KOBÉ.
KOBÉ, JAPAN, Nov. 7, 1889.
On the 2d inst. we left Yokohama by the Japanese steamer _Omi Mars_,
Captain Island Vrise. During the afternoon we passed an island on which
is a volcano in eruption. It is 2,550 feet high, and was a pretty sight
as seen from the steamer. We arrived at this fine city at 5 P.M., and
were soon in comfortable quarters at an excellent hotel, and, as it was
very cold, I had a grate fire in my room, which I enjoyed very much. The
city is beautifully situated near the shore with great mountains for a
background, and the harbor is very fine. As usual, big steamers and
crafts of all kinds were to be seen, representing England, France,
Italy, Russia, and other countries--but Stars and Stripes there were
none.
We left on the 4th by rail for Kioto, arriving there at 5 P.M., at a
really splendid hotel, as fine as any in Europe. The city is a very old
one, and one of the largest and most interesting in Japan; great numbers
of temples and palaces, and, in and around it, most lovely scenery. Some
of the temples were erected seven hundred years ago. In the evening I
went with a party and called on the American missionaries, who were
holding a monthly meeting at one of their houses. They have a large
college building, and all seem greatly interested in their work.
The next morning we started early to make the famous Oigawa Rapids
excursion. The entire party, except two ladies, went in _jinrickishas_,
over bad roads and through immense fields of rice, vegetables, and
tea-plants, up and along a rough mountain road. Once my cooly's
carelessness tipped me over, but, as good luck would have it, toward the
cliff and not into the rushing river, and no harm was done. We had to
leave the vehicles several times, the road having been badly washed out
a month ago by a big typhoon, which caused floods and great disasters
all over the island. Some thousands of lives were lost, and there was
great destruction of property.
We stopped once to rest, and then went through fields for a mile or two
to the river Hodza, where we took three flat-bottomed boats, manned by
three boatmen each, and passed down over numerous rapids, and through
what in California would be called a cañon--mountains from two thousand
to three thousand feet high, clothed with verdure to their tops. The
river is from two hundred to three hundred feet wide and full of rocks,
and was really, it appeared to me, very dangerous; but the boatmen were
skilful, and we did the distance, seven miles, in one and one half
hours. We had lunch at a tea-house, and returned by another route to the
city, passing through other fields and seeing an immense number of
children everywhere. We arrived at the hotel at 5 P.M., the excursion
being pronounced by all to have been the most interesting we had enjoyed
in Japan.
On the 6th inst. we left the city at 9 A.M. in _jinrickishas_, and
passed along a splendid wide national road for seven miles, to Lake
Viwa. We met great crowds of people on foot coming to the city, and
numerous trucks loaded with stone, timber, rice, and vegetables.
Occasionally a single bullock would be drawing the vehicles, but
generally this was done by two or four men. We met two processions
of ten trucks, each loaded with stone. The trucks were drawn by
prisoners, with a soldier to guard each truck. The prisoners were
comfortable-looking, and appeared as jolly as any of the travellers.
They were building a canal from the lake to Kioto, nine miles long,
four miles of which they said was a tunnel. I examined a part of it,
and found it to be of excellent construction. We arrived at the lake
at noon. After lunch we went aboard a small steamer, and proceeded to
a point where there was a famous temple, and landed. But looking at
temples in this country has become monotonous, and I spent my time
sitting under a wonderful pine tree, which is feet eight in diameter,
with limbs trained out for fifty feet horizontally each way. We steamed
around the lake for an hour or two, and returned by the same road we
went, reaching the hotel at six. I found a good fire in a stove in my
room, which was very acceptable.