The San Francisco call., 1897-12-19

mOSan Channel, ana we were OACS
more started, this time pointing toward
| Shanghai.
Shanghai was absorbed from end to
end on our arrival there by the ran
races, which were commencing that
day. The stakes are high, and every
man, woman and child, Chtnaman ana
Japanese, seemed to have r1sked some
thing on the result. The Gaelic had
the excitement of having on board
passenger who owned one Of the ia
vorite horses.
In the harbor of Nagasah were the
Occidental and Oriental Steamship
Company's Doric, on her way to China,
crowded with tourists and prominent
people; half dozen great warships OF
various nations, besides many mer-
chantmen of all nations, and the usual
number of junks and sampans. On
the morning we arrived the Emperor
of Japan was AZ years old, ana pre-
cisely at o'clock every ship ho1sted q
beautiful flag decoration of some kind
| in his Majesty's honor, and all the
bright, waving pennants made most
beautiful and effective picture, partlc-
ularly in contrast with the white men
of-war. When we reached the shore In
our sampan we found the town equally
gorgeous with flowers and gay punt
ing. The Emperor is fortunate in nav
ing his birthday on November 4, for
not only the nation but nature as we'll
can do him homage, for this is the date
when Japan's favorite flower is at its
best. Every doorway contained
stately blossom; through the bamboo
fences one caught glimpses Of gardens
which were radiant with bright colors;
Iaf Mo hnv fiCh
odorfferous, was glorified by a flower;
every Japanese woman, riding along
in her rikisha, carried a brilliant
bunch; every humble cottage was
brightened by the lovely colors; and
when we reached the exhibition. So
l.caued, we found it a little valley filled
to oyerfiowing with the nodding flow
ers of every size and variety, every
color, every degree Of cultivation, and
on each side rose the green hills in
| terraces, where the tea and Indian
corn were growing, and the trees were
bent low with yellow persimmons.
After most interesting day through
the inland sea, where a filmy curtain
like mist only added to the ideal
scenery of those dainty islands and
toned down the bolder outlines of the
mountains and rocks and made the
brilliant coloring of the foliage and
crops more delicately lovely; after a
sunset of purest amber and the fairest
moonlight night, we found ourselves
in Kobe. which boasts a variety Of
attractions which cannot fail to in
terest each kind of traveller.
Kobe is also a good place for the
shopper who wants bit of this cheap
| but artistic pale blue chinaware or a
natural-wood picture-frame or a saki-
bottle to remind him perchance when
far away of nearly forgotten Japan
| ese dinner and the seductive drink
which accompanied it.
The Gaelic received a large number
of passengers at Yokohama and re-
mained there two days. When we left,
| November 10th, the weather was most
| beautiful and the city was one large
| chrysanthemum. The plants were
| growing outdoors in gorgeous profu-
sion, the sunshine was brilliant, but the
| air was pleasantly cool.
The first five or six days out of Yo-
| kohama were very fine overhead, but a
| trif1e uncertain underneath; and while
| no one was really i'll several were
| somewhat discouraged. BY the time
| the Gaelic was approaching Honolulu
| the waves had calmed down and
pleasant excitement filled the passen-
gers. We had quite a number of Jap
anese on board, and no one was GER
tain whether they were really labor
ers for the sugar plantations, as they
claim, or the flower of the Japanese
army in disguise, ready to seize the
Hawaiian Islands as soon as we sight
ed them. And then we knew we were
to have two United States Senators the
rest of the trip, to say nothing of a pro-
testing delegation of four distinguished
HawaiianS. All Honolulu came down
to see us off, and it was a scene of
dark skins, white Mother Hubbards,
waving wreathS of beautiful flowers in
lavish profusion, smiles, tears and
kindly farewells which we shall not
soon forget.
The first excitement dissipated like
the mist, for the Japanese went peace
fully on shore, and there were no signs
of seizure.
On the evening of the oath, the day
before Thanksgiving, we were given a
most interesting entertainment of Ian
tern slides by Mr.. Otis A. Poole of Yo-
kohama, the we'll known tea merchant.
Mr.. Poole calls himself an amateur
photographer, but his artistic and ex-
quisite work gives him a place far
ahead of the ordinary professional. The
25th being Thanksgiving, it was re-
solved to celebrate. Commander
Finch, one of the most delightful cap
tains who ever sailed a ship, is a hearty
believer in holidays, and although he
is an Englishman he declared that we
should have as American a time as was
possible. The dining salon was deco
rated from end to end with flags; the
stars and stripes were festooned har-
moniously along with English coIors
and yellow Chinese dragons, and the
whole presented a most inspiring ef-
feet. And then the dinner was one to
satisfy the most exacting patriot. for
with the duck and turkey and cram
berry sauce, the plum pudding, the
mlnce and pumpkin pies were served.
and all sorts of other good things and
delicious fruits from Honolulu. After
the inner man was satisfied and the
tables cleared, a most beautiful musi-
nd np--, ,frN,.f fr,r1I-