Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-04
An AMERICAN IN JAPAN.
SATURDAY. Jan. %. 1879

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1t was daylight-full when We entered the
bay of ieddo after twenty days sail Of ), lj9
miles without sight of anything except sky,
water, our cwn good ship and few sea
birds. The first objects which met our sight
were the mountains, a long shore line OF
craggy hills, fishing boats and custom house
boats ,sculled here and there by scantily dress
ed japanese. A volcanic mountain emitting
volumes Of smoke, and FIJI Yuma, thirteen
capped with snow, were in full view, as We
progressed for the distance Of forty miles,
among ships of all nations, japanese junks,
and swarms OF small boats soliciting trans
portation of passengers and baggage from
ship to shore. As soon as the ships gun
was discharged, custom house. mail and
hotel boat. were alongside to take US ashore
as soon as the steamer came to anchorage,
some distance from the harbor. In these
our baggage examined by custom house
officials, and ourselves at the International
Hotel. which is OF American build and ex-
cellcntly well kept by a Yankee gentleman
from the the State Of Maine. After tifiin
(luneh) and our land legs on, We went for a
wax along the streets Of Yokohama, u city
of about 50 900 inhabitants, all japanese,
except foreigners resident here since japan
was opened 10 foreign intercourse less than
twenty years ago. As We strollei through
the town everything appeared strikingly
strange to u,-the solid masses of one-story
lishtly-built wooden buildings, with tiled
roofs, balconies, and slightly constructed
arcades. all open in front upon narrow side
walk, and 50 compact that thin
board partition il all that is seen
separating the proprietor of one
establishment IRON another. The floors of
these establishments are raised about one
foot above the sidewalk and are covered with
clean mating upon which sit the proprictors,
clerks and artisans, with tables before them
about one foot high. All articles of mer-
chandise are neatly arranged on series of
shelves like plant stand, extending from
floor to ceiling, about five feet high They |
work, they make sales of goods, and cook |
their food in little furnaces Of brass, iron OF |
porcelain lined with pottery. and eat, among
their articles Of merchandise, where it seems .
almost impossible for person to move
without producing a tumble down and
crash. All along the streets in these open
fronts are exposed for sale magnificent
bronze work beautiful porcelain and lacquer
ware, elegant silks, and most ingeniously
wrought toys of every description silk
houses and fish markets rude agricultural
implements and elegantly wrought silk robes,
mantillas and fancy articles OF every de
scrlpton succeed each other, separated only
by thin board or translucent paper part
ton. Universal cleanliness il observed
everywhere , no disagrecsble oiors from anv
source wells Of water, with wooden or stone
curbs, in front Of every block clean strcets
and CUTTERS. free Of garbage and waste paper,
even, Wherever We go. The japanese are
small in stature both men and women. They
i've in the rear or in the small upper rooms
If their shops. They dress with the utmost
simplicity, both the men and the women
They wear sandals or clogs upon their feet,
occurred by piece of tape, which passes
rom the font Of the clog. between the
great and next toe. to its sides towards the
leel their stocking are made like mttcn,
With thumb piece The mon gather their
lair in little knot secured by bit Of
ibbOn at the top Of the head the women
.ather their Jct-black glossy hair in puff
u the back side Of the head The women ,
re very small and rather pretty, until they
re married, when their teeth are painted Jet
lack and their eyebrows shaved off The
title mothers, no larger than an ordinary