The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-07

| 1OKOHAMA, september lZ.-Many as are
the books that have been written on Japan
and the customs OF its people, do not re.
member ever having seen more than pass
| ing mention OF the social life OF American ms
and Europeans resident here. And yet we
are to a certain extent exiIes; voluntary, it
is true, but none the better off for that.
The majority OF us came out here in the
hope Of accumulating large fortunes with
comparative rapidity; but now that we
have settled in the land that is looked
upon by many at home, more or less, as
a land Of "gold and precious stones" we
| find the utter falacy OF our ideas. Every
thing that In former days turned to gold In
the hands of energetic aud persevering
| foreigners is now little better than the pro-
verbal dress. Competition and the tele-
graph have put business on much the same
| basis as at home, and people find that after
they have, metaphorically, buried them
selves alive, bread and butter, prosaic as
they are, still have to be paid for, and that
money must, somehow or other. be made to
cover the expenses OF living. "But," peo-
pie say, "we' thought life in Japan, and,
indeed, throughout the East generally, was
so much more luxurious than in America
or England" To a cetan extent this is
true. though not necessarily through the
possession OF untold wealth. That we
live more comfortably is owing to The
extreme willingness with which the Ja-
papese work and 10 the low wages
paid our servants. Would one Of
those free and enlightened citizens Of
America-a gentleman OF color-coDde-
scend to pull punkah for two or three
hours at time for any pecuniary cOnsid-
Grafton? Hardly; it would be derogatory
to his dignity. And yet japanese, for the
poor wages of as month, will not only do
this, but will perform what other menial
service may be required Of him. The pun
ksh is made Of bar OF heavy wood, hung
by ropes from the ceiling, and from it de-
pends a sort OF curtain about eighteen
inches long, OF cloth or mating, weighted
at the lower ends. Punkahs are generally
used in dining-rOoms, and when they are
pulled from without, by a rope attached to
The pendant beam, circulate the air and have
the same effect as fan. In India and China
they are often used in bedrooms.
PLAN OF THE CITY.
Yokohama, the principal port OF Japan
open TO foreigners, is situated on the Bay Of
Toxic, an arm OF the Pacific ocean, and is
divided into two distinct parts-the foreign
settlement and the native town. The for
mer is composed OF the business-houses,
shops, and godowns Tor warehouSesl OF Eu-
ropeans, aud the latter OF the curio shops
and dwellings OF the japanese. Upon the
Bund, a street running the length Of the
| settlement (about quarter OF mie) along
the sea, are situated the offices OF the
principal merchant firms, the Oriental
Banking Corporation, the Yokohama
United Club, and the steamship companies,
and at the end are the two best notes.-the
Grand and the International. In the next
street, running parallel TO the Bund, are
the warehouses and tea-firing godowns be-
longing to the different foreign firms, and
on the next street.-the main street-are the
shops, the Hong Kong and the Shanghai
Bank, and a few foreign firms, principally
German. The main street extends into the
native town, to the railway station--the
portion passing through the japanese pre-
cincts is called the Houchi dOri, and on it
are the japanese City Hall, the pOst-0ffice,
and the principal "curio" shops. Back OF
the main street and in the foreign settle
ment Is q small colony OF Chinamen-for
the most part tailors and small grocers.
Running at right angles 10 the Bund is the
creek-a canal (making the approach
from email local ports TO Yokohama
much shorter) built by an enterpris-
ing American firm. Their plan, how
ever. proved total failure, the
Japanese preferring the more dangerous
and roundabout route, except, perhaps, In
case OF very rough weather, when they
avail themselves Of the canal. By crossing
| this creek and climbing the hill on the
other side the Bluff" is reacbed-a pla-
teau upon which most Of the married men
and many OF the bachelors have built their
bungalows, and where the greater portion
OF foreigners reside. On this blum, also,
are the Ladies' Lawn Tennis Club grounds,
and beyond it, to the east, the race-course,
one Of the prettlest courses it has ever been
my lot to behold. have given this short
Typographical sketch OF the settlement in
| order that, when during my description II
IS necessary to mention a location, the
reader may more readily understand IL.
LIFE IN YOKOHAMA.
have received many letters in which the
questions, "Do you adopt the habits, food,
and dress OF the Japanese:" ''Do yo>Hieep
on the floor, aad how do you amuse y0tir-
selves after Office hoursp" are frequently
asked. These questions | propose to an-
swer in full. In the first place, ii Is, OF
course, understood that with the exception
OF transient globe-trotters," as people
travelling around the world are called in
the East, Yokohama Is composed OF busi-
ness community, and that all who live there
have their daily work to perform. Office
hours average from 10 to balf-past Tex.
cept for the hour and balf-from IL to
Lalf-past 1--when the offices are all closed
and every one goes TO his midday meal,
or, as 1t is here called, ti1inl though they
may be earlier or later according to the
time OF year and the work to be done--the
busiest time being during the tea season,
or from May 10 October. Offices here are
differently arranged from those at home,
though, OF course, the bookkeepers' and
correspondents desks are much the same.
la an Office OF one OF my friends, besides the
departments / have mentioned, are the In
surance (for home companies, having no
regular branches here, establish agencies
with the principal foreign merchant firms),
the piece-goods and ;he shipping all placed
lin the same ofiice-building, which Is gene
rally wing OF the faipdu's Tor partDer's)
house. Beyond are the tea-ro0m and tea
firing godowns, aud In another building
still the silk-room and silk godowns. Each
OF these last-named Offices Is presided over
by one man, who has no other duties to per.
form, but who must watch the fluctuations,
not only Of the local but Of the home mar
kets, aud to whose judgment II Is lclt when
70 buy and when 70 ship tes or s!,k, ~ tho
case may be. Do we adopt tho habits,