jv^v f GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL AROUND THE WORLD IGRA, [NDIA. The Taj Mahal from the Gateway. GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL AROUND THE WORLD BY HOWARD S. F. RANDOLPH Illustrated with Photographs Taken by the Author THE STANHOPE-DODGE PUBLISHING COMPANY Larchmont, New York 1913 Copyright, 1913, by STANHOPE-DODGE COMPANY J. F. TAPLEY CO. HEW YORK SJfl V.c^^\^>X^^^ This little book is an attempt to tell briefly and informally my impressions of some of the places I visited, and a few of my experiences. It is written for my friends, many of whom have urged me to give them more than a passing account of what I saw and did. My trip zvas in no way out of the ordinary except in a few minor instances and I make pretensions neither to great knowledge of the countries I visited, nor to any information that cannot be found more accurately and more fully given in other travel books. It is, in other words, just a personal account of the pleasures I experienced, and which I want you to enjoy with me. -^ aUprtetmatf, 1313 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I The United States i II Across the Pacific .... 14 III Japan and Korea 19 IV China 46 V Manila 61 VI Singapore and Java .... 66 VII From Singapore to Calcutta . 75 VIII India 79 IX Ceylon 100 X Egypt 106 XI Palestine and Syria . . .110 XII Constantinople and Greece . 121 XIII Italy and Sicily 128 Itinerary 134 ILLUSTRATIONS The Taj Mahal Frontispiece FACING PAGE Acoma 4 The Petrified Forests 6 Ruins of the Old Mission, San Juan Capistrano 10 The Yosemite Falls 12 A Room in a Japanese House 24 The Principal Street, Ikao 28 The Dai-butsu, Kamakura ... .1 A Diver, Enoshima t- ... 30 Waiting for the Emperors Funeral J The "Banqueting Hall," Seoul 44 ,} 46 . 48 A Street Scene, Mukden Residence of the American Consul, Mukden A Manchu The Avenue of Animals at the Ming Tombs, Nankow The Fallen Porker, Mukden The Temple of Heaven, Peking . . . A Bronze Lion in the Llama Temple, Peking. At a Railway Station, Peking 50 The Great Wall of China 52 Street Scenes, Manila 62 Washing Clothes, Java At an Inland Station, Java Rice Terraces, Java The Fighting-Cocks of the Sultan of Djoja- karta 68 ILLUSTRATIONS 76 FACING PAGE Boro-boedoer, Java . 72 A Water Carrier, Penang Workmen, Singapore . . A Little Chinaman, Penang "Baksheesh," Penang . . Temples and Shrines at the Base of the Shwe- Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon 78 The Burning Ghat, Benares 82 The Tomb of Ttimad-ud-daulah, Agra . . A Glimpse of the Taj Marble Screen 'in the Tomb of Salim Chishti Tomb of Salim Chishti, Fatehpur-Sikri The ^Saman Burg," Agra . . Detail of the Carving on the Taj Entrance* td the "Saman Burg" The Pearl Mosque, Agra . . The Kutab' Minar, Delhi . 88 Praying to a Lingham, Tanjore 94 "The Tank of the Golden Lilies," Madura \ ^ A Banyan Tree, Colombo J 84 86 A Dagoba, Anurhadhapura .} A "Guardian Stone," Anurhadhapura J Abou-Simbel 108 A Street Scene, Jerusalem 112 The Courtyard of an Old House, Bethlehem . 114 An Old Archway, Damascus 118 "Selamlik." The Sultan, Mohammed V, Con- stantinople 122 In the Colonnade of the Parthenon, Athens . 124 "Death" in the Ruins of the Cathedral, Mes- sina* 130 Glimpses of the Unusual Around the World Chapter I THE UNITED STATES A trip around the world it seems like a stupendous undertaking before starting out. On returning it seems but a simple jaunt after all, with no cause to fuss and fume about it. " Which place did you like best ? " is the question immediately flung at you by every- one you meet, with startling unanimity. Then you must explain that each country has its own attraction, its own peculiarities; just as " there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars," so each country has its own glory, and comparison is impossible. This little book is an attempt to show something of the attrac- tions of each of these countries, and to give a few glimpses of the unusual things encoun- tered. The trip started calmly enough, with visits to friends in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Chi- 2 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL cago. Denver after Chicago seemed the essence of all that was clean and quiet. Its public and private buildings are unusually beautiful, even though they have a " Wel- come " arch that is about as sincere as a door- mat with the same inscription. At Colorado Springs it snowed for three hours though it was the middle of June. The " Garden of the Gods " is beautiful, but much over-praised, and the ascent of Pikes Peak at five dollars a head is rather steep. Instead I went up to Cripple Creek, lured on by a circular that said " any attempt to reproduce in words the glory of that scene must be tawdry vulgarity," and then went on to prove the statement. Cripple Creek itself is a squalid shanty-town, but has a magnificent and extensive view of the Rockies. At quaint Albuquerque an artist spoke of Acoma, and persuaded me to visit it. Acoma is an Indian pueblo about eighteen miles from Laguna, a station beyond Albuquer- que on the Santa Fe. Laguna itself is an Indian pueblo, and the only room to be had there is at a Mr. Marmon's, one of the few white men of the town. The one train stop- ping here arrived at eleven o'clock at night, and at that hour Mr. Marmon was with diffi- culty aroused. He provides a room only for meals one goes to an old freight car on a switch, where an ex-waiter serves canned but- ter, canned milk and other delectables. THE UNITED STATES Marmon supplied a team and a driver an Indian, who proved at first rather uncommuni- cative. We drove directly over the prairie, with only the scantiest trace of a road. The wonderful rock formations excelled those of the " Garden of the Gods " in every way ex- cept color, for here the rocks were white and not red. Before reaching Acoma we passed the " En- chanted Mesa" an oval-shaped rock of enormous size, standing alone on the plain with sheer precipitous sides four hundred and fifty feet high. On this mesa the pueblo of Acoma was once supposed to have been sit- uated. The tradition is that there was but a single trail leading to the top, and that the falling of a large mass of rock one day made it impassable. All the inhabitants were at work in the fields below, with the exception of a few old women. They could not be rescued, and have haunted the mesa ever since. From this it gets its name, for the word trans- lated " enchanted " would be more properly rendered " haunted." Sturgis calls it the grandest rock in America: it is certainly one of the most impressive. Acoma was plainly visible from the " En- chanted Mesa," though three miles away; but it was some time before the outlines of the adobe buildings at the top of the three hun- dred and fifty foot mesa could be discerned. 4 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL Here a small Indian boy consented to act as guide. His only English consisted of the words " Gimme-mun," and this he was promptly christened. He led the way up a steep sandy trail, with most curious rock for- mations on either side. At the base we passed a natural corral with some Indians at work, who strenuously objected to being photographed. In some places the ascent was difficult, as the trail led over the face of the rock with but tiny ledges cut in for the feet. Another trail has recently been made by which horses can make the ascent. The top of the mesa was surprisingly level. Near by stands the cathedral, with walls sixty feet high and ten feet thick. Every particle of the material for this building had to be brought up from the plains below, and it took many years to build it. The dwellings, all of adobe, were two or three stories high, the en- trance being usually on the second floor, reached by a ladder. On the exterior walls hung meat and herbs. A host of young girls and children brought out specimens of their handiwork for sale mostly gaudily painted earthen dishes of crude pattern. As a bribe to be allowed to take photographs I bought several of these, gave some cookies to the children, and took out my camera only to find on looking up that I was absolutely alone! But I photo- as ^ - 6 2 3 O u >< w < s o u < o u o w H THE UNITED STATES graphed the buildings until stopped by an old woman who asked me if I had a permit. She said that one was absolutely necessary, that I could procure it from her, and finally brought the price down to seventy-five cents. Rather than continue parleying, I paid her the money, and took several more pictures. On a rock in the distance I spied two Indians ap- proaching, and knew instinctively that they wanted to speak to me. As they came nearer I found that my suspicions were correct. Im- mediately one of them who later said that he had been a student at Carlisle assumed an expression of great ferocity, and asked if I had a permit to take photographs. I told him of the incident with the Indian woman, but asked what they cost and where they could be procured. He answered that they cost two dollars, and could be obtained from the " Guv'nor," indicating the other man. On discovering that he was the " Guv'nor " I treated him with great deference, to mollify him as much as possible. They seemed to be puzzled by the fact that I had paid a woman for the privilege, but " Gimme-mun " evi- dently corroborated my statement, and finally they agreed that if I paid one dollar and a quarter more it would be all right. An old man led me to his house to get the change. The room was unusually large, about twenty- five by forty feet. A very old Indian woman 6 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL offered a chair, which, with a table covered with a piece of oilcloth, a few dishes, and a bed in a distant corner of the room completed the furniture. Everything was immaculately clean. Having received my change, I asked if I could continue photographing. But as I had committed a grave crime by taking a pic- ture without a permit in the first place, they determined that I must expiate by paying an- other dollar before taking more photographs. Having all I wanted, I refused, and was led politely to the top of the trail, and dismissed with a "good-by." Surely we do not have to leave our own country to experience all the thrills of foreign travel, including even the joy of " baksheesh " and " cumshaw." Adamana is said to have been named after the first settler and his wife. From here you drive over the desert to the Petrified Forests. These " forests " are various portions of the neighboring plain on which the petrified re- mains of primeval forests are found. Some of the trees lie as they fell; one has a gully underneath it, forming thereby a natural bridge; but most of the trees have broken into innumerable small pieces. The ground is strewn with these fragments, with colors of remarkable brilliancy, ranging from red, yellow and brown to blue and gray. The " hotel " was impossible ; so the trim 9 &4r THE PETRIFIED FORESTS, ARIZONA. An Old Log. The "Natural Bridge." THE UNITED STATES little Fred Harvey hotel at Winslow seemed especially inviting. On the way up to the Grand Canyon the next day it was interest- ing to watch the numerous rabbits and prairie dogs so abundant in this section. The " El Tovar " at the Grand Canyon is another Fred Harvey hotel, well adapted to its surroundings. It stands on the brink of the Canyon, and commands a wonderful view. Again description would be " tawdry vul- garity " : 2l vast chasm thirteen miles wide and hundreds of miles long, lined with mighty cliffs and towering peaks of fantastic shapes and magnificent coloring. Reds, yellows, grays and buffs predominated in myriad com- binations. It is a marvelous sight: truly awful, magnificent, and wonderful; but there was a lack to me or in me of something that made it appealing. But I find very few who share this feeling with me. Four days gave many variations of early morning and late afternoon light. The Bright Angel trail down to the river is seven miles long and descends in that distance nearly four thousand five hundred feet. A large part of the trail is on a narrow ledge less than three feet wide, with an unsympathetic cliff on one side and a yawning abyss on the other. The donkeys, trained to keep near the edge when ladened with goods, seem to delight in giving their passengers heart-failure. The Colorado 8 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL at the foot of the trail is a dirty brown river of terrific current. On reaching the top in the late afternoon I breathed a fervent " Never again." A good walker, equal to the distance and the steep climb, would not mind the trip at all, but from the back of a donkey it is certainly frightful. One's first impression of California in July, at any rate is of sand and burnt brown grass. Bleakness and brownness everywhere. The weather was downcast and forbidding, and the temperature varied ap- pallingly. Hot July weather in Los Angeles was succeeded by welcome grate fires in Santa Barbara, intense heat in Merced Valley, and cold blustering winds in San Francisco. In San Diego only did I enjoy weather comfort here climate and temperature were perfect. The Calif ornians who write the various ad- vertisements of all kinds are the happiest liars I have ever encountered. The use of the com- parative is unknown in description every- thing is in the superlative, regardless of truth and probability. Our own Eastern ad writers are fairly inventive, but these " Native Sons " make them look like a kindergarten class. Everything is the est in the world: the biggest, the oldest, the best, or the highest; so that you move along in a rarefied atmos- phere of glory until you trip on some simple THE UNITED STATES 9 fact and come plunging back to Mother Earth. A passing mention only can be made of the various places visited in my two weeks in Southern California. Tabulated, they were: Santa Barbara, with its lovely old mission ; Long Beach a second Coney Island, as are all the beaches near Los Angeles; Catalina with its glass bottom boats and submarine gardens great forests of gorgeous iodine kelp waving in the watery breeze, with bril- liantly colored fishes taking the place of birds ; San Diego with its beautiful harbor and bright future ; Tia Juana " Aunt Jane," a straggling village just over the border in Mex- ico; Pasadena a Ladies' Home Journal ideal village of doll houses and preciseness; Venice another beach, with an aquarium containing the uncanniest water animals imaginable : and the missions of San Luis Rey and San Juan Capistrano. These old missions are fascinating. San Juan Capistrano charmed me most old, fall- ing into decay, it kindles as many memories as a pressed rose. It breathes of dignity, of hos- pitality, of purity, of calmness and devotion, of high ideals and gallant chivalry. There is little of it left : the ruins of a large chapel, which fell during an earthquake about a century ago ; four arches with the old bells ; io GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL a white arcade on the exterior; and a large patio or court, filled with the remnants of an old garden, and surrounded by a vine-clad arcade is about all that there is to be seen. I wandered around the buildings for a while, and then entered the patio through an archway covered with climbing roses. There I found a man painting. " This is an ideal spot, isn't it? " I asked. " Yes," he answered with a laugh, " but this painting isn't." He proved to be the resident priest, and was as interesting as the buildings among which he worked. He took me to the small chapel and through other buildings of the mission. Everything was falling into decay: but the climbing vines and roses the very unkempt- ness, breathed a spirit of peace and calmness seldom found in America, and which no restoration could hope to preserve. The Glenwood Mission Inn at Riverside is modeled after these old missions, copying something from each, and partaking of the spirit of all. It is unique. The atmosphere of the old missions is certainly preserved, though modified and modernized. It must approach the dream of the old Fathers them- selves. It is furnished with exquisite taste, and every detail is carefully carried out for instance, over the desk runs the legend, fsl T) : , m< MsSfflKKwm SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA. Ruins of the Old Mission. THE UNITED STATES n "Ye canna expect to be baith grand and comfortable," while over the bell-boys' seat is, " Rest is the sweet sauce after labor." In the garden are exquisite semi-tropical plants and trees, with a few tame parrots strutting around. A loggia contains a won- derful collection of old and historic bells. But the chief glory of the house is the music room. Built like a chapel, with a fascinating cloistered walk around it, with carved Gothic pews, and priceless decorations from all parts of the world, it is the essence of good taste and harmoniousness. It was dusk as I entered. Someone was playing " Traumerei." The organ stopped, but from a high distant bell tower came the same haunt- ing refrain. At Redlands an old driver asked apropos of my admiration of the pepper trees if I were a New Yorker. I admitted it, but could not see the connection between the two sub- jects,; so asked why he thought so. " Oh," he said laconically, " all New York- ers like the pepper trees." Surely we are not alone in this apprecia- tion! At Merced it was necessary to change cars, and wait two hours with the mercury at 109 . 12 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL On the train to El Portal it reached 115 ! The train followed the course of the Merced River, which is in reality a good-sized brook, but as it was the first river I had seen in Cali- fornia that had any water in it at all I made no complaint. The Yosemite has all the charm and at- traction which the Grand Canyon lacked. Though not the torrents they were in May, the waterfalls were still beautiful, and the views of El Capitan and the Half Dome were magnificent. No, even the Enchanted Mesa, beautiful as it is, cannot rival these wonder- ful rocks. Another donkey-back excursion led past the Vernal and Nevada Falls to Glacier Point, with its marvelous view. Three thousand feet directly below us was Camp Curry, and we were surprised to see it in flames. From our lofty seat we had an excellent view of the efforts to extinguish the fire. Over seventy- five tents were burned, and much other dam- age done. A day's coaching over the dustiest road imaginable brought us to Wawona, and from here we drove to the Big Trees. The oldest /and tallest tree the " Grizzly Giant " is said to be eight thousand years old, though John Muir doubts if any of the trees are over five thousand years. It is three hundred and twenty-seven feet tall, and one hundred and THE YOSEMITE, CALIFORNIA. The Yosemite Falls. THE UNITED STATES 13 four feet in circumference at the base. But these trees, while wonderfully majestic, are so well proportioned, and so surrounded by other vast trees, that it is absolutely im- possible to get any real conception of their enormous size. Though tired by our trip of the day be- fore, it was necessary for us to take the stage for eleven hours, covering over fifty miles, to reach El Portal and the sleeper to San Fran- cisco. Never was a berth so comfortable. Four days in San Francisco gave but little time for sight-seeing, as it was necessary to make final preparations for sailing. The trip up Mt. Tamaplais was interesting, but not as much so as the ruins of the old city hall, about the only reminder of the earthquake left stand- ing. California has much that is beautiful, for which superlatives are needed. But let us hope that these " Native Sons " will learn to discriminate. Chapter II ACROSS THE PACIFIC The six days on the "Korea" from San Francisco to Honolulu passed very quickly. There was much that was different from an Atlantic liner the waiters, for instance, were all Chinese, and waited on the table in blue or white pa jama-like suits, while the men who wished to gamble did so playing fan-tan with the Chinese of the steerage. Among those whom later I grew to know better were the Rev. and Mrs. George M. Rowland, missionaries in Sapporo, Japan, and Mrs. Keator and her family, of Philadelphia, also making a trip around the world. The Hawaiian Islands have been so ex- tolled for their even climate that it was a real shock to find the heat very intense. Later, of course, I heard that it was an unprecedented summer ! August is not the best month to visit Hono- lulu, for, aside from the heat, few of the flowers and trees are in bloom ; but enough remained to indicate the variety and attrac- tion of these tropical plants. Large Royal Poinciana trees, a mass of scarlet blossoms, 14 ACROSS THE PACIFIC 15 formed one of the landscape's most striking features. Honolulu itself is not a particularly beauti- ful city, but its suburbs are delightful. Waikiki, about three miles out, is an attrac- tive residence section on the beach, with Diamond Head, a picturesque mountain, in the background. This beach is very famous, and is almost ideal. The incline is so gradual that one can walk out into the water for a long distance half a mile or over. This un- usual feature is the cause of the long, high, and regular breakers which enable the surf board to be used successfully. This surf board riding is fascinating to watch, and must be wonderfully exciting though few of the passing tourists are able to master it. The swimmers have a board about a foot and a half wide and six to eight feet long, rounded at one end, that they push ahead of them far out to sea. They turn, and wait for a large breaker. As it draws near they swim vio- lently, and if they are successful are pushed by the wave swiftly up to the beach without further effort. Great dexterity is shown in balancing ; some have all they can do to stand upright on the board, while experts turn somersaults, stand two on a board, or even carry a boy on their shoulders. A tenderfoot can get something of the thrill of this experience by taking a ride in 16 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL a surf-boat with five or six other passengers, manned by two husky kanakas. As the wave approaches everyone must paddle vigorously, and if you are lucky enough to be caught by the wave, the resultant ride is certainly ex- hilarating. The beach would be absolutely ideal for swimming, were it not for the coral, which is very abundant and extremely sharp. At Waikiki is the aquarium, with an eye- opening display of tropical fish. One is con- stantly reminded of the Irishman's first view of the giraffe " Begorry, there ain't no such animal. ,, The Hawaiian language is unusually musi- cal. Every vowel ends a syllable, and every syllable is pronounced. The alphabet has only twelve letters, but its variety does not seem to be curtailed thereby. Some of the names strike confusion to our palates at first such as Nuuanu Avenue and a fish at the aquarium called the " Uu " pronounced like the note of a cuckoo ! The most wonderful feature of the islands is the volcano of Mauna Loa. It has two craters; one of which, Kilauea, is always ac- tive. A night trip on a tiny boat from Honolulu to Hilo, on the island of Hawaii, followed by a thirty-mile auto trip on a good road through luxurious tropical jungles, brings you to the " Volcano House/' The crater of Kilauea lies before you a vast expanse of ACROSS THE PACIFIC 17 dried lava eight miles in circumference, and sunk six hundred feet below the level of the surrounding ground. In its time this whole area was a sea of molten lava, but now the active part is confined to a huge hole, seven miles from the hotel, called by the natives " Halemaumau " " The House of Everlast- ing Fire." From the hotel this reminds one of the guiding cloud of the Jews in the Wil- derness a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Standing on the brink of Halemaumau after nightfall, after the dense smoke becomes in- visible the impression of the lake of fire is fascinating almost hypnotizing. It is a huge caldron of molten lava, splashing, hiss- ing, always angry, incessantly moving, with here a giant fountain of golden lava, and there a towering black island beaten on all sides until it cracks. But description can give little idea of it. Seething, boiling, spout- ing, snarling, it is always looking for a way of escape like a caged lion. It is hell incarnate. But with all its mighty power, its terrible feroc- ity, its cruelty and hunger it is neverthe- less sublimely beautiful. The lava rises some- times to within fifty feet of the surface, though when I was there it was about four hundred feet below. The voyage from Honolulu to Yokohama was uneventful. The boat, the " Shiny 18 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL Maru/' was a Japanese one, and was com- fortable and well managed. The voyage usually takes ten days, and is so scheduled, but we fortunately made it in nine, not count- ing August thirteenth, which was dropped in crossing the date line. Chapter III JAPAN AND KOREA The " Shiny o Maru" arrived in Yokohama on a boiling August day. The part of town first seen is far from attractive, though of course there is much to interest a new-comer in the appearance of houses and people. A jinrikisha ride through Theater Street in the evening gave a typical Japanese picture. Here were innumerable Japanese, the men wearing a long plain kimono and wooden san- dals, often with an American straw hat, and sometimes carrying a cane. The women, with their hair elaborately dressed, also wore long kimonos, sometimes floral, but more often plain, with beautiful obis or sashes. The street is wide and is lined with theaters and shops of all kinds. Above the shops hang gaudily painted signs with large Japanese characters. The shuffle of innumerable wooden clogs on a hard dirt road produces a sound quite distinct from any other, and impossible to describe. It gives the final realization to the fact that you are in a foreign country. The Rowlands asked me to go with them the next day to Karuizawa I did not need much 19 20 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL persuasion. Karuizawa is a little resort where many of the missionaries go for the summer, on account of its cool climate. Near it is the active volcano of Asama-yama of whose smoking top I caught but one glimpse; so cloudy was it during my stay. Here I met many of the missionaries, espe- cially at a large Baptist picnic attended by one hundred Baptists in all. For several years I had been correspond- ing with a Japanese boy named Toshio Tanaka, who lived at Maebashi, not far from Karuizawa. He had often asked me to visit him, and now sent another invitation, which not without misgivings I decided to ac- cept. He was not at the station when I ar- rived, for he had been out on the arrival of my telegram, but his family sent a servant to meet me. Through an interpreter he told me I was to wait, and soon Toshio came rushing up on his bicycle, panting and out of breath, his kimono flapping behind him. At first we had a little difficulty in understanding each other, but we were soon ensconced in jinrikishas and on our way to a Japanese hotel. Maebashi is a real Japanese city Karuizawa and Yokohama are largely inhab- ited by foreigners. But at Maebashi a for- eigner is still something of a curiosity. The houses were of one or two stories for the most part, and the roofs were tiled. The main JAPAN AND KOREA 21 streets on one of which ran a trolley line were wide, but the town was not attractive. The hotel was Japanese, but had had a few for- eign guests, and thought it knew exactly how to serve them. As I was with a Japanese, the son of one of the leading men of the town, I had every attention. At the door I removed my shoes, and shuffled up the stairs in bath-room slippers. The room was on the third floor, and was furnished with a low table and a few pillows. The floor was cov- ered with matting, and even slippers were tabooed here. My ideas of Japanese etiquette were rather vague, to say the least, in spite of a little coaching from Mrs. Rowland; so with lynx eyes I watched Toshio to do as he did. Later I discovered he was watching me rather intently, and ever since I have been won- dering if he were trying to imitate me. I am afraid that I shocked him many times that day more especially by abruptness of man- ner than by any real discourtesy, I hope. On ordering tea a servant brought out from the window seat a Satsuma tea set, later bring- ing it back with a covered Satsuma bowl. We drank our tea oh, so slowly, but no reference was made to the bowl. Once Toshio left the room, . and I looked in. It contained cake, but he did not offer it for some time. Then I took a piece in my chop sticks and carried it directly to my mouth 22 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL a terrible breach of etiquette. Toshio said " I am surprised to see you do so." Then he ordered dinner. This was a long and elaborate process. After endless bowing and scraping the servants left, to reappear later with the meal. It still remains the most remarkable one of my life! First we had Japanese pears and Japanese beer the pears tasting as much like apples as pears, or rather tasting like a combination of the two. Then two trays were brought in, each with two dishes. One dish was a bowl of ice, with a glass raft over it, on which rested a iew slices of raw fish. With the sauce pro- vided it was, contrary to my expectations, de- licious. In the other dish was ice cream, for- tunately served with spoons. Toshio would eat a little bit of the fish, wait a long time, eat a little ice cream, and wait some more; so I followed suit. These waits between mouthfuls became interminable. If I had been sure that he was living up to his Japa- nese customs I would not have been uneasy, but I was sure that he felt he was being very American. I had a lusty appetite, and the long waits between bites only served to whet it constantly. At length that course was finished. Two more trays were brought in, this time with fried brook trout and bamboo roots. After this came another course; pressed chicken JAPAN AND KOREA 23 and some other dish I have forgotten what. Then came a large plate of bread, a bowl of butter, mostly melted, and a large bottle. I asked what was in it. Toshio who had a very direct way of looking at you, his eyes wide open, his expression serious, almost tragic took up the bottle, smelled it solemnly, set it down and said : " I think it is soup." It was, but we did not indulge ! Then we took jinrikishas to his house. The grounds were large and contained sev- eral buildings, the largest of which was the residence itself. Toshio's room was on the second floor of a separate building this is customary for an eldest son and there I was led. In the middle of the room was a low table on which was a brazier with a burning coal, from which we lit our cigarettes. A Japa- nese girl about the homeliest that I saw in Japan came in bearing candies, and Toshio told me that she was his servant. Later an- other girl brought up a tray with tea. She fell to the floor and kow-towed, but not until she was leaving did Toshio mention the fact that she was his sister. Later his mother came up here again I made a grave breach of etiquette by rising. So later when his father came up I was schooled to remain seated and kow-tow. After the third time I was quite ready to stop, but as the father 24 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL showed no sign of weariness I must needs continue, wondering which of us should stop first. It was a very delicate point. Toshio himself was about eighteen, short, slight, frail, but very studious. His father was short and stout, with an extremely pene- trating eye. His mother was a refined Japa- nese woman, with a bright intelligent face. She was, in spite of her inability to speak Eng- lish, very much the courteous hostess. Later Toshio asked me if I would like to take a bath. Knowing that the Japanese bathe together, I asked if I might bathe with him, not being at all certain of doing the right thing if left to my own devices. He seemed pleased, and led me to a small room where we undressed, from which we entered the bath-room adjoining. It was about eight feet square, all of bamboo, with a tub in it about three feet square and three feet deep. The water in this tub was about 115 that is the usual temperature for Japanese baths. We seated ourselves on tiny stools, and threw buckets of this boiling water over ourselves. Then he asked me to get in the tub for- tunately I am used to hot baths and after I came out he got in. Then he asked me if I would like his servant to rub my back. Re- membering the female he had called his serv- ant I asked "Boy?" He said it was; so I acquiesced. To my complete surprise the girl y,M MAEBASHI, JAPAN. A Room in a Japanese House. Toshio Tanaka in his own room. JAPAN AND KOREA 25 entered and proceeded to rub my back vigor- ously. The hot water and the vigorous rub- bing relieved me of most of my cuticle, and some of my skin. I turned to Toshio and asked, " Am I very dirty? " Again that almost tragical expression, as he replied " Yes very ! " Later I found that u boy " was a gen- eric name in Japanese English for " servant." It was a very hot day, and I found it almost impossible to dry myself. Toshio told me to sit in the window to cool. When his sister passed a little later I was hardly embarrassed at all I was getting acclimated ! Toshio wanted to see me in Japanese clothes, and brought out some of his father's. The kimono was rather short, and not ex- pansive enough, especially when I sat on the floor. We went into the main room of the house, made quite large by throwing back all the shoji, and had more tea. My size seemed to be a source of amazement. At one time Mrs. Tanaka slapped her hip vigorously, and said something in Japanese, which Toshio translated : " My-e mother say you have very fine constitution." His father was so impressed that he opened the shoji leading into his office he is a surgeon so that he and his two patients, sitting around a huge brazier, could see me. Then he asked if he might weigh me, and led me to a funny little scale with a built-in chair on the platform. 26 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL Toshio announced with evident satisfaction that I weighed twenty-four pounds, but his satisfaction was nothing compared to mine. Needless to say the unit of measure was not pounds. We returned to Toshio's room after a while, and another guest was announced by Toshio in this remarkable manner : " An Indian comes. " I was prepared for most anything but an Indian! He proved to be an East- Indian from Malacca, who had lived in Paris, London, New York, and nearly all the large cities of the world. He spoke, besides his own language, French, English, German, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and a little Turkish and Russian, but his English was by no means as good as Toshio's. He was short, with a rat-like head and a stringy long beard of per- haps a dozen hairs, and was dressed in Eng- lish clothes. Later Toshio's entire family re- turned to his room. When it was time for me to change my clothes and go back to the hotel, they showed no evidence of leaving, and I was at a loss what to do, until the " Indian," perceiving my difficulty, suggested that all but Toshio should wait downstairs until I was dressed! At the hotel the manager had prepared an American bed for me, much to my disgust, as I should have preferred a Japanese quilt. But I saw that I would give offense if I did JAPAN AND KOREA 27 not use the bed; so was led to another room by the manager, followed by Toshio, the " Indian," the wife of the manager, and most of the servants. The bed was an iron one, placed in the exact center of the room, with a hideous and close mosquito net over it col- ored purple and green. The sheet was a nar- row and short piece of white crepe, the only cover a quilt, though the night was stifling. The pillow was a towel stuffed with hay later I took one of the beautiful soft cushions off the floor in my room to use on my bed. I felt the bed, nodded approval which I did not feel and immediately everyone was in smiles, as if a momentous question had been solved. Then I made an appointment with Toshio for the next morning at six-thirty, and retired. It was too cool without the quilt, and too hot with it. After some hours I went to sleep, to be awakened the next moment, it seemed, by Toshio. It was five-thirty! He said he had come early, as the car we wanted to take, and which he thought left at seven- thirty, really left at seven. I dressed, and then he told me that the seven o'clock car would make us wait an hour at the transfer point; so that it would be better to wait for the eight o'clock car after all ! It was a dark, lowering day, and hot too. We took the trolley to Ikao, where we met 28 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL Miyakawa, a friend of Toshio's, who also spoke English. Ikao is a most interesting town, and is famous for its sulphur baths. Its main street is built on the side of a hill, and consists of steps for nearly its whole length. The houses, and their settings, are very picturesque. We took a walk in the morning, and in the afternoon started off for Haruna for in an unguarded moment I had said I wanted to go there. A slow drizzling rain set in, that dampened my enthusiasm and ardor greatly. We climbed straight up a mountain side, and the heat was intense. I tried to tell them that it was useless to go to Haruna on a day like this, that we wouldn't be able to see anything when we got there. But they were adamantine I had said I wanted to see it, and see it I must. If I had known the distance I would have stopped then and there, but they kept saying it was " only a little ways further " or " very near," until we had actu- ally walked the six miles to the lake. Of course we could see nothing; so then we had to turn around and walk back. But return- ing was not quite so bad, as I really knew how far I had to go, and most of the way was down hill. At Haruna were two hotels, each crowded with guests from Ikao hotels. We met boys running along the road carrying umbrellas to IKAO, JAPAN. The Principal Street. JAPAN AND KOREA 29 them imagine sending a boy six miles with an umbrella a paper one at that ! Some of the more fortunate guests had hammock-like chairs, carried by two coolies if the passenger were Japaxiese, but by four to six if he were a foreigner. The Japs looked very comfortable all snuggled up in this hammock, but the foreigners did not look so at all elbows and knees were particularly conspicuous. Per- haps I was not so badly off after all. The long trolley ride back to Maebashi in wet clothes did not make for comfort either, but one of those steaming hot baths in the hotel tub made me at peace with the world again. After dinner was served in my room, of course, as there is no public dining room I was very ready for bed. After returning to Yokohama a proposed trip with Toshio had to be canceled, for his grandfather, as he wrote " has become sick, and is going to danger." A letter from Toshio to a friend in America about my visit is too good not to give. Much allowance must be made in it for " Japanese politeness." Here is a portion of the letter: " I had a very happy and good Summer vacation last-year, because Mr. Howard, my intimate friend, came over to our country, and kindly visited my house. "He is a fine gentleman indeed; his eyes are large and clear, his nose is high and he has also a 30 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL tender smile in his face, which he always gives us when he speaks with us. He also speaks English eloquently, and I was taught a great deal of English languages while he was staying. Truely, I have never met with such a fine foreign gentleman in our country. My parents and Sister were very glad to see him, and wished him to stay as long as he could; but unfortunately they can not speak English nicely, they only talked with him in gesticulation. If they only could speak English nicely, they would be greatly pleased. We were very much surprised to see Mr. Howard was accustomed to the Japanese style very well. He knows well the Japanese polite- ness, he takes Japanese food and also smokes Jap- anese cigarettes. I have once heard from our English teacher that the people who live in your country are all sociable men, truly I found it in Mr. Howard. He is a very sociable man indeed, for this was for the first time I met with him in my life, but he talked with us as if he had known us from a child. I like very much such a man. Oh! what a happy Summer vacation I spent last year. If I shall have the pleasure of seeing you in our country this Summer, I shall be a very happy man in the world." The railway trip to Kamakura is through very pretty country, the rice fields and ter- races being especially attractive. At Kama- kura is the Dai-butsu, or Great Buddha. This marvelous bronze was cast about the middle of the thirteenth century. It has none of the exaggerations of so many of the other Buddhas, though of course Oriental in char- acter, and is really sublimely impressive. It JAPAN. Two views of the Dai-butsu, or Great Buddha, at Kamakura. A Diver at Enoshima. Waiting for the Emperor's Funeral. JAPAN AND KOREA 31 is almost fifty feet high, and is said to be the largest piece of cast bronze in existence. In its calm and dignity it cannot be surpassed : it certainly typifies all that is best in the religion it symbolizes. At Enoshima a few miles away is a cave highly revered by the Japanese, but of no great interest to foreigners. The island is attractive, though, and the fishermen and divers, with their small bodies but magnificent physiques, are well worth seeing. The Rowlands had given me a cordial in- vitation to visit them in Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido often called Yezo just north of Hondo, which is the largest and most important island. Of course I accepted, but on my way there made several stops. My first was a short one at Tokyo, where a long jinrikisha ride to the station from the hotel at night, through the narrow back streets, proved most interesting. The little glimpses of the homes and shops passed at this hour gave more of an insight into Japa- nese life than much daytime wandering, when the people were more confined to the labors of the day. Tokyo is said to cover one hun- dred square miles, and is the largest city of the East. A ride at night helps to make one realize its vast size. Sendai was the next stop, from which I visited Takayama and Matsushima. Taka- 32 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL yama is a delightful cottage colony of foreigners on the coast, amid picturesque sur- roundings. It is six miles from the railway station, and the charge for the jinrikisha ride is thirty cents. A friend I expected to find here was absent, and I was compelled to ac- cept the hospitality of absolute strangers, but old friends could not have been more cordial or kindly. Matsushima is one of the " San-kei " or " Three Great Sights " of Japan. It is a large bay studded with tiny islands of vol- canic tufa of weird and fantastic shape, with pines as weird and fantastic as the islands themselves a charming view not unlike parts of Lake George. It is a beautiful spot, but too-enthusiastic tourists are often dis- appointed here, having been led to expect something very exceptional. One of the islands approached by a bridge has little shrines cut in the rock, and a path leading over it in the picturesque way so dear to the heart of the Japanese gardener. The two-day trip from Sendai to Sapporo was tiresome for the most part. The " ferry " from Aomori to Hakodate takes four and a half hours the rest of the trip was by train. Hokkaido is of course much farther north than the rest of Japan and the climate is so much the cooler. It is not unlike New Eng- land in its trees, flowers and animal life, as JAPAN AND KOREA 33 well as in its climate. The Japanese have only recently settled here in any great num- bers, and the villages and the whole char- acter of the country are by no means typical of Japan. The houses, for instance, are quite unlike the fragile houses further south, as they have to be built very strong to resist the biting cold and the snows of severe winters. Sapporo, the capital of the island, is not an old city, having been officially created in 1870. It is well laid out, with unusually wide streets. On one of these streets I chanced on some policemen, leading four prisoners, who had inverted baskets over their heads to pre- serve them from the ignomy and disgrace of recognition. Mr. Rowland was anxious that I should see the Ainus, the aboriginal inhabitants of Japan. They are found now only in a few villages of Hokkaido, and are fast dying out: a few years will probably find them extinct. One of these villages is near Shiraoi. The Ainu men are short, like the Japanese, but more heavily built. Unlike the Japanese they are extremely hairy, and, with their full beards, are often very handsome. The women are far from handsome, as they tattoo the flesh for an inch around their mouths, ex- tending it up on their cheeks like a mustache. The effect is not very agreeable. Their houses are built almost entirely of thatch. In 34 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL several cases we saw large cages built outside the house, with a young bear cub inside. These are kept and fattened, to be later killed for a feast of a semi-religious nature. From Shiraoi we continued to the hot springs of Nobori-betsu. This is a favorite bathing resort of the Japanese. There are the usual volcanic activities a pool of boiling mud, spouting geysers, boiling springs, and an all-pervasive sulphur smell. The Japanese stand under streams of this water, which is actually boiling hot, and let it fall on their bare backs it is impossible to understand how they can become so inured to it. Returning, we stopped to visit a Japanese preacher. The amount of kow-towing a Japanese missionary has to do is beyond be- lief. I have seen it kept up, slowly and de- liberately, for ten minutes. Surely a strong spine and tough knees must be one of the re- quirements ! The time at Sapporo passed pleasantly, and all too quickly. Returning to the main island, I stopped off at Nikko, with its exquisite tem- ples. It is in itself a beauty spot its chief glory, aside from the temples, being the mag- nificent cryptomerias, huge trees of wonderful proportions, on the order of our cedars. On leaving Nikko a seven-mile jinrikisha ride is taken down a cryptomeria avenue it is one of the most beautiful sights of Nikko. JAPAN AND KOREA 35 The temples have a setting of brilliant green, broken by imposing flights of broad stone stairs. Beside the temples there are numer- ous lanterns, of bronze and stone; many ex- quisite gateways with marvelous wood carv- ings; toriis of wood and stone, and a pagoda. The torii is the familiar Japanese gateway, which is always placed in front of Shinto temples. The temples all through Japan are much alike: a large space open on three sides, with the altar or image in a shrine on the fourth side. Those at Nikko are very large, and are unusual in that some of them are covered with red lacquer. It is always raining in Nikko, which accounts for the beautiful shade of the foliage. It also accounts for the fact that I was unable to make the trip to Lake Chu- zenji. The funeral of the Emperor who, by the way, is never called the Mikado in Japan was held on the thirteenth of September at Kyoto. Through the kindness of a friend I went with a Toyko school. At noon, in full evening dress, with a wide band of crepe around my hat, I walked with the school to the place designated for it on the line of march. The funeral was to start at eight o'clock at night, but it was necessary to come so early to reserve our places. The route to be fol- lowed by the cortege was lined with torches 36 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL and with trees, from which long white streamers were hung. The police had given orders on every conceivable subject, from what to wear and where to stand to when to rise and what to eat! One of the rules was that each person should have a mourning badge many wore a little celluloid button with a picture of a black bow ! I saw one coolie stripped to the waist with a mourning band around his arm ! The rules ran into such detail as to make them ridiculous read- ing, but they served the purpose : the arrange- ments were admirable, and in spite of the enormous crowds there was no accident. My own costume was said to be absolutely obliga- tory for a foreigner, but never again do I ex- pect to wear evening dress in the daytime to a funeral. During the seven hours' wait there was much to attract the attention and help pass the time. At nightfall the torches were lit, and cast a bright but flickering light over the road. Shortly before eight the procession be- gan to pass us, and exactly on the hour a gun was fired, announcing that the cortege had left the palace. The first part of the procession consisted of soldiers and sailors, some of them from foreign countries, who passed by silently, with reversed arms. The road was covered with tan bark, and the procession passed almost without sound. The flickering JAPAN AND KOREA 37 lights, and the vast number of men with their silent tread made an unusually impressive ceremony even of this part of this strange funeral. Then came the Shinto priests in flowing robes, carrying symbols, such as bows, quivers, shields, gongs, and the like. Several bands went by also, playing a dirge adding to the weird effect by some shrill Japanese musi- cal instruments. Then came the catafalque, drawn by five oxen. The oxen were so sur- rounded by cow-herds that they could scarcely be seen. The catafalque was a wooden two- wheeled cart, not unlike an ice-wagon in ap- pearance. It was decorated, but the light was too dim to distinguish details. For an hour and a half after the passing of the catafalque the procession of soldiers con- tinued. On the way from Tokyo to Kyoto the train passes close to Fuji-yama. The mountain is a perfect cone, and is very beautiful no won- der the Japanese love it. On the way down I amused myself with the Tokyo Puck. It is a comic paper published by Japanese in English. It had a remarkable editorial on the Emperor's death. The spirit of the edi- torial was sincere enough, but its expression left much to be desired, and as for its use of the " pnglirh " language well, it speaks for itself. The type was evidently pied, to add 38 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL to the trouble. The following is an exact copy : TOKYO PUCK Tokyo, Ougust 20, 1912. CHEER UP Cheer up, friends ! True, our good and beloved empe ov is gone. But he is happiev in yondev ethersal height, at bast free from this awful heat of earthly summev. Besides dead, he is aleie doing an unexpected lot of good to the countug. Behoed ! thue is that interesting practical jokey kno coming in all soberness to atteud the imperial effect of his neutralising scheme of a few years ago. Ond nothing short of the sad event could haye dene that. In death he conguereth indeed ! Then there is a prowd prince of the pvoud hoase of Hohenzollern to represesent his proudev brothev in paying the last tribute to one who was once cari- catured as the sove and spirit of yellow peril! Of conse we mean it all will : this is ong mr pucki woy of soy it. Hey-ho ! Cheer up, lament not, f riwds ! Not down hue in this mundane worM. Rut up obove he shineth a light that illumines the hath of his eounty forevev. Theongh his death the voored has bocome more friendl to us. Even that young joiunal which, printed in pnglirh is pubhshei to serve continental pmposes, aud which calls reirlivg jafan indefeudeut journalism is paiynig tribntee to the dead Sovoreign, thnikng it a good form! Of cowse it is not nwel of a comfliment to be spokew of well by a mer- cenwy sheet of the kind. But that a journal of the kind should deem it proper seven to obseve good form, is a most eloquent testimony that thereis some- thing realy great and holy in his memory. Cheer up, friends, a good understauding is coming. JAPAN AND KOREA 39 Three days after the funeral there was an- other interesting ceremony in memory of the Emperor, but this one was Buddhist. The Nishi Hongwanji is a large Buddhist temple, the lower floor opening on three sides on a large porch. In the center of the fourth side was the shrine, lit by numerous tiny lamps and candles. On each side of the shrine were rooms, the decorations of the wall being solid gold relieved only by a brown kakemono and a spray of pine. In the center of the build- ing were four massive wooden pillars, sup- porting the roof. By these sat some priests, and the musicians. Behind, places were roped off for schoolgirls and dignitaries, and behind them again came the public. The priests began to file into the rooms at each side of the shrine. They were in gor- geous robes of changeable colors. The first had on a robe of salmon, red and gold. He was followed by others in royal purples, greens, yellows and browns. They seated themselves on the floor, facing the shrine. The exquisite hues of their robes, with the background of pure gold, gave a most won- derful effect it was as if a rare piece of Satsuma had come to life. Then priests of higher rank entered, who took seats nearer the shrine. The service was intoned, the priests rising and sitting often. At one time they walked to and fro in front of the shrines 40 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL carrying books from which hung three long silk cords. They would tear out leaves as prayers and cast them on the floor. At the close of the service the various dignitaries filed past, made their obeisance to the shrine, and offered up incense. This service was far more interesting and picturesque than the funeral, though it lacked the eeriness given by the night and the flickering torches. There are many interesting buildings and temples in Kyoto. The San-ju-san-gen-do is unique. It is a temple to Kwannon, the god- dess of mercy, and contains 33,333 images of her. It is a low unimpressive building nearly four hundred feet long. In it are one thou- sand gilt statues of the goddess rising in five tiers one behind the other. The effect is startling, if not particularly artistic. In the hands of the figures are numerous small statues that make up the total number of representations of the goddess. In another building is a large Dai-butsu in wood. It shows the head and shoulders only, and is re- markable chiefly for size, being in no other way comparable to the one at Kamakura. The Yasaka Pagoda has five stories, but the climb is worth while on account of the splendid view of Kyoto to be seen from the top. Near the temple of Kiyomizu is a small shed covering a great many small stone images JAPAN AND KOREA 41 of Jizo, each with a colored cloth bib and a pile of stones in its lap. Bereaved parents place these rocks here, in order to lessen the work of their children in the other world. A blessing is invoked by taking a dipper of water and splashing it all over the images, and it is interesting to watch the people old and young, men, women and children do this. From Kyoto to Miyajima the sleeper was truly amazing. Its price in the first place aroused my curiosity what kind of a berth could I get for thirty cents? It was like a series of couches pushed end to end and run- ning the length of the car. When lying down your head was over the feet of the man be- hind you, and in turn your feet were under the head of the man ahead of you! There was a row of these berths on each side of the car, and above them rows of upper berths of the same kind. The space allotted may have been enough for the short Japanese, but for a fairly tall American they were not alto- gether satisfactory. By letting my feet drape in the aisle I secured a good night's rest, in spite of difficulties. At Miyajima the object of most interest is the elaborate torii. It is painted red, and at high tide, when its base is covered by water, is one of the most picturesque things to be 42 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL seen in Japan. Near by is an interesting tem- ple and a little park that contains many doves, and a few tame deer. Much has been said of Japanese cleanli- ness. In person they are clean, but one has only to ride in a second-class Japanese coach to see how dirty they are in other ways. Built-in spittoons are most conspicuous in the center of the aisles, and form a constant stumbling block. The Japanese put every- thing on the floor of the train bags and bun- dles of all kinds, teapots, ashes, sandals, fruit skins everything, in fact, except their feet. At each station a diminutive boy comes in with a huge wet rag and washes off the floor, leaving it a little less encumbered, but decidedly moist and prone to gather dirt. It was a particularly beautiful moonlight night as I sailed from Shimonoseki. Lights twinkled on the shore, and everything was stilled. As the boat went on, a beautiful Fuji-like mountain sailed underneath the half moon. It was a fitting " sayonara " to Japan. But though the night began so auspiciously it did not continue so. The boat was small, and the passage was rough. The name of the boat the " Iki Maru " was not exactly re- assuring. All night long the boat tossed and rolled. It kept me awake, and the words of a half- forgotten song kept running through my head : " I've got a motta, always merry JAPAN AND KOREA 43 and bright," " Cheer up, Cuthbert, you'll soon be dead" and the rest of the inanity, over and over again but it helped to pass the time. Leaving Fusan the next morning a long train ride brought me to Seoul that night. Korea is now called Cho-sen by the Japanese. The Korean men dress in a long robe of stiff thin material reaching to the knees, and fas- tened by a large bow on the right breast. In color it is usually white, but may be a pale shade of pink, blue, or green. Under this is a white shirt, and full white trousers gathered at the ankles, with shoes of wood shaped like a canoe. On their head they wear a hat of stiff black cloth the exact duplicate of wire screening with a wide brim of the same ma- terial. A tiny pig-tail fastened into a knot on top of their heads shows through the hat, and the resemblance to a mouse in a trap is too strong not to be noticed immediately. The hat is held in place by two shoe strings that tie under the chin, the ends falling to their waist. Their beards are downy and meager, and the hat strings make them look longer than they really are. Add to this a pipe with a stem a yard long, and you have the complete picture of the Korean. The women's costume is also odd. Their dress is open horizontally in front, exposing the breasts, and they wear long coats of 44 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL bright colors, which though they have sleeves are always worn over the head with the arms flapping at the sides. One sees in- numerable naked children with abdomens that are almost spherical caused by a dis- ease, it is said, traceable to a rice diet. At Seoul by far the most interesting things were the natives themselves. They are ab- solutely different from the Japanese, and are a never- failing source of interest and amuse- ment. No comic opera would dare bring out a chorus dressed in real Korean clothes they would be hooted off the stage for being so un- true and unrealistic! The old North palace, which has not been used since the queen w r as murdered there in 1895, is magnificent though falling into ruin. The death of a member of the royal family al- ways necessitated a new palace the old one was desecrated. Walking in a straight line from the main gateway, one goes through court and palace in endless succession. The courts are stone paved, but have fallen into such a ruinous state that in one of them they were actually cutting the grass. Many of the gateways are exceptionally beautiful the wood carving and tile work being particularly attractive. At one side, surrounded by a moat filled with pond lilies, stood a beautiful build- ing called the " Banqueting Hall," but said to have been a hall for ceremonial dancing. JAPAN AND KOREA 45 The tomb of the murdered queen lies outside the town, and shows the arrangement typical of Chinese tombs, with some interesting carved stone figures. The trip from Seoul to Mukden takes seventeen hours. A fine new bridge crosses the Yalu, which is the boundary line between Korea and Manchuria. One wonders how long it will be before the Japanese have control of Manchuria also. Chapter IV CHINA On crossing the Yalu it becomes apparent at once that you are in China, for all of the na- tives are dressed in blue. This blue clothing seems to be universal in China, though of course it is much more prevalent in some parts of the country than it is in others. At Mukden it is necessary in order to visit the palace to procure a pass from your Consul. The American Consul lived in an artistic old house formerly a temple with much around that was quaint and curious. The palace in itself was not particularly in- teresting, but contained a marvelous collec- tion of old porcelain, and some valuable old embroideries. Mukden is a dirty city, with two wide streets meeting at right angles, a three-story tower standing at the junction. The Man- chus for of course we are in Manchuria are fine specimens of manhood ; big, husky fellows entirely unlike the small Chinese of the South. Once it was necessary to change a film in my camera. I was immediately sur- rounded by a large gaping crowd perfectly quiet, but tremendously interested. A uni- 46 3 MUKDEN, MANCHURIA. A Street Scene. The Residence of the American Consul. CHINA 47 formed policeman came hustling importantly up, but instead of dispersing the crowd he joined it, taking advantage of his authority to get a front place. To the passing tourist the principal business here seems to be hog deal- ing never have I seen so many hogs. On the streets are many butcher shops, and in front of each lie a dozen or so fat porkers, their feet tied together, awaiting their turn for execution. Two Manchus were carrying a dressed carcass down the street some- thing broke, and the body rolled through the dirt of the street. It did not increase one's appetite for pork. The railway trip from Mukden to Peking had to be broken at Shan-hai-kwan, unless a special train is taken that runs only once a week. At Shan-hai-kwan the Great Wall meets the sea, but reference to this will be made later. As the train reached Peking late at night, the magnificent wall and gateways made a wonderful silhouette in the moonlight. The walls of Peking are in some respects more impressive than the Great Wall itself, as they are considerably larger. The walls of the Tartar City are thirteen miles long, while those of the Chinese City, immediately to the south, must be nearly half that length. These walls are forty feet high, and are ex- tremely well built. The road on the top is 48 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL twenty feet wide, and from it splendid views of the city can be obtained. Peking is unattractive for the most part. The main streets are very wide, but extremely dusty and dirty. The Legation Quarter, which has been enlarged since the Boxer re- bellion, resembles in its architecture a Con- tinental city, and is by far the handsomest part of town with the possible exception of the Forbidden City, which few foreigners are al- lowed to enter. There are many ancient temples in Peking. Some of them might be exceedingly beautiful, but they are absolutely spoiled by the fact that the surroundings are neglected and un- cared for, and the temples themselves are dilapidated and filthily dirty. The Chinese will soon learn, as the Japanese already have, that it will pay, from a purely utilitarian standpoint, to take better care of their crum- bling monuments, in the increased number of tourists drawn thereby. The Altar and Temple of Heaven are in a large park-like enclosure in the Chinese city. The Altar consists of three white marble terraces, of which the lowest one is over two hundred feet wide. The balustrades and much of the stone work is beautifully carved. The Temple of Heaven stands on a similar series of terraces, and is a round building with an ancient blue tiled roof. The interior is CHINA 49 impressive, on account of its huge teak-wood columns. The Llama Temple is in the northern part of the Tartar City. The Llamas are a sect of Buddhist priests or monks, and wear the same yellow robes that were later to be seen in Burma and Ceylon. A service witnessed here was not unlike the Buddhist ceremony seen at Kyoto, though it was by no means so elaborate or picturesque. The temple itself was an old royal palace. Near by is the Tem- ple of the Great Buddha. This dilapidated and dirty building contains a figure of Buddha in wood, gaudily painted, and is remarkable for its height of seventy feet rather than for any artistic value. The Temple of Confucius is also near. In its Hall of Classics are copies of the Chinese classics carved in stone, in order to make sure of their preservation for future generations. In the courtyard of the temple is a pailow, a thin gateway of three flat arches, of bright green and yellow tiles contrasted with white marble, one of the most beautiful of its kind in China, The Summer Palace was unfortunately not open to visitors during my brief stay in Peking. The tombs of the Emperors of the Ming dynasty or the Ming Tombs, as they are generally called can be reached from Nan- kow, a little north of Peking, by ponies, or m a sedan chair. By pony the trip took si^ &nd So GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL a half hours. The trail led across land ap- parently bacren, but in reality producing quite a little. Among other things I noticed corn, peanuts, and persimmon trees. A large and very beautifully carved white marble pailow with five openings marked the beginning of the " Holy Way," which continued over the country for miles to the tombs. After the pailow, but some distance beyond it, was a monument to one of the Ming Emperors, a building containing a stone shaft resting on the back of a gigantic stone tortoise. Im- mediately after this came the avenue of an- imals, in pairs, one on each side of the road, the first pair kneeling and the second stand- ing. They represented lions, rams, camels, elephants, fabulous animals, and horses, all carved from large blocks of stone. After these came various officials and priests, all standing, also carved from single blocks. The " Holy Way " continued for some distance beyond these, its outlines at times being scarcely discernible. Here it would be marked by a broken marble bridge further on by a piece of pavement, but finally no traces of it remained. In the distance the tombs could be seen, picturesquely situated at the foot of the mountains. They were not very near each other, and an inspection of them all would take several days ; so the tourist must be content with inspecting one. The CHINA 51 Tomb of Yung-Loh is typical, and is one of the largest and best preserved; and therefore is the one usually visited. The principal pavil- ion of this tomb was a huge hall two hundred feet long and half as wide, with many solid teak-wood pillars sixty feet high supporting the roof. At the rear of this pavilion was a large quadrangle, which led on the other side to a passage opening on a terrace, said to be directly above the real tomb, from which there was an extensive view of the country just passed through. The Great Wall is reached from Nankow by a railway which continues on to Kalgan. But the wall can be seen in all its glory at the Nankow Pass, near the station of Ching- lung Chiao. The pass is in the heart of the mountains, and is one of the main arteries into Peking from Mongolia. At Kalgan is another and outer wall, which is nearer the boundary between the two countries. Pictures of the Great Wall give little idea of its impressiveness. Imagine a wall avera- ging twenty-seven feet in height and thirty in width, extending for two thousand five hun- dred miles over the country not passing along the plains, but seeking the very hilliest places. It is older than the Christian era. Most of the wall near the Nankow pass is in excellent condition. Starting at the gate- way of the pass, the walls rise easily and 52 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL gracefully in both directions, twisting, turning, and disappearing, to reappear on a higher crest, and again on a taller mountain behind, as far as the eye can see. About every six hundred yards there is a watch tower jutting out from the wall, and relieving what might be otherwise a monotonous line. An Ameri- can army officer told me that the wall is re- markable in that it always makes use of the " military crest " in other words that it takes advantage of the formation of the ground so that an attacking army must climb a hill before reaching the wall itself. At Shan-hai-kwan, mentioned before, the wall was similar, but not so well preserved. I had asked an Englishman there how the Chinese guarded the wall, saying that they must have had watchers in the towers, who telephoned back to Peking at the approach of the enemy. " Oh," he answered, " but they didn't have telephones in those days." A camel and donkey caravan passed through the massive gateway. There was nothing about it indicative of modern civilization : caravans similar to it harve been passing through that gateway every day for two thou- sand years ! At the pass the foundations of the wall and the first ten feet of the superstructure are of large dressed granite blocks. Above these the walls are made of sun-dried bricks, about four CHING-LUNG CHIAO, CHINA. The Great Wall. CHINA 53 times the size of one of our bricks, and very heavy. A Chinaman took three of these huge bricks with him, saying he wanted them for his garden in Canton. He was dressed in European clothes, but his companion wore a gorgeous costume of heavy brocaded silk. The pajama-like trousers were light lavender in color, the coat a dark blue, and the sleeve- less jacket over that a plum black. At Peking and throughout the northern part of China the pig-tail was very much in evidence. At Shanghai it was rarer, and in Hong Kong and Canton it had practically dis- appeared. It is the symbol of the Manchu dynasty, and the absence of it in the South seems to show that the Republic is more popular there than it is in the North. The trip from Peking to Hankow by rail is a fascinating one through the heart of China. Strangely, ^he management of the road is French- even the time-tables are published in French. The trip takes forty hours on a special train running once a week. On arriving at Hankow I jumped in a rick- shaw (resembling the Japanese jinrikisha, but heavy and clumsy), and told the coolie to take me to the Terminus Hotel. He looked blank, but started off at full speed running for at least fifteen minutes. By this time I had be- come fully convinced that he did not know where I wanted to go, but as I knew of no 54 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL way to tell him, I thought it best to let him continue. Finally we stopped in front of a fine white house set well back among the trees, but without a sign of any kind. I felt sure it was not the hotel, but approached a short energetic young Englishman descending the path, and said: " Pardon me, but is this the Terminus Hotel ?" It did not take long to see that I had made a grievous mistake. His eyes flashed, and he drew himself up very dramatically and in- dignantly exclaimed: " No ! This is the British Consulate." Not till I reached the hotel did I realize the magnitude of my crime ! A short stay here sufficed to see the Bund a street running along the edge of the Yang- tse-kiang and the other sights of the town. Boarding a Chinese boat named the " Sai-wo" we sailed down the river for two days to Nanking. At Kiu-kiang the boat stopped for four hours, giving a splendid chance to visit this squalid Chinese town. A boy who spoke English a little a very little constituted himself my guide, and led me to some of the temples. They were not interesting, but the life of the people was very much so. Once, in a street running between two high walls, I almost stumbled on a leper. He had cast himself on the ground in the narrowest part CHINA 55 of the street, and his great open sores, ter- rible deformities, and whining pleas were all equally horrible. Continuing down the Yang-tse-kiang, it was amusing to see the Chinese board our boat from little craft waiting in the river, while we were still in motion. The excitement ran high at times, but large cargoes, both of passengers and freight, were changed amidstream with- out mishap. The shore north of the river was a dull flat plain as far as the eye could see in great contrast to the southern shore, which was very mountainous, the mountains often extending to the edge of the river. At Nanking the carriage drivers have a bat- tle over every passenger, and it was with dif- ficulty I finally procured one and reached the Bridge House Hotel. This little hotel, though very unpretentious, was remarkably clean, and the food good. Nanking was formerly a huge city, with a wall nearly as long as that of Peking. But now the greater part of the ground within the wall is farm land or forest. The little that is left of the city is huddled at one end, about five miles from the hotel. Here the old examination halls are still standing they have been destroyed at Pe- king and Canton and I was very glad to get a glimpse of them. It is only a matter of 56 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL a short time before these will be destroyed also. The halls consist of thousands of tiny cells arranged in rows, with a large central tower for watchers. The cells are only about two feet square, and have two shelves, one for a seat and the other for a desk. Twenty- five thousand people could be examined at once. It is said that they were sealed in these tiny rooms for days, and if a death occurred as not infrequently happened it was nec- essary to break down the wall to remove the body. Walking on the old wall, I saw in the fields below a boy in a filthy pool of water, hunting for lotus root with his feet. On finding a root he would dive down in this slimy water, remain submerged for alarming periods at times, and then would come up puffing and blowing, the root in his hand. Here also I met two soldiers, who led me, though we could not communicate by speech, through the fields to their camp. A sign near it said: " NO ADMITTANCE. HERE IS MAGAZINE." but they led on ; so I followed. At the " maga- zine M I met more soldiers who inspected me carefully, examining my camera and clothes. They offered me tea to drink, which I had to accept, though it was far from tempting. To CHINA 57 be frank, I think I afforded them as much amusement as they did me. At Shanghai, though it is a beautiful city, there is comparatively little for the tourist to see, if he is looking for Chinese life and cus- toms. But if one had to live in the East, Shanghai must be very attractive. The best English newspaper in the East is published here, and you are in constant touch with Europe and America. Shanghai has one famous sight, though the largest bar in the world ! The adjacent Chinese part of the city is very interesting, and a trip through the streets with their ivory, wood, and other shops is well worth while. Taking the " Bulow" to Hong Kong, in three days we entered that beautiful harbor. The city of Victoria Hong Kong being really the name of the island rises from the water's edge on terrace after terrace until the famous " Peak " is reached. This peak, though not very high, has a funicular road leading to the top, and commands a splendid view of the harbor and surroundings of Hong Kong. In summer it is used as a place of residence by the foreigners in Hong Kong. Canton is a few hours' journey up the Pearl River. It presents typical Chinese life the kind that you expected to see before you left 58 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL home, and failed to find in Peking. Here is a very kaleidoscope of colors. The streets are narrow, with many steps: the houses are for the most part two stories high, with forbid- ding walls, but occasionally an open door gives a vista of an attractive garden within. Most of the streets are lined with tiny shops, which sell almost everything. Great gaudy banners of all colors, a foot wide and yards long, with Chinese characters, hang from the upper stories. On bright days the street is spotted and flecked with sunshine, and the coloring is fascinating. One sees all kinds of Chinese men in gorgeous robes, others in plain ones, and coolies stripped to the waist, their brown arms and necks glistening in the occasional sunbeam. All are eager, all busy, all quick without undue haste. Women there are too, but by no means as many. I had expected a gloomy, forbidding people of threatening as- pect instead I found a happy, smiling peo- ple, content in their own way of life, but mightily curious about yours. The narrow streets and many steps prevent the use of car- riages or even of rickshaws; so sedan chairs carried by four to six coolies have to be used if you do not care to walk. It was, to me, by far the most fascinating of the Chinese cities. The Shameen is the foreign residence sec- tion of Canton. On an island connected with the city by two guarded bridges rise foreign CHINA 59 buildings in a delightful setting of semi- tropical trees and shrubs. The Bund here, with its beautiful overhanging shade trees on the water's edge, is most attractive. On the side toward Canton is an " entanglement " of barbed wire, and sand-bag barriers are in some of the principal streets. They make one real- ize that while all may seem peaceful and quiet, the resident foreigners are always ready to be on the defensive if necessary. On returning a stop was made at the Portuguese settlement of Macao. Won by the Portuguese while at the height of their power, and commercially still valuable, it has degenerated to a gambling and opium den. The boat arrived at one o'clock in the morning, and the Chinese made a terrible noise while disembarking. Thoroughly aroused, I could not get to sleep, and finally decided to dress and visit the town, though it was nearly three. Facing the boat was a three-story building covered with elec- tric lights, and there were many like it in other streets. These were all gambling halls, and it was interesting to watch the Chinese in them. At Macao are opium factories also. The drug has been excluded from China, but the Chinese can come here and get it. Macao is beautifully situated, and in the daytime has a quaint old-world charm, like a breath from a fragrant garden. It is so ab- solutely different from the Chinese cities you 60 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL have been visiting, that it is a great surprise. It seems more as if you were in Portugal than China, and the Portuguese policemen add to the illusion. All that is left standing of the old Cathedral is the fagade, and a flight of massive stone steps. This faqade shows an incongruous combination of Renaissance archi- tecture with Chinese symbols. But at night- fall the charm of Macao is dissipated, and it becomes again a den of gambling and vice. Shopping in Hong Kong and Canton is a great pleasure, but here is a timely word, copied verbatim, from a guide book: HINTS ON SELECTING AND PURCHASING This is one of the most fascinating experiences of the visitor to this City of curio shops where, owing to the perfect novelty of the scene sudden flights of reason are at times apt to leave fancy sole mistress of the situation, and, through her inaptitude for the re- sponsibilities, one discovers too late, how much bet- ter bargains might have been made. Chapter V MANILA The Yellow Sea is one of the roughest bodies of water on the globe, and the trip from Hong Kong to Manila and back had long been dreaded. I had to take a tiny boat the " Tean " ; on a large boat the trip is bad enough on a small one it is absolute misery. A few hours before reaching Manila the boat stopped at Merivales, to leave the steer- age passengers. As there had been consider- able cholera in China, they were compelled to remain here a week before being allowed to enter the islands. As soon as they landed they and their belongings were fumigated, and it was amusing to see the Chinese get back into their clothes, their pig-tails untied and hanging down their backs. Manila is not an old Filipino village, but was built by the Spaniards. The walls en- close a space of about two square miles, and this part of town is called " Intramuros," or the walled city. The houses are well built, and the streets clean. There are no less than ten cathedrals here, all of them old, and some quite beautiful. The wall has been broken down in places, to make wider entrances to 61 62 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL the town, and to admit trolleys. Formerly there was a moat outside the walls, but this has been rilled in, and part of it made into a broad boulevard. The walls, with an oc- casional sentry box jutting out from them, are very picturesque, and form one of the strik- ing features of Manila. Just outside the walls is the Luneta, a large open parkway. Band concerts are given here almost every evening at sunset, and great crowds, composed of all classes, come here at that time to hear the music and have a little social intercourse after the heat of the day. The new Manila hotel stands on one side of the Luneta, and the Army and Navy Club on the other. From the Luneta a broad avenue lined with beautiful trees leads past the walled city to the Pasig River. On the other side of the river is the distinctly business section of the town. The river itself is filled with odd craft, many of them being house boats, and each one has a vociferous rooster on its roof. The natives of Manila seem to have a large percentage of Spanish blood. The girls have pretty coloring, and wear brightly colored waists of stiff grass cloth, with enormous sleeves. The men wear a pa jama-like coat that looks most cool and comfortable to the collared foreigner. The heat was intense in the daytime, but MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. Street Scenes. MANILA 63 after the extreme cold of Shanghai it was very welcome. But it did not tend to make one energetic; and as I had been traveling pretty strenuously I decided to take matters more easily here. The main beast of burden is the carabao, or water buffalo. They are large, lumbering creatures and move slowly, but are everywhere used. It is very common here to see a man walk- ing along the street carrying a rooster, for cock-fighting is the great sport of the country. The fights are held in round buildings of fair size, with a small arena in the center, and seats rising in circles around it. One section of these seats is reserved for the Chinese. Cruel-looking razor-edged blades are fastened to the rooster's gaff, and after the bets are placed the fight begins. While the waits be- tween rounds are long, the rounds themselves are usually short. They are over so quickly that there is little pleasure in watching them, for it seems more like a butcher shop than a sport. But the natives show great enthusiasm. One of the most interesting things in Manila is a drill to be witnessed every day at Bilibid Prison. In the center of the prison is a covered stand, with the various buildings radiating from it. All the prisoners about twenty-eight thousand when I was there can be seen from this stand at the time of the 64 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL drill. To the music of a prison band which played remarkably well they marched in fours from their respective buildings. Sud- denly the band played " The Star Spangled Banner," and the entire body of men saluted while the flag was being lowered. It was strangely impressive. After the salute they went through various calisthenic exercises, and then formed again and marched past the kitchen, each man receiving beef stew and a mess of rice. On Hallowe'en an all-night ceremony is held at Paco cemetery. In this cemetery the dead are not buried in the ground, but are placed in niches in the thick double walls which surround it. The relatives of the de- ceased keep watch near the tomb all night. Many and strange were the decorations. The whole place was brilliantly lighted by elec- tricity. But the ceremony seemed to be de- generating into a holiday merry-making fes- tival. On the trip up the Pasig River and through Lake Laguna to Los Bafios one passes many interesting native villages. The houses are made of nipa, thatched, and many of them stand on bamboo poles. At one village a boy boarded the boat selling hard-boiled eggs. I bought one, but I did not eat it. An unde- veloped chicken had almost complete posses- sion of the interior ! Later I learned that this MANILA 65 is called an " old egg," and is considered a great delicacy by the Filipino. Los Bafiyos is noted for its hot sulphur baths. But no description of Manila would be com- plete without a mention of its glorious sunsets. Imagine yourself on the Luneta at sundown, a gentle breeze coming in from the bay. In the distance the band is playing. The sky is a marvelous red that is reflected in the waters of the bay. Toward the right and left distant lofty palms are silhouetted against the bril- liant coloring of the sky, while directly in front may come a stray light from the island of Corregidor. Slowly the red turns to a deep orange, and then the sun sinks behind the horizon in a burst of golden glory. Surely these sunsets are the islands' greatest beauty. Chapter VI SINGAPORE AND JAVA It took four days on the " Prinz Eitel" to go from Hong Kong to Singapore. Here you come in contact with a black race; and dirty, skinny, ugly people do they look at first, after the clean, small, but well-proportioned Chinese. Not that the Chinese are left behind now on the contrary, they are very much in evidence, especially as rickshaw runners. But from here on you see them in decreasing numbers, and it is with regret that you see them pass. The population of Singapore is very mixed. Malays and Chinese predominate, but natives from all parts of India, Ceylon, Java and Siam are often seen. Although Singapore is within two degrees of the equator it is not so hot as might be expected, and the climate varies little. In this it has the advantage of the cities of India. Its public buildings are substantial and im- posing, and " Raffles Square " and other parts of the city are attractive. The inevitable Eng- lish botanical garden is present, but cannot compare with the gardens of Java or Ceylon. The carabao of Manila is here displaced by the zebu, with its peculiar hump and twisted 66 SINGAPORE AND JAVA 67 horns, which the natives often paint in bright colors. The market, with its native fruits and other products, and its native salesmen was worth a visit. In a big wicker basket I noticed a chicken that was having a glorious time peck- ing at all its mates. The owner noticed it too, and nonchalantly lifted the chick from the basket, broke its lower bill with his thumb, and threw it back. A short train trip through large rubber plantations brings one to the little principality of Johore, where one can visit the palace of the reigning prince. He was educated abroad, and his palace is a curious mixture of foreign and native ideas. At the hotels the beds are remarkable, in that they have only a lower sheet, with no cover of any kind, unless the " Dutch Wife " can be so considered. It is a soft round bolster-like object about four feet long, and lies lengthwise on the bed, but the manner of utilizing it is rather perplexing, and remains ever a mystery to the tourist. The bath-room has a huge jardiniere for a tub, about four feet across and correspondingly deep, which is filled with water. But do not make the mistake of trying to get into it you must simply splash water from it over yourself with the aid of a small tin bucket. The u Reijniersz " these Dutch names are 68 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL almost as unpronounceable as the Russian took but two days to go from Singapore to Tanjand-Priok, the port of Batavia in Java. At Batavia the heat was intense, but further back in the mountains it was very comfortable. During the week I was in Java and that is by no means long enough for this interesting island it rained constantly for the first four days, but by mistake gave three fairly clear days after that. It always rains in Java not showers, but heavy downpours except perhaps during the month of May. Batavia is divided into two parts. The southern part is the business section, and the northern part, called Weltvreden, is the resi- dential section. Through the middle of the city, on the main street, runs a canal, supposed to resemble those of Holland for Java, of course, has long been under the control of the Dutch. In these canals the natives bathe, and wash their horses and their clothes. Little one-horse carriages, in which the pas- senger has to sit riding backward, abound. They are easy to get in and out of, and are cheap, even if they are not particularly com- fortable. Buitenzorg is a short train ride from Weltvreden. Here are the famous botanical gardens, said to be the finest in the world, and especially noted for their collection of orchids. The gardens were lovely, and the < < > < SINGAPORE AND JAVA 69 trees and tree-ferns magnificent, but apprecia- tion was dulled by steady, heavy rain. Here a boy brought me a leaf I glanced at it but saw nothing unusual. As he persisted I looked at it again, and found that it was not a leaf at all, but an insect a perfect repro- duction of a leaf. The hotel here is beauti- fully situated on a cliff near the river, but we had to take the view on faith, as it was com- pletely hidden by the rain. At luncheon they served a " rice tabled This is a dish famous in Java, and it con- stitutes a whole meal. A deep soup plate is placed in front of you, and then various edi- bles are passed in bewildering succession. I can by no means remember all the dishes there must have been over thirty but some of them were hash balls, preserves, poached eggs, curry, jam, shrimps and other fish, " Irish " stew, and chicken, fried, boiled and fricasseed! The resultant concoction was re- markable, but it was also very good. At Garoet the bad weather continued, and prevented me from taking the " Papandayan " trip, the crater of one of the volcanoes with which the island abounds. But I did not see a single volcano while in Java, on account of the low clouds. At a native theater here the actors wore huge masks much like the faces made fa- miliar by their drawings and carvings. The 70 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL " dancing H was mostly posturing, with elaborate arm and finger motions, and a little rather vulgar by-play among the clowns com- pleted the performance. While at Garoet a large market was held, and it gave an unusual opportunity to study the natives. The women wear sarongs, pieces of cloth about three by eight feet, and sewed together at the ends. These have elaborately wrought designs, all done by hand, and are dyed deep shades of brown, orange, and red, and sometimes of blue. The men wear sarongs that are not sewed together, and have on their heads turbans made out of square pieces of cloth of similar color and design. It is interesting to see these sarongs being designed. The women are artists, and draw most elaborate designs free hand. One of the native musical instruments is made of bamboo, and is very crude. But as played by a band of boys, each holding two of these instruments of different sizes and tones, the effect is quite musical, even if a small one by itself does sound like a tinkling ice-water pitcher. At the hotel one of my eggs was bad there was no doubt about it. The manager apologized for it afterwards, by saying: "I am sorry that the egg was not very well." The trip from Garoet to Djokjakarta took all day. No trains travel at night in Java, and SINGAPORE AND JAVA 71 no matter in what part of the island you are the train you must take starts at daybreak. At one station it was necessary to add another car to our train. They uncoupled the last car, but no one had put on the brakes, and it rolled down the track for three miles. It took over an hour to get that wandering car back. The most distinctive feature of the land- scape are the rice fields. They extend in all directions, not only in the valleys, but also climbing the mountain in picturesque terraces, some of which are only a foot or two wide. Rice can only grow in water, and the sparkle of the water, the new green shoots of the rice, the extensive terraces, and the luxurious tropi- cal jungles form the greater part of the beauty of the scenery of the island. Near Djokjakarta or Dojkja, as it is usually called are the ruins of the temple of Prambanan. The temples though small, are distinctive, and are covered with carvings that show a high degree of artistic ability. Returning from Prambanan by auto, a broken bridge halted us. We crossed it safely on foot, and then had to go to a near-by house to telephone for another vehicle. It proved to be the home of a wealthy sugar planter, who received us cordially. A servant brought out cigars and refreshments, and kneeled to each one of us as he offered them, as every well-trained Javanese must. J2 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL The question of the treatment of the na- tives by a conquering nation is too big to be discussed here, but the Dutch seem to have solved it successfully. The natives are well treated and have a share in the government, but are constantly reminded that they are an inferior race, who must show obedience and respect to their conquerors. The Far-East- erners are much like children where they are kindly but firmly treated they show the greatest respect for their " parents." The policy of equality introduced by Americans in the Philippines although absolutely correct according to American principles is entirely unfit for these people, as yet. Perhaps some day they may " grow up," but they will surely be spoilt children if present conditions con- tinue. The Sultan's palace at Djokja is disappoint- ing, in that the beautiful native industries of the island are largely ignored, and the rooms are furnished with Early Victorian orna- ments perhaps of great value but certainly of doubtful beauty. Some of the rooms of the palace furnished throughout in native style were attractive. The Sultan is extremely fond of cock-fighting, and has about a hundred game cocks. Each of these has its personal attendant, and it is amusing to watch a lot of self-important game cocks strutting around T3 o 3 22 M-l < o > C/3 < H- rt tf m w <u 3 pg - M-l w o <v T c o 6 T3 tf c td pq c/T 3 tf <u 43 H SINGAPORE AND JAVA 73 the grounds with a native boy following each of them. Boro-boedoer is a massive ruin near Djokja, and the most interesting building on the island. It was built in the eighth or ninth century, when Java was under control of the Buddhists. It covers as much ground as the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. It is a low stepped pyramid, the steps forming four or five wide balconies extending on all sides of the struc- ture. These are decorated with ornamental balustrades: and the whole stonework almost every inch of it, is decorated in low bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of Buddha. The architecture and carvings show the very advanced civilization of that day. Surmounting the structure is a bell-shaped dagoba that is surrounded by smaller dagobas of heavy open stone work, in each of which can be seen a statue of Buddha. On each side of the structure is a stairway leading to the top. The stone is a dark gray, adding to the dignity and impressiveness of the building. Returning to Djokja, I was attracted by a large crowd on the street. Joining them, and waiting for a long while, I was finally re- warded by a view of a native wedding. It was a long procession. The first carriage was on the order of a victoria. It was gaily decorated, and was drawn by four horses. In 74 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL the back sat the bride and groom, who did not seem to feel any keen enjoyment over the proceedings. The bride's neck, arms and shoulders were bare, and were painted a bright yellow. She had an elaborately bejeweled headdress, with large earrings. The groom was stripped to the waist, and all the exposed flesh was painted a darker yellow. He had elaborate earrings, and a gorgeous skirt. On the seat facing them sat an elderly woman with two small children. The procession consisted of thirty or more carriages, filled with guests in their wedding finery. It kept passing up and down the main street for some time. I asked the object of this, and was told it was simply to advertise the marriage. A hasty trip back to Batavia, and then on to Singapore again. Here I had to wait a few days before leaving for the north days which I should rather have spent in Java, but the sailing dates would not allow it. Chapter VII FROM SINGAPORE TO CALCUTTA The chief excitement of the trip from Singa- pore to Rangoon on the a Torilla " was a waterspout. Though far away, it could be plainly seen, a long, bending, swerving line of water joining sea and sky. An unusually congenial crowd was on board, and the time passed quickly. Among others was a Mrs. Butler from Boston, and her three daughters, who might have posed for the originals of " Pitti-sing, Peep-bo, and Yum-yum." Later I had the pleasure of traveling with them all through northern India, and my recollections of that country are tinged with double enjoyment from this pleas- ant companionship. The stop of a morning at Penang allowed us to see some of the sights there. First we visited a large and beautifully situated Chinese temple, cleaner and more beautiful than any we had seen in China. It had nu- merous courts, and a few large pools, some of which contained sacred turtles, and others sacred fish whose holiness did not seem to affect their appetite. Next we went to the botanical gardens, and these were quite at- 75 76 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL tractive. A little path led off to a waterfall ; here we had our first glimpse of wild monkeys. On the fifth day the " Torilla" reached Rangoon. Here, to my lasting regret, I had but two days. The Burmese people are most attractive. The women, with their pretty, happy faces, daintily colored dresses and absolute freedom, remind one strongly of the Japanese. It is amazing to see these dainty women smoking huge black cigars. The Buddhist monk is omnipresent, his orange toga making him con- spicuous. The Shwe-Dagon Pagoda is a bell-shaped dagoba, and not a pagoda at all. It is three hundred and seventy feet high, and rests on a rectangular base almost half as high. It is entirely covered with gold leaf, and this, with its great height, makes it a conspicuous and beautiful feature of the landscape. It is the oldest and most venerated of the Buddhist places of worship, and is the only one credited with containing relics of Gautauma and three of the Buddhas who preceded him. Around its base, on the platform, are innumerable small temples and shrines. A few of them are studded with millions of small mirrors, with columns treated in the same way, which re- mind one of Coney Island. But others of them are very beautiful, and show especial excellence in their wood carvings. PENANG AND SINGAPORE. A Water Carrier, with the Ever-present Standard Oil Can. Penang. Workmen, Singapore. A Little Chinaman at the Chinese Temple, Penang. "Bak- sheesh," Penang. FROM SINGAPORE TO CALCUTTA 77 Seen from a distance, its base hidden by- trees, its golden spire glistening in the sun- light and reflected in the waters of a little lake, it is very picturesque. Through an interpreter I spoke with sev- eral of the yellow-robed monks. They asked me many searching questions, but perhaps the most astounding of all was a request to know if the President of the United States was a Buddhist. At Insein accent the first syllable, please is a Baptist missionary station, which has two theological seminaries among other in- dustries. One of these is for the Karens alone, and had one hundred and forty-four students registered. My visit there was all too short. Another boat, the " Aronda," had to be taken from Rangoon to Singapore, and nearly all of the " Torillafs " passengers transferred to it. By arising at five in the morning and poring over numerous charts I at last found the Southern Cross. It is a small but bril- liant constellation; in this latitude, of course, very near the horizon. The second day brought us to Calcutta. Some of our congenial party were in haste, and were anxious to go directly up to Darjeel- ing. So thirteen of us decided to go to Dar- jeeling that afternoon, though it left us but two hours to get money and tickets, arrange about 78 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL baggage, purchase the bedding necessary for the trip, and catch a train at a station miles across town. Naturally we saw little of Cal- cutta on our arrival! RANGOON, BURMA. Temples and Shrines at the Base of the Shwe-Dagon Pagoda. Chapter VIII INDIA Darjeeling is the summer resort of the foreign residents of India. In December it is bitingly cold. The hotel was frigid, and the tiny grates seemed only to emphasize the cold- ness. But all discomforts are forgotten after your first glimpse of Kinchin junga. This mountain, over five miles high, and the second highest in the world, is but forty miles away, and the view of it from Darjeeling is mag- nificent. Among the natives here are many Tibetans, who resemble in color, size and high cheek bone our own American Indian. It takes three or four of them to pull or push the rickshaws over the hilly paths, and the shorter the time you have been there the more it takes, for they have learned that the new- comer is apt to be sympathetic. One of the regular features of the hotel is a Tibetan dance, given in the evening. The chief dancer was a small boy of from twelve to fifteen and small for his age who had on a yellow dress and a clown mask. His antics and caperings were really remarkably clever and well done. The dance was a kind 79 80 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL of parable, the diminutive dancer being at- tacked by dragons and horsemen in grotesque costumes. It did not seem possible that that tiny child could remember all the work he had to do. It was far from easy to get up in the biting cold the next morning at a quarter past three, in order to go to Tiger Hill for the sunrise. Never have I wanted to see a sunrise less. But a party of us got started finally, some walking, some riding, and others using the sedan chair, carried by six or eight Tibetans. For most of the six miles to Tiger Hill the journey was in pitch darkness, over rough winding paths, and it was certainly weird. The coolies broke the monotony by singing one man singing a line and then all join- ing in a chorus that sounded like " Hi yi hi alloy. Yi hi yi alloy." Fi- nally it grew lighter, and shortly after arriving at Tiger Hill the sun rose. The view was marvelous, extending in all directions, but it was not for that alone we were here at this hour. At sunrise the mists break, and there is the possibility of seeing Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, one hun- dred and twenty-seven miles away. A loud shout went up from the men as the clouds parted, and in the dim distance, almost hidden by intervening mountains, was a tiny cone that we were told was Everest. From this INDIA 81 distance it was utterly unimpressive, and we had to take consolation in the fact that we had seen it. Christmas week in Calcutta is the great social season, and there was much to see and do. Christmas day which had been rather dreaded passed very delightfully, for al- though one missed old friends and faces, and the whole Christmas atmosphere, new friends made it a day full of fun and merriment. Just a word about traveling in India. The distances are great, and most of the traveling must be done at night. The sleeping cars are divided into several compartments each of which can accommodate four people. Each compartment has its private lavatory there is no public passage. The trains are not as clean as they might be. The berths are wide and fairly comfortable. Of course you must have your own bedding, and it is in the man- agement of your baggage and this bedding that a servant is really useful. It is perfectly possible to go through India without a serv- ant don't let any Englishman convince you to the contrary. A good servant is a great convenience a poor one is worse than use- less. At Benares there are a few temples and a palace to be seen, but the trip on the Ganges so far outweighs them in interest as to leave them negligible. The native part of the town 82 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL has narrow winding streets, and is indescrib- ably dirty. The Ganges is lined on one side with large buildings called ghats though on the opposite bank there is a sand waste, with- out dwellings or verdure. The best way to see these ghats is from the roof of a small house boat, rowed slowly up and down the stream. It is a wonderful picture. The ghats them- selves are magnificent buildings, standing on a broad base with steps leading directly into the river. Countless natives, many of them pilgrims to the sacred river from all parts of India, in all imaginable garbs, stand on these steps. Some are washing themselves in the sacred waters, some are praying to the sun, many are going through strange motions so intent on their devotions as to be entirely oblivious of their surroundings. Huge um- brellas are everywhere, adding to the wonder- ful effects of light and shade. Here is a holy man, his body covered with ashes; here a barber, sitting on his haunches, shaving his customer in the middle of the street ; here is a snake charmer, with a basket full of rep- tiles ; and here are washermen beating clothes on the flat rocks, and laying the pieces al- ready washed on the ground to dry in the sun, until the whole shore around them is covered. The burning ghat is usually considered the most interesting of all. Lucky indeed is the INDIA 83 Hindu who dies in Benares ; for then his ashes can be thrown in the sacred water of the Ganges. As our boat approached, the body of a man later we were told it was that of a high priest lay wrapped to the chin in white, with flowers on his breast. He was lying on a litter resting on the steps, with his feet submerged in the sacred waters. A bar- ber was shaving him, while attendants built the pyre. When all was ready, the body was lifted to the pyre, where a few simple cere- monies took place. Then four pots of fire were placed at each corner of the pyre, and it was further ignited by long pieces of burn- ing straw. Slowly it burned, but fiercely. Later, when the fire burnt out, the ashes were to be scattered over the Ganges. While watching the funeral of the priest, two other bodies arrived one in a litter the other, that of a young girl entirely swathed in red, lay in a small boat that was brought noiselessly to the ghat an Oriental Elaine. Unlike most tourists we did not stop at Cawnpore and Lucknow, with their memories of the Mutiny, but continued direct to Agra. Agra the city of the Great Moguls of Akbar and of Shah Jehan. The Taj Mahal is the undeniable queen of all India perhaps of the world. But one is dumbfounded at the marvelous and exquisite beauty of the other buildings of Agra beauty which would 84 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL be heralded as widely were it not for the pres- ence of this overshadowing sister. Of the Taj Mahal itself little need be said. It is exquisite it is perfect. At all times, from all positions of vantage, it is the superb mistress of Agra. There was one surprise, and that was the absence of perforated marble screen work. Of this the Taj has none save the screen in the interior around the tomb. But this was no disappointment the building is too grandly conceived to need the dainty fretwork of such screens. It is a glorious monument to Love would it be irreverent to wonder if Shah Jehan thought of it not only as a monument to the woman he loved but also as a monument to himself to his own constancy and affection? The tomb of I'timad-ud-daulah lies a little north of Agra. He was a councilor of Jahangir's, and the grandfather of the lady of the Taj. Its beauty lies not so much in its architecture and proportions as in the ex- quisite daintiness of all its details. The en- tire exterior is one mass of marble inlay, ex- cept for the marble screens in the window recesses. It has been called a huge jewel casket but surely that does not do it jus- tice. It is a fairy palace, an expression of delight, with no thought or suggestion of death, but rather a hope of immortality far removed from Nirvana. AGRA, INDIA. The Tomb of I'timad-ud-daulah. A Glimpse of the Taj. Marble Screen in the Tomb of Salim Chishti. Tomb of Salim Chishti, Fatehpur-Sikri. INDIA 85 The massive castellated battlements of the fort at Agra give no hint of the beauty of some of the apartments within. So the Pearl Mosque is something of a surprise, with its large white marble court and its surround- ing arches, but it is only the beginning. There are many other beautiful buildings, culminating in the magnificent Diwan-i-khas and the Saman-burg. The Diwan-i-khas, or private audience hall, is a one-story structure of white marble, the fagade a row of Oriental arches, delicately carved and ornamented with elaborate inlays of semi-precious stones. The Saman-burg, or Jesamine Burg, were the pri- vate apartments of Shah Jehan's favorite wife, the lady of the Taj. Would it be an exaggera- tion to say that your most gorgeous imaginings of the Arabian Nights could not exceed the beauty of these rooms? A mere description gives scant idea what is it to say that there is an octagonal room of white marble, with a balcony on one side and an entrance porch on the other, with every square inch of wall, ceiling and floor carved or inlaid with precious or semi-precious stones of every hue, the whole making a paragon of light and shade, of color and contrast, of grace and delicacy? It is the dream of the dilettante, the exquisite, the sensualist, the poet perfectly realized in marble. After the beauties of these apartments the 86 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL remaining buildings in the fort seem unin- teresting. Built of red sandstone, with mag- nificent carvings, they are a more masculine expression of architecture, but they lack the over-powering effect possessed by the other buildings. Akbar's Tomb at Secundra is another of the mighty monuments of Agra. It has a beauti- ful gateway, but the mass of the building itself is not good. Its greatest beauty is its perforated marble screen work. At Fatehpur Sikri, twenty miles away, stands the deserted city of Akbar. Built in commemoration of a vow, he and his court lived here for a few years but were compelled to leave it by a pestilence or perhaps by lack of water. There are many buildings, all of red sandstone, and covered with exquisite re- liefs. The Dargah Mosque adjoins a large quadrangle over three hundred by four hun- dred feet in size. It is built entirely of red sandstone, and in one corner stands the dargah or tomb of Salim Chishti 'made entirely of white marble, and containing more exquisite marble screens, among the finest of all India. Inside the tomb is a magnificent canopy, the entire surface of which is inlaid with mother of pearl. One of the gateways to the quad- rangle is the " Gate of Victory," considered the most impressive in India. It is necessary to see it from a distance to get an idea of AGRA, INDIA. The "Saman-burg." Detail of the Carving on the Exterior of the Taj Mahal. Entrance to the "Saman-burg." The Pearl Mosque. INDIA 87 its majestic proportions and its dignity of location. Before leaving Agra I wanted a final look at the Taj. Taking a dirty ferry across the Jumna at sunset, the view of the Taj with its reflection in the river was surpassingly beauti- ful. A little way up the river I noticed a light, and asked my ferryman by gesticulation to take me there. As I suspected, it proved to be a Hindu burning ghat, with two pyres burn- ing brightly. One of them was nearly burnt out, but the other was only partly con- sumed, and I examined it very closely. A native, in perfect English, said: " Haven't you ever seen a dead Hindu body?" Realizing that perhaps I had seemed dis- respectful, I replied that I had, but was always interested, and asked if it was a relative of his. He replied that it was the wife of his son, a boy of eighteen standing near. I asked if there had been any children. He replied: " No. I spent eleven hundred rupees (about three hundred and fifty dollars) on the wedding this man here her father he spent a lot of money too and no re- sults." Imagine standing on the bank of the Jumna, the fairylike Taj seeming to float in the gather- ing dusk, its image duplicated in the river. 88 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL The solemn stillness of the twilight was broken only by the crackling logs of the funeral pyre, burning fiercely with its human freight, and lighting up the earnest sober faces of these Hindus; and you have a picture of my farewell to Agra. The royal apartments in the fort at Delhi are second only to those of Agra, and many consider them finer. They are perhaps a little more refined, but in places began to show the decadence of the style. A shallow channel runs the entire length of all these apartments. In olden days water used to run through this, to keep the rooms as cool as possible. The Jama Mas j id is the largest mosque in India. It is a red sandstone building with white marble trimmings, and is flanked by two graceful minarets. It has three domes, also of white marble. Before the mosque is a large court surrounded by an arcade mosque and court being raised on a high platform in the midst of the city, with imposing flights of steps leading to them. The Kutab Minar is one of the most beauti- ful towers of victory in the world. In design it is unique, in that it uses vertical flutings that are semi-circular and angular. There are many historic buildings to be seen at Delhi, such as the tomb of Humayun, which served later as the model for the Taj Mahal, but there is not space to speak of them. DELHI, INDIA. The Kutab Minar. INDIA 89 No trip to Delhi is complete, however, with- out a visit to the Ridge, to see the site of so many of the events of the Mutiny of 1857. The main streets of Jaipur are very wide, and all the houses are painted pink. The street scenes are fascinating the natives in their dresses of brilliant reds, browns and yel- lows. An occasional camel or elephant is seen, and wild peacocks abound. Often you would see two natives holding a strip of newly dyed red cloth many yards long, waving it back and forth to dry it more quickly. It is certainly a city of much color. Amber is a ruined and deserted city five miles from Jaipur. Part of the trip can be made on elephant back, if you so desire, but it is not particularly to be desired. The situa- tion of the deserted palace on the side of the hill, with a little lake at its base, is very pic- turesque. The rooms of the palace, while by no means as handsome as the Mohammedan palaces of Agra and Delhi, have still a great deal of beauty, and much that is original in decoration. Another night journey brought us to Abu Road. Having neglected to telegraph ahead for tongas, we had great difficulty in procuring any. While waiting I went to the dining-room and asked for some soft boiled eggs. The servant answered : "Fried eggs?" 90 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL " No, no. Soft boiled, half boiled." "Not fried?" "No. Boiled/' He was gone at least five minutes, and then returned, saying: " Sahib have fried eggs ? " " No, no, no. I want boiled eggs." " No have boiled eggs cook fried 'em." I had fried eggs. The tongas, when they did arrive w T ere hailed with joy. But the long eighteen-mile trip up the mountain to Mount Abu was to be fraught with excitement. The man in charge of the tonga line had been in charge for only ten days, and the horses were for the most part unbroken. As we got higher up on the hill, with a steep descent on the side of the road, one of the horses balked, and nearly succeeded in spilling us over the edge of the clifT. Then he dashed for the wall on the other side. The driver, fortunately, was ex- cellent, or there might have been a different story to tell. At the next relay two miles fur- ther up on the road we got other horses, fully as unbroken, but not quite so demonstrative. Mount Abu, like Darjeeling, is used as a summer resort. It is delightfully situated, and possesses a small lake, a rarity in India. But the main interest here is centered in the Dil- warra temples. These were built by the Jains about the twelfth century, and are INDIA 91 among the oldest temples of India. The Jains are an ancient but small sect of the Buddhists. The temples are small, and wholly unimpres- sive from the exterior. But on the inside almost every square inch of the surface is carved, and it is to the minuteness, delicacy, and exquisiteness of these carvings that the temples owe their reputation. They are marvelously beautiful, and stand among the most artistic buildings of India. Ahmedabad had many beautiful buildings, of graceful shape and delicate carving, but as they are small and built of brown stone they are by no means as impressive as many of the other buildings of India. The city was disgustingly dirty, and we tarried no longer than necessary. The Sidi Said Mosque has two beautiful perforated windows. They were of stone not of marble, and though not as handsome as the marble ones already seen, for pure beauty of pattern they were un- rivaled. A drive to a near-by lake was of in- terest, if only on account of the wild monkeys. They surrounded the carriage really, they are much preferable behind bars. If we had needed anything to complete our disgust with Ahmedabad, it was provided by a visit to a Hindu animal hospital. This was filthily dirty, and filled with deformed and diseased animals of every kind. A crying cat in a tiny dirty cage called our attention to the fact that 92 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL its mate in the same cage was dead : later we discovered a dead hen in another small cage, with a live one. The keepers of the gate were rather surprised at our hasty departure, and greatly grieved at the size of our baksheesh ! After that we couldn't quit Ahmedabad too quickly. Bombay formed a great contrast. It is a beautiful city, with many large and imposing if not attractive buildings. Here are the fa- mous Parsee Towers of Silence. The Parsees are descendants of the ancient Persian immi- grants to this country. They are in advance of the people of India in intelligence and in- dustry, and are said to be greatly hated by them. They do not believe in polluting any of the elements earth, air, water, or even fire with the bodies of their dead, and so have devised these Towers of Silence. There are five of them, the largest being twenty-five feet high and nearly three hundred feet in cir- cumference. A small model of one tower can be inspected, for no one but certain priests is allowed to enter the towers them- selves. The interior is divided into three concentric circles: the outside one for the bodies of men, the middle one for women, and the center one for children. The body is placed here by the priests, and in a short time every particle of flesh is torn from the bones by the vultures, that are always sitting on INDIA 93 the top of the wall more forbidding than Poe's raven. The time taken to strip the bodies is variously estimated from ten minutes to three hours. After the bones are dried they are thrown in a well in the center of the tower. It seems horrible at first, but is it so much more revolting than our own method of burial? From Bombay I went to Bangalore by way of Poona, avoiding Madras. As far as Poona the scenery was by far the prettiest that I saw in India. But the rest of the two- day trip was tedious. Bangalore is far south, and the difference between the people here and farther north was very marked. In fact no two of the native cities of India are alike each has its own individuality. There was nothing to detain me at Bangalore, so I con- tinued to Trichinopoly, with its rock and its temple. The temple was on much the same plan as the one at Madura, to be mentioned later. The rock is but a little over two hun- dred feet high, but the plain surrounding it is flat, making the view from the top very ex- tensive. The temple at Tan j ore is slightly different from the one at Madura, though modeled on the same lines. The gopuram here is high and. very beautiful. This temple is remark- able for its thousands of linghams, represent- ing Shiva, and I was fortunate in getting a 94 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL photograph of a woman praying to one of them. There is also a beautiful little shrine to a son of Shiva, and there is also an impos- ing statue of the sacred bull of Shiva. As I entered a boy was playing " My Country 'tis of Thee " on a flute shrilly and haltingly. Germans, English and Americans compose practically all the tourists that come to India ; and this is a national tune of each of these nations ; so the flutist can hardly make a mis- take no matter who approaches. The enclosure of the Great Temple at Madura is very large, over eight hundred by seven hundred feet. It has nine gopurams. These gopurams are pyramidal towers over gateways, and are crowded with sculpture; so crowded, in fact, that the dignity and mass of the gopurams themselves are lost in study- ing the details. But in the moonlights the de- tails are blotted out, and then, outlined against the sky, they are amazing and impressive bits of architecture. The four gopurams on the outside walls are the largest the highest one is over a hundred and fifty feet. Nearly all the temple grounds are open to inspection, except the sanctuary itself. There are courts and walls, temples and hallways with- out number, where one can wander for hours. One of the large corridors around the temple is entirely of stone, the ceiling being supported by elaborately carved brackets resting on large TANJORE, INDIA. Praying to a Lingham. INDIA 95 weird horses, lions, and men, as caryatides. One portion of it was infested with bats. This hall was large, long and impressive, but it was also dingy, smelly, and dirty. Near one of the buildings I spied an ele- phant. A small boy he could not have been over ten took him in charge, and it was certainly amusing to see him manage that huge beast. He would strike him and beat him, and push him out of the way, and then proceed to clean the cage with his bare feet. He must have been the son of the keeper, or the elephant, I was told, would not have taken the treatment so good-naturedly. A hall near the temple, called Tirumala's Choultry, had numerous natives sitting around on the floor, sewing. Most of them were us- ing little hand sewing machines I counted over a hundred of them. In the evening I returned to the temple again, and wandered by myself through those strange halls. In the distance I heard the noise of music, but paid no attention to it at first. Then I heard a loud shout, and knew that some ceremony must be in progress. I hurried toward the noise, and found a vast crowd in a lofty stone hall, lit by torches carried by tiny naked children. In the center, surrounded by priests, sat statues of the god and goddess on the back of silver bulls. They each had an attendant who fanned them con- 96 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL stantly. A band was marching through the hall, followed by priests carrying great red and white umbrella-like canopies. Finally they stopped in front of the statues, and as they did so an instantaneous hush came over the crowd. Suddenly came a weird sound, be- ginning as a kind of groan, and ending as a shout, and then all the people raised their hands above their heads, and many of them threw themselves upon the stone floor. It was an uncanny, mysterious sight. " That's all," came a matter-of-fact voice by my ear. The spell was broken. The voice was that of one of the temple guards. But he was wrong ; it was not all. The procession formed again, the gods were raised from their places and carried much as the ark of the covenant must have been carried to their place. And all the time their attendants kept fanning them. The lights and shadows of the flickering torches, the weird procession, made up one of the most unusual sights of the whole trip. As I emerged through one of the gopurams, I happened on another procession of an en- tirely different character. It was a wedding party. The bride and groom, gorgeously dressed the groom far more gorgeously than the bride sat in an open victoria, with rows of candles in glass shields running along each side. Four natives were carrying large MADURA, INDIA. "The Tank of the Golden Lilies.' COLOMBO, CEYLON. A Banyan Tree. INDIA 97 gas lamps with portable tanks, and they cast a strong light over the scene. Before the car- riage was the musician, and behind it came the wedding guests on foot. As soon as I appeared I seemed to divide attention with the bride and groom. Not wishing to set up a counter attraction, I tried to lose myself by sitting down on a low step. But to no pur- pose. I was immediately surrounded by at least fifty peeping, smiling faces. Seeing that I was causing more curiosity by sitting than I did while standing, I rose and mingled with the crowd again. The procession would move about ten feet, and then stop, and wait for ages before moving again. A man stepped up to me and said " Marriage." A boy brought me a tray bearing some leaves and nuts, some white powder, and a bowl of brownish liquid. Here was a dilemma for which I was entirely unprepared. They were evidently being po- lite and courteous, and were treating me as a wedding guest. I was evidently expected to do something, but I had not the slightest idea what it was. I did not want to be dis- courteous I did want to be appreciative. Just at this critical point up came a bright smiling boy who spoke excellent English. He said I was to dip my finger in the liquid and rub it on my hands, then take some of the nuts, dip them in the powder, and chew them. With fear and trembling I acquiesced. The 98 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL liquid was a sandal wood ointment, fragrant and clean. So far, so good. The nuts looked suspicious, but not until they were sprinkled with the powder (said to have been lime) and in my mouth did I realize what they were. Then, although I had never tasted them, I knew that they were betel nuts. These nuts are chewed by the natives all through India and in many other countries, to make their mouths and lips red. It is not a beautiful sight. It did not take me long to dispose of it secretly, though I kept up the appearance of chewing. Then I asked the boy why the pro- cession moved so slowly. He answered: " Because of the musician. He is the best one in Madura." And he insisted that I should hear him play. I was led to the piper at the head of the procession, and a circle was imme- diately formed around us. With a foreigner for audience the piper fairly outdid himself. He postured and danced, he rolled his eyes and puffed his cheeks to unthinkable dimensions. You can imagine my feelings: the bride and groom sat deserted in their carriage, looking extremely glum ; the musician making hideous sounds: the crowd interested and amused. I knew it was necessary for me to tip him, and in giving him a rupee I probably paid as much or more than did those who hired him. Finally I said good night and left but it was useless the whole procession followed. So INDIA 99 I had to stop again, and this time make my good-night more definite, and at last escaped. But that day at Madura was memorable. Before taking the train for Tuticorin the next morning, I had an opportunity to visit the palace of Tirumala Nayak, now used for public offices. Though built almost at the same time as the temples, it in no way re- sembles them. It seems like a much more modern building. At Tuticorin it is neces- sary to take a small tender seven miles down the bay to board the boat for Ceylon, and the trip is none too calm. I had been over five weeks in India, and had seen only a small portion of it, but the time had come to depart. I left it with much re- gret it is a fascinating country. Chapter IX CEYLON The next morning the boat arrived at Colombo. It is not an impressive port, though it is one of the busiest in the world. Colombo itself is a straggling town of little beauty. Here again were rickshaws, and it was good to see them, for these little vehicles are very convenient. Kandy is the capital of Ceylon, and the trip by rail from Colombo almost rivals those of Java in beauty. There are the same rice ter- races and the same vegetation, and as the train rises higher and higher you have similar ex- tensive views of the island. Kandy is a little mountain town around the edge of a small but very pretty artificial lake, with exception- ally lovely surroundings. The famous j " Temple of the Tooth " stands on the edge of the lake, and is a pleasing though not im- 1 posing building. But there is nothing of great I beauty in it, and the " tooth " is not on exhibi- tion. The original tooth, supposed to have] been one of Buddha's, was burnt by the! Portuguese in 1560, and shortly after a new one, said to be over two inches long, was made of ivory. 100 CEYLON 101 On the other side of the lake is a Buddhist monastery. This I visited to see if I could purchase one of the costumes of the monks. For again we are in Buddhist territory, and the yellow-robed priests are seen everywhere. They received me hospitably, secured an in- terpreter, and I told them what I wanted. They asked me why I wished it, and I an- swered that it was to show the people in America how the Buddhist monks dressed. When they heard that they said they would present it to me I hardly knew whether to accept it or not, but finally made things right by leaving an offering before one of their gods. The skirt is simply a square piece of dark yellow cotton, which they wrap around their waist. The other garment is much larger, and is draped over the left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder and arm bare. As they are supposed to wear rags by the laws of their creed, there are seams in this cloth, but in reality it is all one piece. Later I wore this at a fancy dress ball on the " Prinz Ludwig," and a German asked me if I repre- sented Caesar. " No," I replied, "lama Buddhist monk." " Ah ah Brutus ! " and he walked away quite satisfied. The Peradeniya Gardens are near Kandy, and rank with the wonderful botanical gar- dens of Buitenzorg, in Java. Of only one of 102 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL the interesting things there can mention be made. The Assam rubber tree has what might be called " web-footed roots " roots that leave the trunk about three or four feet from the ground, and extend in all directions in inclined wavy lines for ten to twenty feet, but which have a tissue of bark connecting them with the ground the whole distance. The gardens are infested with " Flying Foxes " large bats that at close range do re- semble foxes. They do considerable damage, and their repulsive appearance does not lend to the beauty of the gardens. Efforts are being made to get rid of them. The deserted and almost forgotten city of Anuradhapura lies in the northern part of the island. Made the capital of Ceylon three cen- turies before Christ, it reached its highest de- velopment about the time of Christ, and was finally deserted about the ninth century. It covers an enormous amount of ground, and extensive ruins abound for miles around. The most imposing of the ruins are the old dagobas. These dagobas, like the Shwa Dagon Pagoda at Rangoon, are bell-shaped, and are erected over some relic of Buddha or one of his disciples. There are many of them throughout Anuradhapura, and four of them are of huge dimensions. The largest is the Abhayagiriya two hundred and thirty-seven feet in diameter at the base, and about two CEYLON 103 hundred and sixty feet high. The structure is solid, and made entirely of brick, the enormous quantities of them which must have been used is inconceivable. Many of the ruins have been given fanciful names, which have probably no connection with the buildings themselves. The " Stone Canoe," for instance, is a huge stone trough which is said to have been filled with rice at the time of special festivals, for the poorer pil- grims. The " Elephant Stables " are the ruins of a palace or temple of some kind it is ex- tremely improbable that they were ever used as their name would indicate. Here they were excavating, and about a month before had un- covered a " Guardian Stone," one of the stones set up at each side of the entrance to a temple. This stone was regarded as quite a find, as it was considerably more ornate than other stones of similar character, and the modeling of the figure and draperies was excellent. It was lying on the ground, and was partially filled with water ; so that the photograph does not do it full justice. While examining it there was some excitement among the workmen, and I heard a shrill plaintive cry. They had captured a young and very small deer. Nearly all these ruins lie in a dense forest, and while driving through it one encounters fragments of steps and balustrades and the foundations of innumerable houses, temples 104 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL and palaces. The " Brazen Palace " is a forest of square stone pillars. There are six- teen hundred of them, arranged in forty- parallel rows. These formed the foundation of a nine-story building erected about one hun- dred years before Christ. Mention must also be made of the Sacred Bo-Tree, supposed to be a branch of the original Bo-Tree at Gaya under which Buddha taught. Some claim that it is probably the oldest historical tree in existence, as it was planted two hundred and forty years before Christ, with records to prove it. The method of transportation in Anurad- hapura is not ideal. It consists of springless carts drawn by bullocks, and is neither com- fortable nor rapid. There is a single white pony in town, but do not be disappointed if you do not get him, for the bullocks are just as fast, and they look stronger. While here I saw several birds of paradise, but left them to their own customs rather than ours. It takes eleven days to go from Colombo to Port Said. The " Prinz Ludwig" was ladened with tourists, and so many of them had been encountered already in other places that when we all got aboard it seemed like one large family. Games and sports were insti- tuted immediately, and the days passed all too quickly. One evening a " Bal Blanc " was held, and another evening the fancy dress ball CEYLON 105 already alluded to. The boat stopped a few- hours at Aden, but not long enough to allow us to land. By leaving the ship at Suez instead of Port Said I gained a day in Cairo, but of course missed the trip through the canal. I was not sorry when I found that all those disembark- ing at Port Said were routed out of their rooms at midnight the next night, to ac- commodate oncoming passengers. Chapter X EGYPT Of Egypt so much has been written, and so many people have visited it, that little of it comes under the head of the unusual, and it would be out of place to give it more than passing mention here. Cairo is a fascinating city a city of mosque and minaret. The mosques are nu- merous, and many of them are wonderful buildings, with imposing interiors. But none is quite as exquisite as some of the marble ones in India. The pyramids have been re- produced so often that when first seen they look quite like old friends. The ascent was by no means as difficult as I had anticipated, though it was not easy. The passage to the interior chambers was much more difficult, as the floors were slippery and some of the passages were very low, and very steep. The Sphinx, at first sight, is a disappointment, as it seems so small it is hard to believe it is seventy feet high. But as one becomes more accustomed to it, its dignity, its unknown age and unknown purpose, cause a feeling of ven- eration for it that probably cannot be induced by any other monument on earth. Involun- 106 EGYPT 107 tarily you follow the gaze of those sightless eyes which seem to have been searching the plain for the last fifty-five centuries. On the " Ludwig " I had joined the Keator family, and at Cairo they were joined by the two Misses Pierce from San Francisco. It is only after having traveled alone for some time that one appreciates to the full congenial companions. We took one of the Nile steamers, and visited the temples of Denderah, Luxor, Karnak, the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes, and many other of the magnificent ruins of ancient Egypt, on our way up the Nile to Assouan. Undoubtedly the most impressive building was the hypostyle hall of the Temple of Karnak, with the marvelously preserved sculptures and bas-reliefs of the Tombs of the Kings standing second. The dam at Assouan is a magnificent piece of engineering, second only to the Panama Canal. By it the waters of the Nile are con- trolled so as to increase the fertility of the country greatly. The poor little island of Philae, formerly one of the beauty spots of Egypt, is almost completely submerged by the waters of the lake formed by the dam. Only the tops of the pylons and of the " Bed of Pharaoh " were visible all the rest was sub- merged. One wonders who taught the natives here 108 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL " Hip hip hurrah. " Their version is ac- cented slightly differently, and sounds not un- like "HIP HIP who-ry HIP HIP who-ry HIP HIP who-ry Dank you, dank you, dank you. Berry good, berry nice." They never seem to vary from this formula. At Assouan we changed to another boat, and continued on to Wadi-Halfa. There are numerous small temples lining the bank of the Nile in this part, but Abou-Simbel alone de- serves mention. Though it prolongs one's stay in Egypt a week to take the trip from Assouan to Wadi-Halfa and back, it is well worth while on account of this temple. Abou-Simbel is the famous rock-hewn tem- ple of Rameses the Great. Every part of it is carved from the solid rock, and on that ac- count alone would be interesting, but the ex- cellence of the sculpture is so marked, and the statues so impressive, that the temple ranks with the Sphinx and the Pyramids in interest. Cut in the wall of the cliff sit four gigantic statues of Rameses, sixty-four feet high. Be- tween the two central figures is the doorway to the temple. This first leads to a large chamber, the roof of which is supported by eight square pillars, with statues of Osiris in ABOU-SIMBEL, EGYPT. The Colossal Statues of Rameses the Great. The entire temple is carved from the solid rock. EGYPT 109 front of each, all carved from the rock. Be- yond this lie other chambers, and on the end wall of the final one are the seated statues of four gods, one of them no less than Rameses himself. These statues, and the chambers leading to them, face directly East, and though they are one hundred and eighty-five feet from the entrance, the sun shines full upon them as it rises. It is a strange sight to see these figures, which in the dim light of the torches the day before could scarcely be distinguished, glowing in the bright light of the rising sun. One cannot help wondering of their thoughts, their desires but there they sit, solid, im- movable, unscrutable. Returning down the Nile there was little excitement, unless being stuck in the mud for twenty-eight hours might be so considered. At first it was interesting, but it soon became monotonous. Cairo reached again, our last night there was enlivened by a confetti carnival at Shepard's. The garden back of the hotel was illuminated by numerous Japanese lanterns, one tree be- ing especially beautiful filled with great glow- ing orange lanterns. Perhaps this was doubly enjoyed, for it was like a breath of fresh air after having prowled for so long among the deserted haunts of the long-since dead. Chapter XI PALESTINE AND SYRIA Much has been written of the difficulties of landing at Jaffa. If there is the slightest wind blowing the sea becomes choppy; so much so that it is almost impossible to get into the small boats that bring you to the wharf. The sailors are used to it, though, and manage extremely well but you must not object to being treated much as if you were a bag of salt. It is an amusing sight to see the pas- sengers being placed in the small boats it is, at least, until your own turn comes. At Jaffa the two buildings of historical in- terest are the houses of Simon the Tanner and of Dorcas. And right here, at the very out- set of your trip, you come face to face with the eternal question in Palestine, u Are these places authentic ? " In the vast number of cases almost without exception there is little reason to believe them so. At first this constant doubt or actual disbelief pre- vents any feeling of reverence or veneration. But little by little you begin to realize that you are in Palestine, that the towns and cities are positively identified, and that if this par- ticular spot is not the one it is said to be, the no PALESTINE AND SYRIA in actual one is near by, and would probably look much the same. But stronger than all this, the very respect and devotion bestowed on these shrines by innumerable adoring pil- grims for generations must have given the spot some order of sanctity, some fragrance of holiness, no matter whether it be the actual place or not. When one sees a poor ragged pilgrim who has perhaps walked for miles his clothing unkempt, his feet blistered kneel at one of these shrines, and with heaving bosom and tears streaming down his face kiss ecstatically some sacred stone, you realize that he has gotten something that you in your dis- belief can never get that he has worshiped, whereas you have criticised. Surely surely, you are on holy ground. But at first you have to find comfort in the hills the eternal hills. They may have changed a little, but the effect is the same as it was nineteen hundred years ago. The brooks followed the same course the vil- lages stood on the same ground. It must be admitted that the first view of Jerusalem is a disappointing one. The whole city walls, towers and buildings looks so new. Many of the buildings are new, and they are the largest and most prominent ones, but even in the old walls and houses the stone has retained a new look that makes it almost impossible to realize that they are an- ii2 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL cient. But soon you become accustomed to this, and then little by little the city and your preconceived ideas of it adjust themselves. Jerusalem is a city of steps, of arches, and of stairways. In every nook and cranny is some unexpected little staircase filling in a corner or clambering joyously to an upper story with apparently no regard for the laws of architecture. Open doorways give glimpses of attractive little courtyards ; stone arches across the street cast dark shadows that give brilliant contrasts of light and shade. The crowd in the street gives every variety of dress and person strong-faced Arabs ro- tund Turks sleek Armenians stately Be- douins and Jews of every kind. But Jerusalem, which should be the very holy of holies, a city of peace and love and good-will, has become a very hotbed of fanaticism, of hate, of intrigue, of war. And here it is that the great and lasting disap- pointment of Jerusalem comes in. Torn by internal quarrels, each sect of so-called Chris- tians striving, bickering, fighting and rioting among themselves, it makes the very name Christian a by-word and a stumbling block, a cruel libel and an unholy joke. The Mohammedan stands serene and aloof, look- ing with sarcastic amusement and ill-concealed disgust on the rivalries of the " Christians," and sends his soldiers to keep the peace. And JERUSALEM, PALESTINE. A Street Scene. PALESTINE AND SYRIA 113 for this Christ died! But perhaps even mis- directed energy is better than absolute apathy ! The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has a monopoly of nearly all the historical places in Jerusalem. It contains the stone of anoint- ment, the column of flagellation, Calvary, the Holy Sepulchre, the center of the world, the grave of Adam, and even the spot from which God took the dust to make Adam ! Architec- turally the building is a jumble, though parts of it are truly beautiful but the inevitable tawdry over-ornamentation successfully hides everything artistic about the building. After these meaningless and inartistic dec- orations it is a pleasure and a pain to step inside the Dome of the Rock. This Moham- medan building is usually called the Mosque of Omar, but it is not a mosque. The interior is beautifully and tastefully decorated, and the whole building has that atmosphere of holi- ness and quiet sanctity one would like to see at the Holy Sepulchre. The walls are covered with beautiful mosaics the floor is carpeted with ancient rugs. The rock itself is sup- posed to have been the scene of the sacrifice of Isaac, and is as much revered by the Mo- hammedans as by the Jews in fact, Jeru- salem ranks next to Mecca in the estimation of the Moslem. There are of course innumerable other places to visit in Jerusalem, but space cannot H4 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL be given to them. One and this must suf- fice was the Jew's Wailing Place. It is certainly an unusual sight to see the Jews here, praying for the peace of Jerusalem and for the restoration of the temple. Much of it is formal, but once in a while you see a mourner in a very agony of grief were she mourning for her own son her grief could not be more real and acute. When you real- ize that she is weeping over the destruction of the temple thousands of years ago it makes you wonder if she is one of a new seven thou- sand who has not bowed the knee to Baal. On Palm Sunday we attended an early service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, to see the ceremony of the blessing of the palm by the Patriarch of the Roman Church. The palms were blessed in the Sepulchre itself, and then distributed by the Patriarch, each recipient kneeling to him and kissing his ring. All through the service the Greek Catholics in another part of the building kept ringing a bell, to disturb the Roman service as much as possible. This is a fair example of the constant petty bickerings between the sects. But a more interesting ceremony was held on Good Friday night. We were placed on a high and frail balcony which was soon over- crowded, and which seemed very dangerous. It overlooked the " Stone of Unction " and enabled us to see all the ceremony. The w-A'^vj; w en X 3 o 1 ' H = t/] -r 5 < c PL. rt M-H o w !- = o3 w - 3 O U PALESTINE AND SYRIA 115 priests brought a figure of Christ nailed to the cross, and held a service in the room said to have been the site of Calvary. Then they brought it to the Stone of Unction, where they took it from the cross, laid it on the stone, and anointed it. Later it was carried in a sheet to the Holy Sepulchre. From the Mount of Olives one has a splendid view of Jerusalem and the surround- ing country, extending on the other side to the Dead Sea and the Jordan. The Garden of Gethsemane is now under the care of the Franciscans, and has a spirit of quiet and reverence not possessed by the other holy sites. Bethlehem has many new buildings also. In the basement of the Church of the Nativ- ity lies the manger, lighted by hundreds of tiny lamps. These are kept lighted by the various sects, and each one takes jealous care of their portion of the number. On the way to Jericho we stopped at Bethany, with its tomb of Lazarus, and at the Inn of the Good Samaritan. The guides solemnly asserted that this was the actual Inn, ignoring the fact that the story itself was a parable. Jericho is now but a tiny village of mud houses. From here we visited the Dead Sea and the Jordan, the latter at the supposed place of Christ's baptism. On Easter Monday morning we started on n6 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL our caravan trip through Palestine. There were eight of us the Keator party of five, the two Misses Pierce, and myself. But our caravan consisted of twenty men, including the dragoman, fifteen horses, nineteen mules and six donkeys. We had six tents four for sleeping, and a dining-room and kitchen. The tents were large, and on the interior were decorated with interesting designs of bril- liantly colored cloth appliqued on. In effect it was not unlike some of the American Indian color work, though of course the designs were oriental. The country around Jerusalem is unusually stony, but nevertheless wild flowers are abun- dant. The Rose of Sharon a low red poppy-like flower is perhaps the most strik- ing. In one small patch not five feet square I found no fewer than sixteen different varieties of flowers. Our course led us by many of the places so often spoken of in Jewish history: Shi- loh ; Jacob's Well ; Mounts Ebal and Gerizim ; Nabulus, the ancient Shechem ; Samaria ; Dothan ; the Plain of Esdraelon ; Nazareth ; Cana ; and the Sea of Galilee. At Samaria our camp was pitched near the remains of an ancient Roman basilica which crowned the hill. The remains were scanty, but included a broad flight of steps, a Roman altar, and the foundation walls of a temple. PALESTINE AND SYRIA 117 Dothan is the reputed site of the pit in which Joseph was placed by his brethren. The pit is now a well, and though restricted, made a very acceptable bathing place. Jenin, north of Dothan, is quite a large village. It was interesting to see the sheep and cattle being driven home in exactly the same manner as they have been for ages. Here our dragoman thought it necessary to have an armed escort for the day, for the feeling against the Turks is very bitter, and the natives think that if they could make trouble for some foreigner it might mean foreign intervention, with pos- sibilities of escaping from the hated yoke. The journey across the Plain of Esdraelon was interesting. On our right were the mountains of Gilboa, where Saul and his sons were slain, and the village of Endor, while ahead of us rose a high hill with the village of Nazareth perched almost at the top. At Nazareth are many holy places the most authentic being the Virgin's Well. Our camp was pitched in an olive orchard, and we stayed here three days. Then we continued to the Sea of Galilee, pitching the camp just below Tiberias. Gali- lee is a beautiful lake, with high mountains all around it. Tiberias is a dirty city, but has interesting and picturesque old Roman walls. We took a boat across the lake to the site of Capernaum, but rain and wind de- n8 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL tracted from the pleasure of the sail. All that is left of Capernaum is the foundation of the synagogue, and even this has not been positively identified. From here we journeyed on in the rain to El Jauneh, a modern settlement of returned Jews. The rain continued the next day, and made it inadvisable considering the condi- tion of some of the donkeys to proceed on to Damascus ; so we returned to Tiberias and took the train. A camping trip may have its difficulties, but it certainly was one of the most enjoyable features of the entire world circle. While waiting in our tents at El Jauneh for the rains to pass, we heard uncouth noises, and shots from near the camp. We were told it was a Mohammedan wedding, and lost no time in reaching it. The groom was on horse back, dressed in a long black coat, with a flowing purple headdress. In front of him were about a score of his friends. They formed a solid line, shoulder to shoulder, and were dancing, singing, clapping their hands and swaying their bodies all in unison. A leader with two knives danced in front of them, and led the responses. Behind the groom came some women more circumspectly, but the bride was conspicuous by her absence. As we wished to see her we left the procession DAMASCUS, SYRIA. An Old Archway. PALESTINE AND SYRIA 119 and were led to her house. The courtyard was dirty and muddy in the extreme. The house was made of wood and plaster, and was both residence and stable combined, the division between the two being simply a drop of two or three feet in the floor. The furnishings were an old table and chair, a broken mirror and a candle. The bride was dressed in brilliant magenta, her face covered. For a fee she deigned to show it. I don't know what the fee was, but it wasn't worth it. We then returned to the groom's party and watched the dancing. The piper piped continuously, and by some means kept his cheeks inflated to the full all the time. Damascus is a fascinating city. The num- ber of its imposing buildings is limited to a few mosques the main interest centering in the street life. Many of the more important streets are roofed, like the " Street called Straight." I had always understood that this street was extremely winding but on the contrary it is for a good part of its length absolutely straight and quite broad. The streets are lined with little shops, displaying almost every conceivable kind of merchandise. Silks and satins, gold and silver work, saddles, copper, tobacco, brass, second-hand clothes, steel, arms, books, fruits and vegetables, are only a few of the things to be seen. Though 120 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL spoken of only in this short paragraph, Damascus was one of the most interesting of the Oriental cities visited. Baalbek was a revelation. The remains of the old temples here are magnificent. They show a very late and often degenerate develop- ment of Roman architecture, but are never- theless very beautiful, both in mass and de- tail. Of the enormous temple of Jupiter but six huge columns, with a bit of the entabla- ture, remain intact. The temple of Bacchus is smaller and much better preserved. The details of these buildings, though flamboyant in the extreme, are beautifully carved. As the train descends to Bey rout a mag- nificent view is obtained of the harbor, with its surrounding mountains. Beyrout itself was by comparison with Damascus uninterest- ing, but it was with real regret that we had to leave it and the domains of Turkey in Asia. Chapter XII CONSTANTINOPLE AND GREECE It was not without foreboding that we went to Constantinople, for the Balkan War was in full progress, and the country in a great state of unrest. But finally we decided to take the risk though after we left Constan- tinople we wondered if there had been any risk at all. Before reaching Smyrna the boat en- countered a terrible storm. The wind was blowing at ninety miles an hour, and it seemed as if the little boat could hardly weather it. It was not a consolation to be told that this was " its last trip, anyhow." A short stop at Smyrna, and we continued on to Constantinople, passing through the Dardanelles. On the way we passed several Turkish gun-boats, which with the numerous soldiers in Constantinople were about the only reminders of the war that we saw in Turkey. Both at Beyrout and Smyrna American men- of-war were stationed. Constantinople has often been called one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Its location at the junction of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, is wonderful. And the 121 122 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL city itself with its myriad domes and minarets presents an outline to the sky that cannot be equaled. The mosques of Constantinople are as marvelous as they are numerous. The oldest and most important, historically, artistically, and architecturally, is the Hagia Sophia, or Church of the Divine Wisdom, usually called Santa Sophia, though there was no saint of that name. The proportions and details of the interior are magnificent, but its unusual dimensions are hard to realize. Much of the interior is of dark gray stone, dingy and dusty, and the effect is also spoiled by great Turkish inscriptions; so that it is a disappointment to many. Nearly all of the mosques have used this building as a model, only differing from it in minor details. One of the mosques is lined for nearly its entire height with blue tiles, giving a pleasing effect, even though it is slightly reminiscent of a bath-room. Another thing of exceptional beauty is found in the museum. It is called the sarcoph- agus of Alexander, although it was intended for one of Alexander's friends, not for him- self. The reliefs on the exterior are ex- quisite specimens of Greek art. One side de- picts a hunting scene, and has a portrait of Alexander on horseback, from which it gets its name. On Friday, the Mohammedan sabbath, we CONSTANTINOPLE GREECE 123 went to the " Selamlik," to see the Sultan, Mohammed V, on his way to the mosque to pray. There were many soldiers in the court- yard through which the Sultan drove directly to the mosque, but otherwise there was little formality. One of the most curious and unusual sights of the whole trip was found here in Constan- tinople, in the Dancing Dervishes. These are a religious sect, and express their devotion by strange dancing. The room was high, with a round platform in the center. Opposite the entrance sat the priest. On the floor were perhaps fifteen devotees, most of them dressed in white, though two were in green. Their costume consisted of a fez, a loose jacket, and a very full skirt, with baggy trousers underneath. Their feet were bare. Each in turn would bow to the priest, and then begin whirling around in one spot, until all were whirling in various parts of the room. They held their arms out, with their heads thrown to one side, and as they kept turning and turn- ing their skirts would flare wide. Their faces assumed an absorbed far-away expression, per- haps meant to be ecstatic but really looking de- cidedly sleepy. The boat we took from Constantinople to Piraeus, the port of Athens, was Russian, by the euphonious name of " Tchikhatchoff" It stopped a day in Smyrna, and allowed us a 124 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL little time to see it. We drove through various parts of the town, and through the bazaars, and also went aboard the " Tennes- see/' which had been stationed there for some months. There were many reminders of home on board, but the most unexpected one, and therefore the one that gave us that homesick feeling, was just a plain U. S. mail box it was one of the best-looking things seen on the trip ! Athens is another city that has been so often described as to need only a passing word here. The Acropolis comes up to every expectation it is magnificent. The marble is of beautiful color, and the buildings are so perfect that one is lost in a maze of specula- tion as to their real appearance in ancient times. Why is it that all restorations look heavy, solid, and distinctly out of the Greek spirit? Does the mere addition of a roof to the Parthenon, for instance, so change its appearance that we cannot accept it as pre- sented? In any case, we can depend that in the olden days they were far more beautiful, more wonderful. Greek taste was faultless, and we must put our faith in that, and let our modern scientific artists go on drawing their stumpy Acropolises. The Parthenon is small, compared to many other ancient temples. The Propylaea is being carefully restored, the stones, if perfect, being ATHENS, GREECE. In the Colonnade of the Parthenon. CONSTANTINOPLE GREECE 125 again placed in position, and if imperfect they are replaced by correct copies. Perhaps some day England will want to give back the Elgin marbles to be placed in their old position: the Greeks still feel their loss they call it by another name keenly. In the small Acropolis Museum are many relics, all of which were found on the Acropolis. Perhaps the most exquisite thing it contains is the small bas-relief of Nike fastening her sandal, from the balustrade of the temple of Nike Apteros. The exquisite delicacy of the molding of the body as seen through the draperies, and the grace of the draperies them- selves, makes this one of the most beautiful sculptures left to us from antiquity. There are many other interesting monu- ments to be seen in Athens, of course. The modern Stadion, on the site of the ancient one, and using some of its stones, is well worth a visit. One day we motored to Tatoi, the summer residence of the late King George. If any arguments are needed to make you glad you are not a king, surely a visit to almost any of the European royal palaces would furnish it! The tomb of the recently assassinated king was near by. The coffin lay on the ground, covered only with evergreens and flowers a suitable memorial is to be built later. On returning we stopped to see the prisoners of war of high rank. 126 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL They were lodged in what used to be a hotel, and were allowed a great deal of freedom. While at Athens news came that Scutari had fallen, which caused quite a demonstra- tion in the streets. The Greek Easter fell a month after the Roman one, and we were fortunate enough to be in Athens at the time. Through a friend we secured a balcony facing the cathe- dral an ugly romanesque one to witness the service held on the night before Easter. From this balcony we could see every part of the square. In the center a large stand had been erected for the dignitaries. The king usually attends this service, but on account of the recent death of his father he did not ap- pear. Around the platform stood two rows of soldiers, and back of them the whole square was filled with people. Exactly at midnight the bells began ringing, and the high priest appeared, clad in elaborately embroidered robes, and the service began. The " Holy Fire " was distributed to the crowds. Each person had a candle, and when these were lit the whole square was filled with their soft light, and the effect was marvelously beauti- ful. It was a veritable glimpse of fairyland. The voice of the intoning priest, the responses of the choir, the mighty boom of near-by can- non, sudden flashes of red and white lights, the clanging of the bells, and the soft light of CONSTANTINOPLE GREECE 127 the thousands of candles, made a memorable mental picture. On our way to Patras we stopped at the ruins of Corinth. About all there is to be seen are the three columns of one of the old temples, and the medieval-looking ruins of Aero-Corinth on the hill behind. The boat for Italy stopped a few hours at Corfu, enabling us to visit the " Achilleion," built for the late Empress of Austria, and now owned by the Kaiser. The palace was disappointing, but the gardens were magnif- icent a wonderful mass of color. Chapter XIII . ITALY AND SICILY Four o'clock in the morning is not a happy hour to embark from a vessel and go through the customs, but so it happened at Brindisi. The train ride to Naples consumed the rest of the day. Distances may not be great abroad, but it often takes a long time to travel over them. Who is it that having once visited Naples and its environs does not long to return? Two years before I had been there, and my anticipation of seeing it again was keen. Surely nowhere in the world are so many beauty spots nestled away in such close prox- imity to each other. After a short visit in Naples, where I had to bid my traveling companions farewell, I visited Capri and its blue grotto, Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello, Cava and Paestum. Volumes could be written on each of these places. Everybody knows the marvelously beauti- ful drive from Sorrento to Amalfi. But it is not of the drive, but of the driver, that I am going to speak. He proved so amusing that I asked him to share the seat with me, so that I could the better hear his stories. He 128 ITALY AND SICILY 129 had a keen sense of humor and an inimitable chuckle, that was in itself an irresistible in- vitation to laughter. He was about twenty- two; his name I have forgotten, but he angli- cized it by " Chimmy." He had been in America for several years, and had returned to be a " sodj M in the Italian-Turkish war. Here is one of his stories, as nearly as pos- sible in his own words : " What you call dis to de hat yes, de brim. When I go to New York I have big panama de Sorrent' wid great big brim. De style in Amenc' dat year was for ver' small brim, ver' small brim. I go to a place, an' dere were t'ree girls at de next table. One of de girls she say to me : ' Oh, look at de f ell' wid de hat like de umberell ! Wat you t'ink, it's going for to rain ? ' " But perhaps his masterpiece was the story of " Marie." He looked at me fixedly for a minute, then said : " Not much peep' in Americ' wear mus- tache, do dey? Well, when I go to Amenc' I have big mustache, oh, great big mustache. I go to work at grocery store on Broadway, 'tween hundred an' nint' an' hundred an' tent' street. Every day I go to big house, to get de order. Oh, ver' rich peep' dey give me fift' cent every day ver' rich peep'. They have great big Irish cooking girl, you know, great big Irish cooking girl. Her 130 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL name her name Marie. I no speak to Marie de first day, but after a while we speak, and one day I say to her jes' for to fool I say to her jes' for to fool 'Marie, I want you to marry me.' She say, ' Oh, no, Chimmy, you Italian man, you no can be trusted/ So I t'ink no more about it. But two free day later she say to me, ' Chimmy, you must take off dat mustache/ ' For why must I take off my mustache,' I say. She say, l Well, if you want to be my sweetheart, you must take off dat mustache/ ' But/ I say, ' if I take off my mustache, I have a lot of odder mustache, I have to take off de mustache all de time ! ' ' Oh, no/ she say, " I t'ink you have only one mustache/ So I tell her ' to-morrow, to-morrow/ but I never take it off! One day de mistress she say to me, ' What does Marie say to you all de time ? ' I say to her, ' Marie say I must take off my mustache, so I can be her sweetheart but I rather lose my Marie than lose my mustache, by Jesu ! ' " Den I have to come back to \t\ to be a sodj. I no tell Marie! I go down and get my ticket for de boat goin' de next day, den I go up and see Marie. ' Goo-by, Marie ' I say, i I see you to-morrow ' and all de time I have de ticket in de pocket! I no tell her I go back to It': perhaps she take me to police court dey do dat in Americ' ! " MESSINA, SICILY. 'Death" a Fallen Sculpture in the Ruins of the Cathedral. ITALY AND SICILY 131 Just one more. I asked him to take me to the Cappuchin Hotel at Amalfi. Evidently his religion has departed, for he said : " Monks ! Monks and priests bad men. They say to rich woman, ' You leave me your money, and you go to Paradiso you go no other place.' She leave them money, they eat, get fat, have good time, and she no go to Paradiso for when person die dat damn end w'at you t'ink?" Ravello is lovely. Back of Amalfi, and much higher than it, it commands a more ex- tensive view. The quaint houses and gardens here are fascinating, and the whole place is almost ideal. From Paestum with its imposing ruins I went direct to Sicily by train. Messina has been little restored one would almost think the earthquake had happened the day before. Much of the rubbish has been cleared away, but few of the houses have been rebuilt. The loss of life was frightful, about one hundred thousand people some say more. My guide said he had lost sixteen of his own family, including parents, wife, children, and the family of his sister. Many of the buildings and monuments of the Campo Santo were injured, and one can hardly walk there with- out stumbling every minute on the grave of some victim of the disaster. Another beauty spot of Italy is Taor- 132 GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL mina. Tired with travel, it was a pleasure to rest here for a few days, even if some of the sights of Sicily had to be lost thereby. A lit- tle room the only one on the top floor of the tiny Hotel Belvidere, had a large balcony and an extensive view of the bay, with Etna in the background. By moonlight it was glorious. Palermo was a delightful city, full of life and color. The wild flowers in and around the town are especially beautiful. The three architectural glories of Palermo are the Cathe- dral, the Capella Palatina, and the Cathedral of Monreale. This latter is large and spa- cious, with two rows of towering columns. Every inch of wall space above the columns and the high marble wainscot is covered with mosaic. The groundwork is gold, and the figures are in brilliant colors. These, with the white marble of the floor and wainscot, make a color scheme of matchless beauty. The Capella Palatina is a little chapel in the Palace, built in 1132. It is a tiny room, a replica in miniature of Monreale. The mosaics are even more beautiful than those of Monreale, and the color effects well, you feel as if you had penetrated into the heart of a diamond. And here my trip was ended, save for the voyage home. If there had been any tendency on my part ITALY AND SICILY 133 and I was conscious of none to feel slightly better and more superior than other folk on this mundane sphere in consequence of having girdled it, it was effectually stopped when I boarded the " Konig Albert." I had crossed on her once before and had met Cap- tain Feyen then. He asked me where I had been, and naturally I replied that I was just completing a trip around the world. His only comment was : " My, aren't you dizzy ? " THE END ITINERARY. As a guide to anyone contemplating a trip similar to the one herein described, I append my itinerary. It is by no means an ideal one, as unsympathetic steamers, weather conditions, and other considera- tions often determine the length of stay, rather than personal inclination. 134 1 912 May 23 Left New York. May 23- June 24. .Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Colorado Springs, Al- buquerque. June 25 Acoma. June 26 The Petrified Forests. June 27-30 Grand Canyon. July 1-26 California. July 26- Aug. 1 . . . " Korea" Aug. 1-9 Hawaiian Islands. Aug. 9-19 H Shiny Maru" Aug. 19-Sept. 19. Japan. Sept. 20-22 Korea. Sept. 22-24 Manchuria. Sept. 25-30 Peking and Environs. Oct. 2,-11 Hankow, Nanking and Shanghai Oct. 14-22 Hong Kong and Environs. Oct. 25-Nov. 5 Manila. Nov. 8-13 Hong Kong. Nov. 17-21 Singapore. Nov. 23-30 Java. Dec. 2-5 Singapore. Dec. 7 Penang. Dec. 10-12 Rangoon. 1913 Dec. 14- Jan. 16. ..Northern India. Jan. 16-Jan. 22 Southern India. Jan. 23-Feb. 2... Ceylon. Feb. 2-12 " Prinz Ludwig." Feb. 12-Mar. 12.. Egypt. Mar. 13-24 Jerusalem and Environs. Mar. 24- Apr. 5 . . . Camping Trip through Palestine. Apr. 5-12 Damascus, Baalbek, Beyrout. Apr. 17-20 Constantinople. Apr. 23-28 Athens and Environs. Apr. 29 Corfu. Apr. 30-May 10. ..Naples and Environs. May 11-19 Sicily. May 19-31 " Konig A Ibert" May 31 Arrived New York. 135 ADVERTISEMENTS THE AUTHOR'S HAND-BOOK SERIES THE PLOT OF THE SHORT STORY An exhaustive study, both synthetical and analytical, with copious examples, making the work A PRACTICAL TREATISE BY HENRY ALBERT PHILLIPS Introduction by Matthew White, Jr. (Formerly Editor of the Argosy) "This hand-book may be regarded as the best thing of its kind extant." North Carolina Education. "It is right that the analysis you have made should be made." Sir Gilbert Parker. "One of the commendable books of recent times in short- story writing." Hartford Post. "I read your book with the greatest interest." Richard Harding Davis. "An excellent book for the student, whether critic or au- thor." Book News Monthly. "It is the best hand-book on the subject I have seen." James Oppenheim. "The book is a master in its field." Salt Lake Tribune. "It is an excellent thing excellently done." Jack London, Nearly a Thousand Others. ART IN SHORT STORY NARRATION BY HENRY ALBERT PHILLIPS Introduction by Rex Beach This is not a book for beginners any more than it is one for advanced writers. It is written with all serious students of the Short Story in mind. It is designed to meet a practical and every-day need. Every page contains its boon of inspiration and helpful- ness that will save every writer time, and enable him to do better work and command a better return for it. It will show the way to Fame along the Road of Perfect Effort. Orders for this valuable book by mail will receive imme- diate attention. The edition is limited and is being rapidly subscribed for, so that it will be wise to place your order at once. Price, postpaid, each, $1.20, both to same address $2.20 THE STANHOPE-DODGE PUBLISHING COMPANY Book Department, Larchmont, N. Y. THE STANHOPE-DODGE PUBLISHING COMPANY GLIMPSES OF THE UNUSUAL AROUND THE WORLD BY HOWARD S. F. RANDOLPH In "Glimpses of the Unusual" Mr. Randolph has given an account of his trip around the world. As the title in- dicates, he devotes most of his space to those things of unusual interest. The trip covered a period of one year, and his account of it, while necessarily much abbreviated because of the wide field covered, gives all the salient fea- tures of the journey, with many amusing encounters and anecdotes beside. It is illustrated with photographs taken by the author, which are remarkable for their clearness and beauty. While not intended as a guide book, it will give a great deal of information to anyone who is contemplating a similar trip, and is, so far as we know, the only illustrated book of its size that covers such a large field. Its price is extremely low. PRICE, postage prepaid, $1.25 ADDRESS THE STANHOPE-DODGE PUBLISHING COMPANY Book Department, Larchmont, New York 45*AM3H :.'... : '.Y, \\:.\\.'... .'. . 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