Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-01-24
A Weekly Letter From the Orient
FURNISHED BY THE RECORDER sSPao-
IAL CORRESPONDENT, Who Is
MAKING A, Tour OF THE EAST
ERIN COUNTRIES.
Especial to Recorder.)

HOkauate, japan, august ou' L
have taken flying trip to this is
land Of Yezo. Our route lay
through rice fields and tea plan
tation where we saw young girls
gathering tea leaves and laying
them on mats to dry. At Fukus-
himi we were in the center of the
country where silk culture is the
prominent feature Of industry.
4 There is a big trade there in raw
silk and silkwerm eggs. This i'll
dustry is peculiarly suited to wo-
men as it requires great care and
delicacy Of touch. Silk w'rms
thrive wherever the mulberr,
tree grows. There are many grow
ers of these trees along the rad,
and | saw many women and girls
sitting in front of houses stripping
leaves and reeling silk, while
white aud yellow COCO ns were
lying on mats near by. Matching
of eggs is a delicate and lab 'rinus
process, requiring constant atten7
lion, day and night for three veeks
The lacquer tree, from which
yarn,sh is made, producing both an
oil and wax, grows abundantly
liz. this region as does the camphor
ltree. This is an Nyergreeen, be
longing to the laurel fduiir1, hav.
ing glossy leaves and bearing clus-
ters of yellow flowers which are
succeeded by punches OF small
fruit. Canphor gum is obtained
by cutting the wood into small
chips, which are stepped in water.
or exposed to steam in rude wood
en- still, protected from fire by a
coating of clay, until the camphor
is extracted and the gum is
formed.
Hokodate is the chief port of
the island OF Yrz,, and is one #
the two ports first opened to for.
eign commerce. One of the most
curious things here that came to
my notice was group OF Amos,
the original race which inhabited
Japan. They are a most peculiar
people, being semi savage. Thew
are covered with bair from head to
foot, and are of very short statute,
but are heavy set and exceedingly
strong. Their religion, manners
! and customs are distinct and en-
tirely different from those of the
9 japanese.
Myriads of strange species OF
: sea fowl inhabit the rocks Of TIE
2 island, and | was much attracted
: by species Of fish hawk which
, lord it oyer the rest of the birds
It watches the other birds until
; they catch an especially fine fish
and then swoops down with
shrilI cry that causes the bird t.
? drop the fish, and the hawk catch.
es it before it reaches the water
In the bay is to be found one OF
the strangest fish of the ocean. II
is what is known as the fishing
fish. This fish makes its Lying b,
fishing, and does it with rod, line
and bait. The native name OF thu
fish is the hiluiha. 1t is beauti
!, fully coloied, its BODY being o.
that rare china blue with golt
bands crossing the body at regu
lar intervals. The fish which i
about fourteen inches long, il
:. something like the common cat
fish, or horned pout. Sticking
4. out from the top OF ITS head is {
i long, flexible wand, or horn. from
! four to six feet in length. Thi
: is the same substance as the horn
. . of a cat fish, elastic, flexible, bone
less flesh, and it tapers to a fine en-
4 to the thickness OF fishing cord
eI At the end Of this line, which
!, droops over i'm the water, is SINAI
red button of flesh, making a liv
ing bait. This blue and gold fish
= ing f.h hides his brilliant body II
e a shadow and bangles his bait owe
/ a shoal where little fish despor
: themselves. These dart up an
ID seize the red flesh, and as soon a
the bait is swallowed the ishinI
6sll surls up his line and whips tb
v victim into his mouth. This
!. contin ued until his hunger is sat
d. isfied or the ground is worked oul
:; This fish is without fear OF othe