West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-02-15
FROM FAR
AWAY LANDS.
An Interesting Letter From a King
wood Boy in the Orient.
Travels In Japan, China, Korea, by
Jasper Newton Calvert.
SHANGHAI, CHINA, I
Nov. 20, 90. {

Nov. 20, 90.
Editor Argus:
Should you find spare corner in
your paper, few lines about
some places | have seen since leav-
ing Manila may be of interest TO
your readers.
Leaving Manila October 8th, L
went as far as Japan on the Indiana,
which took my regiment back to the
States.
We spent only a week in and
around Nagasaki; but it was one
of delight. The trips out on the
railroad, through the country, over
the wonderfully built roads, and
the many points of interest, in and
around Nagasaki, were extremely
interesting.
All descriptions of picturesque
Japan" falls far short. One has to
see 1t to appreciate the wonderful
beauty.
Leaving Nagasaki on a "Nippon
Yusan Kaisha" vessel, we crossed
over to Korea, stopping at Fusan,
Mokpo and Chemulpo.
At each port we went ashore and
pretty thoroughly "took in" the
place. At Chemnlpo we went by
railroad to Seoul, the capital of
Korea; and returned the next day.
Then we crossed over the Yellow
Sea, to Chefoo. This was our first
port we saw in China. Then we
went north to Tahgu, the nearest
port to Tientsin. From Tangu, we
went by railroad about rso miles to
Shan-hai- Kuan, the place onPerchili
Gulf, where the Great Chinese Wall
starts from the gulf. For several
reasons this is the best place to see
the Great Wall first and chiefest, it
is much easier travelling on the
train than it is riding 40 miles
through a very dusty country, spend
ing four or five days in Chinese
inns, ETC., another is, at Shan hal
Kuan, main wall; at Mankow Pass.
back of Picking, you only get to see
branch of the wall.
After seeing the wall and points
of interest at this place we returned
to Tangu, then to Tientsn and
Peking. Tientsin has a very thirty
ing "foreign" population. The
concessions" are very well ar
ranged and well kept. Peking, the
capital, is the dirtiest city in China.
Her attractions are numerous, and
should be seen by all visitors to
China.
TO our sunburned backs, Picking
climate was most chilly. For then,
the first of November, there was ice
frozen on ponds thick enough to
hold up a man. So after a four
days stay. we were glad to "beat
retreat to more congenial Chimes"
We came on back by Tientsin,
Tangu and Chefoo to this place.
where we have been for two weeks.
Shanghai is the greatest business
center in the East. Here society
is almost as formal as will be found
at national capitals. The young
people might be called "gay and
giddy."
Perhaps of all the places we have
been in, and of all strange sights we
have seen, Korea is by far the most
Interesting. Likely this is because
knew so little about the country
and people. Not until of very
recent years did the average Ameri-
can know there was such a country,
let alone knowing where it was, or
anything of her people. Those who
were at the Worlds Fair may re-
member of seeing some of the
Koreans there. The Korean rarely
leaves the confines of his country.
Even at as nearby places as
Nagasaki and Shanghai, one seldom
sees one.
Korea's ports were opened only
within the past few years. The
ports have poor wharves. The YES
sci stops out good ways and the
passengers and cargo has to be
gotten on and off as best they can.
As soon as the sampan men see
a vessel entering the harbor, they
make for il with all their nights,
and before the vessel drops anchor
if the gangway is down, they are on
deck drumming up trade. After
you 90 ashore, unless you know