The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-27
THE ,JINRIKIsHA.
STANDARD. ORIENTAL CARRIAGE IN
VENTED BY A YANKEE.


Missionary Gobers rheumatism Was the
Inocntivo-Othcr Experiences of That
Lively American Who Wasn't In Sym
pathy with Everything In Japan.
For the jinrikisha. which is the great
est blessing travellers in the east enjoy,
we have to bless an American sailor
who came here on Commodore Perry's
flagship In 1858, and then returned
seven or eight years later as mission
ary Of the Methodist persuasion. His
name was Jonathan Gobel. and he is
mentionedin Commodore Perryss nara
tive asa pious man Of rare intelligence
who took great, interest In the spiritual
welfare Of the Japanese Gobel was one
OF the earliest members Of what is
known as the Newton mission.
The jinrikisha is another illustration
Of the old adage that necessity is the
mother Of invention, for Brother Gobel
was afflicted with rheumatism in his
later years and found it difficult to navi-
gate. The sedan chair, which was used
by the nobility. was too close for him,
and the kago, a vehicle In which the
humber classes were in the habit of
carrying the lame and the lazy, was
very uncomfortable for his long legs, SO
he took u packing case, painted it black,
rs appropriate to his dignity, and set it
upon n pair of wheels.
For shelter from the sun no rugged O
canvas awning that could be raised or
lowered according to his convenience,
and no hired brawny cody to haul
him about. That was the origin of the
vehicle which takes the place of car
riages and street cars in Japan, Korea,
India and China, for Brother Gobel's
invention has spread all over the coast
So useful an invention needed n good
name; therefore Brother Gobel called it
jim (man) ricki (power) sha Gear
riage). But the swells prefer to term it
a kuruma It looks like an exaggerated
baby carriage and is very comfortable
for riding.
Jonathan Gobel was muscular Chris
tian. He feared God and lived right
eous life. He desired every one else to
do SO, and when moral suasion failed he
often tried force When he arrived in
Japan. he was stalwart, powerful fell
low, and usually came out uppermost
when he wrestled with sin. He was liv-
ing i'll Kanagawa when he endeavored
to impress upon the people of that place
the propriety of Sabbath observance.
The japanese have no Sunday. They
have no fixed day of rest Their holi-
days are numerous, and worship contin-
uous without interruption in the tenn
pies There is no particular time for
preaching, and it is always proper to
pray. Therefore every native works
seven days in the week. Brother Gobel
ndmonished the people of the sinfulness
of Sabbath breaking, but he was unable
to convince them, and it grieved his
heart.
Passing from his homo to his place of
preaching ono Sunday no found dozen
men or more engaged in building n
house. He stopped to talk with them
and entreated them to cease their sinful
labor. They refused to do so. He order
ed them to stop, and they declined
Then. Selling a heavy bamboo pole, he
smote them hip and thigh. Several were
laid out senseless, and the next morn
ing Brother Jonathan was prisoner be-
fore the consul general, charged with
aggravated assault and battery. This
case, appears rs one of the first in the
records of the United States consulate,
and is set forth with amusing details.
The missionary pleaded guilty, with
strong provocation, and was put under
bonds to keep the peace.
Mr.. Gobel afterward built himself O
modern house OH what is known as the
Bluff, south of Yokohama, and sur
rounded his grounds with the first fence
that was ever built in this part of the
world 1t was mado Of bamboo palings.
and the boys in the neighborhood used
to annoy the good missionary greatly by
rafting sticks against it as they ran
along the street The British admiral
lived just above him and had very
natty Tommy Atkins for an orderly.
He wore little round cap on the north
east corner Of his head and always car
ried little oane Of rattan in his hand.
One morning, having been sent with q
message. he appeared before tho admiral
with his face bruised to jelly and his
uniform tattered and torn and covered
with dust
Mercy Oh us - exclaimed the ad-
miral in establishment at the spectacle
What has happened to you:'
II beg your pardon, SIR" replied
Tommy, ''but has was coming halong
hup tho ill, a-rubbing my stick hagainst
the missionary's fence, sir. e camo hout
in is pygamas and said as 'ow o 'ad
vowed by the grace of God to lick the
'ide hoff the next man who did that,
and e ms done it, sir f"
The 'rikishas arc all mado in Japan,
and largo number are exported to the