|
After
leaving China, on our return trip we had a strong northeast monsoon. We
kept in sight of the China coast until we reached the north, end of the
Island of Formosa. We then crossed the China Sea and saw the south end
of Japan, and in going between the islands at the south end of the Sea
of Japan we saw Korea. We then went up the Japan Sea, most of the time
keeping in sight of the Island of Nippon (Japan). We reached the Straits
of Tsugaru the sixth day from Hong Kong. The Strains of Tsugaru connect
the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean and divide the Islands of Nippon
and Hokkaido. Hakodate is on the extreme southern end of the Island of
Hokkaido, and Aomori, which is on the north end of the Island of Nippon,
is a terminus of the railroad that runs the entire length of Nippon.
HAKODATE
Hakodate is a very nice harbor, where ships lay at anchor, as it is
protected from all winds except from the north or northeast. The harbor
is circular, and the town is mostly on the west side. The streets are
wide and well laid out. From the harbor the town has a good appearance,
but ashore it does not look so well. Close to the water's edge the
houses are low and small. The Custom House is a good, imposing building,
and there are many other very nice buildings for a Japanese city. There
were about twenty steamers of all sizes and also a great many fishing
schooners and quite a number of sailing vessels, which make this their
home port and headquarters for the West Alaska fisheries. The regular
steamers run from Yokohama and other ports in Japan to all ports on the
Island of Hokkaido. A great deal of seaweed is exported for food to
China. Sulphur is brought in small vessels from the north of this island
and from other small islands north and east and is trans-shipped here to
various parts of the world. Altogether it is rather a lively place. The
population is entirely Japanese, there being not more than half a dozen
Europeans.
We
took a Japanese steamer from here for Otaru, on this island. When buying
our tickets we were told they had only Japanese food on board and to
govern ourselves accordingly, so we took sandwiches, etc. At supper we
fared all right by using our own bread, but came off rather short at
breakfast as the only things we could eat were rice and eggs. It. would
have been impossible for us to eat the food they had until we had become
accustomed to it.
When
we arrived at Otaru it was blowing a blizzard and was very cold as they
were having a big snow storm. A few days before this we had been wearing
our white clothes in a tropical climate so this took our breath away and
it was hours before we got warmed up as the houses were not heated at
all. having only the small "hibashi" to stoop over, in which was a
handful of lighted charcoal. The streets are very narrow and crooked
here on the waterfront, but back on the hill they are wide and well laid
out. This harbor, like Hakodate, is exposed to the northeast and well
protected by high walls on all other sides. Great improvements are going
on in the way of making streets and erecting buildings. A railroad runs
from Muroran up the center of the island, and this city is connected by
rail with a branch that connects with the main line about sixty miles
away. A great deal of coal is shipped from this port. Six good sized
steamers were here from England discharging cargoes of railroad iron,
locomotives and cars for a new railroad that is building from here to
Hakodate. Quite a large sawmill is in operation, having English
machinery. American sawmill machinery and railroad equipment are the
best in the world, but lack of enterprise on our part enables the
British merchants to supply inferior machinery. This mill is sawing logs
brought in by rail from the north of the island and which are all hewn
square in the woods. The wood looks a good deal like our pine. There is
a big demand for lumber and it goes into consumption as soon as it is
manufactured.
This
is also a great fishing place. The boats were all upon the shore and
housed in for the winter, the season being over.
SAPPORO
We
took the tram for Sapporo, the capital, which is about twenty-five miles
distant. It is situated in a beautiful and fertile valley about ten
miles from the ocean. The city was laid out by American engineers in the
most approved style, many streets being one hundred feet wide. It is
well built and a very fine city. I saw as many telephone wires on poles
here as I ever saw in San Francisco, and this is entirely a Japanese
city. No Europeans are here unless it might be a very few missionaries.
We
stopped at a house which had been built as a temporary summer residence
for the Mikado; a few rooms are set apart for the accommodation of the
few foreigners that come this way. However for a Japanese hotel it was
very comfortable, and we had good American food.
MURORAN
We
left for Muroran and passed through a fine, level valley so wide we
often could not see the hills on either side; then we got into a low,
hilly country, all heavily wooded. Many small mills were cutting lumber,
and ties were being made extensively. The ground being covered with
snow, they were hauling with sleds the same as they do in Canada and
Michigan.
Muroran is situated on the south side of a bay, very well protected from
most any wind and there is plenty of room for many vessels. The
principal industry is the shipping of coal, and there is no doubt that
this will develop into a big trade. The town is quite hilly, and the
streets are fairly straight and well laid out. The entire community is
Japanese, mostly poor people who are depending on work from the coal
company. There are many very fair stores and several hotels. We stayed
at the best one. which is conducted in regular Japanese style. The
bedrooms have no furniture at all. We got mats to sit cross legged on,
and when night came our beds were made on the floor with one mattress to
lay on and one on the top of us with a Wbashi to warm us. There were no
wash-stands, but every one had to wash at the one stand and the one
bath, in which men and women bathed indiscriminately. The hotel office
has the ground for a floor, and every one is obliged to take off his
shoes there. Then they supply him with a pair of slippers, which are
worn to the bedroom and left outside the door. If you have occasion to
go upstairs ten limes a day the same process has to be gone through.
When
one arrives at the hotel the first time the clerk goes on his knees and
makes a very low bow, making one feel most uncomfortable. There is no
furniture in any of the rooms; even when eating one sits on the floor
and the food is brought in on a tray.
The
natives were all engaged in harvesting roots, called "daikon," which
looks like white carrots but much larger and longer, running from two to
three feet long and as much as two inches in diameter. They are washed
clear and hung up to dry. Then we understand they are taken down and
salted, or put in about the same shape as sauerkraut. It is a staple
article of food, as everywhere we went we saw great quantities drying at
every house.
At
this time they had not been used to seeing Americans, and everywhere we
went we had a retinue of from one to two hundred persons following us.
One day we went into a candy store to buy candy made out of seaweed, and
the crowd filled the street so full we could not get out. The American
Consul from Hakodate happened to be passing, and. as he talked Japanese,
he inquired the cause of the mob. They said they had two foreigners in
the store and were having fun with them, that the woman had on strange
clothes and wore a hat (a thing unknown in that part of Japan). He gave
them a talk, and we were released. Now foreigners come and go, and they
never even get so much as a glance.
This
preliminary trip to Hokkaido convinced me that considerable trade could
be worked up between the three chief seaports (Hakodate, Otaru, Muroran)
and America. I was pleased with the quality of the oak, and bought six
oak railroad ties and took them to San Francisco. This was the first oak
taken from Japan to the United States. We tried those pieces out by
making them into furniture, which proved to be satisfactory. We then
made contracts to deliver large quantities of ties to the Southern
Pacific Company, who were to start at Guaymas, Mexico, in extensive
railroad building the following year. The first cargo of ties I
inspected myself to show the Japanese exactly what we wanted. To show
the freaks of commerce—this year the steamer "Hazel Dollar" took a cargo
of Oregon fir ties from Puget Sound to Tientsin, China, and, returning,
loaded a cargo of oak ties in Japan for Mexico. After this we bought a
quantity of oak logs and sold them in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
This developed into a large and satisfactory business, requiring many
steamers to carry the logs in future years. |
