over the shops a gaUery extends, which connects aU the shops and buildings. There were a good many worshippers at the temple. Their prayers are short and soon over ; they bow the body, then assume a squatting posture and clap their hands, and throw coin into a receptacle placed there for that purpose. The grounds were crowded with men, women and children. Just outside the temple was a fortune-teUer, who, by the number of applicants who desired a look into the future, appeared to be doing a good business. A side street leading from the park was still more crowded, the attraction of which was all kinds of places of amusement — merry-go-rounds with grotesque figures and cars, aquaria, wild-beast shows, theatres, panoramas and others — to please aU tastes, with bands of music, tea-houses (whether aesthetic or not I cannot say, as I did not visit them). However, they all seemed to be weU patronized. The actors commenced the first part of the performance in view from the street, leaving the screens open, so as to allow passers by to see what was going on inside. When they considered themselves sufficiently advertised they dropped the screens, so that the performance could not be seen. By going from one place to another, a little of everything could be seen without 8* ti6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. payment. We then drove for five miles or more through the long streets, almost aU the shops being alike in size and appear- ance. Many tramcars were running in different directions, four or five close to each other in the main street, where the larger shops of stone and of European build are situated. The cars were all crowded with passengers, many standing up. We returned by way of the river, on which were many large boats and lighters. The passenger-steamers were also full of pas- sengers. They are of peculiar construction, and have on deck small houses in sections, one after the other, in compartments like a railway carriage. Near one of the stone bridges were many flags strung on long bamboo poles, and a large tent, where famous wrestlers contested. A dense crowd surrounded the tent. This tournament takes place every year and lasts about a fortnight. The competitors come from all parts of the country. The street scenes were interesting, and of the same character as the other towns. Although Tokyo is a large city of 2,000,000, it does not appear to be more cosmopolitan than the smaller towns. Men, women and children clatter with their wooden clogs, dressed more or less alike ; children run about in all directions, and it is a miracle that the tram- cars do not nm over them. Street peddlers stand with their barrows, and aU kinds of tradesmen work in the open shops ; others boil vegetables, cook fish, etc., which they sell steaming hot from the pot or ovens. This is almost identical to what can be seen in the villages. Some of the streets at Tokyo are broad, with wide side-walks ; yet on both sides is a continuous line of small shops very much out of place in these handsome, well-lighted streets. To the traveller coming from European cities, these small shops are a never-ending novelty ; so purely Japanese that one would think they had been here for centuries without change. As at Cairo, and other places in the Orient, the retention of these old customs, represented by living figures as in a moving panorama, affords a charm of which one never tires. The bare legs, straw shoes, white or blue jackets and peculiar mushroom hats of the hundreds of jinrikisha-men cross- ing and running in aU directions, is equally novel. The carriages are very comfortable, and one feels that one is a big baby, and LAW COURTS. 117 that the Uttle man with the bare legs is taking one out for an airing. 22nd. — Fine cool day. After breakfast went to the Law Courts, a fine stone building of considerable length, with long corridors, and benches for the use of the public. First visited the Magistrate's or District Court — three judges 'on the bench ; next to the end judge, sat the recorder, or scribe, taking notes of the proceedings. The judges wore black caps and black gowns, embroidered over the neck and breast with red braid. The lawyers were dressed Hke the judges, the only difference being white narrow braid instead of red. A janitor, or usher, in uniform, sat at the foot of the bench. A civil case was being tried, and the lawyer conducting the case was reading from his brief. We then visited the Crim nal Court, which is of the same size as the other. It is fitted with only two small desks for the bar, and the other barristers sat on benches without desk or table. On the bench sat four judges, with the recorder at one end, and the Crown Prosecutor on the other. There were three prisoners in the dock, guarded by three policemen armed with swords. They were accused by the Crown Prosecutor, who from his place was addressing the court, charging them with illegally taking away money belonging to the proprietors of some theatre. After speaking for some time, he resumed his seat, and one of the lawyers from his place in front of the bench, took up the defence, addressing the court in what seemed to be forcible language, with much zeal, on behalf of his cUents. The third court was in another storey, reached by marble steps, with a corridor of proportions similar to the two other court-rooms. On the bench sat five judges, the recorder at one end, and a vacant seat at the other end. By the number of judges I guessed it might have been a Court of Appeal. A civil matter was before the court. The plaintiff, not being represented by an attorney, was stating his case before the bench. It appeared to be about the ownership of land and a house which, it was stated, was not legally paid for by the party claiming possession. The Chief Justice was listen- ing, and now and then would ask a question from the party before the court, who, by his appearance and dress, appeared ii8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. to be a man in good position. This court was a facsimile of the other two. In the other two courts there was a small audience present, but the space was very limited. There was no witness- box in either of the court-rooms, nor any place for juries — which are not impanelled in any courts outside of England, the Colonies and the United States of America. There were no police present in this court ; an usher or baihff, in uniform, sat inside the bar at the foot of the bench. In one of the corri- dors we met two men in charge of the police ; they had a straw covering over the head and face so that no one should know them, and a rope round their waists held by a policeman in charge ; their hands were free. After lunch we went to see the wrestlers. A large display of flags flying outside the build- ing ; itself very rough and enclosed with canvas. In the middle was a round stage like a band stand, but smaller, encircled by a ring, constituting the boundary : a contestant thrown over this Une would be defeated. The master of ceremonies was dressed in gay colours ; he stood in the middle of the ring with a fan in his hand, and called the wrestlers and conducted the performance. Their champion appeared ; he was perfectly naked but for a loin-cloth ; he came forward and bowed, ex- tended his arms and stamped his feet to show his muscles. He was a big, fat, burly-looking man, with legs and arms of abnormal size ; his enormous stomach was hke that of a stalk-fed pig fattened for Christmas ; he appeared too fat to move about, much less wrestle. He stretched his arms and legs and then retired amid thundering applause from the audience, of whom there were about five thousand present. Several others of the same calibre followed suit, performed the same antics, and retired with applause. Then two were called to wrestle ; they both came on the platform, stamping their feet and stretched out their legs, and half stooping, with legs extended, looked at each other for a few minutes hke two tom-cats, then left the plat- form for salt and water (which is an old custom, followed for generations), and faced each other again in the same graceful attitude, the master of ceremonies dancing round them with his fan and uttering guttural sounds. Still, for some reason or other, they were not allowed to begin ; perhaps they were JAPANESE WRESTLING. 119 not in proper position, and certainly they could not possibly be in a more vulgar one ; again they left the platform for more salt and water — the salt being to protect them from evil — the stage-conductor still dancing about on the stage ; at last, utter- ing a cry, they commenced, and in a few seconds one threw the other out of the ring or capsized him back up, and fell on top of him, which ended the contest. This was repeated by several different competitors, who extended their legs and arms, and again went through the same tedious process ; each time the whole affair was extremely vulgar and unattractive, and we were glad to leave, not waiting for the champion, who was scheduled to wrestle after three or four more had been called. We could see no possible amusement in watching these tedious movements, and cannot think what pleasure people can find in visiting such places of low entertainment, for which we paid one dollar entrance fee. These competitions begin early in the morning and last all day. The air was poisoned by tobacco smoke of the worst description by both sexes, who sat very contentedly fanning themselves vigorously. I have not the slightest wish to again witness a Japanese wrestling match. There were a few ladies present, but I would strongly advise my lady friends to be conspicuous by their absence. There was a committee present who also kept us waiting while they settled some matter of etiquette. I have no wish to waste time over another such scene inside or outside of Japan. 23rrf. — ^The morning dark and cloudy, with prospect of rain. We left the hotel at 8 a.m. for Yokohama, where we stayed an hour on our journey to Miyanoshita, and then left by train for Kogo station, and thence by electric tram to Yumoto (one and a half hour's ride), thence by jinrikisha (with two extra men in consequence of the rough and hilly road for four miles) up the valley of the Haya Hawa to Miyanoshita. This usually takes an hour by jinrikisha to the " Fujiya Hotel." The journey from Tokyo, not including stoppages, occupies about four hours. To return to Yokohama : after residing in the capital a week or so, we seem to have almost annihilated the ocean and to have dropped again into one of our own cities, as so many Europeans 120 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and tourists are congregated here ; and because Yokohama was our first port in Japan, we now hail the Main Street or the Bund as the old friends who first stretched out the hand of friend- ship and welcomed us to these shores. We now came, as it were, to bid them farewell, for our course lay far beyond the range of its hiUs, mountains, bays and harbours. One might live some time in Yokohama without seeing much of Japanese life. The streets of the foreign settlement are absolutely un- Japanese, except as regards the display of tempting curios and works of art in the large windows — some of the shops being English and European. You will see stone side-walks, stone buildings, two storeys or more in height, drug-stores, groceries, haber- dasheries, book-stores with the latest English, French, and German magazines and novels, and so on. Of course you can change the scene by visiting the native quarters, where you can immediately come in touch with the life, characteristics, dress, habits, and everyday modes of living of the people. The three main parts of the foreign settlement are the Bluff, the Bund and Main Street. These are as sharply marked off from the Japanese division of Yokohama as one country or nationality is from another ; but the European current is secretly, surely and visibly altering the colour of the brown, Asiatic stream — for the Japanese are wonderful imitators and assimilators. Centuries ago they borrowed their customs (or partly so) from the Chinese ; and they have, during the past fifty years, acquired a large assortment of western ideas — science, engineering and the art of war, especially of naval improvements and gunnery. Since the Japanese-Russian episode Japan ranks high among the nations of the world. It is not a hard problem to solve as to what their standing in arts and science may be in a few more decades. In the past they sowed the seeds which have taken a long time to germinate, but the stalks have now become strong and hardy, and will, ere long, bring forth the bud, and later the flower, in perennial bloom and beauty. On the line of railway, the view of the country was superb, the road skirting the mountains and running through the valleys was most picturesque ; the latter, golden with barley, and the hills magnificent with foliage of every shade and hue — the wistaria MIYANOSHITA. 121 and other shrubs in full bloom, the sweet perfume of which scented the air with fragrance. It is not possible for one to describe the beauty of the country over which we travelled, passing pretty villages with thatched roofs nestling at the foot- hills of the mountains with waterfalls, rapids, cascades, from the hills to the river, as it winds its way to the ocean, which opens up before us with its roUing billows surging on the beach, while the mountains in the background tower to the sky, superbly clothed with fohage, and here and there copses of dark green pine and cypress trees. Hakone is the general name given to this region, which contains a considerable area of beautiful mountain, valley and lake scenery, with numerous hot springs. Miyanoshita : " Fujiya Hotel " is 1,200 feet above sea level, one of the most famous resorts in the Hakone region ; has delicious natural hot baths, and is conveniently situated for visiting the neighbouring places. The last hour of our journey it rained in torrents, but we were well protected with wraps, and the hood of the jinrikisha over our heads, so that we did not get wet ; but the men must have been nearly drowned, and they had no covering but a white calico jacket. This part of the road was very steep and rough, but with the assistance of two men behind, we made the journey of four miles in less than an hour. For this journey they only charged forty-five sen {i.e., twenty-two and a half cents of our money). In consequence of the rain we doubled the fare, even then too low. Contrast that with our city cabbies, who would not drive this route for less than six dollars. These men did not suggest any in- crease, and were surprised when we gave it to them, and bowed themselves to the ground for what they considered our muni- ficence. The hotel is a splendid building, lately erected, with accommodation for 250 guests, occupying a large tract of land, with the side-extensions of two towers. The entrance is into a fine vestibule, connected by a long corri- dor ; it has a large dining-room, reception, biUiard, smoking, and bar rooms ; in the second storey large corridors with hand- some glass windows extend the fuU length of the hotel, with, in the centre, an octagon room for five o'clock tea. The bed- rooms, large and handsome, open out to large and roomy veran- 122 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. dahs, both in front and rear, the view from which is grand and striking. Two cascades are seen close to the hotel ; and in the gardens are large fountains, and a number of pretty Japanese pagodas, summer-houses, and other pleasure buildings. The proprietor is a Japanese. Until Jtme the place is crowded with tourists ; after that date by Japanese visitors as a summer resort. CHAPTER VI. Hakone— Miyanoshita — Shiznoka — Beautiful Scenery — Nagoya — The Castle of Nagoya —Porcelain Manufactory — Kyoto — Visit to the Imperial Palace — The Castle of Kyoto. May 24th. — This is Empire Day at Home. — Hakone. — ^Fine bright day. After breakfast took horses for the lake and Hakone, seven miles up-hill from the hotel to a height of 1,000 feet. The first object of interest passed is the small monument dedicated to the Saga brethren and to Tora Gozen, a frail beauty who was the mistress of the elder of the two brothers. A few yards further, on the left side, half hidden by the grass and bushes, is a block of andesite rock, covered with Buddhist images carved in relief. But the chief curiosity on the road is the colossal image of Jizo, carved in relief on a block of andesite, and ranking among the triumphs of the Japanese chisel. Thence to Hakone along the foot of Fujiyama, where in old days stood a guard-house for the examination of travellers crossing the pass. Hakone is a pretty village, situated at the head of a charming lake, with a summer palace of the Emperor at one end, and the glorious summit of Fujiyama at the other, towering over the Hakone mountains. We had a splendid view of Fujiyama the Sublime from the hotel where we had our lunch ; the clouds had partly hidden one side, but before we left they had disappeared, giving us a clear view. It was a magnificent sight, the bright sun shining on the snow-clad peak, which towered with supreme majesty over the Hakone Moim- tains. We then rode to the village through a beautiful avenue of cryptomeria extending for half a mile ; the lovely foliage made an umbrageous shade from the sun. The village is the same type as the others seen, except that there were fewer small shops. It had another fine Japanese hotel, with biUiard-room. I noticed a post office and laundry, and each side the streets, 123 124 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. lighted by kerosene lamps, were lined with trees lately planted. The lake was very picturesque, surrounded on all sides by the hills, and by Fuji reflected in its waters. A good many boats were employed taking passengers to the other side. We re- turned to the hotel at Miyanoshita at 4 p.m., and went for a walk round the village and through some fine woods, with the river running at our feet in rapids and cascades. The hotel makes use of it for generating electricity ; also the hot water from the springs. We passed a buUding set apart for sulphur- baths, which are used in this neighbourhood, and in many other parts of Japan. The hotel has quite a range of houses fitted up as baths in the upper storey, with sleeping apartments on the second storey. Another handsome building is occupied by the proprietor ; also a billiard-room, separate, for the use of the guests ; and Japanese dwelling-houses for the use of the ser- vants, making, in all, quite a range of pretty houses with verandahs and carvings of birds and animals artistically done by the local workmen belonging to the village, in which branch of art they excel. On the road to Hakone there are several tea-houses, which travellers visit ; the waiting-girls are very captivating and courteous in their attention to the many travellers and guests who patronize the houses. The sedan- chair is much used, and we saw large numbers on the road carried by four men each with a stick in his hand, to steady him- self and for assistance in mounting hills. For light roads two men suffice. All the hotels and Japanese houses keep gold-fish, and about Hakone there are very many to be seen in fountains and in large stone basins ; some of the shops keep them for sale. The Hakone district is very picturesque, and is much frequented by tourists — European and American ; but the scenery does not appeal to me ; in some places the hills are green and well wooded, but others are bare to the summits without any foliage. The sulphur has a deleterious effect on vegetation, and prevents any liixuriance, or, in fact, any growth ; but this district is wild and impressive, especially to visitors from climes not in touch with that kind of scenery. Newfoundlanders have plenty of it on the west coast — the Bay of Islands, Bay St. George, and Bonne Bay, perhaps more picturesque in waterfalls, gorges, MIYANOSHITA. 125 gulches, and serrated pinnacles, which have a very pretty effect, in contrast to the wooded sides of the hills (bright with flowers and beautiful varied foHage, and on that account much admired) immediately opposite. The antithesis is very remark- able. Some parts have beautiful shrubs and trees ; others are bare and rugged to their very summits, without a tree or shrub to be seen, and, as may be imagined, the very contrast adds to the charm of the picture. The village of Hakone is 1,000 feet higher than the " Fujiya Hotel," and is much frequented during the summer months by visitors from all parts of Japan. The whole region of Miyanoshita is moun- tainous ; consequently the air is cool and pure ; while the river and water scenery, falls and cascades, sulphur and hot-water baths commend it to invalids, as well as to the lover of moun- tain scenery. At the hotel where we are staying (" Fujiya ") nothing could be more beautiful and grand in the way of mountain scenery, with the river and two waterfalls, which tourists would travel miles to see ; lovely walks through bowers of flowers and landscape gardens ; mountain passes, gulches and precipices : the most fastidious lover of scenery can please himself. The cuisine is remarkably good, also the attend- ance by twenty Japanese girls, or more if occasion requires, and they make first-class waitresses. 25th. — Miyanoshita. — Dark day, and cool. In the morning went to the shops to see and purchase some curios, and after- wards for a walk and to visit a waterfall, of which there are several in the neighbourhood ; then through woods with pretty prospects and charming gardens ; also to a Japanese hotel, " Naraga," situated in a valley at the foot-hiUs of the moun- tains, in beautiful grounds with a lovely garden and a magnifi- cent display of roses, wistaria, and other flowering shrubs, an open lawn, and in the centre a pond with carp and gold-fish. This building was in Japanese style, with verandah, the rooms divided by screens, which can be removed at pleasure ; a large dining-room, matting on the floors, no tables or chairs, but a cushion on which guests sit in a circle. I tried the plan, but had to get a fair Japanese girl to assist me in rising, which she courteously did with much amusement. To sit on one's 126 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. heels requires a lithe figure and muscles in your lower members, both of which I found lacking. The rates for Japanese are very much cheaper than Europeans, as their food costs much less, except meat : mutton and beef are a half-yen a pound {i.e., twenty- five cents). There are very few cattle in the country, in con- sequence of a disease among them (the rinderpest) and the scarcity of pasturage or grass. Consequently milk is scarce, they pay one and a half to two yen a gallon (equal to thirty-seven cents of our money). We are paying at the " Fujiya " eight yen {i.e., $4), and the house is fuU of guests ; but you could not get such large rooms and excellent attendance in a European hotel for twice that sum. The baths are all free to guests. We passed a barber's shop in the village, where a young girl — a good-looking one, too — was being shaved all over the face. On our return, we inquired from the proprietor's daughter, a very fascinating, refined Japanese girl, who has travelled abroad and speaks English, French and other languages fluently ; however, I can vouch only for the English, which she speaks in a musical tone of voice, perfect in enunciation. She told us it was the custom of the mothers to shave their daughter's face, when yoimg, and that some were obliged, on that account, to keep up the custom. She had been shaved to the age of twelve, but had discontinued the practice ever since. She was very fair for a Japanese, had a pretty face and soft complexion. She said the girls kept it secret, and was surprised to hear that we had seen one, especially in a barber's shop, undergoing the operation. The girl being shaved laughed so much when she saw us watching her, that the barber had to stop operating until she had again composed her face. We bowed and apologized for our breach of etiquette, but cannot say whether we were understood or our apology accepted ; but our bows were re- turned fourfold. In the afternoon it came on to rain, so that we were debarred from taking further notes, or visiting other scenes, all of which are to us so strange and interesting. One sees so many phases of life differing from those of any other place, that we have visited, that one cannot realize his sur- roundings, and is so charmed with the variety, that in walking about one 'hardly feels the weight and burden of years. The MIYANOSHITA. 127 evening an^ night were very cool, necessitating fires, which were in the hall, and in the sitting-room we had three fires, as the room was extensive with folding doors. Our altitude above sea level accounts for the low thermometer in the moun- tain regions after sunset. In the morning the thermo- meter registered 60° Fahrenheit, which fell considerably during the night, when rain set in, followed by thunder and heavier rain. Several guests arrived during the day, so that the hotel accommodation was filled. Before arriving we had secured rooms by writing, otherwise there would have been no room ; and we found that we had to follow this rule in all the places that we visited, this being the chief season for tourists. My experience proves that May is the best time to visit Japan ; it is true we were too late for the cherry blossoms, but it is fully replaced by the wistaria, azalea, and other flowers ; moreover, the temperature is higher, and the general vegetation further advanced. 26th. — Trinity Sunday. — Left the hotel, " Fujiya," at 9 a.m. for Kosu, five miles from Miyanoshita, to take the tramcar from Kosu to Yumoto. We arrived during a thunderstorm in a down- pour of rain ; consequently, we were prevented by the hood over our heads from seeing much of the country. Travelling over .the same road to-day, we were more fortunate, as it was beau- tifully clear and the sun bright, so that we had a splendid view of our surroundings. To say that it was picturesque is too weak a word to convey our impressions. The mountains rise close to us almost perpendicularly to a thousand feet or more, and are beautifully covered with foliage of dark and light green, and the stiU darker shade of the maple-tree ; deep below us the river's course was over a rough bed of rocks and boulders, which in some places checked its course, so that it broke into rapids overshadowed by bushes in the deep gulches as far below cis the eye could reach. Bamboo trees of large size fringed the path, which is exceedingly steep, so that as we descended an- other man was necessary behind the jinrikisha to hold it in check, and so prevent it from running away with the coolie and his fare. If the scenery were the only attraction, that of itself would fully repay the journey to Miyanoshita. Every mile 128 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. travelled, opened up some special beauty and variety to fas- cinate and charm. I do not think it possible for any other country to bring before the vision of the spectator so many phases : mountains with bluffs rising grandly to the sky ; precipitous sides and yawning gulches at the very edge of the road that made us dizzy to look into. In the vaUey the barley lay golden and ready for the sickle. Thence we took tramcars for Yumoto, about an hour's ride, to take the train for Odawara, an ancient town, celebrated in Japanese history as the scene of many bloody conflicts in feudal times. The village is long and winding, skirting in some places the sea-beach, and the river is spanned by a long bridge. The embankments are protected by the curious method of large crates of split bamboo filled with stones, and set in rows along the banks of the river (called serpent baskets on account of their shape). These prevent en- croachment by the river. We then took the train from Kozu to Shiznoka, a large prefecture town. We were still among the mountains, which towered almost beyond the clouds ; we ran through several tunnels of two or three miles in length, and thence into the plains, where we first saw, in any quantity, the low, stubby tea-plant. Shiznoka is noted for its tea-gardens, for which it ranks second in Japan. We saw acres and acres as we passed ; they looked fresh and green, and, with the rice and barley, and the men at work in the fields, formed a pleasant picture. The rice was completely covered by water, say two feet deep, in which the men were digging and weeding. On the background were clumps of handsome trees with thick fohage at the foot of hills which rose in a continuous succession of peaks to the sides of the mountains far and away beyond our vision. In the latter part of our journey we ran down to the sea-shore close to the beach, where there were a number of boats, whose crews were hauUng fish with seines. A good deal of fish is pro- vided and sold in the markets, which industry is followed by a large number of fishermen, and thereat they reap no small advantage. We arrived at Shiznoka at 3 a.m. in a thunder- storm, and went to the " European Hotel ; " it has a Japanese annexe. When it partially cleared up, went for a walk. It is a prefecture town of some fifty thousand inhabitants, and has SHIZNOKA. 129 an Imperial Palace in nice grounds, but the building was deficient in style and architecture, and had more the appearance of a bam. The City Hall is a fair-sized building, but the small church and many official houses have little in style to recom- mend them. They are built of brick and stone, are ugly and stiff-looking, and no artistic taste is displayed in the building. We then mounted the hills to the temples — of which there are two, a large and a small one — a very laborious climb of over two hundred steps. On the larger temple there were some good carvings of birds, storks, etc., and it has a fine gate, with two large figures on each side, with rather benevolent expression of face, not like the others we saw whose forbidding looks are intended to frighten away evil spirits. After visiting Nikko all other temples are so inferior that one passes them by with serene indifference. In sight-seeing you must be educated by degrees, and should not take your flight from the home-nest and from the old mother-bird until you are fully feathered, and your wings able to sustain your weight, otherwise you will come to grief. We walked through the town ; the streets are very narrow, in some places not more than twelve feet wide, and the shops crowded close together on both sides. We visited several ; found them very dark in the interior, being lighted only from the front, and, as they extend for some length rear with no side windows, the inner parts are as dark as Erebus. The Japanese have very poor sight, although their eyes appear to be bright and piercing, and a great number, children as well as men and women, wear glasses in working at their several trades ; even the policemen wear spectacles, which to us looks very incon- gruous. Perhaps their constant coming from the interior of their dark shops to the bright sunlight may be injurious to their sight. They live, as a rule, either over or behind their shops, which are so huddled together, and so filled or surrounded by trees and flowers, that it is impossible for any sunlight to enter. It necessarily follows that the children spend a good deal of their time out of doors in the sun. zyth. — Beautiful day, bright and clear. After breakfast went shopping ; then took jinrikisha and an extra coohe for a trip into the country. For fifteen miles going and returning 9 I30 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. had a magnificent view of Fuji, almost to its base, with only a white cloud hovering half-way to its summit, which did not hide it from view. Another range of snow-clad mountains was visible some distance away. The prospect of the country was wonderfully picturesque, mostly a farming district, with tea- gardens, interspersed with beans, peas, rice, cucumbers and numerous other vegetables ; with orchards of cherries, plums, apricots and pears, the fruit well formed on the trees. The branches of the pear-trees were borne up by a frame very much like the frame of a fish-flake, which sustained the branches, as the trees are so prolific ; otherwise they would break from their own weight. The villagers, old and young, with the larger children, were harvesting the barley, cutting it down with the sickle, and drying the grain and ears on mats of straw in the sun. The tops of the grain were cut off by an instrument some- thing like a rake with a sharp knife, which cut the tops as they were made up in the hand ; and when dried sufficiently, the chaff was winnowed by pounding it with a long-handled wooden maUet. It was extremely interesting to watch the different processes and the primitive, but effective, method by which the work was accomplished. The straw was then tied in sheaves, to be used for various purposes — such as fencing (by tying them in sheaves to the rails), making shoes, slippers, rain-coats, matting, thatching, packing, etc. We then climbed (at the end of the village) twelve hundred stone steps to a Buddhist temple that was erected by leasen, one of the first Shoguns, who was a great general and martinet, but a wise law-maker and ruler. He promulgated many good laws for his subjects, but governed them with the utmost rigour, and brought under his rule aU the turbulent element, as well as the disaffected chiefs. He erected the temple, planted the trees, made the gardens, and. beautified the surroundings, latterly abdicating in favour of his son ; died, and was buried here, but his body was subsequently taken to Nikko, where we saw his handsome mausoleum. From the summit we had a magnificent view of the distant country, the coast, and a vast expanse of Pacific Ocean, as well as of the village at our feet and the farms in the vaUey. It was a terrible cUmb, and nothing but the beauty NAGOYA. 131 of the prospect could have induced us to attempt it ; but we were carried on and on, and at each hundred steps stopped to rest ; and, fortified by that anticipation which is often un- realized, still pressed forward for another hundred steps, and at last arrived at the summit, with a minimum of breath in our bodies. I would wiUingly have devised my legs to the shades of the Shoguns, provided I could have had a younger pair in exchange, for our very small Japanese guide was a perfect terror to follow ; although his legs were short, they seemed to fly over the steps. For myself I anathematized the shade of leasen that he did not remain where he was first decently buried. However, if our legs suffered, our eyes were well repaid by the magnificent view of the country. We returned to the hotel at 11.30, making the distance of fifteen miles in two hours and a half, including stoppages at a tea-house, and a panto- mime chat with two Japanese girls. At 12.30 we left by train for Nagoya, a large town of 500,000 inhabi- tants. The country passed through was, if possible, more picturesque and beautiful, with tea-gardens as far as the eye could reach, and golden com and plains of rice, with men with large hoes digging the mud in squares, and encircling them with low ditches or banks about a foot or so wide, on which they were setting seed. One could hardly picture to his mind's eye a scene so fascinating, with such beautiful variety of colour- ing in the different shades of the foliage. Nature had, indeed, exceeded herself in her power of beautifying, bringing out a prospect of fairy-like enchantment which one would never tire of admiring intensely. But it must be seen to be realized — to describe it is impossible ; my weak description is but as the seed to the flower, in comparison with the original creation of Nature's gifts to this delightful land. One may be enthusiastic over it, but it must be seen to be realized. We then reached a large lagoon like an inland sea, which is spanned near its mouth by a long series of dykes and bridges, whence the breakers of the Pacific can be seen in the distance. On the other side stretches far away the deeply indented shore, lined with pine trees ; and the boats sailing on the smooth waters of the lake, with the mountains, range behind range, in the background combine 9* 132 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. to form a vista of untold grandeur. The lagoon has now a narrow exit to the sea, formed by an earthquake which broke down the sand-banks which had previously separated the fresh water from the ocean. We passed several pretty villages and gardens, and finally arrived at " Nagoya Hotel," after which we took a long walk of two hours through the main and other streets of the town, and then by a narrow side street to Umechi Dori — in English, the courtesan quarter — a long street of Japanese houses, thickly screened in front. It was, as our guide informed us, too early in the evening to see any of the frail occupants. I suppose their looks, like those of ladies at a ball, are improved by the mystic glow of coloured lights. They are, as we were informed, Hcensed by the Government, and are under strict supervision, much in the manner they are in many European countries. Be that as it may, the quarter was one of the sights to be seen. We returned to the hotel at 7 p.m. to dinner, much pleased with this day's excursion in the Land of the Rising Sun ; and although exhausted in body, our souls or senses were so spiritualized with the beauties of nature, that no weariness can ever rob us of the pleasure which the supreme beauty of the country has afforded us. We shall long treasure in our memory the charm of her country and people, the murmur of her rivers, her waterfalls, and the music of her surf-beaten- strand. 28th. — Nagoya. — Fine bright day, and warm. Went to the Castle of Nagoya. Like other Japanese castles, it is a wooden building. It stands on walls eighteen feet thick, the roof of copper, and its massive gates covered with iron. This strong- hold has never been the scene of actual war. The two golden dolphins, the glitter of which at the top of the five-storey dun- geon, can be seen from aU parts of the city, were made in 1610 and were the gift of a celebrated general, who also built the keep. The eyes are of silver ; they measure in length eight feet seven inches, and in diameter seven and a half feet. It is said tbat the scales of the fish were made from 18,000 old Japanese gold coins, and are valued at 3,500,000 yen [i.e., about £350,000). One of the fish was exhibited at the National Exposition of Austria in 1873, the ship carrying it was wrecked. NAGOYA. 133 and the dolphin was recovered with great difficulty. The space between the inner and outer moats of the castle now contains extensive barracks and parade-grounds ; the mansion and quarters were formerly occupied by the Daimios for their retainers and officers, civil and military. Passing over a dry moat into the inner enclosure, we entered the castle, ascending to each of the five storeys by wooden stairs. The castle is heavily built with strong beams of cr5T)tomeria wood, and the ceiling of bamboo work ; the heavy screens used to divide the rooms are of the same material. From a series of windows in the top room we had a magnificent birdseye view of the town and surrounding country ; with the ocean and the Bay of Odawara in the distance. On descending into the yard we passed a well, into which coal is thrown in order to improve the waters, and is called the Golden Water. We then visited the apartments of the palace — a series of rooms (the floors of which were covered with matting), con- taining no furniture of any description, partitioned by sliding screens, each set of apartments being adorned with paintings of flowers, birds, tigers, musk cats, cherry-trees in blossom, and large pictures ^of battle-scenes done on paper inlaid with gold leaf. There is no window glass in any part of the house ; the screens are light, are covered with thin paper, and are easily removed ; the ceiling is lacquered in various designs. The guide was very courteous, and in explaining and answering questions took a good deal of trouble, as he could speak very little Enghsh. Afterwards we went to a porcelain manufactory, and saw the moulding and making of several articles.- The method used is the same as elsewhere. The Japanese are, however, celebrated for their colouring and painting, as seen on their screens, etc. What astonished us most was to see children under ten and twelve years of age painting in the flowers and designs for the cheaper articles, and stencilling and forming the outside figures. In the show-room there were some very hand- some samples of cups and saucers, dinner-sets, jugs, vases, and many ornaments of various descriptions, some of them very large and costly, beautifully inlaid with gold and silver. We then visited a manufactory of ornaments, inlaid with fine gold 134 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. or silver wire in the form of stems of flowers ; some of this work was so fine that a magnifying glass was necessary to follow the formation of the lines. Some of the articles were very tedious in the workmanship, and because all was done by hand would be more expensive in any other country ; for labour in Japan is exceedingly cheap, and even the best artists are poorly paid, no ordinary workman getting as much as one dollar per day, though they work from six in the morning until seven at night. No talk of eight hours' labour ; these men know no- thing of labour unions and strikes — and perhaps it is as well that they are too contented to trouble themselves about such matters. Another peculiar feature in Japan is that the whole- sale shops are mixed up with the retail, and are of the same size and character, with nothing to distinguish them except the make-up and packing of the goods. The principal street is called Main Street, on which the tramcars run ; it is wide, and is lined with trees on both sides. We passed a large monument of granite, erected to the memory of a celebrated Japanese general who was killed in the war with the Chinese. On the top is a torpedo shell, of conical shape, and the monument is enclosed by an iron fence. It is large, and can be seen for some distance over the tops of the houses. After lunch we visited a large Buddhist temple called Hongunji, a branch from the one at Kyoto. It has large corridors, where some of the Russian prisoners were confined during the war ; also visited a number of apartments called the Palace, because the Emperor had resided there during his stay at Nagoya. This is divided by screens as other Japanese houses are, thin paper being used instead of glass. When the screens are drawn back all the rooms are open. There are several drawings of animals and figures on the walls ; also of Buddhist priests — 500 figures carved in wood, and showing the ancient costumes. They formed a grotesque picture, some of them in very curious postures. The building was of Japanese architecture, and in the roof an exact copy in gilt of the two dolphins on the castle. In front of the building were a number of flags on long bamboo poles, and a string of lanterns. We went to the garden behind the building, in which is a tea-house, called " Tayokan," with STREET SCENES. 13S several pagodas for small tea-parties. The garden belonged to a company of merchants at Nagoya, who gave the public access for a small sum (one sen — about half-a-cent) ; it is prettily laid out with flowers, trees and shrubs, with narrow winding paths, and in the centre a small pond in which are lotus flowers. They do not flower until August or September. The garden is of the same style and character as other Japanese tea-houses, considerably cramped by small space. We then went for a walk through several streets, some of them very narrow, having the usual shops — blacksmiths, tinsmiths, etc. — where men and boys were working at their trades ; we visited a machine-shop worked by some power which we could not ascertain. Many people in the streets, and the usual number of children, who seem to have a charmed life ; as there are no side-walks worth speaking of, the children are, consequently, in the middle of the street, where are jinrikisha carts, bicycles, peddlers, and a host of men with carts loaded with goods, brick, lumber, and aU kinds of merchandise. Women take part in hauUng the carts, sometimes leading a horse by a rope. These women mostly discard petticoats and wear trousers, so that it is by their size only that they can be distinguished from the men. Young children of five or six years, with still younger ones on their backs, are playing about perfectly regardless of their burden, and it does not appear that they ever come to grief. There is a copious stock of babies, and if one is killed now and then the supply is always equal to the demand, so no one appears to trouble about them. The mothers are probably hauling loaded carts ; you often meet a man and woman together hauling them. The men and boys are not troubled about their clothing ; some of them are nude, except for a loin-cloth, and their legs are entirely bare, so that they have nothing to impede them. They do much of their work squatting on their heels with their legs turned over each other. 39^A. — Kyoto. — Left " Hotel Nagoya " at 8 a.m. for Kyoto by train. The scenery along the line of the same beautifully picturesque character as before travelled. Mountains in the background, and plains and valleys rich in cultivation — rice- fields, tea-gardens, and the golden barley ready for the sickle ; 136 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. not one inch of ground goes to waste — all is under cultivation. Japan is a mountainous country, therefore all available land must be brought under cultivation and made use of for the sustentation of her people. The soil is rich and very productive, and labour is cheap, so the land is brought into the best condition possible. What we saw was in splendid condition ; not a weed to be seen in or among the drills. Large tracts of clover are set in the spring, which, by and by, are bright with flowers. At the proper time it is dug into the groimd and turned over for manure ; the same plan is adopted in California. We ran past a large lake, with a number of boats being loaded with sea-weed raked up from the bottom to be used for manuring the land. Then over a long bridge, then across the river Kanagana — the river very rocky with little or no water ; but in the rainy season it becomes, in some places where there are boulders, a foaming rapid. We arrived at Kyoto at 12 noon, and were received at the station with a splendid carriage and pair, an outrunner, and on the coach a man in gold-lace coat. In the narrow streets, as in Egypt (Cairo, for instance), it is very necessary to clear the road ; otherwise the horses would not have room to travel. We had previously telegraphed to the proprietor of the hotel to secure rooms — which accounts for our being received in this princely fashion. When we come to foot the bill our eyes will probably be opened. However, one has to pay for style, even in Japan. It is customary to sign notes, that articles furnished wiU be paid for at some later period, generally at the end of the year ; and, if your credit is good, the note may be allowed to stand unpaid until your executors have your estate in hand, when these notes have a preferential claim. I should have no objection to availing myself of a practice so laudable, and would leave my blessing with my debts ; in that way one could easily live up to his income, and perhaps save a little. We had two or three miles to drive before reaching our hotel. On our arrival we were saluted by many bows from the whole establishment, including a, number of Japanese girls, who carried our belongings away expeditiously. We were furnished with two large rooms — bed and sitting — leading out to a verandah, the exquisite view from which was KYOTO. 137 worth the nine yen (i.e., $4'5o of our money) charged for board and lodging, electric light, bath-room, etc., etc. The hotel is situated on a hill in the best part of Kyoto, in picturesque grounds comprising twenty-five acres, originally appurtenant to a palace, to which the grounds were attached as a park. They were secured by the proprietor, who, in 1900, erected the present hotel on the site — architecture partly Japanese. The hilly ground on which the building stands was so arranged that none of the natural beauties were hidden. The dainty httle Japanese maids in bright-coloured kimonos, who wait at table, are a delightful additional attraction. Kyoto affords a better opportunity for seeing Japanese life, customs, and scenery, than does any other city in the empire. The intro- duction of European improvements elsewhere has been attended with such radical changes that Old Japan is in danger of being obliterated. But Kyoto, partly because of its geographical position, and partly because of the nature of its industries, still retains much of the beauty for which it has been famed for more than a thousand years. Kyoto, meaning " The Capital," was formerly the residence of the Emperor, and has been closely associated with the empire since the year 703 a.d. The Imperial family has shifted from place to place — the longest stay on record being at Nara, which lasted for seventy-five years. Kyoto remained the capital tiU 1868. The history of the reigning house of Japan is peculiar. The royal pedigree goes back " to ages eternal " — in saecula saeculorum — though the more generally accepted date is 660 B.C., when the Emperor Jimmu ascended the throne, and marked the period when the Imperial ancestors descended from the immortal into the mortal ranks of monarchs. It is necessary to keep this in mind before one can even partiadly understand the extreme veneration in which the occupant of the throne is always held by the nation. The city lies at the foot of the mountains, and standing out from it the great ranges of rugged hills form an ideal background to the delightful picture presented by the city nestling among green fields and densely wooded, grassy slopes ; through the heart of all rush the silvery waters of the Kamo river, spanned by fine, picturesque old bridges. It is 162 feet above the level of the sea, and 138 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. covers an area of eleven square miles ; its inhabitants number 400,000 — a figure considerably less than that recorded during the early days, when the city was at the height of its prosperity. The purity of the water and the air in the vicinity, together with the great care taken in the arrange- ment of sanitary conditions, make the city one of the most healthy in the empire. During the past few years Kyoto has undergone many great changes, the most beneficial of which has been the construction of the canal joining Lake Biwa with the Kamo river. The immediate result of the removal of the Court to Tokyo was noticeable in the general depression which followed ; and the reaction which has taken place during the past fifteen years has been largely due to the vigorous polity of the city councillors and their determination to restore some share of the prosperity formerly enjoyed by the city. Kyoto is situated at the foot of a small mountain in a very picturesque and charming valley, and is noted the world over for its pottery, porcelain. Damascene, cloisonne, embroideries and cut velvet, and is the favourite headquarters for tourists the world over. Everything beautiful is sacred to the Japanese, and this accounts for the temples and shrines almost always occupying the finest sites. Inside the temples are the priceless gems of art, which are duplicated and sold throughout the world. It is the temples which are the spirit of Japan, where originate all its grace, charm and heroism ; the temples are surrounded by that mystic, impenetrable veil which divides the East from the West. After lunch went out for a walk. The streets in the city are of the same nature as those of the other towns of Japan , the small, low shops aU packed together in narrow lanes, and all of the same form and character in size and architecture. There are a few of larger size, but these are cramped by the smaller ones. The better quality have behind them pretty gardens much orna- mented with bronze birds (mostly cranes), lanterns, and small fountains of water ; the ground hard and cemented, and the shrubs and trees crowded into a small space ; a winding path provided with flat stones so placed that you may always walk dry in wet weather. There are some fine buildings here and there scattered about the town, such as the one hundred Dai- THE IMPERIAL PALACE. 139 hyaker Ginzo, banks and branch banks, City Hall, post office, and the Imperial Buildings, civil and military. The churches seem better established here than at any other town, the Christian religion being well represented in English Episcopahan, Roman Cathohc, Methodist, etc. The Imperial Palace, in which the Mikado lives, can only be entered by special permit. The Imperial Park covers almost twenty-six acres, has superb trees and is very picturesque ; we went through a portion of the grounds to-day, and visited two manufactories of Damascene and bronze fine art works. For some of the goods large prices are asked, and I did not see anything that I considered reason- able in price ; so many tourists are visiting the place that, it being their harvest-time, high prices are asked. Unless one is a judge of the articles, it is better to let those have them who have most money to spare. Within the city limits there are 878 Buddhist temples, and eighty-two Shinto shrines — buildings representing the architecture of every age. Kyoto is the Mecca of all tourists, who revel here in silks of every shade and variety of texture, curios, Damascene and bronze ; ' and the Japs revel in the tourists' gullibility. The visitors swallow all that is told them with regard to the proportions of gold, silver, tin, copper and brass, and, with sweet smiles indicating the amiability of their dispositions, pay down the price in yen, which to them are mere trifles (being but half the value of the American dollar), and are happy in their pur- chases. Let us hope that no cruel friend will depreciate the values or lower their estimation of the curios of Kyoto, or of the courtesy of the vendors ; may the purchasers live long in blissful ignorance and gull others in the same ratio as they themselves have been gulled. All parties are satisfied, and no harm is done. One comes to purchase, the other is there to sell ; one gives his labour and goods, the other his money — a fair equivalent. The trader has to live and provide for his family, and if you glance out of the screen of his shop you will probably see the son and heir tied on to the back of another scion of the family ; by assisting them cheerfully you are dutifully following the apostolic injunction : " Bear ye one another's burdens." " Charity suffereth long and is kind." 140 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. ZOth. — Cloudy, with rain. Shortly after leaving the hotel the weather cleared, and the sun shone out warm and bright. We spent the morning in the curio shops examining the many curios — bronze, ivory carving, Damascene work, silk, and others, where some first-class workmanship can be seen, especially the embroidery on silk — pictures and buds on velvet and silk bed- covers, etc. ; the fine carving on bronze, ivory, wood, and bamboo boxes and ornaments, and many other interesting subjects, which prove to us that Japan has, in art and science, secured a leading place among the nations of the world. After lunch went to see some fencing and wrestling by a number of schoolboys. They used bamboo sticks, and wore masks with guards of iron over the face ; their bodies were protected by sheaves of metal over their shoulders and breasts. They made furious onslaughts on each other, with loud shouts ; I could not see any method in their actions, so far as science is con- cerned, in guarding against the blows. In the wrestling there was more science, and, with many, a good deal of merit in the way in which they clung to each other and made the throws, and the dexterity with which they turned each other on the back. There appeared to be a great strain on the muscles while they were clinging to each other. They wore a short jacket, legs and arms bare, and in the struggle for mastery were not impeded with clothing. The elder boys were teaching the younger, and then had a trial of skill with each other ; each one being distinguished according to his proficiency with scarfs of different colours. They were very rough with each other during the conflict, but in perfect good temper and humour, and when finished bowed in great courtesy. The performance was very interesting — more so than that which we saw among the champions at Tokyo. We then visited a porcelain manu- factory. Some of the articles were very handsome, and inlaid with gold ; the representation of human figures was perfect, showing the dress and style worn, the face and features being very lifelike. The flowers and birds were especially excellent, some so small that a magnifying glass was necessary to see them, yet perfect in form and plumage. Some of the articles were very costly — for a large vase 600 yen were asked. These THE IMPERIAL PALACE. 141 manufactories are noted for the excellency and merit of their work, and have taken gold medals in the Exhibitions of France, Germany, America, and other countries. Also went to the work- shops and saw the different processes used. Also to the sample rooms of the higher and more valuable grade, and to the work- shops connected. Saw a large number of hands employed in painting the different designs on the ware with tiny brushes, some of the designs being so small that strong glasses were required ; the work was very tedious, and must be injurious to the sight, as so much care has to be taken ; the slightest flaw or blur, even when not perceived by the naked eye, would con- demn all the work that had been already performed on the article, that had, perhaps, taken days to paint. They must be well experienced in the art before being employed for that portion of the work, yet the best of the men are not paid over three yen a day (about $i'5o of our money). ^ist. — ^Fine, bright day, sun very hot. At 9 a.m. we went to the Palace. On our way passed the public park ; a fine wide road leads to it. Inside the grounds are fine trees with beautiful foliage and wide-spreading branches reaching to the ground like weeping willows. The outer entrance is through large Japanese gates, the door encased with iron. The Imperial Park contains twenty-six acres, nicely kept, with wide avenues, well wooded landscape, gardens, lake, and small bridges, and many flowering bushes indigenous to the country ; one extra large and handsome cherry-tree enclosed in an iron fence ; when in blossom it must be quite a spectacle. We then passed within another gate similar to the former, and entered the palace grounds, a large gravelled square, with the building extending very much like a large barrack, all being of one storey. We gave our permit to the officer on guard, and, having signed our names in the official book and removed our boots, we entered the building preceded by a guide. The present building dates from 1856 (the old one having been burnt down). After passing into an ante-chamber, the walls of which are decorated with sketches, one goes through a long, narrow room furnished with a low dining-table, for the use of the nobles entertained by the Emperor, and an arm-chair large enough for one to sit in, in 142 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Japanese fashion ; it had no other furniture. The chair is used by the Emperor when he honours his guests with his presence. Thence into a hall devoid of mats, called Pure and Cool Hall, because of a small stream of water running along a tiny water- course just outside, and perhaps because of the general bleakness of the surroundings. The hall is divided into several apart- ments, the central one containing a matted dais covered with a rich silk canopy and hangings, a chair inlaid with mother-of- pearl, two stools, one on the right and the other on the left^ for the Imperial regalia ; two wooden dogs do duty here as in front of a Shinto shrine (guarding that which is within from that which is without). There is a vacant space with a cement floor, on which the " Sons of Heaven " worship their illustrious ancestors while standing on earth specially brought for the purpose. The ceremony should be conducted while standing on bare soil. The sliding screens are covered with paintings of thirty-two Chinese sages ; and the throne is inlaid with mother- of-pearl. Eighteen steps lead down into the courtyard, sym- boUc of the eighteen ranks into which the nobility was originally divided. The two large trees outside are a magnificent old cherry and a large orange tree, which was full of fruit ; both trees are of historic interest. Passing along the corridor one gets the first view into the Imperial garden, with a bridge over a pond containing gold-fish ; then continuing along the corridor, we come to the Kogotho, which was used for social purposes, and contains the usual set of three reception-rooms. The decorations can hardly be said to be artistic, they are in the worst taste ; the landscape painting is striking for the bold- ness of the artist and the white and blue daubs which are sup- posed to represent clouds, but you must draw largely on your imagination to realize it. Yet another corridor leads into a room formerly used as an Imperial study, and for the practice of such accomplishments as music and poetry. Here, again, we have three reception-rooms, and near these a room called the Wild Goose Room, which is the finest of all, so-caUed from the paintings which decorate it ; the two others adjoining it are painted with tigers and lions. The Japanese do not excel in painting animals ; birds, flowers, colours, etc., are their THE CASTLE OF KYOTO. i43 chief work. On asking a gentleman from Ceylon, who was standing by, if he ever saw a lion of that form, he replied : " Cer- tainly not with blue eyes." With the exception of the chair and table there was not a particle of furniture in any of the rooms, except the Emperor's chair and the dais inlaid with mother-of-pearl. However, it follows the custom of aU Japanese 'houses, so that one is more than surprised at the absolute sim- plicity that prevails. A special permit from the Embassy at Tokyo is required to see the palace, which is not worth the trouble to obtain, as there is nothing of interest to be seen ; a drive in the grounds is quite sufficient. But it is very different with the Nijo Palace — or Castle, for it is as much one as the other. It is beautifully carved and lacquered with the Damas- cene art work in which the Japanese excel. At the very outset, the gates are beautifully ornamented with magnificent wood- carvings and Damascene work inlaid with gold, with the crest of the Shogun and the present Emperor. The castle was the scene of the most important events of Japanese history. It was here in 1868 that the present Mikado made the solemn promise which matured twenty-one years later in the granting of a national constitution. It was erected in a.d. 1569, when the Tokugawa Shogun had become firmly estabUshed in power ; but in the troublous times it was destroyed, and was not rebuilt until A.D. 1601. The palace had always been one of the chief strongholds. When the great revolution swept over the country, and the office of Shogun was abolished, the palace was turned into prefectural offices, and an irremediable amount of damage was done in the fifteen years which followed. In 1883, when the country had once again settled down, the Nijo Palace was at once included among the number of Imperial palaces in order to insure its safety. For over three centuries the imposing buildings have stood — beautiful, majestic, colossal — a monu- ment telling of the reckless extravagance of the Tokugawas. Armed with the necessary permit, you enter the beautiful gate, passing through a typical castle entrance to the first palace, where the guards were stationed and Imperial convoys housed. The second palace, used for what may be termed Cabinet Councils, contains four chambers. The chief decoration is that of life- 144 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. sized tigers and lions, which no one could recognize as such, and bamboos, monkeys, and the picture of two large pine-trees. The third palace, the most gorgeous of all, was that in which the Shoguns gave audience to the Daimios. The open orna- mental work over the screens is beautifully carved from both sides, on one piece of wood ten feet in length ; the birds are life size, exquisite, both in form and plumage ; being perforated the light is admitted. The screens in all the rooms are fas- cinating : gnarled pine-trees, emblematic of long life, birds and flowers being the predominant decoration. On one of them is depicted a life-sized eagle. The Sago Palm Room, having fifty mats, derived its name from the paintings on the wall. The fourth palace contains the Black Hall, the walls of which are represented by cherry-trees in fuU bloom painted on a gold background. The shelves exhibit primitive specimens of old cloisonne. The picture of a heron on one of the doors is admir- able. The fifth palace, used by the Shoguns as a private resi- dence, is less gorgeous than the others, but is handsomely adorned with old Chinese screens. One of these shows sleeping sparrows perched on a snow-laden bough. The heron, the eagle, and sleeping sparrows cannot be excelled in execution and beauty of form and design. They are considered to be the finest speci- mens of Japanese art. Although five palaces have been referred to, there is, in reahty, only one ; the others are more properly suites of apartments, inasmuch as you may walk from one end to the other without leaving the spacious rooms and corridors. The ceilings are beautifully decorated with chaste designs, mosaic and Damascene work, inlaid with the Tokugawa crest, and also sixteen-petalled chrysanthemums which in some places have replaced them,; other crests have been added to denote the Imperial possession. With the exception of the Nikko Temples, this is the most superb specimen of old Japanese art in the Empire. After lunch took jinrikisha for a drive through the streets. We passed over the canal, crossed by several fine large stone bridges, to Theatre Street, which is exceedingly striking from the number of flags and lanterns and other devices, and the decorations of the shops, which carry a different class of goods, mostly ornamentation, jewellery, toys, bazaars, milli- STREET SCENES. i45 nery, etc. Over the roofs are placed strips of canvas meeting on both sides, which completely shade the street from the sun, making it pleasantly cool. The street is very much crowded and narrow, and as it has no side-paths, jinrikishas are not per- mitted to go there. Tramcars run through aU the chief streets in the city, which are straight but rather narrow, and are devoid of side- walks. . The small shops abut on the edge of the street, so that walking is much impeded by the traffic. There are, however, very few carriages, and the jinrikishas steer in arid out with wonderful dexterity, so that no one is knocked over, and the smallest child is safe. lO CHAPTER VII. Shooting the Hodzu Rapids — The Golden Temple at Ayashi Yama — Japanese Theatre — Osaka — Visit to the Mint — Nara — Japanese Gardens — Onomiachi. June 1st. — Kyoto. — Left the hotel at 9.30 for Riou Hodzu rapids, Ayashi Yama. To shoot the Hodzu rapids is an experience which every visitor to Kyoto wishes to undergo. As the trip was for the whole day, we took a double crew, the journey being a long one. Having arrived at Niji station, we went by train to Kamioka. The scenery along the line was exceedingly picturesque. At first we travelled through a farming country, with a cluster of straw-thatched cottages here and there. The other portion of the Une was just above the river, and one gets an idea of what to expect in the down trip by boat. On the opposite side were the mountains, clothed from foot to summit with beautiful foUage. We passed through eight or nine small tunnels, the construction of which called for considerable engineering skill. From Kamioka station to the boat-house is ten minutes' walk. On arriving, we at once en- gaged a boat fitted with an awning, and crew of four men, for six yen. The boats have flat bottoms, and are broad of beam ; they only draw two or three inches of water. For the first five or ten minutes the boat was paddled along on the smoothly- moving stream, and there was nothing particularly absorbing even in the scenery ; after a while the route became more interesting and exciting. As we take the first rapid, rocks, surrounded by churning water, seem to extend right across the river ; the boat gives a sudden jump as it enters rough water, and before one can realize what has happened, it is swirling along, escaping destruction by a couple of inches here, and perhaps only one inch there, the bottom of the boat grating 146 THE HODZU RAPIDS. 147 over the stones; and then comes the seething water, which catches it in its power and swiftly bears it to the quiet, gently- running stream beyond. There are several rapids, more or less strong in accordance with the bend of the river and the obstacles which the stream has to encounter. The safety of the boat depends entirely upon two of the crew — the po'er and tl^e helms- man. Great boulders of rock are frequent in the middle of the stream, which, at places, is very narrow. The poler tries to fend off the boat as she approaches the dangerous places, and keep her in the channel ; he must be quick and very alert in using his pole. The helmsman, on the other hand, must keep the boat well in command, so as to prevent her from swinging broadside to the current, or in any way striking on a shoal or small rock ; both men must be well practised of eye and hand. The steersman must closely follow the actions of the poler in the sharp windings of the river, and must also have exact knowledge of the position of every dangerous boulder as he enters rough water, and when there, in avoiding all the impedimfents which may bring him and his freight to grief. The other two men have no responsibility ; they merely keep rowing mechanically. There is no talking or shouting, nor are any directions given as to the course to be followed ; each man seems to know his part, and does it silently and efficiently. The rugged mountains on either side are thickly wooded with pine, cherry, and other trees. The boats come down in from one hour and a half to two hours, but must be towed back. The trip is both charming and at times exciting — just sufficiently so to enhance the novelty and pleasure of the outing. At the foot of Ayashi Yama we step ashore. This magnificent hill (or small mountain), clothed in the richest foliage of various shades, is remarkable throughout Japan for its wealth of cherry blossoms in season, and for its natural grandeur throughout the whole year. One glance at its beautifully rounded form, with its foliage of dark and light green and purple colouring, would in some degree help us to realize the superb spectacle it must present when covered with the beautiful mass of pink flowers. I was fortunate in seeing a fine tree in blossom when I arrived in Japan — from which I can form some idea, of what 10* 148 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. it would be when a hundred thousandfold increased. Ayashi Yama has quite a little village and many small inns. Having brought our lunch with us, we engaged a room in a most in- viting inn and were courteously received and catered for by a couple of interesting little Japanese maids, who were quite in character with the surroundings. We enjoyed our trip immensely, and added to our still too scant store of knowledge, even as to the wiles of the Japanese feminine. After a short rest, we followed in the steps of St. Paul by taking up our carriages, with the difference that we had a big baby-carriage and two men for horses. They very rapidly trotted us off to the Golden Temple, so called in consequence of the gold- lacquered pagoda-eaves, and the golden room, to see which we had to mount several stairs. The ceiling and walls are inlaid with gold leaf, making the appearance of the room exceedingly rich. On descending, we passed out into the garden, which was very picturesque, with magnificent trees of different species. One fir, said to be five hundred years old, was specially interesting. It was peculiarly trained from the trunk to the top, and bound with bamboo hoops so as to keep the branches rising one over the other in a series of circles. In the middle of the grounds was an ornamental pond, with gold-fish. A path winds in and out among the trees and flowers — roses, peonies, azaleas, and many kinds of flowering shrubs. The garden was formerly the property of one of the Shoguns, who joined the temporal power with the ecclesiastical, and ruled with a rod of iron, having a good time himself, supported by the credulous people whom he plundered. Whatever may have been his faults, he was much venerated by his subjects. He built the Temple, and many pilgrims from the country still visit the place, the glamour of his sanctity not having yet lost its influence. Many places are pointed out — the stone throne where he worshipped Buddha, the basin in which he washed himself, the well from which he drank, the pagoda where he took his refreshments of five-o'clock tea and cake, and a host of others, the story of which the priest intoned to us in Japanese dialect. Among other wonders he told us that the room of the pagoda was built and ceiled from one plank of an immense tree. An American gentleman from KYOTO. 149 New York disagreed with this statement, he having made up with paper and pencil the quantity of timber obtainable from the estimated size of said plank ; and with much energy dis- puted the truth of the fable — according to his arithmetic ; but this appeared to have no effect on the priest, as neither under- stood the other ; they parted with bows, the best of friends. But the most beautiful sight to me was the mountain beyond, clothed with foliage of every shade of green, and so perfect in form and proportion, and so transcendently beautiful, that it absolutely fascinated the eye. There is in Japan some scenery that is so perfect in itself that one is overpowered by the wonderful effect of nature in so many aspects— some in pastoral scenes, such as the golden grain, rice, vegetables, and orchards, interspersed with tea-gardens ; some wild with rugged gorges, waterfalls, cascades ; in other places, majestic mountains, with snow-clad summits towering to the sky ; and pinnacled flower-clad hills, gorgeous with azalea, wistaria, etc., all com- bining to enhance the purity and grace of the scene in their different modes. The changing vistas appeal to us in so many combinations that we are incapable of expressing ourselves, and are bereft of the power of language to utter our thoughts. It is said that the eye is never satisfied in seeing, nor the ear with hearing ; but, after all, Nature never presents what is crude and imperfect, but only what is chaste and pure. There is fitness and harmony in all creation. The God of Nature does not create anything imperfect for the purpose ordained. Therefore to be in touch with Nature is to be in harmony with what is chaste and pure ; and to be in harmony with what is chaste and pure is to be in harmony with Nature's God. In our journey to-day we passed a good many tea-gardens ; the labourers were cutting off the leaves and trimming the bushes ; and in some we saw the tea drying on mats. A kind of flake was built over the bushes on which were placed mats, com- pletely covering the plants, so that the sun might not wither the leaves. 2nd. — At 9 a.m. went to the bamboo workshops and to the Damascene and porcelain manufactories and show-rooms ; after lunch, for a drive through the several Streets of the town, I50 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and was fortunate in seeing a very large funeral. The proces- sion was headed by six priests in vestments and gold-embroidered stoles, riding in jinrikishas, followed by the high priest, still more gorgeously clothed with gold and embroidery, most elaborately and richly ornamented. Then came a four-wheeled vehicle drawn by four men in uniform, bearing immense masses of flowers six or more feet in height, the fragrance of which scented the air. Then again more men, also in uniform, bearing more flowers in each hand, and walking in pairs. Then a very elaborately-carved funeral-car in which was a white box four feet square ; the body of the deceased must have been in a sitting position, as the box could not contain it in any other posture. Then more jinrikishas containing girls and women dressed in white ; and following on foot, four or five hundred people — men, women, and children — so many that they filled the street. The body was being taken outside the town to be cremated ; I was informed by the guide that nearly all dead bodies were disposed of in that way. We drove through several streets, and then walked up Theatre Street, which was so densely crowded that it was hard to get along. The theatres were all in full swing ; we entered one of the small ones, taking a front " seat " — which, in a Japanese theatre of the kind we patronized, meant standing. The audience were all seated (or, rather, squatted), on mats ; there was no bench or chair in any part of the building. The stage was separated from the audience by only a step ; there were no drop curtains. The music consisted of two or three instruments, the orchestra being con- cealed by a screen. On the side of the stage sat a girl with two pieces of flat wood, which she manipulated by vigorously striking another piece in time with the music ; the sound, in- cluding the music, was not harmonious. Each act was an- nounced by the chief actor in person. The performance was of the vaudeville character. The actor was not overdressed ; his legs and arms were bare ; on the upper portion of his body was a white blouse, that, in the excitement of the acting, every now and then was thrown back so that the body was exposed to his waist. He assumed various postures more or less inelegant — stamping, shouting, and drawing a sword to fight JAPANESE THEATRE. 151 some imaginary foe, throwing the body into warhke positions ; this seemed to please the audience, if one could judge by the applause which followed. Then two girls came forward, assisted by a male actor, singing. The girls seemed to have some dis- agreement ; another actor appeared and they all entered into a noisy dispute, which ended with a war of words, which con- cluded the act. (More applause, the stage official taking part, and clapping). In the next scene, two other girls appeared, dancing and posing in attitudes more or less graceful. (More applause.) The chief actor then came forward and executed a sword-dance with an extra amount of energy, taking an occasional drink from a teapot, drawing his sword and pretending to be wounded. Then he bound up his legs with strips of caUco, turned heels over head, and fell on the floor on his back, feigning death. Then he came to life again and made furious onslaughts on himself with the sword ; then took another drink out of the teapot, and bowed to the audience — which brought down the house in a round of applause. At this stage of the proceed- ings we left, therefore cannot say how long the play continued, or give any particulars of the ensuing programme. On paying our entrance fee at the box (ten sen — i.e., five cents), we were given wooden tickets about four inches long and two wide, which we gave to the usher on entering. There are dozens of theatres in this street ; one especially large, where, no doubt, good performances are given. Large crowds were at the entrance of the building waiting for a chance to enter. The performance commences at 4 p.m. and lasts for the night. We did not in- tend to remain, and, therefore, did not enter. I have no doubt that the acting was of a better class, and perhaps the audience included some of the aristocracy. Had we visited it we might have had a more classical performance, but we were better satisfied in seeing Japanese life in less aristocratic circles. The behaviour of the audience was admirable ; no shouting or whistling or calling for encores, which was the most pleasing feature of the entertainment. In a theatre of that description in one of our halls, a policeman would be necessary to keep order, and would have ample work on his hands. In this re- spect, and in many others, the Japanese can teach us a lesson ; 152 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. they are not only courteous to each other, but also to strangers with whom they come into contact. Theatre Street combines in itself all the elements of city life. The shops are legion, and contain a large variety of goods for the general public, so that it may be said to be the principal retail quarter of the town, as all classes of customers can be accommodated. A Japanese street is remarkably picturesque ; every shop has a number of coloured lanterns which, when lit at night, present a beautiful appearance ; large bamboo poles with flags, rising one over the other from the ground, have a striking effect with the rich colouring of the bunting. The large signs over the shops are very attractive — some of them ornamented with emblems, such as big inflated fish, five or six feet in length, pelicans, cranes, or other birds ; a curious medley of designs, much of the same character as seen in the Arabs' quarter in Cairo, but more ornamental, as the Japanese are exceedingly fond of flowers and are more artistic. Th« shop fronts open to the edge of the road, there being little, if any, sidewalk. The inside is narrow and dark ; consequently, you have to make your purchases standing in front, and, HteraUy, on the street, surrounded by a good- humoured and smiling crowd of men, women, and children, who take a personal interest in your purchases, and who enter- tain you when you find that you are the centre of attraction. If you are not able to make yourself understood as to the price, they will, to the best of their knowledge, assist ; which only serves to make you more perplexed, as, instead of one salesman or woman, you have a dozen or more to enlighten you. If you have no guide, you generedly will be wise to leave the matter to your jinrikisha man, who, by producing various coins of different value, will arrive at the cost of the article required. The crowd are highly amused by the entertainment you afford them, and you join in concert with a general laugh ; you pay for the article required, the crowd disperses, bows are made and returned, and all appear to be the better pleased for these disadvantages. Even when attended by a guide, I prefer to make purchases myself. The shopkeepers are exceedingly honest in their dealings, and you may thoroughly depend that the price they ask is not more than a fair value. Chuzcnji Road, Nikk* Theatre Street, \'ol<()hama. \ Facing f: 152. OSAKA. 153 3rd.~0saka.~Leit " Hotel Miyudo " at 9 a.m. for Osaka, twenty-six miles from Kyoto^ one hour's journey, the great manufacturing centre of Japan. Its population is over a million. The city, with its network of rivers and canals spanned by hundreds of bridges, is becoming more and more important, particularly with regard to foreign trade. Its area is over eight square miles, and is still extending ; and the increased growth of the cotton-spinning industry during the last twelve months has had the effect of bringing Osaka into still further prominence. The canals are full of boats, carrying goods. It has a good harbour improved by a breakwater, and numerous warehouses where large quantities of goods are stored, and the neighbourhood is much crowded. Osaka is run entirely by the Japanese. It is said that in the whole city at the present time there are only 150 English and Ameri- cans, principally missionaries. Osaka is not much frequented by tourists, and one day is generally sufficient to see the sights. The Osaka Castle was erected in 1583, and was the grandest and strongest castle in the empire. It was partly burnt during the revolution. It contains a vast area of land, and is occupied by the fourth army division. There are four gates. The huge stones used for the construction of the castle are said to have been brought from a very long distance by the feudal lords. The view from the top of the platform, upon which once stood the five-storeyed donjon, is very extensive and grand. The work of constructing the large harbour was commenced by the city in 1897, and when completed, it will be one of the finest in the Empire. On our arrival we drove to the " Osaka Hotel," and then left for the Mint, having obtained a permit. It is not more than five minutes' drive from the hotel. It is much the same as other mints, having abundance of gold and silver, which one may not touch, and the latest improvements in the way of machinery. It was first started in 1871 by the English ; but for some years past it has been conducted by the Japanese them- selves (as everything else now is). The grounds are thickly planted with cherry-trees, and form a nice avenue to the build- ing, which is by no means architectural, but plain and solid, built of stone ; it has several detached buildings, and is the largest 154 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. of its kind in the Far East. It occupies an area of 121,094 square yards — say, twenty-seven acres. On presenting our cards and permit, we were accompanied by a guide, who, Hke all the Japanese, was courteous and anxious to give all the information that we could understand, as he knew a little Eng- lish and was proud of his knowledge. The first place visited was the furnace, where the gold and silver was melted and run into bars, which were removed while we were watching the operation. The bars are then clipped to the proper length and prepared for rolling, which is done seventy-five times before it is ready to be cut into coins, which must be of exact thickness and width. It is then placed in another machine where the cutting-out of the coins is done ; then again it is placed in another to be edged and stamped ; and stiU again in another process before being put into crucibles, heated in an oven, and passed to the cleaners and pohshers ; and, finally, it is weighed in an automatic weigh- ing machine (a brass instrument of very fine mechanism), which weighs each coin separately and passes them out singly into boxes — the first for those of proper weight, the second for those of short weight, and the third for those over weight — which completes the process of coining. A great many young men and boys are employed. The gold and silver clippings are then placed in ladles and run over again. The several departments for each branch of work are all on the ground floor, the doors of each being locked, and no one may enter without the presence of one of the officials of the Mint. A good deal of information with regard to the process was gathered from the visit. We were shown a brick of gold valued at 45,000 yen, and a brick of silver of the same size and weight. The gold coins were of twenty yen, equal to approximately ten dollars ; and silver of fifty, twenty and ten sen {i.e., twenty-five cents, ten cents, and five cents) ; and nickel, ten, five, and two-and-a-half sen (one hundred to the yen) ; a decimal system which, being easy to understand, makes the currency very much like the American, with the ex- ception that one hundred sen is in American currency only worth fifty cents. After lunch we went for a drive through the Main and the principal streets, which in character are hke those of other Japanese towns — the shops small and low, with the same OSAKA. 155 class of goods for sale. There are a few large buildings here and there, such as the post office, banks, court house, City HaJl, etc., etc., and in some places a better style of shops. One especially took my attention ; it comprised several departments and was very extensive, with extra large windows, containing models of Japanese figures and beautiful flowers, forming a handsome display. The shop is conducted on the Japanese style, and you must remove your boots before entering — a receipt being given for their delivery. This shop contained aU kinds of expensive silks, velvets, satins, etc., and was fuU of customers. Theatre Street was very picturesque, but we found it difficult to get through the dense crowd. A good deal of shopping takes place on this street, and a crowd collects in front, examining the goods which are hung up marked with the price in Japanese ; and in consequence of the number of flags, lanterns, and other devices, etc., it has a very attractive appearance and a wealth of colouring ; canvas awnings in strips extend across the streets from one side to the other, forming a nice shade from the heat of the sun. We went to the Market Street, a long continuation of shops fuUy a mile in extent, containing fruit and vegetables of every description. The country is wonderfully fascinating, especially at this season, when the year is at its best. The barley has matured and the harvest commenced. The mustard, of which there are large quantities, is now being gathered. We saw people to-day in the field winnowing the seed from the husks ; they extract from it a kind of oil used for various purposes, which enhances its value, so that large quantities are grown. Many, of the oxen are used for ploughing and draught purposes, and are shod with straw shoes ; they are also much used in the streets for hauling heavy goods, such as lumber, iron, etc. Very few horses are used in this coimtry, and a good deal of that labour is done by the Japanese ; you see men, women, and even children, carrying goods arid wares of every description. It is surprising to see the immense loads they transport with appa- rently little effort, loads which one would say were almost too heavy for a horse. We met in one of the streets a procession of several men carrying on bamboo poles large packing-cases and boxes with an embroidered covering, and were informed 156 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. that they contained gifts to the bride given before marriage. If the cases and boxes were full it was a large supply, and put our modem conception of such matters at a very low standard. One cannot conceive how such a Uttle body as the future bride could stow away on her person or otherwse a supply apparently so large. Under these circumstances Japan would be a first- class place to get a wife, especially if she herself is endowed with this world's goods ; always provided that the prospective groom has not to supply a like quantity of gifts. Shortly afterwards we met a funeral ; flowers predominated in the procession. By train to-day we passed through extensive tracts of bamboo- trees. To the Japanese the bamboo is ah inexhaustible trea- sure ; it grows and spreads rapidly through all parts of the country. The uses to which it is put are legion. It is used in manufactures of all descriptions — for building, fencing, making baskets, boxes, screens, toys ; constructing bridges and cottages ; in short, it is impossible for me to name a hundredth part of its usefulness. Its value to them is incalculable. Wherever you go, its familiar form is present, beautifully growing in the forest and by the wayside, with its bright green foliage. In the houses of the rich and wealthy, as in the little thatched cabins of the poor, to farmer and labourer as well as to the poorest man in the empire, the bamboo is alpha and omega ; he is bom, lives, dies, and is buried in it ; hke a first and last friend, it has clung to him in every aspect of life, providing an industry that never fails. It is exported to all parts of the world, and the more it is worked, the more beautiful it becomes. I never look on a bamboo forest without pleasure, and more so when I think of the blessings it provides for this country. We had a very pleasant trip and a beautiful day, and fuUy enjoyed our outing. At every turn some beauty unfolded itself, and the charming country fascinated us with its variety — it was so utterly novel and unlike anything that we had seen in any other land. Even the little children amused and interested us in their quaint dress : little mites of a couple of feet or so high, dressed up in kimonos and sashes, looking supremely 'cute and funny, their little brown faces and black eyes lit up with smiles as they waved their hands in welcome, even from the backs of NARA. 15; little nurses only a few inches taller than themselves. We shall long store these varied visions in our memory. Automo- bile cars run through the streets. They have as yet no lines for tramcars. At Kyoto visited the Temple Honguanji, a large building, situated in beautiful grounds. The trees are very large and beautiful. On the outer wall of the temple a fine oil picture of three geisha girls was placed. If it was used as an advertisement, it proves that the religions are not averse to making an honest penny by a side attraction. A visit to the tea-gardens would, no doubt, be much enhanced by an intro- duction to the young ladies in question. One of the tramcars, engaged for an excursion, was decorated with flags and flowers. The geisha girls must not be understood to be in any way con- nected with the tea-houses. The former are hired for enter- tainments, for dancing, singing, and assisting the host in amusing his guests ; the latter are what may be termed rest-houses, or, more properly speaking. Wayside inns, half-way houses, which it is customary for travellers to patronize by taking tea and cake while they rest. The tea is poured from the tea-pot as required, in very small quantities, say a tablespoonful at a time, and is taken without sugar or milk. From the summit of the five-storeyed pagoda a fine and extensive view of the country is obtained. ^h. — Nara. — At 9 a.m. went by train to Nara, about two hours' run. Nara was the capital of the empire from 709 to 781 ; it is one of the most picturesque spots in all Japan, and is now the capital of the prefecture of the same name. We arrived at II a.m., and took a jinrikisha for the Park. At the entrance a large number of spotted deer were congregated, principally on account of cakes which are sold to visitors by women and girls to feed them. The cake-dealers evidently knew how to attract the deer, which came at their call, and were so tame that they ran close to the carriages. Previous to 1868, to kill one of the animals was a capital offence. Every autumn their horns are carefully cut, so that they may not damage themselves or the public. There is a fine, wide macadamized road through the grounds of the park. The trees are magnificent, especially the cryptomeria, which grows splendidly in Japan ; some of 158 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. them are giants in height and circumference, of great age and variety, including camphor, pine, cherry, etc. We then went to the Temple of Kasuga. It is enclosed by lofty cryptomeria trees ; tame deer are also there, which come to be fed by visitors. The temple is approached through a line of 3,000 bronze and stone lanterns. At times a specially holy dance, called Kagura, is performed in the temple by young girls. The temple is approached by a flight of stone steps ; its front is ornamented with a profusion of bronze lanterns. It contains the famous Nara-no-Daibutsu, the colossal bronze image of Buddha ; and also an ancient beU of large proportions, which, for a copper, visitors are permitted to strike by swinging a big stick suspended by a rope, which requires some strength to manipulate ; if you do not succeed in striking the bell you must, if you try again, pay another copper as often as you wish. The dimensions of the bell are : height, 13 feet 6 inches ; greatest diameter, 9 feet ; thickness of the edge, 8 inches ; nearly thirty-six tons of copper and one ton of tin were used in the casting ; it was cast in a.d. 732. The Daibutsu was completed in a.d. 746, and its dimensions are : height, 53 feet 6 inches ; circumference, 69 feet ; length of face, 16 feet ; breadth of face, 9 feet 6 inches ; diameter of nose hole, 3 feet ; length of finger, 4f feet. The other temples also contain two large gilt figures or images of Buddha, both nearly as large as the one described in the first temple, and near them, sitting, are others in attendance. At present the Daibutsu is undergoing repair, and a visitor is privileged to purchase a tile for a half-yen and have his name put on the tile. We saw several marked with names from England and the States of America — a cheap means of sending one's name down to posterity. Christian churches are not averse to adopting the same plan, copied, perhaps, by the Japanese. I hope, for the sake of the amour profre of the image, that Buddha may be successfully renovated ; the appearance of the face is of the negro type, with fuU, thick lips and curly hair. In the grounds is to be seen an enormous pine-tree with spreading boughs, supported by shores, which is said to be 800 years old ; and another extraordinary tree consisting of a camelUa, a cherry, wistaria, and others (seven in all) inextricably grown THE TEMPLE OF KASUGA. 159 together. Pieces of paper are tied to it containing prayers for the birth of children in case the marriage is of tardy fruitfulness. From this prayerful practice and from the numbers of small children one sees in every city and village in Japan, I infer that there can be no doubt as to the ef&cacy of prayer ; certainly not on the score of fruitful marriages. The road from the temple leads to a hne of shops, where the figures of the performers in the sacred dance and articles made from deers' horns are sold, and a lot of fancy articles cut from bone. Taking a short walk through the woods, we then come to another temple, red and white (Shinto), plain, with no ornaments; and then to the museum of curios — a fine large stone and cement building con- taining a large collection of antiques, ancient armour, figures of Buddha and kings (all very ancient), and several grotesque figures, drawings, etc. The price of admission was three sen {i.e., one and a half cents of our money) . In a pond we saw a large number of carp and gold-fish, and small tortoises. The shopping instinct always predominates in the Japanese. A smaU shop containing food for the fish and tortoises was at hand, and was well patronized by the visitors. It was amusing to see the rush made when the cake or food was thrown in the water. On the bank there is a monument erected to commemorate the drowning of one of the king's concubines, who had destroyed herself on being jealous of another wife taken by him, and, as to be expected, a younger one. It is remarkable that in the journey of life, as age advances, our hankering after what is fast slipping from our grasp {i.e., our own youth and beauty, if we ever had any) seems to assert itself. We are then more susceptible to the wiles of the tempters to bring us into sub- jection to evil. A legend tells us of a beautiful maiden of the Mikado's Court, who was wooed by all the courtiers, but re- jected their offers of marriage because she was in love with the Mikado, who for a while looked graciously on her, but when he afterwards began to neglect her, she went to the pond by night secretly and drowned herself. We passed through a beautiful country coming and going by train. Uji is on the Kyoto side of the river, a neat little village or town, and is especially famous for its tea-gardens, of which we passed many acres. Tea is i6o IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. believed to have been introduced into Japan by China in a.d. 805, by the Buddhist abbot. The Uji plantations, which date from the twelfth century, have always been considered the chief ones of the empire. The tea begins to come to market about the loth of May ; but the preparation of the leaf is going on in the village among the peasants at a later date. The finest kind, " Jewelled Dew," is sold at a very high price, as much as from five to seven yen per pound. Each family works independently in quite a small way, and gives to the tea produced whatever fancy name it chooses. At Uji the fire-flies are a great attrac- tion in summer ; it also has a pretty prospect up the river. We passed large orchards of pear-trees and other fruits ; the rice has made its appearance since our arrival, and has a beautiful green colour ; it is literally sown in water covering the soil, and it cannot have too much. The valleys are like one immense garden, with no fences. They are planted in squares divided by low mud walls of about a foot or so in height. There are so many , different kinds of vegetables planted, and they have in growing so many different shades of colour of green and purple, that they give a beautiful aspect to the country, with the hills and grand trees in the background. We passed through several groves of bamboo-trees, which extended quite close to the rails. As we stopped at several stations, we noticed the large number of passengers, travelling principally third-class. The cars are com- fortably fitted up, and the rates low. There is hardly any perceptible difference between the first and second-class ; consequently, with the exception of a few foreigners, the first is hardly ever used. The first-class coaches are in compartments, holding eight persons, answering better for families or parties of tourists, etc. The system of taking tickets is an improvement and gives less trouble. You first take your ticket at the wicket, then pass through a narrow gate to the platform, when it is punched, and you escape all the annoyance of being harassed by the conduc- tor. On arriving at your destination you again pass through the wicket or gate and deliver up your ticket ; it is stamped with the name of the station, therefore no dispute can arise as to the fare or the distance travelled, as it is only good KYOTO. i6i from and to the stations paid for. Nothing can be more simple. 5th. — Kyoto. — ^The five-storeyed pagoda at Nara which stands on a basement of cement is the oldest wooden structure in Japan. Each storey is less lofty than that below it, which gives the structure a solid and stable appearance. The ground floor is adorned with some curiously-tinted terra-cotta groups. At 9 a.m. we took jinrikisha for the festival which takes place on the 5th June. We had over an hour's drive through several streets of the town, before we came to a place barred off by ropes and could not proceed further. There was an immense concourse of people of all descriptions. On leaving the jinrikisha we got standing-ground, but were disappointed with the result, as there was nothing to be seen but horse-racing, or, rather, expert riding, on much the same Hues as practised by Mexican vaqueros, or cowboys, of the States, but not in such good form. Some of the riders were very expert, i.e., standing on their hands on the horse while galloping ; others on the side hanging over on one ' leg ; others somersaulting, etc. ; and one, the best, standing on his head. No money was collected, and a repetition of the acting was kept up all along the streets, the sides of which were Mned throughout by ropes. I cannot say how long this continued, as we did not stay to see the end. What this circus had to do with the temples or with holy religion is known only to Buddha and the gods, for whose honour it was inaugurated. I beheve they finished up by going to the temple in procession, the priest clad in armour and riding the sacred horse in com- memoration of the Shoguns. On our return we met a con- siderable number of young men in white {i.e., drawers reaching the knees, and a blouse, but no other clothing). On inquiring we were told that they were going to the temple. Rain came on in the afternoon, so that we did not go to see what took place. We then visited the temple of Pan-ju-san-gen-do, con- taining 33,333 images of Kwannon, to which the Emperor Goshiakana afterwards added as many more in a.d. 1165. It was completely destroyed with all its contents in 1249 ; it was then rebuilt by the Emperor, and filled with images of the thousand-handed Kwannon to the number of 1,000. Quite II i62 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. unique is the impression produced by this immensely elongated edifice, with its vast company of gilded images rising tier above tier. Each image is five feet high, and all represent the eleven-faced, thousand-handed Kwannon ; the total number of 33.333 being obtained by including in the computation the smaller efiigies placed on the foreheads, on the haloes, and in the hands of the larger ones. Though all represent the same divine personage, and though there is a general resemblance between the figures, it will be found that no two have quite the same arrangement of hands and articles held in them. The large seated figure in the centre is also Kwannon, while stand- ing round it are eight-and-twenty followers. The long gallery is much marked by arrows — it being formerly the custom for skilful archers to try how many arrows they could shoot from one end to the other of the verandah ; this was called ya kazu, or the greatest number of arrows. In a wide road behind stands another temple. We then went to the Museum of Industries — a large building, containing an extensive col- lection of exhibits of the various industries and arts of Japan. All the firms are represented in large cases, with handsome samples of their industries, i.e., silks, porcelain, cloisonne, Damascene, pottery, machinery, cutlery ; in fact, all the trades. We were surprised at the large and handsome collection there displayed, and had not sufficient time to examine the goods. Will revisit it to-morrow evening, as we found its vast assort- ment exceedingly interesting. 6th. — The day was wet and cold, so we went to the Exhibi- tion, paying it another visit as we could do nothing else. It was well worth the time spent inspecting the articles. All the trades were represented — all Japanese manufactures ; some exhibits were very handsome and expensive, especially the silks, velvets, and embroideries ; as also the Damascene, porce- lain, cloisonne, and a host of others. Small articles were offered for sale, at prices more moderate than those asked for in the shops — where prices range high during the season, that is from AprU to the middle of June. The building has been erected for the purpose of advertising the principal shops. Having taken stalls to display their goods, in order to get custom. JAPANESE GARDENS. 163 they must put the prices as low as the quality will permit ; but as these stalls contain samples only, there is no quantity for sale, from which it follows that purchasers must, of necessity, visit the shops. The entrance-fee is only three sen (a cent and a half of our money). We then visited a private garden be- longing to a Japanese merchant. It was very prettily laid out with a small cascade, lake, and bridge, the path winding like a labyrinth or maze — a perfect paradise where lovers might wander about for hours undisturbed among the trees, up flights of steps, through woods where stone pagodas and rustic retreats were invitingly open for a siesta or quiet flirtation. The Japanese excel in landscape-gardening and artistic arrange- ment of gardens in shrubs, trees, and flowers ; and they have the advantage of a lovely country to bring their labours to per- fection. On the background may be a diminutive hill, rich in foliage of almost every hue, adding to the scene beautiful and cool avenues which the sun scarcely enters, with a pretty stream trickling in minute cascades, conducted by bamboo pipes to a small pond containing gold fish playing beneath a fountain which cools the air. Such are the characteristics of all Japanese gardens. They are miniature landscapes, imitations of bits of scenery, with lakes, bridges, trees and mountains, lilies and lotuses, frogs and fishes. Here you may see pine-trees hundreds of years old, only a foot or two in height, embedded in small pots ; the primary object of the dwarfing having been obviously to give to the miniature garden the similitude of a natural landscape. The Japanese do not make flowers the principal feature of their gardens ; they often omit them entirely. Yet they are an eminently aesthetic nation. In profusion and variety of wild flowers Japan is not nearly so weU supplied as Southern California ; but as cultivators and lovers of ornamental gardening the Japanese stand in the very front rank. Palms, peonies, plums, cherries, ^-ergreens, magnoUas, and hundreds of other shrubs are most artistically cultivated. Whenever a site commands a fine view of lake and mountain, there will you find a temple or a tea-house, where poor and rich alike can enjoy the prospect. Thousands of pilgrims make long or short journeys every summer, ostensibly to visit some shrine, but II * 164 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. really to enjoy the scenery and the outing. Nor is there a lack of enjoyment for those who stay at home. On moonhght nights thousands of people throng the bridges, walk the streets, or lounge in boats on the river, enjoying themselves. Some wiU sit up aU night until well into the moirning to see the moon rise over the sea, and where practicable, to watch their beloved Fuji, meanwhile drinking tea (sake) and composing poetry. There are " Sermons in stones — books in the running brooks," which every Jap can read as a maSter in the art. Go to Japan if you want to see, not only 800 varieties, but 300 different shades of colour in chrysanthemums ; go there if you wish to see a number of different kinds on one stem, or a whole plant concentrated in one giant flower ; go there if you want to see, in miniature or on any scale, historic scenes, land- scapes, living pictures in flowers. Even the forest leaves are classed and admired as flowers in their autumn tints. In im- pressive appreciation of all that is beautiful, Japan excels all countries. No cooUe is too poor to have his flowers daily ; for a fraction of a cent he can select what he wants from one of the hanging baskets which the itinerant flower-sellers carry down the street, attached to a pole on their shoulders. On your travels, if you stop more than a day at an inn, the girls wiU bring in a fresh-potted plant every day — and the same thing is done in all the cottage homes. Flower festivals are a speciality in Japan. Almost every month has its favourite flowers. The schools have flower hohdays — and even prisoners are not so cruelly treated as to be kept indoors when plums and cherries are in blossom. The plum blossom, coming immediately after the snow (like our crocus), is a special favourite, but it is in beauty surpassed by the cherry blossom, which is the loveliest floral sight in the world. When the tree flowers, it is as though the most deMcate morsels of fleecy cloud, faintly tinged by sunset, had fluttered from the sky to fold themselves around the branches. The Japanese regard the snow-clad summit of Fuji as one of the festivals of the year. Gardening is an art studied as carefully as lacquer work or painting, for it has its various schools and styles with its different themes and corre- sponding treatment, which in its highest forms is not surpassed JAPANESE GARDENS. 165 nor perhaps equalled anywhere. This art, like all the other ornamental ones, originated in China, but in its present form dates from the Shoguns, who devoted themselves to picturesque and aesthetic surroundings. No art in Japan has been followed with greater iideUty to nature than landscape gardening. The garden is regarded as a poem or a picture, intended to inspire sentiment and engender associations. Sometimes the sugges- tion of some natural scene may be intended — such as a mountain, hiU, forest, or river ; or its general description should express seclusion and solitude. To a Japanese mind it would be the height of vulgarity to regard a garden as an ornamental appendage to the building ; nor is it constructed ■with a view to possessing a rare collection of plants, or of making any dis- play of wealth. Gardening should be undertaken from a genuine love of nature and with a desire of enjoying the beauties of natural scenery and forming a pleasant retreat to stroU in, in the hours of pleasure, a dolce far niente — to read, meditate, and compose poems. Japanese gardens usually have dwarfed trees, old, gnarled, and outspreading; varieties of quaintly trimmed shrubs, imitating cranes and tortoises, with varie- gated leaves, alternate with clusters of azaleas and wistaria; bronze ornaments and lanterns; ornamental stonework that makes them look Uke mountains, chffs, or rocky hills ; grot- toes and bright flowers intermixed artistically as required for colouring; a tiny artificial pond, with gold fish, spanned by a mimic rustic bridge ; avenues, and winding walks ; and a diminutive temple or pagoda, and treUis-work arbours, wherein to sip tea and smoke, forming a landscape in miniature. This intense love of nature, that so distinguishes the Japanese, suggests these charming and elevating pleasures, also indulged in by picnic parties visiting the parks and gardens, with the flowering trees that are in bloom, and the choice plants and shrubs. They sometimes take longer tramps through the woods and up the mountains, that they may enjoy the splendid scenery in its glory, and not in miniature. In the frequented parts of the country, they are always sure to find a tea-house with its refreshments, situated just where they wish to stop and feast their eyes upon its scenic beauty. Japan is the choicest of aU i66 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. lands for pastoral landscapes, combined with mountains, brooks, wooded dells, and waterfalls ; as weU as inexpensive jaimts and journeys, there is a moving pilgrimage from place to place ; the pubhc roads are thronged all along the line Hke a prolonged picnic. Even cooMes who bear the burdens find a pleasure in their work, and the maxim is, " Never be in a hurry, no matter how many days are spent upon the road." The longer the time upon the way, the happier the progress, the time being taken up in the innumerable cups of tea or sake, and pipes and tobacco, early stops and late starts. It goes hard with the foreigner who attempts, as Kipling has it, to " Hustle the East." One day we went a-fishing, but not with the sporting spirit of the en- thusiastic angler, or the poverty of St. Peter, who said, " I go a-fishing." We went, it is true — a makebelieve, not, however, wading in the water, but sitting quietly on cushions in a slow- moving boat, furnished with a gigantic umbrella, with tea, pipes, and fans, while the fisherman in the bow amused us by his skiU in throwing the net and capturing the finny tribe. It was sesthetic, and in touch with the teachings inspired by our visit to the gardens, that we had so aptly illustrated. Japanese cottages are, for the most part, flimsy in their construction, but they charm us by their simplicity. The effect which charms is the perfect taste in matching colour and grain, and the peculiar pieces of wood, of different shades, which compose the ceihngs and the style of decoration for sMdes and walls, etc. AU these are the result of study and the outcome of centuries of develop- ment. The interior is divided by bamboo screens, which, when removed, leave the whole house open in one apartment. The floors are covered with thick mats, and you may not enter any Japanese dwelling without removing your shoes, as the matting must be kept scrupulously clean. There is but httle or no furniture ; in some places a piano and stool. It is customary at meals or social gatherings for the company to sit, with perhaps a httle tea-tray instead of a table ; you never see a chair ; cushions are always placed for you to sit on. AU the cottages have verandahs — some of them very extensive that rim almost roimd the house — much used by the family, and mostly furnished with bath and lavatory, which are seldom placed in the interior ONOMIACHI. 167 of the building. At night the verandahs are enclosed with wooden slides, which, during the day, are also often used as shades from the sun. 'jth. — Onomiachi. — Left hotel at 9.30 by train for Onomiachi by the Saneg line which runs along the north shore of the Inland Sea. Starting from Kobe, arrived at Onomiachi at 8.30 p.m., and went to the " Homakichi Hotel," which is conducted on the Japanese style. Oh, for an easy-chair and a cushion ! Japanese inns are all very well in their way, but the Western soul rebels against the lack of furniture. You have either to tie- your legs in a painful knot, sit down on tortured heels and make a pretence that you are comfortable, or throw yourself on the floor and imagine that you are in bed. But we cannot expect Japan to jump to the front all at once. As the Chinese would say, it belongs to old customs which cannot be overcome in a day. Otherwise the inns are decidedly agreeable. There is, to us, a strangeness and novelty about them entirely different from anything we have ever seen ; for in many respects the Mikado's land is unique. They do not affect pretentious grandeur ; each room stands by itself and is a model of cleanh- ness, simphcity, and airiness. The walls, consisting of a series of panels, can be moved backward and forward at wiU, and, if necessary, the whole storey can be thrown open to the influence of the outside atmosphere. The padded floor is a sofa in itself ; and the small balcony beckons you to its precincts, from which you look down upon a neat Uttle courtyard with its artistic rockery, small fountain, and limpid pool, in which gold-fish sport and splutter. A restful quiet prevails indoors, for all boots are left in the outside vestibule, and only the soft footfall of the waiting-maid can be heard, as she runs along the passage in answer to the hasty hand clap of some impatient guest. These giggUng, laughing, mousmee maids are an attraction in them- selves, and their pretty, dainty Uttle ways are both amusing and charming. Always aiming to please, they weave a warp of geniality and goodwill around their masters' domain, and give to the Japanese inn a touch of homeliness for the visitor, even though he be a stranger in a strange land. We leave to-morrow at 8 a.m. for Miyopma, on the Inland Sea. The day i68 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. was pleasantly cool for our journey by rail, as we passed through a fine farming country, the farmers busy harvesting the grain, and winnowing it on the field. The process is simple and primitive — the sheaves being beaten on a sieve placed on mats, the chafi being afterwards separated. As soon as the barley crop is taken up, the groimd is prepared for another crop by ploughing. On going through the country one is daily struck by the amazing fertiUty of the land, and the rapidity with which the vegetation advances. The rice crop, which on our arrival was being planted, is already well forward. Nothing can exceed the wonderful regularity in which the different crops are planted ; they all come up in mathematical order, not a row out of line, nor are weeds to be seen anywhere for miles and miles. Sometimes it is set in curves or semicircles ; sometimes in squares and plots within mud walls a foot or so high -, and blending with the other varieties of growth, gives so many shades and colours that the effect is very striking. This section of the line is considered the most picturesque in Japan, and is in some respects the most beautiful. But it is hardly fair to discriminate, for each section of the country has its own particular charm. Now and then the railway skirts the coastline, and the eye feasts on islands, straits, and headlands, with the dark blue sea and the pale blue mountains in the distance ; then by barley and rice fields, past the vaUeys and hills ; on towards the mountains, through tunnels and a serpentine track ; then again by the sea, and then to a hiUy district of wonderful beauty, where, in one place, the hills rise one above another in pinnacles, and in another may be a charming bluff clothed with richest foliage, beneath which are clustered hamlets and villages in most picturesque surroimdings, the vaUeys and plains rich in every variety of colouring, the golden grain interspersed with the light shades of peas, etc., and the deep green of the rice and other vegetables. These plateaux, the soil of which is exceedingly rich, can hardly be surpassed. To-morrow morning we leave by steamer (pas- senger and freight boat) for the Inland Sea as far as Miyoyima. The Inlaiid Sea is the name given to the picturesque body of water Ij^ng between the southern and north-west shores. Its length from Akashi Strait at the east entrance to the western THE INLAND SEA. 169 point of exit is 227 miles ; and its width from eight to forty miles, i.e., the main island on the north and the islands on the south. It affords the most direct route from Kobe to Nagasaki. It gives a sheltered route by which the uncertain weather and stormy sea of the outer passage may be avoided. The intricacies of the channel may present some disadvantages to mariners ; but to the traveller the smoothness of the water and the continuously varying and picturesque scenery through- out its whole length are an unfailing source of pleasure. It is taken by all travellers or tourists who visit Japan as one of the chief points of interest, and those who have had the pleasure of traversing it never weary of uttering its praise as one of the most picturesque and fascinating parts of their voyage. CHAPTER VIII. The Inland Sea— Miyoyima — A Japanese Dinner — The Yoshiwara — The Geisha — Marriage and Divorce in Japan — Okayama — Kobe — The Inland Sea — Nagasaki. 8/A. — Inland Sea. — We left our hotel at Onomiachi at 8 a.m., taking the coastal steamer for the famous Island of Miyoyima. When we were fairly imder way the wind sprang up, making it nice and cool. Our course lay along the shore, providing every possible kind of scenic effect. At one point the situation is extremely interesting ; the steamer is completely landlocked, and to the uninitiated there appears to be no way between the rocks and islands with which the sea is studded. The steamer swings round point after point, threatening to swamp some fishing boat at every turn, and passes the stages so close that we can inspect aU the doings of the inhabitants. Through these narrows the tide rushes with a velocity of from four to six knots, adding greatly to the difficulties of navigation. At times the vessel can hardly stem the rushing water, and rolls from side to side as it catches her on either bow. Delightful as are some of the views which the Saneg railway journey affords of the Inland Sea, the charm of the latter can be infinitely better appreciated from the deck of the coastal steamer. Calling at all the chief towns, we landed and received a surprising number of passengers. Rounding the headlands and curves, we steamed close by the pastoral land. Some of the hills were beautifully coloured, and the growth of vegetation made them appear so perfect in form, that we could hardly credit that it was not a cunning imitation of nature. The order and regularity of the plantations was wonderful ; whether it was com, rice, fruit, flowers, or any other vegetation, not a straggUng line or dis- orderly drill or outline could be seen ; weeds were conspicuous by their absence ; and in the distance the same diligent care, 170 THE INLAND SEA. 171 regiilarity and order were everywhere to be seen. Such high- class gardening and fanning was almost beyond conception. At the foot of the hills cluster the village cottages, almost lost amid the foliage. Flags were flying on long bamboo poles, and attached to some were large artificial fish inflated by the wind, which gave quite a picturesque effect. At another turn of the helm we find ourselves among majestic mountains, bare and rugged, with here and there a crop of low, bushy woods interspersed with bare patches, apparently stone or ridges, which in the distance had the appearance of snow. We saw, skimming the water in all directions, hundreds of sailing craft of all sizes; some of them very large, and small boats of very peculiar form and build, the bow sharp and long, but high and square aft, with a storm window over the rudder, in fashion like the old Dutch vessels of the last century, carrying lug or square sails stretched taut on bamboo frames. One of the many ports we visited was a naval station, where twelve or more men-of-war were at anchor — some of them prizes taken from the Russians during the late war. We landed there a lot of freight, principally what is called " sake," a spirit manu- factured from rice, in taste similar to weak whisky. In some places large breweries produce very good beer ; others manu- facture and export in large quantities an excellent quality of mineral water. In the afternoon the wind changed, and the sun became so hot that we went below to escape being cremated. We were thus forced to miss some of the ever-changing and beautiful scenery. Many tourists are content to view the Inland Sea in their passage from Kobe to Shanghai in the ocean steamers, and we shall take the same course by-and-by ; but we are now visiting parts which the liners cannot reach, on account of the shoaliness of water, and narrowness of the passage, which we have been threading. We shall return by rail and so see it from all points of view, viz., by three different ways, and under different aspects. So far as I am capable of judging scenery, it is certainly incomparable, because Nature is spread before us in so many different phases — mountains, islands, marine views, fields, forest, aU presented in quick succession an absorbing and fascinating vista so kaleidoscopic and varied that memory 172 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. fails to record half of what the eye sees. It beggars description. The Inland Sea, the name of which is Suwo Nada, has been much commented on by all visitors, the best of whom have but half succeeded in describing their impressions ; and it is remarkable that the Japanese themselves have written nothing definite regarding it. Perhaps their language is not sufficiently poetic or figurative to describe the scenic effect. Each country has its special beauty-spots in nature ; the most bare and sterile is not without some object of majesty and grandeur; but however enthusiastically even a fertile pen describes Japan, her scenic beauties, if seen at the proper seasons for each different prospect, are beyond the power of pen or brush ; for nowhere else on God's fair earth has artistic genius attained such per- fection in bettering the beauties of Nature. No country is so thoroughly cultivated or planted in such magnificent variety of form and proportions. Add this to the purple hiUs in every form, one rising above the other in perfect symmetry, with the pine-clad mountains — some bare and rugged, others clothed to the very summit with beautiful foliage — and you have a picture of the country the genius of whose sons in creating land- scape effects has outvied even Nature herself. gth. — Miyoyima. — Miyo3dma rises to a height of i,8oo feet. It is situated on the Inland Sea a few miles from Hiioshima, which obtained prominence during the Russo-Japanese war as the depdt from whence most of the Japanese troops embarked for the front. The island is regarded as being sacred, and an ancient rehgious rule, which forbade all births and deaths on the island, is still conformed to as far as possible. We arrived at our destination, and went to a first-class Japanese hotel, called " Iwaso," situated in a beautiful park (Momiji Dani), and surroimded by magnificent woods. From the summit of Misen, a thickly-wooded hiU, a beautiful panoramic view of the Inland Sea can be obtained. The path up the hill is well paved, and the ascent, though steep, is quite easy. To describe adequately the glimpses of the surrounding scenery which we obtained from time to time would tax aU the art of a master in pen painting. I shall not attempt it. The quantity and variety of the beautiful moss which covers the trees and rocks MIYOYIMA. i;3 is very extraordinary. On the way up to Misen are numerous picturesque little shrines, some of them standing under huge rocks, which project from the side of the hill, and appear (as they have appeared for centuries probably) as though they were about to roll down into the sea, hundreds of feet below. At the top of Misen are numerous shrines, large and small ; and if we are to beUeve the legend, a fire lit by Kobo-daishi over a thou- sand years ago has been kept alight ever since. There is also a curious place at the top of the hill whence salt water con- stantly flows. The inhabitants of Miyoyima firmly beUeve that this spring is connected in some inexpUcable way with the sea, nearly 2,000 feet below. They say that at certain times of the year, when there are very high tides, the salt water overflows, and the rocks appear to bear marks where the water has intermittently overflowed. An investigation in the arcana of Japanese folk-lore would probably bring to light interesting legends in connection with this sea water at the top of a moun- tain. The first sight of the many that one sees in landing were the famous torii, standing out partly covered with water, and the hundreds of stone lanterns which dot the beach, extending east and west of the temple. On pa57ment of a fee to the Shinto priests, these lanterns are Ht, and the effect viewed from the sea, particularly on a calm, dark evening, can only be described as fairyHke ; the twinkling lights reflected in the water, the great dark hills in the background, and the weird silence out on the sea, combine to make a spectacle both impressive and imique. The tide being in, we were able to pass in our sampan under the great torii ; and it is only when one is actually beneath them and can see the outMnes of the huge pillars and the beams of light reflected from the shore that their immense size is reahzed. We visited the Benten Temple and the Senjo-Kakka (' ' The Hall of a Thousand Mats ") . The temples are approached by long corridors and pavilions, in some parts of which are shops with curios, etc., for sale ; and in a square, flocks of pigeons, the progeny of two holy birds, which are fed by visitors pur- chasing grain from the stalls, as at St. Mark's in Venice, where thousands congregate to be fed. In this case they were ex- ceedingly tame, and would perch on your arm or stick if coaxed 174 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. by the grain purchased. There are also deer on the island (equally tame, and at all times ready to be fed by cakes sold for that purpose), spotted Uke those seen at Nara. The temple is partly built over the sea on wooden posts or piers, and it appears, at high tide, to float upon the surface of the water. The effect is, of course, marred when the tide is out, and a characteristic feature are the long galleries, 888 feet in length and fourteen feet wide, which stretch out into the sea like spreading wings on both sides of the temple. The temple gallery is 648 feet long, and is hung with many pictures, some of which are old and are by famous artists. The new buildings at the rear contain various art treasures. The island extends five miles from east to west, and two and a half miles from north to south. It has many lovely valleys and pretty cascades, and its sur- rotmding country is very charming. The torii are in height forty-four and a half feet, and in length of beam seventy-three feet. The Mount Mirjena is 1,356 feet high. Miyoyima rises to a height of about 1,800 feet, and is very rocky and thickly wooded. Many small but lovely vaUeys trend down to the sea, and in these, among groves of maple-trees, nestle inns and tea-houses for pilgrims, and the dwellings of the fishermen and image-carvers, who, with the priests and innkeepers, make up a population of some 3,000. Miyo5dma is a charming summer resort, the temperature being never unbearably high, the sea and fresh-water bathing excellent, and the walks numerous. The abundance of conifers, the disintegrated granite soil, and the total absence of agriculture, combine to keep the air singularly pure and the water hmpid. A number of deer still linger on the island and feed out of the hands of the passers-by. The great unpainted HaU of a Thousand Mats, standing on an eminence to the rear of the temple, is said to have been built by Hideyoshi out of the wood of a single camphor-tree. Ladles of the sort commonly used by the Japanese for serving rice in the sixteenth century are cunningly hung up on the piUars till now. The place wears the most singular aspect, through being plastered all over with ladles up to the very ceiling. Close to the Thou- sand Mat HaU stands a five-storey pagoda. A huge stone pagoda is in course of construction on the shore. There are a MIYOYIMA. i;S good many shops in the village of a larger scale than usual, with a good collection of carvings (in which they are proficient) on images, boxes, and fancy articles of all descriptions. In the summer season, when the Japanese traders visit the island, they do a good business, and sell a large quantity of goods. The rivers of Japan are a feature which should not be omitted. The tourist usually travels a considerable distance by river ; and whether you are being swept on by its quick-flowing waters and rapids, or are quietly gUding between groves of pine and cherry trees, in the sunshine as well as under the rain-cloud, an ever-changing panorama of landscape is always before you, comprising all the richness of foliage and vegetation of which Japan is justly proud. But the scenery ! How can I describe it ? The high, precipitous hills rising abruptly from the river ; the purple-hued rocks cropping out from amidst the greenest of herbage ; a foaming torrent rushing down the hillside and leaping with a roar into the river ; musical streamlets as they rustle past feathery -topped bamboos to join the greater waters ; the picturesquely-placed shrine on the top of some dome- shaped rock ; the little native village, nesthng in the sheltered nook ; all contribute to the enchantment of this bewitching land. And then a Mttle further down the gorge, where the river widens somewhat, the hand of Nature gives way a httle to the hand of man, for the lower slopes are richly culti- vated, and the villages become more frequent. We are again on the move in the smooth-running current, and with a leap and whirl we emerge from the boiling mass and glide over the emerald green below. In an instant we feel the effect of another rapid as the water begins to swish and swirl around us ; with a dex- terous push from the man in the bow we flash past some formid- able obstacle, and, shooting through the seething foam, are in a moment or two in quiet water and on an even keel. The Japanese boats are strong, but roughly built ; many of them have amidships a thatched-roofed frame, a shelter both from rain and sun. The old and the new Japan of late years are becoming much mixed together. Many of the old customs have been superseded, but as yet the changes are not very percep- tible ; the younger generation of men are beginning to adopt 176 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the European style of dress, especially in schools, banks and offices, although the kimono is mostly worn among the work- ing classes. Very Uttle clothes are worn, the body being almost bare — the arms and legs especially so. With the women there has been no change in the dress, and is not likely to be, as in dress, if not otherwise, they are very conservative. loth. — We left the hotel for Okayama at 2 p.m., crossing over to the station by the steam ferryboat — a very nice boat and well fitted up for the purpose — and arrived at the station just as the Saneg railway cars came in. We had a picturesque view of the country, as well as the coasthne and the Inland Sea ; it was a beautiful prospect, with the large fleet of fishing-boats at anchor and sailing. We passed several towns and villages. The farmers were aU busy harvesting the grain, both threshing and winnowing it on the ground. The wheat is also turning fast and nearly ripe. The fishing industry is largely prosecuted on this portion of the coast, and a large number of people are em- ployed in it. There is a great variety of fish, and lobsters, shrimps and other shell-fish are abundant. The manu- facturing of salt is also carried out, and aU along the shore the landwash is taken up with places for making it, with pits in the mud or sand heated for evaporation of the salt water. We arrived at the " Hotel Mijoshina " at 7.30. It is run in Japanese style — ^no furniture ; the bed on the floor, each room being divided by screens. The dining-room was of extra size, used at times for concerts and assemblies. Both before the hotel and behind are very nice gardens, with ponds and bridges and many flowers and shrubs, especiaUy the azalea. Mosquitoes were very much in evidence, so much so that the bed was covered with a gauze net, which formed almost another httle room of itself. The fire-flies were very numerous in the garden, and at times quite fit up the place hke jets of electricity. They appear during the summer months, and many people go to the places they frequent to see them. A Japanese dinner is served on the floor, each individual having a smaU tray to himself, with its collection of dainty httle bowls and a pair of chopsticks. A short distance away sits the waitress with a steaming barrel before her, from which she A JAPANESE DINNER. I77 refills your rice bowl when necessary. When the eatables are finished, or your appetite assuaged, tea is brought in with sweets, which brings the meal to a close. Tea is taken almost hourly, being a weak infusion of ordinary tea-leaves. Japanese differs from Chinese tea, the first infusion only of the latter being good, whereas the second infusion of Japanese tea is less bitter than the first. Milk or sugar is never used. Very little meat is used ; their chief food is rice, vegetables and fish. There are but few cattle in Japan, and, in consequence, the farmers do not raise hay. Horses also are scarce ; very few sheep are reared, and there are, as a rule, very few goats, and dogs are not much in demand. Our menu consisted of fish (cooked, raw and smoked), several kinds of seaweed, vegetables (warm, cold and pickled), radishes, mushrooms, boiled bamboo and lotus roots, potatoes, chicken and mutton, and several kinds of mysterious salads. I sampled every dish, and survive to tell the tale. The soup was served in small lacquer bowls, and had slices of hard-boiled eggs or omelette, or seaweed, or fish, floating in it. The soUds were fished out more Japonico with our chop-sticks, while the soup was drunk out of the bowls. The girls at first laughed at my attempt to use the chop-sticks, but they kindly and gladly instructed me how to hold and use them. This was my first lesson, and before the end of the meal I had made considerable progress ; but I never quite acquired the skill of the natives, who use their sticks as deftly as storks use their bills, in fishing sohds out of the soup, and in picking a small fish clean to the skeleton, which seems the most wonder- ful feat of all. The apparent difficulty of eating chicken or mutton is solved by having all meat cut up into small morsels before it is served. On the matting before each guest is placed a cushion, to use which a la japonaise he would require to have previously undergone, under the manipulation of pretty little raousm^es, an oiling of the nether hmbs and a massage, so that he may be enabled, so far as in him lieth, to tuck up his legs and sit on his heels in the proper form ; when this had been accomplished he would be en regie. Speaking for myself personally, I had to be attended to several times by the little fascinating waitress kneeling at my feet. At a Japanese 12 1/8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. dinner there is no table and there are no chairs, knives, forks, or spoons ; nor are there glasses, bread, butter, potatoes or puddings. There is no clatter of plates or dishes, or any noise or bustle, unless it may be from the guests or from those who gather on the floor. After the repast we had some music and dancing, while we reclined (not before it was time) on soft white mats, with one bright music girl to entertain us on the samisen, a second maid to bring dainties to eat and drink, and a patient third beauty to cool our brows with her gaily ornamented large fan. Why have we voluntarily given up our aboriginal and inalienable right to such luxuries, and yet our spoiled and petted women are cla- mouring for their rights ? '0 tempora ! moreS ! Japan is, happily, a land where these demands have not yet become the fashion. The dancing girls never left their places and hardly moved their feet, their performance being in oriental fashion and pantomime. By means of facial expression, words and gestures, and the use of fans, they enacted several tales, none of which would have been approved by Mrs. Grundy. These girls are often refined and beautiful, and are especially accom- pUshed and trained to please ; they must not be confounded with the tea-house girls in the lower strata of society, of which there are several grades, from the geisha down to the Yoshiwara victims, sold by their parents to vice for a term of years. The singing, dancing and tea-house girls whose acquaintance we had so far made, were, as previously stated, of a class the members of which may be entirely respectable or partially so, in comparison with a more degraded class of girls and women, who are now confined by law to a special district in each town known as " Yoshiwara," where vice is indeed gilded, and property is said to be worth four times as much as in most other parts of the town. Nowhere else are the houses so high and so costly in appearance. Besides some shorter streets, there is one large avenue consisting of two rows of mansions, at night brilUantly illuminated. In the case of the largest and most sumptuous of these buildings there is nothing to indicate their character from without ; whereas in the more humble ones the ground floor, Yoshiwara, Tokyo. [Facitig t> T78. THE GEISHA. i79 elevated a couple of feet above the street level, is open to view, and presents the appearance of a human menagerie. These ground floors are HteraUy cages wherein hundreds of imprisoned girls sit behind rows of bars every night, some of them stolid- looking, others smiling, or chaffing the passers-by. These poor girls have been sold for a term of years to the owners of these palaces of vice, and there is no escape from them except through death or smcide, or the rare chance of being ransomed by an admirer and elevated to concubinage, or even to marriage. In Japanese novels the heroine is not infrequently a girl who has been sold by her parents into this hfe, or has voluntarily offered this sacrifice of her chastity to rescue them from debt ; but it is the opinion of those best informed that, except among the very poorest, such cases mostly belong to the realm of romance, and rarely occur in real life — perhaps not more fre- quently than in Europe or America. The mission of the geisha is to make hfe merry ; her whole education is to that end. She can dance and sing and play on aU sorts of instruments ; she knows the best stories and latest jokes ; she is quick at repartee ; she is graceful and frolicsome as a kitten ; her manners are ex- quisite. No one is so extravagant as a geisha in the richness of her silks and crepes — always beautifully dressed. She is generally a most innocent-looking person, a mere child in appearance, as weU as very small. She is trained to the pro- fession from childhood, and is always a well accomplished, ex- quisite little woman, marvellously elegant, and most gorgeously dressed, and, as may be expected, gentle and well-behaved. The Japanese look to the geisha for the delights of female society. The ancient Greek and the modem Jap are alike in looking for domestication only away from their home circle. Japanese wives, hke Greek wives, are not taught accomplishments ; they are taught virtues, and it is doubtful if they find virtue a reward. The Greeks had their geishas, like Aspasia— lovely and brilliant women, whose profession it was to entertain men by their accomplishments and charm. History oft repeats itself in more ways than one. Nature is apt to assert itself. The European enjoys watching the geisha, although he cannot take in aU the points of her performance. Like the barmaid, her 12* i8o IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. chief attraction is her wit, and she uses it sometimes for pleasing, but sometimes to repel the advances of her temporary employers. A foreigner in Japan finds it difficult to become acquainted with women of the better classes ; they are kept more or less in the background by their lords and masters. It is not customary even for Japanese men to make calls on the women of other famihes ; and when a Japanese invites a friend to dine with him, he takes him, not to his house, but to a restaurant, where his wife and daughter do not accompany him, as he does not wish them to associate with the possibly " frail " beauties who help to enliven tea-house dinners. Under these circum- stances, visitors and tourists are apt to get their ideas and impressions of Japanese women principally at the tea-houses. Now, from some points of view, this is not a disadvantage ; for the waiting-maids are chosen for their beauty, while the geisha are not only trained in all the arts of personal beauty and artistic fascination, but are so carefully educated that in wit and intelligence the domestic women in the quiet family circle cannot compare with them. The geisha are the brightest and most accomplished of all the Japanese women, and in making their acquaintance one meets, therefore, favourable specimens of the country's womanhood, except in the matter of, perhaps, what we piously call frailty of character. As a class, geisha are no more frail than European or American actresses ; and the most respectable men, native and foreign, never hesitate to have their meals spiced by their beauty and wit. The geisha, after having received a long and careful training in the art of making themselves agreeable, usually live at home with their families. Yet so fascinating, bright and lovely are they, that many of them have been taken by men of good position as wives, and are now the heads of the most orthodox houses. A Japanese girl is the perfection of grace, so long as she remains on her knees, but the effect is marred when she gets up and walks, for her gait, hke that of all Japanese women, is ungraceful, the knees being too far apart and the toes turned in, while her loose sUppers flap along on the floor without ever quite leaving it. A Japanese woman carries in her sleeve most of her personal effects required for immediate use. A pocket-handkerchief MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. l8i (which is generally made of paper) ; a silk case containing her chop-sticks (you take your feeding tools with you to a Japanese meal, instead of finding them on the table) ; another case con- taining a looking-glass, which is not made of brass, but of sil- vered bronze ; and her pot of lip-salve (which is not intended to soften the lips, since kissing is not a Japanese custom, but to colour them) ; her fan and medicine-chest, consisting of little trays fitting into each other and a cover, that would go into a cigar-case ; also her pen and ink — one being a paint-brush stuck in the end of a bamboo shoot, the other in the form of dry Indian ink ; and last, but not least, her tobacco, which she carries in a purse and smokes in a small brass pipe hardly big enough to hold the substance of a pinch of snuff, which takes about three whiffs to consume. They use very httle or no jewellery, the Japanese woman's idea of ornamentation in that line is to have her tobacco-purse or her pipe-case of exquisite material and workmanship. Japan is a country with great matrimonial advantages ; it is a simple affair, and it consists chiefly in taking so many cups of tea or sake in a particular way. The marriage ceremony follows a prescribed routine. First comes the negotiation through the go-between ; then the mutual seeing, if desired ; then the betrothal presents, which are bind- ing and final, and the choice of a lucky day for the wedding. When it comes, the bride arrays herself in white (the colour of mourning, in sign of her death to her home), and is taken to the bridegroom's house, where she drinks two tiny cups of wine with him and retires to her apartment, where her gown is re- moved and she is arrayed in clothes of his providing. She then returns, drinks three more cups of wine with him, and the cere- mony is complete. These are the essentials, though details differ greatly, and in the case of those in high social positions, various elaborations are added. There is neither civil nor religious rite, though under the new code there must be a change of registration and a record of the event. In most families the bride falls under the dominion of the mother-in-law, who re- members the hardships of her apprenticeship and revenges her- self on the victim. Nothing, perhaps, is the cause of so much domestic unhappiness ; so that the bride dreads not the un- i82 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. known husband, but the new mother-in-law. To the latter, the husband owes first allegiance, and he gives over his Uttle bride to her tender mercies, the new-comer being Httle better than a servant. She being wholly cut off from her own family, is completely one with the new relationships. Under such con- ditions marriage cannot be said to be the union of two equal contracting parties ; the desideratum of mutual respect and love are hereby negatived — ^nor are the husband and wife the chief parties concerned. It is an affair of famiHes, who must assume any courtship if required by proxy. Among the labour- ing classes or coolies it is of little ceremony, or none at aU, and is terminated at pleasure on either side. In the earliest period of Japan, marriage was merely the acknowledgment in public of a relationship already formed in private, and a man might have as many wives as he could get or support, for it was only the wife who was bound to faithfulness. The daughter owes obedience to her father. She is to marry or to become a con- cubine ; to enter the Yoshiwara at his will or to remain un- married she has no property in herself. When she marries, she changes her allegiance, and is subject now to her husband as she was before to her father ; the superior is not beholden to the inferior. As the father gives no account of himself to the daughter, so the husband gives none to the wife ; it is enough if he treat her kindly and provide for her support. He may bring home a concubine, or he may absent himself at pleasure. Probably there is no attempt at concealment, as jealousy is not one of a Japanese woman's cardinal sins. She has been in- structed in her youth to be subservient, and is, consequently, contented and unexcitable. This relation between the sexes has arisen from the long-continued status of Old Japan ; sepa- rated from the world, it would continue as it began ; but now brought into contact with more enlightened countries there are many signs that the old order will give place to more advanced views of social life. Divorce is a two-edged sword, cuts both ways, inasmuch as it gives the same rights to each contracting party. But it is not often taken advantage of by the better half, unless she be not satisfied, especially when she is capable of earning her own living, which is MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. 183 principally done in the lower classes, and is an art of which Japanese ladies in the upper classes are incapable. Japan is essentially a man's country, where woman is regarded as a mere convenience, and is subject to three obediences — ^to her father until she is married, to her husband, and then if she is left a widow with children, to her sons. A Japanese woman is often married because her mother-in-law wants someone to wait on her ; in fact, she has no particular prospect in life until she becomes a mother-in-law herself. Japanese mothers-in- law are proverbially harsh to their daughters-in-law. The only capacity in which a woman has a decent chance of mis- behaving herself is that of mother-in-law ; and it is odd that, except in the low-down circles where a woman's labour can be turned to some other account than that of waiting upon her mother-in-law, she seldom takes advantage of the desirable terms of Japanese divorce. The reason given for this is that no woman would voluntarily seek to be deprived of even a Japanese marriage. jith. — A wet day with heavy rain. We left the " Hotel Mijoshina " at 8 a.m. for a drive through the town with jin- rikishas. The rainy season in Japan commences about the middle of June and lasts a month. It looks as if it was inclined to commence this year earlier than usual. We then drove to the Park, which was exceedingly pretty ; the trees were magni- ficent, with several ornamental ones — one especially trained in various forms ; some very artistically twined in several ways, the branches forming different growths and figures. There was a beautiful bed of iris just coming into flower of an extra size ; also a clump of azaleas, exceedingly handsome, loaded with flowers with such luxuriancy as can be seen nowhere out of Japan. The Castle is situated just outside the park. It formerly was occupied by the Daimios, who held the rank of lieutenants of the Shoguns, or general superintendents. It has now been instituted as Okayama Orphanage, which is the largest in Japan and is under native management from the churches in connection with the American Mission Board. Fancy matting is a local specialty, and ranks high in the market. We visited the local Museum of Industries, and were surprised to see the 184 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. large collection of fancy and other articles that were manu- factured in the town by the industry of the village people. Many of the articles, such as porcelain, carving, matting, rugs, would take a first-class place in any industrial department. In the park there are rustic bridges, hills, lakes, cherry-trees, plum- trees, wistaria, maples, palms, and a few tame cranes or storks — one of them is said to be over two hundred years old ; also summer-houses, which are hired for the picnic parties, in which the Japanese take such delight. The last of the line of the Shoguns, Yoshinoba of the Tokugawa, abdicated in 1868 and is still living in retirement at Tokyo. The population of Okayama is about 68,000. The village is very similar to other places in Japan of the same size ; some streets extremely narrow (with the usual complement of shops), and none that may be termed wide ; nor have they any side-walks, so that all the traffic^ whether vehicular or pedestrian, meets in the middle of the streets, which often are blocked by a crowd that by its variety, strangeness of attire — some European, some Asiatic, and others without any clothing except a loin-cloth — is extremely interesting to the tourist. We arrived at Kobe at 3.30, and went to the " Mikado," a fine, large hotel, conducted on European principles, with nice airy rooms and very good cuisine. Kobe. — 12th. — After dinner at 8.30, took jinrikisha to drive to the Yoshiwara quarter of the town ; still raining. Went to a long street — houses on both sides illuminated with lamps in a line for two storeys. The streets were of considerable length. Visited three houses — two ranked as first-class, and one second. In the first house we visited there were fourteen young girls seated in a circle — some of them smoking, and on the whole good-looking. In the next house there were seventeen — most of them reading, nine smoking. They were all nicely dressed, good-looking, gentle girls. They were divided from us by a glass screen running the length of the room, so that all could be plainly seen. They did not move, or apparently in any way take any notice, or remove their eyes from the books they were reading. They would pass in any company for quiet and well- brought-up girls of the best society. The next houses visited were of the second-class, as we were informed, but I should say third ; KOBE. 185 with about the same number, seen, as the others, through a screen. Poor things, they were all of them painted ; one was rouging herself while we were looking on. They took more notice than the other two. These places are Ucensed by the Govern- ment, and are all in those streets which are devoted to immoral purposes. There are five hundred girls located here. Kobe has a population of 300,000, of whom only 1,000 are Europeans and Americans. It was founded as a foreign settlement in 1868. Its exports and imports now exceed those of any other place in the Empire. It is the favourite port of Japan, owing to the purity and dryness of its air and its nearness to many places of beauty and interest, such as Kyoto, Lake Biwa, Nara, and the Inland Sea. Pretty basket-work is a local specialty, principally brought from Arima, a favourite summer resort, 1,400 feet above the sea level. The distance from Kobe is about twelve miles, or three hours by jinrikisha. Many Europeans have viUas in Arima, and there are the only golf-links existing in Japan. On the Bimd at Kobe are situated the British and American consulates, the banks and agencies. There are many fine buUdings, and shops where articles of the best quality can be obtained. Kobe, being a port of call for the Pacific Ocean steamers, is much visited by all European and foreign travellers ; has its full complement of places of amusement, theatres, museums, etc., and other attractions which we call " sights." The Main Street, or Motomachi, is a lane of delight in the way of attractive shops. In the first-class quarter of the prostitutes, the middle of one of the streets is lined with shrubs and flowers, and a stream of water traverses the whole length. This gives a picturesque appearance, especially at night when all the lamps are Ut on both sides. Several streets are altogether devoted to the purpose stated, and the very few shops are mostly for fruit, confectionery and fancy articles. Kobe is a great reMgious centre, is well supplied with churches of all denominations, and is an important port, open to foreign trade since 1863. Before that period the town of Hyogo was the chief business quarter, and Kobe was only a suburban village. The town is geographically divided by the Minalogawa, but practically joined into one municipality. It has several temples i86 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. — Shinto and Buddhist. The Daibutsu, a colossal bronze Buddha, was established in 1891 within the precincts of the Nofukuji Buddhist Temple. It is forty-eight feet in height, and eighty-five in circumference. The Jusansosi Kitoba, or thirteen-storey stone pagoda, is a monument twenty-six feet high, and was erected in the twelfth century to Taria-no Kiyomori, head of the great house of Taria, who ruled the Imperial Palace with his own kinsmen. x'3,th. — In the morning heavy rain — cleared up at noon. Went to the Bund and shipping office. The Bund is on the har- bour front. Many steamers and boats were at anchor. AH the principal agencies, insurance and shipping offices are situated in the Bund. Went to the " Imperial Hotel," an old building, not in any way equal to the " Mikado." They are now erecting a very large, new building of brick facing the harbour. The Main Street is composed of shops of various styles of archi- tecture, mostly Japanese. A few large shops here and there, partly ►European plan. The street is fairly wide, with narrow side-paths. There are some handsome silk stores, where a large variety of kimonos is to be found, and all the expensive and fancy articles, the prices of which are considered moderate by the proprietors, but the purchaser will find that although one yen is but half a dollar, in the prices asked for a good article, taking a special trip to obtain what may be termed a bargain would hardly pay. If you have plenty of money to spend you do not need a bargain ; if you have no money, bargain or not is all the same ; consequently, your mind is at rest with regard to profit or loss. After lunch went to the Coastal Steamer office, had tickets stamped, and obtained berth No. 19 for s.s. Mongolia for Shanghai, outside deck berth. Then went to the Bund Street, a fine street with trees on both sides, and stone and brick dwelling- houses and offices. Thence to the Main Street Tamindori, to the shops ; the street is much wider than the generality of similar places, and has a good deal of traffic and a large number of pedestrians. Some European travellers arrived by the steamer en route for Hong Kong and other places. Kobe being a commercial centre and port of call for the ocean steamers is a busy place all the year round, but especially in summer. In the KOBE. 1 8; afternoon the weather cleared up and the sun shone out very hot, but there was a cool breeze from the sea. The Mongolia is a very large steamer of 18,000 tons. She sails for China at mid- night on Friday, the 14th. She has been unfortunate in her passage to Japan, having gone on the rocks during her passage, but got off without much damage. Kobe is the cleanest, most interesting, and most attractive city in Japan. The architecture of its buildings is modem in every respect, and Kobe can right- fully boast of not only being the prettiest city in Japan, but also of having the most modem buildings in the Empire. There are several very interesting places in and about Kobe. It is surrounded on nearly every side by lofty and picturesque hills — some of them attain a height of 2,500 feet. In these hills are a number of renowned mineral springs. The harbour is a first-class one, safe for ships of any size. The port of Kobe is the natural outlet for the manufacturing town of Osaka. The main offices of the Sango railway are at Kobe. This rail- way is the only line running from Kobe to Shimonoseki, skirting the beautiful Inland Sea. It commands scenery equal to the most beautiful in Japan. The length of the line is 330 miles, and it can be traversed in eleven and a half hours. 14th. — Fine day. After breakfast went to the Nuoribiki waterfalls — a very pretty and picturesque sheet of water with three falls. The first two, or, rather, the second and third, could be seen from the bridge after a short climb. We then had to climb about 800 feet, which was very steep ; as we make the circuit of the hill, we get a view of the first fall. We had a magnificent view of the town with the river running through it, crossed by innumerable bridges ; thence to the hot or sulphur springs, but did not take a bath. Visited the Nokone Temple. The entrance is through a large open court or square, where are situated a number of shops and bazaars. At night the place is very gay and lively, with a band of music. It is crowded with people, and is lit up with coloured lights all along the Une of shops, making quite a lively and animated scene. They have also an aquarium, with different species of fish in tanks ; also shell-fish, lobsters, crabs, oysters, etc. ; and a museum containing an odd assortment of specimens of fish, 1 88 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and other articles. After lunch we sent our trunks on board the steamer, and went in the tug to see our berths, which were large and airy, opening on to the main deck. Had a whole room to ourselves, as no one else had engaged one, there being plenty of space and not many passengers. We returned by the tug to the shore, and remained walking about the town for a couple of hours. At 5 p.m. we again returned to the steamer. At 7 p.m. we had dinner ; the courses were well cooked and served. There were about fifty passengers, principally for Hong Kong. Our next port of call is Nagasaki — the southernmost in Japan, and frequented by all the ocean and other steamers bound to China, it being a commercial port of call. The day turned out very fine, and in the afternoon a cool breeze made it quite comfortable and pleasant for walking. A funeral passed us, preceded, as usual; by men bearing immense quantities of flowers, and followed by a good many people. Many tugs went to and fro, carrying passengers to and from the steamers. Several are ready to sail for different ports, and aU night there was quite a busy time — the sampans taking luggage and freight to the different steamers. The shore, lit up with lanterns and electric lights, looked weU from the steamer, and with the lanterns on the water made quite a picturesque scene. It was a fine night, and the shouting and singing from the boats was kept up until midnight. T-^th. — 5.S. Mongolia. — Beautiful day. The Mongolia left Kobe at 12.30 for Hong Kong, calling at Nagasaki and Shanghai, and had a fine night. Soon after leaving the anchorage at Kobe, Wada Point is rounded, the ship is steered alongshore for Akashi Straits, and in an hour's steam is close off the lighthouse, with the town of Akashi to starboard. After passing through the straits, care is taken to avoid a shoal, and we crossed the Harima Nada. The ship is now fairly within the Inland Sea, with the large islands of Aivaji and Shikika, and the first group of lesser islands ahead. Inland Sea. — The famous Inland Sea, whose clear, shallow waters and beautiful little islands are decked with shrines and miniature temples, is as near an approach to fairyland as can be expected in a matter-of-fact world. After about four hours' steaming we enter the first of the intricate ■ THE INLAND SEA. 189 passages, passing close to the land, where the village is to be seen nestling at the foot of the rocky, indented shore and well-cultivated slopes. Hundreds of fishing schooners and boats passed us flying in aU directions : steamers and tugs, towing, hauling seines, etc. In one place we ran over a seine being worked by some boats, which the fishermen resented by loud outcries and other demonstrations. They had no right to set their seine in the steamer's course, but, fortunately, no harm was done. The Japanese operate a very extensive fishery, involving a large amount of capital in fishing-craft. We passed a good many lighthouses on the headlands, very prettily situated. On one of the islands was a copper manufactory of considerable size, with machinery for smelting the ore. There are many cul de sac places whence no possible outlet was visible but to those who hold the key ; a foreign vessel could not enter or attempt the passage without a capable pilot. Nature has given Japan a fortress impregnable by any foreign foe. We now pass through the archipelago of intricate channels, which are two mUes at the widest, and in some places less ; after which for thirty miles or so the channel opens out and we are at a greater distance from the shore, but can still see the villages at the foot of the hills. The whole channel is weU lighted and marked ; but the strong tides which rush through, render it even more difficult to navigate safely than any other part of the Inland Sea. We saw the wreck of a large schooner lying on her side, and near to it the steamer Mongolia was caught on a shoal and had to remain for thirty hours and wait a full tide before she again floated off and was able to proceed on her journey. In some places the rocks (great bluffs, some clothed with shrubs), stand straight up out of the water — and in one place is a conical hill with a clump of trees on the summit, closely resembling a field officer's cocked hat and plume ; others, again, partly covered with pine-trees ; and many large bluffs terraced and cultivated to the very summit, with a village half- way up the slope. In another place is an arched rock, with a cluster of islets near by. We now come to the narrowest part of the Inland Sea (through the Straits of Hikoshima Moji on the one side and the Straits of Shimonoseki on the other — two I90 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. large and important towns at the southern end of the Inland Sea). Shimonoseki, on the west entrance, is a considerable shipping centre. In the harbour there were at least fifty steamers, besides tugs, boats, and schooners, fishing-craft, etc. The town consists of a single street about two miles in length. The chief products are tobacco and cutlery. Moji, the town on the opposite side of the strait and immediately opposite Shimonoseki, forms practically but one port with it, though business is hampered by the fact that the two places belong to different prefectures, each with its separate custom-house. Both sides of the straits have recently been fortified — about seven forts in all — as a precaution against foreign attack. The prosperity of Moji dates only from the year 1891, when it was selected as the northern terminus of the Kyusha railway. Owing to the ex- treme swiftness of the tide on the Shimonoseki side the mail steamers anchor off Moji ; the presence of coal in the latter place is also an inducement, and has already made it a dangerous rival to Nagasaki. The distance across the strait is only one mile, and steam laimches ply every twenty minutes. The town Shimonoseki enjoys an excellent climate at all times of the year, owing to its southern frontage with hills behind, admitting the summer breezes and protecting it from northerly winter blasts. Moji, which faces north-west, is less favoured in this respect. We arrived at Nagasaki at 2.30 p.m. on Stmday. Visited the Inland Sea by two courses ; first by the coastal steamer to the island of Miyoyima, and returned by rail under different passage, the coastal steamer taking the inside course to the vaUeys to which we called — the ocean steamer taking the outside, also in a different direction. By the first route you see more of the farming land and cultivated slopes, the smaller fishing-boats and villages, with the mountains in the background, as you go close in to the shore ; in the second (by ocean steamer), the islands and islets among which she winds in and out in some places make it appear as if no outlet existed. In other places is an open sheet of water with a distant view of villages clustered at the foot of the hiUs, or perched on big bluffs which rise out of the water. Both routes are equally picturesque, and of wonderful scenic beauty. The former has a softer and southern THE INLAND SEA. 191 aspect where out on the coast the eye feasts, here on islands, straits and headlands with the dark blue sea and the wooded mountains in the distance ; there on some cultivated plain lying between low hiUs partially clad with scant pines and bushes ; then on rice-fields and terraced cuttings ; then upon some picturesque island studded with harbours, where the fishing- boats find shelter from the summer gales in delightful little coves and peaceful nooks ; or upon charming valleys stretching up towards verdure-clad hiUs. This kind of scenery, ever varied, continues all along the coast. In the route by ocean steamer, the scenery is wild and majestic, with big bluffs and islets blocking the course, the tide swishing through the passages winding between the islands, past the shoals and islets which line both sides of the track ; intricate channels which are not more than two miles at the widest across. In such a channel may be a small group of rocky islets, with bare, precipitous sides, leaving our course in places through narrow tickles less than one himdred yards wide. The vessel swerves from side to side ; " Hard a-port " and " Hard a-starboard " are the continual cries. She must maintain sufficient speed, or is apt to broach to. At times the steamer is completely land-locked ; mountains, islands, or headlands closing in the prospect on all sides ; then the pas- sage opens out where the mountain ranges are in one place weU wooded, in another bare and rugged with serrated peaks. Then comes in sight another island, with a lighthouse joined by a narrow sandbank to a sister islet. Here the land draws together on both sides, forming the Strait of Shimonoseki, which varies from one to four miles in width, further narrowed by nimaerous shoals and sandbanks. The whole channel is weU lighted and buoyed. After passing through the straits, the steamer's course lies through numerous islands — some of them terraced to the very summits, with numbers of houses on the slopes ; and soon after another cluster of islands off the mouth of Nagasaki harbour, which we reach early at 2.30 on Sunday morning — after an exceedingly pleasant trip, with just sufficient spice of danger to keep up an exhilarating excite- ment. l6th. — Nagasaki. — Beautiful day. Went on shore in the 192 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. tug at 8.30. We had to get up at 6.0 in the morning in order to Undergo inspection by the doctor. All hands mus- tered ; the crew and steerage passengers on deck, the saloon passengers in the dining-room ; all passed the examination. After breakfast at 7 a.m. coaling commenced, which was a notable feature. Hundreds of barges came to the steamer loaded with coal, and with gangs of women and men (about fifty on each barge). As they lie alongside the steamer on both sides, the coal is passed in small baskets from hand to hand with amazing rapidity. They are able to put on board in this manner over three hundred tons of coal per hour. It is a novel sight to see the women in the boats working equally with the men ; in fact, throughout Japan they may be seen every day, bearing on their backs on poles heavy loads, driving cars, horses and carts, boating, and performuig the heaviest and most laborious manual labour. They are exceedingly strong, and it is wonderful to see the immensely heavy loads they can carry ; I have watched them taking bricks (about a dozen) to the summit of a high building, walking on narrow planks. They bring sand and lime, and mix and carry mortar and cement ; in fact, they are capable of any kind of work. We walked about the town. It is of the same character as regards the streets as all the other towns and places that we visited in Japan. Visited, as all tourists do, the principal Shinto temple, known as The Bronze Horse Temple, which stands in a wide open space. The bronze torii at the foot of the steps being among the largest in Japan. The garden at- tached to this temple commands a fine view. The Buddhist temples of Nagasaki are not particularly interesting, but some of the great camphor-trees in the grounds deserve notice. Nagasaki has always been noted for the fervour of its religious festivals — one of which was going on to-day, and the town was gay with bunting. Large muslin fishes are seen in aU the villages flying from long poles, and look very attractive and picturesque. The harbour is one of the prettiest in the East ; it is a narrow inlet about three miles in length, indented with numerous bays and surrounded by wooded hills. It is thoroughly sheltered, and affords anchorage for ships of all classes. The entrance does not exceed a quarter of a mile in width ; the principal approach NAGASAKI. 193 is between a number of islands, the most conspicuous being Irooshima, with its lighthouse. We visited the fish-market, which was crowded. It has a reputation as one of the three which show the greatest variety of fish in the world. Nagasaki being a port of call for ocean steamers, is a place of great im- portance ; consequenty, it is well represented by trades and companies, banks, and insurance offices, and shops with a great variety of goods. The streets are crowded ; business seems to be well attended to by the different trades, and tourists are well looked after by the curio dealers and the jinrikisha men, who, if you are walking, wiU follow you all over the town soliciting your patronage, giving you advice gratis in Japanese lingo, which, if you understood it, might be both useful and in- teresting as to the chief attractions, to which for a small sum they are ready to take you. The streets are narrow and wind- ing, and if you are a stranger it is safer to put yourself under the protection of a jinrikisha man, for he will take the greatest care of you and trot along as fast as any horse could take you to any shop or temple or sight you wish to patronize. They are both good-tempered and amusing, and, as a rule, very honest in their charges by the day or hour ; the fares are so exceedingly low that it is much cheaper than walking. In footgear they wear either straw or nothing, an immense saving in boots and shoes. The Mitsu Bishi Dockyard and Engine Works is the oldest and largest establishment in the East for engineering, ship-bui'ding, and docking. It extends along the whole length of the west shore of Nagasaki harbour, and covers over ninety acres of land with its numerous workshops, docks, etc. There are two dry docks and a patent slip, all in the best working order. The climate of Nagasaki is mucn milder in winter than either Kobe or Yokohama. The spring and summer are delightful, at which time the chrysanthemums, peonies, lilies, camellias, and many other flowers are to be seen here in abundance in their full glory. It is only six hours' run by rail from Nagasaki to the famous Shimonoseki Straits, one of the most picturesque sights in Japan. Passengers from Tokyo or Yokohama can reach Nagasaki in thirty-six or thirty-seven hours, although the distance is nearly 900 miles. Thus a west- 13 194 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. ward bound traveller who left the steamer at Yokohama may easily catch the same steamer at Nagasaki after having visited above places by railroad, as the steamer leaves Nagasaki for the Chinese coast fully five days after she has anchored at Yokohama. East-bound passengers from Hong Kong and Shanghai may land at Nagasaki and go to Yokohama by these railways, reversing the order of visiting cities and places above mentioned. Just in front of the city of Nagasaki is the island of Deshima, noted as being the scene of so many Christian martyrdoms. Not far inland is Kumamoto, a historic castle, and Kagoshima, the capital of Sutsuma province; at Nagasaki and Kagoshima one can buy specimens of the genuine old Satsuma porcelain, so prized by collectors. The steamer Mon- golia finished coaHng at 6.30, taking about 2,000 tons. The coal taken on board by hand was at the rate of forty baskets a minute, or, say, 2,500 per hour ; the daily wage paid by the contractors is 35 sen for men, 30 for women, 25 for girls, and 15 for small boys — i.e., 17^ cents, 15 cents, I2f cents, and 7^ cents — and yet there is no talk of strikes. They often keep working for twelve or thirteen hours when on a push to finish coaUng a steamer. The Mitsu Bishi Company, a large Japanese firm, contracts for the coaling of the Pacific mail steamers. The company is engaged in various undertakings, such as banking, ship-building, mining, and manufacturing. Their dockyard at Nagasaki is well known by ship-owners. They are the largest coal-mine owners and merchants in the East. The company also owns and operates a number of well-known mines of gold, silver, copper, etc. The banking department occupies a portion of the head office, and has a larger deposit account than any bank in Tokyo. The company's office is of massive structure, entirely of granite, and is considered the finest in Japan. We left Nagasaki for Shanghai at 7.30 — a beautiful time, and smooth sea. Expect to arrive on Thursday. Took a few first-class Chinese passengers. Leaving Nagasaki, the nearest port in China is Shanghai, the great cosmopolitan metropolis of the Far East. Its large, substantial stone buildings, wide clean streets and attractive homes, bespeak commercial prosperity and Euro- pean influence. The population is about half a million, and there NAGASAKI. 195 are the foreign sett'ements — the English, American and French. In the harbour men-of-war of every nation are anchored. If one wishes to make the journey to Peking, he would leave Shanghai by steamer, land at Tientsin, and proceed by railway to Peking. The fare from Tientsin to Peking is about five dollars, the distance eighty miles, which is covered in about three and a half hours. zjth. — S.s. Mongolia. — The day close and misty ; water smooth. At 12 noon, latitude SS'sS" ; longitude, iz^'it" ; distance run, 242 miles ; to go, 204 ; course, S. 74 W. Japan proper is composed of five large and 3,000 small islands — these having a population of over fifty milUon. The four principal ports of the empire are Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, and Nagasaki. The empire is well supplied with transportation facilities, most of these being owned and operated by Japanese subjects. The prospects of Japan commercially are exceedingly bright. Japan has made wonderful and exceedingly rapid growth and develop- ment in the manufacturing line. Her manufactories are great, both in extent and number, there being some $52,000,000 invested in them. The annual value of crops is $260,000,000. The Saneg railway has many points of historic interest, charming scenery, picturesque harbours, romantic islands, sacred temples, ancient feudal castles, etc., within easy reach of tourists. The traveller, landing at Yokohama, can visit by rail Tokyo and Nikko ; and then by the Tokaido rail- way to Kobe, stopping at Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka on the way. Then leaving Kobe, he goes by the Saneg railway to Moji, skirting the world-wide-famous Inland Sea of Japan, seeing the beautiful scenery on the line, such as Suma Maiko, Miyoyima, etc, ; from Moji towards Nagasaki you travel by the Kuishia railway. These three railways pass through the most important cities of Japan, touching almost all the cities and towns of interest. iS"^ CHAPTER IX. Shanghai — Yellow Sea — ^Wei-Hai-Wei — Chefoo — Street Scenes — River Life — Tientsin — Peking — The Temple of Heaven — Funeral Procession — The Forbidden City. China. — Shanghai. — i8th. — Arrived at Shanghai by s.s. Mongolia at 4 p.m. The fog cleared up and the day was fine and warm but cloudy. A good many boats arrived from the shore, some with vegetables, others with fancy articles for sale ; there was quite a noisy time. The Chinese are well able to keep up their end of the plank with regard to chatter. We left the steamer at 9 a.m. by the tug, quite a crowd going ashore. We had fifteen miles to run on the river ; it is a branch of the great Yang-tsi-kiang, that is navigable for almost two thousand miles. It looked very muddy, and sometimes it is very rough, as the water is shoal in places. We passed a good many steamers of different nationalities, and a number of large craft coming and going, besides innumerable small boats. The large boats are very peculiar in their make-up, with high stems rising up straight on end, with sails of bamboo and cotton. They are, it is said, very good sea boats. They were very peculiarly loaded on each side with piles of bamboo, that gave them an odd appearance. There was a strong tide running, and sometimes typhoons cause much damage. We landed at the quay on the side of the Bund, a street that skirts the water- side. In the harbour were several men-of-war — Japanese, English, United States, and German. The Bund is a wide and beautiful street, lined with fine trees. On this street are all the principal business houses — such as the banks, shipping offices, insurance agencies, and also extensive English or German shops, hotels, etc. The street was crowded with vehicles of all descriptions — automobiles, carriages, jinrikishas, 196 SHANGHAI. 197 large wheelbarrows, etc. — and foot passengers. The residences had quite the appearance of a European city, built of stone and brick, six to ten storeys in height, handsome and artistic in their architecture and appearance. But for the Chinese crowd in the street no one would guess that we were in China, everything was so different from what one would expect. There were hundreds of jinrikishas, but they were not equal in appear- ance to those of the Japanese ; neither the men nor the vehicles were so clean. But the carriages were much better, the driver and assistant in uniform of white and coloured cape, and straw hat with a silk fringe. We went to the " Astor House Hotel " — a very extensive building, taking up a large area — and en- gaged rooms. Got a very nice one looking out on the street for seven dollars Mexican, i.e., about four dollars United States. The dining-room is very large, and crowded at lunch — well- attended with waiters, and excellent cuisine ; after which we went for a walk to another portion of the town, the Chinese part, or partly so. The streets, as well as the shops and restaur- ants, were crowded, giving quite an animated appearance ; vehicles and barrows of Chinese produce were everywhere, and the shops were remarkable for their signs and Chinese flags, and the restaurants, with their galleries, were thronged with customers. The meeting of so many people of different nationalities adds much to the interest and novelty of a first visit to a foreign port ; one can hardly realize his surround- ings — such a Babel of tongues and infinite variety of dress pro- vide a picture at once rare, unfamiliar, and fascinating, so that the senses of hearing and seeing are kept on the alert, and the mind in a constant flutter of excitement. We have heard so much about China and the Far East, that seeing and experiencing for the first time for one's self puts to flight all that we have read. No mental figment, nothing short of ocular demonstration, can begin to give any idea of the living and moving panorama which a Chinese town furnishes to the beholder. We have not as yet visited the purely Chinese quarter. We have yet to visit the narrow streets which contain the small shops and the residences of the labouring or poorer classes, of which we have heard and read so much. The modes of life of every nation, ipS IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the Chinese not excepted, can best be studied in densely popu- lated centres. There used to be a spice of unpleasantness, if not of danger, in visiting China in former years ; but we shall now be able to ascertain how far latter-day civilization has im- proved the poorer classes of the heathen Chinese. igtt. — After breakfast went to the shipping office to inquire about tickets by steamer to Peking. The steamer fare, exclusive of railway rate, would be eighty dollars, i.e., forty dollars American money. After lunch we took a jinrikisha to view the town. We also entered some of the narrow lanes in the Chinese quarter, which were only a few feet in width ; these were in a very poor part of the inhabited quarter, occupied by labourers. The houses were miserable, tumbling-down shacks. In two or three places a crowd was collected, sitting on stools in a circle, listening to a narration of stories — commimicated to the audience by the acting and gesticulations of the story- teller. The spectators seemed to be highly amused, especially when we took a seat in their midst to watch the proceedings. I noticed that refreshments were now and then served out — rice, etc. — for a few coppers. We then drove to the better part of the town. Most of the shops were very picturesque, carved and gilded in front, bedecked with numerous flags and devices ; the restaurants usually had a raised gallery or verandah, where the customers watched the traffic of the streets, which was con- siderable, with a number of handsome vehicles, with pairs of horses, carrying well-dressed ladies and gentlemen — Chinese as well as European. The Chinese ladies were dressed in em- broidered silks, and wore very handsome ornaments on the hair and about their costumes. The coachmen and footmen looked very picturesque. There were, as a rule, one coachman and two footmen in each carriage, dressed alike in white cape trimmed with another colour, red and white sashes around their waists, straw hats with silk coverings. Needless to say this style of thing gave the turn-out quite a distinguished appearance. The gentlemen passengers wore long silk robes and pigtails reaching to their feet. We then visited the residential streets, some little distance from the town, where we passed some very extensive palatial buildings in various styles of architecture, Street scene, Shanghai. Life on a Chinese Sampan. \_Fa(i>2_i^ p. \c SHANGHAI. 199 situated in beautiful grounds with magnificent trees and flower- ing shrubs. Meiny of the trees were loaded with flowers which shed a delicious fragrance. The grounds were beautifully laid out in landscape gardening, lawns, and shrubberies, of more than usual beauty. Many of them could not be equalled for magnificence and display, and were approached by fine, broad carriage-roads. On the road are constantly to be met auto- mobiles, bicycles, and carriages, and crowds of jinrikisha men going and coming in all directions. The roads were exceedingly well kept, and everything looked in first-class order. Some of the houses were equal to any I have seen — mostly built of granite, with Corinthian pillars — and were surrounded by iron fences ; and many had pretty lodges inside the gates. Most of the Europeans and merchants have made this section their permanent residence, and therefore the well-kept and macada- mized roads are quite a fashionable drive in the afternoon ; and many well-appointed horses and carriages may be seen. 20ih. — After breakfast went to the shipping office. Butter- field and Swire, to settle about the passage to Peking ; paid 181.75 Mexican dollars, and engaged berth. I preferred taking sea trip to Tientsin en route to Peking, and shaU likely return southward by river and railway. Met an Indian gentleman from Ceylon, whom I had met at Kyoto with a mutual friend from Toronto, and formed, after lunch, a small party to visit the Chinese quarter of the town. We procured jinrikishas and Chinese • guide, as it would not be safe to go unattended. On arriving at the street which we came to see, we had to leave the jinrikisha and walk ; it would have been impossible to travel in any other way on account of the crowd and traffic. The street was only a few feet wide, in which narrow area every kind of commodity was being carried. Men carrying baskets with all kinds of produce — fish, vegetables, etc. — on long poles ; and sedan chairs with passengers. A dead body was carried on a stretcher. The noise and cries were some- thing demoniac and terrifying. Half-naked men and children, old men and beggars, lay about the pavement, covered with the most revolting sores. Ducks and fowls ready for the table were for sale in uninviting cookshops — fish, potatoes, and 200 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. cakes frying in the pan ; other articles, steaming hot, being fished up with iron dippers by small boys, naked to the waist, and sold to the customers waiting to take to their homes, or to feed the shrieking children who squatted in the gutter out- side the door. Such were a few of the sights, but by no means the least attractive. A thousand stinks emanated from filthy pools of stagnant water, old clothes shops, cess-pools, etc., etc. In this particular den of humanity, we were informed, herds a population computed at 170,000. I shall never again refuse credence to the most far-fetched yam describing a visit to China- town. The united efforts of a regiment of Rabelais would utterly fail to picture what are here to be seen at every turn in all their nauseating variety. I have to-day seen so many of his Celestial Majesty's subjects in their natural element of chaotic filth that I have no desire to see any more Chinese while I live. This part of the town must be practically the same now as it was hundreds of years ago ; lapse of time may have only increased the infinite variety of nastiness. The heavy loads that the labourers carry on their backs on poles are truly wonderful. I saw some who carried filty bricks in that way. In their wheel- barrows, which have one wheel amidships, almost three feet in diameter, with wide ridges on each side, I have seen them trundle along, without any apparent effort, a load great enough for three men. Beside the crowded part of the street we found two temples, each on its own ground. We climbed to the sum- mit of a pecuUar, winding, rocky path under grottoes. In a small garden we found a bungalow where a mandarin, or priest, sits to smoke or take tea ; and another for the ladies, who, in all countries, seem to preside over the cup which cheers but inebriates not. The rocks and grottoes were very peculiarly worked and carved in winding tunnels. The temple gates were ornamented with crocodiles and other animals ; and in each temple were large and ugly figures whose special charm was their diabolic expression of face and their hideously repulsive outline. We saw in a carpenter's shop several coffins, very massive and heavy, with close-fitting lids. In another den, where such wares were entirely out of place, were a lot of curios for sale — silver ornaments, brooches of the large pattern which SHANGHAI. 20I Chinese ladies wear on their wrists, and stones of green and other colours. One would like to purchase some curiosity, but in such a place as this one feels afraid to put his hand in his pocket to find his purse. The consequence of an epidemic in this fearful quarter wotild be appalling. The dwelling- houses are dark and musty, with apparently no ventilation ; they are partly shaded overhead, so that the sun does not enter them ; nor is there any possible way for a beam of light to enter, or a breath of wind to scatter the germs. It would appear impossible that any human being could long remain in such a vitiated atmosphere without catching all the plagues of Egypt en bloc, and becoming in himself a fruitful source to spread disease wherever he went. Shanghai (in China, Zaun-Hai, meaning, " By the Sea ") is the seventh city of the Celestial Empire in point of population, but is the most important Chinese foreign port. It is situated fourteen miles from the sea in a vast plain, at the junction of the Huang-po and Woosung, twelve miles from Woosung, where the united waters of these rivers intermingle near the sea with those of the great Yang-tsi-kiang, one of the longest rivers in the country. The distance from Shanghai to Tientsin is 700 miles ; Hong Kong, 870 ; Hankow, 583 ; Foochow, 300 ; and Nagasaki, 475 miles. Thus Shanghai is in the heart of the China trade — in fact, of the Far East trade. 21st. — Left Shanghai at 10 a.m. by steamer for Tientsin, en route for Peking — a very nice comfortable boat named Shuntien, well fitted up, and run by an EngUsh company, Butterfield & Swire ; remarkably good open berths, with a window like that of a railway carriage ; a dozen passengers, including a few European ladies with children, and a few Chinese ladies. On entering the river Yang-tsi-kiang we passed a large number of steamers (some under way, others at anchor) of different nationalities — English, United States, German, French, Japanese, etc. Shanghai is a large commercial port, having relations with all nations and very extensive business connec- tions, and her anchorage is always crowded with vessels from all parts of the world. The Chinese craft — junks, sampans, etc. — were legion, and past counting. The harbour of Shanghai Missing Page Missing Page 204 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. good, from a strategic point of view, so long as the mainland is not attacked ; but if an enemy should once carry the heights, it has been said that the place would be lost. The station is situated on an island, on which are several fine buildings — naval stores, warehouses, etc., and several fine shops and pre- mises owned by the Chinese, who have a good many business places on the mainland, where there is an extensive hotel. Wei-Hai-Wei has many visitors in summer, on account of the salubriousness of the climate and the cooling sea breezes. The island is well supplied with roads. It has a good quay and stone embankments, and a macadamized walk along the beach ; it is bare of trees, and there is but little cultivation, except where some sweet potatoes are grown in terraces. Its scenery is wild and rugged. The chief industry is fishing, in which a number of boats are employed, and a good deal of fish is caught. The concession at Wei-Hai-Wei consists of the port and adjoining islands, and a sphere of influence on the mainland about twenty miles broad around the bay. To defend the place a large force would be necessary. A considerable sum of money has been spent on preliminary fortifications and in raising and drilling Chinese troops, of which there are seven companies, besides the British detachment from the garrison. In 1898 Great Britain secured a lease of Wei-Hai-Wei, so long as Port Arthur might remain in the occupation of Russia, and a ninety- nine years' lease of territory at Kowloon, opposite Hong Kong, including Mirs Bay and Deep Bay. So long as British trade holds the foremost place in China, the head of the Imperial Customs Service shall be an EngUshman and have the collection of the liken and salt import in the considerable areas in the lower region of the Yang-tsi-kiang valley to the Imperial Customs Service. Sir Robert Hart, K.C.M.G., who is the Inspector- General of Customs, has about 5,000 people under him, of whom 875 are foreigners, the rest being Chinese. The Inspector-General is absolute autocrat of his department, and throughout his career the Chinese have learned to place in him the most implicit confidence. The Imperial Maritime Customs have a large fleet of steamers for dealing with smugglers and pirates. Our steamer landed some passengers and a good deal CHEFOO. 20S of freight. We were surrounded by sampans at an early hour. They made a good deal of noise in bringing and landing goods and passengers. Among the crowd was a young girl with exceedingly small feet, about four inches long. She permitted me to examine them, and in doing so removed her shoe ; she screamed with laughter, and was much amused at my curiosity. The feet are so small that very little walking can be possible. Those bones which with us spread to give strength to the foot are by them cramped to prevent further growth. The operation is said to be very painful, causing the child misery, pain and discomfort, and making her cry piteously ; but the mother hardens her heart against her sufferings, as when the maiden arrives at a mar- riageable age, if her feet had been allowed to remain as Nature intended, she would doubtless blame her mother for not pro- viding her with fashionable Chinese feet. The Government is tr5dng to prevent the cramping of the girls' feet, and it is to be hoped that its efforts may be successful. One would imagine that the masculine good sense of the fathers would prevent it ; but it is a very old custom, and the Chinese are very conserva- tive in all matters of precedent. We left at 7 a.m. for Chefoo. Port Arthur lies about ninety miles north-west. A small steamer plies between Chefoo and Port Arthur, and makes the run in about nine hours. Port Arthur must be still a vast ruin, though the active Japs have worked hard to restore and improve its fortifications. The story of the late siege and capture of Port Arthur will survive through the ages. Navigation thereabout is still dangerous from the mines still floating about. We hear a report that a Japanese cruiser was lately destroyed by one of them. We arrived at Chefoo at 11 a.m. Several United States men-of-war, some of them with four funnels, were anchored off the harbour ; there were also one Japanese and two Chinese men-of-war, a number of Chinese junks and boats ; and several steamers — English, German, French, American, etc. — loading and discharging cargoes. On our arrival we were again sur- rounded by sampans, lighters and steam-tugs. After lunch, at 1.30 p.m., we went on shore in one of the latter, and on land- ing at the quay, took jinrikisha to visit the native city. In some places the roads were very rough ; the streets were very 2o6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. narrow, from four to six feet in breadth — more narrow, if possible, than those at Shanghai. Yet they had the usual crowd of foot passengers, so that with the street traffic, horses, mules, and donkeys carrying loads in panniers, and the coolies' large wheel- barrows, it was no easy matter to get through. In some places scores of men were lying in the gutter sleeping. The sun was very hot, and the conglomerate effluvia from the gutters, cess- pools, stagnant water, choked drains, and from the cook-shops, whose proprietors were half naked, the children altogether so, or in rags, was almost overpowering, making one wish that his sense of smeU for the time might be non-existent. We passed through what is termed Theatre Street — if possible, more crowded and less ventilated than the others — and visited the theatre, then open ; it was crowded with spectators. We were offered a seat in the gallery {i.e., the stalls), but refused, not having time. On the stage a figure, fantastically dressed, was moving in a circle to the sound of drums, brass cymbals, and other unmusical instruments, in a kind of fantastic dance. Because our olfactory nerves were in such a tense state, to con- tinue to gaze at an exhibition of this kind might have resulted in total collapse. Leaving this high-class entertainment, we passed to other equally malodorous attractions ; here, large crowds collected round the narrator of stories, religious or other- wise ; there, fortune tellers, surrounded by a gaping concourse ; then outdoor restaurants, well patronized by Chinamen partaking of cooked fish and other delicacies. In the broader streets the shops seemed to be doing a good trade, especially the barbers, shampooers, cobblers, broken-dish riveters, cheap tailors, bakers, and sweet cake vendors. The coolies' wheelbarrows, some of them loaded with heavy building stone, and a variety of beasts of burden, such as horses, donkeys, mules, and last, but not least, the jinrikisha-men jostle in line with the general traffic. The Chinese houses are built mostly of one storey ; the roofs are first finished, resting on poles or pillars, and then the wall- space between the pillars is filled in ; in the villages these walls are of mud. We then walked for a short distance into the country. The farmers' dwellings were of mud. The land well cultivated, mostly set out in small crops ; vegetables of CHEFOO. 207 different varieties were in the gardens. The Chinese are good market-gardeners, and generally do weU in that line, having the vegetables early for sale. Outside the native city there are some fine erections. The United States Consul has a very pretty place situated on a hill. The Young Men's Christian Association has a fine building in beautiful grounds, Avith fine trees and flowering shrubberies. Some fine suburban residences occupied by the rich Chinese merchants deserve a more extended visit than we were able to make. Beyond the hills we noticed the wall that enclosed the town, and which appeared to run for some distance. It was in fairiy good order, but in some parts it was broken. We returned to the ship at 4 p.m., and set our course for Tientsin, where we expect to arrive to-morrow after- noon. In Chef 00 there are many silk manufactories of con- siderable importance ; it is_ considered one of the principal places in China for the production of that article, and exports largely to other parts of the Empire. This trade is altogether in the hands of the Chinese merchants. The distance from Shanghai to Tientsin is about 700 miles by water, including the rivers ; and from Tientsin to Peking by rail about 100 rmles, or three and a half hours' run. The fare, second-class, is three dollars ; there is no third-class, such as is so much used by the farming and labouring classes in Japan. We contemplate returning to Shanghai by way of Hankow, chiefly by rail, and partly by river or canal. This will give us two entirely different routes and scenery. 2^th. — Wind moderate and sim very hot. Steaming through the Straits of Pei-ho at 11 a.m., we reached the narrowest part, and had to anchor and wait for the tide to rise, as there is a bar to cross. At 12.30 we proceeded again. A number of small craft of all descriptions were anchored near us ; also steamers and ships, and hundreds more of Ughter draught under sail ; several steam tugs boarded us, one to take the mail, another to bring letters, which were handed up to us on a long pole. After steaming for some hours we arrived at the entrance of the Pei-ho river. Here there was quite a scene — hundreds of steamers, large and small, some under way, others moored or lying on the banks taking and discharging cargo on large premises erected 208 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. of stone and brick, on which were large warehouses ; and thou- sands of Chinese jtmks and smaller boats laden with mer- chandise. The channel is very narrow, and requires good piloting. The bottom is mud ; in some places the channel is very little wider than the steamer ; the whole scene is very interesting. We passed several forts of mud and cement ; the " Taku " on the same site as and similar to those taken in 1900 by the allied forces on the Boxer insurrection. We passed several villages built of mud of a yellow colour ; the roofs were of the same material. The houses are provided with chimneys as in winter the weather is exceedingly cold, the tem- perature often reaching zero, the river then being frozen over. Most of the houses are in a yard enclosed with a high wall. They look remarkably clean and neat, and are better in every respect than those in the native part of Shanghai ; perhaps the difference of town and country demands better facilities. They, have plenty of water at their doors, a very important considera- tion, as the town has little or no sewerage. Nothing that I can describe can do justice to the scene as the ever-moving river traffic by steamer, schooners, and junks continually flows, affording a living panorama on both sides of us. The eye soon tires from long-continued exertion. Either side of the stream would be more than you could observe. Never before had my eyes been kept in such constant movement, in the attempt to follow all the changing scenes as they rushed past. The wonder- ful traffic of this river, unless seen, could never be realized. Either bank is equally busy and presents equal interest, the villages being on both sides. Nothing can better demonstrate the immense population of China than its rivers and the popu- lous villages which are continually passed as you go up or down stream. The population on the river near Canton is computed at 170,000 ; they live in their floating city all their life. It would be worth paying a visit to China to see the river life and traffic alone. Then there is the beautiful garden scenery, so picturesque and fascinating in the luxuriant appearance of the vegetation, in the apricot orchards — splendid trees fuU of fruit, with spreading branches bending to the ground. Not a hiU or rise of ground as far as the eye can see — one immense plain, THE PEI-HO RIVER. 209 every square foot of which is under cultivation. On the banks of the river for some distance from its mouth are large beds of reeds, from six to twenty feet in height, which are used for several purposes ; but as we proceeded it gave place to cultiva- tion, which extended to the river's banks, which in some places were kept up by embankments of masonry. The soil is alluvial, and is very productive, giving several crops a year. The river is winding, with short and sudden turns, very tortuous, and in some places narrow. One can see sails among the trees, as if the vessels were being navigated on land. Very peculiar are the burying-places scattered in thousands aU over the plain, looking for all the world like great beehives, and having an aperture on the top. They are built of clay, and contain the bodies of the deceased — the patriarch of each family being honoured with a sepulchre of size larger than those of his descendants who are interred beside him. These tombs are not fenced in ; each corpse is planted in the field which he probably tilled when he was above groimd. The gardens are remark- ably beautiful ; the crops are set in different sections, and here and there the bright green of the fruit-trees aids to the charm- ing blend of colour in which the whole face of the land is car- peted. It gives the impression of being one vast nursery garden. In many places they irrigate the land with a bucket and lever, in the same way the Arabs do on the Nile, which I have described elsewhere. They winnow the barley practically in the same primitive way as the Japanese do, and as seen in Palestine. Hundreds of children are playing^ on the banks or bathing in the river, and as the steamer sends the water rushing in ridges to the banks, they rush in to meet the swirling water, screaming with delight. There are many diverse canals cut here and there for the purpose of irrigation. In some parts of the river where the water is shoal the course is buoyed ; and on the banks signboards require ships to proceed slowly. The manufacture of salt is an extensive industry ; large quantities are piled in im- mense mounds. As this industry is a Government monopoly, the piles are guarded by armed soldiers. In one place banks of salt which we passed extended over a mile in length, and more than a htmdred large boats or lighters were loading with it. It was 14 2IO IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. packed in matting, and each bale contains about one hundred- weight, so that it was easily handled. Most of this salt has been brought from long distances, involving an incredible amount of labour. Tientsin, the port to which we are bound, is not, as has been commonly supposed, a mere rest station for intending visitors to Peking, but it is far more important than is generally believed. The foreign settlements of Tientsin, called by the Chinese Tze-chi-lin, are situated on both banks of the Pei-ho river, immediately south of the native city, and can be ap- proached from Tongku by rail or by the river. The former is most generally used, as it is quicker, and steamers are often delayed some hours at Taku, lightening ; but the trip up the river is the more interesting route. It affords an opportunity of inspecting the Haiho Conservancy's works on the river banks. For many years Tientsin was unapproachable by water, owing to the silting up of the river, and the port was in danger of losing its position as a trading centre. The manufacture of salt is one of the chief industries, and is one of the principal sources of revenue. On the opposite bank is an old match factory ; it is now used for an outpost for the native river- police, who are trained on Western methods. Near to this place are the ofhce and works of the Haiho Conservancy. The foreign concessions are next approached, all of which, with the exception of the British, German and French, have been acquired since the troubles of 1900 — the British, German, and French at that time securing extra concessions in the rear of their former areas. The Belgian is situated on the right bank, and is the first reached coming up the river. At present it consists of two buildings and a flagstaft from which the national emblem is flown. The German concession is on the opposite and more important side of the river. It has a nice broad Bund. The buildings are mostly of the residential style, the settlement being laid out with wide roads and avenues to en- courage such erections. The big building facing the Pei-ho river, occupied by the German military, was before 1900 the Chinese University. The British concession adjoins the Ger- man, and is the most important section — containing as it does aU the principal banks, stores, and the " Astor House Hotel." TIENTSIN. 211 The chief structure is the Gordon Hall, situated on Victoria Road, which is the main thoroughfare, and is named after General Gordon, who drew up the plans for this settlement at the time of the Taiping rebellion. In the building are the municipal offices, a well-furnished public-subscription library, and a large entertainment-hall, which is used for social func- tions, balls and theatrical entertainments. There is also a fine club. In the British extra-concession there are large recreation- grounds, where tennis, cricket, football, hockey, and other kindred games are played in season. There is also a first-class public school for boys and girls, and a fine swimming-bath. The stores and houses are first-class buildings, which would not disgrace any capital in Europe. The British headquarters are at Gordon HaU, furnished with all the latest appliances. Here also is situated the " Astor Hotel," which contains every con- venience to be found in all highest-class hotels. The Japanese concession comes next in order. Here most of the houses are built in foreign style, and it is well worth a visit to see the Japanese advancement in North China. Visitors from the United States wiU be interested in the Liscum Monument, which was erected on the spot where General Liscum fell at the time of the taking of the native city during the Boxer rising of 1900. There remain the Italian and Austrian concessions, which follow in the order named, and the Russian on the opposite side of the river, which is not much developed. The native city, which was under international government after the trouble of 1900, has greatly improved since that regime. The big walls which sur- rounded he city are pulled down, and wide roads have been made in their place. The area of the city is extended, and the con- gestion, filth and squalor done away with. Waterworks have been built and roads macadamized. The chief objects of interest are the two iron bridges which cross the Pei-ho and Grand Canal respectively, the police quarters, the Government build- ings, the new Chinese Government mints, and the Victoria Palace. The temples of interest are the " Tien-Now Kung," or " Temple to the Queen of Heaven ; " " Yu-Huang-Ko," or " Temple of the Emperor of Heaven ; " the Mohammedan mosque, and the 14* 212 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Confucian temple. There are several handsome tea-houses, sing-song houses, or theatres ; also the Samshu distilleries, and the Black Fort, or " Shui-shi-3dng." An electric tramway traverses all four sides of the city where the wall was formerly, and this is a pleasant means of seeing native Hfe as it is in China. During the tour the frequent fortune-teller and the peripatetic pedlar are very much to the fore. The Industrial School is well worth a visit ; there are several rooms in the building, in which can be seen the manufacture of porcelain, silk, em- broidery, cloth, carpets, furniture, and several other things. A special room is provided for exhibition of the manufactured articles, which can be purchased. There are two Masonic lodges under the English jurisdiction, and one under that of the United States ; also several social clubs, English, French, German, and Chinese ; and a Race Club, which appoints especial racing days for Chinese ponies. There are two well-appointed livery stables, and several drives, one of which leads two miles to the race-course, where there is a grand stand, and to the bounds of the French and Japanese concessions, around the Chinese city. In the suburban quarter are many handsome private residences of European style, many of which are occu- pied by high Chinese officials. There are also leather tanneries and wooUen mills, the result of private native enterprise, and a large military college, a handsome red building. There are several churches of different denominations — Church of England, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and for Chinese only — the services being conducted iri the native language ; and there are also vari- ous banking corporations. Tientsin has been for years past the centre of revolutionary movements. From 1858 to 1861 it was occupied by the alHed forces of Great Britain and France, and until 1900 the whole of North China was in a continual ferment of iU-feeling toward foreigners, which in 1898 had reached such threatening proportions that the Legations asked for military protection. In 1900 the Boxer trouble commenced. The fanatics, in several cases encouraged by the highest ofificials, indulged in a form of ritual which they believed gavie them the power of returning to life if killed in fighting against the foreign devils ; their belief rapidly spread amongst the country TIENTSIN. 213 people, and several villages where native Christians lived were burnt to the ground. The critical point was reached when the allied navies captured the Taku forts, and, later, the native city was taken. During this time the fiercest fighting of the whole campaign took place, the allied force losing over a thousand. Had Tientsin fallen, the Legations at Peking would never have been saved. From the time of the taking of Tientsin native city, very little resistance was made to the allied troops, and the second march on Peking was comparatively easy. The new epoch (1900-1907) resulted in the formation of the Tientsin Provincial Government and the International Military, who took over the management of the affairs of the native city, with the result which is now to be seen. When the city was handed back to the Chinese Government, it was stipulated that all the uncompleted schemes, such as the tramway service and new bridges, should be carried to completion. All these pro- mises, and more, have been religiously kept by the enlightened Viceroy, H. E. Yuan-Shih-Kai, who has continued the good work in a highly satisfactory manner. At 5 p.m. we arrived at our destination, the town of Tientsin, which is an enormous native city, with its 1,000,000 inhabitants, and from its ex- tensive trade is one of the most thriving places in the Empire. The Chinese Railway began here, and as a Treaty Port it has always been an important commercial centre. It is the port of Peking, although large ships can no longer ascend higher than Tongku (thirty miles lower down), owing to the silting up of the river. From it radiate the lines to Peking and Manchuria. It is the seat of the Viceroy. On the first approach we pass large and extensive buildings of stone and brick, erected on the foreign concessions ; also a magnificent bronze statue of Roland, in memory of the German soldiers who fell in 1900. The streets are lighted by electricity. The affairs of the concession are in good hands. The Russian concession adjoins the Belgian, and is exceedingly picturesque, containing many trees and shady places, much appreciated. There is an imposing monu- ment to the memory of the Russian soldiers who fell during the defence of Tientsin in igoo. The railway station and the muni- cipal offices are in this concession. The Consulate is a very 214 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. handsome structure. On the opposite and more important side is the German, and it has a nice broad Bund. The build- ings are very architectural, and mostly of the residential sort. The most important and handsome is the German Consulate ; the new German Club Concordia is a gem, a truly beautiful and handsome building. Went for a walk and passed some fine buildings and clubs, and took the tramcars as far as the railway station, and then to the French concession, which has many handsome buildings, large shops, and others in course of erection. It is also adorned with several fine business houses, noticeable for good architecture. These concessions have made this portion of Tientsin quite a handsome and modem city, equal to any to be found in the modem capitals of Europe. Improvements in buildings are increasing every year, and they will make Tientsin one of the finest towns in China. The " Astor Hotel " faces the handsome Victoria Park, rich in flowers and fine trees. The band of the military gave a concert this afternoon. On an orna- mented basement stands a giant bell presented to the Chinese by the Krupp Iron Works. 2^th. — It is warmer here than in any part of China, although so far north, and colder in the winter. After breakfast we visited the native town by the tramcars, which now run through the city. It was here that the Boxer trouble originated, and the city was taken by the allied troops in 1900. We walked through some of the streets, which were very crowded. The population is estimated at a million and a half, which is only a conjecture, as no census is taken. The shops and streets are similar to those in other parts of China, with the exception that here the streets are wider ; but there are many narrow alleys leading from the main thoroughfares. It is not within the range of possi- bility to describe one of these streets. No words could make you reahze the phases of life that take place before your eyes. Ventilation there is none, and hardly enough air to breathe, and, as you inhale, you take in all the germs that are floating in the foul atmosphere and sufficient foul air to asphyxiate the senses. Such being the case, who can relate what is felt rather than seen ? The men and boys have little or no clothing, and the children are as nature clothed them, You do not see many TIENTSIN. 215 women or girls, as you do in Japan ; they are not to be met with on the streets, nor do they take part in any outside labour or even tend the shops or stores. They seem to be kept more like the Arabian women in Egypt, although, of course, at times they are seen walking or driving, as in consequence of the deformity of their feet, they are not able to walk any distance. The Italians are widening the streets in their concession, and building houses to let. All the other foreign concessions are beautifying their holdings in the same way. In a few years' time Tientsin will have become a first-class city. The Gordon Hall, built by the British in commemoration of General Gordon, is a large brick building with two turreted towers ; there is also connected with it a circulating library, as well as a police station. The several large shops — British, German, and French — carry all kinds and varieties of goods, and everything that is necessary for house or person can be purchased at moderate rates. We left Tientsin at 3.30 for Peking by railway. We travelled second-class. The carriages were not equal to the Japanese third-class — ^hard-boarded seats, with no comfort. The scenery along the line was very picturesque ; in fact, one vast plain, every foot of which was cultivated as far as the eye could range, with all kinds of vegetables and cereals. We passed some very fine and extensive fruit orchards, looking beautifully fresh and green and loaded with fruit. The diversity of culture was very remarkable ; it had the appearance of one immense garden without fences or any division or partition from end to end — all looked alike. Fancy a garden a hundred miles in length — for such it appeared to us. We passed several villages, the houses of mud, and thousands and thousands of graves in and among the vegetation. We stopped at several small stations on the way. The train steamed over thirty miles an hour, and we arrived at our destination (Peking) at 6.30 p.m., and went to the " Grand Hotel," a fine large building, undeirgoing extension, and obtained rooms. The terms were exceedingly high-^ten dollars a day for a room that looked out on the front. The place is tremendously hot, and we had to take rooms on the first floor. The flies were in evidence, and we were compelled to use mosquito-curtains over our beds. After dinner we went 2i6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. for a short walk, and passed some exceedingly handsome build- ings belonging to the Legations, a very handsome Roman Catholic cathedral, Consular residences, and many other archi- tectural buildings in the German location. 26th. — Peking. — An intensely hot day. They have had no rain here for some time. After breakfast took jinrikisha to drive through part of the town to the Lama Temple. Peking is a city of over one million inhabitants, so far as is known, as a census is not taken — and it would take more than a day to drive through even a portion of the streets. The temple is situated in a large square, with the usual gates and joss- houses. Inside the temple are thirty-six sitting Buddhas, and two large shrines with sitting figures. During the time we were there three monks with yellow dress and shaved heads were playing on a wind instrument, making a weird sound by blowing with the mouth through a long tube ; the usual number of beggars sohciting alms, and a host of temple supernumeraries trying to obtain all that is possible from the foreign devil in the shape of backsheesh ; which being the case, you have no desire to prolong your visit, as a crowd does not take long in collecting, and no vulture of the prairie ever scents prey more quickly than do these temple parasites. We then returned to the hotel ; having discharged our jinrikisha men, as they had tried to take us in by overcharging, but in spite of our dis- charge we found them still waiting for further extortion — so we took them back to the hotel, making terms before doing so. Passed a funeral. In front came a lot of flags and banners with flowers, then followed ten mourning coaches with some men on horseback, with large square drums, and finally the hearse, ornamented with gilt and red enamel, carried by eight bearers. A kind of weird music was played. We also met a mandarin in a closed carriage drawn by a pair of horses, and followed by eight horsemen, two of whom were in uniform. The Great Wall of China is twenty-one feet high, and thirty-five feet wide. Its nearest point to Peking is forty-six miles distant by train, or, say, six hours on horseback. Yesterday and to-day are the hottest that have been known at Peking for the past twenty years ; the sun was 112° in the shade, and 150° or more in the Kuncral procession, I'ckiiig. iC*.r-j: jt:wr;,. >3E3.. '■^^S^-i' _-C=rt=I. ^zr^STlt The Temple of Heaven, Peking. \ Faci/ii^ p. 217^ PEKING. 217 sun. There was no wind, the air was just as if heated in an oven, and in the middle of the day no one could stand the terrific heat. There was not even the shadow of a cloud to afford even a pretence of shade. Water standing in vessels became heated as if it were boiled. Peking is a large city. The map makes it twelve miles long and ten broad, which does not include the inner, or Forbidden City, which is enclosed by a double row of walls about twenty feet in height. Inside are the temples and Imperial palaces. zyth. — Not quite so hot as yesterday, there being a little wind and appearance of cloud that in some way gave a Httle shadow. We breakfasted at 7 o'clock a.m., in order that we might start earlier. We took jinrikisha at 7.30 and went towards the walls of the inner, or Forbidden City. On ap- proaching the gate we were ordered back by the guards. The order is absolute. An American miUionaire, a Mr. Hawson, a railway magnate, tried his best, but did not succeed, although he was willing to pay well for the concession. We then went to the native portion of the town, which is similar to other like places in China, with the exception that the streets at Peking are wider than in the other cities. The dust was something terrible — it was literally in clouds, and there being more wind we were nearly smothered, although the sun was not so terribly hot as yesterday. The traffic of the streets was considerable ; several heavily-laden carts with four horses, three abreast and one ahead ; also camels, three or four in a line. A funeral passed us which extended over a mile in length. In front walked small boys carrying flags and banners ; then a man in a red cap and dress, beating a gong ; boys carrying a long gilt pole, with golden hand on top ; more flags and banners and men in red caps and jackets, beating gongs ; then musicians blowing tube instruments and carrying brass drums and large circular ornaments of silk, and gold bunting. Then came a lot of mourners dressed in white, followed by the catafalque — an immense carriage on poles, carried by one hundred bearers, fifty on each side, which was followed by about eighty or a hundred Chinese carts covered with white, with men and women. This procession proceeded along the street very 2i8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. slowly. It did not seem to attract much attention on the part of the populace, who did not congregate to watch it pass along, although composed of so many emblems, banners, flags, music, and the immense ornamented and gilded catafalque, with so many bearers, etc. Of course, in a large city of one or more millions, such sights must be of daily occurrence, but this one, by its size and ceremony, appeared to be an extraordinary one. The traffic of the street adds to the general noise and tumult ; the cries from the sellers of wares, cakes, vegetables, and other commodities, increase the din and noise, while jin- rikisha men rush along everywhere mixed up with carts, carriages, men on horseback, mules and donkeys, with now and then a mandarin in closed two-horse carriage, followed by runners, also on horses. We could see a few of the temples close to the inner walls of the Forbidden City. At one place was a moat and a large plot of lotus flowers, white and red, in bloom. The outer walls encircle the city. The roads are in a dieadful condition, full of holes and ruts, and very uneven in places. A good many native police are standing about here and there in uniform, with a pole or long stick in their hands. They are, as a rule, smaU men, quiet and inoffensive, and seem to be good officers and efficiently discharge their duty of keep- ing the traffic normal, without any gesticulations or more violence or interruption than is necessary. We passed through the British and other Legations — ItaUan, American, German, Russian and French — all large and well kept, with handsome grounds and fine buildings enclosed in high walls. The British Legation has port-holes on the walls, masked, so that they can be used for small or large guns if required. Sir Robert Hart, who is the Inspector-General of Chinese Customs, has a beautiful residence on the outside of the concession. He is one of the great men of China, and is trusted aUke by the Government and people. His office is on the British grounds. Fortune -telling in China is not confined to the women. Saw an old man squatting at his table on the pavement, fully equipped for his business ; young as well as old men, for a few coppers, were seeking his insight into the future. I watched the scene for a short time, and it was interesting to note the faces of the inquirers of their fate, to PEKING. 219 realize how implicitly they believed the oracle, and how im- pressed they were with the truth and honesty of the pseudo- interpreter of the future. Cabalistic figures, and not cards, were used, from which all the magical properties were translated, and data derived in predicting future events. These places are favourite resorts for young and old alike. Buddhism is the main rdigion of the Chinese, and has more temples and monasteries than any other form of behef in the empire. Briefly, the leading doctrine of the founder of the religion was the unreality of material things and the reality of the soul. The soul is entangled in matter ; the desires of the flesh are so many bonds or evils — by yielding to them the soul condemns itself to imprisonment. Even death does not emancipate — but is merely the gateway to a new incarnation. The way of freedom is Knowledge ; delusion gone, the common aims of men — wealth, pleasure and the like — are seen at their true worth, which is valueless. It appeals to faith in the unseen, it prompts to worship, and holds out to the soul a prospect of infinite progress and happiness in the world to come. Of all the virtues, filial piety ranks highest in the minds of the Chinese. It is inculcated not only by Confucianism, but also by Buddhism. The natural outcome of filial piety is ancestor-worship. This custom has descended from the remotest times, and is dear to the hearts of all the people, rich and poor, learned and ignorant. The China- man believes that death does not sever the link which binds him to those who have gone before ; though unseen, they are still near him ; as in life he ministered to their needs and sought their good will, so stiU does he make them offerings and desires their blessing. In Buddhism, truth is strangely mingled with error ; superstitious beliefs and rites have crept in. Many Buddhist priests are slothful, avaricious and corrupt. China is full of idols, and the masses of the population are ignorant and superstitious, but they are intelligent, industrious, and amiable in their relations with one another, devoted to their old people, tolerant in their creeds, courteous and forbearing in ordinary circumstances to " the stranger from afar," honest in their business dealings, and orderly to a wonderful degree ; while the proportion of serious crimes among them is probably smaller 220 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. than in some European countries. Their rehgious beliefs must have had some share in bringing about this state of things. 28th. — At 7 a.m. took jinrikisha for the Temple of Heaven, situated about four miles from the hotel. It stands in . the midst of a wall-enclosed park of many acres, shaded by juniper, fir, and other trees, and intersected by broad avenues. The sacred buildings are protected by yet another wall, painted red, and topped with dazzling dark-blue tiles. Within this wall, in the midst of a grove of superb trees, hoary with age, rises the temple, springing upwards from a terraced base of alabaster marble, a magnificent treble-roofed, azure-tinted gold-copper shrine. Each terrace is encompassed by a richly-carved balus- trade. The chief characteristics of the altar are its grand simphcity and its harmonious proportions. It is one of the most important temples of Northern China, situated in most extensive grounds, consisting of large groves of trees, among which the wild grass grows luxuriantly. It is closed off from the main road by many gates, and there is a good deal of extortion by the men who hold the keys in demanding pay- ment for entering. However, there is a direct road, which, if you knew beforehand, much extortion and distance could be avoided. The temple grounds contain a succession of build- ings, all of which have an appearance of being recently built or repaired. You ascend by stone steps to a kind of marble terrace of carved stone, extending in a horse-shoe shape, on which are situated ovens and altars, or rather, appliances for the sacrificing of animals or otherwise. Once every year the Emperor of China attends in person, and with much display and ritual takes a leading part in the sacrifices. There are a good many extending terraces, leading from the gates or temples to the principal one, which is a large erection with an ornamental roof rising with a dome with gilt ball on the summit. The interior is very handsomely gilded and ornamented, with im- mense pillars rising to the roof, carved and gilded with various figures and signs. The carvings on the sides and roof are ex- ceedingly handsome. There is a raised rostrum in front with screens, but no figures of gods or the likeness of any animal or object of any description ; nothing could be plainer in the THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN. 221 interior ; but it is at the same time beautifully and artistically gilded with perfect taste. There is a beautiful combination of art and exquisite taste that seems to fit in so perfectly; and the appearance of the gilding is so perfect in style and beauty, that it is an emblem of what one would expect in a building dedicated to so perfect a representation of what the mind of the moulder or architect could conceive of perfection in style and aesthetic art, leaving nothing but a void for the eye to rest on ; yet so sublime, that all desires are satisfied with the freedom of the artist in the absence of all emblems or designs of any description or form of man or beast that could detract from the Creator the honour due to Him alone, which no representa- tion could supply, nor could any form of beauty presume to personify the original conception. Twice a year, at the approach of the winter and the summer solstices, the Emperor visits this altar to sacrifice to Heaven in great state. When the Son of Heaven is about to pass, the shutters of the houses along the road are closed, and even the openings of the side streets are hung across with curtains for the purpose of warding off the gaze of subject or foreigner — for no one is supposed to look upon His Majesty and live. No foreigner has ever beheld the Emperor officiating in his capacity of high priest, but the altar has been seen prepared for the occasion. At this time the sacred blue jade stone, the symbol of Heaven, occupies a central position on a carved and gilded stand — whilst around it, on the upper terrace, are grouped the blue tents within which are placed the tablets of the deceased Emperors of the d5aiasty, who are invited to be present as guests at the sacrificial rites. On the second platform are arranged the tablets of the sun, the four planets, and the twenty-eight constellations ; and as a feast is connected with Chinese worship, dishes of meat, fruit, and flowers are placed before each. The third terrace is reserved for the living worshippers. The Emperor remains there during the night, as the sacrifice takes place in the hour before dawn, when there assemble round him the spirits of his departed ancestors. On his return to the Forbidden City, the streets are again cleared ; the police driving the crowd down the side streets behind the protecting curtain, for if caught and convicted of having looked 222 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. upon the Emperor, it would be a capital offence, and the offender's head would be switched off. We visited the main street. Some of the shops are large and extensive, carrying a fine display of goods in different lines ; also the bazaars, con- sisting of a great variety and display of cheaper and more ornamental character of the Brummagem display in cheap tinsel to adorn the person and to attract the eye, that may be imported from Germany, Birmingham, or any European city. The immense traffic of the streets is evidence of the vastness and importance of the city. In the afternoon we had a thunder- storm with heavy rain, which considerably cooled the air and made it much more pleasant. After it cleared up, we went to the old Observatory, which has some interest with regard to the Boxer trouble of 1900 — it having been looted by the allied troops, which was not at all to their credit. The Germans carried off most of the instruments, which, with one exception, were later returned to the Chinese. The Government is now putting up the different sections again. From the summit there is a fine view of the town and suburbs of Peking. It is close to the walls, which are over thirty feet in height and fifty in breadth. The Summer Palace and the tops of the temples in the Forbidden City can be seen, where the Emperor moves for the summer months. It is called the Golden Hill, and the palace, being situated on a height, can be better seen in the distance fiom the Observatory. 2gih. — The Methodist body in Peking have a Missionary College, which has been erected since the Boxer trouble (1900) ; it is a large and strong fortress-like building of some extent, able to accommodate, as at present, 500 pupils. They are educated in the different branches for 40 Mexican dollars per annum, and found in board and tuition for 200 Mexican dollars {i.e., $25 or $30 of American money). The Society are mission- aries, and the inmates must accept Christianity, which by their rules is compiilsory. Took jinrikisha at 8 a.m. for the curio shops in the city and the native quarters. The streets, crowded with the usual traffic, were muddy and in a dirty con- dition. There were several large curio shops joining the smaller ones, with a large assortment of porcelain, bronzes, etc. Then PEKING. 223 drove to the British Legation to see the Minister, Sir John Jordan, to inquire about the Forbidden City. Found that it was impracticable without personal invitation. The Minister had been there only four times, and he has lived thirty years in China. Found him very courteous, and he offered his assist- ance in any way in which he could be of service. At the time of the Boxer war a young man, named Oliphant, in the office of the Legation, having lately arrived from England, was at the time of the riot engaged in cutting down a tree, and had made but a few strokes with the axe when he was killed. The tree is still standing with the marks of the cut in the bark, and a stone is placed at the trunk stating how he came by his death. After lunch visited the Methodist Episcopal buildings, which fared very badly during the riots. There is a nice church, and several fine buildings on the grounds, with college for the 500 students, under American supervision. We also visited the French Roman Catholic Cathedral — a very ornamental building, with pillars and artistic altar. The pillars and sides of the walls are papered with a foreign kind of paper, of woven, mixed pattern. There is a gallery, but as yet no organ. We then again went to the principal business streets of the city and visited some curio shops, and to the courtyard of the Lama Temple, in the shape of a square, much crowded, with all kinds of shops and open tents, with second-hand curios mixed with European goods. There were a good many native police, and their services were brought into requisition by a fight that took place between two Chinamen. Cats never went more expeditiously for each other's wool than did the parties disagreeing make for each other's pigtails, which they clutched with the greatest ferocity. However, the police- men parted them, and it ended in a pow-wow of the combatants, and it was some time before peace was restored between the con- tending parties. We met several girls who were painted in high vermilion colours. ^oth. — ^Fine day. Left the hotel at 9 a.m. to visit the Bell Tower, some distance away. It is a large erection of consider- able height. Ascended by very steep, perpendicular stone steps, very dangerous and difficult to climb ; going up was hard on the breathing, especially for any one of portly size. The 224 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. bell itself is about twenty feet in height and ten or twelve in breadth, and about six inches thick. It is hung in the centre of the dome, and is rung only on certain occasions, being struck on the outside shell by a large beam— it has no clapper. There is a circular way or gallery going round the tower, from the different parts of which a splendid view of the country is ob- tained to the hills and mountains beyond. The city measures, in accordance with the map, ten by twelve (i.e., twelve miles in length and ten miles wide). The numerous trees to be seen in and about the city present a very notable appearance. Out- side the Legations we did not see any residential houses of any pretence in style or architecture ; they are all, without any perceptible exception, of the one class and character. The Forbidden City is seen from one point only, which does not give one any idea of size or otherwise. The temple roof and Summer Palace only are seen, from which we cannot guess their details or magnitude. The Forbidden City is less than four miles in circumference, probably a mile in length and about half a mile in breadth. It consists principally of fortifications, temples and residences of the members of the Imperial suite and Government. We were fortunate in meeting with an immense funeral procession which extended oyer a mile in length. Fully 500 were engaged carrying flags, banners of silk, and other Chinese emblems. To describe the funeral in full would require a knowledge of the symbols and the relation which one emblem bears to another. In the front came an immense gilded wooden gate or temple door, borne by about thirty men clothed in a uniform of black with green spots. Then a band of music ; then men bearing flags and banners, and large drums covered in silk. Then about fifty bearers carry- ing inscriptions in gold letters on square boards, giving an accoimt of the great worth and title of the departed. Then hundreds of boys carrying flags and banners, the clothes of the deceased — his cap, shoes, fan, pipe, etc., etc. Then followed trays of all kinds of refreshments done up in tissue paper, carried on poles. Then followed about twenty saddled horses in white accoutrements. Then effigies of two immense Uons on stands ; life-size images of men and women ; a dummy horse on wheels THE FORBIDDEN CITY. 225 attached to a carriage, with dummy figure in the saddle dressed as a Chinese coachman. A large chair ; several empty palan- quins, or sedan-chairs, upholstered in different kinds of sUk. Then life-size figures of birds — pelicans, deer ; a figure of a Chinese girl with painted cheeks and moving head. Then came a number of chanters dressed in white, carrying trays. Then men with large gilt lanterns, and a large gong, which was occasion- ally struck. The immense catafalque was borne by over 100 men in uniform of spotted green, and then followed men blowing quaint wind instruments, who supposed they were musicians ; and others beating large gilt drums. Priests followed, dressed in yellow silk ; and after them came several carriages decked in white. After them came more flags and banners ; hundreds of men and boys dressed in white, chanting ; and a host of horses and carts — over 100 altogether. It was a most extra- ordinary sight, a spectacle not to be seen every day. These must have been the obsequies of some notable person, but there was nothing official about the procession, as there were no soldiers or police, nor anything from which a stranger could con- jecture as to the late position of the deceased. It was quite clear, however, that the undertaker had material for a good bill against the executors. At the end of the procession in an open hearse was a long coffin, no doubt intended to be used as an outer shell to enclose the casket of the deceased. Went at 5 p.m. for a walk on the walls and viewed the Forbidden City with a powerful glass. The Winter Palace had a very handsome marble piazza, and the Summer Palace a beautiful white marble entrance and latticed windows in front. We also saw one with handsome white marble balustrade, which is occupied by the Empress Dowager ; and one occupied also by the Emperor's wife ; this had a beautiful pagoda with three roofs, with mag- nificent ornamentation on the roof, very high and graceful. One was occupied by the Emperor's concubines who preceded the wife from Manchuria ; an idea of refinement that would only enter the mind of a Chinaman in order to test the matrimonial problem of a mensd el thoro. Other portions of the Forbidden City lie hidden among the trees and shrubs. The residential houses are models of perfection. The rich Chinaman displays IS 226 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. his wealth in the magnificence of his surroundings. It is said that the Forbidden City is strongly fortified and provisioned, and is well supphed with large quantities of coal and sufficient ammunition to withstand a siege if necessary. It is enclosed in three walls, with gateways leading into spaces, and separated by gates, each wall having a separate entrance guarded by soldiers on both sides. The Boxer rebellion is quite fresh in the people's mind, and many stories are related of the sacking of the summer house in the Forbidden City. CHAPTER X. Peking — The Rivers of China — Education — The Civil Service — Political Reform — Hankow — The Yang-tsi-kiang — Street Traffic — Nanking Peasant Life — -Shanghai. July xst. — At 9 a.m. took jinrikisha for the town and native quarter. Sun very hot. We met another funeral — evidently of less importance than that of yesterday. The procession in- cluded a band, two flageolets, drum and triangle. To appreciate the strain of the music, one would require a special training on Chinese melody. Some men in white accompanied the band, chanting. Effigies of Chinese women, with tea-cups and trays, were carried by bearers dressed in black. The mourners were in white, and the chief mourner walked under a canopy which four men carried ; these mourners also chanted. Many carts with mourners followed ; the faces of the young girls in these carts were tinted in vermUion, their lips also in same colour. To Western eyes this custom is disgusting. The coffin was small, but with it was borne a large casket, on which, in Chinese characters, was what I was told were the name of the defunct and an account of his or her virtues. Peking is not a very interesting place appa- rently, but we cannot get away until Wednesday, as the express runs only once a week, the passage to Hankow taking thirty hours; from there we take the river-steamer to Shanghai. The rivers of China, of which the Yang-tsi-kiang and Hoang-ho are the greatest, are among the most interesting in the world. The Yang-tsi-kiang, or Great River, as it is called by Chinese traders, and the Hoang-ho, or YeUow River, traverse the entire breadth of China proper, and divide it into three great sections. The total length of the gigantic Yang-tsi is estimated at 3,000 miles ; while 348,000 square mUes (a space in which the German Empire, France, Great Britain, and Ireland could be comfortably accom- 227 15* 228 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. modated) is the area of the Yang-tsi-kiang basin. From its sources on the eastern side of Tibet the Upper Yang-tsi flows through magnificent gorges and ravines to the important trading centre of Ichang in the province of Hupeh. At this point the river flows out into a broad valley and continues its course, which for a couple of hundred miles is very tortuous, between high em- bankments in varying stages of dilapidation, for the remaining distance of i,ooo miles to the mouth of the estuary near Shanghai. Before the Japanese war steam navigation was per- mitted only for i,ooo miles from salt water, but this prohibition has been removed, and it is now open to the steam traffic of all nations ; a distance of 500 miles further necessitates the passing of thirteen big rapids and seventy-two minor ones. The number of inhabitants in the eighteen provinces has been estimated at over 70,000,000. The principal province is Shanghai — one of the most favoured of the Chinese districts. It is composed of sandstone, which is found in a setting of high mountain ranges intersected by deep ravines and valleys. It is here that the great mass of the population is settled. The district is one of extraordinary fertility, and it is said it would take ten years for the inhabitants to consume the production of one. Rice, wheat, opium, cotton, and vegetables are grown in abundance ; besides which coal, iron, salt and petroleum are produced in the red basin. The minerals in the mountain districts comprise lead, copper, silver and gold. As elsewhere in China, the mineral wealth has been left practically untouched. The coal, how- ever, is worked to a considerable extent, but is used as fuel for native consumption only, the steamers in the Yang-tsi being supplied with Japanese coal, in spite of the rich stores which lie almost everywhere to hand. In spite of the fertility of the land, the livelihood gained by agriculture is extremely pre- carious. Every ten years or so there is a great inundation, which causes incalculable damage over a vast area, causing in some places wholesale destruction of property. Near the estuary of the Yang-tsi-kiang is situated Nanking, the ancient capital of the empire, which is the burial place of the first Ming emperor. 2nd. — Sun very hot, 90° in the shade ; the roads terribly rough and dusty. Left with jinrikisha at 9 a.m. and went PEKING. 229 to the walls of the Forbidden City, and followed them as far as we were permitted until turned back by armed police — no one is allowed to enter without a pass. We went, however, quite near the Winter Palace, but did not see the lower base- ment. The grounds were well studded with fine trees. There was a band of music (orchestral) on the grounds, playing exceedingly weU. We passed a Chinese college— large building in an open court ; also a Chinese palace, lined with flags along the avenue, the approach being through a long courtway. Saw four prisoners in charge of soldiers in penal or criminal attire — . their clothing being crimson on one side and blue on the other ; in all probability they were on the way to execution, as we heard there was one to take place that day some time in the forenoon. We expected to have reached a sheet of water or lake, but found that it was surrounded by walls and closed to the public, so had to return to hotel without success. The money basis of China is, to say the least, pecuHar. Mexican dollars are used at 100 cents to the dollar notes, which are from one to one hundred, but there is a good deal of base currency ; so that in exchange for a dollar (Mexican), silver change at the rate of 115 cents in small coinage is allowed by the exchangers, but not by the banks. The only two countries whose coins are ornamented in flowers are Japan and Newfoundland — the former the chrysanthemum, and the latter the thistle. At 5 p.m. went for a walk ; the sun exceedingly hot ; thermometer registered 111° in the shade ; must have been 150° in the sun. The air was heated as though it came from a furnace. The women wear no hats or covering on the head ; they always carry a fan. Very few of the jin- rikisha men use hats ; a host of others wear no shade except a fan ; some wear large straw hats, others have their heads covered with a handkerchief. The drivers of carriages wear straw helmets with silk trimmings. yri. — At 9 a.m. went to the United States Legation, to the late residence of Mr. Crocket, the Minister who, at the time of the Boxer insurrection, rendered valuable assistance to the Legation. In describing Peking one must not forget that she publishes the oldest newspaper in the world, the venerable Peking Gazette, established a thousand or more years ago. This is the 230 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. official organ of the Government. In it are published all the Imperial decrees and the reports of censors — making it an in- valuable historical record. Here also are exposed the abuses of the administration and the reason for the dismissal of officials. Nothing is veiled or concealed ; and in no country in the world are public affairs ventilated with such frankness. Public offices in China can only be held by those who have passed successful examinations. These tests are open to all, without' regard to origin — rich and poor being permitted to com- pete for them on a footing of perfect equality. There are three degrees to be obtained. The highest degree is conferred on those who succeed in passing the examinations held every three years in Peking. There is no age limit, and persons may take part in them over and over again after repeated failures, and many pass their whole lives in attempting to secure the highest degree. The examinations, especially those of Peking, are reputed to be very severe. About 14,000 candidates present themselves at Peking for every triennial examination, and of these not more than 1,500 succeed in taking a degree. The laws against corrup- tion of examiners are extremely severe, and life itself must pay the penalty if the offence is clearly proven. The education of the Chinese is merely one long education of the memory. At the age of six, the Chinese boy goes to school, and his first task is to learn by heart the principles of the Chinese constitu- tion, which are compiled in easy text-books. As soon as they have been committed to memory he applies himself to the stu- pendous labour of mastering the nine classical books. They are studied and read over and over again, and commented upon, until the student knows the greater part of them by heart ; and if he has made up his mind to enter the list of competitive ex- aminations, he further perfects himself by writing innumerable essays and verses, until he has acquired the literary elegance and fine penmanship which are the chief aims of every Chinese scholar. The number of examinations which have to be under- gone before the student is eligible to compete for the final degree, or " Advanced Scholarship," are legion. The competitors at this ordeal would be locked up for five days to write a poem, cind later on, would endure a similar series of ordeals in the CHINESE CIVIL SERVICE. 231 prefectural city of the department in which he resides, where he would be confined night and day in a cell without doors or windows, containing an area of about four feet by five, until he had completed three essays and a poem on the remotest and most abstruse themes. Nor would his miseries by any means end here. With an interval of one day, to allow perhaps for respira- tion, he would have to undergo two more periods of solitary confinement, and would be expected at the end of each to pro- duce the same number of elegant compositions. But in order to compete for the highest honours it would be necessary to undergo a final test at Peking. One might very naturally characterize this as an absurd system of education, which fits them for nothing but ornamental penmanship and elegant verse-making. The Chinese Civil Service, as has been already mentioned, is entirely recruited from among the graduates of the competitive examinations. Of the successful candidates for literary degrees, the merest fraction obtain employment, as their number is always vastly in excess of the appointments to be distributed. Consequently there is an enormous class, composed of these unemployed and disappointed literati, who, having nothing better to do, become, in most cases, the mischief-makers of the empire. The only occupations which are otherwise open to them are those of the physician and the trader. These callings are, however, generally considered be- neath the dignity of a literary graduate in the social scale ; . consequently they are driven to all kinds of shifts in order to pick up a livelihood. They become, in fact, the real pests of Chinese society, and the difficulty in coping with them is enhanced by the privileges attaching to their class. The Hterati cannot be punished or made answerable for any offence committed by them until they have been stripped of their degrees by an Imperial edict. This provision gives them a free hand, of which they usually avail themselves to the fullest extent. Being con- sidered on an equal footing with the mandarins by virtue of their qualifications for office, they attach themselves to the yamens, and become the intermediaries of justice ; that is to say, they extort money from intending litigants, on the under- standing that their influence shall be exerted to obtain a favour- 232 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. able judgment from the magistrate. The chief, if not the only, obstacle to reform in China is the literary class. It was in recognition of this fact that the Emperor Chi-Kwang-ti, more than two thousand years ago, ordered the classic books to be burnt, and cut off the heads of the principal scholars. The whole system of education in China is unfavourable to progress. The object of every student is to learn the teachings of the ancient sages by heart ; and the man who has acquired by rote the most comprehensive knowledge of the classics is held in far greater esteem than one whose memory is less perfect, but who is capable of writing the most erudite original reflections. The men of letters, therefore, who hold the highest place in public estima- tion, are not those who may be personally gifted with literary genius, but mere literary machines, whose merit lies in the parrot- like repetition of the wisdom of others. The youth is conse- quently encouraged in every possible way to preserve the tra- ditions of the past ; and the acquisition of modem knowledge, or of anything calculated to prove in the slightest degree practical, is absolutely discountenanced. In this way a highly educated but purely literary class has been estabUshed in China for centuries ; and it has been considered a sufficient expedient for the production of statesmen and generals that young men should be taught, to the exclusion of everything else, to babble off whole books by heart, and to compose elegant and flowery essays at least three thousand years old. But that " history repeats itself " is shown in the fact that, even at as late a period as 1898, the late Emperor, Kwangsu, with the assistance of a few reformers in his council, suddenly burst the leading-strings that bound him to the Dowager Empress, by issuing an Imperial edict that the former literary essays on the three-thousand-year- old theme were to be abolished, together with the test of fine penmanship, ■ and that up-to-date essays on modem subjects were to be instituted in their stead ; also giving full Uberty to the Press, by allowing all papers to comment freely on local, pubHc, and foreign affairs, so as to help the Imperial Court to bring public affairs to perfection. At Shanghai, prepara- tions were made for the pubUcation of a newspaper to support the new pohcy, and the editorship was to be POLITICAL REFORM. 233 entrusted to the famous reformer, " Kang Yu Wei." The Emperor further decreed the abolition of a large number of the most lucrative sinecures in the public service, including the disestabhshment of six metropolitan bureaux, by which it is stated 6,000 officials were thrown out of employment, and that the useless posts, into which it was customary for high mandarins to job their relations and friends, should forthwith be made an end of altogether. This was reported by the London Times of September 30th, 1898 ; and in the issue of October 17th of the same paper it was announced " that edict after edict was issued, and orders given right and left for the construction of railways, the exploitation of mines, the adoption of Western science," etc. ; and the final catastrophe is said to have been precipitated by an impending edict aboUsh- ing the pigtail. This was rank heresy indeed, in the eyes of the insulted and indignant literati ; and it would be difficult to imagine the upheaval caused by the appearance of such blas- phemous utterances in the respectable and conservative Peking Gazette. It was, however, a mere prelude to a cataract of every conceivable kind of reform. A thorough reorganization of the army was proposed, and the time-honoured institution of military peculation was ruthlessly aboUshed, regardless of vested interest. However, on the 21st of the month the world was informed that a coup d'itat had taken place at Peking, and that the Empress Dowager had reassumed the reins of Government. The full history of the episode in the Palace revolution of 1898 has not been divulged, but it seems evident that things were brought to a crisis by the precipitation of the Emperor, and that the Empress Dowager seized the opportunity, when the whole administrative body at Peking and elsewhere was seething with alarm and indignation at the violent attacks to which it was subjected, to regain the power that had been wrested from her grasp by the reformed party in the State. With extraordinary vigour and resolution, she proceeded to stamp out the reform conspiracy by locking up the Emperor, executing his principal advisers, and making a clean sweep out of the pubUc service of every person known to favour a policy of progress. Kang Yu Wei, the chief offender, managed to escape, being conveyed 234 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. from Shanghai to Hong Kong on board a British vessel, and was interviewed by a correspondent of the Times. The Empress Dowager had dominated the Emperor for the two preceding years. But the seizure of Kiao-chao by Germany roused Kwangsu to the highest pitch of anger, and he is reported to have said, " Unless I have the power I will not take my seat as Emperor ; I will abdicate." This threat had the effect of silencing the Empress for the time being ; and the Emperor, freed from aU restraint, plunged wildly into the schemes of reform which led ultimately to his overthrow. The first act of the im- perious lady who had placed herself publicly at the head of affairs was to make the unhappy Kwangsu revoke nearly every progressive edict which had been issued by him. The metro- politan bureau was set up again, and the 6,000 officials rein- stated in their former employment. Viceroys and governors received the information that they might job their relations and friends back again iftto the useless posts which had just been abolished. No doubt, one of the bitterest pills the wretched Emperor was made to swallow by his implacable aunt was the restoration of the superannuated essay, which he had taken upon himself to expimge from the curriculum. A decree of 9th October re-established that form of composition, and once more asserted the superiority of fine penmanship over practical knowledge as a qualification for the exercise of administrative functions. The wisdom of the Empress Dowager's procedure can hardly be commended. She appears to have deliberately set to work to shatter the prestige of the sovereign, and the consequence of her action will probably be to slacken the already slender hold of the Manchu dynasty on the people of China. In other respects, however, she has given indications of a thorough appreciation of the critical situation in which China is placed to-day. She has grasped the necessity of reform, and has set up the difficult task with a moderation which is more Ukely to insure success than the impetuosity of the Emperor. The Palace revolution of 1898, however, has been productive of some good, in proving that there are two opposing factions in the State — a party of reform and a party of reaction. The bare existence of the former is the most hopeful indication of China's PEKING. 23s awakening.* On the 24th January, 1900, an edict purporting to consist of the voluntary abdication of the deposed monarch was published, and thus the future of China was entrusted to the Empress Dowager. Peking is a large city of 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 inhabitants, as far as can be ascertained ; the Chinese seldom take a. census. With no water supply or reservoir, it is very dry and dusty, with the exception of the canal, and water is obtained only by wells in the different streets and sections. The city is built on a wide plain, for the most part arid, with some patches of cultivation, with trees here and there, and fruit orchards and com, maize, etc., in the suburbs. There is no sewerage or drainage in any part of the city. The resi- dences, no matter of what size or character, have no way of obtaining water by pipes or from any cistern or reservoir ; nor is there any way to carry off the surplus accumulation of the houses. It is a very old town, and has been the capital and seat of government for centuries past. It is probable that the city has extended and outgrown itself, which may account for its being located where the requirements of a modem town cannot be had. The streets are, however, wider than are seen in other Chinese towns. As for what may be called " sights," there is very little to be seen outside the temples^ — the chief of which are the Lama, Yellow Temples, Bell Tower, and Big Drum. The Temple of Heaven is the handsomest and most extensive. The marble terraces are beautifully carved. Peking consists of two cities — the Tartar and the Chinese — having in common one out of the four walls by which each is surrounded. This common wall has three gates which give access from one city to another, and are closed at sunset, according to ancient custom. The Tartar city has six big gates, besides those already mentioned. The arches of these gateways are built of soHd granite, and the doors are of heavy wood studded with iron. The walls of the Tartar city are twenty-one miles in circumference, and over forty feet high ; they are the finest extant walls surrounding any city. In 1437 they were in existence, and were made of beaten mud and faced on both sides with brick, giving them their massive appearance. Access is obtained to the summit by in- clined paths situated at each side of the gates, and also at inter- * See Appendix, p. 449. 236 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. vals between them. Here the foreign resident takes his daily stroll among the weeds and brambles growing in the interstices of the fifty-feet-broad paved way. Here one lingers, admiring the sunset view ; for here alone in all Peking can he escape the noxious odours which a fierce sun draws from a big unsanitated city, intersected by canals of stagnant green water — the home of millions of mosquitoes, who have no mercy for a visitor. From all sides arise the most sickening odours from the refuse of the houses, which is turned out into the streets for the recognized scavengers — the pigs and dogs. Inside the Tartar city is a walled quadrangle, known as the Imperial, or Forbidden City. Here are the barracks of soldiers, besides many public offices, and the dwellings of mandarins and officials. Four massive gates give access, at the four points of the compass, to the innermost square, enshrined like a gem in the heart of Peking — the mysterious Forbidden City. At these four gates soldiers are stationed, who refuse all admittance. At each comer of the wall, as well as over the gates of the sacred enclosure, are towers for the Imperial Guard, who watch night and day over China's Emperor. It is further protected by a deep and wide moat which encircles it. Those who have had the privilege of enter- ing have drawn an aesthetic picture of the superb surround- ings — the palaces and lovely grounds, beautiful clear lakes, spanned by white marble bridges, and carpeted with lotus flowers ; beautifully carved temples and shrines, their curUng roofs tiled with bright green and gold, shining like gems among the trees. The Forbidden City contains all the most artistic temples and Winter and Summer Palaces, and the residences of the Emperor, Empress Dowager and Empress, and all the high officials, to which no one is permitted access, except by special invitation from the Emperor. It is no more than a mile or so in extent. The place is made very picturesque by the number of fine trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. It is well guarded by walls, two outside and one inner — three in aU. The tombs of the Ming dynasty consist of some splendid carvings of elephants in marble in a row, facing one another. The Great Wall of China is about sixty miles from Peking. At the American Episcopal Methodist College we were introduced to a Chinese PEKING. 237 professor, a teacher in the college. On our questioning him, he enlightened us with regard to the stuffed lions, horses, naen, women and birds which are borne in funeral processions. He said that these figures at funerals were intended as emblems to show what was to be given to departed souls in their heavenly- habitation. The lions were to be the ornaments before their mansions ; the horses to draw their carriages ; the men for servants ; the women figures represented the wives and concu- bines which were to be supplied to them ; and the paper thrown into the air represented money. At the grave, all the emblems were burnt with much ceremony and noise, in the belief that they would all follow the deceased. An undertaker provides aU that is necessary for a sum agreed, and the people will im- poverish themselves to procure a funeral, so that the deceased may be provided with every luxury in his new abode. Under- taking must be a remunerative business in China. Chinese coffins are very large and are expensively ornamented, and this, with other items, must be a burdensome tax on all but the rich. Left at 9 p.m. for railway to Hankow, a distance of about 700 miles ; then to take boat for Yang-tsi-kiang, distance of 800 miles; in all, 1,500 to Shanghai. Paid railway fare, $65.40 over and above river-boat fare to Shanghai previously paid. ^h. — Railway Express. — Fine day ; cooler on train. The line is run by the Belgian Chinese Company. The carriages are after the plan of the Siberian Railway. The first-class cars are divided by two partitions, containing two sleepers above and under, with leather cushions, to contain two passengers. The second-class is furnished quite as well as the first, but contains three sleepers, taking three passengers ; it is wider, and if it took two instead of three it would be preferable. The Siberian Railway extends a distance of about 8,000 miles ; the passage, from a point near Port Arthur, occupies seventeen days to London. We ran through a wide valley, well cultivated with large tracts of wheat, maize, com, etc., and various vegetables. Quite a number of horses, mules, donkeys, and bullocks are used in cultivating the soil. A good many animals are employed in turning a wheel by which the water is pumped to irrigate the land ; and a hand-wheel controlled an endless chain of buckets 238 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. which raised the water in shoal places. This region suffers considerably from drought. At 4 p.m. we arrived at the Yellow River — so called on account of its colour, which the mud gives it. The station was crowded by children, beggars, and retailers of fruit, cakes, cooked chicken, etc. We passed over a very fine iron bridge across the river. It is said to be the longest bridge in the world. The river brings down with its current enormous quantities of loose soil, which it is constantly depositing, the result being that the bottom is always silting up. The only way of preventing floods is to heighten the banks. This the Chinese have done until in many parts of its course the bed of the stream hes higher than the surrounding country. In order to remedy this evil the builders of the railway bridge were obliged to extend it to a distance of five miles on each side of the treacherous stream, and much difficulty was experienced in getting a substantial foundation for the piers. In some places the stream rims in foaming rapids, dangerous at times to tra- verse in the boats. The river in some places is wide and very shoal, with shifting mud-banks, so that navigation must be difficult. In places were several large-sized junks on the river, going in different directions. After passing over the bridge we entered a tunnel of some length, through the mountains. There are several caves at the foot of the hills, and a number of cave- dweUers inhabit them. At 6 p.m. we arrived at Tcheon, a fair- sized town, surrounded by a big wall, with towers and but- tresses ; it has a copper mine and other industries. We saw piles of bars of metal. We passed extensive orchards of date trees — the trees looking very fresh and green ; between them vegetable crops were growing. The trees cover an immense plain as far as the eye can reach. A large farming industry is evidently carried on. The train stopped at several stations during the night. Many of the villages are mostly built of mud, and some of the houses are enclosed in a square within a high mud wall ; it may be for the protection of cattle. Acres of trees were en- closed also by walls. There is any amount of mud and straw, so probably building does not cost much. As the Tartars were incessantly attacking them, the cities were protected by walls from their raids. HANKOW. 239 5th. — Rain during the night cooled the air considerably, and gave to the country, which had suffered from long drought, a nice green appearance. The farmers keep a good many cattle on the land, and use the oxen and water-buffalo for ploughing. The mules and donkeys look remarkably well kept, fat and sleek, with glossy coats. We arrived at the fine new station of Hankow at 9.30 a.m. Some modem houses are built close to the station. Near by are a lot of miserable, dirty huts, built of mud and straw, and covered with matting — the greater part of which are tumbling down. Passing these huts, one comes to some large brick and stone residences on European lines ; also a large stone building of some architectural pretensions, with tower and pillars, apparently a hotel. Considerable improve- ments are being made in that portion of the town. The prin- cipal street at Hankow is the Bund, opposite the river — a fine, wide street, lined with trees on the water-front, with an iron fence enclosing a macadamized side-path and grass-plots. On the opposite side are European buildings of splendid appear- ance, of brick and stone with marble pillars, consisting of the banks, insurance offices. Pacific and other steam companies' offices, and for a distance of three miles a succession of fine, handsome residences of style and appearance not to be outdone in any European city, ornamented also with lawns, gardens, courts, and fine trees, a good side-walk and carriage road well kept. On the river were a number of large three- deck steamers belonging to different companies ; Chinese steamers, tugs, junks, large and small boats, with crowds of men on the quay unloading and shipping goods ; quite a busy traffic going on. Evidently Hankow is a place of great importance. It is the up-river terminus on the great Yang-tsi-kiang for all the import trade borne in large steamers, the water being deep close into the shore or quay. We went to the " Astor Hotel," on the Bvmd, and then to the office of Butterfield & Swire to procure our passage, for which we had arranged before we sailed from Shanghai for Tientsin, to leave at q.30 p.m. on Saturday, in the river-boat to Shanghai — a distance of 700 miles, making in all, including rail (800), 1,500 miles. Having procured berths, we went after lunch to the purely Chinese section in the heart 240 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. of the city. The same crowding as in similar parts seen else- where. The population is 1,000,000. All kinds of traffic were in operation. The smells were no less pungent, the crowds, beggars and noises as numerous, the streets as narrow — so that one had to look out on all sides to avoid being run over by the carriers. There were no vehicles drawn by horses, as the streets were too narrow. However, the cries of the human carriers always gave sufficient warning, but there was no stoppage, and as fast as one passed another came. It was not an easy matter to find one's way without a guide, and no one could answer or interpret any question as to our location. We went straight ahead and trusted to Providence for guidance. It was rather amusing to see a sleek Chinese borne through the crowd in a sedan-chair and to watch the perfect indifference which he paid to the warning cries of his bearers to make way for him. Opposite the Municipal building we saw four prisoners watched by a police guard ; they were chained together, with a wooden frame over the head and shoulders. One can hardly understand the reason of there being so many clerks or servants naked to the waist behind the shop-counters ; most of them were boys under twelve or fourteen years of age. Labour is so cheap in China that the number employed makes very little difference. Small boys probably do not get more than six cents per day for their services. The large population of China always causes the supply of servants to be greater than the demand. Took a drive to the extreme length of the Bund, which is about three miles in length, with fine buildings extending all the way. A good many Europeans were out in their private carriages. Hankow is the chief treaty port of Central China. It stands at the confluence of the Han with the Yang-tsi. During the last ten years its importance has very much increased, and it seems pro- bable that in another decade it will become even more prominent as a central distributing point for the empire. With its splendid Btmd, and its long line of magnificent red-brick houses, it stands as an object lesson to even the most progressive China- man of the power and riches and of the advance- of the foreigner. Hankow is the central tea-mart of the whole empire ; and as the great bulk of Chinese tea goes to Russia, it is not surprising KIN-KIANG. 241 that the Russians have made such commercial strides of late years. Their leading firms now have branches established in Ceylon, and the Chinese and Singapore teas are blended, and so find their way into the Western European markets, where they are creating a demand. The principal river-steamboat com- panies are English, as also is the chief part of the carrying trade, and the bulk of the imports. Brick-tea is inferior tea ground to a fme powder. It is prepared by the process of steaming in muslin receptacles for two or three minutes ; the tea is then poured into a wooden mould, and compressed by a machine with thirty tons' pressure on the brick. A finer tablet tea is dried for an hour over charcoal instead of being steamed, then weighed in quarter-pounds into a steel-lined box, and compressed by hydraulic pressure — forty tons' pressure. Each cake or tablet is neatly packed in paper and then put into a bamboo basket ready for transportation on camel- or mule-back to the heart of Russia. The tea is thus prepared in order to lessen the diffi- culties of transport. The workmen are housed and fed at the brick-tea factory, and as the Chinese Uve principally on rice and vegetables, they are able to live on five cents a day — about two and a half cents of our money. tth. — ^Very hot day, sun bright ; during the night had a good deal of Mghtning. The berths were hot and close as an oven, although the windows and skylights were open. Sleep was out of the question. At 8 a.m. we arrived at a town called Kin-is.iang, of considerable importance — population, 55,000 to 60,000 ; a lighthouse on the point and two tall pagodas, one of them en- closed in a fortress-like wall. Kin-Kiang has a wall thirteen miles long. After breakfast we landed to a floating barge, to which the steamer was moored. The vessels on the river used for land- ing and storing goods belong to different steamship firms. Our steamer remains tiU 2 p.m. We landed on the Bund, or water- front, where there are some fine buildings, and proceeded to the town. In some respects locomotion is less impeded than in other places — the roads being paved with large flat stones ; but there is the same crowding, shouting and traffic. The manu- facture of great quantities of fireworks in Kin-Kiang affords a striking object lesson of the value of fire insurance. Not in the 16 242 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. factories alone, but even in the middle of the street, explo- sives are handled very carelessly ; workmen handling gunpowder may be seen smoking with perfect equanimity and apparent indifference as to the fearful result if a spark started a cata- strophe. I have now the best reason to believe what I have read of Chinamen's indifferent nonchalance even when in the hands of the executioner. Among other trades are black- smiths, bakers, shoemakers, barbers, cooking kitchens and restaurants — aU carrying on their different occupations in the same street, without regard to the noise and bustle and calls of the coolies as they run with their heavy burdens balanced on a pole carried on the shoulders. Very heavy loads are carried, swung on a stout pole with a man at each end. A man thinks nothing of carrying a quarter of a ton (five hundredweight) or more on his shoulders in this way. No gall marks are to be seen on their bodies, though they labour naked from the waist up. I have now visited several Chinese towns, and am struck by the great similarity between them. The chief variety is in the matter of stinks, which are something ultra-fearful and nau- seating. They leave far behind the proverbial " thousand- and-one stinks of Cologne." The combined efforts of the other four quarters of the world utterly fail to approach the stink factories of this Celestial Empire ; nor can custom hope to stale their infinite variety — time is impotent to abate these stinks. One's olfactory nerves in China are educated to the standard of a Master in Arts ; so much so that each particular flavour or aroma can be differentiated and classified with the nicety of a tea-taster. Interest in the traffic of the streets never dimi- nishes ; there is so much of human character portrayed in every line of Mfe — even the babies come in for their share of notice, as they gaze with dilated eyes on us Gentiles. The Chinese women, also, as of course they should be, are most interesting to observe ; they are so different from what one would expect to see, especially in point of dress. Our women wear skirts and petticoats — our men don't, as a rule ; yet I have heard of Western women who wore the breeches. In China our order of things is reversed : the men wear petticoats and skirts — the women (actually, not metaphorically) wear the trousers. The hair is WOMEN'S COSTUME. 243 worn by ladies in a knot at the back of the head, ornamented with flowers cind gold and silver ornaments. Across the back of the head they use an ornament from six to eight inches long, over which the hair is plaited. They would not be considered chic if they did not paint — so they daub their face and cheeks with red or other paint in bright patches, and the tips of the hps with vermihon, which completely spoils and disfigures their features, and, if they have any good features, completely ruins them. They look exactly like painted dolls. Their feet are about four inches long, so crushed in swathings and encased in Uttle funny shoes that they can hardly walk. Some use a square wooden mould, which gives them a slightly better footing, but probably not a better standing socially. From the knees down the hmb is completely shrunk ; nothing remains but the flesh and bone ; it has no form or s5Tnmetry, and the foot is crushed and the toes almost obliterated. They are fond of wearing "gaudy jewels in the ears and on the fingers, and large bracelets on the arms ; the hand is not decorated. Young children dress much as their elders. Although in these days of progress and travel the European is much in evidence aU over the world, yet in the distant places and seldom-visited native villages off the beaten track the people become, perhaps, a little more personally attentive than is comfortable in such a stifling atmosphere. When we entered a shop they filled the interior and crowded the entrance. The proprietor did not seem to take amiss this crowding on his premises, and was wonderfully patient. Our escorts were, however, only too willing to render the shopkeeper all possible assistance in translating the prices of the articles we required by holding up their fingers or producing coin to the amount, and seemed weU pleased when a sale or bargain was effected. The Chinese are remarkably honest in their deahngs, and a seller of old coin followed us to give a larger quantity when he considered that he had not given sufficient at first. We found them one and aU very courteous, and although we were alone and entirely at their mercy, they did not insult us in any way, or unduly press on us, but made way when we had occa- sion to cross the street ; by all classes we were received with invariable kindness and courtesy. We were not always in 16* 244 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. treaty ports, and they might have resented our appearance in their streets had they been so disposed. We returned by the river-side to the boat. We saw a great number of potteries — a large industry among the people of this town. Sailing up and down the river were many Chinese junks, and a good many ferry- boats of large size, with three or four decks. We resumed our journey at 3 p.m., and had a better view of the site of the town and of the two pagodas ; both of these were five storeys in height, and from the galleries small trees and shrubs were growing to the summit. The city is walled. Among other industries is the manufacture of silverware, in which the Chinese are very expert. In the distance we saw a long range of mountains of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet in height ; the river winds nearly at their feet. We passed a charming httle village built at the side of a lake ; and high up on a bluff rock, crowned by a copse of woods, several houses are erected, looking exceedingly pic- turesque. The captain told us that the village was noted as one of the prettiest on the river ; the scenery in this section more than ordinarily beautiful — undulating hiUs and valleys, copses of bright green tirees, all charmingly framed in the distant mountain-ranges, the intermediate area sprinkled with villages, the houses clustered together among the most charming scenery of both banks of the river. Promontories jut far out into the stream, and form snug coves where boats He securely at anchor, and give a happy dash of water-colour to this inland landscape. On each bank is a fringe of dark green trees. At this place the river is about six miles wide. Towards evening we steamed close to the banks, and had a good view of the pastoral land and scattered farm-houses. Many were employed on the land ; some ploughing with the water-buftsdo, which are much used and admirably adapted for that purpose, as they are not only strong and powerful, but also docile. We passed several Chinese forts, some of them erected on high bluffs, giving a good command of the river. We passed a Buddhist monastery perched pn the summit of a high bluff. The rushes on the banks of the river grow to a height of sixteen to twenty feet ; they are used for many purposes ; but they are especially valuable because they prevent the banks from being carried away by the floods, which THE YANG-TSI-KIANG. 245 at times rise to a great height, overflow the land, and submerge immense tracts of country. In flood-time navigation becomes very difficult, as steamers and vessels are apt to run aground on the shoals and banks ; and it is necessary to have dangerous places marked by buoys and beacons. After a heavy overflow the width of the river has increased to as much as thirty miles, and great islands of mud have been formed by the action of the current. Every year mud-banks form at the estuary of the river, which prevent vessels of large tonnage from navigating it. In some places where the river is narrow, especially when leaving Hankow, it runs between high banks ; in other places it broadens out to many miles in width, and peninsulas are formed jutting out into the stream. The Yang-tsi-kiang is the largest but two in the world. Its area is estimated at about 650,000 square miles, and the population of its basin and banks, who are both peaceable and industrious, is estimated at between 170,000,000 and 200,000,000. Its source is near the border of Tibet, not far from that of the Hoang-ho, or Yellow River. It is about 3,000 miles long ; is navigable half-way up from its source, but beyond that is unnavigable, owing to the rapidity of its rock-stream torrent. One of its tributaries, the Han, the waters of which debouch at Hankow, may be said to be navi- gable for 1,200 miles from that city. The Yang-tsi valley also contains the Tung-ting Lake (whose area is equal to that of Kent and Surrey), and a network of canals 1,000 miles from the sea. Atlantic Uners could go up as far as Hankow in summer, 600 miles from the sea. All the year round large river-steamers reach Ichang, 1,000 miles from the sea. More than 250,000 men are employed in the vast junk traffic of the Upper Yang-tsi. It is estimated that this Nile of China brings down to the sea every twelve months enough sohd matter to form an island a mile square and 100 feet deep. The valley embraces the richest and most populous region of China. It has a superb climate ; a riqh soil, jaelding three and even four crops annually ; forests of grand timber ; untold mineral resources, and the most valu- able and extensive coalfields in the world. In its long, deep valleys are produced opium, silk, sugar, tobacco of good quality, drugs, and the best white wax, the finest green tea, and rice. 246 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. At Hankow there is a large and influential Russian colony in connection with the brick-tea trade. It is said that a greater number and variety of craft may be seen there than in any har- bour in the world. The river has been navigated by a Chinese steamer, built especially for the purpose, to about 1,700 or 1,800 miles from its mouth. We saw the steamer yesterday coming from the port of Wu-lou. At night the weather changed, and a gale of wind sprang up, with thunder and lightning and heavy rain, which continued all night and cooled the air to a tempera- ture of 74°. Jth. — River-boat Tatung. — During the night it rained heavily in showers. At 6 a.m. we stopped at Wu-lou (population 100,000), to land and take passengers and cargo ; this town has one particularly tall pagoda ; Ijdng near the banks of the river were six large store barges, owned by different steam companies. We remained there about an hour. There is a good-sized Roman Cathohc church, showing that the Roman Catholic missions are not asleep. The river-hne is along a flat shore, with trees, and an island lies not far from the banks, on which some houses are erected ; there is also a Chinese fort. At 11.30 we arrived off Nanking. The city, a large and important one, lies seven miles beyond. It is one of the treaty ports, with a population of between 300,000 and 400,000, and does a large trade. The station at which we landed does not contain many houses. A large crowd of people were on the landing-place, and many carriages and jinrikishas from the city. Nanking is noted for its cut velvet, of which there is a large exportation. We remained there only an hour ; unfortunately, three of our saloon passengers were left behind — one, Mr. Hill, an American, who had been travelling round the world ; a Belgian gentleman, and a United States soldier. We did not miss them until after the steamer left, otherwise the captain would have waited. They may be able to leave to-morrow (Monday) by a Chinese boat. At some places in the river we ran quite close to the banks. Narrow canals extend inland for some distance, where a small village is situated, with clusters of boats at anchor. The scenery is very picturesque, with farm-houses embowered among bright green trees and orchards. At 3 p.m. passed Yuchou KIN-KIANG. 247 — ^the entrance of the Grand Canal that extends north-westward to Peking, a distance of between 600 and. 700 miles. Over five hundredjunks, some of large size, were lying in the coves. They have very peculiar stems which rise up from four to six feet high. We ran quite close to the village. The houses are all of Chinese build, mud with straw and tile roofs, and appear to be huddled close together. At 4 p.m. we reached Kin-Kiang, a large town and treaty port, with a population of 150,000 to 175,000. It has a silk factory, owned and worked by Chinese, all the machi- nery of which was made by natives. Ls^ing there are several Chinese gunboats, to watch the pirates, by whom the place is much frequented. There are also several forts and a very tall and graceful pagoda of seven storeys — said to be the hand- somest in China. Also a British and a United States gunboat, several steamers, and a host of junks lying at the banks and coves, and several river-boats of two and three decks. Last year in this part of the district of the Yang-tsi valley much suffering was caused by scarcity of rice and other crops ; this year the product is said to be good and quite equal to the average. The steamer hauled alongside a floating stage, and as she remains for a couple of hours, we went on shore to the Bund — a fine, wide street, lined with trees and residences, large Chinese and other hotels. It has a good macadamized road, thronged with people of aU descriptions. We then went to the native city, the quarter of the town solely occupied by Chinese. The streets were, if possible, narrower and more crowded than those of the other places we visited, and the congested traffic made the thoroughfares almost impassable for foot passengers. A sedan- chair is the best means of transit, with a runner ahead to clear a passage. The well-to-do Chinese never go out in any othei way ; they never think of trying to walk through any of the streets. There are, here and there, some Chinese shops of more than average size, with fine stocks of goods, mostly European ; also curio shops, etc. If a European or American were trans- ported suddenly to the middle of one of these streets in the Chinese quarter, he would stand aghast in a perfect maze of wonder and astonishment at a vision which he could not con- ceive to be real ; for some minutes he could not be sure that he 248 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. was not in a dream ; conviction that he was indeed awake would reach his brain by way of his nose without much loss of time. No description, however realistic, can give the faintest idea of the picture in which he would be a unit. It must be seen, and can be conceived only by way of ocular demonstration ; if you are desirous of visiting a real Chinese town or native quarter, you can only do so by going to China. We left again at 6.30, and shortly afterwards ran close to a picturesque wooded island on~ which were some pretty houses. A Chinese fort guarded the river oh one side of the island. Further up-stream, about 400 miles from Hankow, the scenery is grander, but many dangerous rapids have to be traversed. In many places the river narrows, running between mountain gorges. The night brought us cooUng breezes, most refreshing after the roasting day. We did not call at any further ports on the river. ?>th. — Shanghai. — Warm day. At 8 a.m. we approached Shanghai by a narrow branch of the river — here only a few hundred yards in width ; the widest part is about twelve miles. We passed a number of large Chinese junks, so odd-looking with their peculiar high sterns, which were decorated with brightly painted pictures and figxires. A P. & O. steamer was lying at anchor. She leaves for Hong Kong in the morning. There were several men-of-war at anchor — British, United States, German and Chinese ; also large steamers for various ports. This part of the river has been called the Charing Cross of China ; and the port next after, if not equal to, Liverpool. Subsequent experience convinced me that Hong Kong is a greater port than Shanghai. We steamed close to the banks, passing several canals by which boats went up-country, appearing as if high and dry among the trees. The fields and meadows looked bright and green after the heavy rain of the previous day. As we neared Shanghai both sides of the river were lined with steamers and all kinds of craft, including large river-boats. Passed extensive business premises and factories, with many handsome residences. The volume of traffic was wonderful, in which steamers and all kinds of boats were engaged. The stir and bustle were astonishing, showing the immense trade that has made Shanghai a great shipping centre and port of call .1' SHANGHAI. 249 from all parts of the world. To this its geographical position is a potent factor. Hives of industry fill both banks of the river. On the right we saw the Oriental and Cosmopolitan docks and tank-houses. On the left are the great spinning mills. Oppo- site the city, at Putung, tower the chimneys of the International Cotton MiUs, around which a little town has sprung up. This factory employs 2,500 workmen. The arsenal at Kiang-nan further down the river employs 3,000. We landed on the Bund at 10 a.m., after an absence of eighteen days, in which we tra- velled by land and river about 3,000 miles. Peking was deci- dedly the hottest place I saw in China. I cannot pretend to give any conception of its intense heat. Fancy yourself entering an oven with a temperature of 150°. Words utterly fail to describe what you must undergo in travelling through a city with that temperature and crowded on all sides with millions of people. We landed on the Shanghai Bund, which was thronged with people, carriages, jinrikishas, etc., and although everyone was complaining of the heat, we did not, after our experience at Peking, Hankow, Nanking, and other places, feel at all un- comfortable, and walked to the hotel. After lunch we returned to the Bund, and on inquiry regarding the steamer advertised to sail on Tuesday, gth, for Hong Kong, found she had sailed on Sunday night, two days before her time ; consequently, we shall have to wait for the next boat, sailing next Saturday, involving ■ a delay of four or five days in Shanghai. As we have not yet seen much of the neighbourhood, having been here only a couple of days, expect we shall be able to put in some time to fair advantage. Of course, it was a disappointment, as we could not afford to lose any time, having a long distance yet to travel, and every day is, therefore, a consideration. From Hong Kong we go to Canton, to get a glimpse of another of China's great rivers, and her wonderful river hfe. gth. — Day cloudy and close ; towards noon we had showers. Went to the Nanking Road, where are situated some of the principal shops — European and Chinese ; some very large and handsome jewellery stores, with large stocks of gold, silver, and other ornaments, clocks and watches. In the afternoon re- mained at the hotel. The three passengers who were left behind Missing Page Missing Page 252 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and rich in the nutritive elements of milk, are constantly eaten in toothsome preparations, including a peculiar curd which resembles cheese. Vegetable oils, always cheaper than animal fats, are much used in frying and for pastry. Brown sugar, one of the chief products of the south, retains its saccharine and its colour in numberless confections, and reaches its most attractive aspect in rock-candy. AU kinds of fish, fowl, and flesh are salted and dried for consumption at seasons when fresh meat is dear. The custom of cutting aU food into shreds and morsels during the culinary process saves time at meals. Meat, vegetables and pastes are brought to the board in such form that knife or fork need not be applied to them, chopsticks being all that is neces- sary. Much land is held on leases given by ancient proprietors to clansmen, whose descendants now till it, paying from seven to fourteen dollars' worth of rice annually for its use. When land is leased, the farmer pays the taxes and the lessee furnishes all that is required in tillage. Payment to the landlord is always made in unhusked rice, and when the land is worked on shares this amounts to about half the crop. The usual bargain for the use of land is a ton and a quarter of unhusked rice — worth about thirty doUars — for each acre. If the year be remarkably bad, the lessee may insist upon the landlord taking one-half the crop, though that may be much less than the amount agreed upon as payment. If the year be good the lessee may pay one- third of his crop to the landlord, another third for fertilizer, and the other third for his labour. The spheres of British influence in China extend to weU-nigh every portion of the empire ; they may be classed geographically in three zones — central, north and south. The methods by which our representatives have succeeded in securing our trade interest at the treaty ports are of two kinds, and vary somewhat in detail. The first necessity in opening a new port to foreign intercourse is the obtaining of a piece of land, on which the new-comers may erect dwelling- houses and stores, and where, later on, a quay or Bund may be constructed, so as to render the berthing of ships and the handling of cargoes possible. These may be attained by means of a settlement, or a concession, and each method has its advan- tages. A concession is a piece of ground leased by the Chinese SHANGHAI. 253 to the British Government and sub-let to British merchants ; while a settlement is an area within which the British are per- mitted to lease land direct from the native proprietors. The form most usually employed in the case of a settlement is a perpetual lease ; and in either case the land becomes for the time being, and with certain limitations, British soil, and is policed and controlled by the representatives of the British Government, which generally delegates those duties to a council of resident merchants. The area of a concession is necessarily small. His Majesty's Government stipulate in leasing that the land is not to be sub-let to Chinese. The point is that a sufficient space should be provided for manufacture, the erection of ware- houses, and for the residences of the Chinese engaged in foreign trade. Thus at every open port there is a concession, as at Kin- Kiang ; or a settlement, as at Shanghai. CHAPTER XI. Courts of Justice — The Bund and Foreign Concessions — Chinese Restaurants — En Haute to Hong Kong — Methods of Agriculture — Opium Smoking — Hong Kong — Family Customs — Social Observances — Shops and Theatres — The Peak — Commercial Importance of Hong Kong. loth. — Shanghai. — Visited the Chinese Court of Justice. The British Vice-Consul and a Chinese magistrate presided, the latter being a mandarin. He wore the usual straw helmet hat with silk tassel, and a grey robe. On certain days appointed by the Legations, the Consul sits to try cases in conjunction with the magistrate. The Court House, built of brick, is a commodious building. The court-room is exceedingly plain in the matter of furniture. It has a bench, of course, but no table or chairs except for the pohce — the Htigants and the audience have to stand. The proceedings are very simple ; there are no lawyers ; consequently there are no arguments. The plaintiff states his case from the witness-box ; the defendant or accused stands at a bar before the bench, and is also allowed to state his case ; no oath is administered. Minor criminal cases are also heard and adjudicated. While we were there, four prisoners were sentenced to a month's imprisonment for an assault. The magistrate signs the calendar with a small brush and red ink or paint, the Consul concurring in the decision. There are so many different dialects in the provinces that an interpreter is employed by the Court between the parties to the suit. Justice is summary. Runners in straw helmet hats Hke those of the mandarin, with linen skirts, are employed to run messages and serve the process of the court. The Chinese pohce attend with their prisoners ; and several EngUsh officers in dark tunic and braided uniform attend in Court. Chinese detectives also are employed. A case was before the Court with regard to the 254 LI HUNG CHANG. 255 right of a man to possession of his concubine who had left him ; it was proved that the money agreed on for the woman was paid, and therefore that he was entitled to her services ; but because he failed to produce his papers of identification, the Court dismissed the action for want of proof that he came within its jurisdiction. It appeared that the woman had been adopted as a helper, or concubine, to another man, and was playing a fast-and-loose game. Litigants stand before the magistrate, who acts as judge and jury. Each suitor orally states his side of the question at issue. Witnesses may be summoned on either side, and the accused is unrestricted in defending his case. nth. — Fine day. On the Bund the morning was pleasant, with a cool breeze. After tifi&n engaged a carriage to visit the coimtry by the Nanking road. Passed some very large and handsome residences in beautiful grounds, many of them quite palatial. Visited the American Episcopal CoUege, situated in pretty grounds. There are many large brick residences con- nected with the University, which consists of a group of fine buildings. The number of Chinese students is 1,400. A very nice church for the students is situated on the grounds. Near the Communion Table a marble tablet is erected to the memory of Bishop Boone — the first United States bishop, who came to China on the i6th day of July, 1864. The grounds are well kept — a fine lawn, with some stately trees in the background. We next visited the house of Li Hung Chang, the great Chinese statesman, who travelled round the world in 1900, visiting Europe and America- He died about two years ago. He was an old man, over seventy, when he made his tour, creating universal interest at the time, especially in London, where he met with a very hearty reception. The entrance to the residence is by an iron gate leading by a fine carriage drive to the second gate, and thence through a large garden with buildings forming a crescent on both sides. In the middle of the garden is a fine statue of Li Hung Chang, of polished granite enclosed in an iron fence. The figure is from fifteen to twenty feet in height ; the features are very perfect, and it is considered a splendid like- ness. The head is cov€red with a cap with long tassel ; the 2S6 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. shoulders draped in a gold tunic, and the rest of the body in a grey robe ; the feet clad with Chinese shoes. The expression of the face is remarkably pleasing, and the statue itself is well formed — perfect in design and figure, a very good specimen of native art. We then entered another courtyard and garden, through a large and handsome gateway of superb design and Chinese architecture, ornamented with figures and emblems, consisting of the dragon and a man on horseback, several other figures, and a pillar of different-coloured stones. Opposite, and of equal height, was a temple, or joss-house, with similar orna- mentation, beautifully gilded and tinted in different colours. Entering the court, paved with stones, a passage leads into the house, or concert-room — an immense square room, surrounded with galleries, high flat roof painted with different Chinese characters ; the stage was elegantly gilded, and ornamented with figures and emblems of Chinese art, in a very handsome room capable of seating a large number of people. The late Li Hung Chang had some difference with the Empress Dowager, not seeing eye to eye in some of her schemes ; consequently he was deposed from his high position. His popularity waned in the cold shade of Opposition, and he passed the remainder of his years away from the fierce light which beats around a throne. We never heard his name mentioned at Shanghai, nor was his late residence quoted among the sights of Shanghai ; and it was only by chance that we happened to find it out. Probably this was only one of his many residences. The history and abode of a celebrated man are always very interesting; much is learnt by a personal visit, and in a man's surroundings his character is often truly read. So it was in the present case, the surroundings prove him to have been a man of artistic taste, and fascinating personality, with a large brain, shrewd and clever, and combining with these quahties tact and knowledge. He governed men by hiding his claws, cat-like, in a velvet sheath. The Observatory next claimed our attention, where records of time and weather, etc., are carefully kept by a French missionary estabhshment. The college has a thousand pupils, and much good has resulted in the work of the mission in teach- ing astronomy and Christianity. The French priest who showed SHANGHAI. 257 us round the Observatory was very courteous, explaining the use of the different scientific instruments, giving to those of us who understood French very many interesting details ; the ears of some of us were awake, but our brain was not opened, and we came away pleased, not enlightened, and bade him God- speed in his good work and labours in educating and converting the heathen Chinese. After dinner we took jinrikishas for the native (or old) town, and spent an hour in the densely-crowded streets ; gambling, fortune-teUing, and other street scenes en- gaged our curiosity and attention. The barbers' shops were crowded with pig-tailed Chinamen having the said pigtails put in order. On our return we passed an hour in the park, where a band was discoursing sweet music to a big crowd. Our carriage was stylish and unique — manned by both coachman and foot- man in livery, with mandarin straw hats and white-trimmed skirts, looking very picturesque. We had engaged the whole turn-out for half a day, paying 3 Mexican, i.e., about $1.50 of our money. The carriage had a hood to protect us from the rays of the hot sun, and it contributed much to our comfort. Several automobiles and many carriages passed us on the road, mostly with ladies, who looked very nice and cool in their white dresses. The Chinese ladies in fashionable broughams were not the least to shine in style and beauty, with handsome ornaments adorning their persons — their charms accentuated by the paint brush which enhanced the bloom of their facial expression without requiring the assistance of blushes. 12th. — Called at Pacific Steam office to make inquiries as to the sailing of s.s. Persia for Hong Kong. The Delta sails for Singapore from Hong Kong on the 27th, the Persia to Hong Kong on Saturday, 13th, at 5 p.m. The French concession on the Bund is gaily decorated to-day with flags and large arches in commemoration of the taking of the Bastille. In the evening we strolled to the park to hear the band, which played from 6 p.m. A good many people, mostly Europeans, were walking and sitting in the grounds, with a number of children in the care of Chinese nurses, and a few Japanese. Afterwards went for a walk in a street called Broadway — a fine street. In the centre was the track for the tramcars, which are not yet running, as 17 2S8 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the cars are not ready. The street contains a good many fine shops, mostly Japanese and Chinese, weU stocked with native and imported goods — chiefly from England. The street is clean and welL kept, with paved sidewalks. Passed a very large brick building, a home for soldiers and sailors ; it is clean and roomy, with fine dining and reading rooms. Adjoining it are two hotels, one a Japanese, both of them large buildings. A fine bridge, lately built, was opened to the public since we arrived ; it leads across the canal to the park, and is continued by a beautiful road by the river-side, running in a line with the Bimd. It is quite a lively place, as the steamers, large river- boats and Chinese junks are on the move all day, with tugs towing craft of all descriptions. The wealthy Chinese, who conduct aU kinds of shipping and manufacturing companies, and are getting the trade every year more and more into their hands, compete successfully with the European residents for the possession of the finest mercantile houses. The foreigners in such open-port settlements govern themselves by means of municipahties, and employ British, Sikh, and Chinese police. It is difficult to reaUze the commercial importance, the archi- tectural beauty, and the dignity of the life of this great cosmo- politan city. It is enormously rich, and its inhabitants number nearly a milMon. Its business arrangements, its post offices, banks, steamship offices, clubs and handsome buildings are second to none in business activity. Two miles of factories, ship- yards, and wharves line the river-banks below Shanghai. This largest foreign settlement of the Far East, the commercial capital of North China, presents an imposing appearance. Massive six-storey stone buildings front the long Bund. The old American settlements across the creek bridge are the public gardens, the park surrounding the British Consulate in the commercial heart of the city. Further up the water-front, the quais and rues of the French settlement and the blue- and-white signs at each street comer might be comers of Paris itself. The French settlement is an independent, separate municipality ; while those of the British and United States are united in one international settlement, governed by a municipal council, presided over by the senior Consul, who SHANGHAI. 2S9 for some years was the French representative and also Portu- guese Consul. The banks, clubs and shipping houses are on the Bund of the English settlement. There are clubs of many kinds in Shanghai, whose social life is formal and elaborate. The residences and oflfiices of officials compel admiration by the taste with which they have been designed and the suitability of their surroimdings. As to the teeming population, their con- dition is equal, if not superior, to that of any other Oriental city. The Chinese are not a race of heathen savages, but a keen-witted and enterprising people, with rare talent for trade, manufacture, commercial organization, and trade combina- tion, joined to habits of quite exceptional industry and frugality. As Western scientific and technical instruction is more widely diffused, the struggle between the Chinaman and the European in the markets of the Far East will become even more keen. It is not an effete or a decaying people, as has been said by some writers, but on the contrary their business character and ability are of a very high standard, and their ingenuity and adaptability remarkable. To say that China is " effete and rotten " is to say what is false. " For the last twenty-five years," said a Shanghai bank manager, " the bank has been doing a very large business with the Chinese of Shanghai, amounting to hundreds of milhons of taels, and we have never yet met with a defaulting Chinaman." 15th. — ^The French concessions have fine residences and business houses. We walked by the river for a mile or so. Large steamers lay at the quay, shipping and discharging goods. The traffic was astonishing ; crowds of coolies at work, carrying heavy burdens on their shoulders with poles ; and in wheel- barrows they can carry half a ton in weight. Ships of all descriptions and nationaUties were at anchor in the stream. We then went to the market-place, where were all kinds of fruit and vegetables for sale, wholesale and retail ; the principal fruits were peaches, plums, etc., and immense large water- melons. They were landing a number of pigs that had come by boat from the country, and the music was something to be remembered — ^not only from the animals, but also from those who were driving them ; some had pigs on their backs, others 17* 26o IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. in wheelbarrows. From thence we went to the native quarter, which, as usual, was crowded. In one place we saw them making and twisting rope by hand, turned by a wooden wheel worked by two men, one at each end, and the process seemed very simple and primitive ; small boys assisted in the work. Blacksmiths', tin-, silver- and copper-smiths, were all well repre- sented. We did not meet any stranger or European in any of the streets, one of which was only four and a half feet in width — so narrow that the rikisha could not enter. The road was cobbled with stones, and very slippery. If one lingered to look at or enter a shop it was immediately crowded, so that we were nearly suffocated by the heat and foul atmosphere. On the side-walks were tables and old articles of every description for sale ; and in the shops second-hand clothes and articles that one would think ought to be burnt or destroyed ; some of them not worth bringing away, which in any other place would be removed by scavengers ; old shoes, straw hats, and cutlery — boys were singing out their value in a kind of song or chant. The more one visits the native quarters the more one is amazed by the scenes and odd sights, which, like a panorama, keep one constantly on the qui vive. All these streets are intersected by streets which, if possible, are still narrower. A sedan- chair is the only possible conveyance, as you will not be crushed by the crowd and are protected from being mobbed ; but you cannot, unless by walking, view the shops and the traffic ; you must mix with the people if you desire to make yourself acquainted with hfe in the native quarters — you must take the evil with the good, and the smells thrown in as a bonne bouche. The cook-shops are very interesting, where a dinner of toothsome luxuries — a compost of dog, cat, or rat, as the case may be — can be purchased for a few cents, steaming hot, with snail-soup, rice, and boiled fish, greasy cooked ducks, that look long dead and appear to have been flattened out for stowage purposes. The restaurants are well patronized and, at meal-time, crowded. Birds'-nest soup is considered by the Chinese one of the great national delicacies in the same way as turtle is prized by European gastronomists. The nests are principally imported from Java, and the Straits Settlements. Street scene, Shanj^hai Chinese restaurant. [FtXiijig p. 260. SHANGHAI. 261 They are made of gelatinous sea-weed by a swallow - like bird of the East Indies and are found in the crevices of the cliffs. For centuries seaweed has been largely used as a staple article of diet by the Chinese, Japanese and the inhabitants of the many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of coast-dwellers, during the months of July to September, go out to the marine fields in row-boats, equipped with long poles at the end of which a stout hook is attached;, with these they tear the seaweed loose from the submerged rocks, then spread it out to dry in the sun and take it to local factories, where it is boiled, shredded and prepared for use as food. It is also much used in the manufacture of preserves, jellies, custards and similar products, which is infinitely superior to the deleterious materials commonly used as condiments. That there is no new thing under the sun is demonstrated, viz., " The thing that has been, it is that which shaU be ; and that which has been done is that which is done, and there is no new thing under the sun." " Is there anything whereof it may be said, ' See this is new ' ? It hath been already of old time which was before." When King Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his hanging garden these cities were in being, and the characteristics of the people are the same to-day as they were in that far-distant period. In the prophecy of Isaiah, mention is made of the people of Sinim. " Behold, these shall come from far : and, lo, these from the north and from the west ; and these from the land of Sinim." (Is. xhx. 12.) The book of Isaiah was written between 770 B.C. and 530 B.C. Shanghai is situated along the left bank of a stream called the Huang-po, a tributary of the Yang-tsi-kiang. From the centre of the port to the confluence with the Yang-tsi-kiang is a distance of about twelve miles. Running into the Huang-po are two streams, of which the most northerly is called Soochan Creek, whilst the other is called the Yang-King-Pong ; these two roughly parallel streams join the Huang-po at practically right angles. Between the other two streams is the original settlement. Some cities lend themselves to description ; Shanghai does not. The surround- ing country is so flat that any attempt at the graphic or poetic would convey a tone that really is lacking. Shanghai is just a 262 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. plain, commercial city, laid down near the mouth of the river, with no background but lines of solid business buildings. As one approaches the city from the sea, one gazes over low river- banks across apparently illimitable plains. We come to a succession of miUs, docks, wharves, jetties, Godwins' engineer- ing works, and buildings of every description, except the artistic or the pleasing. If the approach is made at night time, it is through an avenue of arc lights irregularly spread over and separated by patches of Stygian blackness. Arriving at the most frequented places of debarkation for visitors or new- comers, and standing with back to the stream, up which you have travelled, you are practically opposite the end of the most famous road in the settlements — the Nanking road. To right and left runs the Bund — a broad strip of land, which comprises both the roadway of that name, and the long line of sward, dotted with seats, which makes such a pleasant contrast with the brown river and the grey buildings. The Bund and the Nan- king road run at right-angles to each other, and the chief thorough- fares run parallel to these two. The Nanking road is worthy of special note. It begins somewhat narrow where it leaves the Bund, and has foreign business houses on each side. On reaching Honan road it widens considerably, and the majority of the buildings are Chinese shops ; from this point it is known as the Bubbling Well road. From the Bund to Unkaza is a run of five miles — a dehghtful drive through an almost continuous avenue of trees. Shanghai claims to be the finest city in the East ; for Europeans in modern commerce it is most replete. It is a city of contrasts. You may see the dainty, clean. Occidental maiden buying flowers from the dusky Oriental woman ; you may see flour ground by the finest machinery man has de- vised — within a stone's-throw you may see it pounded in a hollow stone by methods devised by Adam. Some of Shanghai's buildings would grace any city on earth ; some of its native houses would be imworthy homes for swine. Perhaps in no other city cotild such contrasts be found. The government of Shanghai is one of the most perplexing problems on the face of the earth. The land belongs to China ; foreign powers have leased it in perpetuity. There is a Court of Consuls with well- SHANGHAI. 263 defined functions but no money ; there is a Municipal Council with ill-defined functions but a superabundance of money. There are foreigners who pay rates and have a vote ; there are 400,000 Chinese who have no vote, but pay rates. Above all, there is a diplomatic body at Peking which knows nothing and interferes much. At 5 p.m. left in the packet boat Victoria for the Persia, about fifteen or seventeen miles up the river, and took our last glance at Shanghai. In doing so, we thought that in a not long distant future the European section of the city would be second to few towns in the style and architecture of the buildings ; as it is, there are few more beautiful river walks than the Bund, with its busy quay and host of steamers and vessels from every clime, with its rush and traffic. There are 10,000 jinrikishas for hire, the coolies earning on an average about fifty cents a day ; and 5,000 private ones, and a large number of pubMc and private carriages. In the afternoon of a fine day, it is a gay scene in social life when hundreds of carriages are passing, filled with handsomely-dressed ladies. In the afternoon the band plays in the public park, which is filled with well-dressed ladies and gentlemen and a host of children with Chinese nurses. We steamed up the river with a fresh breeze, passing Chinese, English and United States gunboats, hosts of steamers and junks, and arrived at our steamer (s.s. Persia) at 6.30 p.m. 14th. — S.s. Persia. — The morning was foggy, with rain ; consequently we did not leave the river until about 10 a.m. WhUe en route, a few remarks about China may be interesting. It was an Irish boy who said that all Gaul was quartered into three halves. So all China is divided into three parts — moun- tainous country (say half), hilly country, and the great plain (about 700 miles in length and from 150 to 500 miles in breadth), stretching from Peking to the mouth of the Yang-tsi-kiang — an area as great and as densely populated as the plain of Bengal drained by the Ganges. A quarter of a million square miles of the country are covered with loess, a strange, fine, friable, yellow earth, often reaching to a great depth, and so rich as to need little or no manure. AU precious stones and minerals are believed to be found within the empire. Part of the Yang-tsi 264 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. is called the " River of Golden Sand ; " and coal, which exists in every province, usually near iron, is so plentiful in Shansi alone, that the world's supply could be taken from it for 3,000 years. No country can compare with this land of great rivers and many canals and ferries for facilities for inland navigation. It has been said that there are more boats in China than in all the rest of the world. In the fields. — Something not irnhke the scene which it has been attempted to picture on the famous " WiUow pattern " plate, may be met with in some parts of China — ^bear- ing a strangely familiar aspect, with its zigzag bridges across it and the tea-house planted on an island in the centre. Gener- ally speaking, the country has a very old look ; not, however, due, as elsewhere, to ruins ; for, owing to the material of which buildings are constructed and the nature of the climate, there are comparatively few ruins. Water and boats are seldom out of sight in China proper. The aspect of this country has been modified by human labour as greatly as that of our own. The way in which the patient agriculturist has terraced rising land, from water-side to hill-top, has often been described. The water-covered rice-fields, with their low embankments, suggest magnified fish-hatching ponds. The millet grows to a great height, completely hiding the country roimd from view from the field-paths. Rows of stones ordinarily take the place of hedgerows, fences, and walls ; they are used because they are less expensive, and do not occupy so much of the precious ground — every yard of which, in this popidous region, is cultivated. Where the country is rocky tiny crops are sometimes obtained from patches of soil no larger than bathing towels. The Chinese are the fathers of intense culture. The fields are tiUed with the care usually bestowed on flower-gardens ; every scrap of sub- stance which wiU serve as a fertilizer is utilized. Reclaimed land is not liable to taxation until five harvests have been gathered from it. Poultry is kept to a great extent, and arti- ficial incubation of eggs (as well as fish spawn) has been prac- tised for centuries. Ducks are taken up and down the water- courses in duck-boats to feeding grounds, and are trained to obey certain calls. On the rivers, which support an immense float- ing population from childhood to old age, men are seen at work METHODS OF AGRICULTURE. 265 fishing with the assistance of tame cormorants. The great water population have their shops and marts afloat — each trading jmik displaying its trade emblem, or a sample of its speciality, at the mast-head. A bundle of firewood dangles from one mast ; baskets, brushes, garments, etc., etc., are thereby advertised. Rains constantly cut off one village from another ; some of the roadways become so deepened by traffic and wash- outs that there is a saying that " In a thousand years a road becomes a river." Travellers either walk, or ride on mules or horses, or are carried in open or closed chairs; in the covered heavy Chinese carts, or in wheelbarrows. There are two seats, back to back, in a wheelbarrow, and the large wheel is between them. I have seen a wheelbarrow carrying six grown women. Some regions are rich in trees, among which the villages nestle. One sees cereals and the universal poppy ; a river half a mile wide, thronged with every kind of river craft ; and back in the distance the snow-clad mountains ; doves cooing in the trees, and bushes in blossom, bright with butterflies. Lanes lead between hedges of wild roses wherever a creek trickles across the plain, its willow-Hned borders blue with forget-me-nots ; and everywhere a peaceful people, courteous and friendly. Floods sometimes take place that have devoured thousands of people and placed acres as large as EngUsh counties under water. They are caused by rivers which flow at a higher level than that of the land (and are, therefore, of great service in irrigation) burst- ing their banks owing, not only to the quantity of water which they contain, but to the mass of solid matter which they bring down from the highlands. In some districts the floods are care- fully managed, the yellow water drenching the fields after the same manner as the Nile. Both cities and villages usually have walls, and in town and country aUke it is the general custom for houses to be of only one storey. The windows of the rooms of private houses do not open on the streets, but upon a court- yard or a succession of courtyards. A feature of the garden beyond is the artificial pond, which is regarded as essential by way of ornament. In the houses there is on the supports of the roof (which are not hidden by a ceiUng) and at the windows and doors much exquisitely carved woodwork. One well-known 266 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. sas^ng about the Chinaman is that if you want to discover the attitude he will assume on any particular occasion, you have simply to find out how an Englishman would act in exactly the saine circumstances, and then decide with confidence that the heathen wiU do the exact opposite. For instance, a Chinaman's christian name comes after, not before, his honoured family name. He shakes his own hand instead of his friend's. He puts on his hat in salutation, when we take it off. He feels it un- mannerly to look a superior in the face, and takes off his spec- tacles in his presence. He deems it pohte to ask a casual caller's age and income. His long nails are a sign, not of dirtiness, but of respectability. His left hand is the place of honour. His visiting card is eight, and sometimes thirty, inches long. He carries a pig instead of driving it. He whitens, instead of blackens, his shoes. He carries a fan, even if he is a soldier on actual service, or if he is going to his own execution. His women-folk are in trousers, accompanied by men in gowns. He prefers a wooden rather than a feather pillow. He laughs (to deceive evil spirits) on receiving bad news, and his daughters loudly lament on the eve of their marriage. His favourite present to a parent is a coffin. His merits often bring a title, not to himself, but to his ancestors. In the Chinese language there are 30,000 characters arid 500 sounds ; as if 30,000 cha- racters were not enough, the Chinese have a half-dozen different styles in which their language may be written. He has 30,000 words in writing that are represented to the ear by only 500 syllabic sounds. A Chinaman can express eight tones ; as they belong to the words themselves, they have nothing to do with accent — that is, whatever the mood of the speaker may be, they remain the same. The even tone is the ordinary tone of voice ; the rising tone gives to the voice somewhat of the effect of interrogation ; the departing tone, of doubtful sur- prise ; and the entering tone, of peremptory command. These may be easily illustrated by repeating the word " No " in the four different fashions indicated. The opium-smoking is a , terrible evil. We visited a few victims in our peregrinations — poor, miserable, emaciated beings, fit for neither Heaven nor earth. Picture the worst that can be done to China in the way THE OPIUM TRAFFIC. 267 of partition and provocation of bloodshed, and it comes far short of the injury which is done by the use of this drug. After some months of addiction the smoker contracts a habit which it is almost impossible for him to get rid of, and when the hour of indulgence arrives, whether merchant, official, or coolie, he collapses with the craving for the accustomed pipe. A national saying is that if you want to be revenged on your enemy, you need not strike him or go to law with him — it wiU be sufficient if you entice him into smoking opium. It brings about the impoverishment and ruin of families to an enormous extent. Even moderate smoking involves enormous risks, and excessive smoking brings in its train commercial, industrial and moral ruin and physical deterioration, and this on a scale so large as to weaken the material well-being and the material future of the race. From the time that opium was first introduced until now (a period of over a hundred years), the number of deaths directly caused by it must amount to miUions. Some sects absolutely forbid its use. There are cases where opium- smokers have not only sunk into beggary, but have sold wives and children to get money for the pipe. As long as China remains a nation of opium-smokers there is not the least reason to fear that she will become a military power of any importance, as the habit saps the energies and vitality of the nation. Women and children have begun to smoke of late years, and in one Ycing- tsi province the Chinese declare that forty or fifty per cent, use opium to a greater or lesser degree. But the terrible fact that three and three-quarter tons of morphia for use in piUs to cure the opium habit (in addition to an immense consumption of local remedies for the same purpose) was imported into China in one year speaks for itself. The Chinese Government have been warned of the evils which are resulting from the improper use of this drug, and steps are now being taken to have the importa- tion restricted. This profitable remedy was introduced by the foreign chemists of the coast ports, and adopted by the Chinese. Its advantage is that it converts a desire for opium into a taste for morphia — a mode of treatment analogous to changing one's stimulant from colonial beer to methylated spirits. Native-grown opium has entirely drowned the imported 268 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. article out of the markets of the Yang-tsi valley ; in some cities there are 1,000 opium-shops. A Chinese estimate is that forty per cent, of the town population and twenty per cent, of the country are absolute victims ; these may be considered to have reached the condition of drunkards. To the figures mentioned are to be added the immense number of more or less moderate smokers — many of whom are obviously suffering in mind, body, status and reputation. Of the faith of no country is it less easy to give an account than that of China. In the first place, the nation comprises within itself peoples of many distinct races, and of every degree of cultivation. Secondly, a large proportion of the population profess not only Confucianism, but the other two chief religions of the empire — ^Taouism and Buddhism. The Emperor himself, after performing ' his religious duties according to Confucius, visits Taouist and Buddhist temples. Thirdly, while the Chinese classics, monastery libraries, and native tracts, enable us to form a very fair idea of the faiths taught in China, there are difficulties in the way of gauging their influence, either separately or as a whole, on the conduct and life of the population. The Confucian code of morals seems to be supplemented to some degree by the Buddhist religious faith and belief in the transmigration of souls. Of Taouism, originally a pure philosophy, it is customary to say that it supphes a certain amount of superstitious lore which Confucianism and Buddhism lack. The attempt to conform and reconcile the three rehgions is an indication of a growing indift'erence to all settled doctrine, strictly so called, which is, in fact, the characteristic of the Chinese people at the present day. There is reason to believe that a large proportion of the 'educated classes are in reality agnostics. No state endorse- ment of rehgion exists in China ; but the Emperor, as the Son of Heaven and the Buddha of the present day, is the religious head and sole high priest of the realm. Every year at the winter solstice he sacrifices to Heaven with an impressive cere- monial at the Altar of Heaven at Peking, on behalf of aU the miUions of China. The number of gods is practically unhmited, every pursuit in hfe having its corresponding deity — war, learn- ing, wealth, happiness, all have their temples ; while the priests FAMILY CUSTOMS. 269 derive a considerable revenue by performing the rites of extor- tion by casting horoscopes and in other ways trading upon the credulity of the people. As to faiths other than those mentioned, the only conspicuous one is Mohammedanism. A large number of the aborigines are still, however, nature worshippers. In the country north of the Yang-tsi-kiang they number 10,000,000. In the whole empire there may be 30,000,000 followers of Mohammed. In Buddhism, as in Taouism, truth is strangely mingled with error. Also many Buddhist as well as Taouist priests are reputed to be slothful, avaricious and corrupt. As has been said, China is full of idols, and the masses of the popula- tion may be justly called ignorant and superstitious ; but they are also intelligent, industrious, amiable in their relations with one another, devoted to their old people, tolerant in their creeds, courteous and forbearing in ordinary circumstances to the stranger, honest in their business deaUngs, and orderly to a wonderful degree ; while the proportion of serious crime among them is probably smaller than in some European countries. Their religious beliefs must have had some part in bringing about such a state of things, which, after all, cannot honestly be said to be true of every Western state. If we claim the right to appeal to our gospel as the only test by which our faith is to be judged, we must grant a similar privilege to aU who possess a written and, as they believe, revealed authority for the articles of their faith. Of all the virtues, filial piety ranks highest in the minds of the Chinese ; and it is inculcated, not only by Con- fucianism, but, it is important to remember, by Buddhism. The Chinaman believes that death does not sever the link that binds him to those who have gone before ; though unseen, they are still near him ; as in life he ministered to them and sought their goodwill, so still does he make them offerings and desire their blessing. At 3 p.m. we passed a number of islands and a host of fishing-boats. On one of the islands was an up-to-date lighthouse with dwelling, nicely kept and painted white. We previously passed a schooner which had come to grief, and only showed her masts over water. As it was dangerous for shipping, a United States gunboat was preparing to blow up the wreck with djmamite. We are steaming through Tong Hai, or the 270 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Eastern Sea ; the water smooth — no sign of any fish. Hong Kong is about 800 miles south from Shanghai. The Persia is a ship some twenty-seven years old, a good sea-boat. i$th. — The heat is damp and very oppressive. Arrived at Hong Kong at 5 p.m., and went to the " Peak Hotel " by inclined railway, 1,800 feet — ^beautiful location. On the 20th August at about 3.50 to 4 a.m. saw the comet plainly ; the tail appeared about three yards or so stretching along the firmament — rather misty, but fully discernible ; it is supposed to be some 600,000,000 or 700,000,000 miles distant. After this date the full moon made the comet invisible. 22nd. — The rocky island of Hong Kong, ninety miles from Canton and 800 from Shanghai, is not only the great centre of the British Far Eastern trade, but a naval station of the first importance. The colony consists of a Governor and Council, with a population (including troops and blue-jackets) of 250,000, of whom only 9,000 are Europeans ; not more than a third of these are English. The imperial garrison numbers 2,800 men ; the area of the island is not quite thirty square miles. The Kowloon concession contains 400 square miles, and a population of some 100,000. The Chinese squadron, which has its headquarters at Hong Kong, numbers thirty-five vessels. A new Governor^ arrived about the first week of the present month — Sir Frederick Lugard, K.C.M.G. — and was received and sworn in with great eclat. The length of the island of Hong Kong is eleven miles, and its width varies from two to four miles. The Chinese population is especially confined to the western end of the lower levels of the town ; but 20,000 Chinese five in the harbour boats. Queen's Road presents a continuous double arcade of shops for a mile or more, aU the silk, ivory, lacquer, porcelain, carved wood, silver and ornamental products of South China industries filling window and room. The streets swarm with a motley crew — Jews, Turks, Hindoos, Mohammedans, Japanese, Malays, Parsees, Sikhs, Sinhalese, Portuguese and half caste, and every- where the hard-featured Chinese coolies carrying pole-baskets, and sedans ; or an Indian ayah, swathed in white, a Sikh pohceman standing statuesque and imperial at his comer ; such is this bewildering, busiest and most cosmopolitan of high- Palms in Gleneally, Hong Kong. \_I. Street scene, Colombo. L/-*/«i,-/. 319. CHAPTER XIII. Colombo — Visit to Mount Lavinia — Tropical Scenery — Kandy — Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya — The Temple of the Tooth — Ancient Buddhist Scriptures — Matale — Tea Cultivation— Nuwara Eliya — Bandarawela. September i8th. — Colombo. — Arrived at Colombo at 9 a.m. Had a fine run. Steamed inside the breakwater — a splendid piece of engineering work which completely encloses the har- bour. Colombo owes its existence as a seaport to the genius of Sir John Coode, the great engineer. Before the existence of the breakwater, Galle was the chief port of Ceylon, the coaling- station of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, and of other lines of steamers trading with Calcutta and the East. The harbour is over five hundred acres in extent, more than half of which has a depth of from twenty-six to forty feet at low water, spring tides. The breakwater took nearly ten years to complete ; the first block was laid by the Prince pf Wales on December 8th, 1875 ; and the lamp of the lighthouse first shone out over the Indian Ocean on January 27th, 1885. The sea, when stormy, breaks over the whole length in columns of spray fifty feet high. The breakwater makes a very fine promenade when the wind is off shore, but otherwise, it is not available for that purpose. A large number of steamers were lying in the har- bour, and quite a number of other craft. Several divers came off in their odd-looking boats (like the hollow trunk of a tree), and entertained us by diving for coins thrown by the passengers. The boats kept filling with water, but the boatmen careened them and baled them speedily ; there were four or five of a crew to each boat. They sang several songs, clapping their hands at the end of each verse. We went on shore in the launch at jo a.m., and landed on the pier ; passed our luggage 319 320 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. at the Customs without any examination, and went to the " Grand Oriental Hotel " close to the pier. It is handsome and extensive, and has over one hundred and iifty bedrooms, and, when two or three Peninsular and Oriental steamers are in port, these rooms are all filled, and couches are laid in the verandahs and passages for the surplus visitors. Its dining-room will seat 300 persons, and its high verandah facing the sea is generally crowded with peddlers and vendors of the precious stones for which Ceylon is famous. The finding and cutting of gems keep hundreds busily employed. Ceylon is also celebrated for fine pearls gathered from oysters and mussels on the north- west coast. The garden at the back of the hotel is one of un- rivalled loveliness ; it produces bananas in big bunches ready for use. Cocoanut and mango trees, and magnificent rubbers of immense size, with other tropical plants, in profusion. In fact, the whole island is one vast tropical botanical garden — cocoa- nut and other fruits growing almost in the streets. We hired a carriage and drove to Victoria Park, which is termed the Cinna- mon Garden, although there is now very little cinnamon there : a number were destroyed by a large insect feeding on the leaves. I saw specimens of this insect at the museum, and the destruc- tion caused to the tree by even a few insects is surprising. Some magnificent trees are to be seen in the park — the majestic mango, bread-fruit, the rubber, the cocoanut-palm, a golden-coloured fruit called " The King," jak-fruit trees with their fruit growing from the trimk and weighing fifty or sixty pounds each ; the magnificent anthurium regale, with its vari-coloured leaves, three feet long by two feet wide; nutmeg and clove trees, and cocoa and chocolate trees, on which the beans grow. But the great sight is the giant bamboo, which grows in mighty clumps ; these form enormous green thickets, more than one himdred feet high and in thickness, consisting of eighty or a hundred tall, cylindrical stems, each from one to two feet thick. They grow so close together that a cat would find it difficult to find its way through. They shoot seventy or eighty feet into the air without a break, and then spread out into immense branches of slender little leaves, which have the appearance of gigantic ostrich feathers. The bamboo is one of the most useful plants growing COLOMBO. 321 in the tropics, and the uses to which it may be put are legion. The garden swarms with pretty striped squirrels. The travellers' palm contains quantities of perfectly pure water in the thick end of its leaves ; the cabbage palm, the oil palm, with a dozen other varieties, are all to be found, in flourishing growth, in the vicinity. The sago palm and the kitul palm yield not only the nutritious pith which makes the familiar pudding, but also produce excellent sugar and splendid fibre for rope-making and other purposes. The areca-nut palm produces the well-known betel-nut, which, rolled up in leaves of the betel-pepper with a little lime and tobacco, makes the favourite chew of the natives of Ceylon and India, to obtain which they wiU give up almost an3^hing. Next visited the museum — a fine architectural building of white stone, with a large and interesting collection of the products, animals, birds, minerals, etc., of Ceylon, as well as a large number of big and small fish caught in the waters adjacent to the island. The collection of insects was quite a study — some of them very peculiar, like a leaf ; and others like small twigs of sticks tied together, with legs and body of, apparently, stems ; and many others of a destructive character. The fungus so destructive to the coffee-trees caused immense loss to the growers, attacking the leaf, and working imtold mis- chief aU over Ceylon, especially in the young plantations. Many of the coffee growers have been hopelessly ruined. However, tea and other plants have taken its place. The Sinhalese are a rice-eating people ; they use it mixed with the cocoanut, jak- fruit or plantain ; and, with a little dried fish, this forms their diet all the year round. Fresh fruit and ^'egetables are the chief stocks in aU their markets. The Pottah, or native market-place, is, as is always the case in the East, a scene of busy life, varieties of costume, race and colour. The Sinhalese wear a shefet of brightly-coloured calico twisted round the hips, reaching to the feet like a petticoat, with a white jacket. They delight in long hair, which they twist up into a chignon, combing it back aU round the forehead ; their only hat is a round tortoise-shell comb which every Sinhalese wears as a sacred duty. The Tamils wear as little clothing as possible, and the children nothing except a bit of string round the waist, from which is suspended 21 322 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. a charm to ward off the attacks of the evil one. The Sinhalese men and women dress very much alike, and it is often difficult to tell which is which, until you have found that the men wear a comb, and the women hairpins. The vehicular traffic of the country, except a few carriages in Colombo and Kandy, is drawn by buUocks ; these animals are often very handsome beasts, being of the breed known in India as the " Brahmin Bull." Some of them in light box-carts ply for hire, and the tariff is arranged, and all the other vehicles are regulated by the Municipality. The streets of Colombo are broad and well made, with a gravel of rich dark red, which contrasts pleasantly with the profuse foliage of the endless gardens and trees which line the footpath — the poorest hut having a bit of garden about it. The town is located on a neck of land, between a magnificent sheet of fresh water and the sea, so that every street has its vista ending in bright and sparkling water, giving it a special charm. In the evening walked by the seaside on a broad road which makes a lovely drive to the Galle Face Esplanade. At the point there is a splendid hotel — a palatial structure, with a frontage on the water, much patronized by tourists on account of its situation, being open to the cool breezes from the ocean. The drive is also much used by the elite of Colombo in the cool of the evening. r()th. — Electric cars run twenty-five miles through all parts of the town, passing through the native quarters and the large municipal market, which supplies fruits of every variety in season, vegetables and general produce. All the various sections were crowded. The native Sinhalese quarter is not as picturesque as the Japanese or Chinese, as they have little or no ornamenta- tion over their shops, which are small and open on the street, without windows. In the neighbourhood of the hotel are all the principal shops and public offices, such as the banks, P. & 0. Steam Co.'s office, insurance, and others. A large covered avenue, or arcade, by the side of the shops runs along for some distance on both sides of the street. Government House is an extensive and handsome building, situated in fine grounds, in the centre of the town. In the afternoon walked to the breakwater ; the sea sometimes breaks over it into the MOUNT LAVINIA. 323 harbour. There was a good deal of shipping at anchor — a large English man-of-war, and a dozen or so of large ocean- going steamers. The water is deep, and the breakwater is doubtless the making of Colombo as a harbour for shipping, the largest steamer finding sufficient water. Near the landing-pier and opposite the hotel is a handsome marble statue of Queen Victoria, to commemorate her jubilee. The carts used by the Sinhalese for general purposes are shaded by matting on a large frame ; they are drawn by a pair of oxen or bullocks, yoked to a long stout pole ; the animals are very strong and of great endurance, and travel at a quicker pace than one would imagine. The small oxen in the hackery are slighter, but it is surprising how fast they run along. 20th. — By rail to Mount Lavinia, a pleasant trip can be enjoyed. Beside the station is a lake which is a public resort for bathing and where a lot of washing is done. In any de- scription of Colombo the freshwater lake should not be forgotten ; it ramifies in most intricate fashion through the town, coming within a furlong of the sea, and surprises one continually with its enchanting vistas. I do not know of any more delightful view of its kind — all the more because so unexpected — than that which greets the eye on entering the fort railway station at Colombo. You pass through the booking office and find yourself on a platform, roofed overhead, which, except for the line of rails between, might be termed a terrace, and the lake itself, a large expanse of water with wooded shores and islands interspersed with villas, cottages and bungalows, lies before you. White- sailed boats are flitting to and fro, and, when the evening sun is shining through the transparent green fringe of banana palms, which occupy the immediate foreground, and the calm lake beyohd reflects like a mirror the gorgeous hues of sky and cloud, the scene is one which for effect of colour can hardly be sur- passed. The line of railroad is exceedingly picturesque ; on one side is the Indian Ocean, and on the other groves of cocoa- nut palms, bread-fruit, mango, and other trees, and several towns and villages ; numerous pretty bungalows occupy picturesque situations among the trees. We passed five small stations before we arrived at Mount Lavinia ; it is an exceed- 21* 324 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. ingly pretty place. The hotel is a first-class erection situated on the summit of the Mount, whence a lovely view of ocean and country is obtained. Walked among the groves of cocoanut trees, and found some native villages with straw-thatched cottages and a Buddhist Temple. Engaged a bullock-cart with one small animal, and drove some distance to the Cinnamon Gardens ; they are enclosed in a wire fence, and extend a length of four or five miles. On the plantation is a large number of young trees. Colombo has much to interest the visitor, in its beautiful drives over the smoothest roads, through the tropical gardens, its lake, and the Kolani river. From whatever direc- tion it is approached, it unfolds a scene of loveliness and grandeur unsurpassed and unrivalled by any land on earth ; " every prospect pleases, and man alone is vile." Everything which surrounds us is a most radiant and warm light. The dazzling whiteness of the houses gleams in the sunlight, and the earth is of an astonishing, almost vermilion, redness ; the different tones of green, infinitely varied in shade ; the sky a rich shade of blue ; while the great tropical flowers make, here and there, spots of brilliant gold and purple against the deep green background. Took a jinrikisha for Slave Island. The road was very picturesque, with neat bungalows in beautiful grounds, and charming vistas of tropical flowers. Pen cannot frame expression sweet enough to describe the charm of Slave Island and Colpett. Separated from the fort and the native town by large lakes of shimmering water, with the shores over- run by a riotous maze of green, these islands are huge enchanted gardens, buried in flowers, floating in a bewildering vegetation, scented with intoxicating perfumes. The bungalows, glittering in the sun, are scarcely visible — tiny islets lost in a great green sea ; and pretty roads of red earth wind gaily through the greenery, where the flowers open radiantly. It is a vision of Paradise, and in this Eden restored one could spend a life of ecstasy and delight. Visited a Buddhist temple. On the altar were alabaster and ivory images of gods ; in another portion of the temple were some very large figures standing, and a re- cumbent image of plaster, some fifteen to twenty feet in height, likp one seen at Kamakura, Japan. At Slave Island there is COLOMBO. 32s a fine race-course with a grand stand, and in front a large and extensive open park and club-house. Colombo can boast of possessing the finest racecourse in the East. The race-track is a mile and a quarter in circumference, with a straight run of four furlongs. The foundation of the ground is sandy, which is seldom dangerously hard or slippery for the horses. Follow- ing the line of road you come to extensive Cinnamon Gardens, extending for a long distance. Then you pass the museum, containing objects of interest from all parts of the island ; the old Dutch Church, containing the tombs and monuments of Dutch Governors ; the crowded native parts of the town, teem- ing with every variety of race and costume — the effeminate light- brown Sinhalese, the darker and more manly Tamils, Hindoos of every caste and dress, and men of Arab descent. Although the mean temperature of Colombo is nearly as high as that of any place in the world, the climate is one of the healthiest and safest for Europeans, because of the slight range between night and day, and between the so-called seasons. 22nd. — Fine day. 85" in shade. In the morning visited Cook's, and some of the shops. Ceylon, speaking broadly, is entirely dependent upon agriculture for its prosperity. Fishing, mining, and other pursuits, not connected with agriculture, do indeed support a portion of its people, but the enormous majority are engaged either in cultivation of the soil or in industrial work dependent upon agriculture, such as tea manufacture, weaving, oil making, carpentering, transportation of agricultural pro- ducts. The rise of the tea industry of Ceylon affords one of the most remarkable instances of rapid development of an agricultural pursuit. It is now the chief industry of the moun. tain districts, and covers a large area in the south-western plains above the elevation of 2,500 feet. There it forms almost the only cultivation, and a journey by rail to Kandy and Nuwara Eliya affords, perhaps, one of the most striking instances of a large stretch of country covered with one crop. Excepting only the summit of the mountain-ridges, the grass-lands, and the actual precipices, a vast sheet of tea covers hill and dale. The grades of tea usually prepared in Ceylon are known (in order of quality and value), as Orange Pekoe, Souchong, Congou, 326 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and Dust. Rice occupies in Ceylon and other Eastern tropical countries the important position of the staple grain food — which in colder climates is held by wheat. About six hundred and sixty thousand acres are occupied with this cultivation. Some of the most characteristic features of Ceylon life and scenery are con- nected with the various phases of the growth of paddy. The various kinds require from three to six months to ripen, from the time of sowing to that of reaping. The outskirts of Colombo, as of all the towns in Ceylon, continue with long scattered hamlets, extending for miles into the green country, which spreads^ to the foot of the hills. Here jungle, there park-like meadow and rice- fields. And as the isolated native huts are generally at wide intervals each surrounded by its own plot of garden, field, or grove the frontier or boundary line of each village is often difficult to determine. There is, in fact, no visible division, and it might be said that the country between Colombo and Matara, the southern point of the island, is covered with one endless village of huts, fruit-gardens, jungle, and cocoanut groves. The same features recur throughout this Eden-like garden-land. Low brown mud-huts, shaded by bread-fruit and mango trees, cocoas and palms, embowered in groves made beautiful by the spread- ing leaves of the caladium and recinus, the graceful papaw clumps and other useful plants. Here the villagers lie stretched out on benches before their open dwellings — happy in con- templating their evergreen surroundings. But these elements are mixed in variety so endless and fascinating, so gorgeously lighted up and coloured by the tropical sunshine, with the neighbouring sea or river which gives them such restful fresh- ness, with the fairest background and the distant purple moun- tains beyond affording to the beholder such a fund of poetic sentiment, that it is impossible to weary of enjoying them. One particular feature of the Ceylon coast is the insensible transition from garden to forest — culture to wilderness. One may imagine himself in some beautiful uninhabited spot, with tall trees on all sides, wreathed and overgrown with giant creepers ; but the appearance of a hut hidden beneath the spreading branches of a banana or palm, with children at play under the leaves, betrays the native garden. The harmony between nature and cultivation KANDY. 32; is so complete that it makes these scenes doubly attractive and picturesque ; all the more so when the setting sun floods the horizon with gold, clothing mountain, hill and dale with a glow of rainbow tints, giving such a tropical vista of gorgeous and harmonious colouring as I had never seen before and shall never see again. "It is the sacred hour when on some distant shore, the sailor longs to see his home once more." In the tropics there is scarcely time to watch the swift change of colour ; the brief twilight is soon past. Hardly has the sun, which gilds the whole landscape with its splendour, vanished in the blue ocean than night spreads its wings over land and sea. Phoebus returns no less suddenly next morning at the advent of day. One of the experiences which takes the European by surprise as he nears the equator is the absence of twilight — that hallowed and mystic hour between day and night which plays so im- portant a part in our poetry and view of nature. However, the radiant young day comes forth all the more glorious, and the bright morning looks all the fresher as its soft light glides in a myriad of broken flecks between the palm-trees ; and the dewdrops hang like pearls at the top of the plumy fronds ; every- thing is then full of fresh life, vigour and splendour. September 22nd. — Left Colombo for Kandy at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Kandy may be said to be the centre of Ceylon. The weather was showery, with heavy rain at intervals all the even- ing, although early in the morning it was very hot and close. The railway journey to Kandy runs almost all the way through rice fields and areas cultivated in grass for cattle, alternating with gentle knolls, on which stand the residences of the farmers, surrounded by groves of plantain, jak fruit, and mangoes ; bending cocoanut palms contrasting gracefully with the beau- tiful straight and slim areca-nut palms and the elegant kitul or sugar palms ; while occasionally the eye is arrested by the mag- nificent foliage of the prince of palms, the talipot, one of the noblest objects in the vegetable world, its lofty head towering above the trees on every side. Its trunk is perfectly straight and white, like a marble column, and often more than a hundred feet high. Each of the fans that compose its crown of leaves covers a radius of from ten to fifteen feet, and they, like every part 328 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. of the plant, have their uses, especially for thatching roofs, and are often used in place of paper. The talipot palm flowers but once in its lifetime, usually about its fiftieth year. The tall, pyramidal shape of bloom rises above the sheaf of leaves to a height of thirty or forty feet and is composed of myriads of small yellowish-white blossoms ; as soon as it flowers the tree dies. The leaves are easily formed into fans and umbrellas. The road winds with many turns up the steep face of a vast basin. At first the eye is fascinated by the changing aspect of the scenery ; immense blocks of rock stand up amid the luxu- riant masses of dense forest, which fill the ravines on each side ; the loveliest creepers fling themselves from one tree-top to an- other, towering above the undergrowth ; enchanting cascades tumble down the cliffs ; and close by the railroad runs the old high road from Colombo, used previous to the building of the present line. Excepting Honolulu and the Straits Settlements Ceylon has been our first experience of tropical growth and vegetation. One is awed by the immense size and magnificence of the trees in the groves of palms and cocoanuts ; the mangoes, jak and others, bearing fruit, with their superb foliage and stately height ; the bo-trees and rain-trees towering and branching in all directions. We may have perhaps dreamt of such a sight from reading books of travel, but we little thought that we should have the privilege of beholding it in propria persond, in its incon- ceivable beauty. The distance from Colombo is seventy-four miles. As we approach nearer to Kandy the road becomes more grand and majestic. As we ascend the mountains the view is very striking ; and at one especial place, called " Sen- sational Point," we appear to be hanging over the precipice. The line of rails ran close to the edge ; nothing could exceed the wildness of the scene. Some of the hills were bare and rugged, with scant vegetation ; while other sections were, covered wdth dense foliage and tropical vegetation, and large trees of majestic proportions. The rice plantation and the rising terraces gave a fresh and pastoral picture from the valleys. We passed through several tunnels in the mountains ; one was three-quarters of a mile in length. We saw many coolies at work in the fields and rice plantations, who appeared to us as black spots on the landscape, The Lake, Kandv. The Gardens, I'eradeniya. [Facint; p, 329. KANDY. 329 motionless and colourless ; they wore no clothes, and so had the untrammelled use of their limbs, and the full swing of their bodies. We now began to notice on the slopes of the hills in and among the cocoanut trees large plantings of tree shrubs, which looked deliciously green under the shade of the trees. We passed quite a number of villages, and stopped at several sta- tions ; and several trains passed, all crowded with passengers, especially in the third-class. The district through which the railway runs is termed " The Valley of the Shadow of Death," owing to the large mortality that attended its construction. The appearance of the place itself is weird and rugged, and had very much the appearance of the Mount in Palestine, where we are told Christ was tempted of the devil. The scene, however, very quickly changes, and we are again rurming between groves of palms, and other tropical trees. The Shadow of Death has been exorcised, and we are having glimpses of Paradise, not lost, but restored, at our very feet. Arrived at Kandy at 7.30, and as it was dark we saw a great display of fireflies, which sent out jets of light gleaming in all directions, looking exceedingly pretty among the shrubs. We took carriage for the " Queen's Hotel "—a palatial structure lit with electric lights, situated opposite the lake — a beautiful sheet of water of an extent of three miles. The scene was so fascinating that we took a jin- rikisha drive round the lake ; although late, it was wonderfully fascinating under the rays of the full moon, which gave it a fairy- like enchantment. Bordered with large trees, cocoanuts and palms, with rain-trees spreading their luxuriant foliage over the lake softened by the silver sheen of the majestic sky, no- thing could be more in unison with the poetry of Nature and of Nature's God, and we felt that it must have been upon such a scene that the Creator looked, when He " saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." In the valley were seen terraced fields of pale green rice ; the flower-like branches of the ke kuna trees, magnificent forest trees covered with purple and pink .blossoms, palms of all kinds ; with here and there noble specimens of the great talipot palm, and patches of luxuriant tropical jungle, bright with scores of different brilliant flowers. The vehicles are little canopied ja\mting-cars> 330 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. with a small buffalo jogging along in the shafts, and the pic- turesque drays, covered by a canopy of interlaced bamboo leaves, are drawn by two or more buffaloes ; the whole weight falls on the animal's neck, their lithe bodies are free from any trammels. They are splendid animals, with nicely shaped limbs and bodies, and it is wonderful how quickly they travel and what long journeys they make. There are three kinds of vehicle always ready for hire : the hackney-carriages, most of them drawn by ponies, small, but hardy and sure-footed ; the next is the hackery, a two-wheeled spring-cart, drawn by bul- locks. Many of the buUocks are large, light-grey, almost white, animals, with horns growing straight up from the forehead and then sloping back ; these are principally used in the large roof- thatched carts for heavy burdens. Those used in the spring- carts for hire are different animals altogether, very small and wiry, and will trot at the rate of four or five miles an hour. They are not driven by bits, but the rein is passed through a hole in the most sensitive part of the nose (that part which divides the nostrils). The well-known and universally used jinrikisha is the third mode, and not the least. 25rd. — Kandy. — In the morning at 10.30 hired a carriage for the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, four miles distant ; they are of world renown. An exceedingly pleasant drive. On nearing the gardens, glimpses of the river, which here winds in great curving bends, are seen. At the entrance-lodge we were requested to sign our names in the visitors' book. As you enter, the first object to attract your attention is the teJipot, the prince of palms, one of the noblest objects in the vege- table world ; on the left are some splendid india-rubber trees, the base of the trunk throwing out a circle of roots often from 100 to 200 feet in diameter, more than the whole height of the tree. This tree is called by the natives the snake tree. Its very remarkable roots generally consist of twenty or thirty main roots, thrown out from strongly marked ribs in the lower part of the trunk, and spreading Uke huge creeping snakes over the surface of the soil. Very often roots grow up from the ground like shiny upright poles, and so form stout props, enabling the tree to defy all storms unmoved. The PERADENIYA. 33 1 boughs contain thousands of shiny leathery leaves, spreading , forty to fifty feet on every side. Beyond the entrance one's eye is caught by clumps of palms wreathed with flowering creepers, their trunks covered with graceful ferns. Another, but even larger and finer, group of palms stood further on at the end of the entrance avenue, and was surrounded by a splendid parterre of beautiful flowering plants. A broad velvet lawn slopes down to the river, which flows round the garden in a wide circuit and divides it from the hill country, forming a peninsula where it opens into the valley of Kandy, protected by a high and impenetrable thicket of bamboo, mixed with palms and creepers. A choice collection of flowering plants and brilliant blossoms fills the gardens in the valley. Above it wave the shadowy boughs of the finest tropical trees, and numbers of butterflies, lizards, squirrels and birds animate the beautiful spot. A belt of tall trees encloses the planted land. Beyond this are the wooded heads of the mountains, which guard the basin of Peradeniya. No less interesting were the splendid clumps of thorny climbing palms, or rather rattans, with their graceful waving plumes. Their stems, although not thicker than one's finger, extremely tough and elastic, creep to the tops of the tallest trees, and grow to a length of 200 to 300 feet — the longest stems, perhaps, of any plant known. Another feature of the scene were the climbing plants or lianas, and the banyans. Although creeping and climbing plants are to be seen all over the island in the greatest abundance and variety, the gardens at Peradeniya show splendid separate specimens, such as are rarely to be met with ; and the banyans with enor- mous aerial roots, and some allied species of fig, were among the largest and finest trees in Ceylon. Among the many lovely spots in the gardens is the fernery, under the dim shade of stately trees. On the cool banks of the sparkling stream is a collec- tion of every kind of fern, large and small, fragile and robust, herbaceous and tree-like. It is impossible to dream of any- thing more lovely and graceful. All the charms of form, which distinguish even our own native arctic ferns, with their feathery fronds, are here displayed in infinite variety, from the simplest to the most elaborate. Some of the most minute are hardly 332 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. to be distinguished from a delicate moss, while the tall tree- ferns, bearing a fine tuft of feathery leaves at the top of their slender black stems, reach the stately height of a palm-tree. The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens are, indeed, wonderfully beautiful, and abound with every kind of forest tree and plant, in the greatest luxuriance : feather palms and great bamboos, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, vanilla, and every species of spice tree, as well as sugar, tapioca, coffee, tea, quinine, india-rubber and indigo ; and giants in the way of ebony, sandal-wood, mahogany, and all kinds of fruit trees. Many varieties of mosses form a c9,rpet of verdure ; creepers hang in beautiful draperies, and the trunks of great forest trees and the orchids are dreams of beauty. They showed us the sack- yielding tree, apt to be mistaken for the deadly upas tree of Java, celebrated by virtue of a legend that nothing can live within its shade ; its juice and gum are poisonous. But the legend is said to be untrue ; we did not remain under its shade, although the sun was intensely hot, in order to test its truth. The beauties of tropical vegetation are here exhibited on a large scale. There are some delightful drives, walks, avenues and groves, and every variety of tropical trees and shrubs : pomela, rain-tree, walnut, pepper, camphor, nutmeg, croton, coffee, citron, orange, limes, mangoes, jack, and others too numerous to mention. In fact, most tropical products are tried on a scale sufficient to enable a decision as to the probabiUty of their being introduced into Ceylon. The orchid-house, the ferneries, the great bamboo palms, avenues and rubber-trees are superb. It is very interesting to watch the populous colony of large bats. They are called " flying foxes " — for what reason it is hard to conjecture, unless that the head is somewhat like that of the fox and that the body is covered by reddish fur. They belong to the curious group of frugi- vorous bats, which are peculiar to the tropics. They are very much like a fox in shape, size and colour, particularly about the head ; but their limbs, like those of all the bat tribe, are con- nected by an elastic web, by means of which they fly about very swiftly. Their flight, however, is not at all like that of the bat, but has more resemblance to that of a crow. They have PERADENIYA. 333 sharp teeth and curved claws, by which they suspend themselves on the branches, and when disturbed fly away, screaming loudly. They live on fruit and do great mischief ; they have a particular penchant for sweet palm win,e, and are sometimes found drunk. This predilection may, no doubt, be accounted for by the near af&nity of the bats to apes (as proved by their phylogenetic pedi- gree), and through apes to man. They are about the size of a large crow, and the wings are sufficiently apparent to define the species. My pen utterly fails to describe the beauties of the garden. It affords probably the very finest arboreal and botanical display to be seen on earth. No garden that I have yet visited can be given to compare with it. It occupies an area of 500 acres, 300 on hill slopes rising 500 feet, and 200 flat alluvial land, and it is beyond doubt a Paradise— a veritable Eden, ravishing to the soul of any lover of Nature. Outside the entrance is the Government Rest House, built to accom- modate scientists who visit the island to study horticulture ; the Government giving these gentlemen, or ladies, as the case may be, every assistance in the prosecution of their researches. There is, as may naturally be supposed, an army of coolies em- ployed about the grounds, besides many first-class gardeners from Europe and elsewhere ; in fact, nothing is wanting to pro- duce the noblest results attainable in that branch of science. After lunch went for a drive round the upper road of the lake. Words are as impotent as pen to describe the scenery ; the whole country is an enchanting botanical garden. The bund, which sepa- rates the lake from the town, is a favourite drive and walk. Pro- jecting out into the lake is the United Service Library, the scene of many an historic meeting of the Ceylon Planters' Association. The ground-floor of the building was the bath-room attached to the Royal Palace. The library contains over seven thousand volumes. Midway in the bund stands Sir Henry Ward's statue — commemorating a Very able Governor of the colony, during whose administration steps were first taken for the construction of the railway to Kandy, from 1855 to i860, which was opened to the public in 1867. The name of Sir Charles McCarthy is also associated with this railway. We then tujqied to Lady Horton's Walk — the beautiful drive so called after the wife of Sir K. W. 334 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Horton, Bart., who administered the Government from 1831 to 1837. It commands a glorious view of the town and surround- ing country, and here and there at the principal coigns of van- tage, stone seats are placed. It is about three miles long and tra- verses about a hundred and sixty acres of jungle-land. Lady Anderson's Road traverses another beautiful stretch of land ; the highest point, on which are the remains of an interesting Portuguese fortress, is 3,200 feet altitude, from which we could distinguish Adam's Peak, 7,400 feet high, about forty-six miles distant. We then drove to Katugastota (the trans-ford bridge), three miles from Kandy. Over the river is a fine iron bridge, from which tolls are collected. Lower down the river is the elephants' bathing-place. There are seventy-five elephants, and it is very interesting to watch them luxuriating in a cool bath after the work of the day, during which they are engaged in various ways, hauling timber, or other work. Adjacent to the river is a large bo-tree that commemorates a tragedy. In 1803 the British troops, together with a native prince, unable to cross the river, had to surrender to the Kandyan king. After the troops had been disarmed and were helpless, they were led two and two to a neighbouring dell and massacred ; the unfortunate prince was impaled. Lady McCarthy's Drive is another beautiful road, and there is also Lady Torrington's Road, wife of Viscount Tor- rington, who was Governor from 1847 to 1850. It appears that these notable ladies were lovers of Nature, and as such have immortalized themselves — perhaps more than their husbands, the Governors, who so ably represented their Sovereign in the administration of the Government. However that may be, the cabbies and coolies of Kandy keep the memory of these ladies green to the travelling public, in the just praises of these lovely drives, for no tourist ever grudged the time given in visiting them. Their beauty is perennial ; neither seasons nor time can detract from their charm. Kandy cannot change ; her attractions will ever be enthralling. Situated at the base of a regular amphi- theatre of hUls, the natural beauty of the position of the town renders it one of the most charming spots in an island abounding ■ in scenery of a lovely order. It is a casket of gems — a romance — a crowning triumph to prove what Nature can achieve when KANDY. 335 she tries. Its temperature is always about five degrees cooler than that of Colombo, and its mean range of nearly seventeen degrees makes the nights, with a mean minimum of from 65° to 70°, deliciously cool all through the year. There are, situated on fine sites, many fine, architectural public buildings, viz., the post office (formerly the " Grand Hotel "), large and spacious, in which is also the telegraph office. The municipal market is a neatly built, airy, and well-kept structure ; meat, fruit and vegetables are the principal commodities on sale — the two latter, owing to easy communication with the cooler up- country districts, being generally of good quality, plentiful, and at reasonable rates. Fish is brought daily from Colombo. At close quarters the native costermonger may be seen seated in the centre of his stall, in his element, driving bargains with town servants or coolies from the neighbouring estates. In the evening when the market puts on its busiest appearance, it is well worth a visit. In front stands an ornamental fountain ; at night it is well lighted and generally attracts crowds from the town. Beyond the market is the site of the old barracks of the Ceylon rifles — a regiment composed chiefly of Malays, which was disbanded in 1873. In the Bogambra prison, a fine-looking red brick structure, with castellated towers at its four corners connected by high walls within, at the corner nearest the lake, criminals condemned to death are executed. The prison is a preliminary one for men only, long sentence prisoners here undergoing the first three months of their incarceration. The daily average of inmates is about four hundred. In front of the prison entrance stands the resident jailer's house, with a prettily laid-out garden, in which, as in most Kandy gardens, tropical plants are seen side by side with English flowers — roses pre- dominating. On the right is the police station, and the single men's barracks. The Victoria Commemoration building was erected in 1900 — a fine, architectural structure ; erected by the planters of Ceylon as their memorial of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. St. Paul's is the principal Church of England — a red brick building, with a square tower. In connection with the church are a high school, a middle school for boys, St. Paul's college for girls, and a parish school for poor children. The 336 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Church Missionary Society does extensive work among the natives, Sinhalese women and girls. There are also Trinity Church and Trinity CoUege ; the latter consists of a series of buildings, including the principal's residence, and quarters for eight resident masters and a matron. There are 400 boys on the college roU, of whom 160 are boarders. The Wesleyan Mission are also doing good work, and have a number of high- class schools in connection with the church. The " Queen's Hotel " is of the highest class, occupying the best site in the town, with a view of esplanade, lake, mountains, and the great Buddhist Temple of the Tooth. It possesses two large drawing- rooms, a billiard-room, with three good tables, and suites of private sitting-rooms fitted with electric light and fans ; with accommodation for 150 visitors ; it can, on occasion, take a considerably larger number. The " Florence Hotel," situated on the lake, has a good reputation for comfort and cuisine, standing in its own spacious grounds apart from the town. There are a number of other public buildings, such as the hos- pitals, civil and military. Town Hall, Mercantile Bank of India, the Kandy Club, railway station. The Audience HaU — a spa- cious apartment supported on richly-carved columns of teak- wood, the bracketed capitals being admirable specimens of florid Hindu architecture — stands between the old palace and the temple in the rear. Here the Kandyan kings in olden times held their court and conducted public business ; now the district judge of Kandy dispenses justice, except when the judge of the Supreme Court is holding the periodical criminal session, when the district court takes up temporary quarters in a build- ing close by. Here on the 13th of March, 1901, the Prince of Wales held a grand reception of the Kandyan chiefs. The King's Pavilion is the charming Kandy residence of the Go- vernor of Ceylon. The grounds are superb and beautifully kept. The Governor has three residences in Colombo, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya ; whenever he wishes for a change he is well provided for in that respect. Next visited the Temple of the Tooth ; it was erected in the fourteenth century. The conti- guous temples and the old palace were probably the only ancient buildings — the town having been repeatedly burned and de- »2 K^S^^^T^i-"!'^ The Temple of the Tootli. Xalive fruit shops. [Fad/ro- p, 337. TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH. 337 stroyed during the Portuguese and Dutch wars — that remained when the British took possession in 1815. Here, within the inner temple, is enshrined that most sacred rehc of Buddha — a tooth. The temple is a small building surrounded by a good- sized courtyard ; the duter walls are decorated with frescoes of the various punishments inflicted in the Buddhist hell ; the deepest and hottest corner, where most gruesome fiends poke and fan the fire, is reserved for those who rob a Buddhist priest. The great relic is preserved in a gold and jewelled shrine, covered by a large silver bell, in the centre of an octagonal tower with pointed roof ; it is only exposed to view once a year. In the porch of the temple was the usual crowd of the most hideous beggars conceivable, who, in order to excite the sympathy of the visitor, displayed their wounds and defects of nature with disgusting liberality. At the entrance are two pairs of large elephant tusks, and in two places behind are carved monsters in stone. The inner temple is an upstair building, the bell-shaped shrine containing the tooth being in the upper storey, ap- proached from below by a narrow flight of steps. The sanctuary of the shrine is closed with heavy folding doors of gilded bronze, inlaid with carved ivory. Daylight is not allowed to penetrate its interior, but a dim, religious light is diffused by lamps fed with odorous cocoanut oil, while the chamber is almost overpoweringly perfumed with the scent of temple flowers (frangipane) brought by devotees with their offering. The tooth itself rests on a golden lotus flower, hid from public view by six pagoda-shaped covers of the same pre- cious metal, the outer cover alone being seen through the bars of an iron cage, the whole standing on a massive silver table embellished with gems and jewels. The walls and ceiling of the chamber are adorned with shawls and brocades, while in front of the shrine is an altar, on which is the silver salver offered to visitors for contributions, which are usually given in the shape of silver coins. Passing from the inner chamber, which is elaborately painted, the turn to the left leads to another shrine, where are two large-sized figures of Buddha in brass and smaller ones — some carved out of rock crystal. The chamber is orna- mented with curious figures, including on the wall a painting of 22 338 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. the first man created. The hooded cobra snake and the goose are used very frequently in Buddhist illustrations, both being held in reverence. In the Oriental library of the temple we were shown the ancient books, which are curiosities of literature, the characters being written with styles on leaves of the tahpot palm, and some bound in covers of silver, curiously engraved. During great festivals the temple is illuminated with coloured glass hghts placed in the interstices of the walls, which lend them- selves very effectively to this style of illumination. At 8 p.m. we went to the municipal market-place, which was well lit up, and crowded with people ; the stalls were provided with all kinds of fruit and produce. 24th.— At 7.45 a.m. started by train for Matale, a distance of sixteen miles, about an hour's run. The route was through belts of trees — coacoanut, jak, mango, and a large number of cacao, with pendent fruit-pods of a purplish shade, about the size of a large pear. Cacao, the product of the cacao-tree, must not be confounded with that of the cocoanut palm, as strangers too often do. In the villages and low ground there were several patches of rice, but none of them of any extent. As we ap- proached Matale we passed large plantations of tea ; several men and women were engaged in plucking the leaves, which they placed in baskets carried on their backs. They were well sheltered from the sun by banana, palm, and other trees. The train has to travel very slowly in consequence of the rise in the grade. We are now 1,800 feet above sea-level. The scenery is very picturesque — and around us are hills rising one above the other in billowy ranges. We arrived at Matale at 8.45 a.m., having previously passed two or three small stations. The line of railway does not proceed further in this direction ; travellers must take the stage-coaches, which run for a considerable distance, changing horses at different stations. The village is very picturesque, with some superb trees ; one especially, a jak- tree, more than usually large, situated in a square. We saw a good many trees of exceeding beauty in size and form : cotton, guava, camphor. The cacao, or chocolate tree, is very much cultivated — ^groves of which we saw in this neighbourhood. The tree yields pulpy seeds shaped like beans, quantities of MATALE, 339 which were drying in front of the village shops. The fern- tree is remarkably graceful, and attains a large size. We took a walk in the country for three miles ; the roads were remarkably good, and sheltered from the hot rays of the sun by the spread- ing foliage of the magnificent trees. There is also in an open place a very nice park. The village is of considerable size ; its long street, with shops on both sides, and its sidewalks are kept in good repair. I noticed a good deal of fish in the shop windows, both fresh and dried, sent in from Colombo. Evidently it must be much used for food by the natives. In another street the shops were principally filled with market produce — fruit, vege- tables and poultry. The walk in the country was exceedingly pleasant, and although it was very warm at noon, there came at times a cool breeze from the hills, which was very refreshing. One who has never been between the tropics can hardly realize how grateful one is to Nature for a puff of fresh air either from mountain or sea when she is in a mood to be wooed. At present this is the hot season — the glass registering go° in the shade. We crossed a river by an iron bridge, under which natives of both sexes were enjoying a bath. The bathers made use of a circular stone fountain, fed with water from the hills, which threw out jets of water, under which they luxuriated in a copious shower bath. They gave themselves a good washing, having provided themselves with soap, in the use of which they were not sparing. It was very interesting to watch them dress after the bath. They enfolded the lower part of the body as far as the waist in materials of silk or cotton three or four yards in length, just as it was cut off the piece. The women swathed this garment with particular grace round their bodies, gathering the end over the shoulder, where it hung in folds. In some way they adjust this toga so that they leave ample freedom for walking. They have no use for hooks and eyes, buttons or button-holes, mantua-makers, ladies' tailors or fashion plates. The vestment appears to be a single piece of broad cloth. It provides an expeditious way of dressing and undressing. It was a pleasure to see how quickly they accomplished in a few seconds what the Western woman would take half an hour over. These native girls were by no means wanting in good looks ; and with the 22* 54o IN tHE WAKE OP THE SETTING SUN. veil over their shoulders seemed to be dressed as gracefully as any lady in the land. It is noticeable that many of the high- class Sinhalese girls are adopting the European costume, which, to my mind, does not in any way improve a type of figure which seems better adapted to the native costume, which is cooler and admits of more freedom of action. The native girls are exceedingly fond of jewellery, and wear large quantities about their persons — rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc. — generally of rich colouring. The clothing of the children is not an item of much expense in a family ; they generally have a bracelet on the wrist, and one on the leg ; these, with a chain or piece of cord round the waist, constitute all their clothing, and they run about more happy and contented than if they were dressed in silk. Saw a good many temples appertaining to different forms of faith — Hindu, Mohamipedan, Buddhist, etc. — mostly in the centre of the villages. The police court and other Govern- ment offices are situated near the park. At the police court the magistrate was inquiring into a criminal charge, and a good many witnesses were being examined on a preliminary hearing. The case had attracted a crowd, who were standing outside the open front of the court-room, and could see and hear all the proceedings. Arrived back at Kandy at 2 p.m. Went for a drive to visit a temple, but was not sufficiently interested to go inside the building ; proceeded to the ferry-boat, a primitive contrivance, long and narrow, somewhat in the shape of a canoe, evidently the hoHowed-out trunk of a tree. Attached to it was a large, square out-rigged frame of big sticks, to prevent the boat from capsizing in the currents, which, after a freshet, run very strongly. There was another contrivance, which is used occasionally when the water is sufficiently deep ; it is some- thing like a bridge, and is used as a platform for landing ; it is propelled by oars. Then drove round the beautiful lake by the upper and lower roads, and revelled in the superb scenery — here and there noble specimens of the great tahpot palms and patches of luxuriant tropical jungle, bright with scores of different brilliant flowers and creepers towering above the tangled undergrowth. The lake is artificial, and everything that can be atcomphshed has been done to beautify it ; but Nature ^r ' "^ Plucking tea. IFaiiiiq p. 341. NUWARA ELIYA. 341 has supplied what no art can give in the magnificent trees that surround it. 25th. — Nuwara Eliya. — Left Kandy for Nuwara Eliya at 10.30 a.m. ; the distance is seventy miles from Kandy. The route is wonderfully picturesque. On approaching the hills, we leave all the tropical vegetation behind ; not a cocoanut or palm to be seen ; it is, as it were, in another country. The air is pure and cool, and the prospect is changed, as if by the wand of a fairy, and tea-plantations extend as far as the eye can reach over the billowy hills, looking beautifully green and fresh. Many native girls are seen with baskets, plucking and bearing the leaves. The tea-gardens are so vast that one would not suppose a sufficiency of coolie labour could be procured in the villages. Numbers of Hindus from India are now employed on the planta- tions. We met with some delay in consequence of the break- ing of a coupling, which necessitated our return to the station and some shunting of carriages. We passed throvigh several tiinnels, one of which was 614 yards long — the longest in the island ; then, skirting the fields and groves of the valley, we crossed the river by an iron girder bridge, having a span of 140 feet. Some very pretty rapids came into view in the rocky bed of the river. The line runs through very deep cuttings, and the winding route affords frequent peeps of the river. A distant view is obtained of the exquisite" y beautiful Bridal Veil, or Devon Waterfall, but it does not show to much advantage from the train, being partly hidden by intervening brushwood and forest. From this point the route runs along a series of moun- tains; the lower slopes of which are cultivated, principally with tea ; here the scenery is exceptionally grand. Mountains, hills arid valleys continually crop up ; the windings of river and road are like so many silver threads or cords of coir through the green mantle of tea-shrubs, cinchona, etc. ; stores and bungalows are visible in all directions. Passing along iron- bound and massive masonry or rock-cut battlements, it would almost appear from the carriage window as if the train were suspended in air, the iron girders by which the rocks are con- nected on the masonry wall not being observable. The line enters upon labyrinthine curves to right and left, which keep 342 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. one guessing in which direction, after all, the train is proceed- ing. Looking back, the track which has been traversed may be observed, now to our right, now to our left, presenting strikingly varying features as we traverse the valley. A large portion of the hne is in a gradient of one in forty-four, and it is remarkable for its exceptional engineering difficulties and extremely grand scenery. We arrived at Nunuoya at 5 p.m., having been de- layed by the cause before mentioned. We then exchanged to a narrow-gauge railway, about four miles distant from Nuwara EHya. The curves here are so numerous and steep that the train crosses the road several times ; so much so that it took forty minutes to run the distance of four or five miles. We have now ascended to a height of over 6,000 feet above sea-level. We here took a carriage for the " Grand Central Hotel," where we secured rooms at ten rupees per day — a fairly comfortable hotel, with good table. It is the chief hotel in Nuwara Eliya, and is patronized by nearly aU the tourists. It is situated in beautiful grounds, and is run on principles more or less aristo- cratic. At present it is crowded, and rooms could not be ob- tained under ten rupees per day or higher. During the hot season it is much frequented by the residents of Colombo and Kandy, who desire to escape the heat, the average temperature being about 68° when it is 90° in the lower lying parts of Ceylon. 26th. — Nuwara Eliya is the greatest sanatorium of the island of Ceylon, and here the air is always pure and refreshing. In the winter months frost is often seen, and the mornings and evenings are cold. All the English flowers — violets, primroses, cowslips, and hosts of others — ^flourish here side by side with semi-tropical plants. The hoUy, myrtle, camellia, apple, pear, cherry trees, which the people delight in growing in their gardens, make one fancy it is dear old Devon. The mountains are thickly covered with fir of Alpine aspect, and large rhododendrons growing with the calla Uly beside the public roads help to make a very charming landscape. At 10 a.m. drove to the Experimental Gardens at Hakgola, where all the European trees and English flowers flourish. The shrubberies on each side are planted with ornamental trees, shrubs, and NUWARA ELIYA. 343 garden plants ; near which is a large tea-shrub twelve feet in diameter, of the China variety. There are some very fine specimens of palms. The wax palm of New Granada is a curiosity. The leaves of the tree are coated with a whitish waxy substance, from which very good candles are made. A native tree is said to yield twenty-five pounds of wax. The Fernery is especially noticeable. There are 20,000 plants of different species, and there are some very fine clumps of tree- ferns which are eighteen to over twenty feet high, with large fronds ; most of them being indigenous. Planted among them, in and out among the numerous winding paths are to be found all the old English garden flowers : primroses, cowshps, roses, hollyhocks, petunias, etc. There are many rare specimens of trees and plants, such as the Australian tree-fern, which is stouter than those of Ceylon species — ^but for grace and beauty the natives are not to be beaten — the Mameluke bitter, or Seville orange, laden with golden-coloured fruit ; the cork- tree, tomato, mountain papaw ; and a banana, with leaves ten to twelve feet long and two feet in breadth. This species is said to be the largest in the world ; a full-grown plant has a trunk some twenty feet high and leaves from sixteen to twenty feet long ; the bunch of fruit is large and handsome, but not edible. Also a magnificent specimen of the fuchsia- tree, and young trees of the Kauri gum. The narrow-leaf peppermint-gum has been known to reach a height of 400 feet, and to measure seventy-five to 100 feet in girth at a yard from the ground. The pine-trees are very large, and grow to a great height. There are so many different species of trees and flowers from all parts of the world that only an expert botanist could give them half the attention they deserve ; a passing glimpse, the name given and forgotten the next minute, was my experience. It was a beautiful sight in the bright sun, and our visit will be long remembered, the Grand Hakgola rock, with its almost perpendicular face, rising to a height of 1,500 feet at the background. Close to the garden, wanderoo monkeys, black-coated but grey-bearded, were jumping from tree to tree in the jungle and among the rocks, their locality being made known by their peculiar shouting or barking noise. 344 IN THE- WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. Wanderu is the Sinhalese word for monkey. Elephants from the near jungle have at times paid a visit to the garden, much to the injury of the flowers and of the feelings of the gardeners, the fruit of whose toil was thus desecrated and destroyed wholesale. Looking from the garden over the hills, we see the houses where the Boer prisoners were kept under guard, the white roofs being plainly visible. It will be re- membered that some of them were brought to Ceylon during the war. In the garden are loo different kinds of roses and 1 20 different kinds of trees and shrubs — among which are the Enghsh laurel, laburnum, holly, box, hlac, barberry, broom, strawberry, blackberry, azalea, camellia, etc. ; and among the flowers, honeysuckle, phlox, petunia, mignonette, pansies, violets, primroses, hollyhocks, and a host of others. There is a large nursery-garden where all plants are kept in beds for supply- ing the gardens, and for distribution of ornamental trees, fruits, shrubs, and garden plants. A large handsome speci- men of pinus Montezuma from Mexico is especially notice- able. This tree is forty to fifty feet high, and its long, needle-shaped leaves are ten to fourteen feet long and one foot broad. There is also a gigantic iris, one spathe of which contains from 120 to 200 blossoms — the plant is in flower for some months. Also Chinese honeysuckles ; and immense creepers with large leaves, one mass of flowers over fifty feet in height. Spent a very pleasant time in the garden, but much too short to carry away any permanent impression ; one would require to spend a week, and even then not be idle. In the afternoon went for a walk. Passed the Governor's house, which is a neat erection of white stone, situated in beautiful grounds. The Governor is staying there at present, having arrived last night. Next to Government House is the Club House for the merchants, planters and other gentlemen, also pleasantly situated in lovely grounds, with large lawn, flower- garden, cricket and tennis ground, all nicely laid out ; and, further on the same road, many large, handsome bungalows, hidden among the superb trees and shrubberies. There are many beautiful walks and drives in the neighbourhood, including the newly-made road round the lake, which makes a complete cir- BANDARAWELA. 345 cuit, and where many pretty views are to be seen. The public park is well worth a visit, having winding walks in all directions, and a very neat fountain in the centre, jetting a stream of water, a nice pagoda and band -stand, shaded by many hand- some trees of various species. The Experimental Garden at- tached to the park is intended for the trial of various flowers, shrubs, and plants, which it is deemed desirable to introduce, and that are likely to succeed in a climate like that of Nuwara Eliya. In the park an oak-tree was planted in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee ; but it does not seem to take kindly to the soil. In the background, hid by the clouds, is Pedro, or Peduru-talagala — the highest mountain in Ceylon, 8,295 feet in height, or about 2,000 feet above Nuwara Eliya. There is a bridle-path to the summit, and it is very easy to climb, taking from an hour and a half to two hours on horseback. Ladies, if they so desire, can be carried in chairs. The view from the summit is remarkably fine, and weU rewards the exertion of the climb. The English church is reached by several beauti- ftd roads. It is surrounded by fine trees and in the background a grove of wattles, which bear a yellow flower twice a year. The church is built of cement, is capable of seating 700 persons, and in the apse has very fine coloured windows. The cemetery in front is newly laid out with flower-beds, etc. 27th. — Bandarawela. — ^The day, from the commencement, was misty and showery, and so continued without any change. At 12 noon, we left the hotel for Bandarawela, by the narrow- gauge line by which we arrived at night at the hotel at Nuwara Eliya, and consequently missed the near-by scenery. The line of route is remarkably picturesque in its curves and windings. The slopes of the hills were all covered with tea-shrubs, which looked nice and fresh. The cUmate here is particularly adapted for these shrubs, which do not thrive in too warm a temperature. It is uniformly between 60° and 70° ; the cool breeze from the hills acts as a refrigerator, and, if the sun is ever too hot, it acts as a deterrent, keeping the air fresh and cool. As I was very lightly clad, I had to wear an overcoat most of the time. We exchanged trains after arriving at the station, the train rising with a ruMng gradient of i in 44 through the talc plain 346 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. and in the valley known as the Railway Gorge. Magnificent waterfalls were passed. The summit is reached at Pattipole, 6,225 feet above sea level, where one sees one of the grandest panoramas in the country. For a combination of tropical upland, mountains, and lowland, pastoral and wooded scenery ; for a succession of deep gorges and high mountain-peaks, -wdth streams dashing along in cataract, water- fall, or quiet, park-like stretches, there are few railways in the world whose scenery can compare with that of this line. From summit level the line descends over 2,000 feet before the terminus of Bandarawela is reached. A httle before reaching Haputale station, the low country, the descent into which is exceedingly precipitous, extending to the very sea coast, is unfolded to view. The salt pans of Hambantota, glistening in the sun, are no un- common sight ; and occasionally the smoke of a passing steamer has been noticed. Leaving Haputale, the line passes through " The Happy Valley," once a mission station of the Wesleyans, the railway station being called Dayalalana. This is the site of the Boer prisoners' camp, in which some 5,000 prisoners of war, taken in South Africa, were interned between 1900 and 1903. For them and their mihtary guard some 300 buildings, costing about a million rupees, were specially erected ; the larger number of the buildings still remain, Dayalalana now being a military station and a naval sanatorium, while in July it forms a camp for a Volunteer company for exercise. The climate is undoubtedly the finest in the world, being drier and more equable even than that of Nuwara Eliya. Bandarawela, the present terminus of the railwaj', is i6o|- miles from Colombo, and 4,046 feet above sea-level, and is eighteen miles from BaduIIa, the capital town of Uva district. We arrived at 4 p.m. and went to the hotel. The greater portion of this section is massive rock in aU kinds of shapes and forms, like the waves of the sea in a storm. It is covered with green moss, but as the soil is only superficial, it is bare of any kind of vegetation. We walked through the village, which consists of a long street hned with small shops of the native type, open to the street. The natives are mostly employed about tea, which grows in abundance on the hills a short distance from here. I do not BANDARAWELA. 347 know if there is any other industry. They have no gardens, farms, or plantations to employ their time — consequently it must be spent in the service of others for their livelihood. I noticed a Roman Catholic chapel with a large figure of a saint in a niche under the cross, with the words, " With this sign I conquer." CHAPTER XIV. Tea Industry — Climate of Ceylon — Natural Resources — Native Races — Village Life — Failure of Coffee Planting — Cocoa and Rice — Other Products — Kalutara and the Rubber Plantations. 2'8th. — ^Left hotel at Bandarawela at 6.45 for Colombo, 160 miles, and travelled over the same route again, which does not lose, but rather gains, in interest by repetition. The day was showery and at times mist enveloped the tops of the mountains. We went through forty tunnels in the journey, the greater num- ber being short. Except the Bernese Alps, Mont Cenis, the border of Lake Como, St. Bernard and to Lucerne, I cannot remember any similar experience. We descended 6,000 feet in our journey to Colombo ; between one station and the next we compassed a descent of about one thousand feet. The temperature was very pronounced as soon as we entered the palm and cocoanut region ; the air was again warm, the big tea-plantations were left behind, and the rice-fields and the majestic trees again be- came the main features. During the journey we passed a num- ber of waterfalls ; some of them were very picturesque. In re tea, some of the passengers on the train very kindly gave a good deal of information as to its growth and manufacture. The plantations are from 250 to 1,000 acres. The rise of the tea industry in Ceylon offers one of the most remarkable develop- ments of an agricultural pursuit, especially when the previous history of the planting industry is remembered. For the present, at any rate, the growth of the industry seems to have reached its utmost limit. Tea is now the chief industry in the mountain dis- tricts ; it also covers a large area in the south-western plains ; above the elevation of 2,300 feet it forms almost the only cultiva- tion, and a journey by rail from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya affords, perhaps, one of the most striking instances in the world of a 348 TEA INDUSTRY. 349 large stretch of country covered with one crop ; excepting only the summits of the mountain-ridges, the grass lands and the actual precipices, a vast sheet of tea-covered hill and dale, broken chiefly by the Australian trees planted as wind-belts through the tea-fields, across the direction of the prevailing winds, for shelter. By far the largest proportion of the tea cultivation is in the hands of European planters, resident on their estates. The average size of an estate is between 250 and 500 acres ; but there is a tendency of late for estates to be united in groups for economy of working and management, and to enable larger and more economical factories to be used. Whereas formerly a large proportion of the planters were owners of their estates, they are now more often salaried employees of large or small companies — some managed locally, some directed from London. The export and general business of the estate or company is worked through a Colombo agency, which also super- intends the general conduct of the estate by means of its " visit- ing agent " — a planter of large experience, who goes over the estates at intervals, inspecting their working, estimating accounts, etc. The labouring force of a tea-estate consists generally of Tamil coolies from Southern India, working in gangs under overseers, locally termed " kanganies," by whom they are recruited from their villages. As a rule, they return after a time with their savings, but some settle in Ceylon. The rate of wages on a tea-estate seems small, being only from eight to fifteen cents a day — average about twelve ; but is high enough to make Ceylon seem a kind of Eldorado to the coolies. They are housed and medically attended at the cost of the estate, and their well-being is carefully attended to. The heavier labour is done by the men ; the lighter, such as tea-plucking, by the women and children. Several varieties of the tea-plant are known. The China variety is now but rarely cultivated in Ceylon, the usual kinds being the Assam indigenous and the hybrid, a cross between this ai^d the China ; both of these have larger leaves and yield more crop. The tea-plant, a small tree when left to itself, is cultivated on estates in large fields, in which the plants are placed about four feet apart, and severely pruned, at intervals of twelve or fifteen months or two years. They 350 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. thus form squat bushes, about three feet high, with flat, spread- ing tops, so that it is easy for the coohes to get at the young shoots, which are constantly appearing on the top of the bushes. These shoots, taken together, are termed " flush," and the object of cultivating and pruning is to ensure large, frequent and regular flushing. In the colder climates of China and Assam flushing ceases in winter, but in Ceylon it goes on all the year roimd. The manufacture consists essentially in the plucking of the young shoots of the flush, and their subsequent treatment by withering, rolling, fermenting and drying to form tea. In Ceylon the flush is plucked every eight or twelve days by women and children working in gangs under kanganies. They soon become remarkably quick and expert at the work. Plucking is designated as " fine " when the bud at the top of the shoot and the two young leaves just below it are taken ; " medium " when the bud and three leaves are taken ; " coarse " when the bud and four leaves are taken. At present " fine " plucking is much the most usual. The coarser the plucking, the poorer the average quality of the tea produced, though the greater the quantity. " Fine " plucking produces the various teas known as " Pekoes ; " while older leaves give " Souchongs " and " Congous ; " Pekoes consisting only of the buds or tips are known as " Flowery ; " those containing also the first young leaves as Orange Pekoes. The coohes bring in their day's pluck- ing to the factory — usually a large, well-equipped building, con- taining the most modem machinery, and worked by water or steam power. The leaf is examined and weighed, and the amount plucked by each coolie recorded — the wage depending partly on the amount plucked. After the leaf has been weighed, it is taken to the upper floor of the factory and thinly spread out on Ught, open-work shelves of jute hessian (canvas), known as " tats," to wither. In good weather it becomes limp and florid in about eighteen hours ; but in wet weather artificial heat is employed, and a current of warm, dry air drawn through the withering-loft. The properly withered leaf is next thrown down through shoots into the rollers or rolling machines on the ground floor. A roller consists essentially of a table with a central depression to hold the leaf, and a hopper above it, the TEA INDUSTRY. 3Si leaves moving over one another with an eccentric motion. Pressure to any extent required can be put upon the mass of leaf that is being rolled, and at the end of an hour or so the door in the bottom of the table is opened and the " roll " falls out, the leaves all twisted and clinging together in masses, which are then broken up in a machine termed a " roll breaker," to which is usually attached a sifter, which separates the coarser leaf from the fine. After this the leaves are piled in drawers or mats to ferment or oxidize, with free access of air. This pro- cess is omitted in the manufacture of green tea. In a couple of hours or so (it depends on the weather) the leaf assumes a coppery colour and gives out a peculiar smell. Experience is required to determine the exact point at which to check the fermentation, and place the leaves in the firing or drying machine. There are many t5rpes of these machines, but all act by passing a current of hot dry air through the damp, fermented leaf until it is dry and brittle, when it is removed, sifted into grades by a machine composed of a series of moving sieves of different sizes of mesh, and finally bulked {i.e., the whole mass of each grade made in one or more days is thoroughly mixed together, so as to ensure as great uniformity as possible), packed in lead-lined boxes of about loo lbs., soldered up, labelled with the name of the estate, and despatched to the port for shipment. Green tea, made in the same general way as black, but withered by means of steaming and prepared without fermentation, is graded as "Young Hyson," "Gun Powder" and "Dust." The greater part of the tea shipped from Ceylon at present goes to the United Kingdom ; but the export to other countries is steadily increasing, so that it bids fair soon to form one-half of the total. The next best customers of Ceylon are Australia, Russia and America. The last-named market is the chief destination of the green tea made in Ceylon. Twenty years ago China still suppUed the bulk of the tea consumed in Britain, while India provided about one-third, and Ceylon's share was but a poor one per cent. Now Ceylon's proportion of the total is thirty-five per cent, and that of China has sunk to eight per cent. In the early days of planting in Ceylon much better prices were ob- tained than at present. The price steadily fell from $0.30^ 352 IN THE WAKE OF THE SETTING SUN. a pound in 1885 to $0.13! a pound in 1902. In January^ 1894, the average wholesale price in bond in London was $0.14^ per pound. In 1875 there were barely one thousand acres planted with tea ; during the next ten years of depression, due to the failure of coffee, this average increased to 102,000 ; by 1889 it attained 205,000 ; by 1893, 305,000 ; and it is now about 385,000. The island imported its tea in the early days of tea- planting, but in 1903 the export, including green tea, exceeded no less than 151,120,000 lbs. For the present, at any rate, the growth of the industry seems to have reached its utmost limits. 2