WANDERINGS IN ASIA.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2502, 6 September 1890, Page 6

WANDERINGS IN ASIA.

By James Casepbeli-. KIOTO TO YOKOHAMA. Thus far I had been travelling in Tapau by railway, but one morning I left Kioto for the Rapids, being trundled aloug ia a jinrickshaw. Everyone visiting Jsxpau comments on these vehicles, and with good cause. They aro simply largo two-wheeled perambulators drawu by one man ia the town and two or three iix the country. Tbe remarkable thiog about them is the endurance and speed of the men. They run all the time, except uphill, and they run all the day. Their speed is about six miles an hour, sometimes covering from forty to fifty miles in the day, with short halts for refreshments. Auy athlete who ran half wa-jr from Melbourne to Sandhurst between sunrise and sunset would fco regarded as having done a feat, even though perfectly disencumbered, but these little men will do the distance and drag a load after them. Tho Asiatic is an astonishing bundle of contradictions. lie seems so lacking in stamina, and yet a starved-looking Hindoo coolie will put three-quarters of a hundredweight ou the top of his head, aud march thirty miles a dav with it under a broiling sun, considering himself splendidly paid when he gets Bd. for his day’s toil, and the diminutive Japanese jinrickshaw man will run this longdistance with vehiclo and man, and come in looking far less distressed tban would au ordinary European if he ran half the distance without an ounce of weigh tto carry. There is no method of conveyance so entirely satisfactory*; yon know the horse will neither shy, kick, nor bolt, and you feel you are assisting a poor fellow to au honest living who otherwise might have to steal or starve. The pay is remarkably high for Asia, being at the rate of Gs. Bd. per day. The road, to the Rapids helps to still further deepen the impression that Japan is one ©f the most beautiful countries iu the world. Evidence of the progress of modern civilisation is afforded by well made roads, graded aud formed on the best engineering lines. Arrived at the Rapids, I found a very frail-looking craft, in which I was to embark. \Yo Btax*ted, and were soon drifting down the narrow, bat deep, stream. The pace became quicker, and in a short time was fast and furious. The water roared and foamed, the bottom of the boat from time to time bending upwards in a very alarming fashion to tho untrained eye. Wo seemed on several occasions to bo going straight on to the rocks, and I held my breath in excitement; but & dexterous push or paddle, and all was right. I reflected on tho one hand that no accidents were recorded, and on the other that if one of tho boatmen made a single slip we should instantly be struggling in the boiling torrent, and between the two concluded the best thing to do was to observe the scenery. It was charming in the highest degree* Densely wooded hills, steep rocks, almost rising to the dignity of precipices hero and there, charming little waterfalls, masses of wild flowers, all succeeded each other in our swift motion down the stream, and kept me delighted to the banishment of fear. At last we shot down into smooth water, came to a large village with several quite imposing teahouses, and thus one of the very pleasantest little expeditions in Japan came to on end. I left Kioto on the following morning fox* Otsn, on the Biwa Lake. There is a magnificent view to be obtained from the Ofcsu Temple and monument, and amoly rewards the panting and gasping in getting up to it. On going down to the pier, my attention was arrested by seeing a procession of school childi*en coming towards me. Nearly the whole of tho boys were in what we call cadets’ uniform, and carried either real or sham rifles. They halted, wore put through their drill, and evidently enjoved their exercise thoroughly. The whole thing was so completely like what one might see in any large State-school in Australia that I was once more afforded food for thought os to the amazing suddenness of Japan’s development. As if to emphasise my reflections, I observed that tho boys wore drawn up in front of the railway station, which included the post and telegraph offices, and was at the eud of tho *-he steamers lay ready to embark pasSnngeSfs lor the upper end of the Biwa Lake. It was a pictux*e ra miniature of Europe in Japan—railway, post-office, telegraph, steamboat, compulsory education, European drill and arms of preoision. The world moves very swiftly in these days, and yet I note that serious crime is considerably greater in Japan m 18S7 than in 1883. It is to be observed also that though compulsory education is the law of tho land, out of 6,740,929 children of school age (6 —14), only 2,713,931 are in the elementary sohools, and about 120,909 in all other schools. Thus considerably over hair the children get n© education whatever, though that is a gigantic advance on the numbers a few years ago. Laws may be passed., bat if in advance ©f the capacities or cireKmsfanoes of the people, they are mere sounds in the air. The necessities »f a dense population, struggling for bread oa a patch of land, overbear ox*dinances for intellectual improvement. Au upper class may change in a decade, but the customs of centuries among the people aro overtluown like the walls of Jericho.

The Biwa Lake is the one lake of oapan. As we got into tho middle of it, we had abundant evidence of its size ia the very lively motion of the steamer. 8<»on tho yellow Japanese got yellower still, until at last the side of the vessel bore a line of limp, ghastly-faced sufferers unburdening their misery on tho bosom of the lake. ' About mid-day we reached the railway, which runs almost on a dead level from the Biwa I>ake to Nagoya. The country between is very fex*tile, aud helps us to understand hew Japan can sustain its dense population I never* saw such careful cultivation in any par- of the world as here.

From Nagoya to Yokohama wo may go either by road or steamer. I chose* tne latter and joined her at Yakoaicthi. I found this steamer captained, enaiuoorod, and manned by Japanese only. All the large boats of the Japanese Steamship Compauy have European captains and chief engineers, but these coasters are made the means of experimentalising with Japanese only, preparatory, it may be assumed, to putting Japanese captains and engineers throughout the fleet. On this steamer I had perforce to d:no in Japanese style, which for dinner consisted of soup, rice, fish, eggs, and vegetables. Tho cooking was peculiar to my taste, n certain sharpness distinguishing it, but that was nothing compared, to the sharpness with which my Japanese fellowdiners despatched their shares. In sitting down at and rising up from the table they bowed with ceremonious politeness to each other and to me. J bowed with equal politeness of intention,' but not, I fear, of manner. I had a dim suspicion that my attempts at graceful bowing were rather of the semaphore order of elegance. As we were steaming along the coast, I liftod my eyes westwards, and there, far above me in the heavens, rose the dazzling snow-clad peak of Fujiyama. My heart positively leaped up in delight. It is the most absolutely symmetrical mountain in the world. Nearly all other mountains give you the idea of strength, graxuleur, majesty; Fujiyama gives you that of exquisite beauty. The slopes are so graceful the shape so perfect, the outline so'smooth,’ and above all the crown of snow sparkles in the sunshine with n purity so chaste and yet with a brilliancy so dazzling that one is lost as to whether the simile should be that of the fair est of maidens or the stateliest of queens. I understood in a single glance why this gio: ions peak has so seized upon the imagination of the Japanese, and lias dominated all their art. It is to their honottr that they exalt Fujiyama. In form it is the perfect mountain, of the world, and compels, and over will compel, tke enthusiasm ©f native aud visitor who have eyes to see and souls to appreciate the marvel of beauty among mountains. What the J aj of Agra is among the works of man, this Fujiyama of Japan is among the works of God.

A few hours ater on we were in the roadstead, oft lokohaua. On going ashore

in a small native boaty we were caught in a squall, and fur a little time there waa gfreat alarm among the passengers, and for a few minutes I could not help grimly reflecting that one may iace the nobler perils of'the deep in a voyage of thousands of miles, and then be ignobly capsized and drowned within a quarter of a mile of laud. Landing at tho shabby little pier which marks the entrance into Yokohama, I found the boatman had quite recovered from his panic, and proceeded to claim doublo fare. A judicial policemai:, however, decided agaiust him, and l marched off in triumph. I found Yokohama admirably provided with hotels, its streets straight, shops good, and its curios delightful, but expensive. These Japanese .hops for the sale of objects of art were always mild plncos of torture to me, for I found myself torn with a desire to possess articles of beauty, and }*et agonised by the monitions of an economical conscience. I jauntily asked the price of a pair of beautiful vases. ‘‘Three hundred dollars,” was the reply. My face lengthened. A finely embossed shield ranght my eye. “ Two hundred and fifty dollars—it is very choice,” said the attendant. I grew still more sober. It wus very choice, no doubt; but at that price it wasn’t my choice. I asked about several other things, my thermometer steadily falling all the time, when I c.une to a very fine inlaid cabinet. From what I had seen my ideas had been broadened as to prices, aud I quite expected this would run up to perhaps oOOdol. 44 And what is the figure of this?’* I asked, trying to look as if I hadn't been a bit disconcerted by previous quotations, 44 Two thousand four hundred dollars,” he replied. “ "What ! Four hundred and eighty pounds ?” I absolutely snorted. I made some modest purchases in a quiet and humble way, and left that shop a sadder andunwiser man.

Yokohama is an illustration of exceedingly rapid progress in modem limes. It is rather American or Australian than Asiatic in its leaps and bounds. A few years ago it was a fishing village ; now it is a city ©f 115,012 inhabitants. The Bluff is a charming part, aud here the foreigners most do congregate. It is a huge joke, when we como to think of it, that when the Asiastie goes to Europe, America, or Aueti*alia, he is relegated to the back alums, and accepts tho situation without a murmur, but when tho European, American, or Australian goes to Asia, ho insists upon having the choicest spots to live in, and monopolises the breezy heights or charming sea frontage without a blush. Otc-soi de Id yui je tn y melts is hifl motto, and the cuckoo his model. With uncommon public spirit the people of the Bluff have built an excellent public hall, which is used with the utmost catholicity of purpose. The pavements are rough, and municipal improvements can be made all through Yokohama; still, if I were given a choice I think I would as soon be a dweller on the Bluff as any part of Asia I have yet seen. The merchants complain of bad times and severe competition, but where throughout the world do they not sing the same dolorous song? It is a significant fact that in former times French and English soldiers were stationed on the Bluff to protect the inhabitants. Nowadays all is smiling peace, and you no mare think of the necessity of protection than you would if walking in tbe VYest End. It is another testimony to the marvellously rapid changes which have taken plaee within tho lifetime of the youngest men amongst us. One other fact is worth noting. The foreign cemetery was opened in 1958, and now over 2,090 pei-sons have been buried in it. How many bright hopes and longing desires to see their native land again lie extinguished in that narrow God’s acre ?