Imperial Valley press., 1936-11-29

Wv hairy race of people north OF japan,
many of which grow hair from top to toe as
thick as monkeys? I wanted very much to
find out and at any rate, to see this queer
tribe for myself
When the whm struck me, was on the
mainland Of Japan, and the hrst leg oi Tie
tourney must be by water-a voyage via native
freieht-passeneer ship to the Island of 4ezo
7 knew beforehand what ineonveniences awaited
noe-partculary as to sleeping quarters lhese
turned out to be as suspected-common 10 ali
passengers had choice: to sleep on decK
with hundreds of natives, or to climb TO the
toD of a cargo of indigo. l looked about me,
and decided after some reflection to chance the
Messengers They looked like hundreds to me,
even thousands-but really totaled SO passen-
GERS men. women and children packed like sar-
dimes.
All were Japanese, and required sufficient
snace to stretch at full length wooden pillow
for a head rest; added to this, for extreme
luxury each had a pile, small pot OF ted'
There were no beds no distinction as TO sex,
aee or condition l doubt if they even tried TO
sieen. most of the terrible night they spent IN
endless chatter, smoking and slipping weak tea.
A N OFFICER led me to my berth on lhe
~ floor. and instantly there arose conster
nation. Men sat up Pipes fell from hps' yels
filed the air. Look! Look" Women woke from
. doze. every child in the ship was shaken from
sh,n,ber to see the white woman VINO mao
drfted in from nowhere Some closed their eyes
otbers scrambled to the far end of the ROOM
fleeing before the strange foreign devil
was embarrassed; a study in white'
7 was examined from a safe distance, COM
mented upon mot TOO klna'y'' anu '''ei W.
to myself. .,.
We discharged cargo, passengers and myseu
at the Port of Hokodata I breathed sign OF
relief went down the gangWay ana 1oulo
Jananese hotel | had landed, but at the hostery
no word of English was spoken, and spoke no
Japanese You try, in such circumstances "
make Yourself understood: SO, l maze race
svune NV arms shouted-to no avail. In dis
nair 7 began to spell out words. l was eXas-
nerated that no one knew what l wanted
which was ROOM food and lots of informa-
ton.
The mane ger-a little man with booomg heao
motioned for me to remove my shoes, and take
a seat on the floor This was good IDEA, Wmch
I followed and sat down on mating TO wall
F., WAITED until after dusk, hoping Tor the
| best It turned out to be another nap on the
floor with some difficulty about the beddlng'
Iananese are a short people, and was fairly
long!sh: no bedding in that hotel covered me,
NV unusual size for a woman was remarked
unon. it actually perplexed my hosts, VINO
couldn't see how I'd grown that way. someone
took pity on me- however; six Japanese put
their heads together, and laid out sleeping quar-
ters for me on the floor more suitable TO my
length. At length (literally) I slept
In the bright morning youth as speechless
as any Sphinx came in holding Japanese
English dictionary. He, sad to state was to be
nv interpreter Word by word he searched out
sounds I'd understand, and attempted to make
them clear He made number of sounds
if swallowing something hard; he sat On the
floor twisting his hands together, wrigghng his
bare toes, blinking little black eyes at me- ne
was full of nerves But with this practically
toneue-tied individual I set out from that port,
glad to wave farewell.
I set out with hm-but had the good sense
and good fortune to exchange his doubtful serv-
ices for Japanese student from the mainland
before long Together my new interpreter and
plodded off astride pair OF native horses