The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-09-11
Vegetation Like That Of
New England.
KaruizaWa a Missionary Retreat
at Present - Rain in
Abundance.
Especial Correspondence
Karuizawa, August 20, 1S!

| hdI uIZdWd, august ~, 1901.
| EDITOR p. c. A.:-A shower of the
old-fashioned kind, with vivid violet
lightning, and low rumbling thunder,
yesterday afternoon, has cooled the
air, with that peculiar freshness after
thunder shower in New England. AS
| the shower passed away and the sun
shone out again, it was interesting to
watch the clouds lifting and the mist
rolling out from between the different
ridges that skirt the plain. The noun
tain tops loomed up like black sea
monsters from out of the sea-foam.
Today we started out for jinrikisha
| ride, but it began to sprinkle, and we
soon returned. The charge per hour is
| only 10 sen, that is cents in United
| States money. We have two good
rooms well furnished, with rockers,
| lounging chairs and other conven-
fences and pay z sen per day.
The food is we'll cooked and well
served. The mattresses are rosy
| checked, moon-faced Japanese maids,
whose attempts at English are only
endeavors to make them comprehend
our wishes without a word of Japanese.
When one orders "hominy," as he sup
poses, and has brought to him a dish
of "ham and eggs,'' there is nothing to
be done but to accept the situation.
Up in this mountain retreat one sees
such signs in the English language as
Ladies' Dressmaker," Carpenter and
Builder" Green Grocer" and so on.
Labor has risen 80 per cent in two
years, and rice has doubled in value
since 1875. 1t was novel sight to see
a log sawn into boards, stood up on
end, slanting, and a Japanese beneath
it plying saw with a six-inch blade,
yet cutting to the line the squared log
into half-inch boards.
The cOntrivance for furnishing wa
ter for the bath tubs is picturesque in
its rudeness, yet does it's work effec-
lively. An undershaft water-wheel in
the little stream back of the house
turns a cylinder, over which revolves
an endless chain of tiny cups of tin,
emptying each about half a tumbler
full of water into box, from which it
runs through bamboo pipes into the
tank above the bathrooms. The box
and cylinder are fixed among the
branches of a tree, that stands in the
court These little courts seem to be
characteristic of Japanese dwellings.
A few trees. a little basin of water
some stone lanterns Of peculiar jap
anese fashion are the principal feat
ures that l have noticed.
There are not many diversions in
such a back-country place as this. Our
English friends, who take their con-
stitutional every morning, are ready
any time for a days walk OF 20 or 30
miles. We shall not attempt any ex-
ertion OF that kind. We must forego,
also, the ascent of Asama-yama, $3.50
feet high, the largest active volcano in
Japan Several parties have made the
ascent, some going and returning be-
tween a. m. and p. m; others max
ing the ascent by night to get view of
the smouldering sulphurous fires in
the bottom of the crater. Short walks
on some of the many by-paths of the
main road have sufficied us thus far.
The vegetation is much like the noun
tain meadow lands Of New England,
milIefoil. elderblow, clematis, lilies,
bluebells. asters, plants of the same
genera as these familiar wild flowers Of
New England. but of different species.
In a half hours walk this morning the
different flowers picked by the way
side numbered SO.
Meeting with all sorts of people as
we have done, it is interesting to note
what different opinions are expressed
on the Hawaiian questions. We see
things from our standpoint and are sure
we are right The Hawaiian Govern
ment has followed closely United
States laws in all that it has done, but
other people cannot comprehend our