The sun., 1881-06-26
WHAT CYRUS FIELD SAW IN ASIA.


railway travel in Indn. Railway management
there IL OF high order. and ns TO expense OF
United States. But about thirty-ihree per cent.
of the receipts OF Indian railways nre required
to meet the expense OF operation. what one Of
our railways ran report MS iavornhly az that 4,
" What was the grcatiiscomlOrt ot your trlri'
Our experience with the, Custom House olll-
ccrs when we reached Now IurE. Ia trevelling
around the world had To- donl with officers OF
tho custom houses OF japan. China, Cochin
Ghinn. straits Settiemenis' british BlrWan.
land. but nowhere was my baggage opened and
examined except at New York. Tho treatment
at the New York Custom House is a disgrace to
tho country. Why. tho officers are polite
enough, but the make, you swear what your
baggage contains. and thon they open and eN-
anime 1t to see IL there is nothing but weari ing
apparel in it. Just as IL they believed, you had
ppiiured yourself II baggage is 10 be exam;
inei, then the requirement. OF nn oath should
bo Abandoned in ofder to avoid needless insult
to people; Tho regulations under when the
Custom House officers do their work need thor
'The Japan os arc one OF the cleanliest people
on earth, personally. But rs much cannot oe
said OF them morally; II Is the custom OF the
whole nation to bAthe daily. but IL may shock
you to know that until recnntly men and
women bathed together perfectly naked. Tho
Government has established n Inv against pro-
miscuous bathing. nnd the bathing houses are
now made with partition to separate the men
and the women. but it is not very nigh. A few
years ago IL was very common thing to see
men and women stark naked taking bath in
In japan are unfortunate, but no worse than
elsewhere in Asia. The most reined Japanese
nro extremely courteous ant agreeable people.
We were invited to visit Japanese merchant.
with whom | was much pleased Our reception
was as curious as It was cordial. We had to re-
move our shoes Mt the door and enter and make
our visit in our stocking foet. Our host intro
duced us to three OF his wives. l do not know
how many more he had. 1t will give you some
idea Of the elegance OF our entertainment II
tell you that the tea we drank was made before
US in golden teakcttle.
The hills. mountans.nnd volcanoes OF japan
are exceedingly beautiful. Tho groves which
occupy so much spnce in Japanese cities are
very attractive. The inland sea upon which we
crossed to NaRasnki is as beautiful 10 any wa
ter ever sailed upon.
In Japan many ypeople obtain their whole sub
sistence from the water, and vast number live
literally covered with boats OF every conceivable
shape. 1t Is about sevonty-llve miles from the
approach the city the number OF bontS is in
credible. Why it is snd that rs many as
100000 people live upon the water at Canton.
vast multitude OF tho people remain in their
boats all their lives eating and sleeping in
them. and many children are born in them.
My chief impression of Canton, however, is
wonder at the cleanliness OF the city. IL has
more than million people. and yet II has no
larly, and laborers bear it away on their backs
every morning to be used as II fertilizer. That
great city Of dark. dingy streets. many OF them
not more than ten feet wide. is much cleaner
and healthier than Now York.
Shanghai and Hong Kong are not fllthy. and
Saigon. IN Cochin China Is cleaner than New
do not bathe as frequently as in Japan. and
they are not as clean. Tho Ceestials are sim
owy and have great endurance. but they would
doubtless look less salow. and their physical
condition would improve II they were not re-
stricted to & sMen m9Ro.onS1s 'bSS ;y diet kGe is
sively upon rico. and the poorer class have
hardly enough OF that.
whore in Asia. Tho only fine private buildings
are the houses Of foreign residents. The pa
godns OF the grent cities OF China are eonspieu-
they are much inferior to the mosques and
temples Of Indin. AS we sailed from the ports
sight and. as we approached Singapore. the
southernmost point oil Asln and passed through
the Straits Of Malacca to Penang, the temples OF
heathen aeties were tho first objects to attract
our attention. So it was Mt every Asiatic port
wo entered. swe sailed up the Bay of Bengal
twenty-five miles within tho mouth Of the Ira
waddy. the greatest pagoda In the world raised
its great golden dome imposingIy before US.
Tho Ralah OF Benares sent me an invitation
to visit him ut his palace on tho bank OF the
Ganges. the holy river. l accepted and he sent
by richly dressed outriders, to receive me.
When we arrived at tho Ganges. two or three
miles away. We were borne in sedan chairs
tant. and then we entered the Ra!ah's boat.
which twelve men propelled to the other
mill. When we left the boat we found
mammoth elephants. gayly caparisoned and
having n,tendants bearing spears. awaiting us.
and upon their backs we were borne to tho
Rajah's palace. AS we entered we passed an
immense 1.-Two Bengal tiger. larger than any
had ever before seen n terrible guardian ut tho
entrance Of his masters palace. The Rajah
received US with much cordiallty in very large
reception room. He speaks English with ease.
and he is u man OF fine education. as well MS OF
great Hindoo piety: We were conducted to the
balcony. whore We had an extensive view OF the
Ganges then refreshments wcro served. and
atterward tho RaIah hOnored mo with n
decoration which he hung around my neck,
and his son perfumed our handkerchefs.
When We mounted tho elephants again; we
wote taken through the NaIah . magnificent
gardens, after ENJOYING which We were con-
veyed back to the hotel in tho same way wo
came. Inc next morning Wo received call
from tho RaIah secretary, who cameto inquire
If we would bc at homo at II o'clock the next
morning when the Ralnh wished TO return our
visit. Early IN tho morning servant brought
methe linjall' 5 photograph and autograph. and
Rniah arrived at II O'clock. he rode in a car o
ria.c OF great splcndor. and his numerous at
tendans were dressed in costly silks Of brill
liant co!ors. The RaJah brought bouquets TO
Nrs ficil. after presenting which he made in
duiries about our country. and especially about
the ocean cables showing himself man of OK
YOU is the fnA that intelligent rich. md power
tul rs the tWan is. no would he desulsed by
every II luduO II ho should violate the rules of
caste. He dares not make journey upon tho
ocean. because caste forbids 1t. and nothing bnt
tho payment Of II vast sum Of money in casc of u
great emergency would purchase him the priyi
lcEe OF sailing upon the black water. as tho Hin
docs call the sea-
That reminds mo of tho strange creature
saw on the steamer ut Rangoon. British Bur-
nah. He had his head encased in an immense
basket OF iron. with sharp points or spears pro:
Jocting from the sides SO rs to torture him II
Eo inclined his head in any direction. Ha had
made an oath 70 wrartho horrible tnimE until no
$40 900, to build II pagoda. When saw him he
had collected 10000 OF thcm, went to see him
II second time when ho was asleep. He
could not lie down. but, taking a sit
ting posture. he had put paddIng against
the sharp points OF iron at the back of
his head SO mat he could lean back upon
them and sleep. IL is astounding what mon
strous notions human beings will accept. Ono
OF the TEMPLES Of the liindoo holy city, Bennrcs
is cnoi tho Monkey rompln, | was prepared
to see straugr exhibitions OF idOlatry. and | was
not SURPRISED to see people treat bulls ~ sacred
animals, but the worship Of monkeys in tenn
plo devoted TO their exclusive use was moro
than had anticipated.
Tho Orienas stole nothing from me-. In all
our travelling we did not lose an article by
theft. and We often slcpt with our doors and
windows uniHstencd. That is something no