New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1900-10-06
The japanese are small race of people

The japanese are small race OF people,
consequently was astonished, upon enter
ing the arena to see that the wrestlers are
giants They are tremendously large and
very muscular. There were about fifty
professional ones present that day, repre-
senting various towns that were wrestling
for the championship. They had nothing
on but a silk belt wrapped around the
waist, and every one was veritable Null
doom We witnessed eight matches, and
enjoyed myself very much. Rugs are
spread all around the ring on the ground for
seats, and ladies and gentlemen attend.
| have never seen anywhere a man who
would wrestle with the average one present
that day. They showed in remarkable
way what training will do for person.
In fact, there was a practicable illustration
of the adapta bility of nature to cultivation,
a good example of Darwin's theory.
On May 90, at IL P. NJ, we sailed from
Kobe. In the Inland Sea the next morn
ing we passed the wreck of the L. S. army
transport " Morgan City" 1t will be re-
membered that she went down when she
had the 31st L. S. volunteers aboard, and
that not a man was lost.
In the Inland Sea the scenery is beauti-
full. At places it narrows down to mile
or so in width and then broadens into wide
seas with the land on either side fading
almost out of sight. The scenery is very
picturesque; the mountains on either side
rising abruptly out of the water. There
are numerous towns all along, while all
the narrows are guarded by forts. Japan
has spent large sums of money since the
China Japan war in coast defences Along
the coast we passed hundreds of islands OF
all sizes.
We reached Nagasaki at 6 "A. NJ, May
DIST. This ha1bor is practically land
| locked. The U. S. army transport "Grant.
having on board sick officers, sick and dis
charged soldiers, and prisoners, homeward
bound, was taking coal-for this is the
coaling station for our transports on their
way home The "Oregon,' which had
| been with us at almost all the ports in the
east, arrived twelve hours after us. AS was
the case at the other ports, where we had
| stopped, there were a number Of warships
| of the great powers in this port. There
| were, to use nautical language, ga
| Frenchman, an Italian, a Russian, an Eng
lishman, German, and an Austrian
We also coaled at this place. The coal
is loaded by men, women and children,
who use small baskets. They take posts
on improvised steps and the loaded baskets
are passed up so fast that they have the
effect of an endless chain of baskets. 1t is
claimed that here a steamer is loaded
faster than at any other port on the Pacific.
The country around Nagasaki is beauti-
full. We took trip in 'rickshas through
a most beautiful valley to small town,
called Mogi, about five miles distant. The
scenery along this valley was the prettiest
l saw in Japan, and in some respects al
mcst rivaled 4he faaaous Raai cf the IfAwai
ian Islands.
Summing up what we saw on the many
short trips from different points into the
interior of the country, we were enabled
to get very fair idea of the country il
Japan. For agricultural purposes, irriga
ton is practiced everywhere. The country
is mountainous, and by erecting dams, {
water supply may always be had. Nearly
every foot of the mountain sides are under
cultivation. On the sides, stone walls are
built at intervals of acre OF less from ont
another Then the intervening ground Ii
leveled; the dirt near the upper wall being
cut out and hauled next to the lower wall
thus forming series of level tables which
do not wash out.
With very few exceptions, there are nj
beasts of burden in Japan. Men carry al
provisions and save and market their crops
To carry loads, they use bamboo stick
which here in the Philippines is callet
"pinga." This stick is from four to 81,
feet long. To each end equal weights ar
strung, so that when finally the stick i
raised on the shoulder the weights balanc
one the other. 1t is astonishing to Sc
what heavy weights are thus carried. Il
the country women labor equally wit
men.
must add that l do not believe that
sojourn in any other country would affor'
me so many things that were absorbingl
interesting as was this stay in Japan. W
would think, when acquainted with thei
. life and customs and the small prices pai
Z for labor, that they must be unhappy
Still, by studying them, one finally come
to the conclusion that they are happy.
), E. S. BROUssARI