Barton County democrat., 1908-01-31
Or. Edwards Letter.

Hokadare, Japan, August 80: l
have taken flying trip 20 this island
of Yezo. Our route lay through rice
fields and tea plantations where we
saw young girls gathering tea leaves
and laying them on mats to dry. At
Fukushim we were in the center of
the country where silk culture is the
prominent feature Of industry. There
is big trade there in raw silk and
silk worm eggs. This industry is pc.
culiarly suited to women as it requires
great care and delicacy Of touch. Silk
w)rms thrive wherever the mulberry
tree grows. There are many groves Of
these trees along the road, and saw
may women and girls sitting in
front ofIhouses stripping leaves and
reeling silk, while white and yellow
coccoons were lying on mats near by.
Hatching Of the eggs is a delicate and
laborious process, requiring constant
attention day and night for three
weeks.
The lacquer. tee, FROM which var.
nish is made, producing both an oil
and a wax, grows abundantly in this
region as ldoes the camphor tree.
Thisiis an evergreen, belonging to
the laurel family, having glossy leaves
sod bearing clusters Of yellow flowers
which are succeeded by punches Of
small fruit. Camphor gum is obtained
by cutting the wood into small chips,
which are stepped in water, or expos
ed to steam in a rude wooden still.
protected from Fire by a coating Of
clay, uutill the camphor is extracted
and the gum is formed.
! Hokodate is the chief port Of the
island of Yezo.and is one of the two
ports first opened to foreign commerce
one Of the most curious things here
that came tony notice was group
of Amos, the original race which in.
habited Japan. They are most pc.
culiar people, being seni.savage. They
are covered with hair from head to
foot, and are Of very short stature,
but heavy set and exceedingly
strong. Their religion, manners and
custom are distinct and entirely diff
ereut from those of Japanese.
Myriads Of strange species Of sea
| fowl inhabit the rocks of this island,
and l was much attracted by a spec
l.
les of fish hawk which lord it over the
rest of the birds. 1t watches the 9th
er birds until they catch an especial
ly fine fish and then swoops down
with a shrill cry that causes the bird
to drop the fish, and the hawk catches
it before it reaches the water
In the bay is to be found one Of
the strangest fish of the ocean. 1t lis
what is known as the fishing fish, this
fish makes its living by fishing and
does it with rod, line and bait. The
native name Of the fish is the hiuiha.
1t is beautifully colored, its body be
ing that Of rareichina blue with gold.
bands crossing the body at regular
intervals.::The fish, which is about
fourteen inches long is shaped some
thing like the common catfish, or
horned pout. Sticking out from the
top of its head is long, flexible wand
or horn, from four to slxifeet in length
this is the same substance as the
horns of al Icat fish, elastic, flexible,
boneless flesh, .and it tapers to fine
and to the thickness of a fishing cord
At the end Of this line, which droops
over in the water,,,..iis is small red but.
ton of flesh, making a living bait.
This blue and gold fishing fish hides
his brillianticolorS in a shadow and
bangles his.abait oyer shoal where
little fish disport themselves. These
dart up and seize the red flesh, and
as soon as..the.bait is swallowed the
fishing fish,Gcurls ..up his line and
ships thessvictim into bis mouth. This
is continued until his hunger is sat-
isfed or the ground is worked out.
This fish: is!without fear of other
fish andiswims among them without