Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-03-28
A WONDERFUL LAND
Ralph McFie Describes Entertain
ingly In Letters What He
Saw Of Japan.
AT YOKOHAMA AND KOBE
The Japanese Are a Hardy eople-Their
Queer Methods Of Transportation n-At-
tractive Women, Cute Children
and Beautiful Gardens.

and Mrs. McFie from their son Ralph,
who is on his way to Manila. The let
ters were written at Yokohama and
Kobe, Japan, on March l and 2. They
give interesting glimpses of Japanese
scenery and life. Mr.. McFie writes in
part:
YOKOHAMA.
AT about o'clock in the morning we
entered the harbor at Yokohama. On
one side Of the harbor Is a smoking vol
cano. 1t is rather gratifying to see a
living volcano in operation, even If it
Is only belching forth smoke. AT about
1880 o'clock We passed two forts that
are situated in the harbor, and quite
formidable looking forts they are, but I
do not know how they would stand a
siege from some Of our heavy guns. AL
most directly opposite them Is the naval
station of Japan. There are always sew
eral war-ships about, and we saw quite
a number of them. This harbor Is long
and beautiful; In fact. the most beauti-
full harbor l have seen as yet. We laid
awhile outside the breakwater until the
physicians came on board and examined
US. Then we went inside of the break
water and anchored about three-quar-
ters of mile from the city. The va
rious hotels of Yokohama have launches
which came to the ship, drumming up
trade. Sanpans, curious Japanese boats
In use here, came in droves to the ship
and several of my companions took
one of these sanpans and went ashore
The cost was 20 sen or 10 cents. The
sanpans are very curious boats. They
are propelled by two men or more, who
use a jointed oar on either side, one at
the stern and the other as near to it as
possible. The oars are worked back and
forth in the water very much as fish
works his fins. They are very sea-
worthy and cover the water at mod
crate rate of speed.
A JAPANESE CITY.
Well we went uptown on foot first,
bhA AAoa ooillG iAoACy SACHdH6Cus AZ lHS
postoffice, which Is like American post
offices, I mailed letters for home. They
understand the English language, so
that person has no difficulty in getting
along. At hotel we had 'tiffin,' as we
are all English out here, don't you
know, and the English names and GUS
toms prevail. Our dinner cost us one
yen apiece, or so cents. 1t was a nice
and substantial meal. After dinner we
took a rickshaw and saw the sights of
the town. The rickshaws are small
carts, with upholstered seats, and have
two shafts with two hooks on the end
to prevent the car from moving when 1t
is set down for person to alight. A
crosspiece holds the shafts together so
as to make them firm. The men that
run with these carts make good time ;
better time than the average horse at
home. Nearly every one uses them In
going to and from business. The car
riers have numbers on their hats, and
saw numbers as high as 1859, which
shows that there are a multitude of
them here.
HARDY JAPANESE.
Yokohama is full Of small stores Of
all kinds. They deal in everything, from
hshbones to the finest silks. I saw sew
eral butcher shops that carried a very
large stock Of meat. had thought that
Japan was as warm as Cuba, but yes
terday morning. and all day for that
matter, it was 80 cold that was decid-
edly uncomfortable. even in an over
coat. These Japs are the hardest peo-
pie on the face Of the globe. Some of
them run around here practically naked
In weather that would kill white man
in such scanty apparel. have seen the
Japanese stokers on this boat come up
out of the fire room with only pair of
overalls on and nude above the hips,
and sit down in weather that was little
better than freezing. They do not mind
1t, apparently, and suffer no bad effects
from it.
ODD SIGHTS.
II was especially taken In with the
little children here. They are very cute
All are red-cheeked and happy, and
saw only one child in the whole city
that was crying. 1t was very small and
had lost its way. The little girls look
like dolls, and their hair is put up In q
wonderful manner. Even though they
are very poor, they are as neat as can
be. The women twist their hair In the
most wonderful shapes. making them
look very attractive. We visited gar.
den here that is marvel. Some kind
of willow or shrub was trained into
shapes representing turtles, roosters
rabbits. storks, cranes, geese and Other
animals in the most lifelike position.
imaginable. All kinds of beautiful flow
ers grow In their hot houses. They have
many trees that look like oaks, but the,
are only few feet high and grow ir
pots. They are gnarled, and have thu
appearance Of being several hundred
years old.
AMERICAN COLONY.
There is large American and Eng
lish colony here, and all residents in 1
have beautiful homes. The European
and American business men have Maii
street all to themselves. The American
consul here has a very nice residence
TOXIC the capital, is only two hour
distant by railroad.
THE HARBO2.
The Yokohama harbor Is full o
steamers and sailing vessels from al
over the world, and 10 q picture In 1t
aalP ,The Inua nnaA In n0NsUn covna