The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-14
THE WOMEN OF HAWAII
YOKOHAMA THE MOST PLEAS
ANT CITY IN THE EAST.
LABOR AND FARMING IN JAPAN
The Theatrical Performance in Japan Embraces
Three Days Only Twenty Americans
Live at Hong Kong.
Hong Kong, China, July 2, 1898.

Hong Kong. Cnlna July :, 1850.
To the Edior:
In accordance with your kind invita-
ton extended me before l left Raleigh
to write you letter from these far off
parts l send this limited description of
my trip from San Francisco to Yoke
hama and stay in the latter place.
] advise my friends who wish interest
ing reading to turn to other pages, but
as an antidote for insomnia | cheerfully
recommend that they read the following:
Leaving San Francisco May 10th on
everything clean and comfortable aboard
ship clever. gentlemanly corps
of officers in command and efficient
Chinese servants to wait on us.
| stayed on deck until about ) o'clock
and then went below, having tired Of
swinging to the railing of the ship
feeding the fishes Subsequent pro-
ceedings interested me no more until the
next afternoon. | went on deck with
feeling of loneliness as well as empti-
ness and made friends with fellow
sufferer. We were now about 600 miles
self had not been to a single meal. As
we made our appearance ut dinner one
heartless individual inquired in voice
loud enough to be heard all over the sa
loon: Captain. where did your two
new passengers get on?' There is no
sympathy for the sea-sick. and as other
passengers put in their appearance we
had our fun with them.
On board ship friends are quickly
made and we soon had Il pleasant party
organized and passed the time with
music. games, yarns cards. etc.
On May 18th we reached Honolulu.
This is a beautiful place and makes Il
most pleasant break in the voyage. We
stayed here all day and our party drove
all over the place. through long avenues
of palms and tropical shrubbery over
the finest roads | ever saw. The Raj
eigh Street Improvement Committee
could obtain some valuable hints on
good roads from the Hawaiians who
don't cut down all the fine trees along
the road. In the afternoon we attend
ed a tea and were presented with 'lais.'
This custom is confined. / am told TO
these islands. The lais are long stream
ers of different flowers strung on thread
and are wound around the necks of the
guests by the host. 1t is a pretty GUS
tom.
The native women in Honolulu looked
very cute in their flowing gowns cut IN
Mother Hubbard.
We let the islands late in the after
noon and on May 21st crossed
the 1SOth Meridian here we lost one
ACKNOWLEDGMENT jumped to Monday
May Ord
We arrived at Yokohoma May 27th,a and
when one of the lady passengers was told
that the ship had dropped her anchor.
remarked II IN not surprised. they
are so very careless. the anchor has
been hanging over the side all day
The steamship company have no
pier at YokOhoma. the ships anchor
out in the harbOr and steam launches
from the different hotels carry the
passengers ashore. Upon landing you are
assailed by the 'ricksha men who arc
worse than the hack-drivers at Union
depot. the ''greenhorn" suffers Ct suffered
MYSELF from these men. No matter how
much you pay them they want more
and until you learn their ways you
generally pay double rather than argue
with them in language you don't I'M
derstand.
Yokohoma is by far the most pleasant
city in the East to visit: the society is
formed of people from all parts of the
world. but the Americans are in the
majority
Three very good hotels are situated on
the bend facing the harbor and within
Il short distance Of the business houses.
Most of the fine residences are situated
on the Bend upon the Bluff The
United States and British Naval Hos
pitfalls are also built on the Bluff.
While | was in Yokohoma the remains
of Captain Gridley were brought there
for cremation. The funeral services
were held from the Union church. United
States. English and japanese Naval Off
GERS attending in full uniform. The
Japanese also furnished Il company Of
marines from one of their cruisers to
act as guard
Labor in Japan is so very cheap THAI
few agricultural implements are used. all
the farm works, including the cutting of
wheat, etc. is done by hand men, wo-
men and children working all day for Il
few cents. All the rice is transplanted.
each tiny blade is set ont by hand
In the large tea firing ''go downs7 the
natives work for 30 or 80 sen (about
10 or 10 cents Of our money per dav
get this
Passing through the Japanese portion
of the town is anything but pleasant. the
people wear very abbreviated costumes
and go very much as they please. Little
children, looking scarcely more than four
or five years old, trot around with n
baby strapped to their backs, the old
people. apparently grandparents, who
ire too old to work are also used for
baby carriers"
Tea and sacki are the drinks for thirsty
Japanese. Sacki is whiskey made from
rice, and while they drink a great deal
Of it | only saw one drunk and down.
while in Japan. The climate is splen-
did. In January we had to have fire
and twas very uncomfortable without
them. This was only for a few days.
but the weather while | was there was
n