The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-21
Our Olio.
Nagasaki, Japan.
BY HON. y. F. GRAVES.


centre of large trade, with a population
estimated at seventy thousand. 1t has six
thousand priests and more than sixty tenn
pies. The temples are always open; priests
are always officiating at the altars. The
harbor is one of the best in the world, about
seven miles long and one broad; land lock
ed. deep and eapacious. The city is the
gateway to all southern Japan. Ii was an
imperial city and became renowned as be
ing the only place in Japan where foreign
ers were permitted to reside Moved by
the influence of Western civilization, other
points were opened to foreigners, and this
drew away from Nagasaki most of its for
eign population.
The climate Is variable and some part of
the season quite damp. In winter the
is sometimes as low as 80 de
grccs above zero. but it does not freeze, and
in the summer it reaches 9S degrees.
There is always breeze from the south
during the dav and from the east during
the night which renders the greatest heat
endurable: but generally the temperature
i quite delightful Rains are frequent
and abundant. The rainy season i in
june and July, when the rains and storms
are most frequent and severe. Hardly any
summer passes without severe storms and
hurricanes. aud frequently earthquake
The city Is surrounded by high hills On
every side except toward the harhor. Il
is built on sloping hills. and, - far as the
location admits. It Is regularly laid out. IL
Is kept clean aud Is very attractive. \
stream Of water comes dashing down q
lovely valley and + crossed by more than
twenty bridges The houses are bow. gen
orally only one story. built Of clay and wood.
pla>tcrei with cement. They have versn-
daS. Venetian blinds. and windows Of oiled
papsr instead Of glass. These are the oT-
dinary houses occupied by the common
people. but the houses of the governors and
other important persons are palaces sur
rounded hy gardens aud adorned With trees
and shribbcry The japanese know how
to emlellish a place with verdurc, putting
the trees in the right places aud making
them beautiful. Flowers and trailing vines
everywherc abound, These rocky hills are
covered with little fragrant groves. with
springs and little hrooks Of living water
clear as crystal \ great variety of trees
alorus bosh hills and valleys.
No one here seems to b. idle. No We
hicles are used in the ssr,=sts. Msn-Power
/. the great factor here The streets aru
narrow snd stecp. The men are small bat
are strong. Two men are carrying bar
rel of oil. The barrel l. strung on bam-
bao pole. the end Of which rc-, an the
shoulders q the c,nlir>, and they niaFeh
away with their load. 4 gang of men are
moving ~5lae heavy timhsrs on a cart with
long boiy.somc pub and oshers push aud
lifl. with a weird kind og song. which seems
tn animate them a. they EOrk. Many an
bearing baxes and other things on their
heads. They al s,am happy and are polite
Thousands IL lit;lc boats sPesd over the
sparkling waters q the bay, sounc carving
passengers and othrrs freight,
Fish siouni IN al ghr waters and aFe
very cheap la some of the streams sal
mon and trout are found. bat are nut cs'u,-
mou Fish anil Eiee arr the prominent ar
ticlcs af diet In same Il the streets near
the markets they have litsle furnaces With
glowing ooals. They take 1--we hsh from
tub partly flled with water and cook
thern oyer the Goals They certainly know
how TO cook fish, foT, when you have iasi-
ed. YOU are ssire 10 call for more.
The mechanics and artisans ar, ingenious.
daing excellent work with very few tools
Their little shops are all open On the street,
and yon see them at their work A. sou pass
along. They are skilfal engrayers, and in
al surface ornamental work arr unsurpass-
ed. Their inlaying ana overiaying Of vsspd.
silver aud steel rival the best work done in
Paris or Berlin. Their bronze work i
very beautiful They east birds and IN.
secis - y.erfectly that they seem 20 b. liv-
ing. They show mastery IN the moUld-
ing a. well as designing Of their material
that convinees YOU that they have some se-
cret process a. vet unknown to Others.
There are articles Of lacquer ware in the
houses Of even the poor, in common use,
on which the yarnish i ~ excellent that
even boiling water OF oil viii not injure or
tarnish il. The first importation Of Japan
ese porcelain excited the admiration and
envy OF Europe, and believe the secret Of
Its manufacture has never set been revealed
by either Chinese or Japanese. The ia
panese have never learned to draw the hu-
man figure correctly and make no prefer
sions Of the kind. but in drawing birds,
insects and aowers they have never been
surpassed. They also excel in working
and ornamentiug ivory. The ivory carving
of Nineveh was celebrated nearly three
thousand wears ago, and that of Greece and
Rome in the third century was 10 exquisite
that il was believed that human could new
er surpass them The japanese have
shown patience and skill in ivory carving
and ornamentation that has not been sur
passed, in any age, for deheacy and beauty
of workmanship.
Agriculture Is an art here, and there Is
no part of the world where it Is perfect.
The hills as well as the valleys are eultiva-
ted. II the hills are steep, they are ter
raced and made into beds and cultivated in
perfect manner. Everything that will
enrich the land is collected with the great
est care and applied in the manner that
brings the best result Rice is the most
important crop raised but wheat, barley,
peas, beans and rye are cultivated in large
quantities. They cultivate al the vegeta-
bles that We raise,-potatoes, turnips, car
rots, beets, radishes, lettuce, melons, Gu
cumbers. squashes, pumpkins, and many
other kinds / wandered through their
fields, and am constrained to say that |
never saw such complete cultivation any
where else. Field after field is ike our
best gardens. Wheat and barley grow in
long, straight rows, with not a weed to be
seen anywhere. Every part Of the land
yields a harvest to help support the vast
number of people of these islands. The
Government regulations for the preserva-
ton of timber are wise and beneficial
SPIDERs.-A singular fact in regard to
the spider is that it casts its skin once
L. Il.