The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1885-12-17
4 Primitive Postal Service.

i;" commonest type of Indian post
!dnncr. or ''Tappal wallah," wears q
long white coat, very tight trousers i'm
close his lean legs, and his headdress is
huge light blue turban. His Utter
bag is slung on his side, and It is neces-
sary that he should be good linguist,
and be able to read great variety Of
strange, grabbed characters, for sever
a OF the multitudinous languages of
Hlndostan are written In quite distinct
characters, all of which are alike in
comprehensive TO our untutored eyes.
Tho rural letter-carrier of Hindostan
carries long stick with sharp iron
point, which can bo used as weapon
in case of need. Tho stick is adorned
with six little brass bells, which serve
to frighten away reptiles and dangerous
animals. and also to give notice Of the
approach OF the post Tho danger
from Wild beasts is, in some districts, q
very real one, tho "tappal'' runners
through tho forest districts in the south
OF Coylon having occasionally had very
narrow escapes from tho attacks of
rogue" elephants and other Wild
beasts.
OF all varieties of Indian letter-car-
ffcrs, clothed or unclothcd, none are 80
picturesque as tho camel express mes
sengers. The men wear serviceablo
red uniform. and largo green turban
embroidered with gold thread. From
their girdle hangs . curved saber in =
red sheath. The camcls are adorned
with trappings of gay cloth and tasscls,
ornamented with blue beads and cowrie
shells, and small brass bells round the
heck to give notice of their swift ap-
proach. 1t is said that their rough and
rapid Eotting, sometimes at the rate of
eighty miles day, is SO trying to tho
riders as to shorten their days. Two
heavy mail-bags hang to right and left
on each side Of the camel, and the sad
die is so arranged that a passenger can
tGko seat behind the postman.
In no country Of the world is the |
postal organization more wonderful |
than in Japan; the chief marvel being |
that, till aboat dozen years ago, there |
was no regular government institutions
Of posts in the country. In 1871, when
Japan awakened like giant from her
long sleep OF cxciusivcness, and set to
work to accomplish changes of every
sort. she resolved to establish the Eu-
fopean postal system; and with such
astonishing zeal has she done her work
that within ten years the British,
American, and French postofices, which
had been established at all the open
ports, were closed, foreign nations be-
ing satisfied with the thoroughness of
tho Japanese postal service. In that
short period mail routes had been or
ganized over Sc, 900 miles; mail trains
and steamers. post-vans, and runners
we're all enlisted; 1927 postoffices and
:. 439 letter-boxes had been established;
offices and postof1ice saw
|ngs banks were in full operation; T.
500 persons were employed on the reg
nlar staff; stamps, stamped envelopes,
postcards, and newspaper wrappers
we're issued at the same rate as our
OWN; letter postage to any part of the
empire being at the rate of pence,
Ind post cards l pence; while within
The limits of the city of Toxic these
hostages are respectively only half
price.
Where the postoffice had thus been
started at full swirg il is needless to
'ay that the telegra h was not forgot
'en; and by 1850 it :. IS in full working
order oser distance of about 10000
miles, and giving employment to about
Is. 900 persons. Gordon Cumming
IN casseTs Family Magazine for Au- A
yusk