The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1876-01-05
LETTER FROM JAPAN.
KesE. JArax. September Is.

DEAR GGIETTE II send you some notes Of trip
1 recently made 10 NAgasaki The s4,h Of August,
at4 a. board The City Of Toxic. wel-aP-
pointed American built japanese steamer. we steam
ed Of Kobe barber into the bay of Osaka; par;
Of the inland-sea. which latter is two hundred
miles long, ending at the Eastern point, at Osaka.
Although somewhat sgtss, ii; course IN the main is
nearly S.W. aud NE is from one mile to perhaps
thirty and forty in width Our course lay near the
northern shore. which is very bold and abrupt with
occasionally valley like the south side Of
1 Waianse with here and there native village Of
matched houses, sometimes single hut. The hills
often cultivated. terraces one third perhaps
half the way up their sides. They were usually COW
cred with verGure to their tops aud sometimes firing
ed with trees. They rose from I've hundred to per-
haps thousand or two thousand feet But the
most striking feature Of the nland-sea is the little
islands with which its bosom is dotted I'm told
they amount to several hundreds though many Of
them merely small barren rocks still they make
navigation somewhat difficult
At night We came to anchor at ShimOnOseki. city
at which ships OF this line are accustomed to touch
and beyond which the isles so numerous that day
light necessary to enable vessels steer clear of
them Owing the peculiar position Of the surround
ing islands, this eiy seems to lie on the shores
Of lake and there is certainly one and think two
other places where the sea has the appearance Of
lake. The islands overlap each other that the
ship seeas to he going right into the mountain till
you come to certain point, where = short turn
brings you aain.to the open sea. TIE south side of
this is series Of islands, but lying in such pO
siiiOn appear to be solid mass with but one e1-
oeptOn, which is little southwest Of Kobe where
there is opening mile or more in width, through
which ships come and go.
On leaving Shimonoseki. We pass through the
straits the shores Of which stood the forts which
some years ago, without cause, fred on merchant
men bound for Kebe-or Osaka, and for which they
were demolished by English, French and u s. man
of-Ear; and Japan was compelled to pay dearly for
this Insult to the western nations This offence beixg
committed under the old system doubtless FASTENED
the revolution, by which the Christian religion was
admitted into Japan. A few hours from this place,
brought through this labyrinth Of islands to the
ocean. From thence our course vas nearly south
for eighteen hours. bearing on our LEFT hand the
large island in the bosom II which lies Nagasaki
and on our right many little and few large isands
all Of which seen to be uninhabfed, most Of them
naked rocks. The most striking three small cone
shaped ones equal in size and form, called the Sic
ters and each having at its base, rery Eiffle one
Of the same shape. They are al destitute of trees
and veriure.
NagasAki is at the head Of bay perhaps Eve or
six miles from the Its chief Poranee seems
to be as station for eealng and repairing ships.
Steamers to and from Shanghai, usually touch here.
That port Is distant only IS hours By steam. Pm
told there near by coal nine and that coal can
be bought here at 81 80 per ton And about mile
distant across the bay, there is iron foundry where
steam engines be thoroughly repaired. We found
here eight or more steamers and some twenty sailing
vessels, Of various nations. Ii is sail both England
and the United States usually have ship Of war
here Other nations often have. The city is said to
thirty forty thousand inhabitants. Its site
Is like that OF San Francisco strip Of level
land, and steep bill tides. Most of the streets are
narrow crooked i'll paved and filthy; and the build
ings are jAmned together without taste or order
The contrast between this and Kobe is remarkable
The inhabitants also, some less civilized than the
KObeites. Osaka and its inhabitants also, appear
quite in advance Of NagasAki- Still it is city Of
not little historic interest. Abont mile distant
in its bay il little uninhabited island called Pap
penbarg. It's sides are very steep. at one point /
nearly perpendicular. When this government rose l
against the Jesuits, nearly 300 years ago, il is said
many Of their disciples were thrown, compelled to
leap from this to sudden death And from this region
many Of the descendants Of these early professors Of
religion, were i've years since, banished to different
paris Of the empire, where many died, and from |
whence, the survivors, we're recently permitted
turn
Nagasaki is also aoteROrthy from lis promixity 10
Desina, the little settlement, IN which, for several
centuries the Dutch allowed to live and trafic /
with the japanese, IN return is said, don't voaeh
for the truth for annually tramPling the
II it be true, I'm glad learn that there is an ex-
euse for them, IN the state Of the times, in which it
was eonnepced. Il Is Said that period the feel
ing prevailed in Europe that the cross not the
emblem Of true religion, but merely Of Popery, and
hence that it justly trampled on Desima though
called island is really bat two blocks Of Nagasaki
separated from the other parts Of the city, By three
narrow vatereourses artificial think the fourth
side is the water front on the bay.
An amusing story Is told Of two Dutch sailors, who,
having Fentured beyond their lnits, we're taken up
which they fatty denied, and said they we're not
Christians but only Dutehmsn-
Il is said the japanese have come to the e0nelu-
sion that in the creed Of foreigners, the chief
tiele Is, Mans chief end is to make money. an
very Eorry they have such solid ground for this
elusiou At Nagasaki, besides the Roman Catholics,
three evangelical societies represented; EpiseOps
iiAns, MethOdists, and the Dutch Reformed. be-
came acquainted With the Reformed only. Their
missionaries are MesErs Wolfe and stost. The latter
has been here for eight years. His society
has Convenient chapel, large enough for audience
Of two hundred OF more. and has, an told, 0Tdina
My ore bundred to one hundred and fifty. At bis
request, and with him for interpreter, gave, to
TeTy attentive audience, brief arg Of mission
ary labors. AID their results the Hawaiian Islands
Mr.. Stout vas for two or three years employed a.
teacher By the Government, and bis wages, beyond
the support Of his family, vas handed over 70 tse
society which be SERVES He. AT. Wolfe, and Mr.
Davidson, the Methodist missionary, located on
slaOst the only beautiful spot which n near
The city. II Is said there other parts Of the sub
arbs equally beautiful Il i OF hillside, on, /
think, the eastern suburb Of the city, and their courts
IRE adorned with fac shrzbbeTry, and some large
trees, the ssgo-Palm among others. With unabated
interest IN Hawaiian sHniu, spd aloha for all ny
trends there, rensi5, yours truly, Pig.