The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-02-07
lNNocENT.LooKINc JAPs.
Tricks by Which They Secure the Money Oi
Unsuspecting Tourists.

ChsuhpfctthS AouEtstH'
In the tricks that signalize most all
trades the "Japs" are by no means
without their little devices, and when
if comes right down to an appearance
of ingenious ''innocence,' these artful
orientals can enact the role in man.
ncr that would completely eclipse any,
thing, saws the New York Herald.
OF the little devices they use TO take
in the ordinary stranger, of the over
bearing pOlitemess in all business tran
sactions, aud their almost childlike in
nocence, apparently. in all matters of
barter and trade, will not speak.
II will simply speak of two classes
that the foreigner first meets on strik-
ing Yokohama or any other japanese
port. These are the boatmen and the
men who pull the e"jinrickshaws.'
On landings at YoKohama the steamer
anchors about mile from shore, and
most of the travelling to and from the
ship is done in boats that are worked
something like gondOlas. These crowd
around the steamer in swarms,
the boatmen offering in very fair
English to take you to shore and
back for cents. am now speaking
of passengers who only stop at
Yokohama en- route for some other
port. / engaged one of these boatmen,
who seemed to understand English
very well, shortly after my arrival at
Yokohama some months ago, agreeing
to pay him cents for the round trip.
On my return handed him a Mexican
dollar and demanded the change, but
he had forgotten his English since
leaving the ship.
mo savvy said he.
Here" said /, II gave you 81 and
You owe me "a cents change" 1t was
no use; no amount of argument could
convince the Jap or make. him under
stand what wanted. and, singularly
enough, no other Jap could act as in
terpreter. This, learned, was an old
trick of theirs.
Another nick was TO lose an oar
overheard and charge 81 to jump after
it. Nv experience in this. as in other
matters, was similar ln that of every
other stranger on the ship. Have the
right change, l learned, or you'll suffer
/ for it. l hired ''rickshaw" on land
ing and the Jap agreed to 'tote" me
about for 20 cents an hour. After /
had ridden about five minntes another
Jap wanted to help the first one by
pushing the concern. | didn't want
him, and said so; but as / couldn't by
any means, including profanity, make
him understand this fact i had 10 give
in, and what is more. had four of
them attached TO the cart before | had
finished my ride.
! remained two weeks at Yokohama
before '.caught on" for after that.
| when another man came up with II
"pushee, pushee' proposition L signi-
fled assent and then quietly got out
and walked till the men had settled the
matter between them. As soon as my
s'richsaw" man saw that l knew the
ropes / was not further nOlested.
got my right change after that also,
as got it in advance or gave them
the correct amount in the first place.
A boatman played the ''oar over
board" act with me the second time,
but he didn't get his 81. as l simply
showed him a revolver, as l had been
told to do by one of the initiated. He
got the oar very quick when he saw the
weapon.
The boatmen, as rule, are power
full fellows, so that any physical argu-
ment might be very Improbable.
They are afraid of firearms, how
ever, and will always give in at the
sight of pistol.