The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-10-09
LETTER FROM JAPAN.
Especial Correspondence No. 8. J

Tile SnOOtn waters OF San Francisco bay
and under the direction of watchfu
pilot on the bridge, we steamed quietly
down the beautiful bay, passing many
objects that had grown familiar during
our pleasant stay in Frisco, through the
glorious Golden Gate to the Pacific, out
into the unquietsea. A diminutive hur-
rlcane was raging outside, the broad sur
face Of the ocean looked ruffled and un-
tidy, and our monster ship tossed about
IN manner as uncomfortable as it was
unbecoming. Movable articles slid
about the decks in every direction, and
other things staunch and immovable
seemed to conduct themselves very curl
ously for time ; but by the following
day the sea became smooth and CLASSY,
and we were ready to begin the three
weeks of sea life that was before us ere
we should plant foot upon the soil of
Asia. The monotony usually attending
a voyage across the Pacific was broken
IN this instance by the Trio" calling at
the Sandwich Islands. The evening of
the 9TH day we sighted the land on Mo
lokai, and in the gray of the morning, by
the mingled light of a descending moon
and o rising sun, we passed through the
narrows in the coral reef, and dropped
anchoE1n the beautiful harbor of Homo
lulu. Il AS Welay outside the coral reef in
the bright moonlight waiting for the
morning tide, the island of Oahu present
ed a picture of SURPRISING beauty.
Stretching away toward Diamond Head
was wavy line of cocoanut palms, and
just under our bows, sleeping in dense
green foliage of tropical luxuriance at the
foot of semi-circle of grassy hills, which
afforded her their grateful protection, lay
the pretty capital of this little island
kingdom. 1t is truly charming spot /!
A perfect tropical garden, where date,
fan, and cocoanut palms, orange, bana-
ma, mangoe and bread fruit trees -four
ish luxuriantly; where Trade winds
blow 8 months of the year, and where
the sun seems to shine with increased
brightness. This little kingdom, isola-
ted and alone in the middle of the broad
Pacific, possesses all the complicated
machinery of monarchical government
for the benefit and protection of 1900
people, the subjects Of King Kalikaua the
LIST. 1t boasts of the largest active vol
cano in the world, sustains a formid-
able { p standing army of 81 men, and a
reasonable national debt. Very many
other evidences of advancing civilization
attracts the eye of the stranger during
days ride about the beautiful city. The
natives are diminishing with frightful
rapidity, from causes not fully appreci-
ated by the outside world. From pop
ulation of 100000 at the time Captain
Cook first landed on the island of Ha-
wall, there are now left but about $4,000,
the survivors of loathsome diseases and
brutal tribal wars. Disease continues,
though the wars have ceased, and ere
many years the kind-hearted, simple
minded, courteous Kanaka will have
passed into history. The leper settle
ment on Molokai numbers 800 souls,
whose only business is to perish from
this loathsome disease in their lonely
exile. The one self-exiled man in this
/" valley of death" on Molokai, is Father
Damiens, a Catholic priest, whose extra
ordinary self-sacriice and an intuition
higher than all reasoning" led him to
this desolate settlement to minister to
the spiritual necessities of those poor be-
ings whose earthly fate is fixed and I'M
alterable, but whose hope still grasps
the Eternal Rock within the vale Of
troubled waters"
We landed 400 Chinese coolies, replen-
ished our coal bunkers, AMI as the sun
was sinking below the Western horizon
the mountains of Oahu disappeared in
the distance, and we were alone again up
onthe trackless ocean. One day at sea is
very like every other, the variations be-
ing limited to the condition of the sea
and wind, in the distance travelled, and
in slight changes in our bill of fare at
dinner. Aside from the officers and
cabin passengers, every man in and
about the ship is Chinese. A Chinaman
brings you your coffee and toast, which
you take in your berth at in the morn
ing he waits upon you at the table ;
YOU see him everywhere about the ship
during the day if you chance to be
reading in your state-room at eleven
O'clock in the evening the same China
man drops quiet hint that it is time to
retire, by stepping noiselessly into your
apartment, turning out your light, and
disappearing as mysteriously as he came.
He makes no apologies, and never under
any circumstances varies the expression
of countenance, which is that of perfect
apathy. You reflect a moment on this
act of insolence, wondering perhaps how
he could possibly know you wanted your
light out at that particular moment, and
then returning to the gentle suggestion
he has offered, conclude that, may be, il
is time to retire, and turn over in your
berth. Reading, sleeping, smoking
chatting with fellow passengers, watch
ing the antics of the whalers and por
poises that play about the ship, looking
sometimes for hours together at the bril-
liant phosphorescence, so very pretty il
the tropical Pacific, and answering the
dinner gong regularly, is about the story
OF this long voyage until you look out TO
land. Then you begin to wonder wha
Japan is like, and to speculate upon thu
various pleasures and discomforts tina
may await you there, and with many re
lgrets that the pleasant sea life is abou
Ito suffer an extended interruption, vol
tinwardly resolve that let Japan be VIVA
| it may you are prepared to welcome he
!. with true Japanese cordiality.
!, For Is days our ship made excellen
progress, leaving Honolulu astern by %
miles every "a hours not a sail of an
description, not a solitary foot of lane
nothing but sea and sky had been see
from the deck of our ship since we too
our last glance at the mountain peaks
Oahu, as the darkness was closing owe
them but we have accomplished tn
Pacific, distance of $500 miles in 2
days and 16 hours-a remarkable pa
sage for one OF the most leisurely ship
on the line, and expect to reach OF
2 buoy in the busy bay of Yokohama :
8 daylight tomorrow. w. q. GoFFE.