THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 GIFT OF 
 HORACE W. CARPENTIER 
 

\ 
 
IMPRESSIONS 
 
 OF A 
 
 JOURNEY ROUND THE WORLD 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 INDIA, BURMAH AND JAPAN. 
 
 BY 
 
 I GEORGE HENRY PETERS. 
 
 t 
 LONDON : 
 
 WATERLOW AND SONS LIMITED, PRINTERS, LONDON WALL 
 1897. 
 
CARPENTIER 
 
MAf^J 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I HAVE not a little hesitation in 
 
 committing to print anything so modest 
 
 as the enclosed rough notes of a 
 
 voyage round the world, the more so 
 
 because from its title the reader may not 
 
 unreasonably suppose that he is about 
 
 to peruse a record of stirring incidents 
 
 and exciting adventures. For such 
 
 incidents this book will, I am afraid, be 
 scanned in vain. 
 
 525 
 
( iv ) 
 
 Like many another voyager I found 
 considerable pleasure during my travels 
 in keeping a daily record of impressions 
 of scenes visited. These records at first 
 intended merely for my own after-perusal, 
 I have, at the wish of many friends 
 
 promised shall appear in somewhat more 
 permanent form. 
 
 As will be seen from the opening 
 remarks of my first chapter, it is a 
 matter of considerable doubt in my own 
 mind whether so uneventful a tour as 
 this will prove of interest to the 
 general reader ; although perhaps to 
 some, the description given of a few of 
 
( V ) 
 
 the finest and most wonderful spots in 
 the world may be welcome, if only as 
 a pleasant stimulus to the recollection 
 of impressions, formerly strong, but now 
 becoming faint, of visits paid to many 
 of the places described in the chapters 
 of this book. 
 
 The diary form is observed almost 
 throughout, for while I am well aware 
 that it has many drawbacks when 
 endeavouring to connect the events 
 recorded with a running thread of interest, 
 it lends itself, in my judgment, to a 
 more accurate description both of the 
 events taking place and also of the 
 
( vi ) 
 
 impressions received from the scenery 
 and people visited. 
 
 The hesitation which I have felt in 
 placing my "impressions of a journey 
 
 round the world " in printed form is, 
 perhaps, the best explanation I can give 
 
 for the time which has elapsed since 
 the date of my tour and the publication 
 of this little volume. 
 
 GEO. HENRY PETERS. 
 
 London, December ^ 1896. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Chapter I . . i 
 
 Departure from Southampton — In the Channel — 
 "The Bay"— The Mediterranean — Genoa- 
 Straits of Messina — Crete — Port Said — Suez 
 Canal — Red Sea — Aden — Indian Ocean — 
 Arrival at Ceylon. 
 
 Chapter II 30 
 
 Landing in Colombo — Colombo " en fete " — The 
 Tropical Vegetation, &c. — Description of 
 Colombo — Mount Lavinia — Victoria Park, 
 Colombo — To Kandy by Railway — Kandy — 
 Peridenia Gardens — Tea Plantation — Buddha 
 Tooth — Elephants — Newara Eliy a— Return to 
 Colombo — Departure for Bombay. 
 
( viii ) 
 
 FA6B 
 
 Chapter III 60 
 
 Bombay Harbour — Bombay — TheTowers of Silence 
 — The Caves of Elephanta — Public Buildings — 
 By Rail to Ahmed ebad — Ahmedebad — Ajraere 
 — J eypore— Elephant Riding — Ambere — Delhi 
 —Old Delhi— Agra— The Taj Mahal— Futteh- 
 pore Sikri — Secundara. 
 
 Chapter IV. 100 
 
 Indian Bird Life— Hindoo Marriage — Native Bazaar 
 in Agra — Cawnpore— Sites of the Massacre — 
 Memorial Well — Lucknow — The Residency — 
 The Great Imambarah — Benares — The Monkey 
 Temple — Cremation — Bathing in Ganges — 
 Calcutta — River Hooghly. 
 
 Chapter V i33 
 
 Burmah — Mandalay— The Mingoon Bell — River 
 Irrawaddy — Pagan — Prome — Rangoon — The 
 Golden Pagoda — S.S. Pentakota— Moulmein — 
 Penang — Singapore. 
 
♦ 
 
 ( « ) 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Chapter VI i6o 
 
 China Sea — Hong Kong — Canton — Its Life — 
 Macao — Fantan at Macao — Home of Luiz de 
 Camoens — Return to Hong Kong — Pidgin 
 English — Chinese Theatre — Poetry — Departure 
 for Shanghai — Shanghai — China Town in 
 Shanghai. 
 
 Chapter VII 203 
 
 Arrival in Japan — Nagasaki — The Inland Sea — 
 Kobe— Ozaka — Nara — Kegara Dance — Jinrick- 
 sha to Kyoto — Kyoto— Yaamis' Hotel -Geisha 
 Dance. 
 
 Chapter VIII 233 
 
 Kyoto and its Temples — Cloisonne — Descent of 
 the Rapids — Lake Biwa — Odzu — Nagoya — 
 Fujiama — Yokohama — Miyanoshita — Tokio — 
 Nikko and its wonderful Temples — Return to 
 Yokohama — Dai Buku at Kamakura. 
 
( ^ ) 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Chapter IX . .272 
 
 Japanese Literature — English as it is Japped — 
 Optimistic and Pessimistic views of Japan — 
 The Sandwich Islands — The Volcano Kilauea. 
 
 Chapter X 294 
 
 Off to San Francisco — The Yosemite Valley — Salt 
 Lake City — Chicago and the World's Fair — New 
 ^ York — Departure for England. 
 
 Conclusion 358 
 
 Appendix— (Buddha and Buddhism) . . .361 
 
IMPRESSIONS 
 
 OF A 
 
 JOURNEY ROUND THE WORLD 
 
 (INCLUDING INDIA, BURMAH AND JAPAN). 
 
 >XX*' 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 " Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean — roll : 
 Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain : 
 
 Man marks the earth with rain — his control 
 Stops with the shore ; upon the watery plain 
 The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain 
 
 A shadow of man's ravage ; save his own, 
 When, for a moment, like a drop of rain 
 
 He sinks into the depth with bubbling groan, 
 
 Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown." — 
 
 Lord Byron. 
 
 Departure from Southampton — In the Channel — 
 The Bay — The Mediterranean — Genoa — Straits 
 OF Messina — Crete — Port Said— Suez Canal — Red 
 Sea — Aden —Indian Ocean— Arrival at Ceylon. 
 
 'S it in these days an impossibility 
 to write a simple record of travel 
 
 that will amuse and interest the 
 3/as^ fin de sidcle reader? Is the public 
 
 taste so vitiated and impregnated with Zolaism 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 that nothing but excitability, realism and 
 sensationalism will please ? If so, this work 
 had better be thrown aside, for the reader 
 will find nothing suited to his palate. 
 
 It was on the morning of Sunday, 
 December nth, 1892, that I stepped on 
 board His Imperial Majesty's Mail Steamer 
 " Preussen, '' of 4,650 tons, owned by the 
 North German Lloyd Company of Bremen, 
 and -^bound with first, second, and even two 
 third class passengers, for Genoa, Port Said, 
 Aden, Colombo, Singapore, Hong Kong, and 
 Shanghai. 
 
 The vessel was anchored for a few hours 
 at the entrance to Southampton Water, and 
 the passengers from England were conveyed 
 to it from the Docks by a small steam tender. 
 As my brother and I ran up the companion 
 ladder the ship's band was already on deck, 
 endeavouring by its inspiriting music to relieve 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 the sadness of parting with those leaving for 
 foreign lands from which they would never 
 return, as well as with those embarking for 
 health or pleasure. It was a cold, bright, 
 winter's morning, but not too cold to prevent 
 one being able to remain on deck and see 
 the last of old England's chalky cliffs, which 
 happened to be those of the Bill of Portland. 
 We ran quickly through the narrow passage of 
 the Needles, just giving a glance at the 
 coloured sands of Alum Bay, and then heading 
 straight for sea, were soon in the chops of the 
 Channel. Over the next two days, or rather 
 one night and one day, I will draw a veil, for 
 were we not in the Bay of Biscay, experiencing 
 one of its frequent gales and gaining a practical 
 acquaintance with an " Atlantic roll " ? The fish 
 and the sad sea waves know more about our 
 trouble than our gentle readers must. In fact, 
 in Gilbertian phraseology, we ''sought the 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 seclusion that a cabin grants." The chief Lord of 
 the Admiralty, impersonated by Mr. Grossmith 
 in H.M.S. ''Pinafore^' danced after singing the 
 song of which the above is an extract, but we 
 neither danced nor sang, but remained 
 " uncomfortably down below." On Tuesday, 
 the 13th, the wind had moderated and soon 
 after passing Cape Finisterre, the sea had 
 subsided sufficiently to allow us to take a little 
 more" interest in the world around us. In the 
 evening the coast of Spain came into view, and 
 the next morning we were basking in brilliant 
 sunshine, the sea almost without a ripple, 
 while shoals of porpoises were disporting 
 themselves close by us. Our sea legs were 
 now "on," and friendly intercourse with our 
 fellow passengers commenced. 
 
 The Captain is one of the suave, polite 
 German type, and is a great favourite. Under 
 his especial protection is an attractive Fraulein, 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 proceeding to Samoa to be married there ; 
 she is Quite a heroine on board and has been 
 nicknamed the ^* Princess of Samoa." It is a 
 '' far cry " there, and she will be two months 
 en route. Thursday, the 15th inst., we passed 
 close to the lighthouse on Cape St. Vincent, 
 and keeping close to the Spanish coast all 
 day, passed through the Straits of Gibraltar at 
 night. Time now slipped away pleasantly on 
 board; ship's billiards, quoits, cricket, music, 
 with the occasional excitement of watching 
 passing vessels at a distance and speculating 
 as to their size, ownership and destination, 
 being among the principal attractions of 
 a sea voyage. On the morning of the 
 1 6th we came in sight of the Balearic 
 Islands on our right. First came the 
 smallest one, Iviza, then the large one of 
 Majorca with its purple tinted mountains, and 
 afterwards Minorca. For a few hours the 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 whole range of the Sierra Nevadas, with the 
 higher peaks covered with snow, was visible; 
 and on Saturday morning, after running 
 across the Gulf of Lyons through the 
 night, the Riviera Coast off Toulon was 
 sighted, with the Alpes Maritimes in the back- 
 ground. About midnight Genoa, the " City of 
 Palaces," was reached. Although this Italian 
 city had several times been previously visited 
 by us, yet we did not fail to again see some 
 of the principal sights ; it is aptly called 
 *' Genoa the Superb," for its situation is 
 unrivalled. It is built upon the sides of steep 
 mountains descending to the Gulf of Genoa in 
 the form of an amphitheatre, and viewed from 
 the harbour at night, with its thousands of 
 lights rising tier upon tier, it presented a 
 beautiful scene. The most interesting street is 
 the Via Nuovo, containing many marble 
 palaces, the most noteworthy of which are the 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 Munlcipallo, in which Paganini's celebrated 
 violin and the city's archives are preserved ; 
 and the Pallazzo Rosso, bequeathed to the city 
 by the late Archduchess Galliera. This latter 
 palace has a fine collection of oil paintings by 
 celebrated masters. The interiors of the 
 churches of St. Annunziata and St. Lorenzo 
 are gorgeously decorated, and they possess fine 
 marble and mural decorations. The white 
 marble statue of Christopher Columbus standing 
 in an open square near the railway station, 
 and the gigantic cemetery, situated a few 
 miles from the city, outside the walls, are 
 worth visiting. 
 
 On Monday, the 19th, anchor was weighed, 
 and we glided quietly out into the beautiful 
 dark blue waters of the Mediterranean, heading 
 for the far East. Late the same evening 
 the lighthouse erected on the north-east coast 
 of the Island of Corsica was plainly seen. 
 
. ( 8 ) 
 
 Four days were spent in splendid weather, 
 with the exception of Thursday, 22nd, when 
 we had a rolling sea for a few hours on 
 passing the mouth of the Adriatic, and 
 afterwards close to the Island of Candia, the 
 ancient Crete. The narrow straits of Messina 
 were passed on Wednesday morning at eight 
 o'clock, but Etna was under cloud and we 
 could only see the fair city of Messina. On 
 the opposite side was the rugged mountainous 
 coast of Calabria, with the pretty little town 
 of Reggio nestling under the rocks. On the 
 24th, a high lighthouse was seen in the far 
 distance right ahead of us, and in a few 
 hours we were soon moored alongside the 
 spacious quay and close to the offices of the 
 different companies of ocean liners, the hotels 
 and the shops, at Port Said. 
 
 As our vessel was obliged to wait for 
 mails, (delayed by bad weather), it was decided 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 that Christmas Eve should be spent in 
 the usual German fashion, which is 
 celebrated in the Fatherland with festivities 
 of a very jovial character, and in a much 
 more thorough manner than it is in 
 England. Port Said would be the last place 
 on earth that one would wish to spend 
 Christmas in, but it was our fate to do so. 
 The few ladies on board had organised a 
 committee and had been very busy and 
 mysterious all day, but we only fully under- 
 stood after dinner what their arduous labours 
 had been. A magnificently decorated Christmas 
 tree, brilliantly illuminated, was unveiled in 
 the dining saloon, and beside it sat the 
 " Princess of Samoa," disguised as Santa 
 Claus ; who, rising at our entrance, welcomed 
 us, with a recitation of quaint verses composed 
 for the occasion, and immediately afterwards 
 produced from a sack novel and unique presents 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 for the passengers and officers of the ship. 
 The second class passengers had been invited 
 to be present, and we enjoyed some excellent 
 music and choral singing. Later in the evening, 
 to the surprise of the company, the saloon 
 doors were thrown open and in marched a 
 splendid representation of a camel, followed 
 by the three wise men of the East, bearing 
 cushions on which ornaments, etc., representing 
 precious stones were placed. The procession 
 passed slowly round the saloon three 
 times and then departed. We discovered 
 later that the camel was impersonated, much 
 to their credit, by two of the stewards. The 
 morning of Christmas Day was spent idling 
 about the shops and stores of Port Said, 
 providing ourselves with sundry necessaries in 
 the way of cigarettes, and light pith hats for 
 our journey through the Red Sea ; also riding 
 on donkeys, in Eastern style, to visit the 
 
( II ) 
 
 native Arab village situated some distance 
 from the modern town. 
 
 Port Said has an unenviable reputation, as 
 it is essentially a town sprung into existence 
 by the opening of the Suez Canal, and 
 only a few years ago was non-existent. It 
 consists principally of low-class cafes and 
 gaming saloons, where an inferior kind of 
 Monte Carlo ''rouge et noir " is played. 
 These caf^s are frequented mostly by the 
 sailors from the different ships anchoring 
 in the harbour. 
 
 The magnificent work of the Suez Canal, 
 connecting the Mediterranean with the Gulf 
 of Suez and the Red Sea, has transformed 
 the whole locality. It is a wonderful water- 
 way and teems with interest different to that 
 of any other canal, strait, or in fact any other 
 similar piece of water in the world. As we 
 enter the narrow channel one sees nothing but 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 sand, and as far as the eye can reach stretches 
 the pathless desert with occasional oases of 
 rock and low hills. Close to us, in one of 
 the sidings or stopping basins, is an Orient 
 liner, bound for England from Australia; now 
 we pass a hired transport outward bound to 
 India and filled with British soldiers, who, 
 give us a hearty British cheer as we come 
 abreast of them. As we carry European 
 mails to the East we are allowed to take 
 precedence. At anchor at the canal entrance 
 is a Messageries Maritimes liner bound for 
 Jaffa and the Orient, and close to her a 
 spruce English gun boat. Lazily, Egyptian 
 fishing craft with quaintly shaped sails, and 
 bright with the picturesque colouring of the 
 costumes worn by the men, glide by; and 
 slowly along the bank, following for a time 
 our line of route, a long caravan of camels 
 comes into view. Thus we are shown, at 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 one time, through the medium of this artificial 
 waterway, both Eastern life and Western 
 civilisation. 
 
 At intervals neat signal stations are to be 
 seen on the banks, with clean houses In the 
 French style, and surrounded by little patches 
 of garden, which break the monotony of the 
 sandy desert Jand, and upon which foxes, 
 wolves, and even lions, have been known to 
 prowl. x\t each end of the canal, viz., at 
 Port Said and at Suez, interesting charts can 
 be seen in the offices of the Company, 
 showing the exact position of each ship 
 passing through the canal, the knowledge 
 being conveyed from the station masters by 
 telegraph. Large black balls or cones are 
 also pulled up and down high signal posts 
 to warn vessels of the approach of others In 
 the contrary direction. The journey occupied 
 eighteen hours, and the effect at night was 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 weird in the extreme. A powerful electric 
 search light was suspended from the head- 
 mast, illumining the water and banks for a 
 quarter of a mile, and about half a mile 
 behind us the light of the troopship following 
 us could be seen. A few years ago vessels 
 were not allowed to proceed through the 
 canal at night, but since the introduction and 
 general use on board ship of the electric 
 light, an enormous increase of business has 
 resulted. The charge for the passage of a 
 ship of this tonnage — 4,650 tons — was some- 
 thing like ;^ 1,500, so it seems rather difficult 
 to comprehend how this German Company 
 can afford to pay such a tax unless they 
 are handsomely subsidized by the paternal 
 Government, which I believe is the case. 
 About six o'clock in the evening we stopped 
 for a very short time off Ismaila, the usual 
 landing place en route for Cairo. 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 We had originally intended to break our 
 journey here, but being so comfortable on 
 board ship, and my brother having stayed at 
 Cairo and seen the surroundings on a previous 
 trip, when he visited Palestine, we determined 
 to continue on board as far as Ceylon. Suez 
 was passed at night, and early on the morning 
 of December 27th, we found ourselves in the 
 Gulf of Suez, and surrounded by arid, rocky 
 mountains of a light brown colour. Presently 
 on our left the Sinaitic range came into view. 
 Mount Sinai itself is, I think, not to be 
 seen, although the highest peak of the range 
 visible from the sea is pointed out as the 
 Holy Mountain. The Gulf of Suez forms 
 part of, and is, in fact, an integral portion 
 of, the Red Sea, the waters of which are of 
 an ultramarine tint, and rival the blue of the 
 Mediterranean. Land is only observable at 
 intervals, so the passage of the Israelites out 
 
( '6 ) 
 
 of Egypt must have taken place more in the 
 neighbourhood of the Bitter Lakes, before 
 the deepened channel was made to allow 
 vessels to cross them, and where at certain 
 periods the wind has been known to blow 
 the water out into the Gulf of Suez, thus 
 leaving the bottoms of the lakes dry. 
 
 On the afternoon of December 28th, the 
 Tropic of Cancer was passed, which Captain 
 Hogemann endeavoured to point out, by 
 cunningly placing a hair across the glass 
 of the ship's telescope, to some of the lady 
 passengers, one of whom declared that she 
 saw " it " distinctly ! In the evening we 
 experienced our first tropical sunset. To the 
 Westward extended a long line of mountains 
 with serrated peaks, and behind them the 
 golden orb slowly sank, bringing out into 
 strong relief against the sky line the fantastic 
 curves of the range and their beautiful 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 jagged peaks ; slowly over the waters a 
 purple hue spread Itself, and as the sun 
 disappeared, with the heavens all glowing, 
 the colour of the water deepened, and we 
 saw the Red Sea before us in reality. 
 
 The weather through the Red Sea was 
 changeable On the first two days we had 
 glorious weather, with our first experience of 
 a tropical sun, and a calm sea. It was so 
 intensely hot that we remained under the 
 awnings on deck until two o'clock in the 
 morning, to make our nights down below pass 
 more quickly ; but on the third day the wind 
 became southerly and there was a great 
 deal of motion. 
 
 On the 30th we passed twelve rocky islets, 
 called " The Apostles," and during the night 
 ran through the Straits of Babelmandeb. In 
 the afternoon of the following day we anchored 
 
 off our British possession of Aden for a few 
 
 2 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 hours to take in water preparatory to con- 
 tinuing the voyage across the Arabian Sea and 
 Indian Ocean to Ceylon. 
 
 Aden is very interesting to the European, 
 and one is amused, immediately after anchoring, 
 by watching Arab boys surrounding the vessel, 
 paddling in small canoes hollowed out of the 
 trunks of trees. They commence by shouting 
 " Have a dive, have a dive ! oio, oie, oie, oio ! 
 ct la mer^ a la mer ! good boy, good boy ! " 
 which is followed, upon a small coin being 
 thrown into the water, by the speedy abandon- 
 ment of paddle and canoe, on the part of 
 the boy. He has dived out of sight, but 
 reappears in a second or two with the coin 
 between his teeth, and immediately swims 
 after his abandoned canoe and paddle. These 
 lads are very dexterous divers, and the 
 cadence of their voices is rather pleasing to 
 the ear. Sharks are very numerous at 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 Aden, and it is astonishing that no accidents 
 happen, but even sharks do not appear to have 
 a particular relish for young Arabs, and are 
 more alive to the delicate eating of white 
 men*s flesh, for which they are generally 
 on the qui vive. We spent two hours 
 on shore, visiting the huge tanks, of 
 which there are 50 in Aden, and which, if 
 cleared out, would have an average capacity 
 of 30,000,000 gallons. A Mr. Salt, who saw 
 them in 1 809, writes : " The most remarkable 
 of these reservoirs consists of a line of cisterns 
 situated on the north side of the town, three 
 of which are fully 80 feet wide, and propor- 
 tionately deep, all executed out of the solid 
 rock, and lined with a thick coat of fine stucco." 
 In 1856, the restoration of these magnificent 
 tanks was undertaken by Capt. F. M. Hunter. 
 To reach these cisterns we hired light carriages 
 at the landing place, and after passing a 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 crescent of shops, we drove across a sandy 
 plain, then ascended a steep hill in zigzags, 
 and passed through a fortified cutting at the 
 top, which divides the fortress of Aden from 
 the town itself. On the sea shore, several 
 Mahommedans turned towards Mecca, were 
 devoutly praying, with their foreheads bowed ; 
 and we constantly met numbers of camels 
 carrying heavy loads of wood and sacks filled 
 with rice. The old Arab town was then 
 reached, in which, the people, goats, camels, 
 fowls, etc., were seen all living comfortably 
 together. On reaching the tanks, we found 
 to our surprise, that they were beautifully 
 clean, and had not contained any water for 
 seven years ; indeed, I was told it has not 
 rained at Aden for that period. A few trees 
 and shrubs had been planted by the English, 
 and the whole place was in the charge of three 
 native soldiers. With the exception of the 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 green leaves of the shrubs above mentioned, 
 not a blade of grass of any kind was 
 observable. Aden is situated on a promontory 
 of high hills, covered with brown rocks and 
 sands, while the modern town nestles round 
 a bay on the eastern side. Apart from its 
 Asiatic character, which pleased us, the whole 
 place is hot, arid and uninviting. 
 
 As we steamed away, the North German 
 Lloyd Steamer, " Darmstadt " arrived from 
 Shanghai, and saluted her sister ship, as we 
 passed almost abreast. The bands of both 
 ships played, and enthusiastic cheering and 
 waving of handkerchiefs took place. 
 
 December i\ St. This is the last night of the 
 old year, and by a cordial invitation from the 
 second class passengers, we are asked to spend 
 it with them, in return for the entertainment 
 given by the first class cabin on Christmas 
 Eve. New Year's Eve will be thus spent at 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 sea, in the Gulf of Aden, out of sight of 
 land, which we shall not see again for seven 
 days, unless we happen to sight the island 
 of Socotra, about 150 miles East of Cape 
 Guardafui (which is the Eastern point of the 
 African continent), or any of the respective 
 groups of the Laccadive or Maldive Islands 
 off the West coast of the Southern portion 
 of our Indian Empire. The thoughts of 
 officej;s, passengers and crew will naturally be 
 with the dear ones at home, who will them- 
 selves be thinking of the absent ones ; and 
 from our hearts, we send them this message 
 from the sea, — " Good health, Happiness and 
 a Bright New Year!" 
 
 Sunday morning, January \st, 1893. Last 
 night's entertainment was a great success, and 
 everybody enjoyed the " Sylvester Abend." 
 A procession was formed, headed by the band, 
 and we proceeded through the length and 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 breadth of the ship, along the principal gang- 
 ways and decks to a temporary ball room 
 arranged on the port side of the hurricane 
 deck. This was made gay with lanterns and 
 bunting, and also by the electric light, 
 which is used in every part of the ship. 
 Here we danced the sprightly polka, the giddy 
 valse and the ceremonious lancers, and when 
 tired with terpsichorean charms, champagne 
 bowl refreshed the inner man and was also 
 sipped by gentler lips. Then at the 
 witching hour of midnight, silence stole over 
 us while once more an old year passed away 
 and a new one began, to the solemn tolling 
 of the ship's bell and the firing of guns. 
 The band then played a suitable chorale, and 
 after mutual congratulations our pleasant 
 evening ended. 
 
 Sunday evening at sea. The vault of the 
 sky is of a grey colour, just flecked to the 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 eastward with a few fleecy clouds, and the 
 ocean slumbering and looking like a painted 
 sheet of dark blue canvas ; there is no 
 noise but the occasional splash of the water 
 receding after contact with the vessel's prow, 
 and turning over into gentle waves of white 
 foam, and yet we are sailing in the teeth of a 
 north-east monsoon. This may sound terrible 
 to a land lubber, but the result is in reality 
 very pleasant. A westerly or south-westerly 
 monsoon would mean a high sea sweeping 
 over decks, scorching heat, and an unpleasant 
 rolling of the ship; but the accompaniments 
 of a north-easter are a cool, pleasant breeze, 
 a placid sea with the gentle waves just 
 curling here and there into white foam, over 
 which one sees occasional flights of flying 
 fish, looking like small aquatic birds skimming 
 over the waters. This fish is about the size 
 of a mackerel, with two small wings fixed 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 near the head ; it has a black back and 
 looks much more like a bird until you see 
 it disappearing with a little splash into the 
 waves. 
 
 January 2nd, — For two hours this morning 
 we have been passing the mountainous Island 
 of Socotra, about four miles to the westward ; 
 in fact at one time it seemed we were not more 
 than a mile away. This is a British possession 
 subordinate to Aden, but administered in its 
 internal affairs by its own chiefs. What 
 appeared at first to be a large glacier 
 descending between two mountains into the 
 sea, proves on closer inspection to be a 
 bed of pure white sand stretching towards 
 the sea in the form of a fan. At Aden we 
 took on board a party of Malays from 
 Singapore, who were returning from a 
 pilgrimage to the shrine of Mahomet at 
 Mecca. There are twenty-three in all, men 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 and boys, and they are not berthed but are 
 simply lying on their red and blue flannel 
 shawls on the foredeck in close proximity to 
 the live stock, consisting of oxen, sheep, pigs, 
 calves, turkeys, geese, fowls, ducks, etc. They 
 live upon curried rice and dates mostly, and 
 between meals are always smoking the 
 chibouque. Their manner of eating is very 
 noticeable. After seating themselves in a 
 circle with their legs crossed under them, a 
 wooden bowl of the boiled rice is placed 
 in the centre; the elder then first puts his 
 hand into the dish and takes out a handful, 
 which is formed into a compact mass by 
 pressing it with his palms and fingers. This 
 delicacy he then inserts into his mouth, 
 throwing back the remaining crumbs into the 
 bowl. All the other members then go through 
 the same form until the bowl is empty. 
 They are very devout, and at sunset, with 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 their faces turned towards Mecca, alternately- 
 standing with folded hands, and kneeling with 
 the forehead touching the deck in lieu of 
 mother earth, they muttered their prayers. 
 
 Friday^ January $th. — This is the sixth day 
 at sea since our departure from Aden, and up 
 to the present we have seen no natural green 
 of any kind. We are now, however, nearing the 
 Island of Minacoy, one of the Laccadive group, 
 the Chief of which goes yearly to Ceylon to 
 pay reverence to Her Majesty's representative, 
 and also to receive for this act of obeisance the 
 sum of 5,000 rupees. Across the horizon to 
 the leeward we soon perceive a few palm trees, 
 and in half-an-hour we are sailing by the beautiful 
 island. Before us we have a real tropical 
 coral island, surrounded by reefs over which 
 a long line of surf is breaking, while behind 
 it rise forests of palm trees. At the nearest 
 point to us is a high lighthouse, and one 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 of the duties of the native chief is to see 
 that the revolving light in it is kept burning. 
 The coral reef is within half-a-mile of us, 
 so we have a glorious view of this gem set 
 in the deep blue of the Indian Ocean. 
 
 To-day an international cricket match has 
 taken place on our ship — ^'Germany versus 
 England." Twelve stalwart Germans and two 
 ladies against four English, and the result 
 ended in the ignominious defeat of the Teuton 
 on his own deck. In justice to our opponents 
 I must admit that they had never played 
 before, and that we were the challengers. 
 The Germans were practising at six o'clock 
 in the morning. The score was as follows : — 
 
 England. 
 
 Germany. 
 
 Runs. 
 
 First Innings 7 
 
 Second Innings ... 12 
 Total 19 
 
 Runs. 
 First Innings (retired)... 29 
 
 Second Innings ... — 
 
 Total ... ... 29 
 
 England retired with her laurels, winning by 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 an Innings and ten runs. Capt. Hogemann 
 was bowled out first ball, the first lieutenant 
 scored four, while the " Princess of Samoa " 
 gained great applause by obtaining four also. 
 At the conclusion of the match international 
 courtesies were indulged in, the Germans 
 proceeding to the smoking-room to recoup 
 exhausted nature by the imbibition of sundry 
 cocktails, and the English refreshing them- 
 selves with draughts of Lager Beer. 
 
 Last day at sea. — We were awakened at 
 two o'clock in the morning by a grating 
 noise of the ship's screw, and discovered on 
 rising later that one of the plates had 
 broken ; but we proceeded on our voyage 
 quite safely, though the vessel was rolling 
 throughout the day. About three o'clock 
 the mountains of Ceylon were sighted, 
 and in a glorious sunset we entered and 
 dropped anchor in the Harbour of Colombo. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Landing in Colombo -Colombo "en fete" — The 
 Tropical Vegetation, &c. — Description of Colombo 
 — Mount Lavinia — Victoria Park, Colombo — 
 To Kandy by Railway — Kandy — Peridenia 
 Gardens — Tea Plantation — Buddha Tooth — 
 Elephants — Newara Eliya — Return to Colombo — 
 Departure for Bombay. 
 
 ,OLOMBO possesses a fine artificial 
 harbour and breakwater, the first 
 stone of which was laid by H.R.H. 
 the Prince of Wales in 1874. At the 
 extreme end of the breakwater stands a 
 lighthouse, visible 18 miles away at sea. 
 We were anchored next to an Austrian man- 
 of-war, engaged at present in the pleasant 
 occupation of taking the Austrian Crown 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 Prince on a tour round the world. On 
 landing, we found the town en fHe and 
 decorated in honour of the Crown Prince's 
 visit, with triumphal arches made of bamboo 
 canes thatched with palm leaves, from which 
 the fruits of the jak tree, bread fruit and cocoa- 
 nut trees were hanging. The Island of Ceylon 
 has been variously styled the Garden of Eden, 
 Paradise, and the Spicy Isle ; the latter term 
 because of the powerful scent of the clove 
 and cinnamon trees, wafted out to sea when 
 the wind is blowing from the land. The 
 brilliant colouring of the luxuriant vegetation 
 and the red soil, the forests of palms and 
 glorious fruits and flowers, all tend to charm 
 the traveller and to entrance his imagination. 
 After we had landed we were at once taken in 
 waggonettes, called "gharries," and drawn by 
 small horses to the Galle Face hotel, facing 
 the sea and about a mile and a half outside 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 the town. Our luggage followed in a cart 
 with a covering of dried palm leaves, and 
 drawn by a pair of native " Zebu," or bulls. 
 This animal resembles our own bullock, but 
 with the addition of a large hump on the 
 back, just behind the horns, and is used by 
 the natives all over the island. The hotel 
 is more of the bungalow type, quiet and 
 comfortable, with a lovely view of the sea. 
 This place, in a few years, bids fairly 
 to become the ocean's " Clapham Junction," 
 situated as it is, midway between the East 
 and West. Day by day steamers pass, going 
 to or returning from China or Australia, and 
 if a dockyard were built, Colombo would 
 quickly become the most important Naval 
 Station in the Orient. Close to the hotel 
 is a breezy expanse of common, while in the 
 gardens large cocoa nut trees are growing, and 
 under their fronds large clusters of green fruit 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 are hanging. In a few minutes we can be 
 conveyed in a " jinricksha " into the heart of 
 the town. The "jinricksha" is a two- 
 wheeled carriage, somewhat resembling a bath 
 chair, but higher, and with a hood to protect 
 the occupier from the sun. It is drawn by- 
 native coolies, who run, perspiring at every 
 pore, between small shafts. Ceylon is famous 
 for its crows, called " Nature's scavengers." 
 They are cheeky fellows, and this morning 
 at six o'clock, two of them appeared at my 
 open window, and hopped in on to the chota 
 hazri, or early breakfast table, and made off 
 with the toast. Their plumage is quite black, 
 but they have glossy purple wings. Soon 
 after breakfast, following the morning of our 
 arrival, we were off across the common to 
 pay our first visit to the city. On rising 
 ground we noticed the club house, a hand- 
 some two storied building, built of course in 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 bungalow style, and close to it was the 
 pretty English church, fitted with punkahs, 
 which are pulled by boys standing in the 
 porchways. There is a great misnomer in 
 calling one's servant a boy, as he need not 
 be young. A patriarchal looking man asked 
 us in the hotel this morning, if we required 
 a boy during our stay in Ceylon, and when 
 we asked him to produce him, he said that 
 he was the boy! We proceeded past a 
 splendid lake, winding through the centre of 
 Colombo, the banks of which were fringed 
 with palms, while the beautiful hibiscus with 
 its gorgeous crimson blossoms as large as 
 camellias, were seen growing in abundance. 
 To the left of the lake are the English 
 barracks, built with open archwork of solid 
 stone, and near them the residence of the 
 Governor. The European quarter which is 
 near the sea-shore, has fine broad streets. 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 with avenues of trees, while the native 
 quarter is almost hidden by the forests of 
 palm trees. The Pettah quarter is the most 
 interesting, and here the natives were to be 
 seen sitting in the doorways of their thatched 
 huts, while the roads swarmed with the people 
 in all varieties of coloured costumes. Our 
 first drive was to Mount Lavinia, about 
 seven miles distant, situated on a small bay. 
 Long streets of native huts and shops, in 
 which all kinds of dried fish, bananas, cocoa- 
 nuts, mangoes and rice were exposed for sale, 
 were passed. The Singhalese are very cleanly 
 in their habits, and we noticed mothers 
 washing their healthy, plump babies with soap 
 and water. The men are very proud of their 
 black hair, which is not cut, but combed back 
 carefully from the forehead and tied in a small 
 knot or chignon at the back of the head, 
 while on the top a tortoise shell comb shaped 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 to the head is worn. The food of the people 
 consists of fish in large quantities, rice, curry, 
 cocoanut, the fruit of the bread fruit, etc., and 
 they looked strong and healthy on this diet. 
 As we drove along we passed through groves 
 of cocoa-nut palm trees with huge clusters of 
 the fruit hanging far out of our reach. This 
 latter tree is certainly one of the most useful 
 in the world. The natives build their houses 
 and^make carts and furniture with its wood ; 
 its fronds when dry are used for thatching 
 their roofs and making coverings for their 
 bullock carts; its fruits they subsist on and 
 the husks are used for making coir ropes and 
 matting as well as fuel. As we drove on we 
 noticed banana plantations and the jak fruit 
 tree with its curious fruit growing on the 
 trunks of the trees. This fruit is so heavy, 
 weighing sometimes 20 lbs., that it could not 
 possibly grow on the branches. Breadfruit 
 
( ?>7 ) 
 
 trees crowded with the unripe and green fruit, 
 and remarkable for the size of their leaves, 
 measuring from i\ to 2 feet in length ; 
 giant bamboo trees, {Dendro calamus giganteus)^ 
 the canes of which attain to such a size 
 that they are used as masts for fishing 
 luggers ; the banyan tree with the branches 
 growing downwards and into the earth again, 
 the talipot palm, the catalpa, the mango 
 with its delicious yellow fruit; magnificent 
 variegated crotons, six to eight feet in 
 height; giant poinsettias with their scarlet 
 foliage were all passed in bewildering suc- 
 cession, until we arrived at our destination. 
 Here we found a modern hotel situated on a 
 small hill, with a terrace commanding a fine 
 sea view, where we partook of our first 
 " tiffin." The menu was so elaborate, and 
 so good, that I am tempted to give it 
 ''in toto:' 
 
( 3S ) 
 
 MOUNT LAVINIA HOTEL, 
 
 Sunday, Jcmuary %th, 1893. 
 
 Tiffin : — 
 
 Native Oysters. 
 
 Turtle Soup. 
 
 Filets of Sole a la Maitre d'Hotel. 
 
 Devilled Whitebait. 
 
 Scalloped Oysters. 
 
 French Salad. 
 
 Mutton Cutlets a la Jardiniere. 
 
 Game Pie. 
 
 Marrow Patties. 
 
 Ice Pudding. 
 
 Bananas, Pine Apples. 
 
 Ginger. 
 
 Coffee. 
 
 I am sure this dejeuner would have pleased 
 the most fastidious Parisian gourmet. After 
 this repast we strolled out into the gardens, 
 which sloped to the sea shore and where 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 native b'oys were fishing. Fish of all kinds 
 abound in these waters and men are con- 
 stantly to be seen, standing on the golden 
 sands, fishing with a rod in the surf and 
 catching plenty of fish. Roughly hewn 
 canoes with long outriggers are used, called 
 catamarans, which ride easily over the surf 
 into the calm deep water beyond. Strolling 
 round the gardens we notice a stately silver 
 crane with spotted breast, standing so quietly 
 that we imagined it to be of porcelain. 
 Amongst the flowers were the four o'clock 
 flower, blooming only at four o'clock, the 
 bougainvillea spectabilis^ with its gorgeous 
 sprays of purple blossom, and the waxen 
 fragrant frangipanni, or temple flower, about 
 the size of a chestnut growing in clusters on 
 trees. This flower is of delicate wax, with a 
 tinge of yellow, and is offered in the Buddhist 
 temples by the natives; hence its name. It 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 is similar to the tube-rose but more beautiful. 
 On the return journey we visited a small 
 Buddhist temple, with one recumbent figure of 
 Gautama, 25 feet long, in a glass case. 
 Buddhists are not like the Mahommedan and 
 Hindoo, who refuse Christians to enter into 
 their inner sanctuaries, and one is allowed to 
 visit all parts of Buddhist temples. Close to 
 the temple were several priests, sitting in 
 their huts. They are celibate, but believe for 
 their act of renunciation on earth, to enjoy the 
 blessings of perfect connubial bliss in the here- 
 after, and as a solace to their feelings a rude 
 representation of a charming lady, showing a 
 healthy babe to its father, was hanging from 
 the ceiling of the temple above the heads of 
 the priests. These priests, like most of the 
 Singhalese, have an objectionable habit of 
 chewing a mixture of betel nut, areca palm 
 and tobacco leaf, which turns their teeth to a 
 
I 4i ) 
 
 hideous red colour giving the appearance of 
 bleeding when their mouths are opened, and 
 spoiling the otherwise pearly whiteness of their 
 teeth. Leaving the temple we drove on to 
 the beautiful park called " Victoria," after our 
 Queen. There were golfing grounds, tennis 
 court enclosures, a riding ground and beautiful 
 gardens, with variegated crotons, dracaenas, 
 acacias and other flowering trees. The alla- 
 manda, so admired in English hot-houses, was 
 growing here as a parasite on other trees, with 
 hundreds of yellow blossoms. Then through 
 the Cinnamon Gardens back to our hotel. 
 
 This morning, January 8th, we saw an 
 exhibition of snake charming with two cobra 
 capellas. The instrument used by the charmer 
 is called a Mughidi, a Tamil word, signifying 
 a decoy or charm. The mughidi had certainly 
 a great effect upon the reptiles, for when first 
 brought out of their baskets they were easily 
 
I 42 ) 
 
 excited, but eventually coiled themselves round 
 the neck of the man, exhibiting their fangs but 
 without attempting to bite. Then we made a 
 round of the Bazaars. The principal objects 
 of interest are, ebony wood carving, cheap 
 white and blue sapphires, boxes made of 
 sandal wood and boxes with the sides and lids 
 made from the quills of the porcupine. The 
 natives have a superstition that the fates will 
 be propitious to them during the day if they 
 sell cheaply in the morning ; it is always as 
 well then to buy something from them at 
 '* Morning time, for Luck." 
 
 In the " Innocents Abroad," Mark Twain 
 describes very graphically the monstrosities of 
 poor misshapen human beings to be seen in 
 Constantinople; and coming nearer home, Mr. 
 Barnum exhibited a few hideous specimens at 
 Olympia, but all these must pale before the 
 wretched creature we have seen to-day. It 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 bore the nearest resemblance to the monkey 
 tribe possible. The man had an intelligent 
 and expressive face with piercing black eyes, 
 but his body was covered with thick black 
 hair and he possessed a pair of long narrow 
 hands, perfectly formed, but his arms were 
 barely three inches long, and he was thereby 
 prevented from touching his face with the 
 former. It was a horrible sight, not easily 
 forgotten. 
 
 This morning we ascended an artificially 
 raised hill in the centre of the city, from 
 the summit of which a superb view was 
 to be obtained. To our surprise, with 
 the exception of a few spires, Colombo was 
 not to be seen, and yet we had only just 
 quitted a city containing 130,000 inhabitants. 
 All we really could see was a gigantic 
 forest of palms under which the storied 
 bungalows of the Europeans, the huts 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 and shops of the natives were hidden, thus 
 affording them a wonderful protection during 
 the hot season from the scorching rays of 
 the sun. 
 
 Starting at 1.55 from the principal railway 
 station of the Ceylon Railway Company we 
 were soon speeding, in a comfortable open 
 saloon car, into the interior of the island. 
 Close to Mahara station is the quarry from 
 which the stone was brought for the formation 
 of the huge breakwater at Colombo, and in 
 close proximity to Henaratgoda are the 
 Government Tropical Gardens containing many 
 varieties of the caoutchouc or rubber giving 
 trees, Trinidad cacao, Liberian coffee, and 
 Gutta-percha trees from the Malay Peninsula. 
 At this station, which was brilliant with 
 crotons, we were offered by the aborigines, 
 royal cocoanuts, bananas, pineapples, eggs, etc. 
 After leaving the station the track slowly 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 commenced to ascend, and a second engine 
 was coupled on behind to push us up to the 
 top of the pass, 1698 feet above sea level. 
 Beautifully wooded knolls soon gave place to 
 higher hills and mountains, while the vegetation 
 increased in luxuriance. 
 
 After running along the sides of some pre- 
 cipitous mountains, affording magnificent views 
 of the valley far beneath us, and noticing the 
 increasing delicious coolness of the air, we 
 reached the watershed. Here a column was 
 erected to the memory of Capt. Dawson, the 
 engineer of the first road. Just above the 
 Station (Kadugannawa) is the Hill of Balungaola 
 or the Watcher's Rock (2,543 feet). The com- 
 panion engine was here uncoupled, and we 
 commenced the descent, with a mountain torrent 
 falling over rocks and stones accompanying 
 us alongside ; while above, the beautifully 
 covered hills and peaks reminded one of a bit 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 of Scotch or Swiss scenery ; and we soon 
 arrived at Kandy, the capital of the former 
 
 kingdom of Kandy. Here also triumphal arches 
 had been erected in honour of the Austrian 
 Crown Prince who had gone on an elephant 
 shooting expedition about five days distance. 
 It was just dusk when we arrived, and 
 thousands of fire-flies were flitting about in the 
 air like small silver stars, while the chirping 
 of grasshoppers was heard everywhere. Kandy 
 contains a mixed population of 22,000, Sing- 
 halese, Tamils and Hindoos, and is situated 
 1,680 feet above the mean sea level in a 
 narrow valley completely hemmed in by wooded 
 bills and mountains, and it is the centre of the 
 planting interest. The Queen's hotel, a large 
 two-storied building, situated close to a large 
 winding lake and by the side of an open green, 
 upon which a local volunteer band was playing, 
 received us. 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 Januaiy \2th. — This afternoon we spent in 
 visiting a model tea plantation and factory, 
 situated at Peridenia, about four miles distant. 
 The tea plant is carefully pressed down to a 
 uniform height of from two to three feet from 
 the ground and has the appearance of a small 
 bay tree, while its leaves are about the size 
 of bay leaves. After plucking the fresh green 
 leaves, "withering" is the first operation, and 
 this takes place in large open airy rooms, where 
 the leaves are spread out on layers of matting 
 made from jute ; when reduced to a silken 
 texture and while still in a damp state, they 
 are crushed in large rollers ; drying then follows, 
 by their being laid in large tin trays, which are 
 placed in an ingenious machlnej into which hot 
 air is forced. Then the sifting and packing 
 is accomplished, and the chests are ready for 
 exportation. The smell of the factory reminded 
 one of the strongest tea imaginable during the 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 process of brewing. Near to this factory are 
 the beautiful Botanical Gardens of Peridenia. 
 Immediately upon entering, was to be seen a 
 plantation of magnificent tropical palms, 
 including specimens of the fan-shaped travellers' 
 palm (Ravenala Madagascariensis)^ which if cut 
 in a . portion of the stalk, produces sufficient 
 water for the thirsty traveller ; the Oscosperma 
 fasciculata^ the oil palm of Ceylon ; the 
 Lewistonia alHssima, the Oreodoxia regia, or 
 cabbage palm ; and the talipot, which blooms only 
 once in a hundred years and then dies. Some 
 of these palms were 90 feet high. Colossal 
 banyan trees and fine specimens of the India- 
 rubber tree {Ftcus elastica) we then passed. 
 The deadly Upas tree from Java, the allspice, 
 giant bamboos with canes measuring 30 
 inches in diameter and 100 feet high, Java 
 almonds, the clove and the nutmeg, both 
 from 50 to 60 feet high ; the cotton tree. 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 covered with its red flowers, like those of 
 the azalea, many sorts of the mango, and an 
 avenue of 80 or 90 cabbage palms, 70 and 
 80 feet high, were all shown, Ceylon is 
 more noted for its flowering creepers and 
 trees, than for plants. The lantana shrub, 
 the pale blue plumbago, the bragmansia or 
 the trumpet flower, the poinsettia, the 
 oleander, huge violet and white convolvuli, 
 and the passiflora, grow in the jungle and 
 by the wayside in a wild state. The two 
 most interesting flowering trees are the 
 Amherstia Nobilis, as large as a chestnut and 
 bearing a lovely drooping red waxen orchid- 
 like flower, and the Napoleonis Imperialism 
 with a small yellow flower, exactly the shape 
 of the Imperial Napoleonic crown Every 
 visitor to Ceylon should visit these gardens, 
 which are arranged like a private park. 
 
 At 6.30 this evening we heard the weird 
 
( 50 ) 
 
 and unearthly beating of the tom-tom, from 
 the Great Buddhist Temple, known as the 
 Daladd Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth, 
 in which the sacred tooth of Buddha and other 
 relics are preserved, — calling the faithful to 
 prayers. The temple or pagoda is situated at 
 the extreme end of the green It originally 
 formed part of the ancient palace of the kings 
 of Kandy, and is surrounded by a moat. After 
 passing through one or two doorways, decorated 
 with rude frescoes describing human sins on 
 earth and the respective punishments awarded 
 for each kind of crime, we entered the minor 
 courtyards in the centre of which stood the 
 temple adorner, with small tawdry flags and 
 hanging oil-lamps. The door of the shrine was 
 of brass repousse work and was flanked by a 
 pair of handsome elephants' tusks. Entering, 
 we passed many dirty Buddhist beggars holding 
 lighted pieces of candle, then ascended a steep 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 wooden staircase on the right and into the 
 sanctuary itself. Behind a strongly barred iron 
 casement stood the solid golden bell-shaped 
 shrine highly ornamented with precious stones 
 and gems. There are six of these shrines 
 placed one above each other, and under the 
 smallest of them the tooth is preserved. It 
 is about four inches long and is very seldom 
 exhibited. In front of the case was an 
 antique silver table, before which two toothless 
 hideous priests stood, holding out a large 
 silver salver for offerings; and, although 
 according to the tenets of their religion they 
 are not allowed to solicit alms, yet they had 
 the effrontery to do so before the most holy 
 of their relics. On the table, blossoms of the 
 temple flower, with its incense-like scent, and 
 of the tithonia, a common yellow flower, not 
 unlike our single sunflowers, were strewn. 
 The ceiling was covered with Indian silk. 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 while over the shrine a silvered crown of 
 lotus flowers was hanging. 
 
 January \/^th. — This afternoon we started 
 off to see the elephants in their native haunts. 
 To do this, had long been a cherished wish of 
 our hearts, so after driving for several miles, 
 two Singhalese coolies were discovered, who, 
 at our driver's request, disappeared into the 
 jungle to drive the beasts in our direction. 
 We then drove on until we arrived at 
 some huts, near which a portion of the 
 jungle had been cleared. Here then, at last 
 was the spot where the elephants would 
 surprise us with their trumpeting, and dash 
 through the under-growth. As the cleared 
 space seemed sufficiently guarded by palisading, 
 we waited patiently the arrival of the beasts. 
 In the meatime we strolled about and noticed 
 pine apples, the areca nut, palm, bananas and 
 other plants. Still the elephants did not appear 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 and no sound of any kind reached us that any- 
 chance of their coming was near, when turning 
 round, we discovered a solitary specimen who 
 seemed perfectly subdued and tame, walking 
 towards us down the lane from the direction 
 whence we had come. It was a fine beast 
 and his keeper kindly put him through the 
 usual Zoological Garden kind of entertainment. 
 Unfortunately we had brought no buns with 
 us, but we gave the keeper one of the 
 depreciated rupees. Only one other specimen 
 did we see on our return, and this one was 
 bathing himself about half a mile away in a 
 river and looked sufficiently picturesque, but, 
 alas, for our cherished illusions, he too, was a 
 show, and placed there for us. It is of no 
 use, we can get up no adventures. No 
 leopards have sprung upon us in the jungle, 
 and no deadly cobra capella or venomous tic 
 polonga have buried their poisonous fangs in 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 any tender part of our anatomy. But writing 
 seriously; in the wilder parts of the island, 
 the elephant, the cheetah or Ceylon leopard, 
 the bear, the elk, monkey, wild cat, &c., as 
 well as cobra capellas, and the tic polonga, 
 whose bite is most deadly, are to be found. 
 The shooting of the elephant is now for- 
 bidden, but a special drive was arranged for 
 the Crown Prince, who succeeded (so say 
 the papers) in bringing down two. 
 
 A beautiful drive near Kandy is called 
 " Lady Morton's Drive " One ascends a 
 wooded hill, through palm groves, in zigzags, 
 until a plateau is reached from which an 
 extensive view of the central mountains of 
 Ceylon is obtained. Far below stretched the 
 valley of Dumbala, through which the longest 
 river in the island flowed, looking like a silver 
 ribbon thrown on the green landscape. Huge 
 and gorgeously coloured butterflies flitted about 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 US like small birds, some of them measuring 
 six to eight inches from wing to wing. 
 
 Newara Eliya, pronounced Newerelia, is a 
 hill station in Ceylon, situated at an elevation 
 of 6,200 feet above sea- level, and lies in an 
 extensive undulating plateau, in the centre of 
 which is a beautiful lake ; while tennis courts, 
 golf links, &c., surround the grounds of the 
 Grand hotel. Here rhododendrons and mimosa 
 flourish. This upland valley is reached by 
 rail from Kandy to Nanuoya station (5,291 
 feet), passing along the sides of precipitous 
 mountains and ravines, while the valleys below 
 present a scene of tea cultivation, rivalling 
 those of the vineyards in Germany and France. 
 About ten years ago a fungus pest attacked 
 the coffee plant, and the planters with praise- 
 worthy perseverance and indomitable energy 
 proceeded to cultivate the tea plant, and in this 
 short time have succeeded in their enterprise. 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 The stumps of the deceased coffee trees can 
 still be seen in the tea plantations. Huge 
 flowering aloes grow by the sides of the 
 railway, and are useful in protecting the 
 plantations from predatory cattle. After 
 arriving at Nanuoya station, waggonettes 
 convey passengers on to Newara Eliya 
 through a romantic pass, covered with jungle, 
 in which splendid specimens of the woolly 
 tree ^ern (Alsophila crinita) are growing, the 
 foliage at the time of our visit wearing lovely 
 autumnal tints. The whole of the valley 
 reminds one of an upland English or Scotch 
 scene, as we are thousands of feet above the 
 land of the palm and banana. The bracing 
 climate makes this one of the most frequented 
 hill stations for Anglo-Indians in the tropics. 
 At one part of the journey the sea, at a 
 distance of 60 miles, as the crow flies, 
 could be seen. Adam's peak, one of the 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 most frequently ascended mountains in Ceylon, 
 we observed on the right. The mountain 
 is supposed to have an impress of Buddha's 
 foot at its summit, and is ascended at 
 certain periods by devout pilgrims. The 
 highest mountain in Ceylon is named 
 Pidurutalaga (Pedro), 8,295 feet, and is 
 covered with trees and jungle to the summit. 
 At Hakgalla, near Newara Eliya, are some 
 botanical gardens, 6,000 feet above sea 
 level. Here English flowers were growing 
 in the open, as well as maiden hair 
 ferns, and splendid tree ferns by hundreds, 
 the most interesting of which, was the New 
 Zealand silver tree fern, while cacti, prickly 
 pears, and the camphor tree, were also pointed 
 out to us. 
 
 January i6ik. — We returned to Colombo 
 to-day, being nine hours en route. On the 
 journey we passed through plantations of cacao, 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 with the large chocolate coloured pods, and 
 of cinchona from which quinine is produced. 
 
 January i(^tk. — We are leaving Colombo 
 this afternoon in the Peninsular and Oriental 
 Company's mail steamer, " Malwa," bound for 
 Bombay, 887 miles distant. The ship has 
 been delayed in loading her cargo of tea in 
 consequence of a severe tropical rainstorm, 
 accompanied with lightning and thunder which 
 broke over us last night, but all day long 
 the chests were being lowered into the hold. 
 The harbour is full of life and commotion, 
 as there are several mail steamers in port. 
 Quaintly shaped junks are sailing about, 
 while catamaran canoes are conveying pas- 
 sengers to and fro. On the decks half a 
 dozen Mahommedans are tempting the 
 passengers with all kinds of Ceylonese stones, 
 the best of which is the dark blue sapphire; 
 rubies, white sapphires, catseyes, moonstones, 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 opals and pearls are offered, and all are 
 found on this island. This gives some form 
 of credence to the idea that it was the 
 island mentioned in the '^Arabian Nights," as 
 visited by Sindbad the Sailor. However, the 
 signal is given to start, the natives dart 
 down the companion, and weighing anchor 
 we glide out into the Indian Ocean, 
 which is without a ripple. For some time 
 we watch the fair shore of the Spicy Isle, 
 with its belted girdle of golden sands, and 
 the picturesque background of the forest of 
 palm trees until the view fades into the 
 distance. 
 
 ^^^^^^ 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Bombay Harbour — Bombay — The Towers of Silence — 
 The Caves of Elephanta — Public Buildings — By 
 Rail to Ahmedebad — Ahmedebad — Ajmere — 
 Jeypore — Elephant Riding — Ambere — Delhi — Old 
 Delhi — Agra — The Taj Mahal — Futtehpore Sikri — 
 Secundara. 
 
 FTER three days* pleasant sail 
 with continual glimpses of the 
 Malabar Coast of our Indian 
 Empire, about six miles off, we steamed 
 into Bombay harbour, on Sunday afternoon, 
 the 22nd of January. The city is built on 
 one of a group of islands, separated from 
 each other by very narrow channels. 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 Bombay island is iij miles long, and its area 
 is about 2 2 square miles. The population 
 is something like 804,500, and consists 
 of Europeans, Hindoos of different castes, 
 Mahommedans, Parsees, Tamils and others. 
 On approaching Bombay, to the right were to 
 be seen red tinted hills rising from 1,000 to 
 2,000 feet from the sea. The highest point of 
 Bombay island itself, is only 180 feet high, and 
 is called Malabar hill. This hill is covered 
 with charming bungalows and gardens. The 
 harbour was at the time of our arrival crowded 
 with vessels of all types, English men of war, 
 merchant ships, Indian dhows and fishing boats. 
 Immediately after anchoring, we noticed several 
 boats approaching the ship's side, full of 
 gorgeously attired Hindoos, carrying garlands 
 and wreaths of flowers, and soon discovered 
 that they were a committee of reception of the 
 Thakore of Gonda, who had been a fellow 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 passenger on board from Colombo, and was 
 returning to India from a voyage round 
 the world. The reception was novel. The 
 members of the deputation advanced and in 
 saluting His Highness, threw the wreaths and 
 garlands round his neck, while silver rupees 
 were strewn at his feet. We hardly thought 
 the latter necessary, as the Thakore is reputed 
 to be worth twelve lakhs of rupees. He is 
 an intellectual man, and was educated at 
 Edinburgh University. 
 
 We landed shortly after at the Apollo 
 Bunder pier, close to which are the grounds 
 of the Yacht Club, where the band plays 
 before dinner, the Club being one of the 
 rendezvous of Bombay society. 
 
 January 23^^. After breakfast we had 
 our first walk. The groupings of handsome 
 buildings, the large open squares and public 
 gardens, boulevards planted with fine trees, 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 tend to make modern Bombay the finest 
 city in the East. In the native or ^'Bhendi'* 
 quarter, the streets are mostly narrow 
 but very clean and bright and they teem 
 with Oriental life. The quaint bullock carts 
 loaded with cotton, and the crowds of people, 
 coming and going, some in gay dresses and 
 handsome turbans and some in next to nothing 
 at all, remind one of the constant changes of 
 the kaleidoscope. Arabs, Parsees, Persians, 
 Afghans, Malays, Chinese, Jews, Fakirs, 
 Mahommedans, are all to be seen. The 
 Crawford market was founded by Mr. Arthur 
 Crawford, C.S., and consists of a large central 
 hall, in which is a drinking fountain given by 
 Sir Cowasje Zchanger Readymoney, surmounted 
 by a tower rising 128 feet high. To the right 
 is a wing filled with beautiful fruits, viz.: 
 golden or red bananas, or plantains as they are 
 known in the East, oranges, melons, Bombay 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 mangoes, pomegranates, tomatoes, all arranged 
 most temptingly. Outside the wing is the 
 fruit mart and auction mart, and the bird 
 section. Parrots, paroquets, canaries, etc., were 
 the principal varieties ; as many as fifty birds 
 being in one cage together. On the left is 
 another wing 350 feet long by 100, for vege- 
 tables and spices, and surrounding these halls are 
 fine gardens in which the meat and fish pavilions 
 are built. The whole market is a model 
 of cleanliness and cost over 1,000,000 rupees. 
 We next visited the cotton market. Cotton 
 spinning has developed very considerably 
 during the last few years in Bombay and 
 there are now 59,000 hands employed in the 
 mills and 7,000,000 cwt. of cotton is exported 
 annually. After tiffin we drove along the 
 Mayo road, the right side of which, is an 
 Appian way of magnificent edifices, including 
 the Presidential Secretariat, the University, 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 library and clock tower, the University hall, 
 the Courts of Justice, the Post Office and the 
 Telegraph Office, all standing in private 
 grounds; while on the left, is the beautiful 
 Back bay, with the Malabar hill in the 
 distance, to which we were bound. On 
 the summit of the hill stands the celebrated 
 tower of Silence. These towers are used as 
 burial places by the Parsees, who are Zoroas- 
 trians, and as they reverence the sun, fire, 
 earth, and water, they have devised the 
 means of disposing of their dead by placing 
 the corpses in one of these huge towers, 
 which are cylindrical in shape and white 
 washed. The largest cost ;^30,ooo, is 
 
 276 feet round and is open to the sky. 
 Inside, the plan of the building resembles 
 somewhat an amphitheatre, with compartments 
 for the male, female and children's bodies, 
 all radiating from the centre. The bodies 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 are placed in these grooves quite naked, and 
 in half-an-hour the flesh is completely devoured 
 by the ravenous vultures, flying about and 
 resting in the neighbouring trees. The bones 
 are left to bleach in the sun, and when dry, 
 the carriers of the dead remove them and 
 cast them into the centre well. The Parsees 
 reverence the dead, but consider corpses 
 unclean, and therefore the carriers are not 
 allowed to associate with other Parsees. We 
 saw large numbers of the voracious birds 
 perched on the walls of one of the towers 
 and waiting for the next arrival. It was a 
 revolting sight to notice the birds returning 
 gorged from the human feast with their beaks 
 and breasts presenting a greasy appearance. 
 While we were there, a funeral was taking 
 place and the mourners were praying in an 
 adjacent house of prayer. Around is a 
 beautiful garden full of flowers, where relatives 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 can sit and meditate, and are, or are not, 
 disturbed in their meditations, according to 
 their temperaments, by the flights of vultures, 
 crows, etc., from one tower to another. 
 Great excitement is visible among the vulture 
 world when a procession is observed winding 
 up the hill. From the summit a magnificent 
 panorama of Bombay, with its harbour and 
 the adjacent hills and islands, can be enjoyed. 
 The Caves of Elephanta are situated on a 
 wooded island about six miles from the city, 
 and are very remarkable. They were built in 
 honour of Brahminical deities, but the present 
 Brahmins consider that the excavations and 
 works are far too mighty to have been 
 constructed by mortals. The most interesting 
 is the Great Cave, in the form of a huge 
 temple, at the far end of which, stands an 
 immense three-faced bust, nineteen feet in 
 height, representing Siva in three characters 
 
 y 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 viz., as Brahma the Creator, Rudra the 
 Destroyer, and Vishnu the Preserver ; holding 
 a lotus flower. Twenty-six colossal carved 
 pillars support the roofs, but they have been 
 much damaged. On entering the temple, on 
 the right side is a small excavation containing 
 a Lingain shrine which is worshipped on great 
 occasions by thousands of Hindoos. Among 
 other sights, worthy of note in Bombay are the 
 town^hall, which cost ;^6o,ooo, the mint which 
 before the closing of the mints to the free 
 coinage of silver turned out 300,000 rupees 
 daily, and the Victoria station of the Great 
 Indian Peninsular Railway, which is one of 
 the handsomest termini in the world, costing 
 ;^30,ooo. It is a large building ornamented with 
 sculptures and with a large central dome. The 
 beautiful statue of Queen Victoria, by Noble, 
 is of solid white marble and represents Her 
 Majesty sitting on the throne. In front are the 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 Royal Arms and in the centre of the canopy Is 
 the Star of India, and above, the Rose of 
 England, and Lotus of India, with the mottoes, 
 " Dieu et Mon Droit," and " Heaven's light 
 our Guide," in four languages. It cost 
 182,443 rupees, of which large sum 168,000 
 were given by H.H. the late Khanda Rao 
 Gaekwar. Near to this is an equestrian bronze 
 statue of the Prince of Wales, designed by 
 Boehm, and presented to the city by Sir A. 
 Sassoon. 
 
 Long railway journeys across the Continent 
 of India must be made partly by night, and 
 it is therefore necessary for travellers to pro- 
 vide themselves with sheets, a quilt and a 
 pillow. The railway carriages are comfortable 
 and there is not much vibration. Leaving 
 Bombay from the Colaba station at nine 
 o'clock p.m., on the 29th January, we com- 
 menced our long journey across India to 
 
 6 
 
( 70 ) 
 
 Calcutta, and arrived at the first stopping 
 place, Ahmedebad, at ten the next morning. 
 This once most beautiful city, contains 
 146,000 inhabitants, and is said at one 
 time to have been the handsomest in 
 Hindostan. It is surrounded by an ancient 
 wall with twelve gateways and is full of 
 mosques and temples mostly of the Jaina 
 order of architecture. The population are 
 Hindoos and Mahommedans and are occupied 
 chiefly as goldsmiths, copper and brass 
 workers. The principal mosque is called the 
 Jumna Musjid, and was built by Sultan 
 Ahmed I. in 1424. One enters a vast quad- 
 rangle on the west side of which is the 
 mosque of white marble supported by 250 
 Jaina columns, exquisitely carved. In one 
 corner is a raised balcony, enclosed with most 
 elegantly traceried windows, in which the 
 ladies of the harem are wont to attend 
 
( 7' ) 
 
 service. Passing from this mosque we went on 
 to that of the Queen of the Ahmed Shah, which 
 is of white and black marble, finely carved. 
 Just outside the Delhi gate is the magnificent 
 Hindoo temple of Mattering, surmounted by 
 53 pagoda domes of pure Jaina style. It 
 cost 1,000,000 rupees. This temple consists 
 of an inner and outer chamber, both 
 paved with coloured marbles ; in the latter 
 is the god Dharnath who is represented as 
 a beautiful youth. Mr. Ferguson, the great 
 authority upon Indian Architecture, says: — 
 
 "Each part increases in dignity to the sanctuary. 
 The exterior expresses the interior more completely than 
 even a Gothic design, and whether looked at from its 
 courts or from the outside it possesses variety without 
 confusion, and an appropriateness of every part to the 
 purpose intended." 
 
 Hundreds of small silver squirrels with 
 beautifully marked fur were to be seen playing 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 about on the sides of the mosques and houses. 
 The present city, inside the walls, consists of 
 large numbers of native houses, some of them 
 with fine carved wood fronts, for which 
 Ahmedebad is famous. At certain points in 
 the streets there are resting places for birds, 
 some of them brightly painted. Round these, 
 parrots, crows, pigeons, etc., are to be seen, 
 while kites and vultures are constantly 
 wheeling in the air. The English cantonment 
 lies about 3^ miles out of the city, and on 
 the road thither, one passes an avenue of trees, 
 the haunt of thousands of parrots. On one 
 of the houses in the city we noticed about 
 twenty large sized monkeys ; and on our 
 purchasing some green ginger for them, they 
 commenced to leap from one side of the 
 street to another in a frenzy of excitement. 
 
 Ahmedebad is purely Oriental ; droves of 
 buffaloes, asses, goats, and camels, are to be 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 seen coming In and out of the old city gates. 
 Inside the wall one can scarcely proceed 
 for the throngs of people in the streets. 
 Mahommedans and Hindoos with their various 
 coloured turbans, women wearing tawdry brass 
 jewellery in their noses and silver bangles on 
 their feet, attired in red striped cottons, but 
 worn in graceful folds and carrying large 
 brass water holders on their heads, or with 
 their naked children carried astraddle on their 
 hips, present an ''ensemble" of colouring not 
 easily forgotten. 
 
 January 2'jtk. — Quitting Ahmedebad by the 
 narrow gauge line, the train sped through 
 an unattractive flat country, cultivated mostly 
 with rice and maize, interspersed with patches 
 of jungle and tracts of sand, upon which 
 numbers of large sized grey and brown 
 coloured monkeys were often noticed. In 
 one place there must have been over one 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 hundred sitting cosily together quite " en 
 famille," and watching the train with great 
 nonchalance. They would have charmed the 
 children at home. The full grown animals 
 had tails quite two feet long. Occasionally 
 we observed, stately silver cranes stalking 
 away, and handsome white and black feathered 
 storks with long red beaks, and herons, by 
 sides of ponds and watercourses. The plan- 
 tations are all hedged with the prickly cactus 
 which effectually keeps cattle in their own 
 boundaries. The railway stations through 
 this district of Rajpootana are built of red 
 brick, surmounted by white-painted, mosque- 
 like domes, upon which large numbers of 
 pigeons congregate. Abu station is the 
 junction for Mount Abu, a sanatorium for 
 Europeans, situated 4,000 feet above us, 
 to which one has to be conveyed by elephant. 
 At this place are two of the most beautiful 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 Jaina temples in Hindostan, built in the 
 loth and nth centuries. The more modern 
 one was built by two brothers, and quoting 
 Fergusson again, is " for minute delicacy of 
 carving and beauty of detail, unrivalled in this 
 country of patient labour." The scenery 
 changes round this neighbourhood. Out of 
 the dreary plain, brown and reddish-tinted 
 precipitous mountains rose abruptly, while in 
 place of tilled ground, stunted trees and low 
 bushes were seen, under and around which 
 large numbers of black buffaloes and grey 
 coloured cattle found a scanty herbage. The 
 only birds visible were black ringed doves, 
 flying about or resting in pairs in the low 
 trees. From Abu the line traversed a sandy 
 wilderness until Ajmere was reached. 
 
 Ajmere is a city with a population of 67,000 
 and is very antique. There are two great 
 objects of interest. The first is the Dargah, 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 a mosque containing the tomb of Chisti, who 
 is venerated both by Hindoos and Mahom- 
 medans alike. Woollen socks have to be 
 put over one's boots on entering, and passing 
 under a lofty gateway into a courtyard, one 
 notices two large iron cauldrons known as the 
 great and little "Deg." At the annual fair 
 and pilgrimage, a rich pilgrim may give a 
 "deg" feast. The smallest sum necessary 
 to buy sufficient rice, butter, sugar, almonds, 
 raisins and spice is i,ooo Rupees. When 
 this huge rice pudding has been cooked, by 
 means of a furnace placed beneath, it is 
 scrambled for, boiling hot. When the 
 cauldron is nearly emptied, the men of 
 Indrakot tumble in together and scrape it 
 clean. It is considered to be a miracle that 
 no lives have been lost, though burns are 
 frequent. Sometimes 20,000 pilgrims assemble 
 at this festival. The tomb of the saint has 
 
( n ) 
 
 a silver screen under a beautiful canopy, but 
 we were not allowed to pass nearer than 
 20 yards. On the west side is a handsome 
 mosque built of white marble, erected by the 
 Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan, grandson of the 
 Great Akbar. On leaving this sanctuary, 
 wreaths of flowers were thrown round our 
 necks with which we drove away to visit the 
 celebrated mosque of Arkai-din-ka-jhompra, or 
 the hut of two and a half days, which is so 
 called from a legend that it was built in 
 that time. 
 
 The glory of this mosque is the screen of 
 seven arches, the centre one of which rises to 
 a height of 56 feet, and Mr. Ferguson says 
 of this, that — 
 
 " It is one of the most remarkable objects in India, 
 and nothing can exceed the taste with which the Cufic 
 and Togra inscriptions are interwoven with the more 
 purely architectural decorations, or the manner in which 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 they give life and variety to the whole, and nothing in 
 Persia or Cairo is so exquisite in detail." 
 
 This ruined mosque lies in a hollow of the 
 hills above the city. Leaving Ajmere, in a 
 few hours we arrived in Jeypore, the principal 
 charm of which is its varied life. The 
 costumes worn by the people are most 
 diversely coloured, as they are never twice 
 alike and the women wear more silver bangles 
 on their feet, more silver and brass jewellery 
 in their noses and more bracelets on their 
 arms, than in any other part of the country. 
 The Mahommedan women, when travelling, 
 wear white dresses covering the whole of their 
 bodies with the exception of two eyeholes, and 
 Hindoo women wear veils which they some- 
 times coquettishly draw aside, displaying a 
 piercing eye and nut brown cheek. Jeypore has 
 no mosques or temples of note, but in itself it 
 is a study in rose, a romance of pink colouring. 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 One enters a quaint quadrangle and finds one- 
 self surrounded by high towering walls all 
 painted a delicate pink tint, relieved with 
 frescoes of white flowers, then on through a 
 noble gateway of the same colour, into a fine 
 broad street, iii feet wide and two miles in 
 length. On both sides bazaars and houses of 
 the same colour, stretching as far as the eye 
 can reach, are cut at right angles by similar 
 streets, and with noble open squares where 
 thousands of pigeons are seen feeding ; 
 elephants with handsome coloured trappings 
 and heads painted with quaint devices ; camels 
 carrying women and children as well as 
 produce ; white asses with loads of hay and 
 wool ; yokes of buffaloes with their horns 
 painted blue and red, drawing small and 
 curiously shaped carriages, covered with a red 
 or blue tent arranged to protect inmates from 
 the sun ; small native carts by hundreds, all 
 
( 8o ) 
 
 filled with natives of different castes, distin- 
 guished by their turbans ; giving the " new 
 arrival" in India an idea of being transported 
 into the realities of the Arabian Nights. 
 Everything in Jeypore centres round the 
 Maharajah, his suite, his soldiers and fairy-like 
 palaces. The palace and the gardens belonging 
 to him cover one-seventh of the whole of the 
 city. The retainers seemed to be having very 
 easy times as they were sitting about in groups 
 smoking very unconcernedly at the entrance of 
 the palace. The Maharajah has 60 fighting 
 elephants and 200 others. Proceeding through 
 the old Palace we entered firstly, the Dewan- 
 i-Khas or private hall of audience, built 
 entirely of white marble, and then through 
 a suite of rooms, with fine tiger skins, to a 
 separate part of the gardens, where the 
 modern palace stands, seven stories in height, 
 painted a gaudy yellow, with white frescoes. 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 This is not shown to visitors, but the gardens 
 and grounds were very beautiful and adorned 
 with fine fountains. At the bottom is a lake 
 where large numbers of turtles and alligators 
 are to be seen. The menagerie is situated 
 in a large park, one of the finest in India, 
 70 acres in extent, the most noteworthy 
 animals being some fine man-eating tigers. 
 In the centre of the park stands the Albert 
 hall, a sumptuous modern building, the 
 foundation stone of which was laid by 
 H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, in 1876. It 
 contains a large Durbar hall, with paintings 
 of the Maharajahs and a Museum of Indian 
 works of art and antiquities. Over the 
 arches of the inner quadrangle, I noticed 
 the following mottoes of Indian wisdom 
 written both in English and Hindostani : 
 
 " Do nought to others which if done to thee 
 would cause thee pain, this is the sum of duty." 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 " He has all wealth who has a mind contented.*' 
 *' To one whose foot is covered with a shoe, 
 the earth appears all carpeted with leather." 
 
 The most interesting excursion from Jeypore 
 is to the ancient city, now called Ambere. 
 After driving for a few miles past lovely 
 gardens and temples and noticing splendid 
 specimens of peacocks, (the sacred bird of 
 India), the carriages stopped and three large 
 elephants specially sent by his Highness the 
 Maharajah were awaiting us. (One has to 
 obtain an especial permission from the palace 
 before proceeding.) Elephant riding may 
 have terrors to many, but it really is not so 
 bad. The sensation at first, is something 
 like that of being on board ship in a gale, 
 besides the fact of the wobbling motion 
 shaking you up in all directions. However, 
 we soon got used to the novelty, and after 
 ascending a hill, at the top of which was a 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 fortified gateway, we descended into a valley 
 with wooded heights on both sides. Passing 
 along the valley the palace soon came into 
 view, in a most picturesque situation at the 
 mouth of a rocky gorge, under which nestled 
 a lovely lake. Our elephant carried us right 
 into the great courtyard, where we dismounted 
 and we were shown firstly a small temple, 
 where a goat offered to the Hindoo god Kali 
 preserves the tradition of a daily " human " 
 sacrifice on the same spot in pre-historic 
 times. The palace itself is situated on a 
 higher terrace, and is literally an " enchanted 
 palace of glass and marble. " The entrance 
 is a splendid gateway covered with mosaics 
 and sculptures. We passed through this 
 and noticed a small pavilion with latticed 
 windows of alabaster. Then across a green 
 garden surrounded by palaces, all of Jeypore 
 mosaics, and with latticed marble windows. 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 The one on the left is called the Hall of 
 Victory and is adorned with panels of carved 
 alabaster and inlaid with flowers, while the 
 roof glitters with the mirrored work for 
 which Jeypore is renowned. Then followed 
 bathing rooms of marble. Above this was 
 the J as Mandir Palace, — which is best 
 described by Mr. Ferguson, — " Glowing with 
 bright and tender colours and exquisite inlaid 
 work, and looking through arches of carved 
 alabaster, and clusters of slender columns upon 
 the sleeping lake and the silent mountains." 
 
 Beneath us the ruined city was lying, 
 while in the distance stretched a broad plain, 
 bordered by ranges of mountains, over which 
 ruins of the ancient walls and watch towers 
 were to be seen. 
 
 February \st. — We left Jeypore for the city 
 of Delhi, and which is called the " Rome of 
 Asia, " because of the enormous extent of its 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 ruins. Delhi is situated in a fertile plain, 
 watered by the river Jumna. The sights are — 
 the fort, the old palace, the Mahofnmedan 
 mosque of Jumna Musjid, and the ridge of 
 land outside the city gates celebrated in 
 connection with the Indian mutiny. The fort 
 forms part of the palace itself, and with its 
 giant walls of red sandstone, is one of the 
 most massive structures in the world. The 
 British have committed a frightful act of van- 
 dalism in building an ugly barracks, (English 
 pattern) in the centre of the palace grounds, 
 and to do so they pulled down the whole of 
 the harem courts. The palace covered twice 
 the area of the Escurial, and measured i,ooo 
 feet east and west by 3,200 feet north and 
 south. The most beautiful portion remaining 
 is called the Dewan-i-Khas or private 
 Audience Hall. It is of pure white marble 
 inlaid with precious stones and is in the 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 form of an open hall, built of beautiful 
 arches of the carved Hindoo pattern, and 
 with four domes at the corners. Round the 
 roof runs the following inscription ; — 
 
 " If there is a heaven on earth, it is this, it is this, 
 none but this. " 
 
 The whole fort is surrounded by a noble 
 red wall with towers and kiosks at intervals. 
 The entrance hall is described in " Indian 
 Architecture," as being "375 feet in length; 
 has very much the effect of a gigantic 
 Gothic cathedral and forms the noblest 
 entrance known as belonging to any existing 
 palace. '* 
 
 The Mosque of Jumna Musjid stands on 
 an elevated plateau in the centre of the 
 city, and is of red sandstone with white 
 marble domes, and unrivalled for its size. 
 In it we were shown the following relics of 
 Mahomet ; a footprint in marble ; a slipper, 
 
( 87 ) 
 
 and also copies of the Koran by the nephew 
 of Mahomet. Five thousand workmen were 
 employed for six years in building this 
 mosque. 
 
 At the top of the ridge outside the city 
 walls a handsome Gothic shaped tower, in 
 commemoration of the mutiny has been 
 erected, and bears the names of the 
 regiments and batteries who served, and of 
 the officers who died, in the performance of 
 their duty. In the plain to the north is 
 the spot where Her Majesty the Queen was 
 proclaimed Empress of India on the ist 
 January 1877, by Lord Lytton, in presence 
 of all the great princes and chiefs of India, 
 and an army of about 50,000 men. The city 
 of Delhi, apart from the above-mentioned sights, 
 and its historical interest for Englishmen, is 
 not so interesting as Jeypore. The streets 
 seemed dirty and ill-kept and its bazaars are 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 small and insignificant. The whole place is 
 infested with touts, who pester one's existence 
 with all kinds of cheap armour and 
 embroideries. 
 
 About II miles across the plain, which 
 is covered with ancient tombs, the old city 
 of Delhi is situated. The remains of the 
 Kutub mosque are the most beautiful in 
 India. The walls are of Mahommedan 
 architecture, covered with most ornate carving 
 in Arabic characters and flowered tracery ; 
 the pillars are of pure Jaina style and the 
 whole pile is a most majestic ruin. The 
 arches are very beautifully carved and are 
 well preserved. In the central quadrangle 
 stands an iron column, 23 feet in height, one 
 of the curiosities of India, with an inscription 
 upon it of the fourth century. Mr. Ferguson 
 says of it, — " Taking A.D. 400 as a mean 
 date, it opens our eyes to a state of affairs 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 to find the Hindoos of that age capable of 
 forging a bar of iron longer than any that 
 have been found in Europe up to a very late 
 date. It is almost equally startling to find 
 that after an exposure to wind and rain for 
 fourteen centuries, it is unrusted, and that the 
 capitol and inscriptions are as clear and as 
 sharp now as when put up." Close to these 
 ruins stands the minaret of the Kutub Minar, 
 245 feet in height, which looks really what 
 it was intended to be, a " tower of victory.*' 
 February ^tk. — Leaving Delhi by the East 
 Indian Railway, we cross the River Jumna 
 by a handsome girder bridge of 12 spans, 
 each of 205 feet, and in six hours we see 
 before us the dome of the white marble 
 tomb of the Taj Mahal, situated on the 
 banks of the above - mentioned river, and 
 just outside the city of Agra. On the left 
 side, as we approach over the bridge, rises 
 
( 90 ) 
 
 the huge crenellated masonry of the walls of 
 the fort, enclosing the remains of the 
 palace, over which the Union Jack is flying. 
 Agra is famed for its gold and silver 
 embroideries, carving in soap stone and 
 inlaid work, — called pietra dura, — in white 
 marble. The population is about 165,000 
 and essentially Mahommedan. The great 
 builders here were Akbar who reigned from 
 1556 to 1605, and his grandson Shah Jehan. 
 Their styles of buildings were very different, 
 the one showing a vigorous, manly style, and 
 the other ornamental prettiness ; but both 
 have left marvels of architecture that are 
 unrivalled in the world. Firstly, I must 
 mention the palace, enclosed in the citadel, 
 built entirely of red sand stone, with Indian 
 sculptures. The whole palace is one-and-half 
 miles in circumference and is built on the 
 banks of the Jumna. Shah Jehan added to 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 this colossal building several wings all of white 
 marble, elegantly carved. The Pearl mosque 
 is a perfect gem. In the centre of the 
 palace is a great court, 500 feet by 370 feet, 
 approached by a succession of beautiful 
 courts. At the side is the great Hall of the 
 Palace, the Dewanni Aum, all of white 
 marble with three ranges of Moorish 
 arcades. Behind these are smaller courts, 
 one containing the private hall of audience 
 and the other the harem. Near to this 
 stands a beautiful marble pavilion, inlaid 
 with precious stones, from which a beautiful 
 panorama of the country and the Taj Mahal 
 can be seen. 
 
 Leaving this palace by the massive Delhi 
 gate we visited the Jumna Musjid mosque, 
 noted for its three great denies without 
 necks, like inverted balloons, and built of 
 red sandstone, with band of white marble. 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 From these we drove out to pay our first 
 visit to the glorious Taj Mahal, or the 
 Crown Lady's tomb, built by Shah Jehan 
 for his wife the beautiful Princess Nour 
 Mahal. This is the most celebrated mau- 
 soleum in the world, and without doubt it 
 is the show thing of Northern India. It is 
 of great size and took seventeen years to 
 build, many thousands of men being 
 employed. Passing through a noble gate- 
 way of red sandstone, in itself a work of 
 art, ornamented with inscriptions from the 
 Koran, and surmounted by 26 cupolas, we 
 enter a beautiful Indian garden, filled with 
 rare shrubs, cypresses and flowering trees, 
 at the end of which, on a large white 
 marble plateau, stood the tomb, all of white 
 marble, inlaid with pietra dura work and 
 surmounted by a handsome dome. At the 
 four corners of the platform were four 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 marble minarets, each 133 feet high. In 
 the interior where the show tombs are, says 
 Mr. Ferguson : — 
 
 '' The light is admitted only through double screens 
 of white marble trellis work of the most exquisite design. 
 No words can describe the chastened beauty of that 
 central chamber, seen in the soft gloom of the subdued 
 light. When used as a pleasure palace, it must always 
 have been the coolest and loveliest of retreats, and 
 now that it is sacred to the dead, it is the most 
 graceful and the most impressive of sepulchres in 
 the world." 
 
 We visited the Taj again by moonhght 
 and then the effect is almost indescribable. 
 
 Twenty three miles from Agra is situated 
 the deserted city and palace of Fatepor 
 Sikri, reached only by a carriage road lined 
 with trees the whole way, which give a 
 pleasant shade to what might be otherwise 
 a hot and dusty drive. The chief glory of 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 the palace which was built by the great 
 Akbar, is the mosque, which is a copy 
 of the one at Mecca. It measures 550 feet 
 by 470 feet and is surmounted by three 
 domes. In its large quadrangle stands the 
 tomb of Selim Chisti (a Mahommedan saint), 
 of white marble with the most intricate 
 lattice work screens. The doors are of 
 solid ebony, ornamented with brass. Over 
 the tomb itself is a large canopy of mother 
 of pearl. Both Hindoos and Mahommedans 
 resort to this tomb and pray to the saint 
 to intercede in their favour. The gateway 
 of the mosque towers to a height of 130 
 feet and is one of the noblest in India. 
 The walls are 80 feet high. On one 
 side is a large tank filled with water to the 
 depth of 30 feet, and two men gave us an 
 exhibition of diving from this fearful height 
 into the tank below. 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 The palace itself stands on a sandstone 
 ridge, and the most celebrated portions 
 worth mentioning here, are three richly- 
 sculptured pavilions, built for the monarch's 
 three favourite Sultanas ; viz., his Hindoo 
 wife, Bir Bui Ka Beti, the daughter 
 of his favourite minister, Bir Bui; Minain's 
 house and the palace of the Roumi 
 Sultana. 
 
 About nine miles from the city, at 
 Secundara, is the gigantic pyramidal tomb of 
 Akbar, standing in an extensive garden, 
 approached by a handsome gateway, inlaid 
 with marble. In the centre of a garden 
 rise four terraces from an elevated platform, 
 30 feet high and measuring 320 feet each 
 way. On the summit of the highest terrace 
 surrounded by a colonnade of marble, is the 
 mausoleum, but the real burial place is in a 
 vaulted chamber in the basement, exactly 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 under the simulated tomb on the summit. 
 Mr. Ferguson says : — 
 
 " That no such royal tomb as this remains exposed to 
 the air in any Indian Mausoleum." 
 
 The following extract from '' Indian Archi- 
 tecture," by Mr. Ferguson, D.C.L., F.R.S., 
 M.R.A.S., upon the subject of Indian tombs, 
 is worth reading: — 
 
 "The princes of the Tartar races in carrying on 
 their love of tombs, made it the practice to build their 
 own in their lifetimes, as all people must who are 
 desirous of sepulchral magnificence. They build their 
 sepulchres of such a character as to serve for places of 
 enjoyment for themselves and their friends during life- 
 time, and only when they could enjoy them no longer 
 they became the solemn resting places of their mortal 
 remains. The usual process for the erection of these 
 structures is for the king or noble who intends to 
 provide himself a tomb, to enclose a garden outside 
 the city walls, generally with high castellated walls and 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 with one or more splendid gateways; and in the centre 
 of this he erects a square or octagonal building crowned 
 by a dome, and in the more splendid examples with 
 smaller and dome roofed apartments on four of the 
 sides, the other four being devoted to entrances. This 
 building is generally situated on a lofty square terrace, 
 from which radiate four broad alleys, generally with 
 marble paved canals, ornamented with fountains; the 
 angular spaces are planted with cypresses and other 
 evergreens and fruit trees, making- up one of those 
 formal but characteristic gardens so common in the 
 East. During the lifetime of the founder, the central 
 building is called a Bairah Durrie, or festal hall, and is 
 used as a place of recreation and feasting by him and 
 his friends. At his death its destination is changed, 
 the founder's remains are interred beneath the central 
 dome. Sometimes his favourite wife lies besides him ; 
 but more generally his family and relations are buried 
 beneath the collateral domes. When once used as a 
 place of burial, its vaults never again resound with festal 
 mirth. The care of the building is handed over to 
 priests and cadis, who gain a scanty subsistence by the 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 sale of the fruit of the garden, or the alms of those 
 who come to visit the last resting place of their friend 
 or master. Perfect silence takes the place of festivity and 
 mirth. The beauty of the surrounding objects combine 
 with the repose of the place to produce an effect as 
 graceful as it is solemn and appropriate. Though these 
 tombs, with the remains of their enclosures, are so 
 numerous throughout all India, the Taj Mahal, at Agra, 
 is almost the only tomb that retains its garden in any- 
 thing Hke its pristine beauty; and there is not perhaps 
 in the whole world, a scene where nature and art so 
 successfully combine to produce a perfect work of art as 
 within the precincts of this far famed Mausoleum." 
 
 One other tomb must be mentioned, viz. : that 
 of Itimadu Daulah, because it is one of the 
 finest buildings in Agra. This mausoleum is 
 encased with white marble and inlaid with 
 the pietra dura work. There are four 
 octagonal towers at each corner and in the 
 centre a raised pavilion, in which are the 
 two yellov/ marble sarcophagi of Ghayas Beg 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 (who was prime minister to Jehangis, 1605) 
 and his wife. On each side of the entrance 
 is beautiful marble lattice work. There are 
 seven other minor tombs and the whole effect 
 is very lovely. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Indian Bird Life— Hindoo Marriage — Native Bazaar 
 IN Agra — Cawnpore — Sites of the Massacre 
 — Memorial Well — Lucknow — The Residency — 
 The Great Imambarah — Benares — The Monkey 
 Temple — Cremation — Bathing in Ganges- 
 Calcutta — River Hooghly. 
 
 [N India, bird life is interesting, partly 
 because the Hindoos hold them 
 in great reverence. In most of the 
 cities v^e have visited, feeding places are 
 provided for them, and even in villages 
 wooden trays are hung out under the trees, 
 where one may see crows, pigeons, doves, 
 paroquets, etc., congregated. In Jeypore and 
 in Agra this bird life was very noticeable. 
 Literally thousands of pigeons filled the 
 
( loi ) 
 
 squares and market squares of the former 
 
 city, and in the air one sees kites and 
 
 vultures flying and often swooping down and 
 
 resting upon the housetops. Then the crow ; 
 
 well he is everywhere and a far different 
 
 specimen to his English coadjutor in villainy. 
 
 Instead of remaining in his congenial fields, 
 
 he descends upon country towns and villages, 
 
 caws cheekily at you from every housetop, 
 
 gets in your way at railway stations, under 
 
 your horse's legs, makes off impudently with 
 
 children's breakfasts and in fact laughs 
 
 humanity to scorn. The trees and streets are 
 
 full of them all day, and when dusk sets 
 
 in they return to the country to roost, coming 
 
 back, as it were, to business in the morning. 
 
 Walking about five o'clock along a country 
 
 road outside Jeypore, thousands were seen 
 
 coming from the city, accompanied by paroquets 
 
 in small parties of four or five, emitting 
 
 8 
 
( I02 ) 
 
 small shrieks as they flew past. In spite of 
 this unpleasant note, however, they are great 
 favourites, because of their bright green 
 plumage and on account of the novelty of 
 seeing so many in a wild state. The cream 
 coloured doves with black rings round their 
 necks utter their soft cooing notes everywhere. 
 The most beautiful bird of all, is of course, 
 the peacock, called *' the sacred bird of 
 India," and in the suburbs of Jeypore, among 
 the picturesque ruined tombs and gardens, 
 the peacock with a luxuriant and glossy 
 plumage, unsurpassed anywhere, looks his 
 best. The jay is very common and looks 
 picturesque with his beautiful blue wings, 
 flying across the fields. Another black bird 
 of the starling tribe, called a minar, with 
 a red beak and white wings is seen very 
 often, also a quaint woodpecker, striped 
 black and white, — zebra fashion, — with a large 
 
( I03 ) 
 
 brown comb on his head and a beak an inch 
 long. The most noticeable, perhaps, of all 
 is the sives, a bird nearly six feet high, 
 with a beak a foot in length and legs nearly 
 three feet long and looking most solemnly 
 and sedately at you. One hardly knows how 
 to take this bird, whether, if you proceed, 
 he will give way first, or, open his long beak 
 and make for you. 
 
 February A^th. — We met a Hindoo wedding 
 procession this afternoon, passing through a 
 wood. It was headed by a man riding a 
 white donkey and carrying a flag, then came 
 a band, the members of which were dressed 
 in scarlet, and large sized models of elephants 
 borne on wheels and resplendent with gold 
 and silver tinsel. Then came the youthful 
 bridegroom about six years old carried In a 
 covered litter, followed by numbers of friends 
 in picturesque yecca carts, four live elephants 
 
( I04 ) 
 
 with coloured howdahs from which large 
 bells were suspended ; — the animals' heads 
 being painted with the religious sectarial 
 mark ; women and men carrying presents of 
 bread on their heads. The whole procession 
 was accompanied by plenty of the discordant 
 tom-toming for which the Hindoos have such 
 a liking. 
 
 Shopping in the native bazaar in Agra is a 
 pleasant occupation. Beautifully worked silver 
 and gold embroidered slippers, the Indian 
 narghili pipes, brass work and handsome 
 embroideries are the staple commodities. We 
 visited also some sculpture works where the 
 " pietra dura " inlay work is carried on and 
 were shown a magnificent model of the 
 Taj destined for the Chicago exhibition, 
 which had taken two-and-a-half years to 
 complete. The price asked was 1,500 rupees, 
 but as the Americans now levy a duty of 
 
( I05 ) 
 
 62% upon objects of fine art, the figure 
 asked in Chicago will be very much higher. 
 
 February 6tk. — Proceeding by rail from 
 Agra we arrived at the city of Cawnpore in 
 seven-and-a-half hours. Cawnpore has no 
 mosques, temples, tombs, or palaces of note ; 
 its only interest for the stranger centering 
 in and around the sites made famous by the 
 fearful massacres of the Indian Mutiny. 
 The place is therefore classic ground for the 
 Briton ; and the Government and the English 
 relations and friends of those slaughtered by 
 the cruelty of Nana Sahib, have placed on 
 the different hallowed spots suitable monuments 
 and memorials. The first we visited was a 
 small garden enclosed with iron palisading in 
 the centre of which stood an Ionic cross 
 bearing the following inscription : — 
 
 " In a well under this cross, were laid by y* hands 
 of y^ fellows in suffering y* bodies of men, women and 
 
( io6 ) 
 
 children, who died hard during y* heroic defence of 
 Wheeler's Entrenchment, when beleaguered by y*" rebel 
 Nana, June 1857." 
 
 Near to this, bounded by a dwarf green 
 hedge, was the square entrenchment ground 
 which Wheeler so gallantly defended with 
 about 300 soldiers against 3,000 well trained 
 and well fed native soldiers for 21 days. 
 The /total number of women, children and 
 civilians in the entrenchment was about 
 1,000, and as the earthworks were only 
 about four feet high, one can easily imagine 
 the perilous position in which the Europeans 
 were placed. In less than three weeks 250 
 succumbed and were buried in the well just 
 mentioned. In one corner of this enclosed 
 ground still stands the well, riddled with 
 shot, from which women and children fetched 
 water for the use of the gallant defenders. 
 
( I07 ) 
 
 The following brief historical account of the 
 massacre one may well recall to memory : — 
 
 " On the 26th, there was an armistice and it was 
 mutually agreed, that upon the British surrendering their 
 position, their guns and treasure, that they would have 
 safe conduct to the riverside and that boats would be 
 provided by Nana Sahib to take them down the Ganges. 
 It was about nine o'clock when all were embarked, and 
 then, upon the sounding of a bugle, the native boatmen 
 clambered out of the boats and a murderous fire of 
 grapeshot and musketry opened upon the wretched 
 passengers who had thus been brought to the shambles. 
 The thatch of the boats took fire and the sick and 
 wounded were burnt, while the Sepoys jumped into the 
 water and butchered the rest. Orders then came firom 
 Nana to kill no more women, and about 125 women 
 wounded and half drowned were then carried back to 
 Cawnpore. One boat drifted down the river. Those on 
 board propelled it as they could, but their numbers 
 were rapidly diminished by the fire from the banks. 
 For 36 hours they floated down stream, pursued and 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 attacked by the enemy on all sides. On the second 
 morning they awoke to find themselves in a side stream 
 with Sepoys on the banks ready to overwhelm them. 
 The II soldiers who alone remained, gallantly leapt on 
 shore, led by two officers, and dispersed the astounded 
 crowd, but the boat had drifted down stream and was 
 lost to them. Four of these men, Mowbray Thompson, 
 Delafosse, Privates Murphy and Sullivan, being 
 strong swimmers reached the Oudh shore, and alone 
 lived to tell the story of Cawnpore. The boat was 
 subsequently overtaken by the enemy and 80 people 
 were brought back. The men were then all shot by 
 order of the Nana, and the women and children sent 
 to the Savada to join the 125, whom for his own 
 purposes, Nana had rescued from the Massacre Ghat. 
 These were afterwards removed to a small place called 
 Bibi-garb, where between 7th and 14th July, 28 died. 
 But retribution was at hand. On 7th July, General 
 Havelock marched from Allahabad with 1,000 British 
 soldiers, 130 Sikhs, 6 guns and 18 volunteer troopers. 
 On the 1 2th, at 7 a.m. they halted at Belindah, four 
 miles from Fatehpur. Here they were attacked by the 
 
( I09 ) 
 
 Nana's army, but it suffered a crushing defeat, and 
 Fatehpur, where great atrocities had been committed by 
 the rebels, was sacked by Havelock's men. On the 15th, 
 Havelock again defeated the rebels and drove them 
 over the bridge across the Pandemadi. The Nana was 
 living riotously in a palace over the prison, and learning 
 that Havelock was advancing upon him, issued an order 
 to massacre the women and children in the Bibi-garb. 
 The few men among the prisoners were brought out 
 and killed in his presence. A party of Sepoys were then 
 ordered to shoot the women, but they intentionally 
 missed their aim. Then a party of butchers were sent 
 in with swords and long knives. Soon the shrieks 
 ceased, but the groans continued all through the night. 
 In the morning the dead and dying, and a few 
 children almost unhurt, were pitched into an adjoining 
 well." 
 
 Adjoining the enclosure, is the Memorial 
 Church, built in the Romanesque style at a 
 cost of ^20,000. The interior is very fine, 
 the coloured marble pavement having been 
 
( no ) 
 
 presented by the Maharajah of Jodhpor. All 
 round the church are suitable tablets and 
 memorial stones. From the church we drove 
 down to the banks of the Ganges, which is 
 about one ' mile broad, and crossed by the 
 fine bridge of the Oudh railway, about one 
 mile away, and arrived at the famous Massacre 
 Ghat or steps. The melancholy spot is 
 appropriately marked by a small simple cross, 
 with the inscription "June, 1857." Close to 
 It are the remains of a Hindoo temple 
 dedicated to Siva, but now in ruins. From 
 this spot we drove to the Memorial- Well 
 and Gardens, which cover thirty acres and are 
 beautifully laid out. On the spot over the fatal 
 well, containing the bodies of 200 victims, 
 is a Gothic, octagonally-shaped screen, and in 
 the centre of this, is a beautiful white marble 
 figure of the " Angel of the Resurrection," 
 by Marochetti, with arms crossed on her 
 
( >" ) 
 
 breast. Round the wall the following words 
 are placed : — 
 
 *' Sacred to the perpetual memory of a 
 great number of Christian people, chiefly 
 women and children, who near this spot were 
 cruelly murdered by the followers of the rebel 
 Nana Dhandu Pant, of Bithur, and cast, the 
 dying with the dead, into the well below, 
 on the 15th day of July, 1857.'* 
 
 The gardens could not be laid out in 
 better taste. Beautiful cypresses surround the 
 the well, which is on a slight elevation, and 
 on one side are two young cypress trees 
 planted by the late lamented Duke of Clarence, 
 when he visited Cawnpore. The city itself 
 contains a population of 182,000, It is a 
 great emporium of harness, shoes and leather 
 work. 
 
 In three hours after leaving Cawnpore, 
 we arrived in Lucknow, the fourth largest 
 
( 112 ) 
 
 city in our Indian Empire, with a population 
 of 272,600, three-fifths of which consists 
 of Hindoos. Lucknow was ''en fete^'' for it 
 was the first day of the spring meeting of 
 the local race-club. Going out to the grand 
 stand about three miles away, we passed 
 many handsome bungalows with well laid out 
 gardens and grounds, beautifully timbered, and 
 through broad fine avenues of tamarind trees. 
 As the hotels were very full, the hospitable 
 Englishmen had put large numbers of tents 
 for the reception of guests from different 
 parts of India. At the race-course, which 
 reminded one of a small English club ground,* 
 a military band was playing and about 1,000 
 people were in the enclosure, the most 
 noticeable being a few Indian rajahs, 
 arrayed in English tweed suits, but with 
 characteristic coloured turbans, denoting their 
 
 * Like Sandown Park. 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 several castes. Outside the ring a small 
 number of English soldiers with white helmets 
 and a contingent of natives made up the 
 company assembled. The racing was deadly- 
 dull, and the music was the most enjoyable part. 
 The inevitable American globe-trotter has 
 not much consolation in visiting either 
 Lucknow or Cawnpore. The historical 
 
 interest attaching to both places he does not 
 care about ; a few hours are sufficient to 
 obtain a cursory Idea of what the cities are, 
 and then he Is off to Agra, Delhi, or 
 Benares. But in Lucknow there is much to 
 interest the Intelligent tourist* The first place 
 to visit Is the Residency, with the adjoining 
 out-buildings, which are left In the same ruined 
 state as they were after the memorable 
 siege. They are surrounded by gardens. 
 
 * The city is very scattered, being seven miles across, and lies 
 on the both banks of the river Goomti. 
 
{ 114 ) 
 
 in which the lovely golden blossoms of the 
 Aristologia are seen to perfection. Everyone 
 remembers the gallant defence of Lucknow by 
 Sir Henry Lawrence, who lost his life. 
 Close to the Residency, from the ruined 
 towers of which we obtained a good view of 
 the surrounding country, is an artificial mound, 
 with a handsome white marble monument, 
 20 feet high, on the summit. This is the 
 Lawrence memorial, and on it is inscribed: — 
 
 5n Pernors ot 
 
 MAJOR GEN. Sir HENRY LAWRENCE, 
 K.C.B. 
 
 And the brave men who fell 
 In defence of the Residency^ 
 
 1857. 
 
 Near this is the Cemetery, where 2,000 
 men and women lie. A plain slab of white 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 marble marks the spot where Henry Lawrence 
 lies buried and on it are inscribed the 
 following touching words, dictated by himself. 
 
 Ibcxc %iC6 
 
 HENRY LAWRENCE, 
 
 IV/io tried to do his duty. 
 
 "May the Lord have mercy on his soul!" 
 
 Born 2%th June^ 1806, 
 
 Died ^th /uly, 1857. 
 
 The palace of the Kaiser Bagh next 
 claimed our attention. This large building is 
 built entirely of stucco, painted a bright 
 yellow, and has no architectural merit what- 
 ever. It is arranged in the form of a large 
 square, the centre of which is now planted 
 with grass and in the open space the fair 
 
( "6 ) 
 
 used to be held every August; all the 
 inhabitants of the city being admitted. The 
 most noteworthy buildings of all, however, are 
 the Emambarah palace and mosque, where 
 Asafadaulah lies buried. 
 
 The central or great hall is 163 feet long and 
 53 feet broad. A plain masonry slab marks 
 where the king was interred. This palace 
 was built in 1784, the year of the great 
 famine, to afford relief to the people. Other 
 buildings are the Husainabad Imanbarah, 
 containing the throne of the king covered 
 with beaten silver, and his wife's divan. 
 
 There is a quaint native bazaar, and the 
 staple industry of the place is chased silver 
 made from the rupee. The Indian Government 
 evidently allow the coins to be melted down, 
 because the silver is offered freely in the 
 open bazaar, and one sees large numbers of 
 money changers weighing quantities of rupees 
 
( 117 ) 
 
 and disposing of thern to the manufacturers. 
 Lucknow is a very clean city and we are 
 loth to leave, as our hotel, the Imperial, 
 has afforded us the best apartments and 
 food we have yet obtained in India; and 
 we have Benares before us, which in spite 
 of its being the holy city and containing 
 some 2,000 temples, has a bad reputation in 
 the way of smells and dirt, which is not 
 inviting. The mail trains start at unearthly 
 hours in India and we leave to-morrow 
 February loth, at 6.15 a.m. and hope to 
 arrive at our destination 1.15 p.m. 
 
 February loth. — Benares contains a large 
 population of about 220,000, and it has been 
 the religious capital of India from beyond 
 historical times. It is certain that it was a 
 flourishing place six years before the Christian 
 era, for Sakya Muni, or Gautama, the 
 founder of the Buddhist religion came to it 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 from Gaya, as it was such an important 
 centre, and he was born in 638 B.C. 
 
 To my surprise there is a clean as well 
 as a dirty Benares, and our hotel is fortunately 
 in the former, surrounded by charming gardens 
 with fine trees. Broad roads also intersect 
 this portion of the city. The old city is 
 about three miles distant, so we drive off in 
 a carriage with native servants dressed in 
 picturesque turbans, to pay our first visit 
 to it. 
 
 Our guide book tells us, that in the temple 
 of Durga, commonly called the "monkey 
 temple" by Europeans, myriads of monkeys 
 are to be seen which inhabit the large trees 
 near it. We found the temple to be a dirty 
 building stained with red ochre, at the entrance 
 to which was a band room where priests beat 
 a large drum three times a day. We entered 
 and found the usual open quadrangle with 
 
( 119 ) 
 
 the temple of red sandstone in the centre, 
 round which were about thirty monkeys, one 
 goat, and two dogs ; and several children 
 offering trays of bread, etc., to feed the 
 monkeys with. Durga is the terrific form 
 of Siva's wife, who delights in sacrifice ; 
 goats are offered to her and we were shown 
 the place where the sacrifices sometimes take 
 place. At the entrance several hideous 
 grinning monstrosities, as well as the priests, 
 demanded the usual " backsheesh." We then 
 visited a holy father, a really charming 
 old ascetic, living by himself in puris 
 naturalibus in a large garden. Dressed in 
 a white cloak he came to receive us. He 
 had been there for thirty years and was very 
 learned in Sanscrit. He gave us a copy of 
 the book and other writings, and showed us a 
 marble idol of himself, in a small temple, 
 presented to him by a neighbouring Maharajah, 
 
( I20 ) 
 
 which bore a certain resemblance to the old 
 man. The Earl and Countess Brownlow had 
 visited him the previous day. With the aid 
 of our guide we had a pleasant conversation 
 with him ; he expressed himself as sorry to 
 lose us, shook us cordially with both hands 
 and to our surprise, would accept nothing 
 even for the poor; but a Nemesis awaited 
 us outside, in the shape of ugly clamorous 
 beggars. 
 
 Taking a barge on the Ganges we came 
 to one of the sights of India, viz., the 
 cremation of Hindoos on the banks of their 
 sacred river. Large quantities of wood were 
 stacked near the cremation ground, and three 
 bodies draped in red and white were placed 
 with their feet in the river, while the pyres 
 were being prepared. The body of a Hindoo 
 lady of a higher caste was floating on a bier 
 in the water, and was covered with flowers 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 and palm leaves. It Is the melancholy 
 duty of the nearest surviving relative, after 
 the body has been placed on the wood and 
 then covered over with more, to light the pyre. 
 The fire must be brought from the house of 
 a Domra, who is a man of the lowest caste. 
 The instance before us was very pitiful. A 
 poor old man went slowly to the Domra's 
 house, brought the burning hay, with which 
 he set fire to the wood, and as the flames 
 ascended round the body, went up the steep 
 bank of the river, weeping bitterly. The 
 Hindoos are so superstitious that, unless the 
 fire can be brought from the house of a 
 Domra, they prefer to throw the bodies of 
 their dead into the river. Close by, in a 
 large house, a wedding was being celebrated 
 with singing, dancing and music, while within 
 25 yards the earthly remains of three human 
 beings were being burned. The ashes, etc., 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 are thrown into the river. Landing shortly 
 afterwards, we ascended one of the lofty 
 minarets (150 feet) of Aurangzib's mosque, 
 from which we enjoyed a picturesque bird's- 
 eye view of the city immediately beneath us. 
 This mosque was built as an insult to the 
 Hindoos, by the Emperor Aurangzib, in the 
 midst of their most sacred temples, over which 
 it towers contemptuously. 
 
 The bazaars and streets in Benares in the 
 neighbourhood of the temples are very narrow, 
 and always inconveniently crowded with pilgrims 
 who have come thousands of miles to bathe 
 in the sacred waters of the Ganges; when 
 therefore one of the numerous marriage pro- 
 cessions passes, the scene is very brilliant. 
 This morning (February nth) we witnessed 
 a procession, which obstructed the traffic 
 in the narrow lane. The bridegroom was 
 dressed in handsome gold brocade, with his 
 
( 123 ) 
 
 face newly painted, and was preceded by 
 caparisoned horses, carrying other young boys 
 beautifully dressed, and wearing silver and 
 gold ornaments, while silver bangles were 
 worn by the horses. Bands accompanied 
 the bridegroom, as well as all his relations 
 and friends. 
 
 A Hindoo temple is never very large, and 
 only interesting to Europeans on account of 
 its architecture and carving. Most of the 
 larger ones consist of two courts, an outer 
 one open to the sky, and an inner building 
 standing by Itself in the quadrangle, which 
 is the holy of holies, and contains the image 
 of the particular deity to which the temple 
 is dedicated. This inner sanctuary is too 
 sacred for Christians to enter. It is strange 
 that in Benares there are no temples dedicated 
 to Brahma the creator, or Vishnu the 
 destroyer, but to malignant deities like Siva 
 
( "4 ) 
 
 and Durga. Benares is as much the strong- 
 hold of heathenism as Rome is of Roman- 
 catholicism or Mecca of Mahommedanism, and 
 missionaries cannot seem to storm it, because of 
 the caste system. If once this goes, English 
 missions, or more probably Roman- Catholicism, 
 because of its ornate ritual, would have a 
 chance. This latter religion is already making 
 great progress in Ceylon. 
 
 Hindoo worship has many peculiarities, but 
 one that we cannot have much sympathy 
 with is its dirtiness. Among the most 
 holy shrines in Benares, to which pilgrims 
 resort, is the Golden temple. This is a 
 small red sandstone building, exquisitely carved 
 and with three towers, two of which are 
 covered with plates of gold over copper. 
 The interior was crowded with pilgrims offering 
 water and flowers to Siva. The floor was 
 one mass of filth. Up and down the narrow 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 lane came the throngs of people, some of 
 them making offerings in the temple of 
 Annapurna, meaning Anna, *' food," and purna, 
 " who filleth." This goddess is supposed to 
 have special orders to feed the people of 
 Benares. In her temple half a dozen sacred 
 bulls were wandering at large, which added 
 to the dirtiness, and the stench of the 
 decaying flowers was indescribable. If the 
 goddess feeds the people, at all events the 
 beggars outside came off badly, and one of 
 her priests followed us for a mile for further 
 gratuities. There are four shrines in this 
 temple, dedicated to the Sun, Ganesh, Gauri 
 Shanker, and the Monkey god Hanuman. 
 In the street close by is the strange figure 
 of the god Ganesh, squatting on a stone. 
 This ugly idol is represented with a huge red 
 face, with an elephant's trunk in lieu of nose, 
 and silver hands, feet and ears. As the 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 Hindoos esteem ugliness this idol is continually 
 receiving offerings of water and flowers. The 
 sight, however, of Benares is the bathing of 
 thousands of men and women from the fifty 
 ghats or flights of stone steps, which descend 
 from the most famous buildings to the river. 
 The best manner to see this, is to hire a 
 barge and be rowed along the banks. Aged, 
 ascetic, holy men, fakirs, portly Brahman 
 priests, Madrassie men and women, priests and 
 children attend in many coloured gowns, while 
 sacred bulls, pariah dogs, and horrible beggars 
 are also to be seen. The most sacred of all 
 the ghats is the Manikaranika, and here were 
 multitudes jostling one another in the desire 
 to reach the water's edge. Near this ghat is 
 a well which is also worshipped. Offerings 
 of milk, sandal wood, sweetmeats and water 
 are thrown into it and from the putrefaction 
 of these a stench arises that would have 
 
i. 127 ; 
 
 frightened the witch of Endor herself. The 
 cow ghat is also uncommon from a stone 
 figure of a cow there, and because of the 
 large numbers of cows which frequent it. 
 
 At the Panchanga ghat the Hindoos have 
 a superstition that five rivers meet, but one 
 sees only the Ganges, and has to imagine 
 the other four. At Allahabad there is also a 
 superstition that three rivers meet. There are 
 only two visible, the Ganges and the Jumna, 
 but the faithful imagine a third. A story is 
 told of a rajah who died in Italy, and after 
 some difficulty, permission was obtained for 
 his cremation, but it was necessary for the 
 body to be cremated at the junction of three 
 rivers, and as there was no such junction in 
 the country, they burnt the body at the con- 
 fluence of two, and imagined a third, and all 
 went well with the departed rajah. 
 
 In addition to the bathers, there are 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 numbers of women carrying brass bowls on 
 their heads, ascending and descending the 
 steps to fetch the Ganges water, which they 
 drink. After bathing, the people always wash 
 the gowns which they have worn at the river 
 side. It seems a most suitable religion for 
 this climate, that enforces bathing upon the 
 Hindoos before eating, or they would assuredly 
 not do so. Hundreds of small temples line 
 the banks containing idols. With the exception 
 of the palace and buildings on the river banks, 
 there are no other buildings of note in Benares. 
 On the south side is a fine steel bridge of the 
 Oudh and Rohilkand Railway, 12,000 yards 
 long ; this we crossed on our journey to 
 Calcutta, which occupied 16J hours. 
 
 February 12th — We have only two days to 
 spend in this city, as our berths are booked 
 for Burmah for the 14th inst. Calcutta, 
 however, offers no charms to the traveller in 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 the Orient, as the city is quite European in 
 style. Chowringee is the fashionable quarter, 
 and here there are large numbers of 
 stately boarding houses and private palaces, 
 which have been the cause of the place 
 receiving the title of a City of Palaces. 
 There is a population of 840,000, and the city, 
 which is the capital of the Bengal Presidency, 
 lies on the banks of the river Hooghly, 
 a branch of the Ganges. The sights are few 
 and can be quickly enumerated. The Presi- 
 dency is a fine building erected in 1804 and 
 is surrounded by extensive gardens. The most 
 noticeable public building is the post office, 
 which has a handsome dome. Near this is 
 the site of the famous Black Hole. The Eden 
 gardens form a pleasant lounge and are illu- 
 minated by the electric light at night. In the 
 centre is an elaborately carved Hindoo pagoda. 
 A breezy expanse of common is called the 
 
( I30 ) 
 
 Maidan, upon which fine monuments are erected, 
 the largest of which is the Ochterlony monu- 
 ment, in honour of Sir David Ochterlony. 
 This is a fine obelisk, from the summit of 
 which a bird's eye view of the city is to be 
 obtained. There are equestrian statutes to 
 Lord Mayo, and Sir James Outram, as well 
 as standing figures in marble of Lords W. 
 Bentinck, Northbrook, Canning, Lawrence, 
 and Hardinge. Calcutta possesses the largest 
 pontoon bridge in the world — 1,500 feet long. 
 The river Hooghl)^ is very picturesque with 
 its forests of masts, and were it not for 
 the clear blue sky overhead, is not unlike the 
 Thames. 
 
 The hotels in India are execrable and the 
 food worse. There is not one really good 
 hotel from Bombay to Calcutta. The reason 
 for this is given in the hospitality of the 
 English resident, who receives all Britons 
 
{ 131 ) 
 
 armed with letters of introduction into his 
 bungalow. But now things are changed. 
 There is an enormous influx of globe trotters, 
 mostly Americans and Australians, but very 
 few English, crossing India on their way 
 round the world, and instant reform is 
 necessary. The present hotels are mostly 
 kept by natives, who have no idea of 
 modern sanitation or comfort, and the 
 accommodation is perfectly piggish. 
 
 We are now leaving for Burmah on board 
 the British India Steamship, " Goa," of 1900 
 tons and are sailing pleasantly down the rivet 
 Hooghly, the banks of which are quite 
 Bengalese with their low fringes of palms, 
 under which native huts are seen occasionally, 
 while beyond, mango groves and rice fields 
 are to be seen. 
 
 Our impressions of India have been very 
 pleasant. The people seem now to be 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 prosperous, happy, and contented under British 
 rule. We have given the country railways and 
 education, and the cities are becoming 
 modernised, while the magnificent remains of 
 the glorious tombs, temples, and palaces, are 
 being looked after by Government and kept 
 from further decay. The modern suburbs and 
 towns are laid out on a princely scale, as 
 there is no scarcity of land. Boulevards of 
 stately trees line the principal streets, and 
 afford shelter from the sun. 
 
 As I write, the river is broadening, the 
 shores of Bengal are fading from view, and 
 so we bid farewell to Hindostan. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 BuRMAH — Mandalay — The Mingoon Bell — River 
 Irrawaddy — Pagan — Prome — Rangoon — The 
 Golden Pagoda — S.S. Pentakota — Moulmein — 
 Penang — Sin gapore . 
 
 ,H E distance from Calcutta to 
 
 Rangoon, the capital of Lower 
 
 Burmah, is 787 miles. It is 
 
 fortunate that we are travelling across the sea 
 
 of Bengal during the month of February, 
 
 because the cyclones, which are frequent in 
 
 these seas, have never been known to occur 
 
 during this month. After a three days' quiet 
 
 sail we awoke early on Friday morning to 
 
 find ourselves in the Rangoon river in a 
 
 10 
 
( 134 ) 
 
 dense fog. About nine o'clock it lifted and 
 Rangoon itself was visible, with its beautiful 
 Golden Pagoda glittering in the fierce sun- 
 light. The river was crowded with shipping, 
 while long processions of the fish-shaped 
 paddy boats, conveying rice up and down 
 stream, with their square shaped sails and 
 the sampan bird canoe, painted red, white 
 and blue, were also to be seen. Soon after 
 arrival at Rangoon, we took train for 
 Mandalay, the capital of Upper Burmah, 
 and the former residence of the dethroned 
 King Theebaw. The line passed through 
 wild jungle and miles of picturesque teak 
 forests. The site of Mandalay is very 
 beautiful, lying as it does in an open plain, 
 watered by the river Irrawaddy. We 
 reached the city in 23 hours and found 
 it to be a veritable city of dust. All 
 the trees were covered with white dust, 
 
( 135 ) 
 
 resembling a hoar frost, while the roads 
 were inches deep with it. There are 184,000 
 inhabitants. The remains of the palace, which 
 was partially destroyed, are of ornamental 
 carved wood, highly gilded and stained, 
 situated in a large walled enclosure nearly 
 square, a mile and a half in circumference. 
 Outside this wall is a broad moat of water 
 running round the four sides, in which 
 lotus flowers were growing. Just above the 
 city rises Mandalay hill, and on its summit 
 is a wooden shrine of Buddha to which 
 pilgrimages are made. Immediately beneath 
 lies the city with its countless pagodas, 
 the fertile plain covered with rice fields, 
 through which the broad waters of the 
 Irrawaddy run, and the distant mountains. 
 About two miles away is the pagoda of Aracan, 
 containing one of the first images of Buddha 
 that was brought from India over the Aracan 
 
( 136 ) 
 
 hills. It stands in a chapel decorated with 
 precious stones, and is a barbaric study in 
 gold. Offerings of gold leaf are made to this 
 shrine, and pilgrims can see these offerings 
 being added to the image. There are 
 now about four inches of gold on the figure 
 which is becoming larger and larger. Near 
 to this were the ruined temple and pagoda 
 of the city of Anapura containing hundreds 
 of marble Buddhas, from baby size to colossal 
 giants, covered with gold and glittering gems. 
 
 In the centre of Mandalay rises the bell- 
 shaped Golden Pagoda from a paved court- 
 yard planted with tamarind trees, under whose 
 shelter pretty little Burmese girls were playing 
 and offering lovely lotus flowers, while old 
 hags were smoking their dirty green leaf 
 cigars, even in Buddha's holy of holies. 
 
 About six miles up the river at a place 
 called Mingoon is the colossal bell. It was 
 
{ ^37 ) 
 
 cast on the other side of the river by king 
 Mingoon, Theebaw's predecessor and is said 
 to be the second largest bell in the world, 
 the largest being the one at Moscow. It 
 weighs 90 tons. Close to it is an ugly- 
 square brick structure of enormous size, which 
 was also commenced by the king, with the idea 
 of building a king's pagoda. Near it is the 
 queen's pagoda containing hundreds of white 
 marble images of Buddha, each two feet high. 
 The Burmese are all Buddhists and are 
 happy in having no caste prejudices, and can 
 intermarry where they like. In fact their 
 marriage laws are extremely lax; the only 
 ceremony necessary when a couple desire to 
 dissolve partnership is to shut themselves up 
 in a hut, illumine two candles, and the owner 
 of the one first extinguished walks away, 
 leaving the remaining " he " or '' she " in 
 peaceable possession. The men are very 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 Strong and are tattooed all over their backs, 
 while the women have expressive faces with 
 coquettish manners, and dress like the Japanese. 
 They are, however, very indolent and are 
 called the Irish of the East, being fond of an 
 idle life, while the women and even children 
 smoke long cigars made of the green tobacco 
 leaf, filled with green tobacco and pieces of 
 wood. 
 
 The Buddhist priests are called phoongyes, 
 and are not supposed to eat after mid-day, 
 and then only what is presented to them by 
 the natives. They are attired in bright yellow 
 flowing silk gowns and carry large fans made 
 of palm leaf to protect their heads, which 
 are clean shaved, from the sun. The younger 
 priests also carry brass ewers to receive the 
 food offerings. Many houses are built on 
 piles, about ten feet from the ground, to 
 protect the inhabitants from miasma. 
 
( 139 ) 
 
 Leaving Mandalay, on Tuesday the 21st 
 February, we embarked on board the 
 Irrawaddy Flotilla Company's steamer " China," 
 for a trip down the river to Prome, nearly 800 
 miles distant. The Irrawaddy is [,400 miles 
 long and is supposed to be the fourth largest 
 river in the world. The vessels are built 
 especially for the traffic, drawing only four- 
 and-a-half feet of water and are 300 feet in 
 length, of 1,000 tons, and are capable of 
 carrying on the twin decks no fewer than 
 2,000 passengers. In addition to this, large 
 convoys of *' flats " as they are termed, are 
 roped on to the side of the vessel, and hold 
 natives, horses, cattle, provender, &c. Both of 
 these are protected from the sun by roofs of 
 iron or zinc, and are flotilla-shaped ; hence the 
 name of the company. The journey lasts 
 four days and gives one the best impressions 
 of the country. The navigation of the river 
 
( HO ) 
 
 is very dangerous in consequence of the banks 
 being of white sand, portions of which are 
 continually falling into the water and creating 
 mud banks. However, there is a channel 
 marked with posts, to which anchors are 
 attached. The greatest skill is required in 
 piloting through the narrow defiles. Men are 
 sounding the lead with a rhythmical chant, 
 " Ah mah mah mahlay," in Hindostanee, which 
 rings in one's ears all day. The scenery along 
 the banks is very varied in character. For 
 hours one passes through regions of teak 
 forests, stretching as far as the eye can reach, 
 in undulating fashion like ocean billows. Then 
 ranges of jungle-covered hills appear to 
 approach the river and recede again giving place 
 to wild jungle, large tracts of paddy fields and 
 the petroleum oil region. The river is five miles 
 in breadth in some places, and large petroleum 
 oil barges built of teak, and with carved 
 
( HI ) 
 
 Sterns raised very high in the air upon 
 which the look-out man is seated, are always 
 going up and down stream. The whole 
 country side is covered with the bell-shaped 
 pagodas in clusters of, sometimes, a hundred 
 together and at Pagan, the ancient capital of 
 Upper Burmah, no fewer than 9,999 are 
 supposed to exist; at all events they occupy 
 a stretch of eight miles along the river 
 bank. The chief industry of the people 
 at this place is an inferior kind of 
 lacquered woodwork, made of the bamboo 
 wood canes and ornamented with curious 
 devices and various patterns. Large numbers 
 of Burmese women were seated along the 
 banks as we passed, smoking their large cigars 
 and selling these boxes. 
 
 The steamers often run on to the shifting 
 banks of sand in the river and we made no 
 exception. About five o'clock on the second 
 
( H2 ) 
 
 day's trip, our vessel which draws four-and- 
 half feet of water ran aground on to three- 
 and-half feet. Quickly a large anchor 
 weighing four tons was placed en board a 
 boat and dropped about 150 yards from the 
 ship. The ship's windlass made the hawser 
 connection tight and then began the tug of 
 war between the ship and the anchor, in 
 which, as a rule, the ship wins. With engines 
 full speed astern we pulled and pulled, but 
 unavailingly, and the contest was given over for 
 that night. About six o'clock the next morning 
 the fight was resumed. The ship seemed to 
 throb painfully as if to burst, slowly she 
 commenced to vibrate and we slipped gently 
 off into the deep channel and were on our 
 way, while the lead men commenced the 
 weird musical four-note refrain again. The 
 navigation of the river is too dangerous at 
 night, and we therefore always anchored off 
 
( 143 ) 
 
 some picturesque village or small town just 
 before dusk, thus giving us an opportunity of 
 having a walk on shore. 
 
 Prome possesses the second largest pagoda 
 in Burmah, a mass of bright gold, standing 
 on a hill and surrounded by hundreds of 
 lesser shrines, in which, sitting and recumbent 
 Buddhas, with serious, laughing or humorous 
 expressions on their faces, are to be seen. 
 One ascends an avenue of carved woodwork 
 under which models of Gautama, all kinds of 
 dolls, candles, and flowers are sold as offerings 
 of propitiation at any given shrine, at the top 
 of which is a large open stone platform, and 
 in the centre stands the pagoda, shaped like a 
 bell, being surmounted by the laced work tee 
 or umbrella Round it are grouped small 
 temples, in front of which, ascetics, women, 
 men, and children are praying. Why they 
 pray to Buddha is a mystery, as he has 
 
( 144 ) 
 
 entered Nirvana and can neither pray for 
 them nor intercede.* 
 
 At Prome we reluctantly quitted the " China," 
 after four days spent on this charming river, 
 and returned by train to Rangoon. This 
 city is celebrated for its winding lakes, round 
 which are gardens and a prettily laid out 
 park, with bungalows of the European 
 residents, and for its glorious Golden Pagoda, 
 situated about one mile from the city on a 
 hill. It is the largest edifice of its kind in 
 the world and is built in the form of a 
 colossal golden bell, 300 feet high, at the 
 top of which a " Tee " is placed of solid 
 gold, ornamented with precious stones. The 
 entrance is guarded by two huge griffins of 
 brick, painted white. Passing these, one 
 
 •Those who are interested in the Buddhist religion will find a 
 short epitome of the life of Gautama, and the principal doctrines, at the 
 end of this work (taken from a pamphlet issued by a Madras Society). 
 
( H5 ) 
 
 enters a gateway, painted in vermilion and 
 gold, covered with hideous representations of 
 the Buddhistic tortures reserved for the 
 damned ; and after mounting a dilapidated 
 stone staircase covered with carved Burmese 
 wood arcades, under which lepers and beggars 
 with distorted features are usually grouped, one 
 reaches the immense stone terrace, a thousand 
 feet square in the centre of which stands the 
 pagoda. It is built of solid masonry tapering 
 to a spire, covered with gold. The gold is 
 said to equal the weight of a Burmese king. 
 The whole building is a blaze of gold 
 and is most dazzling to the eyesight. 
 Surrounding it are many temples containing 
 images of Gautama, in all shapes and sizes 
 and with varieties of expressions, built of 
 marble, alabaster, solid brass, and gilded wood ; 
 some holding paper or silk umbrellas. All 
 kinds of flowers, some of them preserved in 
 
( ,46 ) 
 
 bottles, and white paper flags are offered, 
 while candles burn before favourite shrines. 
 Round the enclosure hang large numbers of 
 handsome carved brass gongs, the largest of 
 which is called *' The Great Bell of Rangoon," 
 and weighs 40 or 50 tons. It hangs in one 
 corner, and a large trunk of a tree, suspended 
 from ropes in a horizontal position, is used 
 by pilgrims to sound this bell. It is a part of 
 their religion to call the attention of the gods 
 in this manner. 
 
 This pagoda derives its especial sanctity 
 from being the depository of the relics of 
 the last four Buddhas. A pagoda is not in 
 itself a temple, but a monument erected to 
 the everlasting memory of Gautama, and that 
 is why so many thousands are seen over the 
 country, giving the impression somewhat of 
 its being a gigantic cemetery. 
 
 Rangoon itself is now the third largest 
 
( 147 ) 
 
 port in the East and is daily increasing in 
 importance. The trade in rice is enormous, 
 and John Chinaman having settled down in 
 the city commands the principal trade. The 
 traffic in timber is one of the principal industries, 
 and elephants are used in the timber yards for 
 bringing the timber from the riverside and 
 stacking it in regular heaps. The elephant 
 is most sagacious, and it is an extraordinary 
 sight to see the easy manner in which he 
 turns over large trunks of trees, pushes them 
 into line with his head and then telescopes 
 them, one after the other. 
 
 On Sunday morning, the 26th February, we 
 left Rangoon by a steam launch aptly named 
 the '' Pagoda," which took us down stream, 
 where we boarded the steamship " Pentakota," 
 bound for Penang and Singapore, but calling 
 at Moulmein to take in a cargo of rice. At 
 ten o'clock the anchor weighed and we were 
 
( 148 ) 
 
 dropping down the Rangoon river with the 
 ebb tide, watching the sun's rays gilding 
 the spire of the Golden Pagoda, which 
 soon disappeared from view. By one o'clock 
 we were out in the open sea, and when 
 dusk set in our skipper decided to drop 
 anchor near the entrance of the Moulmein 
 river, as the channel is too dangerous for 
 navigation at night. As I write, the rattle 
 of the chains announces to us that this is 
 done, and we sleep to-night really "rocked in 
 the cradle of the deep." 
 
 At 6.30 this, Monday, morning, we entered 
 the river, passing beautifully - wooded islets, 
 covered with green mango trees, ferns and 
 palms, and in a few hours were anchored 
 again about six miles from Moulmein, 
 which we can see up the river nestling 
 round a wooded hill, while around us are 
 numerous rice mills, from which we proceed 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 to embark our large cargo of 23,000 bales 
 of rice. 
 
 March \st. — Alongside the river are large 
 timber yards employing fifty elephants for 
 moving the timber. This morning we noticed 
 some of them taking their matutinal baths. 
 There are about 500 European residents here 
 and the town possesses a pretty club-house, 
 called a Gymkhana, to which ladies are 
 admitted. Round and about the pagoda are 
 some of the most exquisitely-carved wood 
 houses, beautifully gilded over a back ground 
 of vermilion, and rising in tiers to a tapering 
 point. They are usually the residence of 
 Buddhist phoongyees or monks. 
 
 Ivory carving is carried on here, but 
 
 owing to the great value of elephants' tusks 
 
 it has languished and good specimens are 
 
 very difficult lo obtain. We saw a beautiful 
 
 Buddhist bible with carved characters, the 
 
 II 
 
( I50 ) 
 
 ivory being cut in long strips and the 
 covers consisting of the most ornate work 
 representing Buddha, demons, etc., etc. 
 
 The Burmese are an interesting race but 
 are very indolent, and allow the Chinese 
 to usurp all the best trade in the bazaars, 
 and Tamils and other low caste Hindoos to do 
 the drudgery. They are however proverbial 
 for hospitality, and where a Hindoo would 
 allow you to perish of hunger in the jungle 
 rather than give you shelter in his hut, — 
 which he will not do, because of his 
 obnoxious caste scruples, — a Burmese would 
 give you the best corner to sleep in and 
 allow you to remain as his guest as long as 
 you please. In fact this Eastern hospitality 
 has in many cases been grossly abused by 
 impecunious Europeans. Quaint stories are 
 told of their simple nature. When the first 
 railway was built, the natives entered the 
 
( 151 ) 
 
 Station, and as is usual when entering a house, 
 they took off their boots when going into 
 the railway cars, which they mistook for 
 rooms ; off went the train, leaving the boots 
 in rows on the platform. 
 
 Just opposite the town, in the Sal wen 
 river, is a large and beautifully wooded 
 island, the British ownership of which soon 
 after the annexation of Moulmein in 1852, was 
 disputed by the Burmese. In order therefore 
 to settle the matter finally the following plan 
 was hit upon: — 
 
 At a given point a few miles up the 
 river, a cocoanut was thrown into the stream. 
 If the nut was carried by the current outside 
 the island, the land would become ours and 
 if inside in front of Moulmein, it would 
 remain native possession. Needless to say 
 the astute British officer knew perfectly well 
 which way the current flowed, and so in this 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 easy manner, the island was added to the 
 British Crown. 
 
 In Moulmein we were hospitably entertained 
 by Mr. Orr, in his charming bungalow, during 
 over two days' stay, and were taken for some 
 pleasant drives into the country. 
 
 March '^rd. — Anchor is weighed and we 
 bid adieu to Burmah. The " Pentakota " drops 
 swiftly with the tide down the river, and 
 slowly a projecting wooded hill shuts out 
 lovely Moulmein from our view. We pass 
 along for a couple of hours between banks 
 of rich virgin tropical vegetation and are soon 
 on our voyage to Penang. During the 
 afternoon we threaded our way through the 
 Malgui archipelago of islands, in which 
 large numbers of the edible birds' nests 
 are found, which the Chinese find so 
 delectable. 
 
 March ^th, — We are just entering Penang 
 
( 153 ) 
 
 harbour. On the left, a long low line of 
 dense cocoanut palms, behind which rises a 
 range of pale blue coloured mountains 
 culminating in the Kedar Peak, which 
 ascends abruptly from the sea to an altitude 
 of 5,000 feet. This is the extreme end of 
 the Asiatic peninsula. On the right, on a 
 flat piece of land lies Penang, embowered in 
 beautiful tamarind trees behind which are 
 lovely hills covered with jungle. From these 
 hills a glorious view of the whole of the 
 Prince of Wales' island, with peeps of the 
 ocean, and of the Straits of Malacca are 
 seen. On landing, japanned jinrickshas, with 
 curious devices in gold, and drawn by Chinese 
 coolies conveyed us to the Oriental hotel. 
 The vegetation is intensely tropical, the most 
 beautiful tree being the flowering flamboyant 
 with gorgeous scarlet blooms. Chinamen 
 usurp the whole of the trade and they 
 
( 154 ) 
 
 deserve it, because of their great business 
 capacity, and shrewdness. The Malays, like 
 the aborigines of Ceylon, the Singhalese, and 
 the Burmese, are too indolent to work, and 
 allow strangers to cater for the modern 
 trade. Even the coolie work is done by 
 the Klings, another name for the Tamils, 
 who come from Southern India. Handsome 
 houses inhabited by wealthy Chinese stand 
 in lovely gardens. These houses have 
 quaint porticos, with gilded doors, flanked 
 right and left with inscriptions in vermillion 
 and gold in Chinese characters, and ornamented 
 with large sized lanterns, in white and 
 red. Opium traffic is largely carried on. 
 We visited an opium farm, and were shown 
 the balls covered with dry poppy leaves 
 in their natural state, as they are received 
 from India, and before being boiled in 
 the large kitchens. In its liquid state as 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 sold to the dealers, It presents the appearance 
 of thick black treacle and is very expensive ; 
 a small bottle of it, containing an ounce, 
 costing two dollars. We then entered a 
 so called opium den, where numbers of 
 Chinese were reclining on raised floors and 
 smoking. They seemed to be In a happy 
 lethargic state and were thoroughly enjoying 
 themselves. 
 
 Close by, in an open square, a Chinese 
 theatrical performance was being given 
 gratis to the people. The performance was 
 very comical. Only men act, who impersonate 
 women, and the acting goes on for hours. 
 A large table was placed on the stage 
 and covered with a cloth, as a representation 
 of a house. An elderly Chinese lady 
 accompanied by an attendant, then appeared, 
 and after a few minutes of absurd posturing 
 and singing in a falsetto voice, pitched at a 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 key impossible for Europeans, went indoors, 
 by disappearing under the table. 
 
 Then an alarm of fire was raised and 
 several men carrying lighted gridirons ran 
 round the table. The old lady was dragged 
 forth and taken away, and for some 
 inexplicable reason, a dirty beggar was 
 substituted in her place. Then a mandarin 
 arrived, who stamped and swore and fumed 
 round the stage, while the onlookers produced 
 from under the table the charred remains 
 of the old beggar, which the distracted 
 mandarin imagined to be those of his 
 mother. Whether he had plotted the 
 destruction of his mamma in this way and 
 was foiled, or not, we cannot say. We 
 came away deeply impressed, but fortunately 
 the melancholy catastrophe did not impair 
 our appetite for tiffin, the chef d'ceuvre of 
 which was a superb Malay curry. 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 March jtk. In the evening about 5.30 
 we steamed out of the harbour, witnessing 
 a beautiful sunset, but in a few minutes, we 
 ran into a tropical rain-storm, accompanied 
 with thunder and lightning, which effectually- 
 shut out from us the retrospective view of 
 Penang. 
 
 March ^th. At sea, running through the 
 crowded waters of the Straits of Malacca, 
 a comical incident happened just after 
 leaving Penang. A milk cow we had 
 taken on board, charged into the saloon, 
 butted at the frightened stewards, who 
 jumped upon the tables, ran right round the 
 room and out at the other door. Before 
 we had got over our surprise she appeared 
 again, and ruined a chair this time. Eventually 
 the animal was lassoed, taken forward, and 
 we breathed again. This morning we had 
 fresh milk for breakfast. 
 
( 158 ) 
 
 March gtL At seven o'clock we entered 
 the narrow, wooded, serpentine channel, barely 
 500 feet broad, leading to the harbour of 
 Singapore, with pretty islands dotted here and 
 there, and were soon alongside the jetty. 
 Singapore has now a population of about 
 200,000, composed of British, Malays, Chinese, 
 Japanese, Eurasians, etc., but is not very interest- 
 ing apart from its rank and tropical vegetation. 
 The botanical gardens exhibit the most 
 splendid and varied collection of palms and 
 foliage trees, and possess beautiful open air 
 orchid and fern houses, in which these 
 flowers and ferns are seen to perfection. 
 The Governor's house, or rather palace, 
 stands on a high hill, in a fine park, and 
 is a handsome edifice. Lunching at the 
 Singapore club and dining at the Hotel 
 de r Europe, filled up our day on shore, and 
 early next morning we were on board the 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 North German mail steamer, " Sachsen,'* of 
 4,650 tons, and bound for Hong Kong and 
 Shanghai. Round the vessel are boats, full 
 of white and pink corals, all kinds of shells 
 from the South Sea islands, from the pearly 
 nautilus to the homely cowrie, which 
 are offered at tempting prices. Bartering 
 over, at 9.30 we leave the jetty, while the 
 German band on board plays an inspiriting 
 air. In a few minutes we are abreast of 
 our old friend the " Pentakota," to whose 
 officers we wave adieu ; and Singapore, its 
 merchant ships, and its surrounding islands 
 fringed with the eternal palms, slowly disappear 
 as we sail out into the ocean. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 China Sea — Hong Kong — Canton — Its Life — Macao — 
 Fantan at Macao— Home of Luiz de Camoens — 
 Return to Hong Kong — Pidgin English — Chinese 
 THEAi-RE — Poetry — Departure for Shanghai — 
 Shanghai — China Town in Shanghai. 
 
 ARCH nth. — The China seas are 
 visited by tropical rainstorms 
 which burst suddenly, last a few 
 minutes, and immediately afterwards one sails 
 in brilliant sunshine. It is our fate to be 
 just too early to be out of the track of 
 the north-east monsoon, so this morning 
 the " Sachsen " is pitching heavily, a high 
 
( i6, ) 
 
 sea is running, and very few passengers 
 are observable, in fact, everything and 
 everybody are subdued on board. 
 
 March 12th. — The monsoon still continues, 
 but the sea has subsided somewhat. 
 
 March I'^th. — We just experience a slight 
 rocking motion, like a gentle lullaby after 
 a storm. Our vessel has taken a more 
 southerly course than is usual, outside a 
 dangerous line of reefs called the Paracels, 
 the usual track being inside it. By taking 
 this circuitous route, the total distance from 
 Singapore is increased to over 1,400 miles, 
 and after a calm day, we arrive at 7 a.m. 
 on March 14th, at the north entrance to 
 the harbour of Hong Kong. The passage 
 is narrow, and on both sides overhang high 
 ranges of precipitous mountains ; that on the 
 right being the mainland of China, and 
 on the east the island of Hong Kong. 
 
( i62 ) 
 
 Rounding the point, the harbour lies before 
 us, full of liners, merchantmen, Chinese junks 
 and sampans, with brown ribbed sails, and 
 upon which whole families of Chinese live ; 
 while white painted steam launches dart to 
 and fro, making altogether a hubbub of 
 interesting native life. High above us rise 
 the heights, under which the town nestles, 
 conspicuous among them being the peak, to 
 which the inhabitants resort during the hot 
 months, and up which a small tramway can 
 be seen crawling. Soon we are ashore 
 with our goods and chattels, and enter the 
 new palatial Hong Kong hotel built on the 
 jetty, and containing no fewer than 300 bed- 
 rooms. Hong Kong island has been called 
 "the land of fragrant streams." The streams 
 we have not yet seen, but certainly we 
 have inhaled the fragrance of the Chinese 
 themselves, which is easily observable to 
 
( i63 ) 
 
 those even whose olfactory nerves are not 
 easily offended. The town crowds round 
 the port, and stretches up the steep hills in 
 an uncomfortable sort of way. In the streets 
 and above the harbour the usual mode of 
 conveyance is by jinricksha, while sedan 
 chairs, carried on long bamboo poles, borne 
 by Chinese coolies, are used to carry 
 passengers up the steep roads and lanes 
 to the higher levels, where the bungalows 
 are situated. Our first experience in a 
 sedan was strange. We mounted, and 
 desired to be taken to the Board of 
 Works, but after half an hour's ride we 
 arrived at the tramway station of the peak, 
 and were unceremoniously set down. After 
 expostulation, on we jogged, and turned up 
 at the Government house. As this did not 
 suit us, on we trotted, and were eventually 
 landed triumphantly at Police Station, No. 9. 
 
( i64 ) 
 
 Chinese bazaars and native streets are 
 bright with gorgeous lanterns and quaint 
 signs in gold and vermilion, hanging 
 lengthwise, like pieces of Indian ink, 
 and the shops are clean and well kept. At 
 night, when the lanterns are illuminated, 
 the streets present the appearance of being 
 in a perpetual state of carnival. The women 
 all wear ornaments of jade, — a pale green- 
 stone, resembling opal, — both as earrings and 
 bracelets. Good jade is very expensive, and 
 is always worn, as it is considered to 
 bring good luck. The appearance of both 
 sexes is exceedingly neat and orderly, and 
 nothing tawdry is worn. In fact the whole 
 population here is seen in a constant state 
 of work of some kind or other, and is far 
 cleaner in general appearance than the lower 
 classes of Italians in their populous cities. 
 
 Embarking in the steamer '* Fanshaw," at 
 
( i65 ) 
 
 fiVQ o'clock in the evening of March i8th, 
 we sailed up the Canton river during the 
 night, and arrived off the city at 5.30 in 
 the morning. There were over 2,000 
 Chinese on board, who are conveyed at a 
 uniform charge of twenty cents each. The 
 river swarmed with a mass of sampans 
 and junks crowded with Chinese families, who 
 live on board and are sheltered by a kind 
 of arch of bamboo matting, stretched over 
 bent laths. Women row and steer these 
 boats with children tied to their backs. At 
 six o'clock I was awakened by a boat woman 
 appearing at my window, and saying, in 
 pidgin English, " Hong Kong you go back 
 to nightee ? " To which I replied, " No." 
 "You go see Canton?" "Yes." This 
 evening I show you nice flower boatee.*' "You 
 want know my name ? Susan."* So we made 
 
 * Pronounced "Shusan" 
 
 12 
 
( i66 ) 
 
 the appointment with Susan, who In the mean- 
 time took charge of our luggage, while we 
 proceeded on shore with our guide Fong. 
 Fong is a wily celestial who has travelled, 
 and speaks English with a decided matter- 
 of-fact Yankee twang. He headed our 
 procession of sedan chairs upon which we 
 were carried through the city. Canton has a 
 population of perhaps 2,000,000 people, but 
 as Chinese architecture is still in a very 
 primitive condition, and has made no progress 
 for 1000 years, their houses consisting solely 
 of lath and plaster one and two storied 
 erections, the interest of the city for the 
 stranger lies in the street life, bazaars and 
 temples. We soon found ourselves in a 
 labyrinth of narrow lanes and alleys 
 from six to eighteen feet wide, presenting, 
 however, a mass of wonderful colouring, 
 with the various coloured hanging boards 
 
( 167 ) 
 
 suspended from the shops, and filling up 
 the perspective as far as the eye can reach. 
 These alleys stretch for miles in all directions, 
 and the shops in them represent all the 
 well known handicraft trades of China ; 
 viz., hand silk weaving, ivory carving-, 
 fan making, filigree black wood work, 
 porcelain factories, embroideries, shoe-makers, 
 etc. Thousands of men jostle our chairs, the 
 coolies constantly calling for the road to be 
 cleared. The temple of 500 Genii was the 
 first sight. These are gilded wood figures 
 of Chinese, sitting in rows, and their faces 
 represent all kinds of expressions. In the 
 centre sits the Emperor, and in front of 
 each god are small vases, in which the joss 
 sticks are burned as offerings. Outside this 
 temple were four immense gods who are 
 supposed to guard it. We next went to 
 the temple of horrors, where groups of painted 
 
( i68 ) 
 
 wooden figures vividly depicted punishments 
 of all kinds. Sawing a man in two between 
 two boards; boiling oil ; large heated bell 
 descending upon a man ; being transferred 
 into an animal, etc., etc. Round these temples 
 crowds of fortune tellers plied their trade, 
 while the joss stick sellers did a lucrative 
 business. The Chinese are clever pisciculturists 
 and large numbers of dried fish shops were 
 observed; live fish, weighing from five to ten 
 pounds, also abounded in tubs outside the 
 shops. Some of the shops have finely carved 
 woodwork, always plants in pots, either 
 camellias, or azaleas, and perhaps a singing bull- 
 finch, or a Tientsin lark. They have also 
 windows, as Chinese thieves have otherwise a 
 happy knack of hooking things on to the end 
 of a long pole, and promptly disappearing. 
 The prison was a wretched structure, with 
 separate compartments for men and women. 
 
( 169 ) 
 
 There were men with large wooden stocks 
 round their heads, and they wore their hair 
 " un-pigtailed," and looked extremely wild. As 
 they vociferously asseverated that they were 
 insufficiently fed, we threw them some of the 
 loose China cash, for which they exhibited 
 distinct signs of pleasure and thankfulness. 
 As we approached the women's section, 
 a clamouring more resembling that of a flock of 
 geese was heard, but on entering, silence 
 reigned immediately. Among them was one 
 tall, good-looking woman just sentenced to 
 the Ling chi for capital punishment, for 
 poisoning her husband. She had feet about 
 two inches long. One hears a good deal of 
 the hundreds of distinct smells of Cologne, 
 which is a great libel by Coleridge upon 
 that city. Coleridge ought to have written 
 an ode upon Canton. The smells from the 
 decaying refuse in the stagnant water pools 
 
( I70 ) 
 
 would have frightened the witch of Endor 
 herself. A seven-storied pagoda we next visited, 
 and a water clock 600 years old. Four large 
 copper tanks were arranged like steps, and 
 from each, water dropped, marking the seconds, 
 while through a slit in the lowest receptacle, 
 a measure marked with the hours rose each 
 minute. Then we ascended a portion of 
 the old city wall to the five-storied pagoda, 
 at the top of which, in the company 
 of several josses or gods seated beside us, 
 we partook of tiffin. Several Chinese ladies 
 prayed very devoutly to two twin brothers 
 with long black beards. We also had an 
 audience of thirty inquisitive gaping Chinese, 
 who, when we had finished, speedily devoured 
 the remains of our repast. Having luncheon 
 in a temple in the company of heathen gods, 
 while the natives were drinking tea and 
 smoking, was a novelty. On the south side 
 
( 171 ) 
 
 in descending, a Chinese cemetery was to be 
 seen, stretched over several hills, with the tombs 
 all built in the shape of horse-shoes. Passing 
 through Jade street, where the exhibits of 
 jade stone worn by the women are sold, we 
 crossed over a bridge into the Shameen 
 quarter of the city, to the English concession. 
 The Roman Catholics have built a large 
 cathedral in Canton and have very many 
 proselytes, but the great obstacle to the 
 spread of Christianity is ancestor worship, 
 which in reality is —filial piety gone mad. 
 
 Chinese believe that the spirits stand in 
 the same need of comfort and necessaries as 
 the inhabitants of this world, and therefore 
 offer them all kinds of imitation houses, boats, 
 food, etc., all of which are burned. They also 
 send supplies to beggar-spirits, as propitiation 
 for neglect by living relatives. There are 
 three powerful religions, viz., Confucianism, 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 Buddhism and Taouism, and a pious China- 
 man can belong to all three In fact their 
 religion is a strong combination of superstition 
 and philosophies. In the Shameen quarter 
 a decent European hotel is built, where we 
 dined and afterwards went off in Susan's 
 sampan to see the flower-boats These are 
 houses built on floating barges, moored in the 
 river, furnished with gorgeous Chinese 
 embroideries, inlaid mother of pearl carved 
 furniture, magnificent gasaliers and lanterns, 
 and are frequented by opulent Chinese. Girls 
 with their faces painted white and rose colour, 
 with lips like cherry blossom, and wearing the 
 jade stone ornaments, play on the pei-pei 
 or native guitar, accompanied with falsetto 
 singing, for the edification of their audience. 
 Gaping crowds of lower class Chinese stand 
 on the footways between the barges, and gaze 
 at all these splendours. At dusk, which is 
 
( 173 ) 
 
 about eight o'clock according to Chinese ideas, 
 trumpets are blown and two small guns are 
 fired, at the gates of the city, and at nine o'clock 
 the gates are closed entirely. The next 
 morning we were awakened at cockcrow by 
 discharges of crackers and squibs in all 
 directions, which continued for more than 
 an hour, and at eight o'clock we proceeded 
 by the steam ship, *' White Foam," to the 
 Portuguese settlement of Macao. 
 
 The country for the first few miles was 
 tame and uninteresting, only rice fields with 
 an occasional pagoda, similar in shape to those 
 in Kew Gardens, being visible, until we 
 reached the mouth of the Tigris, where a 
 large and fortified fort called Boccatigris, 
 meaning mouth of the Tigris, built by German 
 engineers, was situated. Rounding this in a 
 short time Macao came into sight, lying in a 
 land-locked bay. with a half circle of houses 
 
( 174 ) 
 
 stretching round It, and reminding one of a 
 Riviera watering place ; with its picturesque 
 lighthouse perched upon a hill to the right, 
 and its bold promontory of brown rocks on 
 the left side. Sailing round this headland 
 we entered the harbour, where large numbers 
 of piratical looking craft and junks carrying 
 small cannon were at anchor. Landing here 
 we drove through clean streets all bearing 
 Portuguese names ; In fact the whole place 
 had a continental aspect, the band of the 
 Portuguese regiment playing In the prettily 
 lald-out gardens, while priests with their shovel 
 black hats, perambulated In twos and threes 
 here and there. 
 
 In the Chinese quarter are situated the 
 celebrated gambling houses, where the game of 
 fantin Is played. There are sixteen of these 
 houses, each paying 10,000 dollars concession 
 to the Portuguese government. The game 
 
( 175 ) 
 
 is very fair. At a large table sit two 
 croupiers, one of whom throws on to the table 
 a quantity of loose cash over which he places 
 a brass cover. Then the players stake on 
 any of four numbers, i, 2, 3 or 4, and when 
 the stake is completed, the cash is counted 
 out in sections of four, and the number of 
 coins remaining, whether i, 2, 3 or 4, win, 
 minus 8 per cent, which the bank deducts. 
 As only one number can win, of course the 
 bank receives all the money staked on the 
 other three numbers. Chinese sit smoking 
 in an upper gallery, from which they lower 
 their stakes in a basket. 
 
 A celebrated Portuguese poet lived in 
 Macao more than 300 years ago, and we 
 visited the old house and beautiful gardens 
 in which he used to walk and gain inspira- 
 tion. Large banyan trees threw their knotted 
 roots and gnarled trunks round loose rocks. 
 
( 176 ) 
 
 and in one corner stood the poet's grave ; 
 a simple bronze bust, standing on a stone 
 pedestal with the inscription, " Luiz de Camoens, 
 morrea 1530." Over the tomb stood a plain 
 arch made by placing one large rock of 
 granite rudely across two upright pieces, the 
 whole shadowed by trees and festooned with 
 ivy creepers, forming a most natural and 
 poetic mausoleum. Leaving this garden we 
 were conveyed in jinrickshas for six miles 
 to a Chinese walled town named Chin San. 
 It was on Sunday, March 20th, the festival 
 of the moon, and the people were letting off 
 crackers in all directions, accompanied by 
 vigorous gong sounding, to exorcise evil spirits, 
 and were also offering roast pig and other 
 delicacies at the gaudily decorated joss houses 
 or temples, (made simply of bamboo matting), 
 in the streets. We were carried along a 
 narrow uneven road, lined with prickly pear, 
 
( ^11 ) 
 
 cactus and bamboo trees, through a Portuguese 
 arch, erected in August, 1849, dividing the 
 Portuguese territory from China proper. 
 Shortly afterwards we passed the custom 
 house, in front of which floated a large yellow 
 flag, with a dragon on it, the emblem of 
 the Emperor. Crowds of people pressed 
 to and fro, very quaintly dressed and 
 carrying pale blue umbrellas. On entering 
 the walls we at last arrived at a palace, 
 built and kept up by the relatives of a 
 deceased mandarin, named Low Sai Kut, 
 where his spirit might wander about at its own 
 sweet will, when he desired to revisit this 
 earthly sphere. His opium couch was all 
 ready for his reception, and servants were 
 in charge to minister to his wants. The 
 rooms were furnished with carved ebony wood 
 furniture, handsome porcelain vases and 
 bronzes, and upon the walls hung valuable 
 
( '78 ) 
 
 tapestries and embroideries. In the garden 
 was a tea-house, where tea was served to us 
 in the Chinese fashion, viz., an infusion of 
 undried tea leaves and stalks and hot water, 
 without either milk or sugar. 
 
 The origin of tea drinking in China is in- 
 teresting; water is man*s natural beverage, but 
 in this country it is so bad that the Chinese 
 mind perceived the necessity of boiling it to kill 
 the germs. This again being insipid, the leaves 
 of the tea plant were discovered and found to 
 give the water a pleasant flavour, hence the 
 general custom of tea drinking. The gardens 
 are kept in scrupulous order, and beautiful 
 yellow tea roses were offered to us. Having 
 thus partaken of the hospitality of the departed 
 mandarin we were carried back to Macao. 
 The next morning we embarked on board the 
 steamship " Shahsan/' for Hong Kong again, 
 At eight punctually the bells ring, a horn is 
 
( 179 ) 
 
 sounded, and we move slowly along the lines 
 of junks, sampans and river craft, lying ofif 
 the jetty, through the brown muddy waters 
 out into the deep blue of the open sea, 
 passing the nine grass-covered, rocky islands, 
 
 which are the pride of Macao. After a three 
 hours' sail we enter the harbour through the 
 Sulphur Straits, between the Green Islands 
 and Hong Kong Island itself, and are 
 soon on shore. Immediately upon landing, we 
 witnessed a Chinese wedding procession over 
 half-a-mile in length : — dragons, banners, 
 painted temples, and houses, gongs and gong 
 beaters, children painted ghastly colors, etc., 
 and hundreds of men elaborately costumed, 
 composed it. 
 
 March 21st. — The streets in Hong Kong 
 are filled with flower sellers, offering the most 
 beautiful roses and violets for a few cents. In 
 fact, the Chinese are exceedingly fond of both 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 flowers and birds, and in most shops camellias 
 or azaleas in full bloom are seen, with an 
 occasional piping bullfinch. 
 
 The view from the peak is one of the finest 
 in the world. 
 
 The Steam Funicular railway ascends in 
 ten minutes to a gap close to the summit, 
 and is extremely steep, in some parts rising 
 one in two. Looking down from the flag- 
 staff at a height of i,8oo feet above sea 
 level, the harbour presents the appearance of 
 a large picture framed in the steep moun- 
 tains. Upon a surface of deep blue colour 
 ride the vessels at anchor, surrounded by 
 hundreds of fishing junks. Everything seen 
 from this altitude seems still and lifeless, but 
 suddenly the picture is marred. From a 
 P. & O. liner a long line of black smoke 
 is emitted, which spreads itself across the 
 canvas. The screw revolves and the placidity 
 
( i8i ) 
 
 of the scene is disturbed by the churned up 
 
 wash of water, as the vessel glides along and 
 
 away into the offing, homeward bound. 
 
 Looking southwards, between the grey coloured 
 
 mountainous islands, stretches the vast expanse 
 
 of the ocean. Descending we pass the Mount 
 
 Austin hotel, erected for the convenience of 
 
 the inhabitants during the hot season. 
 
 *' Pidgin English," the language spoken by 
 
 the Chinese, has now a small literature of 
 
 its own, and is composed of a mixture of 
 
 English, Portuguese, and Chinese words. 
 
 " Chop, chop," means " quickly," " chin, chin," 
 
 "good day," "chow, chow," "food." Here 
 
 is a selected sentence, " Hong Kong side hab 
 
 got too muchee piec.ee Chinaman," means there 
 
 are too many Chinese in Hong Kong. A 
 
 Chinaman when asked why the bow of his 
 
 sampan was adorned with two large eyes, 
 
 replied, " Sampan, if have no eye, how 
 
 13 
 
( i82 ) 
 
 fashion can see, can walkee/' Some local 
 residents have amused a leisure hour by 
 putting some gems of English literature into 
 this jargon. The soliloquy in Hamlet, for 
 example, commencing in this way. " Can do, 
 no can do, how fashion.'* Here is Long- 
 fellow's celebrated Excelsior in Pidgin 
 English : — 
 
 V 
 
 I. 
 
 That rightey tim tim begin chop chop, 
 One young man walkee, no can stop, 
 Maskee snow ! maskee ice ! 
 He cally flag with chop so nice 
 Topside Galow. 
 
 2. 
 
 He too muchee solly, one piecee eye 
 Lx)ok see sharp, so, all same my 
 He talkey largey, talkey stlong 
 Too muchee culio all same gong 
 Topside Galow. 
 
( i83 ) 
 
 3- 
 
 Inside that house he look see Hght 
 And evely toom got five all light 
 He look see plenty ice more high 
 Inside he mouth he plenty cly 
 Topside Galow. 
 
 4- 
 
 Olo man talkee, no can walk 
 By mby lain come, welly dark, 
 Hab got water, welly wide; 
 Maskee ! my wantchey go topside 
 Topside Galow. 
 
 5- 
 
 " Man, man " one girley talkee he ; 
 What for you go topside look see ? 
 And one time more he plenty cly 
 But alio tim walkee plenty high 
 Topside Galow. 
 
( i84 ) 
 
 6. 
 
 Take care that spoilee thee, young man, 
 Take care that ice, he want man, man ; 
 That coolie chin chin he " Good Night " 
 He talkee, my can go at light. 
 Topside Galow. 
 
 7. 
 t^Joss Pidgin man he soon begin, 
 Morning time that Joss chin chin. 
 He no man see, he plenty fear, 
 Cos some man talkee, he can hear 
 Topside Galow. 
 
 8. 
 That young man die, one large dog see 
 To muchee bobbely findee he, 
 His hand blong colo, all same ice 
 Hab got he flag, with chop so nice, 
 Topside Galow. 
 
( i85 ) 
 
 The Chinese people are, without doubt, the 
 Imperial race of the Orient. Their ultra- 
 conservatism is their great drawback, and it 
 is lamentable that such a fine country should 
 not be opened up by railways. The difficulty 
 of locomotion in the interior is enormous, If 
 a road has to be carried over a mountain, 
 instead of its being made in zigzags, it is 
 carried clean up a height of 1,500 feet and 
 down again, and at its best it is but a simple 
 track, over which only bullock carts can pass. 
 To a new arrival from the West, there appears 
 to be a remarkable sameness in all the people. 
 They all have black hair, black eyes, with 
 clean shaven heads and faces, and present so 
 much uniformity that the question arises : 
 How can one possibly distinguish one from 
 the other ? But a few months' residence 
 in the country shows there are many 
 points of difference, and, if a proof of this 
 
( i86 ) 
 
 assertion were needed, one has only to 
 instance that the Chinese hold the same 
 opinion about ourselves. They have many 
 peculiarities. Out of door games are seldom 
 indulged in. The most violent form of amuse- 
 ment in which adults engage, is shuttlecock 
 played with the feet. A more sedentary 
 pastime is kite flying in which grown-up men 
 indulge while children look on. A visit to a 
 Chinese theatre is a study in character itself. 
 Theatrical exhibitions are often connected 
 with religion, for they are often held in 
 honor of a god's birthday. The perform- 
 ances last sometimes for three days, with 
 intervals for eating and sleeping. The 
 stage is bareness itself. A few chairs and 
 tables can be made to represent palaces, 
 houses, or almost anything. A frail 
 
 structure composed of piled up chairs and 
 tables can easily be made to represent 
 
( i87 ) 
 
 lofty crags and precipitous mountains, over 
 which the heroine can easily clamber. No 
 curtain falls between the acts, and assistants 
 are continually walking about on the stage 
 bringing in or taking out accessories 
 required during the performances. The 
 
 villain always has a white nose, and men 
 always impersonate women. The dresses 
 are often most gorgeous ; robes of gilt 
 brocade, with long feathers, several feet 
 in length, falling from the hats of the 
 performers, while flags are worn projecting 
 from their backs, and these costumes atone 
 somewhat for the want of mise en scene. 
 All the actors walk in at one door, 
 advance to a mat thrown down in front, 
 perhaps of a table and two chairs, go 
 through their roles with violent gesticulation, 
 and falsetto singing in a kind of recitative, 
 march off again out at the left door. The 
 
( i88 ) 
 
 hero can always be told from his martial 
 air or blustering swagger. At the end of 
 certain speeches or passages, loud clashings 
 of the cymbals and discordant beatings of 
 gongs announce the fact to the audience. 
 Whatever may happen on the stage, the 
 Chinese stolid man or woman never betrays 
 any form of emotion, and their countenances 
 never alter. They take everything " au 
 grand serieux. ' ' 
 
 The people consume the flesh of cats 
 and dogs largely, but pork is the chief 
 meat in the south, while fish and fowl 
 are largely eaten. That of the chow 
 chow dog is considered a great delicacy, 
 while that of the cat resembles rabbit. A 
 cheap meal can be obtained for one cent. 
 by an impecunious Celestial, consisting of 
 two plates of succulent rats meat, boiled 
 rice and two cups of tea. Fans are used 
 
( i89 ) 
 
 largely by both sexes, and young Chinese 
 gentlemen carry them in place of a walking 
 stick, as it gives them something to hold 
 and to gesticulate with. Schoolmasters use 
 them to rap a boy over the head. Nearly 
 2,000 years ago, a lady of the court, when 
 deserted by her royal master, sent him 
 a fan with the following lines upon it, 
 which have been rendered into English 
 by Dr. Martin, as follows : — 
 
 LINES INSCRIBED ON A FAN. 
 
 Written by Pan Tsieh Yu, a lady of the Court and 
 presented to the Emperor Ching Ti, of the Han 
 Dynasty, before Christ 18. 
 
 Of fresh new silk, all snowy white, 
 
 And round as harvest moon, 
 A pledge of purity and love, 
 
 A small but welcome boon. 
 
( I90 ) 
 
 While summer lasts, borne in the hand, 
 
 Or folded on the breast, 
 'Twill gently soothe thy burning brow, 
 
 And charm thee to thy rest. 
 
 But ah ! when Autumn frosts descends, 
 
 And Autumn winds blow cold. 
 No longer sought, no longer loved, 
 
 'Twill lie in dust and mould. 
 
 This silken fan then deign accept, 
 
 Sad emblem of my lot! 
 Caressed and cherished for an hour, 
 
 Then speedily forgot! 
 
 In consequence of this, a deserted wife is 
 often jocularly called "an autumn fan," by the 
 Chinese. 
 
 The Cantonese boatmen, in rainy weather, 
 present the appearance of veritable " Robinson 
 Crusoes." They attire themselves in capes and 
 trousers made of dried bamboo leaves, and 
 wear enormous straw hats a yard in diameter. 
 
( 191 ) 
 
 The music, is to European ears, most 
 barbarous and without harmony, but the 
 Chinese do not appreciate our music, any- 
 more than we do theirs. A Chinaman 
 listening to the mihtary band in Hong Kong 
 was asked his opinion of it, and he said that 
 it lacked harmony. That they fully appreciate 
 their own music needs but a glance at the 
 crowd round a Chinese band to discover. 
 Their writings also show this, as seen from 
 the following extract from " Gems of Chinese 
 Literature : " — 
 
 "Softly as the whisper of murmured words; now loud 
 and soft together, like the patter of pearls and pearlets 
 dropping upon a marble dish. Or, liquid, like the 
 warbling of the Mango bird in the bush, trickling like 
 the streamlet on its downward course. And like the 
 torrent, stilled by the grip of frost, so for a moment 
 was the music lulled in a passion too deep for words." 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 After that, no one can say the Chinese 
 have no ear for music. 
 
 The Chinese have several names; they 
 keep their surnames through life, but at every 
 memorable event, such as going to school, or 
 getting married, they take another one. 
 
 The East is the land of poetry. 
 Unfortunately Chinese poetry is almost 
 incapable of adequate translation. The most 
 celebrated poet was Li-Taipo, whose works 
 were published in thirty volumes. He lived 
 in the loth century, during the Tanj dynasty, 
 which is described as the Augustan age in 
 poetry and letters. He is described by one 
 writer as — 
 
 **The best known of China's countless host of lyric 
 
 poets, famous for his excellent imagery, his wealth of 
 
 words, his telling allusions to the past, and for the 
 musical cadence of his verse." 
 
( 193 ) 
 Here is a specimen put into English : — 
 
 '« A VISIT TO THE RAPIDS OF THE WHITE 
 RIVER." 
 
 " I cross the stream just as it starts to life, 
 From man and all his deeds afar I roam. 
 
 The isles are clad in nature's living hues, 
 And set in scenes of sweetest beauty rare. 
 The deep blue sky is mirrored in the stream. 
 Whose broad expanse reflects the passing clouds. 
 1 watch them as they sail away to sea. 
 
 My leisured mind next wanders where the stream 
 Is full of fish that dart adown its course, 
 
 The setting sun doth end my day long songs, 
 By silvery moonlit rays I hie me home 
 To where my humble cot a-field doth lie." 
 
( 194 ) 
 
 We start to-day for Shanghai and the 
 Inland sea of Japan, in the Canadian Pacific 
 Company's liner, the " Empress of Japan,'* 
 which is now lying in the harbour. She is 
 one of three sister ships, called the three 
 " Empresses " which were built at Barrow- 
 in-Furness, specially for passenger service 
 between Canada, Japan and China, thus con- 
 necting the West with the far East. Speed 
 and strength were the first considerations, and 
 with their steel hulls, double bottoms, water- 
 tight compartments, twin screws, triple 
 expansion engines and a record of nineteen 
 knots an hour, they are very successful for 
 the service. They are painted white, making 
 between decks a difference of many degrees 
 in temperature. They are 485 feet in length, 
 50 feet beam, and carry 150 first class 
 passengers. All cabins, state rooms and 
 decks are illuminated with the electric light 
 
( 195 ) 
 
 generated from four dynamos. Chinese 
 servants in caps and snowy blouses minister 
 automatically to one's wants. Everybody goes 
 on board in a small launch, towing behind 
 it a Chinese junk conveying luggage. At 
 twelve o'clock on Wednesday, March 22nd, 
 we slowly steam away. There are 800 or 
 more Chinese on board, bound for Vancouver, 
 whence they will endeavour to smuggle them- 
 selves across the Canadian frontier into the 
 United States Their departure is signalized 
 by a discharge of crackers in a basket 
 suspended from the top of the mast of a small 
 sampan. The mists and fogs announcing the 
 approach of the Hong Kong summer are 
 lying low down under the sides of the 
 yellowish brown mountains, against whose 
 rocks the surf is grandly beating. Our speed 
 is soon accelerated as we leave the channel 
 of the Lye-moon pass, and enter the open 
 
( 196 ) 
 
 sea. It is rough, but the vessel forces her 
 way through the waves, as if flying through 
 space and very little motion is perceptible. 
 
 March 2'^rd. — In the Straits of Formosa. 
 These are crowded waters. Chinese trawling 
 junks are dancing over the waves, always in 
 pairs. We almost fly past the " Tyiune," a 
 liner of 2,000 tonnage, from Australia which 
 left Hong Kong two days previously, bound 
 for Shanghai, and which is pitching and rolling 
 in the heavy sea. 
 
 March 2/\th. — About six o'clock in the evening 
 we arrived at the Woosung bar, at the 
 mouths of the rivers Yang-tsze and Hoang-ho 
 which here unite, forming a fine harbour. 
 The coast is simply a low brown line, 
 behind which the river can be seen curving 
 round to Shanghai, fourteen miles distant. 
 This bar is called the Heavenly Barrier, and 
 during the French war of 1884, the Chinese 
 
( 197 ) 
 
 made it more effectual than ever by sinking 
 stone laden junks across all but one narrow- 
 channel. Thirteen years ago there was a 
 railway from Woosung to Shanghai, but the 
 Chinese bought it at a great price, tore up 
 the rails, and threw them with the locomotives 
 into the river. On the morning of the 26th 
 at seven o'clock a steam tender took most 
 of the passengers off to spend a day in 
 Shanghai. As we steam up the river, we 
 notice along the banks, high walled villages 
 crowned with the fantastical roofs of an 
 occasional joss house or temple, and soon we 
 are abreast of the Chinese fleet of six men 
 of war, a French spick-and-span turret ship, 
 an American armed cruiser and a couple 
 of German gunboats ; protecting the interests 
 of their several nations. Proas and junks 
 with ribbed and laced brown sails go by, 
 
 with large staring eyes painted at all the 
 
 14 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 bows, for '* If have no eye, no can savez, 
 how can see go," says the wise Chinaman. 
 Dirty, fierce visaged, pig-tailed crews peer 
 from the decks between the matting and 
 bamboo poles. The river here describes 
 another bend and we come in sight of the 
 city, which has a most imposing appearance. 
 The river is full of shipping and the principal 
 street is called the Bund, being built in 
 the form of an embankment upon the river, 
 with fine promenades and avenues of trees. 
 Handsome six storied buildings are built 
 along this. 
 
 There are really three Shanghais, the 
 English settlement and the French forming 
 separate towns, and divided from each other 
 and from the Chinese Town by canals of 
 water. The French compound might be a 
 bit of Paris itself The French have all 
 French nomenclature and French policemen, 
 
( 199 ) 
 
 while the English streets are named Nanking 
 road, Pekin road, Bubbling Well road, etc., 
 and are guarded by picked stalwart Sikhs, 
 from Afghanistan, wearing red turbans One 
 must never ask an European resident in the 
 town of Shanghai to escort you to the 
 native city, for a refusal will assuredly be 
 met with. He may have been there once, 
 but it is better not to speak to him on the 
 subject at all. But the enterprising tourist is 
 there to see life, manners and customs ; so 
 nothing daunted, we lit our manillas and 
 braved the smells, and entered the city walls. 
 The same offensive effluvia, as in Canton, 
 with the stagnant pools and ponds and 
 decaying refuse must be accepted, if you wish 
 to dive into the seven-foot lanes and alleys. 
 Everybody remembers the coloured pictures 
 of the Chinese tea houses, as seen on the 
 wall-papers, fans and vases ; of the tea shops, 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 with the little bridges, picturesque grottoes 
 and blue water underneath. We rejoiced 
 therefore, greatly, when our guide told us, 
 that he could show us a mandarin's tea-house. 
 Well, we arrived, and it was all there, wind- 
 ing grottoes, quaint tea-houses, with carved 
 roofs, curious little bridges, all built certainly 
 over water, but water of a stagnant green 
 and alarming putridity, while the houses were 
 dirty and almost deserted. We then went to 
 a curious temple, with large carved wooden 
 gods and junks, before whom more roasted 
 pig was being offered. One of the priests 
 kindly burnt some pieces of silver paper, 
 before a fierce looking god, to wish us 
 •'good luck" on our voyage. We were then 
 hurried off to see some Chinese gold fish in 
 large tanks, which were filled with green 
 water, through which we could see large 
 numbers of them. The dragon fish was the 
 
( 20I ) 
 
 most peculiar, with four revolving tails like 
 the screw of a ship, and a large head, with 
 no body ; also a small fish, with large 
 goggle eyes, projecting from the head. At 
 last, tired of Chinese life and its smells, we 
 returned to French Shanghai, had tififin at the 
 Hotel des Colonies, and returned in our 
 steam launch, with an influx of new passen- 
 gers going to Japan, to the Woosung Bar, 
 where the " Empress " was lying. 
 
 This (Sunday) morning we are steaming 
 across the Yellow Sea, in beautiful calm 
 weather, and after muster of the ship's crew 
 on the middle deck, morning service was 
 held. I have before mentioned that there 
 are nearly i,ooo Chinese on board, bound for 
 Vancouver, berthed both fore and aft, and 
 packed three deep, but no one is brave enough 
 to venture down to view the mass of Mongolian 
 humanity, as we are content to watch now 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 and then the hundred or so, that are allowed 
 at intervals to amuse themselves in the fore 
 deck by playing dominoes and taking the air. 
 The ships' doctor, has had the arduous 
 task of vaccinating the whole of the men 
 yesterday and to-day. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Arrival in Japan — Nagasaki — The Inland Sea — Kobe 
 — OzAKA — Nara — Kegura Danck — Jinricksha to 
 Kyoto — Kyoto — Yaamis' Hotel — Geisha Dance. 
 
 E awoke this morning to find 
 ourselves in the land of the Rising 
 Sun, at anchor before lovely 
 Nagasaki. We were lying in a beautiful bay, 
 round which nestled the town surrounded by 
 odd-shaped hills covered with fresh spring 
 green. Hundreds of little Japanese men and 
 women were soon clambering up the sides of 
 our ship, like monkeys, delivering, in small 
 baskets, 1,700 tons of coal. It was rather a 
 primitive way of doing so, but it was really 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 most extraordinary to notice the agility of 
 these bright chattering people, passing the 
 circular baskets holding about 12 lbs. of coal 
 one from another, as they stood on the rungs 
 of the ladders, right into the bunkers. Japan 
 really lies before us at last, and we are soon 
 taken ashore in a gondola- shaped sampan. 
 On landing at the jetty, we are surrounded 
 by a crowd of the Japanese jinricksha 
 men, and are soon bowling along through 
 narrow streets with little houses, and little 
 men and women waddling along with the 
 peculiar noise made by the geta or wooden 
 clogs which they wear, while the women and 
 girls mostly have plump little babies strapped 
 on their backs. As the people are small, 
 so everything is in proportion, and the 
 diminutive must often be employed in 
 describing things Japanese. We soon arrive 
 at a flight of stone steps, which we clamber 
 
( 205 ) 
 
 up, and find ourselves in the open court 
 of a Shinto temple, in the centre of which, 
 is a curious bronze horse ; then on up 
 the hill, past large camphor trees and 
 blossoming camellias to a tea house, where 
 sak6, a rice spirit, is offered us in tiny cups, 
 also straw coloured tea, drunk without milk 
 or sugar, with little oranges and tiny green 
 and red biscuits, calculated perhaps, to 
 satisfy the appetite of a butterfly, or even 
 of a Japanese ; but not an European. 
 
 One very small musume amused us with 
 an absurd posturing dance called the nosuki, 
 and held, while she danced, a mask in front 
 of her face. She was accompanied by the 
 tuneful music of the samisen, a kind of 
 guitar, played by other girls seated on the 
 ground, with a piece of white ivory called 
 a '^ hashi." From this tea house we ascended 
 to the summit of the hill, and beheld 
 
( 206 ) 
 
 Nagasaki at our feet, the roofs of the 
 houses looking like card houses. 
 
 Nagasaki is celebrated for its tortoise 
 shell carving ; and curious models of sampans, 
 jinrickshas, etc. are dexterously carved by 
 boys. After coaling, which was accomplished 
 in a very few hours, the " Empress " left 
 Nagasaki to convey us through the beautiful 
 inland sea of Japan, to our destination, 
 Kobe, and then on to Yokohama, and across 
 the silent Pacific to Vancouver. 
 
 At four o'clock we steamed away out of 
 the narrow inlet and winding creeks, past 
 the martyr's rock of great historical interest, 
 from the top of which 1,200 Roman Catholics 
 were hurled into the sea; and then through 
 the narrow straits of Shimoneski into the 
 enclosed bit of ocean called the inland sea, 
 which presents the appearance of a vast 
 lake, surrounded by lofty mountains. The 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 waters were enlivened with fishing craft 
 with small square ribbed sails, and at 
 intervals the coast line narrowed, affording 
 us only just room to pass, then widening 
 again to a width of twenty miles or so. 
 
 Unfortunately for us, the day was hazy, 
 and low lying clouds held the views of 
 the mountains from us. At eight o'clock 
 in the evening we sighted the lights of 
 Kobe, and we landed on the morning of 
 March 28th. What a contrast we observed 
 between the stolidity and imperturbability of 
 the Chinamen, and the merriment and jollity 
 depicted in the faces of these Japanese, 
 who persistently set off giggling at nothing 
 at all in particular ! Then their courteous 
 ways and polite bows would do credit to 
 Sir Walter Raleigh, or a descendant of the 
 noblesse of France. Even the jinricksha 
 man is not so importunate as the Chinaman, 
 
( 208 ) 
 
 and laughs joyously at receiving his ten 
 cents, for carrying one to the hotel. As 
 we dash up the street, we notice a thick 
 mist still hanging round the hills, and rain 
 commencing to fall. The men were all 
 carrying large umbrellas made of white oil 
 skin, as a protection against it, while the 
 women were shuffling or toddling with a 
 dot and go one sort of step. Our first 
 walk was to a romantic gorge, where were 
 two waterfalls, called the Nibobiki. 
 
 March 2gtk, — We started off early by 
 train to visit Ozaka, one hour's distance 
 by rail, and containing half a million 
 inhabitants. The country through which we 
 passed was highly cultivated and irrigated, 
 while rising abruptly to our left was a 
 chain of mountains, with curious volcanic 
 formations. At the railway station a strange 
 clattering noise, resembling castanets, is made 
 
( 209 ) 
 
 on the asphalte paving by the wooden clogs 
 worn by the women. 
 
 The city is built on a plain, intersected 
 with numerous rivers and canals, crossed by 
 no fewer than 808 bridges, giving it 
 the appearance somewhat of Venice. The 
 houses are mostly one-storied, and of 
 unpainted wood, and the streets are very 
 long, while telegraph poles and wires are 
 abundant, and the whole place is illumined 
 by the electric light. The great sight 
 is the castle, one of the strongest in the 
 world, with enormous blocks of granite 
 as large as those used in the pyramids, 
 and brought from Nagasaki. Tickets giving 
 permission to view the interior we obtained 
 at the Foreign Office. 
 
 There are three moats filled with water, 
 and from the donjon or keep a magnificent 
 view of Ozaka was obtained, while we 
 
( 2IO ) 
 
 observed snow lying on the mountains in 
 the distance. Some of the blocks of granite 
 were 20 feet long, and 1 5 feet high. In 
 the centre formerly stood the most magnificent 
 palace in Japan, but it was burnt during 
 the revolution of 1868. Truly if the Japanese 
 are small in stature, their ideas were great, 
 for this powerful and inaccessible castle 
 is raised stone upon stone from a level 
 plain, and possesses no advantage in natural 
 site, as Heidelberg, Ehrenbreitstein, or 
 Gibraltar. 
 
 One of the most beautiful arts of Japan is 
 painting upon porcelain, and we next paid a 
 visit to a celebrated artist, Maizan, and were 
 shown girls and men painting upon Satsuma 
 ware. One small basin had already received 
 1,008 miniature butterflies, almost all 
 different, and scarcely perceptible to the 
 eye ; but seen through a magnifying glass 
 
( 2" ) 
 
 they were most lovely in colouring. The 
 artist knew the exact number he had painted. 
 The very best work is most expensive, 
 and we purchased one tiny piece with 
 coloured chrysanthemums, wistaria and butter- 
 flies, for 12^ dollars. This minute painting is 
 most trying for the eyesight. 
 
 Returning to Kobe for the night, we started 
 early the next morning on our journey into 
 the interior by taking train to Nara. Strangers 
 arriving in Japan are not allowed to leave 
 the so-called treaty ports without obtaining 
 passports from the Japanese government, and 
 these are only to be obtained for English 
 subjects through the British legation at Tokio. 
 We applied for them at Nagasaki to the 
 English consul, and on landing at Kob^ we 
 received them from Tokio. Among the 
 amusing prohibitive regulations enumerated 
 upon them is the following : — 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 '* Travelling at night in a horse carriage 
 without a lantern and attending a fire on 
 horse-back." The price charged for the 
 passport is two dollars. 
 
 On entering our railway carriage a Japanese 
 gentleman travelling with two ladies placed at 
 our feet, in a most polite way, a basketful 
 of oranges, and they were intensely amused 
 when we said, " Arigato *' (thank you) ; and in 
 return we offered them cigarettes, in the native 
 vernacular, at which they were delighted. 
 On arriving at Nara we commenced our 
 first experience of a Japanese inn, or yedoya, 
 which merits a description. The house 
 was one storied and built entirely of wood 
 and paper. The rooms are raised about 
 two feet from the ground, and on entering, 
 one's boots must be taken off, in order not 
 to soil the mats. The inn was sufficiently 
 Europeanised to allow of the substitute 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 of slippers being laid over our boots. No 
 
 furniture whatever was in the rooms 
 
 as the Japanese eat off the floors, and 
 
 with chop-sticks, but presently chairs and 
 
 a round table were brought in and two 
 
 lighted charcoal bronze braziers called 
 
 " hibachi," which are the only means of 
 
 heating these flimsy houses. As glass is 
 
 expensive, oiled paper is used, and in this 
 
 small dining room there were four sliding 
 
 windows with 248 tiny frames of oiled paper. 
 
 The other three sides of the rooms consisted 
 
 of eight sliding bamboo matting panels, and 
 
 four painted panels, and on the floor were 
 
 four bamboo mats. After dinner some of the 
 
 sliding panels were withdrawn and in the 
 
 three next compartments, large mattresses were 
 
 thrown down on the floor. For covering, 
 
 two large warm quilts, called futons, are used. 
 
 One must disabuse one's-self of the idea of 
 
 15 
 
( 214 ) 
 
 obtaining any comfort, as it is known in 
 England, because of the fact that these sliding 
 panels can be opened on both sides, and as 
 Japanese people are very inquisitive, one never 
 knows on which side of the room the next 
 visitor will appear. In my bedroom the 
 furniture consised of a large blue vase with a 
 bunch of cherry blossom, one piece of bronze 
 and a lacquered wood-horse for one's clothes, 
 and the before mentioned bed on the floor. 
 Outside the oil paper panels was a balcony 
 overlooking an artificial lake and gardens, and 
 a fine mountain panorama in the distance. 
 Everything was scrupulously clean and neat 
 in the house. In the morning a panel slid 
 on one side, and the " nezan, " or waitress 
 appeared, bringing in morning " cha," or tea, 
 saying, " Ohayo," "good morning," and laughing 
 merrily. It was bitterly cold, and the water 
 for washing being placed on the balcony, we 
 
( 215 ) 
 
 had to wash in turn. As the " nezan " 
 proceeded at the same time to shut up our 
 sliding compartments and to take the " futons/' 
 and as no persuasion in the world would 
 make her go away we had to finish dressing 
 as best we could. In a few moments no 
 traces of our bedrooms could be seen. 
 
 After breakfast we proceeded to visit the 
 sights of Nara. 
 
 The town was the ancient capital from 
 A.D. 709. A large wooden five - storied 
 pagoda, built in 730, is perfectly preserved, 
 and is older than any cathedral in Europe. 
 Just below this was to be seen a large pond 
 full of tame fish and small turtles, and 
 Japanese women sold us some small red puff 
 balls to throw to the fish. The balls float 
 on the water, and the fish in their efforts to 
 seize them, toss them out of the water. This 
 sight is very amusing to the numerous pilgrims 
 
( 2l6 ) 
 
 who come to visit the sacred shrines and 
 temples hidden away in the glorious woods 
 surrounding the town. The principal temple 
 contains a colossal statue of Dai Butsu, the 
 Japanese equivalent of Buddha, in bronze, 53 
 feet high. Some idea of the size of this image 
 may be realised, by the fact that in the right 
 hand a statue of Bosatsu is held, 18 feet 
 high. It has a gilded glory behind it, and 
 large lotos flowers and bronzes are placed 
 near. Close to it and adjoining another 
 Buddhist wooden temple with gorgeous interior 
 decorations, hangs one of the three huge bells 
 of Japan. It is 13^ feet high and was cast 
 in A.D. 732. Nearly 36 tons of copper and 
 one ton of tin were used in the casting. 
 
 Proceeding further on into the wood, we 
 passed several herds of perfectly tame dun- 
 coloured deer, who accepted biscuits from our 
 hands, and soon arrived at the principal gateway 
 
( 217 ) 
 
 of the famous Shinto temple of Kasuga-no-miya. 
 These gateways are made of timber with 
 lintels thrown across the top and are generally 
 painted vermilion. They are to be seen at 
 the entrances of all Shinto temples all over 
 the country, bur. the origin of them is now 
 unknown. Before entering this temple a 
 digression must be made to enable me to 
 give a brief account of the Shinto state 
 religion. Shinto means, in the first place, the 
 way of the gods, and inculcates ancestor- 
 worship first, and nature worship afterwards. 
 Its principal theories are, to follow your 
 natural impulses and obey the mikado. As 
 may be imagined the court and state profess 
 Shintoism, and its forms of worship seem 
 closely allied to that of the ancient Druids. 
 The temples are all of unpainted carved wood 
 with thatched roofs, and have no images 
 or external decorations. The ceremonies and 
 
( 2i8 ) 
 
 forms of worship have been the same for 
 over a thousand years. The Japanese, how- 
 ever, nearly always embrace the two religions 
 of Shintoism and Buddhism, and their temples 
 are built closely together in the same woods 
 as in this instance at Nara. After its birth 
 every child is placed under the care of some 
 Shinto deity, but is generally buried with the 
 elaborate ritual of Buddhist religion. In fact 
 there are very few real Buddhists or Shintoists. 
 When approaching a temple, a worshipper 
 calls the attention of the gods by clapping 
 his hands, sounding a huge gong, and after 
 praying for a few minutes, he places a few 
 copper coins in large open boxes with oblique 
 slits. Shintoism has gods and goddesses of 
 wind, ocean, fire, food and pestilence, of 
 mountains and rivers, certain trees, certain 
 temples, in fact eight hundred myriads of them. 
 The chief among them is Amaterasu, the 
 
( 219 ) 
 
 radiant goddess of the sun, born from the 
 left eye of Izanagi, the creator of Japan, while 
 from his right eye the god of the moon was 
 produced and from his nose the violent god 
 Susa-no-o. Amaterasu was the ancestress of 
 the line of heaven-descended mikados, who 
 have reigned in unbroken succession from the 
 beginning of the world, and are themselves 
 living deities. Hence the sun goddess is 
 honoured amongst all the rest, her shrine at 
 Ise being the Mecca of Japan. There are 
 no regular services in which the people 
 take part, and only when offering the morning 
 or evening sacrifices do the priests wear a 
 distinct dress. The services consist in the 
 useful presentations of rice, fish, fruit, game, 
 vegetables, animals, etc., and in the recital 
 of formal addresses or petitions. 
 
 There are both Shinto priests and priestesses, 
 who need not, however, be celibate, and can 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 give up their religious duties at any moment 
 It is a convenient religion and suits the easy- 
 going Japanese, whose peculiar ideas as to 
 morality are so proverbial. 
 
 Passing through the gateway, one ascends 
 through beautiful avenues of cryptomerias, with 
 their dark green foliage and gigantic trunks, 
 under which thousands of stone lanterns are 
 placed, which are illuminated on special 
 feast days. There are so many of these stone 
 structures that no one knows the number. 
 About a quarter of a mile distant the 
 principal temple is reached, and here the 
 ancient sacred dance of the kegura is 
 performed every morning by girl priestesses 
 attired in red gowns, with white aprons and 
 their faces painted a deathly colour with white 
 lead. On their heads were branches of 
 artificial wistaria and a red camellia, and their 
 hair was gathered into one long hanging tress. 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 After bargaining with the older priests to 
 witness the performance for a dollar, three of 
 the six giggling maids came forward on to 
 the kegura platform, and immediately their 
 faces assumed a more reverential and solemn 
 cast. Two young priests assumed a sitting 
 posture, one of whom commenced a weird 
 chant, while the other played on a flute and 
 an elderly priestess on the koto, an instru- 
 ment four to five feet in length placed on 
 the ground. Then the girls went through a 
 slow posturing dance, holding, firstly bunches 
 of little brass bells, and, secondly fans. 
 When it was concluded they returned to 
 the corner and resumed their giggling. The 
 performance was additionally interesting, 
 because of its having been carried on for 
 over a thousand years. Returning in another 
 direction through the wood we passed the 
 temple of Tamuke-yama, celebrated in 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 Japanese poetry, as the scene of an ode 
 which all Japanese know by heart. It has 
 been roughly translated thus : — 
 " This time I bring with me no offerings ; the gods 
 may take to their hearts' content of the damask of the 
 maple-leaves on Mount Tamuke." 
 
 This allusion to the maple trees is made 
 in consequence of the large numbers of 
 them growing round the spot. We then 
 passed several open bazaars where sword 
 sticks and cutlery were being made, and 
 numbers of toys representing the sacred deer, 
 Shinto gods, and little wooden carved figures, 
 exquisitely painted and representing the 
 costumes worn during a special festival, called 
 the " No " performances, were being sold. 
 Returning to the inn, we departed in 
 jinrickshas, with runners, for our long ride of 
 27 miles on the country roads to Kyoto. 
 Each jinricksha had an outrunner, and 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 inclusive of stoppages for an hour for giru- 
 hozen (lunch) the journey was accomplished 
 in five hours, which was exceedingly good 
 work, as the men ran up and down hill at 
 the same speed without stopping. Luncheon 
 we partook of at a quaint chaya, or tea 
 house, with a miniature garden containing a 
 little grotto, ponds of large gold fish and 
 carp, and a few azaleas and dwarfed trees. 
 How these trees are dwarfed and grow in 
 the grotesque way they do passes my 
 comprehension, but it is only part and parcel 
 of the funny things one sees in this land of 
 quaint conceits and preposterous fancies. In 
 this same tea house, the same inquisitive but 
 courteous manners were observable. As we 
 ate, a crowd soon collected and the waitress 
 would not leave the table alone, until we 
 gently uttered a "mo yorushii," — 'that will 
 do,' — which was repeated to the onlookers 
 
( 224 ) 
 
 with astonishment. When Japanese under- 
 stand anything you say to them, they can 
 scarcely control themselves for pleasure, and 
 give vent to Gilbertian " harmless merriment," 
 with a vengeance. 
 
 During the last few miles of the drive, 
 when nearing Kyoto, the roads became 
 crowded with passengers, both walking, and 
 riding in jinrickishas. The "three little 
 maids from school " we constantly met, only 
 not the counterfeit representations of the 
 original, but real laughing ones, with the 
 most roguish expressions and brimful of fun, 
 and with their heads all close together and 
 walking with their funny shuffling ways. 
 Directly that they would see they were 
 noticed, they placed their hands over their 
 mouths and, in fact giggled just like they 
 do so pleasantly at the " Savoy.*' 
 
 Then the babies with bright colored blue 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 and . red dresses, and looking just like 
 exaggerated specimens of the Japanese dolls, 
 with the shaven heads seen in the shop 
 windows at home. This is the paradise of 
 babies and young children. The mothers 
 always carry them on their backs, where 
 they seem quite at home, but as soon as 
 they run they are always in the roadways. 
 
 A Japanese young lady's costume is 
 certainly the most original get-up possible. 
 Firstly, she wears the " geta," or wooden 
 shoes, and socks with a special receptacle 
 for the big toe, a tightly fitting short skirt 
 covered in front with a mairgaki or apron, 
 and over her shoulders a loosely fitting cloak 
 of crepe, called a kimono, folded gracefully 
 in front in a seme-d6collete fashion, with 
 perhaps a little bright mauve neckerchief 
 next the skin. The kimono has long 
 sleeves, in which handkerchiefs of soft paper 
 
( 226 ) 
 
 are kept to blow her small nose with, also 
 numerous small articles, viz., her porcelain 
 tea cup, her chop sticks, and her small 
 visiting cards. Round her waist she wears 
 the obi, a brightly coloured sash tied behind 
 in a large baglike knot, not unlike the bustle 
 formerly worn by ladies. One then comes 
 to the head-dress, a marvellous work of art, 
 that would do credit to a distinguished 
 coiffeur. The hair is always raven black, 
 shining with oil and without a crease, 
 adorned with long white ivory pins and on 
 special days with a red camellia. When 
 once arranged this head-dress lasts for three 
 or four days, and that is the reason why 
 they use no pillows, but rest their heads on 
 pieces of wood. It is a pretty sight to 
 witness the courtesies and etiquette, when 
 one of these demure young ladies calls upon 
 another. Standing at the doorway she drops 
 
( 227 ) 
 
 three or four funny little curtseys, and then 
 steps daintily up the wooden barrier to the 
 raised floor where her friend meets her. 
 Then a formal conversation begins in 
 this fashion : — Visitor, ''I am afraid I 
 inconvenienced you very much the other day ; " 
 Hostess, " Not at all, your presence was most 
 welcome ; " Visitor^ '' But I ought not to have 
 stayed so long, and partaken of tea ; " 
 Hostess, " I assure you. I was delighted to 
 see you." After these formalities are over, 
 which Japanese etiquette demands, they both 
 sit down on the bamboo mats round the charcoal 
 hibacho and partake of straw-colored tea 
 and long red and green cakes, indulging 
 in the same harmless scandal that ladies 
 are so partial to all the world over. 
 
 But all this time we are nearing Kyoto, 
 and just outside the city, we pull up to 
 visit another enormous Dai Butsu; but this 
 
( 228 ) 
 
 one with only head and shoulders, though 
 perhaps, the largest head ever cast ; of the 
 following dimensions : — 
 
 Total height,— 58 feet, 
 Length of face, — 30 feet, 
 Breadth of face, — 21 feet, 
 Length of eye, — 5 feet, 
 Length of nose, — 9 feet. 
 Length of mouth, — 8 feet, 
 Length of ear, — 12 feet. 
 
 Ascending a gallery in the temple, one 
 can see into the interior of the image. 
 Near by, suspended in a gaudily decorated 
 belfry, hangs the second of the three large 
 bells of Japan. It is 14 feet high, and 
 weighs 63 tons. Continuing, we enter Kyoto 
 and our coolies pull us up in fine style 
 before the several carved wooden buildings 
 which comprise Yaamis' hotel. 
 
( 229 ) 
 
 April 2nd^ Easter Sunday. The hotel is 
 
 situated on the slope of the hills above 
 
 Kyoto, and from the windows one obtains 
 
 a beautiful view of the extensive city lying 
 
 below in a fertile plain, through which the 
 
 river Kamogawa flows, and bounded by a 
 
 range of mountains, stretching for many miles. 
 
 The city contains between three to five 
 
 thousand inhabitants, and is laid out with 
 
 the streets all running at right angles, like 
 
 Philadelphia. There are charming gardens 
 
 surrounding the hotel with winding grottoes, 
 
 in and out of which stand bronze 
 
 storks, while cherry and plum trees just 
 
 bursting into bloom, azaleas and dwarfed 
 
 trees are growing. At one o'clock we were 
 
 invited to witness a display of day fireworks 
 
 consisting of rockets, which after explosion, 
 
 disclosed, not beautiful coloured stars, but 
 
 Japanese paper lanterns, birds, butterflies, 
 
 i6 
 
( 230 ) 
 
 parachutes, red balls, and even ladies' dresses, 
 which expanded themselves and floated away. 
 The hotel is also en fete, in consequence of 
 the completion of a new wing, opened to-day 
 by the governor of Kyoto. Large strings 
 of red lanterns were suspended from the trees 
 and across the houses, while at the entrance 
 to the garden triumphal arches, decorated 
 with camellias and branches of cherry blossom, 
 were erected. In the evening in an 
 adjoining tea-house, we witnessed a geisha 
 dance. The geishas are singing girls, who 
 perform curious posturing dances with fans, 
 masks, parasols, and handkerchiefs, used 
 alternately as accessories and accompanied by 
 the tuneful samisen and a kind of drum, 
 shaped like an hour glass, beaten with the 
 hands. These instruments are played by 
 other girls seated on the floor. There were 
 about twenty in all, mostly ranging from 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 fourteen to sixteen years of age, and dressed 
 in coloured crepes and silk kimonos, with 
 the silk obi or sashes, ornamented with 
 chrysanthemums, &c. 
 
 The samisen has no harsh sound, and is 
 played with a piece of ivory, called a bachi. 
 All the love songs are sung to its accompani- 
 ment, and lately an American gentleman 
 composed one in honor of a Yokohama belle, 
 of which the following are verses: — 
 
 ** I strive to make love, but in vain, in vain, 
 My language I know is not plain, not plain, 
 Whenever I try, 
 She says, ' Gomen nasai,' 
 Watakshi wakaremasen, masen.* 
 She plays on the soft samisen, samisen, 
 She sings me a song now and then, and then, 
 And when I go away, 
 She sweetly will say, 
 Sayonara ! Do please come again, again." 
 
 * Deign honourably to excuse me, but I do not understand. 
 
( 232 ) 
 
 At the conclusion of the entertainment, the 
 girls, who were then allowed to mix freely with 
 the audience, were highly delighted at being 
 allowed to handle and inspect specimens of 
 jewellery worn by the English and American 
 ladies present. 
 
CHAPTER VIII, 
 
 Kyoto and its Temples — Cloisonne — Descent of the 
 Rapids — Lake Biwa — Odzu — Nagoya — Fujiama — 
 Yokohama — Miyanoshita — Tokio — Nikko and its 
 
 WONDERFUL TeMPLES — RETURN TO YOKOHAMA — DaI 
 BUKU AT KaMAKURA. 
 
 PRIL -^rd. To-day we have visited 
 some of the wonderful temples for 
 which Kyoto is famous. First we 
 proceeded to the Buddhist Chion-in, founded in 
 1 2 n . A broad avenue of cherry trees leads up 
 to a gateway, eighty one feet high, passing 
 which the temple is seen standing in a large 
 quadrangle. It is one of the largest wooden 
 structures in Kyoto, 167 feet long and 94 
 feet from the ground. The interior is most 
 
( 234 ) 
 
 gorgeous ; old bronzes, large brass lotus flowers, 
 thirty feet high ; and gongs surrounding 
 Buddha's golden shrine.. Close by, among the 
 trees stands the bell tower, containing The 
 Great Bell of Japan, weighing seventy four tons. 
 It was cast in 1633. A large piece of timber 
 is hung at right angles, to allow the faithful 
 to sound the bell. Proceeding from the 
 temple we " ricksha'd " out to Nanjenji, where 
 is another elaborately carved gateway, then on 
 two miles further to the Ginkakuji, the principal 
 feature of which to note, was its garden cultivated 
 by Soami, one of Japan's greatest horticulturists. 
 At the end of the hill stood a garden covered 
 with azaleas. We then went to a very 
 ancient temple called Shimogama, approached 
 by a splendid avenue of patriarchal maple, 
 cryptomeria, and evergreen oak trees. At the 
 entrance, over the vermilion-painted wooden 
 gateway are two trees, joined together by a 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 branch that has grown from one trunk into 
 
 the other. These trees are considered divine, 
 
 and are much visited by women who desire to 
 
 Hve in harmony with their husbands. 
 
 Returning to the city, we visited the important 
 
 monastic establishments and temples of Nishi 
 
 Hong Wanji, surrounded by a broad trench. 
 
 The central temple is a massive structure of the 
 
 same type as are all these wooden buildings, 
 
 with the copper-coloured tiled roofs. The 
 
 principal gate was beautifully carved with 
 
 chrysanthemum flowers and leaves. Upon 
 
 exhibiting our passports we were allowed to 
 
 enter a suite of state apartments, the walls of 
 
 which were painted with most beautiful mural 
 
 paintings, some of them 200 years old. On 
 
 the way in were sliding panels decorated with 
 
 peacocks and peahens on a gold background. 
 
 The principal room had paintings of geese, storks, 
 
 and Japanese characters and scenery. The 
 
( 236 ) 
 
 next room was decorated with chrysanthemums 
 and fans in the compartments of the ceilings ; 
 another with cherry trees and camellias, and 
 another with Chinese landscapes and carvings of 
 wistaria. In the gardens of the monastery were 
 ponds filled with large carp and goldfish. Near 
 this establishment are the new temples of Higashi 
 Hong Wanji, not yet completed. A thousand 
 men have been employed upon these for ten 
 years, ajid when completed they will probably 
 be the largest temples in Japan. Vast sums of 
 money have been contributed in the provinces, 
 and even peasants have contributed timber. 
 
 The length of the larger temple is 
 2IO feet, depth 170 feet, height 120 feet, 
 number of pillars 96 and number of tiles on 
 roof is 163,512. We then went on to the 
 San-ju-san-gen-do founded in 1132. This con- 
 tains 1,000 images of Kwannon, the goddess 
 of mercy. These images are ranged in tiers, 
 
( 237 ) 
 
 as in an amphitheatre. They are all gilded, 
 are fivQ feet high, and form a most impressive 
 sight. On the foreheads and round the halos 
 are tiny gods, so that the total number of 
 images computed to be in this wooden 
 temple, 400 feet long, is 33, 33^- Kwannon is 
 represented with about twelve hands, all issuing 
 from wings, and no two images are alike. 
 
 We then proceeded through a long cemetery 
 to the temples of Nishi, Otani, and to the 
 ancient Kiyomizu-dera, built high up on 
 the mountain side on gigantic piles. The 
 origin of this last-named temple is lost in 
 the midst of fable. This completed our day 
 of visits to temples. 
 
 April ^tk. — Rapids of the Oigawa. The 
 descent of these rapids is one of the most 
 exciting experiences to be obtained in Japan. 
 In order to reach them we started on a 
 jinricksha ride for two hours up a steep 
 
( 238 ) 
 
 mountain road. A miniature St. Gothard 
 tunnel pierced the top part of the pass, and 
 we then descended for a half-hour to a high- 
 lying upland village called Kameyama, where 
 we lunched. Then we descended to the 
 river, and were taken on board a kind of 
 raft, 40 feet long, with a few planks at 
 the sides and tapering to a point. The 
 coolies, the jinrickshas, and eight rowers 
 besides ) ourselves were conveyed with us, 
 and we commenced the descent. The river 
 falls through a wild mountain gorge over 
 black boulders and rocks for seven miles ; 
 and the sensation of dashing over foaming 
 waters in narrow channels with barely suffi- 
 cient space for a vessel was exciting and 
 novel in the extreme. A man stood in the 
 bow holding a long bamboo, with which he 
 dexterously steered the course of the boat 
 between the rocks, just as it appeared that 
 
( 239 ) 
 
 we must be hurled with the velocity of the 
 current upon them. Down we went, over 
 roaring cataracts and seething waters, while 
 the boat now and then thumped unpleas- 
 antly against the rocks, and arrived at last 
 at Arashiyama, where we mounted our 
 jinrickshas again and were conveyed in an 
 hour across a fertile plain to our habitat at 
 Kyoto. It is an arduous task to pull these 
 large boats up stream against the fierce 
 current, but we met several of them being 
 towed by as many as ten mules clambering 
 amongst the rocks, while a man punted in 
 the stream. The most exciting of the races 
 and rapids are named, the Hut Rapid, the 
 High Rapid, and the Shishi-no-kuchi, or 
 Lion's Mouth. 
 
 April ^th, — To day was spent in visiting 
 the interesting silk embroidery establishments 
 of Nishimura, the cloisonne enamel works 
 
( 240 ) 
 
 of Namakawa, porcelain factory of Kinkozan, 
 and the art curio museum of Ikeda. 
 
 (It is a humiliating fact to relate, but 
 out of our pleasant party of five, three are 
 light weights, while the Major and I weigh 
 about 29 stone between us, and stand over 
 six feet in height. On emerging every 
 morning from the hotel, the thirty or so 
 coolie men crowd round and courteously invite 
 the " lighter weights " to take seat in 
 their "rickshas," while we two are left in the 
 cold, and have to seat ourselves in the nearest 
 vacant ones in the most ignominious manner.) 
 
 Cloisonne, or shippo, is a kind of enamel, 
 having a very beautiful polish and colours, 
 and the process of manufacture is a long 
 and intricate one. First the coppersmith 
 moulds and cuts the copper into the shape 
 desired, then wire is fixed on the piece 
 according to the design already drawn. The 
 
( 241 ) 
 
 spaces between the wire are then filled in 
 with enamel of different colours and fired. 
 This firing process is repeated seven or 
 eight times, and each time more enamel is 
 filled in. After the firing is completed, the 
 piece passes into the polishers' hands, and is 
 then turned out as a finished specimen of 
 cloisonne. 
 
 April 6th. — Another pleasant excursion was 
 to Lake Biwa, lying high in the mountains 
 and surrounded by beautiful snow-covered 
 peaks. After two hours' ride we descended 
 to the town of Otzu on the borders of the 
 lake. This place has gained an unenviable 
 notoriety through the attempted murder of 
 the Czarewitch there on the nth May, 
 1 89 1 ; and some of the good people of Otzu 
 have endeavoured to change the name of 
 the place, but in this case the suggestion 
 has not been adopted, although such changes 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 are not rare in Japan. Skirting the borders 
 of the lake we came to the hamlet of 
 KarasakI, where is one of the most curious 
 trees in the world, a giant pine, not 
 famous for its height, but for its extent. 
 It stands on an acre of ground, and the 
 following are its dimensions: — height 90 feet, 
 circumference of trunk 37 feet, length of 
 branches from east to west 240 feet, from 
 north to south 288 feet, and there are over 
 380 branches. Most of the branches stretch 
 downwards, and in many cases one has to 
 stoop to go under them. They are also so 
 heavy that they are supported by scaffoldings 
 of stone. From Lake Biwa a canal is made 
 to connect the lake with Kyoto, by means of 
 three long tunnels under the mountains, through 
 which we were conveyed in a covered barge. 
 The longest of these interesting water tunnels 
 was three miles in length. 
 
( 243 ) 
 
 April ytk. — To day was occupied in visiting 
 the Mikado's palace, which is now never 
 used by His Imperial Majesty. It stands 
 on 26 acres of ground, is only one storey 
 high, and is surrounded by a high wall of 
 lath and plaster, outside which, in a narrow 
 trench about a yard in width, a stream of 
 fresh water was flowing. The interior was 
 unfurnished, and cold and comfortless in 
 the extreme. After exhibiting the usual 
 orders to view received from Tokio we were 
 permitted to divest ourselves of our boots 
 and to enter. The only objects of interest 
 were some copies of the original panel 
 paintings, in the throne room, representing 
 Chinese sages, and beautifully painted scenes 
 in some of the smaller audience rooms, 
 representing chrysanthemums, wild geese, storks, 
 etc. In the evening we witnessed a gala 
 performance in the Japanese theatre, In honour 
 
( 244 ) 
 
 of the advent of Spring, with its cherry and 
 plum blossoms. The female musicians sat on 
 raised platforms on the right and left sides 
 of the audience, those on the right playing the 
 samisen, and those on the left the suzumy, a 
 kind of drum. The entertainment consisted 
 solely of a ballet divertisement, and was in 
 reality a glorification of spring. The three 
 curtains represented respectively a cherry tree, 
 a plum tree, and a giant cryptomeria. Thirty- 
 two girls attired in most gorgeous costumes 
 and wearing plum and cherry blossoms, 
 went through a very characteristic dance. 
 The first scene was the exterior of the 
 palace, the second the throne room, and the 
 third represented orchards of the cherry and 
 plum trees full of the double blossoms, and 
 illuminated with hundreds of lights. The 
 audience was very appreciative, and behaved 
 like a superior kind of English one. 
 
( 245 ) 
 
 The Japanese cherry tree is cultivated not 
 for its fruit but for its blossom, called sakura, 
 and is more lovely than anything Europe has 
 to show. It holds in Japan the same position 
 as the rose does in England. 
 
 April Zth, — Left by the Tokaido railway for 
 
 Nagoya, passing en route over the Long 
 
 bridge of Seta, built over an arm of Lake 
 
 Biwa. This bridge has been made classic 
 
 ground by a legend taken from the Japanese 
 
 fairy tale series and called, " My Lord Bag of 
 
 rice." Nagoya we reached in five hours. 
 
 This city contains about 160,000 inhabitants. 
 
 Its two grand sights are its wonderful castle 
 
 and a magnificent Buddhist temple. The 
 
 castle was erected in 16 10 by twenty great 
 
 feudal lords, but vast damage has been done 
 
 recently by the great earthquake. The 
 
 principal object of interest is a five storied 
 
 donjon visible all over the city, on the roof of 
 
 17 
 
( 246 ) 
 
 which are placed two golden dolphins eight 
 feet high. They were made when the 
 castle was erected in 1610, by General Kato 
 Kiyomasco, who also built the keep. One of 
 these dolphins was sent to the Vienna 
 Exhibition in 1873, but on its way back it 
 was wrecked in the Messageries Maritimes 
 steamer, " Nil ; " it was recovered however, with 
 great difficulty, and restored to its original 
 position much to the satisfaction of the good 
 people of Nagoya. The grand Buddhist 
 temple, called Higashi Hongwangi, is built 
 like all the temples, of wood, with the hand- 
 some copper-coloured tiles for roofing. The 
 interior was very impressive and reminded 
 one of a most gorgeously-ornamented Roman 
 Catholic shrine in Rome. In the centre 
 stood a golden Buddha with uplifted hand, 
 and round this were grouped beautifully 
 carved lacquer wood tables, chairs, screens. 
 
( 247 ) 
 
 faldstools and gongs, incense burners in 
 bronze, and lotos flowers. 
 
 Nagoya presents like the other cities much 
 the same anomalous position of semi- civilization. 
 Broad spacious roads lined with the two- 
 storied paper-like wooden houses, have avenues 
 of telegraph poles along them, and are 
 illuminated with brush electric lights. Even 
 the little inn, with its flimsy rooms, boasted 
 of six European bedsteads, and was lighted by 
 electricity. There are not, even in England, 
 many country inns that can boast of possess- 
 ing the electric light, and yet we were 
 served here with a table-d'hote of half a 
 dozen courses, excellently cooked and 
 served, and waited upon hand and foot by 
 the proprietor and his courteous Japanese 
 young ladies, who were end^.avouring all 
 they could to add to their knowledge 
 of the English language. The inn was 
 
( 248 ) 
 
 significantly and rightly named the " Hotel 
 du Progres." 
 
 April <^th. — We continued our journey at 
 8. 20 a.m. by rail, through characteristic 
 mountain and lake scenery, to Yokohama, 
 which we reached in twelve hours. The 
 principal sight of that day was a glorious 
 view of the majestic snow-covered mountain 
 of Fujiama, rising out of the plain to the 
 imposiiig height of 12,234 feet. Though 
 now quiescent, Fuji must still be called a 
 volcano, because frequent mention is made 
 in Japanese literature of the smoke of Fuji. 
 The ascent is made from many sides, and 
 is not difficult. The summit consists of a 
 series of peaks surrounding the crater, about 
 2,000 feet in diameter. The whole Japanese 
 nation seems, as it were, to grovel at the 
 feet of Fuji. Their poets have sung its 
 praises in all ages, and one m particular, 
 
( 249 ) 
 
 who lived before the time of King Alfred, 
 sings as follows : — 
 
 " There on the border, where the land of Kai 
 Doth touch the frontier of Saruga's land, 
 A beauteous province stretched on either hand, 
 
 See Fujiama rear his head on high ! 
 
 The clouds of heaven in reverent wonder pause; 
 Nor may the birds those giddy heights assay, 
 Where melt thy snows amid thy fires away, 
 
 Or thy fierce fires lie quenched beneath thy snows. 
 
 What name might fitly tell, what accents sing 
 Thine awful, godlike grandeur? In thy breast 
 That holdeth Narusawas' flood at rest, 
 
 Thy side whence Fujikawa's waters spring. 
 
 Great Fusiyama, towering to the sky; 
 
 A treasure art thou, given to mortal man ; 
 
 A god-protector, watching o'er Japan ; 
 On thee for ever let me feast mine eye." 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 Fuji is depicted, with most incongruous 
 ideas of perspective, on all the screens, 
 fans, embroideries, tapestries, and outside 
 shop windows, and in fact is almost deified. 
 
 Yokohama is perhaps, one of the least 
 interesting of Japanese cities, as it is 
 essentially a modern European settlement, 
 around which a native town has grown. 
 There are large hotels, tempting curio shops, 
 bazaars, banks, post office, etc., which 
 are uninteresting to the sightseer in Japan. 
 One's curiosity and interest in these are 
 soon exhausted, and so we planned an 
 excursion to the mountain health-resort 
 of Miyanoshita, in the lovely district of 
 Hakone. 
 
 Here are sulphur baths, frequented by 
 Japanese of both sexes, and innumerable 
 bathing houses are scattered about in the 
 tiny valleys and upland villages. The 
 
( 251 ) 
 
 whole neighbourhood is extremely picturesque. 
 Beautiful falling cascades, long stretches of 
 mountain ranges, and in this month of 
 April the sides of the hills are enlivened 
 with the blooms of the double cherry 
 and plum, wild azalea and japonica just 
 budding into flower ; while in the quaint 
 miniature gardens surrounding the houses, 
 camellias are in bloom. In one of the 
 most beautiful stations an enterprising 
 Japanese has erected a modern European 
 hotel, fitted with the electric light. The 
 hotel is largely frequented all the year 
 round. Japanese girls, in native costumes, 
 wait upon the guests, and with their 
 picturesque dresses, courteous manners and 
 polite attention to the wants of travellers, 
 aid not a little in making one's sojourn 
 in this hilly country enjoyable. 
 
 Leaving Miyanoshita by 'ricksha we were 
 
( 252 ) 
 
 conveyed down the precipitous mountain side 
 to Yumoto, where a tramway connects with 
 the nearest railway station of Odzu, whence 
 we were quickly taken to Tokio, the ancient 
 Yeddo, the present capital of Japan with a 
 population of nearly two million people. 
 Here we found a large hotel, the Imperial, 
 superior to many hotels that could have been 
 found in London twenty-five years ago, and 
 with all modern improvements. Broad, electric- 
 lighted streets, with avenues of trees, under 
 which tramcars were running, give one some 
 further idea as to the progress the Japanese 
 are making in civilizing or rather Americanising 
 themselves. Unfortunately this Americanisation 
 is only ruining their natural courteous 
 manners, and the appearance of some of the 
 men attired in broad-patterned English tweed 
 suits is ludicrous to behold, when compared 
 with the quiet-looking silk kimonos worn 
 
( 253 ) 
 
 generally. The principal sights in Tokio 
 are the beautifully decorated Shiba temples, 
 containing the burial places of the Shoguns, 
 or Generalissimos. The most interesting of 
 these is the tomb of the second Shogun, 
 containing the largest specimen of gold 
 lacquer in the world, and one of the most 
 magnificent. Parts of it are inlaid with 
 crystals and enamels. The shrine contains 
 only an effigy of the Shogun and his 
 funeral tablet, the body being beneath the 
 pavement. As the temples more or less 
 are of the same style and character as those 
 described in Kyoto, being built of carved 
 wood, highly ornamented, and surrounded by 
 the high bronze lanterns and giant crypto- 
 meria trees, further description of them is 
 unnecessary. 
 
 The Uyeno park contains large numbers 
 of the cherry trees with their double 
 
( 254 ) 
 
 blossoms, and, when these are in full bloom, 
 and on a holiday when the park is crowded 
 with holiday-making Japanese, it presents a 
 striking mass of colour. The wistaria 
 
 blooms also very freely in Tokio, the 
 flowers being forced to nearly a yard in 
 length, and trained over lattice in tea 
 houses. 
 
 The burial place of the Forty-seven 
 Ronins, is also visited by most travellers, 
 and is noteworthy, on account of their 
 dramatic story, which is as follows : — 
 
 "The Forty-seven Ronins. 
 
 "Asano, lord of Ako, while at Yeddo in 
 attendance on the Shogun, was entrusted 
 with the carrying out of one of the greatest 
 state ceremonies of those times — nothing less 
 than the reception and entertainment of an 
 
( 255 ) 
 
 envoy from the Mikado. Now Asano was 
 not so well versed in such matters as in 
 the duties of a warrior. Accordingly he 
 took counsel with another nobleman, named 
 Kira, whose vast knowledge of ceremonies 
 and court etiquette was equalled only by 
 the meanness of his disposition. Resenting 
 honest Asano's neglect to fee him for the 
 information which he had grudgingly imparted, 
 he twitted and jeered at him for a country 
 lout, unworthy the name of Datmyo. At 
 last, he actually went so far as to order 
 Asano to bend down and fasten up his foot- 
 gear for him. Asano, long suffering though 
 he was, could not brook such an insult. 
 Drawing his sword, he slashed the insolent 
 wretch in the face, and would have made 
 an end of him, had he not sought safety 
 in flight. The palace — for this scene took 
 place within the precincts of the palace — was 
 
( 256 ) 
 
 of course soon in an uproar. Thus to 
 degrade its majesty by a private brawl was 
 a crime punishable with death and confis- 
 cation. Asano was condemned to perform 
 harakiri that very evening, his castle was 
 forfeited, his family declared extinct, and all 
 the members of his clan disbanded ; in 
 Japanese parlance they became ronins, literally 
 "wave-men," that is, wanderers, fellows with- 
 out a lord, and without a home. This was 
 in the month of April, 1701. 
 
 So for the first Act. Act two, is " The 
 Vengeance." " Oishe Kuranosuke, the senior 
 retainer of the dead Daimyo, determines to 
 avenge him, and consults with forty-six others 
 of his most trusty fellow-lieges as to the 
 ways and means. All are willing to lay 
 down their lives in the attempt. The difficulty 
 is to elude the vigilance of the Govern- 
 ment.* For, mark one curious point; the 
 
( 257 ) 
 
 vendetta, though imperatively prescribed by 
 custom, was forbidden by law, somewhat as 
 duelling now is in certain western countries. 
 Not to take vengeance on an enemy involved 
 social ostracism. On the other hand, to take 
 it involved capital punishment. But not to 
 take vengeance never entered the head of any 
 chivalrous Japanese. 
 
 "After many secret consultations, it was 
 determined among the Ronins that they 
 should separate and dissemble. Several of 
 them took to plying trades. They became 
 carpenters, smiths and merchants in various 
 cities, by which means some of their number 
 gained access to Kira's mansion, and learnt 
 many of the intricacies of its corridors and 
 gardens. Oishi himself, the head of the 
 faithful band, went to Kyoto, where he 
 plunged into a course of drunkenness and 
 debauchery. He even discarded his wife and 
 
( 258 ) 
 
 children, and took a harlot to live with him. 
 Thus was their enemy, to whom full reports of 
 all these doings were brought by spies, 
 lulled to complete security at last. Then 
 suddenly, on the night of the 30th January, 
 1703, during a violent snow-storm, the 
 attack was made. The forty-seven Ronins 
 forced the gate of Kira's mansion, slew his 
 retainers and dragged forth the high-born, 
 but chicken-hearted wretch from an outhouse, 
 in which he had sought to hide himself 
 behind a lot of firewood and charcoal. 
 Respectfully, as befits a mere gentleman when 
 addressing a great noble, the leader of the 
 band requested Kira to perform harakiri, thus 
 giving him a chance of dying by his own 
 hand, and so saving his honour. But Kira 
 was afraid, and there was nothing for it 
 but to kill him, being the scoundrel that 
 he was. 
 
( 259 ) 
 
 " That done, the little band formed in 
 
 order, and marched (day having now dawned), 
 
 to the temple of Ginkakuji, at the other end 
 
 of the city. On their way thither, the 
 
 people all flocked out to praise this doughty 
 
 deed ; a great Daimyo, whose palace they 
 
 passed, sent out refreshments to them with 
 
 messages of sympathy, and at the temple 
 
 they were received by the abbot in person. 
 
 There they laid on their lord's grave, 
 
 which stood in the temple grounds, the 
 
 head of the enemy by whom he had been 
 
 so grievously wronged. Then came the 
 
 official sentence, condemning them all to 
 
 commit harakiri. This they did separately, in 
 
 the mansions of the various Daimyos, to 
 
 whose care they had been entrusted for the 
 
 last few days of their lives, and then chey 
 
 also were buried in the same temple grounds, 
 
 where their tombs can be seen to this day." 
 
( 26o ) 
 
 The enthusiastic admiration of a whole people 
 during two centuries has been the reward of 
 their obedience to the ethical code of their 
 time and country. i 
 
 Leaving Tokio by the Nikko branch line, 
 we proceeded in five hours to the village 
 of Hachi-ishi, close to which are the most 
 celebrated mausolea in Japan, called the 
 temples of Nikko. These consist of the tombs 
 of the first and third Shoguns, leyasa and 
 lemitsu. For a considerable distance along- 
 side the railway line ran a portion of one 
 of the greatest monuments of Japan, viz. : 
 an avenue of giant cryptomeria trees, 
 which is supposed to extend for 300 miles 
 across the country from Kobe to Nikko, and 
 under which processions of pilgrims wend 
 their way to worship at the temples of 
 Nikko. The village is situated high up in 
 the mountains, at an altitude of 1,780 feet 
 
( 26l ) 
 
 above sea level, and consists of a street of 
 the usual wooden houses with tiled roofs, 
 stretching for nearly two miles up hill. 
 Arrived at the summit, we turned sharp 
 round a corner and came immediately in 
 sight of the sacred bridge spanning the 
 river Daigawa, which here runs through a 
 picturesque ravine, while mountains hem in 
 the valley on all sides. This bridge was 
 built in 1638, is painted entirely vermilion 
 colour, and is only opened for pilgrims to 
 pass over twice a year. It is supported on 
 enormous solid piers of stone, and is 84 feet 
 long. Unquestionably these beautifully deco- 
 rated temples and gateways surrounding the 
 tombs of these celebrated Shoguns, are the 
 principal sights of Japan, and merit a 
 lengthy description. The first temple we 
 visited was that of Jemitsu. At the principal 
 
 gate was a gigantic pair of wooden figures ; 
 
 18 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 passing through this gate we entered an open 
 court, surrounded by carved wooden buildings, 
 and ascended a stone staircase to the gate 
 called Niten-mon, containing colossal figures, 
 one painted red and the other green, of 
 Bishamon and I da- ten, who are mythological 
 protectors of Buddhism. The inside niches 
 of the gate were occupied by the gods of wind 
 and of thunder. Three more flights of stone 
 steps brought us to the demon gate, from 
 which a glorious view of the dark green 
 foliage and surrounding pine-covered hills was 
 obtained. Passing through this and taking 
 off our boots, we were permitted to enter the 
 oratory and chapel, which were filled with 
 the usual gorgeous decorations and insignia 
 attached to the Buddhist religion. The tomb 
 itself is situated in the open air, higher up 
 the mountain side, and is entirely of 
 bronze. In front of it stood a gate of 
 
( ^ez ) 
 
 bronze, covered with Sanscrit characters in 
 shining brass. The mausoleum of leyasu, 
 the most celebrated of the Shoguns, is 
 surrounded by picturesque groupings of 
 wonderfully carved buildings, bearing repre- 
 sentations of peonies, chrysanthemums, tigers, 
 tapirs, monkeys, elephants, etc., all painted 
 in bright red and blue colours. Three of 
 these buildings are very handsome, and are 
 used as storehouses, in which utensils 
 employed in the religious ceremonies per- 
 formed in honour of leyasu, also pictures, 
 furniture, etc., used by him during his 
 lifetime, are preserved. A very interesting 
 object is the On Chozuya, containing a 
 holy-water cistern made of a solid piece of 
 granite, erected in 1618. On the roof are 
 painted dragons. 
 
 Ascending a flight of steps, we passed 
 into another courtyard, just outside which 
 
( 264 ) 
 
 are two stone lions in the act of leaping 
 down ; and these were given by lemitsu. 
 On the right side of this court stood a bell 
 tower, a bronze candelabrum given by the 
 king of Loo-choo, and a bell given by the 
 king of Korea, called the moth-eaten bell, 
 because of there being a hole just under the 
 ring by which the bell is suspended. On 
 the left stood a bronze lantern from Korea, 
 a candelabrum from Holland, a drum tower, 
 and behind these a temple dedicated to 
 the Buddhist god Yakushi-Nyorai. In this 
 court were no fewer than 1 1 8 bronze 
 lanterns, standing in rows, each about eight 
 feet high, given by various Datmyos, and 
 adorned with the three-leaved crest of the 
 Shogun in brass. Ascending from this court 
 by another flight of steps we arrived at the 
 platform, on which stands the most exquisitely 
 carved wooden gate in Japan, called the 
 
( 265 ) 
 
 Yo-mei-mon. The following description is 
 well narrated, by Murray : — 
 
 "The columns supporting it are carved with a 
 minute geometrical pattern and painted white. The 
 pillar next beyond has the pattern carved upside down, 
 which was done purposely, lest the flawless perfection 
 of the whole structure should bring misfortune on the 
 house of Tokergawa, by exciting the jealousy of heaven. 
 It is called the Ma-yoke-no-Hashira, or evil-averting pillar. 
 The side niches are lined with a pattern of graceful 
 arabesques founded upon the peony; those on the out- 
 side contain the images called Sadaijan and Udaijin, 
 armed with bows and carrying quivers full of arrows at 
 their backs ; the inner niches have Ama'inu and 
 Komainu. The capitals of the columns are formed of 
 unicorns' heads. The architrave of the second story 
 is adorned with white dragons' heads where the cross 
 beams intersect, and in the centre of each side and end 
 is a magnificently involved dragon with golden claws. 
 Above the architrave of the lower story projects a 
 balcony which runs all round the building. The railing 
 is formed of children at play, while below it are groups 
 
( 266 ) 
 
 of Chinese sages and immortals. Gilt dragons' heads with 
 gaping crimson throats support the roof, and from the 
 top a demon looks down." 
 
 Passing under this wonderful gateway we 
 entered another court, enclosed on three sides 
 by a cloister. On the right side were two 
 buildings, one of which contained a stage 
 upon which a very old Shinto priestess, with 
 blackened teeth was sitting, who, at our 
 approach, went through the sacred dance 
 of the Kegura again ; in the other building, 
 are preserved the cars carried in procession 
 on the I St June, when the deified spirits 
 of leyasu, Hideyoski, and Yoritomo, are 
 supposed to occupy them. In the centre 
 of this inner court, surrounded by a fence, 
 stood the oratory and chapel. The folding 
 doors of the former are lavishly decorated 
 with arabesques of peonies in gilt relief. 
 
( 267 ) 
 
 Over the door and windows are five 
 compartments filled with birds, carved in relief, 
 four on each side of the building. The 
 interior is a large matted room, 42 feet long 
 by 27 feet wide, with an ante-chamber at 
 each end. That on the right, which was 
 intended for the Shogun, contains pictures of 
 unicorns on a gold ground, and four carved 
 oak panels of phoenixes. The rear compart- 
 ment of the building is of carved wood, 
 with the Tokugawa crest in the centre, 
 surrounded by phoenixes and chrysanthemums. 
 The opposite ante-chamber has the same 
 number of panels, the subjects of which are 
 eagles, and a carved and painted ceiling 
 with an angel surrounded by chrysanthemums. 
 The gold paper, " gohei," at the back of the 
 oratory, and a circular mirror, were the only 
 ornaments left, the Buddhist paraphernalia of 
 bells, gongs, prayer books, lotus flowers, 
 
( 268 ) 
 
 incense burners, etc., having been removed 
 when the Shinto form of worship was 
 introduced. To reach leyasu's tomb, after 
 leaving the beautiful oratory, one ascends a 
 moss grown gallery and several steep flights, 
 about 200 steps altogether, up the hill behind, 
 to a paved courtyard, in the centre of which 
 stands the tomb, shaped like a small pagoda. 
 It is made of a single bronze casting of a 
 light colour, produced by the admixture of 
 gold. In front stood a low stone table, 
 bearing an immense bronze stork, with a 
 brass candle in its mouth, an incense burner 
 of bronze, and a vase with artificial lotos, 
 flowers and leaves in brass. The whole is 
 surrounded by a balustrade ; the entrance to 
 the enclosure, being by a large bronze gate, 
 not exposed to the open. The whole tomb 
 is very impressive ; and surrounded as these 
 temples are, by magnificent cedars and 
 
( 269 ) 
 
 cryptomerias, the whole neighbourhood is 
 singularly appropriate for purposes of worship. 
 The sights in Nikko are legion, but are of 
 minor interest compared with the above- 
 mentioned temples. Outside the enclosure of 
 leyasu's tomb stands a graceful five-storied 
 pagoda, painted mostly of vermilion, and built 
 in 1650. It is 104 feet high. Round the 
 lower story are life-like painted carvings of 
 the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Not far 
 from this stands the Buddhistic monastery of 
 Mangwangi, the principal hall of which is called 
 the hall of the three Buddhas, viz : — the 
 thousand-handed Kwannon, the horse-headed 
 Kwannon, and Amida Nyorai. The whole 
 neighbourhood is suitable for a prolonged visit, 
 as there are mountains to climb, picturesque 
 mountain lakes, falling cascades, and brawling 
 rivers to explore, combined with other 
 interesting temples and villages. The air is 
 
( 270 ) 
 
 more bracing, than in the neighbourhood of 
 the large towns situated in the lowlands, and 
 surrounded by the plains of the irrigated rice 
 fields. 
 
 Leaving picturesque Nikko we returned to 
 Tokio, where we spent another day ; and then 
 took train to Yokohama, visiting en route 
 Kamakura, famous for its giant Dai Butsu, 
 or open air bronze statue of Buddha, which 
 stands in a miniature valley and is of the 
 following dimensions : — 
 
 Height, — 49 feet, 7 inches. 
 Circumference, — 97 feet, 2 inches. 
 Length of face, — 8 feet, 5 inches. 
 Width from ear to ear, — 17 feet, 9 inches. 
 Length of eye, — 3 feet, 1 1 inches. 
 Length of eyebrow,— 4 feet, 2 inches. 
 Length of ear, — 6 feet, 6 inches. 
 Length of nose, — 3 feet, 9 inches. 
 
( 271 ) 
 
 Width of mouth, — 3 feet, 2 inches. 
 
 Curls, of which there are 830, — each 9 inches. 
 
 Length from knee to knee, — 35 feet, 8 inches. 
 
 The eyes are of pure gold, and the image 
 was formed of sheets of bronze, cast 
 separately, brazed together, and finished off 
 with the chisel. The hollow interior of the 
 image contains a small shrine, and the visitor 
 may ascend into the head. 
 
 The statue stands alone among Japanese 
 works of art. "No other gives such an 
 impression of majesty, or so truly symbolises 
 the central figure of Buddhism. The intel- 
 lectual calm which comes of perfected 
 knowledge and the subjugation of all passion. 
 To be fully appreciated it must be visited \ 
 several times.*' 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Japanese Literature — English, as it is Japped — 
 Optimistic and Pessimistic Views of Japan — The 
 Sandwich Islands — The Volcano Kilauea. 
 
 APAN has interested us more than 
 any other land yet visited, and six 
 months would not be too long 
 a stay in this delightful country to see its 
 sights, to appreciate fully the beauties of the 
 country, and to understand the customs of its 
 inhabitants. 
 
 Its language is very harmonious and sweet, 
 but almost impossible to read, as the Chinese 
 characters are used. However, English is spoken 
 very extensively in all the principal cities, 
 
( 273 ) 
 
 and the principal bazaars and shops exhibit 
 signs in Japanese with English translations, 
 some of which are very ludicrous because 
 of the mistakes in spelling, etc. In fact, 
 English, as she is Japped, forms quite an 
 interesting study ; and I append a few 
 specimens : — 
 
 " The improved milk." 
 
 **The European monkey jacket make for the Japanese." 
 
 " Carver and Gilder for sale." 
 
 "Draper, milliner and ladies' outfatter." 
 
 *' The ribbons, the laces, the veils and the feelings."'*'" 
 
 « NOTIES. 
 
 "Our tooth is a very important organ for human life 
 and countenance as you know; therefore, when it is 
 attack by disease or injury, artificial tooth is also very 
 useful." 
 
 " I am engage to the Dentistry and I will make for 
 your purpose." 
 
 *Frillings. 
 
( 274 ) 
 
 Japanese are very fond of entering Into 
 correspondence with Englishmen, in order to 
 Improve their knowledge of the language, 
 and the following are amusing letters: — 
 
 " Tokyo, January isf, 1890. 
 "Dear Sir, 
 
 "New Year very happy. I salute you prudently 
 
 for you all. I had been several districts since July of 
 
 last year. Now, here my head is mingled up with 
 
 several admirations by the first voyage to abroad; but 
 
 anyhow I feel very lionizing, interesting, profitable for 
 
 experiment, by sailing about there and here. Though I 
 
 excercised English diligently, yet I'm very clumsiness for 
 
 translation, dialogue, composition, elocution and all other. 
 
 It is a great shamefulness really, but I don't abandon 
 
 English henceforth and I swear to learn it perseveringly, 
 even if in the lucubration. 
 
 "Tendering you my sympathetic joy of your decoration. 
 
 "I am 
 
 " Yours afl'ectionately 
 
 "M. TSUDA." 
 
( 275 ) 
 
 "Saga, August iZth. 
 * Robert Fanshaw, Esq. 
 
 " G. B. Consul. 
 "Dear Sir, 
 
 " I am very glad to hear that you and your family 
 are very well and I am also quite well as usual, but 
 my grandfather's disease is very severe without changing 
 as customary. I fear that it is a long time since I 
 have pay a visit to you. I wish your pardon to get 
 away my remote crime. We have only a few hot in 
 Saga, as well as summer is over, and we feel to be very 
 cool in morning and evening. Sometimes we have an 
 earthquake here at now, but the mens was afright no 
 more. I grieves that a terrible accident took place in 
 the school of Military Saga. The story of it, a scholar 
 had put to death some colleague with a greate stick 
 on the floor, and a Doctor of Anatomy dissected immedi- 
 ately with dead disciple, then all pupils of school were 
 now to question its matter in the judgement seat ; but 
 do not it decide yet. 
 
 " Unequivocal matter would speak you of kind letter. 
 
 " I am, &c., 
 
 " K. TANAKA." 
 
( 276 ) 
 
 England, having been set as a theme In a 
 school in Tokyo, the following essay was 
 composed by one of the pupils :'■ — 
 
 "The England which occupied of the largest and 
 greatest dominion which rarely can be. The English- 
 man works with a very powerful hands and the long legs 
 and even the eminenced mind, his chin is so strong as 
 decerved iron. He are not allowed it to escape if he 
 did seize something. Being spread his dominion is 
 dreadfully extensive, so that his countrymen boastally say 
 "the sun are never sets on our dominions." The Testa- 
 mony of English said, that he that lost the common 
 sense, he never any benefit though he had gained the 
 whole world. The English are cunning institutioned to 
 established a great Empire of the Paradise. The 
 Englishman always said to the other nation " Give me 
 your land and I will give you my Testamony." So it 
 is not a robber but exchanged, as the Englishman always 
 confide the object to be pure, and the order to be holy, 
 and they reproach him, if any them are killed to death, 
 with the contention of other man." 
 
( 277 ) 
 
 An Optimistic View of Japan. 
 
 The following lines were written with the 
 moonlight shining full upon the Bay of 
 Tokio, after a good dinner at the Grand 
 hotel. The writer, Dr. William Hellmuth, 
 of New York, had just returned from a 
 delightful excursion to Kamakura, on a 
 beautiful day in July. 
 
 I. 
 
 " Oh, fair Japan ! oh, rare Japan ! 
 
 Thou land of ancient trees, 
 
 Where lotos blossoms fringe thy paths, 
 
 And perfume every breeze. 
 
 Where lilies bend their fragrant heads 
 
 To kiss thy plashing streams. 
 
 And dark skinned musumes, — almond-eyed,— 
 
 Wake long forgotten dreams. 
 
 19 
 
( 278 ) 
 
 2. 
 
 "Thy hills crown-capped with sacred groves, 
 
 Enclose thy gilded shrines, 
 
 In grottoes where the iris blooms, 
 
 Droop sweet wistaria vines. 
 
 Mysterious languor seems to hang 
 
 O'er mountain, plain and rill : 
 
 An unreality of life 
 
 .Does all the senses fill. 
 
 3- 
 
 "Thine ancient shrines to Buddha blest, 
 
 With Shintos' gilded spires, 
 
 Proclaim a soul-sustaining rest, 
 
 And ecstasy inspires. 
 
 Oh ! sweet it is to dwell with thee, 
 
 " Land of the Rising sun," 
 
 Where beauty, age and mystery 
 
 Combine themselves in one." 
 
( 279 ) 
 
 A Pessimistic View of Japan. 
 
 These verses were also composed by Dr. 
 Hellmuth, while lying in bed at Miyanoshita, 
 during the drying of his clothes in the 
 kitchen, after a five hours' exposure in a 
 hurricane of rain and wind (a portion of the 
 typhoon of Japan), over one of the highest 
 passes in Japan, Otomotge. Discouraged, 
 cold, drenched to the skin, shrivelled and 
 dispirited, he came to Fujiya hotel and 
 thought in his misery : — 
 
 I. 
 
 " Oh, hang Japan ! oh, dang Japan ! 
 
 A land of gnats and fleas ; 
 
 Where noisome odours fill the air 
 
 And float on every breeze. 
 
 Where men run naked in the streets, 
 
 Wear spectacles for clothes ; 
 
 And old and young, and rich and poor 
 
 Eschew the use of hose. 
 
( 28o ) 
 
 2. 
 
 "Oh, land devoid of knives and forks, 
 
 Of tables, chair and beds: 
 
 Where women black their teeth, and shave 
 
 Their little babies' heads. 
 
 I've had enough, I have no use 
 
 (A quiet New York man) 
 
 For all this rude simplicity, 
 
 Careering round Japan. 
 
 ; - 
 
 3- 
 " I've had enough of cloisonne. 
 Of ivory carvings, too. 
 Of ancient rare Satsuma jugs, 
 Which probably are new. 
 I hate the sight of Buddha fat, 
 He's too infernal calm ; 
 And temples, shrines and lacquer ware 
 Anddaimios, I ? ? ? "hem"— 
 
( 28l ) 
 
 4. 
 
 "Boy, bring my clothes up from the wash 
 
 As quickly as you can ; 
 
 Sir ' Edwin Arnold writes a lot 
 
 Of bosh about Japan. 
 
 I'm shivering cold, I'm wringing wet ; 
 
 I've been an idle dreamer ! 
 
 To Yokohama let me gel. 
 
 And there, thank Heaven ! a steamer," 
 
 April 2gtk. We embarked on board the 
 Occidental and Oceanic Company's Steam- 
 ship " Oceanic," lying in Yokohama harbour, 
 and saihng down Mississipi bay, we were 
 rolling in the Pacific ocean, with a stiff 
 north-easterly breeze blowing. 
 
 May 6th. During the night we passed 
 the Midway islands. In travelling west- 
 ward we gained a day, while vessels 
 proceeding eastwards lose one, so we have 
 just experienced the novelty of spending two 
 
( 282 ) 
 
 May the fifths. This is our eighth day of 
 perpetual rolling, and every one is looking 
 forward hopefully to our arrival in the 
 Sandwich Islands, which we hope to 
 reach on Tuesday the 9th. Not one ship, 
 or other sign of life have we seen, with the 
 exception of that on board our vessel, but 
 here one has the feeling of being in a 
 small kingdom of one's own. Cricket, quoits, 
 shuffleboard, bezique, poker, singing, reading, 
 and the daily sweepstake as to the run of 
 the vessel, are our daily distractions. We 
 have now accomplished 2,500 miles from 
 Yokohama, being a daily average of 315 
 across the ocean. There are 615 persons on 
 board, the larger number of whom are China- 
 men proceeding to San Francisco. Before a 
 Chinaman will proceed on an ocean voyage, 
 a stipulation is entered into between him 
 and the Steamship Company, that in the 
 
( 283 ) 
 
 event of his death occuring during the voyage 
 his body will be embalmed by the ship's 
 doctor, placed in a coffin and returned to 
 the Celestial Empire. Large numbers of 
 curiously shaped coffins, are carried therefore 
 by the steamers, and we have noticed since 
 leaving Yokohama that one of the two rows 
 of coffins has disappeared. 
 
 May gtk. — This morning at ten o'clock the 
 mountains of Oahu, one of the Sandwich 
 islands, distant 3,400 miles from Yokohama, 
 came into view ; at 11.30 we were 
 running along the coast, and soon the spires 
 of Honolulu came into view, as well as the 
 masts of the ships in the artificial harbour. 
 At twelve o'clock a small steamboat, named 
 the "Annie," came alongside, carrying the flag 
 of the Provisional Government, and conveying 
 the pilot and quarantine officers on board. 
 An inspection of all the passengers who 
 
( 284 ) 
 
 desired to go on shore was then made by the 
 latter gentlemen, on the upper deck. 
 
 The harbour bar has been deepened during 
 the last two years to 30 feet to enable ocean 
 steamers to pass between the coral reefs, over 
 which the surf is always rolling into the calm 
 waters beyond, and great excitement was taking 
 place on shore, as our vessel was the first to 
 enter the harbour since the completion of the 
 work. The total cost has been 170,000 dollars. 
 In the harbour were, an English sloop, the 
 " Hyacinth ;" two American men of war, the 
 '* Charleston," and " Boston ;" and a Japanese 
 ship. Our ship draws 25 feet of water, and we 
 steam slowly across the bar and right up to 
 the wharf, where the inhabitants are thronging 
 to witness a vessel of our tonnage being 
 moored alongside for the first time. Just as 
 the thick hawser from our bow was tightening 
 it broke with the report of a cannon, but this 
 
{ 28s ) 
 
 was soon repaired and we were at anchor, 
 speedily on shore, and being driven to the 
 Royal Hawaiian hotel. America's influence 
 is very great, and the star-spangled banner 
 was hanging in front of the shops and from 
 the houses of most of the American residents. 
 In fact, the whole town gives one the 
 impression of being within an easy distance 
 of the United States. American bars and 
 saloons abound, and the gold dollar is the 
 accepted coinage of the place. 
 
 The march of civilization has indeed made 
 great strides, for we find on this island, in 
 the centre of the largest piece of water in 
 the world, and the farthest away from any 
 great continent, broad wide streets and avenues, 
 with the electric light suspended everywhere, 
 tramcars running, telephones in use, natives 
 riding safety bicycles, and ladies actually riding 
 cross-saddle. A party of ten fellow passengers 
 
( 286 ) 
 
 combined together, and engaged a coach and 
 four horses from the hotel, and we were soon 
 bowling along the good roads, and enjoying 
 tropical scenes and vegetation again. Planta- 
 tions of melons, mangoes, bananas, pretty- 
 bungalows surrounded with lovely gardens 
 filled with crotons, hibiscus, aristologia, 
 stephanotis, etc., and shaded by cocoanut 
 palms, were passed. We then ascended a 
 zigzag road to the summit of the Punch Bowl, 
 a projecting spur of the high mountain range 
 in the interior. On the right, a glorious view 
 of Honolulu from this point of vantage was 
 obtained, embosomed in beautiful fresh 
 green. 
 
 To the left stood the bold brown bluff of 
 Diamond Head, with the village and bathing 
 place of Waikiki at its feet, while the ocean 
 which we had just traversed for eleven days, 
 seemed to stretch itself into illimitable space. 
 
( 287 ) 
 
 We descended to Waikiki, passed the race- 
 course, and were shown an ostrich farm, with 
 60 handsome birds ; then to the queen's palace, 
 a fine square stuccoed building, which the 
 queen has been obliged to vacate since her 
 dethronement. Opposite to this was the 
 Governmental building with the Hawaiian flag 
 flying. In the open square in front stood a 
 bronze statue of Kamehameha I., the first 
 king of the United Hawaiian islands, who 
 commenced to reign in 1782 and died in 
 181 7, at the age of 81, after 35 years' reign. 
 
 The natives are Kanakas, and very similar 
 in type to the Maoris of New Zealand. The 
 men are notable for height and remarkable 
 physique, and the women are also of great 
 size 
 
 The population of the islands is, however, 
 very mixed, and the natives are decreasing 
 yearly. The total population is 89,990, 
 
( 288 ) 
 
 according to the census of 1890, and composed 
 of different nationalities as follows : — Natives 
 34,436, half castes 6,186, Hawaiian born 
 foreigners 7,495, Americans 1,928, British 
 1,344, German 1,034, French 70, Portuguese 
 8,602, Norwegians 227, Chinese 15,301, 
 Japanese 12,360, Polynesians 588, and other 
 nationalities 419. From the Government 
 house we were shown the present villa 
 residence of the dethroned queen, Liliokalani, 
 and after a drive through the inevitable 
 Chinatown we returned to the hotel. In 
 the evening, the band of the provisional 
 Government, under the conductorship of a 
 German bandmaster, played a selection of 
 operatic music, in a kiosk, illuminated with 
 coloured electric lights. Afterwards we 
 
 witnessed a characteristic native dance, per- 
 formed by Hula Hula girls, whose dresses were 
 mostly composed of grasses and garlands of 
 
( 289 ) 
 
 flowers, and accompanied by harmonious 
 rhythmical music, played on a native guitar. 
 
 Hawaii, the largest island of the group, is 
 two days distant from Oahu, and upon this 
 island the celebrated volcano of Kilauea is 
 situated. This is the largest in the world, and 
 its crater has been aptly called the Inferno, 
 while the Hawaiian islands themselves are 
 designated Paradise. Kilauea is the most 
 active volcano in the world, and is situated 
 at an elevation of 4,000 feet, on the southern 
 slopes of Mauna Loa, one of the highest 
 mountains in Hawaii (13,675 feet). 
 
 A visit to it necessitates a stay of at least 
 a fortnight in the islands, with a probability 
 of not getting berths in a steamer for a 
 month, so we could not afford the time to 
 visit it. Miss Bird has written the following 
 graphic description of its appearance : — 
 
 " Suddenly, just above, and in front of us, gory 
 
( 290 ) 
 
 drops were tossed in air, and springing forward we stood 
 on the brink of Hale-man-man, which was about thirty- 
 five feet below us. We were all speechless, for a new 
 glory and terror had been added to the earth. It is the 
 most unutterable of all wonderful things. It is 
 unimaginable, indescribable, a sight to remember for ever; 
 a sight which at once took possession of every faculty 
 of sense and soul, removing one altogether out of the 
 range of ordinary life. Here is the real " bottomless 
 pit," the fire which is not quenched; the lake which 
 burneth with fire and brimstone," the fiery sea whose 
 waves are never weary. The inner lake, while we stood 
 there, formed a sort of crater within itself; the whole 
 lava sea rose about three feet, a blowing cone about 
 eight feet high was formed, and it was never the same 
 two minutes together. And what we saw had no 
 existence a month ago, and probably will be changed in 
 every essential feature a month hence. What we did 
 see was one irregularly-shaped lake, possibly 500 feet 
 wide at its narrowest part, and nearly half a mile at its 
 broadest, almost divided in two by a low bank of lava, 
 which extended across it where it was narrowest, and 
 
( 291 ) 
 
 which was raised visibly before our eyes. The surface 
 of the double lake was continually skimming over for a 
 second or two with a cooled crust of a luscious grey 
 white, like frosted silver, broken by jagged cracks of a 
 bright rose colour. The movement was nearly always 
 from the sides to the centre, but the movement of the 
 centre itself appeared independent, and always took a 
 southerly direction. Before each outburst of agitation 
 there was much hissing, and a throbbing internal roaring, 
 as of imprisoned gases. Now it seemed furious, 
 demoniacal, as if no power on earth could bind it; then 
 playful and sportive, then for a second, languid ; but only 
 because it was accumulating fresh force. On our 
 arrival, eleven fire fountains were playing joyously round 
 the lakes ; and sometimes, the six of the nearer lakes 
 ran together in the centre, to go wallowing down in one 
 vortex, from which they re-appear bulging upwards, till they 
 formed a huge cone thirty feet high, which plunged down- 
 wards in a whirlpool, only to re-appear in exactly the 
 previous number of fountains, in different parts of the lake, 
 high leaping, raging, flinging themselves upwards. It was 
 all confusion, commotion, force, terror, majesty, mystery, 
 
( 292 ) 
 
 and even beauty. And the colour ! " Eye hath not seen 
 it." Molten metal has not that crimson gleam, nor blood 
 that living light. Had I not seen this, I should never 
 have known that such a colour was possible." 
 
 " Hawai-nei ! Of many, one thou art, 
 Each scattered fragment an essential part. 
 
 No jewelled setting is more fair than thee, 
 O emerald cluster in a beryl sea ! 
 
 Thy life is music, — fate, thy notes prolong; 
 Each isle a stanza; and the whole, a song." 
 
 G. W. Stewart. 
 
 The group of the Sandwich Islands is 
 made up of eight inhabited islands, the most 
 important of which are Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, 
 Kauai, and Molokai (the leper settlement). 
 The climate is the most delicious in the 
 world, neither too hot nor too cold, being in 
 the tropics, but only just over the line. 
 
 Mark Twain once said of the Hawaiian 
 
( 293 ) 
 
 islands — '^ No alien land in all the world 
 has any deep, strong charm for me, but that 
 one ; no other land could so longingly and 
 beseechingly haunt me, sleeping and waking 
 through half a lifetime, as that has done. 
 Other things leave me, but it abides ; other 
 things change, but it remains the same. For 
 me its balmy airs are always blowing, its 
 summer seas flashing in the sun ; the pulsing 
 of its surf-beat is in my ear ; I can see its 
 garlanded crags, its leaping cascades, its plumy 
 palms drowsing by the shore ; its remote 
 summits floating like islands above the cloud 
 racks; I can feel the spirit of its woodland 
 solitude ; I can hear the plash of its brooks ; 
 in my nostrils still lives the breath of flowers 
 that perished twenty years ago." 
 
 20 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 Off to San Francisco — The Yosemite Valley — Salt 
 Lake City — Chicago and the World's Fair — 
 New York — Departure for England. 
 
 \AY i2tk. — With an addition of new 
 passengers, we departed at ten 
 o'clock on our voyage to San 
 Francisco. On the jetty the band played 
 suitable farewell airs, such as Auld Lang 
 Syne, the Star Spangled Banner, God Save 
 the Queen, and the Watch on the Rhine, 
 etc. Rounding the Diamond Head, we 
 sailed by the side of mountains with volcanic 
 formations ; and with Molokai, the leper 
 island on the right ; while in a few hours 
 
{ 295 ) 
 
 the whole group of the Sandwich Islands had 
 disappeared from view. 
 
 May \\th. — Our third day at sea. The 
 weather is glorious. There is a light wind 
 which sends a delicious coolness into our cabins. 
 The ocean is a beautiful blue, and has a gentle 
 swell. The " Oceanic," however, is by no means 
 a steady vessel, and rolls to and fro, with a 
 perpetual see-sawing motion, that acts as a 
 constant lullaby, and sends us very easily to 
 sleep. Now and then she makes a deep 
 lurch, making all the glasses jingle and plates 
 dance. 
 
 May i^tk. — Off San Francisco. We have 
 been sailing across the Pacific for seven days, 
 without anything especially worthy of recording. 
 When two days distant from land we noticed 
 one sailing vessel, the only one seen during 
 our long ocean trip. 
 
 Just before midnight last evening, we saw 
 
( 296 ) 
 
 the lights (the electric ones) of San Francisco 
 gleaming, and we are now anchored close to the 
 jetty ; and America, the " land of the free and 
 the home of the brave," is before us. We 
 entered through its Golden Gate, "which is 
 a narrow channel of water, guarded by two 
 precipitous cliffs," stretching out from the 
 hills on either side. The water inside this 
 natural barrier broadens into a noble bay, 
 on the right side of which lies San 
 Francisco. Opposite are the neighbouring 
 suburban cities of Oaklands, Alameda and 
 Berkley ; while behind them rises an 
 amphitheatre of hills, sweeping right round 
 the bay. 
 
 We were soon on shore, undergoing the 
 rigorous custom-house examination, enforced 
 by the exacting and obnoxious provisions of 
 the Mackinley Tariff Bill. The duties levied 
 on silk, curios, etc., are enormous. Ivory 45 
 
( 297 ) 
 
 per cent., unmounted photographs 40 per cent., 
 silk 60 per cent. Having ourselves nothing 
 dutiable, we managed to get our luggage 
 '' checked " in an hour and a half, and handed 
 to the Transfer Company for conveyance, while 
 we ourselves were soon taken, in a wild-west 
 sort of coach, to the Palace hotel. All the 
 roads are paved unevenly with cobble stones, 
 so unless it is unavoidable, everybody rides in 
 the electric or cable cars, which are to be 
 found in every street. The service of these is 
 admirable. In the principal thoroughfare there 
 are no fewer than four sets of lines laid down, 
 and processions of both open and closed cars 
 are seen going constantly in all directions. 
 There is no bustle or excitement, but every- 
 thing seems to go on like clockwork, or like a 
 piece of machinery. Somebody touches a 
 button, and this sets the city in motion. The 
 streets have fearful gradients, but the cars glide 
 
( 298 ) 
 
 up and down these like exaggerated switchback 
 railways. The city is quite cosmopolitian in 
 appearance. Colossal blocks of buildings, 
 intersected at right angles with broad noble 
 arteries of great length, and covered with 
 miles of telegraph wires and procession of the 
 necessary poles, fill up the perspective, The 
 market street is a most noble artery. Jumping 
 on to a car, we ride for a few miles up and 
 down hill, past pretty villas, built entirely of 
 wood, in the gardens of which the most beautiful 
 " Gloire de dijon " roses are growing, until we 
 reach the Golden Gate park of i,ooo acres 
 in extent. Here we found roses, fuschias, 
 geraniums, cinerarias, rhododendrons, azaleas, 
 the white hawthorn, and other flowers, all in 
 full bloom, a wealth of blossom. The park 
 is undulating, with broad carriage road ; and 
 possesses hothouses, a buffalo and deer park 
 and aviaries. From the park another car took 
 
( 299 ) 
 
 us across some sandy hills to the Cliff house, 
 on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Here 
 are situated some wonderful rocks, a few 
 yards out in the water, and covered with 
 hundreds of seals and sea lions, which were 
 basking and lying about with their brown 
 coats in the sun. The surf along the whole 
 coast line was very grand, viewed from this 
 point. We returned to the city by a small 
 railroad skirting the tops of the cliffs, giving 
 a beautiful view of the narrow Golden Gate, 
 and the waters of the bay beyond. 
 
 May 2oth. — Large ferry boats capable of 
 holding a thousand people, and worked by 
 propellers, are used as a means of commu- 
 nication between San Francisco and Oaklands. 
 Crossing in one of these to a long railway 
 pier, built out into the shallow water, long 
 trains take the passengers on into the city. 
 These trains are composed of the usual Pullman 
 
( 300 ) 
 
 cars with continuous passages ; they are drawn 
 by engines with cowcatchers in front, and they 
 run right through the principal streets of the 
 city. 
 
 Half-way along the back of the engine hangs 
 a large bell, the size of an ordinary church 
 one, which is continually rung as the train 
 passes down the centre of the street. 
 
 The noise made by this bell is very doleful, 
 but it effectually warns tbe populace of the 
 approach of a train. In consequence of the 
 permissive right acquired by the Central Pacific 
 Railway Company, to run these trains from 
 the harbour to their depot through the town 
 itself, the inhabitants possess the privilege of 
 using the cars without payment, as long as 
 the train is passing through the precincts of 
 the city. 
 
 California seems a land flowing with milk 
 and honey, It has a charming and beautiful 
 
( 30I ) 
 
 climate, where everything grows and blooms 
 in abundance, and here in Oaklands the pretty 
 houses of the wealthy San Francisco merchants 
 are surrounded with gardens containing most 
 glorious and exquisite " Gloire de dijon " and 
 other roses. The streets are just the same 
 as those in the sister city ; the cars to suit 
 the convenience of the general public running 
 down the centre of the roads, flanked right 
 and left by hideous telegraph poles, ruining 
 their otherwise handsome perspectives. 
 
 May 2\st. — China Town, situated in the 
 heart of the city, is, I am afraid a vexed 
 question with the inhabitants of San Francisco. 
 Here, in the centre of this brilliant capital of 
 the west, with the ultra improvements of this 
 go-a-head age, is a bit of China again, with 
 its dirt and squalor, and subterranean dens, 
 into which one is invited to penetrate by 
 importunate guides. There it is, and there 
 
( 302 ) 
 
 apparently it must remain, but it is a blot 
 upon this handsome city. 
 
 May 22nd. — At four o'clock we departed 
 for the Yosemite Valley, situated in the Sierra 
 Nevada range of mountains. Travelling in a 
 Pullman sleeping car for several hours we 
 arrived at a place called Berenda, when we 
 were switched on to a side line, where we 
 reposed for the night. 
 
 Very early in the morning we were 
 taken further by train a short distance, 
 and then mounted a four-horse coach for 
 a long two days' drive, to explore the 
 wonders of this valley, one of America's 
 biggest sights. 
 
 We soon commenced to mount the foothills 
 of the Sierra Nevada range, and by noon 
 reached a ranch called Ahwani, where we 
 obtained lunch. With a freSh relay of horses 
 we gradually ascended until Mount Raymond 
 
( 303 ) 
 
 came into view, with snow covering its 
 summit. The beautiful valleys around us were 
 covered with yellow giant pines, wild horse 
 chestnuts and lilacs, while beds of wild lupins 
 made the roadside gay with their deep blue 
 colour. 
 
 We attained an altitude of over 6,000 feet 
 after driving a distance altogether of about 
 twenty five miles, and thereupon descended in 
 a zigzag manner for several miles through a 
 pine forest to the upland valley of Wawona, 
 where we slept. At six o'clock the following 
 morning we were off again through the 
 National Park of the Yosemite, to reach the 
 famous valley. The road led continually 
 upwards through the giant pine trees, and 
 affording far-reaching glimpses of vast rugged 
 mountain ranges, until turning sharply round a 
 corner we came upon Inspiration Point, and 
 the Yosemite valley lay beneath and before us. 
 
( 304 ) 
 
 We seemed quite close to It and yet we were 
 four miles above the floor of this wonderful 
 valley cut in the mountains. The Bridal Veil 
 waterfall we could see dropping gently for 
 900 feet, over a cliff ; above it rose the twin 
 peaks of the Cathedral Spires, then came the 
 Sentinel Rock, opposite the Capitan, while 
 closing in the view towered the rounded peaks 
 of the North Dome and Half Dome. We 
 quickly accomplished the four mile descent to 
 the bottom of the valley, and were soon right 
 under the Bridal Veil, dropping like a piece of 
 feathery muslin or silk, and sending up a cloud 
 of white steam, upon which beautiful prismatic 
 hues were reflected. The mountains reared 
 their giant heads almost vertically around us. 
 Stupendous masses of rock towered to the 
 skies, all with peculiar formations, and which 
 have received quaint names from the Indians. 
 The Tu-si-ak (goddess of the mountains), 
 
( 305 ) 
 
 represents the North Dome, rising like the 
 dome of a cathedral to 8,823 feet ; directly- 
 opposite to this is the To-co-yai, or Shade to 
 Indian baby basket. Further up the valley is 
 the Mahta (martyr mountain), or lap of liberty, 
 Tu-tock-a-nu-la (great chief of the valley), 
 Pom-pom-pa-sus (falling rocks), called by the 
 Americans, the Three Brothers, etc. Between 
 the Sentinel and the North Dome, falls drop 
 into the valley in three parts ; the Yosemite, 
 which is the biggest drop in the world, being 
 2,548 feet in length. 
 
 These falls are set in a frame of such vastness 
 and grandeur that one can scarcely imagine 
 their true size. The waters thunder down into 
 a chasm, foaming and churning, and throwing up 
 volumes of white and clouded spray, which 
 is wafted about by the wind, while a battle 
 rages on in this seething cauldron, causing 
 reports like cannon shots to be heard. 
 
( 3o6 ) 
 
 The width of the fall as it slips over 
 the summit of the cliff is over 40 feet, and 
 it is a day's journey up a trail to the 
 summit. There are three distinct leaps, the 
 final one dropping 1,502 feet; the water then 
 runs down a narrow gorge, called the middle fall, 
 for 559 feet, and then decends with a final 
 plunge of 487 feet into the above-mentioned 
 hidden chasm ; from which the waters emerge, 
 and mingle with the blue, placid river 
 flowing through the centre of the valley, over- 
 shadowed by the giant pines, which raise their 
 graceful heads out from the fallen boulders 
 strewn about in wild confusion. Further up 
 the river, there is another waterfall of 617 
 feet, called the Vernal, or Cataract of 
 Diamonds. 
 
 The star-spangled banner waves from the 
 summit of Glacier Point, up which an old 
 Indian trail ascends in steep zigzags. At 
 
( 307 ) 
 
 this point a large massive rock projects 
 right over the precipice, upon which one 
 can safely stand. The whole range of the 
 Sierras can be seen from here, a wavy 
 expanse of pine and snow - covered 
 mountains. 
 
 In this wonderful forest, sixty miles of 
 which we have traversed during two days, 
 a great many of the pines rise to a height 
 of 300 feet, while the average is about 
 250 feet. 
 
 Forest fires burn and scorch a great 
 many of them, and this is very easily 
 accomplished, as a canary -colored lichen or 
 moss grows on the bark, and burns like 
 tinder. 
 
 A match set to this lichen will scorch a 
 beautiful tree in a few minutes, and leave 
 it a blackened and scarred trunk. 
 
 Wild boar, lynx, deer, skunk and rattle- 
 
( 3o8 ) 
 
 snakes abound in these regions, but we saw 
 only a few deer; and a skunk running in front 
 of the leaders' legs, as we were approaching 
 Wawona. Californian quail were running 
 about in pairs, while the work of the wood- 
 peckers could be seen on every side, in 
 the riddled appearance of large numbers of 
 the trees. 
 
 The most dainty little bird we observed 
 was the golden auriole, about the size of 
 a canary, with a yellow breast, black wings, 
 red beak and blue head. 
 
 On the return journey, we drove four 
 miles out of the main road to visit the 
 famous giant trees of Mariposa, the largest of 
 which is named the Grizzly Giant ; this mighty 
 monarch is over 800 feet high and ^S feet 
 in circumference. There are over one hundred 
 of these trees, and they all have special 
 names. Passing four, standing in a square 
 
( 309 ) 
 
 called the Sentinels, we saw others called 
 New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, 
 and there are also very many named after 
 celebrated men. Then our stage coach 
 drove through one living tree called Wawona, 
 28 feet in diameter. The tree does not 
 appear to have suffered any injury from this 
 large archway having been cut through it. 
 
 On reaching Latrop, we re-ascended our 
 Pullman car on the railway, which was 
 afterwards switched on a side line at Berenda 
 station, where we slept; and in the early 
 morning were on our way to Sacramento. 
 
 This town lies in a very fertile part of 
 California, and is surrounded by fruit orchards 
 and vineyards. We soon commenced to 
 leave this beautiful valley and ascend the 
 snow clad range of the Sierras Nevadas, 
 passing under large wooden snow sheds, 
 built to protect the line from being 
 
 21 
 
( 3IO ) 
 
 blocked by snow. One of these sheds must 
 have been over 20 miles in length ; and 
 we could only perceive, through small 
 crevices here and there, some of the glories 
 of the grand mountains we were passing. 
 We spent one whole night and one day 
 on board the train, travelling through the 
 inhospitable state of Nevada, with nothing 
 but prairie land covered with brush to be 
 observed. This large state has only 40,000 
 inhabitants. Rounding the north end of the 
 Great Salt lake, whose waters are so full of 
 brine that one cannot sink in them, we 
 arrived at five o'clock in the evening at 
 Ogden, 800 miles from San Francisco, where 
 we changed cars ior Salt Lake City, the 
 home of the Mormons, which was reached 
 about eight o'clock. Going to the Knutsford 
 hotel, we, as well as the other passengers 
 were curtly informed that it was too late to 
 
( 3" ) 
 
 obtain anything to eat whatever; so we sallied 
 forth, and found a second rate restaurant. 
 I simply mention this as an example of how 
 American independence chooses to assert 
 itself, even at the risk of offending customers. 
 
 The next morning, May 26th, we visited 
 Brigham Young's interesting grave ; the man 
 who was the introducer of polygamy to 
 the Mormon sect, under the designation of 
 " spiritual wives." The local guide book 
 blazes forth as follows, with regard to this 
 grave: — "thousands visit in appreciative mood 
 this sacred locality, where all that was 
 mortal of the great leader, who has been 
 likened unto Moses, waits the trump of 
 resurrection." 
 
 The tomb is a plain white slab of 
 marble, surrounded by an iron palisading, 
 standing in a small cemetery planted with 
 turf. Close to it stands the celebrated 
 
( 312 ) 
 
 bee-hive house, surmounted by a representa- 
 tion of a bee hive, one of the residences 
 of President Brigham Young and his 
 extensive family, and near it is the 
 celebrated tabernacle, capable of holding 
 10,000 people. The exterior is exceedingly 
 ugly, and the interior quite plain, free 
 from ornamentation of any kind. At the 
 western end stood a fine carved-wood 
 organ, the largest in America, and in front 
 of this were ranged 250 seats for the 
 choir, and four rows of chairs for the 
 members of the assembly, for whose comfort 
 separate cuspidals were also provided. The 
 building has most remarkable acoustic 
 properties ; a pin dropped on to the floor 
 at one end we could hear plainly at the 
 other. 
 
 Situated in the same enclosure, and 
 surrounded by a high stone wall, is the 
 
( 313 ) 
 
 temple, lately completed, which has been 
 in course of erection during the last forty 
 years. 
 
 Architecturally it has no merit whatever, 
 as it presents the appearance of a large 
 building, made of white granite, suitable 
 for offices ; it has three rows of windows 
 on each side, and three towers adorn each 
 end of the roof, one of them being a 
 representation of a Mormon angel in gold, 
 13 feet high. The building, however, 
 stands out prominently above the city, and 
 is a characteristic landmark. 
 
 Among the thirteen articles of faith of this 
 community, as handed down by the founder, 
 number ten is of special interest, viz. : — 
 
 "We believe in the literal gathering of 
 Israel, and in the restoration of the ten 
 tribes. That Zion will be built upon this 
 continent. That Christ will reign personally 
 
( 314 ) 
 
 Upon this earth, and that the earth will 
 be renewed, and receive its paradisaic glory.*' 
 
 Leaving the sacred precincts of the abode 
 of Mormons, considerably edified, we strolled 
 down one of the broad, handsome streets 
 of the city, and stopped at the theatre, 
 also erected by Brigham Young. Here we 
 discovered that a reception was being held, 
 with gratuitous admission, by the friends and 
 supporters of the Keely Institute. This 
 beneficent institution has for its object the 
 reclamation of confirmed drunkards and those 
 addicted to the tobacco ( I presume, both 
 chewing and smoking) and opium habits. 
 
 Upon the stage several gentlemen, as well 
 as a little fair haired girl, were sitting 
 in arm chairs, and they were surrounded 
 by wooden easels, holding photographs of 
 celebrities, or special heroes, connected with the 
 undertaking. 
 
I 315 ) 
 
 There was also a little black poodle dog, 
 which acted as messenger, bringing in occasional 
 notes or telegraphic messages. After a 
 short explanatory address by the chairman, 
 a hidden band struck up, — "Yankee Doodle," 
 " Down upon the Swanee River," and other 
 harmonious national melodies, after which, 
 several *' graduates" were requested to come 
 forward and relate their experiences of their 
 several cures, accompanying their painful 
 recitals by copious libations of iced water. 
 
 Loud cries were then made for a third 
 individual, whose name I have unfortunately 
 mislaid, who rose and eloquently and graphically 
 described his past ruined home life for forty 
 years, and then the change that had already 
 taken place during the fortnight that he had 
 been under the cure ; the happy, smiling 
 faces of his wife and children, and his own 
 altered feelings and habits. 
 
( 3i6 ) 
 
 The cure consists of the injection of 
 bromide of gold into the arm, and the 
 institute has homes in most of the large 
 cities of America. 
 
 The Great Salt Lake is situated eighteen 
 miles from the city, and is ninety miles long, 
 the waters being as has already been stated, 
 so full of concentrated brine, that it is 
 impossible to drown in them ; and bathing is 
 therefore much in vogue at a spot called 
 Garfield beach. The city itself is sur- 
 rounded by spurs of the Wasutch range 
 of mountains, and is commanded by a fort 
 called Fort George. It is laid out at 
 
 right angles, and presents the usual dreadful 
 sameness and newness common to all American 
 cities. 
 
 Salt Lake City stands at the very threshold 
 of the Rocky mountains, which we now 
 proceeded to cross by the Rio Grande railway, 
 
{ 317 ) 
 
 en route to the city of Denver. This line 
 is called the "scenic of the world," and the 
 broad gauge track runs through romantic 
 gorges, mountains, and canons, past rushing 
 rivers and upland valleys, surrounded by bare, 
 precipitous mountain peaks. Travelling east- 
 ward, one first enters the stupendous canon 
 of the grand river, and the train winds 
 upward through the narrow gorge with 
 its vertical crags of castellated appearance 
 towering on all sides. 
 
 We then entered a canon, called King 
 Solomon's temple, and slowly ascended to an 
 altitude of 10,000 feet. Passing Leadville, 
 an important silver mining centre, and Glen- 
 wood springs, famous for its hot mineral 
 baths, we shortly afterwards arrived at the 
 Royal gorge, the grandest canon of the 
 Rockies, down which the train rushed. 
 
 This pass is so narrow that the railway 
 
( 3i8 ) 
 
 track is hewn out of solid rock, by the side 
 of the foaming river. The steep cliffs frowned 
 down upon us, and almost hid the light of 
 day from our view. The American railway 
 guide books are very strong with their 
 description of this really beautiful pass, and 
 I give an extract here : — 
 
 " No words can enable the imagination to realize the 
 stupendous and gloomy grandeur of the scene. It is as 
 if the Almighty in his wrath had riven the mountain 
 asunder to make a sepulchre for the sun. And the ancient 
 sun as the centuries roll away into the ocean of time 
 comes, every day a little while, and shines into the great 
 abyss, calmly and pensively, like a passing martyr smiling 
 into his own grave." " The spectacle is a majestic 
 lamentation, and moves the heart to silence and to pity, 
 like a queen's tears." 
 
 After this poetic and puffing effusion, the 
 guide books proceed to business by recording 
 the interesting fact that four trans-continental 
 
( 319 ) 
 
 trains pass through this canon every day in 
 the year. 
 
 As we passed through Eagle river canon 
 we noticed, 2000 feet above us, a silver 
 mining town perched right up on the cliffs, 
 down which little tramways, with buckets, 
 convey the ore to the trains. 
 
 The most beautiful mountain is that of 
 
 the *' Holy Cross," so called because under 
 
 its summit the snow lies in two deep 
 
 crevasses exactly in the form of a cross, 
 
 which can be seen for many miles : — 
 
 "The Holy Cross of Christian faith, above the royal 
 velvet 
 
 In beauty shines ; an emblem wraith high on the 
 beetling helmet ! 
 
 Its white arms, stretching through the sheen of 
 silvery mist, are gleaming — 
 
 A talisman, the world to screen ; Hope's symbol 
 in its seeming ! 
 
 A wonder grand, a joy serene, upon the ages 
 beaming." Vischer. 
 
( 320 ) 
 
 In a few hours after leaving the gorge, 
 we arrived at the new bright city of Denver, 
 passing Pueblo en route (once belonging to 
 Mexico). 
 
 Denver is situated 4,000 feet above the 
 sea, not far from the foot-hills of the Rockies, 
 whose snow-clad, cloud-kissed mountains seemed 
 quite close, although 30 miles away. 
 
 This city is only thirty years of age, and 
 already presents the appearance of a great, 
 prosperous, capital city. Its sudden rise and 
 advancement is due, principally, to its being 
 the centre of the great mining industries of 
 Colorado. It has 160,000 inhabitants, and 
 is built upon a fertile plain, with the summit 
 of Pike*s peak a few miles away. 
 
 It possesses a splendid opera house, modern 
 theatres, and fire-proof hotels, one of which, 
 known as the '* Brown Palace Hotel," is a 
 marvel. It is built entirely of stone and iron, 
 
( 321 ) 
 
 the interior entrance hall being in the form of an 
 octagon, the walls of which are ornamented 
 with mica and onyx. There are four 
 elevators, one of which is used exclusively 
 for the large dining hall, which is situated on 
 the eighth floor, and commands a bird's-eye 
 view of the city, and of the mountains for 
 300 miles. This building cost 1,000,000 
 dollars and was built by Mr. Brown on the 
 land on which he settled thirty years 
 previously. In this hotel are all the ultra- 
 modern surprises that the American delights in. 
 The bed in one's bedroom shuts up into a 
 chest of drawers. Each room has separate 
 lavatory and bath room while electric discs 
 placed against the wall give any ordinary 
 requirements usually demanded by visitors, and 
 by moving a pointer the demand is supplied 
 from a central office. Our stay in this city 
 was very pleasant as we were fortunate 
 
( 322 ) 
 
 enough in having introductions to some 
 American gentlemen who specially introduced 
 us to others, the usual formula of introduction 
 being very novel. " Mr. Smith I want you 
 
 to shake hands with Mr. P Mr. Smith 
 
 said he was proud to shake hands with Mr. 
 
 p »' jf y^Q \^^^ stayed much longer we 
 
 should soon have shaken hands with all the 
 population of Denver, so we thought discretion 
 the better part of valour, and departed by 
 the night Pullman car vestibuled train for 
 the city of Chicago. Journeying on board a 
 train across the continent of America is very 
 similar to ocean travelling. One's fellow 
 passengers are very friendly. Each train has 
 a corridor running through its entire length. 
 There are dining cars, smoking rooms, 
 lavatories, and a great deal of card playing 
 is indulged in by those who like to play, and 
 the time passes very speedily. Each sleeping 
 
( 323 ) 
 
 Pullman has accommodation for twenty people 
 and the difficulty of travelling is made as 
 luxurious as possible. 
 
 May 31^/. — After two nights we arrived In 
 the City of the West, and drove to the 
 Auditorium Hotel. 
 
 The Auditorium is one of America's greatest 
 show buildings, and is proudly called by 
 them the Colosseum of the New World. It is 
 a stately pile, built of massive stone like a 
 Florentine palace, and it comprises a huge 
 hotel, a large theatre, and sets of shops and 
 offices. The dining room is on the eighth 
 floor, and has a view of Michigan avenue and 
 the blue waters of Lake Michigan. The traffic 
 in and out of the central hall resembles that of 
 a railway station. Chicago boasts of possessing 
 the highest inhabited buildings In the world, 
 which are called sky scrapers. The most 
 noticeable of these is the Masonic temple. 
 
( 324 ) 
 
 twenty stories in height, with sixteen 
 elevators, etc. Round the city there are 
 continuous boulevards and parks. Lincoln 
 park has a bronze statue of Abraham 
 Lincoln, and an equestrian one of President 
 Grant. Jackson park is of course covered 
 with the colossal buildings of the World's Fair 
 and here we soon found ourselves. This 
 park is eight miles from the city, and one is 
 conveyed there, either by the elevated railroad, 
 cable or electric cars, by the special service 
 pf express trams, laid down along the shores 
 of the lake, or by excursion steamers; so 
 there need be no difficulty of locomotion for 
 the visitors swarming into the city from all 
 parts of the world. 
 
 '• Chicagoans " have named the Exposition, 
 the " White City," as the beautiful palaces 
 are all of pure classical architecture, of the 
 Italian Renaissance style, in white, and are 
 
( 325 ) 
 
 surrounded by lagoons, canals and lakes with 
 wooded islands, which are reached by rustic 
 bridges. Under the bridges, and over the 
 lakes, dash small electric launches, which are 
 largely used for conveyance about the grounds ; 
 as are also gondolas rowed by real Venetian 
 gondoliers. Approaching by steamer on 
 lake Michigan, the White City has an 
 enchanting appearance ; and one might easily 
 imagine the mammoth building to have been 
 raised by the waving of a magician's wand, 
 rather than bv the work of human creatures. 
 In front of the Golden Dome of the 
 Administration Building is a beautiful lake, at 
 the far end of which the gilded statue of 
 Liberty rises out of the water. On the left 
 and right sides stand the palaces of the 
 Liberal Arts and Agriculture, the latter a 
 dome with large groups of statuary, emble- 
 matic of rural life. A glorious fountain, 
 
 22 
 
( 326 ) 
 
 surmounted by a model of a Spanish galleon 
 with rowers, and surrounded by lesser studies 
 of mythological character, pours its waters 
 into the lake. Close by are the palaces 
 
 devoted to machinery, electricity and mining ; 
 while beyond, is that assigned to transportation, 
 with a golden gateway, upon which are 
 suitable words by Bacon and Macaulay. 
 
 Going northward along the margin of the lake 
 are Japanese temples upon the long wooded 
 islands. We pass the Music palace, and the 
 Horticultural and Women's buildings. Away 
 across the lake rises the picturesque Fisheries 
 palace, the State of Illinois building, and 
 representative buildings of Norway, Brazil, 
 India, etc. Behind these, on the shores of 
 Lake Michigan, are characteristic French and 
 German buildings, while close to the pier is 
 an unprententious model of an Elizabethan 
 house, used by the committee of the English 
 
{ 327 ) 
 
 section. The States all have handsome 
 representative buildings fitted up as club- 
 houses, with ornamental furniture and carpets, 
 and each one possesses telegraphic and postal 
 offices. These houses are used as resting 
 places by the visitors from the respective 
 states, who invariably sign their names in 
 leviathan visitors' books. Each one of these 
 buildings is an exhibition in itself; the one 
 representative of New York being a replica 
 of the Capitol at Washington; and the 
 California building a model of the ancient 
 Spanish Mission buildings. This latter is filled 
 with a magnificent selection of the wonderful 
 natural products of fruits, etc., from this 
 prolific state. Virginia has erected an exact 
 model of George Washington's house, with 
 interesting relics of the hero. 
 
 The Art Palace is a glorious building, with 
 miles of canvasses, representative of the best 
 
( 328 ) 
 
 modern work of the world There is a fine 
 loan collection from the United States, inclu- 
 ding gems of Greuze, Corot, Millet, Gerome, 
 Alma Tadema, Rosa Bonheur, Constable, etc. 
 The Germans have sent a colossal canvas 
 from the Berlin gallery, the subject of which 
 is typical of the Fatherland, viz. ; '' Apotheosis 
 of William I." This depicts the Emperor 
 crowned with laurel leaves, and standing on 
 a triumphal car, re-entering Berlin after the 
 war, and followed by his son Frederick ; 
 with Bismarck, Moltke, and the general staff. 
 Another is an original picture of the Berlin 
 Congress, and there is a large one of the 
 present Emperor on horse- back. There are 
 many gems in the English section ; Leigh ton's 
 *^ Garden of the Hesperides," E. Butler's 
 ''Roll Call," Millais' ^^ Bubbles." There are 
 three "Alma Tademas," while Lord Brassey 
 sends a Sussex picture, by Vicat Cole. 
 
( 329 ) 
 
 June \st to ^th. — The French have a large 
 exhibit of their highly imaginative, and realistic 
 genre, as well as nude studies. 
 
 The whole exhibition is surrounded by 
 an elevated intermural electric railway, with 
 open cars; which are lighted by electricity 
 at night. Perhaps the most novel part of 
 the show, for the Americans, is centred in 
 the portion of the Park the called Midway 
 Plaisance. The Midway is a broad boulevard, 
 connecting Jackson and Washington Parks, 
 and this has been turned into a plaisance ; 
 hence the title. In this enclosure are all 
 the private exhibits, as well as various villages 
 filled with inhabitants of different parts of the 
 world. There is the ubiquitous street of 
 Cairo, with its lemon sellers, dromedaries and 
 asses ; and an Egyptian theatre with its dances, 
 etc., as well as a model of the Temple of 
 Luxor, containing the mummies of the 
 
( 330 ) 
 
 Pharaohs, and tombs with inscriptions of the 
 early date of 3,000 or 4,000 years before 
 Christ. Near this is a Tunisian bazaar and 
 theatre, and the beating of the torn toms 
 made us enter. We were very edified to 
 find a young fakir dancing himself into a fit, 
 until his eyes rolled wildly, and then devouring 
 a piece of live coal and swallowing glass 
 ware. When he feasted on a live scorpion 
 our enjoyment increased, and went beyond 
 bounds when he allowed a long green adder 
 to fasten itself round his nose, in which 
 position he carried it about the stage. 
 Dancing yet a little more wildly, in order to 
 screw himself up to the requisite courage, he 
 produced a red hot poker, and after lighting 
 a paper with it, he proceeded to beat it 
 with his hands, and then placed his feet on 
 it. As he survived this operation we were 
 not surprised when he produced a sword and 
 
( 331 ) 
 
 threw himself upon its point. Leaving this 
 clever performance, we paid a visit to old 
 Vienna, which was represented by a grouping 
 of old buildings of the Graben, a celebrated 
 market place in that city. Here an Austrian 
 brass band discoursed sweet music, while 
 appreciative Germans sat around and quaffed 
 the local "lager" beer, and one might easily 
 have imagined oneself transported to a typical 
 beer garden. Close by was a Chinese theatre 
 and joss house. Further along a Lapland 
 village, with Laplanders, reindeer, etc. ; and 
 a Dahomey village with a tribe of fifty 
 Dahomeyans, who were good enough to 
 array themselves in grassy costumes to allay 
 the prejudices of their American audience, 
 as they went through the extraordinary 
 evolutions of their war-dance. The Hawaiian 
 Republic exhibited a panorama of the fearful 
 volcano of Kilauea. There were also 
 
( 332 } 
 
 panoramas of the Paris Exhibition, of the 
 
 Alps, and of St. Peter's at Rome, in addition 
 
 to Turkish, Persian, Moorish and Saracenic 
 
 buildings, all with native bazaars and theatres 
 
 for the exhibition of their distinctive dances. 
 
 Then the Germans had erected a real village 
 
 and old German castle with a moat. Here 
 
 we dined, and listened to the loud strain 
 
 of a German brass band, sent by the 
 
 Fatherland. As there are over 350,000 
 
 Germans livings in Chicago, the Teutonic 
 
 element is largely represented at the 
 
 exhibition, and, indeed the German exhibits 
 
 are very extensive in all departments. The 
 
 Irish also had a model of an old castle, 
 
 with a well, and the blarney stone. Opposite 
 
 this, the stalwart forms of two bagpipers, 
 
 discoursing sweet music, called our attention, 
 
 not to a Scotch exhibit but to the world's 
 
 congress of beauty. Entering the abode 
 
( 333 ) 
 
 where beauty dwelt, we found the repre- 
 sentatives of the divinity ranged on elevated 
 platforms right round a room, and guarded 
 from too close an inspection by an iron rail. 
 Here reposed a Chinese lady, and also Welsh, 
 Scotch, Alsatian, Swiss, Norwegian, Russian, 
 Japanese and German girls. At the extreme 
 end, reclined on a gorgeous couch, Fatima, 
 with a far-away dreamy air, was surrounded by 
 other Turkish maidens, all in languorous 
 attitudes, some of them not disdaining to 
 puff the dainty cigarette. Addressing Fatima, 
 to my surprise I found she was equally 
 conversant with French, German and English 
 languages, and hailed from Vienna. Another 
 lady was attired in a " Worth " gown, and 
 came from Edinburgh. Two Mexican young 
 ladies were attired in decollet^ gowns ; one 
 was very thin and the other very stout. 
 The latter was reading Lorna Doone, and 
 
( 334 ) 
 
 told me that " she had heard a lot of 
 marquises, dukes and earls were coming to 
 the show ; she had not seen them yet, but 
 hoped she would." A young girl attired 
 in a pale green Grecian dress, with a 
 silver band, was very sulky ; and with reason, 
 for she was expected to show the loose 
 flowing draperies of her costume by con- 
 tinually promenading ; and just as she, 
 perhaps, had reached an interesting part of 
 her novel, she would be requested by an 
 American lady to "stand up, please." This 
 classical young lady did not hail from the 
 Hellenic peninsula, but was a home bred 
 " Chicagoan." The Chinese lady was always 
 peacefully slumbering, and the Japanese one, 
 writing. The Russian young lady spoke 
 German fluently, but said she was from 
 Poland ; while the Alsatian came from the 
 Bernese Oberland. 
 
( 335 ) 
 
 I came away rather mixed up with the 
 cosmopolitan nature of the young ladies 
 exhibited. Opposite to this was Hagenbeck's 
 arena of trained wild animals. Here a 
 wonderful performance takes place daily. 
 The arena is a large cage, in which 
 Mr. Hagenbeck introduces at once, lions, 
 tigers, bears, panthers, lynx, wild boar and 
 boar-hounds, a happy family of wild beasts. 
 After putting them through most extraordinary 
 tricks; one of which consisted of harnessing 
 two Bengal tigers to a Roman chariot, 
 leading a lion attired in a crown and a 
 long ermine robe, behind which were two 
 boars, as pages, and which went round the 
 ring, — the whole of the animals were ranged 
 as a living staircase. One lion also was 
 put through an equestrian performance on 
 the bare back of a horse, jumping through 
 hoops, etc. 
 
( 336 ) 
 
 A few general facts with regard to the 
 Exposition may not be uninteresting: — 
 
 Jackson Park is situated on the shores 
 of Lake Michigan, and embraces 533 acres, 
 while the Midway Plaisance has 80. The 
 structures erected upon these parks, cover 
 twice the area of those of the Paris 
 Exhibition of 1889, and alone they have 
 cost more than fifty per cent. of the 
 total cost of the Paris fair. Five million 
 dollars have been spent in the laying out 
 of the grounds, and the total cost of the 
 Exposition to its close is estimated at 
 22,000,000 dollars. Seventeen thousand horse- 
 power for electric lighting is provided. This 
 is three times the electric lighting power in 
 use for Chicago, and ten times that provided 
 for the Paris exhibition. The material used 
 in the construction of the buildings is called 
 "staff," together with iron, wood and glass. 
 
( 337 ) 
 
 Thirty thousand tons of staff were consumed. 
 This was invented in France in 1876, and 
 was first used in the Paris Exhibition of 
 1878. It is composed chiefly of powdered 
 gypsum, the other constituents being alumina, 
 glycerine and dextrina. These are mixed 
 with water without heat, and cast in moulds 
 in any desired shape, and then allowed to 
 harden. Staff is impervious to water, and is 
 a permanent building material, although it 
 cost is one- tenth that of granite. The cost 
 of the great buildings was eight million 
 dollars. 
 
 Landscape gardening cost 323,500 dollars; 
 viaducts and bridges 125,000; grading and 
 filling up, 450,00c; piers 70,000; waterway 
 improvements, 225,000; railways, 500,000; steam 
 plant, 800,000; electric lighting, 1,500,000; 
 statutary 1,000,000; vases, lamps, etc. 50,000; 
 lake front adornment, 200,000; sewerage and 
 
( 338 ) 
 
 water supply, 600,000; and sundries, 1,000,000 
 dollars. 
 
 Facts About Chicago. 
 
 Chicago has over one million inhabitants. 
 There are 317 churches, and 150,000 volumes 
 in the public Hbrary. Its parks cover 197,461 
 acres, and its entire area is over 181 square 
 miles. Finest city in the United States, from 
 an architectural stand point. 
 
 June ^th, 1893. — Everybody has heard 
 something of the machine, in one end of 
 which live pigs are placed, while sausages 
 come out at the other. This, of course, is 
 a slight exaggeration ; but nevertheless, the 
 conversion of hogs into sausages is one of 
 the sights of Chicago ; and so we went 
 in due course to the stockyards of Messrs. 
 Armour & Co., where no fewer than 1,750,000 
 hogs were killed in 1892, as well as 
 
( 339 ) 
 
 850,000 head of cattle and 600,000 sheep. 
 We were first shown Into a large store- 
 house, where the unfortunate live hogs were 
 hanging in rows, suspended by one hind 
 leg on an inclined plane, and as they moved 
 along in rotation they were promptly " struck " 
 by a blood be-spattered butcher standing 
 underneath. They were then passed on, 
 and dropped into a large trough full of 
 scalding hot water, in which they rolled over 
 and over, until caught up in a machine 
 which literally skinned them. Their heads 
 were then cut off by a dexterous hand. 
 They were then cut up and passed on to the 
 cooling and curing rooms. Each operation 
 was pointed out, until we arrived at the 
 rooms where sausages were being turned out. 
 Here indeed was sausage, miles of sausage, 
 every variety of sausage. Frankfort sausage, 
 Bologna, Wiener Wurst, liver sausage, and 
 
( 340 ) 
 
 blood sausage. Everything was clean and 
 sweet, but the squealing of the pigs still 
 in my memory dwells ! 
 
 The cattle are killed by being hammered 
 on the head by a man. 
 
 June "jth. — We proceeded by rail, along the 
 shores of Lakes Michigan and Erie, to 
 Buffalo, in fifteen hours. Here we changed 
 cars and arrived at Niagara in an hour. As 
 the finest views of the waterfall are on the 
 Canadian side, we crossed the suspension 
 bridge thrown across the gorge about 200 
 feet above the water, and passed into Canada, 
 where we put up at the Clifton House. The 
 noise of the falling mass of waters could be 
 heard from a great distance, and from our 
 window the American fall could plainly be 
 seen. The more important is called the 
 Horse Shoe. Clouds of white mist rise from 
 the deep abyss at the bottom and effectually 
 
( 341 ) 
 
 hide the tumult of seething waters from 
 
 si^ht. One can only hear a dull roaring 
 
 sound like a far away battle. The whole 
 
 effect of this terrific volume of down-pouring 
 
 waters is truly awe-inspiring, and difficult to 
 
 describe. A small steamer called the " Maid 
 
 of the Mist " approaches as near as possible 
 
 until driven back by the velocity of the 
 
 current, while the sight-seer on board, 
 
 enveloped in thick waterproof clothing, is 
 
 almost blinded by the showers of falling spray. 
 
 Along the American bank a town has 
 
 been built and a large paper mill rears 
 
 itself in all its ugliness along the bank; 
 
 but on the Canadian side, a beautiful 
 
 park, called " The Queen Victoria," has 
 
 been tastefully laid out. At the top of the 
 
 cliff an electric car service has lately been 
 
 established, and these cars run for a 
 
 distance of three miles from the falls (and 
 
 23 
 
( 342 ) 
 
 past the foaming rapids where Captain Webb 
 lost his life,) to the whirlpool, giving 
 one a superb view of the romantic gorge. 
 
 Above the falls there is a drop from the 
 waters of Lake Erie of fifty feet, forming a 
 cataract, resembling a terrace of surf, 
 preparatory to the final plunge. Beautiful 
 peeps of these falling waters can be obtained 
 from the islands called the Three Sisters, 
 connected by wooden bridges on the 
 American side, and the Dufferin islands on 
 the Canadian. 
 
 June gth. — Leaving the falls by train, we 
 arrived in half an hour at Niagara by the 
 lake, where we stepped on board the steamer 
 " Chicory,*' and passing between the two forts 
 of Niagara and Massagawa we were soon 
 crossing a portion of the Lake Ontario, and 
 arrived in a couple of hours at the city of 
 Toronto. 
 
( 343 ) 
 
 After a drive through the broad and evenly- 
 built streets, and having admired the blossoming 
 chestnut trees which grew in profusion ; we 
 paid a visit to the English cathedral of St. 
 James, and then departed by steamer, 
 " Passport " for the Thousand islands, and 
 rapids of the river St. Lawrence, and for 
 Montreal. On the morning of the loth, we 
 entered the river and were soon gliding in and 
 out of the islands, some of which are simply 
 small rocks, with a few trees upon them, and 
 others beautifully wooded, and with sloping 
 green banks. On many of them large hotels 
 have been built, and the whole neighbourhood, 
 because of its romantic picturesqueness and 
 excellent fishing, is becoming much visited and 
 increasingly popular with holiday-seeking 
 Americans. The navigation of the stream is 
 very difficult because of its swift current and 
 the rapids, which the steamers now descend. 
 
( 344 ) 
 
 The first of these are the Long Sault rapids. 
 The vessel plunged down them as If she was 
 settling into the water, while the current tore 
 along at the rate of twenty miles an hour. 
 
 Looking backward, it appeared as if we 
 had slipped over a solid bed of submerged 
 rocks. After passing through one or two 
 minor rapids, not so exciting, the river 
 broadened to a fine lake, at the end of 
 which we sailed under a large railway 
 bridge of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and 
 the city of Montreal came into view. Just 
 before reaching it, however, the Lachine 
 rapids, which are the most exciting of the 
 trip, have to be shot. Here the water rose 
 and fell like ocean billows, and as the big 
 steamer raced down the slope, with here and 
 there an occasional bit of brown rock pro- 
 jecting out of the waters, the foam dashed 
 over us as if we were sailing in the teeth 
 
( 345 ) 
 
 of a gale. We were past the danger in three 
 minutes. 
 
 The city of Montreal is quite FVench in 
 character, and two-thirds of the inhabitants 
 are French Canadians. Just behind the city 
 rises a wooded hill called Mount Royal, from 
 which the city derives its name. The Roman 
 Catholic clergy have many churches in the 
 city ; the most interesting being a large 
 replica of St. Peter at Rome, and a copy 
 of Notre Dame in Paris. There are also 
 large numbers of modern churches, belonging 
 to Presbyterians, Methodists, etc., as well as 
 a handsome cathedral of the Anglican church. 
 The older quarters of the city are all named 
 after French saints, and after quarters of 
 Paris ; St. Francis, St. Genevieve, St. Antoine, 
 St. Denis, etc. The older houses are also 
 all in French style, with jalousies and 
 gabled windows in the roofs. The language 
 
( 346 ) 
 
 spoken is mostly French, but it is unfortu- 
 nately spoken with an accent more Breton 
 or Norman in style, and is difficult of compre- 
 hension. 
 
 A winding carriage road conducts one 
 to the summit of Mount Royal, from which 
 a view of the city immediately beneath, and 
 the far reaching expanse of the waters of 
 the St. Lawrence, is enjoyed. 
 
 The voyage to Quebec is usually accomplished 
 during the night, by means of large, palatially 
 fitted steamers ; and embarking therefore 
 on board the " Quebec,*' we were the next 
 morning under the memorable heights of 
 Quebec, scaled so gallantly by Wolff. Quebec 
 is decidedly French. Old fashioned lanes 
 and streets nestle under the fort, which has 
 been named the Gibraltar of America. One 
 might be in sunny France. Old fashioned 
 Roman Catholic churches, nunneries, etc.. 
 
( 347 ) 
 
 abound. A curious two-wheeled conveyance, 
 called a caleche, is the usual carriage ; and 
 mounting one of these we were driven to the 
 fort, to the monument on the height of 
 Abraham, marking the spot where Wolff fell ; 
 and to the Parliament house, adorned with 
 busts of both French and English soldiers 
 and statesmen. 
 
 Driving through French Canadian villages, 
 we came to the falls of Montmorency, 
 about ten miles distant. This beautiful 
 cascade falls 250 feet into a basin, surrounded 
 by wooded hills, close to the St. Lawrence 
 river. On the opposite bank stretch the 
 Laurentian hills for many miles, while the 
 picturesque white cottages of the peasants are 
 seen peeping out of the bright green woods, 
 at intervals, along the banks of the stream ; and 
 away to the right, on a promontory, we could 
 see the city of Quebec. 
 
( 348 ) 
 
 Returning to Montreal we paid a flying 
 visit by train to Ottawa, to see the hand- 
 some modern Houses of Parliament of the 
 Canadian Government, which are erected 
 on a hill above the city. Handsome 
 oil paintings of the former Viceroys adorned 
 the corridors, while in the library was 
 a large octagonal structure, containing many 
 thousands of both French and English 
 books. Returning to Montreal again we 
 took rail to Plattsburgh, and then proceeded 
 by steamer down Lakes Champlain and 
 George, obtaining distant views of the 
 Adirondack hills — to Saratoga Springs, one of 
 Americas gayest watering places. Besides 
 the mineral baths and springs, this Spa, 
 which resembles Wiesbaden, is celebrated for 
 its monster wooden hotels and the salubrity 
 of its air. It is embowered in trees under 
 which hundreds of wooden villas are built, 
 
( 349 ) 
 
 which are frequented by Americans, who 
 are driven away from their cities by the 
 intense heat during the months of July and 
 August. From Saratoga a short railway trip 
 brought us to Albany on the shores of the 
 far-famed Hudson river, called the "American 
 Rhine," (but only by Americans), where the 
 steamer " Albany," conveyed us down stream 
 to New York city. The river is of course 
 much broader than the Rhine, but it lacks the 
 beauty of the romantic ruined castles and 
 villages, added to which its natural charm is 
 utterly destroyed by the hundreds of cheap 
 trippers from New York who overcrowd the 
 boats ; the girls chewing and sucking a gum 
 sweetmeat called tutti-frutti, and candies, and 
 the men with their odious expectorating habits. 
 New York is built, as all the world knows, 
 upon Manhattan Island ; and is connected with 
 the mainland by large ferry boats, and with 
 
( 350 ) 
 
 Brooklyn by the high suspension bridge. Most 
 of the railway termini are in Jersey city. On 
 a small rock at the entrance of the harbour 
 stands the colossal figure of " Liberty," by 
 Bartholdi ; given by France to her sister 
 republic. Broadway is the principal street 
 of shops ; it is of immense length and has 
 great traffic ; but the Fifth Avenue is the 
 most handsome street, and is composed of 
 palatial hotels, clubs, churches and private 
 residences. At its western end commences 
 the fine Central Park of 900 acres, where 
 we heard a selection of classical music on 
 Sunday afternoon, which was listened to by 
 a crowd of fully 10,000 promenaders. A 
 great many of the other broad avenues are 
 ruined by the ugliness of the elevated railroads 
 which are built upon iron columns right 
 down the centres of the streets, while electric 
 cars ply underneath. There is only one 
 
( 351 ) 
 
 thing to be said in favour of these means of 
 transportation, and that is, that it would be 
 impossible for New York to do without them. 
 They are built on the level of the first floor 
 windows, and cause the greatest inconvenience 
 to the inhabitants along the line of route by 
 the smoke of the engines blowing into the 
 windows, and by the noise of the trains passing 
 every two minutes. In some thoroughfares 
 the trains actually run over the pavements. 
 The Roman Catholic cathedral of St. Patrick 
 is a handsome white stone building of Gothic 
 architecture, with two tapering spires 350 feet 
 high, and handsome coloured glass windows. 
 This church, as well as the Anglican one, 
 is on Fifth Avenue. New York possesses many 
 modern theatres, and the greatest novelty of 
 these is that some of them are provided 
 with open air garden roofs, lighted brilliantly 
 by the electric light, where music hall 
 
( 352 ) 
 
 variety entertainments are given. Admission 
 to the theatres is inclusive of a pass to the 
 garden, to which one is conveyed by 
 elevators Iced water and Japanese fans are 
 presented free by the management to the 
 visitors. Upon Madison square stands one 
 building, containing a theatre and an immense 
 amphitheatre, capable of holding 20,000 
 people 
 
 One of the great Sunday rendezvous of 
 New Yorkers is Coney Island, about an hour's 
 distance by steamboat. On these sands indis- 
 criminate bathing is indulged in, while 
 hundreds of variety-chorus dancing booths, 
 shooting galleries, circular toboggan slides and 
 switchbacks afford amusement. The whole 
 place is a kind of glorified Derby day, with 
 the unpleasant attractions of music hall stages, 
 upon which white girls and niggers were 
 singing and dancing. To have wafted Mr. 
 
( 353 ) 
 
 of L — , here for a few 
 
 hours one Sunday afternoon would have 
 made him cold with fright. Above the booths 
 towered a colossal model of an elephant, two 
 hundred feet high. 
 
 The city of Washington was next visited. 
 Washington is the home of the Administrative 
 Governmental Buildings of the United States 
 and of the President. The buildings are 
 entirely of white stone, and are of classical 
 architecture. The Capitol stands on a hill, 
 and is visible all over the city. Its rotunda is 
 very handsome and the interior is embellished 
 with a handsome frieze, underneath which are 
 large paintings of events in American history. 
 The Washington tower is the highest per- 
 manent structure in the world, 500 feet high, 
 40 feet higher than the tower of Cologne 
 Cathedral. 
 
 An elevator takes one to a height of 500 
 
( 354 ) 
 
 feet. The White House is an unpretentious 
 building, with one handsome reception room, in 
 which those persons desirous of paying their 
 respects to President Cleveland are permitted 
 to do so. We were desirous, and had the 
 pleasure of shaking hands. Close to the 
 White House are the Treasury, and the Army 
 and Navy buildings ; and in the library of the 
 latter we read the original manuscript copy 
 of the Charter of Independence. Washington's 
 fine broad streets are lined with avenues of 
 trees, and are quiet and provincial in style as 
 compared with the larger and more populous 
 cities of Chicago, New York, or Philadelphia. 
 This latter city has about i^ millions of 
 inhabitants and stands on the banks of the 
 river Schuylkill, which is frequented by oars- 
 men, like our own silvery Thames. 
 
 Independence Hall is its only historical 
 building, containing the famous Liberty Bill, 
 
( 355 ) 
 
 now removed for exhibition to the World's 
 Fair. You may look in vain for a crooked 
 street in Philadelphia, as the city is laid out 
 exactly in chessboard pattern, and contains 
 handsome sky-scraping buildings, as well as 
 a magnificent pile of buildings known as 
 the City Hall, the tower of which is not yet 
 completed. 
 
 Returning to New York we went by the 
 Limited Express, and ran the 235 miles to 
 Boston in four hours. Boston is old fashioned, 
 and actually has the audacious novelty of 
 crooked streets, and old English houses, 
 with bulging bay windows. The streets are 
 thronged, however, with processions of electric 
 cars which run to the suburbs of Cambridge, 
 Chelsea, etc., etc. 
 
 Bunkers Hill rises in the centre of the 
 suburb of Charleston, and is commemorated 
 by a stone obelisk. The city hall has a 
 
( 356 ) 
 
 gilded dome from which a splendid view 
 of the city and the harbour is obtained. 
 At Cambridge the Harvard University is 
 to be seen. 
 
 July ist. — Last evening we embarked on 
 board the Cunard Company's new steamship 
 (sister ship to the " Lucania '*) " Campania " of 
 12,600 tons, and engines of 30,000 horse 
 power, to make the run home across the 
 '* Herring Pond." This ship is the largest 
 ocean-going steamer in the world and possesses 
 two funnels, twenty feet in diameter, the 
 largest ever constructed. There are five 
 decks ; and on the main deck the music 
 saloon, the library and smoking room, as well 
 as a great many state rooms, are constructed. 
 The smoking room is of carved oak, and 
 actually possesses a fire-grate, which is lighted 
 during cold winter passages. The ship is 
 700 feet long, and cost over ;^6oo,ooo. 
 
( 357 ) 
 
 July 2nd, Sunday, — We have had rather an 
 exciting day. A waterspout, a whale, and 
 four ships were sighted. On board " Com- 
 mander" Ballington Booth held a Salvationist 
 meeting, and two revivalist lectures were given. 
 Then the captain read the burial service 
 over the body of a passenger, who died 
 suddenly of an apoplectic stroke, and was 
 buried in the ocean. 
 
 24 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 July ']th. — Our voyage home, like most of 
 the Atlantic crossings, has been an uneventful 
 one. 
 
 Running up the Irish Channel in foggy 
 weather we soon reached the broad estuary 
 of the Mersey, and shortly after disembarked 
 from our steamer to the small steam tender 
 which came alongside and conveyed us to one 
 of the landing stages at Liverpool. Passing 
 the night at the Grand Hotel, Liverpool, 
 we proceeded the following morning to 
 London, having accomplished our voyage 
 round the world in just upon seven months. 
 
( 359 ) 
 
 It is a curious feeling, that of returning 
 home to familiar scenes after a long absence, 
 during which many places have been visited. 
 We had left London amid the bitter cold 
 of December, and returned to find the City 
 in all the blaze of July sunshine. Yet how 
 quickly we seem to slip into the old scenes 
 and surroundings. How difficult it seems even 
 after a few hours to realise that a week 
 ago we were in New York, a month ago at 
 Chicago, and three months ago almost to the 
 day we were just arriving at Yokohama, having 
 visited China, India and other countries. 
 
 And now, as we once more mingle with 
 
 London life, the scenes we have visited 
 
 seem to vanish from our memories with 
 
 astonishing rapidity ; until we sometimes 
 
 wonder whether our visit to these wonderful 
 
 spots is not a dream instead of an actual 
 
 event of recent occurrence. At such times 
 
 25 
 
( 36o ) 
 
 as these we slip away and look at our 
 diary, and then as we turn its pages again, 
 the beauties of Ceylon — the vegetation of 
 Colombo — the temples of India — the sights 
 of China — the delights of happy Japan — and 
 the wonders of the Yosemite Valley — all seem 
 in imagination once more to pass in welcome 
 procession before us. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 ^*<- 
 
 OF BUDDHA AND BUDDHISM. 
 
 ,HE word Buddha comes from Budh, 
 to know; and the founder of 
 Buddhism was named Gautama, who 
 claimed to be Sarvagnya, omniscient, to know 
 all things ; and the religion which he established 
 was a " proud attempt to create a faith without 
 a God, and to conceive a deliverance in which 
 man delivers himself." 
 
 Buddha, in Burmese is generally called 
 " Phra," in Chinese "Fo"; but when he lived 
 is very uncertain, as many different dates 
 are given. In Ceylon, he is supposed to 
 
( 362 ) 
 
 have lived 543 years before the Christian 
 Era, and died at the age of 80. He was 
 born in Kapilavastu, a town about 100 miles 
 north of Benares. His father, '' Suddhodana," 
 (one possessed of pure rice) was ruler of 
 the Sakya tribe, and his mother, Moya, was 
 childless till her forty-fifth year. At his 
 birth, he took seven steps forward, a lotus 
 springing up at each step, and said, with a 
 loud voice, " I am the most excellent in the 
 world, I am the chief of the world, here- 
 after there is to me no other birth.'* 
 
 On the fifth day he was called Siddhartha, 
 "he who has accomplished his aim." His 
 mother died within a week, and his sister 
 Mahapajapati, became his foster-mother. In 
 his sixteenth year, he was married to 
 Yasodhara, daughter of the king of Koli. 
 Besides her, he is said to have had 40,000 
 concubines, and singing women. Till his 
 
( 363 ) 
 
 twenty-ninth year, Siddhartha lived in the 
 full enjoyment of every kind of pleasure, 
 when he altered his life and became an 
 ascetic. For six years he then gave himself to 
 the most severe penances, until he became so 
 weak, that he fell senseless to the ground, and 
 was supposed to be dead. After preaching 
 for forty-five years he was attacked by a 
 severe and painful illness, to which he eventually 
 succumbed. 
 
 Throughout his public life, Gautama was in 
 the habit of travelling about most of the 
 fine parts of the year, preaching to the people ; 
 but during the rainy months in North India 
 from June to October, he remained in one 
 place, devoting himself more particularly to 
 the instruction of his disciples. Unlike the 
 Brahmins, Gautama admitted into the priest- 
 hood persons of all castes. His followers 
 had an easy life, and were treated with 
 
( 364 ) 
 
 respect. In course of time, he gained a 
 large number of adherents, and at one time 
 he was joined by a thousand fire- worshippers, 
 disciples of Kasypa. His last words to his 
 " followers," were : — 
 
 "Behold now, brethren, I exhort you saying, 
 decay is inherent in all component things. 
 Work out, with diligence, your own 
 perfection." 
 
 Shortly afterwards he passed away, in an 
 unconscious state. A grand funeral pile was 
 prepared by the Mallas of Kusinara, but it 
 would not burn till Moha Kasyapa had come 
 with 500 priests, and worshipped at the feet 
 of Buddha. Then the pile caught fire of 
 itself. When the body was consumed, 
 torrents of water from above, and beneath, 
 extinguished the flames. The bones that 
 remained, were taken, with a grand procession. 
 
( 365 ) 
 
 to the city, where they were afterwards 
 distributed. Buddhism is confined to Eastern 
 Asia, and in no country does it exist alone. 
 Demon worship was the original superstition 
 in Ceylon, and has a far greater hold upon 
 the people than Buddhism. The worship of 
 the Hindoo gods was introduced by the 
 kings. In some of their charms, the 
 
 Smghalese mix the names of Buddha, Brahma, 
 Vishnu, and demons. In Ceylon, there are 
 two Buddhist sects, the Siamese and Burmese. 
 The latter, introduced about the beginning of 
 the present century, requires priests to cover 
 both shoulders with their robes, and leave 
 the eyebrows unshorn. They claim greater 
 purity than the Siamese sect, condemning the 
 worship of the Hindoo gods. 
 
 Gautama rests his claim to be the greatest 
 of beings, mainly in his alleged omniscience. 
 He was supposed to know all things, past, 
 
( 366 ) 
 
 present, and to come. Hence he is called 
 Buddha, the enlightened one ; Sarvagnya, the 
 all-wise ; and Samma-sam- Buddha, the com- 
 pletely enlightened one. This knowledge, he 
 says, was self-acquired and not derived from 
 any one. In the Mahavagga, he says : " I am 
 the all- knowing — by my own power I possess 
 knowledge. Whom should I call my master ? 
 I have no teacher." When he preached his 
 first sermon, it is said that the foundations of 
 10,000 worlds were shaken, and a brilliant light 
 was presented. In illustration of Buddha's 
 
 kindness, it is said, that in his various births 
 (550 of them) he sacrificed himself so often to 
 provide food for hungry wild beasts and 
 demons, that he gave more eyes than there 
 are stars in the heavens, more blood than chere 
 is water in the four oceans, and more flesh 
 than there is earth in all the continents of 
 the world. 
 
( 36; ) 
 
 The Doctrines of Buddha.* 
 
 1st. The denial of a Creator. Gautama did 
 not expressly say that there is no Creator, 
 but he implied it when he claimed to be the 
 greatest being in the universe, — and he dis- 
 couraged inquiry, because he wished himself 
 to be regarded as the greatest being, — to be 
 worshipped instead of the great Creator of the 
 universe. 
 
 2nd. Denial of an intelligent Governor of 
 the world. Instead of a great Creator 
 governing the world which he has made, 
 Buddhism substitutes Karma. The word 
 Karma comes from Kri, to do, and means 
 "doing or act." It denotes the moral quality 
 of an action, whether good or evil. Human 
 beings partake of their own Karma ; Karma 
 
 * Extracts from a pamphlet issued by a Madras Educational Society and 
 from information given me by a priest. 
 
( 368 ) 
 
 apportions to beings, prosperity or adversity. 
 Budda teaches that the merit or demerit of 
 actions produces evil or good to men, without 
 the intervention of a judge to decide on 
 that merit or demerit, or of a person to give 
 to the individual either the reward or the 
 punishment. 
 
 3rd. No hearer of prayer. Man is his 
 own god. Buddhism proclaims a salvation 
 which each man is to gain for himself, and by 
 himself, in this world during this life, without 
 the least reference to God or to gods, great or 
 small. Buddha himself cannot hear prayer 
 He has entered *' Nirvana,*' and is now 
 existent. There is no help. Every mis- 
 fortune must be endured. There is no 
 pardon of sin. Punishments of sin are 
 most appalling, but no cry for mercy can 
 be heard. 
 
( 369 ) 
 
 4th. Man has no soul. Buddha's doctrine 
 is that there is no soul in man which 
 transmigrates, but that the whole of a man 
 ceases at death. Buddhists, in general believe 
 that a man has a body and a soul ; that 
 upon the death of the body the soul enters 
 into some other body, and in that new body 
 it is either rewarded or punished for the 
 actions performed by the said soul after a 
 previous birth. 
 
 5th. No permanent happiness. 
 
 Precepts. 
 1st. Not to take life. 
 2nd. Not to steal. 
 3rd. Not to commit adultery. 
 4th. Not to tell lies. 
 
( 370 ) 
 
 5th. Not to drink intoxicating liquors. 
 
 Three other commands are sometimes taken. 
 
 6th. Not to eat after noon. 
 
 7th. Not to attend dancing, stage plays, 
 etc. 
 
 8th. Not to use perfumes. 
 
 Priests are bound to use two more. 
 
 9th. Not to use high beds or couches. 
 
 lOth. Not to receive gold or silver. 
 
 The Threefold Refuge. 
 
 There are three refuges in the Buddhist 
 religion, called — the threefold refuge, viz : — 
 
 I St. Buddha has a refuge. Buddha claims 
 to be a refuge on account of his supposed 
 wisdom and greatness, and that is one reason 
 
( 371 ) 
 
 why his supposed relics are worshipped. At 
 Kandy is a golden shrine at which the 
 people do reverence before his left canine tooth ; 
 which is supposed to have sustained wonderful 
 trials. When thrown into a burning furnace, 
 it appeared on the surface of a lotus. An 
 attempt was made to crush it on an anvil, but 
 it remained embedded in the iron, resisting all 
 the means employed to take it out, until 
 Subadda, a Buddhist, got it removed. These 
 stories are devoid of truth: — 
 
 Let the relic now be tested on an anvil. 
 
 Pilgrimages are made to the top of Adam's 
 Peak, where there is supposed to be a foot- 
 print of Buddha; but there is only a little 
 hollow in the rock, and the likeness to the 
 foot is made with chunam or lime ; and is a 
 gross deception. 
 
( 372 ) 
 
 Images of Buddha have honor paid to them. 
 His height was eighteen cubits; but how 
 could a man eighteen cubits high have a wife 
 less than four? How could he have entered 
 ordinary dwellings ? In Japan one image 
 represents him as thirty- two cubits high. 
 
 2nd. The doctrines as a refuge (as described 
 on page 364). 
 
 3rd. The priesthood as a refuge. 
 
 The spread of Buddhism is largely owing 
 to the priesthood. The Brahmins confined the 
 office to their own caste, but Gautama freely 
 admitted all. Priests were required to submit 
 to certain rules, but they had not to toil for 
 their living. Buddha claimed for the priests 
 the honor due to himself; — once a year the 
 King of Siam makes formal obeisance to the 
 priesthood. A priest in Ceylon was asked, 
 
( 373 ) 
 
 " Do you worship the gods ? " *' No " said 
 he, "the gods worship me." To show the 
 greatness of Buddha, and thus of themselves, 
 the priests who wrote the sacred books 
 attributed the most astonishing miracles to him. 
 Gifts to the priesthoods were said to confer 
 great merit upon the donor. All these were 
 encouragements to enter the priesthood, and 
 motives to spread the religion. 
 
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