The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-04-30

COME STRANGE SIGHTS IN THE JOLLY LAND
OF THE NuKApo.

OF THE MIKADO.
As we approached the shore the sea
became covered with fishing iunks,
with their strange looking sails and
half-dressed crews. writes Japan cor
respondent of the Chicago Inter Ocean.
With these.picturesque objects in the
foreground, Vries Island and its smok-
ing volcano in the distance and Fuji
.yama towering back of all, our eyes
leasted.on a most charming picture,
which was continued with variations
all day during our saillup the bay of
Yeddo.
About o'clock we anchored off
Yokohama and were Immediately sur
rounded by multitude. of ,'sampans or
native boats. The semi.nude owners
were far worse than a'crowd,of Amer.
lean hackman in their efforts to secure
passengers. TheyIpulled our Celestial
friends about and grabbed them like
pack of demons but we went quietly
ashore in the neatssteam. .launchiof the
Windsor Hotel, and were soon COM
fortably located in that hospitable es.
tablishment overlooking the busy and
crowded harbor.
But what are these beings which
come to serve us at dinner ? Short,
slightly bowlegged japanese men,
with black Jersey shirts and panta-
looms, the usual native socks with
separate compartment for the great toe,
and soft sandals held on by thong
between the toes. They were verita-
BILE genii of the napkin ring, with
cloven hoofs, hairy horns and all, ap-
pearing and vanishing as quickly and
quietly as any first-class demon could
do in the most gorgeous spectacular
play. When we gave an order we
looked involuntarily to see the strange
image turn back somersault and dis
appear through spring trap in the
E midst of lycopodium OF flame
Our amusement thus began at once,
and never ceased while we were in
that curious country. We no scorer
became accustomed to one comical
thing than another thing attracted our
attention, and thus we simply laughed
through Japan for four weeks Full
yama was the only object which ex-
cited apv emotion akin to awe or rever-
ence. Everything else seemed like a
play-land, and we could not overcome
the idea that all the people were mas
querading for our benefit it appeared
increditable that they were actually
living, practically and seriously, as
they had done for centuries.
The first thing that impressed us
was the fact that all the people look
precisely like the pictures we have
seen of them all our lives. We have
never believed this possible, but so true
to nature are the pictures that we fan
cied every one we met had just step
ped off from japanese screen, fan ol
plate. Even the landscapes endorse
the artists works, except in regard tc
perspective. Nature appears willing
to conform herself to japanese art il
every particular except that, and there
she rebels. However, we forgave hel
that fault, for we found she had sup
piled everything else represented OIL
the bills, even the tame crows and i'm
possible hawks with ragged wings.
The children were most entertaining
of all, and most like their pictures
They are precisely like our Japanes,
dolls, and seem like lot of miniature
priests with their shaven heads an,
comical little robes. From 5 years oil
and upward they carry their bah
brothers and sisters strapped to thei
backs, Indian fashion, except that tn
youngster faces forward instead o
back, and is not so much of mumm,
as the pappoose, having the free use o
lis arms.
The babies roll around as if fastene
to their bodies by universal joint,
and they sleep aoundly while thei
carriers run and play, or else" Janus
themselves by solemnly estimating tn
number of hairs to the square inch o
the heads of their fraternal rerambr
lators. They seldom cry. We sa'
several million Of them, | am sure, fc
statistics show the Japanese nation t
be increasing rapidly, and only hear
three or four complain that life was
any way unsatisfactory.