The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-02
CORRESPONDENCE.


wal, ana It's not springs. Jusb W MANI
this short jOurn"y of RI l2t miles, IL 4
had been necessary to apply for pass
port, and the local government teellng !
unable to grant it, sent to Tokyo tor II:
Mr.. |. said that the Governor of TOttori
ken (prefecture) who resides here in the
capital city of the ken, was very kind in
usinp every means for expediting the
secural of the passport, and it came just
five DAYS after application was made:
Think of our being shut in so closely
We have our five-year residence passport
and passport that will protect us when
out of the city for day only, coming
back by night-fall; but we must send TO
headquarters for a passport II we wish
to be out of Tottori over night. VINO
that lives in Japan will oppose treaty re-
visionl
We came to our present quarters IN
about three hours. Mr.. |. is very KIND
and attentive to my comfort. He says
we are in hotel that has 200 guests in
spring. 1t has only nine or ten now. It'll
has an extension built over the OnSeu or
hot-spring, which is similar in mineral
quality to those under other houses in
| iwai, a town of three hundred houses
and one thousand inhabitants perhaps
Am glad to find the toilet room lighted,
a small saucer of rape-seed oil is used i'll
which lie two small cylindrical wicks.
A Chinese article of ornamentation is on
the wall, near where we sit in conference
now; it is piece of mOther-of-pearl
lacquer work, called aogai. We have had
a pleasant meal together. Japanese fish
and the white bread l brought with me
go vely nicely together. No milk is to
be had and no beef here. After the meal,
Mr.. |. opens his box of "Old Rip-Long
Cut-for Pipes and Cigarettes" Allen q
Ginter manufacturers, Richmond, va,
and 90 TO my note book with fountain
pen in hand. Our four jinIikisha men
went into the bath about $3.50 p. m. and
stayed until nearly 10 o'clock. Let me
describe the hot-spring briefly. There is
a place for your clothes at the right OF
the entrance on raised platform. You
descend three stone steps to the edge of
the onseu which is surrounded in a
SQUARE with boards smoothed nicely,
upon which one may sit with feet in the
water resting upon lower square of
blanks which form a seat for one who
has entered the OnSeu and stands i'll wa
ter three feet deep or more. After one
has stepped down into the OnSeu which
/, is about feet square, one stands upon
wooden Stats. The timid might wonder
! how much weight would be required tt
break the Stats and sink the bathers il
the spring below. The building over the
onseu, with tile roof, is perhaps 0xl2 fee
in length and breadth. The walk o.
smooth boards q feet wide all arounC
= the Onseu, allows girls to stand behinC
/ the bathers and rub the backs, a custom
= that has by no means been given up
{ The water is constantly running off, 81
L that one feels little hesitation about en-
t tering even soon after others have left
S Wooden cups, with wooden handles on
foot and half long, are used by tn
= bathers. who throw the hot water al
c over their bodies in this way, while sit
h ting on the low plank seats about tn
/, onseu. and half out of the water. In sue
r baths as these, in many places even yet
l. men and women battle together freely
J. There is, however, growing oppositio
e to the practice Far be it from Chris
l. tan to Judge of the comparative abuse
Q of this pastime and that enjoyed at man
t an American seaside resort! After thes
o men had spent over three hours in tn
D onseu and had retired, went out for
n trial, little after ten o'clock, and fOun
lie myself agreeably alone. The water wa
Q, so warm as to cause lively perspiratio
1t and gave strong odor of sulphur.
lie enjoyed the bath much and it reminde
" me of the hOt-springs of Mexico.
he Tuesday, Dec. 30th, 1S90.-Slept wei
1t despite the fact that | was on the foo
t. in Japanese style. We were fortunate
IN having table three feet square brougl
ID in for us and placed over kOtatsu, {
i'll fireplace in the center of the room,
I'd which charcoal lies in a box of ashe
S. Since our shoes are at the door, if we pl
our feet on edge of the KOtatsu, it
comfortable and suggestive of an owe
used in boyhoOd in cold weather. Tw
chairs were brought, and lamp wit
- small wick and chimney was given us f,
r. evening use.
- | went UP to the tempted hill back
= 1.-THE hotel and heard the large religion
I'd bell rung by boys. Saw some stone lido
iS supposed to look after the interests
as children and known as "Jizo l
10 Bosatsu." Went up the hill alone to Il
Of small temple, which commands beau
", W full view richly cultivated fields, gree
hn even at this time of the year, serrat'
nf mountains with pretty clefts i'll whit
No.. clusters of houses nestle, a beautiful Vi
10 ley, indeed, with smooth river runnil
re through it,
hc On coming down into the village aga
nd l saw boys in the bath and out of &
=, bath on the sidewalk; a woman of six
70 years perhaps was in one slapping her c,
To- in the water and shOwering her head
at would bird. The Japanese do the
cd oughly enjoy their many hOt-springs.
cd As we sat at table my companion to-
'or from bundle of books Webster's Sp
,So Ter, and said that they use it in Toky
Nh, The policeman came in to see my pa
,m port, dressed he was in uniform wi
ey brass buttons and sword. He drank
IN with us, smoked, spoke pleasantly a
v" departed with due formality. The me-
od est translation that l could make
-rai Ishiwara's statement is this, that {
so Governor sent this officer to protect a
70 care for me. Imagine such care for
for single stranger. This is rural distri
mr.. indeed, for every one eyes me from he
ion to foot, as if they never before had sc
,ad a WesterneT.
Of ind that first class rooms in t
nor hotel are 80 sen day lyon know 100 s
ter are worth about s. cents U. S. currenc
'rs second class, 40 sen; third class, 20 81
,Iiy fourth class, IL sen, which includes
1ra each case supper, lodging and breakfa
ant You leave Tip" with the servants
md addition. Seventy-five sen day v
cover your expenses, If you are wit
tba japanese who can arrange for you.
ave for three hours with intelligent n
nd there who asked about Goethe, Macaul
Ire "Shakspere," etc. Some of them
all studying English with view to going
tba America sometime. A neighbor came
gbt to show some wall-hangings. Would
,1nt God | could speak to them of Gods I
zoo. citation IN Christ! But the time '
ms come. am getting the language. "
had has not the world been long since c
raj verted to Christianity! Showed til
hnt men as they sat smoking, my Uni
'ed States passport, and was delighted
vs their expressions of satisfaction with
,rv texture, its general artistic style, SUI
orc in marked contrast with what Japan
tbe manufacture at present. Blaine's ma
AT stands upon it. Was pleased to moi
Won my companions courtesy in leaning
nh ward and bowling as | gave silent tina
and and asked continued blessings at tai
has GU see ne Is cry eulto!, anu ~
He says he is reading the Bible, but d
/ is not understand it. So said another
ali he brought in a copy of the New TIE
vn. ment in the evening, and the look on
tion mans face was such as / cannot ca
NJ a forget, so full of earnestness and de
ned for Spiritual light. You may, my p
& IN ent readers, easily imagine how anxi
ines am to acquire this language spec
tier and speak to the anxiously wal
WIN thousands. And it is all you at III
his who are enabling me by your genera
tier to work here God bless you in all J
,,vn giving, and, dear Editor, may }