Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-03-20
The CITY of Jeddo.

|
81 The Japan correspondent of the Boston Ira,
j eler gives the following impressions of Jedd
their principal city:
t But what shall say of this greatest and mos
singular of all cites2 A volume is needed t
describe it, without attempting to give its histo
ry. l have read of old Nineveh and Babylo
, 6eLo0 the ground, and seen and h7nded th
works of art which have been disinterred an
created so much excitement on both sides of tn
Atlantic; but one living Jeado, a6o0e the ground
is worth hundred old iogy cities below it.
cannot give you an idea of it, it is so unique, s.
unlike everything except itself, and so ampossi6l
as you will think. have seen several places o
Interest, and maintained cool head, but wa
bewldered and confounded when saw this. /
is situated on the western shore of this charm
ling gull, twenty miles wide by twenty -four long
to which the Lake of Tiberias is nothing, excep
in the memory of the sacred feet which ono,
trod it's shores. 1t stretches for twenty mile
land more along beach of semi circular form
with its horns turned outwards, and along which
q street extends crowded with blocks of store.
and houses, and teeming with moving crowds
while shopkeePers, artizans women and chill
dren seen equally numerous within doors and Al
the doors. Indeed, dozen or fifteen miles
might be added to the length of the city in this
succession of towns and villages for this distance
which are as populous and well built as the city
itself
| In crossing the city from the shore to the
western odtskirts, have walked two miles and
a halt, and then proceeded on horseback for ter
miles more, making twelve and half in the
whole, while in other places it may be wider
still. According to the lowest estimate, the city
covers an area equal to seven of the New Eng
land farming towns, which are usually six miles
square, And all is traversed by streets, usually
wide. well constructed perfectly neat, and cross
ing each other at right angles-streets lined with
houses and stores as compactly as they can be
built, and crowded with moving or stationary
masses as thick as in our Washington street or
New York Broadway, at least for considerable
distances. The population is estimated generally
at three millions, which Mr.. Harris our Minister,
| thinks is no exaggeration. For my part, judg-
| ing from what | have seen when / have gone
into the heart of the city, and crossed the city
from side to side, / should be willing to add. as
many millions more; for the living, moving
Masses seen from sunrise to sunset, aDd every
where the same, fairly seemed beyond computa-
ton. Ore city, as large as seven fine towns in
Berkshire county, and containing population
three times as large as that OF the whole State OF
Massachusetts. That is enough to think of for a
moment
Several streams run through the city.
counted five, though one or two might be canals.
The largest is about twenty rods wide, over
which wel-constructed bridge is thrown, from
which distances are measured to all parts of the
empire. 1t is the milestone of Japan. Boats
and junks by means of these rivers and canals
permeate all parts of the city. There is nothing
magnificent in architecture, most of the houses
| ut fu0
and are plain, though always neat, both without
and within.
| Some OF the palaces of the Daimias, or hereGi-
tary Princes, however, are an exception; one
which | happened to see being of exquisite beau
ty IN structure. in the spacious court before it,
and IN the gateways, and trimmed and trained
bushes which made the hedge, and the dwarfed
trees planted in front to adorn it.
The imperial quarters occupy the centre OF
the city, and are situated on an elevation from
which you have distinct view of great part
of the city. These quarters are called the Cita-
del, and are surrounded by a deep and wide
moat, and massive wall, whose circumference
is eight or ten miles, No one is admitted unless
a dignitary, or high minister, or foreign am
bassador. One gate was open, through which
could look in, but saw nothing but houses
Tall cedars spread abroad their branches, giving
all the signs of life which were to be seen in
this imperial solitude and prison. But the
whole was massive and imposing, evincing q
high degree of art and civilization. No walls
surround the city no towers Or fortresses rise
up within; nor did | see so much as q gun or
solitary soldier.
| The striking popularity of the city is its nu-
merous tall trees with luxuriant branches, and
groves sometimes of acres, which give to the en-
tire city at many points the air of forest-
There are also in so large territory swells and
even considerable hills, perched on the summit
of which, and half buried in the solemn trees in
which it is embowered, a fine Buddhist temple is
sure to peer out the fairest spots in creation be-
ing selected for the worship of the devil
Such is my rude and rapid sketching; but we
shall return here after our visit to Hong Kong,
and remain four weeks previous to our depart
ure on February 22d, when intend to traverse
the city right and left and study its wonders Of
nature and art, and give you more minute and
exact information. Nothing could be more CIV
il and kind than the bearing and intercourse OF
the people, or safer than circulating in the day
time through its streets and among it's crowds.
APRoTEsr AGAINST EARLY RIsINa.-Dr Hall
in the February number of his Journal of Health
says:
/ One of the very worst economies of the time
is that filched from necessary sleep. The whole
sale but blind commendation of early rising, is
as mischievous in practice as it is errant in the
ory. Early rising is crime against the noblest
part of our physical nature, unless it is preceded
by an early retiring.
Multitudes of business men in large cities count
it saving of time if they can make journey OF
hundred or two miles at night by steamboat
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