Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-08

tains-FuJi-An Exciting and Excited Stage Driver.
 YOKOHAMA, Japan. Nov. 25.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
 At Oiso found lodging in pleasant na
 tive hotel, where I wrestled all night witl
 feas, and mortified my stomach by dosing i with some anomalous articles of diet. As Ii
 customary in these native yadoyss, thre,
 sides of the room were provided with sliding
 screens, and I never knew from what direc ton to expect moosmie when I clapped my hands for her. Sometimes she would stes 1 right from an adjoining room that was occu pied, and these native maidens never thinl ! of closing door, even though it be iu the ! dead of winter. All winter long the Japa
 nese sit in their open chimneyless huts warm ing the tips of their fingers over 8 pot oi coals. We could not stand it, but they dc
 not seem to suffer. On the other hand they will endure the most intense heat without g murmur. It took several hours for the tit,
 tering but good natured moosmies to finish
 admiring my proportions and raiment, which
 they persisted in doing despite all that could do to impress them with the undesira-
 
 In the morning asked for my bill and re- ceived a huge roll of parchment that was quite unintelEgible. My coolie could speak the English numerals, and he indicated that the amount was fifty sen. He paid twenty gen for the same accommodations lodging, feas, supper and breakfast.) paid the bill and started with the same runner for Sam
 mai Bashi, abont fifteen miles distant, and at the foot of the mountains. Our route was down the Tokaido. which here passes along the shore of the Pacific ocean. This imperi- al highway was in tolerably good condition and the ride was full of interest. There were such strange and seemingly proftless forms of industry. The pack horses inter- ested me most I would see 8 huge object approaching, which looked good deal like a whole museum moving by means of four pegs, and my first thought would be, now If
 Barnum could only capture this anomaly But as it came nearer could see that 1t was a pack horse, usually loaded with single kind of goods, but not unfrequeptly more like portable curiosity show. I saw one specially remarkable case There was noth- ing of the horse visible above the ankles, the whole being concealed by means of straw, faggots, trees and all sorts of useless looking ID m.terial, reaching over ten feet high In the air. From the sides hung bells, bottles, tin pais and crude native implements. On the tip top. scarcely visible at alI, was the rider, squattipg in genuine Japanese fashion upon 8 board.
 By the wayside were lonely looking and for the most part dirty temples, to which no one paid any attention, and which were not really fit for the habitation of the huge, au dacious crows that flew about them ano msds the air resonant with their disagreeabls cawings-
 f kop lad ,1Vo in of an establishment for the roasting of sweat potatoes. I deposited two sen upon the tray and the proprietor handed me in exchange thirteen large, smoking sweet potatoes. l was paralyzed with smazemont, but TO mis take had been made. l gave over half ot them to the coolie, ate until fairlJ choked, and then threw two of them away. They were really delicious, but hereafter I shall only invest one-half sen ill such goods at time. It must be remembered that Japanese money is worth at least twenty five per csnt. less than American money.
 I made the ascent of the mountains to Ml yanoshita, a charming climb of seven or eight miles, on foot. The only possible method of conveyance would be by kago. Special limitations forbid any extended men ton of ths interesting country traVersed Suffice it to say that I arrived at Miyanoshita in tins for one o'clock lunch. Proceeding to the Fujiya, found it to bs without doubt the best native approximation of European hotel in the whole country. There 1s req son for this. Miyanoshita is the greatest re- sort for foreigners in the island, and the business really justifes a good hotel The Fujiya is three stories high, very rare state of things hereabouts. It Is equipped with tables, chairs, beds, and all or nearly all of the appurtensnces of foreign life which are never found in simply Japanese hotels. The table WAS also all that the most fastidious
 TS,.kk kGa oSk oTNf all was the hot bath provided in connection with the establishment The water came boiling hot from the mountains in summer and winter alike. and whenever the guest wanted bath the cold water faucets had to be opened at least Ave minutes beforehand. lad heard much of these Miyanoshita baths in advance, but the realization went far be5 ond the expectation. Nowhere In Aneri- ca have ever seen such luxurious baths.
 Early tue following morning party of us started for mountain tramp. We chose the way to Hakone, some seven miles distant. OR the way we stopped at Ashinoyu, where the famous Japanese sulphur springs are 10 where this product is found in large quanti ties, and these places have been christeaed respectively tho Big Hell spd the Little Hell, not too extravagantIy. The odor IS un- bearable, steam issues out Of the earth, hot streams of white, yellow, blue and red course down the mountain side, and it is very dan gerous to walk in the vicinity without guide. Several careless tourists have been swallowed up by the treacherous earth here Tho sulphur baths at the hotel near by are quite feature. In many of these mountain streams the water almost boils.
 Ascending to she top of Ashinoyu Hill, We had magnificent view of the country for miles around. Away in the extreme dis tance we could distinguish Yokohama and wifh oJ1E Ea1d OiaSa WA pressed on to the charming summer resort Hakone, 10 cated upon the bank of an exquisite lake of the same name.
 s'If we go on half mile further" said one of our party, i've can get magnificent view of Fuji, tks most symmetrical noun tain in the world" I was quite weary and therefore averse 10 taking the extra tramp What was the uss of going half 2 mile, in quired, for the sake of seeing Fnjiyama, when had seen it from my hotel window in Yokohama at morning, noon and night, through blue glass, req glass and in every other conceivable fashion? 'Ah, but you have not seen it close by," was the quiet re- ply. ''You have seen 1t frcm distance of fifty or sixty miles, but never from point only fifteen miles away" Still uneonvinced plodded on with the rest, until 8 halt was ordered and we sat down on 8 prostrate idol upon the lake shore. s'Now," gaid the pre- vious speaker, ''Rasch those shifting white clouds. think they will have something to show us before long" Soon the clouds rolled away and disclosed what l thought must be solid wall of white marble. Pres entIy the whole mass of clouds passed away. and old Fuji stood forth, peerless indeed as the name asserts. Now I could under stand why there is so much raving over views of mountains. Now had not 8 com plaint to offer for the addition to our long walk It had evidently showed hard all the dsy before, and from it's noble old crest al most to ths very base the pure white materi eI lay, evidently very deep. The absolute symmetry of the mountain is marred by just one hump, produced at the last eruption This ''hump'' is Q great source of sorrow to the Japs, who are very proud of old Fuji.
 We nov descended the Hekone Pass, over which the Tokaido becomes g mere kago trail, and after 8 three hours walk arrived st Yunoto. Here left the party and proceed ed by 'rickisha to Odawara, where I spent the night This fishing city is located on the ocean just at the point where the treaty limits reach, and it has always been some- thing of question as to whether 8 passport is needed for visiting it. Whether needed or not 8 passport ia demanded everywhere. Thinking to test the matter, pretended to be very dull when the proprietor came to me and said s'menju." He labored with me for