The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-05-19
GheQntelliqeute1:.

From San FrauciSCO 10 Japan
Ills Observations Among the
laps.
The steamer China OF the Pacific Mail
Company, on which | was passenger,
sailed from San Francisco on the morn
ing Of the 9th Of September, bound for
Yocohoma, Japan. We babe adieu to
the queen city Of the west, sitting thron.
ed upon her many hills, and with our
backs to Mt. Diable, steamed out into the
placid Pacific, our last view oil the main
land, the summit Of Mt. Tamalpais,
shining ont against the sky as we sank
down into the western sea.
We passed near the high rocky point.
cd crags Of the Farrallone islands, about
whose basis u school Of whales were
sporting, spouting and wallowing in the
waves. lnnumerable sea fowl covered
the crags and lloated in screaming clouds
about their SUBMITS. We soon lost sight
Of this last vestigc Of our mother earth,
and were alone upon the wide waste Of
waters.
The Britons whohaye not room enough
10 exist upon their damp and misty little
Island, may sing Of the pleasures Of "a
-. home on the rolling deep" making viz.
tue Of necessity, but for one would not
wish TO deprive them Of their dominion.
To my mind there could be nothing more
dreary and monotonous than to be "cabin.
ed, cribbed, confined" in an ocean vessel,
passing weary day by day, gazing out
npon the same wide waste ,unchanging ex.
panse Of sea and sky, the only living oh.
jaCts TO be seen, lonely sea birds or plung.
ing orpoises-unless storm should
come TO break the monotouy in not
very desirable manner.
However, thesc steamers Of the Pacific
Mail Company 90 nearer making a sea
voyage pleasant than any other vessels
anoat. The broad decks appear like
public promenades and the spacious state
rooms resemble the apartments ola hotel.
Their greatest recommendation, however,
il that they are commanded by American
officers, an advantage that man who has
travelled much will know how 10 appre.
ciate, and which the incipiont globe cir
Cumnavigator will learn to prize before
lie completes the circuit.
Notwithstanding these favorable cir
cumstanCes, time hung heavy on our
hands, and, on passing the one hundred
and eightieth meridian Of longitude we
we're very glad to drop n day overheard
into the ocean. WHO'S there who would
not be glad 10 get rid OF some day oil
his life, drowning II forever in the
Sea Of oblivion.
The Chinese crew favored ia with q
concert in the forecastle one evening
One Of the instruments used bore re-
semblAnce to 3 fiddle having no body
and only two strings. The music ELECTED
by scraping upon it was harmonious as
the squalling Of a cat; the other, resem'
bling a small banjo had very fine tone,
and wasskilfully played. The tunes were
very well defined and appeared TO be har'
monious-in Chinese sense. The sing
ing was "sui generisn sort Of howl
thrown into the music at long intervals
and having no apparent connection with
the tune. But cannot describe Chinese
singing.
We had considerable rough weather
during our voyage; the Pacific in our
case belieing its name. In the darkness
Of the night the waves were crested will
phosphorescont foam, giving II gastly
glow to the gloom. A small land birt
came aboard the vessel and number
Of dragon flies, although there is no lane
laid down in the chart within distance
OF several hundred miles.
On the morning OF September 3Oth, thu
faint outlines OF the coast OF Japan wert
visible in the distance, gradually swelling
upwards out Of the ocean as We approach
cd till the abrupt mountains stood alot
in Heaven like massive walls with battle
ments and towers, guarding the gates o
the morning land.
As the day advances we pass Cape KIM
with its light house; q heavy rain oh
structing the distant view. As we pas
up the bay Of Yeddo, however, we catci
sight OF frequent bold peaks and greer
headIands and winding creeks viii
glimpses oil white villages hiding among
the trees far within them. The bay il
swarmlng with small cratta, denoIing
covered with fishing boats far out at sea
We cast anchor in the harbor o
Yokohama about i've o'clock in the eve
ming. The ship was instantly surrounded
Ly innumerable "Sampans," as theil
boats are called, all eager TO carry III
ashore, They were manned by motley
looking crews, some covered with cloaks
Of straw mating, so that they looket
like animated hay stacks; others starI
naked except for breech cloth and I
band about their heads.
Their boats are primitive looking
structures, resembling cIumsily madt
sEitE' on the western rivers, but on ,
larger scale, fiat bottomed and with the
bowsprit extending some distance aheaC
and ending in sharp point. Into ont
oil these we descended and were packet
INTO asmsll cabin, something similar TO
NeniliOn gondola, where we were entirel,
al me me mercy OF the clements.
,,r n%e 90 UaF sG 'cull the boat with ont
,iIs Of I% ~niPn pace "a at the stern, on eithe
," "V !, av wm.Sn Ihey stand making a gut
ssn' S'""""S noise as they pull in uni
Isrdirr =, ,no,,
hrnM" I't Ky a. .1 she quay, We were conyeye'
'SSS n,; s"stan 10 our hotel in Ginrick
drawn nv msn IN ,% ,So W wheeled bugg'es