Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-03-07
U. 5. s. ALERT,
YoKAHAMA. Jan. 12.

When we were down at Yokosta
the captain and myself paid a visit
to the great bronze idol called "Dai
Butsie, or the Great Buddah." 1t ia
about ten or twelve miles from Yok-
osta and was formerly in the center
of large city called Kaniakura, but
the city has disappeared since the
image was constructed (6OO years
ago. and as all Japanese cities are
for the most part constructed of
light wood, no. trace remains of
anything like city. There il mere
ly struggling village about a half
mile away and large groves of sec.
ond growth timber where was once
a city of many hundred thousands.
The statue is over fifty feet high,
and you can see from the enclosed
photograph what an immense thing
it must be. 1t was formerly cover.
ed by temple, but tidal wave
swept it away some 800 years ago.
while the ponderous image stood
firm as a rock through the food. The
thickness OF the bronze is 1t inches
and it was cast in pieces 3x4 feet
and braced together. Time does not
seem to have affected it in the
least. Inside the image is shrine
and smaller image. The upper por-
ton of the figure seems to be made OF
larger slabs of bronze than the low
er, but one cannot got close enough
to see the smaller seams. You can
see by the picture the relative size
OF human beings. The one in the
middle is an ordinary Jap, the two
outsides are priests, or bouzes, as
they are called. The proportions
OF the figure are very good indeed.
and considering the great age of the
idol 1t seems extraordinary that the
knowledge of bronze working should
have been so perfect. One is not
greatly impressed with the size at
first sight, but it grows on one as do
the pyramids Of Egypt. There are
three or four bouzes, or priests. in
attendance who sell photographs,
beer, soda water, etc, and we found
few cripples who waylaid Us near
by and begged for cash, bat apart
from these. enc is less disturbed in
his sightseeing than in any other
place 10 the world.
After leaving 'Dai Butsie" we
Wont to the Temple of Kamakuma.
which looks much like all other tenn
yles in Japan, with the same old rel
ics-cloth masks, swords, iavelins,
etc., etc., thousands of years old as
in the others. We next went to a
tea house in the village to get some
thing to eat, and here we we're in
difficulties at once, for there were
no such things as chairs or tables so
we had TO sit on the floor. We could
only gst rice, boiled eggs and tea.
and nothing to eat them with but
chop sticks, SO we had to do like the
natives and shovel it in with them.
The dish is held nearly on level
with the mouth, in the left hand. The
two chop sticks are about the size
OF large straws and made of new
pine. They are held very much as
one would hold two writing pens in
the right hand, one between the
thumb and first finger and the 9th.
or between the first and second fin
gers. Then by inserting the ends
OF the sticks into the mass of eggs
and rice and jerking the hand quick-
ly toward the mouth tho feat is ac-
complished. We made out to satisfy
hunger, bat our awkwariness was q
source of much amusement to the old
lady and daughter who waited on us.
We got back on board ship about
eight O'Clock in the evening. having
made one-balf the journey 10 "Gipr-
ickuhas" (smalI carts drawn by men)
and the other halt in boats.
January 20.
Here we are still lying in the har-
Dor of Yokohama or rather 10 Ledo
bay. The other day wo were cruis-
ing around the bay for exercise, un.
der sail, and had q snow storm. Il
seldom go ashore except on Satur
days or Sundays, taking walk or
dining ont occasionally. 1t lie rather
too cold for comfort here, for al
though the thermometer does not 90 |
below 280 or BOZ Fab, still the cold
seems penetrating in unusual degree
md | find it necessary to wear as |
.hick clothing as at home.
The Admiral is at Hong Kong |
awaiting the arrival ofthe Monongahe-
a. She is to be the new flagship |
q place OF the Tennessee, unless the |
Richmond is sent out. Our only |
'hance for increasing our naval force
seems to be that of q
General war in Europe. ! am inl