The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-07-12
BICYCLING IN JAPAN.
Interesting Account OF a
Pleasure Trip by the Sea-
shore.

If my previous letters have found
favor IN the eyes of the friends at
bome, this one surely will, as ii de
scribes trip through the prettiest
part of Japan I have seen. / left
Kobe on Saturday afternoon With
two friends, about 2 O'Clock We
rode our wheels to the steamer whose
dock was about two miles from the
Office Only one of the party had
ever been there before, and he soon
lost his way in the maze of japanese
streets. We finally got Jinrikisha
man to leave his cart and show Us
the way, and as we were late and
afraid of missing the steamer, he did
. fine piece Of running, hanging on
50 one of the saddles.
We were bound for the leland of
Jewaji, which has no foreign popula-
tion and is never visited by them
Tourists never have been there. as
there are no accommodations for
them, and in the history of the coun
try the island has been visited by
about fifty foreigners only.
It took us three and half hours
to get there ON the steamer The
steamer was Japanese boat on
which white man seldom went.
We had to climb aboard and hand
our wheels up, as there was no gang
plank, and as for chairs. there was
not chair or stool on board. The
Japs never use such luxuries. The
saloon was only 6 by 8 feet, with a
carpet on the foor and a kind OF
sideboard at one end. You had to
remove your shoes to go in, as is the
custom in all japanese places |
tried 20 stand up straight and got ay
head bumped for my trouble. Sat
down for a while and played set
back, but found the deck more en-.
joyable
OF course we were sensation
when we landed and rode to the tea
house There are no hotels. and
japanese tea house answered the
purpose for us. We were followed
By such crowd of children that the
police had to disperse them, but they
soon came back Then / gave them
such scare with o big foot pump
that they left as alone for awhile.
We carried on our wheels most of
our chow, bat added some FISH and
meat the Japs furnished After
chow We went forsa short ride at
night, one of the party having
large acetyline lamp which caused
every one to run out of our road.
We soon returned and after having a
little fun around the house went to
bed
Our beds were the real Japanese
ones, heavy comfort on the floor
and lighter one for a cover. The
mosquito nets were very good and
their mode Of hanging them very
ingenious They are almost as large
as the room, which in itself is not SO
much, and was suspended from the
four corners of the room by as many
cords.
When II came to washing in the
morning we were furnished with q
bucket of wates and big copper
pan Fortunately when went for
my tooth brush | had picked up
big towel and strapped it to my
wheel, and it proved valuable before
we got home.
Our breakfast was tea of our own
making. eggs furnished by the Japs.
and jam and bread. &c, from onr
supplies We then took short ride
along the seacosss until We found q
convenient place and went in for a
swim. Imagine our bathing in the
sea, our clothes lyeing on the rocks,
and the mountain rising almost per-
pendicuiar from the waters edge
Down the mountain came trickling
stream of water from which we
drank when thirsty Oor one towel
"a large bath one) was used sparing
ly, then washed out and pu. on the
rocks to dry, the same as we did.
When we returned 10 the tea house
we found lot of Jap soldiers had
the rooms next to ours (separated
only by sliding screens). and were
having a jamboree or party of some
kind They had girls playing the
samoseen, something On the order of
q banjo, also spread Of dainties on
t;se floor. They came in to see Us
and invited US to their party. We
went and enjoyed it, and. though we
could not eat their food, We supplied |
them with come of our bread. which
they enjoyed Beer flowed freely
and cur hosts getting hilarious we
left. Before leaving each one gave
us bis card written in English.
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