CHAPTER VII.OSAKA.Osaka, Nov. 8, 1889.WE left Kioto at 10A.M.this morning by rail, and arrived in this remarkable city at 11.15. It is a most interesting place, having a large number of canals and bridges, in which respect it resembles Venice more than any other city. It is the second city in size and importance in the Empire, having about a million and a half of inhabitants, and numerous industries, such as cotton factories, etc.; also the imperial mint, which we visited.
Osaka, Nov. 8, 1889.
WE left Kioto at 10A.M.this morning by rail, and arrived in this remarkable city at 11.15. It is a most interesting place, having a large number of canals and bridges, in which respect it resembles Venice more than any other city. It is the second city in size and importance in the Empire, having about a million and a half of inhabitants, and numerous industries, such as cotton factories, etc.; also the imperial mint, which we visited.
The machinery of this mint was all made in France—with one or two exceptions, of English make—and is very fine. This is the most exclusively native city we have visited, there being only seven resident foreigners, and only one American, from Charlestown,Mass., who is here for two years to superintend the erection of a brush factory.
There are numerous large boats constantly passing through the canals, heavily loaded with cotton and all kinds of goods, showing an extensive commerce. Toward evening I took a walk across a long bridge, and rested myself on a seat in a small park overlooking the river; but the people stopped their work to look at me to such an extent as to make it disagreeable, and I returned to the hotel. The next morning we returned to our old quarters in the hotel at Kobé.
CHAPTER VIII.HONG-KONG.Hong-Kong, Nov. 18, 1889.LEAVING Kobé on the evening of the 8th, by the Peninsular and Oriental steamerAncona, we arrived here at seven this evening. This line of steamers has the contract for transporting the English mails all over the Eastern waters, including Australia, Japan, and China, and has in commission fifty-four vessels, some of them of 6,000 tons, representing 7,000 horse-power.
Hong-Kong, Nov. 18, 1889.
LEAVING Kobé on the evening of the 8th, by the Peninsular and Oriental steamerAncona, we arrived here at seven this evening. This line of steamers has the contract for transporting the English mails all over the Eastern waters, including Australia, Japan, and China, and has in commission fifty-four vessels, some of them of 6,000 tons, representing 7,000 horse-power.
On the 14th and 15th we were steaming through the famous inland sea, the beauty of which could hardly be exaggerated by a writer of a poetical turn of mind,—passing between Nipon, a large island, on one side, and many hundred smaller ones on the other. The channel would often be near the shores, where we could see the villages and cultivated land. The islands being volcanic,were in all sorts of fantastic shapes; one called the Asses'-ears was very funny-looking. The water is very clear and blue, the islands largely cultivated and clothed with green to the summits of their mountains.
On the morning of the 15th, the steamer dropped her anchor at Nagasaki, and we all went ashore sight-seeing and shopping. We rode about through long streets, and called at several factories and stores; among others, at a place where was made a variety of shell-work, which was very pretty. I made some purchases.
The owner of the place spoke English, and I recommended him to send an exhibition of his goods to the fair which was expected to be opened in New York in 1892, and he astonished me by asking what country New York was in? But life being too short for me to teach him the rudiments of geography, I paid for my purchase, and came away.
We went to see more temples. In the grounds near one of them were two small trees and on a stone near it was engraved, "Planted by Mr. and Mrs. Gen. Grant, 1879."
We had an excellent lunch at the HotelBellevue, took another trip around the city, and came back to the ship at 6P.M.
The harbor is one of great beauty, nearly landlocked, and surrounded by hills covered with verdure. It was crowded with ships, three Russian men-of-war, one American, and several English.
Nothing could have been more lovely than the trip from Nagasaki to this port—the sea as smooth as a pond, weather warm, and every thing quite agreeable and comfortable.
We came up the bay last evening between four and six. It was a splendid show. One of the finest harbors in the world, eleven miles long and from two to five wide. The islands and mountains covered with verdure.
The island of Hong-Kong was taken possession of by the British after the war with China in 1842, and now has a population of one hundred and forty thousand.
We left the steamer after dark in a tug, and had a fine view of the city of Victoria; the streets and buildings covering the hills for a long distance, and the vessels in the harbor being brilliantly lighted, presented a splendid appearance as we approached.
We soon took possession of rooms previously engaged at the Hong-Kong Hotel, andfound it to be in all respects first-class, including an Otis elevator furnished by their London house. The waiters are all Chinese, tall and good-looking, and dressed in long blue night-gowns or frocks.
This city surpasses Gibraltar in the number of nationalities one sees in the streets; every nation on earth appearing to be represented, and I am much interested in looking at them as they pass.
The policemen are a sight—tall, black fellows from the Malay Peninsula. Their uniform is the same as worn by those in New York, except a large red turban, which gives them a very imposing appearance.
Passing for a mile or so alongside the water front between 5 and 6P.M.I found that hundreds of boats had returned from fishing, or other business, and were tied to the piers, bows on, giving me a chance to see this phase of Chinese life, which had always interested me when reading about it. They were all having their suppers,—a family of ten, sitting in a circle with a big bowl of food, apparently rice, in the centre. Each person had a small bowl, which was often replenished, and the food eaten with chopsticks. The boat was their home, their soleresidence. In one case a small boy was eating and his mother was boxing his ears very roughly. Except the children, no one paid any attention to me; this being an English city the people are accustomed to foreigners.
One morning we calledjinrickishasand went on a ten minutes' trip to the foot of the mountains, which are back of the city, and there entered a cable tramway car, which took us up a very steep incline, a mile or so, to a station, and then we took sedan chairs and continued our trip to the top of Mount Victoria, 1,825 feet high. From there we looked down upon the bay, the city, many islands, and the mainland of China on the opposite shores—a scene of unsurpassed magnificence. The big steamers in the beautiful bay looked like canoes on the calm waters of an inland lake.
The island is a series of mountains, over, around, and through which are built splendid roads, near which are many beautiful residences, where the governor and wealthy people reside.
We looked about for a couple of hours and then took the tramway down. Some of the more timid of the party preferred tocome all the way down in the sedans, and said they had a delightful trip.
The sedan I was in was carried by two men, who were very picturesque, their bronze bodies shining in the sun. Their bare feet pressed the ground with a sure tread. Sometimes I have seen a sedan carried by four men with white trousers and red sacks, their heads covered by large bamboo hats, and altogether presenting a very attractive appearance.
The thermometer on the top of Mount Victoria registered only sixty-five degrees, but I never felt such heat in July at home. However, when in Japan I suffered so much from cold weather that I am quite glad to have some of the other kind now.
CHAPTER IX.CANTON.Canton, China, Nov. 21, 1889.FROM Hong-Kong we sailed on the 21st inst. at 8A.M., for this city, by the fine English steamerHankow, Captain Lloyd, and arrived at 2.30P.M.
Canton, China, Nov. 21, 1889.
FROM Hong-Kong we sailed on the 21st inst. at 8A.M., for this city, by the fine English steamerHankow, Captain Lloyd, and arrived at 2.30P.M.
There being but one hotel here, the Oriental, and that a very poor one at that, we made use of the English passenger boats as hotels during our stay, and found them excellent in all ways; large, clean rooms and table very fine, including all kinds of wines and beer furnished gratis, and wood-cock, and snipe every day.
Leaving the beautiful harbor of Hong-Kong, with its immense fortifications, we passed into the Canton River, a mile or two wide for many miles from its mouth, and having high mountains on each side, covered with green trees and grass. There weregreat fortifications all along, armed with big Krupp guns. We saw large numbers of the national boats, calledsampans, and many village, houses, and tents.
As we approached Canton the river narrowed to about a thousand feet, and I was able to closely observe the country. Banana trees lined the shores for many miles, sugar-cane and rice fields stretched as far as I could see. Scattered all along the country and in the city big brick buildings one hundred feet square and six stories high were very prominent. These were pawnbrokers' establishments.
As we approached the city, the largest building seen was a Catholic cathedral, with two great towers; a splendid edifice, but not yet finished.
We had an excellent lunch on the steamer, and then went in sedan chairs to call on Mr. Charles Seymour, the United States Consul, and his wife. After being kindly entertained in their beautiful residence, we returned to the boat, and spent the remainder of the day and evening watching the wonderful life on the river.
There was a ferry-house near, and I learned that the cost of ferrying across the river wasone fifth of a cent, and that a howling swell could have a boat alone for one and a half cents.
After a good dinner at seven, and a good night's sleep, we all took sedan chairs, three men to each chair, the conductor ahead with the native guide, Ah Cum, a fine-looking Chinese gentleman with finger nails two inches long, and the entire day was spent in sight-seeing.
All the streets of the city are from four to ten feet wide, no sidewalks, and are paved with granite blocks a foot wide and six feet long. The houses all have shops in front. We did not see one private house in the city outside of the foreign settlements. The buildings are mostly two stories high, built of brick, and the stores have no glass or other fronts; all open to the street.
The streets are crowded with an immense mass of men, women, and children, nearly all with no clothing above their hips, and as our men pushed their way along, yelling and screaming, the people would stop, crowd around us with wonder, but were never impolite.
We passed along many miles of streets, lined with stores of all kinds, the butchers'shops displaying dead rats hanging up, and once I saw the carcass of a large dog with the hair scalded off lying on the butcher's table ready to be cut up for customers.
It has rained here for two days, and the streets are very dirty and bad-smelling. There is no system of sewerage, no horses or draft animals. Every thing, including all kinds of sewerage and slops and building materials, is carried along by men, women, and children. Frequently there were such masses of people going and coming that traffic would be clogged, and we had much difficulty in getting through.
To write of all the extraordinary things I have seen to-day would require a big book, and I can therefore only mention that we went to a flour mill and saw them grinding wheat by stones forced around by blind oxen, just as they used to do in Bible times in Palestine.
We went into a jail and saw poor wretches in irons with wooden collars around their necks; and on the street two of them were in the stocks, their hands and feet confined. The court-house was near, and some of our party attended a trial which had been progressing for some days. The wife of thejudge saw there were ladies in the party, and invited them into an interior room and entertained them with tea.
The prisoner was accused of forging the deed of a house and land belonging to one of his wives, and selling her furniture, all valued at two thousand dollars. Several witnesses proved that all this was so, and the wife appeared with her marriage certificate. At the moment when our party arrived, the prisoner was on the stand. He denied that he was married to the woman or had ever sold any of her property. The judge was very angry, and said to the prisoner that he was the greatest liar in China, and ordered that he should be punished with 150 blows with a bamboo stick, then and there. He was thrown down, and held by several men, while another struck the blows with great severity on his bare back, causing the poor wretch to yell with agony, so that he could be heard far out on the street, as well as in the interior room, where the ladies were drinking tea. After fifty blows had been given, the man was asked to confess, but he refused and was given fifty more; and the native guide said that he would no doubt have his head cut off in a few days. We saw onour route a beautiful club-house, and a clock two hundred years old, made to go by water. Lunch was served in a splendid seven-story pagoda on a hill outside of the city wall, from the top of which we looked down upon one section of the city and an immense cemetery. A part of this was devoted to rich men's tombs, all above ground, the peculiarities of which were that the coffins were all in sight. After lunch we were again rushed through the crowded streets, stopping at many shops, some of the party purchasing largely of silks, satins, crockery, and curios; and at six we returned to the boat, a very much instructed but fatigued party.
In the evening I was greatly interested in watching what was going on in the family boats, calledsampans, which were anchored between our boat and the shore. I counted from the steamer 164 of them, with their sterns towards us. Each boat had a kerosene-oil stove, and in a frying-pan they were preparing their suppers, which consisted apparently of rice. I noticed that when the woman who was stirring the food wished to moisten it, she dipped water from the river, in which was floating all the filth of thegreat city. Each member of the family had a bowl which he dipped into the food, and proceeded to eat with chopsticks.
There are many thousand of such boats on the river, the only homes of their occupants.
We spent another day in Canton, going about in sedan chairs, steamers, andsampans, and saw many places and objects of interest; but two days have been quite enough for this city, and I was glad to get aboard the fine steamerHonam, Captain Febor, which left at 5.30P.M., and arrived at Hong-Kong at 1A.M., we all going directly to the rooms retained for us at the hotel. Here I had the pleasure of meeting a lady from New York, Mrs. R. H. L. Townsend, who is making a tour around the world, accompanied by another lady, and has accomplished the trip thus far without trouble, being everywhere received with distinguished consideration.
CHAPTER X.HONG-KONG.Hong-Kong, Dec. 3, 1889.WE have been detained here ten days, awaiting the arrival of a P. and O. steamer, for which we were booked, but have passed the time in a very delightful manner.
Hong-Kong, Dec. 3, 1889.
WE have been detained here ten days, awaiting the arrival of a P. and O. steamer, for which we were booked, but have passed the time in a very delightful manner.
I went nearly every day to the park and public gardens, of about twenty acres, situated several hundred feet above the main street, laid out in the best manner, and containing a great variety of trees and flowers, such as grow only in tropical climates. On one occasion a friend and myself were sitting on a bench near a handsomely dressed Chinese gentleman. My friend said: "See what a handsome girl is coming, and how beautifully she is dressed, but how deplorable that she has such little feet." I agreed with him, and said it was a pity such a pretty creature was obliged to submit to abarbarous custom like that. The Chinese gentleman spoke to us in excellent English, and said: "Do you think so? That is my daughter, and while I agree with you, we feel obliged to make her feet small or no Chinese gentleman would marry her."
We made apologies which were kindly accepted, and in a long conversation with the gentleman we learned much of China, he being a resident of Canton, who had been educated in the United States. I cannot agree with my Chinese friend that it will be so long a time before China will be opened to European civilization, for her 332,000,000 people are beginning to feel the pressure of surrounding nations; Russia on the north, and England, Germany, France, and Italy on her sea-coasts, and above all the example of the wonderful advances made by Japan are having strong influences upon China. China has now for a Prime-Minister, Li Hung Chang, a very great man, the equal of Bismarck or Gladstone, and the young Emperor has very advanced ideas. Just now we read in the newspapers that Li Hung Chang had caused a system of railways to be laid out, to run all over the vast empire, but it appears thatthe religious authorities have some sort of a veto on political actions, and because one of the gates at Pekin had been destroyed by fire, which they attributed to the anger of the gods on account of the attempt to build railroads, the invention of "foreign devils," they would not consent, and consequently the railroad plan was abandoned for the present. There is only one railroad in the Empire, up north, running from a coal mine to the sea, eighty miles long.
The Emperor has, in his extensive palace grounds at Pekin, a miniature railroad, much like the one which was in the grounds of the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876, with a locomotive and car attached, which was built and presented to him by the French, and he is said to be very much pleased riding about on it.
I think it a misfortune to China, and to this country, that our great general, Ulysses S. Grant, was not permitted to live a few years longer, for through the great friendship of Li Hung Chang for him, and the high regard in which he was held, not only by all the rulers of the Asiatic countries, but by the people themselves, it is more than likely that we would have seen China openedto modern civilization, as Japan has been, and the United States of America reaping the advantages of close commercial relations with her, and at the same time amicably restricting the emigration of her people to this country.
One afternoon we hired a steam yacht and went about the harbor and partly around the island. We stopped to examine a dry dock, where a large steamer was being repaired, and I was delighted to see that one of the big pumps used for pumping the water out of the dock was made by the A. S. Cameron Co., of New York, for you do not often see any thing in this part of the world to remind you of home,—kerosene oil, Singer's sewing-machines, and clocks being about all. The English appear to supply nearly every thing to the countless millions of this Eastern country, owing, of course, to the fact that their government does so much to forward the interests of her merchants and manufacturers, and I think it only right to say that wherever you see a British flag in this part of the world there follows it Christianity, civilization in all its advanced phases, and safety to life and property, and not anywhere is the great contrast betweencivilization and semi-barbarism shown so strongly as in the comforts and beauties of this lovely city as against the horrors of Canton.
This is an important commercial city. The governor stated in a late message that it was the third or fourth export city in the world. There is a great deal of building going on up the mountains, the bricks for which are being carried from the vessels to their destinations by coolies, each man carrying two baskets suspended from a bamboo stick across his shoulders, each basket containing eighteen large bricks. The mountains are very steep, and the distance about two miles, so that the men can only make two or three trips a day, and their pay is five cents a trip.
The fine winding roads were alive with these men; a thousand or more were to be seen at one time.
CHAPTER XI.SINGAPORE.Singapore, Dec. 9, 1889.ON the 4th instant we left the beautiful island of Hong-Kong and the city of Victoria by the steamerKaisar-i-Hind(Empress of India). The accommodations and appointments of the steamer were first-class—electric lights, plenty of ice, and every convenience.
Singapore, Dec. 9, 1889.
ON the 4th instant we left the beautiful island of Hong-Kong and the city of Victoria by the steamerKaisar-i-Hind(Empress of India). The accommodations and appointments of the steamer were first-class—electric lights, plenty of ice, and every convenience.
On Sunday morning the English service was read from the prayer-book by the captain to a congregation consisting of all of the officers and most of the passengers. Before this there was a parade of the crew and servants,—some sixty Lascars, black, sharp-looking fellows dressed in frocks and bright head-dresses, and looking very fine.
Yesterday was very hot. We were nearing the equator, and the captain had punkas put up in the dining cabin. A Lascar boypulled the strings running over pulleys and fanned us during meal times, which was very agreeable.
Again I have to note how lonely these sea voyages are. Since we left Hong-Kong, five days, not a craft has been seen, only a wide waste of water, generally as smooth as a pond.
The steamer arrived at seven in the morning, and was soon surrounded by boats, each containing two or three boys. The passengers threw silver pieces into the water, and the boys would dive after them, and seemed to get them every time. It was great fun to watch them. A little bald-headed fellow not more than six years old, attracted my attention, and I threw some bright pieces near his boat. Over he went and caught them every time, and was pulled into the boat by his older companion, triumphantly holding up the pieces.
We came ashore and were soon in our rooms in the large and first-rate Hotel de l'Europe.
We were within about fifty miles of the equator, and the heat was intense. After resting we took carriages, it being quite a comfort to have them once more, and droveover fine roads, past splendid government and other buildings, two or three miles out to a botanical garden, said to be one of the finest in the world, all in perfect order, with trees and plants such as can be seen only in the tropics; tall trees, with clusters of cocoa-nuts on them, and the fan palm, a great curiosity to me, being in the shape of a fan fifty feet high. Pine-apples were everywhere, for this is the home of that fine fruit; big trees, covered with red and white flowers, and plants of great variety and beauty, all in a park of a hundred acres or more; houses filled with fine orchids, and others containing beautiful native birds. It was very hot—ninety degrees or so—and oppressive, but we all stood it for a couple of hours, and most of our party, who had seen many such shows in all parts of the world, said that they had never seen any thing approaching this for variety and beauty. We then took our carriages and returned to the hotel for lunch, and immediately afterwards went on another tour around the well-built, handsome city. Fine stores and public buildings, perfect pavements, splendid turn-outs, and all the appliances of civilization were everywhere. No more babies carried pickapack, as inJapan and China. They were often nude, but looked well cared-for, comfortable, and happy.
The natives are of the Malay race, and their dress is of the brightest, generally a frock of white or red cotton and no trousers. We returned to the hotel at five, and after resting an hour had an excellent dinner. Being very hungry I partook of all the courses, the dinner beingà la Russe. One incident was particularly tropical. The ceiling and sides of the dining-room were covered with little green lizards, crawling about and catching flies. Some of the ladies were nervous, fearing that the creatures might drop into the soup or on their hair, but I did not mind, knowing them to be harmless. The landlord, who has been here twenty-eight years, thinks that I should stay here at least a week and go on to the Malay Peninsula to shoot tigers, but I have concluded to postpone that kind of amusement until I come again. I find it best to be very temperate in this terribly hot country, limiting my beverages to soda and Apollinaris water, and am very thankful to have plenty of ice, which is now manufactured in this city and all other large cities in the East. The P. & O. lineof steamers alone spends one hundred thousand dollars annually for ice.
When I retired at night I found that they had not provided me with even a sheet for a cover; only a mosquito net. The Chinese chamber-man was sleeping in front of my door, but I did not like to disturb him, so I turned in, and it being very hot I got along very well, and had a good night's rest.
I was out early in the morning, and was greatly interested in looking at the sights of the city. They were making a park of large dimensions, fronting the water, and a hundred or more wagons were used to transport the dirt from the country. Each wagon was drawn by a pair of bullocks driven by a Malay. These drivers were bright-eyed, smart-looking men, with nothing on but a cloth around their loins, and no covering to their heads. They sat on the tongues of the wagons, and I was much amused to see that when they wanted the bullocks to turn a corner they twisted their tails, and the obedient beasts at once went in the direction indicated.
I saw a great drove of goats passing along, as many as four hundred, and men from allcountries in great variety of dress. Singapore is a very busy place, being the chief city of the Straits Settlements, whence comes a larger part of the tin used in such immense quantities all over the world. The familiar ingots of tin were to be seen on the streets and sidewalks and being trucked towards the big steamers.
CHAPTER XII.ON BOARD THE "KAISAR-I-HIND."Steamer "Kaisar-i-Hind," off Sumatra,Dec. 13, 1889.AFTER mailing letters on the 10th instant at Singapore we went on board the steamer at 4P.M., and started again on our voyage. We were then only forty-five miles from the equator, and though the thermometer recorded only eighty degrees, it seemed much as if it were over a hundred. However, as soon as the steamer got under way it was quite comfortable. After a day and two nights we arrived at Penang, and at 9A.M.went ashore, and all took carriages for a drive through one of the prettiest and hottest towns in the world. We were driven along wide, beautifully paved, clean streets for three miles to a water-fall and a botanical garden, and it was a drive well worth having. On both sides of the road were plantationsof cocoa-nut trees, bearing ripe fruit, and once I saw a large nut fall to the ground with a dull thud.
Steamer "Kaisar-i-Hind," off Sumatra,Dec. 13, 1889.
AFTER mailing letters on the 10th instant at Singapore we went on board the steamer at 4P.M., and started again on our voyage. We were then only forty-five miles from the equator, and though the thermometer recorded only eighty degrees, it seemed much as if it were over a hundred. However, as soon as the steamer got under way it was quite comfortable. After a day and two nights we arrived at Penang, and at 9A.M.went ashore, and all took carriages for a drive through one of the prettiest and hottest towns in the world. We were driven along wide, beautifully paved, clean streets for three miles to a water-fall and a botanical garden, and it was a drive well worth having. On both sides of the road were plantationsof cocoa-nut trees, bearing ripe fruit, and once I saw a large nut fall to the ground with a dull thud.
Our tough little horse, driven by a black man from India, trotted along very fast. The road was lined with many strange trees laden with fruit, and the fields near by were covered with brilliant flowers.
We got out of the carriage at the botanical garden and walked about for a short time, but were glad to get in again, as the sun was intensely hot. Returning we traversed the same beautiful road, viewing the cocoa-nut trees, the mango, and many strange and beautiful fruits and flowers.
Workmen were engaged getting out stone and paving the roads, their black backs shining in the hot sun. Here we saw travelling on the road many gayly dressed Indian women, with bright silver ornaments on their arms and in their noses. We drove around the soldiers' barracks and hospitals and through the handsome streets of the town, and at ten o'clock took a boat to the steamer, much pleased by our little trip ashore, which gave us a change before starting on the voyage for Colombo. We steamed away once more, and soon after lunch, while I was readingin my state-room, I heard a commotion on deck, and, running up, reached there just as the captain did. "Man overboard!" was the cry, and the sailors were crawling into a boat like cats. The second officer was already there, and in two minutes the boat was lowered into the water, and was off. I looked over the side of the vessel and saw that a patent buoy and a life-preserver had been thrown over. With a glass I could see the black fellow swimming for the buoy, which he soon reached, and shortly afterwards the boat picked him up and returned with him to the ship in just eighteen minutes from the time she left. Wonderful discipline was displayed, not a loud word being spoken. After the boat was hauled up the captain touched a bell, and away we went again.
The patent buoy before mentioned had attached to it a tin box, containing some sandwiches and a small flask of whiskey, which the rescued sailor had confiscated before the arrival of the boat.
At four o'clock one morning a boy called me to get up and see the famous Southern Cross. I at once joined the company, and looked upon four stars, which formed animmense and perfect cross, very beautiful to behold. It was a splendid night, the bright moon shining on the water, and countless stars above, many of which are never seen except in this latitude.
CHAPTER XIII.COLOMBO.Colombo, Ceylon, Dec. 18, 1889.SIX days from Singapore, we arrived here on the evening of the 16th instant, and at once went to our rooms at the Grand Oriental Hotel, which had been engaged some weeks in advance. Colombo is the capital of Ceylon, and has a population of one hundred and twenty thousand, and many large and handsome buildings.
Colombo, Ceylon, Dec. 18, 1889.
SIX days from Singapore, we arrived here on the evening of the 16th instant, and at once went to our rooms at the Grand Oriental Hotel, which had been engaged some weeks in advance. Colombo is the capital of Ceylon, and has a population of one hundred and twenty thousand, and many large and handsome buildings.
As we passed along the coast last evening immense groves of cocoa-nut trees were seen from the vessel, extending along the shore for thirty miles or so. It was the hottest weather yet experienced, not more than eighty degrees, as shown by the thermometer, but very oppressive.
This morning, after an excellent breakfast at the hotel, I went with all the party on a drive in and around the city. It was dreadfullyhot, and we had about such an entertainment as one might expect driving around New York or Chicago streets on a July day, with the thermometer at ninety degrees. The streets and roads are clean, wide, and in perfect order. We stopped at a large market, where the natives crowded around us, and where were tropical fruits of many kinds, some of which I had never heard of before. We passed many groves of cocoa-nut and banana trees laden with fruit, public and private buildings, and large and handsome bungalows, churches, and schools, but the people who crowded the streets were the most interesting to see—Indians, Malays, Singhalese, and Chinese, dressed in their native costumes, all industrious, orderly, and civil.
We called upon Arabi Pasha, who was banished from Egypt some years ago for heading a rebellion against the Khedive. His residence is a fine bungalow, surrounded by handsome grounds. He is a portly gentleman of about sixty-five years, speaking good English, and appeared very glad to see us. We spent a short half-hour talking with him, and then took our leave and continued our tour around the city. We saw numerousshops and plantations once more, and studied the remarkable people we met, and were especially interested by the young children swarming in the streets everywhere, and looking like little animated bronze statues.
We went through a fine museum and saw a great collection of historical objects belonging to Ceylon, one being a rudely sculptured figure of a lion carved in stone three hundred years ago.
This island is the great producer of the ruby, sapphire, and pearl, dealers in which have stores near, and are allowed to come around the hotel. They are very troublesome in their attentions, and, as is common among merchants in this part of the world, ask two or three times more than they expect to get for their goods.
I intended to go up to the mines, fifty miles off, where they obtain the ruby and sapphire, but was prevented from doing so. I also wished to see the divers go after pearl-oysters, but a couple of weeks ago one of them went down in the water and never came up, a shark having caught him. Since this accident none of his companions can be induced to do any diving, and for the presentthe industry, which is a very large and important one, is paralyzed.
There are no fat people in this country, and no drunkards. In a Buddhist temple, which I saw yesterday, was a painting of a drunkard. The culprit was represented in hell, enduring great agony, being pierced with daggers, and the ugliest-looking devil, with tusks like fish-hooks, standing over him, about to pull his teeth with big pincers. Any follower of Buddha looking at that picture would surely join a temperance society.
One morning, accompanied by two friends, I took a carriage and drove seven miles out into the country, through the native city, and along perfect country roads, passing through wonderful tropical plantations and beautiful flowers everywhere. Men and women stared at us as we passed, and crowds of bright, laughing children ran after the carriage, begging for pennies. One man had a basket of beautiful pink lotus flowers, one of which we bought.
At length we came to the oldest temple on the island, 2,300 years old, and where Buddha himself preached,—a splendid temple, the walls of which were covered withhighly colored paintings, representing Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude, and Justice. There was the usual big statue of Buddha and the usual worshippers.
The ride was a delightful one, the children numerous and very funny, and beggars without number.
Another day we went by rail twenty-eight miles along the coast to the end of the road, the entire distance through groves of cocoa-nut trees extending as far back from the water as we could see. Once we passed under a banyan tree, the limbs of which had been trained over the road twenty feet high, in shape of an arch, then taking root and forming other trees on the opposite side. We spent the day at Lavini, a delightful sea-coast hotel, and enjoyed ourselves very much. It was quite a contrast to the hot city whither we returned for an eight-o'clock dinner.
CHAPTER XIV.NEWAVA ELIYA.Newava Eliya, Ceylon,Dec. 20, 1889.THIS is the sanitarium of Ceylon, 133 miles from Colombo and 6,200 feet above the sea level; a cool and delightful valley of a thousand acres or so, surrounded by high mountains, with a lake in the middle,—a very ideal place for a sanitarium. The thermometer averages seventy degrees.
Newava Eliya, Ceylon,Dec. 20, 1889.
THIS is the sanitarium of Ceylon, 133 miles from Colombo and 6,200 feet above the sea level; a cool and delightful valley of a thousand acres or so, surrounded by high mountains, with a lake in the middle,—a very ideal place for a sanitarium. The thermometer averages seventy degrees.
We left Colombo at 9A.M.on the 19th instant, in a first-class car engaged for the party, and passed over a six-feet-gauge road, built in the most substantial manner, with an extra guard-rail in dangerous places. There were iron bridges and stone depots at various points, each depot surrounded by a beautiful and well-kept flower-garden.
For the first fifty miles the road passed through a flat country of beautiful fields andcocoa-nut trees, and then we commenced to go up and around high mountains, the building of the road being a great engineering triumph. The road was lined on both sides for a long distance with a hedge of the large-leafed spiked aloe, from five to six feet high, and impenetrable by man or beast, and then we began to see tropical vegetation in all its luxuriant growth. Along the sides of the road and far as the eye could see were the blooming lantana, the sun-flower, and many large trees covered with yellow, white, and red flowers in great profusion. For the first time we saw tea, coffee, and cinchona plantations, the mountains being often covered to their tops with tea-plants, sturdy bushes about two feet high, and I should say that from the time we commenced to see them there were many thousand acres.
From time to time we could see the natives in parties of fifty or more picking the leaves and putting them into large baskets and carrying them on their heads to the dry-houses, or depots, and very picturesque they looked in their petticoats of many colors, their bare backs glistening in the sun. The natives have on petticoats when they wear any thing. Generally they are bare-headed, butsometimes sport gay-colored turbans. They are a fine race—bright, sharp, intelligent, cleanly, good-natured, and temperate. The women are handsome, and wear silver ornaments in their noses and ears.
The hotel here is an old vice-regal bungalow, and is like a private house. After getting warmed by a wood fire I retired and slept well all night. In the morning, before breakfast, I walked out to the woods to see the monkeys, but they did not appear, and I did not dare to go far from the trodden path on account of the cobras, which abound in these parts. After breakfast we took carriages down the mountain for five miles, over as fine a road as any in Europe, to the depot, and to our car, which had been retained for us, and soon we were on our way to Kandy, our next stopping-place.
A missionary accompanied us down the mountains, who had been twenty-seven years in the country, and entertained us with tales of snakes and elephants, and some account of his work in India and Ceylon. Coffee is no longer produced in Ceylon, the trees having been destroyed a dozen years ago by an insect, but an immense quantity of tea is grown, pronounced to be the finest in theworld, and which is largely taking the place of that raised in China and India.
At 5P.M.we reached Kandy, the ancient capital of Ceylon, containing 14,000 population,—a fine city, with many large buildings. There is a lake in the centre one and a half miles in circumference. In the evening we visited a large Buddhist temple, erected to hold a tooth of Buddha, which the faithful regard as a sacred relic.
On the 21st we took carriages to the government botanical gardens, said to be the finest in the world, and of course nothing like them is possible anywhere, except in the tropics. We saw giant palms twelve feet in diameter, stood beneath the deadly upas tree and the mahogany, jujube, almond, nutmeg, clove, mango, ebony, and a great grove of immense rubber-trees, and saw an immense variety of bright-colored flowers and leaves. The gardens cover one hundred and eighty acres, and we spent two delightful hours there, after which we drove around the city and through the extensive park of the Governor: returning, we took the train at 3P.M.and arrived at our hotel in Colombo at seven, just in season to enjoy the excellent dinner awaiting us.
CHAPTER XV.ON BOARD THE "ROHILLA."Steamer "Rohilla," near Madras,Dec. 27, 1889.CHRISTMAS was a fearfully hot day in Columbo, ninety degrees or more, and I did not go out in the morning, except to look into an Episcopal church, which was handsomely decorated with flowers, the air being kept cool by fans propelled by natives standing outside.
Steamer "Rohilla," near Madras,Dec. 27, 1889.
CHRISTMAS was a fearfully hot day in Columbo, ninety degrees or more, and I did not go out in the morning, except to look into an Episcopal church, which was handsomely decorated with flowers, the air being kept cool by fans propelled by natives standing outside.
After lunch, accompanied by two friends, I drove around the city and some miles into the country, over splendid roads. On the road we bought three cocoa-nuts for five cents, and opening one, had a refreshing drink.
We returned at 5P.M.and at once came aboard this ship, one of the finest of the splendid fleet of the P. & O. line. Theweather, except the terrible heat, continues perfect—not a ripple on the sea, the sunsets splendid, and the starlit nights of great loveliness.
A lady from Hartford, Mrs. Brown, who is well up in astronomy, pointed out to me last evening many stars never seen except in this part of the world. A lady from New York, Mrs. R. H. L. Townsend, was taken seriously ill on the 23d at the hotel; she was confined to her rooms for three days, and had two doctors and a nurse; but just before I left for the steamer I was glad to see that she had recovered so as to be able to take a drive.
At the last moment the Captain decided to call at Madras, where we shall be to-morrow, long enough to go ashore and see the famous city. Four great steamers left Colombo the same evening that we did, one each for Australia, Calcutta, Singapore, and Hong-Kong; one of them being a German vessel of immense size, 7,000 tons. On this steamer we have all the modern improvements: Edison lights, an excellent table, and always plenty of ice. Life on the ocean, as we have it, is very pleasant, and we get along nicely, though they tell ofterrific storms which rage here at other seasons.
The ship is full of passengers, largely English, returning from Australia, very nice, kind, and agreeable people. Yesterday a north wind sprang up and it was delightfully cool; the passengers were all on deck in groups, a dozen of the stalwart young Englishmen playing the national game, cricket; some reading, a lot of children playing, and all were happy.
In the evening we had a delightful concert by amateurs, violin playing by a young lady, parts of the "Bohemian Girl" and other operas being rendered in a superior manner.
The ship slowed up so as not to get to Madras before morning, and it was literally sailing on a summer sea; the moon sank down behind the waters in a glow, presenting a beautiful appearance. I had a good sleep all night, and at seven in the morning looked out and saw we were at Madras, between two long break-waters. Soon breakfast was over, and we all entered a big row-boat, propelled by ten bare-backed Hindoos; the ship was surrounded by a dozen of these boats, the crews chattering and shouting, and on one occasion a boy got overboard, but hedid not mind, swam about a short time and then got aboard, none the worse for his ducking.
We could see that there was a heavy surf beating on the beach, but when our boat struck the sand, I was lifted ashore by two strong black men, followed by the ladies of the party, conveyed in a similar manner. We took carriages and drove about the city, which is said to be the hottest in India, but we did not find it so; on the contrary, it was very comfortable. We went through the natives' quarters, and evidently they had seen white people before, for they paid no attention to us, not so much as we to them, as we were looking upon a race new to us. They had marks on their foreheads, showing the caste to which they belonged. We visited the markets, and saw that the banyan tree was quite common in the squares and along the streets, and passing on to the great fort, we looked at the big guns; then we entered St. George's Church, where there were many statues of famous soldiers who had served in India and died here. We called at the post-office, a large and beautiful building, remarked on the fine roads, the handsome appearance of the women dressedin bright-colored robes with silver ornaments in their noses and on their toes, and then we passed on to the ship, well pleased that we were not to stop any longer in such an unattractive place.
Sunday, December 29, 1889.
We reached the steamer at noon yesterday; the deck was crowded with native merchants trying to sell mats and all kinds of curios, but presently they were driven off to their boats, and at noon the ship was put upon her course, due north, everybody comfortable and happy, the sea as smooth as an inland lake. This morning we had a delightful service on deck, read from the English Prayer Book by the Captain, assisted by one of his officers; the singing, by young ladies, was particularly fine, and now and again I could detect the sweet tenor of my friend from Manchester.
Before the service the crew were mustered and reviewed by the Captain. There were nearly one hundred of them, mostly Lascars, dressed in white with colored turbans and presenting a very picturesque appearance.
Last evening I was interested to see a lady reclining on a steamer chair on deck, andreading by the light of a portable electric lamp fastened to the back of her chair. I interviewed her husband this morning, and he informed me that it was one of Edison's inventions, and that they were now common in London, and cost twenty dollars each. They are four inches in diameter, and can be carried in the coat pocket. This one he charges from one of the lights on the ship, and it will last fifteen hours.
December 30, 1889.
We are still rushing on over a placid sea at a moderate rate, as the ship has never made more than 288 miles a day. The thermometer marks seventy degrees, with a light breeze from the north, and warm woollen clothing is comfortable. This is a great country for learning practical temperance, none of our party having tasted liquor for a month, previous experience having shown that they were much better without it.
I noticed two young men at dinner to-day who drank two large bottles of champagne, but they will doubtless find out by experience that such indulgences do not pay in this climate. We are only 12,500 miles from New York now, and it seems quite like nearing home.