Year: 1879


TOXIC, Sept 2, 1879.


Whom General Grant returned from Hakone he
made preparations to leave Japan. We had already
stayed longer in the country than we had intended,
but life pleasant in Toxic and every day seemed
to open scene OF beauty and interest. and we
felt ourselves yielding to the Vaccinations OF this
winning civilization. The hospitality of our hosts
seemed to grow in grace and consideration. showing
no sign of weariness. We became attached to our
palace home Of Euriokwan. and began to feel
acquainted with the rooms. the curious figures on
the walls the odd freaks in the way Of gardening.
the rustic bridges the quaint and clean little sum-
houses. where could sit in the afternoon and
feel brcezes from the The weather felt unusually
warm and with the heat came the pestilence.
and although in Eurokwan. ve were not conscious
it's presence. and felt safe under the sheltering
influence of tho ocean. yet it saddened the commu-
nifty and seemed to rest upon the capital like .
cloud. and -sorrowed with friends. There
were trips to Yokohama. where naval ships were
1t anchor, and Yokohama itself well worth see
ing, as an evidence of what the European had
done in making trading camp on the shores
Of Asia. For, after a these Eastern European cities
but trading camps and remind you in many ways
of the shifting towns Kansas and Nebraska during
the growing railway days. Now that the time was
coming when were to leave Japan there were dis
cussions to whore should go-discussions in
which good friend Admiral Patterson took
leading part. The General did not care
to go homo: Or perhaps. it would be moro
accurate to say that he did not like to leave
anything unseen in Asia and the Pacific As you
may. perhaps. have inferred from what have
written. General Grant has become profoundly in
terested in these lands and in the political problems
their future involves. question If any can
much Of Asia without feeling that the politics Of
China and Japan must some day become para
mount consideration for Americans. We have dis
cussed various routes that would bring us home at
Christmas early in the spring. There is the
Amoor region, with glance at Russian Siberia.
This trip we had almost resolved upon but the
temptations Of Japan have carried US beyond the
time when should go to the North. Then it is
the typhoon season. and typhoons come sometimes
unannOunced in whirl. and whatever vir-
tues our men-of-war possess as typhoon
ships they lack experience. There is Aus
tralia. with the Exhibition under way, and
some of our naval friends sketch most attractive
programme that would take us to Melbourne and
Sydney, and Valparaiso and Callao. and in time to
San Francisco There is visit to the King Of the
Sandwich Islands, promised visit-and this is
finally resolved upon. Admiral Patterson offers the
Monongahela. which is under orders to return to
America. To sail on the Monongahela, however.
would involve two or three weeks longer in Japan,
and so for the present cannot 60 to Honolulu.
Our Japanese friends invent all kinds Of schemes to
detsin u.s. and MIR. Yoshida is fruitful in suggestions
and other places famous in the history of Japan.
which the cholera had hitherto prevented from
seeing. The cholera is everywhere. and precaution
can longer avail. What with the friendly
solicitations Of the Admiral on the ono
side and tho Japanese the other it
Is difaeult to make up our minds to go home That.
however. at the end of our debates. appears to be
our only course; and when it is found that can
not leave for Honolulu much before October it is
resolved to sail for California in the first steamer
that leaves.


PREPARING YoR HOME.


When it was finally determined to return 1t was
surprising to how much had to do. There
was the gathering together Of the odds and ends of
= long journey-the bundling up for home. Sticks
from Malacca fragments Of gauze from Delhi, brass
work from Benares, bits of crockery from Pekin-
what you call your "things"-assume consequence
that their importance does not justify. When I
started on my journey around the world Of the
pleasures that set apart for myself that would
Tot buy anything; that should not burden my
mind with curiositics allow any OF the por-
celain or ivory manias to aliict me. There seemed
to be among many friends much useful energy



solved to make merit Of my own sef-denial and
bring back from the East only flush Of radiant
memories. But virtue however robust. can
stand the temptations of Canton and Yokohama.
and found myself taking an interest in ''things"
like other people. and going into silk shops and
fumbng the light and airy stuffs which the genius
OF the East fashioned for woman's adornment
and studying out the beauty of saucer or vase
And although clung to my resolution valantly
'hines" began to accumulate and the great question
Of our latter days in japan what should we
do with them. and, moreover what would the Col
iector ut the California Custom House do with
themP never knew that there was 80 much to in
terest you IN the revenue laws until began to look
mp the duties ON bit of ''old blue" II any OF my
readers do not know what ''old blue" means
would advise them never to learn. 1 happened at
times to bo the companion of honored friend who
has mastered tho 'curio" question; who know
bronze and ivory silk and clay and iron. and whose
amusement was to away from the hos
pitalitos oil his Japanese hosts and lose him
SELF in n suburb Of Toxic and prowl from
shop to shop. ''You sec" he would
say. ''by doing this get away from the
range OF the globe trotters. who ruin the
market and give the peoplo false ideas as to
prices and degrade the taste Of the sellers Here wo
are in old Japan, and never pay moro than 81 for
anything" These were interesting expeditions. We
would dive into the oldest out-of- places in
Toxic, aud tho people would assemble from the
neighborhood. and while We were digging out some
fragment Of bronze iron. testing tho temper OF
some poor. dismantcd samauri's sword, q wonder
tng crowd would gather-men. women and chill
dren--who stood and watched and chattered, and
when went way, followed after. until we be-
gan to feel like street preachers. In Of those
excursions I came to know the mystery of "old
blue" IL seems that made confession that knew
nothing about "oid bue;" that Inever any that
could remember; that took great deal for granted
In tho crockery question:; and when my friends
who had manias on the subject. gave way to their
emotions. I allowed them to run on thinking of
othcr things. "what mover have seen old blucy'
the response. "Thcn you don't know tho
beauty that the Chinese have been able TO throw
over their clay. There is old blue In Japan
There is none worth having in China later than the