. .;Af~TEi : : T VOYAGE 
 
 /! JOURNAL OF TRAVELS THROUGH 
 
 IE BRITISH EMPIRE IN THE 
 
 JiA.V] AND SOUTH AND JAPAN 
 
 co'j:xT 
 
 VJN
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 AN EASTERN VOYAGE
 
 All rights
 
 RAINY SPRING DAY, SINDE VALLEY.
 
 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 A JOURNAL OF THE TRAVELS OF 
 COUNT FRITZ HOCHBERG 
 THROUGH THE BRITISH EMPIRE 
 IN THE EAST AND JAPAN 
 
 VOLUME TWO 
 
 25 COLOURED & 48 
 BLACK & WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 1910 
 
 LONDON : J. M. DENT & SONS, LTD. 
 NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON fcf CO.
 
 Printed by BALI.ANTYNE, HANSON & Co. 
 At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh
 
 6$ 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 VOL. II 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 XIII. CASHMERE (continued) I 
 
 XIV. COLOMBO, PENANG, SINGAPORE, HONG - KONG, 
 
 SHANGHAI ' 95 
 
 XV. JAPAN . . ... 140
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 COLOUR 
 
 RAINY SPRING DAY, SINDE VALLEY .... Frontispiece 
 
 FACING PACE 
 
 ON THE WAY TO THE LADDAKH, BALTAL ..... 6 
 SUMMER EVENING, PAIL-GAM . . . " . . . -49 
 
 SUMMER AFTERNOON, PAIL-GAM 64 
 
 HARUNA TEMPLE, IKAO . . . . . . . -145 
 
 KYOTO FROM YAAMI HOTEL . . . . . . .160 
 
 BIWA LAKE ........... 200 
 
 WAKANURA . . . . . . . . . . 220 
 
 RAINY DAY, WAKANURA . . 240 
 
 KASAGI-YAMA . . . . . . . . . -244 
 
 TOBA : AT HYORUYAMA 257 
 
 INLAND SEA, NEAR TAGO ......... 259 
 
 ENTRANCE OF HARUNA TEMPLE, IKAO ..... 266 
 
 AUTUMN TINTS, NIKKO 270 
 
 AUTUMN TINTS, SHIOBARA . ... . . . . 286 
 
 FUJI, OVER LAKE HAKONE . .... . . . . 294 
 
 AUTUMN TINTS ARASHIAMA, NEAR KYOTO . . . . 299 
 
 BLACK AND WHITE 
 
 HARROWING IN THE LADDAKH ....... 8 
 
 MY COOK AND TIFFIN PONY CROSSING AN AVALANCHE . . 10 
 
 OLD HINDU MONUMENTS NEAR DRAAS 12 
 
 MY CARAVAN AT THE RESTHOUSE OF MULBA, AND LLAMASSERIE 
 
 ON TOP OF HILL 14 
 
 16
 
 viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 FACING PACE 
 
 THE LUMBARDAR OF MULBA 19 
 
 PRAYING TOWER 21 
 
 MY CARAVAN READY TO LEAVE NIMOO RESTHOUSE ... 23 
 
 PRAYING WALLS ON THE WAY TO LEH 24 
 
 REVEREND, PETER AND HIS PONY COMING DOWN FROM THE LEH 
 
 CONVENT 26 
 
 MAIN STREET OF LEH . 28 
 
 TIM (AS SHE is Now) 30 
 
 DEVIL-DANCING LLAMAS 33 
 
 DEVIL-DANCING LLAMAS 35 
 
 THE INDUS VALLEY NEAR LEH 37 
 
 LADDAKHI WOMEN AT LEH 39 
 
 DAK-RUNNERS AND DAK-RUNNERS' HUT ..... 40 
 
 THIBETANS TRAVELLING 42 
 
 LADDAKHI WOMEN HARVESTING 44 
 
 VIEW INTO THE INDUS VALLEY AND ON TO LEH FROM THE LEH 
 
 LLAMASSERIE 46 
 
 A HERD OF GOATS CROSSING A RIVER 48 
 
 LLAMAS AND DISCIPLES ........ 50 
 
 LADDAKHI WOMAN AND CHILD, SHOWING THE SHEEPSKIN HEAD- 
 GEAR ........... 52 
 
 LADDAKHI CONVEYANCE ACROSS A RIVER 55 
 
 THE AUTHOR AFTER FOUR WEEKS' TRAMP IN THE LADDAKH . 58 
 
 LADDAKHI WOMEN WEAVING 60 
 
 LLAMASSERIE OF MULBA 69 
 
 SRINAGAR 76 
 
 CASHMERE WOMEN POUNDING RICE 86 
 
 CINGALESE HUT, CEYLON 98 
 
 ONE OF THE OLD DUTCH CANALS, CEYLON . . . .102 
 
 THE DRAGON DANCE 152 
 
 CRYPTOMERIA AVENUE AT KOYA-SAN 162 
 
 ON THE ROAD TO THE ARASHIAMA RAPIDS . . . . .206 
 
 GOING TO FISH AT BIWA LAKE 214 
 
 SKETCHING UNDER DIFFICULTIES AT KASSANGI .... 246
 
 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 XIII 
 CASHMERE (continued} 
 
 May $Q>th. I had been three miles away on the hills 
 painting in the morning, and when I returned for lunch I 
 met several baggage ponies, coolies, and servants, and 
 saw to my horror that one pony had fallen over the narrow 
 track. One walks on nothing else but narrow goat tracks ; 
 there are no roads in our sense of the word. The poor 
 beast had unfortunately caught one of his hind-legs 
 between the stems of two trees overgrowing the precipice 
 or gully. This hind-leg was broken of course, and the 
 wretched animal was hanging absolutely loose, all its weight 
 suspended by this broken leg, over the precipice. They 
 had not even taken its saddle or its load off its back, 
 though from underneath the pony it was easy to reach all 
 that. There the poor beast was just dangling in the air 
 by its broken hind-leg. One could see what awful pain 
 it must be in ; it grunted and tried to turn its head upwards. 
 Heaven knows how long it had been hanging tortured in 
 this position. Those pigs of coolies and servants had all 
 simply squatted down on the track and were gabbling 
 away. When I began to beat them with my thick 
 Malacca cane, what I call " giving them Malacca cane," 
 
 VOL. II. A
 
 2 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 they soon produced an axe, and I, helped by my biestie, 
 who carried my painting things, managed to cut down the 
 one tree. What that poor animal must have suffered at 
 each stroke of the axe on the tree, which of course did 
 shake it a good bit, must have been beyond words ; it made 
 my blood run cold, but it was the only thing to do, and 
 after all it was really done in a few seconds, we two put- 
 ting all our strength to it and taking it in turns. When 
 the tree bent down, thus liberating the broken leg, I 
 stopped cutting, and the poor beast glided on to the slope 
 beneath, where it lay for a few seconds. Then as it 
 wanted to get up, it still rolled a good bit downhill. I 
 was astonished how sensibly it behaved. It pulled its legs 
 tight to its body and simply let itself roll, head and legs 
 together like a hedgehog, till it stopped on the small 
 loose stones and gravel on the river-bank. Then the people 
 climbed down at once to rescue their saddle and load, and 
 after I had seen that it was done without ill-treating the 
 horse, which did not even attempt to get up, I walked 
 towards the camp as fast as the goat track would allow, 
 to ask Parker to come and shoot the poor mangled animal. 
 It was two and a half miles going and two and a half miles 
 back, so some time had passed when we returned, and all 
 the people had left, and the poor pony was standing there 
 alone in the blazing sun, its poor broken leg frightfully 
 swollen. It was broken right over the hock, where the 
 leg was bent by the pony's weight over the tree. Those 
 beasts would have let the poor animal die quietly there 
 of starvation. These natives are horribly cruel. A long 
 time, many generations, must pass before they can be 
 looked upon as the equals of Europeans or of Japanese. 
 As the poor beast seemed very hungry and tried to
 
 CASHMERE 3 
 
 nibble at some shabby grass bushes near by, Mrs. P. and 
 I climbed down and picked armsful of fresh grass on the 
 river-bank underneath him, and so he had a good feed, and 
 really seemed to enjoy it. When he had nearly finished 
 (I'm sure he hadn't had such a good meal for days), P., 
 who had climbed down with us and sat opposite the pony 
 while he was eating, shot him in the head. He dropped 
 down where he stood, his mouth full of fresh grass. He 
 was killed instantly, and did not even move any more. 
 This pony was the only thing poor P. had shot all this 
 time ; he really did have bad luck. He saw several 
 bears at great distances, but could never get near enough. 
 
 So on May 3ist, on a fine but very cold morning, at 
 7 A.M., we started, the P.'s for Srinagar, I for the Laddakh. 
 After three miles we had to part, very unwillingly, as we 
 had got so accustomed to each other during the last two 
 months, and they were really charming people. 
 
 At first the road ran continually downhill into the wooded 
 valley, and was very pretty, but soon it turned to the left 
 into another valley, which was very broad and open, and 
 one soon got on the wide, dusty, sunny road to Laddakh. 
 Right and left were high mountains, but the valley was 
 very broad and not very attractive, mostly rice-fields. 
 
 At 5 P.M. I reached the camping ground, having passed 
 the one where my people wanted me to camp. I reached 
 that at twelve, and as that was really not to be called a march, 
 I went on ; but they have a mania for small marches, being 
 first of all very lazy, and then anxious to make as many 
 marching days as possible. At six the tents and ponies 
 arrived. I sketched, but not with much success. In the 
 evening it was bitterly cold. 
 
 The next day the road commenced very soon to be
 
 4 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 much prettier ; it became finer at each turn, always wind- 
 ing along the river, which was whitish-blue with fresh 
 snow water. High snow mountains towered right and left 
 over the valley, which then became narrower and narrower. 
 The mountains were thickly timbered with enormous walnut 
 trees and old elms of a size I've never seen before. The 
 villages, too, which I passed lay quite sheltered and shaded 
 under these magnificent trees. There were lots of mul- 
 berry trees everywhere about too, and they also were 
 uncommonly large. We met large caravans of ponies, 
 small donkeys, and the pretty long-coated yaks with 
 their big kind eyes and beautiful tasselly tails, all heavily 
 laden and driven by Baltistan or Laddakhi people with 
 pigtails, very ugly, Mongolian-featured, and clad in 
 long kaftan-like garments of indescribably creepy-crawly 
 appearance. 
 
 Near one bridge two poor ponies were lying on the 
 ground, half-starved-looking, nothing but a bag of bones, 
 and of course they couldn't get up with the heavy loads 
 on their backs. I was just drawing near when the beasts 
 of people began to beat them with whips and sticks on the 
 head and neck to make them get up. They didn't hear 
 me come, as I had grass shoes tied to my boots, which 
 were so much nicer and easier for walking, especially on 
 those roads with all their loose and pointed stones. And 
 so they enjoyed a thorough taste of Malacca cane. I gave 
 them all three a full, ample share ; and I am sure they would 
 not forget it soon. That new Malacca cane I bought at 
 Singapore is so beautifully long and most useful for this 
 sort of thing ; it covers two men at once with one stroke. 
 This is apparently the only method of teaching them, 
 and has an ample justice about it that they understand.
 
 CASHMERE 5 
 
 Then I made them unload the ponies, whimpering as they 
 were, and holding their backs and sides. I first intended 
 to tie the loads on to their backs, whipping them thus 
 uphill, but I refrained. The poor little ponies got up at once 
 as soon as their loads were taken off, and so we reloaded 
 them properly, and then I took away their whips and broke 
 them (one had a silver handle to it) and threw them in the 
 river, which they apparently disliked very much, and after 
 showing them that if they ill-treated their animals again 
 they would get more Malacca cane, I went on. Of all 
 animals, undoubtedly the human animal is the most cruel 
 and the most brutal. These people ought to get beaten 
 every day for all the cruelties they do to the animals. 
 
 Yesterday again I went eighteen miles, and the road had 
 been almost one of the prettiest I have ever seen. The 
 valley was very narrow, and the river roared and foamed 
 along bluish-white with the snow water. The snow peaks 
 rose all round to enormous heights up into the blue sky, 
 emerging out of fine woods of chestnuts, elms, walnut 
 trees, maples, poplars, firs and spruce, enormous trees. 
 The undergrowth was a thick tangle of all sorts of shrubs 
 and ferns, and everything was white with the flowering 
 wild strawberries ; pale blue bluebells grew in masses, with 
 wild asparagus, aquilegia, and all sorts of pretty flowers. 
 Everywhere the "Faulbaum" (I don't know the English 
 name for it) was in full bloom, and scented the woods with 
 its sweet, strong perfume. It was really almost finer than 
 New Zealand. Here were also the vividly marked little 
 red-tailed blackbirds and ravens, while in the lower valley 
 the cuckoo called and the pyrol fluted. 
 
 The road went uphill all the time, and towards the 
 afternoon I passed several large avalanches, which went
 
 6 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 down deep into the centre of the valley and even covered 
 the stream which foamed underneath them. Shortly before 
 Sonamurg, where I stopped the night in the primitive 
 Dak Bungalow, I reached a very wide valley with enor- 
 mous meadows richly dotted with buttercups, dandelions, 
 saxifrages, and the low iris, all in full spring bloom, where 
 many brood mares with foals and yaks with lovely bushy 
 tails were grazing. The snow mountains towered every- 
 where around, and I was glad to have a fire. 
 
 As it was six when I reached the Dak Bungalow, it was 
 much too cold to sketch. To-day I only marched nine 
 miles to Baltal, as the ponies were rather tired. The walk 
 was pretty, but nothing to be compared with yesterday's. 
 I had to pass again several avalanches reaching down right 
 into the middle of the valley, and in all the gullies there was 
 still snow. A cold wind made the march very pleasant in 
 spite of the sun, which was already pretty strong. 
 
 I got to Baltal for lunch, having slept long in the morn- 
 ing. The bungalow there is charming, quite one of the 
 nicest I have seen here, and so well furnished and well 
 situated in the middle of what looks almost like a park. 
 So I made two good sketches in the afternoon and was 
 very pleased. The last one I finished at half-past seven, 
 and when I went in I was so stiff with cold I could only 
 creep near the fire, where I had my dinner served too ; it 
 was the only way of getting warm again. 
 
 June 2nd. As the baggage had to be very limited, 
 everything that was not absolutely necessary was sent 
 back to the house-boat. Unfortunately my valet was still 
 so seedy, that I had to send him back to the boat too. 
 I think he was very pleased to get away from the tents,
 
 CASHMERE 7 
 
 which he hated, but disappointed at not being able to 
 accompany me to Laddakh, to which trip he had looked 
 forward very much. But he was still so stiff that I had 
 to get a pony for him to ride, for he could really hardly 
 walk at all. All this was of course on May 3ist, the day 
 I started for the Laddakh. 
 
 June $rd. Last night, just as I wanted to go to bed, a 
 coolie arrived with letters, and I read them till one o'clock. 
 It was delightful, and they were such nice letters all of them. 
 
 This morning we started at 8 A.M. I was quite sorry 
 to leave the uncommonly pretty bungalow, but the subjects 
 for painting were finished, and I haven't got so very much 
 time either. The road, a few steps behind the bungalow, 
 ascended at once very steeply in a zigzag up the hill, and 
 after half-an-hour of a very steep climb I came out of the 
 lovely spruce wood and entered birches, at the beginning 
 still of a fresh green with their tiny leaves, but higher up 
 still wintry bare. I passed, still climbing up steeply, several 
 enormous avalanches, and finally I came out on the hillside 
 over the forest surrounded by pointed barren rocks and snow 
 peaks. Still higher I climbed till I came on a valley which 
 was quite covered with snow, where there was no sign of tree 
 or bush. Deep dead winter it was, no sound, no bird, no 
 life ! I noted the silence was almost gruesome and un- 
 canny. An indescribably narrow track had been trodden 
 in the deep snow by the innumerable caravans which pass 
 in a file. This valley was the much dreaded pass,' feared 
 on account of its many avalanches, which at certain times of 
 the spring one is only allowed to traverse at night. On this 
 narrow track, of course, with snow under foot, one slides 
 and glides along. It is beastly walking, and very tiring,
 
 8 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 because the track has been stamped by the animals, which 
 of course with their heavy loads, and on the slippery ground, 
 take very small steps, and the hoofs have formed little ice 
 steps, so that one is bound to walk with the same small 
 stride and one's toes turned in like a parrot, since the snow 
 on both sides is so high. One has to put one foot in 
 front of the other like a fox. The track still ascended 
 steadily through the nearly flat valley, and one wound 
 about on this track for hours. 
 
 At i P.M. I reached the summit and began to descend. 
 It was thawing hard, but was very cold all the same, and at 
 many places I had to make long detours because the snow 
 on which I walked had already fallen into the river, which 
 it usually bridged and which foamed underneath it. At 
 other places I passed deep crevices in the snow, where 
 I heard and saw the river roaring several hundreds of 
 metres beneath me in a blue-white icy depth. The 
 crevices were so narrow that I could step over them. If 
 I had fallen into one of them it would have been all over 
 indeed with the fun. 
 
 I met enormous caravans of ponies and yaks with their 
 dirty ragged Mongol drivers, well suited to this desolate 
 winter scenery with their red-brown beardless faces and 
 funny fur caps. 
 
 At i P.M. I lunched in the snow, then tramped on. 
 Downhill it was almost more difficult than uphill, and 
 especially so towards 3 P.M., when I reached half-thawed 
 places, which were frightfully slippery. I had to cross 
 sloping snow-fields, where, had I begun to slip and it 
 happened very nearly more than once I should have slid 
 down into eternity ; nobody could have saved me. 
 
 Towards 4 P.M. I got into a broad valley, where I still
 
 <,--. 
 
 - 
 
 3S 
 
 ; 
 
 
 HARROWING IN THE LADDAKH
 
 CASHMERE 9 
 
 walked on snow, all the time alongside the foaming roaring 
 torrent on the narrowest track I was ever on, and some- 
 times so near the edge of snow overhanging the river, that 
 there was really not a foot on the outer side. How these 
 ponies managed to crawl along there is a miracle to me. 
 The real snow region I left about 5 P.M., though of course 
 all the hills and slopes were still covered with snow long 
 after that. The enormously wide valley, closed in by high 
 rocky bare mountains, was wonderfully majestic. It was 
 grander than the kings' tombs at Luxor, of which it re- 
 minds one in a way in its serious majesty, but of course it 
 had not the beauty of colour. The steep, barren, ragged 
 cliffs and mountains are a silvery-grey not a tree, not 
 a bush, no grass, no mosses, but naked barren rocks. In 
 the valley, which was very broad and traversed by the roar- 
 ing river, was a faint shimmer of green on the ground, 
 formed by thin grass, and especially by the small iris 
 coming up everywhere. At some places small orange- 
 yellow flowers were blooming like small crocuses. But 
 in these wild barren hills the cuckoo called, the blue-rocks 
 (pigeons almost white) and the big ravens were there, 
 and rock finches piped their tiny notes. 
 
 At 6 P.M. I reached the Dak Bungalow, after passing 
 the village with its few wretched stone huts with mud roofs. 
 Near by they were ploughing with long-coated black yaks, 
 and were sowing. At one place this afternoon a dead 
 donkey was lying near the river, and eight big vultures sat 
 round it. Here, near the village, lay two dead ponies, and 
 the ravens fought round them. There was literally not 
 a bush nor a tree, but the mountains and snow peaks 
 were of such a majesty that I was content. But it was 
 infinitely sad and cold.
 
 io AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 It was only at 8 P.M. that my other baggage arrived. 
 But as I had my tiffin basket and painting materials on 
 a special pony which I kept with me, I could always make 
 myself cocoa, and so it did not much matter. 
 
 June 4^, Drass. Did I say that any amount of edel- 
 weiss grows in the Sindh Valley ? One could have made 
 garlands of it, and when growing it is prettier than when it 
 is picked. The thick tufts of velvety white stars make a 
 lovely effect. Yesterday, in those places where it had 
 thawed during the day and frozen again overnight, and on 
 the snowfields, the colour effects were indescribably lovely, 
 forming circles of palest blue, eau de nil green, and palest 
 mauve. I should have loved to have painted for a bit, but 
 I had no intention of getting any part of my precious body 
 frost-bitten in that icy coldness. 
 
 To-day there were only io miles to be done, and almost 
 all the time on the level. That fellow who was recom- 
 mended to me for doing the bunderbuss to Laddakh his 
 chits say he has been there several times, though I'm con- 
 vinced he has stolen them from somebody else is utterly 
 useless. He doesn't know the name of a single place, nor 
 any of the distances, and so one makes these ridiculous 
 marches. Ten miles ! it is absurd. I have christened him 
 the " Swine," because he is really nothing else. I hate him. 
 I don't know where I should be without my little Indian 
 cook, who has turned out to be a treasure, and is cook, 
 valet, and everything combined. He speaks and under- 
 stands only about six words of English, and I not one of 
 Hindustani, so our dealings are limited to signs. He talks 
 Hindustani to me making signs, and I answer in German 
 with signs, and we get on capitally.
 
 JK 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 MY COOK AND TIFFIN PONY CROSSING AN AVALANCHE
 
 CASHMERE n 
 
 We did not march over snow to-day, but the scenery 
 was awfully desolate and sad. Not a tree, not a bush, and 
 in the ridges of the ragged hills snow was lying every- 
 where. Then we came into valleys where the barren 
 hills had a curiously shaped slope, or soft smothered look, 
 without any apparent stones or cliffs or projections. They 
 sloped softly up from the green valley (grass), where the 
 larks were singing, shaded in olive-green, then grey- 
 green, shading into deep purple, sepia, tan, and finally 
 into light ochre. It was very pretty and peculiar, but 
 such an icy gale howled that I had no wish to sketch, 
 and was glad when we reached the Dak Bungalow, and 
 I could warm myself near the cedar- wood fire. I am told 
 there is always a gale blowing in this Draas valley, and 
 I honestly think that is the reason of those funny rounded 
 slopes, not of rock, but of a sort of sand or earth on top 
 of rock. 
 
 The whole small room smelt of the cedar-wood fire. 
 Where they get the firewood for these bungalows, God 
 alone knows, for, with the exception of some low birches 
 in enclosures that look like graveyards, but are not, as the 
 people cremate their dead, there is no tree to be seen for 
 days and days. 
 
 One sees lots of magpies everywhere about in the 
 different valleys round the shabby hamlets. The huts of 
 these hamlets are piled up out of river stones, unworked, 
 and smeared over, or plastered over with mud, and with 
 flat mud roofs. Everywhere they are busy ploughing 
 with yaks and sowing. At some places the river forces 
 itself through purple-black shiny rocks, which have just 
 the same polished look as the rocks in the Nile (beloved 
 Nile !) at Assouan. Somebody told me once it was a
 
 12 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 microscopic small sort of moss or lichen that made that 
 effect there. I don't know whether it is true or not, but it 
 might be the same thing here. Anyhow, it is very pretty, 
 and makes pretty colour effects. 
 
 At Draas I said good-bye to my Cashmere ponies, and 
 I regretted that my little grey tiffin pony was not coming 
 any farther with me, both for his sake and for mine. The 
 poor animal will not have such an easy life again. It is 
 awful how cruel all these people are to animals. 
 
 In the afternoon, when we were all well under shelter, a 
 real hurricane howled round the house, so that I thought 
 it was going to be blown away, and dense fog clouds rolled 
 down from the hills, while the rain beat on the window- 
 panes and the roof. 
 
 June 7th. On the 5th we left Draas in the morning at 
 eight, being told by the "Swine" that it was 25 miles. So 
 I provided all the people with ponies, and had one for 
 myself too, but the saddles were so awful, and the ponies 
 so lazy, that it was more work making them go forward 
 than walking oneself, and so I got off my steed after ten 
 minutes and walked. It was a sunny, cold morning, and 
 having, as I thought indeed, 25 miles before me, I 
 stepped along freely. It is really not possible to describe 
 the desolation and barrenness of those hills ! Nothing 
 but small loose stones and naked rock. The road went 
 incessantly steeply up and down hill from valley to valley, 
 and one really did not walk for five minutes straight on 
 or on a level. The sun was scorching. 
 
 At 2 P.M. I passed the Kharboo Bungalow, which I 
 admit, from the outside, does not look over inviting. It is 
 situated in a very narrow valley, towered over by steep
 
 OLD HINDU MONUMENTS NEAR DRAAS 
 (The rest-house on the way to Leh)
 
 CASHMERE 13 
 
 naked hills, but has some willows near and almost round it, 
 which were just beginning shyly to put out some anaemic 
 green leaves. I courageously stepped past it. We walked 
 on and on and on, and of course I expected round each 
 corner of these blessed barren rocks, or after each steep 
 hill I crossed, to come in sight of Kargyll. Nothing ! 
 And the track (one cannot call it a road) ran all the time in 
 these blessed valleys, so that there was no shade for a 
 minute. I've never seen anything like it. That I didn't 
 get sunstroke is" really a wonder, for the sun scorched down 
 on one mercilessly from 8 A.M. till 7 P.M., when finally it 
 went down behind some high hills. I thought already it 
 was " Sun stop at Gibeon and moon in the valley of 
 Ajalon," or whatever those Jewish valleys were called, and 
 still no Kargyll. So the cook asked how many miles we 
 had still to do, and they told us still seven. It was evident 
 the " Swine " had told us quite a wrong distance, because we 
 walked all the time at a good pace, I wanted to wait for 
 the rest of the caravan and camp out there, but cook and 
 the tiffin coolie persuaded me to go on : there was nothing 
 to be had here no milk, eggs, or wood, so I gave in and on 
 we went. We tramped on till 10 P.M. up and down hills, 
 for we were tired, and after half-past eight it got so 
 dark, as there was no moon, that one could only walk very 
 slowly and carefully. When we arrived at Kargyll at 
 10 P.M. the postmaster, who speaks English very well, told 
 us it was 37 miles from Kargyll to Draas, and that nobody 
 ever did it in one day. 
 
 Cook quickly made me several cups of cocoa out of the 
 tiffin basket (after the postmaster had provided us most 
 amiably with fresh milk), and as we couldn't expect the 
 rest of the baggage for hours, for the ponies we had with
 
 i 4 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 us, and which were lightly packed, were dead tired and 
 what must the others have been ? I made myself a pillow 
 out of my jacket and overcoat, lay down on the string 
 bed, covered myself with the two mackintosh rugs that 
 cover the baggage if it rains, and went to sleep, dressed 
 as I was. I slept till eight next morning without waking. 
 The rest of my baggage, cook told me, arrived at one in 
 the morning ! The poor ponies were half-dead of course. 
 It was lucky for the "Swine" I did not see him that 
 evening ; he would have tasted Malacca cane ! 
 
 On the 6th I started at 1 1 A.M. Here in the Laddakh 
 one takes fresh ponies for each march, and I think it is a 
 very good plan. I would have left earlier, but had several 
 letters to post, which I had written at Draas, and this was 
 the last post-office. The postmaster had gone for a walk 
 on the hills to inspect his fields and was not to be found, so 
 I had to wait. 
 
 Kargyll is a wretched village. The postmaster brought 
 me at last, when he turned up (very likely in order to pacify 
 me), a large dish of excellent dried apricots and dried red 
 currants. Round Kargyll are many bushes of currants 
 and quite well-kept fields, in which the rye was already 
 quite high, though it had not yet shot into fruit ; be- 
 sides, they have planted along the river and all the 
 many irrigation canals poplars and willows. Birches 
 there are too, and lots of wild rose bushes, but not in 
 flower yet. 
 
 So after I had finally succeeded in posting my letters, 
 I started. The baggage had, of course, gone on ahead, 
 but I soon overtook it. The postmaster had told me 
 it was 23 miles to-day. The road was uncommonly 
 ugly and hot, but I had taken my umbrella, and it was
 
 MY CARAVAN AT THE RESTHOUSE OF MULBA 
 AND LLAMASSERIE ON TOP OF HILL
 
 CASHMERE 15 
 
 astonishing what a difference it made to have one's back 
 shaded. 
 
 The road, which went along through high steep valleys, 
 began to get prettier. I walked sometimes, even often, in 
 the deep shade of the hills, and close to the river there was 
 some vegetation ; willows, smashed by avalanches, some 
 low tujas, a sort of tamarisk with pretty pink flowers, 
 and now and then a courageous rose bush. The moun- 
 tains and slopes were absolutely barren, except for a sort 
 of sedum with a strong aromatic scent and grey-green 
 leaves, which in Italy is often used for edging flower- 
 beds. The many villages and hamlets were surrounded 
 by green fields, willows and poplars, and lots of red 
 currant bushes grew round them, which were just in 
 flower. The small goats, tiny animals with enormous 
 long hair, were delightful. Even the full-grown ones 
 were not much bigger than an Airedale terrier, and the 
 young ones were very sweet, with their enormous coats 
 and dear funny faces. They looked like toy goats in a 
 Christmas booth. 
 
 At half-past seven I was at Mulba, just when the sun 
 was setting behind the high hills. But to-day, for the most 
 part, I walked in the shade of the hills, so it was very 
 pleasant. The sun went down behind the hills, leaving 
 the valley in deep shadow, and only tinting the tops of the 
 mountains a pinky-red. 
 
 Mulba is a big village, crowned by a Llama convent, 
 perched, one wonders how, on the utmost point of a steep, 
 apparently inaccessible rock. From its roof innumerable 
 white linen rags fluttered, on which prayers were written, and 
 the wind moved them about. That is the same as saying 
 a prayer, and besides, keeps the evil spirits away.
 
 16 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 The Lumbardar (a sort of Lord Mayor) came to make 
 me his salaam, and brought excellent and most welcome 
 milk and wood, for I was alone, not even cook could keep 
 up with me. I'm getting in condition now. The Lum- 
 bardar was a tall old man, with a reddish-brown, well-cut 
 face, a very Chinese type, pigtailed of course, clothed in a 
 long claret-coloured garment with wide sleeves, a gold 
 embroidered cap with ear-flaps, that being turned up stood 
 out like fawn's ears, and from his belt a long silver 
 chatelaine hung, on which all sorts of quaint keys, knives, 
 spoons, a pipe, and a tobacco-pouch with metal ornaments, 
 dangled down and clinked. 
 
 Mulba is surrounded by those quaint praying walls and 
 monuments, which look half like a dove-cot, half like a 
 glorified Egyptian incubator. On the top of the walls 
 are all sorts of stones, with rather prettily-worked inscrip- 
 tions in Laddakhi figures. On most of the roofs of the 
 houses are wooden praying windmills, more or less, 
 according to the wealth of the proprietor, and innumerable 
 white linen rags flutter from the tops as well, with prayers 
 written on them. 
 
 To-day (15 miles) I started at n A.M. I saw now and 
 then a few snow-topped mountains ; it was the most 
 desolate bit I have passed yet. Yellow-brown rocks 
 appeared at places like old ruins or decayed fortresses. 
 Yesterday, the hills were often wine-coloured, very 
 pretty. 
 
 At half-past two I was at Bet-Kharboo, where I stopped 
 the night in the nice Dak Bungalow. There was a large 
 caravan from Yarkand there, with enormous bales, extra- 
 ordinary pigtailed men, with scarlet fur-lined caps, long 
 kaftans, high felt boots, earrings with turquoises in them,
 
 CASHMERE 17 
 
 and bracelets. They were very much interested in me, and 
 I had to show them everything I had on me. They seemed 
 nice, kind, gay people, like the Chinese ready to laugh. 
 
 In the night from the 7th to the 8th, it pelted with rain. 
 I woke up because it dripped on my nose. Then I heard 
 a little torrent descend in the corner where I knew the 
 holdalls had been put. At a third place it was dripping 
 on to the durry also, "pitch, pitch!" So I lit the candle, 
 and managed to get my bed and the holdalls in security ; 
 in the holdall corner really a grey brook rippled gaily 
 down, but fortunately found a natural exit in or through 
 the clay floor, underneath the threshold to the adjoining 
 bathroom, so I didn't trouble about that any further. 
 
 At eight in the morning, when I started, there was 
 glorious sunshine. It was very funny ; from the ground came 
 an icy cold, whereas the sun was already scorching hot. 
 The road through steep, absolutely barren rocky country 
 was hideous, and finally wound up a windy, icy-cold pass 
 in a narrow valley, shut in entirely by apparently not very 
 high hills (one is already so high), and I thought I should 
 expire. It was so narrow, so oppressive, so desolate, not 
 a blade of grass, not a sign of vegetation, in some of the 
 crags still snow, and that endless goat track covered with 
 small loose stones which slipped under my feet at every step, 
 wound up and up, round corner after corner. I was quite 
 alone, and the icy gale blew fiercely into my face continu- 
 ally. Really, if I had met the Devil there I wouldn't have 
 been the slightest bit astonished. It was just the sort of 
 place one would expect to meet him, but I believe he now 
 prefers modern life and bridge tables. There is more 
 business to be done in that sort of society. 
 
 Finally I reached the top in spite of everything. It 
 
 VOL. II. B
 
 i8 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 was crowned by a glorified incubator, alias a praying kiosk, 
 or whatever one likes to call it, and very well it was they 
 put it there. I'm sure it keeps Mr. Devil away, and surely 
 everybody thanks God who has reached that beastly top 
 without his lungs or heart bursting. Nevertheless, on the 
 top I was nearly blown away. I looked down on just 
 as barren, ugly, desolate valleys and mountains, and I 
 honestly asked myself what the devil I had come here for. 
 The man who wrote that book " Where Three Empires 
 Meet " ought to be exposed. How many people has he 
 coaxed with his fine descriptions of this beastly country 
 into these infernal uglinesses and desolations? He de- 
 scribes Srinagar too as like Venice. All I can say is, he 
 can never have been in Venice. 
 
 I descended very steeply, and after a full hour of 
 hideously desolate country came to whole chains of praying 
 walls and glorified incubators, and then at a sudden turn 
 of the track round a rocky corner I saw Lamayuroo before 
 me, looking in its way quite pretty. A large village 
 nestled against the hill in a narrow valley, a steep rabbit 
 warren of houses, one piled on the top of the other, and 
 high above it, boldly on the giddily steep rocky hill, the 
 large Llama convent, from the roof of which innumerable 
 linen rags fluttered in the eternal wind. In this country 
 of bliss there is every afternoon a horrid wind. 
 
 I managed to find my way to the Dak Bungalow, 
 which I got unlocked, and where I slept for an hour in 
 a comfortable armchair till my pony and coolie with the 
 tiffin basket arrived at i P.M. (15 miles uphill from 8 A.M.). 
 
 At 2 P.M. the other coolies and ponies arrived ; many 
 had started at 6 A.M. I had passed them all on the road, 
 and as I intended to make 20 miles more that day, fresh
 
 - 
 
 THE LUMBARDAR OF MULBA
 
 CASHMERE 19 
 
 ponies were taken. I thoroughly enjoyed the repacking 
 of the ponies, which I watched from the verandah of the 
 bungalow. The yelling of the coolies, insulting each 
 other, snarling like foxes, threatening each other when 
 I think of the Arabs ! how they would shout and talk 
 just as much, but it would all go laughingly with jests 
 and merriment ! The odious Cashmere people of course 
 imagine themselves to be something better than the half- 
 Chinese Laddakhis, because England allowed them to 
 depose that poor Laddakh king, who surely can't have 
 been a greater nonentity than His Highness the Maharajah 
 of Jammu and Cashmere, and they were frightfully rude 
 to the Laddakhis in consequence. But I really must say 
 the Laddakhis are uncommonly modest and kind and civil. 
 However, my delight reached its zenith when I saw a 
 Laddakhi coolie punch the " Swine" several times with his 
 fist as hard as he could in the neck. And that pig, 
 although armed with a big stick, was such a coward, that 
 he did not even try to defend himself. 
 
 At half-past two all the ponies were packed, and we 
 could get on. The road goes through narrow, wild valleys, 
 and the colouring of the hills is quite lovely. All the tints 
 of the pink, dark red, tan, ochre, of purple and moss green, 
 although there is not one scrap of vegetation, are beautiful. 
 At many places the rocks overhang the road completely. 
 The mountains are enormously high, so that one walks in 
 their shade, which is very agreeable. 
 
 At half-past seven I had done my 20 miles, and 
 admit I was tired. When I reached Nurla (alone of 
 course), as the rest of them crawled although they had 
 ponies, I had to try and help myself alone to what I wanted. 
 First they brought me water on my making signs of
 
 20 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 drinking, but it did not look exactly appetising, so I mimicked 
 the milking process and got excellent milk, and when my 
 people arrived at 9 P.M. they were very much astonished 
 to find me fed and enjoying a blazing fire, and even having 
 my legs massaged. After the kind " Sign people" had 
 brought me milk and had lit a fire, the Lumbardar settled 
 in front of me, all crouching round the fire, very likely 
 because it was the only light in the blessed place. There 
 was a lot of writing on his part, then a man paid seven rupees 
 and a half to one of the dak runners (postmen), whereupon 
 the Lumbardar wrote him a receipt, and then a pot with 
 what looked like boot blacking was produced, and both 
 parties had to black their thumbs inside and press them 
 off underneath the receipt by way of a signature. 
 
 Next morning the road was awfully ugly, of a desola- 
 tion beyond words, and very difficult and steep. After 
 a long difficult climb one got into a sort of wide plain ; 
 it was decidedly once a lake ; the colours were lovely it 
 is true, but the desolation and loneliness are too sad for 
 words, and really one feels inclined to sit down and howl. 
 Good heavens, what a country! The tints in all shades, 
 of pink, purple, pale blue, pale green, mauve, olive, and 
 brown of the surrounding bare hills are lovely, but an 
 utter melancholy lies over it all. Not a bush, not a blade 
 of grass, not a bird, not even a raven or a crow, not a 
 sound ! Has God forgotten this place or deserted it ? 
 
 A sort of deer walked discontentedly across this many- 
 coloured desert, passing me quite close, a buck and a doe. 
 They were built and coloured like our roe-deer, but had 
 thick horns like a goat bent almost flat back towards the neck. 
 
 Over some stony promontories I got into another of 
 these deserts, but a still larger one, closed in far off by
 
 Q a 
 3 c
 
 CASHMERE 21 
 
 high bare hills. All this sandy desert was thickly strewn 
 with small and large stones of all sorts of shapes and 
 colours, and amongst these a broad sandy path wound 
 along, and I waded up to the ankles in sand and small 
 pebbles on it. The sands at Halbau are solid rock com- 
 pared to this. I really felt I could have cried. Not a 
 living soul, not even lizards, are to be seen nothing but 
 sand, stones, and snow hills. Good heavens, what! is 
 Silesia lovely ! 
 
 I tramped through this desolate desert for two hours! !! 
 (Thank God it had a covered sky.) Had there not been 
 telegraph posts, I should have thought I had missed my 
 road. It looked like the way to eternal damnation. 
 I was told I had come 27 miles to-day, yesterday 35, 
 and I was just resigning myself to the fact that I was 
 never going to see anything human again in my life 
 when I crossed a little elevation, and the road suddenly 
 descended steeply in a zigzag, and on the other side of 
 the valley there lay on the pink slope of the pink rock a 
 lovely village, built of pink stones and pink mud at least 
 it appeared like that in the setting sun and topped by 
 many pink ruins, and everywhere round it and between the 
 many houses lots of poplars with fresh green. Really a 
 lovely sight ! Also a lot of the glorified incubators were 
 about, and looked very picturesque. The ruins were those 
 of an old Mongolian king's palace. 
 
 After satisfying my awful thirst at a heavenly fresh and 
 clear spring in the village, I tramped on and soon reached 
 another of those awful sand deserts, where one wades ankle 
 deep in sand and loose gravel. This was crossed by 
 hundreds of yards of those praying walls and the highest 
 incubators I've ever yet seen. They were decidedly of
 
 22 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 a newer construction, were more decorated, and in very 
 good repair. At the farthest end of this desert I saw to 
 my delight an oasis of poplars, with the Dak Bungalow 
 half hidden under them with the last rays of the sun just 
 shining on it. For a mile and a half I had to wade through 
 that sandy plain ankle deep. To me it appeared like 20 
 miles. 
 
 The bungalow was good. The rooms are on the first 
 floor, and one has a pretty view from the flat roofs of the 
 many stables on to the hills and desert. Cook, whom I 
 had sent on that morning at six, had made a good dinner, 
 and so, to the murmur of the poplar leaves, which sur- 
 rounded and sheltered the bungalow from the wind, I fell 
 asleep that night. 
 
 Next morning I left Nimoo late, as it was only 18 miles 
 to Leh. The road went first through awfully deep sand, 
 and then I climbed up one of those bare zigzags again, 
 where there was not a scrap of any vegetation, till it crossed 
 another pass, where I reached again a very wide plateau, 
 a sand and stone desert closed in by hills, on which more 
 or less snow was still lying. Towards 2 P.M. the road 
 began to descend slowly, and I saw before me the broad 
 valley of the Indus, which, it is true, does not make any 
 impression here, for it is a mere brook. This valley had 
 at least a faint shimmer of green grass, and a few willows 
 and poplars were scattered near the borders of the river. 
 At three I passed some ruins of houses and a little pool 
 with water, and saw at some distance before me, on a hill- 
 like promontory in this valley, a large Llama monastery, 
 of newer construction apparently. After winding round 
 this promontory, 2 or 3 miles of sand and stone desert 
 still stretched before me, across which a road was marked
 
 CASHMERE 23 
 
 out by some large stones, and along which I approached 
 gradually some poplar trees and some small fields fenced 
 in by walls made of field stones piled on top of each other. 
 
 It was Leh but as yet I could not see a single house. 
 Finally I came to some wretched clay huts, and between 
 two of these was a low gateway as at the caravanserais, 
 and I was told to turn in there, and so I did, thinking to 
 get into the courtyard of the Dak Bungalow, but instead 
 I stepped into a very broad, absolutely straight street of a 
 sort of a town. This street was lined on both sides by 
 houses and shops, and along one side, the off-side one, was 
 a row of Lombardy poplars along the whole length of it. 
 At the far end of this street, on a higher ground, was a 
 large building, rather fine-looking from a distance, once the 
 king's palace, and above it, high up on a barren hill of 
 course, was perched a Llama convent. After walking 
 along this long bazaar, amid a crowd of dirty people, I had 
 to go through several dirty narrow streets, then past the 
 Moravian Mission compound, the church and the hospital, 
 past a little water pool, and then I reached the not extra 
 good Dak Bungalow. 
 
 After having my cocoa, I went to the Moravian Mission 
 House to ask about those devil dances which I was told 
 are generally to be seen about the middle of June in a 
 convent two marches from Leh, but the missionary, Rev. 
 Peter, told me they ended yesterday. A young Llama, 
 who had been walled up for twelve years in his cell without 
 seeing anybody or coming out, had finished his time, and 
 came out about a couple of days ago, and to honour this 
 half-saint (he is twenty-four years old, having gone into his 
 hermitage at the age of twelve years) the dances had been 
 held earlier this year. The dethroned king even ordered
 
 24 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 twenty-five shots to be fired off in honour of this wonderful 
 young man, who, Rev. Peter tells me, made a very good 
 impression. He went to see him. I'm sorry about 
 those devil dances ; I should have liked to have seen them. 
 What is amazing, however, is, that the missionary turns out 
 to have been a tutor to my cousin Gottfried Hochberg 
 when the latter was at school at Niessky. He will accom- 
 pany me to-morrow, he says, to the convent, and towards 
 evening he came and brought me some delicious fresh 
 bread and excellent butter. 
 
 I walked through the so-called town, and went into 
 some shops. There was nothing but rubbish, and the 
 whole place is a wretched, dirty hole. 
 
 Leh, June \\th. At 10 A.M. Rev. Peter came with his 
 two ponies, and we started. First we cantered through the 
 town, then we went steeply uphill. It was finally so steep, 
 that I can't understand how the horses managed to get up, 
 but they climbed like goats. After we reached the top we 
 had to pass along the narrowest goat's track I've ever seen, 
 just room for one horse. My left leg hung over the preci- 
 pice. I admit that I couldn't look, but sat mouse-still 
 gazing steadily at the horse's neck, and let the Mission dun 
 horse pick his own way. Finally we had to get off, and on 
 the ^side, because on the near side there is the precipice, 
 and not a foot's width to get down. I was glad when I 
 stood on my own feet again. Then we climbed still higher 
 up on hands and knees, the ponies scrambling up behind 
 us like dogs. And then we climbed over a half-fallen 
 down wall, again along a giddy goat's track, zigzagging 
 alongside infernal rocks, and finally we reached a narrow 
 staircase built of uneven rough stones, zigzagging up still
 
 CASHMERE 25 
 
 higher about 20 to 30 metres. I heard the Rev. Peter 
 call out to his grey who followed him, " Well, don't 
 make such a fuss!" and, by Jove! the pony walked up 
 those steps like a dog. To me he called out, " Simply 
 put the reins on his neck, he'll follow you all right," and 
 like a dog the horse walked up those steps behind me. 
 
 On the top was a gate, which was so low that we had 
 to bend to get in, and the ponies ducked under it quite 
 sensibly, without even allowing their saddles to touch. 
 I was astonished that the whole ramshackle-looking build- 
 ing carried us. Wood and mud plaster and unhewn stones 
 and all that pasted haphazard on to the hill and piled up 
 one thing on top of another. I was told it almost never 
 rained here the whole year, so that was the reason why it 
 held. The Llamas live here, rascally-looking individuals, 
 stinking with dirt, in claret-coloured robes let us say 
 rather rags. They are regular ragamuffins, with short hair, 
 and have real cut-throat faces. There were several small 
 cells of clay, platforms, yards, verandahs, steps, passages ; 
 all that like a rabbit warren, without any apparent plan, 
 just stuck together according to the limits of the steep 
 rock on to which it has been plastered. In the cells there 
 is in one corner a partition formed by a low mud wall, and 
 behind it a dirty litter of short straw, such as one sees in a 
 badly kept dog-kennel in a dirty farmyard. This was their 
 bed, so I hurried out, sure that I had picked up legions 
 of fleas. In another corner of this cell was an oven, with 
 innumerable pots and pans, all as dirty as they could be. 
 
 There are two small temples up there, which are quite 
 covered with prettily painted frescoes representing the life 
 and miracles of the Buddha. They look quite Chinese as 
 far as one can see by the small lamp, for these temples are
 
 26 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 almost dark. The air is stifling. In one of the temples 
 are a number of idols larger than life-size, carved in wood, 
 with many arms, covered over with all sorts of rags, and in 
 front of one specially big one there burns an eternal lamp 
 of melted butter ! The smell is sickening. The size of 
 this eternal lamp is without exaggeration like a large wash- 
 basin, and a tiny light swimming in the middle. P. lifted the 
 rag covering the main idol's face, but the Llama warned 
 him, saying that " No human person had the strength to 
 withstand the goddess's look ! " She is painted a scarlet- 
 red, and her features are hideously ugly and contorted. 
 
 The whole convent, I had to admit, was very dis- 
 appointing, and looked more like a dirty, badly kept goat 
 shed. The view from the verandahs was pretty, overlook- 
 ing the broad, though bare, Indus valley, and the opposite 
 range of snow hills and the town beneath. 
 
 At i o'clock I lunched with the P.'s. She was charm- 
 ing, born in Neuwied. They were both uncommonly nice, 
 and it was quite a treat to be able to speak again to 
 civilised people. Here I was able to study in peace the 
 funny headgear of the women. Those I had seen on the 
 road had nearly always fled, or hidden themselves, as soon 
 as they saw me approaching. But here they were less 
 timid. What I thought was a cap proves to be two large 
 black fur flaps of sheepskin, stitched on to the plaited hair 
 on both sides ! The turquoise-studded flap in the middle is 
 then tied over separately. These flaps are rarely unstitched, 
 so one can imagine how crawly they must be. The so- 
 called " clean" women are supposed to take them off every 
 week, when the hair is re-plaited, and these flaps stitched 
 on again. When the dirty ones undo theirs, Heaven alone 
 knows. For this operation they go far out in the fields,
 
 REV. PETER AND HIS PONY COMING DOWN FROM THE LEH CONVENT
 
 CASHMERE 27 
 
 for, being Buddhists, they are not allowed to kill any 
 animals, even a louse, and so they drop them far away 
 from the houses. All their jewels are covered with 
 turquoises, but these are all rubbish, with any amount of 
 black veins in them, not a single good one amongst them. 
 
 In the afternoon I went to some of the shops, hoping to 
 find something better there, but there was nothing but 
 rubbish not worth bringing home. 
 
 I can only get ponies for the day after to-morrow, so 
 must stop one day longer here. The P.'s had asked me to 
 dinner again, as there are two Moravian nurses here, 
 for of course P. is not allowed to see the women when 
 they are ill. They wanted me to meet the nurses also. 
 One is a Silesian, and she is a governess too, and teaches 
 in the school. 
 
 On the evening of the i2th I again dined with the 
 hospitable P.'s, who really have been most kind to me, 
 and when I returned at 1 1 o'clock, I was surprised to find 
 that " Tessildar " (that is, quite a high personage) had sent 
 me two dogs as a present, as he had heard I wanted to 
 buy some Lassa dogs. In fact I had promised one to Mrs. 
 Parker, who had been unsuccessful in getting one. The 
 Tessildar has accompanied his gift by a beautiful letter 
 written in good German, for he has been taking lessons 
 from P., and I am informed he sent a man on a pony 30 
 miles over the Thibetan frontier to get these dogs for me. 
 They are both bitches, one a ball of brown wool, about one 
 month old, and much too young, in fact, to have been taken 
 from its mother, and " Where is the other one ? " I asked. 
 The "Swine" disappeared in the dark, and returned with a 
 wretched little black dog, holding her up by the back of her 
 neck. She had a thick string tied round her neck, strong
 
 28 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 enough to hold a bull. She hung down from his bony fist 
 like a drowned rat, a picture of misery and terror. Then 
 he dropped her down on the floor. She did not utter a 
 sound, but crouched down where he dropped her. 
 
 " Oh! " I said, " but I don't want to take this one back 
 with me. She will grow into an enormous pie-dog ; we 
 must return her to her master or wherever she came from." 
 The dog had not moved yet. Then I was informed that 
 she had no master at Leh, that nobody would take her, 
 that she came from Lassa, that she had been born there, 
 that her mother, who was very small, had had two puppies, 
 that the other one had died, etc., etc., and that if I didn't 
 want to keep her, I must turn her out into the street, or the 
 "Swine" would take her for his children to play with, and 
 she would catch rats in his house! That, of course, I 
 would never allow. I'd rather strangle the dog with my 
 own hands than hand it over to that brute. Yet she did 
 not move. "Tim is her name," he says. "Tim?" I 
 question, and then the little mite looked up at me with such 
 a shy, mute look of thankful gratitude and sadness, that I 
 knew I could not turn her out for anything in the world. 
 So I untied the enormous string round her neck, saying, 
 " Very well ; put the little one back into the basket. Tim 
 can sleep with me," and Tim stretched herself and walked 
 slowly into my bedroom, and curled herself up under my 
 bed. That was the beginning of Tim. 
 
 We started on the morning of the i3th. The two 
 puppies (Tim is at least six months old ; she has changed 
 nearly all her teeth, but must have been shamefully 
 neglected) were put in a large basket with a lid, and some 
 straw in it, which was tied up on the top of the tiffin pony, 
 so that I could have them with me. Mrs. P. had sent me
 
 CASHMERE 29 
 
 some delicious slices of fresh bread and butter for my tiffin 
 basket, which were most welcome, and so I went round to 
 thank her. Mr. P. had come to the bungalow to see me 
 off. It must be awful to live here in this God-forsaken 
 country amongst these dirty people. 
 
 The heat of these last two days has been awful, the 
 dust terrific, and in the full glare of the noon everything 
 looked still barer and more desolate, if it is possible. 
 
 Indeed the last few days have made an enormous dif- 
 ference in the season, and the rivers have risen considerably, 
 as the thaw has set in rapidly now with the strong sun, 
 and the river rolled along a dirty grey with the freshly 
 melted snow water. Yesterday in the valleys between 
 Nimoo (the first station) and Nurla (now that I know the 
 distances I have taken the marches in hand myself), a 
 double march of 27 miles, I really hated the sun. It was 
 burning and so persistent, that some of my people had 
 quite blistered faces. I rested (more for the little dogs 
 than myself) for two hours in the narrow shade of a 
 projecting rock, to which bit of shade I had to climb for 
 fifteen minutes off the road. On the road or near the road 
 there was during the whole day not a hand's-breadth of 
 shade. 
 
 I got up to-day at 4 A.M., ordering riding ponies for my 
 people, and at 5 A.M., before it was really quite daylight, we 
 started, that is to say, I did, with the tiffin pony and 
 the puppies, and so I reached Lamayuroo at n A.M., 
 before the torrid heat began. It was a journey of twenty 
 miles, and very steep climbing for the greater part of the 
 way. The puppies were very good and quite well. Little 
 brownie had to be fed out of a spoon still, and howled if 
 one did not keep her on one's lap all the time a regular
 
 30 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 lady's pet. As for Tim ! well, she's Tim ! and has 
 victimised me entirely through her sweet, funny original 
 ways. I'm simply mad about her. She is one of the 
 most original creatures I've ever seen. She's a perfect 
 darling. She hates the natives, and nobody is allowed to 
 touch my things. Every morning there is a fight to the 
 death when they attempt to enter my tent and pack, and 
 she goes for them like blazes. But she is even older than 
 I thought at the beginning. She must be at least seven 
 months, so she won't grow much more, and will with good 
 treatment and care have a splendid coat. She is what 
 they call a Thibetan Skye. She is not yet quite sure that 
 her time of happiness will last. Sometimes I see it in her 
 little ways; there is a sort of "Oh! if this state of affairs 
 could but last ! Won't you turn round on me too and shy 
 stones at me and give me the boot ? " 
 
 Yesterday's valley I christened the " Hell Valley." I 
 shall not forget it all my life, that's what hell must be like, 
 without a drop of water. " And if Lazarus only dipped his 
 finger in water and touched my tongue with it, etc., etc.," 
 it was exactly as we are told in the story of the rich man 
 and the poor Lazarus. And everywhere those awful, naked, 
 arid rocks ! No ! it is a beastly country ! Odious ! 
 
 At Nurla there were wild rose bushes of the size of 
 oleander bushes, pink and carmine, covered with bloom, 
 too lovely for words. I have collected some seed, and will 
 try to plant as many as I possibly can. Round the villages 
 the rye has already in these few hot days shot into the ear, 
 though it is still green of course, and the apricots already 
 show fruit, small and green yet, but plenty of it. I've 
 never seen such big apricot trees before. 
 
 One sees a funny sort of rook everywhere about here.
 
 I ,' ' ' 
 
 ';', 
 
 ;.''/:' 
 
 J 
 
 l*~^ , 
 

 
 CASHMERE 31 
 
 He is about as big as a jackdaw, pitch-black, with a thin 
 orange-yellow beak and legs. 
 
 I've just returned from the convent. Tim was very 
 o'ffended that I didn't take her with me. It was one of the 
 biggest and most famous convents in the Laddakh. It is 
 a large rabbit-warren of passages, verandahs, loggias, 
 stables, courtyards with walls painted all over with 
 Buddhas, stairs, stable-like cells, glorified incubators 
 surrounded by innumerable praying mills, two larger- 
 sized temples, the walls of which were completely painted 
 over with the history of the Buddha and the things that 
 will happen to believers and unbelievers, reminding one 
 very much in their ideas of the frescoes in the Campo 
 Santo at Pisa, but quite Chinese in their execution of 
 painting. Everywhere where in Pisa we see the Saviour 
 here is the Buddha. An indescribable dirt is everywhere, 
 human and animal dung, ashes, refuse of meals, etc., etc., 
 except in the temples. In one of the temples, where a 
 more than life-sized figure of the Dalai-llama sits, carved out 
 of wood, and childishly rough and grotesque, dressed in a 
 garment made out of yellow taffeta, surrounded by a chorus 
 of smaller disciple figures, they were even cooking. In- 
 numerable little brass pots filled with water, for they don't 
 spoil their gods here, and vividly painted small rice or 
 flour cakes, are piled up in a row before the different 
 idols. The altars too are very dirty, and everywhere there 
 burn eternal butter lamps. In another temple, if one can 
 so call these painted barns, there is a huge figure of the 
 many-headed and many-armed goddess, but she does not 
 seem to be in special favour. There are no butter lamps, 
 no water or rice cake offerings for her, yet her place is 
 decidedly cleaner. Round a little ante-courtyard in front
 
 32 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 of the main temple there runs a wooden loggia, and a great 
 number of the claret-robed ragamuffin monks and their 
 disciples and wives were squatting round there ; they 
 looked down with the greatest interest on me. None of 
 these loggias, verandahs, passages, or such-like are anything 
 like what one sees in an Italian convent. They are all 
 dark, low, uneven, plastered over with rough mud mixed 
 with straw, cobwebby and reekingly dirty and repulsive. 
 They have nothing architectural about them. They look like 
 very poor, lengthened peasant cottages in decay. 
 
 The pigtailed holy blackguards are allowed everything, 
 even to be married. They give the corn to the peasant 
 to grind out, and take 25 per cent, of the harvest: 
 They are the only people in the Laddakh and Thibet who 
 are rich and live well. They look as if they never washed. 
 Why are religious people generally so dirty ? Is it in 
 order that God's spirit, when it flies over the earth, should 
 be able to find the pious people easier ? The odour of 
 sanctity ? Wherever it stinks there are pious people. 
 One finds it in all creeds and in all nations. Really pious 
 people don't wash, except the Mohammedans I beg their 
 pardon. It is true, clever Mohammed made it a duty for 
 them ; he must have been a very clever man, knowing the 
 human animal thoroughly! I've never seen, except in a 
 few criminals of the worst type, such scoundrelly expres- 
 sions as these dirty monks have here. And they look so 
 cruel, capable of anything. There is not an atom of 
 dignity about their personality or in their faces, which 
 often the ecclesiastic, though mostly in a theatrical way, 
 undeniably has. They write splendidly on long, narrow 
 paper strips. It is beautifully done, and looks like print. 
 They use ordinary ink and steel pens.
 
 CASHMERE 33 
 
 In one corner they had one of those huge Thibetan 
 mastiffs chained up, thank God, with two chains, or he 
 would have torn me to bits. It was of exactly the same 
 breed as the Rev. Peter had. They are very handsome 
 dogs, but nothing approaching the size of an Irish wolf- 
 hound. 
 
 The praying mills are very funny. Nearly every house 
 has one or more of them on the roof, and the wind sets 
 them going. As I said before, they have wind in this 
 blessed country every afternoon, and in the winter the 
 gales are, it appears, terrific, and I can easily believe it ; it 
 must be truly awful then. So the wind says your prayers 
 for you, and therefore praying, as you will see, in this 
 country is not difficult. Many of the mills are worked by 
 water, and they have built very ingeniously little canals 
 from the streams and torrents that conduct the water to 
 these praying mills, which are covered by a hut of loose 
 stones. Then, of course, there are the praying hand-mills, 
 but they require personal work. It appears it is only the 
 Llamas (I must say that for them) who use these. There 
 are still the praying walls, where you deposit your prayer 
 carved or engraved on a flat stone and the little rags of 
 linen on which the prayer is written, and which the eternal 
 wind flutters so gaily over the roof of your house. That, 
 too, saves trouble, and satisfies the gods. And, as I say, 
 the gods are not over spoilt in this country. They are 
 kept in their place. 
 
 The devil dances are given mainly to attract the people 
 and extort money from them. They show them these 
 ghastly apparitions, and tell them that's what they are 
 going to meet in a future life if they are not good here, and 
 I expect if the people pay, they pray for them that they may 
 
 VOL. n. c
 
 34 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 not meet these monsters. It is like Tetzel in the Middle 
 Ages: "Wenn das Geld im Kasten klingt, die Seele in 
 den Himmel springt." 
 
 June ijtk. The night before last, as I took the puppies 
 out for their evening walk in the moonlight before turning 
 into bed, the Llamas were making an infernal noise up 
 in their rock-perched convent, blowing on bugles, beating 
 gongs and cymbals on little silver bells and deep drums. 
 In the morning, at 4 A.M., when the puppies and I were out 
 again, and the moon was still full in the pale morning sky, 
 they were at it again, making an awful row, and in the cold 
 still morning, in the pale light, the din resounded from the 
 opposite cliffs and hills, and seemed still more weird and 
 wildly cruel. I remembered the three-bladed daggers 
 lying on the altars well in front, which I was told were 
 to stab the dying. That is the Llamas' last function. 
 Different countries, different habits ! They stab the dying 
 here, it appears, in the heart. Often it must be an act 
 of kindness. With us the agony or death struggle is 
 generally prolonged by the wish of " loving relations," 
 through the doctors giving an injection of all sorts of 
 reviving things, so that one may last longer, and the rela- 
 tions have the feeling that their " beloved was longer 
 amongst them," and that they " had done everything in 
 their power to keep him alive/' My father had forbidden 
 beforehand every such attempt on him. 
 
 After the person is dead a great feast is made in the 
 house, and as the Llamas remain till the body is cremated 
 to pray for the soul of the deceased, they have of course 
 to be fed. I was told that the poor people were cremated 
 very quickly, whereas in the houses of the rich the Llamas
 
 DEVIL-DANCING LLAMAS
 
 CASHMERE 35 
 
 remained sometimes as long as two weeks, and that the smell 
 of the body was already stifling to all the other inhabitants. 
 
 I rode up the steep pass behind Lamayuroo, and arrived 
 at 1 1 A.M. at Bet Kharboo, where we lunched, the puppies 
 and I. We remained there till 2 P.M., and had a good 
 sleep, all resting together on the same string bed. The 
 road to Bet Kharboo is very ugly and desolately barren. 
 From Bet Kharboo to Mulba it is 15 miles, so that I made 
 30 miles altogether. The road there began to be a 
 little bit prettier; there were more villages, with green 
 willows and poplars and fields, and also the bare hills had 
 prettier formations and colours. If the "Swine" hadn't 
 smashed my painting blocks so frightfully by tying them 
 carelessly on to the pony, so that two of my sketches got 
 stuck together and almost ruined, I would have made a 
 sketch to-day, but I am discouraged. 
 
 At half-past five I was at Mulba, but I rode up that 
 other awful pass, for it was too steep to walk. I've had 
 enough of doing these passes on foot. It is really an 
 unnecessary work, though I admit that it is a sort of 
 torture too to sit on these frightfully lazy ponies, for the 
 saddles are torture blocks, one cannot make the stirrups 
 long enough, and one has to work all the time with 
 one's legs to make the lazy brutes go on at all, so I 
 never remain one second longer in the saddle than is 
 necessary. 
 
 Shortly before Mulba, whose small convent is perched 
 on the point of so steep a rock that one cannot understand 
 how they manage to ascend it, nor does one see any way 
 up to it, there is an enormous figure of some Hindoo god- 
 dess carved in a bas-relief out of the rock. It is quite 
 well done, and certainly very old. It is so placed that
 
 36 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 going the other way, unless one knows it, one would not 
 see it as one turns one's back on it, but coming now from 
 this side one cannot overlook it. 
 
 To-day I started again at 5 A.M. I hate this early 
 rising, but otherwise one almost succumbs to the heat. 
 The entire first part of the road, which is not very pretty, 
 I walked in the kind shade of hills, which was very 
 pleasant. Later on clouds covered the sky completely, 
 and even drops of rain fell. The valleys are much broader, 
 and the rich barley fields, undulating in the wind, with the 
 yellow patches of mustard between, and the full green 
 willows, were a real delight to tired eyes. One becomes 
 modest in one's desires in such countries. But the 
 bushes and hedges of wild roses and of Persian yellow 
 were even lovely for immodest people. Yesterday, and 
 even early to-day, where all the vegetation was still very 
 backward, they weren't yet in bloom, but the lower one 
 comes to-day the more one is involved in their pink 
 and carmine garlands. They are single, however, but 
 more than double the size of our European briars, and so 
 covered with bloom that one scarcely sees any green or 
 twig. They are quite 5 or 6 feet high. Lots of the good 
 old-fashioned Persian yellow flowers were everywhere 
 about here, I don't know whether wild or not, and where 
 the two varieties were mixed, the carmine pink and the 
 bright yellow, the effect was exquisite. 
 
 To-day I walked again the whole 23 miles. It is aston- 
 ishing how one gets into condition. At half-past n A.M. 
 I was at Kargyll, and I must say that I'm glad to have 
 reached this stage. To-morrow I have to go 37 miles. 
 
 Kargyll itself is not pretty, except for the many rose 
 bushes and the green barley fields, which are, after the
 
 CASHMERE 37 
 
 desolation of Leh, a real treat to one's poor eyes. The 
 Tessildar, to whom I paid a visit, told me there was no 
 possibility of getting to Pailgam (the " Swine" had told me 
 any one could), because there was only an almost unwalk- 
 able goat's track for shepherds across days and days of 
 snow and ice. The "Swine" had nearly dragged me there. 
 Finally it turned out he had never been across himself. 
 I'm sure he will get an awful dose of Malacca cane 
 one of these days ; I have threatened him with it often 
 enough. The only useful person in my whole caravan 
 is the little Indian cook, who is always cheerful, and finds 
 the energy, even after 30 miles marching, to make me 
 chocolate fondants. 
 
 Did I mention the butter tea? I had to taste it 
 at the Peters'. It is a speciality of the Laddakh. The 
 tea comes from China, and is compressed into a sort of 
 bricks, which are sewn up in leather. It is three times as 
 dear as ordinary tea. One cooks it for two or three 
 hours by itself, then still longer with some melted butter, 
 soda and milk, and so drinks it. It forms the main 
 beverage in the Laddakh. I thought it tasted like a 
 sort of broth or soup. It was not bad or even unplea- 
 sant, but had absolutely no taste whatever of tea. 
 
 In Leh and thereabout the little blue irises were only 
 just out in flower, which used to flower at Srinagar two 
 months ago. 
 
 June iSt/t. I started at half-past five from Kargyll, 
 because the " Swine " had called me too late ; he really is an 
 odious person. At the beginning it was very sunny, but, 
 thank God, clouded over at 1 1 A.M., and in the afternoon it 
 even began to rain. This bit of the road is atrocious, especi-
 
 38 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 ally as far as Kharboo (17 miles), where I lunched, and 
 we changed the luggage ponies. For the servants I had 
 taken riding ponies, too, to-day, for it would be too tiring 
 a walk. I, of course, walked all the time. The second 
 bit, as far as Draas (20 miles), is better, and prettier too, 
 and one gets more and more into a sort of vegetation ; 
 at least the hills have a faint shimmer of green (grass or 
 herbs), and the valleys appear to one almost luxuriant, 
 although they really are not, but then after marching 
 through such utter desolation for the past weeks, one is 
 content even with the skirts of Spring. 
 
 At 6 P.M. I arrived at Draas, and it was so icy cold, the 
 wind so piercing and cutting, that I really had totally stiff 
 fingers, and had to warm my hands first near the fire before 
 I could undo my boots. I got milk again through the 
 pantomimic milking performances. The tiffin coolie and 
 pony only arrived at 7 P.M., Allabatch, the cook, with his 
 pots and pans at half-past 7, the bedding at 9 P.M. I 
 did all these tours absolutely alone, because even the men 
 on the ponies all remained miles behind me, and I find 
 it tires me much more to walk slowly. Besides, as there 
 is really nothing to admire, or to stop for, or even to walk 
 slowly for, I like to get it over and have done with it. It 
 is only work, not pleasure, this trip, not as I hoped it 
 would be. 
 
 By 10 P.M. the cook had made a very good dinner. 
 All those wretched creatures had put on every garment 
 they could get hold of, and wrapped their heads up beyond 
 recognition, against the bitter cold and the odious biting 
 wind. They looked like old German market women 
 selling apples in the streets before Christmas : they were 
 perfect sights. It is much colder here than at Leh, and
 
 LADDAKHI WOMEN AT LEH
 
 CASHMERE 39 
 
 the fields too are very much more backward. Indeed, 
 they are only just beginning to get green. In Kargyll the 
 barley fields were green, but were already in the ear. 
 
 June igtk. We went on at 5 A.M. I remembered the 
 German song " Ein Vergnuegen eigner Art ist solch eine 
 Wasserfahrt," etc., etc. Well ! one can say the same thing 
 about a trip to Laddakh, but I must return to civilisation, 
 so " in for it ! " Courage ! 
 
 I passed all the different stages with a certain grim 
 delight of never seeing them again. The wind was bitterly 
 cold again. First past the old mud fortress, which before 
 it was dilapidated must have been an imposing sight 
 enough, and certainly quite useful against arrows. For 
 modern weapons it was more than stupidly placed, because 
 you could blow it to bits from all the surrounding hills, 
 but when it was built, one didn't shoot so far. Then I 
 crossed the primitive hanging bridge, and so on and so on. 
 Finally at 10 I reached the Dak Bungalow, where I took 
 tiffin after the pony had arrived with the basket at half-past 
 10. At ii A.M. I went on again. It is astonishing how 
 the snow has melted away everywhere, and how the 
 wretched grass has got quite green. And everywhere 
 cascades of snow water fall into the rushing full stream in 
 the middle of the valley. The road, if one can call the 
 goat's track by such a name, has become a river almost. 
 The slopes, where a fortnight ago I walked through the 
 snow, are blue with forget-me-nots, yellow with butter- 
 cups, and the little iris too is in flower. Near the brooks 
 and rivulets, in the ridges and gullies, pretty pale purple 
 primroses flower like miniature obconicas (Primula Kasch- 
 miridna). Some of them are a good deep purple with a
 
 4 o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 touch of the ugly reddish-purple. All the men one meets 
 driving caravans and so forth have, as have all the men in 
 Laddakh, the " kunkel " in their hands, and are spinning 
 a coarse thread out of rough goat's hair or horse hair, others 
 plait ropes out of this thread, with which they tie every- 
 thing here. It is used as girths for saddles as well as for 
 the stirrups, and for strapping the bales and bundles on to 
 the ponies. It pricks like nettles when it is new, on 
 account of the horsehair sticking out of it ; but it is very 
 strong. One can easily imagine that the pace, both of 
 spinning and the driving of the caravan, is not very great, 
 but they don't seem to know here what time means. One 
 meets, again, enormous caravans of ponies, donkeys, and 
 yaks laden with huge bales. At many places the people 
 rest round a fire, having piled their goods and saddles 
 round them as a shelter against the wind, and the animals 
 graze on the hillside. One sees a good many dead ponies 
 about, and vultures and ravens are busy feeding. 
 
 At 2 P.M. I arrived at the place where they wanted me 
 to stop the night, but the house looked very buggy and not 
 at all inviting, and I saw no other house that looked as if 
 I could get anything in the way of milk or eggs there. So 
 as nobody was with me to contradict me I quickly made up 
 my mind and stepped on. This was that long snow march 
 over the dreaded pass, but it is astonishing how the snow 
 has melted. The road is open at many places, and where 
 the snow fields begin and end there is a watery mass. At 
 first I tried to keep my feet dry, but soon gave it up and 
 tramped regardless through slush and mud. I had to 
 get through, so what did it matter ? The slopes of course 
 were still quite white, and at very many places I had to 
 pass big snow fields, but other large patches were thawed
 
 \ .-' ' ' J 
 
 DAK-RUNNERS AND DAK-RUNNERS' HUT (ON THE WAY TO LEH}
 
 CASHMERE 41 
 
 altogether, and the grass was beginning to get green. The 
 bridge had been carried away by the river, so a kind 
 Laddakhi horse driver, who had just waded through half 
 naked, carried me across on his back, just as I was con- 
 sidering whether to wade across boots and all, or whether 
 I should take my boots off. That simplified matters con- 
 siderably, and he got regally tipped for Laddakh, and 
 salaamed with delight for a quarter of an hour. 
 
 Then I walked for quite an hour across nothing but 
 snow. I met herds of several hundreds of goats which 
 were being driven up to the higher valleys from the plains 
 in endless bleating processions. I never thought the world 
 possessed so many goats, nor have I ever seen such huge 
 ones. They were enormously tall, long-coated, with ugly 
 long ears and frightfully stupid faces, and they seemed too 
 narrow for their enormous height. It was funny to see the 
 river, roaring openly along, over which I had walked a 
 fortnight ago on the thick snow. Now I went beside it, 
 and after some time high above it, following the goat track 
 up and down. Then I reached the highest point of the 
 pass and began to go downhill, over open ground in a 
 series of steep serpentines. At many places where the 
 snow had disappeared I saw birches, of course without a 
 green leaf yet, but free of snow, and they served to show 
 one how deep the snow was. I don't say that they were 
 enormous trees, but anyhow, a fortnight ago I did not see 
 a sign of them. I remember this distinctly. The serpen- 
 tine road first brought me, going downhill all the time, into 
 a perfectly bare, rocky narrow valley, where deep beneath 
 one the river rushed foaming along. Then round a sharp 
 angle of the rock, where one had the feeling of being 
 suspended between heaven and earth, I got into the valley,
 
 42 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 where deep, deep down below, half hidden in green birches 
 and tall silver firs, which thickly timbered the slopes on 
 all sides, lay the pretty Baltal Dak Bungalow. I could 
 have screamed with pleasure at seeing woods again. 
 
 At first I came through still wintry bare birches, going 
 steeply downhill all the time, then through heavenly fresh 
 green ones, beloved birches, smelling of spring, Whit- 
 suntide, and beloved Halbau, and then, always descending 
 and descending steeply, I came into the pines and silver 
 firs, and between flowery slopes, coloured with masses of 
 forget-me-nots, irises, white and yellow buttercups, purple 
 vetches, orange and yellow wallflowers, and lots of wild 
 flowers of which I don't know the name, and everywhere 
 were great masses of wild strawberries in full bloom. Thank 
 God it had been cloudy all day. When I crossed the pass 
 the thunder was rumbling, then it began to rain heavily, 
 so my sunshade was turned into an umbrella. 
 
 At 5 P.M. I was in the Dak Bungalow. As there 
 was not a soul to be found but, thank God, the doors were 
 unlocked I pulled off my soaked boots and lay down on 
 the string bed and fell asleep. I slept, till at six the 
 whinnying of a horse woke me. My tiffin pony was come, 
 hurrah ! After it had been unloaded, the coolie, who spoke 
 just as little, that is to say no, English as I do Hindustani, 
 was signed into fetching wood. Meanwhile I had installed 
 the puppies and unpacked the tiffin basket, getting my 
 kettle and cocoa out ready. The coolie returned with his 
 arms full of wet wood and without matches. As there 
 were none in the tea basket, (very cleverly) I signed to 
 him to go to the dak runners' bungalow and get some coal. 
 (I did this pantomime by blowing as they do when they 
 light such a fire.) " Atcha ! " similar to " very well," said he,
 
 CASHMERE 43 
 
 so after some time he returned with a shovel full of glow- 
 ing coal, and we soon managed to blow up a roaring fire. 
 Water was next procured, and with a twig the spirit-lamp 
 was lit. Milk ! He pantomimed the cows were in the 
 hills. I took him to the window, showed him a herd of 
 goats grazing under the trees in the rain round the 
 bungalow, pantomimed milking, pressed the milk-pot into 
 his hand, and pushed him outside. " Atcha ! " After some 
 time, just when my kettle was boiling nicely, he returned 
 with nice fresh milk and plenty of it. There were some 
 buns left from tiffin, some eggs for the pups, and fresh milk 
 for them too. The fire roared in the chimney ; in short it 
 was a heavenly meal, and we all three enjoyed it thoroughly. 
 Allabatch arrived at half-past seven, and was more than 
 astonished to find me fed, stretched near a blazing fire 
 reading a novel, the puppies slumbering peacefully on their 
 cushions near the fire. The " Swine" with the rest of the 
 luggage arrived at 8 P.M. He was furious of course with- 
 out daring to show it, because his interest was to prolong 
 this trip as much as possible. It pelted the whole evening 
 and the whole night. It was a real pleasure to listen to the 
 sound of the rain on the fresh green and to smell it, after 
 all the parched-up dry ness of the Hell of Laddakh. 
 
 Yesterday, June 2oth, I had a good sleep till 8 A.M. 
 Then the " Swine " made all sorts of difficulties about getting 
 ponies, which he swore he couldn't do till Malacca cane 
 came out of the corner, and he rushed out of the room, 
 to re-appear only five minutes later / telling me he had 
 managed to get seven ponies already, and in half-an-hour 
 would get the rest. The ponies came up behind him, 
 saddles and all. Can one have any pity for such a swine ? 
 He simply tried it on to prevent me from leaving. All I
 
 44 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 wanted was packed on these seven ponies; that is, the 
 tiffin basket, the puppies, my tent, my bedding and personal 
 luggage, the cooking pans, and cook and I started, leaving 
 the " Swine " with the stores behind, as I knew quite well 
 that once I was gone he would come up all right. 
 
 And so it was ; he reached camp at nightfall, that is to 
 say, when it was already quite dark. But we could have 
 done without him ; I had all I wanted with me. 
 
 It was only 9 miles to Sonamurg, so I lunched there, 
 was attacked by a party of three ladies and three gentle- 
 men, who wanted to know whether one could go to the 
 cave from Baltal, as the people told them I had come from 
 there. They wanted so much to go on to Laddakh, which 
 they had heard was so beautiful. Who invents these 
 beastly lies ? They thought it would take months to get 
 there. I told them my experience and my opinion of this 
 awful place, but reassured them about the months. They 
 smiled incredulously at me when I told them I had marched 
 between 30 to 37 miles a day, and mockingly told me I 
 might consider myself " a very lucky and wonderful fellow " 
 (all ironical of course) to have succeeded in making my 
 people do such marches. They had been in India for 
 several years, but couldn't get their people to do more than 
 7 to 8, at the utmost 10 miles a day. I am convinced they 
 thought me a liar, and very likely, with true wisdom and 
 philosophy, came to the conclusion that all German 
 Counts are consummate liars. An energetic-looking young 
 female in divided skirts looked capable of making coolies 
 go 50 miles a day. I suggested to them to let her manage 
 the thing, whereupon she beamed, and hitting her one 
 outstretched leg with her crop, she smilingly said, " I'd do 
 it all right." She was decidedly flattered.
 
 CASHMERE 45 
 
 After Sonamurg the road got very pretty, but why I 
 thought it was almost as pretty as the south of New 
 Zealand I can't understand. No ! it cannot be compared 
 with that unparalleled fairy place, though it is very pretty 
 indeed. Milford Sound enchanted me on the second day 
 if possible still more, but not this. 
 
 On this march back it is sad to see the devastation 
 those odious herds of goats have made. I kept meeting 
 some continually, an endless stream of hideous animals 
 passing through these poor woods, leaving utter devasta- 
 tion in their track. Stupid-faced, long-coated, nibbling, 
 they passed along, destroying everything. The goat-herds 
 piping on a double reed flute were picturesque enough, but 
 the destruction was awful. Not a blade of grass, not a 
 leaf on the bushes or lower branches, not a twig was left 
 where these odious animals could reach. Everything was 
 pulled off, nibbled off, trampled down. Good-bye all hopes 
 of strawberries ! Not even the leaves are left. Aquilegias, 
 bluebells, ferns, etc., everything which on the way up made 
 this part of the wood so pretty, is gone, eaten off! The 
 grey trampled earth is left, covered with dung, the bushes 
 bare as in winter. It really is a pity. Herd after herd 
 has poured into these once lovely woods, totally destroying 
 them. It is pitiful to see a country ruined systematically 
 like that. In a hundred years Cashmere will be just the 
 same desert as Laddakh, once a luxuriant country with 
 woods and lake, is now. In Laddakh they cut down the 
 rose bushes every year in order to place the lopped-off 
 branches as a sort of protection against these herds of 
 goats, but this blessed Government doesn't teach them to 
 plant living hedges. In this way and many others the 
 vegetation is ruined every year more and more. Now
 
 46 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 on those wretched bare hills they have already begun to 
 cut out the roots of a sort of low plant, the only thing that 
 the soil still produces for fuel, and as by so doing they are 
 exposing it more and more to the destruction of the sun 
 and the melting snows, there is nothing left to keep it from 
 being washed away. I can't understand such shortsighted- 
 ness. Of course now it is almost the only fuel these poor 
 people can get. In Cashmere it will soon be the same. 
 Whole hillside forests are cut down to provide the Maha- 
 rajah's electric light machine (it is true they are now 
 providing a means of working it by water power), but I 
 have not seen a single reforested hill. Lots of these hills 
 are already bare, and those beastly herds are devastating 
 what is left. In a hundred years, if another and more 
 sensible Government does not come into this blessed 
 country, Cashmere, which some enthusiasts still call "the 
 Paradise of India," will undoubtedly be a second Laddakh. 
 All the charm of this walk, to return to my march, 
 was gone. Everything looked so horribly devastated, that 
 I hurried to get through it. At 6 P.M. I was at the place 
 where I wanted to camp and pitch my tents. I had just 
 finished my cocoa when two native youngsters came 
 walking up to where I sat, to Tim's great indignation, and 
 squatted down beside me. One looked like a Christ with 
 a young soft beard and long golden curls ; he was robed 
 in a long, once white, garment with a similar, not spotless, 
 turban on his head. Of course I didn't understand a word 
 of what they said, apparently in great excitement, but the 
 Christ stretched his right hand forward, which was horribly 
 swollen up to the wrist, the top of one finger quite covered 
 with dry blood. It looked as if he had been bitten by 
 something. I didn't know why, but I immediately thought
 
 VIEW INTO THE INDUS VALLEY AND ON TO LEH FROM THE LEH 
 LLAMASSERIE
 
 CASHMERE 47 
 
 of a snake, and mimicked the wriggling process on the 
 ground. 
 
 " Atcha ! atcha ! " they both nodded their heads, greatly 
 struck with the Huzzur's remarkable sharpness. Then I 
 mimicked biting. '* Atcha ! atcha ! " they beamed, then 
 came again a torrent of excited words, and always some- 
 thing about Huzzur. If I had only had my brandy with 
 me, but it was behind with the stores. I didn't know 
 what to do ! The man had smeared some mud on his 
 hand. Allabatch came to help to interpret, and from his 
 limited English I learnt that the Christ is a Mohammedan 
 priest (padre, as Allabatch expresses himself, everything 
 clerical here is padre), that the snake was black, the black 
 snakes are the most poisonous they have here (?), and the 
 length of it is shown to me on a stick. What to do ? I 
 dived into my medicine box where my bandages were, and 
 tied the arm tightly underneath the elbow, so that the poison 
 could not get up ; then I gave him a lot of milk to drink. 
 Finally, after some water had been made hot, I washed the 
 hand and the wound thoroughly with some cotton, and after 
 having dried it, rubbed it well with an ointment of boracic 
 vaseline ; against the swelling, I think, it was the only thing 
 I had. Then having bandaged it properly, I gave him 
 some homoeopathic pills of aconite, a strong dose against 
 fever. With this man, who had never drunk any spirits, 
 that ought to act as well as it does on all animals, on whom 
 homoeopathy has really wonderful effects. I've never seen 
 anybody so obedient. I'm sure he would have done any- 
 thing I told him. Then I made them both sit near the 
 fire, for it was very cold, hoping that the brandy would 
 come soon. The young friend then showed me his naked 
 stomach, and pointed out that he always had pains there (it
 
 48 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 is what we call " Milz "), and wanted to know whether I 
 couldn't give him something to eat for that too. So I 
 dived into Vogel, the homoeopathic book I always carried 
 with me, and found something against what I guess it is he 
 complains of, and so he was dosed. They both looked so 
 grateful, it was almost touching. But after waiting a long 
 time they asked me if the Huzzur would allow them to go 
 across the river now, where some other fires were burning, 
 as they wanted to eat there ; they would come back later, 
 and so they vanished into the pitch-dark night. 
 
 The next morning when I got up only the Milz man 
 was there. Of course I was convinced the other was dead, 
 but, on the contrary, was informed that he was, " thanks 
 to my wonderful treatment, quite well again ! " Of course 
 I knew then it couldn't have been a poisonous snake. As 
 he was well he hadn't thought it necessary to return, but 
 had gone on, and the Milz man felt so much better, that 
 he begged me to give him some more of the pills, so he 
 got another dose, and disappeared salaaming and happy. 
 I suppose it was all a sort of " suggestion." 
 
 I couldn't get any coolies, so had to wait. The Resident, 
 Sir Francis Younghusband, was going up to Sonamurg, 
 and apparently required them all. It was a pity, as there 
 was nothing to paint here. Had the Christ been there 
 still I would have sketched him. The streams of goats 
 still poured out into these poor valleys. I went for a walk 
 with the puppies, hoping to discover something worth 
 sketching, but in vain. In Egypt, for instance, or in Japan 
 you find pretty subjects for sketching everywhere, here 
 you have to look for them. There everything is a picture, 
 everything is lovely. 
 
 The whole night long it pelted, and again in the
 
 SlTMMKR 
 
 I'AII.-Ci.VM.
 
 CASHMERE 49 
 
 morning two big thunderstorms came up rumbling from 
 both sides of the valley. 
 
 June i^th. I got up at half-past two in the morning, 
 and started at 5 A.M. sharp. The first part of the road 
 was very pretty, and the vegetation had got much richer 
 since I first passed this way I mean the foliage of the 
 trees higher than those odious goats could reach. Under- 
 neath, of course, everything was shaved off. The climbing 
 roses I so longed to see in bloom were nearly over. 
 They were single white ones, strongly scented, and looked 
 exactly like Clematis montana, very pretty and effective. 
 It is astonishing how high they climb into the trees, and 
 what enormous bushes they make. Lower down, for the 
 road descended gradually all the time, huge bushes of the 
 white jasmine were in flower, but it was a larger-leaved sort 
 than the Italian one, and the flowers and buds were much 
 larger too, and it must be much hardier, for a fortnight 
 ago the mulberry trees and the elms were only just 
 beginning to put out their leaves. The mulberries were 
 beginning to ripen everywhere, and under some trees the 
 ground was quite black with the fallen fruit. Also the 
 bush with the pretty pink flowers I admired so much in 
 the hills and valleys of Pailgam had ripe fruit, a red sort 
 of berry quite good to eat. Some children offered me 
 some, gathered in big leaves. 
 
 After having done my 20 miles at n A.M., I lunched 
 and rested near a river in the shade of trees till twelve. 
 The first part of the road there was almost all the time 
 shaded by trees, very pleasant indeed, but unfortunately 
 I came now into broader and barer valleys, and the sun 
 began to be scorchingly hot. It got very ugly, too, soon, 
 
 VOL. II. D
 
 50 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 like all the immediate surroundings of blessed Srinagar. 
 The heat in the afternoon was really terrific ; there was 
 no shade whatever, and of course one couldn't drink the 
 water, as it all came from the rice-fields. Everywhere they 
 were busily planting these, but it appeared to me they 
 transplanted the young plants not only much later in the 
 year here than in Japan, but the plants themselves were 
 much more advanced. In Japan they transplant them 
 when they are quite small. I should think they ought 
 to grow better transplanted when they are small. I saw 
 lots of fields here where the plants had got quite red, and 
 so they ploughed them under again. They are sure to 
 do everything here as stupidly as it can be done, with this 
 slack Government and lax superintendence. The green 
 rice-fields though, with here and there willows, or some 
 of the truly magnificent Chenar trees dotted about, the 
 snow hills in a hazy distance, made a pretty enough 
 effect, and reminded one strongly of some of the meadows 
 near the Vistula at Pless, only one needn't travel all this 
 way to see scenery. At home it is prettier. I can't 
 understand what the people mean with their silly wild 
 ravings about this blessed Cashmere. Next year a book 
 is to be published, illustrated by some well-known artist, 
 and that will of course still more increase the false idea 
 people have of this blessed country, which really is over- 
 rated in every way and a fraud. An artist, of course (I 
 know it myself), chooses the prettiest parts to sketch. 
 Consequently the illustrations will be very pretty, and people 
 will believe that the whole of Cashmere is lovely. But the 
 really pretty things (of beautiful, grand ones I don't talk, 
 because they don't exist in Cashmere) are so scarce, and 
 you have to swallow so many bleak, hideous things in
 
 REVEREND LLAMAS AND DISCIPLES AT LAMAYUROO CONVENT
 
 CASHMERE 51 
 
 between and first and afterwards, that the pretty things 
 have no value. There is too much utter ugliness for 
 you really to enjoy the little prettiness there is. That's 
 my opinion, and I find lots of people are of the same 
 opinion. 
 
 At a sort of farm the cook got some cows milked for 
 me, which took almost half-an-hour, and during that time, 
 the people having come in from planting the rice-fields 
 to have a good look at the Huzzur, shook some mul- 
 berries into a blanket, and gave them to me. Of course 
 they were better than no fruit at all, but they have rather 
 an insipid taste, and I always find them too sweet. 
 
 At half-past five I got into the indescribably stinky, 
 dirty suburbs of Srinagar, and soon Samadshah's man met 
 me, telling me my house-boat was at Beech Behara, and 
 they had wired for it, and Fatty asked me to " honour his 
 house and accept his hospitality ! " I forgot to mention 
 that the Tessildar at Sonamurg wrote me a letter yesterday 
 telling me it was quite impossible to go via Kulen to 
 Pailgam, as the road was not yet open, too much snow 
 there still, and that it was dangerous. So I had wired 
 to Fatty to stop my boat from going up, and we had to 
 go to Pailgam via horrid Srinagar. So I walked the 
 last bit through the stinky, dusty, rough streets of dirty 
 Srinagar, where chickens, mangy dogs, and disgustingly 
 dirty, seedy-looking people and children abound. Really 
 a sewer couldn't stink more than the streets of this town, 
 and it is wonderful that they don't have a continual 
 epidemic. 
 
 I admit that I was tired (I walked 39! miles to-day) 
 when, after having passed endless numbers of those stinking 
 streets, I passed one of the bridges spanning the dirty
 
 52 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 river and reached Fatty's house, where tea and fresh fruit 
 (apricots and cherries) were most welcome. 
 
 I reached his house at 5 P.M. Fatty gave me a very 
 good dinner, and everything would have been all right 
 if my luggage had turned up, or at least the tiffin pony 
 with the puppies. We sent a man out to meet them where 
 the other man met me, but they didn't turn up, so after 
 waiting till almost eleven o'clock I decided to go to bed, 
 supposing they had found it too far and were camping 
 somewhere. I only minded for the puppies. Tim hates 
 the natives so, and they are such brutes. Will they give 
 the poor little things their milk and take them out of that 
 basket, in which they have sat since twelve ? All that 
 worried me rather. My bedding had not come either, and 
 so Fatty lent me some brand new, still starched sheets, two 
 pillows, and a blanket of " plush," and I arranged myself 
 for the night. But in spite of my weariness I couldn't 
 sleep. First of all, the worry about the puppies, then the 
 awful noise of the bazaars, doubly hateful after all these 
 weeks of absolute quietness ; quarrelling women, howling 
 babies, and incessant barking and fighting and howling 
 of dogs ; and then all of a sudden something commenced 
 to irritate me, and it got worse and worse. I couldn't 
 find a moment's rest, but tossed about and about. I 
 thought of course it was the starch of the new sheets, 
 some once having given me nettlerash. Besides, I knew 
 there were neither matches nor a candle, and that I was 
 alone in this building, as the family slept in another house. 
 Well, it was an awful night, and I didn't shut an eye. As 
 soon as it was daylight, at about half-past four, I got up 
 and inspected my bed, and found and killed four huge bugs 
 and seven fleas ! ! And Fatty is a very rich merchant
 
 LADDAKHI WOMAN AND CHILD, SHOWING THE SHEEPSKIN HEADGEAR
 
 CASHMERE 53 
 
 and a special private friend of the Maharajah's private 
 secretary. I was simply devoured all over, and looked 
 as if I had the measles. When Fatty appeared next 
 morning, robed in spotless embroidered white alpaca, and 
 asked me how I slept, without hesitation I told him bluntly 
 " Not at all, because I was devoured by fleas." Perhaps 
 it was brutal, but I was angry. He took it calmly, how- 
 ever, and only said, " Oh ! " half pitying, half astonished. 
 
 At last there was news of my belongings. They were 
 all stranded at the hotel last night at 1 1 P.M., where Parker 
 (I didn't know they were here) found them by chance, and not 
 knowing where I had gone, he made them camp near his 
 camp, and they fed the puppies. The P.'s, it appears, 
 found their house-boat so unpleasant, that they had left it 
 as well as the shikary, who kept promising every day 
 to bring Parker near a bear, and then always said it was 
 for the next day. That shikary was just like the " Swine " 
 with my marches, and they both only worked in order to 
 prolong the business, and to make as much money out of 
 us as possible. 
 
 My tent had been pitched near the P.'s, and so I 
 decamped from the bug-bed into my clean tent. Although 
 my room was 15 metres long, had a stucco cupola in the 
 middle of the ceiling inlaid with mother-of-pearl, stained 
 glass windows, and ten carved wooden pillars, it was too 
 full for me ; at least in my tent, though it is simpler, there 
 are no other "inhabitants " than Tim and I. 
 
 Mrs. P. was delighted with her little brown dog. 
 
 I enjoyed my sleep that night from the 23rd to the 
 24th. Tim and I went to bed at half-past nine, and slept 
 till 8 A.M. without moving ; the cheeky devil slept on my 
 bed!
 
 54 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 While I was having my breakfast the boatman appeared, 
 and just as I'd finished shaving my valet came. He was 
 quite well again ; I was delighted to have him back. The 
 boat had just arrived, so after I had finished dressing the 
 camp was broken up, and I returned to the boat. Cocky 
 was so pleased to see me, but spat at Tim. She has 
 grown a beautiful tail, and has almost done moulting, and 
 looks really lovely with her pale salmon feathers. D. tells 
 me that at Beech Behara he always put her in a tree, 
 where she enjoyed herself thoroughly, climbing up and 
 down, and swinging herself on the branches, and when- 
 ever he called her she came at once. She really is an 
 uncommonly nice bird. 
 
 That evening I dined at Mrs. Winter's in the picture 
 gallery, and met there an English major and his wife, both 
 nice people. He was second in command of an English 
 regiment at Peshawar, and told me some very interesting 
 stories about these last disturbances. 
 
 I am told we started at 6 A.M. next morning. I slept, 
 of course, soundly. The nights are nice and cool, but 
 during the day it is awfully hot. The apricots and red 
 currants are ripe, and there are still some cherries, which, 
 however, are awfully sour. Although it is hot to-day on 
 the river, I am glad to be on the boat, where I can have 
 my comfort and all my things, and be well looked after 
 by my valet, and still more glad am I to be out of odious 
 Srinagar. 
 
 The barley-fields are all ripe, and at many places they 
 are busy harvesting. We complain about our climate at 
 home, but our people ought all to come to Cashmere for 
 some time. These wretched people here have no summer ; 
 it is already over, and next month the rains begin again.
 
 LADDAKHI CONVEYANCE ACROSS A RIVER
 
 CASHMERE 55 
 
 It is an odious climate ; all the grass on the river banks is 
 already burned yellow, and two months ago it was only 
 just coming up. 
 
 The heat has been so great that they pour water on the 
 narrow gangway which runs alongside of the house-boat, 
 and on which the coolies walk who push the boat. The 
 boards get so hot they burn their feet. The scenery all 
 the way up is of course, as I said before, very monotonous 
 and ugly. We reached Beech Behara June 2yth in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 June 2%th. We started at 7 A.M. It had got late 
 before all the ponies were loaded. The first bit of the 
 walk is hideous, only rice - fields and glaring sun. I 
 stopped in the shade of two huge Chenar trees from 
 eleven to two, had tiffin, and read an enormous post 
 with most welcome letters, which had come up from 
 Srinagar by coolie just as I started. The second bit 
 of the road is very pretty with all its woods, in which 
 the white climbing roses are in full bloom, and really a 
 perfect dream of loveliness. As the ponies seemed very 
 tired, and are such miserable animals, I went into camp at 
 a very pretty place, overlooking a wide wooded valley, at 
 5 P.M. There are quantities of tents pitched about every- 
 where. Lots of people are camping out here apparently. 
 The enormous white spiraea bushes of the variety with the 
 ash leaves are all in full bloom now, and sway their slender 
 white feathery branches in the soft breeze, looking most 
 pretty and dainty. 
 
 June 2gth. I marched on with little Tim at 10 A.M. 
 as we had not far to go, and this part of the valley is rather
 
 56 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 shady. We reached the place where I wanted to camp at 
 tiffin time, as, on account of Tim's not over-long legs, I 
 had walked slowly, Thank goodness, there were no other 
 people camping out here, so that I had the valley quite to 
 myself, which was most welcome. I chose a place a few 
 yards higher up than where our first camp had been, as 
 that place was rather cramped in and damp, and too close 
 to the river, which really makes too much noise. This 
 new place was very pretty under huge silver firs, and had 
 pretty peeps into the valley. It seemed to be the general 
 camping ground, so why the " Swine " had not made us camp 
 here the first time he alone knows, unless when he said 
 that he had been here before he was lying as usual. I 
 have come to the conclusion that it must be so, because 
 nobody who knew this higher place, not five minutes 
 farther than the horrid one we used before, could have 
 hesitated for a moment which to choose. Of course I had 
 dismissed the brute at Srinagar. 
 
 At first it did nothing but rain, and I really thought it 
 was a speciality of Pailgam, as it rained for two days 
 without stopping ; but after there had been an awful 
 thunderstorm one night, it was sunny and fine next 
 morning. When the terrible crashing and far-sounding 
 rumble of the thunder woke even me, the lightning was 
 lighting up the tent in blue flares, and little Tim was 
 pressing herself still closer up to me. I remember my 
 father saying (it is an old German proverb) that in a 
 thunderstorm one should not take shelter under limes 
 and silver firs. Well, I thought, I am well placed as 
 far as that goes. My tent was pitched between two 
 enormous firs, which towered high into the sky, beauti- 
 ful lightning conductors ! Then, again, I thought how far
 
 CASHMERE 57 
 
 down in the valley we were, and how many thousands of 
 feet higher up on the mountains there were other high 
 trees ; and besides, I have always been convinced that I 
 shall not die an unnatural, sudden death, so comforted I 
 fell asleep again. 
 
 The following days were very fine, and during the day 
 even almost too hot, so that in the morning I sketched 
 only in the shade surrounding the camp, where, thank 
 God, there were plenty of pretty vistas, and in the after- 
 noon, when it had cooled down a bit, I went farther afield 
 up the valley, so that it was a real painting existence, most 
 delightful. 
 
 I personally find this valley it is called something like 
 Preslum Valley by far the prettiest I have seen in 
 Cashmere ; it is really uncommonly lovely, with its fine 
 tremendously high woods of silver fir, Scotch fir, elms, 
 walnut trees, yews, birches. It is only a pity that the 
 undergrowth, and all the flowers of course, are spoilt by 
 the cattle. True, there are cows here, which are not quite 
 so devastating as those odious goats who nibble off every- 
 thing : cows are more grand and generous, not so shabbily 
 stingy as goats ; they at least leave something sometimes, 
 though it isn't much either. Yet one learns to be thank- 
 ful for small things trifles one calls them, I think, in 
 countries like this. 
 
 The river is very full on account of the now rapidly 
 melting snows, and forms lovely cascades everywhere. On 
 the distant hills there is quite a lot of snow left, just enough 
 to make them pretty from afar ; the colouring of the rocks 
 and mountains otherwise is not pretty, a monotonous grey. 
 In spite of the really intense heat during the day, it gets 
 so cold in the evenings that one must have a fire, and is
 
 58 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 glad to have a fur coat on the bed, besides a thick blanket. 
 It is a funny climate ; I don't agree with people who call 
 it ideal ! 
 
 Duenker went, of course, into raptures about my 
 sketches, " En voila de nouveau une qui est encore plus 
 belle que celle de hier ! " Anyhow I have learned a lot, 
 and they were very amusing to make. 
 
 Big troops of monkeys are everywhere about, and play 
 their cheeky tricks ; but, thank God, they haven't dared 
 to come into camp yet. But whenever one walks or sits 
 out sketching they are everywhere about, and make awful 
 grimaces at one for having disturbed them. I wish Toby 
 were here and could have chased them a bit ; not that I 
 think he would have caught one, except perhaps a young 
 one, but it would have frightened them and kept them a 
 little bit in order. I hate monkeys, and on that ground 
 alone I deny Darwin's stupid theory. If he was right, one 
 would have a certain sympathy towards them as towards 
 blood relations. These monkeys are pretty large, with 
 short tails and very long coats ; they must be very hardy, 
 because I remember seeing large herds of them already 
 the first time we were up here, at the beginning of May, 
 when it snowed and was bitterly cold. 
 
 People passed me continually while I painted. They 
 all wear the dark blue turban, and if there are women with 
 them, which is very seldom the case, they have those wide 
 red and blue striped bloomers like the Afridi women wear. 
 The men have handsome, well-cut faces, big features, and 
 a queer-shaped, long black beard handsome, interesting 
 people. The women are tall, and have a lot of jewellery. 
 I'm told they are people from Turkestan, but what they 
 are doing here, nobody can or is inclined to tell me. They
 
 THE AUTHOR, AFTER FOUR WEEKS' TRAMP IN THE LADDAKH
 
 CASHMERE 59 
 
 never have cattle with them, sometimes horses saddled, 
 and nearly always there are only men. If they were 
 Hindoos I could understand it, because a few marches 
 from here there is a sacred cave to which the Hindoos 
 make pilgrimage about this time of the year, but in 
 Turkestan they are all Mohammedans. I often wonder 
 if it has anything to do with this frontier business, because 
 everybody here is convinced that there will be a row in 
 October again, and a good row too. Perhaps these queer 
 and strange-looking people are a sort of spies, who are 
 trying to find out about the passes. But they seem quite 
 harmless people, who only come to these cooler hills 
 because it is cooler, like the Australian tramps, who told 
 me, when I asked them why they all marched towards the 
 Blue Mountains, that they did it because it got too hot in 
 the plains during this season, and that they went to the 
 cooler hills for the hot summer months. 
 
 Duenker has really been more than useful. He did 
 my washing, ironed it, mended it in a word, did every- 
 thing imaginable, even mended an old pair of brown 
 boots. I was able, to his great pride, to wear them for 
 ten days more, but now they are beyond hope, and with 
 his consent they have been given to the cook, who is 
 delighted. Very likely he will be going to wear them at 
 Rawal Pindi, when he makes himself smart. 
 
 Then Duenker picked strawberries for me, because, 
 as I said before, here only the cows have grazed, and as 
 they are not so mean as the goats, the strawberry plants 
 have survived. They are only just beginning to get 
 ripe, and are rather disappointing, in spite of their enor- 
 mous flowers and big leaves. It is a funny, flat, small 
 strawberry, and can't compare with our excellent wood
 
 60 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 strawberries at home. The apricots are really beautiful, 
 and we have a lot with us. As they do not keep, one had 
 a good excuse for eating piles of them. But nothing, 
 nothing in the way of fruit here comes up to the Australian 
 peaches. I can't think of them simply, and I expect I 
 shall go back eventually to Australia just to eat peaches. 
 No ! but to see some of my nice friends there as well. 
 Of course they pull off the fruit here, as in most places, 
 before it is fully ripe, which is always such a pity. 
 
 To-day the ponies came, so that means that my days 
 are numbered in Cashmere. I almost said, thank God ! 
 Certainly I have enjoyed my tour very much, but it has 
 been really quite long enough, and I am glad to betake 
 myself somewhere else. Now with Australia it was just 
 the reverse ; I hated it at the beginning, and finally was 
 really awfully sorry to leave it, and would have loved to 
 have stopped on. 
 
 Some of the luggage, in fact the greater part, will leave 
 to-day during the daytime, and what I personally want 
 and the cooking things will go with me to-night, because 
 it is too infernally hot to march by day. Down in the 
 plains they say the heat is something awful. In a few 
 days it will be full moon, so the moon will be already 
 pretty strong if there isn't a covered sky, as there has 
 been during the last few nights. Duenker is horrified at 
 the idea of my marching in the night ; but I have my 
 nose still full of those roasting marches into the Laddakh. 
 
 Tim must of course ride in her basket again, although 
 she changed her last tooth but one yesterday, and has 
 only one milk tooth left now, and she accompanied me 
 every day on my sketching tour. But then it is 29 miles ; 
 that is too much for her short little legs. How she hates
 
 CASHMERE 61 
 
 these natives ! It is too funny to watch her and to see 
 how terrified they are of her! True she bites them 
 whenever she has a chance, and I of course only laugh 
 when I see her doing it. It is a sort of revenge for all 
 the ill-treatment these horrid brutes have meted out to 
 dogs during their lives. It serves them right, and I'm 
 delighted. 
 
 Before lunch I again walked to the place where we 
 had tiffin with the P.'s when caught in the snowstorm 
 while waiting for the bear to come, which of course never 
 came. The whole road up to that place was very pretty, 
 and the place itself too. But I am glad I pitched my camp 
 where I did, because my place is by far the prettier, and 
 there are so many pretty bits to sketch all round ; whereas 
 here I should have had to walk far for really pretty sub- 
 jects, and in this torrid heat that would have been really 
 very unpleasant. 
 
 But the whole valley is lovely, only it is such a pity 
 that so many of the magnificent woods are dying. It is 
 incredible what enormous quantities of dead wood lie 
 about, and what a lot of fine trees are standing dead. It 
 is true they ill-treat these wretched trees in an unauthorised 
 manner. They cut splinters out of them, gradually hollow- 
 ing them out. The shepherds light fires first against, 
 then later in them, and most trees don't like that. They 
 peel the magnificent birches right round, what for I can't 
 make out. It is a nuisance not talking the language. 
 I've seen them carrying away load after load of the thin, 
 paper-like bark of the birches. I don't know if they use 
 it here too as they do in the Laddakh, where they put 
 thick layers of this thin bark on the thin branches that 
 rest on the big beams of their roofs, and on top of that
 
 62 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 gravel, finally topped by mud. Perhaps that's it. Of 
 course it kills the tree, but they don't mind that. They 
 remind me of the Italians, of whom my father used to say, 
 with such truth, they are Baeume-sc hinder ; that means 
 "tree-torturers, tree ill-treaters ! " 
 
 The other day I went to the other side of the valley, 
 crossing that rickety bridge across the stream formed by 
 two long tree-trunks. By the way, I sat sketching on this 
 bridge for two afternoons, and only wished somebody had 
 photographed me there. I must have looked rather like 
 one of the much hated monkeys, because there wasn't 
 much room, and it was a swinging, rickety thing. But 
 the view from just there was very pretty, only the cold 
 from the icy river roaring so near under one, and wetting 
 one with its spray, was terrible. Well, as I said, I crossed 
 that bridge to the other side of the valley, and walked 
 along there, hoping to find some nice views for sketching, 
 but the woods were so dense one couldn't see for the 
 trees. The woods were much finer than on my side, but 
 it was impossible to find anything to paint. Giant tree 
 towered beside giant tree, une vrai fort vierge, lots of 
 fallen giants rotted everywhere, the ground was strewn 
 with them. It was quite dark under the trees, and the 
 narrow track one had to follow climbed up a steep gorge 
 round mossy, huge boulders and past black, cavernous 
 rocks. It looked very " beary," and I felt quite sure at 
 each corner I would meet one. But I didn't, and little 
 Tim and I returned uneaten and safe. 
 
 Where I was to-day before lunch there was still snow 
 in the ravines, and the wild peonies were just flowering. 
 Those in the plains flowered when we returned at the 
 beginning of May, and to-day is July 8th ! I am sorry
 
 CASHMERE . 63 
 
 none of the seed is ripe anywhere, and it is too early to 
 take up the plants, as they really are lovely with their 
 sweet-scented, large, single white blooms and rich yellow 
 centres. They would grow so well at home, and are so 
 decorative. 
 
 I again met a lot of those people from Turkestan. 
 They are queer folks, almost looking like beautiful Jews, 
 with uncommonly narrow, long pale faces, and funny jet- 
 black beards, ending in two long curls, such as one sees 
 in pictures of Nebuchadnezzar. 
 
 To-night they say it pelted with rain ; it had thundered 
 terribly the night before, but it doesn't get any cooler. 
 Almost all the luggage is gone ; it left this morning 
 tents, beds, etc., etc., only my deck table (I really don't 
 know what I would have done on this trip without this 
 table), my painting chair equally useful (Aunt Janet's 
 present), my writing and painting things, and the cooking 
 pots and pans have been left. And so after I had had 
 my open-air dinner under one of the big trees at 7 P.M. (at 
 universal request), and everything had been re-packed 
 and the ponies loaded, including Tim, who was furious 
 at having to go into her basket, as she pretends now 
 she has only one milk tooth left, and that she is grown 
 up, I started, leaving Duenker in charge of the Tim 
 pony. 
 
 It really was odd, for the first time in these three and 
 a half months that I've been in Cashmere there was a 
 pretty colour effect just the night I couldn't paint it. 
 The sun tinted the tops of the mountains a warm rose 
 red, while the valleys were already a deep ultramarine 
 blue, deep in shadow, and pale pink clouds floated above, 
 and the moon was already fully up. It really was mockery
 
 64 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 of fate that it should have happened just the last evening, 
 when all my painting things were well strapped on a pony. 
 
 July t)th. The night fell rapidly, and the moon was 
 most welcome. 
 
 Strange to say, although I was really glad to leave 
 Cashmere, last night when all was packed, the tents gone, 
 and the place looking so deserted where for ten days it 
 had looked so home-like and busy, fires burning, etc., etc., 
 I had a vague sad feeling at parting, a sort of melancholy 
 crept over me, and I thought how true it is " partir c'est 
 mourir un peu," etc., etc. It is quite true " on laisse un 
 peu de soi-meme en toute heure et dans tout lieu," and 
 of course the leaving of this valley was the final starting 
 point of leaving Cashmere altogether, and it meant that 
 the greater part of this, my trip, which seemed to me 
 so long, is, or that soon it will be all over, like every- 
 thing else, life and all ! How typical of one's life such 
 a breaking-up of camp is ! The fires have burnt out, 
 the life is gone, and in a few weeks the grass will grow 
 again, even as we, who are so full of fire, of life, and 
 all the rest, will soon be forgotten and gone, and new 
 people, new generations come and walk over the place 
 once dear to us, where we lived, and worked, and were 
 happy. 
 
 It soon got dark, and the moon, already shining 
 strongly, was most welcome. The scenery was almost 
 finer with this theatrical illumination. The huge old fir 
 trees stood out doubly imposing, dark blue giants, against 
 the silvery gauzed moonlit landscape, the river rushing 
 along like liquid steel and silver, too pretty for words, and 
 large moths, white in the silver light, fluttering about with
 
 SI-MMKR AKTKKNOON, PAIL-GAM.
 
 CASHMERE 65 
 
 fluffy wings. The rose bushes and the jasmines smelt 
 exquisite. It was a lovely, quiet summer night. 
 
 Where the moon could not shine on account of the 
 thickness of the wood it was pitch dark, and one really 
 could not see one's hand before one's eyes. To please 
 silly old D., and remembering that recently a leopard 
 killed a pony about here, I put my revolver in my pocket. 
 D. means also " one might meet a bear," but I think 
 bears are cowards. In fact I was rather disappointed 
 at meeting nothing, although at some places it smelt 
 strongly of the Zoo, and from some of the walnut trees, 
 and in their dense shade, walnuts fell down in a somewhat 
 ominous way ; they are not yet ripe enough for falling 
 off by themselves, and I thought perhaps Mr. Bear was 
 busy in the huge trees feeding. Of course, cautious as 
 he is, he would have stopped quite quiet hearing us 
 night wanderers so close to him. But perhaps it was 
 only imagination, and it was only a quite harmless grey 
 night squirrel eating the fruit. Anyhow, I am more than 
 pleased that I did that march during the night and not 
 during the day, because in the longest part there was 
 little shade, and consequently few dark places, and in 
 the sun it would have been awful. They have made 
 a new road, very broad and quite good, but it is abso- 
 lutely shadeless at present. 
 
 After crossing the river one gets into the plains, and 
 here it is, even in the night-time, heavy and hot, so 
 what would it have been under the sun amongst these 
 rice-fields ? One would have died from the heat. I 
 heard the sad note of the toads, the singing of the frogs, 
 the weird cry now and then of some waterfowl, the distant 
 barking of the dogs in the villages, otherwise nothing 
 
 VOL. II. E
 
 66 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 disturbs the heavy, drowsy, damp night. At half-past 
 one the moon disappeared behind some low hills, and it 
 soon got very dark, especially as heavy clouds covered 
 the sky completely. But the road was broad, and the 
 rice-fields on both sides shimmered faintly ; it was im- 
 possible to miss one's way. Then I heard the clatter of 
 a horse behind me, and the little cook turned up, sent, 
 it appears, by anxious Duenker. I had had three hours 
 though to get eaten up by the leopards without anybody 
 being there. 
 
 For the servants I had taken ponies, because it was 
 a march of 29 miles. The cook had Salimbeni's Thermos 
 bottle with him with claret and water mixed, and a drink 
 was most welcome, for one soon gets thirsty in that close 
 atmosphere, and in the region of the rice-fields one cannot, 
 of course, drink out of the rivulets. And so I tramped on 
 in utter darkness, trying to cheer myself up by trying to 
 recognise the landmarks, and thus see how far I had 
 come, and how much remained still to be done. But this 
 was difficult, as it was so dark, and the foliage being so 
 much thicker had changed the aspect of the trees very 
 much, and then the great quantity of water everywhere 
 about since the melting snows had changed the aspect 
 of things altogether. But even with one's eyes ban- 
 daged one would have noticed when one came near 
 Beech Behara ; the stench was so terrific, that it almost 
 knocked me down. These Cashmere people are really 
 awful pigs, and it is a real wonder that they don't all die of 
 typhoid fever in these pestilential places. A dirty pigsty 
 is sweet compared to the terrible, repulsive stench of these 
 places. 
 
 Behind me the little cook spat and swore, for, as an
 
 CASHMERE 67 
 
 Indian Mohammedan, he was first of all very clean, and 
 then, of course, he looks down with utter contempt on all 
 these " dirty Cashmeri." In front, in the dark, numberless 
 piedogs snarled and barked, and so we marched through 
 the dark, stinking, narrow streets of Beech Behara, till 
 finally we reached the boat, where a huge fire was blazing, 
 as the ponies, which started this morning, had just arrived. 
 It was 4 A.M. when I reached the boat, so I had done the 
 29 miles in eight hours, which was not so bad. But I 
 admit that I was awfully tired in spite of my Laddakh 
 training, and glad to get something to drink and some 
 apricots to eat, and while they unpacked and made 
 my bed I enjoyed this queer meal, and then got to 
 bed as quickly as possible. I needn't say that I fell 
 asleep at once. 
 
 This morning I woke at i P.M. (morning is not quite 
 the right term), but anyhow we were already floating down- 
 stream in an awful heat. Duenker, poor thing, and the 
 luggage reached the boat only this morning at 7 A.M. The 
 heat was so great that as before they kept pouring water on 
 the narrow gangway that runs outside the house-boat, where 
 the coolies push the boat along with long poles, otherwise 
 it got so hot that they burn their feet. 
 
 Duenker thinks, all the same, it was a brilliant idea 
 to march at night, now that it's all over. At first he was 
 horrified at the idea, especially, I must say, at the idea of 
 my going all alone. But he says, " Pendant la journ^e on 
 serait creve de chaleur." 
 
 How people can say that Cashmere has an ideal 
 climate beats me. Till the middle of May it was so 
 bitterly cold we all shivered, not I only, but all the 
 Europeans and the natives of Cashmere ; and now one
 
 68 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 is almost dying from the heat. I have a letter from 
 Srinagar which says : " The heat is something too awful, 
 and we pray for the rain." In this " ideal climate " there 
 is a rainy season too, which generally begins about the 
 middle of July. I find it a beastly climate, and everybody 
 who complains about our European climate ought to be 
 brought to Cashmere for some time ; he would give up 
 grumbling then. Everything all round is parched and 
 burnt up, not a blade of grass left. 
 
 Even now, where the sun would dry them in two 
 minutes, those dirty Cashmeri don't wash their linen 
 garments, where the winter dung (there is no other ex- 
 pression) is still on and in them. They are pigs ! I feel 
 this morning as I'm sure an old, overworked cab-horse 
 must feel. My legs and feet hurt all over. Am I getting 
 old? 
 
 July \Qth. The river having been very full, and the 
 current strong on account of the melting snows, we have 
 come down in one day, that is to say, we started yesterday 
 sometime after 7 A.M., as it appears Duenker only reached 
 the boat about that time, and having stopped last night 
 late, we reached Srinagar this morning at eight, when I got 
 up to take Tim for her morning walk. The river is practi- 
 cally empty of house-boats ; everybody has fled from the 
 heat up the river to the cooler hills. I found a big post- 
 bag here with delightful letters. But, dear people ! you 
 would turn my head with all the kind things you tell me 
 about the " vivid interest of my diary," etc., etc., if this head 
 were not, thank God, so solidly set on my shoulders. It is 
 very nice, anyhow, to know that my work is appreciated by 
 my friends and relations, and a great encouragement to go
 
 LLAMASSERIE OF MULBA 
 (My tiffin pony in front)
 
 CASHMERE 69 
 
 on writing. Sometimes it is hard work, for I keep two 
 journals, one in English and one in German. 
 
 What I want still to say about Cashmere, now that I 
 am on the verge of leaving it, is that it has been a dis- 
 appointment on the whole. I am glad I have seen it, but 
 its charms are undoubtedly greatly over-rated. I quite 
 see that it must seem delightful to the young soldier, who 
 hasn't seen much of the world and its really great beauties, 
 and who is not spoiled with good shooting. After the heat 
 and the life of India, this roaming about the still wooded 
 hills of Cashmere, simply to get some sport, must be charm- 
 ing ; it has all the delight of utter freedom, no shaving or 
 dressing needed. Most men enjoy returning, for some 
 time at least, to the natural state of a savage. And it does 
 one a lot of good too. But really for a tourist Cashmere 
 is disappointing, especially as, on account of the heat in 
 India, you are cut off from the outer world, and have 
 to stop there so long. If one could just run up there, see 
 what there is to see (though I insist there is devilish little 
 to be seen there), and go off again, it would be all right. 
 What there is to see could easily be seen and enjoyed 
 without hurrying it in one month, even with the present 
 bad roads. But once there, there you are, cut off by the 
 tremendous heat in India, and absolutely thrown for several 
 months on the charms of Cashmere for a good whole solid 
 summer. It is all this silly literature that does the mischief; 
 nobody really writes the truth a fact. I do not go by my 
 judgment only in saying this, but indeed of all the people 
 I've met out here, and there have been a good number, 
 everybody has been disappointed about Cashmere, the 
 men with the sport, the women with the scenery. All 
 agree that the Cashmere people are odious, that the
 
 70 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Government and the system of tradespeople, shikaries, 
 house- boats, etc., etc., is scandalous and awful, and 
 all say "It was the book, 'Where Three Empires 
 Meet,' made us come up, and we absolutely can't under- 
 stand what the man can have meant in writing it ! It is 
 not possible that in these few years the place has so totally 
 changed ! " That is what not one, but at least two dozen 
 people have told me. The new book which, apparently 
 with many illustrations, is shortly to appear about this 
 country will cause any amount of false illusions. There 
 are some very pretty (only pretty) parts in Cashmere, but 
 one has to take so much awful hideousness into the bargain 
 that, in my opinion, as a traveller who has seen a good deal 
 of the world, " the game isn't worth the candle ! " I should 
 strongly discourage anybody from coming to Cashmere. 
 
 The day before yesterday, after the camp had been 
 broken up, and I was philosophising about how typical 
 such camp life was of our own lives, and was sadly 
 poking about the smouldering fire, an enormous spider 
 crawled along. She looked as if she had excrescences on 
 her back, and I bent down to inspect her closer, never 
 having seen such a big one, and wanting to prevent her from 
 running, in her wish to escape from me, into the hot ashes, 
 when I saw that her back was covered entirely by masses 
 of her babies, which she carried about like that. They 
 were the dearest little miniature spiders I have ever seen, 
 forming, with their wee legs, a fine net over the mother's 
 body. Well ! if that doesn't bring luck, arregnde du 
 soir-espoir ! and a whole happy family of them!! 
 
 To-day the spider family proved true. I got most 
 welcome news. 
 
 Srinagar was very empty, and the heat was terrific.
 
 CASHMERE 71 
 
 The tradespeople had, it appears, finally learned that there 
 was mostly swearing to be got out of me if they bothered 
 me, so they left me alone, or perhaps they had collapsed 
 in the terrific heat. Anyhow there was peace, which was 
 very pleasant. We had, on account of the river being so 
 full with the snow water, reached Srinagar in one day, and 
 I spent all my days there getting through my diaries and 
 writing letters, and only went with Tim for a walk after 
 sunset. It was really too hot to do anything else. Every- 
 where the boys, girls, and men were bathing in the river, 
 and it was striking, when one saw them without their 
 enormous pugarees, what uncommonly typical criminal 
 skulls the majority of them have. Mrs. Winter came 
 and dined one night with me. We had dinner on the 
 top of the house-boat, and spent a pleasant evening. 
 
 Yesterday was a busy day, getting through the final 
 arrangements, and looking at the few things I had ordered 
 and which had been finished. I must say they all took 
 great trouble with the commissions, and everything has 
 been beautifully executed. It was past ten when I got 
 home to my dinner. When I left the bazaars, about half- 
 past nine, the noise of the children, fighting dogs and 
 quarrelling women, was really like a rookery, and I 
 blessed Heaven that I hadn't to sleep near that noise, 
 and especially in the awful smells. In front of the 
 Maharajah's palace the stink was almost worse His 
 Highness cannot have a very sensitive nose! 
 
 The Residency seemed a dismal place, and the idea of 
 having to live there filled me with awe. What must that 
 really be ? Quite terrible, in this odious, pestilential 
 Srinagar, and with only a small orchard for your own. 
 Yet it must be better than being Governor of Welling-
 
 72 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 ton. That, of course, must be worse ; as I said before, 
 equal to criminal transportation. 
 
 This morning, July i4th, we started of course before I 
 got up, and so I did not see or smell balmy Srinagar again. 
 The whole of to-day has been hot and monotonous. Now 
 we are passing a large lake, entirely overgrown by small 
 water-lilies, with a wee yellow insignificant flower. Round 
 the lake are bare hills. It might have a pretty effect after 
 or towards sunset ; at present it is far from pretty or attrac- 
 tive. The heat, even now, at half-past six, is intense ; 
 the flies intolerable. It is a good preparation for India, 
 where, it appears, I am going to be melted to pieces. 
 
 Tim has to-day lost her last milk tooth, and is simply 
 beyond herself with impudence and cheekiness. Yesterday 
 she didn't like the shopping expeditions at all. She was 
 rather suspicious, and I think afraid I would leave her 
 somewhere ; as to the native quarters, they frightened and 
 disgusted her beyond words. I had to carry her all the 
 time. 
 
 To-day I spent my day writing what the people here 
 call "chits" that is, certificates for the different shops 
 who have implored me for some. They are perfectly 
 ridiculous with their "chits." I remained "The King" 
 till the last, and even got letters addressed "To His 
 Majesty." 
 
 In the night there an awful gale sprang up, and I 
 thought the boat was going to be shipwrecked, it swayed 
 so, and the hurricane blowing in through the windows put 
 out all the lamps, which was most awkward and annoying. 
 
 July \$th. We have just arrived at Baramulla at 
 i P.M. It is hot, but a gale is blowing. I expect that's
 
 CASHMERE 73 
 
 what the monsoon is like. It is as if one sat in front of a 
 furnace. 
 
 July \bth. The hot monsoon blew the whole of yester- 
 day, and towards evening became so strong that they were 
 afraid for the boat. It rocked so that one almost became 
 sea-sick. Tim hated the howling of the storm round the 
 boat, and was very nervous and uncomfortable. 
 
 At 3 A.M. I got up, though I didn't want to, and at 
 5 A.M., the moon still shining splendidly, we were rowed 
 across the very choppy river, the monsoon still blowing. 
 The water lapped incessantly into the low little boat. 
 Fortunately we didn't get very wet, and the river was 
 not broad. On the other side, near the Dak Bungalow, 
 they were busy loading the tonga, and Tim, who had 
 never seen a carriage before, eyed this institution with 
 evident suspicion and distrust. She hated it at the 
 beginning, but quietly settled down soon and behaved like 
 an angel, sleeping soundly all the rest of the journey. A 
 steam-roller frightened her terribly though. It was inter- 
 esting to see the effect of civilisation on her little inex- 
 perienced Lhasa mind. I must say she took things gently 
 now, and the sad, mistrusting look in her eyes is gone 
 entirely. She is quite sure now that her happiness is 
 going to last ; there is evidently not the slightest doubt 
 left in her mind about that, she takes it for granted. 
 
 The first 30 or so miles of the road were really very 
 pretty, as the hills were wooded, and one had pretty 
 glimpses into other valleys. Then after passing Uri it 
 began to look ugly, as the hills were untimbered and 
 trampled into narrow terraces by the grazing cattle, which 
 always spoils a country entirely, I think. We lunched at
 
 74 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Chacoti, and then got into the bit of road which I had 
 lately found so dangerous, and really seeing it now in 
 cold blood, I was astonished we weren't killed or buried 
 under the stone and mud avalanches, because, without 
 exaggeration, for almost 30 miles the whole of the slopes 
 above the road have slipped, as one can see now, in most 
 places from an enormous height, and the road, too, had 
 slipped away into the precipices. They were everywhere 
 busy repairing and rebuilding it ; there has been an awful 
 lot of damage, and it must cost a lot of money to repair it. 
 But all the same, the road is most stupidly engineered and 
 badly built. No Italian would have dreamt of building 
 such a road. I have photographed as much as I could, so 
 that my readers can all see what a terrible danger I was in 
 really. The sky was covered, and the heat was not as bad 
 as I expected. As the top of our tonga broke, we had to 
 change the whole luggage into another one, which of 
 course took a long time, as it was in Cashmere. One 
 cannot believe the state the harness and tongas were in, it 
 was really a wonder the whole blessed thing held together ; 
 often, I hear, it doesn't. Bits of string play a great role 
 in the harness. The ponies, too, were quite the worst lot 
 I've ever seen, and nearly always started on two legs, after 
 half-an-hour went on three, and when one had reached 
 the next changing place they settled down to three and a 
 half legs. Perfectly sound ponies one hardly ever gets ; 
 jibbers and kickers of course in plenty. 
 
 Now we have more mules we got on much better ; they 
 seem stronger and more adapted to the work, and trot just 
 as well as the ponies in fact, better. Some of them are 
 very pretty. What I think so awfully stupid is, that one 
 has to take the sais of each pair of ponies or mules with
 
 CASHMERE 75 
 
 one from place to place, as if it really mattered who 
 groomed these blessed beasts, considering the state they 
 are kept in. So a ragged, dirty youngster had to be taken 
 as well as his mules ; he either stood on the footboard or 
 sat on the hood of the vehicle, thus increasing considerably 
 the weight of the tonga, which, as it was, was already 
 too heavy for the small ponies and for the steep and bad 
 road. 
 
 At one place the steam-roller was working (the one 
 that impressed Tim so much), and at the places they were 
 preparing for the roller they had piled up high mounds of 
 loose gravel, which they were about to spread, but of 
 course, delighted at the interesting pretext of seeing a 
 Huzzur's luggage changed on to another tonga (for it was 
 there we were bundled out), they all stopped working and 
 looked on. As it lasted so long, I started walking on, 
 thinking besides that the tonga would be got across that 
 heavy bit of the road much easier if my weight was out of 
 it. I had to carry Tim, as there were many mangy piedogs 
 about, and I was afraid to put her down. I hadn't gone 
 more than a few steps when I heard an awful shouting 
 behind me, and turning round saw the tonga stuck in the 
 middle of the high gravel heaps ; Duenker and the little 
 cook were trying to help at the wheels, while the coach- 
 man and sais were beating the poor little greys, and all 
 the road coolies squatted round laughing, pelting the 
 wretched animals with stones. They were so busy at 
 their favourite amusement of ill-treating animals that they 
 didn't hear me run up as quickly as I could on the heavy 
 road, and with Tim in my arms, and I had the satisfaction 
 of being able to kick them thoroughly with strong English 
 boots furnished with good solid heels. I found out the soft
 
 76 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 tender parts, because I had noticed their legs were not 
 much good, they are so hard they have no feeling. One 
 must go a good bit higher, ou le chien porte la queue. 
 I have acquired a talent and an extraordinary capacity for 
 kicking. I never thought I could kick so high and so 
 quick. I can fetch ten or twelve before they have time to 
 run away, or know where they are. In two seconds my 
 tonga was out of the gravel. I had not even to explain ; 
 the beasts knew at once what was expected of them, but 
 they were too lazy and cruel to give a hand before they 
 were kicked into it. 
 
 From here on the vegetation of the hills consisted 
 chiefly of pomegranate bushes, which had already a mass 
 of fruit, of course quite green still. It must have been 
 very pretty when they were all out in flower. After passing 
 the worst places, where hundreds of coolies were at work, 
 we got to Garrhi, and after that the road, which coming up 
 was good, had now apparently, after two days of terrific 
 rain, which they have had this week, been left in a similar 
 state to that above, only the hills not being so steep here 
 or so high it was perhaps less dangerous, but at several 
 places the road had slipped away badly. Fortunately it 
 had dried off for the last two days, and so at least the worst 
 had been cleared away, and it doesn't hail stones and 
 boulders any more, and so one can get on without danger. 
 Of course the rainy season is beginning now, and will 
 make the road just as dangerous again ; it is so stupidly 
 engineered. 
 
 At 8 P.M. we arrived at the Garrhi Dak Bungalow, 
 where we stopped for the night. The heat was excessive, 
 a heavy, muggy sort of heat, which made you feel hot all 
 over. It was apparently a sort of preliminary canter for
 
 CASHMERE 77 
 
 India. After I had bathed I dined in my room, all the 
 windows and doors being wide open, as I could in that way 
 remain in the thin silk galabia as my only garment. It 
 really was too hot to dress again and go and dine with 
 three not over interesting-looking, strange young men. 
 The night was so hot I couldn't even keep the thinnest 
 silk nightgown on, but slept with all the windows and 
 doors wide open, covered only with a thin sheet. 
 
 Duenker came and called me next morning, July i7th, 
 at 4 A.M., telling me it was raining so hard we could not 
 leave, and one heard the rain drumming on the roof and 
 beating on the ground outside as if a regular torrent were 
 coming down, one of those real tropical rains. At six, 
 however, it stopped. I got up, and we started at 7 A.M. 
 The first part of the way was the bit I walked at night, and 
 I must say a horrid, dangerous bit it is. Perhaps it was just 
 as well I didn't see what I was in for. As it was, I must 
 have, as Cecilie Achenbach puts it, a very strong guardian 
 angel! Unfortunately when we got to the bridge, where 
 we rope-danced across in the dark on a few wet planks, 
 which was finished now, it had begun to rain so hard 
 again that I couldn't photograph it as I had wished to do. 
 
 After that we still went on for about 15 miles, and 
 then crossed the other long suspension bridge over the 
 Jhelam, and there left the property, or, as the Cashmeris 
 put it, the "State" of His Highness the Maharajah of 
 Jammu and Cashmere, and I hope that I shall never see 
 this bridge again. Sela ! 
 
 There we were in the Punjab again. The road 
 ascended all the time steeply, and it was very soft through 
 the heavy rains, and they were repairing it everywhere. I 
 could not allow them to make those wretched brutes of
 
 CASHMERE 77 
 
 India. After I had bathed I dined in my room, all the 
 windows and doors being wide open, as I could in that way 
 remain in the thin silk galabia as my only garment. It 
 really was too hot to dress again and go and dine with 
 three not over interesting-looking, strange young men. 
 The night was so hot I couldn't even keep the thinnest 
 silk nightgown on, but slept with all the windows and 
 doors wide open, covered only with a thin sheet. 
 
 Duenker came and called me next morning, July I7th, 
 at 4 A.M., telling me it was raining so hard we could not 
 leave, and one heard the rain drumming on the roof and 
 beating on the ground outside as if a regular torrent were 
 coming down, one of those real tropical rains. At six, 
 however, it stopped. I got up, and we started at 7 A.M. 
 The first part of the way was the bit I walked at night, and 
 I must say a horrid, dangerous bit it is. Perhaps it was just 
 as well I didn't see what I was in for. As it was, I must 
 have, as Cecilie Achenbach puts it, a very strong guardian 
 angel ! Unfortunately when we got to the bridge, where 
 we rope-danced across in the dark on a few wet planks, 
 which was finished now, it had begun to rain so hard 
 again that I couldn't photograph it as I had wished to do. 
 
 After that we still went on for about 15 miles, and 
 then crossed the other long suspension bridge over the 
 Jhelam, and there left the property, or, as the Cashmeris 
 put it, the "State" of His Highness the Maharajah of 
 Jammu and Cashmere, and I hope that I shall never see 
 this bridge again. Sela ! 
 
 There we were in the Punjab again. The road 
 ascended all the time steeply, and it was very soft through 
 the heavy rains, and they were repairing it everywhere. I 
 could not allow them to make those wretched brutes of
 
 78 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 ponies, half-starved as they were, trot up. It was awful to 
 see them as it was, panting up that beastly steep hill, 
 never for one minute out of the breast girth, for they had no 
 collars, and the tonga alone was very heavy, while it carried 
 five people and the luggage ! I walked part of the way. 
 It is true we changed the ponies often, but all the same it 
 was awfully cruel. This part of the road was simply 
 hideous, uninteresting, and monotonous, all the hills were 
 bare, except for a thin sheet of grass. Shortly before 
 reaching Murree it got very pretty, with fine woods, and 
 one was quite relieved. Lots of the trees had already 
 brown leaves, which gave it a sad, autumnal look, though 
 not ugly. 
 
 I arrived at Murree about 6 A.M., and as the tonga 
 couldn't go up the last bit to the hotel, which was perched 
 almost like a Llama's convent on the highest possible 
 pinnacle of a hill, though nicely timbered all round, we had 
 to make this last part of the journey on foot, going, on the 
 way up to it, through Murree itself, an uninteresting, 
 modern second-class Indian hill station, with its wretched 
 little pretentious villas, hotels, shops of Indian. European, 
 and Cashmiri rubbish, numerous photographers, seedy- 
 looking, pale, fair-curled English babies, with their black, 
 nose-beringed ayahs in white muslin, and their bearers, 
 sola-topied youngsters of decidedly military stamp, tennis- 
 shoed ladies, with what the French call d6kancke 
 movements, swarms of dogs, especially fox terriers and 
 Aberdeens, in all sizes and forms. 
 
 The hotel was quite nice, the rooms the Parkers had 
 reserved for me very comfortable and airy, with a large 
 verandah in front, from which Tim could, to her great 
 delight, watch all the other dogs underneath without
 
 CASHMERE 79 
 
 mixing with them, which her maidenly spirit dislikes. I 
 dined with the P.'s, and spent the evening with them. 
 Tiny had grown enormously, but was still very pretty 
 (personally I think Tim more original), and she recognised 
 me at once, and was delighted to see me. She was 
 apparently much admired here, which pleased and flattered 
 her pretty mistress very much. 
 
 July i8M. It had thundered, it appeared, the whole 
 night, and this morning the hill on which we were perched 
 was wrapped, as yesterday, in dense mist. It was quite 
 cold, and I was glad to put on a flannel suit. After lunch 
 the P.'s came to my room to look at my new sketches. 
 Tiny was at first very standoffish and almost rude to Tim, 
 who was delighted to see her, and I thought it frightfully 
 ungrateful of the little wretch, considering how kind and 
 motherly Tim had been to her all the way from the Laddakh. 
 However, after some time she warmed up to the occasion, 
 and they had a splendid romp through the large rooms. 
 Tim and I were asked out by the P.'s to meet a nice 
 young officer just appointed to the police at Shanghai. 
 He was very pleased to hear from me that I think 
 Shanghai a nice place. After that Timminette and I 
 had a nice long walk, that is to say, it was nice because 
 we two were together, and enjoyed our company. The 
 country, now it has cleared up, I found not a bit pretty, 
 and how Mrs. P. could write she was sure I would 
 find pretty things to sketch here, I can't understand. The 
 hills are what I call mangy, that is to say, you look from 
 the top into them, seeing the red-brown earth between the 
 stems as one sees the red, inflamed skin on a mangy dog 
 through its shabby coat. I met any amount of seedy-
 
 8o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 looking, pale children, with innumerable dogs, and their 
 black ayahs, and many ladies riding. What pleasure it can 
 possibly be to trot up and down those stony, steep hard 
 roads, I can't see ! 
 
 We left Murree, Monday, July 2Oth, at 6 A.M., and 
 after a tiresome, ugly drive arrived at Rawal Pindi 
 at i P.M. The first part of the drive, about 10 miles 
 round Murree, was pretty enough though, with the 
 hills still timbered with ilex and pines, but they soon 
 got bare, and one descended rapidly into the plain, which 
 was very ugly. The animals I had in my tonga on this 
 last drive were really the most disreputable-looking beasts 
 I've ever seen, and in any other country the proprietor 
 would have been had up for cruelty to animals. Here, 
 however, everything is allowed. So, of course, our pro- 
 gress was but slow. But I have learned patience in 
 Cashmere, and I forbade the horrid driver, with his red- 
 dyed beard, to beat the poor, starved packs of bones called 
 ponies. 
 
 Down in the plains it was very hot, and in Pindi it was 
 worse, but not as bad as I had expected. My luggage, 
 which had gone in ekkas from Barramula straight through, 
 had arrived, thank God, in spite of the terrible rains they 
 apparently had had all these last days on the road, and at 
 3 P.M. I started from the station, and took leave of the little 
 cook, who cried, that is to say, big tears rolled down his 
 face (he had hoped all the time, I think, that I would 
 take him with me to Germany), and the old kitmigar 
 (footman), who showered blessings of gratitude on my 
 head for his tip and his " character." I really have been 
 most lucky in having these two good and useful people. 
 They really were good servants.
 
 CASHMERE 81 
 
 The heat in the train was great at the beginning, but 
 towards evening it cooled down, and the night was quite 
 pleasant, and next day quite tolerable. I remained un- 
 dressed in my thin silken galabia till the Taj came in sight 
 (that was about 3 P.M.), and when I stepped out of my 
 compartment, fresh and clean, I was greeted by the two 
 nice Benares silk merchants who had come purposely to 
 " present their respects and deliver their goods into my 
 honoured hands." 
 
 I can't say how lovely Agra looked. It had rained for 
 several days in torrents, and everything was green ; it 
 looked like magic. It seemed incredible that this was the 
 same dusty, parched, leafless, baked-up place I had been in 
 only four months ago. The grass, wherever you looked, 
 was thick and beautifully green, the trees covered with 
 lovely and abundant fresh leaves, showing magnificent 
 foliage, some even covered with scarlet, flame-like flowers, 
 all the creepers everywhere in fresh bloom, garlanding 
 terraces, loggias, bungalows, trees with purple, yellow, 
 orange and pink, the oleanders and roses flowering, and 
 the whole air heavily scented with sweet flowers. All the 
 buildings, walls, gates, fences, everything washed clean by 
 the rain, and not a bit of dust on the road. It really looked 
 lovely. It was a different place. I never dreamt that 
 India could be so lovely, and am doubly glad I came now, 
 because at last I have seen India as some people describe 
 it, as I had always hoped it would be and had never 
 seen it. What a mistake it is to come to India in the 
 winter. 
 
 As I drove to Mr. Weyland's about the carpets, after 
 5 P.M., it was nice and cool, the sky heavily clouded with 
 thick lovely clouds, and it was a real pleasure to drive about 
 
 VOL. II. F
 
 82 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 the dustless green avenues, watch the happy and contented- 
 looking people move about, almost naked, with much 
 grace, see the lovely foliage of many varied trees. As for 
 the effect the fort, in winter so gloomy and smoky-looking, 
 made, now the red sandstone was washed into a brilliant 
 warm red hue, contrasting vividly with the bright emerald- 
 green of the grass and trees, I shall never forget it. It 
 was a sight to be remembered, both grand and lovely. I 
 always admired it as a marvellous building, but I never 
 expected that it could look so magnificent. The colour 
 effect was gorgeous. 
 
 At Mr. W.'s I was of course kept longer than I had 
 expected. He is, I'm sure, a good, kind-hearted old man, 
 but an awful bore, and the regular, heavy Mecklenburger. 
 It is no use trying to do business quick with him. First 
 of all one has to shout, because he is deaf, which I hate, 
 and even then one sees how his heavy Mecklenburg brain 
 ruminates while his big blue, projecting eyes roll slowly 
 round in a half upturned meditating way. He looked so 
 like a big old ox ruminating in front of his plough at the 
 midday halt, that I could hardly keep serious. I had to 
 go through all the marriage process of his eldest daughter 
 with an English officer, much as I tried to drop the subject 
 and come to our carpets and those I had to order for 
 Marco Ballestrem, but it was no use. He paid no heed, 
 and stuck stubbornly to his story, right from the first 
 German governess his girls had, who proved to be a 
 failure, " Very nice and so, but, do you know, a failure ! A 
 charming girl otherwise, but, do you know, a failure ! " 
 Then when he hoped that I had grasped the fact of her 
 having been a failure, I ventured back to the carpets, to be 
 completely ignored and put through the whole educating
 
 CASHMERE 83 
 
 process, that Mrs. W. took upon herself then, right from 
 when she said " My dear Otto, etc., etc.," to the books she 
 caused to be sent from Germany, the lessons, the hours, 
 her calls, visits, household occupation, everything, except the 
 washing!! Finally we reached Stuttgart ! Here the two 
 went to a finishing school when they were fourteen, " That 
 is to say, I beg your pardon, the eldest yes, the eldest was 
 thirteen, and the next one, when she went, was fourteen, 
 yes ! quite right ! the eldest was thirteen and a half ; she 
 was going to be fourteen in July, and she went there." 
 Hang them, I thought, but I had given up interrupting, 
 it made it worse ; he only put his hand to his ear, saying, 
 " I beg your pardon?" staring with his watery eyes at me, 
 and quietly, smilingly taking up the story of his girls two 
 years earlier than when I had unwisely interrupted him 
 with my carpets. When she was engaged I said " Ouf 1 " 
 in my ordinary voice. He smiled pleased at me, saying, 
 " Yes ! he is a charming young man," and before I could even 
 try to return to my blessed carpets, he was slowly, though 
 hopelessly, off on the track of this son-in-law, and I had to 
 undergo the greatest part of his education, his fads, and 
 hobbies ! I know now that he has no vice, bar music ; he 
 doesn't play cards, nor polo, nor does he shoot ; he plays 
 the piano, although he has never been taught; he composes. 
 Then I learned how often he got leave, how he managed 
 to get it, what his colonel said, etc., etc., and the marriage, 
 and how now they are in London for the season, and on 
 and on we ruminated, both his elbows on the arms of his 
 chair, his ten outstretched fingers beating slowly together, 
 so that the fat tops met. By this I could have screamed 
 and kicked under the table. But when he began about 
 the different bridesmaids who had been at the wedding,
 
 84 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 and how difficult it was nowadays to find a nice man for 
 one's daughters, and commenced to tell me their stories, 
 and how they had come out to India to find their chance 
 here, and started afresh with, " Now, for instance, there 
 
 was one girl who had come from the sister of a " I 
 
 got up and shouted, " Really, Mr. W., it is all wonderfully 
 interesting, but I am rather pressed for time. Can I have 
 a look at the carpets?" He argued that it was only half- 
 past six and no hurry, but I stood my ground and didn't 
 sit down again, and so with a " Wie Sie wuenschen ! " he 
 got up too, and we went to the factory. He has done my 
 carpets well, and after a long rumination about well ! 
 everything, wool, colours, and what Lady So-and-so and 
 Major Stick-in-the-mud said, etc., etc., I walked him out of 
 the storehouse, and we finally got so far that I could choose 
 the patterns and colours for Marco. I dared not leave it 
 to him alone ; he has a real German taste, too awful for 
 words, " Heil Dir im Siegerkranz ! " taste ; " Herr Commer- 
 zienrath So-and-so had just said," etc., etc., till finally I 
 burst out, "Yes, but my dear Mr. W., I'm not Herr 
 Commerzienrath So-and-so, and I like true colours, not 
 these dirty ones." 
 
 "But these are Kuenstlerfarben ! Kuenstlerfarben ! " 
 (with a ruminating roll of the watery eyes upwards) "aber ! 
 Wie Sie wuenschen ! Wie sie wuenschen ! " 
 
 It was ten minutes to eight when I drove away. Too 
 late to go to the Taj ! It was getting dark quickly, but 
 the Taj stood out clear, a pale creamy-white against the 
 deep, rolling heavy rainclouds, which the contrast of the 
 pearl building with the rich green surrounding it made 
 appear almost an ultramarine-blue. It was lovely. The 
 Mecklenburg ox was forgotten ! !
 
 CASHMERE 85 
 
 July 22nd. Early in the morning I drove to the jail. It 
 had rained again in the night, and everything was sparkling 
 and glittering with raindrops everywhere. Really India 
 is lovely like this. I am so thankful I've seen it. The 
 jail is beautifully kept, makes one almost long to be a 
 prisoner, though they don't seem to like it much. It is 
 wonderful how those English jails are kept, almost cosy 
 and coquettish, yet so sensible and sanitary, without any 
 false luxury. The manager is a charming man, and such an 
 artist. He really has marvellous good taste, and takes 
 such interest in his work. It is a real pleasure to deal 
 with him. He quite entered into my ideas, and was 
 delighted himself now with the colours I chose for my 
 carpets. He was quite wild about them, and I must say 
 myself they are perfect dreams of beauty, and are like 
 rainy India. They surpass my wildest expectations. They 
 were a good bit advanced, and he unrolled them for me, so 
 that I could see the effect. Why do people only choose 
 ugly patterns ? He himself deplored that the old carpets 
 were not more copied, and said, " If we got more orders like 
 yours, and people chose such patterns and colours, it 
 would be a recommendation in itself, and we could do a 
 magnificent business." 
 
 From there I went to the bank, where there are two 
 exceptionally nice young people, and then to Ganeshi Lai. 
 The eldest brother was there himself this time, having 
 returned from Simla purposely, as he pretends, to " greet 
 his Honour" again. I should never have recognised him. 
 He has got an old, grey-haired man ; very likely he 
 says the same thing about me. None of his remarkable 
 good looks of thirteen years ago were left ; he was just an 
 ordinary old Indian. Now there is at least one comfort in
 
 86 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 this, that if one has never been good-looking one does not 
 change so much, or at least people don't expect you to be 
 good-looking, as you never have been. I am very glad 
 now I never was good-looking, I would have hated to get 
 old and plain. As it is I don't mind : everything has got 
 its compensation ! 
 
 After tea, which for me was cocoa, I drove first to the 
 Tomb of Edmuadallah, which lies on the other side of the 
 river. It was always my favourite. It is small, but so 
 wonderfully proportioned and beautifully executed. A 
 perfect gem as I remembered it. I was not disappointed ; 
 it is simply perfect ! And especially now, where every- 
 thing is well repaired and beautifully kept all the grounds 
 round it it is lovely. That I must say is a good work of 
 Lord Curzon's, that he has repaired all these treasures, and 
 given them back their garden setting. It was a disgrace 
 the state they were in, and I especially remember how 
 sorry I was for this perfect little gem. The patterns and 
 designs of pietra-dura are too lovely for words, the fine 
 marble reliefs exquisite. One can hardly tear oneself away. 
 The only pity is that they haven't put some water into the 
 lake-like symmetrical square tanks that surround it, but 
 have filled them up with lawns. True, the well-kept lawns 
 look very fine filling the tanks now, but when all these 
 ornamental tanks were full of water and the marble gem 
 reflecting its beauty in them, as it did originally, it must 
 have been indeed a perfect dream. The view from the 
 top of the building on to the red fort and over the green 
 tree tops to the Taj was alone worth the visit. 
 
 From there I drove to the Taj. Some flower scented 
 the whole country, exactly like Mare"chal Niel. It was 
 a small flower in the hedges, but it had a wonderfully strong
 
 CASHMERE 87 
 
 scent. The drive along the river underneath the red- 
 buttressed and machicolated high walls of the splendid 
 old fort was very pleasant, and at one turn in the road 
 one gets the first glimpse again of the Taj. It lies far 
 away, amongst the rich green fields and the dark and 
 light green massive clusters of trees round it, and the wide 
 view one gets from it here changes the proportions very 
 much to its advantage. The low sun tints it a rich 
 salmon-pink, and the effect is simply lovely beyond de- 
 scription. I stopped the carriage in order to enjoy the 
 lovely sight longer. The heavy masses of towering clouds 
 behind it in beautiful shades of grey, blue, and pink 
 formed a glorious background. I've never seen anything 
 finer. The difference the rains have made to the park, 
 which has been so ingeniously laid out round the Taj, 
 where thirteen years ago dirty slums and cottages were, 
 is simply incredible. It looks lovely and fine, while 
 before, when I was here, it was only pretty. The sun 
 was setting when I arrived at the Taj, and really, seen 
 from inside the gateway building, where the wonderful 
 high arch of the gate frames it, the Taj is magnificent. 
 But as soon as one steps out of the arch into the garden 
 it gets top-heavy, and the minarets seem too low for the 
 cupola. I tried it several times with the same effect. In 
 the frame of the arch it is wonderful, outside it lacks, as 
 I say, the perfection of proportion, which to my taste is 
 everything in architecture. But it is a wonderful building 
 all the same, marvellously beautiful, and the surrounding 
 gardens in their fresh green set it off to perfection, with 
 their dark groups of fine trees in thick clusters. I walked 
 slowly down the middle alley enjoying the loveliness of 
 it all. On the raised middle marble basin, up to which
 
 88 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 five or six steps lead, I sat down to enjoy it. There was 
 not a soul there ! Before me the majestic, pure, reposeful 
 marble building towered high, a pale salmon-pink, into the 
 dark, grey-blue sky, over which white and pale pink- 
 topped clouds were rolling heavily. To the right of the 
 fountain, which forms the centre of the grounds, stands 
 the fine, small square red sandstone building with its 
 slender turrets and lovely loggia, at the end of the narrow 
 long water-tank, reflecting itself in it with the sky behind, 
 like the building opposite it on the left. On the right side 
 the sky low down was a dark bluish- grey, almost ultra- 
 marine, and on the top ultramarine windswept clouds, 
 against which the reddish-brown slender building stood 
 out, shaded into brilliant magenta and orange against the 
 pale leaden blue sky behind it. Everything was reflected 
 beautifully in the long grass-framed ornamental tank in front. 
 To the left the same red sandstone building stretched 
 its slender turrets into an eau de nil coloured sky, on which 
 saffron-yellow clouds floated like torn bits of gauze, and on 
 turning round the magnificent entrance-gate building, with 
 its wonderfully toned red sandstone, inlaid with white and 
 black marble, and its exquisite proportions and forms, 
 made an imposing effect on a pale cobalt sky, littered 
 with brilliant pink and creamy-yellow clouds. And all 
 that, each picture, each exquisite colour, was reflected in 
 the ornamental stone-bordered tank framed by flower beds. 
 I sat and turned from one of those exquisite pictures to the 
 others, round and round, only to enjoy each more than 
 the last. I've never seen such a variety of tints in all the 
 shades of blues and purples, yellows and pinks, , It was like 
 coloured music ! 
 
 I sat till it was quite dark and the stars began to
 
 CASHMERE 89 
 
 twinkle. I couldn't break that spell ! It was like a revela- 
 tion ! How thankful I was there was nobody to tell 
 me, "Come, it is time to dress for dinner," or "You'll 
 catch a cold, etc., etc.," or some of the horrid trivialities 
 people dash over you like a bucket of cold water when you 
 are in your happiest, most elevated dreams. Thank God ! 
 those times were over. I stretched out my arms in thanks- 
 giving for all that this journey had given me of beautiful 
 sights, and all it had taught me and made me to under- 
 stand and realise and enjoy ! But whatever of beautiful 
 things there are in store, it will be hard to beat this waning 
 day in the garden of the Taj, and I thank God for having 
 seen it. Even in the deep blue night the buildings were 
 wonderful, and what I most of all admired was that 
 the architect, who decidedly wished that, had expressed a 
 wonderful effect of utter repose and restfulness in this tomb 
 of the jewel queen. It is not grim and ugly death which 
 frowns at you, but a lovely and sacred sleep that leads 
 you to serious reflection and thanksgiving for the sure and 
 beautiful awakening yonder ! The whole thing is like an 
 eternal prayer. 
 
 July 23rd. In the early morning I drove to the fort, 
 which is indeed wonderful, especially now it is so clean, 
 repaired, and well kept. But my memory, I'm glad to 
 say, is very good, and it does not come up in fineness 
 of detail to the fort at Delhi, though it is larger and 
 resembles it a good deal. I'm sorry the heat in April, 
 when I was at Delhi, made it impossible to go and see 
 it, because they tell me that an Italian was for five years 
 at work repairing it, and it is simply wonderful now. Well, 
 one can't see everything, and what I saw last night is
 
 90 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 enough for anybody. Those colours and effects and lines 
 will dance before my eyes for a long time. 
 
 This morning it is hot, for it hasn't rained, and heavy 
 storms are coming up, and so the atmosphere is heavy, 
 but there is none of the melting heat that people told 
 me about. Then I'm told I'm uncommonly lucky (as 
 if I wasn't always that !), and that it is unusually cool. 
 For ten years the rains haven't set in so early and so 
 abundantly. 
 
 The stonework in the palace of the fort is lovely. 
 What lovely material red sandstone is ! The pavilion 
 where the poor king (who built the Taj for his favourite 
 wife, and whom his son kept a prisoner for years in the 
 fort because he wanted to build a black Taj on the other 
 side of the river for himself) died, looking at last on the 
 Taj (his son had kept him in prison where he couldn't see 
 the Taj), filled me again with sadness. To have planned, 
 executed, and enjoyed such work, and then in one's old 
 age to be deprived of even enjoying the sight of it, 
 even from afar, must be terrible. What must the poor 
 man have suffered all those years in the narrow little space 
 which they show, where his son kept him, while he thought 
 of evenings like the one I saw yesterday perhaps, and 
 knew that he was shut away from them and his own 
 creation for ever ? When the old man was dying, the son 
 ordered him to be carried here so that he might once more 
 look at his marvellous work. And here, casting lingering 
 eyes on that white marble beauty, he expired. If I had 
 had flowers I would have laid them down for him here, 
 so that his spirit could come and smell them as the 
 spirits do. 
 
 Of course almost everything is spoilt by the guide one
 
 CASHMERE 91 
 
 has to take with one, and his matter-of-fact gabble in 
 parrot-like English. I managed to get mine a good way 
 ahead of me, so that I could return for a short undisturbed 
 moment to the poor prisoner king's death pavilion and 
 have my little reverie undisturbed. 
 
 The two Benares silk people came to see me off and 
 garlanded me with a jasmine garland and jasmine bracelets, 
 and, feeling rather like a prize bull, I left the station at 
 3 P.M., just as a tremendous thunderstorm broke forth, a 
 perfect sheet of water coming down from heaven, drench- 
 ing the ground and swelling all the rivers, but making it 
 delightfully cool for the journey. 
 
 Everywhere it is green, and in all the fields they are 
 ploughing, if they haven't already sown, while in some 
 places the seed is already coming up. The rivers I always 
 saw before as dried-up stone beds, are mighty torrents 
 now. It is a pleasure to see the transformation. Not 
 that I think the country which one comes through is pretty. 
 Not even the rains can make it that, nor can the rain make 
 trees grow where there are none. But the endless stretches 
 of land look less hideous than when they are parched a 
 grey-brown. Everybody is delighted with the rains. 
 
 Tim hates the railway. She is terrified, poor little mite. 
 It is true the trains in this country do make an infernal 
 noise, but of course she doesn't believe a word of what I 
 tell her that in Europe they are not as noisy, and that she 
 is mostly going to travel in a motor. She doesn't care 
 one jot. Especially when one passes rattling bridges and 
 viaducts, or flies past stations, clattering and shaking, she 
 flies for my lap, and even sometimes crawls up behind my 
 head on my neck, then looks at me reproachfully as if it 
 was my fault. Well ! in a way it is, because if I had turned
 
 92 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 her out into the bazaars at Leh, she wouldn't be undergoing 
 these terrors. So that soothes her again, because she is 
 very clever and open to a reasonable argument at least 
 until the next rattling bridge ! 
 
 The compartments are very comfortable. I have taken 
 a whole first-class compartment, and have Duenker with 
 me, so I can do what I like, and above all I needn't 
 dress, but after the wash in the adjoining toilette (one is 
 attached to each compartment), I can remain the whole day 
 in my thin galabia, as I don't go into the dining car or 
 the refreshment room, where I'm sure only to get horrid 
 peppered and curried food. I had my tiffin basket well 
 filled. A box with ice wrapped up in a woollen blanket 
 for the drinks is in the toilette, and I travel like an 
 emperor in my private saloon carriage. At night the 
 beds are made, and I can sleep as long as I like. For 
 instance, I slept on the morning of July 24th till 10 A.M. ; 
 it was very nice. 
 
 I arrived at 6 P.M. on that same day at Bombay. It 
 hasn't been at all hot the whole time, just pleasant, and 
 the nights even rather fresh. Tim and I took a cab and 
 went for a drive. That I learned from Mr. Healy, and 
 I really think it is an excellent plan. I felt like a regular 
 tourist, only the Baedeker was wanting. Consequently 
 everybody stared at me. Tim aroused general astonish- 
 ment. I can't say, with all my love for her, that she is 
 en beauty because all her tangled coat has come out after 
 the baths and the brushing (one really couldn't leave her 
 in her Lhasa state, it was too creepy-crawly), and although 
 the new coat is growing splendidly and luxuriantly, it will 
 be at least three or four months before she is respectable 
 again. At present I think she looks only ridiculously
 
 CASHMERE 93 
 
 funny and common. I can't help laughing when I think 
 of myself, of all people, having a dog whose breed is not 
 well, let us put it politely in the registered classes of 
 an English show-bench! She, of course, in her utter im- 
 pudence, says that the Royal Princesses of Thibet don't go 
 to show-benches, these being beneath their station. It is a 
 good way to get out of it, and as she deftly tells me when I 
 smile incredulously (not to say ironically) at this, I've never 
 been to Lhasa, so can't contradict her. The old Empress 
 of China in person couldn't give herself more airs than this 
 little upstart. 
 
 Bombay made the same favourable impression on me as 
 it made thirteen years ago, only it has grown still more into 
 a really smart and fine city. The buildings are quite remark- 
 able for good taste and " monumentally," and one should 
 send the German architects here, so that they might see 
 how one can build a modern town, and make it look fine 
 and stately and grand. The preference for the Gothic and 
 the Roman style of architecture is striking. The railway 
 station impresses me just as much as years ago ; it is a very 
 fine building. It looks like a magnificent old cathedral 
 fit for Venice. 
 
 Every second person one sees seems to be a Parsee, 
 so easily recognisable by their quaint headgear. I didn't 
 remember that there were so many here. It seems actually 
 a population of Parsees. Another thing which is just as 
 striking is that more than three parts of their women folk, 
 often very pretty and handsome in their coloured em- 
 broidered sarris, wear spectacles. It really is striking. 
 That the men should do so one thinks is on account of 
 their well-known studies, but do the women study as much ? 
 Or is it the effect of in-breeding ? As I say, it is striking.
 
 94 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 After a pleasant two hours' drive through the streets 
 and round the sights, and a walk along the bund (shore), 
 we went back to the station for dinner, and at 9 P.M. took 
 the train for Madras. They sell quite good peaches and 
 excellent grapes at the station, but for peaches I'm spoilt 
 through Australia. I'll never eat such peaches again, I'm 
 afraid, unless I return there !
 
 XIV 
 
 COLOMBO, PENANG, SINGAPORE, 
 HONG-KONG, SHANGHAI 
 
 Madras, July 26tk. I arrived here this morning at 
 6 A.M., having travelled two nights and one day. But 
 it wasn't a bit hot, the nights were even rather fresh, and 
 my books were very interesting, which one could not 
 exactly say of the scenery. It rained a lot, but one was 
 pleased for the country. They had had such bad droughts 
 these last years, they want seven fat years badly. 
 
 In Madras the trees were scarlet with their flowers like 
 a sheet of flame. It was, I expect, the only smile of Nature 
 on this otherwise unattractive place. It doesn't seem to 
 have kept step with the development of the other towns 
 here in India, which in these years have smartened and 
 embellished themselves so much. It looks dilapidated and 
 untidy as it did thirteen years ago. It was hot too, but 
 nothing to the heat people talk about. I quite believe, 
 though, that it can be very hot. It has as yet rained 
 very little about here. 
 
 I left Madras the same day at 6 P.M. from the really 
 fine and practical new railway station. It is an uncommonly 
 pretty building, and fits well into this very exotic-looking 
 scenery, with its palms and half- naked people. It is 
 altogether striking what has been done in the thirteen 
 years since I was here as regards, for instance, railway 
 
 95
 
 96 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 lines and stations, and the carriages themselves. The 
 improvements are very great. There is no doubt the 
 English are wonderful colonists and administrators, and 
 everything they do is practical and business-like, which is 
 most delightful. 
 
 We had a pretty hot or rather close day, as it hasn't 
 begun to rain in this part of India yet (which really, I think, 
 is a very ugly part), and a hot monsoon was blowing, and 
 as soon as I opened the window Tim's tongue hung out to 
 her feet, so of course I immediately closed it again. It was 
 actually warmer with the window open, but it was nothing 
 to what people have told me, and by no means intolerable. 
 
 At 4 P.M., on July 27th, we arrived in Tuticorin, and 
 were taken by a small tender about an hour's sail out 
 to where the steamer lay, which wasn't big at all. But 
 the cabins, though small, were clean, and the captain 
 was uncommonly nice, and so was the first officer. I 
 thoroughly enjoyed the evening in his company. There 
 were only two more first-class passengers besides myself, 
 one of them being an old Frenchman, an awful old gabbler, 
 who bragged about himself all the time. He was un- 
 doubtedly a half-caste, although he pretended to be from 
 Lyons, and spoke with a strong accent, but we all thought 
 he was a French half-caste from Pondicherry or somewhere, 
 his father most likely having been from Lyons. He was 
 so silly and infatuated I couldn't help " pulling his leg," 
 which he didn't notice a bit, and which almost convulsed the 
 young officer with laughter. The night was pretty rough, 
 and as my bed was really stone hard, when lying on my 
 back for longer became impossible, as it was so painful, and 
 the strong rolling of the beastly little boat made sleeping on 
 the side impossible, I got up. Tim, however, slept like a
 
 COLOMBO 97 
 
 top, and told me she preferred a boat a thousand times to the 
 train. So do I, if the bed is comfortable. 
 
 We landed at 7 A.M. this morning, July 28th, at 
 Colombo, which I saw for the first time under a com- 
 pletely covered sky. It was quite cool. The trees were 
 all out, one blaze of scarlet flowers, most lovely. I went this 
 time to the Galle-Face Hotel, because I thought it would 
 be cooler, lying so close to the sea, and the large lawns in 
 front of it would be nicer for Tim, and no danger of mangy 
 piedogs, as it lies so far away from the town. The hotel 
 is very nice and excellent, and, just fancy ! the manager 
 was born in Salzbrunn, near Fuerstenstein, my father's 
 watering-place, and he sang as a school-boy in the choir at 
 my mother's funeral. And yet people still say the world 
 is large ! 
 
 In the long run the eternal wash and splash of the 
 waves one hears just underneath the windows would get 
 on my nerves, as I only like the sea to travel on, but not 
 to live near it. I think it is depressing so close, and its 
 noise is intrusive. But the hotel is delightful. 
 
 I quite forgot to say that the day we left Murree we met 
 two motor-cars going from Murree to Pindi (how far back 
 that all seems now, and yet it is just a week ago yesterday). 
 The one was pulling the other up the little hills. All 
 downhill it puffed proudly past our wretched, half-starved 
 animals, to be overhauled by us again at the next little 
 elevation. It seemed almost a farce. This lasted for 
 over two hours, but what I wanted to say is, that I really 
 found that these motors smelt good ! Yes, laugh ! I 
 don't mind. I mean they smelt good, because they 
 " smelt of civilisation." One connected the smell, if you 
 know what I mean, with well-kept houses, or hotels (not 
 
 VOL. II. G
 
 98 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 that I find that well-kept houses smell like a motor-car), 
 with thick nice carpets, good food, nicely laid tables, with 
 shining plate and glass, and fine linen, well-kept gardens 
 and lawns, intelligent and cultivated people, clever talk 
 not that one always gets that in the well-kept houses either, 
 but yet ! I expect you know what I mean, and so I found 
 that the motor-car smelt good. Civilisation after all is 
 very nice, and it is not a bit easy to return to the savage 
 state in the woods for a long time. At least that's my 
 experience, it is not at all easy to return for months to the 
 original life of the nut on the tree or the apple. I'm sorry 
 to say I'm for motor-cars and the consequent civilisation; 
 therefore, I found that the motor-car smelt good. It is 
 1 1 P.M. I am going to bed ! 
 
 Colombo was very pleasant, as the cool monsoon blew 
 all the time most pleasantly, and it was not at all hot. But 
 it has a sort of steamy climate, which I personally don't 
 care a bit for, and the vegetation, luxurious as it is, is 
 somewhat tiresome ; it is always the same, and even in the 
 greens, those rich hothouse greens, there is so very little 
 variation, they are all of the same luxuriant, emerald 
 greenness. The cocoanut palms are, I must say, mar- 
 vellous, with their magnificent, huge, graceful leaves ; and, 
 of course, all the other trees in their abundance, luxurious 
 growth, enormous foliage, flowers and creepers garlanding 
 everything everywhere, the ferns, the crotons with their 
 gorgeous brilliant colourings, the huge hibiscus bushes 
 covered with enormous, brilliant red or pale pink lovely 
 flowers, are lovely no doubt, and are magnificent, but 
 rather monotonous, a la longue ; the total colouring is not 
 varied enough, there is no great contrast. And what is it 
 that makes life so pleasant but contrast ! Even the ugly
 
 CINGALESE HUT, CEYLON
 
 COLOMBO 99 
 
 thing is wanted, if only to show the pretty ones to ad- 
 vantage. In the Colombo vegetation everything is too 
 much on the same scale. It is a pity. But it is lovely, 
 no doubt magnificent. The palm groves are really 
 unequalled. They are superb, far, far finer, I'm sorry to 
 say, than the so much beloved date palms of precious 
 Egypt. 
 
 On the first morning I was so tired from that terribly 
 jolting night on board the little steamer, that although I 
 only lay down on the couch for as long as it took to fetch 
 my shaving water, I fell asleep at once apparently, and 
 slept till almost twelve. 
 
 Then in the afternoon I spent some time in some shops, 
 scratching, like an old hen in the manure heap, in heaps 
 of precious stones. I will say this for them, that their 
 stones are far better cut than they were thirteen years ago, 
 but I must say as well that their prices are twice what they 
 were. Although it was the dull season, they were very 
 obstinate, and I came to blows with my old friend de 
 Silva that is to say, the real old friend is dead, he who 
 always gave in, and who presented me with the Cape ruby 
 for Christmas, and there was only the other and the 
 obstinate brother left, who couldn't see a joke. I really 
 think the business has gone down, apart from my not 
 getting my way and the prices I wanted. So, indignantly, 
 with Tim tucked under my arm, I stalked out of his shop, 
 never to put my foot into it again. Opposite, the broad 
 initials of Don Theodoris stared in my face, and although 
 I had never been there, I remembered that Brandeis had 
 pointed this shop out to me years ago as most reliable, 
 telling me that for years he had bought all the stones the old 
 Dowager Empress of China had commissioned him to get
 
 ioo AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 there ; so why not try him ? Besides, as the de Silva 
 people, still imploring, had followed me to the door, and 
 were all standing there, they were bound to see that I 
 entered the shop of their bitterest enemy, so it served 
 two ends. 
 
 In I stepped delighted. The Theodoris man is 
 younger, and much more business-like, I really must say 
 that, and we came to quite sensible terms. He had some 
 really lovely stones. 
 
 Then the next day I had to get Tim's outfit, her chain, 
 her harness for leading her, for if she wore a collar her 
 frill, which is growing so nicely, would be all rubbed off, 
 her sponge, a dandy-brush, etc., etc., and I have to go to 
 the Agency to get my tickets, and see whether there are 
 any letters. 
 
 In the afternoon I drove out to the so-called Cinnamon 
 Gardens to call on our Consul, Herr Freudenberg, who 
 was out. I love driving to call and not finding people in, 
 especially people I don't know very well. One's conscience 
 is so nicely cleared, without one's brains having to bother 
 to make conversation. He, of course, promptly returned 
 the visit next day, and as the boy told me he was waiting 
 in the hall I had to come down, and found him very 
 pleasant. His father, whom I remembered years ago, was 
 for the summer in Germany, and this eldest and really 
 very nice son was managing the business in his absence, 
 and was Vice-Consul besides. A polite, well-mannered, 
 gentle young man of thirty-one. My God ! I'm forty, what 
 in Germany is called ein Respects person. But as it is, I 
 have learned and realised a lot on this journey, and so 
 have settled down quite happily to nice middle-aged 
 respectability, and rather like it. It is very comfortable.
 
 COLOMBO ioi 
 
 Over the tea I offered him he asked me to "do him the 
 honour" of dining with him to-morrow, and he would 
 come earlier with his motor to take me for a tour, so I 
 asked him to come and dine to-night with me as he 
 is alone, which he accepted with alacrity. The hotel is 
 really very nice, and far better, I must say, than the 
 G.O.H. The rooms and all the dining-rooms are so 
 much larger and newer, and the situation is much quieter 
 and pleasanter. If I stopped here longer I would not 
 like the rooms I have now, facing the sea, because the 
 eternal splash of the waves, just underneath one's windows, 
 is, I think, rather annoying and so intrusive, but otherwise 
 this hotel is far better than the other. 
 
 So young Freudenberg came for dinner, and proved 
 quite a success, and we got on splendidly together, and 
 spent a most pleasant evening. 
 
 The next day he came with his large Benz motor (that 
 is nice of him, too, that he has a Benz motor), and we spun 
 along. The roads were excellent, but as there were such a 
 lot of people and bullock-carts about, one couldn't drive 
 very fast. So one could enjoy the sights all the better. 
 The old bungalows of the Portuguese and Dutch time are 
 very pretty, with their simple colonnades and respectable 
 solidness, but alas ! they are being demolished everywhere, 
 and horrid modern villas, with fantastic gables, turrets, 
 balconies, and other senseless projections, are replacing 
 them, taking away much of the character of Colombo, and 
 much of its charm. The gardens everywhere (in their way) 
 are charming, being very large. I say in their way, 
 because to our idea they are not real gardens. Nearly 
 everything is left to Nature, which is so luxuriant and 
 abundant here. They are mostly a vast wilderness, but a
 
 102 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 wilderness which is for the greater part very pretty and 
 attractive, and very artistic-looking. The magnificent, 
 slender palms, the high hibiscus bushes, with their masses 
 of pink or red flowers, the blaze of the croton hedges 
 fencing the main drive generally, with their brilliant reds, 
 oranges, yellows, and greens, the many creepers on all the 
 colonnades of the different bungalows garlanding from tree 
 to tree, from roof to roof, all that is very pretty, though if 
 you have seen one, you have seen them all. It is every- 
 where the same ; each is alike, just as the soft-eyed beautiful- 
 featured people with their naked upper body, some reddish 
 striped sarris wrapped tightly round the slim hips, the 
 tortoiseshell comb in their pitch black, cocoanut-oiled hair, 
 which the men wear in a big knot at the back of the head, 
 are all the same. What I dislike in the Cingalese is that 
 they are so effeminate-looking, though they are a nice, 
 kind, and amiable people. 
 
 Mr. F. drove me to places where I had never been 
 before, not that they differed much from what I'd seen, 
 for in Colombo there is little variety, but the drive was 
 very pleasant, and beside the river, bordered by big barges, 
 it was even prettier still. Then we came through a finer 
 village, where all the people have been Roman Catho- 
 lics from the time of the Portuguese, and where there 
 are some very picturesque-looking absolutely Portuguese 
 churches, with their rich stuccoed fa9ades, studded 
 with saints, making a pretty and gay contrast to all that 
 greenness. 
 
 In a large curve we returned to the harbour, the new 
 docks, passed through the main street again, and spun out 
 towards Mount Lavinia. This had always been a favourite 
 drive of mine, because one passes through such thick cocus
 
 ONE OF THE OLD DUTCH CANALS, CEYLON
 
 COLOMBO 103 
 
 groves, and comes through some of the nice typical old 
 villages, unspoiled and untouched yet by the new craze for 
 the monstrous buildings. Here the road was emptier, and 
 we could let the machine spin along, which was most 
 pleasant. It is a very pretty drive round the lake also, 
 which the ingenious Dutch, who in their time have done 
 so much for this colony, created out of the swampy 
 meadows which made the place very unhealthy. The 
 greater part of their old canals, which were so useful for 
 the transportation of various goods, and which lately had 
 been neglected on account of the railways, have been re- 
 opened again, and are used a good deal now. 
 
 Mount Lavinia was built by an English governor as a 
 summer residence for his wife, but the Home Government 
 at that time wouldn't allow them to live out there, as it was 
 too far away from Colombo ! Tempora mutantur, now the 
 governor stops the greater part of the year at Newralia and 
 Kandy, which are in the hills, and with a good express train 
 now fully seven hours from Colombo, whereas you may 
 run out to Mount Lavinia in a quarter of an hour by 
 motor, and drive there with a fly in half-an-hour or forty 
 minutes. 
 
 So the little nice house, lying on a slight elevation, 
 which is called by the pompous name of Mount, was sold, 
 and has been turned into an hotel long ago. It is prettily 
 situated on that little promontory, surrounded by thick 
 palm groves, overlooking the sea, and the waves beating 
 the high-cliffed shore. 
 
 We paid a visit to Mr. Freudenberg's young and pretty 
 sister-in-law, who was stopping out there for the hot 
 weather, and after that drove home, as it was getting late. 
 Freudenberg sent the motor to fetch me again, and I had
 
 io 4 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 a very nice dinner in his spacious, airy house, which was 
 surrounded by a well-kept, large garden. There were two 
 other young men there, a German and an Englishman, and 
 the evening passed most pleasantly. The dinner was very 
 good. 
 
 Next morning I got a note from Freudenberg telling 
 me my boat was not coming in till 3 P.M., and wouldn't sail 
 till next morning at 7 A.M., and would I let him know at 
 what o'clock I would want the carriage to take me to the 
 harbour, and the launch to take me to the boat. Having 
 still the terrific heat well impressed on my mind, which 
 I suffered in the cabin with all the portholes closed on 
 account of the coaling, I decided to get up early and go on 
 the boat in the morning, and so after the bulk of the 
 luggage had been taken there the evening before and 
 installed in my cabin by Duenker, and Cocky had been 
 handed over to Mr. Peter, who offered to keep her for me 
 till I came back, which was very pleasant, as I haven't to 
 drag her all over Japan, Tim and I started next day at 
 
 6 A.M., and duly arrived at the boat at a quarter to 7 A.M. 
 She really started punctually, that is to say at half-past 
 
 7 A.M., which for a boat was surely a lot. She was 
 a nice clean boat (the Derfflinger, N.G.LI.), making her 
 first voyage, and very comfortably arranged, and with 
 an excellent cook. What was charming was that in the 
 dining-room there were only small tables, so that if one 
 wanted, one could have one's table to oneself, which of 
 course I did. My cabin, being on the upper deck, was 
 very nice and roomy. The only thing that was a pity was 
 that in spite of my " honniest" visit to the nice captain, he 
 was sorry he couldn't allow me to take Tim on the pro- 
 menade deck. I was allowed to walk her on the lower
 
 PENANG 105 
 
 deck, and he graciously made an exception, and let me 
 take her on his special deck, but there was no railing 
 there, and I was afraid with her liveliness she might 
 tumble overboard, so we could only walk in the third-class ; 
 but of course I was allowed to have her in my cabin. 
 
 There were only twenty-five first-class passengers, so 
 that was very pleasant ; the boat was practically empty. 
 I hate a crowd. The sea was very smooth, and a coolish 
 monsoon was blowing, which made it pleasant enough. 
 
 We started August 2nd. The heat in the Red Sea, 
 it appeared, had been something terrific, hotter than ever 
 before, and one steward had died of heart failure ; and a 
 first-class passenger, a lady who was going out to Shanghai 
 to get married, had a heat attack, and was dangerously ill 
 for days, and indeed still laid up. It appeared she went off 
 her head, screamed frantically, and finally dropped in a dead 
 faint on the deck. Yesterday a Chinese stoker died of heart 
 failure too ; they say he drank too much ice water. Maybe ! 
 
 On August 5th we arrived at Penang, and left on 
 the morrow morning at 9 A.M. On the first morning, 
 after my bath and change, I had just settled in my deck 
 chair, which, with the embroidered Cashmeri cushions, 
 looked like a throne, when a young man, evidently a 
 German, came up to me, his elbows well stuck out from 
 his body, and walking stiffly, he clapped his heels, bowed 
 stiffly, and said well, some name I haven't grasped yet, 
 but it doesn't matter by way of presenting himself. He 
 had a paper in his hand, and pompously, and with lots of 
 " Sie werden guetigst verzeihen," told me about the 
 steward, and that they had started a collection for his 
 widow and children, and so on. After I had handed him 
 my humble share we talked together, as he looked nice,
 
 106 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 and was obviously anxious to talk. He was a Saxon, knew 
 a lot of people I knew, had actually the presence of mind, 
 when I answered a question of his by saying I travelled to 
 paint, to say that he had seen (and of course admired) my 
 exhibition at Dresden last year. He was going out to 
 Japan to the Embassy for two years, and was quite amusing 
 and nice. So I saw more of him. Last night he told me 
 a very funny thing that had happened to him. 
 
 There is, it seems, an American on board the boat 
 (German-American), an awful creature, who wears his hair 
 long, and seems never to wash, and stalks about the deck 
 with hurt dignity at being treated like the other passengers, 
 as he is a professor of natural history. Kuehne (that, I 
 think, is the Saxon's name) pretends he saw him catching 
 fleas on the dirty poodle which lives on the third-class deck, 
 and belongs to the American Consul's wife, who is going out 
 to Japan : the professor put them into a small box which he 
 carried in his waistcoat pocket. Well ! this most odd-looking 
 creature has the same name as the laughing Saxon. The 
 latter had ordered some white suits, as everybody does who 
 comes out to Colombo (Healy ordered himself seven, as if 
 he hadn't enough already as it was). Kuehne, the Saxon, 
 was called one morning at 5 A.M. by two awful-looking 
 beardy ruffians, who stood in his cabin, saying " Master ! 
 Master!" He sat up in his bed, half-drowsy still, as he 
 had made a night tour through the gambling and drinking 
 hells of Colombo the night before with some other young- 
 sters on the boat, and seeing some large bundles on the 
 floor of his cabin, thought of course they were his clothes. 
 " Show them to me," he said. He had the feeling, though, 
 that the bags moved, but of course attributed that to the 
 after-effects of the larky night he had had.
 
 PENANG 107 
 
 "One very large one, very rare one," the man said, diving 
 his hand into one of the parcels, which proved to be bags, 
 and pulling out an enormous long, thick, wriggling snake, 
 and before the half-sleeping man could say anything, he 
 held it up for inspection close to his face. 
 
 " Master want to see the other ones?" said one of the 
 men. 
 
 But Kuehne says he never jumped out of bed so quickly 
 in his life, and perched on the sofa in pyjamas, furiously 
 cursed the people, and asked what the dickens they had 
 brought him snakes for. He had never ordered any snakes. 
 
 " Isn't master's name Kuehne?" 
 
 " Yes ! but what the " 
 
 " Here is the order for Kuehne," and they waved a 
 paper at him in one hand, in the other holding the wriggling 
 snake. There undoubtedly was the name Kuehne, though 
 not in his handwriting, and an order for several snakes. 
 I forgot to say that he never knew before that the tousley 
 man's name was the same as his, and so, perched on the 
 sofa of his cabin, draped only in his pyjamas, he ordered 
 the ruffians to catch the other snakes, which by now 
 wriggled happily about the cabin floor, having escaped 
 from the bags, and so this little story ended. 
 
 The professor of natural history was, it appears, greatly 
 indignant when he heard the story. I told the Saxon 
 Kuehne to be careful, as the tousley Kuehne leaves the 
 boat at Singapore, that the baggage master does not make 
 a mistake about the luggage, handing out the wrong trunks 
 there, so that he will arrive in Japan, and instead of finding 
 his uniform ready to dress for presenting himself at the 
 Mikado's, he will only find boxes full of fioles with fleas, 
 snakes, and other reptiles in spirit.
 
 io8 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 August jth. We should have arrived to-day at twelve, 
 but of course it was 3 P.M. before we got in, and now we 
 are only expected to land at 5 P.M. 
 
 One sees already lovely islands dotted about, but the 
 sea hasn't the lovely blue-green colour it generally has, 
 although the sky is quite clear. I have just seen a large 
 shark. Horrid-looking animals I think they are, with their 
 disgusting oily, greasy-looking skin. I remember quite 
 well the first I saw, not knowing what it was, and how 
 horrid-looking I found it and its clumsy, ungraceful move- 
 ments ; it was disgusting ! 
 
 Miss Schmidt, the Shanghai bride who had the attack 
 of heat, and has been ill ever since, and who two days ago 
 was already half dead because the heart was not working 
 properly (they only revived her again with icy douches), is 
 better to-day, and they brought her on deck. Her bride- 
 groom will have a nice surprise when he sees this washed- 
 out love of his if ever she reaches Shanghai alive. 
 
 Tim gets every day nicer and more original. She hates 
 the Yankee dogs, although as a rule she likes to play with 
 other dogs. But I must say these are both very badly 
 mannered, and both being males most inquisitive, and she 
 hates flirting. They are regular Yankees. Duenker tells 
 me as soon as she sees them come, she insists upon being 
 taken on his arm. She is a funny little independent beggar. 
 
 My table steward has a strong squint (he's a little bit 
 deaf besides, as a matter of fact), and I study with a certain 
 interest how he tries to put the plates in front of me so that 
 the initials should be straight before me. It always takes 
 him quite a time, and each time I watch it with the same 
 interest, and each time it is with the same wrong effect. It 
 is always at the same crooked angle. Poor devil ! Now
 
 PENANG 109 
 
 he squints with his physical eye. What about the people 
 who squint morally ? Why, that might exist ! They think 
 they are putting their plates in life at a right angle, the 
 wretches, according to their squint, and it is at a wrong 
 angle according to the moral standard of the unsquinting 
 majority. Naturally nobody pities them. Whatever they 
 do is at a wrong angle. 
 
 Last night the band played a resume of Tannhauser, and 
 played it even very well. Three of the musicians have been 
 for three years in the Dresden Opera Orchestra. I noticed 
 how people talked at the top of their voices. It was awful. 
 Really, average people are pigs. I think it is bad taste to 
 play serious good music at dinner, one ought only to play 
 waltzes and such light things ; it is almost a sacrilege to 
 play a thing like Tannhauser. Of course one cannot expect 
 the poor waiters to serve roast turkey and stewed green- 
 gages in tune and feeling to the "O du mein schoener 
 Abendstern." But the feeding public might at least have 
 the decency to be quiet. However, as I say, the average 
 people are pigs or animals, which comes to the same thing 
 practically. How few have raised themselves mentally 
 above the animal state ? Most are materialised brutes, in 
 no way better than an animal ; worse even, because they 
 ought to know better. They pride themselves on having 
 "thoughts," whereas in the animal it is only "instinct." 
 This seems to be the only great superiority of the bete 
 hnmaine, as Zola so well calls it. But where does the 
 difference come in, for instance, between the arrogant 
 " thoughts " and the " instinct " ? Does the man, the crown 
 of creation, not go into the dining-room for his food in- 
 stead of into the bathroom ? That's nothing else but 
 "instinct," or is it "thought" in the animal that makes it
 
 no AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 go to the pig-trough instead of to the dressing-bag for its 
 food ? Bosh ! People are not an atom better than or 
 superior to animals at least the majority are not. Here 
 on board, for instance, are professors of natural history and 
 chemistry, officers, lawyers, students of law, captains, rich 
 merchants, planters, of all nationalities, and what do they 
 really do the whole blessed day long, all of them without 
 exception? They raffle and drink and play cards, "to 
 pass the time ! " Not a single one of them ever has a 
 book in his hand. In Penang, where the Botanical Garden 
 is really lovely and a sight to be seen, none of them went 
 to see it, although they were all there for the first time. 
 " But what is there to be seen ? Only Nature ? Oh no ! 
 that doesn't interest me ! " La bete humaine / 
 
 This entrance into the harbour is really very pretty, with 
 all the islands scattered about under the already setting sun. 
 I'm going up on deck to watch the entrance into the har- 
 bour, although I've seen it already five times. It is too 
 pretty to miss. 
 
 Singapore was not very exciting, because it was too 
 hot. We could only go on shore at 5 P.M., as I had pre- 
 dicted. When did captain keep his time ? As soon as I 
 had put foot on shore an idiot of a policeman came up to 
 me asking for a doctor's certificate for Tim, and began his 
 stupid talk with the idiotic question, " Is this dog yours?" 
 Do I look like a man who clips dogs ? Isn't it astonish- 
 ing with what stupid things people start a conversation ? 
 Well, this ended with my having to take the poor little 
 Tim back to the boat, as I hadn't a certificate. People 
 
 in Singapore, consequently, in my eyes, are d fools. 
 
 And we had both looked forward so much to a nice run in 
 the Botanical Gardens ! So I rikshahed alone to the bird
 
 SINGAPORE in 
 
 shop, where they were very pleased to hear that my Cocky 
 was so well, and they promised to get me some really good 
 Chinese geese for January. First of all I love geese ; 1 
 think them awfully attractive and so clever (perhaps I had 
 something to do with the Capitol in a former incarnation), 
 and then these Chinese geese are especially pretty, fasci- 
 nating indeed, and make such a curious wild noise. Then 
 they lay a lot of eggs, hatch well and rear easily, and are 
 very good to eat, and as it is very cold in China, they will 
 do very well at home. Besides, I know they do well in 
 Silesia. The greedy thoughts are really only the second 
 thoughts, first comes the goose mania. They will look so 
 pretty on the Tschrine and on the lawns, especially as the 
 Chinaman is only going to get me grey ones. His shop is 
 a real Zoo, and he keeps and treats all his animals so well. 
 The lovely birds and parrots he has ! And then he has, 
 too, some baby monkeys of the variety of Flossy at the 
 Beach View Hotel. If Healy had seen them he would 
 undoubtedly have bought them. I must say myself they 
 are most attractive-looking little beasts. Those salmon- 
 coloured cockatoos are not, as I thought, from Australia, 
 but from near Malacca. 
 
 Then I drove to the stick shop, but they had no good 
 ones ; they promised to keep some for me so that I might 
 have them on my way back. I wanted still to drive to the 
 Botanical Gardens, but my coolie was so stupid as not to 
 speak English or German, or I so stupid as not to speak 
 Malay or Chinese. I could not make him understand what 
 I wanted, and he drove me in all sorts of directions, but I 
 didn't get to the Botanical Gardens, and as it got dark I 
 had to return to the hotel to change for dinner. 
 
 The night was very hot and the situation of the hotel
 
 ii2 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 very noisy, and I was sorry after all I hadn't gone to the 
 quiet old Van Wyk Hotel. But Singapore remains a fasci- 
 nating place, with all its many nice Chinese and many 
 other different nationalities, its big squares and lawns and 
 fine buildings, its well-kept, prettily laid-out grounds, and 
 especially the amusing life of its streets. One has not 
 eyes enough to take it all in, from the ambulant barber to 
 the ambulant restaurant everything in the middle of the 
 traffic. The rikshahs, the bullock-carts, the pedestrians, 
 etc., etc., are all picturesque, novel, and amusingly fasci- 
 nating. It is a real circus. 
 
 Duenker, who had had to sleep on board on account of 
 the poor Timminette, came ashore in the morning with the 
 news that the boat was to leave at 10 A.M., so one could 
 not do much ; besides it was terribly hot, so I dressed 
 and drove back to the boat. The captain was in such a 
 hurry, that he might have had contraband on board. 
 
 A lot of new passengers have come on board, which is 
 not agreeable. 
 
 Half-an-hour after we left Singapore it was already 
 cooler, on account of the north monsoon. Timmchen was 
 delighted to see me again, and so was I of course to see 
 her. At Hong-Kong we stopped only one day, so I didn't 
 take her on shore, but I bought a basket for her there, so 
 that at Shanghai, where we stop two days, I can smuggle 
 her on land unnoticed in case there too they have the 
 idiotic quarantine. 
 
 August \oth. The heat is great in spite of the north 
 monsoon, and in spite of our going north all the time. One 
 can make the most interesting studies in "undress." It is 
 astonishing how grotesque and unsesthetic people mostly
 
 SINGAPORE 113 
 
 are in this state. Most of them are of course only horribly 
 vulgar, and if one thinks how universally the human being 
 clashes with and spoils the perfect harmony and glorious 
 beauty of Nature, one wonders that people have not more 
 sense than to get themselves up so grotesquely. Take, for 
 instance, an Arab. Does he ever clash with the landscape ? 
 Never. He is clothed from head to foot, and is artistic. 
 Take a European with a stiff collar, billycock hat, and a 
 tweed suit, and how monstrous he looks in his long trousers. 
 And then when people begin to let themselves go, and 
 come to the undressed state ! In this they imagine them- 
 selves quite artistic (the stupidity and vanity of the human 
 race is boundless), but the European has such an utter and 
 total lack of the aesthetic and the artistic sense, that when 
 he attempts anything of the sort it is generally an utter 
 failure, and he is only grotesque. Even in a pair of bathing 
 drawers one can appear smart and elegant (not that I mean 
 to say that our passengers have come so far down in their 
 deshabillees], but. it is a fact. Even a pair of bathing 
 drawers can be put on smartly or unsmartly, and if I were 
 not afraid of shocking my kind readers I would give a 
 little sketch of the two different ways, but for propriety's 
 sake it is perhaps better that I shouldn't. Here we have 
 come only to the collarless and tieless state ; waistcoats 
 have been discarded, but belts and sashes are thought 
 superfluous as well, and monstrosities appear, which make 
 me pace the deck with double energy. Yesterday the chief 
 engineer stopped me and said, " Count, according to your 
 height you ought to be at least twice as fat. I believe you 
 walk too much." I could only smile down on the enormous 
 excrescence he carries about with him, and thank God that 
 I haven't to drag such a bundle with me through the world. 
 
 VOL. II. H
 
 n 4 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 What would my horses say if I returned with a tumtum like 
 that ? I expect they would kick me off at the first ride. 
 I must say that a bathing suit would be most appropriate 
 to this muggy heat, and as far as surprises go, there would 
 be none at all, for in this horrid undressiness, in which the 
 passengers parade about, there is not the least doubt, not 
 even the possibility of a doubt left, about the human (and 
 sometimes inhuman) shapes of the greatest number of them. 
 They are beauties ! 
 
 The " petit Moise" (I don't know his name, and there- 
 fore christened him like that) has spoken to me to-day, to 
 the great delight of the whole boat. I was simply dumb- 
 founded, but, after all, why shouldn't he ? Don't we travel 
 on the same boat, and isn't that a sort of "free pass"! 
 Besides, it is too hot to be stand-offish. I'm morally en 
 deshabille, therefore I was too weak to snub him. Then 
 he touches me by the almost childlike naivete" with which he 
 said that he had longed, had indeed been dying all this time, 
 to make my acquaintance. (He's a Jew.) His simplicity 
 had really something disarming about it. I like natural 
 people, and if I hate anything it is to pose. Well ! at least 
 he didn't pretend anything. Besides, I quite intend to 
 use the letter I've got for the S - at Shanghai, and can 
 one be more " mosaic " than they ? So why not a little 
 preliminary canter with " le petit Moise"? 
 
 I hope the typhoons have blown themselves out by 
 now, although it is the season for them. In Hong- Kong one 
 is actually not allowed to eat fish, as 700 Chinese have 
 been drowned in this last typhoon. Sea fish are always 
 dirty things. One never realises it, but they are disgusting, 
 and when during the Japanese war a troopship was sunk, 
 and 2000 soldiers were drowned, people laughed at me
 
 HONG-KONG 115 
 
 because I would not eat sea fish. Now at Hong-Kong it 
 is forbidden by the police, and for a similar reason. 
 
 Augiist \$th. Yesterday, at 2 P.M., we arrived at 
 Hong-Kong. The muggy heat was awful. It was as 
 if you sat in an overheated bathroom, but all the same 
 it is a fascinating place, and I'm awfully fond of it. 
 Besides, Tim was allowed to land too, and thoroughly 
 enjoyed it. 
 
 After booking a room at the Hong- Kong Hotel, and, 
 oddly enough, having got the room Miss Elliott and Miss 
 Christal had, beside Healy's and mine, Tim and I started 
 for a shopping expedition. They had made the grass- 
 cloth napkins very well, exactly copying the Canton model 
 I had given them, and the fat man beamed at my praise. 
 The other affairs proved satisfactory too, and so everything 
 was all right " pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes 
 possibles ! " But I simply steamed and dripped with the 
 heat all the time, even though I walked slowly and in 
 the shade. It was overwhelming, and altogether not an 
 advantageous moment for Hong-Kong, for I've seen it look 
 much prettier. It was as if Nature even had drooped in the 
 steamy heat, and the recent terrific typhoon had of course 
 broken lots of palms and trees, and pulled down branches 
 and torn off leaves. It must have been terrible ; another 
 3000 people perished in it, and 500 sampans were sunk. 
 No wonder one is not allowed to eat any fish. The nice 
 English hotel manager told me he had never before been 
 in such a terrific typhoon ; it lasted for four hours, and the 
 whole huge building of the hotel, which stretches in one 
 solid mass over a whole block, with four streets round it, had 
 swayed and rocked. He had finally thought it would fall
 
 n6 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 down, as lots of houses did. Of the big vessels only one 
 sank, as they had all had warning twenty-four hours before 
 by wire from the north, and all the boats in the harbour 
 were under full steam. I only hope we shan't meet 
 another on this journey. I don't trust our captain a bit ; 
 so let's pray for calmness, and peace. 
 
 It rained now and then yesterday, but the rains haven't 
 made it a bit cooler ; on the contrary, they have only made 
 it more steamy, and therefore hotter. Towards six, when 
 it had got a little bit cooler, or rather a little bit less hot, I 
 took a rikshah and drove with Tim as far as the racecourse, 
 and walked home from there along the Kennedy road, 
 which runs along so prettily half-way up the hill, and allows 
 you such a lovely view over the town and the lovely har- 
 bour. But my thoughts wandered to the pleasant walks 
 we took here last winter. Only Tim enjoyed herself 
 thoroughly romping about, the little mite. In town she 
 was very good too, but there I had her on the chain. I 
 thought it would be safer. She was so cheeky with 
 other dogs, and there are such a lot of horridly mangy 
 dogs in all Chinese towns. The night didn't cool down 
 a bit. 
 
 Yesterday, just after we had landed, poor Miss Schmidt 
 had a wire telling her her young man was dangerously ill, 
 and laid up in the German hospital in Shanghai. One can 
 imagine how the poor girl, just barely escaped from death's 
 jaws herself, was upset by this bad news. The wire was 
 dated August 7th, so as nobody had enough initiative to do 
 anything, I wired, answer paid, to the chief doctor at 
 Shanghai to inquire, and late at night got the answer that 
 he was hopeless. It was too late to send the message to
 
 HONG-KONG 117 
 
 the boat ; besides, the nice young doctor had agreed with me 
 that it was better not to tell her anything of the sending of 
 my wire till we had a good answer, and if it was a bad one, 
 one must prepare her gradually to bear it. I think if it had 
 been a good one no, I'm sure about it I would have 
 gone myself to the boat and brought her the good news. 
 Alas ! this was not possible. All this tragedy has impressed 
 me greatly, it is so awfully sad. She is quite alone in the 
 world, having lost both parents and four brothers. She 
 has been engaged for several years, he has now a very well- 
 paid post in China, and she came out to get married to 
 him. Now he is dying, and when she arrives most likely 
 will be already dead and buried. She doesn't know a soul 
 out there. 
 
 This morning we were due at 1 1 A.M., so I went to buy 
 her some flowers. The flower market is lovely, and so 
 picturesque, in a narrow side street going steeply up the 
 hill, like those little steep streets in Naples. The vendors 
 have all their flowers daintily arranged in huge baskets in 
 front of them, thus lining the narrow street with one 
 coloured garland of flowers. 
 
 When I arrived on board and brought her the flowers, 
 I found her crying bitterly, poor thing. The doctor, whom 
 I took aside and showed the wire, agreed with me it was 
 better not to show it her, but to chuck it into the sea. He 
 had gone to the North German Lloyd boat, which had 
 just arrived from Japan and China, where he had spoken to 
 the doctor, who had told him the case was a hopeless one, as 
 the young man suffered from tuberculosis of the intestines, 
 etc., etc., and was through and through tuberculous. So 
 they were letting him quietly die. Perhaps, almost certainly 
 even, when she arrived, he would be dead and buried. My
 
 n8 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 rage flamed up at this again afresh, and I must let it out in a 
 few insulting newspaper articles. To think that the serum 
 exists that will save all those poor devils from a horrid 
 death, as it saved me, and that through savage jealousy and 
 partiality, and lust of gain, the doctors won't use it or let it 
 be known. Of course it would ruin so many rich doctors ! 
 They are the most unscrupulous, hard-hearted, selfish, 
 commonest set of people that exist, and it is really time 
 that the public should emancipate itself, and refuse to stand 
 any longer the old-fashioned medical nonsense these vul- 
 tures of humanity impose on human society. Mind, I 
 know perfectly well what I am talking about. I have been 
 for eight years in the claws of these unscrupulous and 
 mercenary brutes, whose only interest is their own vanity 
 and their purse. I had the pleasure of testing the medical 
 men of four different nations. I o-ot, alas ! to know them 
 
 C3 * 
 
 intimately during daily intercourse, and so my high opinion 
 has been formed of this unscrupulous, mercenary, vain, 
 selfish, and heartless gang of charlatans. Of the minor 
 doctors I don't speak ; they are generally poor creatures, 
 who have to make a living somehow, and, after all, 
 medicine is as well as another profession, though it requires 
 less intelligence than most people think. The average 
 country doctor is just as ignorant as most vets. He has 
 studied when a youth, passed several exams with more 
 or less luck, and so he settles down comfortably somewhere 
 in the country or in a small town, is pompously called 
 " Doctor," and kills people respectably to the end of his 
 life. Most of them have no finer senses, no intellectual 
 understanding of the origin or the character of the patients, 
 no " psyche " whatever. They treat everybody alike 
 according to scheme " f." If the case is the slightest
 
 HONG-KONG 119 
 
 bit above the average tooth, stomach, or headache, or 
 a cold, they put on an important face, talk of interior 
 complications, and let the patient die. I've had a lot to 
 do with these ignoramuses in my country place, and you 
 English people, don't you carry your insular noses any 
 higher. I've been in England enough to know quite well 
 that the case is just exactly the same there, not an atom 
 better ; while in Italy and France it is worse. Of course I 
 know that there are a few exceptions, really marvellous, 
 clever people, intelligent, kind-hearted, disinterested, and all 
 that, but there are devilish few of them, believe me. 
 Unless the right medicine of thought is taught, there is 
 no real help. But it makes me furious to see that simply 
 on account of this beastly selfish lot of professionals, over a 
 million people die every year of tuberculosis, of whom at 
 least one-third could be saved, if not more. 
 
 The little Italian navy doctor, who is going out to join 
 his boat in Japan, just came up at that moment of my 
 wrath, and as I was just beginning to talk to the nice 
 little doctor of our boat, I let all my sudden fury out on 
 them as being the first doctors I could insult. Of course I 
 began quietly, but they had the rashness to want to argue, 
 and came in with that beastly word " professional," etc. 
 So then 1 flared up : " Hang your professional secrets and 
 standards, etc., etc." ; and poured out my illness, my ex- 
 periences, my sufferings, and what I had learned of their 
 "professional rot." and left them at last, mouth and nose 
 open at such vivacity and faculty for insult in one otherwise 
 so amiable and quiet, to digest their "professional " humbug, 
 and smooth each other's ruffled, if not plucked out, feathers. 
 It is to be hoped that for all the heartbroken sorrow and 
 tearful grief these brutes without any conscience bring on
 
 120 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 so many people whom they bereave of those most dear to 
 them, for all the intelligences they crush, all the splendid 
 futures and worthy existences they murder, they will suffer 
 in other lives for years and years to come. It would be the 
 right punishment for their utter lack of conscience. 
 
 Yesterday I met the nice stewardess from the Prince 
 Sigismund ; very smart she was, and she seemed very 
 pleased to see me, and asked a lot after the others, and 
 to-day Count Schwerin, the purser from the same boat, 
 came on board to see me. It was nice talking of that 
 pleasant time. How wee and small the world is ! 
 
 There were two young Chinese students here on 
 board, dressed in European clothes, and as nobody talked to 
 them, and they appeared rather lost, the poor things, I had 
 spoken to them now and then. The other day one of them 
 asked me if I had seen Macao, and I said yes, I didn't care 
 much for it, the only pretty place in it I thought was a 
 lovely garden belonging to a rich Chinese banker, with 
 lovely tiles in the wall. At that moment I had really 
 forgotten all the poor tortured plants, clipped into crippled 
 grotesqueness, and my enthusiasm was genuine. He 
 smiled, and said it was his father's place, and produced 
 photos of the garden and his whole family. He hoped that 
 whenever I returned to Macao I would come and stay with 
 them. I promised it firmly, all the more as I have not the 
 slightest wish or intention ever to return to Macao, which I 
 think is most disappointing, and secondly, because if I really 
 should by any chance go there again (does one ever know 
 what one is going to do ?), I have the firm intention to go 
 and stop with them there. It would be rather interesting 
 to see a real Chinese interior. I hope they won't treat me 
 to rats and worms fried in castor-oil !
 
 HONG-KONG 121 
 
 Of course we have more cargo to take, as the captain 
 thought, and we don't start before i P.M., but the harbour 
 is so fascinatingly interesting with its busy life, that time 
 flies. It is very lucky I don't live here ; I would do nothing 
 all day long but watch those fascinating Chin-Chin-China- 
 men load and unload, and all the delightful life on the 
 charming junks and sampans. 
 
 A fine misty rain fell incessantly, that did not make it 
 any cooler by any means, but through it the harbour looked 
 like a fine gouache painting, with all the misty hazy 
 distances, the half- hidden, often entirely washed over, 
 distant hills and islands ; the many mediaeval-looking 
 junks and sampans, with their high prows and tattered 
 tan-coloured sails, the busy steam-whistling little launches 
 hurrying to and fro, the large imposing steamers towering 
 above all that smaller crowd, were an amusing, interesting 
 sight. Then, finally, the exit from the harbour too is very 
 pretty, with all the different green islands making a charm- 
 ing contrast in the blue-green sea. 
 
 As soon as we were on the open sea the sun shone, and 
 the north monsoon cooled the air most pleasantly. Before 
 the boat left, the Manila people who had left our boat here 
 came on board to say good-bye. Their boat, the Prince 
 Sigismund, was sailing this afternoon. Mr. Redfern was 
 quite normal, nice, and well-mannered as ever ; the young 
 German assessor had better have kept away instead of 
 displaying his parting feelings, strongly mixed with wine. 
 When he was sober (and I had only seen him like that) I 
 rather liked him, but with glassy eyes he was awful. He 
 leant in his, shall I call it intoxication ? quite close to me as 
 I was leaning over the parapet of the boat, watching the 
 fascinating Chinese loading and busying themselves, and as
 
 122 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 I was afraid he would fall, for he apparently steadied 
 himself against me, I had an opportunity of looking at him 
 closely. I thought he looked awful, and from a distance 
 he had looked rather nice and clean, and well-groomed. 
 Everything was so vulgar and thick on him, his hair, his 
 skin. I think people are seen more to their advantage from 
 a distance, and even a very large distance. There are very 
 few only who can stand very close inspection. Those, of 
 course, are then all the more attractive the closer you see 
 them. Well! this was not the case with Dr. Nord-some- 
 thing. He was from Cologne. 
 
 Tim was greatly admired by the Chinese, who all said 
 " Chin, chin ! " but I think it was more on account of her 
 coat, which is growing so strongly now, and she looks so 
 fat, and they thought perhaps what a good fat joint she 
 would make. 
 
 Late in the night we passed through some enormous 
 fishing fleets, which sailed quite close past us, and howled 
 and yelled in an infernal way. I thought at first they 
 were pirates, and was happily excited at the prospect of 
 a little skirmish, but they turned out to be harmless 
 fishermen. They looked fantastic enough in their bronzy 
 nakedness, lit up in flashes by our lights as we passed 
 them swiftly. 
 
 Now it must soon begin to get cooler, as we are 
 continually going north, and then I hope my valet (German) 
 will get normal again, as apparently he can't stand the 
 heat. It is astonishing how little uneducated people can 
 stand. In this instance I must say the Englishman stands 
 more than the German ; the latter collapses at once. I 
 honestly think the Englishman has more nerve and pluck. 
 How the stewards perspire I cannot describe. Altogether
 
 SHANGHAI 123 
 
 the service, which otherwise is so good on the Lloyd, is 
 very bad on this boat. It is a pity they haven't Chinamen, 
 who are such good waiters, and are otherwise so wonder- 
 fully attentive, almost better than the Arabs. Only the 
 food is really excellent. 
 
 Shanghai, August i yt/i. Now we really have a typhoon. 
 This comes from all the stupid people having wished to be 
 in one. At least we are in the tail of one, which is stupid 
 enough. One does not know yet properly what typhoon or 
 which. Since yesterday it has been announced. All the 
 typhoon signals are drawn up, not one junk is to be seen, 
 and all the other big steamers are under full steam, ready to 
 go to sea at once. We, of course, are the same. The sea 
 breaks in high yellow waves, which wash on one side over 
 the upper deck, and at lunch the storm howled and whistled 
 so, that one had to order the things from the stewards by 
 pointing them out on the bill of fare, it was impossible to 
 understand one word. 
 
 Yesterday at 8 A.M. we arrived at Woosung, which is the 
 anchoring place of Shanghai, at the yellow-watered mouth 
 of the Yangtse-kiang River. An enormous sandbank here 
 stops the large vessels from going farther up into the 
 river, which otherwise would be easily navigable for several 
 miles up-stream, even by the largest boats. We had to 
 lay-to the whole night still farther out to wait for the tide, 
 having arrived the night before at 1 1 P.M. We are sup- 
 posed to have moved on then at 3 A.M. I slept of course. 
 It was ages before one could go on the tender, on account 
 of that stupid quarantine business, and finally we only went 
 at 1 1 A.M., although all the people were ready at 7 A.M. ! I 
 appeared last of course, as I know these tricks, and was
 
 124 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 very much envied by all for having slept, and not hurried 
 unnecessarily. 
 
 Fraulein Schmidt I found in floods of tears, Miss 
 Ullmann stood not far away from her leaning over the 
 railings, and as I appeared on the deck, which was empty 
 save for these two, she spoke in a low voice to me, saying, 
 " Excuse me, Count, look at poor Fraulein Schmidt; you 
 know her, please go and talk to the poor thing ; she must 
 have had very bad news, and there is nobody to comfort 
 her." 
 
 I must say this touched me, and I thought it was 
 very kind of the lady. I thought, of course, Fraulein 
 Schmidt had the news of her young man's death, but she 
 told me he was still alive, but in extremis, and had wished 
 that they should be quickly married. She would go 
 straight to the hospital, as they had to be married at once. 
 In face of such a tragedy one is speechless, but it seemed to 
 be a comfort to her that I sat beside her, and so I remained 
 with her and the little doctor, and I accompanied her to 
 the tender. We sat so that we had her between us, and 
 tried to screen her from the many curious gazers. How 
 tactless people are ! Nobody knows it better than I, having 
 been trundled about the world in bath -chairs and on 
 stretchers, when people would pass quite loud remarks 
 about my u not going to live long," and so on, after they 
 had stared unabashed at me as at an animal in the Zoo. 
 We tried to make her brave and pull her up as much as 
 possible, but I personally don't think she was quite right in 
 her head. Everybody said she was so changed since that 
 heat attack. Of course I didn't know her before. She 
 did sometimes say extraordinary things, which some people 
 on board misinterpreted, and seemed to me to be rather
 
 SHANGHAI 125 
 
 hard on her. At the pier the chief doctor's wife was 
 waiting for her ; she looked very nice and sympathetic, and 
 they drove away together. 
 
 The whole way from Woosung to Shanghai, up the 
 Yantgse-kiang, is ugly. It is quite flat country, without 
 any trees, and reminds one rather of the ugly parts of 
 Galicia. Besides, the pea-soup river ! 
 
 In Shanghai itself it was awfully hot, and as it was 
 Sunday the principal shops were closed, and comparatively 
 little life was going on in the streets, as always in an 
 English town on a Sunday. But Tim was allowed to land, 
 so that was something to the good. 
 
 I had promised Mr. Kuehne, as all his other friends had 
 left at Hong-Kong, and he knew nobody here, to show him 
 as much of Shanghai as possible, and so he followed me 
 about like a little dog. He is a nice and funny young man. 
 I got to like him, and we had long talks and walks on the 
 boat together. First we drove to the Astor House (the 
 hotel) to take rooms. Through Miss Schmidt I had made 
 the acquaintance of Miss Ullmann, and then she had 
 patted Tim, after having asked if I allowed it, and so one 
 word had led to another. But, in fact, the conversation 
 had first started because I hadn't been able to keep serious 
 at a story she had told so very funnily near me that I 
 couldn't help bursting out in an uncontrollable fit of 
 laughter. So she had turned round, and when she saw how 
 heartily I laughed, she laughed herself, and as I apologised 
 we commenced to talk, and she told me the story again, 
 which made me laugh again, though in its way it was not 
 at all laughable, but then she told and mimicked it so 
 funnily. Besides, I had read a chapter in Prentice Miilford 
 the evening before, which had made me take new resolu-
 
 126 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 tions. It was about my neighbours. It is really a 
 wonderful book ; I don't know what I would have done in 
 life without it. The oftener one reads it the more it helps 
 and works. 
 
 The story (not Prentice Mulford's, but Miss Ullmann's) 
 was, that in the night a man came into her cabin. She 
 woke up, and felt somebody creeping on to her bed and 
 trying to lift her nightdress, as (she is so frightfully out- 
 spoken in such a natural funny way one cannot help laugh- 
 ing) it had been hot, and she had slept without her blanket. 
 She jumped to her knees, and found herself kneeling oppo- 
 site a man in her bed, and of course she began to yell. 
 She says she was not properly awake, as she had slept so 
 soundly, but when he heard her yell he rushed out of the 
 cabin, she after him, but lost him in one of the passages ; 
 and although Mr. Holle had rushed out of his cabin at her 
 shrieks, and had tried to get him, they had not been able 
 to catch him. So they complained about it to the captain 
 next morning, and as she said she was certain it was one 
 of the stewards, an investigation was begun. Then the 
 nice fat stewardess who always looked after H ugo heard 
 it. She came forward and said she thought it might have 
 been the same steward that had come on the same night 
 into Fraulein Schmidt's cabin. She had recognised him 
 distinctly. As the doctor wanted somebody to watch with 
 Fraulein Schmidt, the stewardess had slept on the sofa in 
 her cabin, and had been awakened by a steward coming 
 stealthily into the cabin and going towards Fraulein 
 Schmidt's bed. She had sat up and said, " What are you 
 doing in here ? " upon which he had rushed out. She sup- 
 posed it might have been the same. So the man was 
 called, and, after denying it at first, finally confessed. So
 
 SHANGHAI 127 
 
 now he is locked up and handcuffed. And who do you 
 think it was ? Nobody else but my squinting table steward, 
 who had been removed from my table, thank God, as I had 
 taken such a violent dislike to him, several days ago. He 
 is married and has several children. But I must say it is 
 a long time since 1 have laughed so much at a story as I 
 did at Miss Ullmann's, as she really told it too funnily for 
 words, and mimicked wonderfully well. And then all the 
 nice Viennese expressions made it still funnier ; so we 
 struck up a friendship, and Tim sealed it ! 
 
 Of course if a thing like that had happened in poor 
 Italy, all the virtuous Europeans would have indignantly 
 talked about the perversion and sensuality of the Latin 
 races. But in Italy a thing like that would not happen. The 
 captain wanted to hush it up, but I urged Mr. Holle to be 
 firm, and we kicked up such a row, and propagated the 
 story so much, that he found it impossible to hush it up. I 
 told him he might consider himself very lucky that it had 
 been a strong-minded woman like Miss U. who was the 
 
 o 
 
 victim, because had the brute sat on Fraulein Schmidt's 
 bed, that hysterical female with her weak heart might have 
 had a stroke and died there, and then what a nice fix the 
 company and he would have been in ! 
 
 After lunch Kuehne and I drove to the hospital, as I 
 had promised Fraulein Schmidt to try and speak to the 
 chief doctor, as it had been said it was tuberculosis the 
 young man suffered from. Perhaps one might induce him 
 to use Marmoresk serum. The rikshahs drove us first to an 
 awful Chinese hospital, as they must have misunderstood 
 us, and it is a real wonder that we didn't get the smallpox, 
 plague, or cholera there. We saw some disgusting things, 
 and the smell was terrific, almost as bad as in that hospita
 
 128 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 in Florence opposite Muenstermann's pharmacy, where I 
 had to go once on account of Cora's dead coachman, and 
 where the dirt, the sights, the outrageously insanitary ar- 
 rangements made me incapable of eating meat for a whole 
 week. I'll never forget that dirt. Well, this Chinese one 
 was almost as bad, but the Italian one was worse. 
 
 When I reached the chief doctor, passing monstrous 
 sick beds and horrid wounds, and awful half-naked, dis- 
 gusting bodies, we found to my relief that we had come 
 to the wrong place. So we tried further, and arrived finally 
 at the German Hospital, which is large, spacious, and very 
 well kept, with a large garden, nice English nun-nurses in 
 it, and the chief doctor is German. He was out. but the 
 nice old Mother Superior told us all we wanted to know. 
 Mr. von Jaminet was in extremis, quite beyond any hope. 
 It wasn't tuberculosis, but a sort of dysentery special to the 
 Chinese tropics, and he had come into the hospital in a 
 really too advanced state. They had expected him to die 
 every day, and had only kept him alive at his special wish 
 by all sorts of artificial things, so that he might see his 
 bride once more and could be married to her ; but they had 
 all doubted of success. Yes, they had been married ; he 
 had been quite conscious, although he was unconscious all 
 yesterday. No, he couldn't live over the night, if he lived 
 even so long ; but he was quite quiet now, though slightly 
 unconscious for moments. Fraulein Schmidt had been 
 awfully upset. If I wanted to see Professor Krieg, I was 
 sure to find him at his house. So we drove there, but he 
 had gone out. It is a lovely house, close to the German 
 Consulate ; so I felt I had done my duty, and left my card 
 with my address. I really couldn't do more. 
 
 We then drove to the silk king, where I wanted to
 
 SHANGHAI 129 
 
 order the yellow silk for my new room, and at Kuehne's 
 request I made them show me all sorts of silks, although 
 I hadn't the slightest intention of buying. He was in 
 raptures. I must say they had lovely things crepes, 
 satins, taffetas, moirees, shot-silks, etc., etc., everything 
 one can think of in woven silk, passed before our admiring 
 eyes in the loveliest shades of mauves, pale blues, greens, 
 purples, greys, etc., etc. It really was a rare display of 
 lovely tints, and a pleasure to see so many pretty things. 
 Finally, we tore ourselves away and drove to the Chinese 
 city, for the silk king has his shop in the mixed Euro- 
 pean part of the town, where Chinese and European 
 shops are mixed. It took quite a long time to get there, 
 and as the greater part of the shops were shut, it looked 
 rather dull. We saw a lot of interesting things though, but 
 of course if everything had been open the picture would 
 have been much gayer. 
 
 At the Chinese town we had to get out of the rikshahs, 
 as the streets are far too narrow to allow a rikshah to 
 pass. The outer wall was surrounded by a large moat, 
 full of the dirtiest, stinkiest water I ever saw. Here again 
 I was astounded that they didn't all die of typhoid fever. 
 Across a wide, long bridge we reached the outer wall, 
 buttressed and with old-fashioned guns on the top. Round 
 it were piled up those large porcelain and earthenware bath 
 tubs one uses everywhere in China, as the shops for these 
 are here. Through a low archway with a heavily nailed 
 and hinged door we got into the inner walled part between 
 the two walls. The thickness of these walls is immense. 
 Past the outer wall we came to a small square where the 
 guard was stationed, looking more than mediaeval in many- 
 coloured costumes, with the most extraordinary spears and 
 
 VOL. n. i
 
 130 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 lances, with long coloured horsetails hanging down from 
 their tops. I was sorry there was nobody in the blocks, 
 a thing you can see very often here. This little sort of 
 square is held entirely by ironmongers. The guard looked 
 much as if they had just stepped out of a cheap pantomime 
 or a circus. Through a second porch or archway, just as 
 deep, though of course not in the same line with the first 
 one, so that, as in all fortifications, one shot would not 
 pierce both gates at once, we got into the real town, which 
 is a regular rabbit warren of incredibly narrow streets lined 
 by low houses, hardly more than first floor, and where the 
 first floors or balconies almost touch. Then the many sign- 
 boards in wood and paper hanging down from the roofs and 
 balconies make the streets almost dark and cool and shady, 
 but very close and smelly. It is very interesting, but one 
 can hardly describe it. The shops all open to the street, 
 are all on the ground floor, and have prettily carved and 
 gilt banisters or railings to separate them from the streets. 
 Inside one sees lovely things, all nicely arranged and much 
 to their advantage. All the wares are in glass cases, es- 
 pecially the curios and the jewels. These shops are real 
 museums of vases, jades, ivories, rock crystal, ambers, 
 boxes, cups, spoons, figures, gods, porcelains in all colours, 
 and paintings, embroideries, and old brocades, delightful 
 old snuff-boxes in jade, amethyst, rock crystal or glass, 
 limoge or topaz, etc., etc. Everything is so well arranged, 
 and with so much taste, almost daintily. Behind the cased 
 counters with their many treasures sit on chairs the slim 
 pale Chinese, their foreheads irreproachably shaved, their 
 pigtails minutely plaited, the upper body quite naked, and 
 down below the quaint wide trousers of black calico, or 
 white linen, grasscloth, or lavender-coloured silk gauze.
 
 SHANGHAI 131 
 
 There are fat Chinese, and incredibly slim ones, with very 
 intelligent, well-cut faces, narrow, long, oval faces, with 
 thin, well-cut noses, Napoleon like, with arched eyebrows 
 over their large, clever, fine eyes. In the narrow, beautiful 
 hands, with the long nails and thin, dry wiry fingers, they 
 hold either a pipe or a pen brush. In the jewel shops are 
 lovely pale sapphires like deep water, pink-rose quartz, lovely 
 cut jade ornaments, beautiful pearls unfortunately all pierced, 
 quaint gold trinkets and ornaments. Then the fan shops, 
 the chemists', where everything is preserved in spirit, from 
 the scorpion and the snake to the small child, as this spirit 
 is sold as medicine for all maladies ; the barbers' shops, with 
 beautiful pigtails and ladies' chignons, which would be the 
 delight of any bold old Chinaman, beautifully black and 
 shiny; the paint shops, the picture shops, with their Budclhas, 
 their flowers or people painted on rice paper ; the horrid 
 public kitchens reeking of disgusting fat in which things 
 are fried, and the greasy smell of which makes one almost 
 sick, and all the wretched mangy dogs waiting for the 
 chips and refuse ; the pipe shops, the shops with exvoti, from 
 the life-sized paper man to the gold and silver beglued paper 
 money, everything for burning in the temples as offerings ; 
 the lottery shops, the incense shops, the cutters of seals, 
 the dentists with cups full of old teeth in disgusting grey- 
 ness and grinning new rateliers with shining white teeth 
 and coral pink gums ; the compass shops, the fish shops, 
 with baskets of live tortoises, the counting machines, the 
 dominoes, the bootmakers, etc., etc., the lantern makers, 
 etc., etc., the carpenters, the coffin shops, the tailors, the 
 washermen everything side by side in a wonderful mix- 
 ture. We dawdled for hours through all these fascinating 
 streets, went into many shops, but bought nothing because
 
 132 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 I found the prices very high. I only purchased a very pretty 
 spectacle case of green snake-skin. Kuehne couldn't resist 
 some things, like every one coming out to the East for the 
 first time, and why should I have hindered him if it amused 
 him ? I know how annoying it is if people who have been 
 here before continually tell you about everything you find 
 pretty: "Oh! but that is rubbish, wait till you see," etc. 
 It is aggravating. Sometimes the rubbish shops are just 
 pretty in their rubbishiness. 
 
 Then we went into a temple, in which there was nothing 
 interesting except the life of the dealers and to watch the 
 people, because just to-day there was a sort of a fair there, 
 something after the Florentine grillo, and they were selling 
 green grasshoppers which sing exactly like the grillo in all 
 sorts of cages of wickerwork, wood, glass, paper, some 
 very prettily manufactured. Everywhere it was almost 
 impossible to pass because of the booths made of bamboo 
 sticks and mattings, where they sell, besides the grasshop- 
 pers, all sorts of European rubbish, porcelain, cotton ware, 
 enamel things, etc., etc., and the whole place was noisy with 
 the many grasshoppers' song, an almost deafening noise. 
 It is rather touching if one thinks that they take these 
 wretched infernal grasshoppers into their dingy, stinking 
 homes and feed them there on rice and lettuce for weeks, 
 so that they should sing, and thus give them in their stink- 
 ing, crowded, gloomy dwellings the idea of sunshine and of 
 a blue sky and a green meadow with lovely summer flowers. 
 How strong in everybody is the craving for God's free, 
 beautiful Nature ! 
 
 Behind the temple was a large Chinese garden, with 
 most grotesque rockery. How totally different are these 
 Chinese gardens from the Japanese ones ! The Chinese
 
 SHANGHAI 133 
 
 garden is chiefly a tortured, inartistic crippledness, while 
 the Japanese gardens are mostly artistically-copied minia- 
 ture Nature, often so well copied that the average European 
 thinks nothing of it, as it is so natural that he thinks it quite 
 natural that it is there, and never thinks that it was all 
 created artificially in this little spot. All the same, origi- 
 nally the idea came from China to Japan, the idea of these 
 dwarf landscapes, like the porcelains and the silks. But it 
 is the same with these as with the rest : the wonderfully 
 artistic Japanese, who to my idea beat any nation in artistic 
 conception, have emancipated themselves from the stiff, 
 tortured, formal stilise original, and their marvellous love and 
 conception of Nature, their subtle cleverness and graceful, 
 refined taste, have led them to work, to conceive, to create 
 in this unparalleled free, ingenuously bold, and daringly 
 clever way an art of their own, and with such wonderful 
 results. Under Louis XIV. and Louis XV. Japanese art 
 influenced greatly French art. There was hardly in that 
 time a castle that was complete without its Chinoiserie and 
 Japoneserie. Look even at Chippendale, how many 
 Japanese and Chinese motives he introduced into his carv- 
 ings, especially in looking-glass frames, and now again the 
 " Art nouveau," the " Jugendstyl," is absolutely influenced 
 by Japan. I don't say that I find the latter pretty. It is 
 copied or imitated in a heavy, stupid, senseless way, but 
 most of the people don't even realise that it was inspired 
 by Japanese art ; yet it is the same at bottom, only utterly 
 distorted and misunderstood. 
 
 In the middle of the tortured garden was a large tea- 
 house, with indescribably bored-looking tea girls in their 
 long coats and trousers, with their dull, expressionless faces 
 and ugly way of having the hair cut straight on their
 
 134 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 painted foreheads. Here, again, is a striking contrast with 
 the Japanese these bored, dull, stiff creatures here, and in 
 Japan the daintily-arrayed, little graceful girls with their 
 sweet manners and fascinating smiles. Of course in Japan 
 you stop to take tea, although you never wanted any at the 
 beginning. 
 
 The heat was really awful, and the air frightfully stuffy. 
 In one shop where Kuehne wanted to buy through me a 
 painted Buddha, I felt I was melting down in all directions. 
 We might just as well have been in a steam bath. Kuehne 
 looked beamingly at me and said delighted, " Ah ! now 
 even you commence to perspire! Now, thank God, now 
 even you commence to perspire ! " What there was to 
 thank God for I couldn't quite see, except that he was 
 pleased not to be the only one to continually wipe his face. 
 
 At another shop where he stopped again for an endless 
 time, I bought myself a cheap fan, having left mine at home, 
 because I was literally melting ; and I noticed, thank God 
 (this time really), how the rikshah coolie, who had followed 
 us smilingly all the time, wanted to wipe my face with his 
 handkerchief, which I had just seen him pull out of his small 
 bathing-drawer garment, the only thing he had on besides 
 a huge pointed straw-hat. I stopped him in time, thank 
 God (really), with a smile and a kind gesture towards my 
 own handkerchief without hurting the commiserating soul's 
 feelings. I couldn't help laughing, all the same. We still 
 wandered a long time through the narrow streets. I had 
 promised K. to make him enjoy himself, and he was like a 
 child ; and so, though I began to be tired, and the stuffiness 
 was awful, I let him enjoy his first Eastern outing. He 
 was so thankful, said in the other places he had seen 
 nothing of that interesting kind, his friends had only taken
 
 SHANGHAI 135 
 
 him to bars and music-halls. That's generally what the 
 young European travellers do. 
 
 The old mandarin castle in its large pond-like moat, 
 even if it is filthy, looks lovely, with its curved roof and 
 lovely old blue-tiled windows and fine bronze window- 
 gratings. The big tea-house, besides, to be reached over a 
 long zigzag bridge, swarming with people to-day, looked 
 lovely in the full sunshine with the green reeds round it. 
 But I was glad, all the same, when we finally returned to 
 our rikshahs and trotted back to the hotel, where I un- 
 dressed myself entirely, and was just about to step into my 
 bath with a big lemon squash in my hand, when the room 
 boy came and announced Professor Krieg, the chief doctor 
 of the hospital. I couldn't have dressed again for the 
 world, and I didn't know where my valet was, and I 
 couldn't keep the man waiting ; so I slipped on my galabia 
 and asked him to come in. He told me at once of the 
 wedding near the sick-bed, etc., etc. ; and after he had 
 poured out all his news, it came out (what the nurse had 
 already told me) that Mr. von Jaminet had not tubercu- 
 losis at all, so his case was really hopeless. He, too, 
 thought he was going to die that night ; they had really 
 kept him alive artificially for the marriage all this time, and 
 now the body was collapsing entirely. I expect the strong 
 will and wish had still more to do with keeping his wretched 
 body alive than all the medicines. Now his wish is accom- 
 plished he will die. The spirit gives up the struggle, it 
 has nothing to remain in the outworked body for. But I 
 can't help it, I find the whole thing frightfully tragic ; it is 
 all like a novel. 
 
 After dinner we went with a guide into a Chinese 
 theatre and the opium-houses, and I must say I was aston-
 
 136 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 ished how clean these latter were. I expect the guide (an 
 extraordinary mixture of nationalities, having been born of 
 Russian-German parents in Constantinople and being natu- 
 ralised a Turk) took us to the respectable ones. I am very 
 glad, because I think one can see interesting things just as 
 well without going, like some people do, to the worst places. 
 He was a very nice man altogether, and spoke German 
 fluently, which he learned during the Boxer War, as he had 
 a canteen then with the German troops. What odd exist- 
 ences one finds out here in the East ! 
 
 Kuehne was delighted, as he of course had never seen 
 anything like it, and his genuine thankfulness was really 
 nice to see. The theatre was very good ; all the actors 
 were girls, even those that played the men's parts. They 
 had lovely embroidered costumes, and the lack of scenery 
 was just as funnily amusing as the noisy music (if one can 
 call the infernal noise they make music) was trying, and 
 the smells were worse ; but it was so full of a local tonality, 
 that one took it all into the bargain. 
 
 Punctually next morning at 9 A.M. the tender left. We 
 were there in time, and as it just began to move away 
 from the pier the Holle-Ullmann menage appeared. They 
 ran as hard as they could, and frantically waved umbrellas 
 and parcels. No use ! I tried to stop the boat, but the 
 man wouldn't listen ; the chief engineer was even very rude, 
 and said that they had orders to leave punctually. At that 
 moment the tender turned slightly, and the prow of it 
 almost touched the pier, and to my great astonishment I 
 saw Fraulein Ullmann make a jump, and she cleverly 
 reached the boat and threw me her parcels, while I pulled 
 her up. Mr. Holle had swiftly jumped on board too. I 
 must say we were all astonished at her agility, because she
 
 SHANGHAI 137 
 
 was by no means slim. I couldn't help laughing as she, 
 once safe on the now fast-moving boat, only said, " Good 
 heavens, my eggs ! " and opened a pink paper parcel she 
 had tightly gripped all the time and peeped in. They were 
 chocolate eggs for Hugo she had bought, as he had gone 
 to her at Hong- Kong and showed her the chocolates I had 
 brought him, saying, "The Count brought me these! I 
 expect ' Du Gnaedige Frau ' has forgotten me ! " She was 
 very pleased to see that her chocolate eggs were unharmed. 
 It was only a pity that nobody photographed her, she 
 looked too awfully funny. Everybody laughed. 
 
 Hugo is a little boy with whom I made great friends 
 over my typewriter. He is four years old, and is going 
 out with his mother to join his father in Yokohama, a 
 Captain Pohl, who is something there of the Lloyd. He 
 is supposed to be naughty, though I don't think so. The 
 other day he said to Fraulein Schmidt, whom he hated just 
 as much as he did what he terms " her doctor " (the ship 
 doctor), after gazing intently at her for some time, " You 
 are really just as stupid-looking as you are ugly." 
 
 She told it me furiously, saying she couldn't understand 
 how I could play with this horrid child. Well, he has the 
 bad taste to find me neither stupid-looking nor ugly, and 
 we get on very well. The mother is a living Rubens, the 
 type of the monumental blonde, healthy female Teuton ; 
 she is from Hamburg. The four eggs were really all right, 
 but if Hugo's stomach is the same, I shall be surprised. 
 
 The Shanghai papers had announced for this morning 
 a typhoon, and an awful storm raged, it is true. Every- 
 where the typhoon balls were hissing, no junk was to be 
 seen, the pie-coloured river had high waves, so that we got 
 quite wet on the tender, and had to change on the Derfflin-
 
 138 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 ger. When we finally reached her after an hour's sail, we 
 were told that we shouldn't leave before night, since, on 
 account of the heavy storm, they couldn't unload. It was 
 aggravating, because one might have spent the day more 
 pleasantly at Shanghai. During lunch the storm raged 
 terribly, and a lot of the people were terrified. We and 
 all the other boats were under full steam, so as to be able 
 to go out to sea at once if it got worse. There was no 
 possibility of taking or unloading cargo ; the cargo boats 
 had to be tugged into safety, and, besides, they were so 
 jammed against our boat that they would have injured her, 
 and the sea washed over them continually, so that they 
 took nothing in but pea-soup from the Yangtse-kiang.. To 
 go on land was impossible, because no boat could or would 
 take one ; so we had to stop all the day where we were, 
 being allowed to enjoy the dreary view of flat and ugly 
 Woosung, with its few houses and chimney-pots, and the 
 railway station, the other steamers, and the turbid pea-soup. 
 
 It was heavy, hot and thundery, close and oppressive, 
 and one was tossed slowly, swinging about at the anchor 
 chain from one side to the other by the howling storm, 
 which sometimes drove the yellow waves over the upper 
 deck, so that all the sun sails had to be put up. 
 
 We only left, after all, on August i8th, the day we were 
 due to arrive at Nagasaki, at twelve in the middle of the 
 day, after the real danger was over, and we had been able 
 to take in and unload some cargo, but of course not half 
 of what we ought to have had. 
 
 In the afternoon the captain, whom we hadn't seen all 
 these days, came past me in oilskins still, and said, decidedly 
 grateful and pleased, " Well, now, we are out of the 
 typhoon ! now the danger is over ! " I had noticed yester-
 
 SHANGHAI 139 
 
 day how nervous they all were, although they wouldn't admit 
 it. The chief engineer had been on the Prince Sigismund 
 in that typhoon two years ago, of which the nice captain 
 had told me when I crossed from Australia to Hong- Kong 
 in February, or whenever it was. This typhoon lasted 
 for forty-eight hours ! and the compass went wheeling 
 round continually, and with it of course the boat. He said 
 he had never experienced anything like it. The captain 
 was tied to the bridge, but he said none of the crew were 
 
 o ' 
 
 nervous, as they all knew the captain was such a wonder- 
 ful steersman. 
 
 So to-day, August iQth, we were swimming happily 
 along over a slightly-moving blue sea towards the land of 
 the Rising Sun. To-night at 6 P.M. we are expected to 
 arrive at Nagasaki. To-morrow morning we shall go on, 
 as we are already late. I hope Jinija will be at Nagasaki. 
 Duenker is grand at mending socks, but as a travelling 
 servant or courier he is hopelessly continental and stupid. 
 If beloved Hendschel was with me everything would be 
 perfect. Then I would doubly enjoy Japan. Well, one 
 cannot have everything.
 
 XV 
 JAPAN 
 
 WE arrived at Nagasaki unfortunately so late, that we saw 
 nothing of the lovely harbour but the lights. But even 
 these are pretty in this artistic country. It is impossible 
 to believe how artistic these people are, even in the arrang- 
 ing of quite trivial things, as, for instance, the putting up of 
 their lanterns on their sampans (little rowing-boats), which 
 of course at once swarmed round our boat. My delight 
 was really great when I saw Jinija's cheerful, boyish face 
 coming up to me beamingly, and he was just as pleased 
 as I was I could see, because, if one knows the Japanese 
 a bit, one can see at once whether it is only the formal smile 
 of politeness or genuine pleasure. His delight was really 
 genuine, and it was like old times. He couldn't get over 
 my looking so much stronger and stouter, and so well, as 
 he amiably puts it, "so much younger-looking." He him- 
 self looks exactly the same. The years have passed him 
 without leaving a mark, and as Miss Elliott, who was so 
 satisfied with my recommendation of him, wrote, he is like 
 a naughty schoolboy who is always cheerful. What a 
 blessing it is not to see a sulky face ! 
 
 As I had promised the Ullmann couple to show them 
 as much of Japan as possible here, we went ashore in spite 
 of the late hour. Kuehne sulked. He was offended about 
 
 some rather risky, joky remark of Miss Ullmann's, and 
 
 140
 
 JAPAN 141 
 
 although I told him she hadn't meant anything serious, 
 his dignity was ruffled. He said quite reproachfully he 
 wouldn't have minded if she had told him it privately, but 
 before Mr. Holle and me! "And you," he added scorn- 
 fully, " laughed !" Well, I couldn't help laughing ! I admit 
 it was going rather far, but I'm convinced she didn't realise 
 what she said. Then she was so awfully funny because she 
 mimicked him, how he had walked round the deck, and last, 
 but not least, she was right. He had tried to attract her 
 attention, he had told me so before we knew her, so of 
 course his feelings were rather hurt at her imitating his 
 efforts to make an effect on her. She really ought to go 
 on the stage, as she says she almost made up her mind to. 
 She would have an enormous success. 
 
 So Kuehne sulked and cut off his own nose to spite his 
 face by not coming with us. We went ashore in the launch, 
 then took rikshahs and drove for an hour through the 
 almost sleeping town. The shops were hardly open by then, 
 as it was too late. But a toy-shop was still open, and we 
 entered to buy something for the little Hugo. On this 
 drive through the half-sleeping streets, almost dark with 
 their lampions (paper lanterns) the wooden or paper 
 shutters of the low houses closed throwing a vague light 
 and some still vaguer silhouettes, we saw people in the 
 deepest undress sitting in front of their houses fanning 
 themselves or bathing, others stalking about on their 
 clattering wooden sandals in the short linen kimono, the 
 towel over their shoulders, just returning from the public 
 bath. Still others were playing tehee on the raised 
 platform of their houses, sitting on the spotless matted 
 floor under the shade of a paper lamp. The peeps into 
 the neat interiors of the houses now and then, showing an
 
 i 4 2 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 old gold screen, a dwarf tree in a porcelain or bronze pot, 
 an old pale-coloured kakemono, and everywhere the in- 
 credible cleanliness, everything shining, sparkling, the 
 light-coloured woods of ceilings and pillars and frames, 
 etc., etc., were charming, and a soft feeling of sympathy 
 and homeliness crept over me, stealing on me as though 
 somebody had softly pushed his hand in mine. No ! I 
 shan't be disappointed, as I had feared at first ; on the 
 contrary, I shall like it all the better. It will say still more 
 to me, and I shall understand it better. A charming, re- 
 poseful atmosphere surrounded me, and very happy and 
 simply delighted I went to bed that evening. 
 
 August 2ist. I got up early in order to see the pretty 
 harbour. We were supposed to start at 4 A.M., but of 
 course it was much later, in fact we only started at 10 A.M., 
 but one is not allowed on shore any more. It was really 
 a lovely sight this harbour of Nagasaki, and nobody has 
 described it better than Pierre Loti in his charming book 
 La seconde jeunesse de Madame Prune, which I think alto- 
 gether is the best book he has written on Japan. It is full 
 of that exquisite mystic charm which pervades this grace- 
 ful country. All these green hills and mountains, with their 
 many little houses and villas, surrounded by pretty gardens, 
 the curved roofs, the quaintly shaped pines, the clean 
 sampans with their clean, muscular people. Even the 
 coaling coolies in this blessed country are clean. 
 
 The coaling finished, everybody changed at once after 
 washing himself or herself, for here women coal as well as 
 men. All donned clean clothes, which had been stowed 
 carefully away, the boats were scrubbed, and the coaling 
 clothes washed at once too. And everything went on so
 
 JAPAN 143 
 
 cheerfully and gaily, that one felt cheerful and happy merely 
 from watching them. 
 
 After we had left the pretty harbour we passed some 
 very prettily-shaped little islands, with their twisted artistic 
 gnarled pine trees, but the stupid captain went so slowly 
 that we only got into the real inland sea after it was dark, 
 so that we saw nothing of this really lovely scenery for 
 which I purposely stopped on the boat. It was such a 
 pity, because it is really lovely and quite one of the sights 
 of Japan. 
 
 Aiigust 22nd. Jinija called me as soon as it was day- 
 light, and I made the steward call Kuehne as I had pro- 
 mised. It was 4 A.M. and nobody was up yet, and so we 
 could be on the deck in galabia and pyjamas. Of course 
 we passed the best part of the inland sea at night, but it 
 was pretty enough still. The lovely scenery, with the 
 many small islands crowned by gnarled, twisted old pines 
 in fantastic shapes, reaching with their long branches far out 
 over the sea, sometimes almost touching it, hanging on the 
 side of the rocks like swallows' nests. The bays, near which, 
 half hidden in thick clusters of camphor trees, in camellia 
 and bamboo groves, the many fisher hamlets were nestling 
 under the hill, with their gabled and thatched curved roofs, 
 and the promontories, on which the lovely temples stood, 
 flights of mossy old stone steps leading up to the sanc- 
 tuary through the thick pine woods, were beautiful. In 
 the more distant valleys the mists were still rising snow 
 white, and everywhere the spick-and-span clean sailing- 
 boats, with their naked bronzy crews, sailed about like 
 gulls. The shore was still covered with the filmy bluish 
 morning mist, like a thin veil, opalescent, and it softened
 
 144 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 down everything as in a mezzotint. Here and there 
 the high, thatched, curved roof of a temple stood out 
 of it, or the upper part of a large tory (a sort of gate), 
 the tops of gigantic, fantastically shaped old pines, while 
 in the foreground the waters were sparkling in the first 
 rays of the rising sun, making long trembling reflexes 
 where a sailing-boat emerged on this rippling, glittering 
 surface. Everywhere something new and prettily fascinat- 
 ing was to be seen, one never got tired of looking ; and 
 Jinija's soft, harmonious voice talked and explained, like 
 the murmur of a brook, in his friendly, cheerful way. 
 Kuehne asked why all the boats were new, and was very 
 much astonished when we told him that they were not new 
 at all, but only so cleanly scrubbed and kept that they 
 looked like new. I remember I thought the same when I 
 first came here. One can really not believe the cleanliness, 
 or get oneself accustomed to the idea of it, unless one has 
 seen it. They are wonderful people. 
 
 Towards 7 A.M. we were again in the open sea, which 
 was uninteresting, and there was nothing to do but return 
 to our beds. 
 
 At 1 1 A.M. we entered the harbour of Kobe, which 
 seemed to me greatly changed since I left it. It has got 
 prettier. 
 
 Until the quarantine doctors had come on board 
 nobody was allowed to go on shore, so we lunched on 
 board, and we still had plenty of time. We were all stand- 
 ing on deck waiting to be able to land, when all of a 
 sudden Messrs. Assuma, Hikkonesan, and Nogaki rushed 
 up to me beaming. Really for a long time I haven't seen 
 people so delighted and genuinely glad to see me again. 
 They almost kissed me, and wrung my arms almost out of
 
 HAKUNA TEMPLE, IKAO.
 
 JAPAN 145 
 
 my shoulders. Jinija of course had brought them up, and 
 joined again in the chorus ; and they laughed, and talked, 
 and smiled, and patted me on the back, and caressed me 
 as if I were a child, beaming on me all the time. It really 
 was touching and delightful to be welcomed so heartily. 
 They were delighted, and all agreed that I looked ever so 
 much better and stronger and fatter, so altered and changed 
 to my advantage. I admit that, although I am not vain, 
 I prefer this to being told, " But how old and ill you look." 
 I think nobody has the right to tell you that ; one should 
 always make the best of a greeting. 
 
 They were so excited and gay that the whole boat 
 assembled to see this ovation, and some passengers said, 
 " Well, Count, there is no doubt at least that you left a 
 good memory in Japan." 
 
 In triumph I was then escorted down to the tender, and 
 we almost fell into the water, as each of them wanted to 
 hold my hand, and Nature had unfortunately provided me 
 with only two. Each coolie and each Japanese was told 
 beamingly who I was, whereupon they in their turn beamed 
 on me, and bowed with the particular hissing note in draw- 
 ing in their breath through their teeth. It sounded as if 
 one was in a stable where they were grooming horses. 
 Thus I was escorted to the tender, and from there again to 
 the pier. 
 
 Here a gentleman, unknown to me, bowed and whistled 
 up to me, and told me that he had come from the hotel 
 proprietor who used to manage the Yaami Hotel. He, it 
 seemed, had unfortunately scorched his foot, and was unable 
 to do himself the honour of coming and welcoming me per- 
 sonally on the boat, but he hoped I would do him the 
 honour of using his carriage and honouring his hotel with 
 
 VOL. II. K
 
 146 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 my presence, and taking tea there till my train left. So 
 we all scrambled into his carriage, and were first driven a 
 little bit through the streets of Kobe and ended at the 
 hotel, a fine building with quite a nice garden behind it. 
 Here was the proprietor and several of the old boys from 
 the Yaami, and the greetings and the delight began over 
 again. The cocoa and the fruit were excellent, and he 
 wouldn't hear of payment. This time I had to accept it as 
 his guest ; if I would only be so kind as to sign my name 
 in his book thank you! 
 
 Kuehne accompanied us as far as the station, and then 
 returned rather sadly to his boat. The train started at 
 6 P.M., and it soon got dark, so that one saw very little of 
 the lovely landscape, which was a pity, and towards 8 P.M. 
 we arrived in beloved Kyoto. 
 
 As I stepped out of the compartment Messrs. Assai and 
 Benten were there to welcome me, the latter obviously 
 nervous of how I should receive him. But I was in such 
 a rosy mood that I couldn't cut him or be stiff to him for 
 anything ; besides, it is not my nature to be vindictive. 
 I always forget the nasty things and only remember the 
 nice ones, and then it is so long ago, it is almost no longer 
 true. He was delighted that I was so nice to him, poor 
 thing, because four years ago we parted in wrath that is, 
 on my side. 
 
 My old rikshah coolie was there too, and simply kissed 
 my hand all the time and bowed. It was all too touching 
 for words and too nice and delightful, and went straight to 
 my heart. Several railway officials recognised me, and 
 bowed smilingly. It got to be a regular ovation, this arriv- 
 ing at Kyoto, and Miss Ullmann says I was received like 
 the Mikado in person.
 
 JAPAN 147 
 
 In a landau with two long-tailed greys we were driven 
 to the hotel through the delightfully lit-up streets, where 
 one looks in at all the fascinating shops and houses, but 
 would like best to go into them at once and buy and 
 admire. No ! What was it that was all so fascinating and 
 lovely ? By now I was again quite mad about Japan. 
 What was at Nagasaki still like a vague feeling had by 
 now already become the reality of wild enthusiasm. 
 Nippon Banzai! Nippon Banzai! I find it above all 
 description fascinating, attractive, and lovely, and am again 
 enchanted with it. What I am thankful for is that I am 
 not disappointed. I didn't know the hotel, but the hall was 
 full of old, well-known faces, and the delight and pleasure of 
 their greeting was really almost fanatic. Honestly, I nearly 
 cried, I was so touched. Who had expected such a welcome ? 
 
 There were almost all the boys from the dear old 
 Yaami Hotel. I had the same room boy, the same bath- 
 room boy, the same table boy, I needn't order anything, 
 everything was done as by enchantment ; the smallest of 
 my fads was remembered ; it was as if I had come home. 
 I was surrounded by love, affection, care and attention, and 
 cheerful friendliness, and I was really deeply touched and 
 affected. I can't be so bad a person after all as some 
 people want to depict me, or these people here couldn't be 
 so pleased and delighted to see me again ! And they must 
 have kept a good and kind remembrance of me, otherwise 
 it wouldn't be possible, and they would not be so attached 
 to me. 
 
 My rooms were real flower exhibitions ; all the tables 
 were covered with magnificent flower arrangements with 
 dedication cards on them. No world-known actress or 
 singer could have been more feasted. It was really a sight !
 
 i 4 8 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 In the evening I fell asleep with sincere tears of grati- 
 tude in my eyes. Nippon Banzai ! Nippon Banzai ! ! 
 
 August 2$rd. One thing only is missing to my entire 
 happiness, and that is that beloved old Hendschel is not 
 with me, she who appreciates everything so much, is 
 so capable of enjoying it all, and would have been so 
 proud and pleased to see my welcome here. Alas ! 
 
 In the morning I went to Jida's silk store, which really 
 in these four years has improved beyond description. He 
 carried out my advice, and has made in his wonderful em- 
 broideries, cut velvets, and needle paintings only the good 
 old Japanese designs, instead of the European rubbish 
 which was unworthy of his art gallery. And in these 
 things he has reached an artistic perfection which even 
 surpasses my wildest expectations. A good oil-painting or a 
 fine water-colour is really nothing compared to them. They 
 are wonderful pieces of art, not only mere clever technique 
 as when I was here before, but real marvellous art. Where 
 are we in Europe ? We can pack up ! These people are 
 really astonishing and of the highest interest, and to my 
 taste the most artistic nation I know. In Europe one really 
 only sees the rubbish made especially for exportation, 
 which no Japanese, not even the poorest, would put in his 
 house. The best, the really beautiful things all remain in 
 the country ; they don't make them at all for other countries. 
 Some few collectors have such pieces, especially in Paris 
 and Hamburg, but the public in Europe only sees Japanese 
 art paper fans, thickly embroidered satin screens, and gaudy 
 gilt vases. 
 
 I spent at Jida's really heavenly hours, a real treat. He 
 was delighted with my enthusiasm, and promised to show
 
 JAPAN 149 
 
 me another time things entirely made for the Japanese, and 
 some of his old kakemonos, which he had in the godown, 
 and must have taken out for me, which always takes some 
 time. It is such a pity that he doesn't talk any English, 
 and I am so stupid as not to talk Japanese, because he is 
 such an artistic old man, and I would love to talk to him. 
 As it is, everything has to be interpreted. 
 
 To drive along through the streets is a pleasure, and 
 makes one happy and gay : this cleanliness, this harmony 
 in colours, dresses, movements, these lovely buildings in 
 their taste and simpleness, nowhere anything that forces 
 itself vulgarly or clumsily on- your eye, everywhere the 
 plants, trees, flowers, up to the most touching little tree 
 in the shabbiest shop, the lovely stalls, all open to the 
 street, which are all arranged with so much taste ; the fish 
 and the fruit shops, real vivre morts, looking like a Rem- 
 brandt painting ; everywhere the polite, clean, cheerful, 
 gay population, with its incredible charmingly courteous 
 manners and forms. One is bound to feel happy and 
 cheerful. Even a funeral here has something amiable. 
 All the nicely robed priests, following the two bearers of 
 enormous artistic bunches of flowers, in measured dignity, 
 then again two flower bearers carrying tree-sized flower 
 arrangements, long loose branches, half trees, not the 
 horrid, tortured stiff wreath, sometimes indeed carrying 
 whole little pine trees mixed with long stalked flowers ; 
 then the little coffin (they are buried here in a sitting 
 position) covered with a pretty bit of silk or brocade, 
 carried by bearers, while another holds a large red parasol- 
 baldachin over it, then the mourners in their best kimonos 
 with white handkerchiefs on their heads, reminding one 
 of those the Campagna peasant women wear. There is
 
 150 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 nothing hard, nothing gloomy, nothing lugubrious in 
 such a funeral ; amiably they lived, amiably they are 
 carried to their last resting-place. In Europe everything 
 must be as gloomy as we can make it, and all the same 
 every parson in Europe teaches us that this world is but 
 a valley of grief and sorrow, and that it is a blessing and 
 deliverance to be free of this sinful body and to get out of 
 this wicked world to heaven, which they picture to us as 
 a place where we shall sit in a long "nighty" with goose 
 wings, playing on a golden harp and singing "Alleluia" 
 to all eternity. But when we have departed from this 
 sinful, wicked world, the valley of sorrow, and have, or, 
 according to their teaching, ought to have, reached the 
 happy state, everything is made as sad, lugubrious, and 
 mournful as possible, instead of well ! I won't say exactly 
 gay, but at least pretty and nice. 
 
 This afternoon I've been in the gardens of a monastery 
 which I knew already, but I always like to see it again. 
 These gardens have on me an incredible mystic attraction, 
 an indescribable charm. They are so well kept, and their 
 luxuriant greenness and mossiness are delightful. I have 
 copied this garden in my Japanese garden at Halbau, only 
 there it has still to grow more together. But I see that we 
 copied it very well. 
 
 In the evening Benten had arranged an entertainment 
 for me. He had first asked if I would accept his invita- 
 tion. It was a sort of harvest dance for the coming rice 
 harvest, which only takes place once every year in the 
 month of August, and is performed by the peasants who 
 work in the fields. Of course I accepted with alacrity. 
 
 After dinner we trotted there in our rikshahs through 
 the faintly lit streets and avenues that led to his new country
 
 JAPAN 151 
 
 house. One who has never driven at night through these 
 Japanese streets, especially through those farther out, where 
 only country houses and temples lie, cannot know what 
 poesy is. The pale lamps shedding a fairylike misty light 
 on nature and buildings ; the creepers hanging down over 
 fences and walls, and throwing fantastic shadows on them 
 like an old Korin screen ; the bamboo sprays, gracefully 
 swaying above the wicker fences on which thick cucumbers 
 and vegetable marrows climb up, as if an art gallery or 
 a clever theatre decorator had draped them there ; the 
 curved roofs and graceful porches are infinitely charming. 
 Now and then in the dim light of his paper lantern a silent 
 walker, or a graceful woman stalking along on her high 
 wooden sandal shoes, passes you, everything in the vague, 
 artistic half light of the paper lampions, the absolute quiet- 
 ness everywhere amid the soft smells of flowers, leaves, and 
 damp earth, is of such a harmony and poesy, that it almost 
 seems impossible to describe it. One must see it and feel 
 it for oneself. Of course in such a country artists can grow, 
 everything becomes art here, even the commonplace things. 
 
 Then one comes again to long pine avenues leading 
 towards old temples in mystic gloom, and this flimsy dark- 
 ness is lit up vaguely by old mossy stone lanterns. Every- 
 thing is like pretty stage scenery, almost too pretty to be 
 reality, too artistically fine ; but in this country it is reality 
 all the same. One lives in art. I think these wonderful 
 people have grasped the great problem, and are right. 
 They create round them an artistic atmosphere in every 
 little detail of their daily surroundings. 
 
 Benten's new country house is very pretty, and sur- 
 rounded by a large garden, which is lit up entirely by huge 
 torches in iron baskets, while the whole house is illumi-
 
 152 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 nated by paper lampions all of the same shade and colour, 
 because the bad taste of mixing all sorts of colours and 
 shapes together the Japanese in his high artistic sense 
 leaves to vulgar Europeans. Of course the total effect is 
 much better and finer through the lampions being all of the 
 same form and colour. They are all in the hakkama 
 that is, the dress of ceremony, reminding one of a divided 
 skirt ; but I don't think I make a mistake when I say that 
 the divided skirt was copied from the hakkama, as the 
 hakkama was the old court dress for hundreds of years 
 I almost said long before Europe was invented, surely 
 before these emancipated, unwomanly sort of creatures and 
 females were invented who want to outdo men in every 
 sport and thing. The hakkama is very becoming. 
 
 After I had been conducted to the seat of honour the 
 dances began, which indeed were very pretty and quaint. 
 They were only executed by young men, really those who 
 worked in the rice-fields, dressed in light-coloured cotton 
 kimonos of the same pattern, and they danced with little 
 drums in their hands, which they beat in time to their 
 steps, and accompanied by weird, melancholy, but not un- 
 harmonious-sounding flutes. It was just as graceful as 
 quaint, and the steps, measured and dignified, were very 
 pretty, and they made very pretty groups. The skill with 
 which they beat their little drums all together as if they 
 were but one while they danced was wonderful, and the 
 whole thing must be something like the war and sword 
 dances of the old Greeks. It reminds one very much of 
 these old pictures and friezes. 
 
 Finally they executed the famous dragon dance. Four 
 men danced this, always two and two, making one dragon 
 in a long, most naturally arranged cotton dragon, with
 
 JAPAN 153 
 
 weird-looking, wonderfully modelled head and movable 
 jaws, tongue, and eyes. One makes the fore the other the 
 hind legs, but it is not grotesque, as is so often the case 
 when animals are represented like that in European pan- 
 tomimes. They worked so well and in such harmony in 
 all the movements, that it looked most uncanny and life-like. 
 One was red, the other a vivid green. The dear little 
 meikos, who had all sat in front of us at the beginning of 
 the dance, like graceful butterflies, all fled screaming 
 behind us when these monsters appeared, and were not 
 to be persuaded to come out again as long as the wild 
 dragon-dance lasted. Several children began to howl at 
 sight of them. I must say they were the most life-like and 
 uncanny-looking things I ever saw. 
 
 As it was quite one of the sights of the year, and usually 
 only performed in the temples, I had told Benten, who had 
 asked my permission, to let the people from near his house 
 by all means come in and witness it too ; and so the house, 
 open on all sides to the lovely warm summer night, was 
 thickly surrounded by a crowd of eager faces, of women, 
 girls, men, and children, and it made a lovely picture, the 
 crowd in their varied garments enjoying themselves 
 thoroughly. What, again, struck me was the charming 
 manners and respectful decency and quietness of all that 
 crowd. If I think of a European crowd, how loud and 
 vulgar it is ! But this lends to the whole performance still 
 a special local character and relief. The dragon-dance 
 really was an acrobatic art-dance, and graceful and pretty. 
 I was only glad that I hadn't to dance it myself in that 
 heat, covered up in that tight hood. It must have been 
 suffocating. Sometimes in the animated battle they stand 
 either on their fore or hind legs, gesticulating with the
 
 154 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 other part of the long body in the air frantically, and all 
 our circuses could have learnt from them. They were 
 wonderful, and besides, all the movements were measured, 
 snake-like, graceful. It was hardly to be believed that it 
 wasn't a real huge reptile, but two people. At the final 
 struggle they cleverly threw long thin white paper cuttings 
 over themselves, which looked exactly like the saliva of 
 the fighting animals. It is really incredible what they 
 were capable of doing. The music of drums and flutes 
 accompanied it all most weirdly, with a pastoral chant. 
 
 Then we were all photographed by flashlight in a group, 
 and then the little meikos began their dances, accompanied 
 by the geishas. I am not going so far in my Japanese 
 enthusiasm that I pretend to admire this sort of music, but 
 the dances were really lovely, so graceful, the movements 
 so pretty and harmonious and dignified. It looked like 
 an old painting. Of course it was all conventional and 
 stilise, but very pretty. I had not remembered it as 
 so pretty and graceful. But there was one dance especially, 
 executed with two fans (one in each hand), that was un- 
 commonly pretty and charmingly graceful. Some of the 
 girls were very good-looking in their vividly coloured 
 costumes and rich fine obys (sashes) made of magnificent 
 silk brocade. They made lovely pictures, and looked like 
 shimmering graceful butterflies. 
 
 Afterwards there was a supper on the first floor, with 
 champagne and excellent fruit, when the little meikos 
 couldn't get over my eating peaches with fork and spoon, 
 and each wanted to learn it. I had a great success and 
 had to teach them all, and they each of them came and 
 perched on my knees to be taught. It is astounding how 
 clever and nimble they are with their little hands. Charm-
 
 JAPAN r 55 
 
 ing little things they are, and with such good manners. If 
 one thinks of European dancing girls, how vulgar they 
 would be ! Typical again was the position of the wife in 
 Japan (which seems to me the only country where they 
 keep women in their real place). Benten's old mother 
 did not appear at this supper, although she was in the 
 house. She sent now and then up to inquire if I were 
 enjoying myself, but she would not dream of coming up 
 herself or showing herself. This was by no means (don't 
 think that) because she thought the society of the geishas 
 and meikos beneath her, not at all ; now and then they 
 went down to see her, but it is not the fashion in Japan 
 for ladies to mix in entertainments given to men. 
 
 After the table had been cleared and removed the little 
 things asked to play blindman's-buff, and it was lovely to 
 see how gracefully they glided about the matted floor 
 to evade the blindfolded man. They really looked then 
 like charming butterflies with their long voluminous obys 
 of magnificent material, some interwoven with gold and 
 silver, fluttering behind them as they ran and slid like 
 huge wings. 
 
 After some time, as I had got so animated that I had 
 joined in the game to the universal delight, I asked if they 
 didn't get awfully hot in all those kimonos and thick heavy 
 obys, because although all the windows, or rather paper 
 shutters, were wide open, it was very hot out of doors, and 
 in the house worse. I was told they kept them on out of 
 respect for me. When I told them that as regards me 
 they could take them off a shout of delight filled the room, 
 and immediately all the little dainty butterflies glided to the 
 centre of the room, ending in a sitting-kneeling position, 
 like water- fowl landing in the lake after their flight, and
 
 156 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 they began to undress. It was awfully amusing, although 
 I had seen it all before, how neatly they went through that 
 performance. All their finery was taken carefully off bit 
 by bit, folded together neatly and heaped in one bundle. 
 They displayed a grace and decency in this undressing 
 such as no European woman would be capable of. They 
 took the flowers and filigree ornaments carefully out of their 
 elaborately dressed hair, and everything was tied up in a 
 large silken handkerchief. One took a long, last glance in 
 the little pocket looking-glass every girl in Japan carries on 
 her, a last touch of powder to the nose or forehead, a care- 
 ful dab with the little handkerchief to the reddened lips, 
 readjusting the hair with the little hand, turned to the little 
 neighbour meiko and asked if everything were in order, 
 who glanced at her critically, then with a little smile and 
 courteous reverence got up and glided back to the outer 
 circle to the men, who in their turn had taken off their 
 hakkamas and ceremonial kimonos and were in the thin, 
 light-coloured under kimono of crepe, looking nice and 
 cool. The little meikos had all the same under kimono, 
 these being of white silk crepe from the waist upwards, 
 and down below a geranium-red, and the ends of the long 
 sleeves from the elbow down were geranium-red too, so 
 that the slim little figures were quite white on the top and 
 red from the waist downwards. The gorgeous, shimmering 
 butterflies had emerged from their undressing process into 
 slim, wee little children, figureless with thin little arms, and 
 no forms whatever, almost touchingly childlike. Well, 
 they were nothing else but children, being from twelve to 
 fifteen years of age only. Miss " Dragon and Lightning" 
 looked exactly like Valentine Cora when she was that age. 
 Of course now the merriment and gaiety were redoubled
 
 JAPAN 157 
 
 as one was more free and cooler, and the laughter and hap- 
 piness and wildness were charming. But it didn't get for 
 one instant vulgar. If one of the men now and then got 
 perhaps a trifle risky the little things put him quietly in 
 order at once, and in such a nice, natural, graceful, quiet 
 manner that he didn't recommence again. This nation 
 is not vulgar ; I really think they can't be common, they 
 are too artistic and aesthetic for that. I often think what 
 an example our European, even so-called well-educated, 
 young ladies could take from these little girls of the people. 
 In Europe they scream and speak like dairymaids when 
 games like that are being played, and the prettier they are 
 the more they scream. Here everything goes on gaily, 
 but nicely. 
 
 We parted only at 2 A.M. I had enjoyed myself 
 thoroughly, and Benten, the poor thing, was delighted 
 that we were friends again. 
 
 August 2^tk. I paid several visits to people I know, 
 and had to show the photos of Halbau and the Japanese 
 garden, which all interested my friends very much. I had 
 to explain of course everything. They were delighted 
 when I told them that they were to write their names 
 on those they wanted to have, and that I would order 
 other copies for them in Germany. 
 
 In the evening we had a large dinner at Mr. Jida's, who 
 had asked me to invite Miss Ullmann and Mr. Holle too, 
 as they had arrived with me, and he thought they were my 
 friends. The dinner was in an old, well-known and very 
 spacious tea-house near the Yaami Hotel, with a lovely 
 little garden behind it. But he, Holle, behaved like a 
 blase, stuck-up idiot ; he turned up his nose at everything,
 
 158 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 knew everything better than any one else, had everything 
 better, and criticised everything and everybody. He would 
 get on my nerves tremendously if we had to be together 
 much, whereas Miss Ullmann gets nicer every day one 
 knows her, I must say that. She is loud, yes, but really 
 very funny and naturally amusing, and witty and gay, and 
 very good-natured. They make a very bad couple, and 
 I think this menage won't last very long. 
 
 The dinner was a great success and very gay and good, 
 and even grumpy Holle began to melt and enjoy himself. 
 The essentially Japanese dinner was excellent, the meikos 
 danced very charmingly, and we were all very gay. My 
 special young friends were there too, and it was all a great 
 success. I really did enjoy myself immensely. They were 
 all so nice and natural and gay. 
 
 Several of the geishas recognised me again from four 
 years ago ; already yesterday I had met some old geisha 
 friends, and we had heartily renewed our acquaintance, and 
 the delight on both sides was great. I'm even getting two 
 offers of marriage ! I really think with the modern sort of 
 European females (one can hardly call the modern, up-to-date 
 sporting creature a woman) a man who likes his home and 
 wants to have it made nice and comfy, and to have a loving, 
 tender wife who cares for him personally, and will look after 
 his comforts and pleasures and happiness, instead of a tom- 
 boy and a bodiless creature, a sporting youth who only 
 thinks of her own amusements, sports, bridge, etc., etc., 
 and wants only to amuse herself the whole day and have 
 no responsibilities whatever, only a " jolly time" or "lots 
 of fun," such a young man, I think, does a very clever thing 
 if he marries a Japanese wife. They at least are still 
 "womanly" women, and here in Japan the woman has
 
 JAPAN 159 
 
 
 
 still her proper place. She is her husband's wife! In 
 Europe, and in America especially, the husband is nothing 
 else but the unpaid servant of his wife, a necessary, mostly 
 unwanted, incumbrance, who is useful to pay bills and back 
 the wife up and enable her to be more free. That's why 
 she gets married. And his acquiescence is stupidly called 
 "chivalry!" In what does the " chivalry " consist? To 
 sit in your office all day long and make money so that 
 your wife can spend it without you being even present and 
 enjoying it, or her pleasure at least in spending it ; to have 
 to look after the house yourself and everything else, so that 
 My Lady may follow her sports or play unmolested, her 
 bridge, etc., etc., or travel about, etc., etc. No, I really 
 do not quite see it. And it is not chivalrous, it is simply 
 nonsense, and a distorted situation, and women must not 
 complain if the divorce courts are filled. If they would 
 keep in their place instead of wanting to outdo the men in 
 every possible thing there would be more happy marriages. 
 Other people seem to be of the same opinion too. In 
 Murree we walked once from the Parkers' rooms one even- 
 ing along the general verandah, on which rooms in Indian 
 hotels always look out. Of course the doors of all the 
 rooms stood wide open, and as the rooms were lit you 
 could look into them and see what was going on without 
 even wanting to be indiscreet. You couldn't help seeing 
 what was going on. In one room adjoining the P.s' apart- 
 ments a young, handsome man sat, of decidedly the military 
 type, under a lamp reading a book. P. asked me after- 
 wards if I had seen him, and he told me that he was one 
 of the " too many modern married men." He was not well 
 enough off to keep a nurse for their baby, and so he (an 
 officer in one of the regiments) had to sit up every night
 
 160 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 
 
 and watch the baby while his wife went to balls or bridge 
 parties. Such are thousands, I'm told. Now, where does 
 the "chivalry" come in there, for instance? It is only 
 stupid, nothing else. With a Japanese wife a thing like 
 that would be impossible. 
 
 I take the following from a newspaper : 
 
 AN ENGLISH LADY'S LETTER TO A JAPANESE 
 "America a World of Women " 
 
 The Yorodzus correspondent Kwazansei, writing from 
 Edinburgh, sends to the journal the following letter re- 
 ceived from an English lady friend of his who wrote it 
 on board the German steamer Princess Alice, on which 
 she was travelling to Europe. Some of the passages of 
 the letter will be read with interest, though much of the 
 original charm has no doubt been lost in the process of 
 the double translation : 
 
 " These lines are written in the middle of the Atlantic 
 on the fifth day after leaving the ' Devil's Gate.' Yester- 
 day one of the European steerage passengers was confined 
 with a child. Although we are used to such things, it 
 may prove interesting to you. From your point of view 
 it may appear strange that a woman about to become a 
 mother should set out on a voyage across the ocean. But 
 we Europeans are so accustomed to and so fond of 
 travelling, that we do not think much of these things. 
 
 " I will tell you as an instance a curious fact. A cer- 
 tain man and his wife, who are both Scottish by birth, 
 and have never seen London, have a son who is registered 
 in a London parish. But although a registered Londoner,
 
 JAPAN 161 
 
 he, like his parents, has never been to London. He calls 
 himself an Australian. The fact is that he was born on 
 board an English steamer while his parents were emigrat- 
 ing to Australia. And, in accordance with the custom at 
 the time, the new-born baby was registered in a London 
 parish. Now, this Scottish-English-Australian gentleman 
 married a lady of Irish extraction born in America, 
 and therefore the offspring of the union should, as a 
 logical sequence, be Scottish- English- Australian- American- 
 Irish. . . . 
 
 " I observe that the gradual disappearance of home 
 life is more pronounced in America than in England. I 
 know of a couple in Boston who, in order to get rid of 
 the annoyance incidental to housekeeping, disposed of their 
 residence and are now living at an hotel. This class of 
 ' civilised nomads ' appears to be steadily on the increase. 
 There has been a marked increase in the number of 
 divorces in America of late years, especially among the 
 upper and moneyed classes. 
 
 " America has now completely become a world of 
 women. The premature decay and death which is in- 
 creasing among the men in America should largely be 
 attributed to over-work in their efforts to make money 
 for the women. In fact, it appears as if Americans are 
 working solely in order to please women. The latter 
 can secure a large amount of alimony in case of divorce, 
 and obtain by legacy all the property of their husbands 
 in the event of the latter's demise. It is said that an 
 American millionaire, being advised of the serious illness 
 of his daughter in Europe, instructed her medical advisers 
 to bring her to America at once. When remonstrated 
 with as to the danger of a sea voyage across the Atlantic, 
 
 VOL. II. L
 
 162 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 the millionaire haughtily intimated that his wealth was 
 equal to buying any quantity of oil with which to quell the 
 waves of the Atlantic, in order to prevent the rolling of 
 the ship." 
 
 August 2$th. To-day I took the Ullmann couple to 
 Jida as I had promised them, and here even Mr. Holle 
 got enthusiastic and was satisfied. He admitted never 
 
 o 
 
 to have seen anything like it nor to have dreamed that 
 such things existed (he has taste, there is no doubt about 
 that, but he criticises too much), but here he was quite 
 speechless, and thanked me afterwards for having taken 
 him there. 
 
 In the afternoon we drove to my garden, or rather I 
 took them there, because it is not open to the public, and 
 only my old friendship with the proprietor allows me to 
 go there. I call it my garden because I always found it 
 the prettiest garden of all the gardens in Kyoto, and it 
 was touch and go then whether I bought it. I love that 
 garden. They were both in raptures about it, and I must 
 say myself it is lovely. Mr. Holle wanted to take a 
 Japanese gardener to his plantation at Java to lay him out 
 a Japanese garden and to keep his other gardens in order. 
 In spite of all the other people it was to me like a dream 
 of olden times that I was really here again, able to see it 
 all again, and to enjoy it all, and I was really astonished 
 that dear little Molly did not come trotting up or Anlauf 
 did not appear round one of the corners. How many 
 times have I been happy in this delightful garden, and as 
 I saw them all only after the E.s' party had left Japan, no 
 unpleasant memory attached to them. This garden has 
 really been laid out for dreaming. Ben ten wants to try
 
 CRYPTOMERIA AVENUE AT KOYA-SAN
 
 JAPAN 163 
 
 to hire the house and garden for me for a month when 
 I come back from Koya San, and I really could imagine 
 nothing more charming ; I'm getting more Japanese, it 
 is growing on me every day, I can't help it. I mean to 
 say I understand the people and their amiable ways, which 
 makes life here and with them so pleasant, and their art, 
 every day I begin to know better, and especially the 
 wonderful fineness of it. I am indescribably happy, with- 
 out any special reason happy to breathe, to be able to 
 enjoy it, to be able to admire it, and to understand it all. 
 To live! It is enough. I think it is a wonderful country 
 this Japan. It does one good in every way, mentally and 
 physically. It is so soothing to one's nerves ; I'm sure the 
 damp atmosphere has a lot to do with it, but the artistry 
 of the people makes everything pleasant both to look at 
 and to live with ; their charming manners, too, affect me 
 in the most pleasant way. . . . 
 
 The Holies have left, and I'm glad that he has gone. 
 She had put on a kimono for the journey, as it was ter- 
 ribly hot still. It was a ready-made one she had bought, 
 and of course it was much too tight, as she is rather portly 
 and well-developed. In front the lace petticoat came out 
 because it was much too tight for European forms and 
 movements. She looked awfully funny, and I couldn't 
 help laughing, but she didn't mind a bit, but laughed too. 
 A kimono, even if it is made to measure, is a most dan- 
 gerous thing for a European lady to wear, and they 
 mostly look just as grotesque in one as the Japanese lady 
 looks attractive in them. It wants, apart from the great 
 slimness, special movements, and then the European 
 woman is always bent upon showing that she has a waist,
 
 1 64 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 and pulls the kimono as tightly round her waist with the 
 oby or a thin crepe sash, which gets twisted like a string 
 then, and of course makes all sorts of forms stick out like 
 grotesque globes. I never could understand why the 
 average woman does not leave something of her bodily 
 form to be guessed at, why everything must be accentuated. 
 Well, there it is, they all do it. 
 
 During the first days it was very warm, but it has begun 
 to get a little bit cooler now. One evening we went to 
 the theatre. It was really very amusing. They played 
 an old fairy tale, in which a charming boy dressed as a 
 white fox (one saw nothing of his face) played the main 
 part. The changes of scenery were exceedingly pretty, 
 and the transformations the little fox underwent, who once 
 came on as an old warrior, once as a little geisha, and so 
 on, were delightful. The ladies' parts were of course all 
 given by men, as it is supposed to be immoral here for 
 men and women to act together. But they get themselves 
 up so well, that one hardly believes they are men. In Italy 
 and France some hundred years ago, not even so very 
 long ago, this fashion was the same, especially in Italy, 
 as one can read in Casa novas' most interesting Mdmoires. 
 The difference beween the Chinese theatres and these is 
 enormous and typical. Here everything is clean and nice, 
 and the decorations are pretty ; there it is nothing but dirt, 
 awful smells, and a total lack of decorations. 
 
 The play had begun at 9 A.M., and went on till twelve at 
 night. Most of the spectators bring their food with them, 
 and of course their children, even the smallest babies, who 
 are fed by their mothers there and then, quite simply as 
 a matter of course, without unnecessary false bashfulness. 
 The bigger children play about if they are tired of watch-
 
 JAPAN 165 
 
 ing the acting, and everything is most happy and gay, and 
 everything goes on so charmingly and amiably that nothing 
 clashes. 
 
 After the Holies had left I gave two dinners here in 
 the hotel. The first one to Mr. Benten, alias Nomura, the 
 next one to Mr. Jida. The first day the boys had arranged 
 and decorated the table very prettily with laid-out flowers 
 and little German and Japanese flags. The mantelpieces 
 and looking-glasses above them were all garlanded with 
 flowers and little flags of the same nationalities, and the 
 ceiling garlanded with long garlands of creepers and red 
 paper lanterns. It looked all quite nice and very gay, and 
 in the corner of the large private dining-room they had put 
 up a real huge Christmas tree, which was all decorated 
 and illuminated. This was the clou, and had a great success 
 with all of them. They really are exactly like children, 
 and one of their chief charms consists in that. And I really 
 think that keeping one side of their nature so absolutely 
 childlike, harmlessly gay, gives them a lot of their strength 
 when they want it, with which they beat the Russians. 
 They have in this partially childlike, natural part of their 
 beings, then, the natural mental strength and powers, un- 
 crippled by excess and so-called civilisation, which gives 
 them that immense power and brings success. It is a sort 
 of reservoir or accumulator where they store their strength 
 and their force. When they enjoy themselves they enjoy 
 themselves thoroughly ; they don't carry their worries of 
 every day with them into their pleasures ; they become 
 happy, thoughtless children again, thus resting their busi- 
 ness brain, and gathering through it fresh strength for new 
 work. 
 
 The little meikos had all donned their best kimonos
 
 1 66 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 and obys, and the whole thing really was a great success. 
 I had said they should serve the geishas and meikos too, be- 
 cause, of course, between each of us one of these little things 
 sat (we were Mr. Nomura, Assuma, Hikkone-San, Jinija, 
 and I), and this form of European courtesy, which appar- 
 ently nobody before had had, pleased them enormously, 
 and they were at once natural, unceremonious, and not a 
 bit stiff. When I then raised my glass and said " Nippon 
 Banzai ! " (ewiva Japan), the joy and enthusiasm were 
 universal. 
 
 As I was dressing for dinner there was a tap at my 
 door, and as I called " Come in " the door opened, and in 
 filed all the gaily dressed little meikos, smiling and bowing 
 courteously, their long, thin, slender necks curved and 
 bent with the peculiar little curve and smile and sideways 
 turned head the ceremonious greeting demands, bowing 
 deeply, both hands on their knees. The ceremonious 
 courtesies and greetings once over they all became harm- 
 lessly gay children again, while two minutes before they 
 were dignified little ladies with powdered faces and rouged 
 lips, and after having inspected my galabia from inside 
 and outside, one delighted in a close inspection of the 
 dressing-table. All the bottles were opened and sniffed 
 at, the brushes and other utensils inspected, everything 
 with an amiable " Excuse " accompanied by a little smile 
 and " Thank you " (in English) when they replaced the 
 object. My rings and chains were tried on, each had to 
 do what the other did ; of course each one had to put my 
 watch round her arm, and the monocle proved a great 
 attraction. They were too funny for words standing in 
 front of the looking-glass or sitting on my lap trying to fix 
 it in their eyes, because, as all the Japanese have the eyes
 
 JAPAN 167 
 
 built rather prominently, they had the greatest difficulty in 
 keeping it in, and made most awful grimaces, trying to 
 press it in with their little soft fingers, etc., etc. Then 
 one discovered the bathroom, and they wouldn't give me 
 any peace until I came and explained it to them and 
 made jouer les eaux ! and then each of them had to try 
 it too, to their great delight. They are after all mere 
 children, not more than twelve or fifteen years of age. 
 Dear little things really. 
 
 But I must shave, my dear little ladies, so if you will 
 just let me do it in peace I shall be glad, otherwise I'll 
 keep my guests waiting. So they all clustered round me 
 and watched with the greatest interest the shaving pro- 
 cess. They all wanted to help, and that I didn't cut my 
 throat or their fingers is a mere wonder. I could have 
 played for hours with these dear little girls. We were 
 just in the midst of shaving when the door opened and 
 Jinija came in. This time I did almost cut my throat, 
 because we all began to laugh so much at his petrified 
 face. 
 
 " But what on earth are you doing?" he exclaimed. 
 
 "Well," I answered, "as you see we are shaving," 
 so he joined in the laughter too. It is all so harmless 
 and nice in Japan. It is all so natural ; life really is easier 
 here than anywhere else, and much more pleasant. 
 
 When I wanted to take my bath, however, he thought 
 it better they should leave the room, and he had the 
 greatest trouble to make them leave it. Miss Dragon and 
 Lightning (the one that looks like Valentine Cora) had 
 perched herself on my bed and defied him. She pretended 
 to have a right to remain there, because we were special 
 friends, and I had always preferred her to the others, and
 
 1 68 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 flirted most with her ; and, besides, when she had just 
 now asked me why I had such a large, wide bed, I had 
 answered, " So that there may be room for you," so it 
 was her good right to stop. She looked at him so cheekily, 
 defiantly, the painted, decked-out, little dainty creature, 
 one couldn't help laughing, and Jinija implored me to tell 
 her to go with the other ones, it really was better. So, 
 with a grimace at him, she sulkily went out of the room 
 into the adjoining sitting-room, from where I heard their 
 merry talk and laughter. They are fascinating little things, 
 and never get vulgar, which is so nice. 
 
 In the morning Tim and I had been at Nakai's, the 
 photographer's, and after dinner he came and took flash- 
 light pictures of us all sitting at dinner, which delighted 
 them all highly. Afterwards the coffee was taken in 
 another room, and then we returned to the now emptied 
 dining-room, where a juggler and a marvellously clever 
 " Taschenspieler " (I don't know how one calls them in 
 England) gave, at my request, a performance which 
 delighted them highly. Finally the meikos danced some 
 very pretty dances, and the whole evening really was a 
 great success. I was astonished to see how neatly they 
 all ate with knife and fork (I mean the little girls), 
 and how cleverly they managed to get the food into 
 their little rouged mouths. They are really people of 
 surprises ! 
 
 The next day the dinner with old Jida, Nogaki, and 
 Assai was a little stiff, and if Jinija hadn't been there, 
 I don't know how it would have gone on at all. He is 
 always so cheerful, which is a great help. The others, 
 I think, were rather impressed by the greatness of the 
 function, and not as natural as usual. Then old Jida
 
 JAPAN 169 
 
 (very likely he would be furious if he heard me call him 
 old, because, although he is over fifty, he is a great admirer 
 of the little singing girls, and spends a lot of money on 
 them) always makes me feel rather stiff, I don't know 
 why it is. The table was decorated with pale-coloured 
 silk, flowers, and the little flags, and I thought not as 
 pretty as yesterday. The Christmas tree had been relit, 
 and had the same effect of delighting them all. The little 
 meikos enjoyed their dinner just as much as Mr. Jida 
 (the cook is really very good), but not as much as 
 Hikkone-San yesterday, who asked if he could make his 
 oby a little looser, as he had eaten such a lot. He had 
 been so excited with the prospect of this coming dinner 
 and the delight of being asked, that he had not slept 
 the whole night before. For these people at least it is 
 still worth while doing something ; they at least are not 
 blast, and have the courage of their opinion to admit 
 that they enjoy themselves. We were photographed 
 again, as Mr. Jida had specially asked me, then the little 
 meikos danced very nicely, and everything was satisfac- 
 tory and everybody pleased. It is really nice to entertain 
 people like that. At least one sees that one has not taken 
 all the trouble for nothing. Of course I am enchanted 
 with them. How should I not be? And again I must 
 repeat and repeat it, their charming cleanliness, their 
 politeness, amiability, and charming, courteous manners are 
 delightful. The European is rude, and is proud of his 
 rudeness and his bad manners, pretending they are a 
 sign of honesty, manliness, and straightness of character. 
 
 The other day, one afternoon, Jinija came to tell me 
 that a lady wanted to see me. She was shown into my 
 drawing-room, and proved to be the wife of the iris
 
 1 70 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 priest, the priest who grows the finest iris kaempfery 
 in the whole of Japan, and undoubtedly the finest and 
 rarest in the whole world. He will not sell any of his 
 plants even at the highest offer either to Japanese or 
 to Europeans. But as I had made a great friendship 
 with him four years ago, and had so wildly admired his 
 really glorious blossoms, and had painted some of them, 
 he had presented me with his whole collection, giving me 
 a young plant of each of them, and of course Anlauf has 
 taken great care of them, and we have multiplied them. 
 We are, however, not allowed I had promised him that 
 to sell or give away any of the irises. Since then I hear 
 an American gentleman has been to Japan, and has coaxed 
 the old priest into giving some of his plants to him too, 
 which, after the same promise had been given, was done. 
 The Yankee, with the lust of advertisement which possesses 
 his vulgar nation, has published a long illustrated article 
 in an American garden paper, which the priest showed 
 me, in which he says that " the United States of America 
 had the pride of being the only country in the world that 
 would henceforth have these unique Kyoto irises from a 
 temple, and that no other country could boast of such a 
 rare and royal treasure ! " 
 
 So the little priest's wife bows and smiles herself into 
 my room with the perfect little manners of her charming 
 nation. They had read in the papers that I had arrived, and 
 her husband having been unable to come, she had taken the 
 liberty to call on me, as they were so anxious to see me 
 again and know that I was well, and would I accept this 
 box of sweets, etc., etc. This amiable way of courteous 
 thought and kindness really touched me, and the way it 
 was done was so nice, I was really deeply moved. No
 
 JAPAN 171 
 
 other nation would dream of doing a thing like that, and 
 in such a charming manner. One must see the pretty 
 little woman, or, better said, lady, so gay and cheerful, 
 in her grey silk kimono, how perfect her manners are, 
 how graceful, and courteous, and natural. When I think 
 of one of our little parsons' wives, how stiff and awkward 
 she would be, it really is a pleasure to watch the charm- 
 ing manners, the polite gay conversation, to look at the 
 clever, intelligent faces and expressions here. Of course I 
 had to promise to come as soon as possible to see them. 
 The whole thing left me with an agreeable impression for 
 several days. It was so amiable and charming, and proved 
 that these simple people had kept a good memory and 
 remembrance of me. They can't get over my having 
 become so much more Japanese, and much gayer and nicer, 
 much more natural. Before I had often been very stiff 
 and not half as gay ; maybe ! Then I had stupid things 
 in my head which I would have better left undone, now 
 I am free, and live entirely with these delightful, un- 
 prejudiced people, and am not afraid of being criticised 
 and laughed at for my harmless enthusiasms. And 
 Japan should have opened my eyes ! 
 
 So I went a couple of days later to the temple to pay 
 them my visit. I had wanted to show them my gratitude, 
 had tried to choose at Jida's some nice kimono for Mrs. 
 Priest, as I can't give him anything, it is against etiquette. 
 As we didn't know how old she was, and what sort of a 
 kimono therefore she would have to wear, Nogaki very 
 cleverly suggested I should send her a " bond " they have 
 got specially for this affair. It is a printed "bond" on 
 the Jida business up to a certain amount (they have got 
 them in all prices and one can choose), and for which
 
 172 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 they can buy at Jida's whatever they like for the sum 
 named. They had such bonds, Nogaki said, and it helped 
 one a lot out of the difficulty, as one never knew the 
 taste of the people one wanted to give a present to, 
 and if one gave money it looked like alms or a sort of 
 charity. The bond looked more polite than money given 
 straight out. Please, Europe, learn ! the refinement of 
 sentiment and feeling ! 
 
 So I sent her a box (that- is the right thing to do) 
 containing the bond, which was, of course, tied up cere- 
 moniously, with my card on top of it, and a box with 
 sweets for her child. 
 
 When we arrived at the temple I was told the priest 
 had just gone to the hotel to see me and bring me a 
 present, but wouldn't I come in and see her and wait 
 till he returned, he couldn't be long ? She hurried away, 
 and returned after a few minutes dressed in the new 
 kimono she had bought with my bond. She was simply 
 beaming, and no child at Christmas could have been more 
 pleased. It was a lovely kimono, of pale grey crepe, with 
 a pattern in it of a darker shade ; one could not have 
 chosen a more perfect or more tasteful stuff. These 
 people are artists, and have an exquisite taste. I beg 
 you to think again of the solid European parson's wife ; 
 what a monstrosity she would have bought ! 
 
 On the wall of their room hung my photo, framed in 
 the same frame as one of my water-colours of their 
 irises I had had done. They didn't know of my visit, 
 so it has decidedly not been put up for the occasion. 
 Chattering gaily (Jinija interpreting) time flew; we were, 
 of course, offered cakes and green tea, and after some 
 time the priest arrived, carrying a huge bundle and
 
 JAPAN ,73 
 
 dressed in his best clothes. Great greetings ! He, too, 
 couldn't express his delight at seeing me so well and much 
 fatter-looking. Then he undid his parcel, and as I was 
 told it was a present for me, my confusion was really great 
 when I saw emerge out of this wrapper a lovely old black 
 and gold lacquer cabinet. I was really mortified, but 
 Jinija says I must accept it, as it would be very rude 
 and " bad form " to refuse it. It really is lovely, and he 
 gave me besides a mat made out of different coloured 
 twisted paper, which is .several hundreds of years old. 
 It used to be the fashion in each temple when the chief 
 priest came, who has to sit on one of these red lacquer 
 chairs, while the other people sit on the floor, to spread 
 such a mat at his feet, because a woollen one would have 
 been an offence and rude, having been made out of ani- 
 mals' hair. So for this special occasion they used these 
 mats made out of paper. It looked exactly, from a dis- 
 tance, as if it was made out of wool, but when you in- 
 spected it closely you saw that it was plaited out of different 
 coloured rice-paper which had been rolled up, and thus 
 formed a very pretty pattern. A German professor, I was 
 told, wanted to buy it for the Berlin Museum, but they 
 wouldn't sell it; but I, who appreciate real Japanese art 
 so much, I should have it as a present. Really, I was 
 mortified, because after all they are poor people, and to 
 crown it all they are still delighted that I accept it. Really 
 I must say ! And then there are still stupid European 
 people who pretend and tell one everywhere that the 
 Japanese have got intolerably impudent and cheeky since 
 the war. First of all, it is not true, there is absolutely 
 not one word of truth in it ; they are just as nice, amiable, 
 polite, and nicely modest as they always were ; and even
 
 174 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 if they swaggered a bit, and even a good bit, would they 
 not have a certain right? Wouldn't it be justifiable, to our 
 Western ideas even justified? Which other nation, as 
 far as history relates, has beaten Russia ? None ! not 
 even the emperor of warriors, Napoleon, the justly called 
 Great Napoleon, before whom all Europe trembled and 
 stood in awe, not even he could beat Russia. It was 
 reserved for this wonderful, artistic nation of polite, charm- 
 ingly mannered people to teach Europe the lesson that 
 a well-disciplined, energetic nation with true, uncorrupted 
 leaders can beat armies three times as big in spite of 
 all the unfair weapons of modern stratagem like mines, 
 submarine boats, and all the hellish, cowardly inventions 
 of so-called civilisation, invented to kill and destroy 
 thousands of people, while you yourself are hidden in a 
 safe place. I am astonished that they are not more 
 swaggery. There would be no European Power, depend 
 upon it, which wouldn't swagger after such success, just 
 as there has not yet been another Power which has 
 erected a monument to their antagonists as the poor 
 dear, little Japanese have done to the fallen Russian 
 soldiers at Port Arthur ! And yet everybody seems 
 only too anxious to say nasty and spiteful things 
 about them, which looks, it is true, very much like 
 envy and jealousy. Has England erected a monument 
 to the Boers? Has Germany erected one to the 
 French ? 
 
 Of course I had to tell them all of my Japanese garden 
 and my house, as it all interests them vividly, and how the 
 irises are. He has created some new hybrids, one quite 
 scarlet one, and he is going to give me some plants this
 
 JAPAN 175 
 
 autumn. Nobody but he has got it, not even the American 
 gentleman. Then I had to tell him all about Anlauf and 
 Halbau, etc., etc., and we talked garden and hybridising 
 till it got quite late and almost dark. Then the little lady 
 took me into the lovely little gilt temple with its wonderful 
 reposeful, peaceful golden Buddha, and everything so nice 
 and clean. If only our parsons' wives would learn in this 
 way too from what they call " the heathens " ! 
 
 Another day Jinija, Hikkone-San, and I went by train 
 to Yamasaki, thirty-three minutes from Kyoto, where a very 
 famous old pagoda is. After leaving the train we walked 
 up a hill through lovely, high, dense bamboo woods, in 
 a delightful green shade, such as only the giant bamboo 
 can make. What a country ! Then one got higher into 
 lovely woods formed by cryptomerias, camellias, the under- 
 growth being azaleas, low bamboos, wisteria, all sorts of 
 lovely ferns and mosses, the wisteria creeping up the stems 
 and garlanding the trees. Everywhere were the clear little 
 waterfalls, the crystal-like rippling, murmuring brooks ; it 
 .was like fairyland ! The pagoda is very fine, three-storied, 
 and a very old building, and looks lovely with the old gnarled 
 pine trees that stand round it. What a pretty building 
 such a pagoda is, and how artistically adapted to the land- 
 scape, almost grown like a tree itself. 
 
 The young priest came to salute me, robed in cham- 
 pagne-coloured silk gauze, with a clean-shaven head, and 
 the rock crystal chaplet in his hands, the gold brocade stole 
 round his neck. He was an interesting-looking young man, 
 with a clever, energetic-looking face. He accompanied us 
 to his temple, which is spacious, simple, and very pretty, 
 and took us then to a smaller side temple, where in a lovely
 
 176 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 little lacquer pagoda an old wooden hammer is kept which 
 is over 1500 years old. One gets a paper on which a 
 prayer is written put into the palm of one's hand, and the 
 priest beats one's palm with that old hammer after it has 
 been taken out of its brocade wrapper twice, then one 
 has to clench one's fist and put the paper thus squeezed 
 in one's pocket. For people who believe in the Buddha's 
 teaching this prayer is fulfilled after seventy-seven days, and 
 one has great fortune and happiness. 
 
 Then we went to the priest's house near by and had 
 luncheon, which we brought with us. It is a charming 
 house with a pretty little garden, on one side giving on 
 to the lovely wooded mountain looking into a shady green- 
 ness. Of course everything is, although decidedly poor, 
 minutely clean. While I was lunching, sitting on the spot- 
 less matted floor, the nice young priest fanned me. He 
 had been in the Russian war as a soldier, got wounded 
 twice, and showed me his scars. One was on the chest, 
 and it is really a wonder that he didn't get killed. 
 
 Then I had to sign my name in a book, because I'm 
 told I'm the first European that has ever visited this place, 
 and so of course the interest in me is great. Besides, the 
 newspaper people in Kyoto have got hold of me, described 
 the dinners I gave, and talked about my Japanese garden, 
 and my father's and eldest brother's properties in Germany 
 (I expect they got all this information from Jinija), then 
 that I love Japan and everything Japanese, that I love and 
 understand a lot about Japanese art, etc., etc., and so every- 
 body is of course anxious to make the acquaintance of so 
 illustrious a personage ! Then the priest presented me 
 with his photo as a soldier, and a post-card where he is 
 photographed as a priest in a procession, after he had asked
 
 JAPAN 177 
 
 me for my photo and I consequently for his. Three old 
 gentlemen came in dressed in the ceremonious hakkama 
 and made low polite kowtows, then sat down on the floor at 
 respectful distance. They were, as far as I could make out, 
 a sort of churchwardens and two old shopkeepers. No, 
 one had to look after the rice-fields of the little place near 
 by where we got out of the train. They too came to 
 present their respects to the " illustrious foreigner," the 
 first one that had ever come to their humble village ; and 
 again it was astonishing the dignity and charming manners 
 of these simple country people. What nicely educated, civil, 
 gentlemanly mannered people they are! If one thinks of 
 the same class of people in Europe ! what clumsy shyness 
 there, and here these perfect manners, such as, alas ! not 
 even all so-called educated and cultivated people in Europe 
 have. They are not shy, but in no way arrogant and cheeky 
 or familiar. I must repeat it, with such people it is easy to 
 live. I almost wish I hadn't come to Japan again ; I shall 
 always be homesick for it ever after, and for its charmingly 
 clean, nicely mannered people. If dear old Hendschel were 
 here I would never return again to Europe. 
 
 Then we all walked up the hill through lovely woods 
 to a temple, which was situated still higher. The peeps 
 through the slender, reddish stems of the fine pine trees in 
 the lovely landscape underneath one were beautiful ; and 
 at the temple, from the terraced platform in front of it, 
 where are the huge fountain and big stone and bronze 
 lanterns, there is an exquisite view over the delightfully 
 green valley, in which five rivers join from different direc- 
 tions. Opposite is the pigeon temple on a pine-treed 
 hill, and all the different villages scattered about with their 
 thick tufts of bamboo, camellias, and fruit trees. In the 
 
 VOL. II. M
 
 i;8 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 distance one sees even as far as Osaka. Happy, beautiful 
 country ! 
 
 After waiting for a shower to pass, which came down 
 like a sheet, we ascended still higher up the mountain, 
 through lovely thick bamboo and pine tree woods, with 
 continually lovely peeps into the beautiful valley, till we 
 finally reached an old Shinto temple hidden in the dense 
 woods. If we at home had such parks, yes, even in Eng- 
 land, we should be proud about them. And how these 
 roads round these temples are kept, and all the vegeta- 
 tion ! Of all conifers the cryptomeria is to my taste the 
 finest by far, and all these bamboos, tujas, yews, azaleas, 
 camellias, the camphor trees, the ferns, the mosses ! Good 
 heavens, it is all beautiful ! Of course they have just 
 placed some old mossy-topped stone lanterns at the only 
 place where just these . lanterns would make a wonderful 
 artistic effect and a perfect picture in this green beauty of 
 Nature. What fine feeling artists they are ! I must come 
 back here and paint. 
 
 1 went to several other gardens in Kyoto, which of 
 course I had seen already, but one is always glad to see 
 these little treasures again. They are not as pretty as 
 what I call " my garden." That is the pearl. It is a pity, 
 though, that it is no longer so well kept ; it has changed 
 its proprietor, and to think that I could have bought it, 
 house and all, for a mere song! It would have been a 
 good deal cheaper, and not as unpleasant anyhow, as the 
 other folly I committed, and the folly of buying the garden 
 here would have stopped the other one. 
 
 I went to many entirely Japanese shops I mean places 
 which only manufacture for the Japanese, and not for 
 exportation and Japanese wholesale places. As Hik-
 
 JAPAN 179 
 
 kone-San is comprador for Benten they all know him, and 
 therefore let me have things in detail at wholesale prices. 
 None of these stuffs ever come to Europe. It is almost 
 incredible what magnificent stuffs they make, simply 
 wonderful. I've never seen their like, real art treasures, 
 especially the things made for the Imperial Court. I saw 
 there one oby (an oby is about four yards long by the 
 ordinary silk width) which was the most magnificent bit of 
 brocade I had ever seen. On a pale creamy ground of a 
 peculiar texture, interwoven with thin golden thread, there 
 were fine " ramages " of golden creepers with pale-coloured 
 vine-leaves, tinted the palest shades of green and purple, 
 shading into pink and pale brown, fading into pinks and 
 palest blue ; the whole so wonderfully arranged and beau- 
 tifully designed, that one could not look at it enough. 
 Colours, patterns, material, were unspeakably beautiful 
 and perfect. It was fit for a museum. They only asked 
 1600 yen for it ! (The yen is 2s.) Such things of course 
 only the Court buys. They make this sort of thing almost 
 entirely for the Court. It was the finest bit of stuff I ever 
 saw, a real piece of art. One could have imagined nothing 
 finer for a European Court-train. They make me laugh ! 
 They make all the really good things only for Japan, and 
 talk about it quite openly, and say that they make for ex- 
 portation only "rubbish." 
 
 The other day Benten, Hikkone-San, Jinija, and I went 
 by train to Giffu, about five hours by train from Kyoto. 
 The party was Benten's, we were his guests. The whole 
 route of the railway takes one through lovely scenery, past 
 Beva Lake, and through high wooded mountains, with 
 lovely valleys and exquisite rivers, pretty villages, green 
 rice-fields, old temples hidden in large clusters of crypto-
 
 i8o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 merias and camphor trees hundreds of years old, in front 
 of which red painted or old mossy stone torys and huge 
 stone lanterns stand. The lotus flowers were still in full 
 bloom everywhere, and looked lovely with their large pink 
 blossoms standing high above their huge plate-like blue- 
 green leaves, and swaying gracefully in the soft breeze. 
 Then everywhere there was a tree in full pink blossom 
 whose name I have forgotten (it grows in Italy too, and 
 its leaves get a brilliant scarlet-red in the autumn). Here 
 they were already a mass of pinky-red lovely effects of 
 colour against the rich, many-shaded greens. 
 
 We arrived at Giffu at 8 P.M., drove to the hotel to 
 deposit our things, and went on at once to the river, as we 
 were told we would otherwise miss the cormorant fishing. 
 I took my little cook again with me, who four years ago 
 accompanied me on my tour afoot round Chojy, as they 
 were afraid my stomach might rebel against entirely 
 Japanese food ; I'm very glad. Arrived at the very 
 spacious boat with a high roof of matting to it, we were 
 at once punted up-stream by two muscular, naked bronzed 
 men, and the cook began at once behind a little screen his 
 cooking, and so we soon had an excellent dinner, and 
 enjoyed ourselves immensely. Arrived at the place where 
 the boats await the fisher-boats which come down from 
 far up-stream, there were already a lot of other boats 
 assembled, all illuminated with paper lanterns most gaily, 
 and with singing girls, and dinners, and merriment going 
 on in all of them. On one there were fireworks, and the 
 time passed in all sorts of harmless merriment. 
 
 Towards 1 1 P.M. the fisher-boats began to come in 
 sight, down-stream, with enormous torches lit, hanging in 
 iron baskets over the prow of the boats, the fishers beating
 
 JAPAN 181 
 
 on the sides of the boats, and shouting so as to excite the 
 cormorants to zeal. All the paper-lantern lit boats with all 
 their merry passengers at once turned round down-stream, 
 and got one between each of the six fishing-boats, thus 
 going down-stream with them. It was a lovely, lively- 
 coloured, and animated picture ; no Venetian gala night on 
 the Canale Grande could have been brighter and finer and 
 more animated. The flaring torches, the naked, bronzy 
 fishermen, exciting the agile black birds by hoarse wild 
 cries, beating besides on the sides of the boats so that it 
 sounded like weird big drums, the clever, gracefully diving 
 black birds (on each boat there were twelve or fourteen) 
 diving cleverly into the beautifully clear and transparent 
 water, which was lit up by the torches to such an extent 
 that one saw the pebbles on the very bottom of the river, 
 and could easily watch the slender birds dive and fish 
 under water, shooting along like eels, the many coloured- 
 paper lanterns on the other boats ; all formed together a 
 rare, attractive, animated, coloured, artistic picture. 
 
 About 1 2 o'clock we were back at Giffu, where freshly 
 caught trout were bought and fried in the boat and eaten ; 
 they were excellent. These cormorants are specially trained 
 for several years before they can be used for the fishing. 
 They take them out of the nests when they are quite 
 young, and bring them up by hand. They have a ring 
 round their necks so that they can't swallow the fish, but 
 can only take them into their crops, and they are tied to a 
 long string. As soon as one of them has his neck full he 
 is quickly pulled out of the water. A swift movement with 
 the hand up his neck makes him retch, and thus secured, 
 the fish are emptied in special baskets. Then the bird is 
 promptly put back into the fast-flowing stream, and starts
 
 i82 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 fishing at once again. I can't understand how the man 
 who holds all those twelve or fourteen strings never mixes 
 them up, because the whole process goes like blazes, and 
 there is not a moment lost. 
 
 At half-past twelve we were back at the hotel, a 
 charming large Japanese inn with lovely things, where 
 everything is Japanese and delightful. One sleeps under 
 green mosquito-nets, braided at the bottom with red, on 
 several soft mattresses spread on the floor, the big paper 
 nightlight-lantern beside you on the floor, of course, too. 
 In the morning the nice big wooden tubs are full of warm 
 water in the public, spotlessly clean bath beside the kitchen. 
 Everything is so neat and clean and charming. I find 
 these Japanese hotels delightful, and don't find any more 
 that the rooms look bare ; on the contrary, very cosy in 
 their tasteful simplicity. As you see, I'm getting more and 
 more Japanese. It is quite true that we have too many 
 things in our European rooms ; the Japanese are quite 
 right, they say our houses look like shops. 
 
 At 9 A.M. we rikshah to look at a factory where they 
 make lovely silk crepes and gauzes ; all the work is done 
 by women. At 10 A.M. our train left for Yoro, where we 
 arrived half-an-hour later. Here we took tandem rik- 
 shahs, as the distance was very great and partly uphill, 
 and trotted through lovely scenery, always the wooded 
 mountains in front of us, for an hour and a half. It is 
 astonishing what these Japanese rikshahs can do. They 
 only once took a short rest of perhaps ten minutes. We 
 passed through all sorts of pretty villages, with lovely 
 orchards and fresh, clear water bubbling up in fountains in 
 front of each house. Large wooden bridges spanned the 
 rivers between reedy banks, and flat boats were punted up
 
 JAPAN 183 
 
 and down by naked, bronze people with wide mushroom 
 straw hats. Finally the road ascended steeply ; I wanted 
 to get out and walk, but the honour of our coolies, with real 
 herculean legs, wouldn't allow that. I had to be pulled 
 up even that steep hill. In a lovely village at the top 
 we finally stopped and got out and walked up many steps 
 through a steep, pretty garden to a restaurant (thank good- 
 ness quite Japanese), where they had got rooms ready for 
 us on the second floor, with a glorious view over the broad, 
 lovely valley and the distant, hazy, bluish hills. At the 
 back of the hotel the mountains rose, still covered with 
 magnificent cryptomerias and maple woods. 
 
 While the cook was preparing our tiffin I made a little 
 water-colour sketch, and after the excellent tiffin we still 
 chatted for some time, and then the three Japanese having 
 undressed and donned linen kimonos, we started for the 
 waterfall. I didn't undress, because I had eaten too much 
 lunch, and especially too many excellent pears, and an 
 extraordinary sort of pear quite round like a large apple, 
 looking like a silver rennet, but excellently juicy and good. 
 I must take some plants home with me. The waterfall 
 was the main attraction of Yoro, and many people come 
 here in the summer months for picnics, as it is supposed 
 that if one bathes in this waterfall one gets very strong 
 and lives long. Of course one gets happy too. 
 
 We walked up the hill through lovely cryptomeria 
 wood in a cherry and maple avenue, which both in spring 
 and autumn must be lovely. But as it was it was a 
 lovely spot, and we decided to come back here for several 
 days to sketch. We met a lot of people all dressed in 
 the light-coloured linen kimono, either going up to the 
 waterfall or coming back from it. It is quite a place
 
 1 84 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 for pilgrimage, and, besides, well known for its sanitary 
 effects as well as for its prettiness. Of the effect I can't 
 as yet judge, but if it is as great as the prettiness of 
 the scenery, one must get at least a thousand years. It 
 is simply lovely, honestly ; I think there is no second 
 country for landscape effects like Japan. It is simply 
 exquisitely lovely. I wonder if I shall be able to give 
 it in my sketches. The waterfall, falling down from a 
 considerable height over a steep perpendicular rock 
 between cryptomeria and maple branches in the thick 
 wood, shady and cool, was quite simply beautiful. There 
 were at least twenty to thirty people there, male and 
 female, but, thank God, all Japanese. My European 
 clothes and tall appearance frightened them rather, and 
 they covered themselves up again or stopped undressing. 
 Benten did not want to get into the water, as he said 
 it was too icy-cold and deep, and so I undressed at once 
 quickly before all the people. A nice old nun lent me 
 a linen kimono, took my rings and chains, and was only 
 in great anxiety about my spectacles lest I should lose 
 them ; but she laughed when I explained to her that with- 
 out them I couldn't see where I was going. Of course 
 the kimono just reached to my knees, but the effect was 
 grand. They all undressed and unwrapt themselves 
 again ; the whole charming, childlike, amiable gayness 
 of this nation is most winning. One led me by the 
 hand, led me along, laughed, made nonsense, patted me 
 on the back ; we were the best of friends. The water 
 was very cold, but lovely, and so I first passed underneath 
 the waterfall to show Benten that it was not too deep, and 
 then went and stood under the shower like some of them. 
 If one turned round and let the water fall on one's back
 
 JAPAN 185 
 
 it beat most awfully, because it rushed down from a pretty 
 good height ; but if one faced the waterfall and stood close 
 to the rock, as they all did, it was most pleasant. The 
 little cook was afraid and wouldn't go in, so first we tried 
 to drive him in, but he was so quick, he always escaped 
 us ; at last I caught him, lifted him up, and carried him, 
 under a roar of applause, into the water. At the moment 
 I didn't really realise that it was the cook, he was simply 
 a naked creature like the others, and we had got so excited 
 playing and fooling about, that I never thought of it. 
 Afterwards I thought, with what cook in Europe could 
 one do such a thing (not that I mean that I expect it 
 from a cook to be carried by me into his bath), but about 
 the cleanliness I mean? He had just cooked us our 
 excellent lunch, and was as clean as few European gentle- 
 men, or of course I couldn't have carried him, as I had 
 to hold him tight to me, because he struggled like a snake 
 to free himself and escape the cold douche. The delight 
 was great, every one wanted to bathe with me, and go 
 under the waterfall with me. I think w.e played about 
 almost for an hour. I enjoyed myself immensely, and 
 can't remember for years to have amused myself so well 
 and in such a happy, harmless way. Such a charming 
 thing is only possible in Japan, this charming, clean- 
 bodied, and clean-minded nation. I was as happy as a 
 schoolboy, and felt quite young again. The waterfall had 
 already its effect. Was it only the nakedness, or was 
 it the harmless, gay, and nice-minded people ? Both, I 
 expect. There was no stiff collar, neither physically nor 
 morally. These people are incapable of a dirty thought, 
 and one feels that instantly and instinctively, and therefore 
 one can be natural and harmless with them without being
 
 1 86 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 afraid that this or that might be misinterpreted. In Europe 
 such a thing would be impossible ; it would become at 
 once vulgar and common, for both sexes were mixed here. 
 Really, for years I haven't amused myself so well, it was 
 heavenly. They all wanted to know my name, and said 
 they had never seen any European that was so gay and 
 so much like a Japanese as I. They thought I must 
 have lived a long time in Japan very likely, because I 
 was just like a Japanese. 
 
 Finally Jinija photographed our party ; but then we 
 really began to chatter with the cold, because, of course, 
 in the dense wood there was no sun ; he had to make 
 time exposures, and naked and wet as we were, we had 
 to sit quiet. Between the different photos Benten and 
 I beat our arms and backs for one another to get warm 
 again. It was very good. What a delight harmless people 
 are ! People of whom one knows that they are through 
 and through clean-minded and naturally harmless, and that 
 no nasty black thought comes to them, and that one can 
 simply be as one is. I already love the Japanese on 
 account of this, because they are so true and respectable 
 and clean-minded in this one way, without any stupid, 
 hypocritical false shame. 
 
 On our way back, trotting down the hill happily in 
 our rikshahs, we met a lot of our new bathing friends, 
 who shouted out to me gaily "Seionara" (au revoir), and 
 waved handkerchiefs and hats to me at each turning of 
 the road. 
 
 At 8 P.M. we were in dear old Kyoto. Those were 
 two lovely, happy days. On the same train was one of 
 the Imperial Princes, a young sailor returning to his 
 garrison near Nagasaki, and he changed at Kyoto into
 
 JAPAN 187 
 
 another train. There was no special fuss made about 
 him, except that at all the different stations where the train 
 stopped policemen stood outside the compartment, and 
 when he got out the people standing next him, of whom 
 I was one, took off their hats to him, that was all. When 
 I think of the fuss that is made over even the smallest 
 princeling in Europe, how all the traffic is stopped . . . 
 no wonder it creates Socialism. He was small, but very 
 strongly built. 
 
 Tim was beside herself with delight when I came back. 
 
 September loth. I have spent the most happy time 
 during these days, so happy that I haven't found time every 
 day to write my diary. I am so happy, and it is all such 
 a natural, harmless happiness. It does one good to live 
 in this delightful country amongst these charming people. 
 I really can't understand what so many people mean when 
 they talk about the Japanese having got cheeky and in- 
 solent after the war. I have already said once that it 
 would be quite natural if they did swagger ; for what 
 other nation has ever accomplished what they have done, 
 and in so short a time ? They revolutionised their old 
 feudal, mediaeval systems and customs in forty years which 
 took other nations centuries. And the war with Russia ! 
 It does not lessen in my eyes the merit of their success 
 in arms when people say, " Oh, but the Russian army 
 was so corrupted ! Its leaders were so rotten ! It was 
 so badly fitted out, and the war was so unpopular in 
 Russia ! " Did it lessen the Prussian prestige that Austria's 
 army was badly trained and stupidly led in '66 ? or that 
 the French equipment and leadership in '70 were rotten? 
 Everybody who was in the war has told me over and over
 
 i88 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 again that the French soldier as a soldier was splendid, but 
 the poor devils were badly fitted out, barring their rifles, 
 and carelessly led. It is all right to have a better rifle 
 than your antagonist, but when you are not sufficiently clad, 
 and the shoes are falling from your tired feet, and your 
 stomach is empty, hang the better rifle. The solidly clad, 
 shod, and fed man then gets the better of you, which is 
 quite human and natural. Look at the confidence it gives 
 people to know they have a nice, clean, warm, well-cut coat 
 on. Look at the poor devil who shivers with cold, and 
 knows his to be patched, torn, and dirty ! And that is in 
 ordinary life. How much more must that be so in war, 
 where every faculty of a man and nation must be at its 
 highest point to be able to succeed ? It is natural for 
 people to want to live, especially young people, and all 
 soldiers are young, and naturally every soldier wants to 
 live, wants to remain alive. It is human nature. No 
 one fights and gets killed willingly. Therefore to bring 
 them up to this ideal effort of getting killed for their 
 country (that means for some stupid diplomat's failure to 
 keep peace and a good understanding) they must feel 
 themselves physically at least fit. Then the moral and 
 the ideal will follow. 
 
 But with the poor, little, dear Japanese everybody seems 
 only anxious to run down their incredible adaptability and 
 brilliant faculties, their remarkable cleverness. It makes 
 me almost angry to hear people say they were like monkeys 
 in copying everything. A monkey "apes" a thing, it 
 does not copy it. It might try to imitate, but it does 
 not carry it out with any success. And didn't all other 
 nations copy something, everything ? Did they all invent 
 their own things, systems, state arrangements, inventions,
 
 JAPAN 189 
 
 etc. ? It is nothing else but a universal and much-to-be- 
 welcomed mental exchange. Was not the Verni Martin 
 under the mighty Louis of France nothing else but a copy 
 of the Japanese gold lacquer, only it never was as fine and 
 good as the original ? No, no ! it is all rubbish. It is 
 a sort of envy and jealousy, and I think the Japanese ought 
 to be proud. Who isn't envied who has succeeded in 
 something, has accomplished something, has got to the 
 top of the ladder ? It is sad, but it is a fact. And in a way 
 it is a compliment, because people who don't accomplish 
 anything and don't succeed are not noticed, and therefore 
 are not envied. 
 
 It strikes me much more that in these four years the 
 Japanese nation has made quite another enormous step. 
 Not that they have got cheeky, but just the contrary. 
 They are just as amiable, courteous, charming, and modest 
 as I at least have always found them. But they have, 
 through the adoption of Western ideas, begun to change 
 lots of things, which still perhaps appear irrelevant, but 
 which show the thoroughness of their whole system, and 
 the marvellous ideal which carries them all to accomplish 
 the task they have set themselves. They are but details 
 I am going to quote, but they are really of the greatest 
 importance for the future, and show that it is not only a 
 monkeyish copying of everything, but the minute, thorough 
 moulding of a new and wonderful nation. The guides 
 here, for instance, were eatirely uneducated people, often 
 frightful rascals, drinking and swindling you, as all guides 
 do all over the world. They were of the same class of 
 people as in Europe, old kicked-out servants, people paid 
 by the shops to drag travellers there people, in short, too 
 lazy and too rapacious to do any other work. The Japanese
 
 1 90 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Government has found out that this was to the discredit of 
 the nation's honour, and has made the strictest regulations. 
 The guides have to pass very strict and difficult examina- 
 tions now, otherwise they do not get their license, and the 
 smallest fault will cause them to lose their license. 
 
 The Japanese police and Government do not badiner, 
 as one says in France, and, as a consequence, young boys 
 of a good class and with a good education are now guides 
 sons of samurais (the old warriors), brothers of doctors 
 and lawyers, and the effect is most pleasant. Then the 
 commercial point of view is undergoing to an extraordinary 
 extent a considerable change. Europeans used to com- 
 plain, and with cause (nobody experienced that better or 
 worse than I), of the apparent total dishonesty and lack of 
 commercial honour and honesty in the Japanese trades- 
 people. The Chinese were always quoted as models of 
 mercantile honesty and correct strictness. That may be, 
 and I do not doubt it. But, dear people of Europe, con- 
 sider, please, this one fact : that up to forty years ago, when 
 this social revolution upset Japan's old feudal systems like 
 an earthquake, the merchants were the most despised class 
 of people in the Empire ; they were almost outcasts ; it 
 was a disreputable thing to trade, and yet you could not 
 get out of this class or caste of people once you were born 
 in it. No samurai, no daimio, none even of their servants 
 and attendants would have dreamt of sitting down at the 
 same meal with a tradesman ! They were worse than the 
 Jews in the Middle Ages in Europe, who had to live in 
 certain parts of the town (the ghettoes), where special gates 
 were closed at night, and who were not allowed to wear 
 clothes like the ordinary respectable citizen. And even 
 now, in spite of the dance round the golden calf even by
 
 JAPAN 191 
 
 Royalty, when the social standard is so levelled that to 
 have money opens everybody's doors for you (I mean in 
 civilised Europe), there is still after all the undeniable con- 
 tempt of the Jew. They go to eat his dinners, shoot his 
 pheasants, drive in his motors, sit in his opera-box, yet at 
 the bottom of their Christian hearts, in the privacy of their 
 dressing-rooms, when their maid or valet is gone, and they 
 are really quite alone, and the highly-bred dog some Jew 
 has given them, perhaps from his priceless breed, is sleep- 
 ing soundly and will not look at them, they own So-and-so 
 is a Jew, and they accept all the pleasures of his riches 
 with, at the bottom of their Christian hearts, the sense of 
 doing him a sort of honour, of bestowing a favour on him. 
 He remains a Jew after all these centuries, the ghetto still 
 sticks to him in their Christian minds. Oh, they won't 
 acknowledge it openly, but why, for instance, has no aristo- 
 cratic girl ever married a Jew? Does she want to be a 
 Mrs. Samuelson or a Mrs. Seligman ? Aha ! there you 
 are. Yet they marry otherwise and worse, and they 
 marry even black people who have a shade of a sort of 
 a title. There is no doubt that being suppressed brings 
 out the bad qualities of people. It is all over the world 
 the same, it will be the same, it always has been the same. 
 Look at the Armenians ! They are the worst lot of black- 
 guards living under the sun ! Yet they are Christians ! 
 Why are they so rotten ? Because they are kept sup- 
 pressed, and have been suppressed for generations by the 
 Mohammedans. They are mistrusted, and only thought of 
 as capable of any sort of blackguardism, and, consequently, 
 they have become blackguards really ! It is almost im- 
 possible, and requires a rare strength of character and 
 superiority of personality, to keep honest if everybody
 
 i 9 2 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 round you thinks you are a swindler and a pig. It is a 
 fact. It is the unalterable effect of the power of thought 
 which, alas ! so few people yet realise. One gets influenced 
 by the thoughts of others, especially weak-minded and 
 uneducated people do. They cannot help it. I do not say 
 that every Jew in the Middle Ages was a swine. Surely 
 there were as many honest, superior, noble characters 
 amongst them as in any other nation (the Jews to me are 
 another nation), but there is no doubt that they were a low, 
 swindling, cheating lot, and many people therefore were 
 prejudiced against them, and still are prejudiced. I know 
 many people in Germany who will not buy from a Jewish 
 shop, because they are afraid of being cheated or dealt 
 with dishonestly. But this, too, has changed in the last 
 century enormously in Europe, and nobody hardly (I mean 
 sensible people) will admit that the moral standard of the 
 Jew merchant is not as high, if not higher, than that of 
 the Christian. Why ? Because they are no longer mis- 
 trusted and suppressed. But the Japanese merchant has 
 not had time to develop into a respectable class of person. 
 It is coming rapidly, and I find an enormous change already 
 in dealing with him it is really quite striking. It was 
 very good and easy for the soldiers. They changed their 
 weapons, but they remained soldiers whose ambition and 
 tradition was to fight for their emperor and their feudal 
 ideals. They took the Krupp gun or the rifle simply 
 instead of the arrow and the spear. It was merely 
 another weapon, but their morals and ideas of honour had 
 not to be changed. But the poor tradesman ! he had never 
 done anything for generations except try to get the better 
 of his neighbour, especially the damned foreigner. One 
 cannot expect the whole tribe to take up a new moral
 
 JAPAN , 93 
 
 standard, like the samurai took up the rifle. That has to 
 be developed and learnt, that sense of honour, and they 
 are developing it in a rare way, and have already made 
 enormous progress. In fifty to sixty years the Japanese 
 merchant will be the same straightforward, business-like 
 tradesman as the best of any other nation. And who 
 among the Japanese really swindles the Europeans? The 
 curiosity dealer as if this was not so all over the world. 
 Is there any nation in the whole world who can boast of 
 having curio dealers (taken as an average of course, because 
 I know perfectly well that there are big firms, like Duveen, 
 etc., who would not sell you something for old which was 
 new) who do not cheat, who do not sell copies and imita- 
 tions to the inexperienced tourist, and are there not large 
 factories of " old " Nymphenburg, Capodimonte, porcelains, 
 etc., etc., where they even put on the authentic mark, that 
 work exclusively for the curio dealer? Jewelleries and 
 brocades are manufactured especially in large factories in 
 Italy and France for the curiosity shops, silver and enamel 
 ware for the same purpose in Germany, etc., etc. And 
 what about the universal selling of horses, which is, if it 
 is not overdone, looked upon even as a permissible way of 
 cheating and swindling for a so-called "gentleman " ? No ! 
 It is not merely the poor Japanese who deal dishonestly, 
 but of them the European expects honesty, when he him- 
 self is so stupid as to let himself be taken in. Why buy 
 curios if you are not an expert in them ? It serves you 
 right if you get cheated ; leave it to the people who under- 
 stand something about them. 
 
 Stupid Europeans say the Japanese have got insolent 
 and swagger since the war. I don't find that. It is 
 merely this sort of European who looks upon the white 
 
 VOL. II. N
 
 i 9 4 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 man as the crown of creation, and who believes that the 
 fact of having a white skin gives him rights and privi- 
 leges over any coloured race. Often their brains, con- 
 sciences, and mostly their morals, are much blacker than 
 the skin of any dark-skinned man. These fellows imagine 
 that the Japanese should stand their outrageous insolence 
 and their ridiculous, uncultivated ideas, when the Japs 
 themselves are much more cultivated and civilised than 
 they. I remember once returning from Osaka to Kyoto by 
 train. The train was very full of all sorts of decidedly young 
 clerks, of English and American offices in Kobe, in white 
 flannels, and so on, going to some sports which took place 
 in Kyoto some cricket match or something of the sort. 
 On account of the new white flannels they felt very Euro- 
 pean and very superior. At one station an elderly Japanese 
 gentleman got in, neatly dressed in his dark kimono and 
 black houri (overcoat), with the white coat-of-arms on it, 
 and his spotless white silk stockings, and stepped, begging 
 their pardon, over the insolently outstretched legs of all the 
 superior youngsters to the only seat which was left free. 
 None of these bad-mannered young men dreamt of pulling 
 their legs nearer to them and thus making the passage free. 
 They looked the poor, shy, old thing, who bowed in his 
 amiable, courteous way, indignantly up and down, as if 
 he had been I don't know what. Then they looked at 
 each other, and one of them (there were at least six or 
 seven) said at the top of his voice : " The cheek of that 
 yellow devil getting into this first-class compartment ! " 
 
 I saw the old gentleman flush ; he undoubtedly under- 
 stood English quite well. But I flushed too ; it made me 
 too angry, and I said quite loudly : 
 
 " I beg your pardon, the cheek is entirely on your side,
 
 JAPAN 195 
 
 considering that we are in Japan and in the country of the 
 ' yellow people,' who are polite enough to allow us to come 
 here." 
 
 They didn't answer, but got scarlet, and looked down 
 their silly, pale freckled noses, and at Kyoto bundled out 
 of the compartment as quickly and as listlessly as they 
 could. Of course the Japanese won't stand any more 
 such outrageous manners and insolence, and right they 
 are ; why should they ? And then people say that they 
 have got "unbearably insolent" and "cheeky," simply 
 because they don't allow themselves to be treated by such 
 arrogant, badly-mannered idiots like a half-savage negro 
 of some uncivilised colonial port. In Egypt, too, you 
 can always hear the insulting word of "that black fellow," 
 or such like. But the black fellow is often much whiter 
 in his morals than the white-skinned man with his starched 
 collar. There is no doubt that the Japanese feels himself 
 important, that he steps with more assurance, not arro- 
 gance, on the surface of the world, and especially of his 
 country. And it is good and right that it should be so ; 
 it is natural. It would be unnatural and undignified if 
 he kept in a half slave-like, admiring attitude, before, or in 
 the presence of, the European, of whom he has nothing 
 to learn, but to whom he even taught a lesson. Natural 
 human pride demands that of him. He would be con- 
 temptible if he were otherwise. He has a right to be 
 so through his high cultivation and his successes, not 
 to talk of his wonderful art, which is simply unparalleled 
 in the history of the world. It may not appeal to every- 
 body perhaps, not everybody may understand it, but their 
 art is so universal, has so entered into their daily lives, 
 into everything they do, that there is simply no other
 
 196 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 nation which is artistic in such a way. They are artists, 
 not for money or to live, but because their tastes, their 
 natures are artistic, and they love Nature. They travel 
 for miles to see a cherry-tree in blossom or a wisteria or 
 an iris garden. They don't go and pull the flowers off 
 and let them fade in their hands as the European does ; 
 thev don't go and sit in a restaurant or a beer-garden, 
 or a bar drinking whisky as our European tourist does, 
 where as soon as a pretty sight is discovered up crop 
 the restaurants, the bars, the beer-gardens, and people 
 go there chiefly for the beer and the whisky, and write, 
 perhaps, some Ansichtskarten to their friends, never, or 
 hardly ever, looking at the scenery. The Japanese go there 
 to enjoy Nature. You see them sitting happily, quietly, 
 gazing with delighted rapture at the waterfall, the flower- 
 ing tree, the garden, taking it all in, enjoying it, and 
 thus gathering strength, with which, if it come to that, 
 no European can compete. Of course he can't ; he is 
 stupefied and materialised. His subtle, superior senses 
 are undeveloped, crippled, suffocated. 
 
 Of course the principal objects of reform were the army 
 and the navy once the revolution had reversed the situa- 
 tion. They understood that they had to create an army 
 according to European ideas to be able to compete with 
 the other nations, and to prevent greedy Russia ever 
 swallowing them, which it had always had the intention 
 of doing. So all their forces were given to that, how 
 successfully the Chinese and the Russian wars have shown. 
 Commerce came in a secondary line. So the tradespeople 
 are still to a great extent in their ghetto state, and there 
 are still uneducated people who do not trade according to 
 European standards. But that has already changed a lot,
 
 JAPAN 197 
 
 and is changing continually for the better. Government 
 here, too, is very strict, and in a short time the Japanese 
 tradespeople will be just as honourable and trustworthy 
 as all the other nations, perhaps even more so. 
 
 The Europeans say, " But at the bottom of it all they 
 hate us all, they are false." 
 
 But, dear people of Europe, pull your own noses! Do 
 you love them ? Don't your papers continually speak of 
 the "Yellow Peril"? How should we like it if the 
 Japanese made big settlements in our countries ? Not a 
 bit ! Look at America, who even wants to exclude the 
 Japanese children from their schools. Look at Australia, 
 who will not allow any in at all ! Do we love them, 
 although our religion, as boasted of by the priests, teaches 
 us to "love thy neighbour as thyself." Christ did not say 
 "thy white neighbour." Why should they love us? 
 
 It has struck me very forcibly during all these tramps 
 abroad the difference between the Englishman and the 
 Englishwoman in this matter. Already in Germany this 
 had greatly interested and struck me, in Italy, in France 
 the same. The Englishman goes to another country, either 
 on business or because he can't afford to live at home, 
 life being there too expensive, while abroad it is cheaper, 
 or on account of health, etc. ; anyhow he settles in a foreign 
 country. He makes, as has been proved, an excellent 
 colonist, but he settles down where he is for the time 
 being, his heart of course always remaining John Bull, 
 and that is right and noble and good too. He takes 
 up the customs of the country, its ways of living, its 
 habits, etc., etc., and admits that every country, every nation, 
 has its good points as well as its bad ones ; that certain 
 customs are necessary on account of the climate, etc., etc.
 
 198 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Not so the Englishwoman. She always, and under all 
 circumstances, regards herself as the specially elected tool of 
 a higher wisdom to pioneer and educate and convert a 
 country and its customs and its people. I don't mean 
 convert to Christianity, I mean convert to her essentially 
 British standard, and be she still ignorant and positively 
 stupid, she is English, therefore one of the chosen tribe, 
 and it is for the benefit of the wretched country that she was 
 doomed to spend some of her precious years in it. She 
 is going to teach, to enlighten its people, to show them the 
 proper way of life, and everything in this wretched country 
 is judged stupid, etc., etc., according to her plum-pudding 
 ideas. But that the plum-pudding might be indigestible 
 or too heating in other climates she won't see. It is not 
 so, it is only the stupidity of "foreign" people, not her 
 heavy plum-pudding. She will train and teach their insides 
 to digest plum-pudding, etc., etc. She remains British to 
 the last day of her life, not so much in feeling (the man is 
 a much better patriot), but in her habits and customs. She 
 remains plum-pudding, and if she lives to be a thousand, 
 well then, she is a thousand times heavier plum-pudding, 
 that is all, but plum-pudding she remains, and eggs and 
 bacon. There is no getting away from it. Oh ! I know 
 two exceptions they are, Aunt Janet and Daisy. But then 
 they are very clever women, of course ; they have not 
 remained plum-pudding because they are exceptions. 
 
 I quite forgot to tell, though it has nothing to do with 
 the average Englishwoman or the plum-pudding, to what 
 an extent the Japanese carry out their little artistic daily 
 feelings, which I say have become part of their lives and 
 natures. At Giffu, for instance, well known for its trout 
 fishing, the cakes and biscuits you get are all in the shape
 
 JAPAN 199 
 
 of a trout, large and small ; and in Yoro, notable for its 
 maple leaves, the cakes again have the form of maple 
 leaves. Of course it is a trivial thing I know, but it shows 
 to what an extent they decorate their daily lives. Nothing 
 with them is "banal." Everything has a nice little sense 
 and meaning. 
 
 The other day we made a trip to Hye Mountain, near 
 to Kyoto Nomura, Hikkone-San, Jinija and two friends 
 of his, and I. I think the two friends have large shops 
 here ; anyhow, they are very nice and jolly, but don't speak 
 one word of English. 
 
 We drove in a landau for about an hour and a half. 
 The surroundings of Kyoto are really lovely, very hilly, 
 and with magnificent vegetation, bamboo groves, camellias, 
 big kaki trees, camphor trees, azaleas, hibiscus every- 
 where about. But what is so pleasant and attractive in 
 Japan is that the vegetation looks not a bit, and isn't either 
 a bit, tropical, but quite European. Because a la longue 
 one really gets awfully tired of tropical vegetation. And 
 the luxuriance of water everywhere ! Everywhere the 
 lovely clear brooks, the murmuring rivers, the clear tor- 
 rents and waterfalls driving huge wheels, etc., etc., make 
 up a happy, lovely country. Che dio lo benedica ! 
 
 At a large village we got out, and as it began to pelt with 
 rain we waited some time in a nice little inn and watched 
 the unharnessing and grooming down of the two fat, long- 
 tailed, old grey horses. Then we went to an old bath which 
 is close by, and supposed to be one of the oldest in Japan. 
 Some very famous old Shogun used to bathe in it in the 
 Middle Ages. I suppose it has been considerably patched 
 up since, because, although primitive, it looks in good con- 
 dition, and I can hardly believe that the beaten clay out
 
 200 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 of which it is simply formed would stand many centuries. 
 It consisted of an old ramshackle wooden shanty, minutely 
 clean of course, and attached to it a round thing, which 
 from outside looked like one of those beehive baking 
 ovens which one used to have in the villages for baking 
 bread. This " backofen " was connected with the shanty 
 by a low little opening near the floor, square, and surely 
 not half a yard in diameter. Through this opening one 
 would have to squeeze oneself in order to get into the 
 "backofen," which was heated from somewhere underneath, 
 and used as a steam bath. Inside the "backofen," it appears, 
 one could just stand up if one were a Japanese ; as for me, 
 how often I have knocked my poor head against posts, 
 doors and ceilings, roofs, etc., etc., is not to be counted. 
 You can easily imagine that I, who hate underground 
 places, did not squeeze myself through the hole near 
 the floor into the " backofen." I contented myself with the 
 description, and state the fact that the famous Shogun, 
 though a mighty warrior, must have been mighty slim. 
 The chief engineer from the Derfflinger, who said I walked 
 too much, could not have got through. The bath-house 
 was surrounded by a lovely garden (the whole village lies 
 in a narrow valley surrounded by lovely wooded hills, 
 from which clear brooks gurgle down), in which, beside 
 magnificent scarlet-red morning glories, an exquisite pure 
 white double-blossomed hibiscus forms hedges. Early 
 chrysanthemums were beginning to flower in yellows and 
 false purples. 
 
 We then crossed a little river on some wobbly planks, 
 Tim trotting so close behind me that she shook the planks, 
 so that we almost fell into the water, and on the other 
 side we ascended the mountain. We came at once into
 
 PQ
 
 JAPAN 201 
 
 lovely cryptomeria woods, with bamboo and azalea under- 
 growth, wisteria creeping everywhere, ferns, mosses, briar- 
 roses, lovely grasses, and oh ! the most lovely pale, orangy 
 lilies I've ever seen, in masses, flowering everywhere in 
 profusion. The thin, small, graceful flowers were in clusters 
 on not very high stalks. Exquisite ! Of course I howled 
 with delight, and Benten that is, Nomura promised to 
 have basketsful of the bulbs collected for me, as I wanted 
 to come here again in the autumn. He has masses of 
 them growing in his own country place. He really is 
 awfully good. 
 
 Higher up we went steeply, through narrow gorges, 
 always in the dense cryptomeria and tuja woods. It was 
 lovely. Everywhere the waters descended in happy torrents 
 and formed busy waterfalls over and round mossy stones 
 in the narrow beds, and one looked down steep, almost 
 perpendicular precipices. Half-way up, after an hour's 
 walk, a terrible shower caught us again, and in spite of 
 the dense woods we got wet through and through. But 
 it didn't in the least interfere with our high spirits. We 
 were in regular holiday mood. Besides, by-and-by we 
 got dry again, and when we had reached the summit 
 ultimately, after a very steep and long climb, we were 
 actually quite dry again. Before reaching this summit, how- 
 ever, we passed many magnificent temples, as this hill was 
 famous for its temples. One Shogun, who was a Christian, 
 so history relates, ordered all the Buddhist temples to be 
 burned (what a wicked man he must have been !), and 
 these magnificent temples, with all their treasures, and 
 many gilt hinges and solid copper roofs, were only preserved 
 by the trick of a very smart young priest, who made all the 
 other priests pile huge masses of wood in front of each
 
 202 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 temple and lit them. So the soldiers seeing the big fires 
 flaring up high out of the woods thought other soldiers had 
 already done their work of destruction, and passed by 
 that hill without going up. 
 
 All these temples are of wood of course, with lovely 
 curved roofs, as I said made of copper, turned to a rich 
 bronzy green, the pillars mostly painted red, and thickly 
 ornamented with all sorts of beautiful brass gilt hinges and 
 nails, making a lovely, rich ornamental effect. They all stand 
 raised high on a wide wooden platform, with a sort of balcony 
 running round them with a low railing, and huge stone or 
 bronze lanterns of lovely patterns and shapes in front of 
 them on the large gravel square, which is cleared out of the 
 dense woods surrounding it. It is of a majestic sacredness 
 and imposing magnificence, which impress one greatly. 
 Whoever said that Japan was only toylike and pretty 
 has surely never seen either Japan's hills and Nature, or 
 its glorious temples, with their grand proportions, and the 
 sense of largeness and of space carried out to an extent 
 we in Europe don't dream of. And the noble, dignified 
 simplicity in its massive richness is so exquisite. These 
 temples are so lofty, so spacious, their surroundings so 
 grandiose in their sweet simpleness, that one can only 
 stand still and admire. And the red of the pillars so well 
 harmonises with the many-shaded greens of mosses, foliage, 
 and pines. And then there is the sacred solitude of it all, 
 the shadiness, the rich, damp, luxuriant vegetation, the 
 glorious artistic forms of the cryptomerias with their 
 red stems, and the gnarled pines with their bluish foliage ! 
 I say it is the country of harmony, of perfect beauty. It 
 is perfect. Broad stone steps lead from one temple up 
 to another, where one passes under a sort of archway or
 
 JAPAN 203 
 
 bridge formed by the raised platform of two smaller temples 
 communicating by a sort of bridge, underneath which one 
 passes. The priest's house was delightful, a dream of a 
 cottage, with a gabled roof and perfect porch, everything 
 mysteriously clean and silent, only the birds singing in the 
 dense green woods, where one hears the murmur of the 
 waters. And still higher up one goes by broad, well-kept 
 walks, over mossy stepping-stones and wide flights of 
 stone steps, always along in this shady, lovely, silent, mys- 
 terious wood of magnificent trees. It is like dreamland. 
 Surely here the angels come to dance at night on the 
 moon-rays, and the elves at daytime play hide-and-seek 
 in these lovely enchanted woods and greennesses. Isn't 
 there a goblin sitting there on that mossy bank ? I 
 almost thought I saw one. One wouldn't be a bit 
 astonished. 
 
 One meets very few people those we saw were 
 Japanese, thank goodness ; Providence or my nice Japanese 
 sprite has spared me the odious spectacle of Yankee 
 tourists in tweeds, with blue or green floating motor veils. 
 It is delightful. 
 
 Finally we got out of the woods on to the open top, 
 which is very steep and covered with low bamboo grass, 
 and after a stiff climb almost on hands and knees, we 
 reached the summit at i P.M., and had a glorious view 
 over the lovely, hilly wooded country to Kyoto in the 
 distance, and across silvery glittering Biwa Lake, with 
 its many bays, islands, the sails of the boats on it, the 
 lovely wooded hills framing it, with lower promontories 
 crowned by old temples, the thatched roof villages hidden 
 in fruit trees close to the sandy shore. It is all a lovely 
 picture of blues, pale hazy greens, purples, and glittering 

 
 204 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 silver. It was hard to tear oneself away. What a position 
 for a castle this would be ! 
 
 After climbing down again into the woods we walked still 
 for half an hour, and then had lunch in a dear tea-house 
 or rather outside it in the shade of enormous cryptomerias 
 near another fine old temple. We were awfully hungry, 
 having walked since this morning early, and all the time 
 uphill, but it was lovely. 
 
 After going to another temple close by, which was 
 particularly imposing in its marvellous grandeur and large 
 proportions, we descended the other side of the hill steeply 
 through dense, lovely wood towards Biwa Lake, and got 
 charming glimpses all along through the high stems on 
 to the silvery lake and the pale blue hills. What a country ! 
 At the bottom of the hill were our bicycles, which the 
 coolies had brought ; for I have bought a bicycle, and 
 we have been for some heavenly trips about the lovely 
 country, which is great fun. 
 
 Tim, who had enjoyed her day out immensely, the 
 dear little thing, and had scampered about and uphill 
 like mad, began to get frightfully tired towards the end 
 of the walk going downhill, and I had to carry her. It 
 was of course in any case out of the question that she 
 could follow the bicycle, so my nice old rikshah coolie, 
 who is on excellent terms with her, and really very fond of 
 her, carried her in his arms as far as the boat, in which 
 they went home to Kyoto. 
 
 When we drove in the rikshah Tim amused herself 
 with trying to catch the poor old boy behind, and some- 
 times nibbled him quite hard, to his great delight. I told 
 her it was naughty, but he said it didn't matter, and it 
 did amuse her so. She is a cheeky little beggar. When
 
 JAPAN 205 
 
 she got wet he wiped her face like an old nurse, and she 
 sat with an air of condescension and allowed him to do 
 it. She is frightfully affected when she thinks it is worth 
 while, but an awful tomboy otherwise. But she gets 
 angry when I call her a Lhasa street arab, what she really 
 is, I am sure. Nevertheless she is a great darling, so 
 what does it matter? 
 
 We bicycled back in one hour and a half. Uphill 
 I thought I would render up my soul ; I haven't sat on 
 a cycle for a year. But then again downhill it was 
 heavenly, as the machine was a freewheeler, and I never 
 sat on one before ; it was like a motor-car. Once one 
 has got accustomed to it, and especially to the back pedal 
 brake, it is delightful. At first I always put the brake 
 on without wanting to, which was most aggravating. 
 
 It was a heavenly, enjoyable day all along. Tim is 
 dead tired. She ate her dinner and went to sleep pro- 
 foundly ; didn't even come into my bed in the evening 
 to play, which always happens, whether I like it or not, 
 every night. She slept till next morning, but now is very 
 gay and well. Nomura is half-dead too, and tells me 
 through the telephone that he is so stiff he has had to 
 send for the masseur to massage his legs. 
 
 One afternoon Jinija, Hikkone-San, and I bicycled out 
 to the bottom of the rapids. It is like all the country about 
 Kyoto, lovely all the way seven miles. Once there, it 
 is beyond words. We crossed the river in a punt, and 
 went to a charming tea-house, situated high above the 
 steep banks of the river. Jinija had telephoned and 
 told them to reserve the corner room, which has a 
 specially lovely view over the blue-green transparent river 
 and its many huge blocks of mossy rock round which
 
 206 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 it flows, and on the thickly timbered steep hills forming 
 the valley. It is an exquisite spot. One would love to 
 stop there for days. But in which place in Japan would 
 one not like to spend weeks ? Yes, in Tokyo ! that is, 
 to my idea, the only nasty place in the whole of Japan. 
 Well, here it is lovely. 
 
 After we had cooled down a bit, as of course we 
 had undressed like every one else, as they all sat practically 
 naked in all the different rooms which were more or less 
 open to the gardens, we went to the public bathroom. 
 It was charmingly arranged (of course quite Japanese, 
 because it is a Japanese inn), with nice plain wood, and 
 tiles all round the big tub of wood in the middle, sunk 
 into the floor, and fresh water flowing into it all the time, 
 and all so clean. We were handed a towel, and in we 
 went. There were several people already in it, and I 
 couldn't help laughing (this being my first bathe in Japan 
 in a public bath) at the perfect innocence with which 
 everything went on. The girls that gave you the towels, 
 for instance, still chatted gaily with us and the other 
 absolutely Adam-like men. It is such a sensible nation. 
 I never could see anything indecent or improper in naked- 
 ness. I never can understand why one should be ashamed 
 to show oneself naked. I am well built, though it may 
 sound conceited to say so I can't help it, I know it, I'm 
 not a painter for nothing. So why should I be ashamed 
 of showing myself naked ? If I were deformed I could 
 understand it, but as I'm not ? Well, in this sensible land 
 they are not so stupid as to be ashamed. They are so 
 clean-minded, that they don't mind showing themselves 
 naked. God bless them ! The water was boiling, and 
 my not being accustomed to it caused a general amuse-
 
 
 
 ON THE ROAD TO THE ARASHIAMA RAPIDS
 
 JAPAN 207 
 
 ment, and we got on friendly terms at once. I couldn't 
 help laughing again as I asked Jinija what sort of people 
 they were, I mean what class, and he answered me quite 
 seriously, " I really couldn't tell you like that. I must see 
 them dressed, then I could tell you exactly to which class of 
 people they belong." 
 
 There is a German proverb saying, Kleider machen 
 Leute, which is very true, but it never struck me more than 
 here. Here we were all alike, nothing but simple, harm- 
 less, naked people. So where is the real difference, unless, 
 thank God, in brains and education, that I admit? But 
 stripped of our clothes we are all alike, and it is almost 
 impossible to tell us apart. How true is that proverb. 
 
 Afterwards we again donned our linen kimonos lent 
 by the hotel, walked back to our room in the wooden 
 sandals, and while I had my cocoa and excellent pears the 
 other two had rice with eels, which they ate with their 
 chopsticks with wonderful deftness. They had very good 
 fruit there, excellent pears, which I have described already, 
 nice and juicy and very good large peaches, almost as good 
 as the Australian fruit. Figs were beginning too, but I 
 never cared for them, and not even Japan will teach me to 
 eat and like them ; there were also excellent grapes. We 
 sat in that cool, pleasant nakedness quite a long time talk- 
 ing gaily, and looking at the lovely scenery. When it got 
 dark we dressed and bicycled back to the hotel, where of 
 course I had to take another bath as I'd got hot again 
 bicycling. 
 
 I have seen several lovely gardens in the town ; it is 
 charming the way they are arranged. Only I see I must 
 still put more stones in mine. 
 
 The day before yesterday was full moon, and I had
 
 208 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 proposed a bicycling trip to Biwa Lake to see the moon 
 there, which was accepted with alacrity. We started at 
 about five and arrived there just as the moon was coming 
 up, a huge red ball, over the old pines that crown the hills 
 surrounding Biwa Lake. It was lovely. Hikkone-San 
 had gone on ahead by train and had reserved us a room, 
 otherwise one cannot get one on such days. In fact, all 
 the tea-houses were choke-full, and singing and dining 
 was going on in all the rooms, wide open to the lake, so 
 that one could see their naked inhabitants having supper. 
 After having bathed we had supper too, but unfortunately 
 the sky had clouded over entirely, and no moon was to be 
 seen any more. But our little party was very gay all the 
 same, and we stopped till 10 P.M., and then prepared for 
 going home. When we dressed I said, "If only I hadn't 
 to put on that shirt with that beastly collar ! " And they 
 all immediately answered delighted, " Oh ! don't put it on ; 
 we are only putting them on on account of you, but if you 
 won't, we needn't." So we rolled our shirts up, tied them 
 to our bikes, and bicycled back in our thin vests. It was 
 delightful. The night was so pleasant and cool, and, 
 although cloudy, still bright enough to show the lovely 
 scenery all the way, and especially the old pine-tree 
 avenues along the shore of the lake looked doubly attrac- 
 tive in the half light, and very fascinating. I wonder why 
 so few people plant Scotch firs as an avenue in Europe ! 
 Here one sees a lot of them, and they are so pretty and 
 picturesque. 
 
 We arrived at the hotel at half-past eleven, and I don't 
 know why, my valet had not gone to bed ; I never want 
 him at night for undressing. But up he was, and his face 
 when he saw me come up in my vest and knickerbockers
 
 JAPAN 209 
 
 was worth a shilling. We couldn't help laughing, but 
 he, I think, was greatly shocked, and I believe begins to 
 fear I'm demented. 
 
 Yesterday old Jida had sent to tell me he would show 
 me a lovely garden. Most likely he had heard that 
 Nomura, whom he can't bear, had been showing me all 
 these lovely gardens, and he was jealous. He came at 
 half-past two, a ghastly hour, because, although the nights 
 are getting cooler, it is still very hot in the day. We 
 rikshahed out for fifty minutes, through pretty country of 
 course, and then through a large village where nobody lives 
 but stone workmen, and one saw lovely stone lanterns being 
 made everywhere, in all sorts of forms and sizes. At the 
 end of this village we stopped and walked a bit uphill. 
 Here it was not pretty, nothing but vegetable fields, beauti- 
 fully kept it is true, but turnips, onions, cabbages, etc., etc., 
 don't interest me especially, unless they are my own. 
 Besides, they had sunk in the ground every five yards 
 huge conci, in which they were distilling some manure with 
 which they watered their fields. In some places they were 
 just at it, and the smell was too terrific. I can stand a lot 
 of country smells as a rule, farmyards or so on, but this was 
 awful. Then Tim, who was scampering gaily about the 
 fields, fell into one of these pools before I could stop her ; 
 and if I had not been there the poor little thing would 
 have got drowned, as the beastly things are glazed inside, 
 and the disgusting thick stuff being lower than the border, 
 no dog could have got out, but would have died an awful 
 death. Of course I had to fish her out, which I did at 
 once. I wasn't angry with her, poor little dear, it was not 
 her fault, but I was angry with old Jida, because this was 
 what he wanted to show me. This was the spot where 
 
 VOL. II. O
 
 210 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 once a princely palace had stood and a beautiful garden 
 had been, and he wanted me, as I was so fond of gardens, 
 to buy this ground and lay out a garden on it again and 
 build a house here. Wasn't the spot beautiful ? One had 
 pretty wooded hills at the back it is true, where one might 
 hear a small waterfall, but in front, down in the otherwise 
 lovely valley, they had built a huge cotton mill with many 
 smoking chimneys. Well, frankly, I didn't come to Japan 
 to see smoking factory chimneys and to smell distilled 
 manure. I was angry, for it was hot, and he had disturbed 
 me in my best writing mood. So I was delighted when 
 little Tim, after she had been rescued by me, shook herself 
 violently, and as we had all jumped out of reach of her 
 fountain, which was of course anything but sweet, old 
 dandy-like Jida had been too slow or too dignified to do it, 
 so she shook a good lot of her dirt on his grey silk kimono. 
 Imagine his horror ! I was deliberately delighted ; it served 
 him right for taking me to such places. I had of course 
 to dip Tim in a clean running stream close by, because her 
 smell was awful, and then she had to run a bit beside the 
 rikshah, which she likes, and has been doing all these 
 days. She was too dirty to take into the rikshah, and at 
 the hotel she was washed at once all over with soap and in 
 a hot bath. It was awful. Of course I had returned to 
 the hotel at once, so as to be able to wash her as quickly as 
 possible. I think old Jida was quite offended. 
 
 In the evening Nomura took me to a lovely little 
 garden in the town ; small, but beautifully laid out and 
 kept a regular treat. 
 
 September \6tk. Several days ago we left Kyoto by 
 train at I P.M., and went first to Osaka, where we had to
 
 JAPAN 211 
 
 change train, get into a sort of tram-car, and change again 
 into a slow train for Wakanoura. Here we had to drive 
 for at least an hour in rikshahs before we got to the hotel, 
 most charmingly situated on the sea, with a delightful view 
 over the cliffed beach, the sea, and many small islands 
 crowned by charming gnarled pine-trees. It was all so 
 thoroughly Japanese and attractive. The luggage had 
 been limited, mostly consisting of linen and Japanese 
 clothes, so that came to very little. Then there was my 
 painting materials and my dressing-bag, over which Jinija 
 and I almost came to blows, as he pretends it is too heavy, 
 and surely I don't need all these things ; but, as I tell him, 
 it is not he who has to carry it (or I either), and this reason 
 won, and it was taken. Then there were the cooking pots 
 and pans, and provisions tied up in different baskets, like 
 everything else in this delightful country. But all the 
 same it was really very little. We had to take provi- 
 sions, as up in Koya-san, the old convent, one could not 
 get anything but vegetables. Nobody is allowed to 
 cook meat or fish in the convent, so we had to do it on 
 the sly. 
 
 It is a pity that my stupid inside stands Japanese food 
 so badly, otherwise it would be much easier ; but I am so 
 easily upset. That's the reason why the cook has always 
 to be taken. I left Duenker at Kyoto, because otherwise 
 one would have to drag European provisions up for two, 
 and, as it is, Jinija allows me very little. 
 
 I have taken a Japanese boy called Akida with me. 
 He was in the Yaami hotel four years ago ; very clean and 
 smart, and implored me to take him with me to Germany. 
 I had him to help dress me and lay out my things for a 
 week so that he should get into my ways, and it is really
 
 212 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 extraordinary with what rapidity he has picked it all up, 
 considering he has never done it before. I hope he won't 
 get spoilt, or that it won't be a case of " new brooms," 
 which I have noticed so often before. People often appear 
 clever at the preliminary canter, and in the long run dis- 
 appoint you. Of course, if properly trained, a Japanese 
 Valet ought to be the ideal valet, they are so clever, clean, 
 and tidy. 
 
 So we started, a very happy family Jinija, Hikkone- 
 San, the little cook, Akida, Tim, and I. Did I mention 
 that Akida is so nice with Tim, and always plays with her 
 when he thinks he is unobserved ? 
 
 The sunset was lovely, but before the luggage with the 
 painting things had come it was night. Exquisite pink 
 and mauve clouds, topped with a creamy-yellow, floated 
 on a pale blue sky. It really was too pretty for words. I 
 wished I could have put it down. 
 
 The hotel, a Japanese country inn, is charming with 
 all its pretty, tasty things, the quaint rooms and customs. 
 The bath is of course a general amusement again, and all 
 the housemaids assist. It is -really, I must say, charming, 
 the utter innocence in this country ; it is all so natural and 
 gay, one can't help laughing and enjoying it all. They are 
 such a jolly lot. 
 
 It is very warm here still, as it is farther south than 
 Kyoto, and I dine on the verandah overlooking the sea 
 and the little harbour, only dressed in a thin linen kimono. 
 All the matted floors are so clean that I don't even wear 
 slippers, but walk about like the Japanese barefooted. 
 Fancy me without my holy ones (I mean my slippers), 
 about which Healy always used to tease me so much ! 
 And it is quite true in Europe I hate being without them,
 
 JAPAN 213 
 
 but in this clean country I don't mind a bit. It is as if 
 one walked about somebody's polished dinner-table. 
 
 It is most amusing to watch the many fisher-boats come 
 in, because the whole population of this little village are 
 fishers. There are large and small fishing-smacks all 
 rowed by naked, bronzy people, enormous baskets full of 
 all sorts of fish, which they empty out of the tanks they 
 have at the bottom of their boats, huge lobsters, and all 
 the business and alertness make a pretty picture of naked, 
 fresh, healthy life. One might be in one of the south 
 Italian villages in the time of the old Romans, with all 
 this innocent nakedness. 
 
 Those who have returned earlier, and have stored their 
 prey away already, have been to the public bath, and return 
 to the harbour stark-naked, their towels slung over their 
 shoulders, to see what the others have caught, or to 
 have a quiet evening pipe and talk before turning in for 
 the evening meal. The others returning do not wear 
 much more clothing, especially the younger men, just some 
 large straw hats or a handkerchief tied over their ears. The 
 children (the little boys) are all of course quite naked too, 
 the little girls only in linen kimonos, the married women 
 mostly naked down to the waist. All this nakedness is so 
 innocent, so natural, so paradise-like, that one would be 
 astonished to see it different. What fools we are to cover 
 ourselves up in this stupid and surely unwholesome way ! 
 At least there is freedom of movement here. 
 
 On a rock stands a lovely old stone lantern, and near 
 by they have hung all the nets up to dry on high poles, 
 and they form pretty garlands, like graceful draperies of 
 a dark and light tan. 
 
 The next day we walked to an old temple, now a
 
 214 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Shinto temple, built by Tokugawa, that is, 350 years ago. 
 It is very pretty, though very Chinese and rather loud 
 in colour. But it stands awfully well on a high hill, to 
 which a long flight of stone steps leads up through the 
 woods, lined by large stone lanterns. The view from here 
 over the sea and the harbour is very pretty. Then we 
 walked to a point which is supposed to have a pretty view, 
 after descending the hill again, but this proved to be a 
 failure. First of all, the walk in the burning, scorching 
 sun, absolutely shadeless, was anything but pretty, and 
 then the view was nothing especial. So after eating some 
 pears, I was all for taking a boat and being rowed back 
 along the many canals which wind about here to avoid 
 the hot, dusty road. Our crew consisted of three boys of 
 about twelve to fourteen years, who, when it got too deep 
 to punt, stripped themselves of their kimonos and jumped 
 into the water, pushing the boat from behind, swimming. 
 We did not go very fast to be sure, but it was always 
 better than walking on that hot, dusty road. 
 
 After tiffin we all took a boat, as I had told the cook 
 and Akida to come too, because they were simply longing 
 to do so. None of them had ever been out of Kyoto, and 
 so they were exactly like children on a holiday. We 
 meant to go fishing in the sea, which Jinija told us was 
 great sport and fun, as one caught quantities in the 
 shortest time. As I wanted to swim in the lovely blue- 
 green sea I had my linen kimono on as my only garment, 
 and couldn't help laughing that all the others appeared 
 in the same dress. The boat was covered with a linen 
 awning, and we were rowed out by an old man. We 
 passed lots of boats with people fishing like us, and I made 
 Jinija ask some of them if they had caught a lot already,
 
 GOING TO FISH AT BIWA LAKE (JAPAN)
 
 JAPAN 215 
 
 but they all said it was a " bad day " to-day, and one man 
 told us he had been fishing since 5 A.M. (it is now 3 P.M.) 
 and had caught five fish. I couldn't help laughing, because 
 that had always been my experience of fishing, but Jinija 
 was full of hope, and told me not to laugh too soon. 
 
 So they all put their hooks out and worked at them 
 as the old fisherman told them, pulling them softly up and 
 down, so that the little shrimps hooked to them should look 
 as if they moved, but it was all in vain. I think (I'm sure) 
 they tried for an hour at different points, always with the 
 same effect. I didn't mind, because it was simply heavenly, 
 and I enjoyed my do Ice far niente more than I can say, 
 so they were quite welcome to fish. I lay on my back 
 in my thin kimono, watching the lovely distant sea, the 
 green hills, the more distant ones of a hazy-blue colour ; 
 the little fisher-boats were going and coming, and all the 
 time the sea lapped gently at the sides of the boat. It 
 was a lovely siesta. The sea looked like some fine vista 
 in a good Alma Tadema picture, without the eternal 
 marble and the eternal red-haired woman. But it was 
 exquisite ! That's what I like in Alma Tadema's pictures, 
 the distant sunny sea as the background. He makes it 
 so warm and sunny, really just as it is. 
 
 Then when they got tired of their game (I could have 
 lolled on for hours) we went near the land to a lovely little 
 bay, for, except Akida, none of them can swim, and the 
 bathing began. Jinija, of course, had to take photos; he 
 was quite wild about it, and so we had to take attitudes 
 and get snap-shotted. Then I had my swim. It was 
 delightful. I swam out to a little rock in the sea which 
 tempted me. It was much farther than I had thought, 
 and I was astonished that I could still swim so much
 
 216 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 farther than I have swum for several years. As I was 
 just perching on the top of the rock Akida crawled up 
 behind me. I was still more astonished, but didn't like 
 it a bit when he told me he was not sure if he could get 
 back again, he had never swum so far before ; but as I had 
 come, he had thought he must come too. I proposed to 
 him that I should swim back and bring the boat for him, 
 but that of course his childish pride (he is twenty-two) 
 would not allow. So I persuaded him to rest, and as it 
 was nice and warm, and as I had a large straw hat on 
 to shield me from the sun, we two Adams sat on the 
 narrow slit of rock back to back, for otherwise there would 
 have been no room, and as I asked him about his family, 
 he told me there and then his sad little story. It was 
 quite a romance but a very sad one, and I felt almost sorry 
 I had asked him. The poor boy ! life is very hard on 
 some people. 
 
 After we had got safely back (I made him swim in 
 front of me so that I could keep an eye on him, and had 
 instructed him what to do if he felt his strength going) 
 I had some rare games with Tim, who enjoyed herself 
 immensely on this trip, and then we started for home. 
 But midway the sea was so lovely and transparent I 
 couldn't resist it ; I jumped in again, after telling Akida 
 not to follow me, and I swam beside the boat back to the 
 hotel. It was lovely. 
 
 Towards evening I painted quite a nice little sunset 
 I mean it was all in such pale tints, that's why I call it a 
 small sunset. 
 
 That night Tim pretended to die. Of course she was 
 really not ill a bit, in the proper sense. She had gone 
 and stolen all the lobster of Jinija's and Hikkone's dinner
 
 JAPAN 217 
 
 while they kept me company at mine. Their dinner being 
 neatly laid out, as all the dinners are in Japan, on low little 
 lacquer tables, she had taken what tempted her most, and 
 had made a clean sweep of the lobsters. As she had just 
 had an enormous dinner she was violently sick, and really 
 acted as if she were going to die there and then. If her 
 nose hadn't been quite cold and wet, and if I hadn't known 
 that she was an awful tenderfoot and a pretender, and 
 always acted as if she were giving up the ghost, I might 
 have really been frightened. Akida thought me very 
 hard-hearted because I laughed. She was so sick, or pre- 
 tended to be, that I had to carry her down the stairs 
 and up again for what I call her evening prayers. She 
 pretended she couldn't walk, she is awfully affected. She 
 dropped down on her cushion with a deep sigh, and did 
 not even come to my bed to play. Next day, however, 
 she was as fresh and saucy and cheeky as ever, and pre- 
 tended it wasn't true at all, and all an invention of mine. 
 But the night before she had whispered to me which way 
 she wanted to be buried. 
 
 Next day I got up at 6 A.M., because we still wanted to 
 see the old Daimio castle on our way to the station. The 
 morning was so lovely in its soft haziness that I made the 
 resolution to get up at 6 A.M. (not every day, don't think 
 that, I'm not so rash in my resolutions), but to get up at 
 6 A.M. once on my way back from Koya-san, when I intend 
 to stop again for a few days at this charming little place, 
 and to paint these lovely fresh mornings. I think though 
 (I'm sorry to say) Japan is a morning country, and that 
 the mornings here are still prettier than the evenings, 
 which would mean getting up early oftener. That would 
 be very sad ; 7 A.M. I think is quite a nice reasonable hour,
 
 218 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 I hate getting up earlier. But this morning was really 
 lovely, so with many " Seionaras " we drove away from the 
 hospitable nice inn, and again through the lovely long 
 pine-tree avenue, between the luxuriant rich fields of rice 
 and vegetables, where everywhere the people are always 
 busy working, including a gang of prisoners in their red 
 clothes. The drive through the little place itself was 
 interesting enough, everybody busy shopping, and every- 
 thing so nice and clean, so daintily arranged, the vegetable, 
 the fish, and the fruit shops. They are even artists in 
 such trivial things as that. And everybody trotted about 
 gaily with an amiable bow to an equally bowing neighbour 
 and with a smile on the lips. Hideous, though, is the habit 
 still persisting in the country, though fortunately it is dying 
 out, of the married women having to blacken their teeth. 
 
 The old Daimio castle stands on a highish mount in 
 the middle of its extensive, finely-timbered grounds, the 
 whole surrounded by the fast-growing town of Wakanoura. 
 It is a pity that so many factories smoke round it, other- 
 wise it would be still prettier. The whole of the grounds 
 are surrounded by a large moat quite filled with lotus 
 flowers in full bloom still, and looking lovely. Their large 
 pink blossoms were swaying high over the sea of bluish- 
 green leaves on which the dewdrops rolled about like 
 large crystal beads. After crossing a fine stone bridge 
 one passes the old fortified walls of massive stone, built 
 of huge hewn squares, almost as large as those in the old 
 Egyptian buildings. Then crossing park-like grounds, in 
 which one could make dreams of gardens, one ascends the 
 broad zigzagging main drive steeply, coming from stone 
 terrace to stone terrace over wide stone steps and past 
 steep fortified walls of massive large blocks, where the
 
 JAPAN 219 
 
 Ampelopsis vichy was already tinted red at the points. 
 Through huge avenues of cryptomerias and camphor trees 
 one reaches then the main entrance to the castle itself, 
 a large gate in a house with the typical curved and gabled 
 roof crowned at the corners by the well-known fish, tails 
 upwards, and looking like a little fortress itself. 
 
 Inside is a spacious courtyard, formed by the stables 
 and the outer houses, in which pine trees grow, and at the 
 end of this longish court stands massive and imposing the 
 old castle with its three stories, whitewashed, the grey- 
 tiled roofs looking like a huge defiant pagoda. The 
 curved roofs and pretty decorations, the wonderful pro- 
 portions, have a marvellous effect, and the whole thing 
 reminds one more of the old pictures of Ravenna than of 
 anything else. If I ever had to build a castle again, I 
 should build one like this massive, simple, graceful, and 
 aristocratic structure. It would fit beautifully in our German 
 scenery. I remember I was quite wild about them when 
 I saw them four years ago, and almost wished then Halbau 
 might burn down (it was well insured), and that I might 
 be able to build such a castle as this. It strikes me again as 
 wonderful and really magnificent architecture, and I can't 
 understand why some European architect hasn't long ago 
 built a castle for some rich man in this style, instead of 
 trying to invent some new atrocity, or to copy the eternal 
 French or English styles. One could really not imagine 
 anything more imposing and grand, and, as I say, it would 
 suit our German scenery especially well. 
 
 Inside it is, of course, like all the Japanese castles, 
 very simple and bare, constructed of huge, massive wooden 
 beams. It only served to house the soldiers and the 
 armoury, the palace being at the bottom of the hill in the
 
 220 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 grounds. This was unfortunately destroyed by fire several 
 years ago, and the proprietor now lives in Tokyo, being 
 some Court official, most likely in a hideous European villa, 
 for alas ! the bad European taste, I'm sorry to say, finds 
 its way even into beautiful, artistic Japan. 
 
 The view from the third floor of the castle is magni- 
 ficent. One looks all round as out of an eagle's nest, well 
 perched on the hills over the smoking factories and the low 
 squat town, over the rich undulating green fields on the 
 wooded hills beyond, and the many rivers and the lovely 
 sea with its pine-clad shores, its fisher villages and harboured 
 boats, and its many islands. It is really a lovely sight, and 
 one could look at it for hours. I must go back there and 
 paint at least one view. 
 
 Then after descending through the lovely shady park 
 again, down those broad avenues and massive terraces 
 with their undergrowth of camellias and azaleas, we drove 
 to the house of a rich merchant, who had some really lovely 
 old things of a friend of his for sale. How charming such 
 a Japanese interior is, so tasteful and simple, yet so cosy 
 and delightfully clean. 
 
 At 1 1 A.M. our train left, and after two hours' journey 
 through pretty hilly country we arrived at Koya-Gouchy, 
 where we had tiffin. Then we took rikshahs, and to my 
 horror they had dogs running as leaders to the rikshah 
 boys, and of course my love of dogs made my temper rise, 
 and I really got quite angry. It is a shame, and unworthy 
 of so civilised and clever and advanced a nation. In most 
 places I heard to my relief that Government had stopped 
 it already, so undoubtedly they will do it here too. 
 
 The ride continued through pretty country, in a narrow 
 valley which soon began to be thickly timbered. After
 
 JAPAN 221 
 
 one hour of it we got out, and I am glad we did, on 
 account of the poor dogs. They seemed, though, to be 
 very fond of their masters. 
 
 From the village where we stopped and got out of the 
 rikshahs the road ascends steeply at once in the loveliest 
 imaginable woods. Thick glorious forests of cryptomerias 
 and a sort of gigantic tujas, which they call here cedars, 
 but of course they are not cedars at all ; hemlock, spruce, 
 camphor trees still at the beginning, and all the under- 
 growth, bamboos (the Nikko bamboo), azaleas, roses, ferns 
 and wisteria, bignonia, radicans, and clematis, creeping 
 and garlanding all the trees, mixed with the creeping 
 hydrangea. At the more open places the other hydrangea 
 forms huge bushes, and lovely mosses cover the stones and 
 stems, various graceful ferns grow everywhere, and aconite 
 was still in flower amongst the high, long-seeded grass, so 
 special to the Japanese landscape, and so artistic. 
 
 The height and circumference of the really gigantic 
 trees, of which the forests are formed, one cannot imagine. 
 It is as if one were walking in a glorious green Gothic 
 cathedral. They are, in my estimation, at least 3040 
 metres high, really magnificent and unparalleled ; I've never 
 seen their equal in any country. For me this is really 
 the most perfect nature I know, and the most luxurious 
 vegetation; nothing can be compared with Japan, because, 
 fairy-like as Milford Sound is, it lacks the flowers which 
 here in this blessed land are out even at this quiet time 
 of the year. Wherever there is an opening the Michaelmas 
 daisies were standing high in pale purple bushes, and 
 masses of bluebell (campanulas) were in flower still. The 
 Ampelopsis vichy clothing the tall stems or covering a rock 
 was just beginning to get tinted red at the points, and
 
 222 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 made a touch of colour here and there, and the maple trees 
 brought a gay, light green note with their fine pointed 
 leaves into the serious dark green of the glorious pines, 
 through which a green light was filtering. Deep down 
 below in the narrow valleys, in a dense greenness, the clear, 
 transparent rivers gurgled and ran, twisting round mossy 
 rocks and stones, and everywhere were many varieties of 
 beautiful ferns. It was enchanting. When people say 
 that Japan lacks grandeur, and is so small in everything, 
 that it is not grandiose, and find everything en miniature, 
 I can only say they are either fools or they have never 
 seen Japanese woods and scenery, temples and castles. 
 When I think of the castle of this morning and its gigantic 
 terraces, walls and dimensions, I must say what a wretched, 
 finical, small-minded set of people we Europeans are. And 
 then those wonderful woods, they have not their equal in 
 any country in Europe certainly. I remember how struck 
 I was with them at Nikko years ago, and now here again 
 they are just perfect, they are glorious. Yes, people who 
 say that Japan is not grandiose haven't seen it, that's certain. 
 
 The road uphill was very steep, and as I knew the 
 others were not very good walkers, I engaged a strong 
 coolie, who carried my things and accompanied me, so that 
 I should not miss the road, and we arrived at the convent 
 one hour before the others. One meets a lot of pilgrims 
 going up or coming down, for it is the main place to pray 
 for the dead. They are all dressed in white, and have long 
 sticks in their hands and carry chaplets. One passes many 
 small temples, exquisitely situated and built, each of them 
 a perfect picture, and all around, everywhere, marvellous 
 cathedral-like forests. 
 
 Before one reaches the convent one passes, high up in
 
 JAPAN 223 
 
 the woods, an enormous bronze Buddha of lovely modelling, 
 and the impression that silent, sitting figure, with its medi- 
 tative, restful expression, makes there in that glorious 
 greenness is superb. Then one gets quickly into the 
 village, which in these last thirty years has sprung up round 
 the temples, and one soon reaches the fine temple build- 
 ing where we are going to live. I am met at the door by 
 the prior in his mustard-yellow robes, who conducts me to 
 my rooms after I have taken my boots off. Formerly no 
 women were allowed farther than where that huge bronze 
 Buddha sits, but for thirty years now this regulation has 
 been changed, and if women are not yet allowed into the 
 precincts of the convent, they are allowed to visit the 
 graves and to live in the village which has lately sprung 
 up there. 
 
 I was taken to my apartment through endless passages, 
 past lovely gardens in inner courtyards, and through enor- 
 mous halls and staterooms, which again shows what a 
 large conception of things this nation has ; and my apart- 
 ment was a special one at the farthest and private end of 
 the temple grounds, attached to the main building, but 
 forming a palace by itself, with many large rooms and 
 apartments, and ending in a charming room overlooking 
 an exquisite little garden and the wooded hills, which 
 formed a lovely and majestic background to it. Here 
 one heard nothing of the village, the comings and goings 
 of the convent, nor the caravanserai-like lodgings for the 
 other pilgrims. It was like a lovely private palace, fur- 
 nished with old painted sliding walls and kakemonos, 
 incense burners, flowers in all the many precious bronze 
 or porcelain vases in the different rooms, and lovely 
 wooden ceilings.
 
 224 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 I chose for my special apartment the farthest, which 
 consisted of rather small but exquisite rooms, the so-called 
 tea ceremony rooms. They were enchanting, and I thought 
 all the time of Schneewittchen and the seven dwarfs. All 
 these dear little rooms, with their matted, clean floors, their 
 natural woods, their paper doors and windows, the few fine 
 old things in them, the charming flower arrangements in 
 the vases, the wooden passages, were like rooms in a fairy 
 tale. It was enchanting and infinitely poetical. I really 
 think people who haven't been to Japan don't know what 
 poetry is I mean in life, not written sentimentally. I had 
 my bathroom and everything at hand, delightfully con- 
 nected with lovely wooden passages, whose wood was so 
 neatly worked and so smoothly cut, that it was a treat to 
 walk on it with bare feet. 
 
 September \$>th. In the morning when I woke up 
 (having slept of course on the ground, as here everything 
 is done Japanese fashion) on my thick mattresses of silk 
 wadding, and looked up at the lovely cryptomeria ceiling, 
 at the tokonoma (the niche which is in every room for the 
 decorations) with its priceless old kakemono, an incense 
 burner of some exquisite shape on a low, little lacquer table 
 in front of it, and beside it, in some rare old artistic bronze 
 vase, a few gracefully arranged twigs of pale purple Michael- 
 mas daisies, at the lovely paper sliding doors, decorated 
 with rare skill 400 years ago by some famous artist, re- 
 presenting in Chinese ink some Japanese mountain scenery, 
 the rising mists in the valley being made by powdered gold, 
 which makes a charming hazy effect, I thought myself in 
 a dream. The sliding doors were noiselessly pushed aside, 
 and Akida, my slim Japanese servant, bowed himself in,
 
 JAPAN 225 
 
 in his pale grey silk kimono. Yes, it seemed like a 
 beautiful dream. Could it be reality? It was all too 
 artistic and exquisite ! I felt sure I was going to wake 
 up at once in some vulgarly banal hotel in Europe ! 
 
 But no ! it was all reality, it was really true life, it was 
 not enchantment. Art had to such an extent become the 
 second nature of these charming people, this delightful 
 nation, that life is embellished and made pleasant by it. 
 They have indeed understood how to make pleasant and 
 charming the art of living. 
 
 Yesterday we went to the long avenue of graves that 
 leads through the woods up to the tomb of the saint that 
 lived and founded this convent 1150 years ago. It is an 
 avenue of lovely mossy stone lanterns and In Memoriam 
 stones and lantern-shaped monuments for the dead, going 
 along for over a mile in the most magnificent cryptomeria 
 wood you can imagine. Gigantic trees tower all along, 
 arch themselves to a most glorious, live, rich, dark green 
 cathedral. It is so wonderfully imposing and majestic, so 
 impressive, it almost takes one's breath away. The dead 
 are not really buried here ; these monuments are only put 
 up for them as memorials, so there is not the gruesome 
 feeling of the real graveyard. The bodies are cremated, 
 and the ashes, tied up neatly in a small parcel of rice- 
 paper, are brought up by some relation, who throws them 
 through a round hole in the door of a special little temple, 
 in front of which, day and night, incense is burning. 
 There the dust lies for some time, then it is taken away 
 and buried in the woods. I looked in through the hole 
 yesterday ; it was like the parcel-post department at some 
 post-office. All the neat little white parcels were tied up 
 with string, ready to be sent to heaven. 
 
 VOL. II. P
 
 226 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 At the end of this lovely avenue, where on one side the 
 heavenly parcel post-office stands, is the main temple, in 
 which 1000 lamps are kept burning. They are all in 
 the most various and fascinating bronze lanterns. Really, 
 some are too lovely for words, representing little houses or 
 such, charming and delightful. Behind this flaming temple, 
 high up on the hill, is the tomb of the saint, in a special 
 little temple fenced in. Here he rests, or at least his body 
 does, in the middle of these regal woods, whose tops of 
 giddy height sing an eternal, wave-like, mystic song. One 
 could not have chosen a more perfect spot for oneself. 
 
 In front of the low enclosure, at the end of which, high 
 up, one sees the little sepulchre temple, stands a huge 
 bronze brazier, flanked on both sides by large stone vases 
 filled with fresh branches and flowers, and in the brazier 
 endless incense sticks are smoking, curling up in a trans- 
 parent, bluish, sweetly-scented smoke column into the green 
 shady dome of the trees. One has to offer three bundles 
 of incense sticks at three different temples, and to add one 
 more specially for the memory of one's own dead. You can 
 easily imagine that I burnt several at all the altars for the 
 beloved ones who have outpaced me. 
 
 One meets lots of pilgrims, all dressed in white linen, 
 who come, chaplet in hand, to pray for their dead. It is a 
 pretty sight to see all these fervent-looking little people, 
 who in ordinary life are ready to laugh and smile at every- 
 thing. But here everybody is impressed and serious- 
 even Jinija, and that means a lot, for he really is the 
 most cheerful person I ever met, and what is so charming 
 is that it is natural, not a bit put on or affected. 
 
 Several lovely Buddha figures in stone or bronze are 
 placed about too, not that I can say that all are equally
 
 JAPAN 227 
 
 pretty, for some are sadly grotesque, but others are really 
 touchingly beautiful. The whole place is full of an inde- 
 scribable mystic poetry that no words could render. Your 
 soul goes out to the eternal height, to regions whence it 
 came, and meets its equals who have already reached that 
 wonderful bliss and perfection. 
 
 " Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting, 
 
 The soul that rises with us our life's star 
 Hath had elsewhere its setting, 
 And cometh from afar . . ." 
 
 It is a blessing to be allowed to visit such places and 
 to be able to appreciate and understand them. 
 
 Yesterday the abbot, whose guest I am, showed me his 
 special temple, in which we live. There are fifteen temples 
 like that at Koya-san, and each has almost twenty to 
 thirty priest-monks. The abbot wears pale apricot-coloured 
 robes, which look lovely. The temple is enormous. 
 My suite of rooms already is fit for an emperor, and 
 so spacious not even in Italy, where they know what 
 space is, can they match these dimensions. Everywhere 
 lovely little gardens are laid out in the many courtyards 
 round which the apartments and passages are built the 
 different bathrooms, the enormous kitchens, finally the 
 wing for the ordinary pilgrims, with room after room, 
 an endless file, all beautifully matted and spotlessly clean, 
 and each room with its tokonoma, with its more or less 
 valuable kakemono, its incense-burner or porcelain figure, 
 its vases artistically decorated with branches or flowers. 
 
 They are taking their treasures out of the godown (the 
 fireproofs) for me to see, so that will take some time, as 
 there are so many. My bathroom is all of cedar-wood, 
 ceiling, walls, floor, even the big bath itself; it is lovely,
 
 228 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 with its charming sliding paper windows with their small 
 panes, and all the neat utensils for washing. For the 
 evening bath I give out invitations, and we are generally 
 three or four ; and one can hear us laugh down in the 
 village. They are full of fun and mischief, and harmless 
 as children, which is charming, and I enjoy myself a 
 mezzo mondo, as we say in Florence. What delightful 
 people to live with! It is really refreshing to find 
 such clean-minded, harmless people. What brutes we 
 Europeans are ! 
 
 I think I have already said that one is not allowed to 
 eat fish or meat in this convent, and that we have to cook 
 and do it on the sly. Cook was wandering about the first 
 evening we arrived, and as it was already pitch dark, and 
 everybody was sleeping, he fell into one of the little gardens 
 in the next yard, as the buildings are set on high founda- 
 tions of wood, so that the air can get through on account 
 of the damp. One walks five or six steps up to the floor. 
 Well, he fell into the garden, because he didn't know his 
 whereabouts, and it was dark ; but he swears it was a 
 ghost that knocked him down, because he had killed so 
 many animals in his life and cooked meat in the temple 
 precincts. He won't touch any meat here any more, and 
 implores us to do the same. I tried the very dainty- 
 looking dishes of vegetables sent up every day by the 
 abbot ; but on me they had the same fatal effect they 
 knocked me down at once, and I found as always that 
 this diet is not for me. 
 
 One of the acolytes brings the food every day with 
 touching dignity ; he is only nine years old. But you 
 ought to see the little mite walk with the dignity and 
 grace of an archbishop (not that I think an European
 
 JAPAN 229 
 
 archbishop is either dignified or graceful), carrying, almost 
 above his head, the little lacquer table decked out minutely 
 with the little lacquer and porcelain dishes, and with a 
 deep salaam, his head almost touching the ground, deposits 
 it in front of you. The grace with which (he kneels 
 during the entire meal opposite you on a flat cushion) he 
 presents you with a round lacquer tray for your emptied 
 bowl, so that he may fill it afresh with rice, which is kept 
 in a special big covered lacquer bowl beside him ; the 
 perfect manners with which he fills your bowl and pours 
 the hot tea into it, then hands it you back with dignified 
 ceremony on the round lacquer tray with a deep bow, is 
 worthy of a duchess. 
 
 They change the lacquer ware every day ; we have 
 had till now red, black, and gold, to-day green. 
 
 Jinija and Hikkone-San like the food to a certain 
 extent, and besides have to eat it, as we have had already 
 many difficulties in getting up and in here the food 
 necessary for my rebellious inside. But I add to their 
 utterly tasteless stuff just portions of mine. It would be 
 too cruel on the poor things if I alone ate lobsters and 
 chickens while they looked on, feeding on bean-cutlets, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 The other day I assisted at shaving one of the girls 
 -in the tea-room at Kyoto of course, because here 
 women are not allowed. They shaved her, I almost 
 said, all over that is to say, not only the eyebrows, but 
 the entire face, the neck, the ears even. I asked if this 
 one was particularly hairy, at which they laughed very 
 much. For answer I got : " Why, all girls in Japan are 
 shaved like that " ; and so they are. 
 
 Jinija has insulted Tim mortally, because he said she
 
 2 3 o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 was not a Shogun's dog but a rikshah-boy's dog, so she 
 won't talk to him any more. 
 
 I spent a whole day in looking at the temples and their 
 treasures, some of which were very fine ; but alas ! they 
 have already sold a lot to curio dealers, and have put 
 copies up instead. But, anyhow, there is still a very 
 fine lot left, especially some paper sliding doors decorated 
 with an old cherry-tree ; in one temple are the finest things 
 I've ever seen. 
 
 We had taken too hot a bath in the morning, as Jinija 
 pretends that my baths are icy cold, and I have to get 
 accustomed to the proper Japanese way. The effect is 
 that we are all half dead, even he himself and poor Hik- 
 kone-San, and I find it quite an effort to smile at the 
 different greetings in each temple, as is the custom. The 
 smile which, as a rule, comes so easily to my face, now 
 without an effort won't come at all. I have to squeeze 
 my face into a smile like a grimace, which is not the right 
 thing. Even the smile is a work then. 
 
 September lyd. The water at Koya disagreed with 
 me to such an extent that I had to leave. It was simply 
 fatal, and unfortunately, trusting to the good water from the 
 hills or my stronger constitution, we had not taken any 
 mineral water up with us. Besides it rained a lot, so that 
 I couldn't paint, and all the others got ill too. Hikkone-San 
 and Jinija suffered from the same cholera-like disease as 
 I had, Akida had nose-bleeding, somebody else something 
 else, the cook being the only one spared, which he attributes 
 to his having strictly kept to vegetable food, as it is for- 
 bidden to eat meat or fish in the convent, which we all 
 did. So he pretends we got ill from not having obeyed
 
 JAPAN 231 
 
 the sacred laws. Maybe ! Anyhow we left earlier than 
 we had intended. 
 
 The walk down the steep hill through these glorious 
 woods was lovely. Really these Japanese woods are 
 magnificent. The Michaelmas daisies were out in flower 
 everywhere, in different varieties. What flower does not 
 come from Japan ? I almost wonder. Because the under- 
 brush of the woods in this blessed country is formed of 
 azaleas, camellias, hydrangeas, deutzias, and vellejas, crim- 
 son ramblers, creeping hydrangeas, wisterias, bignonias, 
 radicans garlanding the branches and stems ; all the varieties 
 of the lilies grow here, even to the lovely auratum, of which 
 in July I picked armsful round Chojy in the woods; the 
 funkias, all the varieties of irises, both varieties of peonies, 
 the tree peony and the herbaceous one, chrysanthemums, 
 lovely Pirus japonica, all the double-flowering plums and 
 cherries, primulas, the glorious lotus, though that might 
 have been imported from India, not to speak of all the 
 lovely smaller wild flowers which we have imported, and 
 I admit have grown and cultivated into finer varieties 
 and specimens ; the bamboo, the maples, etc., etc. ; all the 
 decorative bushes, almost everything which forms the de- 
 light of our shrubberies and gardens, comes from this ideal 
 country. 
 
 Did I say that the screens in the main temple were 
 glorious ? I'm sorry to say I only saw a part of them, 
 as the permit from the emperor's private secretary only 
 arrived yesterday, and on account of my unfittedness (so 
 to speak) I had already left. I can't say that they are in 
 a special hurry about such things as permits here. I had 
 applied to the ambassador at once for them, and had waited 
 over three weeks, then gone up finally to Koya, hoping the
 
 232 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 permits which had been officially announced to me would 
 reach me there, then I had stayed one whole week up there, 
 enough to catch dysentery as it was, and now they have 
 come just one month after my arrival. 
 
 I was glad, I admit, to be back at the nice Wakanoura 
 inn, with its dear little harbour and pretty views, and all 
 the harmless, naked, gay fisher people happily working away 
 at their business. We stopped there two days, and it 
 rained almost all the time ; but I didn't mind a bit, because 
 I made one most successful rainy sketch out of my room 
 and from the verandah terrace of the hotel ; besides I got 
 better there, and the whole place is attractive. I like 
 country places, life is so comfortable there ; besides, at 
 Wakanoura I can do exactly as I like, and walk and live 
 in my galabia or kimono, whichever is most comfortable. 
 
 Two things are awful in Japan, and that is, that one 
 always knocks one's head against the crossbeams and the 
 door-posts of all the houses if one is of an ordinary 
 European height (I mean in the real Japanese houses 
 and hotels, because the hotels and shops built in the 
 European style are of course high enough), and the other 
 drawback is that one has as a European continually to take 
 one's boots off. If one goes to several places during the 
 day, returns for one's meals, etc., etc., one is continually 
 in the trying act of unlacing one's boots, which is rather 
 annoying. But the crossbeams in the passages and rooms 
 are pestilential, and I'm sorry to say I caught myself several 
 times wanting to beat them with my fist as a child does, 
 when I had again and again knocked my head against 
 them. How can one always remember the whole blessed 
 day long that one has to move about one's room or the 
 passages with head bent down and to walk in a crouched
 
 JAPAN 233 
 
 position ? Well, I forget it continually, and get punished 
 for it. My head is really cut open in different places and 
 bleeding, and Jinija laughs, though he pretends he is 
 awfully sorry. 
 
 This morning we bicycled to a very prettily situated 
 temple high up on the hill, that is to say, we only cycled 
 to the bottom of the hill, then walked up. The view was 
 very pretty over the many bays of the sea and the hilly 
 shore. The square of the temple of Kwannon was en- 
 tirely shaded by two gigantic camphor trees. The ride 
 was so pretty, because it went all the time along the sea, on 
 the other side being wooded hills. We passed a place too 
 where they make salt out of sea-water, the only way of 
 getting salt here, as they have no rock-salt. It is really 
 most ingenious, and what a boon to the Italian poorer 
 classes would it be if the horrid Government there would 
 allow it. They condense the sea-water here first by pour- 
 ing it several times over large patches of sand, where the 
 sun soon dries it up ; then this sand is piled in square 
 heaps, on which sea-water again is poured, which, as it 
 filters through, is gathered in tubs and then boiled, so that 
 the water steams away and the pure salt remains. Beautiful 
 salt, already powdered and quite ready for selling. 
 
 On our way out of Wakanoura to the temple and on 
 our way back we passed yards and yards of whitings dry- 
 ing in the sun on bamboo matting, the morning's spoil of 
 the many fishers. The smell was awful and almost made 
 me sick, but it looked pretty enough, because they shone 
 like silver in the sun. 
 
 Before we left, the hotel proprietor's younger brother, 
 who implored me to take him with me to Germany (he 
 would come without wages, if I only gave him his food),
 
 234 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 rowed me out a good bit in the sea, where they have large 
 boxes swimming, in which they keep the fish they want 
 for eating, and in some the lobsters. He opened the lid, 
 and the Naples Aquarium was nothing to be compared to 
 it, such a lovely variety of many-coloured fish swam about 
 there in the clear sea-water on which the sun shone, some 
 as brilliant red as the goldfish, others a pinky-claret colour 
 with turquoise-blue spots and fins ; others quite like solid 
 silver, even after they had been taken out of the water ; a 
 sort of eel, they call here swordfish, because it has, it is 
 true, the shape of a Japanese sword ; others a lovely mala- 
 chite green with silver belly, etc., etc. It really was a 
 treat to see them. 
 
 The railway ride back was pretty through all the lovely 
 hilly country and the rich vegetation. The rice-fields were 
 almost ripe and promised a marvellous harvest, over which, 
 of course, everybody was delighted, as to them it meant 
 everything. Altogether it was as if one drove through a 
 huge vegetable garden, because between the rice-fields 
 they cultivated everywhere such wonderful quantities of 
 magnificent vegetables, and everything was kept so splen- 
 didly and tidily, and everywhere one saw the nice busy 
 people, mostly half naked, a huge straw hat being the 
 main garment, working in their orchards and fields of 
 vegetables. 
 
 Everywhere the flower was out which I call a lily, which 
 in fact is no lily, but Lycoris radiala with lily-like flowers. 
 I saw it near Hye Mountain, only there it was pale orange- 
 coloured red, while here it (another variety, but the same 
 plant) is a rich vermilion-red. Really all the hill-sides 
 and banks are covered with it in large clusters, and along 
 the road-sides it is flowering everywhere, and on the
 
 JAPAN 235 
 
 borders of the many ditches and small canals forms ver- 
 milion ribbons running and curling through the green rice- 
 fields with most charming effect. People here call it the 
 " dead people's flower," because it is in flower about the 
 time when, as now, they have a sort of ognissanti for their 
 dead. 
 
 At Osaka, which we went through in the fullest sense 
 of the words, for we had not only to change train but 
 station, and Jinija took me bicycling from one to the other, 
 which was an affair of forty minutes, Nogaki came to meet 
 me and accompanied us to Kyoto, as he had some business 
 at Kobe, and had got a wire from Jida to wait for me. At 
 the station at Kyoto my whole little staff awaited me again ; 
 Yamanaka, Nomura, etc., etc., all were there to welcome me. 
 
 Tim had gone in the wrong railway truck, and was not 
 handed out with the other luggage at the junction station 
 at which one has to wait almost an hour to catch a sort 
 of electric tram-railway for the Kobe line, by which the 
 servants went. Fortunately we discovered it when we got 
 our bicycles out, and after endless talking and signing of 
 papers we got her out, as we had no receipt for her of 
 course, the servants having it with the rest of the luggage. 
 It wanted Jinija's whole eloquence to persuade the mis- 
 trustful official to hand us out the box. When we had to 
 declare the value, the impudent Jinija brutally said, " Three 
 yen " (that is, 6s.). I was furious (not really though), but 
 he insisted that she was only a coolie dog. So she was 
 packed in her box in a rikshah, and we bicycled beside 
 that rikshah through the crowded streets of Osaka to the 
 other station. 
 
 It was all right so long as Jinija cycled in sight of her 
 only, but alas ! at one turning she had got sight of me, and
 
 236 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 then, terrified that I would run away from her, she posi- 
 tively yelled and screamed, and bit at the bars of her door, 
 making an awful noise, furious and wild, and everybody of 
 course turned round or ran to the doors of their houses to 
 see who was being tortured there. It was not at all easy 
 to cycle in the crowd beside her and talk to her to keep her 
 quiet without running into an electric tram, rikshah, or 
 killing some playing children. However, I succeeded. He 
 who can bicycle through the streets of a Japanese town is 
 fit to bicycle anywhere; it is worse than Italy. I expect 
 there is a regulation which way to turn if you meet vehicles 
 or have to pass them, but nobody ever regards it, but goes 
 wherever he pleases, and so all over the place. And the 
 children, by the thousand ! Swarms of them in all the 
 streets, everywhere playing gaily right in the middle of the 
 road, and mostly having besides a little brother or sister 
 tied to their backs, so that if one got run over, one would 
 invariably kill two. They are an awful nuisance, nice and 
 really attractive as they are. 
 
 I am glad we took little Tim with us, because my big 
 luggage with which she was to have come hasn't arrived 
 yet, though it is 10 P.M. 
 
 September 26tk. He who has never shopped in Japan 
 does not know what an amount of patience and persistence 
 it requires. Although, when you enter a shop, the whole 
 of its inhabitants bow to the ground to you, no one ever 
 shows you anything, and you must be energetic and go 
 and find what you want yourself. They are, in my humble 
 experience, at present the worst salespeople I have ever 
 had to do with. Of course time is of no object in this 
 country, but their way is a different way from that, for
 
 JAPAN 237 
 
 instance, of Egypt, where the shopkeeper tries to keep 
 you as long as possible, offering you coffee and cigarettes 
 as many as ever you like, and looking upon you as a most 
 welcome amusement and entertainment, even if you buy 
 nothing ; in short, he regards the affair as a pleasant way 
 of spending several hours in agreeable company with the 
 vague object of perchance doing business. The business 
 is of no consequence, the main thing being divertimento. 
 And he would find you more than dull, and very disap- 
 pointing, if you at once paid the price he asked and departed 
 with his goods ; he wants his bargain, his amusement, his 
 pastime. 
 
 Not so the Japanese. They try to do their best. 
 They consider, they think, but they never bring you 
 anything. In their shops, with a very few modern ex- 
 ceptions, there are no goods on show. All are stored and 
 packed away, and you have to hunt about in dark recesses 
 or on obscure shelves if you insist upon something special. 
 At the end of much persistency and patience you manage 
 to poke out something somewhere ; it is there in the shop 
 all right, but they don't show it you. It is by no means 
 because I don't speak Japanese that I find this. Jinija 
 speaks and understands English as well as I, if not better ; 
 they are bad salesmen. You ask, for instance, for some 
 red velvet, and they will smilingly answer you, " Certainly, 
 oh yes ! We have plenty in different shades ; excuse a 
 few minutes." 
 
 You excuse, and they reappear after half-an-hour with 
 green brocade or blue crepe. 
 
 "That is not velvet!" 
 
 " Oh ! is that so ? Indeed, excuse a few minutes ! " 
 
 And so on, and so on, till you go with them behind
 
 238 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 the counter or in the godown and fetch the thing yourself, 
 by which occupation you generally discover some wonder- 
 ful new thing, of course " not made for exportation," but 
 which they will let you have all the same, although it has 
 really only been made for Japan. I generally astonish 
 other Europeans in the shops, because I step in, deeply 
 saluted by everybody, being an old customer, and I will 
 say a welcome one. I greet them all in a most friendly 
 way, and at once step behind the counter, where I open 
 drawers and shelves, etc., etc., and fish out what I want. 
 I've often seen Yankees or English people look most 
 astonished at this proceeding, and ask, half afraid, who I 
 am, undoubtedly thinking I am an escaped lunatic. But 
 it is the only way of getting quickly what one wants. 
 Never expect any Japanese merchant to show you any 
 of his goods, even if you ask for them, and certainly, 
 unless he knows you well, do by no means expect him 
 to show you the real good ones. He will, unless he 
 happens to know you and approve of your taste, rather 
 let you go out of his shop again, without your having 
 bought anything, or rather leave you with the impression 
 that he only has rubbish, than display his really valuable 
 goods. I have often watched Japanese ladies or women, 
 just as you like, shop at Jida's, for instance. They sit 
 for hours, and as they are too well-mannered to skip 
 behind the counter and hunt about for the things them- 
 selves, they sit and sit for hours. Time is no object in 
 this happy country ; I found that out long ago. But, as 
 I say, it is not the indolence or laziness of the Arab, 
 it is because they don't know better, I think. 
 
 To-day at least the sun shone again. It has been 
 pelting for days, and I felt already fins growing. Yester-
 
 JAPAN 239 
 
 day it was so cold we had fires, but to-day is warm again. 
 I meditated whether it would not be better to emigrate 
 to sunny Egypt. I've only done two sketches up till now, 
 the weather not allowing more, and I have been over one 
 month in Japan. This is very little ; I ought to have been 
 able to make at least twenty. 
 
 September 2gtk. It has rained incessantly, and is still 
 pelting. As I felt a little bit better, the doctor has allowed 
 me to cycle, and so I made a little expedition to-day as 
 it left off raining for several hours. I am worse though 
 again, and have had to give up going to Tokyo as I 
 intended, and expect I must really leave for Egypt by 
 the next boat if it doesn't soon get better. I am sorry 
 to leave though, but I expect it is the only thing to do. 
 I would have so much liked to see and paint here the 
 autumn tints, which must really be lovely, but the awful 
 dampness agrees too badly with me, and I don't want 
 to get ill again. Besides, it is really not amusing if one 
 has to sit all day long for weeks in a dreary hotel room 
 on account of the diluvial rain. 
 
 Yesterday, on the cycling tour, the borders of all the 
 ditches were too pretty for words, with their carmine-red 
 garlands of Lycoris radiata in full bloom, and of course it was 
 out of the question for me to paint them. These ditches 
 run all along between the rice-fields, which are already, 
 as a matter of fact, full of water a sort of bogs. And 
 now, with this incessant rain, one might just as well go 
 and sit on a wet bath-sponge as try to paint them. I 
 couldn't risk that with my stupid inside, which is already 
 on strike. Besides, one would simply be eaten up by 
 mosquitoes, which are still very bad. To sleep without
 
 2 4 o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 mosquito nets is an absolute impossibility, and in the 
 evenings at dinner I am in a continual fight with them, 
 as they are particularly attracted by my insteps! I'm 
 continually dancing a sort of step under the table while 
 on the top quietly eating my dinner. 
 
 To-night all the fireplaces are alight again, but I think 
 it is more on account of the awful dampness than for 
 the cold. One could grow fins as it is. 
 
 I'm taking every evening after dinner lessons in 
 arranging flowers. It is quite a special art in this country, 
 and it is by no means easy, easy as it looks. They are 
 extraordinary people. During winter, for instance, they 
 only use bronze vases, during the summer only porcelain 
 vases. It is so logical. They say porcelain vases would 
 burst with the ice in the winter, and so they would. But 
 out of this a fashion has sprung. A lady teacher with 
 an unspeakable name comes every evening. I have called 
 her Madame Prune, after Pierre Loti's charming book, 
 La Seconde Jeunesse de Madame Prune, undoubtedly the 
 prettiest book he has written about Japan, and full of 
 fine local colour and poesy. She looks exactly what he 
 describes Madame Prune to be, with her shaved eyebrows 
 and dignified little manners, dressed in pale plum-coloured 
 crepe, and bowing herself in with amiable, dignified smiles 
 and the obligatory little hissing noise. What a charming, 
 well-behaved, and gentle-mannered folk they are. Why 
 can't we Europeans learn from them ? We needn't exactly 
 do the hissing, like a groom dressing his horse, but the 
 rest. And even the hissing is a thousand times preferable 
 to having to shake other people's puggy hands. The first 
 youth of my teacher is over, but she is still a charming 
 person without being really pretty, and without doubt she
 
 T> 
 
 o 
 ^!
 
 JAPAN 241 
 
 is a wonderful artist in the way of flower arrangement. 
 Under her clever, graceful hands and in her nimble fingers 
 the twigs take curves, the leaves form and grace, that 
 almost seem impossible. She makes out of nothing a 
 poem, a picture. I would love to take her with me home 
 to Halbau to arrange my flowers and vases there. What 
 would she not create with her flowery art there, with those 
 wonderful flowers my gardener grows, in the place of the 
 senseless accumulations Europeans fill their vases with ! 
 What poems and dreams would she not make with those 
 lovely flowers at Halbau ! I asked if she would come 
 as a joke, and she declares herself at once quite ready. 
 The idea of the greenhouses full of flowers, and especially 
 of the blue lotus flowers we got from Erfurt, tempt her 
 tremendously I can see. 
 
 The more one gets to know the Japanese the more 
 one admires the marvellous capacity of their leaders, 
 during this last war especially. What a passionate, 
 nervous, excitable, hot-tempered, and hot-blooded nation 
 they are! Almost like the French. And so one must 
 admire all the more the leadership which succeeded in 
 all it did with this material, was capable of getting this 
 wonderful discipline. People in Europe who haven't been 
 here, who haven't seen the Japanese as he is when he 
 lets himself go, can't at all judge and fully appreciate this. 
 The average tourist sees only the official side of their 
 character. What they really are only the most observant 
 person can find out, and then only if they believe them- 
 selves to be unobserved, or if they really have confidence 
 in one, which, thank God, they seem to have in me, 
 knowing how I admire them, and am in sympathy with 
 their ways of feeling and thinking. 
 
 VOL. n. Q
 
 242 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 October ind. All of a sudden autumn has come, almost 
 winter. In all the hotel rooms woollen curtains have been 
 put up instead of muslin, and the schoolboys, the police- 
 men, the soldiers have all donned dark-blue cloth uniforms 
 instead of white linen or kaki. The women have put on 
 thick kimonos doubled with cotton-like bed-quilts, of a 
 broad velvet or satin colour, and stitched through with 
 emerald-green silk, which forms wee little tassels here and 
 there all over the outside of the garment. It is really 
 striking how they all wear it everywhere ; it is like a sort 
 of uniform. I wonder they haven't invented something of 
 the sort as a female uniform in Prussia yet, where every- 
 thing has to be "militarism." 
 
 The fields a few days ago still a luxuriant green have 
 become yellow. In lots of places they have begun to 
 harvest the rice, and the wet, glittering fields flooded with 
 water appear again as a feature in the landscape. 
 
 The fruit-shops are orange with the ripe Diospyros 
 Kaki fruit. It is cold during the nights, and in the 
 mornings cold white mists lie thick and deep over the 
 landscape. It smells frost in the air, and the leaves are 
 beginning to turn. 
 
 Early, that is to say, at a respectable hour, we went 
 by train to Kasangi, which is situated on the Osaka line 
 almost one hour from Kyoto. At the Kyoto station an 
 old, very talkative English gentleman started a conversa- 
 tion with me. He wanted to buy a newspaper, but with 
 thorough English cold-bloodedness did not speak one word 
 of the language of the country he was travelling in. He 
 asked me to help him get a paper, and after he got it went 
 on making conversation happily all the time. He wore 
 cotton gloves, told me he was a bachelor, lived in London,
 
 KASAGI-YAMA.
 
 JAPAN 243 
 
 but travelled a lot abroad, spent every winter in Cairo, 
 had left his valet at Tokyo (I'm sure he doesn't look as 
 if he had a valet), can't buy any dwarf trees as he has no 
 greenhouses, although a charming bachelor's apartment in 
 London, furnished with every possible luxury and beautiful 
 things. I would have gladly sent the old gabbler to hell, 
 or at least back to his bachelor's apartment in London 
 furnished with every luxury ; but no snubbing or short, 
 almost rude answers would stop his eloquence. He must 
 have bottled it up for a long time, and now let it loose on 
 me. There was no stopping him. So I resigned myself 
 to ah's and oh's, and succumbed to his mental hose. He 
 had just come by train through Manchuria, which he 
 described as beautiful, glorious, a dream for an artist (this 
 with a nod towards my painting things), the autumn tints 
 magnificent. " You ought to go there," he added. I wished 
 him at London, he apparently me in Manchuria. So we 
 are quits. He then wanted to know where I was going, 
 as he might perhaps come with me ("what cheek!" I 
 thought ; " well, I'm hanged !), so I consequently lied shame- 
 lessly of enormous distances on foot, as he had told me 
 before he was a very bad walker. But he, with the sticki- 
 ness special to corn-plasters, said he was sure to get ponies, 
 so he could ride. The horror of this suggestion nearly 
 finished me! But here Jinija's character really went 
 up a thousand. Knowing how I hated Europeans, and 
 doubly how I wanted to be undisturbed on painting ex- 
 peditions, he joined in the conversation, and backed me up 
 splendidly with lies. In Kasangi there were no ponies 
 at all, as the grass was unhealthy and unfit for horses 
 (the ingenious, devilish idea!), and besides there was really 
 nothing of peculiar interest to be seen there at all, and he
 
 244 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 strongly advised him to go to Nara as he had intended, 
 which was lovely. And now he made such a wonderful 
 description of the beauties of Nara, that this calice passed 
 me, thank God, and I got rid of the old bore. 
 
 We walked from the station just through the charming 
 little picturesque village with its polite gay population, its 
 nice little booths, and then through thick lovely woods 
 uphill three quarters of an hour on a wide, beautifully kept, 
 and well-engineered road. At the top were all sorts of 
 quaintly-shaped rocks, exactly like those at Adersbach 
 and Weckelsdorf near Fuerstenstein, very pretty and 
 interesting, but not so unique as Jinija thinks. Anyhow 
 it was very peculiar and pretty, and I admired them 
 immensely. There was an awful sort of natural tunnel, 
 and he insisted upon my crawling through it, which was 
 not very difficult. Only good people apparently can get 
 through, wicked ones get stuck. I teased him greatly 
 with having hoped I would got stuck, but, honestly, one 
 must be the size of an hippopotamus to get stuck. I'm 
 sure that was the reason he wanted me to crawl through 
 though, as he firmly believes in the story. He, of course, 
 swore by everything that was sacred to him that this was 
 not his intention, but that everybody who came there did it. 
 The Kasangi hill was once the refuge of one of the 
 emperors in Japanese history. His younger brother had 
 dethroned him, and so he hid here with his adherents 
 till his generals and troops had got him his throne 
 back. The view, I must say, into the many different 
 and timbered valleys, through which clear streams wound 
 like silvery ribbons, is lovely and worth coming to see, 
 and I made a rather successful sketch. It was rather 
 difficult to find a suitable place where one could sit and
 
 JAPAN 245 
 
 paint, because just at the prettiest place one had to perch 
 on a huge, steeply sloping rock lying on the verge of a 
 deep precipice. I could only manage it by taking my 
 boots off. Then Shiba had to hold the chair from behind 
 while I painted, or it would have tilted over, and I tumbled 
 down the deep precipice. Jinija, of course, full of mischief, 
 photoed us in this odd position, and was delighted that I 
 was so busy painting that I didn't even notice it. After 
 cocoa we packed up and descended one story lower. I 
 had to crawl down on hands and knees, which must have 
 looked still funnier, and Jinija regretted not having any 
 more films left to take me in this monkey position. Half- 
 way down big tufts of the so-called dead people's flower 
 were in blossom near a corner of an old dilapidated wall, and 
 the effect was lovely. Jinija gave me an hour and a half 
 till our train left, and I began to paint as if I had the devil 
 at my heels. Of course just when it began to be pretty and 
 really amusing, when one began to put in all the nice little 
 details, which I love doing so much, Jinija's awful voice 
 
 shouted from behind, "Ten minutes more!" "D it," 
 
 was all I could say, and worked faster still. So Jinija pro- 
 posed going ahead with the tea-basket to take the tickets, 
 etc., etc., if I would swear to follow in seven minutes. And 
 he terrorised Shiba with all sorts of horrors and tortures in 
 his future life if he didn't drive me in in time. I heard 
 him say, " Count when painting not to be trusted." All 
 this arguing went on without my stopping for one moment. 
 My painter readers will know what it means to tear one- 
 self away from an interesting subject and sketch for the 
 beastly banality of a train ! Never did I wish for my 
 motor more fervently here. Finally even docile, patient 
 Shiba began to fret and urged a retreat, seeing very likely
 
 246 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 his little soul already tortured in hell, as Jinija had fore- 
 told him. He endeavoured to remind me that he "thinks 
 it is time to go." So all right. Hang it all, and let us 
 go. Had I only had twenty minutes more I could have 
 finished this most promising sketch and made something 
 really good out of it. As it is it remains a fragment. So 
 everything was packed up with the help of the admiring- 
 peasants who had gathered round as well as the wet 
 brushes allowed. They had to be carried as they were. 
 And so we ran down the hill and through the astonished 
 village to the station. I already heard something whistle 
 as we got near the station, and as we rushed up breath- 
 lessly Jinija received us with the reproachful news that 
 the train had just left. I didn't believe it at first, thought 
 he meant pulling my leg. But, alas ! it was the truth. So 
 there was nothing else to do but to stop four hours in a 
 small tea-house and wait for the next train. I couldn't 
 even finish my sketch, for the night had fallen so rapidly 
 that it was quite dark. Besides, I had the demolishing know- 
 ledge and certainty that had I decided to stop these four 
 hours here, and miss my dinner, I would have been able to 
 finish my good sketch. Well, if it hadn't to be, it hadn't to be. 
 I never in all my life sat in so slow a train as the one 
 which finally trundled us back to Kyoto, starting at 10 P.M., 
 after we had dined on cocoa, eggs and toast. My little 
 Mary did not allow me to risk the delicacies of the 
 Japanese kitchen. We arrived finally at i A.M. at Kyoto. 
 
 October yd. We went by train again from Kyoto. 
 Really my energy is great, and as there is nobody else 
 to do it, I admire myself sometimes for it, for I do hate 
 getting up early.
 
 SKETCHING UNDER DIFFICULTIES AT KASSANGI
 
 JAPAN 247 
 
 We had to change trains twice ; but it was a welcome 
 interruption, and Tim could be taken out of her box and 
 run about a bit, because there was ample time at all the 
 junctions. Just before sunset we arrived at Ise, too late 
 to paint. It is terrible how short the days are getting. 
 
 The hotel half Japanese, half European is simple, 
 but clean and good. I left my German valet again at 
 Kyoto, and have with me, besides Jinija, Akida and Shiba, 
 the two servants I have engaged as footmen for Halbau. 
 They really are excellent. I needn't wish for anything, 
 it is already there as by enchantment. But in a certain 
 way it is stupid of me to take them, because they will spoil 
 me frightfully. I shall be no more good for European 
 servants. 
 
 Next morning we rikshahed to the temple, or rather 
 the temples. They are beautifully situated in a magnifi- 
 cent park-like wood of enormous trees hundreds of years 
 old. Everything was beautifully kept. I only found they 
 have put up too many war trophies enormous Russian 
 and Chinese guns everywhere. It was rather amusing 
 to see Krupp's name on almost all the Russian ones, and 
 even on some of the Chinese. Very striking was the 
 quantity of cocks everywhere about the grounds that are 
 fed by priests and pilgrims. I'm told there is a super- 
 stition that the hens which one gives to the temple turn 
 in the shortest time into cocks if the prayer one has made 
 is accepted by the gods. If it doesn't get fulfilled the hens 
 remain hens. One sees almost nothing but cocks, and 
 quite as an exception a hen. If the priests were not all 
 vegetarians one could understand it, but as it is, one 
 accepts the miracle. 
 
 Through magnificent long and high avenues one
 
 248 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 approaches the main temple. In this, the holiest of holies 
 of the Shinto religion, is kept the holy mirror, a holy 
 sword, and the ancestral tablet of the emperor. Every 
 twenty-five years the old temple is pulled down and a new 
 one has to be built, into which all these holy things are 
 translated. From the wood of the old temple they cut 
 toothpicks, which are sold all over the whole empire. For 
 twenty-five years they build at this new temple, and all the 
 carpenters and builders (there are legions of them) must 
 have made the vow of chastity. They are not allowed 
 to touch wine nor meat, etc., etc. ; must live like monks 
 in special houses, and must wear white linen. Even at 
 their work they must wear the hakkama, those trousers, 
 or divided skirt, of ceremony. The greatest masters of 
 the whole country apply for a job here as a special favour, 
 as it is a meritorious thing to have worked at one of the 
 temples. Everywhere policemen with gorgeously braided 
 uniforms walk about, and the whole thing gives one the 
 impression of being at the Imperial Court rather than in 
 temple grounds. How different from the harmonious peace 
 and dignified, mystic repose round the Buddhist temples. 
 For the Shintos, the religion to which the Imperial family 
 belongs, this temple is the chief, a sort of St. Peter's, and 
 in every way, for any Japanese, a sort of the Mecca. It 
 is the great wish and desire of every Japanese man and 
 woman to come once to Ise on pilgrimage to worship 
 there and to bring offerings. And great happiness 
 will come to him or her afterwards even in this life, and 
 more still in the future. But they all gave me the im- 
 pression of being rather terrified than elevated. What 
 a difference again with Koya-san. In spite of Lafcadio 
 Hearn, who certainly must have been a better judge than
 
 JAPAN 249 
 
 I, and who attributes so much, almost everything indeed, 
 of the wonderful qualities of character in the Japanese 
 nation to just this Shinto religion, I can't help disliking 
 it. It seems to me so cold, so empty, I should even say 
 without a God. Of the temple itself one sees nothing, 
 even with the most liberal Imperial permissions I had from 
 the emperor's private cabinet. One just gets a glimpse 
 of the top of a roof emerging over a stiff triple fence of 
 tightly-closed boards. No earth-born creature, except 
 the emperor and a few high-priests, is allowed to see this 
 holiest of holies. One is even obliged to take off one's 
 hat when one ascends the stone steps leading up to the 
 little mount on which the temple is built. At the top of 
 these steps, one is opposite the wide gate of an enclosure. 
 In this enclosure are, with wide intervals, the other three 
 enclosures surrounding the temple, getting smaller and 
 smaller of course. The gates are all in a file, one behind 
 the other, but nobody except the emperor and the priests 
 is allowed to pass over the threshold. The gates are 
 wide open ; but large, long white linen curtains, on the 
 centre of which the Imperial chrysanthemum is embroidered, 
 hang down to the ground, so that one sees nothing. 
 Lafcadio Hearn finds Ise especially full of mystic charm. 
 I'm sorry to say I don't ; just the contrary. How 
 can I feel near my God if I see only a long white 
 sheet, and a braided policeman is there to knock my hat 
 off and arrest me if I forget to take my hat off, as happened 
 once to a tourist who hadn't grasped that he had to take 
 his hat off in the outer steps in the woods. I'm even 
 sure there is no god whatever there. No nice god would 
 go into a temple where the worshippers are kept at arm's- 
 length by braided policemen, and one is not even allowed
 
 250 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 to see where he dwells. Me it made rather rebellious. 
 As I say, I don't like the Shinto religion, with their bells 
 to wake the god up now and then during one's prayers, 
 in case his interest or his attention goes astray, and the 
 equally loud clapping of the hands to keep him from 
 falling asleep, and then all this jealously hidden secretive- 
 ness and shut-me-out aloofness, almost hostility. I have 
 too much the Christian feeling of a God to be able to 
 admire this religion, or to be elevated by it. I find that 
 it worships a cold, unkind god, that keeps one out in the 
 rain, and does not even allow me into his house, not even 
 on his threshold, to worship and venerate him ; who has 
 got nothing but a looking-glass and a sword as symbols 
 (two such unpleasant attributes, the one of vanity, the 
 other of blood) ; who shows himself in nothing, not even 
 in Nature. My living soul got chilled there. I'm con- 
 vinced there is not an atom of God ever in this cold, 
 barricaded, locked, fenced in, guarded temple. It gives 
 you the impression of a prison. What a different feeling 
 of sanctity and worship overcome one, on the contrary, 
 if one enters one of the Buddha's temples ! There, in his 
 golden meditating glory, yet simplicity, sits the reposing, 
 peaceful figure of the Buddha, almost like a symbol of the 
 Christ who said : " Come to Me, all ye that are weary 
 and heavy laden." 
 
 The grounds and woods surrounding these temples are 
 magnificent, really quite beautiful, and remind one of fine, 
 well-kept English parks. Giant trees, hundreds of years 
 old, form dense woods and domes all along in the valleys, 
 through which an aquamarine river rushes, and all up 
 the hills surrounding the sanctuaries. Well-curved, wide 
 bridges span this lovely river. But over everything lies
 
 JAPAN 25I 
 
 a hard, severe melancholy and sad seriousness. One 
 hasn't the feeling of the proximity of God, not even in 
 this glorious wood, or at least not of our Christian God 
 of love and pardon. Perhaps the hard, cruel God of the 
 Jew dwells here, who visits the sins of the father on the 
 children, but certainly not our merciful Christ, who loves, 
 and pardons, and says the angels in heaven will rejoice 
 more over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine 
 just persons who need no repentance. 
 
 In small temple-like buildings they keep the horses 
 which belong as symbols to the Shinto temple. The only 
 nice thing there is this form of religion. The story goes 
 that one famous warrior became a deity, and so they kept 
 his horse in his temple, and now keep at each temple a horse 
 for him, so that should he be reincarnated again he might 
 find his horse. (Most considerate, I must say.) The 
 actual horses have all been given by the emperor, and 
 generally horses he himself has once ridden at a parade 
 or so. Here at Ise there are two, or rather one and 
 a quarter, if one can still call the wretched, half-decayed 
 skeleton a horse. It is forty-three years old, and if that 
 warrior god had loved it, he would have long ago taken 
 it up to heaven with him. It is an almost revolting and 
 pitiful sight, the poor old animal. It is an old black 
 stallion, or, as I say, was one, and it is pitiful to see its 
 vegetating skeleton slung about with all sorts of slings, 
 and covered all over with a white sheet on which the 
 Imperial chrysanthemum is embroidered, I really think 
 mainly to hide all the open sores the poor old beast has, 
 and to keep the flies from them. The smell of the poor 
 brute is awful, though the loosebox - temple of course is 
 kept scrupulously clean. It is exactly the smell one used
 
 252 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 to find in peasant houses where old, ill, infirm people were 
 confined by age to their beds and had open, badly-kept 
 wounds, what the peasants in our country used to call 
 " open legs." Now, with antiseptics of course the smell 
 is gone, thank God, though age and "open legs" exist 
 still. Well, that poor old animal had "open legs" all 
 over. I'm sure he is rubbed open everywhere by his 
 slings, the poor old devil, and at his advanced decrepitude 
 he can't heal. Teeth he has none any more ; the gums 
 protrude far out of the hard, stiff, crippled and eaten away 
 lips, full of sores. He is an awful sight, and one can really 
 only wish and hope that he may soon be delivered. He 
 looks so bad-tempered, and sour and ill-faced, and tired, 
 the poor old boy. During the Russian war, shortly before 
 the battle of Mukden, they say he neither ate nor drank, 
 and hung in his slings with shut eyes for several days, only 
 breathing faintly. At once after the battle of Mukden, 
 and even before the wire-news of the battle arrived in 
 Japan, he began to eat and drink, etc., etc. The Japanese 
 declare that the famous warrior god had fetched this 
 horse's soul to Mukden, as he wanted it there to ride in front 
 of the troops and thus inspire them to enthusiasm and led 
 them to victory. And that was the reason why the horse's 
 body had lived on during this time in this sort of trance or 
 semi-sleep. I can only hope that the virtuous warrior 
 god will soon take the poor old boy for good to him, 
 because this is a bad sort of recompense for good services. 
 The other horse is a big bay gelding of about six years, 
 decidedly of Waler blood. He is bored to death in his 
 huge loosebox-temple, and tries to pass his time by all 
 sort of ingenious mischief. The pilgrims feed him with 
 beans, which one can buy of his groom or guard who
 
 JAPAN 253 
 
 stands near by, ill-tempered and sulky-looking, with his 
 grizzly beard and in the trousers of honour. 
 
 In one temple they wanted me to see a certain special 
 temple dance, but they dawdled so endlessly with the pre- 
 parations that I went off. The fact is, I think that they 
 dislike it to be seen as a mere representation, as it is, as 
 a matter of fact, a part of the temple service like holy 
 Mass, and they dislike showing it as a sort of theatrical per- 
 formance. I can quite understand that, and so I went 
 away without forcing them to do it, to their great relief. 
 We wouldn't like it either, to have Holy Communion given 
 as an entertainment for Eastern tourists. Of course that 
 vulgar American nation with her perverting influence that 
 is everywhere has been here with her beastly dollar, so 
 that this bit of ceremony is shown for money. That is 
 really the pestilence of the world. It is a pity that one 
 isn't allowed to paint anywhere in the temple grounds, 
 as the scenery is really lovely. 
 
 After tiffin we drove through lovely scenery for at least 
 two hours to Toba, which is situated on the sea-coast. The 
 road went for the greatest part of the way along the sea, 
 under fine old Scotch firs, and now and then through 
 timbered gullies, with peeps here and there over the lovely 
 blue sea. One passes also several large fisher villages, 
 which are exceedingly picturesque with their huge tan- 
 coloured nets spread out to dry, and their flowered, many- 
 coloured gardens. Everywhere the kaki trees were golden 
 with their ripe fruit, and the chrysanthemums were beginning 
 to flower. The rice harvest was in full swing, and men and 
 women were busy cutting it, loading the carts and hanging 
 the rice up for drying. They had made long stands of 
 bamboo poles in all the fields and near the villages, on
 
 254 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 which they hung the cut bundles of rice, which formed 
 long browny - yellow fringes. The women had linen 
 breeches on for this harvest work exactly like the men. 
 As they had the same cotton handkerchiefs tied over the 
 head, and mostly even across chin and mouth, it was diffi- 
 cult in this rig-out to distinguish the men from the women. 
 I have never understood why the Japanese always tie 
 something across their mouths, but it is quite striking. 
 Almost all the coolies pulling heavy loads (and it is really 
 incredible what enormously heavy loads men or women pull 
 in Japan) have a printed cotton kerchief tied over their 
 head and mouth, so that only the eyes and nose on top 
 and the chin again underneath are uncovered. There 
 must be some reason for it. 
 
 Finally at Toba we climbed up a small hill crowned by 
 a tea-house, and from there one had a lovely view over the 
 many bays and islands. Here I established myself and 
 began at once to sketch. Tim played and ran about enjoy- 
 ing herself in her own way, but never for very long. She 
 is a funny little mite ; lively, playful, always restless as she 
 is by nature, and full of independence, she generally, after 
 a short expedition by herself, comes and lies down beside 
 but mostly under my sketching chair. And woe if some- 
 body attempts to come near us ! otherwise she stops there 
 patiently for hours. But at the beginning she must have 
 her little reconnoitring tour. It always amuses me to see 
 her cheeky face of silent contempt if Shiba, or especially 
 Jinija, whom she doesn't count for full, tries to call her 
 back. She stops in her walk, and just glances over her 
 shoulder, without turning her body, with an expression as 
 
 if to say, "You'll just be quiet, you " (I'm sure it is 
 
 not an over-refined name she calls him, but as it is in
 
 JAPAN 255 
 
 Thibetan we don't understand, so it doesn't matter), and 
 then, turning her south end well on him with a deliberate 
 determination, so as to say " there ! " she trots on, after 
 having looked at me as though to say, " I wish you'd keep 
 your servants in order and in their proper place and make 
 them mind their own business." 
 
 I painted quite quietly and happily alone by myself. 
 Jinija has been well instructed not to come near me when 
 I am working, because he asks me continually why I mix 
 blue and yellow, or red and blue, etc., etc., which disturbs 
 me. As for him asking me, "Why do you make that 
 green ? I see it blue," or vice versa, that drives me frantic 
 to such an extent that I could put the whole palette into his 
 face. Shiba now, on the contrary, sits mouse-still at a 
 respectable distance, just far and near enough to fulfil 
 possible wishes (some more colour, turpentine, etc., etc.), 
 or to intervene when Tim gets too aggressive, or people 
 too persistent. For, I regret to be obliged to say, 
 the public is very disturbing and annoyingly trying. I 
 hardly know another nation that looks upon a painter so 
 entirely as a public property or a public amusement as the 
 Japanese. They stand so close round one that one can 
 hardly move, pushing one or resting themselves sometimes 
 actually against one. Others will get right in front of you 
 to have a good look at your face. Of course in Europe 
 one would not be able to stand it on account of the smell, 
 but in Japan, the country of baths and cleanliness, this 
 inconvenience, thank goodness, does not exist, and my 
 nasal senses are spared. As to the eternal sniffing up 
 (handkerchiefs they only possess to tie over their heads and 
 mouths), I've got accustomed to it, so that I don't even 
 notice it any more, horrid as it is. Perhaps I even do it
 
 256 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 myself, who knows. As I say, the use of a handkerchief 
 for wiping the nose the Japanese ignores, on the contrary, 
 finds us Europeans awfully dirty for keeping "that" in our 
 pocket, and the noses of the children in Japan are really 
 disgusting and trying. I only say that so that people may 
 not think I'm mad on the Japanese in my genuine enthusi- 
 asm. I'm almost sick at sight of those noses and upper 
 lips. I never look at a Japanese child lower than the 
 eyes, and then again at the little dainty body. And again, 
 the many children with that awful rash on the heads ! I 
 know from Professor Baelz that it is not catching, and that 
 it is from the mothers eating too much rice, and that it 
 disappears as soon as the children are weaned. But all the 
 same ! And then Japanese children are fed up to three or 
 four years. 
 
 But to come back to the standing so close round one 
 when one paints, when all those awful things are brought 
 into one's proximity. Anyhow it is most disturbing and 
 hindering, and Shiba preserves me from it with wonderful 
 quietness and typical Japanese politeness. Never does 
 one hear a rude word or a cross remark. Never do they 
 scold or insult each other. Everything passes on politely, 
 gently, amiably, quietly, in a friendly way. But of course 
 they think me quite mad because I don't want to have 
 them stand round me. No Japanese knows what privacy 
 means. In this country everything is done publicly. They 
 understand this just as little in a room as in a bath. There 
 is hardly anything one does not do in public in Japan. 
 That's why they have neither locks nor bolts to their doors. 
 Nobody taps at a door. They just quietly push it open 
 and walk in, and there they are. Therefore they can't at 
 all understand that one wants to make or do anything
 
 JAPAN 257 
 
 privately. They enter rooms with an incredible innocence 
 while one is dressing. I generally dress or undress with 
 four or five in the room. And so it is with everything. 
 That's why they can't at all understand that one wants to 
 be alone when one paints. But they submit quietly to this 
 astounding fact, with the quiet, amiable gaiety so peculiar 
 to their charming, amiable nation. 
 
 The colouring to-day is typical Japanese. One would 
 say a living Hokitsu, everything soft, pale mezzotints, in 
 almost undistinguishably fine harmonies, blended into each 
 other and faded into one another, so soft and fine, just 
 my favourite tints, and the work goes capitally. As I'd 
 just finished, and my stomach told me it must be cocoa 
 time, and I got up, turning round I found myself in the 
 truest sense of the word face to face with an elderly, highly 
 respectable-looking Japanese gentleman. He bends down 
 to my sketch and looks at it so close that I almost think 
 he wants to smell it. Then he steps away again smiling, 
 then comes quite close to it again, evidently fascinated by it. 
 I had not in my excitement over my pleasant work heard 
 him come up. Of course, as is the habit in this polite 
 country, we smiled, and bowed, and curtseyed, and whizzed 
 to each other. I've got so quickly into that habit again of 
 smiling even about things that annoy me, that it has 
 become a sort of second nature to me now, and comes 
 quite naturally to me and quite by itself, out of the simple 
 reason that I am ashamed to make a grumpy or an annoyed 
 face over trifles when these people are so quick to take 
 everything from the pleasant side. And really it makes 
 life with them most pleasant. My old gentleman said 
 something to me in Japanese, which I knew by the little I 
 understand was a compliment. So of course more smiles 
 
 VOL. II. R
 
 258 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 and nods and hissing. But as he went on talking to me, 
 decidedly believing I understood him, I called Shiba to 
 interpret, and he explained to me the old gentleman 
 wanted to buy the sketch. Jinija joined us, and they 
 explained to me the old gentleman had watched me painting 
 the whole sketch, and as he had never seen anybody copy 
 so exactly the tints and shades and colours of Nature as me, 
 exactly as they are and were in Nature, and in this view, 
 he wanted to buy the sketch. I simply had to name the 
 price. I admit that I was highly flattered, because so 
 spontaneous a praise out of the mouth of a refined old 
 Japanese gentleman is worth at least several European 
 criticisms. 
 
 The drive returning was almost prettier, because in the 
 late afternoon the colour effects of this lovely landscape 
 were doubly fine. Near the Husband and Wife rocks we 
 stopped. These are two rocks in the sea close to the shore, 
 and united to each other by a rice-straw rope. A little 
 tori stands on the top of one of them. I had the 
 intention to paint them, but the sun setting over the sea in 
 the other direction made such glorious colour effects that I 
 couldn't resist, and so made a rapid sketch of it before it 
 got quite dark. These Husband and Wife rocks are called 
 Futamy. In French it wouldn't be exactly polite. 
 
 Next morning we rikshahed again out to charming 
 Toba. It is astounding what these Japanese rikshah coolies 
 stand in the way of running. True, there are two for each 
 kurma or rikshah, and they work as a tandem. But they 
 ran all the way without stopping once, and at a good pace 
 too, and it is far from flat country. The drive took almost 
 two hours. What wretched cripples we are. We would 
 be dead or blown after a quarter of an hour.
 
 INLAND SEA, NEAR TAGO.
 
 JAPAN 259 
 
 The rice harvest is making rapid progress. It is 
 astounding with what rapidity these people work. 
 
 At the little harbour of Toba, at the end of the village, 
 we got out, and took a rowing-boat, and were rowed for a 
 good hour up to a desolate-looking, barren rock island. 
 Here a second boat waited for us, with four women in it, 
 who were very scantily dressed. One was very old, and 
 what one saw of her once human form reminded one of a 
 long, pulled-out swede glove. Two others were, to judge 
 by their black teeth and more than well-developed figures, 
 happy family mothers, while the fourth was a really lovely 
 girl of about seventeen or eighteen years, slim, beautifully 
 built, and well proportioned as far as a small woman can 
 expect to be called well built. She had a very pretty face 
 too. They wore the usual cotton kerchief tied over their 
 hair, and another cotton wrapper round the hips, leaving the 
 upper part of the body quite nude. After we had arrived 
 at the place where they were going to dive, they soon 
 jumped into the water. First they ducked under water 
 holding to the boat, and when they came up they whistled 
 to see if their breath were good, and they gabbled gaily with 
 each other. Soon after that they took their hands off the 
 boat and dived. They brought up all sorts of oysters, 
 mussels, and sea animals, which they pulled off the rocks 
 at the bottom of the sea. It looked very pretty when, with 
 a sudden swoop, they dived out of the ordinary swimming 
 pose. They made exactly the movement, diving thus, of 
 one of the naiads in Arnold Boecklin's picture, " Im Spiel 
 der Wellen." It looked awfully pretty when they disap- 
 peared in the crystal-clear, really aquamarine-blue water, 
 getting deeper and deeper, but prettier still when they 
 came up again. One saw them a long way down coming
 
 260 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 up in the beautiful, transparent bluish water, their bodies 
 glittering like silver, and little silver bubbles rising from 
 their limbs, till they finally appeared on the surface again. 
 They looked exactly like mermaids out of a fairy tale. 
 This diving for sea animals and oysters is quite a speciality 
 of Toba. One of them, the youngest of the mothers, dived 
 longest. We timed her to four minutes by the watch. 
 They were not at all out of breath when they came up. 
 The men in these fisher villages do nothing but live on 
 what the women gain by diving for oysters and mussels, 
 so it would be an ideal place for the suffragettes. One 
 ought to send them all here for a while, because, on a cold 
 December day, the pleasure must be rather dubious, and 
 they would perhaps be satisfied after that with their more 
 domestic duties of cooking for their husbands and bringing 
 up their children instead of talking rot on platforms. 
 The hair of these women was almost bleached a light tan, 
 which looked rather quaint beside the sun-burned brown 
 and red faces, and not exactly pretty ; but owing to this 
 colour of their hair they don't look a bit like Japanese ; 
 they look very strong and healthy though. 
 
 In Toba we climbed again up the little hill to the tea- 
 house, and I made another sketch of another very Japanese 
 view of sky, sea, and little islands. My old admirer was again 
 there, and tried to induce me to sell him yesterday's sketch, 
 or at least the one to-day, and I was really sorry I couldn't 
 let him have them. But if I had started doing that sort of 
 thing I should not bring home a single sketch. They all 
 want to buy or have them. To-day there were many other 
 people there as well, who were very trying, and poor little 
 Tim had to get very often angry. As to Shiba, he had to 
 work hard as policeman to keep my elbows free. I was so
 
 JAPAN 261 
 
 fascinated by the thoroughly and typically Japanese scenery 
 here that I wanted to stop a day longer, and paint at least 
 two more sketches that tempted me especially. But there 
 is no pact to be made with the powers of Fate, or in Japan, 
 let us say, with the powers of the weather. Already when 
 we started next morning it looked grey and dismal, which 
 might have made lovely effects of the grey mistiness so 
 lovely in Japan and so soft and typical, if it hadn't begun 
 to pour, as it can only pour in Japan. Everything was 
 drenched and soaked. The wet clouds hung low down from 
 the wet sky like thick white-grey curtains, hiding every- 
 thing. We turned in at a small tea-house to wait. We 
 waited, and waited, and waited ; and outside it poured, and 
 poured, and poured. I nearly started painting from the 
 house, but unfortunately I have taken a fancy in Japan to 
 paint subjects with a foreground, and from that tea-house 
 one saw nothing but sky, and the muddy highroad just 
 covered the bit of foreground that would have made a 
 pretty sketch. One step more forward and I was sitting 
 under the torrent-like gutter. Patience ! I said ; but as it 
 got worse and worse, I decided to return to Futamy at 
 least, as Jinija told me there was a charming tea-house 
 there, and so situated near the sea that I would be able to 
 paint beautifully from the house. So off to Futamy we 
 went. But, hang it ! from none of the many balconies or 
 windows is there anything to be seen except an even grey 
 rainy sky, so we decided to take the afternoon train and so 
 save one day. We trotted back through the incessantly 
 pelting rain to Ise, where poor Akida had to pack every- 
 thing in an awful hurry. But we caught the train, although 
 he had only one hour to pack everything up in, and in a 
 pelting rain we left. At five o'clock at night we reached
 
 262 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Nagoya, where we had to wait two hours for the express 
 train for Tokyo, and I dined in the good hotel. Nogaki 
 was at Nagoya, which was very nice, and so we dined 
 together, as he too was going by the same train to Tokyo. 
 Then we all climbed into the crammed-full sleeping-car, 
 but Jinija's cleverness managed to get me the ladies' com- 
 partment, which was quite empty, and so I was quite 
 by myself. 
 
 October *jth. When we arrived in the morning at Tokyo 
 the station was swarming with top-hatted, frock-coated 
 people, as the American Ambassador and his wife had 
 returned, and all the diplomatic people had come to meet 
 them. Besides, they had built triumphal arches every- 
 where for the reception of the American fleet. As soon 
 as I had arrived at the hotel, R., from our Embassy, 
 telephoned to ask if I would dine that evening with the 
 Ambassador, which I can't do, having already accepted, 
 weeks ago, an invitation of the V.'s. I couldn't help 
 it, although the Ambassador was leaving the next day, for 
 a week, for Mianoshita. Besides, I preferred a thousand 
 times dining with my old friends V. to dining with the 
 Ambassador, whom I don't know. R. asked me to lunch 
 with him, which I gladly accepted, although I didn't 
 know him, but we had a lot of mutual friends. I came 
 to him in frock-coat and top-hat, to his horror, as he 
 imagined I put it on for him. He was rather relieved 
 at my telling him that all this "west-end" splendour was 
 not in his honour, but because I had to make some calls 
 afterwards. R. is charming, and seems very clever. 
 His little house is most attractive, and so well kept, and 
 proves a very good and refined taste. It is quite Japanese,
 
 JAPAN 263 
 
 and it's so sensible of him to have left it all in its tasteful 
 simplicity. He has put in some very comfortable arm- 
 chairs, a few really good curios ; flowers are artistically 
 arranged in some good old bronze vases, and everything 
 looks soignt, and what we call gemuethlich. A man with 
 decidedly good taste. His luncheon table, with fine linen, 
 well-kept silver, nice thin glass, and well-arranged flowers 
 was a real treat after the hotel stuff I've seen now for 
 almost a year, and his cook (a Japanese) is excellent. In 
 one word, the whole thing was a success, and I spent a 
 few charming hours there. Through him I heard all 
 sorts of news I had missed, as I hadn't seen an European 
 paper for several days. Amongst the rest, the coronation 
 of Eleanor Reuss, Queen of Bulgaria. Brava! After- 
 wards I drove out to the dear Baroness Sannomia. She 
 is English, and married many years ago the Marquis of 
 Sannomia, who was Lord Chamberlain at the Imperial 
 Court till he died a few years ago. They both had been 
 exceedingly kind to me during my first stay in Japan 
 five years ago. She is mistress of the robes of the 
 empress. I had tea with her in her lovely and comfort- 
 able house, and she told me many interesting things about 
 the social development of Japan since the war. Then I 
 drove to leave some cards. But this was a complicated 
 job, as neither the groom, nor coachman, nor Jinija, least 
 of all the footmen at the respective doors, seemed to know 
 the sort of calls where one leaves cards. They all insisted 
 upon my coming in if their masters and mistresses were 
 at home ; just what I didn't want, because nothing bores 
 me more than to get in and out of my carriage to talk 
 to people I know comparatively little, and when I only 
 want to show them a politeness. I end at Paul Vautier's,
 
 264 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 where I heard, to my regret, that his charming wife was 
 at Yokohama with her mother. He persuaded me to 
 stop for dinner as I was, without changing, as we two 
 were to be by ourselves, and I gave in. The evening was 
 spent most pleasantly, talking of and admiring the last 
 acquisitions of fine curios he had added in these last years 
 to his already valuable collection, so that it was all of 
 a sudden one o'clock at night, and I rikshahed home. 
 
 Next morning I went by train to Yokohama to the 
 Nursery Gardens. That is to say, first to the German 
 Consulate, as I had some business there, having to sign 
 some papers before the Consul, all which Kuehne had 
 arranged splendidly for me, so that I had only to sign, 
 and wasn't kept waiting at all. He seemed to have 
 settled down well there, and liked the place very much, 
 I'm glad to say. I lunched with him afterwards at the 
 English club, of which he is a member, and afterwards 
 rikshahed to the Nursery Gardens, while he had to drive 
 to a German wedding-party, which he did more than 
 reluctantly. They all recognised me again, and were 
 delighted when I showed them photos of the Japanese 
 lilies and the Japanese garden at Halbau. Re-inspecting 
 the grounds, I found lots of plants I wanted still. Then 
 I ordered everything my gardener wanted. Going back 
 to Tokyo I travelled with Kuehne, who was going to a 
 big dinner there. 
 
 October <^th. This morning we went by train to Ikao. 
 It is a very pretty but rather long railway journey. One 
 travels the whole day, has to change twice, and finally 
 trundles on for two hours in a wretched little, ramshackle 
 horse-tram. The terminus of this tram is of course not
 
 JAPAN 265 
 
 Ikao, but some other village of no importance whatever. 
 Here ponies were ready for us, which, however, I refused, 
 seeing the Laddakhi-like torture-saddles. I honestly pre- 
 ferred my legs. And besides, it was much better, easier, 
 and nicer for little Timminette if I walked. It was almost 
 dark when I started, and night came at once. But the 
 moon was almost full, and shone splendidly all the way. 
 The road goes uphill all the time through pretty, young 
 woods. I arrived at Ikao at the nice Japanese hotel just 
 before dinner. In all the rooms, even the dining-room, 
 the hibatchis were burning, these open charcoal braziers, 
 the only way of heating they have in Japan. There was 
 a sharp frost last night, and on the hills is fresh snow. 
 
 Next morning it was bitterly cold, but beautifully clear, 
 and we started on foot for the Haruna temple. Jinija rode. 
 One sees everywhere the silvery-white tops of the high 
 hills with their fresh snow tower above the lower ones, 
 which are a lovely clear blue. It is a very pretty march 
 of nineteen to twenty miles. First one ascends steeply 
 in a zigzag through lovely dewy autumn woods of maple, 
 pine, and oaks. On the tops of the near mountains the 
 leaves were already turned into browns, yellows, and 
 coppery-reds. Then higher up we came through young 
 plantations of Scotch firs, which were literally purple 
 with masses of flowers of Scabiosa Caucasica and of blue 
 gentians. I had never seen such quantities of scabious. 
 The effect was lovely. There were two Michaelmas daisies 
 everywhere in masses. But it was especially the large 
 mauve scabious that made everything purple-blue, with its 
 large flowers standing over the stiff young shoots of the 
 young Scotch firs. All this country looked exactly like 
 Germany; it was quite striking. It was so clear that
 
 266 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 morning that we saw the Shirane-san mountain, one of 
 the few, if not the only active volcano of Japan. Its 
 white cloud of smoke was clear against the brilliant blue 
 sky. Later on we reached the exceedingly pretty small 
 mountain lake of Haruna, with the Haruna Fuji in close 
 proximity, reflecting itself in the lovely little lake. It is 
 quite true that in shape it reminds one very much of the 
 incomparably majestic saint. For me Fuji is unique in 
 the world. This lake, surrounded by pretty woods of 
 ash, oaks, and alder, is so absolutely German almost 
 laughably so it might be somewhere near Pless. The 
 leaves had nearly all fallen off already, except those of the 
 oaks, which were quite brown and shrivelled, and rustled 
 winterly in the fresh breeze. This sound reminded me oddly 
 of shooting parties at home. What an extraordinary power 
 of calling up a memory sounds and smells have. Undoubt- 
 edly these senses of ours are crippled, and not sufficiently 
 cultivated ; I'm sure one could do a lot with them. 
 
 The road ascended steeply again ; for a good stretch 
 it had run on a level across a plateau. On the top, in a 
 sort of pass, was a nice tea-house, where they had excel- 
 lent pears, and still better peppermints, and the combination 
 was most refreshing and good. Of course I rested there 
 to enjoy all that, and the lovely view into the bargain. 
 Then we descended steeply on a zigzag road down the 
 other side into a beautifully wooded valley, where all 
 the trees and undergrowth were beginning to be tinted 
 in ochrey browns and reds, a regular symphony of warm 
 colours. Everywhere the extraordinary rocks stand out for 
 which this place is well known. Of course, like everything 
 here, they too have been formed by volcanic eruptions. 
 Some have almost human shapes, like heads ; others, again,
 
 ENTRANCE OK HAKUNA TEMPLE, IKAO.
 
 JAPAN 267 
 
 like animals. Finally, in a grove of lofty cryptomerias, with 
 their lovely reddish-purple stems and wonderful dark green 
 foliage, we reached the entrance gate of the Haruna 
 temple grounds. Here the road took us along the foam- 
 ing clear river in the deep gorge, which got narrower and 
 narrower, the high steep hills with their mossy rocks, 
 covered by thousands of lovely ferns, shutting it in more 
 and more, and the tall magnificent trees, forming with 
 their long branches a regular dome of dark greens, browns, 
 and reds, through which the sun played in moving spots 
 and thin shafts of light. Finally, we saw the lovely though 
 small temple buildings high up on quaintly-shaped rocks, 
 and over-towered by one especially extraordinary high 
 rock, which stood on a ridiculously thin base, like a 
 natural column almost. One really wonders how it can 
 keep its balance. Many mossy stone steps led us to the 
 temples. It is astounding how they are built, or rather 
 squeezed, on these steep slopes and between these boulders, 
 which rise from the ground like tall stems of giant trees. 
 Only the ingenious and highly-developed art of the 
 Japanese could achieve such exquisite effects. The chief 
 temple is an extraordinarily quaint building, and looks like 
 an enchanted palace in a fairy tale. One wouldn't be a bit 
 astonished to see Schneewittchen with her seven goblins 
 emerge from the temple gate. Japan is the land of fairies 
 and goblins and elves. And everywhere between, the slender 
 giant stems of the cryptomerias rise up into the blue sky 
 as straight as arrows, forming with their gnarled branches 
 a green cathedral ; while the maple trees, with their feathery 
 foliage turning to scarlet, red, and crimson, twist them- 
 selves, growing over and overhanging places where no 
 European tree could live. They are just as original as
 
 268 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 the people of Japan. In this country nothing is common- 
 place and banal. After wandering about to choose some 
 motives I lunched hurriedly, and then began to work. 
 I admit that I was nervous about it. There was so much 
 detail and architecture, so much foreground, and I'd 
 never till then done any of this kind of painting. After 
 all, it could only be a failure ! But it turned out to be 
 just the contrary of a failure, and my guardians were 
 very satisfied. 
 
 In the falling night we started for home, and arrived at 
 Ikao when it was pitch dark and bitterly cold, really like 
 a shooting party in Germany. Akida was in an awful 
 state, and furious with Jinija for keeping me out so late, 
 and on so cold a night. In fact, the whole hotel was 
 upset, as they feared we had met with an accident, had 
 fallen down a precipice, or something similar. He scolded 
 and grumbled all the time at Jinija, even called him a fool 
 for exposing " Count " to such things, while with deft 
 fingers he undressed me, like a baby, and drove me to 
 my bath as though I were a holy cow. The baths here 
 are delicious, natural hot mineral baths of 113 Fahrenheit, 
 containing mostly iron, and coming boiling out of the 
 rock. Akida and the hotel odd man and two nesans 
 (housemaids) took the greatest care to undress me en- 
 tirely in the bathroom, and to deposit me safely in the 
 large wooden bath. Then before he left me to my fate 
 he impressed well upon me not to let my "good silk shirt " 
 get near anything wet, as this water made awful spots. 
 He returned, however, after a minute, declaring it would 
 be safer if he took it with him ; and so he did. All this 
 was by no means said in a cheeky, patronising way, but 
 nicely, amiably, in a modest, almost childlike manner.
 
 JAPAN 269 
 
 They are a charming nation, and one is compelled to like 
 them if one gets to know them. 
 
 October i \th. I started early in the morning on a pony, 
 because on foot one loses too much time. The plateau, or 
 rather the high valley, for this sandy plateau is surrounded 
 and fenced in by low mounds, is almost flat and quite sandy, 
 so one can canter and trot and thus save a lot of time. It 
 looks exactly as if it had once been a hilly lake, which after 
 some volcanic eruption had run dry. Tim was handed up 
 to me and we trotted off, after Akida had impressed on us 
 all to be careful. An uncomfortable gentleman's saddle 
 and a terribly fat grey horse were my fate. It was a 
 regular torture. I had the feeling of being split in two. 
 I'm still astonished that I didn't tumble off, as I'm not 
 accustomed to this sort of locomotion, and the cheeky little 
 dog made me laugh continually. Tim, the cheeky person, 
 sat, hung, or stood, just as she thought most convenient to 
 her, either on my lap, or on the pommel of the saddle, or 
 on the fat grey's neck. She acted as if she had done 
 nothing all her life but riding, enjoying herself immensely. 
 She was so cheeky to people passing us, or to other dogs, 
 or with me, that I really had laughing fits continually. If 
 I didn't hold her tight enough, so that she almost tumbled 
 off, she turned round on me quite indignantly, as if to say : 
 " Look here, you old silly, can't you pay attention ? What 
 are you there for, may I ask ? I nearly tumbled off. Be- 
 have yourself." All I could do was to grab her as tight as 
 possible, but too tight often for her independence. I now 
 banged about on the brute, when he trotted like a bag of 
 rags, in my laughing fits and the attempts to keep Tim 
 straight. It was well we didn't meet many people. They
 
 2;o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 would all have thought me drunk, I'm sure. The pony 
 was the laziest brute I ever saw. No stick would make 
 him trot ; you might beat as hard as you liked, he only 
 shook his old white head and mane. But if Jinija trotted 
 ahead on his thinner black he managed to trot, as he was 
 terrified of losing his stable companion. These horses 
 were chiefly used to bring wood and grass down from the 
 hills, and then the grey is tied to the black, who leads. 
 So he trotted behind his black friend as hard as he could, 
 whinnying all the time. We must have been a sight ! 
 
 To-day it is quite cloudy and looks like rain, and one 
 sees nothing of the farther mountains. The cold is really 
 intense, but the scenery is enchanting. The day brought 
 two good sketches one large one of the temple, and a 
 small one on our way home of the hazy sunset and the 
 mists rising in the many autumnal-tinted valleys. What a 
 lovely country ! The result was that we got home when it 
 was pitch dark ; it was already dusk when we packed up. 
 Of course I had painted as long as possible, in spite of 
 Jinija's urging and hurrying me. 
 
 October 12th. We left Ikao at 7 A.M. in kurmas. I left 
 it with regret. It is a charming place. I could have 
 stopped there for weeks, but my time was getting short, as 
 I had on account of "little Mary" made up my mind to 
 leave Japan on November Qth by the Kleist of the North 
 German Lloyd. 
 
 The wintry mists lay deep over the country when we 
 started, and they rolled along the many valleys in dense 
 white masses, and it was so icy cold that I was glad to 
 have my fur coat on. After an hour's drive by kurma we 
 had to trundle again for two hours in that dilapidated, dusty
 
 AUTUMN TINTS, NIKKO.
 
 JAPAN 271 
 
 tram, pulled by an old bony horse. We don't leave either 
 from the same station where we arrived three days ago. 
 And as the bulk of my luggage is supposed to have gone 
 round in some mysterious way, and we are supposed to 
 find it at this other station, I admit harbouring some doubts 
 whether I shall ever see my belongings again in this life. 
 This tram drive was prettier though than the first, and 
 more various. It passes along a large, fine river and 
 through narrow valleys, through many large and pictur- 
 esque villages, where in all the gardens the small-flowered 
 chrysanthemums are beginning to flower abundantly, making 
 bright colour effects. Then we proceeded for several hours 
 by train, and reached, late in the afternoon, Nikko, where 
 it was bitterly cold. One whole side of the pretty old 
 village was burnt down this spring, but they have built it 
 up again. Of course the effect is not the same. The 
 houses are too new, and some have been made much higher 
 and larger. It has lost much of its charming character. 
 The Kanaya Hotel has been enlarged too, and this, I must 
 say, is a great improvement. I think it is one of the most 
 comfortable hotels in Japan, so nice and homely. I got 
 my old rooms ; but as there were no fireplaces in them, I 
 changed into the new and very comfortably furnished wing. 
 Next morning we took ponies and trotted off to Chuzenji. 
 The painting materials had gone ahead by coolie, with Tim 
 and Shiba in a rikshah. Of course we overtook them, and 
 Tim howled with rage and indignation because I trotted 
 on. At the bottom of the hill I dismounted and walked up 
 the short-cuts. Here, of course, she soon picked me up ; 
 because as soon as the kurma stopped she jumped out and 
 tore herself loose from Shiba, chain and all, and ran after 
 me on my scent like mad.
 
 272 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 The colourings all along the road were lovely, and the 
 dark cryptomerias between made the red appear still more in- 
 tense, but the foliage of the maples was really of an incredible 
 redness. The higher one gets up to Chuzenji the finer the 
 woods appear. It is a regular orgy of colour. The under- 
 growth is entirely formed by magnificent azalea bushes, of 
 an enormous size and luxuriant growth, almost trees, whose 
 leaves have turned a dark claret colour, with coppery ends 
 and shadings. I won't rest before I have succeeded in 
 getting some plants of this special azalea and tried them at 
 home at Halbau. The road, well engineered, ascends in a 
 broad zigzag the steep side of the valley through this dense 
 wood. One gets exquisitely lovely peeps into the valley, 
 which seems to grow deeper and deeper, hazier and hazier, 
 through the thick stems of the enormous trees, or framed 
 by their swooping, trailing branches. From everywhere 
 cascades descend into the valley, falling below into a wild, 
 tossing river, rushing foamingly along in its large bed, 
 formed by huge mossy boulders. The higher one gets the 
 redder are the tints but the barer the trees, and in Chuzenji 
 itself there was hardly a leaf left. The trees are mostly 
 oaks, birches, beeches, and elder bushes, and many silver 
 firs. Here, too, the underbush is entirely formed by azalea 
 bushes, and by the famous Nikko bamboo, with its striped 
 leaf, pretty and quaint. 
 
 The big waterfall is splendid indeed. It falls down the 
 high perpendicular rock, one enormous, roaring, foaming, 
 white mass of water, into the gurgling, spouting basin deep 
 below, from where an eternal mist of spray rises high up 
 like a transparent shimmering gauze veil interwoven with 
 thousands of gems and sparkling stones. On the top of 
 the waterfalls many maple trees wear their scarlet glory
 
 JAPAN 273 
 
 still, their branches hanging down gracefully above the 
 water torrent. The latest fashion here in Japan is, it 
 appears, to commit suicide by throwing oneself over from 
 this terrific height into the basin below. Of course one is 
 dashed to pieces at once. What fools people are ! They 
 say this summer there has been quite a number of such 
 cases, students and young girls, sometimes mere school- 
 boys. Altogether, the number of suicides in Japan in- 
 creases to a terrific number. 
 
 The other day, going to Osaka, the train ran over a 
 young woman who had thrown herself on the rails. Every- 
 body of course looked out of the windows, with the 
 unhealthy passion of people for monstrosities or tragedies, 
 and they couldn't understand why I just kept looking out 
 of the other window. What tortures of jealousy or misery 
 must have persecuted that poor young creature before she 
 decided to throw herself on to those hard rails. 
 
 In Chuzenji it is quite wintry, and on the trees hardly a 
 leaf is left. I painted after lunch, muffled in my fur coat, 
 a view of the lake, which does not satisfy me. Chuzenji 
 itself has never been sympathetic to me. I never cared 
 for it. This time, besides, there are thousands of tourists 
 and excursionists here, who stand all round one, passing 
 quite loud remarks, and, although they are flattering, it 
 makes me nervous. The holidays at the universities 
 have begun, and students and school children are taken by 
 the hundreds and thousands as a treat to see the autumn 
 tints, which indeed are a sight. I never thought a country 
 could have so many school children and students. There 
 is no danger that the population of Japan is dying out. 
 Nippon Banzai! 
 
 Next morning I went by pony half-way towards 
 
 VOL. II. S
 
 274 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 Chuzenji, as I wanted to paint there, the foliage being 
 especially vividly tinted thereabout. It was cloudy and 
 icy cold. Even the steep ascent on foot did not make 
 one warm. Near the tea-house Jinija and Shiba had most 
 ingeniously managed to make me with ropes a sort of 
 reserved place, so that I could work undisturbed ; for, 
 with the legions of students and school children who are 
 on their excursions, it is very trying. But I didn't succeed 
 in finishing the sketch, as, stupidly, I took one of the large 
 blocks, and I think really too large for landscape sketching. 
 And then the days are so short, and the tints awfully 
 difficult. And last, not least, the cold was bitter. 
 
 Next morning I painted one of the tall cryptomeria 
 avenues near Nikko, as I could only finish the large sketch 
 in the afternoon if the same sort of light chanced to fall 
 again. The painting went a little better, though it was 
 not as it ought to be. I was told by students and school- 
 boys that at Chuzenji, only half-an-hour by foot higher from 
 where I sat, it snowed hard. The poor school children all 
 returned blue with cold, drenched through, poor things, 
 pictures of misery. But they were just as merry and 
 happy as if it were the finest weather in the world. I 
 must say the Japanese have a really delightful temperament. 
 
 October \$th. Early in the morning I left Nikko, as the 
 glass was going down steadily. In the compartment were 
 two of those odious Yankee females one cannot really call 
 them ladies, although they were richly dressed whose 
 cackling presence and awful twangy voices had driven 
 me at Kyoto into the adjoining room for meals. For me 
 the Americans are the most unpleasant nation ; and the 
 dialect and expressions they use ! The young one, a very
 
 JAPAN 275 
 
 pretty, fair-haired girl, stretches herself soon on the one 
 side of the compartment, simply lying with her face on the 
 arm of the railway seat, which even in clean Japan is not 
 over clean. She does not even put a handkerchief or any- 
 thing on it to lay her face upon. In one hand she holds 
 a bottle of Tansan water, stopped with an old cork, and 
 now and then takes a drink out of this bottle, like a cab- 
 man. They are very smartly and richly dressed, and talk 
 at the top of their voices of all the letters they have for 
 their ambassadors and various people, and seem to be on 
 intimate terms with the Vanderbilts and such. This un- 
 necessarily loud conversation is evidently meant to impress 
 me. I'm sorry to say it has no effect on me. No American 
 can ever be a lady, even if she gives herself the airs of one. 
 After five minutes everything begins to fall out of her hair 
 that she possibly can have in it. First an enormously high 
 and beautifully cut tortoiseshell comb of tcaille blonde, 
 evidently recently bought at Nagasaki, the place par Evid- 
 ence for tortoiseshell ware ; then of course all the hairpins 
 of ditto material. The old frump, reading her magazine, 
 acknowledges the fall of all these things through her pince- 
 nez, as if to say " Well, man?" and I, with vague remem- 
 brances of good manners, in spite of my year long trundle 
 round the world and more or less bush life, I pick them up 
 one by one. Only the really beautiful fair hair remains up, 
 or at least half up. After two hours I have to change. 
 I was glad to, because the old hyaena had begun to ask me 
 all sorts of questions with the abrupt impertinence typical 
 of her odious nation. How they had to change at Tokyo ? 
 and would I look after their luggage? hoping I would 
 play the part, for the sake of the fair-haired lady, of unpaid 
 courier. This nation of ridiculously spoiled females thinks
 
 276 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 it has a right to everything, and that men are only there 
 to dance attendance on them. 
 
 In the new train, after I had waited nearly a dismal 
 hour at a dreary little station, I saw a German couple 
 undoubtedly " Heildirimsiegerkranz," and still more un- 
 doubtedly from Berlin. One can see that at once by their 
 clothes. Such things are only built in that city, which has 
 something of America about it as far as vulgarity goes 
 the city of bad taste, snobbish in everything. What is so 
 amusing on a trip like this is how one spots people's nation- 
 ality at once by their clothes, faces, and manners of course 
 too, but mainly clothes. At the tiffin station my Germans 
 go to the dining-car, while I lunch out of my tiffin basket ; 
 and when they return he claps his heels together, and with 
 well-outstretched elbows presents himself: "Dr. F.," then 
 adds, " I hear you are German"- by way of a reason. I 
 think he knew my uncle in Berlin, and he pretends to have 
 seen my exhibition at Dresden ; of course he got my name 
 from Jinija. He is some great doctor, or something of the 
 sort, and is travelling here to make discoveries on the Eino 
 skulls. They are both very nice, I must say, and interest- 
 ing people, though thoroughly Berlin, and, as I say, Heil- 
 dirimsiegerkranz. They have travelled a lot though, and 
 apparently with open eyes, but this is the first time they 
 have been in Japan. They have just arrived by the 
 Siberian Railway, of which they have nothing to tell but 
 horrors. It is too amusing, and the exact opposite of what 
 my London bachelor told me, who had his "apartment 
 furnished with every modern luxury," and wore cotton 
 gloves. And this man wears cotton gloves too. So it 
 can't be the cotton gloves which gave him so favourable 
 an impression.
 
 JAPAN 277 
 
 The scenery through which we travelled was really 
 uncommonly pretty, but quite European, hilly and thickly 
 timbered. They are in raptures about it, which I find of 
 course charming of them. 
 
 At 7 P.M., just when it began to get dark, we arrived 
 at Sendai, the terminus. One has only to cross the square 
 in front of the station to go to the hotel, which is half- 
 European and awful, but clean. After changing, I went 
 to the dining-room prepared for Europeans. They had put 
 two tables opposite each other, and covered with huge 
 napkins trailing on the floor, which looked, I regret to say, 
 strongly as if they had been taken out of the beds for the 
 occasion ; but in any case the two tables opposite each 
 other in that way, in the middle of the room, with its 
 strange, half-European, theatrical decoration, look exactly 
 like the tables of a juggler in the music hall, and one was 
 rather surprised not to see the waiter come up from 
 underneath and begin juggling about with the bottles, plates, 
 candlesticks, and oranges. I had a smaller table, the F.'s 
 opposite me one long enough to seat twenty people. 
 
 After dinner, as we sat opposite each other like the two 
 cocks in Busch's fable Der Gicker und der Gackerich, only 
 with the difference that instead of staring at each other 
 we talked, a Captain Pf. . . . was announced to them. 
 He is attached to a regiment here, and they knew him in 
 Berlin. I of course wanted to make the best of this wel- 
 come occasion and extricate myself and retire to my bed, 
 but I was pressed to stop, and so have, not to hurt 
 their feelings, to make bonne mine au mauvais jeu. The 
 captain was typical. If they were Heildirimsiegerkranz, 
 he was so to a still higher degree. He smelt of the 
 Berlin barracks (morally, I mean). "Colossal" was his
 
 278 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 every second word, and he snarled his "r's." He had the 
 oddest skull formation I ever saw in a man, and one could 
 see it well, as he was in true Heildirimsiegerkranz fashion, 
 clipped short to the roots of his hair like a convict. If I 
 were Professor F., I wouldn't go to the Einos' island to 
 study skulls, I'd study his ; he won't find a more deformed 
 one, and one with quainter bulges and dents, all over the 
 world ; besides, he has endless, carefully cut, pointed nails 
 at his fingers. But on the whole I should think he was a 
 harmless enough creature. So after the preliminary social 
 smelling (to talk dog's language) typical in this class of 
 people and the nation (my God, how stiff and formal we 
 Germans are !), and having asked and told enough of Mieze 
 (that is, the sister in Berlin), he (the captain) asked all of a 
 sudden, with an ironical, nasty smile, rubbing slowly his 
 long-nailed white hands : " Well, what do you think of the 
 ' Wunderland ' Japan?" His tonality expressed already 
 his total disapproval. He found nothing good in the 
 Japanese, and still less anything pretty in the whole 
 country. I tried first mildly to argue and contradict, 
 quoting places, buildings, etc., etc., but soon gave it up, 
 seeing his parti pri. Why ! in my eyes he was one of the 
 worst asses living. (I expect he's got the same good 
 opinion of me, and welcome !) What does it matter to me 
 if Captain Stickinthemud from some little Prussian infantry 
 regiment finds everything bad and hideous in Japan. It 
 must be awful though if one is only a soldier, has no other 
 interest but the Prussian army, and is quartered for three 
 entire years as the only European in this wretched little 
 place. I expect it might make just this sort of man bitter. 
 How much happier and fitter would he be in his little 
 garrison in Posen. With him the effect of being embit-
 
 JAPAN 279 
 
 tered has been certainly accomplished. Then these people 
 never have any sports. No wonder they get bored. Now 
 take a young English officer in an outlandish colonial post, 
 he's as happy as a lark ; he shoots and rides, etc., etc., whereas 
 this man grows long nails. Of course he was delighted to 
 hear German again, and to be able to talk it again, and he 
 and the F.'s sat endlessly on, and drank of course Bier ! 
 
 Next morning we got to Matushima, and in the same 
 train were the F.'s, who were going there too. To-morrow 
 they go to the Hokaido, the northern island of Japan, where 
 the so-called hairy Einos live, the survivals of the Japanese 
 aborigines. They will find it bitterly cold there at this 
 time of the year. 
 
 After half-an-hour's drive we reached Matushima, and 
 who could describe our disgust when we heard that just 
 that day there was a regatta, and we saw hundreds of 
 schools pour out of the train. After what I saw last 
 month of school boys and girls on holiday trips, Japan 
 seems nothing else but a huge school. I hadn't honestly 
 thought it possible that one country could boast of so many 
 school children. We are of course immediately surrounded 
 by hundreds of sniffling school girls (because it is very cold, 
 and one knows the effect of a cold, damp October morning 
 on noses, and remembers perhaps what I have already 
 mentioned, the total absence of handkerchiefs). They 
 stared at us as if we had descended from the moon. I felt 
 like an animal in the Zoo. I expect they had the same 
 unpleasant sensation of being stared at so mercilessly 
 and critically. I'll never do it again. Only they got 
 eventually some sugar and nuts. We didn't. We had to 
 wait quite a considerable time before we got our boats, 
 although Jinija had wired for them yesterday, at least for
 
 2 8o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 mine. At one moment it appeared as if we wouldn't get 
 any at all. At the station students stood about distribut- 
 ing gratis small paper flags in different colours, according 
 to the different boats that were to race in which one feels 
 interested, I suppose because one's brother, friend, cousin, 
 or friend's cousin, nephew, son, or some other relative 
 races in it. It was a happy, many-coloured turmoil, and 
 a beautiful clear autumn day into the bargain. After we 
 had boarded our different boats, in the middle of the in- 
 describable bustle and commotion of people pouring into 
 steamers, sailing and rowing boats, etc., etc., filling them 
 to an extent that one would not conceive possible, we 
 started. But as Jinija's forethought had engaged me two 
 oarsmen I outdistanced the F.'s soon, and was once more 
 alone, which was very pleasant. We passed the racecourse, 
 pointed out by high bamboo poles stuck into the sea with 
 flags attached to their tops fluttering gaily in the fresh 
 morning breeze. We were just in time to see one race. 
 The shores, and especially one little island where was the 
 finish, and where a band was playing, swarmed with a many- 
 coloured crowd of people like an ant-hill. It was a bright 
 and gay sight. 
 
 Matushima itself is one of the three so-called sights of 
 Japan, and all the same, all the Japanese painters say it is 
 not paintable. Of course I was very curious to see it. 
 There are hundreds of islands, and nobody has really 
 counted them all. Of all sizes and shapes, they are 
 scattered about the sea, crowned and topped by gnarled, 
 wind-torn, and bent little fir trees that hang with obstinate 
 firmness to the rocky soil. Some of these islands are 
 hollowed out by the eternal wash of the waves into all 
 sorts of odd shapes and forms. In some the water has
 
 JAPAN 281 
 
 washed openings right through like a porch or arch. Un- 
 fortunately they are so far apart that one never gets two 
 on the same picture, be it sketch or photo, the others make 
 only the effect of dots on the horizon. It is a pity, because 
 otherwise one might make something interesting. Yet 
 I find the colourings in no way attractive. In one word, I 
 am disappointed, and agree fully with the Japanese painters. 
 Finally, after having been rowed about for three hours we 
 landed at a little island, where under some fine old fir trees 
 a little temple lies. In the soft limestone, out of which 
 these islands are formed, they have cut out here small 
 galleries and niches, in which several hundred years ago 
 a whole community of priests retired to live. It was a sort 
 of hermitage, where each priest sat in a niche in the position 
 of the Buddha, meditating about the great mysteries. Now 
 pretty Scotch firs have grown up between and above, and 
 the island is connected by a nicely curved wooden bridge to 
 the mainland. Then after I had tiffined I wanted to start 
 painting. So we got everything ready and I started work- 
 ing. But in all my life I have never seen such continually 
 changing colours. One does nothing else but paint over 
 and shade differently what one has painted half-an-hour 
 ago. It is continually a different tonality and never the 
 same. It is most exasperating and discouraging. By the 
 time the cocoa was ready I was so disgusted with what I'd 
 done that I wanted to scratch it all off again, and only re- 
 frained from doing so because Shiba begged me to give it 
 him if I didn't want to keep it. I admitted I was touched. 
 So he got the awful thing and was delighted. On the whole, 
 I find Matushima the most disappointing thing I've seen 
 in Japan yet. 
 
 Returning it was lovely, under a short but magnificent
 
 282 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 sunset. But as the sea was so rough, it was impossible to 
 paint of course. There were delicious tints of orange and 
 mauve, with 'pale green and eau de nil and yellow, and 
 pitch dark green, almost black against it, the mainland 
 with its hills and pine trees sharply silhouetted against the 
 sky, and in front the long trembling coloured reflections on 
 the tossing sea. We were just in time for the last race, 
 and I ordered my boat to stop, to the great delight of my 
 people. Right and left of the watercourse hundreds and 
 hundreds of boats of all sort of shapes and sizes formed 
 two lines black with people ; and between these the four 
 slender rowing-boats shot along at a terrific pace, with 
 their different coloured oarsmen. One was white, one red, 
 the third green, and the other purple. And the yells and 
 shouts, the waving of flags, banners, and caps and hats, the 
 trampling with the feet, the noises, were bewildering, and 
 had something wild, cruel, warlike in them. 
 
 Then this excited, gay mass of boats closed in behind 
 the racing-boats as soon as they had passed, a packed mass, 
 shouting, laughing, talking and jesting, and we all rowed 
 towards the landing-stage. I've rarely seen such a crowd 
 of people and boats as here. The oarsmen could hardly 
 row, and, talking and laughing, the whole thing moved on 
 towards the shore, where everybody landed in the most 
 amiable way and with the most perfectly courteous manners. 
 
 There was still a whole hour till the ordinary train left, 
 but there was a special for the regatta people, and I tried 
 to take it. The stationmaster hearing of this came and 
 begged my pardon a thousand times that no first-class 
 compartment was on this train. But he would at once 
 attach one of the second class, if I would kindly condescend 
 to travel the short distance in that. This train had only
 
 JAPAN 283 
 
 third class. It would not last ten minutes. Would I be 
 so good as to be patient that little while ? I must say I 
 found it more than kind, as my tickets were for the ordinary 
 train, and I suggested that I really could quite well travel 
 that short distance in the third class. But to this he 
 wouldn't listen. And so a carriage with a second-class 
 compartment was specially attached for me. And then 
 there are still people who will have it that the Japanese 
 have got cheeky, and rude, and impolite towards Europeans. 
 In the evening after dinner I drove to Captain K. out 
 of politeness, as he had asked me for dinner with the F.'s. 
 I had excused myself with the late train, but he had asked 
 me to come and join them at least after dinner. And so I 
 thought it would be more polite to go there for half-an-hour. 
 Oh ! this German formality ! Thank God, they have 
 finished dining (I can't exactly say that I hurried, I had 
 even told the rikshah to drive slowly). It was a lovely 
 evening ; I had my Franciscan fur cape on, and thus was 
 well sheltered against the intense cold. The drive through 
 the place, lit up with all its booths and shops, and its gay 
 night life, was very animating and pleasant. I found them 
 all three sitting round a table and drinking Bier. My heart 
 fell into my boots. I'm really getting old, and realise more 
 and more to my disgust and terror how many miles away I 
 am from all these people and their interests as well as from 
 their thoughts and opinions. And which of us is right? 
 With tittle-tattle and scandals about the dear neighbour 
 the evening was spent. I tried in vain to bring the con- 
 versation on to more congenial grounds and topics, but in 
 vain. After all, that man must have seen something 
 interesting here in all those years. But it appeared he saw 
 only that everything was worse than at home, to which he
 
 284 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 compared it continually. He saw only what was bad in 
 the Japanese, not a single redeeming point ; he saw only the 
 shade and no light. Poor wretch ! But as I say, perhaps 
 it is difficult with only narrow Prussian military horizons, 
 and decidedly no sense of humour, to be quartered as the 
 only European in a small Japanese country place. 
 
 October \%th. At an unearthly hour my train left, and I 
 admire again the ingenuity and patience that it takes to 
 register luggage in Japan. But please don't imagine that 
 I got into fits of rage. Just the contrary. To begin with, 
 I've got nothing to do with it. It is all Jinija's business. 
 I'm only an amused and interested onlooker. But it is 
 really incredible how all this is done here. One is 
 astonished that it gets to an end at all with this not hurry- 
 ing, and the unpracticalness, and the many questionings 
 and writings, filling in of papers and forms, signing of 
 books, &c. In such moments one sees that the Japs 
 travelled till thirty or forty years ago in palanquins and 
 didn't know steam. Of course if one loses one's head, gets 
 into a temper, and so on, it helps one nothing. One must 
 know how to be patient, and always to smile amiably. 
 Finally all our luggage and even little Tim were registered, 
 though she causes, I must admit, always the greatest dis- 
 turbance, the many questions, and is the cause of the many 
 papers to sign. 
 
 We had to change our train twice, then take a sort of 
 carriage, if you can call the antediluvian vehicle a carriage, 
 pulled by a sort of miniature shire-horse, bar the head, 
 which would even for a large shire-horse be a big one. 
 This animal was really a mishap, and every respectable 
 English horse would be offended to be called a cousin of
 
 JAPAN 285 
 
 it. And yet it was a horse, and an old grey one,/#r dessus le 
 marchd. While we waited in a nice-looking tea-house 
 opposite the station for this curiosity to arrive, little Tim, 
 glad to be rescued from her box, jumped up on the raised 
 floor of the tea-house where we were sitting. I fortunately 
 saw in time how one of the horrid Nesans took out of the 
 red-hot hibachi the metal chopsticks with which they 
 poke the charcoal in the hibachis and wanted to beat Tim 
 with them. I really lost my temper, and almost hit the 
 stupid girl with my malacca cane. Thank goodness, clever 
 Tim avoided the catastrophe by her nimbleness. She is 
 very mistrustful of the Nesans. Did I ever say that the 
 Japanese, especially my servants, call her Tim-San, which 
 means Miss Tim ? San is the polite address as well for 
 sir as for miss. 
 
 The old grey pulled us slowly, but safely, up and up 
 the beautifully-engineered road, which winds up continually 
 through lovely wooded valleys. But it was really striking 
 how totally German, not merely European, the country 
 looked in some parts. One might be in Bavaria. Only 
 the colourings are of course much brighter, finer, and more 
 intense. One meets crowds of students making excursions 
 to see the maples, for which Shiobara, the place we are 
 bound for, is even more famous than Nikko. Their hats, 
 caps, and buttonholes are decorated with scarlet, orange, 
 and yellow leaves. I regret to say that their Europeanised 
 manners are far from pleasant, especially as they have 
 copied them decidedly from American models. Some 
 highly-educated Japanese told me they regretted so much 
 now having taken so many Americans as schoolmasters, 
 and having sent so many students to the United States, as 
 the " European " manners i.n Japan were thus taught to
 
 286 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 children in a bad way. They had only seen their error 
 lately when brought more into contact with really civilised 
 nations, and had seen what a mistake it had been to think 
 the Americans had a European civilisation and manners. 
 There was therefore now a great tendency and wish to 
 bring English teachers over, as they were convinced the 
 effect would be better. I could only strongly encourage 
 them in this idea and plan. Is there a worse nation for 
 manners than the American ? 
 
 The higher one got the finer were the tints, surpassing 
 those of Nikko by far, I think. I find the scenery much 
 more original here, and grander. It was late before we 
 reached Shiobara, and very cold. But the thickly-timbered 
 hills looked in the setting sun as if they were formed of 
 burnished copper with golden, and carmine, and scarlet 
 reflexions and veins. It was a symphony of colours. And 
 everywhere the clear cascades and rivers were rushing and 
 murmuring downhill. The place itself, a small hamlet 
 of grey, battered, wooden houses, pinched into the very 
 narrow gorge, overtowered on both sides by high cliffs, 
 looked frowning and sinister. It had the true aspect of 
 howling gales, icy masses of snow, and short grey winter 
 days. The large, entirely Japanese inn was cold beyond 
 description, and so placed, for the valley is very narrow, 
 that it gets every possible blast of wind. And I think all 
 the wind gods of Japan had gathered there that night to 
 have their winter's conference. At one time I admit I 
 sat with a hibachi right between my legs (as one sits 
 of course on the floor, chairs naturally not existing) and 
 another at my back. Tim cuddled up alongside of the 
 hibachi too. After some time, however, the temperature 
 got normal and even pleasant. I never thought one could
 
 AUTUMN TINTS, SHIOBAKA.
 
 JAPAN 287 
 
 get the rooms really warm with these things. Now I pity 
 the Japanese less in the winter. 
 
 October 2ot/i. Yesterday was a splendid, clear, cold 
 autumn day. A fresh breeze made the golden and scarlet 
 beauty of the leaves fall, for like everything in Japan the 
 leaves fall here rapidly. There is a much quicker sequence 
 in Nature here than in Europe. A week ago the leaves 
 were still absolutely green, two days afterwards bright 
 red, and at the beginning of the next week all fallen. I 
 spent the day painting. In the morning one sketch, in the 
 afternoon a second. The scenery was really lovely, the 
 richness of colouring indescribable. What a country ! I'm 
 sorry to have dawdled so long at Nikko, and to have lost 
 so much time there. The motives here are much more 
 interesting, far more original and finer. Besides, the 
 absolutely secluded Japanese life here is ever so much more 
 sympathetic and pleasant than the semi- European, what 
 would be smart life in Nikko. I could stop and paint here 
 for weeks, and regret having made my arrangements for 
 leaving. But in a few weeks there will be snow and deep 
 winter, so it is more reasonable to take my invalided body 
 to warmer countries. The Crown Prince has his summer- 
 palace here, which, however, is not shown. I can well 
 understand that the imperial prince is happier here in this 
 idyllic mountain solitude than in Nikko, with its big half 
 official society and the crowds of tourists. But even here 
 the hour of departure struck, and with a heavy heart I 
 departed. 
 
 October 2Otk. In the early morning I arrived at Tokyo. 
 Although it was sunny and much warmer, almost muggy,
 
 288 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 it was surprising what an unattractive, dirty place Tokyo 
 seemed I really think the only unattractive, unsympathetic 
 place in the whole of Japan. I'll never forget my dis- 
 illusion five years ago, when, having landed in banal 
 European Yokohama, I had come straight here. It was 
 a cold, misty, wet March day. So this is Japan, I 
 thought, the land of my dreams ! All the time I hated 
 it to such an extent that I wanted to take the next boat 
 and leave. It was beloved old Kyoto afterwards that 
 fascinated and captivated me for ever, showing me the 
 mystical charm of the real Japan. 
 
 In the hotel Richthofen telephoned at once to ask 
 me to lunch, and if I could dine with the ambassador that 
 night. Then I changed slowly, and drove to the Vautiers' 
 for lunch. It was delightful. Only the charming couple 
 and the three dear boys, now grown up into fine, big 
 fellows. How time flies ! 
 
 After lunch we all three wanted to go and look at 
 a Korin exhibition. There were things out of private 
 collections said to be very fine. Just as we opened the 
 front door to step out visitors came a married German 
 couple, typical Heildirimsiegerkranz. It was Sunday, and 
 they had been asked to dine at the Vautiers' that night. 
 So they were come already in the afternoon (it was 3 P.M. !), 
 and not only remained all the time till dinner, and over 
 dinner, but afterwards still endlessly. I don't want to hurt 
 anybody's feelings, but this is typical Heildirimsieger- 
 kranz too quite German. Isn't it awful? I call it 
 barbaric. People like that ought to be strangled. 
 
 The exhibition was wonderful, as fine as only work 
 by that exquisite master could make it. An eight-leaved 
 paper screen, undoubtedly by Korin, was 'simply beyond
 
 JAPAN 289 
 
 description. It represented the Four Seasons in a rare 
 abundance of flowers and plants on a gold ground. It 
 was painted as only Korin knew how to paint. He lived 
 350 years ago. It is too difficult, almost impossible, to 
 describe such pieces of art. Let me only say that it was 
 so absolutely true to Nature, and so wonderful in colour, 
 so perfect in arrangement, that it was a real poem. 
 
 The whole exhibition was not very large. A few 
 screens, some writing-cases, some boxes, and two kimonos, 
 supposed to be painted by Korin, that was all. What there 
 was, was very fine, although I personally don't think any- 
 thing besides the eight-fold screen was really by Korin. 
 The other things were most likely painted by his pupils, 
 and he touched them up here and there with his incom- 
 parable brush. But in any case it was a great enjoyment, 
 because they are all lovely, though of course not as 
 exquisite as the Four Seasons screen, which is beyond 
 words. 
 
 The whole little exhibition was held in a nice room 
 of one of the large, modern silk warehouses, copied in 
 the style of the " Bon Marche," or Harrod's Stores. It is 
 really well built, and all arranged with great taste, and 
 very practical, apparently has good things, but almost 
 everything is European. 
 
 How hard it is to make yourself understood in Japan. 
 We had here, for instance, arrived at the huge ware- 
 house, and a braided porter had helped us out of the 
 pompous carriage and shown us in. Following our instinct 
 more than anything else we ascended at once the really 
 imposing red-carpeted staircase to the first floor, in the 
 centre of which an open fountain played in a large white 
 marble basin, in which fan -tailed goldfish were swimming 
 
 VOL. II. T
 
 2 9 o AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 about. High, beautiful palms were everywhere. The 
 marble basin was surrounded by really beautifully kept 
 and well-arranged flower-beds, flanked by huge bushes 
 of magnificent chrysanthemums. The whole thing was 
 exceedingly well done, and very fine. We expected to 
 be right In thinking that the Korin exhibition was not 
 on the ground floor among the silk petticoats and satin 
 ribbons. On the first floor, however, were endless stalls 
 of wares, and a regular labyrinth of rooms full of goods. 
 So, finally, I suggested we should ask, as there were no 
 placards about with outstretched fingers pointing to where 
 Korin might be found. I thought this might simplify 
 matters. So Uncle Paul steered through the crowd up 
 to a European-clad Japanese youngster a salesman and 
 asked him where the Korin exhibition was. With solemn, 
 intense attention the youngster listened, then smiled most 
 amiably. The head was put pensively on one side, while 
 he proceeded to smile in a Nirvana fashion of extreme, 
 almost superhuman happiness and contentment. But no 
 answer. Followed a long-drawn " Aeh ! " accompanied by 
 the well-known hissing sound, and smiling. Finally 
 " Aeh ! aeh ! the Korin exhibition ? Aeh ! " I was 
 standing beside them beaming, and enjoying it. Uncle 
 Paul was getting nervous. But, though evidently shy, as 
 if asking for something highly improper, he repeated his 
 question with the same effect. Finally, after having kept 
 his head well on one side, listening and smiling for a 
 considerable time, with endless " Aehs," the amiable 
 salesman asked with his most winning smile, " Is it short- 
 sleeved underwear you want ? " I could have shrieked 
 with laughter. That is so typical of modern Japan, what 
 the old people in Japan call " high collar." After endless
 
 JAPAN 29I 
 
 wanderings, however, we finally succeeded in seeing the 
 Korin exhibition. Happy are they who can see such 
 beauties, especially in such congenial company as Uncle 
 Paul's. 
 
 That evening the dinner at the Embassy was very nice. 
 In the afternoon I had paid some calls, that is to say, had 
 left cards, with the firm resolution not to go in. This 
 succeeded splendidly, although again the footmen objected 
 to this form of courtesy. They almost dragged me in, 
 saying their masters were at home. At the Embassies 
 they ought to be at least instructed so far. But with some 
 energy on my part, it went off all right. 
 
 The German Embassy has indeed got another face 
 during the last five years. With the wealth of the present 
 most amiable Ambassador, Mr. Bernheimer from Munich, 
 the famous upholsterer and curiosity dealer, has had his 
 full swing here, with his stereotype gilded Louis XIV. 
 furniture, covered with the inevitable stereotype red 
 damask, etc., etc. It is all very fine, pompous, and re- 
 spectable, and on the whole the rooms are nice, although 
 to tell the truth one is astonished not to find a red cord in 
 front of each room as one sees them in furniture exhibi- 
 tions, with the notice written up, " The public are re- 
 quested not to touch the objects," and on the chairs the 
 price of the room, from ^300 to ^3000. 
 
 Next morning I drove top-hatted and frock-coated 
 to put my name down in the Emperor's book, as the 
 Ambassador told me it was sufficient, His Majesty being 
 rather tired, as he had had so many receptions lately. 
 Besides, he is withdrawing more and more from public 
 functions. From there I drove to the Crown Prince and 
 Prince Arisogawa to write my name down there too, as
 
 292 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 they had been extremely kind to me years ago. The 
 approach to the Imperial castle, all the surroundings, and 
 the whole position are really magnificent, beautiful, grand, 
 and imposing. This palace and the surrounding fort and 
 grounds have been built by the famous Tokugawa too, so 
 of course they are splendid. I think they are the only fine 
 things in Tokyo. 
 
 Then I had a charming lunch with Richthofen in his 
 
 delightful little house, where I met Count M from 
 
 our Embassy, who has just got engaged to a young 
 American lady. I was sorry to have to leave so soon, but 
 I had still to go to Yokohama to the Nursery Gardens, as 
 I wanted to choose several varieties of plants myself, and 
 the trains to Yokohama run at such stupid hours, at least 
 the good ones do. I had at Yokohama just one hour to do 
 everything and to catch my train back to Tokyo, where I 
 found to my joy Kuehne, who was dining that night with 
 the Vautiers too. There was a big reception at the 
 Chinese Ambassador's for some Viceroy or other, who 
 had come with presents and a special mission from the 
 Dowager Empress of China to the Mikado. And as 
 several of the Embassy people were dining at Vautier's and 
 had to go on to this reception, we had to dine earlier. 
 Amongst the guests was a young officer and his very pretty 
 wife, attached to our Embassy, who pretended to have known 
 me at Diisseldorf, where he said, as a schoolboy, he had 
 always admired my large breed of white mice. Now, I'm 
 sorry to say, I never possessed a white mouse in my life ; 
 the man must have been raving, and with brutal outspoken- 
 ness I promptly told him so ; but he insisted. True, I 
 have bred many different sort of animals in my life, but 
 never anything so silly as white mice. But as he was so
 
 JAPAN 293 
 
 sure and tenacious about his white mice, I gave it up and 
 left him his illusion that I had a famous breed of white 
 mice. It really is marvellous that other people sometimes 
 know more about one than one does oneself. I, for 
 instance, might get quite conceited with all the vivid 
 interest that is shown everywhere in me, high and low, 
 in all countries and by all nationalities, kindly occupying 
 themselves with my uninteresting personality, and with 
 what I do and mostly dorit do, but I am totally indifferent 
 to what other people do or say. 
 
 October zyth. In the early morning I went by train to 
 Mianoshita, with the usual changing. I quite forgot to say 
 that during my stay Tokyo and Yokohama had added 
 to their ordinary attractions the reception of the American 
 Fleet. Yokohama was very nicely decorated, and looked 
 exceedingly pretty. It was altogether astounding what 
 they had done in the way of decorations and welcome. 
 The Yankees ought to be pleased. Tokyo really was like 
 a big madhouse. One could hardly get along the streets. 
 And the odious, ruffianly, rowdy-looking American sailors 
 rolled about everywhere. They were all over the place. 
 What an unsmart, rascally-looking lot they are. The 
 worst lot I've ever seen. To tell the truth, I never 
 expected anything else, having seen some specimens of 
 them at Hong- Kong. Some of the sights one saw in the 
 streets while this Yankee-Japanese confederation went on 
 were really too funny for words. 
 
 This morning going to Mianoshita it was a dull grey 
 day. The sky was grey, and it rained everywhere. Under 
 a pelting rain I was rikshahed up to Mianoshita, which was 
 a pity, as I saw nothing of the fine scenery when the hood
 
 294 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 of the kurma was up, but with it down I should have 
 been soaked. The hotel has been considerably enlarged, 
 and the grounds are much better kept too, and much 
 prettier, than when I was here before. 
 
 After lunch it pretended to clear up a bit, and I went 
 for a long walk with Tim, which she enjoyed particularly. 
 But as soon as one was out of the house the mists swooped 
 down to such an extent, and got so dense, that one could 
 not even see the opposite side of the narrow valley. We 
 walked all the time in a dense, thick white mist. Painting 
 of course was out of the question. And finally it began 
 to rain again. No, the climate of Japan, I regret to say, 
 is not exactly what it can boast of most. In the hotel I 
 found the old gentleman and his wife with whom I had 
 such long chats on the Bremen about deserts, as they were 
 his hobby and speciality, and whom Healy used to call, 
 Heaven knows why, "the old Russian," but he was more 
 than English. He created some astonishment, because as 
 soon as he spotted me in the rather full dining-room he 
 got up from his table rather noisily, and came up to me 
 beaming and with outstretched hands. 
 
 Next morning I went on, by foot, to Hakkone, as it 
 looked as if it intended clearing up for good. The walk 
 to Hakkone (7-8 miles) is very pretty, and it is striking 
 how much and how well they have re-timbered these hills all 
 along. In Hakkone I lunched and unpacked, as I intended 
 stopping the night to paint in the afternoon the lake and 
 Fuji if it would only show itself. But thick clouds covered 
 up all the distances ; only the pretty lake and the lower 
 hills near by were to be seen. So I started painting, and 
 in the middle of my work, when I'd nearly finished, the 
 heavy clouds began gradually to dissolve, and the most

 
 JAPAN 295 
 
 lovely of all hills appeared for a few moments enthroned 
 like a heavenly mountain on clouds as it were, which 
 seemed to carry it, separating it from the earth. It showed 
 itself just long enough for me quickly to scratch the sky 
 away with the knife and to paint in rapidly the cloud and 
 mountain effect. Then again the mists gathered, and 
 everything was covered up and hidden. But I had seen 
 it, and as I am very superstitious, I see in it the sure sign 
 that my great wish is going to be fulfilled. 
 
 Next morning, October 29, a steady downpour, rattling 
 on the thin roof, woke me up. Everything was dripping. 
 The clouds were heavy, and from them the thick mists 
 hung down like a straight heavy curtain to the water, 
 almost touching it. One could see nothing. They said 
 the barometer was falling rapidly. It was bitterly cold. 
 What was I to do ? Even the hotel proprietor and the 
 guides said it was going to last a cheering prospect. It 
 would have been madness to start on a foot tour round Fuji 
 as I had intended, especially as one must camp in primitive 
 tea-houses all the way, it appears. Even Jinija agreed 
 with me that under the circumstances I had better give it 
 up. So he returned to Mianoshita, where the bulk of my 
 luggage had been left, while I decided to catch my train 
 for Kyoto that night. 
 
 I started with my few belongings, accompanied by the 
 delighted Timminette, Akida, Shiba, and three bearers 
 carrying the luggage, after lunch, when it had at least 
 stopped raining.' But the white mist-curtains still hung 
 deep and impenetrable over the silent waters. I've never 
 seen anything so quiet in my life. One had to be rowed 
 across the long lake, and it was very extraordinary. I 
 imagine it must have been like that when people embarked
 
 296 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 for Hades. The kind hotel people and the servants accom- 
 panied us to the boat. The boatman pushed off, and we 
 glided noiselessly into the unknown, phantom-like world, 
 the kind people on the shore soon vanishing to nothing as 
 in a nightmare. And on and on the great barge glided in 
 the dense mists enfolding one, whereto ? towards what ? 
 After a long passage suddenly a phantom-like, misty shore 
 began to appear in uncertain vaporous lines. Then the 
 barge ran grinding on the pebbles of the shore. The 
 bearers and the guide turning into shadow figures loaded 
 the luggage on their backs, and when one turned round 
 the barge was already gone, swallowed up by the mists of 
 this phantom world. 
 
 At 6 P.M., just as it began to get dark, we reached the 
 village where I was to take the train that night. We found 
 shelter in a nice tea-house, where the food was excellent. 
 Very attractive the peasant houses looked as we entered 
 the village. They were wreathed round with golden-yellow, 
 thick bunches of Indian corn, hung round the low, far- 
 projecting, thatched roofs in double garlands. The effect 
 of these double and sometimes even treble golden garlands 
 under the grey or moss-green roofs was bright and most 
 artistic, and made a gay picture. Somewhere about 1 1 P.M. 
 my train left, and in spite of the sleeping-car being crammed 
 full, I slept well. But really the sleeping-cars, built after 
 the American Pullman - cars, are an awful institution ; 
 twenty people packed into the same long narrow passage, 
 always two and two on top of each other, and for all 
 division and separation only a little green curtain ! The 
 bed themselves are very good and clean, though rather 
 short for me of course. I'm not shy in any way that eight 
 years of hospital have broken me of that but undressing is
 
 JAPAN 297 
 
 impossible on account of the narrowness. At least I find 
 that. But the other people didn't seem to mind undressing 
 in the passage. The most of them evidently thought, too, 
 the little green curtain didn't allow sounds to penetrate. 
 One heard regular gammes, forming finally a real symphony 
 concert of all sorts of sounds and snorts. These sleeping- 
 cars are really unpleasant. Humanity is only bearable at 
 a great distance and in homoeopathic doses. 
 
 It is astounding what the people in Japan take with 
 them in these sleeping-cars in the way of parcels ; still 
 more varied anyhow than in the ordinary railway com- 
 partment. And that means a lot, as everybody who has 
 travelled in Japan will know. Here, that is to say, in the 
 sleeping-car, one finds everything, from the basket with 
 oranges to the basket with mushrooms, and especially 
 with fish. One sees shirts, collars, boots, ties, little baskets 
 with apples or oranges, sticks, waistcoats, baskets with 
 mushrooms, coats, baskets with flowers, trousers, fish- 
 baskets, etc., etc., piled up together, on an unoccupied bed, 
 or in the corners of the compartments. Sometimes it is 
 quite difficult to get into these compartments, the doors 
 are so covered with all the objects. How the presumptive 
 proprietors of all the different things ever managed in the 
 morning to recover their property always appeared a miracle 
 to me. But I always slept too long to be able to see. Any- 
 how it speaks again for the excellence of the railway con- 
 ductors that nothing gets lost, and I must say they really 
 are excellent and very civil in Japan. I wish our German 
 Schaffner would learn a bit from his Asiatic colleague. 
 
 A very long sleep in these sleeping-cars in the morn- 
 ings is an absolute impossibility, and one is, whether one 
 wants it or not, obliged to get up. One can then make the
 
 298 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 most amusing studies in harmless dressing manoeuvres. It 
 has always amused me highly to see on such occasions how 
 absolutely superficial the European clothes still are with 
 the greatest part of the Japanese. They wear them more 
 because they think it is nowadays "the" right thing to do, 
 and stamps them as cultivated men. But underneath all 
 this Western finery they stick to all their Japanese under- 
 wear, and that is why the European clothes, already suiting 
 them so badly, sit still more extraordinarily on them, and 
 give them so often such odd shapes and quaint movements. 
 Often it requires all their strength and energy to make the 
 buttons meet. The railway guards are really extraordinary. 
 They brush your clothes, hats, and even clean your boots, 
 and not only in the sleeping-cars, but in each railway 
 carriage, before you get out at the terminus. 
 
 October 30^. In the morning I arrived again in dear 
 old Kyoto, and was received at the station as usual by my 
 little staff. If it was disappointing having to give up my 
 foot tour round beloved Fuji and round Shoji and the 
 pretty lakes on account of the bad weather, it was in 
 another way very pleasant again to be back in dear old 
 Kyoto. Surely now with the autumn colourings the tour 
 round those lakes would have been doubly interesting and 
 fine, but it is no use crying over spilt milk. Then, five 
 years ago, when I went round there in July, all the Lilium 
 auratmn were out in full flower in all the woods, scenting 
 them strongly, and the hills were blue with funkias. For 
 anybody fond of flowers and art Japan really is an ideal 
 country. I love Kyoto, and have quite the feeling of home. 
 Almost every dog knows me there. It is a gemiith- 
 licher dear old place.
 
 AUTUMN TINTS ARASHIAMA, NEAR KYOTO.
 
 JAPAN 299 
 
 In the afternoon I drove out again to the Arashi-Yama 
 rapids and painted there. It was lovely there, but astonish- 
 ing how little the maples are coloured yet, in spite of the 
 frosts at night. In some parts the leaves were shrivelled 
 quite up, getting quite black and falling off without getting 
 coloured. They say the reason is the unusual rain and 
 dampness this year. No, dear Japan, beloved Japan, thy 
 climate is vile. 
 
 Another day we drove to Lake Biwa, in a carriage 
 which was equal to an unparalleled proof of patience. 
 For coachmen, God created them in His wrath, my dear 
 Japanese, that must be true. Who has never sat behind 
 a Japanese coachman does not know you celestial powers. 
 
 That the coachman holds the reins in both hands is a 
 matter of course. But the pace Holy Mary ! It's that 
 of a funeral a slow jog-trot. At each corner of a street, 
 at each child (and God alone knows what that means in 
 Japan, where the streets are littered with children), a chicken, 
 a rikshah, bullock-cart, etc., etc., the coachman almost pulls 
 up his fat horses. The wretched groom, who mostly 
 stands on a little platform behind, has to run on in front, 
 get the horses at the heads, and lead them past ; but by no 
 means because these fat old animals are shying (not they), 
 but because the coachman is utterly incapable of driving. 
 To be groom in Japan is no sinecure ; besides, the springs 
 of the old buggy are so soft, that they beat through at each 
 little rut in the road, and one feels the jar right up one's 
 spine. 
 
 The Buddhist priests received me most amiably, and 
 unlocked for me a reserved place, from where the view over 
 the lovely Biwa Lake was exquisite, and I could paint in 
 peace and unmolested by the tourists and sight-seers. The
 
 300 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 view is lovely, and they have chosen the spot for their 
 temple wonderfully well, those nice Buddhist priests. To- 
 day was a covered sky, but Biwa Lake is always pretty, 
 even like that. Of course whert the sun shines, and it 
 glitters with all its many bays like shimmering silver, it is 
 just perfect ; as in the twilight over the rice-fields in full 
 harvest, with the delightful villages with their cosy, high, 
 protruding thatched roofs, the gay, cheerful populace every- 
 where about, the perfect cloud and colour effects. 
 
 Next day I got again into the torture carriage, and we 
 drove to Hiei-San to paint there. The drive out is lovely 
 too, going for the greater part of the way along Biwa Lake, 
 then up to the temple itself, through the fine old pine-tree 
 avenues with their gnarled forms, and the cherry trees and 
 maples between and underneath the long rows of mossy old 
 stone lanterns. The cherry trees have all their leaves still, 
 turned a little coppery, while the maples have begun to 
 grow scarlet-red, making an exquisite contrast to the feathery 
 bluish-green of the Scotch firs. They make lovely avenues. 
 
 Next day I wanted to go by train to Yamasaki, but it 
 pelted so that I had to give it up, and preferred to inspect 
 my different orders at the different shops. It was quite 
 useful, as I want to take with me as much as possible. 
 Besides, the Japanese, otherwise so nice, do not know what 
 it means to hurry, and I leave two months earlier than I 
 first intended. The morning passed quickly with the trials 
 of one's patience to which one has to get accustomed in 
 Japan, alas ! and as it kept on raining steadily, I drove 
 in the afternoon to what remained of my dear old Yaami 
 hotel, as the main building was burned down entirely two 
 years ago. The ddpendance, which has been untouched 
 by the fire, is open again as an hotel, and I regret not
 
 JAPAN 301 
 
 having known it before, as undoubtedly I would have come 
 here. It is a lovely spot. I established myself on the 
 verandah in front of an empty room, and painted the view 
 of charming Kyoto I was always so fond of. There it lies 
 deep underneath one, in the misty, wet distance, with the 
 pretty hills as a background. It always reminds me so 
 much of lovely Florence as seen from the Fiesole side. 
 
 Next day it was cold, but did not rain, although 
 everything was wrapped up in grey mists. But we 
 started in spite of it for Yamasaki, and our courage was 
 rewarded, and it cleared up without the sun coming out, 
 and we had a lovely autumn day, with delightful tints and 
 effects. After half-an-hour's railway journey we got out 
 at the little station and walked up the hill through the 
 lovely green bamboo-wood to the temple, where I began 
 to paint. My nice warrior-priest was absent. Here, too, 
 everything has changed totally, the rice-fields have turned 
 yellow with ripeness. What an ass I was to paint so 
 little at the beginning and to dawdle so. The worst of 
 it is, that as soon as I have begun to paint I have no 
 more a peaceful conscience to do anything else. 
 
 On our way back a Japanese lady was in the same 
 compartment, with her husband and child, who was so 
 perfectly lovely, and had such a beautiful profile, so rare 
 in a Japanese, that I could hardly take my eyes off her. 
 Of course she was dressed in her Japanese costume, and 
 with what wonderful taste ! I f I had had more time left, 
 I would have asked her to allow me to paint her portrait. 
 
 We almost intended leaving my painting things at 
 Yamasaki yesterday, as I intended returning there and 
 painting the top temple (there are hundreds of lovely 
 sketches to be painted there), but a vague I don't know
 
 302 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 what had told me it was better to take them home with 
 me, in spite of the glorious, clear sunset promising fine 
 weather for the morrow. Of course it pelted the next 
 day. Honestly, the Japanese climate is . . . ! ! So I re- 
 signed myself to reinspecting the shops, and to buying 
 what I had still to buy, and to thinking of giving the 
 necessary instructions for the unavoidable and loathsome 
 packing. 
 
 Hikkone-San got me some black chabos, those short- 
 legged Japanese chickens. They perched on one's finger 
 like parrots. Still nicer were two chinpuppies I want 
 to take home as presents. They are three months and 
 a half old, and quite developed and self-possessed. They 
 bark and play about like grown-up dogs, They are so 
 wee they can easily sit on my hand, and they look like 
 toys made out of silk chenille, and have little heads like 
 mandarins. I've never seen anything so small. I got 
 them from a lady who is supposed to have the best breed 
 in Japan. Tim is awfully funny with them. Not an atom 
 jealous, she is far too sure of her place in my heart for 
 that. First she was rather disgusted with them, finding 
 them uncanny, then interested, not believing that they 
 were really alive. Then the mother in her awoke after she 
 had inspected them with a quiet, slow, persistent thorough- 
 ness, sniffing hard into the fluffy wool on their backs and 
 heads. Finally she washed them, as she decidedly thought 
 this necessary. They were offended at this procedure, 
 imagining themselves grown-up and most attractive, and 
 wanting anything else but motherly feelings from the 
 black lady. But it was of no use, they had to give in. 
 Once Tim has made up her mind to have or do a thing, 
 she does it. So there's an end of it. Then she played
 
 JAPAN 303 
 
 with them. They rolled about the floor for a good while, 
 and Tim was quite sorry when they were put back into 
 their basket. 
 
 On the cold but clear morning of November 8th we 
 drove by rikshah to Takao, about seven miles from Kyoto, 
 through lovely scenery. The place is famous for its maple 
 leaves. But I regret to say, pretty as it is in its way, 
 it disappointed me somewhat. One shouldn't see it after 
 Shiobara. Then it was Sunday, and hundreds of people 
 were there, so painting was out of the question. 
 
 I forgot to say that the other day I went to see the 
 geisha school. It is most interesting. The little girls 
 are educated here in everything : reading, writing, good 
 manners, painting, embroidering, sewing, mending, arrang- 
 ing flowers, dancing, drawing, the movements of the fan, 
 how to walk, the tea ceremony, reverences, to play the 
 guitar, banjo, zither, the drum, to sing, etc., etc., each 
 has a class of its own. But each pupil is taught by 
 herself, the other ones have to watch. In each room is a 
 little raised platform (this is of course only for the dances 
 and the fan exercises). The teacher sits in front and 
 shows it without speaking ; the pupil imitates it silently. 
 They begin about eight to nine years, I watched an imp 
 of nine years at her dancing lesson. It was really interest- 
 ing. But of course a nation to whom politeness, personal 
 grace, and the good forms of daily life are a second nature 
 needs little teaching. What should we be able to do if 
 we took poor people's children from the slums at nine 
 years and tried to make them copy graceful poses and 
 manners only by seeing them done ? Not even a princess 
 of sixteen years of age would be able to do it. 
 
 The rooms are large and spacious, and well aired, with
 
 304 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 a large garden in the centre, and playgrounds for their 
 recreation. 
 
 I went to a large chrysanthemum exhibition too, but 
 it disappointed me greatly. My gardener, who five years 
 ago stopped in Japan longer than I to bring all the 
 plants back, and so saw these exhibitions, was quite 
 right when he said they were disappointing, and that we 
 have much finer ones. I would not even have said thank 
 you for these plants and flowers. I don't care much as a 
 rule for flowers without scent, and then I find chrysan- 
 themums look as if they were made out of paper. Where 
 I find them lovely is if one lets them grow in big bushes, 
 leaving them all their flowers, which consequently are 
 much smaller, but in clusters, and therefore ever so much 
 more graceful. Left like that to grow in the gardens they 
 are lovely, as one sees in the peasant gardens in Japan, 
 and as I had them in my gardens in Italy. But in 
 Germany, unfortunately, one cannot leave them out of 
 doors, because they would be frost-bitten before they had 
 properly flowered. 
 
 Mr. Jida had insisted upon giving me still a farewell 
 dinner. The elder brother, who took us on the charming 
 excursion when poor little Tim fell into that awful place, 
 had been laid up for weeks with typhoid fever and at 
 death's door. So the younger brother, and partner in the 
 business, was giving me the dinner. Although I had an 
 awful cold in my head I had to go, he wouldn't listen to a 
 refusal. He had asked the three most famous painters of 
 Kyoto too, and they painted me a screen on white silk, 
 three-folded, and on white paper for the back of it. It 
 really was amusing and interesting to see and watch with 
 what wonderful cleverness and skill, with what incredible
 
 JAPAN 305 
 
 security they painted on this delicate material. What was 
 put on had to remain. There was no possibility of washing- 
 out or painting it over. All three painted on each leaf in 
 turns. And they are not allowed to tell each other what 
 they intend doing. It was most amusing ; the others had to 
 adapt themselves in their turns to what the first one had 
 done, and to make out of the whole thing a finished picture. 
 I admit that Jida couldn't have given me a greater pleasure. 
 The dinner itself, quite Japanese, was excellent, the 
 geishas and meikos old friends, etc., cela niarche comme 
 siir des roulettes, as they say in France, which you will see 
 if I say that we started at 4 P.M., and that I discovered 
 suddenly that it was i A.M. I felt as if it had been two 
 hours. After dinner we all painted caricatures of each 
 other; it was really killing. It was the nicest evening 
 I've spent in Japan. Of course I got des offres en manage 
 of the different geisha friends, because the marriage of 
 the little geisha with a Mr. Pierpont Morgan is still in all 
 their heads. 
 
 To Nigo castle, the old palace Tokugawa built 350 
 years ago, in which the following Mikados passed their 
 shadowy existences, secluded jealously from public and 
 political life till the last revolution, I went twice. It is 
 indeed magnificent and of a rare and exquisite taste. I had 
 not seen it for five years, and was again overwhelmed by 
 the great beauty and magnificence of it and the grandness. 
 That man knew how to build and decorate. It is sufficient 
 to see with what perfect taste, with what noble magnificence, 
 he placed the rich and abundant golden bronze hinges and 
 nails, not sparing them and yet not overcharging them, to 
 know that he was a grand seigneur from head to foot. A 
 man who was capable of creating that, was incapable of a 
 
 VOL. n. u
 
 3 o6 AN EASTERN VOYAGE 
 
 mean or small thought. His politics, his work as a states- 
 man, have proved this too. 
 
 Unfortunately the damp has done a lot of damage in 
 these last five years, especially amongst the fine paintings, 
 for this palace is no more inhabited, and therefore no more 
 heated, and very likely not sufficiently aired. It is really a 
 great pity that treasures of art as those of Cseshu have 
 been spoilt for ever, never to be replaced again. Really, 
 Government ought to do something to prevent this. If they 
 don't do something there will be nothing, or hardly any- 
 thing, left in twenty years of all the beautiful paintings and 
 lovely ceilings, walls, and doors. 
 
 The luggage left at 12, and I followed in the train at 
 4 P.M. At the station there was a regular congregation : 
 young Mr. Jida, Assai, Nogaki, Assuma, Nomura, Kisa- 
 gawa, Yamanaka, Nakai, the flower teacher, etc., etc. Why 
 enumerate the names of people nobody in Europe knows ? 
 They all brought flowers and fruit, and were all dressed in 
 the hakkama and in the black houri. Last night I got 
 all sorts of really magnificent presents : lovely lacquer boxes, 
 silver baskets, large damascene boxes beautifully worked, 
 valuable old books, etc., etc. It was like Christmas or 
 a birthday. I felt quite shy. They are really too kind. 
 But one can do nothing else but accept. More and more 
 people came, and I had a suite like an emperor. In 
 the same compartment was a young German doctor, who 
 was on the Bremen, and who went out to China to our 
 Embassy, I think, and had just spent his leave here in 
 Japan for a couple of weeks. He as well as the German 
 doctor of the Kleist can't get over my suite. I was treated 
 like a Majesty, they said. They had never seen anything 
 like it in the East. Almost all got into my train, and
 
 JAPAN 307 
 
 although the compartment holds twenty people, there was 
 not sufficient room for all of them, and several had to go 
 into other compartments. At the few stations where the 
 train stopped the number increased, although many just 
 came in from the country to the station to bid me good-bye. 
 But when in Osaka my young priest appeared dressed in 
 his full clerical robes, in purple silk, with his gold stole and 
 a champagne-coloured silk coat, the good Germans almost 
 had a fit. I was deeply touched by so much sincere friend- 
 ship and genuine sympathy. Is it any wonder that I like 
 being in Japan and dislike leaving it ? The people here 
 show me nothing but kindness, regard, friendship, and 
 appreciation. It would be unnatural of me if I didn't 
 return it. I left real, genuine, true friends, who liked me 
 for myself, venerated me, admired me, and understood me. 
 At Kobe I took them all with me on board the boat, 
 as many of them had never seen a modern steamer. The 
 Oberstewart got one of the long tables ready for us, and 
 they were all my guests, which amused them greatly. 
 Afterwards they inspected the whole boat, especially my 
 cabin, and then we had to take leave. They had just 
 as long faces as I, and the precipitate retreat of some of 
 them showed plainly how sorry they were to say good-bye, 
 for in Japan it is contemptible to show one's sorrow. I 
 accompanied the party, generally so gay, now so suddenly 
 silent and sad, to the companion, saw them descend the 
 gangway and get into two large sampans, and as long 
 as I could still see them in the moonlit night on the 
 sea they waved handkerchiefs and hands, and called out 
 " Seionara" Then all disappeared in the darkness of the 
 distance. Yes, " Seionara" Dear, kind little people, 
 Seionara ! and Che Dio le benedica !
 
 INDEX 
 
 ADELAIDE, visit to, i. 27-29 
 
 Aden, i. 15 
 
 Adersbach, ii. 244 
 
 Afridi caravan and soldiers, i. 296, 
 
 298 
 Agra, i. 226, 287 
 
 carpets,.!. 289-291 ; ii. 81-85 
 
 palace and fort at, ii. 89-91 
 
 summer beauty of, ii. 81, 86, 91 
 
 Taj Mahal, i. 287-289 ; ii. 81, 84, 
 
 86-89 j builder of, ii. 90 
 
 tomb of Edmuadallah, ii. 86 
 
 Akbar of Agra, i. 226 
 
 Akida, ii. 211, 216 
 
 Aloes, i. 46 
 
 Amarapura, i. 234, 251 
 
 American women, i. 175 ; ii. 161, 
 
 274 
 
 Anlauf, i. 92 
 Aoki, Countess, ii. 160 
 Arabs, the, i. 88, 90 
 
 as coolies, i. 233 
 
 as waiters, i. 175 
 
 Arashi-Yama Rapids, ii. 299 
 
 Aratiatia Rapids, i. 76, 78 
 
 Arisogawa, Prince, ii. 291 
 
 Armenians, the, ii. 191 
 
 Assai, Mr., ii. 146, 306 
 
 Assouan, i. 48 ; ii. 1 1 
 
 Assuma, Mr., ii. 144, 166, 306 
 
 Auckland, i. 59 
 
 Australian alien regulations, i. 20, 196 
 
 Ascot, i. 39 
 
 asparagus, i. 52 
 
 bush, i. 22, 30, 32 
 
 cattle, i. 28 
 
 claret, i. 52 
 
 cricket, i. 42, 120, 121 
 dairy farms, i. 49 
 
 Australian droughts, i. 35, 36, 45, 48 
 eucalyptus trees, i. 22, 30, 44, 121 
 
 127 
 
 fruits, i. 39, 122 ; ii. 60, 94 
 
 gipsies, i. 45 
 
 horses, i. 48, 54 
 
 jackasses, i. 31, 54 
 
 kangaroo-dog pups, i. 55] 
 
 kangaroo-rats, i. 54 
 
 kangaroos, i. 24, 54 
 
 locusts, i. 41 
 
 magpies, i. 46, 50, 53, 105 
 
 manners, i. 29, 34, 39 
 
 motor-cars, i. 38, 126, 127 
 
 orchids, i. 23 
 
 oysters, i. 55 
 
 parrots, i. 50 
 
 people, i. 16, 20, 21, 34, 36 
 
 rabbits, i. 35 
 
 railways, i. 28-34, 122 
 
 rainstorms, i. 44, 55 
 
 Sabbatarian principles, i. 20, 25 
 
 scenery, beauty of, in New South 
 
 Wales, i. 53 
 
 seasons in, reversed, i. 39 
 
 sheep-farming, i. 35-43 
 
 soil, fertility of, i. 50 
 
 tramps, i. 53 ; ii. 59 
 
 wind, i. 20-25, 27, 36 
 
 Austrian Tyrol, i. 99 
 Avon, River, i. 94 
 Aztecs, the, i. 132 
 
 BAELZ, Professor, ii. 256 
 Baker, Mr., i. 239, 241 
 Ballestrem, Marco, ii. 82 
 Baltal, ii. 6, 42-44 
 Baltistans, the, ii. 4 
 Barramulla, i. 310, 317 ; ii. 72, 80 
 
 309
 
 3 io 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Beach huts, i. 106, 109, 112, 115 
 Bear stalking in Cashmere, i. 335-340, 
 
 343, 348-35. 
 
 Beech-behara, i. 340 ; ii. 51, 54, 55, 66 
 Beech View, i. 183 
 Bee-hives, the, i. 132 
 Bell, Mr., of Pickering, N.S.W., i. 51 
 Bell Rock, i. 1 14 
 Benares, i. 268, 287 
 
 bazaars, i. 270, 273, 278 
 
 Brahmin priest of, i. 269, 273, 275, 
 
 287 
 
 cremation ceremony at, i. 27 1 
 
 Golden Temple, i. 277 
 
 Hindoo New Year festival at, i. 
 
 279-283 
 
 Hindoos bathing in the Ganges 
 
 at, i. 270, 273, 277, 278 
 
 Maharajah's palace, i. 283-287 
 
 Monkey Temple, i. 269, 273, 275 
 
 Benison, Mr., i. 38, 40-42 
 
 Benten, Mr., ii. 146, 150-157, 162, 179 
 
 Berlin, i. 91, 257 ; ii. 276 
 
 Museum, ii. 173 
 
 Bernheimer, Mr., ii. 291 
 Bet-Kharboo, ii. 16, 35 
 Bhamo, i. 238, 241, 243 
 
 Chinese influence in, i. 244 
 
 Chinese temple in, i. 245 
 
 Poeh at, i. 248 
 
 polo-grounds, i. 244 
 
 Biscay, Bay of, i. 4, 5 
 Bisharees, the, i. 136 
 Biwa Lake, ii. 179, 203, 208, 299, 
 
 300 
 Blue Mountains, the, i. 5, 41, 126, 129 ; 
 
 ii. 59 
 
 Bluff, the, N.Z., i. 117, 119 
 Bocklein, Arnold, " Im Spiel der 
 
 Wellen," ii. 259 
 Bokhara carpets, i. 299 
 Bologna, i. 30, 146, 195 
 Bombay, architecture of, ii. 92, 93 
 
 Parsees in, ii. 93 
 
 Bordeaux, Austin de, 5. 289 
 
 Borneo monkeys, i. 180 
 
 Bo wen Falls, i. 112 
 
 Boxing match in Sydney, i. 55-^8, 98, 
 
 123 
 
 Boy, Danji, i. 293 
 Brandeis, Herr, i. 172 ; ii. 99 
 
 Bremen, i. 2, 130, 153 ; ii. 294 
 
 arrives in Sydney, i. 40 
 death on board, i. 16 
 
 festivities on board, i. 14-16 
 
 Brisbane, i. 130 
 
 Browne, Mr., i. 42, 55, 62, 98 
 
 Buddha at Sarnath, i. 276 
 
 tooth of, i. 251 
 Buddhism, i. 187, 231 
 
 exercise of prayer, ii. 176 
 
 in Rangoon, i. 217 
 
 Buka Tima, i. 178-180 
 Bukka boys, i. 132, 133, 136 
 Bulgaria, Queen of, ii. 263 
 Burmah, desolation of, i. 223, 228,235, 
 
 284 
 pagodas in, i. 215-220, 223, 227, 
 
 229, 259 
 
 new design for, i. 235 
 
 railway travelling in, i. 222, 235- 
 
 240, 250 
 Burmese bronzes, i. 252 
 
 carvings, i. 218, 255 
 
 characteristics, i. 215, 240, 248, 
 
 256 
 
 - fruits, i. 235, 254 
 
 head-dresses, i. 211, 224, 228 
 
 lack of artistic sense, i. 215, 
 
 219 
 Poeh, i. 248 
 
 pungee, visit from a, i. 230 
 
 tattooing, i. 255 
 
 women, i. 212, 215, 233, 254 
 
 CAIRO, i. 14 ; ii. 243 
 bazaars, i. 299 
 
 flowers in, i. 21 
 Calcutta, i. 260, 268 
 
 Botanical Gardens, i. 261 
 
 cab-horses of, i. 263 
 
 Camaldoli, i. 118 
 Canton, i. 245 
 
 house-boats at, i. 173 
 
 kaleidoscopic panorama of, i. 169- 
 
 172 
 
 temples, i. 171 
 Cape St. Vincent, i. 5 
 Caravans, ii. 16, 40 
 Careggi, Medici cisterns at, i. 48 
 Carlos of Portugal, murder of, i. 162, 
 1 68
 
 INDEX 
 
 Carmen, i. 7 
 
 Casanova on acting, i. 201 ; ii. 164 
 
 Cashmere, bear-stalking in, i. 335- 
 
 340, 342-344, 348-350 ; " 6 1 
 
 climate of, ii. 54, 58, 67 
 
 dangers of travelling in, i. 307- 
 
 316 
 desolation in North, ii. 17, 20, 
 
 29,46 
 
 flora of, ii. 5, 36, 39, 42, 49, 57 
 
 fruits, ii. 49, 59 
 
 goats, ii. 41, 45, 49 
 
 Maharajah of, ii. 19 
 
 marches in, i. 302-306 ; ii. 44, 64- 
 
 77 
 
 neglect of forestry in, ii. 61 
 overrated charms of, ii. 69 
 praying mills, ii. 16, 33 
 rice-fields, ii. 50 
 scenery of, i. 319, 328, 330, 350 ; 
 
 11. 4> 5. 45, 5 
 shawls, i. 323 
 spider, ii. 70 
 
 Cashmeri, dirt of, ii. 19, 68, 70, 71 
 the medical treatment of two, 
 
 ii. 46-48 
 
 women's head-dress, ii. 26 
 
 Cavallieri, Lina, i. 254 
 
 Chagoti Resthouse, i. 315 ; ii. 74 
 
 Challys, Mr. and Mrs., i. 106, 115 
 
 Chatterjee, Mr., i. 269, 271 
 
 Cheeroot, i. 223 
 
 Chenar trees, i. 324, 329 
 
 China, Dowager Empress of, i. 244 ; 
 
 ii. 99 
 Chinese children, i. 156, 160 
 
 coolies bathing, i. 196 
 
 delicacies, i. 170 
 
 executions, i. 173 
 
 fishing fleets, ii. 122 
 
 games, i. 158 
 
 gardens, i. 164 ; ii. 132 
 
 geese, ii. in 
 
 house-boats, i. 173, 185 
 
 houses, i. 158, 163, 195 
 
 in Manila, i. 146, 151, 152 
 
 in New Zealand, the, i. 61 
 
 in Rangoon, i. 218 
 
 in Singapore, i. 146, 177, 185 
 
 junks, i. 154, 157, 158 
 
 muleteers, i. 246 
 
 Chinese music-halls, i. 172 
 
 New Year festivals, i. 152-157, 
 
 161, 177, 185 
 
 pagodas, i. 225 
 
 precautions against typhoons, i. 
 
 161 
 
 restaurants, i. 169, 172 
 
 sense of humour, i. 182 
 
 temples, i. 164, 171, 245 
 
 theatres, i. 83, 200, 201 ; ii. 136 
 
 waiters, i. 175 ; ii. 123 
 
 Chippendale, Japanese influence on, 
 
 " 133 
 Christal, Miss, i. 131, 134, 139, 153; 
 
 ii. 115 
 Christchurch, N.Z., i. 93-98 
 
 race-meeting, i. 95, 96 
 Christianity, i. 187 
 Chojy, ii. 180 
 
 Chow dogs, i. 165 
 Chuzenji, ii. 271-274 
 Cingalese, the, ii. 102 
 Coaling at Nagasaki, ii. 142 
 
 delights of, i. n, 14; ii. 104 
 
 Cockatoos at Perth, i. 24 
 
 Cocky, i. 183, 306, 316 ; ii. 54 
 
 Malaccan, ii. in 
 
 Cocoanut plantations, i. 17, 143, 144 
 Cologne, ii. 122 
 
 Colombo, i. 5, 16, 18 ; ii. 97, 106 
 
 Dutch in, ii. 103 
 
 modern progress in, ii. 101, 103 
 
 precious stones in, ii. 99 
 
 vegetation of, i. 17 ; ii. 98, 102 
 
 Constantinople, ii. 136 
 
 Coock, Mr., Myitkyina, i. 239-241 
 
 Cook's Agent, i. 100 
 
 Cora, Valentine, ii. 156, 167 
 
 Corfu, i. 348 
 
 Cormorant fishing, ii. 180-182 
 
 Corry, Mr., i. 88, 92 
 
 Costa, Joe, pugilist, i. 56, 57 
 
 " Creags," i. 48 
 
 Cseshu, ii. 306 
 
 Curio dealers, average dishonesty of, 
 
 ii. 193 
 Curzon, Lord, at Agra, i. 288 ; ii. 86 
 
 at Mandalay, i. 226 
 
 his policy in India, i. 264 ; ii. 2 
 
 Cyprus, i. 257 
 Czech miners, i. 20
 
 312 
 
 INDEX 
 
 DAL Lake, i. 324, 325, 340 
 Dalai-llama, the, ii. 31 
 Dances, Devil, ii. 23, 33 
 
 Dragon, ii. 152-154 
 
 Darjeeling, Botanical Gardens, i. 267 
 
 journey to, i. 264-267 
 
 natives of, i. 268 
 
 Darwin, Charles, ii. 58 
 Davies, Major, i. 21 
 Delhi, fort at, i. 291 ; ii. 89 
 Denman, i. 39, 49 
 
 butter factory in, i. 47 
 
 Derfflinger, the, ii. 104, 137, 200 
 41 Devil's Gate," ii. 160 
 Deyhm, Count, i. 130, 133 
 Diabolo, Chinese origin of, i. 158 
 
 lessons in, i. 13 
 
 Draas valley, ii. 7-12, 38 
 Dresden, ii. 106, 276 
 
 Opera Orchestra, ii. 109 
 
 Dress and undress, i. 15 ; ii. 113 
 Dudley, Georgina Lady, i. 297 
 Duelling in Germany, i. 58 
 Dulai Resthouse, i. 308 
 Dunedin, i. 99-101, 286 
 Diisseldorf, ii. 292 
 
 EDINBURGH, ii. 160 
 Edward VII., i. 25 
 Egyptian sunsets, i. 121, 122 
 Einos, the hairy, ii. 279 
 Elberfeld, i. 253 
 Elephants at work, i. 221 
 
 Maharajah's, at Benares, i. 285 
 
 their dislike of trains, i. 239 
 
 white, at Mandalay, i. 226 
 
 Elliott, Miss, i. 17, 131-175, 341 ; ii. 
 
 115, 140 
 Energy, i. 241 
 
 English, the, as colonists, ii. 197, 279 
 national characteristics of the, 
 
 i. 348 
 
 their engineering feats, i. 265-267 
 
 their jails in India, ii. 85 
 
 Erfurt, ii. 241 
 Esher, i. I 
 
 FAIRY Falls, N.Z., i. no, 114 
 Falls Hut, the, i. 109 
 Fiesole, i. 222, 230 ; ii. 301 
 Fireflies, i. 18 
 
 Flebig, Mr., i. 124 
 Florence, i. 327 ; ii. 301 
 
 cigales in, i. 41 
 
 Muenstermann's pharmacy, ii. 
 
 128 
 
 Fort Dufferin, Mandalay, i. 225 
 Fort M'Kinley, i. 150 
 Fra Diavolo, i. 296 
 Fraser, Mrs., i. 116, 117 
 Freischiitz, Wolfsschlacht, i. 296 
 Fremantle, i. 19-21, 25 
 French art, ii. 133 
 Freudenberg, Herr, Colombo, ii. 100- 
 
 104 
 
 Friedrich Wilhelm's Hafen, i. 138, 140 
 Fritsch, Mr. and Mrs., i. 175-222 
 Fuji, i. 145 ; ii. 295 
 Fuji Lake, ii. 295 
 
 Fiirstenstein, i. 79, 86, 88 ; ii. 97, 244 
 Futamy, ii. 258, 261 
 
 GAGGIA, i. 1 1 
 
 Ganges, the, i. 264 
 
 bathing in, at Benares, i. 270- 
 
 275, 277 
 
 Garrhi, i. 308, 309 ; ii. 76 
 Geisha dances, i. 248 ; ii. 154 
 
 girls, ii. 158 
 
 school, ii. 303 
 
 Genoa, visit to, i. 4, 6 
 
 Genolan caves, i. 127-129 
 
 German Navy, an English opinion of, 
 
 i. 348 
 
 Gharries, i. 108 
 Giant's Gate Fall, i. no 
 Gibbs, Mr., Rangoon, i. 209, 214, 258 
 Gibraltar at night, i. 5, 6 
 Giffu, ii. 198 
 
 cormorant fishing at, ii. 179-182 
 Glade House, N.Z., i. 104, 105, 115 
 Glogau, i. 175, 222 
 
 Gorlitz, i. 103 
 Gouache, ii. 121 
 Graichen, Mr., i. 99, 100 
 Griffin, Tom, pugilist, i. 56 
 Gurkhas, the, i. 246 
 Gufhree, i. 41, 42 
 
 HAKKA dances, i. 70 
 Hakkone, ii. 294 
 Halbau, i. 52 ; ii. 42
 
 INDEX 
 
 Halbau, Japanese garden, ii. 150, 157, 
 
 174, 176, 264 
 Hals, Frans, i. 243 
 Hamburg, ii. 137 
 Haruna Fuji, ii. 266 
 
 temple, ii. 265-268 
 
 Hatzfeld, ii. 160 
 
 Healy, Mr., on board the Bremen, i. 6 
 
 returns to England, i. 257 
 Hearn, Lafcadio, on Ise, ii. 248 
 Hendschel, Herr, ii. 139, 148, 177 
 Herberts Hohe, i. 131, 132, 137 
 Hermsdorf, i. 103 
 
 Hiei-San, ii. 300 
 
 Hikkone-San, Mr., ii. 144, 166, 169, 
 
 i75> 179, 302 
 Hindoo festivals, i. 264, 279-283 
 
 girls despised, i. 279 
 
 pilgrimages, ii. 59 
 
 - pugarees, i. 345 
 Hoare, Reginald, i. 79 
 Hobart, Tasmania, i. 118 
 Hochberg, Gottfried, ii. 24 
 Hokaido, the, ii. 279 
 Hokitsu, ii. 257 
 
 Holle, Mr., ii. 126, 136, 141, 157 
 Hong-Kong, i. 42, 174, 175 ; ii. 293 
 effects of typhoon in, ii. 114, 115 
 
 harbour, i. 153, 154, 168 ; ii. 121 
 
 heat in, ii. 115 
 
 Kennedy Road, ii. 116 
 
 - the Peak, i. 154, 158, 159, 168 
 Hoogli, River, i. 261 
 Horse-dealing, ii. 193 
 
 Horses, ill-treatment of, in Calcutta, 
 
 i. 263 
 
 in Cashmere, i. 303 ; ii. 1-5, 
 
 12, 75,78 
 
 Horse-show, the, i. 266 
 Hukka Falls, i. 78 
 Hunter River, i. 40, 46, 48 
 Hunter's Hill, Sydney, visit to, i. 40- 
 
 55 
 Hye Mountain, ii. 199-204, 234 
 
 IKAO, ii. 264, 268, 270 
 
 Haruna temple, ii. 265-268 
 
 Ilene, i. 95 
 
 India, bullock carts in, i. 304 
 
 carpets made in, i. 289-291 
 
 cattle in, i. 28 
 
 India, crows in, i. 18 
 
 English government of, i. 264 
 
 houses of northern villages, i. 
 
 302 
 
 natives of, ii. 2. See Hindoo 
 
 November in, i. 39 
 
 railway travelling in, i. 264, 291 ; 
 
 ii. 95 
 
 Indus, valley of the, ii. 22, 26 
 Invercargill, N.Z., i. 117 
 Ipo, arrival at, i. 190, 192-194 
 
 tin mines at, i. 195-198 
 
 Irrivady, River, i. 206, 208, 221, 241, 
 
 249, 260 
 
 Islamabad, i. 327 
 Ismailia, i. 174 
 Ise, ii. 261 
 temples at, ii. 246-253 
 
 JAHAN, Khan, i. 340 
 
 Jahor, i. 180, 184 
 
 Jameson Raid, the, i. 21 
 
 Jaminet, Herr von, ii. 128, 135 
 
 Jammu, Maharajah of, ii. 19 
 
 Japan, Buddhist temples in, ii. 201, 
 
 227, 233, 301 
 chrysanthemum exhibitions in, ii. 
 
 304 
 
 climate of, ii. 239, 261, 286, 295, 
 299, 302 
 
 cormorant fishing in, ii. 180-182 
 
 cycling in, ii. 204, 205, 208, 236 
 
 defeats Russia, ii. 114, 174, 187, 
 247, 252 
 
 Inland Sea, i. 153 ; ii. 143 
 
 Mikado of, ii. 291 
 
 railway travelling in, ii. 284, 296- 
 
 298 
 
 sea-fishing in, ii. 213-215, 234 
 scenery in, i. 104; ii. 222 
 Shinto temples in, ii. 178, 248- 
 
 253 
 
 sketching under difficulties in, ii. 
 255, 258, 260, 274 
 
 vegetation of, ii. 175, 178, 199, 
 
 221, 231, 265, 272 
 
 Japanese adaptability, ii. 188, 196, 286 
 architecture, ii. 219, 232 
 
 artistic superiority, ii. 133, 148, 
 
 196, 199,218, 225 
 
 as salesmen, ii. 236-238
 
 3*4 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Japanese baths and bathing, ii. 183- 
 
 186, 206, 212 
 
 charm, i. 29 ; ii. 177, 240 
 
 childlike qualities of, ii. 165 
 
 children, ii. 256, 279 
 
 chinpuppies, ii. 302 
 
 cleanliness, ii. 144 
 
 coachmen, ii. 299 
 
 dignity, ii. 195 
 
 dinners, ii. 165-169, 304 
 
 European distrust of, ii. 197 
 
 farms, ii. 209 
 
 friendliness, ii. 170, 307 
 
 fruits, ii. 207 
 
 funerals, ii. 149, 225 
 
 gardens, ii. 162, 178, 207, 209 
 girls shaved, ii. 229 
 
 guides, ii. 190 
 
 hakkamas, ii. 152 
 hotels, ii. 182 
 
 irises, 11. 170, 174 
 kimonos, ii. 163, 171 
 lacquer cabinet, ii. 173 
 
 meikos, ii. 154-157, 166-169 
 
 merchants, ii. 190-193, 197, 236- 
 
 238, 300, 302 
 
 pagodas, ii. 175 
 
 paper mats, ii. 173 
 
 priest and his wife, ii. 170-175 
 
 rice harvest, ii. 234, 242, 253 
 
 rice harvest dance, ii. 150-157 
 
 rikshahs, ii. 182, 220, 258 
 
 salt, ii. 233 
 
 screens, ii. 304 
 
 soldiers, ii. 192 
 
 stuffs for the Court, ii. 179 
 
 suicides, ii. 273 
 
 theatres, ii. 164 
 
 women as wives, ii. 158 
 
 women diving, ii. 259 
 
 - wrestling, i. 57, 58 
 Java, i. 42 ; ii. 162 
 Jews, the, ii. 190 
 Jhelam River, crossing the, i. 306, 
 
 307, 311-314, 344-346; ii. 77 
 Jida, Mr., ii. 157, 165, 209, 305, 306 
 
 his silk store, ii. 148, 162, 171 
 
 Jinija, ii. 139, 140 
 
 KABUL, i. 293, 298 
 Kanaka, i. 141 
 
 Kandy, ii. 103 
 
 gardens of Paradinya, i. 131 
 
 Kanton, i. 42 
 
 Karapiti blowhole, i. 78 
 
 Kargyll, ii. 13, 14, 36, 39 
 
 Kasangi, ii. 242-246 
 
 Kattah, i. 249 
 
 Keppel, Mr., i. 295 
 
 Kharboo Bungalow, Cashmere, ii. 12, 
 
 38 
 
 Khyber Pass, i. 293, 295-299, 307 
 Kingfishers' feathers, cloisonne of, i. 
 
 170 
 
 Kingston, N.Z., i. 101, 102 
 Kipling, Rudyard, Jungle Book, i. 
 
 216, 227 
 
 Kisagawa, ii. 306 
 Kitchener, Lord, i. 176 
 Kivi-feathers, i. 68 
 Kleist, ii. 270, 306 
 Kobe, ii. 194, 307 
 
 harbour of, ii. 144 
 
 reception at, ii. 144-146 
 
 Koenigskerze, i. 317 
 
 Kohala, i. 306 
 
 Korin Exhibition, Tokyo, ii. 288 
 
 Kowloonen, i. 154 
 
 Koya-Gouchy, ii. 220 
 
 Koya-san, ii. 163 
 
 convent of, ii. 211, 217, 222-232, 
 
 248 
 
 Kretschmar, Captain, i. 174-178 
 Krieg, Professor, ii. 128, 135 
 Krupp guns, ii. 247 
 Kualolumpo, i. 188-191 
 Kuehne, Herr, his snakes, ii. 106 
 
 in Shanghai, ii. 125, 141 
 
 in Tokyo, ii. 264, 292 
 
 Kulen, ii. 51 
 
 Kurseong, i. 267 
 
 Kwannon, ii. 233 
 
 Kwazansei, ii. 160 
 
 Kyoto, i. 243 ; ii. 186, 246, 288, 298 
 
 funeral in, ii. 149 
 gardens in, ii. 162, 170, 174, 178, 
 
 207 
 
 Jida's silk store, ii. 148 
 
 Nigo Castle, ii. 305 
 
 reception at, 146 
 
 rice harvest dance at, ii. 150- 
 
 157
 
 INDEX 
 
 Kyoto, temple of, ii. 172, 175 
 theatre of, ii. 164 
 
 LADDAKH, the, i. 338, 347 ; ii. 3, 7, 
 
 3i 
 
 desolation of, ii. 17, 20, 29, 46 
 
 puppies, i. 331-334, 347 ', H. 27 
 
 Laddakhi, the, ii. 19, 40 
 
 Llama convent, Lamayuroo, ii. 31 
 
 Leh, ii. 22, 23, 25 
 
 Mulba, ii. 15, 18, 35 
 Llama death ceremonies, ii. 34 
 saints, ii. 23 
 
 Lahore, i. 292 
 
 mosque of, i. 179, 181 
 Lake Ada, i. 1 1 1 
 
 Manapouri, i. 116 
 Rotoiti, i. 65, 66 
 
 Rotomahana, pink terraces of, i. 
 
 73 
 
 Roturoa, i. 64 
 Tarawera, i. 73 
 Taupo, i. 78-80 
 Te Anau, i. 103, 104 
 Wakatipu, i. 101 
 
 Lai, Ganeshi, i. 289, 291 ; ii. 85 
 Lamayuroo, ii. 18, 29 
 
 Llama convent, ii. 31, 34 
 
 Langtree, Mrs., i. 14 
 
 Layard, Mr., Mandalay, i. 224-257 
 
 Lazarus, valet, i. 18, 20 
 
 Leh, ii. 22-24, 26-28, 37, 92 
 
 Lhasa, ii. 93 
 
 dogs, ii. 27 
 
 Liddel, Mr., Mandalay, i. 224-257 
 
 Loti, Pierre, on Japan, ii. 142, 240 
 
 Louis XIV. and XV., ii. 133 
 
 Lumsden, i. 101, 102, 117 
 
 Luxor, ii. 9 
 
 Lyons, ii. 96 
 
 Lyttleton, N.Z., i. 93, 98 
 
 MACAO, i. 159-168 ; ii. 120 
 
 Cathedral, i. 168 
 
 gambling hells, i. 166-168 
 
 Italian aspect of, i. 160-162 
 
 Macpherson, Mr., i. 14 
 Madras, i. 18 ; ii. 94, 95 
 Maharajah, the, at Benares, i. 280 
 his palace, i. 283-287 
 
 Malacca, i. 187 
 canes, i. 180 
 
 their use in Cashmere, ii. 
 
 I, 4, 43 
 
 Malay fruits, i. 191, 192 
 
 stamps, i. 187 
 
 Manapouri, i. 1 16 
 Manchester goods, i. 253 
 Manchuria, ii. 243 
 Mandalay, i. 222, 224, 251, 256 
 
 bazaars, i. 253 
 
 dust of, i. 224, 252, 253 
 
 English capture of, i. 227 
 
 Fort Dufferin, i. 225-227 
 pagodas, i. 227, 232, 251 
 
 plague in, i. 232 
 
 polo at, i. 252 
 
 prison, {.255 
 
 Mangostines, i. 192 
 Manila, ii. 121 
 
 buffaloes in, i. 148 
 
 cathedral of, i. 149 
 
 harbour of, i. 145, 153 
 
 La Lunetta, {.151 
 
 Spanish character of, i. 146, 
 
 148 
 
 Manington, Mr., i. 201 
 Maori chief's funeral, a, i. 89 
 
 hens, i. in 
 
 Hero and Leander, a, i. 64 
 
 Maggie, guide, i. 68 
 
 reserves, i. 67 
 Maoris, education of, i. 8 1 
 
 hakka dances, i. 70 
 
 their use of geysers, i. 69 
 
 unprepossessing appearance of, 
 
 i. 62, 70-72, 81-83, 88 
 
 Marconigrams, i. 5 
 
 Marks, Mr., jeweller, Sydney, i. 122, 
 
 123, 125 
 
 Marmoresk serum, ii. 127 
 Marshall Islands, i. 132 
 Martindale, N.S.W., i. 50 
 Matushima, islands of, ii. 281 
 
 regatta at, ii. 279, 282 
 
 Meaux, i. 318 
 
 Medici cisterns at Careggi, i. 48 
 Medlow Bath, i. 125, 129 
 Melbourne, i. 90 
 
 Botanical Gardens, i. 120 
 
 visit to, i. 29, 33-35, 42
 
 INDEX 
 
 Merry Widow, The, at Penang, i. 
 
 204 
 
 Merton, N.S.W., i. 48, 52, 105 
 Messina, i. 160 
 M'Evoy, Mrs., i. 130 
 Mianoshita, ii. 262, 293-295 
 Milford Sound, N.Z., i. 100, 106, 112, 
 
 116 ; ii. 45, 221 
 Minerva, i. 117 
 Mingun, great bell of, i. 228-230 
 
 pagodas at, i. 229 
 
 Minto, Lord, in Bhamo, i. 245, 248 
 Mohammedans, cleanliness of, ii. 32, 
 
 67 
 
 convent of, i. 329 
 
 religion of, i. 300 
 
 Moliere, contemporary acting of plays 
 
 by, i. 201 
 
 Mollinoure, Dr. and Mrs., i. 153 
 Mongolian king's palace, ii. 21 
 Monkeys in Cashmere, ii. 58 
 Makake, i. 178, 180, 184, 204 
 
 - Temple, Benares, i. 269 
 Mont-Alto, i. i, 8, 247, 262 
 Montgelas, Count, ii. 292 
 Morgan, Pierpont, ii. 305 
 Morton, Mrs., i. 130 
 
 Mott, Mr. and Mrs., i. 14 
 Mount Fuje, i. 79, 82 
 
 Lavinia, i. 17 ; ii. 102, 103 
 
 Ngauruhoe, i. 79 
 
 Ruapehu, i. 79, 82 
 
 - Tarawera, i. 73 
 Mousharabeeh, i. 146 
 Mozarabic carving, i. 299 
 Mukden, battle of, ii. 252 
 Mulba, ii. 15, 35 
 Mulford, Prentice, ii. 125 
 Munich, ii. 291 
 Murillo, J. B., i. 186 
 
 Murray's Guide to Burmah, i. 253 
 Murree, ii. 78-80, 159 
 
 motors in, ii. 97 
 
 road to, i. 304 
 
 Muswellbrook, i. 39, 55 
 Myitkyina, i. 235, 239-241, 249 
 
 NAGASAKI, ii. 138, 186 
 
 harbour, ii. 140, 142 
 
 Nagoya, ii. 262 
 Nakai, ii. 168, 306 
 
 Naples, i. 118, 158 ; ii. 117 
 
 belles of, i. 147 
 
 gambling in, i. 167 
 
 visit to, i. 10-12 
 
 Napoleon I., ii. 174 
 Nara, ii. 244 
 Narranag, i. 341 
 Nautch dances, i. 185 
 
 girls at Benares, i. 282 
 
 Neuwied, ii. 26 
 
 New Brighton, N.Z., i. 94 
 Newcastle, N.S.W., i. 43, 55 
 New Guinea, i. 42 
 
 appearance of natives, i. 132, 135, 
 
 138, 140-145 
 barracks and prison, i. 1 39 
 
 cannibalism in, i. 140, 145 
 Governor of, i. 136, 137 
 
 mission stations, i. 140-143 
 native "sing-sing," i. 143, 144 
 
 Newralia, ii. 103 
 
 New Zealand, Australians in, i. 58 
 
 bell bird, i. 105 
 
 blue baths, i. 67, 75, 77 
 
 bush-cutters, i. 85-87 
 
 duty on spirits in, i. 19 
 
 earthquakes in, i. 73, 74 
 
 ferries, i. 109 
 
 fertility of soil in, i. 76 
 flora of, i. 59 
 
 geysers in, i. 68-78 
 
 hotels and their characteristics, 
 
 i. 90, 95 
 lack of artistic sense in, i. 60, 63, 
 
 9i 
 
 on a mail-boat in, i. 88 
 
 railways, i. 62, 63, 83, 93 
 
 scenery, i. 62-98 
 
 travelling by coach in, i. 84-87 
 
 treelessness of North Island, i. 
 
 73-9L 235 
 
 vegetation, i. 102, 104, 107-109 
 
 Niessky, ii. 24 
 
 Nigo Castle, ii. 305 
 
 Nikko, ii. 222, 271, 274 
 
 Nimoo, ii. 22, 29 
 
 Nimrod, \. 93 
 
 Nogaki, Mr., ii. 144, 168, 171, 235, 
 
 306 
 
 Nomura, Mr., ii. 165, 199, 306 
 Nurla, ii. 19, 29, 30
 
 INDEX 
 
 3 1 ? 
 
 OHAN River, i. 65 
 
 Oker Falls, i. 66 
 
 Omdurman, i. 75 
 
 One Tree Hill, N.Z., i. 60, 91 
 
 Opals, black, i. 38, 58, 122, 125 
 
 Orchington, Mr., i. 113-115 
 
 Orleans, Duchess of, her Mcmoires, 
 
 i. 201 
 
 Osaka, ii. 178, 194, 211, 235, 273, 307 
 Osborne, James, i. 120, 121, 130 
 Osfirey, hiring the, i. 321 
 Otero, i. 254 
 Oyster shells, road of, i. 24 
 
 PAGODA Point, i. 171 
 Pailgam, ii. 37,49, 5 1 , 5^ 
 
 valley of, i. 330-341 
 
 Paradise, N.Z., i. 101 
 Paris, i. 91, 236 
 
 Parker, Captain and Mrs., in Cash- 
 mere, i. 308, 325, 328; ii. 2, 3 
 
 in Murree, ii. 79, 80, 159 
 
 in Srinagar, ii. 53 
 
 rescued from the Jhelam, i. 344- 
 
 347 
 
 Peak Michina, i. 235 
 Peking, i. 172 
 Penang, i, 190, 204, 209; ii. 105 
 
 Botanical Gardens, ii. no 
 Perth, Australia, Club, i. 21, 22, 25 
 
 Park, i. 22 
 
 Zoological Gardens, i. 24 
 
 Perth, Scotland, i. 88 
 Peshawar, i. 293, 299; ii. 54 
 
 bazaars, i. 300, 301 
 
 camel market, i. 300 
 
 rose hedges, i. 294 
 
 Peter, Rev. Mr., ii. 23-29, 37, 104 
 Pettley, Mr. and Mrs., i. 215, 260 
 
 his timber works, i. 221 
 Philae, i. 243 
 
 Philippine Islands, American govern- 
 ment of, i. 148 
 
 Philippines, appearance and costumes 
 of, i. 147, 151 
 
 Pickering, N.S.W., i. 51 
 
 Pindi, ii. 80, 97 
 
 Piperiki, i. 86, 123 
 
 Pisa, i. 67 ; ii. 31 
 
 Plague in Mandalay, i. 232 
 
 Platypus, the duck-billed, i. 51 
 
 Pless, ii. 50, 266 
 Prince, i. 176 
 
 Pohl, Hugo, ii. 137 
 
 Pompolona huts, i. 105, 112 
 
 Pondicherry, ii. 96 
 
 Port Adelaide, i. 27 
 
 Port Arthur, ii. 174 
 
 Port Dixon, i. 187 
 
 Port Said, i. 14 
 
 Porter, Miss, i. 17 
 
 Portuguese churches, Colombo, ii. 102 
 
 soldiers at Macao, i. 162, 165, 
 
 1 68 
 
 Posen, ii. 279 
 
 Prince Heinrich, i. 175, 176, 205 
 Sigisnmnd, i. 130, 153, 176; ii. 
 
 120, 139 
 Princess Priscillds Fortnight, The, i. 
 
 124 
 
 Princess Alice, ii. 160 
 Pyne, Mr., i. 95, 97 
 Pythons, i. 188 
 
 QUEENSTOWN, N.Z., i. IOI, IO2 
 
 Quincey, guide, Macao, i. 162-165 
 
 RANGOON, customs and quarantine 
 
 at, i. 207-209, 222, 257, 260 
 
 pagoda, i. 215-220, 259 
 
 squalor of, i. 206, 210, 220, 258 
 
 timber yards, i. 221 
 
 Ravenna, ii. 219 
 
 Rawal Pindi, i. 292, 301, 302 ; ii. 59, 
 
 80 
 
 Red Sea, ii. 105 
 Redfern, Mr., ii. 121 
 Rembrandt van Rijn, i. 243 
 Reuss, Eleanor, Queen of Bulgaria, 
 
 ii. 263 
 
 Rheingold, The, \. 128 
 Rhine, vineyards on the, i. 266 
 Rhodius, Mr., i. 94, 176 
 Richthofen, Herr, ii. 288, 293 
 Riesengebirge, Silesian, i. 350 
 Roon, ii. 1 16 
 RotomaJiana, i. 93 
 Roturoa, sulphur springs, i. 63, 67 
 Rubber plantations at Taiping, i. 
 
 202-204 
 Russia defeated by Japan, ii. 1 14, 
 
 174, 187, 247,252
 
 INDEX 
 
 SAIGON, ii. 112 
 
 Salzbrunn, ii. 97 
 
 Salzburg, i. 323 
 
 Samadshah, i. 326 ; ii. 5 1-53 
 
 San Martino, visit to, i. 11-13 
 
 Sand-flies, i. 105, 106 
 
 Sand-fly Hut, i. 112, i [4 
 
 Sannomia, Baroness, ii. 263 
 
 Sarnath, i. 276 
 
 Schmidt, Miss, ii. 105-137 
 
 Schwerin, Count, i. 169 ; ii. 120 
 
 Semiramis, Queen, i. 324 
 
 Sendai, ii. 277 
 
 Shackleton, Sir Ernest, i. 93 
 
 Shanghai, i. 172 ; ii. 79, 105, 125 
 
 Chinese city, ii. 129-135 
 
 fair in, ii. 132 
 
 German hospital, ii. 116, 128 
 
 heat in, ii. 134 
 
 silks, ii. 129 
 
 theatre, ii. 136 
 
 typhoons off", ii. 123, 137-139 
 
 Sharks, ii. 108 
 
 Shelley, P. B., i. 166 
 
 Shiba, ii. 245 
 
 Shintoism, ii. 248-250 
 
 Shiobara, ii. 285-287, 303 
 
 Shirane-san Mountain, ii. 266 
 
 Shoji, i. 243 ; ii. 298 
 
 Siberian Railway, ii. 276 
 
 Silesia, ii. in 
 
 Silliguri, i. 265, 268 
 
 Silva, Mr. de, dealer, Colombo, i. 17 ; 
 
 ."99. 
 Simla, i. 301 
 Sindh Valley, i. 335, 341 
 
 edelweiss in, ii. 10 
 
 Singapore, i. 37, 176 ; ii. 4, 107 
 
 Botanical Gardens, i. 177 ; ii. 1 10 
 
 Chinese in, ii. 112 
 
 harbour, ii. no 
 
 kaleidoscopic movement of, ii. 
 
 112 
 
 passage to, i. 41, 42 
 
 Sohns, Fraulein, i. 134 
 Sonamurg, ii. 6, 44, 51 
 Southampton, i. 2 
 Sparaxis pulcherrinia, i. 92 
 Sperling, Mr., his rubber plantation, 
 
 i. 202-204 
 Spreewald, the, i. 324 
 
 Springwood, i. 126 
 j Srinagar, i. 318 ; ii. 3 
 hanging gardens of, i. 324 
 
 heat in, ii. 68, 71 
 
 house-boats at, i. 320 
 
 Maharajah's Palace, ii. 71 
 
 persistent tradespeople of, i. 323, 
 325,340; ii. 71,72 
 
 squalor of, ii. 51-54, 71 
 supposed resemblance to Venice, 
 
 i. 322; ii. 18 
 Star of Japan, i. 92, 93 
 Stawell, Mr. and Mrs., i. 25 
 Stead, Mr., his stud-farm, i. 96, 97 
 Steel, Mr., i. 209, 242 
 Straits Settlements, trip through, i. 186 
 Stud-farm at Hunter's Hill, i. 41, 46-48 
 
 at Christchurch, New Zealand, 
 
 J- 95-97 
 
 Stuttgart, ii. 83 
 
 Sutherland, Mr., 5. 112-114 
 
 Sutherland Falls, i. 109-1 1 5 
 
 Swan River, Perth, i. 23 
 
 Swiss Railway refreshments, i. 31 
 
 Sydney, i. 122-125, 130 
 
 Blue Mountains near, i. 5,41 
 
 Botanical Gardens, i. 122 
 
 boxing-match in, i. 55-58, 98, 123 
 visit to, i. 35-39, 55-58 
 
 Zoological Gardens in, i. 38 
 
 TAIPING, i. 198, 223 
 
 Museum, i. 202 
 
 rubber plantations, i. 202-204 
 
 Takao, ii. 303 
 Tamils bathing, i. 196 
 Tannhduser^ i. 7; ii. 109 
 Tasmania, fruit in, i. 118 
 Tasso, poems of, i. 166 
 Tatra, the, i. 350 
 Te Anau, i. 103, 116, 117 
 Tea-bushes, i. 67, 77, 79 
 
 butter, ii. 37 
 
 plantations, i. 266 
 
 Thames, the, at Westminster, i. 24 
 Theodoris, Don, Colombo, ii. 99 
 Thibet, i. 244 
 
 Thibetan mastiffs, i. 331-334 ; ii. 33 
 
 Skye dog, ii. 30 
 
 Thiel, Mr., New Guinea, i. 133-137 
 Tia Island, i. 140
 
 INDEX 
 
 Tientsin, i. 153 
 
 Tiger, statue of, Rangoon, i. 220 
 
 Tim, Lhasa dog, ii. 28 
 
 Tin mines at Ipo, i. 197 ; at Taiping, 
 
 i. 199 
 
 Title, value of a, i. 28 
 Toba, ii. 253, 258 
 diving at, ii. 259 
 
 sketching at, ii. 256-258, 260 
 Tokaanu, i. 80 
 Tokugawa, ii. 214, 292, 305 
 Tokyo, ii. 206, 220, 262, 287 
 
 American fleet at, ii. 262, 293 
 
 German Embassy, ii. 291 
 
 Korin Exhibition, ii. 288 
 
 palace and fort, ii. 292 
 
 Tongas and ekkas, i. 292, 301 
 
 Tortoises, Burmese, i. 233, 251 
 
 Tree Fern Hill, i. 118 
 
 Tuatea Falls, i. 66 
 
 Tuberculosis, cure for, ii. 117-120 
 
 Turenne, Ada, Countess of, i. 297 
 
 Turin, i. 146 
 
 Turkestan, natives of, ii. 58, 63 
 
 Tuticorin, ii. 96 
 
 Typhoons, Chinese precautions 
 
 against, i. 161 
 consumption of fish forbidden 
 
 after, ii. 114, 115 
 
 in Shanghai, ii. 123, 137-139 
 Tyrol, Austrian, i. 350 
 
 ULLMANN, Miss, ii. 124-157 
 Uri, i. 317; ii. 73 
 
 VAN DYKE, Anthony, portrait of a 
 
 boy, i. 9 
 
 Vautier, Paul, ii. 263, 288 
 Venice, i. 322 
 
 belles of, i. 147 
 
 Verni Martin, ii. 189 
 Vesuvius, Mount, i. ii, 13 
 Vosges, the, i. 319 
 
 WAGNER, Richard, i. 7 
 Waikato River, i. 76, 78 
 Waimanga Geyser, i. 74 
 Wai-o-Tapu, i. 74 
 Waiouru, i. 82 
 Wairakei, i. 75-78, 88, 101 
 Wakanoura, ii. 211-218, 232 
 
 Daimio castle, ii. 217-220 
 
 Wakarewarewa, i. 68, 72 
 
 Wakatipu, Lake, i. 114 
 
 Wallabees, i. 128 
 
 Walsonie rosea, i. 92 
 
 Wanganni, i. 86, 89, 90 
 
 Waterloo, ii. 174 
 
 Weber, Mr. and Mrs., i. 141 
 
 Weckelsdorf, ii. 244 
 
 Wellington, N.Z., i. 90-92 ; ii. 72 
 
 Wellingtonias, i. 94 
 
 Weyland, Mr., i. 287, 290 ; ii. 81-84 
 
 Where Three Empires Meet, ii. 18, 70 
 
 White, Mr., his dairy-farms, i. 49 
 
 his stud-farm, i. 41, 43-47, 50, 96 
 
 White ants, i. 221, 229 
 Windsor Castle, i. 286 
 Winter, Mrs., Srinagar, ii. 54, 71 
 Woosung, ii. 123, 138 
 
 YAMANAKA, ii. 235, 306 
 Yamasaki, ii. 300 
 
 temples of, ii. 175-178 
 
 Yananka, ii. 168 
 
 Yangtse-kiang River, ii. 123, 138 
 Yarkand, ii. 16 
 "Yellow Peril," ii. 197 
 Yokohama, ii. 137, 288 
 
 American fleet at, ii. 293 
 
 Nursery Gardens, ii. 264, 292 
 
 Yoro, waterfall at, ii. 182-186, 199 
 Yorodzu, ii. 160 
 
 Younghusband, Sir Francis, ii. 48 
 Yuccas, i. 1 02 
 
 ZOLA, Emile, ii. 109 
 
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