IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7 // ^/ A /3% ,<; fe f,y 'm£ y. 1.0 I.I 1.25 *'- ilM H|| Z2 12.0 1.8 1-4 IIIIII.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 4^ iV N> % .V <^ est possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feulllet d'errata. une pelure. etc., ont M fiimdes A nouveau de fa^on A obtenir la meilleure image possible. 1 P a fi C b tl s o fi 8 O T si T M d ei b ri Tt This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmA au taux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X IB*' 22X 26X 30X 12X 16X 20X a4x 28X 32X Th« copy filmad har* has baan raproducad thanks to tha ganarosity of: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacifications. Original copias in printad papar covars ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impras- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copias ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illustratad impras- sion, and anding on tha last page with a printad or illustratad impression. Tha last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'axamplaira film* fut raproduit grica k la gAnArosit* da: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia Las imagas suivantas ont it* raproduitar avac la plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattet* da l'axamplaira film*, at in conformit* avac las conditions du coittrat da filmaga. Les axamplairas originaux dont la couvarture an papier est imprim*a sont film*s an commen^ant par la premier plat at an tarminant soit oar la darni*ra page qui comporta una amprainte d'impression ou d'illustration. soit par la second plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axemplairas originaux sont film*s an commandant par la prami*re paga qui comporta una empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration at en tarminant par la darni*re page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la derni*re image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent *tre film*s * des taux da r*duction diff*rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour *tra reproduit en un seul clich*, il est film* * partir da Tangle sup*rieur gauche, de gauche * droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'imagas n*cessaire. Les diagrammas suivants illustrent la m*thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 i 'S ^ z^^^- i k'' .:• 1 M * '^ ] ./ I u» ./ / KALEIDOSCOPE: SHIFTING SCENES FEOM EAST TO WEST. BT E. KATHARINE BATES, AUTHOR OF "A YEAR IN THB OREAT REPOBUC," &C. ILonlion : WARD AND DOWNEY, 12 YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1889. [All Rights Beserved.] *^ -' $ MPPHPPI •^(o .4- RiCIIAIin CUAY AND SONS, LIMITED, IX)SDON AND BUNOAY. TO THOSE IN CANADA WHOSE KIND CARE RESTORED ME TO HEALTH, THIS BOOK |s gcbitnttb WITH GRATEFUL AFFECTION. aT^^\ «\**4 t ^-v^.i'tL.v > i«>r M' ■SfJ INTRODUCTION. It has always appeared to me that one of the most beautiful sayings attributed to Madame de S^.vigne is com- prised in five French words, " Tout connu, tout sera pardonn^." If it were not gilding the lily, I would add, " Tout connu, tout sera compris." They teach us a lesson valuable in all relations of life — more especially valuable in literature, where the character of a country, or of an individual, is in question — namely, that no man or woman can write a worthy criticism upon any subject v/ith which 'le or she has not some strong sympathy. A rabid Evangelical clergyman might as well attempt a Life of Shelley as for any one to write upon America or our own colonies who is not conscious of some bond of attraction between himself and these countries, Mr. Froude, in his popular Oceana, went to the other extreme, as many think, of fulsome flattery, and yet failed to please everybody. Possibly the butter was too thickly spread, even for colonial throats, or perhaps the general howl of indignation arose, in VI INTRODUCTION. the first place, amongst those who were unfortunately, but inevitably, left out of the account altogetlier, to consume their dry bread in the background. However this may be, poor Froude's name in Australasia is as the red rag to the Colonial bull. No doubt, in the case of New Zealand, his very pessimistic account of that country's financial state came too near the truth to be pleasant. Although Froude may have rightly considered it his duty to warn the " old country " of the rotten condition of many New Zealand investments, there is still something to be said from the point of view of New Zealand capitalists who maintain that many investments of a perfectly hond Jkle character, sufiering merely from temporary depression, were hopelessly wrecked by the wild panic which set in on the publication of Occaiia. America is a country which arouses my admiration, interest and sympathy. I went to the Colonies expecting to have all three at least equally excited, and the result was disappointment; the practical outcome of this being that the months I had intended to spend in Australia dwindled down to weeks. Australia, as a whole, appears to me, I must confess, most uninteresting ; a second or third rate England, with the sub- stitution of a " climate " for our own fogs and bitter winds. Many will say, " But surely Australia is very like America ? " So it is — as a caricature. It has all the " bumptiousness " INTRODUCTION. vu and self-assertion of America without her originality; all the energy for money-grubbing without her enthusiastic ambition to possess what is noblest in art and literature len the money is made. I met some few Australians {piir et simple) who were alto- gether charming, and I trust will remain friends for life, but I believe they would be the first to indorse my opinion of the people as a whole. I spoke to many young Colonial girls on the subject, who were bewailing the too brief Paradise of a visit to the "old country," and saw how much those who had any intelligence deplored the empty, unsatisfactory life surrounding them. " It has taken us quite a year to settle back into the old grooves again," said one young lady to me, speaking of a late visit with her mother and sisters to England. "You have so much in the old country, and we have nothing here but sunshine, and one gets too much even of that in the long, hot summer days." It is not so much the absence of art that one deplores in Australia. That is inevitable in such a young country. It is the absence of all enthusiasm for it and interest in it. " The proof of the pudding is in the eating." These rich people, who will give thousands of pounds to build palaces to live in, consider five shillings quite " an out- side price" for any musical or dramatic entertainment. The consequence of this is, that the best artists have at T"'^'"^'"^^'^ VUl INTRODUCTION. length learnt wisdom, and decline " to go through so much to do so little," as the child said about learning his alphabet. Mary Anderson lately cancelled hor Australian engagu- ment, and neither Irving nor Ellen Terry seems likely to make one. A leading Melbourne newspaper, in mentioning the small success of a really fine pianiste who had been giving some musical recitals in that city, added in a patroniz- ing way, " Madame S. is certainly a delightful pianiste, but we do not care much about music just now in Melbourne ; we have had enough of it for the present " — as though a lame man should ^oast of his infirmity, or a blind man rejoice that he could not see the sun I The Boston Quartett Society, admitted to be one of the finest in the world, returned bankrupt from a colonial tour, although I believe a Christy Minstrel entertainment drew large houses at the same time. The enterprising manager of the latter, whom I came across in Tasmania, boasted of his success to me. " / know how to fetch them," he said. " None of your sonata and Beethoven business in Australia. It won't go down there. Black a man's face and give him a comic song to sing : that is the only way to draw an audience out here." I fear there is too much truth in this assertion. Mechanical head-work, here as elsewhere, is at a terrible discount. There are only three possibilities open to the fortune seeker: — INTRODUCTION. (1) Exceptional luck or exceptional shrewdness in specu- lation ; (2) Strong muscles for labourers' work ; or (3) An amount of brnin powei ' ' nt would make its mark anywhere, but would rise to the top of the tree hero, where the competition of real talent '. of course less ;!ian with us. Mediocre ability seems to fare mu« h tlie same here as in England ; that is to say, it pay^ its way and does no more. Mind or muscle above par win all the prizes. Were I a man, with strong physical or mental endowments, I would certainly choose Australia as the best theatre for the exercise of them; but I would not spend an unnecessary penny in the country. I should practise strict economy during my years of " exile," and the moment I had " made my pile " should ^ake the first ship back to the old country. This, by the way, is one of the prettiest things about Australians. Even grey-headed men who have never left their own shores, young men and maidens, all talk of England as " home " or the "old country." If a man of sixty who has never previously set foot outside of Sydney or Melbc urne, sail for England, it is always spoken of as his " going home," — a little bit of poetry that fits in queerly enough with the prose of life out here. And now, having shown by these remarks, taken in con- junction with my opening sentences, that I am absolutely and hopelessly disqualified as a critic on matters colonial, what I INTRODUCTION. fi 1/ .* remains for a thoroughly consistent vjoman to do b\it here- with commence, or rather continue, her criticisms on -the subject ? I shall, however, pass with a light hand over a country of which I saw little, because I cared less, and after tarrying a while in the far more home-like and congenial atmosphere of New Zealand, take my readers with me over some beaten tracks in China, Japan, and Alaska; trusting to the magic of individual experience to shed some new interest over well known scenes. Every one travels over the whole world nowadays. The unknown in geography has vanished, as time and space seem to be vanishing in these days of telephones and phonographs. It is not to what one writes about, but to the way in which one writes about it, that an author must trust nowadays for his success. Verily " there is nothing new under the sun," but every man and woman can avoid being a bore if he or she will speak and write simply and truthfully of what each one really saw or thought ; without straining after fine effects or correct- ing individual experience by the light of what other people cx2Ject you to say or think, or to hav^e seen, under any given circumstances. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. I'AOB TASMANIA 1 CHAPTER II. SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE 31 CHAPTER III, NEW ZEALAND 61 CHAPTER IV. VIA CHINA TO JAPAN 106 CHAPTER V. JAPAN 133 xu CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. FAOB .... 187 JAPAN (continued) CHAPTER VII. 222 A TRIP TO ALASKA CHAPTER VIII. OVER THE ROCKIES BY THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY f-dl KALEIDOSCOPE : SHIFTING SCENES FROM EAST TO WEST. CHAPTER I. TASMANIA. Start for Tasmania — Reasons for avoiding Red Sea route — Shaw Savill line — S.S. Ionic — Cliques on board ship — Conversational diffi- culties—Entertainments on board — Teneriffe, Santa Cruz, the Peak — A mild dose of the Tropics— The Cape of Good Hope, Table Rock, and the Twelve Apostles — Rough weather at sea — Accidents on board — Poor Jonah ! — Arrival in Hobart Town — Difficulties of a sea captain's life — A new career suggested for superannuated captains — Mount Wellington — Agricultural possibilities of Tasmania — Absence of men— Social life — " Hen Conventions " — Small-pox outbreak — A honeymoon in quarantine — The domain — Botanical Gardens— Exquisite flowers — A trip to New Norfolk — Salmon preserves — Gorgeous birds— On the Huon River — Ta^'manian coal — Franklin — An enterprising young woman — An intelligent jeweller — Hobart Cathedral — A subtle sermon— Sir John Franklin In Afemoriam. Having made up mv mind to join the friend with whom I had previously travelled in America, in the Australasian Colonies, I took passage to Hobart, Tasmania, in one of the two direct lines which ply between London, Plymouth, and KALEIDOSCOPE. ( P 1 f J I New Zealand ; touching at Tenerifife, the Caj)e of Good Hope, and Hohart en route. My reason for avoiding the more popular line by the Suez Canal. lay in the time of year when I was leaving England. It seemed to me that the Red Sea in the month of August must suggest a very "thin sheet of tissue paper" between ourselves and the infernal regions. There is in fact one ghastly story told (and I have reason to know, an authentic one) of a certain voyage made by one of the Orient line of steamers, when no less than nine unfortunate men and women (including the doctor) suc- cumbed to the terrible heat of the Red Sea in that month. This no doubt was a very exceptional case. Still it seemed wiser to be upon the safe side, and I had no reason to regret my choice of the " Shaw, Savill and Albion" line, or the Fate which carried me on board the Ionic, one of the three steamers chartered by that line from the White Star Company. Curiously enough — from the bad sailor point of view — this second experience of a White Star steamer, landed me after "forty-two days out" with a perfect immunity from sea-sickness. Of the voyage itself, I must confess that my recollections are scarcely rose-tinted, in spite of this lucky escape. Cliques are doubtless the invariable and inevitable result of a long sea-voyage. In fact, any old traveller, gifted with observation, who has been on board ship even for a TASMANIA. 3 week, will be able to gauge pretty accurately tbe probable " fortuitous combination of atoms of bumanity." Some trifle — the cboice of a seat at dinner, tbe position of a deck cbair next to your own, some small civility ex- changed with a fellow passenger — will suffice to begin an acquaintance which may develop into a friendship, and is pretty sure to form the nucleus of a clique. Emerging after bi'cakfast, one naturally foregathers with those to whom one has already spoken ; walks the deck with them and sits near them, when the tropical heat makes walkiuo- a nuisance. A few more, perchance, are added to the charmed circle, and so the much-abused " clique " is formed, and one's companionship for the voyage becomes a fait accomiM. Judicious travellers will always take care to make their deck acquaintances apart from those who sit near them in tbe dining-saloon, or they will find a forty-two days' voyage too crucial a test of their conversational powers. It is quite difficult enough to find material for a hundred and forty-six meals, without providing " deck padding " in addition to this. I remember a dear old lady friend of mine, spending some months in a Roman 2'>(^'>''Sion, where she had been given the place of honour next to the lady of the house, requested at last to be allowed to go down to the bottom of the table and work her way up again, so as to relievo them both from the perpetual rcchauffd of old subjects of conversation. B 2 V I KALEIDOSCOPE. h < ( It seemed to me a daring but grand idea, and might be imitated with advantage on many ocean trips to the relief of all parties concerned. I should suggest a sort of "general post" every week, and think this would go far to break up some of the too solid lumps of ship society. The only practical drawback lies in the question of stewards' " tips," but this could be easily arranged through a general dinner and breakfast fund, to be equally divided at the end of the voyage. Although "cliques" on board are inevitable, still there are cliques and cliques. Because you find special sympathy with certain human beings in a crowd and prefer their society, it is surely not necessary to glare at the rest of the world as though their very existence were an insult to you ; nor to ignore the courtesies and amenities of life, endeavouring to monopolize for yourselves or your friends the best ot everything that may be going in the way of the most comfortable seats at the various entertainments or xhe most prominent " parts " in those entertainments. It is this absence of the courtesy which marks the conduct of well-bred people towards each other, and upon which society hangs, that accounts for much of the heart-burning and many of the disagreeables attending a long voyage with a mixed company. Ours was almost exclusively a " colonial mixture," and TASMANIA. the behaviour of its component parts did not tend to bias one in favour of the country beforehand. Here, as every- where else, the men of course have the best of it. A man can take shelter from the strife of feminine tongues, in that city of refuge, the " smoking-room," and there philosophize at his ease over the small wars that may be raging down below, even though his own womankind should be foremost in the fray. Our kind and genial captain certainly did his best to "resolve" all the discords, and draw the canopy of peace around the whole thirty first-class passengers, but his efforts scarcely met with deserved success. For the first week, I struggled manfully against the tide, endeavouring to be pleasant and genial to everybody. After that, I recognized the hopelessness of the attempt, and floated with the "English contingent" — almost the only two thorough gentlewomen in our saloon. When entertainments, musical, dancing, or dramatic, are given on board these ocean steamers, it is customary for the first and second saloon passengers to send reciprocal in- vitations, and I thought that we might have taken many a lesson in good manners from the latter. When tve gave a concert in our saloon, there seemed to be a general scramble amongst us for the best seats ; whilst our second-class guests were allowed to wander in unwelcomed, and seat themselves as best they might, and often in very inferior places. G kaleidoscopp:. When they gave an entertainment, all the best seats were left unoccupied until our arrival ; one of the gentlemen stood at the entrance to the saloon to receive and welcome us, and show us to the best places at his disposal. Surely a practical reminder that money and good manners are oftentimes divorced ! Having left Plymouth on Saturday, August 13th, we sighted Teneriffe about 6 A.M. on Thursday, August 18th. Unfortunately, Santa Cruz, where we dropped anchor, is the least beautiful part of the island. Orotave, which has become of late years so popular a health resort, is some miles from the port, a hilly and beautiful drive over to the other side of the island. We landed in small boats, which rocked and tossed in a way to make one appreciate the calm start from Plj'mouth and the apparent immovability of the Ionic. Alas ! appear- ances are deceitful ! Later we became well acquainted with the rolling powers of our " steady old steamer ! " At Teneriffe ./e breakfasted at a small hotel, walked through a hot baking little square, and a dull little hilly town, where ironmongers and basket and straw hat makers seemed to "divide the honours" of manufacture. The public garden looked mournful and deserted, but a few pretty tropical plants and shrubs held up their heads in defiance of dust and heat, and brightened the scene. Our few passengers for Orotave were quickly disembarked, some provisions taken in, and we returned to our ship with TASMANIA. the curious feeling of relief that one experiences on similar occasions after a few hot tiring hours on shore. Steaming out of the harbour at noon, we had a grand view of the famous Peak of Teneriffe looming high above our heads, and so once more out at sea, and Heigh ho for the Tropics ! I must say the Tropics treated us very well on this occasion. We had certainly four or five days of uncomfortable heat, when the daily walks were abandoned, and deck chairs were at a premium, but out of the eight days within this region two or three were positively cool, and I had good reason to congratulate myself on the choice of route. On Tuesday, September 4th, we sighted the Cape of Good Hope, every passenger on board being up at 6 A.M. or earlier, to watch this most interesting coast-line. The curiously-shaped mountains known as the " Lion's Head," the " Twelve Apostles," &c., were in turn recognized as we steamed into the bay, whilst high above the town towered the famous Table Rock, whose outline on this perfect summer's morning lay clear and sharp against a cloudless blue sky. Few are so fortunate as we were, in seeing this curious rock to advantage, for it is generally enveloped in clouds and mist. Cape Town lies in horse-shoe form round the bay, and under shelter of this rock, and must be extremely hot and relaxing in consequence. 6 KALEIDOSCOPR. K Far away on the opposite coast stretches the beautiful deep blue, mysterious-looking range of the Kimberley Mountains, losing itself in the dim, dim distance. This also is *^e road to the Diamond Mines, and to the famous Weinberg, whence comes the Costantia wine. Un- fortunately we had not time to take this drive, which occupies from four to five hours. So we engaged some very shady-looking hansom cabs, and drove round the dusty hot colonial town, on the Kluft Koad. Sunday seems to be strictly observed here, so the town was empty and forsaken, and we saw little of interest, except some women dressed in gr'Aud yellow and green silk dresses with enormous crinolines. The population appeared to be a motley collection of Dutch Boers, Hottentots, and English. The " west end " of Cape Town consists of some pretty villa-like houses, stretching far away to the left, as you face the harbour from the town. The heat on the morning of our visit was intense, although it was only spring-time here. If the summer heat is in any sort of proportion to it, it must be unbearable. I find, however, that the seasons are almost as variable and changeable out here as in Old England, and the experience of one year seems no criterion for the next. Returning to our ship about noon, we sailed for Hobart, eighteen or nineteen days without further sight of land. TASMANIA. After leaving the Capo the weather became rough, cold, and dreary. The constant rolling of the ship is most irritating and trying to the nerves, even when it has no worse results. To perform a sort of impromptu " SAVord dance " amongst bags and portmanteaus in your cabin three or four times a day does not tend to raise the spirits or calm the nerves. White suits, straw hats, tropical garments in general were laid aside, and every available rug and wrap produced. It is difT ult to make people believe or remember that nearly every sea-voyage has a greater proportion of cold than hot days. Nothing is more difficult than to realize when you are very hot that you will ever again feel very cold, and con- sequently many people who should know better, start ill prepared to meet the biting winds that are sure to come before the voyage is ended. Four or five little unprotected children, going to Hobart under charge of the second saloon stewardess, suffered terribly in this way, and would have suffered more had this kind woman not begged and borrowed flannels and shawls from the passengers in their behalf. They were being sent on to join their father a'^d mother (the former an English officer) in Tasmania, and I suppose the relations who packed them off must have had rather vague geographical notions. Probably they had heard that Hobart had a fine warm climate, and never remembered the r 10 KALEIDOSCOPE. ¥ ■■'. ill i bitter cold of the very southerly route taken by this direct line of steamers. It was very quamt to sec the youngest of the flock, a sweet, dark-eyed little witch of four years old, trailing about the deck in a " grown-up " Shetland shawl which made quite a long train for her. She was the pet and darling of the whole ship, and a terrible little flirt Avithal, but we all succumbed to the witchery of her dark eyes and the bribery of her kisses. Even our most stiff and pompous old Colonial (a very mine of wealth if you could buy him at your price and sell him at his own) unbent when this tiny sorceress clambered on his knee, and I actually heard him one day giving her a true and faithful account of the "little pigs going to market." The old gentleman had been somewhat of a "gay Lc hario " in younger days, and lived upon this reputa- tir taking great pains to hide the dilapidations of Time un< r a very lively and devoted manner to the fair sex. So , was rather hard upon him, when the little puss, in ret'i .n for the history of the pigs, put one caressing tiny hand upon the old beau's few remaining grey hairs, and said, in a patronizing way, " Your hair is hcginning to groiv f" This voyage brought the usual casualties when the rough weather had fairly set in. One afternoon was especially disastrous. One young lady was thrown violently TASMANIA. 11 down against the bulwarks by a tremendous wave, having her cheek cut completely open just below the Hne of the eye. A lad)''s maid was knocked down by the same wave, but escaped with a severe sprain; and a young man standing near them also fell, and was badly strained in the back. Thpre seems to be a special Providence over children on board ship, but one little girl of five years old had her head cut open by tumbling down the " companion way," one evening when we were all sitting quietly at dinner. By far the saddest and most serious catastrophe, how- ever, happened to a young Scotch lady on her way to New Zealand to help a married brother and his wife in bringing up a large young family. Paralysis of the optic nerve came on quite suddenly one afternoon, a fortnight after leaving England ; and for the rest of the voyage she had to remain a prisoner in her cabin, with eyes thickly bandaged, and the "dead light" fastened down day and night. Of course we took it in turns to try and relieve the tedium of her existence under these distressing circumstances, but talking in pitch darkness is not an easy matter, and those who are sensitive to " atmospheres " will find their conversational powers at a very low ebb if they are ever forced to make the experiment. The weather continued so determinedly rough and bad that we began to look with suspicion upon the only cleric on ,^T f ''. 12 KALEIDOSCOPE. i I board — a very harmless young curate, going out to the colonies for two years in search of health — who gained the sobriquet of " Jonah " by resenting so deeply the captain's time-honoured joke, of being on the look-out for a whale to devour him, if the waves were not soon "ruled a little straighter." Poor Jonah ! He was a most kind-hearted and con- scientious man, in spite of some little peculiarities, and an overflowing sense of the importance of the priesthood. It was with real sorrow that I learned some months later that he had fallen a victim to typhoid fever contracted at Melbourne. He died in the general hospital at Dunedin in New Zealand, without one creature near who knew anything of him. The curiously unfortunate part of the business being that I was actually in Dunedin at the time he lay there so ill, and was spending a day with the Bishop ; but by some ill chance did not happen to speak of the hospital, nor hear that a fellow countryman and fellow passenger was dying there. On the early morning of September 23rd, we sighted at last, the Tasmanian coast having been delayed two days by the strong head winds we had encountered. Tasmania has a most beautiful, broken up coast-line, and our binoculars were in constant request all day long as we rounded the island, steaming up Storm Bay by the Iron Pot Lighthouse, to the mouth of the Derwent aud the Bay of Hobart. TASMANIA. 13 Unfortunately we did not ca&t anchor till 9 P.M., when darkness had come on, and so we missed the beautiful approach through the harbour. To the New Zealand passengers, who would have no later opportunity of seeing the harbour, the loss was specially aggravating. As I was travelling alone to join my friend, the captain had taken me under his kindly care, and promised to see me safely landed. So I let the other passengers for Tasmania land alone, with the eye of faith firmly fixed upon the captain's cabin. Arriving in port means a very busy time for the Lead ol' the ship — pilot and agents to be interviewed, innumerable letters to be written and despatched, orders to be given, instructions to be received. It seems to me that a captain requires eyes all round his head, and an extra pair of hands to get through all he has to do, and often ^i such limited time. After a wide experience, I have come to the conclusion that to be captain of one of these important lines of ocean steamers is to hold about as difficult a " hand " as can be dealt to one in the game of life. A man who has the enthusiasm of his calling and an unquenchable love of the ocean may find some compensation in these, but on the whole the life must be extremely monotonous, whilst the responsibilities and possible worries and disagreeable risks (apart from risk of life) seem to me out of all proportion to the rewards offered. If things go wrong, the captain is abused. If one pas- ',r r 11 I i 1 m n II ! ii i > 14 KALEIDOSCOPE. senger plays practical jokes upon another, the latter "complains to the captain." When the men quarrel iu the smoking-room, or the women in the saloon, the captain is expected to lend a sympathetic ear to the tale of woe from either side. If he speak more to one. lady than another, the rest resent it ; or, worse still, some 7nan (who probably would like to be in his place) resents it still more strongly, and possibly lays a formal complaint before the owners of the ship. If the captain happens to be musical, and offers to sing or play for the entertainment of the passengers, there are always grumblers, who "wish to goodness he would stick to his business, and remember he is there to navigate the ship and not to amuse or trouble his head about the passengers." If, on the contrary, he leaves them entirely to their own devices, " he is a selfish old bear, and Captain of the was fifty times pleasanter ; and they will never sail in his ship again." The character of the captain of one of these large ships is as fragile and as easily tarnished as that of a woman, or a clergyman. Once let him become unpopular, and his employers grow dissatisfied. The most trivial and unjust complaints will then receive a hearing, and the risk of loss of employment may stare a man in the face at any moment after years TASMANIA. 15 of honest and devoted service in the interest of any given line. No doubt this is looking on the dark side of the picture, but the shadows exist and are very real. To be a dissenting minister at the mercy of a carping congregation doubtless is equally risky, and certainly there is one avenue open to the captain if he be a man of any literary ability. A long life of observation on a passenger steamer should be a glorious school in which to graduate as a novelist. The dramatis j^o'^onm are there ready to hand, constantly passing before his eyes in ever-shifting combinations; whilst the whole play is changed, and an entirely new programme pubUshed, at least three or four times a year. Hobart, or Hobart Town as it is more correctly called, is beautifully situated on a tongue of land running straight down to the bay between a long range of hills on either side. The snow-capped peaks of Mount Wellington (4,000 to 5,000 feet high) rise behind the town, and form one of the most striking features of the landscape. The town itself is small, sleepy, colonial, and unfinished looking, but many of the houses are of stone, and there are some fine buildings amongst them. The cathedral, as also the new deanery, is built of stone, and when the nave is finished, and a spire or tower added, will look very imposing. The Dean of Hobart (Dundas) and his hospitable wife told me much of the life at present going on in "Sleepy r III il: ' le KALEIDOSCOPE. Hollow," as it is called, an H .: ^ 24 KALKIDOSCttl'K. on, after loaviug Sliipwriglit's Point, slie luul the boat of the steamer lowered, jumped into it, and began sculling herself across to the other side (a very considerable distance), and in the teeth of a very strong current. The captain told us she had done this every day of her life for twelve years past, carrying the post and any parcels that might arrive for the little homestead where she lives. The uncle and aunt, in whose house she abides, own one of the largest orcliards in Tasmania, and must be people of substance. This enter- prising young woman seems to be a " Jack (or Jill) of all trades." Tn addition to the more domestic accomy)lishments of cookery and dairy tending, she can carpenter, sow, reap, plough, and " do as much work out of doors in one day as any two men." Moreover, she will ride, drive, or row twenty or thirty miles to a ball at any time ; dance all night, and return in the same way next morning. Certainly, she looked very mncli voather-beaten, but is said to have been rather good-lool.in'j in younger days, before this mania for hard work came on. Next morning we rose early, and were out by 7 A.M. for a stroll amongst the beautiful hills, and were quite sorry to leave the pretty little primitive village when the coach came round for us at 9 A.M. We drove through the pretty township of Victoria, which is more shut in than Franklin, and must be hotter and less healthy as a summer resort, I imagine. Then we followed the river's side for some miles, until gradually the very TASMANIA. 25 excellent road began to ascend, and by degrees we reached a considerable elevation. Here we passed the jircttiest part of the road, where the tree fern grows in great profusion, and to an immense height. Our host, Mr. Webster, turned out to be also our Jehu, and wonderfully well he drove, being one of several brothers of the same name who "boss" this coach lino on the Huon road, and have houses of similar harmless entertainment along the whole extent of it. The road, which measures twenty-three miles from Victoria to Hobart, was made by Government at an outlay of £28,000. After lunch, we drove on to a gradual elevation of 1,500 feet, getting every now and then beautiful peeps of the bay and the surrounding mountains. Then began the descent into the town, and by 3 P.M. we were once more at Hobart Post Office, where the coach stops to discharge prisoners. These coaches are very primitive machines, with black leather curtains which cover either side, but which can be reefed or let down at pleasure. Inside the coach, however, it is impossible to get any good view, and it is therefore most necessary to insure the box seat beforehand. If any one, having one whole day to spend in this lovely island, asked me how to make the best use of the time, I should advise a morning drive to the Cornelian Bay Cemetery, by the side of the Derwent, and commanding a magnificent view of the river, bay, and surrounding mountains. 26 KALEIDOSCOPE. 1 . ■! I i For the afternoon, I should recommend a drive of ten miles, partly along the Hiion road, already mentioned, to a place on the sea-shore, called Brown's River, from the stream that winds through a rocky ravine, and empties itself ifito the sea at tliis point, and where the most exquisite shells of every size, hue, and shape, can be picked up on the shore, even by the most lazy conchologist. I had made friends with an intelligent jeweller in Hobart, to whom I had taken a ring that required some small repair, and as he has travelled all over the Australasian colonies before anchoring for a time in Hobart, his conversation and experiences were w^ell worth hearing. Having gathered from some casual words that he was convinced of the truths of spiritualism (as it is called), I was somewhat surprised when he handed me a thick book full of newspaper " cuttings," describing the " excellent lectures given by Lieutenant Rose (the man in question) to expose spiritualism." It seemed a paradox that a man, himself a spiritualist, should spend his life in giving lectures to expose his own beliefs. He admitted the force of my remark, but said quietly that it woidd never pay to lecture in favour of the creed. There was so much prejudice against the subject, that, on one occasion, when through some misunderstanding he was announced as an advocate of it, the scene of confusion was terrible. The whole lecture-hall *vas converted into a bear- TASMANIA. 27 garden, oranges, rotten eggs, and even chairs, flying gaily around ; and it was not until the audience was assured that Mr. Ross intended to " curse " instead of to " bless," so far as their lite noir was concerned, that they consented to give him any sort of a hearing, " I was not likely to lecture in favour of spiritualism after that sort of thing," he said, very frankly. My denunciation of the dishonesty of his present practice seemed to fall like water off a duck's back. " Yes, of course, I know from experience that it is true enough," he said ; " but I am bound to make a living, and they won't listen to anything else. Besides, there is a good deal of trickery and fraud amongst some of the professional mediums, so it is fair enough to expose them." He seemed unable to see the dishonesty of leaving his audience to infer that he believed there was nothing hut trickei •• and deception in the matter. I wt .ider how much more of the " exposure of spiritualism " may be done on similar lines ? To turn to more orthodox matters, I went to the Cathedral one Sunday morning, and heard a clever but rather in- trepid sermon from Bishop Sandford on the words " One Lonir He attacked the subject of the mirai^les, and showed an ingenuity in dealing with them which is a necessary clerical attribute in these days of in iversal scepticism on all matters, mundane or divine. 1 2S KALEIDOSCOrE. He tried to prove that the miracles were no reversing of the order of Nature, but rather, as it were, pushing Nature back from what was unnatural into the natural groove again. For example, in the miracle of raising the dead, " life is the law of Nature, therefore Christ only restored the natural law in raising Lazarus from the dead." This struck me as more ingenious than fair, f r ^ ' 'y death is equally a law of Nature as we know her, and we cannot logically go beyond human experience in speaking of natural laws ? Nothing daunted, the Bishop next attacked the mii'acle of turning water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee: — " This was no new process — only a recognized process performed instantly instead of through long weeks :.,nd months. Water is being turned into wine every day. The water nourishes the roots of the vine, making ♦^.li gi'apes grow, and from them is expressed the wine wt drink." Or, again, with regard to the miracle of feeding the five thousand with the five small loaves : — "V/e cast grain into the ground, and God gives the increase Avhich we gather at the harvest. The proc s was only accelerated when the loaves were miraculoi; y increased to meet the wants of the multitude." This seems terribly far-fetched, iind i>^ a fair specimen of the specious clerical argumeald of n. i* dly luuuly and ■i««Mr" TASMANIA. 29 honest mind, compelled by the spirit of the age to find an excuse or explanation for wliat had surely better be lett to the domain of faith. I felt much more sympathy with him at the end of the discourse, when he spoke very humbly and beautifully of the difficulties of the problems of life to all thinking minds. " The scientific men call upon us to choose between power and love in our Creator. If He is omnipotent, He is cruel : if He is love, He is not omnipotent." As we are not able with our present powers to grasp even the whole meaning of Nature, surely we cannot expect by their aid to understand and search out the inscrutable wisdom of the Creator. Therefore it is not illogical to say, "We will hcUcvc in His love and omnipotence in spite of appearances." There was a straightforward manliness in the way he faced and disposed of the difficulty at the last that came like a breath of strong, wholesome fresh air after the artificial atmosphere of subtle theological suggestion. One of the chief personal interests in my visit to Tasmania lay in the fact that we are here surrounded by recollections of the governorship of Sir John Franklin, Avhose grandchildren are amongst my valued friends. There is a very fine bronze statue of Sir John in the public square in Hobart, called after his name. The long, low house where he lived (before the present grand new ' 'il ,; • : i- 30 KALEIDOSCOl'K residence existed) was pointed out to me by the Dean, and is situated almost opposite the present deanery. A whole village on the Huon River has been called after t]>t: famous explorer ; and the setting sun of my Tasmanian ek|: ;es lights up the face of this great man, whose name . ..ines forth through the ever-lengthening years with as bright a memory and as keen a sadness as in the days when hope deferred at last died out a lingering death, and men knew that they should see his face no more " until the Sea gives up her dead." CHAPTER II. SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE. S.S. Flara — A terrible storm — A shipwreck — Kelative value cif cowa and men — Sydney IlarLour by muonliglit — A word for the harbour idolaters— Town of Sydney— Climate— Governnumt House and the Gardens — A celebrated y^/rtHisfc— Successi'ul barristers — Sydney House of Parliament — An undignified wrangle — Ainise versus Satire — A Speaker's despair — Bed and blanket obstruction — Sir Henry Parkcs — A modern Antony — Excursions from Sydney — South Head Lighthouse — Paramatta — Lane Cove River — A week in the Blue Mountains— Katoomba— The famous " Zig-Zag "— Govett's Leap and Wentworth Falls— Flora of the mountains— Comparison between social conditions of Sydney and Melbourne — Colonial servants — Lady Stawell's experience on this point — Two days on a fruit farm — Canning operations — AYater supply — A charming host— A Sydney theatre— The Colonial "Ellen Terry "—Sydney University— A magnificent Commemoration Hall — Art in Sydney— A happy device— Melbourne — Pul)lic buildings — Moral atmospheres — Victoria politics— Pictures in ^Ielbt)urne— Colonial Clubs— Outskirts of the town — A dance on board the Ndsor, — Melbourne society — The "almighty dollar " in Colonial coin— An eccentric choir— Terrible roads— Melbourne climate— Consumptive patients— "Value of first impressions— Contrast between America and Australia— True value of money. Having waited patiently for nearly a month in Tasmania, in the vain hope that the small-pox scare might subside and the quarantine regulations be at least suspended, I hardened my heart at length, and took ship for Sydney in the Ts-- ! ■' 1; F^i !i ■I: t >i il J* I* 32 KALEIDOSCOPE. maniaii Steam Navigation boat Flora, deterniiued to risk the chance of quarantine sooner than spend the rest of my natural life in Hobart Town, as there seemed to be every chance of my doing. As no steamers that had touched the Tasmanian coast were allowed to enter either Australian or New Zealand ports, postal communication was deficient, if not impossible ; and, rnoreover, I had not received a line from the friend I had come so far to join, and felt naturally anxious to know where the meeting could be effected. My last letters from her had come from Sydney, where I pictui-ed her awaiting my arrival. It turned out that, weary of the delay, she had gone off to New Zealand, but I had no idea of this fact at the time, or might possibly never have seen the Australian Colonies at all. As it was, we came in for one of the most tremendous gales that had visited even the stormy Australian coast for many years. A well-known steamer, The Cheviot, of the Howard Smith line, went down in the storm at 9 PM. on the night after we loft Hobart, with a loss of thirty-seven passengers out of sixty on board, and most of the officers and crew. The wreck occurred just outside Melbourne Heads. The stern of the vessel was lifted by the storm so vio- lently out of the water, that the " racing " of the propeller ended by snapping it off, and the vessel drifted on to the rocks, where she was cleft con)plctcly in two i)arts. I mimnimmmmti^fmmKfrw SYDNEY AND MELBOUllNE. S3 Her bows struck the rocks first, and all the steerage passengers were lost. The saloon passengers and the captain were saved. The latter behaved splendidly after the disaster had oc- curred, but was considered foolhardy for putting out to sea on such a night. In the court of inquiry that was afterwards held, special mention was made of the fact that various other vessels ad- vertised to sail that evening had not left the harbour— notably one of the Union Steam Navigation boats, the Waimrapa. The counsel for the captain quietly explained this away by saying, « That ship had some very valuable animals on board," which must have provoked a smile even on that solemn occasion. The explanation, however, is more reasonable and less cynical than would appear at first sight. We must remember that valuable cattle, being stowed on the lower deck, might easily be washed overboard in a sea not heavy enough to endanger the ship herself or the lives of the passengers or cr6w. Our own captain's boldness was justified by success, and the Flora reached Sydney Harbour in safety on the evening of Thursday, October 20th, forty-eight hours out from Hobart, having made one of the quickest passages on record, but earned the undying hatred of most of us who sailed in her, for one naturally identifies a ship with the amount of misery sufiered whilst on board her. 84 KALEIDOSCOPE, ^' J ,1 We steamed into Sydney Harboui' and cast anchor in Watson's Bay between 7 P.M. and 8 P.M., too late for the dayhght ; but one scarcely regretted it, for a full moon and a starlit sky lent a beautiful and more poetic setting to the 8cene, and the numerous coloured lights from the masses of rigging on all sides gave a fairy-like look to the famous harbour. This harbour (from later experience) strikes me as more home-like, in spite of its great expanse, than any similar scenery on such a grand scale, Quebec, for example (magnificent as is the harbour view), seems much less " friendly " as our German neighbours would say — a panorama to be gazed at with admiration, whereas you take Sydney Harbour straight into your heart and love it for once and for ever. The low-lying hills around, the numerous small bays, the lovely green islands dotted all over the broad bosom of th3 harbour, form a truly magnificent sight ; and yet you can take it in without effort, and feel as though you could quickly grow familiar with all the beautiful bends and turns of the sea. This, I think, must be the secret of the almost pt ssionate devotion of all Australians for this favoured spot. Other harbours may be as lovely, some few may be as grand, but it would be difficult to name one that combines tlie magnificent and the lovable in any like proportion. Of course the overwhelming admiration from the practical and naval point of view arises from the fact that no other ^mr^f^^mmm^ SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE. 35 harbour in the world has such depth of water and can boast of such easy navigation. Even Melbourne does full justice to Sydney on this score, and reluctantly admits that she has nothing to compare with the world-famed " harbour." " But this is an accident of nature," adds the jealous sister colony, " Look what we have made out of our possibilities compared with the provincial, dead-alive look of the capital of New South Wales." Small wonder that " the harbour " should be the boast, the pride, and the joy of every man, woman, and child in Sydney The possibilities of enjoyment connected with it are countless. From the "Circular Quay" you can take steamers for trips in every direction, spend an hour or two rambling through somo lovely wooded dell, or walking over a road that commands grand views of wood and sea, and so gain some further spot from which another steamer will bring you back to the hot dusty city. There is not a beautiful spot in all this vast stretch of beauty that cannot be reached by steamer in times varying from ten to sixty minutes, whilst excursions to the heads and all round the harbour are of frequent occurrence, and occupy some two or three hours of a delicious summer's day or still more romantic moonlight uin-ht. It requires some experience of the stifling, enervating heat of a Sydney spring or summer in order to appreciate fully the enormous relief of one of these harbour trips, with its cool D 2 f 36 KALEIDOSCOPE. 1 1 soft breezes, in exchange for the hot dusty pavements of the hilly Sydney streets. I am loth to leave the beauty and charm of Sydney Harbour, feeling there is so little else about the place that I can honestly admire. But after all, Sydney is Sydney Har- bour. All ih i fashionable suburbs of the town are built upon its shores, and the dirty, dusty old town itself need rarely be visited by the happy possessors of the many charming houses that lie in every direction upon the surrounding hills. The town of Sydney is much scattered, and built upon numerous hills. One is always going full pelt down one steep hill only to find an equally steep one to be mounted on the other side. The dust when I was there was perfectly appalling, and as a hot north-east wind blew continually, the charms of the Australian climate did not strike me at once with any great force, and I thought the World had spoken with little charity and less knowledge in reproaching Mrs. Barry so bitterly for finding any flaw in Sydney weather. In spring, I know from experience that the Sydney climate is extrem-^ly trying to a new-comer. The heat during the summer months is of course intense, and during the winter there are often weeks of continuous rain. Naturally, you are told that the weather is " most exceptional " at such times ; but I found, after several months' experience, that colonial weather was invariably " exceptional " when it was not perfect. Writing under the fog-bound misery of a London II t| i SYDNEY AND MELnOURNE. 37 January, one would liail even Sydney heat and dust with delight, but it is as well to realize that cloudless skies and brilliant sunshine must be paid for like everything else in this world — at least in Australia. The Botanical Gardens which run down to the water, and occupy a considerable line along the harbour, are most ex- tensive and beautiful, but not very well kept as a whole. It was amusing to notice how much more care was bestowed upon those parts of the grounds which surrounded Govern- ment House, built at the top of the gardens, overlooking the harbour. Spring is scarcely the best time to see tropical gardens. Many of the shrubs and plants are dried up by the early heat, whilst others, more prudent, have not yet attempted to bud. One of the chief trees about here is the Queensland fig, a large spreading tree, with stiff green leaves in clusters, and little hard brown balls, which develop into small red-coloured figs, rounder and smaller than our green fig. The pleasantest fruit I have tasted out here is tJ,- loquari. It is a small, round, yellow, and slightly acid fruit, aud grows in clusters with long narrow green leaves to the stems. The passion fruit which is so universally appreciated is far too luscious for my taste, and I grew to dislike even the perfume of it. I came across a celebratpropriatcs twenty minutes of this time, and each plays the same study or the same movement, whilst the other four listen and profit by the mistakes and instruction of their friends. The plan seems to answer admirably, judging by the lady's success, and as she manages to find time also to brin • up three little children (all under two and a half years c ), she must have immense energy, and more physical strength than one can well imagine with so small a frame. She played to mo, on several occasions, selections from Beethoven, Gottschalk, Chopin, &c., with equally brilliant and unerring touch, and, apart from the charm of the music, it was quite a pretty sight to see the tiny hands flashing over the piano. Marvelling at the many prizes w^on so early in life by Mr. Bertram Wise, late Attorney-General for New South Wales, I was assured that all successful barristers out here are making from £1,500 to £3,000 or £4,000 a year, and then retire on judgeships varying from £3 000 to £7,000 a year. This, of course, means good luck as well as brains. Still, I wonder that some of our capalh English barristers, who think themselves lucky if they clear £1,.500 a year by the time tln^y are forty, do not come out here and tempt Fortune on a bigger scale. SYDNFA' AND MELDOUnNE. 39 Mechanical hcadwork is useless, but real talent must Tind a wider field where the competition is less fierce than in our overcrowded island, Mrs. Wise being an old friend of mine in England, T had many pleasant and sociable evenings with her and her clever young husband in their pretty home " on " Maclcay Street, the fashionable Sydney street of many handsome residences, and somewhat reminding me of our Palace Gardens. In company with Mr. and Mrs. Wise I made my first and last appearance in the Sydney House of Parliament. It is at present a most unpretentious, mean-looking, long, low house in Macquarie Street, as little remarkable inside as it is from the outside, A Speaker's chair, a few leather stuffed seats on either side, for the Government and the Opposition respectively, and a gallery at the end, pretty well crowded with spectators (who, I trust, were edified by what they saw and heard), completed the entourage. Who was the great statesman who remarked, " With how little wisdom the world is governed ! " ? How often that sentence flashed through my brain as I sat in the Sydney House for three mortal hours listenincf to tlie most undio-ui- fied " wrangle " from tlic Opposition, which continually fell to the level of personality and abuse, and threatened to sink to the still lov>?er depths of a free fight. It seemed that the previous evening some member of the Government had stigmatized the conduct of some members of the Opposition as " contemptible and notorious " — on the 40 KALEIDOSCOPE. vexed question of obstruction. The expressions had been used and withdrawn twenty-four hours previously, but the war raged on with a flow of invective as dull as it was disgraceful. One of the Opposition, an undertaker, was specially violent, and had a depressed and vicious expression, as though he had lived amongst corpses all his life, and had not been improved by his surroundings. The members of the Government certainly showed to great advantage on this occasion, as they sat in almost unbroken silence listening to the flood of abuse and personalities that surged around them from the Opposition benches. " A set of dirty tools " was one of the mildest terms of reproach hurled at them ; but possibly tliey would have been less forbearing and perhaps less dignified had the respective positions been reversed. One fears that such lamentable want of good taste and good breeding can scarcely be confined to either side of the House. The abuse, moreover, was so utterly stupid. They never seemed able to see an opening for a good point by which the adversary's weapons might liavc been tunied inwards. One was reminded of those lines — A " Satire is like a penknife, sliar]) and keen, Which while it penetrates is srarcely seen ; Euttliine, the oy.ster knife that liai'ks and hew.=- The will, but not the power, to abuse." To me the whole proceedings appeared an undignified, childlike, ill-bred, dishonest waste of the time tliat should mmm SYDNEY AMD MELBOURNE. 41 have been spent in the rocal interests of the country, and can only serve as a terrible warning to our own House of Commons, should tlie days ever conie wlien mass shall outweigh merit. The poor Speaker rose several times witli calls "to order," and seemed both annoyed and disgusted, but help- less to administer more than a temporary extinguisher, after which the " honourable member " flew up again, more rampant than ever. At five o'clock we came out to a pleasant diversion in tlie form of tea in the Committee- room, where the Leader of the Opposition, the Sergeant- at-Arrns, and several other members were introduced to me. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Dibb.s) told me that on more than one occasion he had been present at a sitting of fifty-six hours-once from Thursday till Sunday afternoon. Beds and blankets were brought into the C\.)m- mittee-rooms, and the members were literally "packed," to be awakened wlienever a division took place. One man spoke for nine hours consecutively, in order to gain time, and managed, it is said, to cJu.g to some coherence in spite of his lengthy speech. Ail this was told with great triumph, but sounds rather derogatory to the dignity of the House, when we consider tliat it sprav,g from a mere party trick to starve and weaiy out the other .side tlirough sheer physical exhaustion -surely not a very noble way of getting the best of an argument. The Government represents the Free Trade policy, and m ^ 42 KALEIDOSCOPE. I I was glad to have the opportunity of hearing Sir Henry Parkes speak after tea. He is a striking-looking old man, with a thick shock of pure white hair, and a face something between that of a lion and a bulldog. He has a very low sweet voice, that can, however, ring out with great strength when he is repelling a charge or protesting against an injustice. His language is remarkably well chosen, and the words fall naturally and Avithout effort into their appropriate places, so much so as to give a sense of rest and completeness that not even the absence of every legiti- mate h, and the introduction of n good many extraneous ones, can disturb. I can quite understand his power in reading men, and the r.iagnctic influence he exercises over those who come nearest to him. He is al\\\\YS appealing to the /cc/in(7s of hi.s audience; there is a sort of perpetual Jnlms Ca:snr and Marl' Antony flMvour in liis speeches; whilst any suspicion of weakness or sentimentality is kept in check by flashes of the old Roman senator passion, which are judiciously introduced from time to time. One has a chronic feeling that he is a most noble, long- suffering, much-enduring, and slightly unappn.'ciated patriot. I suppose this is because ho is perpetually conveying such an impression to every one. Anyway, liis quiet voice and well-chosen words came as a great relief after the unmannerly, vulgar, and bearish behaviour of many of the members. The A.ttoruey- General took but little part in the debate ^m «■■■ SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE. 43 sncli on this occcosion beyond asking a few questions ; his bright refined face and quiet gentlemanly bearing seemed singularly out of place with his surroundings. It is not to be wondered at that so few respectable men out here can be found to take part in politics with this contaminating atmosphere. Motives of purest patriotism must be required to induce any honourable man to mix himself up with such company, at the risk of suffering possibly for life from their foul lies and insinuations against his private character. Yet, unless more such men can be found, it is hard to see whence political salvation is to come. The outlook is a dreary one at pr-sent : boxing-gloves bid fair to take the j^lace of truth and reason in the arguments of the future. In the company of kind friends I matle all the pleafaiitcr expeditions in the vicinity of Sydney. We had a picnic to Middle Harbour, wliich takes the cake for beauty as the colonists would say. Wc drove to the South Head Light- house, devoted a long summer afternoon away upon Maid-^-y Beach, explored the lovely Lane Cove River, and spent one melting, never-to-be-foi-gotten day in Paramatta, which town boasts of a fine collegiate school (King's), but is chiefly in- teresting as having been the site of the former residence of tlic Governor, Old Govcrinuont House still remains as a memory of tlio p;vst, in tlio Paramntta Park, Going to Paramatta by steanuT from S^'dnoy, one passes ;, P I I m ,p 'I ^^ 44 KALEIDOSCOPE. numerous specimens of the mangrove, a tree which grows in the water, and serves to reclaim the land by pushing forward its roots, and so by degrees presenting an impenetrable barrier to the encroaching waters. The branches of these trees are thick and stumpy, especially towards the roots, and the foliage is very dense, not unlike the Queensland fig-tree at first sight. Of course I " did " my Blue Mountains like the rest of the world, but this scenery has been so fully described that it is unnecessary to dwell upon it. My week in the mountain district was a rainy one, with a few bright exceptions, when the beautiful scenery seemed all the more beautiful for emerging from such a mist of tears. To be able to reach this glorious scenery and bracing climate within foui* hours by train from Sydney, must be a matter for devout thankfulness to every one living near the metropolis. I stayed at Katoomba, a very central point, from which all expeditions can be made. My first day, being doubtful as regards weather, was devoted to investigating the rail beyond Katoomba, and specially the famous " zig-zag " — a loop-line which is a modified edition of the one near Georgetown in the Rocky Mountains. The train rises by a very heavy grade to a point overlooking some deep cliffs ; here the engine reverses and runs down a graduated incline, looping backwards and forwards until the zig-zag platform is finally reached on the plains beneath. A great deal of coal is found in these T SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE. 45 mountains, and we saw many of the pits' mouths from the train, and also in walking from Eskbank to the dirty coal-miniijg town of Littigon. Silver has lately been discovered in great quantities about eight miles beyond Littigon, and I met a man on this ex- pedition who seemed much excited by the mining prospects recently opened out. He "hailed" from Sydenham, England, but had spent thirty years in the colonies, and spoke with great horror of the rough bush life. " Ease of manner," according to his account, seems to degenerate into very decided license of speech and conduct, and the utter absence of the most ordinary decencies of life. Govett's Leap is the expedition par excellence in the Blue Mountains, but I thought Wentworth Falls quite as beautiful, and the features of the scenery are curiously similar in all these mountain expeditions. The same grand panorama meets your eye everywhere. Miles upon miles of thick " scrub " in the valley below, sharp precipitous rocks rising around you in the form of a vast amphitheatre, whilst you look sheer down— down into the unfathomable depths of the virgin forest, and almost shudder to feel suspended, as it were, in mid air over such a weird mysterious scene. The waterfall, as usual, is merely an accident, breaking the curve of the natural amphitheatre very pleasantly, and forming a damp bed for the exquisite ferns which grow up its rocky sides. I clambered down to various points, or " look-outs," guarded by iron railings, built over the giddy heights. The «*««MniiVPi 46 KALEIDOSCOPE, I 4: glorious line of blue mountains (so well deserving their name), stretched out for miles into the far horizon, dying away at length into the sky-line, from Avhich it was so hard to distinguish them. The scenery here is above all charac- teristic, quite unlike any other I have seen; and just now (November), the monotony of green foliage was constantly broken up by clumps of waraiah, a glorious mountain flower which only blossoms at this time of the year. In shape it is somewhat like a glorified globe artichoke, but of deepest crimson, and grows on stalks as thick as one's finger some two or three feet from the ground, springing up from the dark green leaves which wave around the gorgeous blossoms. Many beautiful specimens of Erica (specially the luhitc heather) abound in this mountainous district, which is also a very paradise of ferns. The comfortable Katoomba Hotel had a very judicial flavour at the time of my visit, reckoning no less than three judges with their wives, and in one case a family, amongst its guests. Sir William Stawell, formerly one of the most famous judges in Victoria, but whose health, alas I has broken down under the strain of work, was amongst these. I had much talk over colonial matters with Lady Stawell, who spoke very highly of the energy and education of " the people." Her remarks referred, of course, to Victoria, not to New South Wales, and there appears a vast difference between the two countries, which aiv yet so nearly allied by situation and *:lmuite. To k'Lihi witli, Now South Wales must have much mmmm SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE. 47 more of the old convict blood in its veins. Melbourne ia a newer city, and has been colonized from a very different class in England, who went out to carve their fortunes by industry and energy, and were not generally sent " for the good of their country." Even those who came to Victoria on compulsion did so generally for trifling offences. Minor criminals were transported frequently, not because their crimes were specially heinous, but as a matter of expediency to colonize a country which seemed so far off thirty or forty years ago that bribes of money or land Vv'ere found useless in urging men to undertake what was then a very lengthy and perilous voyage. New South Wales, on the contrary, had been started in the older days when convicts tvcrc convicts, and the first idea was to provide a safe place for them, and not to extend a rising colony. Much of my talk with Lady Stawell was on the vexed question of domestic service out here. She and many other mistresses have told me that Australian servants arc on an absolutely different footing from those in England, but it would appear in some ways a more wholesome and pleasant one. It seems that you musL readjust your views of domestic service here entirely or you will get nothing done fo" you at all. "Treat a Colonial servant as you would an English one, and see where yo.i pull up." Lady StaAvell was guiltless of the Yankee expression, but that seemed the text of her discourse. You must look upon servants here as obliging sort of people who live in • mj w^iy^iiiwpwfwi^ 48 KALEIDOSCOPE. b It' I your house iand are willing to work if you treat them very well and consider it a matter of mutual accommodation. They require more individuality of life, and exact time for reading, working," and holidays, in a way that would scare an English mistress. Give in to this with a good grace, and I am assured that you can often secure faithful and devoted service. Three ladies present on this occasion spoke of servants who had lived with them for eight, ten, and twelve years respectively, showing real unselfish devotion in times of sickness and trouble. We English seem to fall between two stools in this matter, and servants have come to look upon us as natural enemies, or as weak fools if we attempt to rule by kindness. The old feudal system between master and servant, still surviving in parts of France, seems to answer very well, as also the advanced Colonial idea of equality of rights and citizenship. We seem to be in the transition stage between the two, and the result is as uncomfortable as incongruous positions invariably must be. On my return to Sydney from the Blue Mountains, I spent two very pleasant days on the Woodstock estate, near Rooty Hill, a station on the line, some twenty miles from Sydney, and the country residence of Mr. Walter Lamb. My host, who has also a charming house in Sydney, is a well-known breeder of stock, but has lately given fresh impetus to local industry on his estate by starting a fruit- canning establishment on his own grounds. He has let a large portion of the Woodstock estate to small holders, on SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE. 49 the understanding that the land should be devoted to fruit-growing, and has raised a substantial brick structure, seventy-four feet in length by thirty-one in height, for re- ceiving, cutting up, and canning the fruit. All the tins are manufactured on the premises, where every operation con- nected with the industry takes place. The great difficulty, the water supply, has been.met by constructing an extensive reservoir, capable of holding 3,000,000 gallons of water, whilst a circular cemented brick tank with a capacity of 22,000 gallons has been constructed in front of the building, and is worked by a wind-mill from the main reservoir. The land is admirably suited for orchard purposes, being composed of gently rolling hills and undulating slopes, offering grand facilities for water storage. As the works develop, still larger • reservoirs will be built, and steam power used to pump the water into tanks distributed over the locality. More than a hundred acres of land (to be increased to a thousand) have been already planted with peaches, apricots, pears, plums, and quinces, but fruit is also received at re- munerative prices from many outside sources. Mr. Lamb has travelled all over California to acquaint himself with the newest machinery and the various processes for pre- serving fruit on a large scale, and his icm is to develop this industry in New South Wales, and enable her to compete wi.h CaUfornia as one of the great fruit markets of the world. Australia moreover starts with one striking advantage. E ■-r 50 KALEIDOSCOPE. ( i ^i •: 1 Ik hi If t f^ California, has to buy all the sugar used for syrup-making, whereas New South Wales can raise it on her own ground. Mr. Lamb spoke most enthusiastically of the generous kind- ness he had universally met with from the great " fruit canners " of California when they heard the object of his visit. Far from showing any petty jealousy in the matter they vied with each other in affording him every facility for seeing the details of the working of their various establishments. One of my last evenings in Sydney was devoted to the Criterion Theatre, in order that I might see the great Australian theatrical stai-, Miss Essie Jenyns, who was play- ing Viola in Twelfth Niglii. I had heard such exaggerated accounts of her beauty and genius that it was perhaps natural to find the reality far below my expectations. It is almost unfair to criticize so voimg an actress severely ; but Australians claim for her a place far above Ellen Terry, which is absurd. She is a pretty, intelligent girl, has been well and carefully taught, and does great credit to her teachers, making the most of the powers Nature has bestowed upon her. But she has not to my mind the most crude possibilities for anything like a great actress. There was no flash of inspiration, no one great moment throughout, nor do I think that she ever forgot that she was Miss Essie Jenyns, a very charming girl, deeply beloved and vainly adored by all the youth of Sydney.^ I must not leave Sydney without mention of a very inter- ' I have recently heard of the marriage of this popular young lady to a gentleman of good position and large fortune in Sydney. SYDNEY AM) MELBOURNE. 61 making, grouud. is kind- t "fruit his visit, hey vied ir seeing ments. d to the lie great /as play- iffgcrated is natural is almost Listralians s absurd. carefully iking the But she anything on, no one jver forgot ;irl, deeply very inter- oung lady to esting afternoon spent with Professor Threlfall, wlio fills the Chair of Natural Philosophy at Sydney University, and kindly volunteered to show me his laboratory and something of tlie University buildings, which are very extensive. The magnificent hall used for '•Commemoration," and built in the Elizabethan style, is the most striking of these. The painted windows are very fine specimens of artistic colour and taste. There is a fine carved wooden roof supported by angels, and a very grand organ, divided into three parts, with the warm colouring of a painted window serving as a background for it. The new medical schools are being built on a very fine scale, and Professor Threlfall is himself planning and super- intending the building of a new laborator> a plain work- manlike structure but fitted up with every convenience. He complained of the difiiculty of keeping within the limits of a grant of £13,000, which seems a fair sum for the purpose, but labour commands very high prices in these parts. My remembrance of a visit to the Art Museum in Sydney is almost too melancholy to be recalled. The building re- minis one irresistibly of a red brick stable, and speaks more for the absence of feeling for art in the Colonies than a hundred rirtioles written upon the subject could do. The collection of sculpture is very poor. Some war pieces by De Neuville, and a few originals of well-known works by Millais and Leighton, represent the pictures, but there is E 2 I i I 'i! 1^ ' 1 I' ! 62 KALEIDOSCOPK. little evidence of local talent with the exception of one or two Tasmanian views and one of the Goulburn River. There are some good engravings, but these are all by English or European artists, and there is without doubt a wide opening, to be filled in the future, let us hope, by talent native to the soil. Having a lively remembrance of my sutferings on board the Flora, I determined to go overland from Sydney to Melbourne, some eighteen hours by train, with one or two clianjies en route. America might take one lesson from Australia, viz. in the arrangements of the Pulman cars at nijrht. A shifting door divides the ladies from the gentle- men, the position of the door in the car being regulated by the numbers of berths engaged for either sex : married couples are separated, of course, by this arrangement, but if " the greater happiness of the greater number " is to be considered, there is no question of the advantages of this system over the crude American method, Melbourne claims to remind one of America more than any otlier Colonial city. So it does, and the boast is not peculiarly vainglorious, for it would be hard to find any- thing in ugline.ss to beat the usual type of American city, Boston and Washington always excepted. Melbourne, however, possesses some really fine buildings, and the Botanical Gardens are even more beautiful hei'e than m Sydney, although tlie latter can boast the finer situation of the two, tlianks to the immortal harbour. Mel- SYDNEY AND MELHOURNK. 53 f one ov . There nglish or opening, native to oix board jydney to 16 or iwo 3Son from ^ m cars at ^ he gentle- ': regulated . : married ent, but it " is to be . cres of this more than oast is not } find any- erican city, c buildings, | lutiful here ;t the finer hour. Mel- bourne has certainly gone ahead of Sydney with regard to the Houses of Parliament, which are very handsome. The original building is thirty years old — quite historical out here ; but within the last ten years some fine rooms have been added, and two new wings are being built, which will make an imposing finish to the structure. A beautiful little cupola rises in the middle of the buildings, and the gilding and ornamentation are in very good taste. A distinguished member took me all over the Houses, and told me, with great pride, that the size of the table and the distance between the Speaker and the seats are the same as in London. In one of the rooms I saw the original green leather-covered Speaker's chair used in the English House of Commons, from 1835 to 1853, and presented by Viscount Canterbury, when out here, in remembrance of his father, Lord John Manners. The Speaker in the Victoria House wears a wig, and therefore looks more imposing than his official brother of New South Wales. Let us hope he also commands a little more respect. It is said that, so far as manners go, there is not much to choose between the two Houses ; but upon this occasion the Melbourne debate was at least respectable, if somewhat dull. All the members spoke at once, and seemed anxious to drown each other's voices ; but one learns to be thankful for small mercies, and the absence of violent personal abuse was very grateful, and full of blissful repose. I believe that here, as 54 KALEIDOSCOPE. I elsewhere, atmosphere must have some influence. Possibly, a shabby old " House " may have as demoralizing an effect on some masses of men as a shabby old coat has been known to have upon many an individual. My kind cicerone gave me an exhaustive, but rather com- plicated, idea of Victoria politics. The two parties here seem to have divided simply upon the question of taxation. The plutocracy of course wish f )r an easy scale, and the extreme Radicals insist upon severe taxation and a " sliding " scale, so that a man with a thousand acres should pay less upon each acre than the proud possesso; of two thousand would do. Between these two extremes comes the Moderate Liberal party, who approve of taxing real estate but disapprove of the sliding scale, and are in favour of an equal tax on land, apart from any question as to the extent of the " holding." The Public Library is a very fine building in the Grecian style, well supplied with books, which are free to all who come to read. I was delighted to see so many men availing themselves of such a privilege, but rather disappointed to find that most of them were reading novel? at 11.30 a.m., very few scientific or literary books being in request on the morning of my visit. The Melbourne Picture Gallery is on a far finer scale than the Sydney " Art (stable)," and a loan exhibition of pictures from London, called the " Grosvenor Gallery," was going on when I paid my visit there. In the Parliament Gallei it was interesting to witness the haii i 60 KALEIDOSCOPE. Possibly the Jays are at hand when money-making for its own sake will begin to pall, and colonials will then wake up to the eternal fact that man does not live by bread alone-no nor eveu by curtains, nor carpets, nor tables and chairs-and that money after all is chiefly valuable when it procures for us, and enables us to procure for others, the real meat and driak of spiritual and intellectual life. ( i CHAPTER III. NEW ZEALAND. First impressions of New Zealand— The Blnff— Invercargill— Lake Wakatipu— Hector Mountains— Glenorchy—Kawarra Falls— Shot- over Kiver— Conversation with the Governor of Pentridge Gaol— His ideas of heredity with regard to crime— Mr. Birley of Glenorchy— Diamond Lake— Paradise— Eide to the valley of the Eees— Dunedin — Happiness of married life in the Colonies as compare 1 with England— A visit to the Bishop of Dunedin— His home and orphanage— Port Chalmers— A week on a sheep-station— Station life — Sheep-shearing- The rabbit plague— System of extermination— Christchureh- Its public buildings— River Avon— A Christchnrch sermon— A trip to the Sounds— Fishing— Tlie New Zealand bush— The Flora— MiUovd Sound— A modern Crusoe— Regatta in George's Sound — An exciting race— Visit to a member of the New Zealand Parliament— Wellington— Its buildings and climate — A stormy passage to Auckland— Onehunga— Maori fortifications— Expedi- tions to Pink and "Wliite Terraces— /Sfo;;/»'rt—Sulphur baths— Advice to ladies visiting hot Tarawera — Appearance of the Terraces since the eruption— A thorough Christian— Visit to a Maori chief— A solitary Englishman — New Zealand politics. On Wednesday, December 7th, I left my anchorage at the Esplanade Hotel, St. Kilda, and sailed in the Union steamship Wairarapa for New Zealand, intending to dis- embark at the first harbour, " the Bluff," and make my way thence to the Lake district. 62 KALEIDOSCOPE. I. After what the colonials would call "an exceptional experience " in the way of a smooth passage, we sighted land early in the morning of December 11th, passing the snow-clad peaks of the south-west range of mountains, beyond which lie the world-famed New Zealand Sounds ; and by 5 P.M. we were alongside the wharf at " the Bluff." I had heard such dismal accounts of the Bluff, and had been warned so constantly not to judge the whole country by a first impression of rain and wretchedness, that it was quite an agreeable surprise to find the reality so far superior to my anticipations. The Bluff, seen as I saw it first, on a fine bright summer evening, seemed quite a pretty little township. A few neat white houses, some rather bare green hills rising behind them, a signal-station keeping guard on the highest peak, low-lying hills stretching far away to east and west of us, — this was my first impression of New Zealand. As the ship was to lie in harbour all night, I had arranged to land next morning, when several fellow-passengers came with me to spend the day at Invercargill, whence they would return to the ship, which sailed for Dunedin that evening. Invercargill is an absolutely uninteresting town, lying eighteen miles from the Bluff, an hour's journey in a very slow train. The streets are laid out on a very large scale, and the Invercargillites must be very hopeful people if they expect NEW ZEALAND. 63 to fill in the flesh of such a huge skeleton. The finest buildings here, as elsewhere, are the grand stone banks, suggesting unlimited financial possibilities, which, I fear, are scarcely justified by the present condition of affairs in New Zealand. Going on by train next day to Kingston, C7i route for Lake Wakatipu, the wearisome pace made one easily believe the story of the man only lately arrived in New Zealand who, being asked to take a train, declined with thanks on the plea that " he was in a hurry," and preferred walking. The country at first was most flat and dull, relieved only by " tussocks " of grass, some green and some yellow, dried up and withered. The sheep will only eat the tussocks when green and fresh; so the old shoots are continually burnt down to make room for the tender undergrowth. We passed a great deal of the handsome New Zealand flax, so different in appearance from our own. It grows here to a height of several feet, and looks like bundles of rushes with a very handsome deep reddish-brown blossom. The cabbage-tree also abounds. It is a species of palm, growing on the top of a bare tree-stem with creamy and brown seeds. Presently, to our left, appeared the snow-clad moun- tain range of Te Anan, beyond which lie the lakes of Te Anan and Manarowri. The scenery became much grander towards the last hour, and by one o'clock we reached the Kingston wharf, and embarked on the Mountaineer, a •■ I 64 KALEIDOSCOPE. convenient little steaiTier that plies iip and down Lake Wakatipu on cert.iin days in the week. Salmon trout is found in great quantities in this lake, averaging from nine to thirty pounds in weight. • The first view of the deep blue waters of the lake is very beautiful, but the mountains at this end are bfire and bleak without being extremely grand, and the scenery is rather disappointing until, just before reaching Queenstown, the lake opens out very much. On the right hand side runs the range of Hector Mountains, culminating in a line of weird jagged precipices, called "the Remarkables," and in pleasant contrast lies the little township nestling between the mountains, a gorge at her back and the lapping waters of the intensely blue lake at her feet. Fortunately for me, the landlady of the hotel at Glenorchy (the head of the lake) was on board the steamer, and w^ made great friends, especially Avhen she found that I was coming on in a few days to her house. Visitors make the greatest mistake in confining their stay on Lake Wakatipu to a few days at Queenstown, with a run to Glenorchy by steamer and back in a day. All the finest scenery is at the head of the lake, and can only be reached by riding or driving twelve to twenty miles beyond Glenorchy. Mrs. Birley told me that Miss Bird had stayed with her at Glenorchy many years ago, before she achieved her Rocky Mountain fame. " Such a quiet little body ; I would never have dreamed she could write like that," said my friend, d(\sfribing her plain skirt and 11! : NEW ZEALAN'D. 65 lown Lake on trout is ; from nine lake is very i and bleak y is rather ^n, the lake le runs the ne of weird 1," and in ng between ng waters of ,t Glenorchy ler, and wf" that I was s make the tVakatipu to 7 by steamer the head of ivinff twelve ;old me that many years lie. " Such d she could n skirt and little Turkey red twill garibaldis " — as though they might bo calculated to have some disastrous effecL upon literary ability ! I was at Lake Wakatipu rather early in the season, and found few travellers at " Eichardt's," supposed to be the best hotel, and a very comfortable house. Underbred colonials are a very unpleasant experience. They stare at one as if one had come out of a menagerie, and the absence of simplicity on the one hand, and of savuir fairc on the other, causes them to n 'apse into a sullen, sulky silence, most trying to the nerves of a solitary traveller. Driving is an expensive amusement all over the Colonies. I was charged ten shillings for a short drive of barely two hours in a tiny buggy, holding only one person besides the driver. I went one afternoon to the Kawarra Falls, a rapid at the outlet of the lake where it forms the River Kawarra, which lower down joins and becomes merged in the Klutha River. We passed a very pretty place belonging to Mr. Boyes, who was staying at Eichardt's Hotel when I was there. He has been (juite ruined, poor man, by the rabbit pest, and obliged to give up his place, which was once one of the most pros- perous in this part of the country. Further on we came to the Shotovcr Bridge, spanning part of the wide bed of the Shotover River. Half of this is a bed of sand and very treacher- ous quicksand too. In ISTcS a tremendous flood caxied off a splendid clover field, converting it into waste ground. li .< ,i -! 66 KALKIDOSCOPK. In this same year all the lakes rose, flooding tlie covintry, and boats could come into our hotel, which lies close to the lake. A severe winter with heavy snows on the mountains was followed by an early and hot spring, which melted the snow too rapidly, thus causing the lake waters to overflow. Beyond Shotovi^r lies the handsome building of the Frankton Hospital, and a wide ex[)anse of agricultural country some 2,000 feet above the sea line, known as the Crown lands, where all the best crops of wheat and oats are raised. Gum-trees seem to flourish as well here as in Australia, but they impoverish the ground by sucking up so much moisture and throwing out such distant roots. No crops will grow within seven or eight feet of a gum-tree plantation on this account. I strolled one afternoon to the " Park," a pretty tongue of land by the lake side, which has been planted with young shrubs. Feeling very much like Robinson Crusoe on his desert island, I found my "man Friday" here. He appeared in the shape 'of a grey-headed elderly man with whom I had some pleasant and interesting conversation, and who turned out to be a Mr. Gale, governor of the Pentridge Gaol near Melbourne, a post he had held for thirty years. When I met him he was at the beginning of a six months' holiday ; his health having at length broken down under the great strain and responsi- bility of his work. He had served with Price (made famous under a nom dc NKW /KALAN'D. 07 jnder a novi dc plume in For the Term of Uis Natural Life), an^l was with hin. when he was killed. Many people affirm that this terrible tale is below rather than beyond the truth. Mr. Gale, how- ever, speaking from the official point of view, says that the book contains gross exaggeration. He maintains that Price was a really humane man, although severe, as was necessary with " men who were moro like wild beasts than anything human." " What can you do without bolts and bars and with a few men in authority over hundreds of these wild animals, for that is what most of them were in the old convict days ? " It is a sa,J problem, and no doubt here as elsewhere there are two sides to the question. Still, there must have been terrible temptations to cruelty in the days when moral discipline was far less understood and practised than in our own time, and when there was no public opinion to restrain or criticize the use of physical force. Mr. Gale and I had some interesting talk on the subject of heredity with regard to crime. He says that, after an experience of thirty years, he is convinced that crime is as much inherited as drunkenness or insanity. He said, " It is only of late years that people are coming to realize this, but it has been so from the besinnino-. During an experience stretching over thirty years I have never known one real criminal reformed for any length of time, although I have known several who have been clever enough to deceive my cnaplains, some of whom have had considerable knowledge of criminal human nature. I do not 'd ii ^1 if, i I '! 1^ I i ii \ I i! * UN KALKlDOSCOriv moan to say that a man who comes into gJiol ouco or even twice, tempted beyond his strengtli or through pressure ol' unfortunate circumstances, may not reform and outlive all prison taint ; but from the real criuiiii d class, I have never known one reforniation that was both genuine and lasting. It is born and bred in the bone." This seems a tiirribly sad conclusion, but once convinced of the truth of it, surely we had better face facts, and try to reform at the other end. I suggested that criminals should not be allowed to marry, and so go on providing inmates for asjdums and gaois. " No doubt," sani Mr. Gale, " ii must come to that some day as a mere question of political economy, but at present the world is not prepared for such extreme measures and would not tolerate them." If, as scientists now believe, the child before birth can be as sti'ongly influenced mentally by the condition of the mother as it can be physically, is it visionary to imagine that a child, conceived by parents given up to every bad passion, should make its appearance in the world as much marked morally by the mother's wicked impulses and desires as it might be physically by her craving for any special food or drink ? It is considered blasphemous and improjier to speak of these things, but is it not folly to ignore them and try to " tinker up " at the wrong end, spending thousands of pounds annually to support and chastise the criminals who should never have been born ? NKW ZEALAND. 09 uce or even pressure ol' outlive all Lave never and lasting. convinced of 5, and try to duals should ; iumates for that some it at present leasures and birth can be itiou of the imagine that bad passion, nuch marked desires as it )ccial food or oper to speak !m and try to nds of pouutls s who should After a few days in Queenstown, I started by steamer for the head of the lake. The mountains became more bleak and bare as one went further north, and the snow-clad peaks of ^fount Earnshaw and liii- CVsmos and Forbes nmges soon came into sight. The whole of Lake Wakatipu is famous for its gold gulches. In 1803 there was a regular " rush " here, and gold has been found in f^reater or less quantities ever since. The work is very hard, but the excitement is proportionately great, and sometimes from £300 to £400 a week has been made by successful mining. My host at Glenorchy, Mr. Birley, is considered to have a very good "scent" for gold, and has done a great deal of successful mining in his day. He is a man of good birth and of considerable literary attainments, but no doubt spent his money " not wisely but too well " in the old country, which he left i^aarly thirty years ago. He had been much in >porting and musical circles in those days, and having a capital memory delights in talking about them. We had many pleasant talks, but the conversation became a little difficult occasionally, as he was constantly asking after musical and dramatic stars, or celebrated racers who had flourished when I w^is in my cradle. The most beautiful expedition irorn Glenorchy k to Diamond Lake, and a lovely place called Paratlise — Sitid well deserving of the name — some ten miles from Glenorchy. Mrs. ]\rason, wife of the present owner of the Itmd, came out and gave me a most kindly welcome and a cup of I a !\' ^. 'r i ^ 1 "I 1' 70 KAF.KIDOSC.OPE. excellent tea. She is a most refined and well-read -woman. Her little drawing-room was fnll of reviews and books and papers, but she has led this strangely solitary life for years, and does not seem at all discontented. Her one com- plaint is that living so many miles from any possible medical aitl might be fatal U) lior husband, no longer a young or strong man. After tea she took me a wall: over some ploughed fields to a hill whence we had a most magni- ficent view of the snow-clad peaks of the Cosmos .' n .,'. of mountains. The approach to Paradise was anything but reassuring, for wo liad to cross and recross the river many times, and our shaky eon'veyance was often half ftiU of water. Another dm Mr. Birley and I took an unusually long ride of nearly fcMy miles in all to the valley of the Rees River, thence thrwi^ a deep lern gully of interminable length, and up a steep mountain track to the quartz mining of the "Invir*rible Mill." The view thence was glorious, but uothing f-.atild iirpass Paradise, and as my horse was extremely obstinate and had no mouth, T should have regretted the expedition with any companion less interesting than Mr. Birley, who discoursed upon every conceivable subject, from I5bp Derby winner of 184(1 to the poetry of Burns and Tennyson. "For goodness sake, Birley, k'ave that nonsense alone, and take a rake to the garden, do,'" was the rather iiTeverent comment of his practical wife, when she came in one NEW ZEAJ.ANI). 71 morning, and found him deep in Shakespeare's sonnets, Avliich he was reciting to me. " You see my poor dear wife's limited range of thought," lie said, but took the hint, and, I am bound to say, did a good morning's work when once safely started. He is fortunate in possessirig such a ])ractical, hard-working wife, and appreciates tlie f.\ct thorougldy. I left them both with many regrets after a stay of three days, and retraced my steps by steamer and rail to a junction called " The Elbow," whence I took the Waihemo Plains railway to Dunedin. The scenery was most monotonous, and the journey, of less than 200 miles, occupied twelve hours. Every one had spoken to me of the " Grand Hotel " at Dunedin as the finest in the Colonics. That may be, but it leaves much to be desired. It is built on a very large scale, somewhat resembling a baby American hotel. Tho food is pretentious but not well served, and the service generally is deficient. A smaller house Avould have served all purposes, and the money saved might have been well laid out in procuring greater comfort for the guests in other ways. Dunedin is a much scattered and rather perplexing town. It is bounded on one side by d peninsula running right out into the sea, the bay being inclosed between this and the curve of the opposite shore. Dunedin proper stretches far away into the suburbs of St. Kilda, Caversham, &c., &c. There are some very severe hills in the town, but cable cars ;,: M II m ■Fwa 72 KALEIDOSCOPK. It make locomotion easy. On the liigli promontories are some liaiidsome houses belonging to the 'lirii iiddcc. fit; I UH '^"•^^v'wmmirmrmimmtmr NEW ZEALAND. to " globe- Much, uo doubt, has boon gained, but something also has becu lost since the old instincts of hospitality have died out. In New Zealand, however, much of the ancient tradition still exists, and tliis doubtless accounts for the home-like feeling one experiences out here. Amongst other introductions in Dunedin, was one to Mr. Gray liussell, wlio is well known in the town, and has a beautiful liome situated on a road which skirts the harbour. Having understood that I could reach the house by a sort of omnibus in about twenty minutes, I took my place one afternoon, intending to deliver my letter, pay a conven- tional ten minutes visit, and return, within an hour or so. After jolting for more than an hour along the shore road, which seemed to roll itself out like a ribbon, we arrived at last at the gates of Mr. Russell's house. I had been told that a return vehicle would stop here in about half an hour, but wishing to be quite exact, made special incpiiries of the driver. Imagine my horror when he calmly answered, " There is no otlier conveyrmce returning to Dunedin along the road till to-morrow morning." The people jniglit be from home, and in any case were absolute strangers to me, and English tradition was too strong for me not to feel some qualms in such a dilemma. I " felt like "' running away to iiide in the bush, but remembered that food was a necessary factor for consideration. " Can 1 not get a horse anywhere near here and ride /i f * maa TIT i 74 KALEIDOSCOPE. r I! it. i I n - f ' i ' ' - i ', t .V back?" I asked in my despair. "No, nn m ; nothing of tliat sort to be liad here," answered the man calmly as he drove awav : ieavinfr me standinjr alone in the road. There Avas nothing for it but to go boldly on, and after mounting the hilly garden, which commands a lovely view of the ba}', to ring at the door boll. The moment I entered and had confessed my sad plight, all my fears were dispelled ; a delightful hostess gathered in the position at oacc, and within live minutep, she and I and a lady calling there were laughing heartily over the adventure and my despair. Having to consult a doctor during my Dunedin visit, and to wait over an hour in his room, gave mo the chance of a chat with an interesting fellow-patient, who afterwards most kindly gave up her turn to me. She is now the wife of a miller living up country, but was the daughter of an old P. and O. sailing captain, and told me much of her sea life. Having lost her mother as a baby, she had livetl up to the age of eighteen entirely at sea with her father, being often away with him for two or three years at a time. " He was father and mother to me in one," she said. '■ He taught ni'.' everything, and did everything for me." The sad part of the story was that twelve years ago his ship went down between New York and Liverpool, and he was drowned. Siie nnd two sailors were the only survivors of the wr(?ck. His money unfortunately went down also, and t NEW ZEALAND. Hi she would have been left penniless but for a pension allowed her by the Company. She determined to come out to New Zealand, wishing to see the country, and thinking the change might do her good after the terrible grief and .shock of her catastrophe, and has found her fate here in the miller aforesaid, who seems to make a kindly husband. I may here mention a fact that has struck me as well as many otliers during my colonial experiences. Prejudiced as I may appear against the Colonies as a whole, I am bound to confess that I never in the whole course of my life met with so many happy married couples as in tliese countries. The highest civilization (as, for instance, London life) does not seem to bo the most fertile soil for connubial bliss. Possibly greater luxury, a more complex life, and, above all, greater idleness, produce more grounds for divergence of opinion and tastes. Station life in Australia, and life generally in New Zealand, is far simpler than with us, and interests are more in common and less likely to clash. Add to this that in many cases there has been a hard stru NEW ZEALAND. 81 to the country scamper about under one's very feet, although on this one station from £500 to £600 a year are expended in the somewhat vain attempt to put them down. The system of poisoning the rabbit holes is not only very costly, but seems horribly cruel. Two, three, and even up to five and six days have been known to elapse between the time when the poison was taken, and when the poor little victim has died after all these days of intolerable agony, for the phosphorescent poison literally burns them through and througli. The evil is on too gigantic a scale to be put down by shooting parties, and oven this mode of killing is ftir from merciful in a country like New Zealand, which is full of hills and gullies. It is one thing to kill a few rabbits on the plain in England, giving a merciful knock on the head to supplement the shot when necessary, but it is quite another thing to shoot rabbits by wholesale on hilly ground or across gullies, where it is often impossible to get at them, and even when possible, men grow careless at length, and leave the poor little wretches to a lingering death, for ftimiliarity breeds cruelty as well as contempt. No doubt it is unreasonable to expect that men who are being ruined year after year by the rabbit plague should cherish much tenderness of feeling towards the innocent causes of their woe, but this does not make the facts less bad from the rabbits' point of view. I was told lately that the man who introduced rabbits Ti 82 KALEIDOSCOPE. I into New Zealand was still alive, and broken-hearted with remorse to think of the many men he had ruined by his rash action. I should feel quite as much remorse for the terrible torture inflicted upon the rabbits themselves. It matle one long to be a great and successful chemist, and able to discover some merciful means of getting rid of the poor creatures. Turning my back with many regrets on my pleasant " station " life, a hot, dusty, and uninteresting journey over the flat Canterbury plains, brought me one fine evening in early January to Christchurch, the literary centre of the Colony. My hotel being situated in the Cathedral square, this was naturally the first building that attracted my attention. It is built of grey stone, and said to be modelled after one at Caen. The inside is plain but handsome, and possesses a little really good stained glass. The town is flat and very hot in summer, being built upon the plains, but it is full of interest owing to the beauty of the public buildmgs, These are of the same fine grey stone as the Cathedral, and are chiefly educational. The University Hall is very fine, but simple. It does not compare with the one at Sydney, but runs a very good second to it. Chrisichurch College is somewhat of a budding university, with a fine chapel and school-house, and a number of wooden houses round the square, where the masters live. But the Museum is the nc plus ultra of Christchurch, and NEW ZEALAND. 83 the inhabitants have good cause to be proud of it. It would do credit to any large town in England or on the Continent. There is a fine collection of minerals and metals, skeletons of prehistoric animals, and a whole room full of the " Moa," a bird now extinct in New Zealand, but which was known here within the last hundred years. The skeleton looks something like an ostrich, but it is on a larger scale, and the legs look even stronger than those of an ostrich. It is thanks to these strange birds that Christchurch possesses such a fine collection of other things, for the authorities have been constantly enabled to make valuable exchanges with other European collections by sending them specimens of the Moa, which is peculiar to this country. The real pride and glory of the city, however, is the River Avon, which appears to be to Christchurch what " the harbour" is to Sydney. It is more of a wide stream than a river, bordered on either side by deep waving willows which often interlace overhead, and is certainly very lovely and picturesque. A boating party on the Avon is a very pleasant and refreshing experience after a hot, dusty summer's day. We had some terribly hot days during my week's visit, and the " sirocco " wind made any exertion irksome and life itself almost intolerable, but I was assured, as usual, that my experience was " a most exceptional one." Christchurch has some fine suburbs. One day we went G 2 - 84 KALEIDOSCOPE. out by train and coach to Sumner, a seaside place with a bold coast-line and rocky scenery, about an hour from the town. Hotels and houses are built here, and it seems to be a summer refuge from the relaxing heat of the city. In all New Zealand towns a curious habit obtains, viz. a Saturday evening " parade," when all the shopkeepers turn out and perambulate the streets for an hour or two. The crowd at Christchurch was great, and not very select, but it was an amusing experience for once. I spent a happy Sunday with kind friends who own a handsome house in the suburb of Papanui, the invitation having been given for that special day that I might hear a famous preacher who ministers there. He struck me as clever, but scarcely sympathetic, and spoke of the "fall of man " as a " clumsily put together story, invented to account for the presence of evil in the world." The really, curious thing was to note the strange advance in thought and the daring expression of it possible in these days, out of England at any rate. The congregation was composed of quiet, respectable men and women, who listened to these startling remarks without any display of surprise or emotion. In any large city where there is ample choice of theological food, such remarks might be made with impunity, for each congre- gation represents a special section of thought and opinion, but it seemed odd to listen to such a daring Bible commentary addressed to a country congregation, composed, as it must be, of so many various elements. % NEW ZEALAND. 85 r One of the most favourite expeditions in New Zealand is the " Sounds trip." The Union Steamship Company send one of their boats to make this trip once a year. The ex- pedition can only be made in the month of January, when the clouds and mists have lifted off the mountains, which they envelope during the rest of the year. Hitherto the one trip had been found sufficient for the numbers wishing to under- take it, but on this occasion it was considered advisable to send the steamer to the Sounds twice, and so divide the large number of passengers whose names had been down in the Company's books for many weeks beforehand. As it is impossible to do everything, even during a lengthy stay, my first intention had been to miss this expedition and cross the South or Middle Island to Giavmouth, whence I trusted to get by steamer to Napier, but I found that this would entail waiting ten days for a steamer with miserable accommodation, unless I could face five consecutive days of very rough coaching, which, after American experiences, was an impossibility. Being forced to modify my plans, I determined to go upon the " Sounds trip," which had been described to me in the most glowing colours as something far surpassing the wonders of the Norwegian fiords, with which I was already familiar. There are two great classes of travellers, who might be described in slang terms as the " the Crcdhcrs " and " the Gushers." The former never find anything to compare with places already visited ; the latter have never beheld any sa I 86 KALEIDOSCOPE. scene so marvellous as that upon which their eyes rest at the moment. Endeavouring to avoid both extremes, I can strongly recommend the expedition, but it will not be an unmixed delight to bad sailors, and fine weather is, of course, a most important factor, and one that cannot be counted upon with any certainty. Our steamer, the Tarmvera, started from Port Chalmers carrying ninety-seven passengers. Our route lay past the Bluff, and so to the west coast Sounds, and the roughness of the passage upon this occasion quite justified its usual character. Allowing for the passage to and from the Bluff to Port Chalmers, and the rough seas to be encountered between the haven of the various Sounds, I find a record of four and a half days' sea-sickness to be deducted from the ten days' pleasure ! For a pleasure-trip this is rather depressing, and it is well for bad sailors to count the probable cost in dis- comfort before starting. The cost in money is woi derfuUy moderate. Twelve pounds covers all expenses, and the food and accommodation are fairly good. Many of our fellow-passengers were extremely pleasant and sociable, and dances, concerts, and recitations beguiled the evenings, and had been all planned and arranged before- hand through the energy and kindness of the ship's officers. In fact some of the young ladies seemed to look upon these entertainments as the raison d'etre of the expedition rather than its supplement ; and I was occasionally amused by the NEW ZEALAND, 87 way in which picnics and expeditions on shore were apt to be cut short, because some one "nmsi go bach to the ship to practise a song or rehearse a part!' It is useless to go into any detailed account of these glorious inlets of the sea. Those who know them by experience will require no description, and to those less favoured, continuous word-painting is generally ineffectual and apt to become wearisome. We had three fine days to start with, two of which were spent in exploring the wonders of the bush round Reservation Inlet, The steamer anchors in the various Sounds, and a steam-launch and several boats take the passengers for land-trips, or on fishing expeditions, according to their various tastes. One boat will take all those wishing to fish to the most likely spot for this sport. Another boat is filled with enthusiastic sketchers. Others \vi^h only to dawdle about and picnic on shore, whilst the steam-launch is generally patronized by those who want to get over a good deal of ground (or rather of water) in a short time, to gain a general impression of the Sound without the trouble of landing and scrambling through the thick bush which comes down on all sides to the water's edge. I went on one fishing expedition, but never wished to repeat the experiment, as my sporting instincts are too rudimentary to enable me to look at the poor fish flapping themselves to death in the boat, without a pang. M 88 KALEIDOSCOPE. The fish in the Sounds are very varied in kind and numerous in quantity ; ahnost too much so from the sports- man's point of view, I should imagine. Within an hour our boat was crowded up with fish of every sort, colour, and kind, and there seemed little need of skill, or chance for the display of it. The blue cod, and rock cod, were the best for eating, and we had constant supplies of these for our breakfast-table. To me, the exquisite New Zealand bush formed the greatest attraction. It is impossible to penetrate this to any distance, as the thick, trailing, interlacing boughs and creepers form an insuperable obstacle, and the dense foliage becomes impenetrable within a short distance of the shore ; but every iucli of the bush here is beautiful. Every species of exquisite fern is to be found here, more especially the rare "kidney fern" which grows here in great profusion, shaped as the name denotes, and of the loveliest tender shade of green. The Now Zealand honeysuckle, which is scarlet, with a leaf like mistletoe, and a species of myrtle with a red blossom, called the " Rata," are the most beautiful and conspicuous shrub and tree at this time of the yeai", but fresh beauties await one at every step. Perhaps the varied mosses strike one as much as anything. They are of every shape and colour. Some are like the softest tiny fairy cushions of yellow, green, and brown. One nook which we came upon by chance after a long scramble up some rising ground, was so beautifully carpeted with ferns NEW ZEALAND. 89 and modses of every description, that we, proud discoverers, called it Paradise at once, and could not rest until we had persuaded various friends to go tlirougli the tangled trees and > the steep ascent for the sake of such exquisite beauty. I trust that those who reach the real Paradise may drop some of the restlessness of human nature en route. The gentlemen looked round at our fairy palace, said, " Yes, awfully pretty," and in two minutes added, " Hadn't we better be moving ofif now ? " just as though they had not come some twelve thousand miles to see these very wonders I I should describe the New Zealand Sounds as " lovely " rather than " grand," with the exception of Milford Sound, which is the culminating point of the whole trip, and most fully deserves the epithet. Unfortunately, as we steamed into Milford Sound, at 8 A.M., the clouds were very heavy, and at first almost hid from us the mountains which rise here, sheer and straight from the water, to heights varying from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. These bare rocks are covered with short green shrubs and ferns and foliage, growing apparently out of the living rock and with no chance of soil. Many small waterfalls pour down the rocky mountain-sides, the largest of these being 550 feet in height. Owing to the recent heavy rains, this waterfall was certainly seen to the greatest per- fection, but it was difficult to realize the height as three times that of Niagara ! The New Zealand boats from Melbourne sometimes put OMBf ; 90 KALEIDOSCOPK. / into Milford Sound before touching at the Bluff. If any tourist can insure a passage on one of these occaHions, lie may console himself by thinking that he has seen the most beauti- ful and characteristic spot in the whole " Sounds tnp," and this without the fatigue of being amused for ten days. To have fine days, and to wander about an exquisitely beautiful " bush," is as near an approach to Paradise as I can conceive. But " to be amused " for ten mortal evenings seems to me an equally vivid conception of Purgatory. This doubt- less is the reason that picnics, which give inmiense trouble, are rarely successful. To start upon a purely " pleasure-trip " is almost invariably a fatrl experiment, and I think it arises from the great difficulty oi " being amused to order." Pleasure as a wayside flower is delightful, but pleasure planned to rule has often the sickly, enervating atmosphere about it of a hothouse plant. One day, passing an island in George's Sound, the captain, through his glass, saw a man with two dogs making violent signs for us to " heave-to." Time happened to be an object to us just then, but of course a boat was lowered at once, and two or three sailors pushed off towards the shore. We all, the captain included, imagined nothing less than a Robinson Crusoe, or at least a starving man, but when the boat returned with him we found he had no wish to be taken on board, nor was he even in want of food. He had lived for some months upon the island, shooting and skinning birds, and only wanted some more pepper to carry on his work ! As NEW ZEAJ,AND. yi the captaiu's humanity had cost him over an hour's dolay, his language upon hearing thia was anything but Parlia- mentary, and I fancy our modern Crusoe got all the pepper ho wanted, in one way at any rate ! Before returning to Port Chalmers, a grand regatta was organized to take place in George '^ Sound, chiofly in the i.vterests of the sailors. Numerous races \. yp arranged for them, including the firemen, and it was pleasant to find that no leas than £50 had been subscribed amongst us for the well-earned prizes, for officers and men alike do their very best to make this a pleasant time to every one on board. One race consisted of three boats with four young ladies in each, representing, respectively, Christchuroh, Wellington, and Dunedin, the prizes in this case to be pretty silver brooches, shaped like oars, with the name of the ship, Tarawera, engraved upon them. But the real excitement of the afternoon was the " Han'ow boys versus Australians." The latter were so very " superior " and so absolutely sure of victory, and the former so modest and so sure that they could not win, seeing that the Australians had already practised together whilst t! ^ Harrovians were a "scratch lot" (two of them over forty years of age) who had never rowed together before. As the Australians, moreover, had the best and lightest boat, and got the insid6 place in rounding the buoy which marked the turning point in the course, there seemed absolutely no hope at first for ■ if •il 92 KALEIDOSCOPE. ' , '^ \ ( J our poor Englishmen. They " played," however, a splendid '* losing game," and actually won by sheer phick, coming in firs'j by about a quarter of a boat's length amidst the frantic cheers of all the English on board. It was far more exciting than any University race I ever saw rowed. I dou't believe there was a penny upon the race. It was sheer patriotism with us all, and an overwhelming desire that the " old country " might hold her own against colonial "bounce." To my horror I saw one of the Harrovians (a delicate man) throw up his oar in the air before the winning- post was gained, and in my ignorance did not understand that this was done merely by way of claiming the race, because he had just noticed that the cox of the Australian boat had quietly leant forward and was pulling for the " stroke," who had given in. Fortunately tlie victory by this time was assured, but I was amused, when the English- man afterwards reproached his adversary for doing such a thing, to hear the latter reply quite calmly and evidently with no sense of shame : " Dear me, had you only just noticed it ? Whij, I had been pidliny for him half the time." On our return to Port Chalmers I spent a few delightful days in the beautiful house overlooking Dunedin Harbour belonging to a member of the New Zealand Government. He and his charming and interesting wife gave me the kindest welcome, and a hospitality that sounds quixotic to our prosaic English ears. The house seemed literally to be made of india-rubber so far as the bedrooms were con- NEW ZEALAND. 93 the c to to oon- cerned at any rate, for in addition to a very large home party, strangers seemed to turn up at every meal, and to the last day of my stay I could never quite realize who was and who was not, sleeping in the house. When I mention the fact that the whole number of our fellow- passengers on board the Tarawera were invited to a garden party on the afternoon of our return, it will give some idea of their princely instincts of hospitality — instincts, moreover, involving no inconsiderable amount of trouble where domestic seiv'ice is on so small a scale compared with our own, and requires so much supplementing by the members of the household. Taking another U. S. C. boat for Wellington, I left Uunedin on a day of drenching rain, and after spending some hours in Christchurch, where the vessel put in, reached Wellington on the second day, Friday, January 27th There I was met by a kind friend and her husband, who ha.' spent eight years in the town previously, and knew every rook and corner of it, a great advantage to the visitor of a few days. The Wellington harbour carries off the palm, I think, even in this country of beautiful harbours. It is surrounded b}/ high hills, and the entrance is cpiite concealed, giving tlu! effect of a lovely large lake. The town is very hilly, and almost entirely built of wood, including Government House, the Houses of Parliament, and tlie Government buildings, said to be the largest wooden buildings in the 94 KALEIDOSCOPE. 1^ I' ■ world. Parliament was adjourned at the time of my visit, so I had no opportunity of comparing matters here with the Australian Houses of Legislation. The favourite expedition from Wellington is to the Lower Hutt, a distance of ten miles by rail, along a very beautiful sea-coast line. In McNab's gardens, a mile from the station, we found some specimens of very rare palms and other trees, and also a number of the " Nekau " palms. In these latter, the leaves grow only at the very top of the tree, but about half-way up is a band of scarlet seeds dropping from the circle of the tree-trunk. The Wellington climate, during my short experience, struck me as extremely relaxing, and a young lady friend with whom I went later to the hot springs, and who had spent five months in this town, fully indorsed my opinion. The Wellington wind is proverbial. It is said that you can always recognize a Wellington man in any quarter of the globe, by the way in which, from long habit, he will always walk about clutching his hat with one hand ! It is still worse for an unfortunate woman, but every one is in the same plight, and one has to become reconciled at last to being literally blown into a friend's house with touzled hair, hat or bonnet coming off one's head, and a wisp of gown and petticoat impeding the " pilgrim's progress." Making a very good second to my terrible experience between Hobart and Sydney, comes the recollection of our passage from Wellington to Auckland in the Takapuna, a NE\Y ZEALAND. 95 \ i ice ur a boat originally constructed simply as a mail-boat, 900 tons, with engines of 2,000 horse-power ! The shaking and plunging under these circumstances can be better imagined than described. I believe one would have suffered on such a boat in almost any sea, but we came in for a stormy night on the north-east coast of the North Island. Even the stewardess succumbed, and said she had never closed her eyes all night. About noon of the following day we reached the desolate- looking township of New Plymouth, and anchored there to land cargo, a quiet hour of rest between the beginning and ending of our misery. On the second day out, at 8.20 A.M., we made Manakau Harbour, and landed at Onehunga. Three-quarters of an hour by train took us across the narrow tongue of land dividing this harbour from Auckland, where we put up, and found comfortable quarters at the well-known Star Hotel. Here at long last, after an eight months' search, I found my travelling companion, who had recently returned from Samoa. It was quite a case of " Livingstone and Stanley " taken with female parts. However, by this time, I had a young lady with me who wished to see the hot lake district before returning to England, so it was settled that my other friend should return to Sydney, leaving us to follow at our leisure. A few days of rest in Auckland gave me the chance of seeing something of the town, which is very hilly, as is the case with all New Zealand towns. The shops are good and 96 KALEIDOSCOPE. handsome, and we were especially delighted with the Public Library, which is in every respect excellent, and to which Sir George Grey's collection forms a great addition. A long and beautiful drive in the company of a gentleman who had , been born and lived all his life in the Colony gave us the chance of seeing the various places where our troops had been encamped during the Maori War. There are numerous hills of volcanic origin around Auckland, and these were cut out into fortifications during the war by the natives. We drove all round the bay, and across the narrowest part of North Island from Onehunga to Auckland, passing the site of the old barracks, which were situated close to the present Public Library. The most celebrated spot near Auckland is Mount Eden, the bourne of all holiday-makers and every tourist. From the top of this steep hill a magnificent view of the harbours of Auckland and Manakau and of the whole " lie " of the country can be obtained. Of course the district of the Pink and White Ten-aces affords little to interest the traveller since the terrible volcanic eruption of 1886. Still, we felt bound to go and see for ourselves " how little remained to be seen," and I do not regret the expedition. The "geysers," at any rate, remain as they were, and, having been over the Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, it was interesting to me to be able to compare the two districts. Moreover, the mosquitoes at the Star Hotel were becoming ■ ■i^ w » i i> v i • •• '■ ' NEW ZEALAND. 97 and do >ain in are rampant, and we fondly clung to the hope of leaving them behind us there. We left Auckland one morning at 8 A.M., and after a dreary and uninteresting journey, reached Oxford, our resting- place for the first night, at 4.30 P.M., and found a pleasant quiet inn there. Being a very nervous sleeper, and having passed many nights of mosquito misery, I put our hostess through a regular catechism, much to the amusement of my friend. Our little whitewashed rooms looked into a square sort of yard, where cocks and hens abounded, and a huge dog was disporting himself amongst them. " Have you many mos- quitoes here ? " I asked first, with a lively recollection of past tortures. " Do the cocks crow very early in the morn- ing ? " " Does your dog bark all night long ? " I believe the woman thought I was a harmless lunatic being " taken around " for my health, but I felt that it was so easy, when a fellow-sufferer, to sympathize with poor Carlyle's nervous and apparently fooiish dread of anything on the earth beneath or in the heavens above that could by any possibility disturb his night's rest. Only those who know by bitter experience the torture of constant sleepless nights, should be allowed to criticize the poor Chelsea philosopher on this point. Next morning we were up and off by coach at 7.30 A.M. for Ohinemutu on Lake Rotorua. Our way led through a very beautiful bush, full of the lovely tree-fern and many other specimens, notably the one called Prince of Wales's feathers, which is very rare, growing only in one .«pot of this I 98 KALEIDOSCOPE. 'J. bush. It is very feathery and graceful, from one to two feet in height and about six or seven inches wide. We reached the Lake House at Ohinemutu at 12.30, having changed our driver en route, and being severely shaken and jolted in consequence, for the road was much the same all along our journey. The horses seemed to recognize in a moment the difference of hand. I could scarcely have believed that a driver could have so much power in his hands to save or to inflict suffering, although I can remember a similar experience in the Yosemite Valley. This district is famous for sulphur and other medicinal baths, and as there are bath-houses attached to the hotel, we were glad to avail ourselves of the luxury after our tiring drive, instead of going at once to the Sanatorium, which lies at some distance from the Lake House. Next day, three of us started in a buggy for a long weary drive of twelve miles across a scorchmg country, to Tiketere, where the boiling black mud-pots are situated. These are quite as large as those in the Yellowstone Park, but do not possess the same beautiful colouring, being only black and the very darkest shades of brown. The sulphur fumes were almost unbearable, and we were glad to take shelter in a very neat and clean little wJiare or hut made of flax, belonging to our guide. Here we ate our lunch, and then walked up ^ steep hill to get a view, finally driving on to " Whakarewarewa," where we saw some geysers which delighted my companion, who had had no previous geyser NEW ZEALAND. 91) experience, but seemed to me very small as compared with those in the Wyoming district. The charm of this un- pronounceable place, however, lies in the glimpses one gets of Maori life and the native %v'harcs. The Maori element is dying out so quickly nowadays that it is only in such places as these that one comes across it. We went to call upon the famous " Sophia," who was out at the time, but whom we met later in the afternoon — a bright and intelligent-looking woman of about fifty years of age. Since the destruction of the Terraces, poor Sophia's occupation is gone, for, as most of my readers will know, she was the guide to this district, and is not allowed to poach upon the pre- serves of geyser district guides. This is reasonable enough no doubt, but it seems hard that tlie poor woman should lose her employment whilst still in the full vigour of her strength. Her ovhare looked very clean and neat, the beds being arranged on the floor as in an Indian house. A brigh c boy of twelve, Sophia's youngest hope, was sitting on the floor when we came in, but his mother was not at home. One of us having a visiting card at hand, we wrote our names upon it, and left it rather as a joke. Sophia was quite equal to the occasion. We met her the same afternoon and had a little talk, saying we had been to her xoluirc. Next day to our great amusement we were told that Sophia wished to see us, and we found her sitting in the passage, looking most dignified and composed. " I have come to return your call," she said, in the prettiest English, and with the bright u 2 100 KALEIDOSCOPE. . :' smile and little backward toss of the head which are so characteristic of her. Her manners in their quiet dignity and self-possession would do credit to any London drawing- room, and I felt quite shocked when a gentleman of our party suggested her going into the kitchen and asking for some beer as a point to the interview ! It seemed such a terrible collapse, but she smiled, wrapping her shawl round her with unconscious native grace, and took the hint, and I have no doubt drank her beer with the air of an empress. At the Sanatorium, which is much frequented, guests can be taken into the house (on certain conditions) for two guineas a week. The smell of sulphur would be too over- powering for many visitors ; but to invalids, unable to walk to and fro, such an establishment must be a great boon. Of the various baths here, "the Priests" and "Madame Rachel " are two of the most popular. The former is more especially used for skin affections, and is said to produce an eruption in many cases where it is not taken under medical advice, so we carefi.My avoided this, but had more than one " Madame Rachel " bath, which gives a very gentle and re- freshing sensation, and leaves the skin for the time dazzlingly white and soft. Another day we were up early, and off by 8 A.M. to the Waitapo Valley, a beautiful drive of more than eighteen miles through bush and over fern-covered hills. The road, wonder- ful to relate, is excellent. We walked for some distance up the valley to .see a very beautiful small green lake, and NEW ZEALAND. 101 on our return journey climbed an easy fern gully to get a view of Mount Tarawora and the scene of destruction. I should strongly recommend this expedition to ladies, in place of attempting the far more arduous, and for them less inter- esting, journey to the foot of the Terraces. The latter entails a very rough ride of ten miles on horseback, then a row across the lake of eight miles, and at the last only a view of the rough crags and boulders that have fallen from the mountain- side, and enveloped the reaches of ground where the beautiful Terraces once existed. These are said to be forming again, but had only reached about two inches in height when we were there. If a woman is strong enough to climb Mount Tarawera, descend, and accomplish the return journey in the same day, of course she can do so ; but even strong men find their strength severely taxed now that the conditions are so entirely changed. In the Terrace days, the ride from Ohinemutu to the foot of the lake was far easier than it is now when partially destroyed by debris, and there was then a house of rest and entertainment at the latter place, from whence the mountain ascent could be made at leisure. The fern gully I have mentioned was about five miles from Waitapo on the return journey to Ohinemutu, where we were staying. On emerging from it on to the grassy hills we came upon a weird scene of desolation. Immediately in front of us rose the white scarred sides of Mount Tarawera, the crater which is on the side of it, distinctly visible and ii' I i I 102 KALEIDOSCOPE. i Shi. M ii still smoking. Many of the trees around are still white with the rubbish and deposit from the volcano, which poured forth lava for a distance of several miles at the time of the eruption. The gi-ound all round the mountain was charred and whitened with volcanic ;eposits, and the famous Tarawera rose up grim and desolate and forbidding. Yet the whole weird scene held me with such fascination that I could scarcely tear myself away from it, when my companions had at length exhausted their curiosity. The site of the Terraces is on the further side of the mountain from where we saw it, but they are now absolutely ingulfed by the (Uhris of the awful catastrophe. The glory of the district has certainly departed with them. I do not think it ran now compare for interest with the Yellowstone Park The geysers are far inferior both in number and size. 7he mud-pots, although large, do not approach in beauty to those in Wyoming, simply because they have no charm of colour, whereas the latter give you every varying shade from faintest cream to deepest rose and red, and there is nothing now here worthy to be mentioned for natural beauty with the glorious Yellowstone Canon. On the other hand, however, the native Maori element makes such a place as the geyser district of Whakarewarewa far more interesting in many ways than Wyoming. On our return to Auckland we made friends with a very delightful man, the head of a South African brotherhood, who had come to New Zealand for a year's change after his arduous missionary labours at his responsible post. He was 1 NEW ZEALAND. 1U3 one of the brightest, most simple-minded and most joyous " Christiana " it has ever been my good fortune to meet, full of sympathy for the pleasures and lives of otliers differing so entirely from his own, and absolutely free from any tinge of " superiority " in manner or thought. He seemed to me to recognize far more deeply than most people are able to do, that the world is made up of various elements, and that the best possible life for one man may be the worst possible life for another. Himself a celibate, but without a touch of asceticism, I fancy few young people would find truer counsel or more loving sympathy with the marriage state than with him — so long as it was a case of " true marriage," and not a mere conventional bargain. We went with him one morning to Auraki, across the harbour from Auckland, to see a Maori settlement and " Chief Paul," a smiling, grizzled fat old chief of sixty-two, who reigns here suj)reme. The latter showed us with great pride a wonderful native war canoe made from the trunk of a tree. It is eighty feet wide, and is capable of holding fifty natives, who propel it by small single paddles on either side. He told us that it had raced the gig of the Nelson man- of-war, but we were left in doubt as to which won, and were too polite to ask. The chief's house is distres?' ly European-looking, a neat little white wooden cottage with green blinds and a regular " best parlour " for the sitting- room. We had some talk with an old Englishman (Rogers by i 104 KALEIDOS^OPi:. u i name) who was sitting on a 'oench in the sun. He has lived hero alone for some years, not able to speak a word of Maori, and being the only European amongst them. Communica- tion must be carried on by signs, for even the chief can barely pronounce one or two English words. The poor old man seemed quite content to end his life in these queer surroundings. He keeps a few chickens and a pig, and manages to support himself in some mysterious way. He has sons in the Colonies, but has lost sight of them. " They don't care to look me up, for fear I should want something from them," said the poor old man. It seemed very hard that they should leave him to live and die amongst these natives. Froude has written so powerfully and exhaustively upon the financial position of New Zealand, that it would be absurd to attempt any supplement to or comment upon his remarks. But as I only propose to giv^ my " impressions " for what they a. i worth, I cannot quit the subject of New Zealand withoL recording the strongest one of all — namely, that rightcoiA 'ess (in its literal sense of right-doing) is (putting matters n the lowest ground) incomparably the "best policy." In no country in the world, I think, does this old copy-book morality stand out in such letters of living fire, nor does Matthew Arnold's " law that makes for righteousness " teach us more plainly what are even the temporal penalties of 'I >: ignormg it. NEW ZEALAND. 105 The political corruption and the consequent bankrupt con- dition of tlio country speak for themselves. Here, where politicians are paid servants to the Government, and have, moreover, much to gain besides their seats, to be a " member of the House " is not only a laudable ambition btit a very decided worldly advantage, and in too many cases it is practically ' jnrjht. A man lets his constituents understand that if elected he will obtain a grant of Government money to be expended in that special district. This is too often spent upon perfectly useless improvements — railways that nobody requires, or bridges that nobody uses. I have myself seen bridges which had been in course of construction for years, the early part of the work absolutely rotting before the latter part was finished. As nobody seemed to want the bridge when completed, this was of minor importance. The great object seemed to be, that money should be spent in the town or district, so that each man might have a better chance of " pickings," and making his own " little pile " out of the general sura of useless expenditure. The result of this policy is that the country is now in a rotten financial condition, and men are at last waking up to the fact that the interests of the individual cannot in the long run be divorced from the interests of the community, and that St. Paul's command, " Look not ev^ ry man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others," is quite as sound a maxim in political economy as it is in Christianity. i\ v| !i CHAPTER IV. VIA CHINA TO JAPAN. A shaky boat-The Bay of Islaiuls-Sydney once more-A visit t<3 Queensland-A month at Eton Vale-Life on a head station- Bnsbane-Off to China-A deli^ditfu! steamer-Townsville- Tropical heat-Port Darwin-Torres Straits-The Philippines- Hong Kong Harbour-Beauties of the town-Canton-A hospitable friend-Pagodas and bazaars-A Chinese cenietary-Visit to a Chinese family « at home "-Deformed feet a murk of social standing -Chinese babies-The mosquito plague-The Peak at Hon- Kon--! A coolie "strike"_The far-famed P. and 0. line-Shanghai-Tha Cathedral-Crops and climate-A strange conveyance-Visit to a Chinese orphanage-Chinese commercial morality— The Chinaman " not so black us he's painted "-Cliinese civility verms Irish insolence. My return voyage from New Zealand to Australia was a far more bitter experience than the trip from Melbourne to the Bluff had been three months previously. This time we sailed from Auckland direct to Sydney in a very good but extremely " shaky ^' boat, the Itotomahana. It was not reassuring to hear that bets were constantly made on board her that even on the calmest day no man could hold a glass of wine in his hand without spilling it, owing to the unusual amount of vibration. The law of compensation, however, worked even here, for 1 VIA CHINA TO JAPAN. 107 the Botomahana has the very kindest captain in the world (Carey), who seems to be universally popular. We reached Russell and the Bay of Islands early on the morning after our start, and had a pleasant walk whilst the ship remained for coahng. The Bay of Islands is extremely beautiful, a small edition of the Thousand islands on the St. Lawrence. We will draw a veil over the next few days of misery (relieved only by the extreme kindness and thopghtful care of our captain), and, passing over a happy week spent with kind friends in Sydney, I found myself by the end of February en route for a visit to Queensland by the newly opened railway. A rail between Sydney and Brisbane had been partially open for some time, but the entire connection had only recently been made ; thus sparing the very rough passage by sea to those who, like myself, are extremely bid sailors, I left Sydney at 5 p.m., crossing the beautiful Hawkesbury River in a steam ferry by moonlight, and getting at once into the "sleeper," in which I had engaged my berth beforehand. Armadale was reached by noon next day, after passing through a part of tlie country called New England, where the atmo- sphere was cool and pleasant, even during this summer month. The scenery all along this line is beautiful, quite .urpa^sing anything I had yet seen in Australia, with the exception, of course, of such districts as the "Blue Mountains." We passed thousands of gum-trees, naturally, but these I lOS KALEIDOSCOPE. were diversified by hills and reaches of excellent pasturage. The extreme greenness of the latter, in spite of the hot summer weather, struck me very much, and was suggestive of heavier rains here than elsewhere. Not wishing to arrive at my friend's house in the dead of night, I had arranged to sleep at Warwick, a quaint little commercial town, from whence three hours by train next day, over the famous Darling Downs, brought me in safety to Cambooya, a little railway-station within two miles of the well-known Queensland " head station " of Eton Vale. The property is owned by Sir Arthur Hodgson, whose name will be familiar to most readers as having been, with Sir Patrick Jennings, one of the earliest pioneers of Queens- land. A son of Sir Arthur is the present manager of the estate, and he and his wife (an old friend of mine) were my kind and hospitable host and hostess during a very happy month of rest and enjoyment in their beautiful home. I fancy the house at Eton Vale must often bring a shock of pleasant surprise to those who enter its hospitable walls expecting the typical " station " of whitewashed walls and scanty furniture, and find a perfectly appointed English home, artistic and beautiful, even to its smallest detail. The single story and the wide twelve-foot veranda all round the house alone reminded one that this was Queensland, and not a charming country house in England. A large head station is like a small village. It possesses its own school for the children of those employed on the I VI VIA CHINA TO JAPAN. 109 station, various cottages for what we should call "the labourers " on the estate, " boundary riders," &c., and a comfortable wooden hut to receive any stray travellers who may arrive at any hour of the day or night. The hospitality of a head station includes a night's lodging to any one who asks for it, and a regular allowance of rations, so much meat, bread, tea and sugar, &c., to each individual. Remarking that this boundless hospitality must be a severe tax, my host explained to me that here as elsewhere there are two sides to a question, and that often they were glad to keep a " sun downer " for a week or two when extra hands were required. On this large station, owning over 100,000 sheep, the shearing sheds are six miles from the house, fortunately for my lady friend, who is thus spared all the ceaseless worry of superintending the housing and feeding of the numerous shearers during this busy time. This favoured spot has the best climate in Queensland, being situated some 1500 feet above the sea-level, and most certainly the best climate I have expeiuenced in the Colonies generally. Even during my summer visit (March) with a thermometer ranging from 74° to 8G° in the shade, the mornings and evenings were generally cool and the heat is dry ; not wet and relaxing like Sydney. Perhaps for once the weather was " exceptional " in a favourable sense of the word, and doubtless the heat is greater in January than March ; but the " Darling Downs " must be considered superior to any other part of the ■ >\ • j .! i! ,,5 ' i ■ i \\ 110 KALEIDOSCOrE, r- III 1! district, for the nearest market town of Toowoomba is quite a sanatorium for the poor sun-scorched sufferers on tlie jjlains where Brisbane is situated, at a distance of only seven hours by train from Eton Vale. This vale is an extensive stretch of smiling and lovely country, surrounded by "green hills, far away," with fine pasturage of lucerne, " blue grass," &c., &c., and has the very loveliest clouds and sunsets that I have seen away from Egypt and California. My stay had been prolonged owing to the delay in the start of the China Navigation Company's ship Changsha, in which my friend and I had taken passages for Hong Kong, and which was sent into quarantine on her arrival from China owing to the usual outbreak of small-pox on board. This, I believe, is an almost constant occurrence when ships come from the Celestial Country. However, all pleasant things have an end, and only too soon I found myself in the train for Brisbane, where we arrived at ten o'clock one night, after a wearisome seven hours' journey. Brisbane is a bright, pretty, clean-looking city, with some fine buildings, some lovely Botanical Gardens, and one of the most beautiful drives in the world, up " One Tree Hill." Of course we saw all these before starting the last day of March for Hong Kong. All large steamers touching at Brisbane anchor in Morctou Bay, several miles from the city. This gave us the chance of seeing the pretty scenery of the River Brisbane en route, but as some influential VIA CHINA TO JAPAN. Ill passengers on board the tender insisted on being landed for an hour or two half-way, we only reached the Changsha at 2 P.M., almost famished, having left our homes at 7.30 A.M., and of course without any notion that food would be required for such a short trip. However, we found an excellent lunch on board, and I have never experienced greater comfort on board any steamer than was our lucky experience on this China Navigation hne. I had been strongly warned against it, as an " unhioton line and sure to he heastly," by many of those who pin their faith to the P. and O., and can imagine no comfort or convenience outside of that time-honoured Company's ships. I can only repeat that I have never met with so much kindness, comfort, and cleanliness on board any ship as the Changsha. The crew and stewards are all "China boys," quick and attentive. The food is excellent, and the cabin accommodation has been planned for human beings, not for pigs, as one might imagine in going over some of the popular steamers of more famous lines. We were very fortunate also in our captain, who treated us more like guests than passengers, begging that " we would ask for anytJiing we wanted at any time, and it would be brought to us if practicable." There was no stewardess on board, but her services were barely required, for after a day and a half of rough weather, we got into calm seas, and floated along day after day on a sea of glass— most ideal from a bad sailor's point of view. I I [ 112 KALEIDOSCOPE. I] j.ii f !a '' There is only one drawback to this delightful voyage from Brisbane to Hong Kong — namely, the tropical heat which one must endure for the greater part of the three weeks' voyage. We touched at Townsville and Cookville, and in seven days reached Thursday Island, a very pretty place, where we landed and made great bargains for the large and beautiful oyster-shells with iridescent gold rims for .,-ich this island is celebrated, the pearl fishery being carried on here to a large extent. After this, the heat became daily greater, reaching 1(10° in our cabins, at Avhich point I "struck," and slept in a hanmiock on deck. The culminating point of our sufferings through heat was reached after passing through the Gulf of Carpentaria and anchoring at Port Darwin, where we were obliged to stay for two days, discharging and taking in cargo. Mattresses were placed for us all on the upper deck, where we lay side by side — a curious medley of husbands, wives, spinsters, and bachelors. The first night was a brilliant success, but on the second night of our stay, a heavy storm of rain came on quite suddenly about 2 A.M. No one liked to make the first move, as we all felt a little shaky on the score of "costume," but the drenching rain soon settled matters, and in two minutes we were all flying down the companion ladder, dragging our bedding after us as best we might. Port Darwin lies on a low, flat bit of the coast of South Australia, as it is rather absurdly called. There is a good pier, and the townsliip (Palmerston) has VIA CUINA TO JAPAN, 113 some pretty, low Governnient buiUliug.s. The towu is more Chinese than European, and is very quaint and original, with a broad main road, lined on either side by Cliinese and Japanese shops and buildings. Our afternoons were spent on the veranda of the Governor's house, where a little cool breeze was sometimes to be found — a great boon with the thermometer at 105° in the shade. On again through the Torres Straits, and in five days we had once more "crossed the line" and returned to the northern hemisphere. It seemed quite like "coming home again" after eight montl.s in the south. Passing the Sulla Islands, and later, to our left, Basilau (thirty miles in length, with a town plainly visible called Port Isabella), we came upon the most southerly point of the Philippines — Spanisli settlements with a population in all of seven millions. These islands are well wooded, and looked very fertile and lovely, possessing the additional attraction of insuring us smooth waters, for we were land- sheltered during more than twenty-four hours spent in pai^sing through them. Even tlie Cliina Sea treated us well on this occa.sion, and I felt quite grieved to be leaving the dear old ship, when at last, "twenty-two days out," we sighted the beautiful approach to the harbour of Hong Kong. Many of us thouglit I I! '-«;' I !^ ,/ .( n 'I I 114 KALEIDOSCOPE. this harbour even more beautiful than Sydney Harbour, because the colouring is so much more varied. The sur- rounding hills are high, and rather bare of vegetation, but this is fully atoned for by the rich deep reds and browns of the colouring of the soil, where patches of the grass have been cut up. The passage at one point is very narrow, just before turning the comer, whence to the left lies the island of Hong Kong, upon which the town (Victoria) is situated. Numerous Chinese junks were in harbour as we steamed in ; ramshackle-looking wooden boats with sails made of matting and bamboo ribs — very heavy and uncouth, and difficult to reef, one would imagine. A little steam launch belonging to the Hong Kong Hotel took ourselves and our baggage to the wharf, about a mile and a quarter from the ship, and thence a few moments' walk brought us to the hotel, a very fine one, all inlaid with encaustic tiles. But, oh the heat ! Damp, enervating, oppressive, de- pressing. Hong Kong is said to have a perfect climate during three months of the year — namely, December, January, and February. April is early for such heat as we experienced, but the summer had come on suddenly, taking every one by surprise, and there had been no time even to put up the punkahs, which had been so great an alleviation to our sufferings on the Changsha. Despite the overpowering heat, we took " chairs " on the VIA CHINA TO JAPAN. 115 tl U! first afternoon of our arrival, to see something of the beauties of Hong Kong. These chairs, made of bamboo, are slung upon very long poles, which rest on the shoulders of one man at each end. A very heavy person, however, requires three or even four coolies to carry his chair, especially up the steep hills of this city. The jinricksha is also to be found here, and is a much pleasanter kind of conveyance ; for a chaise a portcurs always conveys the impression that one is turning one's fellow creatures into beasts of burden. The jinricksha is also drawn by one or more coolies, who run between the wooden shafts ; but the effort appears far less than with the chair. The former, however, is quite useless except on fairly level roads, and on this account has never become general in Hong Kon : -'-^ "^ ''°"---' ^- of .ood, which 2 ;7r»-,^ ''•-'« f''-"^ will go out for auaiuV: e o these. The ,„othe, haby. and „ne other child on™ -de. two or three older ch.ldren ou the other side ««.^ pushing the primiti. carriage al The o^ ' »terestr„g part of Shanghai is the ..n.ative <,u rter hut a SU.de and unlimited camphor-bags are nece sar v tl the expedition, and aU "native ouarters" b 4uarters belonmno- to flm same nat.on bear a strong fan,ily litcnes. A Chmese orphanage situated about six miles from the fity, and established by FronH, T„ ; ■ much. "^"'""'' ""™^"=<' ■« very Two or three pleasant-leohing French nun. showed „. ver the arge buildings. Which are i^ept in perfect! and looked very clean and neat. Some of the inmates are tiny babies, foundlings left at or brought to the doors-others are older There is also an infirmary for the old and sick poor and « any a, „.„„„„. f„r rich young Ladies who p.ay fo,. '^ ducat,on, and shew their "caste -by the th, it lefe the aristocratic Chinese. 180 KALEIDOSCOPE. \ III Cliiua, as in America, I fouml tliat the poor " heathen Chinee " has been in some ways much maligned. Now that the Chinese threaten to overrun the face of tlie earth, and are being forcibly kept out of the Colonies, as well as America, by heavy capitation fees, it seems impossible for many Euro-)eans to give them credit fin- ant/ good quality. That they possess some really fine characteristics is evident when one speaks to those who have had the most practical experience of them. In America I heard several instances of their faithful and often disinterested service from those who had employed them for years. More than one housekeeper in Sydney told me of their code of honour amongst themselves. One lady said to me : " If you employ one Chinaman to bring you vegetables you are absolutely free from importunity with regard to any other. Sometimes a stranger will come and ask me to buy his vegetables, but I have only to say, ' No xcantchce, other John come here,' and the man goes off without a <^ord. They never dream of interfering with each other in this way." In China, as also later in Japan, every merchant I came across assured me that he would rather do business with a Chinaman than a Jap. The latter arc plcasantcr in uianner, but the Chinese are more dependable. VlA CHINA TO JAPAN. 131 One of the best known merchants in Hong Kong said to me upon this head : "Of course a Chinese merchant will drive a bargain when he can, and try to get the best possible price for his tea or other crops; but when the bargain is once struck, and the price agreed upon, you can absolutely rely upon his sending goods up to sample. So much so, that in our liouses it is quite unnecessary to overlook the bulk of the tea sent when once the quality and price have been decided." Possibly a few of our own merchants might take a hint from the despised Chinaman, who is so generally denounced as the curse and scourge of modern civilization. It may be necessary to keep Chinese labour out of the Colonies, and thus prevent "the dogs" from eating "the children's meat," but it is as well to be honest about it instead of slandering the poor wretches, as is our present fashion. Many of them are doubtless wicked and corrupt, but this is not the true reason for their persecution. Proflij.ary that spends its money royally and pays its way never gets persecuted, not even by British respectability. But the Chinese bring down the cost of labour in those countries where it has hitherto fetched an abnormal price. The Chinese have two grand and cardinal sins in European eyes. They are too industrious and too frugal in their habits. The first enables them to make money, the second prevents the spending of it, and in this way large sums of money find K 2 i I 132 KALEIDOSCOPE. their way out of tho country wliere Chinese labour is still permitted. It is ([uito natural to resent these facts and to endeavour to put down Chinese labour and competition, but it is quite unnecessary to excuse such action by falsehoods. Moreover, it may be very unpatriotic, but I fear till the end of time, masters and mistresses will prefer low wages and civility to high wages and insolence, which is too often tho " Irish and colonial mixture " in domestic service. Chinese labour would have no chance, if it were not foj class who employ it. Why not put the saddle on the right horse by taxing tkcm ? This might hasten a solution of the question. In any case, good will have come out of apparent evil, for the very fact of Chinese competition must have had a salutary effect upon the domestic tyrants of many a distracted householder. ' ill ur itc ho Dd he sc, of on CHAPTER V. JAPAN. Shanghai to Japan— Tlio AnuTiean Jrinistci wifo and dan j^'hter— Talks about Pekin—Naf,'asaki— Temples and tortoisesliell— Tlie inland sea— Kobe— Japanese passports— Japanese art— Arrival at Kioto — A wet welcome— Biiddliist and Shinto temples— The two religions Katsura rapids— Jinrickslia torture— Japanese tea— The cataracts — Kimonas and obis— Tlie ubiquitous baiiil>oo— Shinto lanterns — Cloisonne — A Japanese theatre— CTacww a son f)oiit — A Japanese uideg— Trip lo Osaka and Nara— The Osaka mint— An ancient castle — The arsenal— Modern Japan— How T mounted a Japanese pagoda- Beautiful Nara— The sacred deer— First experience of life in a tea- house—Primitive arrangements— No rose without a thorn— Dancing girls in Japanese temples— A colossal Buddha— Tea gardens at Uji— The process of manufacture— More temples— Good-bye to Kioto I — A Japanese lake— A gigantic cedar — Steamer accommodation — Nagoya— A grand old castle — Ancient Japanese art— Fuji-yama —Approach to Yokohama— A Japanese frte — A Aveek at Tokio — Imperial household department— An awkward question — The Shilja — Tombs of the Shoguns— Similarity between Buddhism and Roman Catholicism — The Mikado's new Palace — Hora Iviri and the iris — Japanese Christianity and European civilization — A hint for Exeter Hall— Landscape gardening in Japan — A native dance — The Dai Gakko— Japanese universities — A fortunate meeting— A Japanese Kindergarten— The roman(;e of the Ronins— Dying for a sentiment. Having decided to take through tickets from Shano-hai to Liverpool, via Japan, Vancouver, and the Canadian Pacific line, it was an agreeable surprise to find that we could get i n 1. 1> i : .'« 134 KALEIDOSCOPE, I ^r them for the moderate sum of £52 lO.s. Moreover, this gives you the choice of returning either from Quebec or New York, and by any line of steamer, with the one exception of the North German Lloyd. We sailed from Shanghai to Japan by a boat (the Satsuma Maru) belonging to a Japanese line of steamers. The ship, however, had been built at Glasgow, and was commanded by an Irish captain. The wife and daughter of the American Minister at Pekin were amongst our fellow-passengers, and the former quite re- conciled me to our great disappointment in being forced to leave Pekin out of our programme. Time and strength had both failed us, for we should have required ten to fourteen days for the journey, a great part of which is over terrible roads, in rough bullock-carts. The real drawback, however, lies in the fact that there is comparatively little to be seen on arrival, owing to the strict seclusion in which the Emperor and Enqness live. Even high foreign officials who have lived in the city for years find it impossible to break through the "celestial" conditions. So the ordinary traveller would stand a very poor chance. The Emperor shuts himself up in his inner or sacred kingdom, and sees nobody. When he vi.sits the temples orders are sent beforehand for all foreigners to clear out. The Empress gives receptions, but is always seated behind a screen on these occasions, and is not allowed to show herself mm JAPAN. 13^ I Mrs. Denvey did, liowever, receive a visit from the Prince and Princess Koora whilst staying in her country house near Pekin. He is an uncle of the Eniporor, and it is quite against rules that these sprigs of royalty should visit foreign ministers, but the Prince had come upon this occasion in order to gratify his wife's urgent Avish to see a European for the first time in her life. She took tea with Mrs. Denvey, but had taken the precaution an and went on shore being horribly persecuted by .he jinricksha drivers, wlio pursued us on all sides, closing us in from time to time, to tlie great indignation of an irascible German colonel, who had volunteered his escort. We should have saved much time, temper, and strengtli by submitting to the inevitable, and choosing out three jinrickshfis Jit ouce, but the colonel was inflexible, and at last we reached the post-office, worn 1 1 IB 1 t m s 136 KALEIDOSCOPE. t 1 out by heat aud woiTy and tlie distracting shrieks of the Jap drivers, interspersed with a few good strong German oaths wrung from our companion in the desperation of the moment. Here we gave in at length with a very hkd grace, and to our intense relief we were soon being whirled through the bazaars, and admiring by hasty snatches the pretty lacquer and tortoisesliell stores, for which Nagasaki is especially famous. We visited two temples, which seemed very much like those we had left behind us in China. It is only in Kioto and gorgeous Nikko that the characteristic Japanese temples are seen in perfection. Here in Nagasaki we found the usual gateway of pretty artistic carved wooden roofs filled in by tiny mosaics of wood. Then came several flights of stone steps leading into a large square, or oblong courtyard, round all four sides of which were similar roofed-in buildings. Three sides of the courtyard are filled by the dwellings of the priests aud ofilcials connected with the temple, the last side being occupied by the temple itself. In the latter is always to be found a figure of Buddha, generally flanked by tiny shrines looking like small cupboards, each with its small hanging lamp kept constantly burning. The inner sanctuary can only be approached in what the Scotch call "your stocking feet," and in Japan no slippers are provided, as in the Turkish mosques, for the benefit of sightseers. Later one became more reconciled to the nuisance of taking off and putting on one's boots of many buttons several ^"■wpilppwp "■ll JAPAN. 137 „ times during the afternoon, and on many a hot day the relief of walking on the soft straw carpets, unfettered by the hard, unyielding leather, was so great that it became difficult to sympathize with the "poor bare-footed creatures" who have hitherto roused my compassion. The difference between winter and summer must be taken into account, but remembering the exquisite relief of those days, it still seems to me that boots and shoes are doubtful blessings. Leaving the harbour of Nagasaki, and passing through the beautiful inland sea, too often, as we saw it, enveloped in mist and cloud, two days more brought us into Kob6 harbour, wher(3 w