Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-05

where giants are speciality and ordinary
folks larger than elsewhere; but as matter
OF fact they come from all parts of the
Empire, and wherever q man grows up very
full and stout he becomes q wrestler as 9
matter o. course.
The appetite of these men il as big as
their bodies, and it is an exhibition In itself
to see them eating. There are no eating
stations along Japanese railways, and as
the dining car stage OF evolution has not yet
been reached, it is the custom to take along
lunches in boxes. At the stations one can
get bargain for cents. 1t IS pot with
cup on top and a pint of hot tea inside. 1t
all goes Tor the nickel.
STEAM NAvIGATIoN.
Steam navigation is quite as recent an in
noVation as railroads, notwithstanding the
fact that the empire consists entirely of
islands. and that the japanese were noted
many centuries ago as daring and successful
navigators. But when japan, in 1886, ex-
pelled the Catholic missionaries from fear
that religious conversion might be followed
by military invasion, and shut itself up like
a clam, the Government at the same time
issued an edict that no japanese should be
allowed to leave his country under penalty
OF death, and that all sea-worthy vessels
must be destroyed, leaving only the small
coastiDg junks with single sail. But now
Japan has creditable vessels not very differ
ent from those we are familiar with. A mo-
nopoly has put rates absurdly high. Rates
are nearly twice the railroad rates.
In the management of one steamer no.
ticed a method which suggested Yankeeism,
pure and simple. When L bought my ticket
l was asked whether wished my meals in
foro Tap ula aI
see how the natives eat on a steamer
naturally chose the latter-the more will
ingly as [ had been told that 81 extra would
be charged for foreign meals. When the
bell rang went to the dining room, ex-
pecting to squat on a mat and have my own
little table three inches high, laden with
bowls of soup, rice, fish and meat cut into
small slices so that il could be eaten with
chopstlcks; and opposite me kneeling girl
waiting to fill up the rice bowl as often as
emptied, and to hear remarks on her per-
sonal appearance.
A MARK OF CIVILIZATION.
But found nothing of the sort. There
was regular foreign table. This being the
Japanese" edition of the dinner L was
very curious to know what the "foreign"
version would be like. On comparing notes
with the other foreigners, who had paid 81
extra for their meals, found that they had
exactly the same things with this difference,
however, that they had to wait for the second
table. Obviously these Oriental Yankees
are making rapid progress in civilization.
Most tourists, if they were asked what
struck them at first as the most unique street
sight in Japan, would reply ''the jinricki-
shas." Yet you would look in vain for these
vehicles in photographs or pictures that are
more than 20 years old; for, oddly enough,
the "rickshaw" is almost as new thing in
Japan as the railroad and telegraph, having
been fist introduced in 1867, and it is even
said that the first specimens were made in
San Francisco.
LIKE AMERICAN CABBYS.
In the matter of charges these men are
incorrigible, though there is fixed legal
tariff. For my first ride in Yokohama, from
the dock to the hotel, gave my runner 10
cents. 1t was only few blocks, but he
looked at it and asked in tone of mingled
surprise ard reproach, ''ten cents?" He
wanted 20 but did not get it, as I had been
and discovered afterward that
the proper fare was cents. The cheapest
way is to hire one by the day at IS cents or
by the month at $40, as resident foreign
ers do.
1t has often been said that these runners
die young from lung and heart diseases, but
this does not agree with medical testimony,
which is that brisk daily exercise is abso-
lutely necessary TO health in this climate
and as a matter of fact these runners are the
most vigorous and healthy looking of all
the Japanese, although some of them do
work which would kill foreigner in few
days. I have had one runner take me over
40 miles of difficult road in one day, with a
broiling sun overhead, so that even felt
on nv seat and under my
umbrella. 1t may seem cruel to make men
toll thus like horses; but they would rather
do it than starve. In fact they quarrel
among themselves for the privilege of pull
ing you; and this eases ones conscience
HENRY T. FINCK