The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-07


dence, and still less to our reverence as
the inspired Word Of God. FL.
For the Central Presbyterian.
The Empire of the Rising Sun.
BY REV. H. C. DUBosE, MISSIONARY TO
CHINA.
3.
Yokohama
AS you leave Kobe, you 90 thirty
miles within the bay before YOU enter
the sea, the land being in sight nearly
all the time, till you get in the Bay of
Yeddo, in thirty-six hours. Yokohama
is the principal port of Japan, steamers
from all countries coming to her harbor.
Houses are not built so large as in
Shanghai, on account of the earthquakes.
The business part, on the plain, is. reg
ularly laid out, and the native shops
filled with curiosities. Many of the
residents live upon the Bluff" or a
large range of hills, and the residences
are beautiful, with commanding views
of the hills, the city, and the harbor.
A railroad of twenty miles connects it
with Toxic, (Yeddo) the great capital.
From Yokohama we went to see the
famous idol of Japan.
Daibutz,
or "Great Buddha." Roads differ ac-
cording to the weather. Unfortunately
our trip was after and during the rain,
and so it was through the mud. Had
| known of the condition of the roads.
| would not have gone, from sheer pity
for the men, though we paid good
price, about Sl.25 for two. I cannot
but think that the Japanese are the
most athletic of the races. Here were
ten men pulling five foreigners in lin
rlckshas from early in the morning till
10 o'clock at night, thirty-fve miles in
the mud. At this late hour, when thew
struck the fine roads near Yokohama.
they dashed along at full run. Horses
would have been tired out with the davis
Journey. Truly the Japanese are a ma
ton of legs. The first object that strikes
the traveller is the muscular limbs, which
they scorn to cover. You see the Japa-
nese military officer dashing along at a
fast trot, and his bette (horse-boy9 at a
leaping gallop in front 1t is said to be
nothing tor Jap to run twenty miles.
We went to see Daibutz by one road
and came back by another. Through a
valley, with the hills on each side, often
making. turn and passing through a
gap and out into valley more beautiful
still, up mountain road, till we pass
through tunnel too small for bugpv.
by temples with venerable groves of FIR,
along avenues of tall cedars, amidst the
rice-felds, by the side of the BAY, through
gap, the precipices evenly cut ON both
sides, the mountains varying in figure and
luxuriant in foliage; up Winding bath
overhung- by lofty trees, where the
scenery was grand; on narrow ridge
with deep valleys on each side; through
villages and hamlets; up, climbing up
and up the mountain side to the highest
peak where the panorama of the "plains
OF heaven" with sea of mountains.
beautiful meadows, the bay and the city
all open to the view, but alas as often
In life, the "plains of heaven" were
covered with dense clouds, and, although
on the low land, we could enjoy the
sights On the heights the view was
shut out from the eye. In a lonely dale,
alone without shelter, stands the
Great Idol.
In height ffty-two feet. He is sitting.
and would be near twice that height #
standing. However Buddha may have
looked, his images are all exactly the
same. This preserves the likeness per-
fectly, and is in fine proportions He
can always be known by the curly hair
and the knot on his forehead. His
hands are folded in front Complete
his thumbs as large as a man
cut off at his knees. You can climb
up on him, the folds of his garments
making fine steps. Within the circle of
his hands good party may be seated.
Standing upon the end of his finger and
looking up to the giant towering above
makes one feel his littleness in this world.
This image is of bronze, cast in plates
2x3 feet and two inches thick, and nailed
This was A. D. 1862. A door
at the side leads you within the spacious
dol, all hollow "a type of the reli gion he
Iounded), and by flight of steps you 90
to platform where are two heavy
bronze windows in Buddha's back. From
these you get fine view of the noun
,ains round about this mountain image.
The priest sells photographs, which he
'ays he takes himself. There is book in
which foreign visitors register their
names. A plan Of a temple to cover the