The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-18
GbeQttteLtiqenren
Home from the Other Side Of the
World. A Message from Japan.

1t r. NJ. G. BROWN, Of the U. s.
Navy. some CT whose letters from the
other side Of the world have appeared Ia
our columns, has recently returned to tho
United Statesr and is revisiting old friends
n, Kingwood. The following letter ad'
dressed by him to friend in this city
will, we believe, possess some interest tc
the general reader. Weomit all matters
Of only personal interest. Tne Japanese
box, tea and other curiositlcs accompany
ing, arc highly priced by the recipients.
K1NGwooD, W. Va. March 12.
My DEAR We arrived in New
York Feb. 14th after quite tedious pass
acc from China. We left Shanghai, Oct.
ISnd and arrived at Hong Kong Oct.
Goth, left there Oct. Goth and passed An
Ter. in the straits OF Sunda, Nov. 18th,
reached Cape Town Dec. 2lst and lelt
Dec. 25th tor New York. The weather
was delightful the whole passage until
Off our own coast, when we experienced
several gales, lost some light spars, and
one bost We were at Cape Town at
Christmas, and 1t was quite warm day
as 1t waa midsummer. It seemed quite
unnatural to wear light linen clothes on
Christmas day. The diamond fever still
exists at Cape Town but not 30 bad as
formerly. The colony was greatly en-
riched by the diamond discoveries. When
the discovery was first made tho colony
was yery much impoverished, the farms
heavily mortgaged, cities In bad condi-
lion &C, but now all is changed. The
farmers went to the diggings with their
families. and were the most successful
class of miners. The result Is, they have
Maid of their mortgages and everything
has an air OF prosperity. Diamonds and
Ostrich feathers are the two articles ex-
ported for the benefit Of the rich OF other
countries. Wool Is the chief export OF
yalne 10 the commercial world. The cli'
mate is delightful, being about 81 degrees
south latitude and nearly surrounded by.
water 1t is temperate the year round. The
roads are good and the horses excellent.
Reading and driving are the popular OK
ercises, Excellent wine is grown near
Cape Town. 1t is called Constantia wine
trDm the name OF the place and is rich
pure wine, rather equity. Cape Town is
noted for the chCapness OF the necessarics
and even luxuries Of lie. Formerly It
was place Of considerable commercial
importance but since the opening Of the
Suez Canal but few ships visit the port
When | reached New York l was
struck with the many Improvements made
during three years. The city has greatly
increased in size and population. The
new docks made under the superintend'
Cncc Of Gen. Mcclellan, are grand i'm
uroyement TO the city. The bridge under
Construction over East River will be
great assistance to business men, as also
the elevated railway.
l stopped at Washington Tor three days,
reaching that city on the 4th Of March.
The CITY was crowded with visitors and
notwithstanding the cold weather great
crowd filled the streets from morning till
night, l did not attend the ball. Enjoyed
nv visit however very much. l was
slopping with Admiral Porters people
and they arc very pleasant people.
send o box by express to-day to you,
hone YOU will receive 1t in good order.
IL COQLhlDb u lhGNluOA IVA VSFS'ISoS!b
some tea, q Chinese compass, and mud
dler. l thought you would appreciate
the box, as 1t Is very fine ware, tho best l
brought from tho East. IN. b. the price
was $85 in Japan.l The Japanese excel
in gold lacquer. Age improves is value: !:
box offered to prove that 1t was 100 years
old by written documents, and as l could
not road word OF Jap, ! took bis word
for it. Tell Aunt = 1 sent some tea
to =, but from a letter from him
| learned that she was at Wheeling,
so sent some direct that she may enjoy
/ ut once. Tho compass will amuse -
and =; = will find the muddler use'
iul l hope. l can assure her her 1t is
good with whisky and sugar. =
have never seen the account Of the
Corean war, as published by you. They
sent 1t to China, but l did not get 1t, and
no one seems to have filed the papers.