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RAMBLE

ROUND THE WORLD.

RAMBLE
ROUND THE WORLD.
1871.

BY
M. LE BARON DE HUBNER,
FORMERLY AMBASSA130H AND UIHISTER, AND AUTHOR OF " SIXTE QUINT."

TRANSLATED BY
LADY HERBERT.

MACMILLAN AND CO.
i8;s.

PREFACE.
To behold, beyond the Rocky Mountains, in the virgin
forests of the Sierra Nevada, civilization in its struggle with
savage nature; to behold, in the Empire of the Rising Sun,
the efforts of certain remarkable men to launch their country
abruptly in the path of progress; to behold, in the Celestial
Empire, the silent, constant, and generally passive — but always
obstinate — resistance which the spirit of the Chinese opposes
to the moral, political, and commercial invasions of Europe :
— these are the objects of the journey, or rather of the wander.
ings, which I purpose making round the globe. I shall not
visit India : my time is too short. I reserve to a future
occasion, if God give me life and health, the examination of
the results produced in the course of a century by the contact
of a great Christian nation with the millions of Hindoos and
Mussulmans subject to her dominion.

vi PREFACE.
On my road, I mean to amuse myself; that is, to see all I
can which is curious and, to me, new : and every evening I
shall note down in my journal what I have seen, and what has
been told me during the day.
This being clearly understood, let us close our trunks and
start.

CoRViLLE House, Tipperart,
May 13, 1871.

CONTENTS.

PART I,— AMERICA,

CHAPTER I.
From Queenstown to New York. — From the 14TH to the
24TH May. PACE
Departure. — Sabbath day's rest at Queenstown. — The Emigrants on
board the China. — Inconvenience of the Navigation to the North
of the 41st ParaUel. — Disembarkation at New York  3

CHAPTER II.
New York. — From the 24TH to the 26th May,
Broadwa)'. — Wall Street. — Fifth Avenue. — Influence of New York
on the destinies of North America  14

CHAPTER III.
Washington. — From the 26th to the 29TH May.
Tlie dead season in the Official Capital. — The Alabama Treaty from
the American point of view. — Transformation of ideas and habits
since the Civil War. — Conflicting opinions on the Emancipation
Question. — Growing preponderance of the coloured races in the
Southern Stales  23

CONTENTS,

CHAPTER IV.
From Washington to Chicago.— From the 29TH to the
30TH May. FACE
Travellers in the Far West.— The Miseries of a single Man.— Aristo
cratic longings in the Country of Equality. — The Susquehanna. —
The Juniata. — Arrival at Chicago  3'

CHAPTER V.
Chicago. — From the 30TH May to the ist June.
Appearance of Chicago. — Growing importance of the German ele
ment. — The great Caravanserais. — Economy of human strength.
— The superiority, in the United States, of the lower strata of
Society. — Chicago the great emporium of the West. — Michigan
Avenue. — A house on wheels. — General Sheridan. — Manner and
character of European travel. — The position of Woman in the
family  ..•....• 41

CHAPTER VI.
From Chicago to the Salt-Lake City.— From the ist to
THE 4TH of June.
Mr. Pullman and his Cars. — The Mississippi. — Race between two
Trains. — Omaha. — Prairies. — The Valley of La Plata, — The In
dians. — A Stationmaster Scalped. — Stations on the Pacific Railway.
—Cheyenne.— The Rouglis.— The life of United States Officers in
the Far West. — Passage ofthe Rocky Mountains. — Fearful descent
of Mount Wahsatch. — Brigham Young at Ogden. — Arrival in the
Capital of the Mormons ...,.,,  eg

CHAPTER VIL
Salt-Lake City. — From the 4TH to the 7TH of June.
Appearance of the Town.— The Modem Crusaders.- The Mormon
Iheatre and Tabernacle.— Townsend Hotel.— The Indians and
Indian Agents.— Douglas Camp.— The C«ko«<'j.— Brigham Young.
— Mormonism  7 . . . . 76

CONTENTS. ix
CHAPTER VIIL
CoRiNNK — From the 7th to the 8th June. PACK
Corinne, the type of a Cosmopolitan Town. — A Pmu-Wcw on the
Bear River. — Excursion in the Mountains. — Copenhagen. — Defini
tion of the word Rowdy ,,  117
CHAPTER IX.
From Corinne to San Francisco. — From the 8tii to the
loTH OF June.
The Great American Desert. — ^The Silver Palace Cars. — Ascent of the
Sierra Nevada. — Cape Horn. — Arrival at San Francisco . . . 127
CHAPTER X.
San Francisco.— From the ioth to the 13TH of June, and
FROM THE 22ND JUNE TO 1ST JULY.
Its Origin. — ^The Pioneers. — The Reign of Pikes. — The Vigilance
Committee. — Commerce and Trade. — Wells and Fargo. — Growing
Reaction against the Gold-diggers. — Position, Climate, and Appear
ance of San Francisco. — Its Inhabitants.— Its Cosmopolitan Char-
, acter. — A German Home. — The Chinese Quarter. — Cruel Treatment
of Chinese Emigrants. — Jesuit Colleges. — Cliff House .... 136
CHAPTER XL
YosEMiTEi — From the 13TH to the 22ND of June.
Way of Travelling. — Modesto. — Mariposa. — The Virgin Forest. —
•The Big Trees.— The Valley of Yosemite.— The Falls.— Coulter-
ville  163

CHAPTER XIL
San Francisco to Yokohama. — From the ist to the
25TH of July.
Departure from the Golden Gate. — Dismal appearance of San Fran
cisco from the Sea. — ^The Pacific Mail Company. — The China. —
Monotony of the Passage. — Reflection-s on the United States. —
Landing at Yokohama  . . . . 182

CONTENTS.

PART IL— JAPAN.

CHAPTER I.
Yokohama. — From the 24TH to the 26th ; and from the 28th
OF July to the 3RD of August ; from the i4Ti-t to the i8th
OF August j and from the i8th to the 19TH of September. PAGE
First Impressions of a New Arrival. — The look of the Town. — Com
mercial Movements. — Europeans at Yokohama  221

CHAPTER IL
YosHiDA. — From the 3rd to the 14TH of August.
Japan, saving the Trade Ports and the" Towns of Yedo and 6saka,
always closed to Strangers. — Way of Travelling in the Interior. —
Passage of the Odawara River. — ;The Baths of Miyan&shita. — The
Pilgrims of Fujiyama. — The Temple of Yoshida. — The defile of
Torisawa. — Hachoji. — Return to Yokohama . , , . . • • 234

CHAPTER IIL
Hakon£. — From the 22nd August to the ist September.
The celebrated Tea-house of Hata.— A bad Night— The Lake of
Hakone. — The love of nature and the taste for art spread among
the People.— Spirits travelling.— The Hot Springs of Atami.— The
Holy Island of Enoshima.— Daibutsu.— The old Residence of the
Sioguns.— Buddlia in Disgrace.— A great Japanese Lady.— Kana-
za\Ta  260

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV.
Yedo. — From the 26th to the 28th July ; from the i8th to
the 22ND August ; from the 3RD to the 13TH September ;
and FROM the I4TH TO THE i8TH SEPTEMBER. PAGE
General Aspect. — The Neighbourhood. — Visit to Sawa, the Foreign
Minister. — German School. — The Shiba and its Art Treasures. —
Evident but inexplicable influence of Italian Taste. — Conversation
with Iwakura, the new Minister. — His plans of Reform. — Shops.
— Silks and Curiosities. — The Temple of Meguro. — Saigo. — The
Sanctuaries of Ikegami. — The Forty-seven Ronins. — Feast at
Sawa's. — The Palace of Hamogoten — Dinner at Iwakura's. — The
Prime Minister Sanjo. — At the Temple of Asakusa. — ^Dramatic
Art — A Japanese Vaudeville. — Lay Figures. — Yedo at Night—
A dinner at the Restaurant Yaozen. — Audience of the Mikado.—
The English Legation. — Departure  275
CHAPTER V.
CsAKA. — From the 19TH to the 22nd September.
Kobe and Hi6go. — The Earof Yodogawa. — 6saka. — ^Its commercial
importance. — Its general appearance.— The Street of Theatres. —
The Castle of Taiko-Sama. — The Chi-fu-ji.  335
CHAPTER VL
KiYOTO. — From the 22nd to the 25TH September.
On the Yodogawa. — Fujimi. — The Capital ofthe West. — The Palace
of the Mikado.— The Castle of the Siogun.—The Temples.— Vievv
of Kiy6to. — Guion-Machi  347
CHAPTER VIL
The Lake of Biva. — From the 25TH to the 27TH September.
Otsd. — ^The Lake. — Ishiyama. — The Governor and his Dai-sanji. —
Owaku. — Udji.— Return to Osaka.— The Arts in Japan . ... 370
CHAPTER VIII.
Nagasaki. — ^From the 28th September to the 2nd October.
Papenberg. — Detsima. — Native Christiians. — PoUtical position of
Japan  388

xii CONTENTS.
PART III.— CHINA.
CHAPTER L
Shanghai.— From the 3RD to the 8th October, and from the
14TH to the i6th November. FAGI
The different appearance of the "Concessions." — The Chinese Town,
Su-kia-weL — A symphony of Haydn performed by the Chinese. —
The Sisters' Orphanage. — Fluctuations in the present state of
Trade  445

CHAPTER n.
Pekin. — From the 8th to the 29TH October.
The weariness and length of the voyage to Pekin. — Che-fu. — The Bar
of Taku. — The Pei-ho. — Tung-chow. — Arrival at Pekin. — General
aspect of the town. — Scenes in the streets. — ^The Temple of Heaven.
— Confucius and Buddha. — The great Llamaserie. — Shops and
Chinese Curiosities. — The Jesuits' Observatory. — The last word of
bureaucracy. — Pei-tang. — The Portuguese cemetery. — The tombs
of the Mings. — Nan-kow.— The Mongolian Chain. — The Great
WalL— The Summer Palace.— The Climate of Pekin.— The Im
perial custom-houses intrusted to strangers. — Mr. Hart — Position
of the Diplomatic Corps. — The question of audiences. — Visit to
Prince Kung. — Departure  471
CHAPTER IIL
Tien-Tsin. — From the 31ST October to the 7th November,
The Settlement— The Chinese City.— The Serpent-God.— The Club
of Celebrities of ShiansL — The Massacres  525
CHAPTER IV.
Hong-Kong. — From the 7th to the 2STh November.
The amenities of the Yellow River. — Appearance of Hong-Kong. 
Its commerce. — Its political and miUtary importance  57a

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.
The Christian Settlements of Se-non. — From tub 25TH to
the 27TH November. PAGE
The villages of Si-kung, San-ting-say, and Ting-kok. — History ofthe
Christian settlements of the district of Se-non  578

CHAPTER VL
Canton. — From the 28th November to the 2nd December.
The Canton River. — Shamien. — Elegant shops. — A bonze's head. —
The Temple and Convent of the Ocean Banner. — Eng and his
house. — Procession of the God of War. — The Great Prison. — The
Pretorium. — Visit to the Viceroy. — Fati. — City of the Dead. — The
Place of Executions. — Departure for Macao  5^2

CHAPTER VIL
Macao. — From the 2nd to the 4th December.
The decay. — ^The question of the coolies. — Progress of the Chinese
element — Camoes  ••••.. 602

CHAPTER VIIL
Homeward Bound. — From the 6th December to the 13TH
January.
Departure from Hong-Kong. — The missionary question. — State of
China as regards its relations with European powers. — Arrival at
Marseilles ••••  . 609

APPENDIX.
Summary of Events which took place in Japan, from September 1871
to September 1872. — Extract from a letter from Yokohama, April
1872.— Extract from a letter from Yokohama, October 1872 , . 649

PART I.
AMERICA.

A
RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD.
CHAPTER I.
FROM QUEENSTOWN TO NEW YORK.— FROM THE
14th TO THE 24th MA Y.
Departure. — Sabbath day's rest at Queenstown. — The Emigrants on board
the China. — Inconvenience of the Navigation to the North of the 41st
Parallel. — Disembarkation at New York.
May x^h. — Queenstown, the port of Cork, and the point of
departure for the great steamers which keep tip almost daily
communications with Europe and the New World, never
seemed to me more attractive than at the moment when I was
about to leave its shores. The weather was delicious, the sky
hazy, but without clouds and almost blue ; the air soft, damp,
and redolent of the sweet scents of early spring. The vegeta
tion, save for the absence of orange trees, and the climate,
except from the want of the deep, clear blue sky of the south,
reminded me of Portugal. When, this morning, I climbed up
to the church which crowns the heights behind the town, I
walked through a perfect garden of wild flowers, under the
shade of fine old laurels and sweet-smelling shrubs, and
through hedges loaded with roses and jessamine — to say
nothing of that of which neither Cintra, nor Tapada, nor any

4 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
of the Lisbon gardens can boast — the beautiful soft, thick,
velvety, emerald-green grass of Old England. The peace
and stillness of Sunday reigned over the town. The villas,
enbowered in trees and perched on the green sides of the hill,
were reflected in the blue glassy sea of tlie vast bay. All the
ships in the roadstead were dressed with flags in honour of the
day. The neighbouring hills, clothed with magnificent trees
and parks, interspersed with comfortable-looking country houses,
formed, as it were, the frame of the picture. Looking towards
the sea, one narrow passage seemed the only outlet towards the
vast Atlantic, of which only a little bit was visible. There,
two miles off, our great Cunard steamer is waiting for us. She
left Liverpool yesterday, and has touched at Queenstown to
pick up the mails and the rest of her complement of passengers.
The smoke from her funnel, and the activity of the little boats
round the great leviathan, tell us that the hour of departure is
at hand.
In front of the houses facing the water there is quite a crowd
of loungers : officers in uniform, gentlemen, fishermen in their
Sunday best, and peasant women wrapped in their black cloaks,
with bare heads and large brown eyes, which look at you
with a soft and melancholy curiosity. They have all just come
from church, and are watching the embarkation bf the China's
passengers. The emigrants come first : a group of relations
and friends gather round them. Hands are clasped, tears are
shed— for they are life-long partings— and then they drown
their sorrow in a last glass of whisky. A small steamer plies
backwards and forwards between the quay and the great ship
outside. Accompanied by some members of the Cork Yacht
Club, the oldest in Great Britain,' the Austrian Consul and the
Rector of Queenstown or his curates, I had often before wit
nessed these sad scenes, in which nevertheless there is some
times a comic element. Now it was my turn. The moment of
embarkation on a long and distant voyage has always something
solemn about it. Even the hearty good wishes of your friends
for a safe passage reminds you of the caprices of that treacher
ous element to which you are about to commit yourself. At
three o'clock I was on board the China; at four, the anchor
was weighed and we were fairly off.
' This Yacht Club was founded in 1727.

/. FROM QUEENSTOWN TO NEW YORK. 5
May \ith. — The weather is perfect. The sky clear, the air
fresh and elastic, that crisp, clear, ocean air which gives you a
good appetite, and rocks you to sleep, and makes you look upon
everything on the bright side. We are making every day 320
to 340 miles. On board, the Caledonian element prevails.
The captain, the officers, the waiters, and a large portion of
the passengers are Scotch. In the first-class saloon cabin we
are not very numerous. My neighbour at dinner is General
K  , of the United States army, who is travelling with his
daughter. He has seen service in the virgin forests of Cali
fornia, of Idaho, and of Arizona, hunting with the redskins or
being hunted by them, according to the various circumstances
and changeable policy of his government. What a pity that
one cannot stenograph his descriptions, so full of vivid interest,
stamped with truth, and related with all the simplicity and
modesty of a man who has himself passed through it all !
To jump with one bound from the deserts of America to
China, I have only to begin to talk with the young man in front
of me, with his, distinguished air, careful toilet, and high-bred
manners. He is one of the merchant princes of the great
English factory of Shanghai. With wonderful clearness he puts
before me a perfect picture of the commercial position in China,
especially as regards British interests. His way of judging of
and estimating things is that of more than one European resi
dent in the East. The Chinese Empire is to be forced to
accept the blessings of civilization at the cannon's mouth;
they must kill a good many Chinamen, especially the mandarins
and men of letters, and then exact a large war indemnity.
But now to come to Mexico. Here is my man — a little
brown animal, half Spaniard, half Indian. His complexion
and his linen would be equally the better for a change. He is
a merchant of Monterey on the Rio Grande. He has the gift
of the gab, and he certainly does not neglect it. If you are to
believe him, there is nothing in the wide world so picturesque
as the rice-fields of Texas, and nothing so civilized as the life
of the solitary " ranchos " in the Paso-del-Norte. Chihuahua,
his home, is a second Paris. In fact, in many ways, it is
superior to it. As to the yellow fever, it has never penetrated
into those favoured regions. Besides, even this fever is
maligned : if you don't die of it, it purifies the blood. Those

6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
who escape are fresh and vigorous ; it gives them a new lease
of life. But in spite of all this poetical licence (the effect of
an Andalusian imagination joined to a fiery patriotism), his is a
practical tum of mind, and he has a thorough knowledge of
men and things in his own country. He is quick of under
standing, and his stories, though perhaps somewhat vulgar, are
full of raciness and fun. When he speaks of the Emperor
Maximilian, his little eyes kindle and his very language becomes
ennobled. This unfortunate prince, a martyr to his cause, has,
by his heroic and tragic death, acquired an aureola of glory
which will last as long as the world. He is already become in
that land which he hoped to regenerate, and which sacrificed
him in return, one of those legendary figures which grow with
time and are perpetuated from generation to generation. The
Empress, likewise, is not forgotten. Her philanthropic works
still exist, and the " Children's Homes " which she founded and
placed under the care of the Sisters of Charity, have survived
the terrible crime of Queretaro.
There are also half a dozen young Yankees on board. They
are men of business, and all of the same stamp : tall, straight,
narrow-shouldered, flat-chested, with sharp, anxious, inquiring
yet intelligent eyes, thin lips and sarcastic expressions. They
seem to scent money in possession or in the future, to be
obtained no matter at what cost or with what effort.
As the weather is beautiful the after-deck is swarming with
emigrants— men, women and children sitting, squatting or
stretched full length on the bare deck. If they were from the
south, or peasants from the Latin hills, what studies they would
make ! But these groups have nothing picturesque about them.
Except the black mantillas of some of the Irish girls, everyone
is dressed in commonplace workmen's clothes. The greater
part of the faces wear a look of indifference or resignation the
result of over-work or misery. Now and then, however, they
make feeble attempts at gaiety. The young men sing in parts
or make love to the young girls, who are generally busy knitting
Some Alsatian workmen, who have left their homes not to be
come incorporated with the Germans, come to ask my advice
as to the choice of their future residence. Shall they go North?
OT South ? or to the Far West ? What trade shall they take up?
How are they to escape dying of hunger on landing in the

/. FROM QUEENSTOWN TO NEW YORK. 7
streets of New York ? Of the geography of their new country
they know little or nothing ; of the way of living, or of getting
work, they are absolutely ignorant. What marvellous indiffer
ence ! Yet, it seems that the majority of the emigrants are in
the same case. They are unhappy at home, and they say,
" Let's go to America ! " And so they start, having sold their
goods to pay for the passage, confident that they will light on
their feet somehow or somewhere in the New World.
An old man of eighty, the very type of a patriarch, leaning
on the arm of a fine young fellow of one-and-twenty, has just
crossed the deck. His manners are respectful and yet with a
certain amount of dignity. He is. an English peasant ; a
Somersetshire man. " Sir," he says to me, " it's late in the day
for me to emigrate, but I leave nothing but misery in England,
and hope to find at least bread to eat in the New Country.
Here are my two grandsons," shovidng me two lads by his side
with a touching expression of tenderness and honest pride :
" their father and my granddaughter have stayed behind in our
old village, and I shall never see them again." He gave a short
cough ; I looked another way, and he took advantage of it to
brush his arm across his moistened eyes.
There is a very good library on board — English classics,
histories, reviews, and Watter Scott's novels. But to me the
most amusing books to study are my fellow-travellers, coming
as they do from every quarter of the globe and belonging to all
classes of society. The mornings pass only too quickly. As
for the meals, they are excellent as regards the quality of the
food, but as to the cooking and the waiting, it is Old England
before the Refomi Bill. I don't complain. I only state the
fact The Directors of the Cunard Company are essentially
Conservative. The least agreeable part of the day is the
evening. It is difficult to read by the uncertain light of a
candle, of which the wick is half blown out by a draught of
air from the North Pole, sharp enough to give you the rheuma
tism, although not enough to carry off the exhalations of the
supper. As to your cabin, in these latitudes in the month
.of May, you may make up your mind to find the climate of an
ice-house. May ZOth. — During these two last days we have had strong

8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
winds from W.S.W. The English call this a " double-top reef^
breeze." A little later on, this so-called " breeze will come
to a " half-gale." As long as the white foam from the crests ot
the waves falls like a cataract over the sides, it s a 'top-reef'
breeze," but when the foam is driven by the wind horizontally,
then it is a " gale." All this lore our amiable captain had just
been explaining to me with a smile. Neither wind nor waves
disturb his mind in the least ; but the fogs andthe ice, which at
this season are sure to be found on the " Banks." Yesterday
evening, however, we had fine weather again. We saw a
beautiful aurora borealis, and this morning, what was still more
striking, a huge iceberg. It was sailing along about a mile
ahead of us. Brilliandy white, with greenish rents here and
there, and ending in two sharp peaks, this great mass of ice
rolled heavily in the swell, while the waves beat furiously
against its steep, shining sides. A sort of dull rumbling sound
like low thunder is heard in spite of all the noise of the
engines. The cold, pale sun of the Arctic regions throws a
sinister light over the scene. It is all very fine and very grand;
but not reassuring. We are in the midst of the Banks of
Newfoundland. This evening we shall double Cape Race.
By a lucky chance, the weather is quite clear. But if we
had come in for a fog, which is the rule at this season,
and had then struck against this floating mass of ice which
took so little trouble to get out of our way, what then?
" Oh," answers the captain, " in two minutes we should have
gone down " — and that is the unpleasant side of these voyages.
This is the third time that I have crossed the Atlantic in the
space of ten months, and almost invariably the sky has been
as leaden as the fog was thick. In consequence, it is impossible
to take the meridian ; for there is neither sun nor horizon.
But such is the experience of these captains, that they steer by
" dead reckoning ; " that is, they ascertain by minute and
constant calculations the result of the speed of the boats on
the variable action of the currents. If, instead of going so
far north, by way of shortening the voyage, they were to follow
a more southerly course, they would meet with far less ice and
no fogs, and the danger would be ever so much lessened ; there
would be no risk of striking against icebergs, nor of disappear
ing altogether, nor of sinking the fishermen's boats, which are

/. FROM QUEENSTOWN TO NEW YORK. 9
so numerous on those Banks. In vain the alarm-whistle, that
useful but aggravating little instrument, blows its hoarse and
lugubrious sound minute after minute ; it cannot prevent every
accident ; and they are far more numerous than people imagine.
If they succeed in saving a man belonging to the ship, or in
finding out the number of the unhappy boat which has sunk,
the captain sends in his report, and the Company pays an
indemnity. But if the accident should happen in the dead of
night, and every soul on board has gone down with the boat, it
is impossible to ' verify the name of the owners : the great
leviathan has simply passed over it and all is said and done.
Companies are bad philanthropists : besides, they have to race
one another in speed. Each departure from Queenstown or
New York is registered in the newspapers with the utmost
exactness ; and the same with the arrivals. Hence this frantic
race to arrive first. In England, public opinion has more than
once exclaimed against this system, and the Times has not dis
dained to give publicity to these complaints with all the weight
of its authority. If they would follow a more southerly course
(to the south of the 42nd degree), the passage would certainly
be slower by two or three days, but the security would be
doubled. The loss of time would be more than compensated
by the comparative absence of danger. To effect such a change,
however, all the Companies must agree (which unfortunately
they have not yet done) to give up the Northern Route. It is,
in fact, mainly owing to their rivalry that accidents happen.
Cunard's Company, it is true, have never lost a ship or a
passenger ; and the steamers of the two German Companies are
equally perfect in their arrangements ; first-rate captains, officers
chosen with the utmost care, one and all thoroughly acquainted
with this part of the Atlantic, the ships' crews consisting of
picked men, with perfect macliinery, which is carefully examined,
and taken to pieces after every voyage — ^in fact every human
guarantee of safety. And yet, accidents (rare indeed when we
consider the enormous risk run, but still fearful accidents) are
far more frequent in comparison with the number of steamers
employed in the sersace, and with other lines, this one being
the most difficult and perilous of all the regular and periodical
navigations on the face of the globe. The winter is dreaded
on account of the gales. But March, April, and May, really

IO A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
constitute the bad season, for at these times the currents drift
the icebergs from the Banks of Newfoundland towards the
Mexican Gulf Stream, and these, meeting with a certain amount
of resistance, accumulate on the borders of the hot and cold
waters, the contact with which produces the fogs. Later m the
year, that is, in June and July, the icebergs of the previous year
come down from the North Pole. Far larger than the frag
ments from the Banks and consequently drawing more water,
they advance very slowly, but easily cross the Gulf Stream,
proving its small depth, and also the existence of other sub
marine currents. Sometimes they are stranded on the shores
of Newfoundland and form huge rocks, not marked on any
chart, which remain there for weeks ; but those which have
veered towards the south melt quickly. The seventh and eighth
days of departure from Europe are the most perilous for the
American steamboats. They then cross the great canal open
towards the North Pole, between Iceland and the shores of
Labrador. This is, above all others, the region of north winds,
thick fogs, and icebergs. Hardly had we left the shores of
Ireland, when the sailors began to discuss these seventh and
eighth days, just as doctors talk of critical days in serious
illnesses. Until then, " it's all plain sailing ; " afterwards,
"there's nothing to fear from the floating ice; " but those two
days !
Last year, during the month of July, I was on board the
Scotia, one of Cunard's finest ships. Although we were in the
height of summer, we had only seen the sun once, and that for
a few seconds, from Cape Clear to Sandy Hook. An inpene-
trable fog shrouded the Banks of Newfoundland. In the middle
of the day it was almost as dark as night Even standing on
the middle of the deck it was almost impossible to distinguish
the four watchmen on the look-out Every moment ,as the air
seemed to thicken, the thermometer pointed to a sudden in
crease of cold in the temperature of the sea. Evidently there
were icebergs ahead. But where? That was the question.
What surprised me was, that the speed was not slackened. But
they told me that the ship would obey the helm only in propor
tion to her speed. To avoid the iceberg, it is not enough to
see it ; but to see it in time to tack about, which supposes a
certain docihty in the ship, depending on her speed. Thus, a,s

/. FROM QUEENSTOWN TO NEW YORK. ii
in many other circumstances of life, by braving a danger, you
run the best chance of safety.
I tried to reach the prow, which was not easy. We were
shipping a good deal of sea, and the speed at which we were
going added to the force of the wind, which was dead against
us ; we were going at fifteen knots an hour. I tried to crawl
along, struggling with the elements, nearly blown down by the
wind and lashed by the spray. One of the officers gave me a
helping hand. " Look," he exclaimed, " at that yellow curtain
before us. If there's an iceberg behind, and those lynx-eyed
fellows find it out at half a mile off — that is, two minutes before
we should run against it — we shall just have time to tack, and
then all will be right." I wished him joy of the position !
But I could not help admiring his coolness and quiet scientific
calculations, while all the time regretting the latitude given to
our chances of safety. By degrees, I make my way on to the
four sailors on the look-out, who seem to me to hold our fate
in their hands, or rather in their eyes. They were fine speci
mens of the Anglo-Saxon race, square-shouldered, big men,
with complexions which once may have been white and pink,
but which now were reddened and bronzed by wind and sun,
with aquiline noses, and reddish hair, of which some locks,
furiously blown about by the wind, escaped from the flattened
brim of their south-westers. They stood like statues nailed to
the deck, their arms crossed on their breasts. The laws of
gravitation did not seem to exist for these fellows. All the
powers of their minds seemed to be concentrated in those keen,
eager, piercing looks fixed on that yellow curtain which hid
the unknown. The immobility of those four great bodies con
trasted with the slight emotion of their faces and the violent
agitation of all nature around them. They were the very
image of health, strength, discipline, and the habit of facing
danger. Sunday, May 2 \st. — We have arrived on the coast of Nova
Scotia. The day is magnificent The ocean rolls along in huge
flat waves unmolested by the wind. They reflect the brilliant
sun and the sky, which, by its opaque blue, points to the near
vicinity of the great continent. Sea, sky, air, all nature and
man himself, breathe a Sabbath day's calm. The passengers.

12 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
gathered in the great cabin, are having a service of some sort read
by the doctor in the absence of a clergyman. Then they sing
a hymn. Seated on the poop, I listen from a distance. The
harsh Scotch voices and the nasal tones of the Yankees fall on
my ear, softened by the deck between us and by the open air.
There is a sort of sweetness and solemnity in the sound in keep
ing with the day and the hour.
In the afternoon the scene changes. The fog is come back
again. It seems to fall upon us suddenly like a curtain of
black crape. The sky darkens as rapidly as in a drop-scene.
The sun, which was so brilliant in the morning, now looks like
a litde red ball of fire on the point of being extinguished. Very
soon it disappears altogether. The wind blows furiously, and
the deck is covered with snow-flakes and ice. Here there are
no icebergs or Bank ice to fear, but we are on the high road
to New York. There are few fishermen's boats, but heaps of
sailing-vessels going towards and returning from that great port
True, we have still 500 miles to run before reaching the mouth
of the Hudson ; but as everyone follows the same course, which
is the straightest and shortest, the ocean, so vast in theory, is
thus reduced in practice to a long street of 3,000 miles, but
not half wide enough for the passers-by. On this line, at this
very moment, there are five huge steamers, each of which left
New York yesterday in the day. Fortunately they are still at
some little distance off. But the sailing-ships ! Shivering with
cold, we are gathered on the hatchway, a little passage on the
deck where the sailors get their rations of punch ; and which,
on board the Cunard steamers, is used by the passengers as
a smoking saloon. There we discuss our good or bad chances.
The captain comes in for a moment, the water is trickling down
his oil-skin jacket, and his beard is an icicle. He lights his
cheroot and gives himself the innocent consolation of swearing
at the weather. He is in the position of a man who is running
;vith all his might in a dark lobby without knowing if there be
any steps or not, and with a certainty that some one else is
running in a contrary sense. I never in my Ufe, in any country,
saw the air so thick as this evening, and yet we are running
at the rate of thirteen knots and a half. These are terrible
moments for the commanders of these ships ! If there be a
collision, the proprietors of the damaged or lost boats go to

/. FROM QUEENSTOWN TO NEW YORK. 13
law. Should the result of the lawsuit be unfavourable to the
Company, heavy indemnities must be paid, and the directors
revenge themselves on the captain. At sea he risks his life,
on land his credit and his fortune are at stake. What a hard
lot, and what a horrible nuisance these fogs are ! But this
evening Captain Macaulay reassures his passengers. •' We are
the strongest," he says ; " no sailing-ship could make head
against the China; if any boat founders to-night, it won't be
ours." 
This comfortable assurance restores the good spirits of the
company. Everyone goes to his cabin with the cool conscious
ness of his strength and of his impunity, and equally resolved
to destroy without remorse the unhappy vessels which may
cross his path. It is with these laudable sentiments that we
lay our heads on our pillows and find, in spite of the continual
screams of the alarm-whistle, the sleep of the just
May 2yd. — The fog and the whistle have pursued us
unrelentingly for thirty-six hours. This morning for the first
time we have once more seen the earth and the sun. Now
(eight o'clock in the evening), the China is at anchor at
the quarantine station. It is still light But, with a striking
analogy to their European brothers, the doctor and the officer
who are to give us a clean bill of health are supping comfort
ably in the bosom of their families and decline to be disturbed.
We must wait patiently till to-morrow, therefore, before we can
land on American soil. We have also been warned that these
gentlemen will not come on board till after their breakfast;
that the formalities of the Customhouse will take at least
three hours, and that therefore we shall not be allowed to go
on shore till after midday.
The last time I arrived, after a similar voyage, my patience
was put to the same test Thus fourteen to eighteen hours
are added to the length of the crossing. It was certainly well
worth while to make us nin all the risks of ice and fogs at a
speed of fourteen knots an hour ! But it appears that red-
tapism is the same in both hemispheres. My patriotism found
some consolation in the fact that this country is so littie ahead
of us in the matter of progress.

CHAPTER IL
NE'W YORK.— FROM THE z^th TO THE s6lh MAY.
Broadway. — WaU Street. — Fifth Avenue. — Influence of New York
on the destinies of North America.
At New York everything is interesting. I do not say that I
am delighted with everything. But it is impossible to weary
of the extraordinary, feverish activity which pervades Broadway
and Wall Street early in the morning ; or of the social elegance
which towards evening is displayed in the beautiful Fifth
Avenue, the resort of hundreds of loungers of both sexes and
multitudes of carriages. The excessive luxury of these vehicles
with their great coats-of-arms emblazoned on every panel, the
over-smart liveries, the heavy, almost priceless carriage horses,
and the somewhat extravagant dresses of the ladies, whom
nature has been kinder to than their dressmakers, all combine
to arrest the attention and interest of the spectator, even should
they fail to satisfy his fastidious taste. One tries to discover
the moral link between all this ostentatious display, which,
though on a republican soil, is not afraid to show its face, and
that thirst for equality which is the motive-power, as it is the
S]iur, the end, the reward, and also the punishment of a
democratic society like the American. There is no doubt that
this fashionable world is only tolerated by the working man,
who elbows them roughly enough in the streets, and by what
are emphatically called in Europe " the people ; " but their
toleration is accounted for by the hope which each one
entertains, and which in this country is not a chimera of
arriving himself some day at the same state of prosperity ;
of seeing his wife, who, to-day is at the wash-tub, or rinsing
bottles in a gin palace, indolently stretched on the morrow in

Chaf.II. NEW YORK. 15
her own luxurious landau ; or of driving himself in his gig
with a fast trotter, which shall have cost at least five thousand
dollars ; of surrounding himself, in fact, with all those matt-rial
enjoyments of which the sight excites his longing and admira
tion, even more than his envy, until his own turn comes.
This is what makes the real distinction between the American
democrat and the democrat of Europe. This last, in despair
of attaining to a higher position, strives to drag down everyone
else to his level. Envy and jealousy are his strongest motive-
powers, and the result is the wish to lower and destroy. The
American, on the other hand, wishes to enjoy : to obtain this,
he must work to produce the money, which in this new country
is always possible, and often easy. Having done this, he feels
honestly that he is on a level with the best of them. His
object, therefore, is to rise. He seeks for equality in a higher
sphere than that in which he was born and bred, and he finds
it. The European democrat reckons on arriving at equality
by lowering everyone else to his own level. Of the two
democracies, I infinitely prefer the American.
But it would seem as if, here below, in America as in our
hemisphere, real equality is only to be found in theory.
Nowhere has this struck me more forcibly than in the United
States. I..et us come back to our man in a " blouse,'' who is
lounging in the Fifth Avenue between five and six o'clock in
the evening. The sights which are unrolled before his eyes
fascinate without irritating him. He watches it all with real
and joyous emotion. He hopes some day that all this will be
within his own reach. But in most cases this hope can only be
partially realized. It will be quite possible for him to make
a large and even princely fortune, to rival in luxury the
millionaires of Wall Street, but it will be difficult, if not
impossible, to penetrate into certain social regions. In his
rare relations with those men who do belong to them, he
cannot fail to feel his own inferiority. His son or his grandson
will penetrate into those charmed circles some day, but he
himself will be excluded. But as he forms the majority he is
not discouraged. By dint of struggling, secretly, openly, even
bmtally now and then, he pursues, without ever fully attaining,
his ideal of intellectual and social equality.
The result is this : men of cultivated minds and of refined

i6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
manners, with a taste for historical traditions, and in conse
quence for all things of European interest, withdraw themselves
to a great extent from public life, make a little world of their
own, and escape, as far as they possibly can, from all contact
with that real life, and those great schemes which draw forth
the riches of this extraordinary country, and create the wonders
which fill us with surprise and admiration. It is allowable to
exhibit a fearful amount of luxur}', for material riches are
accessible to all. But they carefully screen from the vulgar
eyes of the multitude, who feel they can never attain to such
heights, those refinements of mind and manners in which
consist the real enjoyments of life. These treasures are as
jealously guarded as the Jews in the Middle Ages, or the
Orientals in our own day, conceal their riches behind squalid
walls and poor-looking dwellings.
This being the case, one meets in the United States far more
vulgar and pretentious people than real gentlemen. Hence the
enoneous opinion so current in Europe, that an American does
not know how to behave. The truth is, that these parvenu^,
but parvenus thanks to their courage, their intelligence and
their activity — that these remarkable, self-made men, who have
had the time to make colossal fortunes, but who could not, at
the same time, educate themselves beyond a certain point,
who feel their own value, and resent in consequence the feeling
that they are excluded from any real intimacy with their
superiors in education, habits, and manners— the truth is, that
these men are always thrusting themselves forward ; while the
real gentiemen and ladies lead a comparatively retired life,
protesting by their absence against their supposed equality;
and form among themselves in the great towns of the easj,
especially at Boston and Philadelphia, a more exclusive society
than the most inaccessible coteries of the courts and capitals of
Europe. New York, in its outward aspect, reflects in a very remark
able manner the characteristics of the great territory of the
Union. One would say that the intellectual, moral, and
commercial hfe of the American people was here condensed,
to spread its rays afterwards across the inunense tracts which
are called the United States.

//. NEW YORK. 17
Broadway is the representative and the model of those great
arteries which bind together the different portions of this great
continent from ocean to ocean. The great thoroughfares of
London, the Boulevards of Paris, the Ringstrasse, and other
great streets of Vienna, are as busy and as animated perhaps
as the Broadway ; but their animation springs from the wants
and the commerce of their respective cities ; while this great
artery of the American metropolis is more than a street — it is
a high road— a royal road leading to everything. Besides the
crowds of men and merchandise crossing your path right and
left, there are the equally filled railway cars. The persons who
throng them are travellers more than passers-by. Their look
is anxious as well as business-like. One would fancy that
every man was afraid of missing his train. Certainly New
York is a great capital in the European sense of the word, like
London, or Paris, or Vienna. But it is more than this, it is at
the same time an enormous railway station, a dipot, to use
an American term, both of travellers and goods ; where one
meets a floating population large enough to give the impression
of that agitation and preoccupation and that provisional state
of things which is the characteristic of all the great American
cities. To sum up in one, word, Broadway represents the
principle of mobility.
Let us pass on to Wall Street. This is the centre of all the
great financial operations. Here the resemblance with the
City of London is incontestable. The buildings, which are
nearly all Banks, the crowds who jostle one another in the
streets, the very air one breathes smells of money and of
millions ! Yet even here the analogy with Europe is not
complete. Of a thousand little indications of difference, I
will quote but one : your banker will not pay you the sum you
ask, at once, however small it may be. He sets the telegraph
to work ; and after a few minutes the money is brought to you
from the public bank where the funds of this particular house
are deposited. Nothing can be more praiseworthy than this
practice ; for these banks are real fortresses which would make
any attempt at breaking into them impossible ; and which in
case of any rising of the mob (if such risings are ever again
to be dreaded in New York, which I doubt) would afford the
best guarantees for the security of the deposits. But money is

i8 4 RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
a coward. We must own, however, that there is wisdom in the
system which provides for its own safety, as everyone does m
America, from the Backwoodsman who, whenever transporting
his household goods to the utmost limits of the civilization of
which he is the pioneer, begins by building a blockhouse; down
to the officer sent to keep the red-skins in order, who at each
bivouac entrenches himself and his men behind gabions and
ditches. Now we are in the Fifth Avenue, and consequently far
from the industrial quarter. Here the eye rejoices in the
contemplation of all the luxury which money can bring. Do
not let us be hypercritical, or examine too closely the artistic
taste of these pretentious buildings, which seem by their
pompous architecture to make a parade of their magnificence.
After all, the same meretricious taste has spread to Europe,
and prevails more and more. The Belgravia of London, the
Ringstrasse of Vienna, are both examples of this style. M.
Haussmann and his architects have borrowed their inspirations
from the same source while striving to amalgamate these two
"renaissances," the French and the American. It is the archi
tecture of Henry the Third converted into Yankee.
But let us come back to the Fifth Avenue. Charming littie
gardens surround each house, which, in this beautiful month of
May, form bright spots of green, blue, red, pink, white, and
lilac, giving the most ideal and poetic look to the whole.
Amidst these groups of shrubs, and grasses, and creeping
flowers, and tiny bright green lawns, coquettishly bordered
with marble balustrades, there are endless picturesque details.
One's eye rests with real pleasure upon them, and gladly turns
aside from looking at the overcharged, over- decorated fagades
of the houses beyond. Taken as a whole, the Fifth Avenue is
really very grand, and here and there quite charming.
But what struck me most in New York is the enormous
number of public buildings consecrated to Divine worship of
various kinds. I am not speaking of the great Gothic cathedral
which the Insh are now building, and which belongs to another
date and another order of ideas, but of the innumerable little
churches belongmg to the different sects, built very often at a
great cost and with a profusion of ornament in every possible
and impossible style, which fix one's attention and pique one's

n. NEW YORK. 19
curiosity. Their small size makes them the more remarkable,
side by side with the vast buildings around them. In Europe,
the massive pile ofthe cathedral, and the belfries, spires, towers,
and high roofs of the other churches, stand out against the sky,
tower above the houses of the faithful, and give to each town,
seen from a distance, a particular character. At New York it
is quite the reverse. Seen from the river or from Jersey City
at the moment of disembarkation, this huge metropolis unrolls
itself before you in great masses of red, grey, or yellowish
brick. Or:o or two steeples at the outside rise above the roofs,
which in the distance, seem all of the same height, and to
form one vast horizontal line stretching toward the plain
beyond. Europeans who have just landed for the first time
cannot help wondering how these two or three churches can
possibly suffice for upwards of a million of Christians ! But
they find out their mistake when they walk through the town,
and especially when they come to the Fifth Avenue, where the
commercial fever is at rest, or, at any rate, gives place to a little
quiet, to study, and perhaps to meditation and prayer. Not
that all those little chapels in the Fifth Avenue impress one
with a feeling of sanctity or fill the mind with that grave spirit
of recollection which comes over one in the aisles of our great
cathedrals. So far from it, the sanctitas loci is entirely wanting
in this wide and worldly quarter. These little buildings, each
consecrated to a different form of worship, are only accessories
to the whole. They are only open during their respective
services, and these services are only performed on Sundays.
But there they are, and however poor they may be, they
prove the existence of a religion in the hearts of these rich
people, who had perhaps little or no time to think of their
souls when they were making their fortunes, but who, now that
they are millionaires, begin to believe that there is a future
state. Either from honest conviction, or because they feel the
need, or from pure custom and a sense of respectability, they
contribute liberally towards. a chapel and forming a congre
gation. In a society of which the most energetic, the most important,
and the youngest portion lives in a perpetual mill-race, it is
evident that anything like spiritual or inner life must be un
known or, at least, dormant. To outsiders, indeed, such ideas
c 2

20 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
seem to have no existence at all in the American mind. But
this is not so. From time to time, there is an extraordinary
awakening. The enormous sums then given for the building
of new churches, the revivals, those great meetings in the forests
and prairies ofthe Far West, where a sudden thirst forspiritiial
consolation bursts out with extraordinary violence, seizing upon
the masses like an epidemic and producing the most fantastic
scenes, now tragic, now comic, — these revivals and the splendid
churches in the Fifth Avenue are only different manifestations
of the same spirit — the spirit of Faith, asleep, oppressed, kept
down, but not exterminated by the worship of the Golden Calf
which is the religion of the State : the only apparent religion,
in fact, of the merchant, the miner, the carrier, the porter, in
one word, of the fortune-hunter of young America ! ,
Notwithstanding that . we were really in the dog-days, we
continued our explorations of New York, sometimes in carri
ages, sometimes in cars, but still oftener on foot What struck
me even more this time than during my first visit, and which I
cannot find mentioned in any other description of New York,
is the way in which this city has, as I before said, given the
type to all the other great centres of population in tiie Union,
The preponderance which she exercises arises from her extrar
ordinary centralization, to which neither the exclusive legislation
of other States, nor the extreme mobility of American society,
nor the unlimited space acquired or conquered by this great
nation, can in any way resist I could multiply exam])les to
prove my theory, — but how discuss such questions with the
thermometer at 30 degrees Rdaumur ?
I have just been going through a large though somewhat
commonplace quarter of the town, inhabited entirely by
Germans. Here all the emigrants of that nation, many of
whom only arrived the day before, are welcomed, lodged, and
put in the right track before starting for the Far West They
bring with them an atmosphere fresh from the Vaterland, and
thus renew all the home-feelings of their fellow-countrymen and
prevent them being transformed altogether into Yankees. The
old settiers, on the other hand, who have mostly outlived those
republican aspirations which form such a powerful element in
German emigration, strive first of all to destroy the illusions of

// NEW YORK. 21
the new-comers ; to give them some idea of the real state of
things ; and to prepare them as far as possible for the new life
which awaits them. Quite a metamorphosis is the result, and
that in a few days, under the influence of this great centre of
American life. The consequences will be felt at the most
extreme points of this vast country — under the shadow of the
forests in which Lake Superior is embedded ; or in the great
granaries of Minnesota and Wisconsin ; in the prairies of
Nebraska and Arkansas, on the borders of the Red River, in
Texas, in the isolated ranchos of Oregon, and even to the
grassy slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
In a minor degree, the same may be said of the Irish. I
say in a minor degree, because the child of the Emerald Isle
shows himself less amenable to outside influence ; and that
everywhere the Celt is sufficient to himself; and as in Enghnd
and Australia as well as in America, he shuts himself up from
modem ci^dhzation. It is also an ascertained fact that nations
who have emerged earlier from a state of barbarism exercise a
sort of superiority over races who are younger in that respect
Where they come in contact it is always the first who become
supreme and the latter who succumb ; and that in spite of the
equality which may exist between them, and even a sort of
political superiority in the latter. Certainly, the conquests
that the elder generation make over the younger in the human
family are limited ; but they are an incontestable fact Thus
on the frontier between Italy and the Austrian provinces, it is
the Itahan element which prevails over the German and the
Sclave, perhaps on the confines only of the tn'o provinces and
to an infinitesimal degree, but still it is perceptible. In Hungary,
vis-a-vis the Magyars and the Sclaves, in Bohemia and lUyria,
in Poland and Russia, the German is evidently and ostensibly
the pioneer of civilization. That of the Celts dates from the
first centuriei of our era, if it be trae, as I believe, that
Christianity is the only cradle of true civilization. From that
point of view, the Celts are the elders of the Anglo-Saxon and
German races. But these having gone ahead of them in every
respect they have never been able to establish their rights
except by a passive resistance to the influx of modem ideas.
In New York, thanks to universal suffice, they are a real
power and even a formidable one. At the elections, they

22 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. C/iap. U.
often obtain a majority. In the States they form the principal
Catholic element, and are the born antagonists of the Germans,
who are mostly Protestant. Emigrants of other nations land
with the intention of becoming American citizens ; the children
of the Emerald Isle remain for ever Irish. Not that they have
an idea of returning to the old country, although they admit
the possibility of such an eventuality, or of inducing their
children to do so, but by an ideal and mystical link, they
remain united to the mother-country, and have, as it were,
carried off a portion of it with them. The ocean which sepa
rates them seems to have no existence in their minds ; it is,
after all, but a stream. The day will come, God knows when,
when they will cross it once more, they, their Americaii brothers,
as they are called in Ireland, to bring with them liberty— in
the modem sense of the term, as it is understood by the
democrats and Uberals of Europe, and which means for them
independence and separation from England. Then they will
fight and conquer. Fenianism is the offspring of these
dreams ; that intangible conspiracy which resists the efforts of
the police, detectives, and of the English troops, as much as
the exhortations of the Catholic clergy ; and gives a feeling of
uneasiness both in England and Ireland, which is not exempt
from danger. The Irish, therefore, are little influenced by
Anglo-Saxon ideas and habits. However, they do not escape
them altogether, and it is again at New York that the Irishman
is transformed into the American brother. The same effect is
produced, only in a greater degree, on the emigrants of other
nations. From this point of view, the supremacy of New York is
certain, as long as she remains the head of the bridge which
connects the two continents. At the present moment, the
immense majority of emigrants, the surplus of that strength
which Europe from over-population can no longer employ or
maintain, turn their steps to the mouth of the Hudson, land
at New York on American soil, and there receive their first
impressions, which they carry with them to all parts of this vast
continent

CHAPTER III.
WASHLKGTON.—FROM 'J'HE 26th 70 THE 2<)lh M.4Y.
The dead season in the Official Capital. — The Alabama Treaty from the
American point of View. — Transformat inn of ideas and habits since the
Civil War. — Conflicting opinions on the Emancipation Question. —
Growing preponderance of the coloured races in the Southern States.
Whoever wn'shes to have a clear idea of the official capital
of the United States, without the trouble of locomotion, has
only to read Anthony TroUope's description. It is a real
photograph, only lacking the colouring, but the drawing and
resemblance are perfect. I almost regret that I have not con
tented myself with copying it. The air is heavy, the heat
stifling, the dust and the mosquitoes pursue you without mercy.
" Arlington House," that great hotel patronised by the official
world, the rendezvous of senators, politicians, lawyers, who
swarm there, is certainly the least agreeable of all the great
caravanserais of the New World. I am spending sleepless
nights stifling under a mosquito net which has the fault of not
being impervious to my tormentors, and whiling away the
hottest hours of the day in the rooms on the ground-floor of
the house, or on the veranda. Stretched out on easy-chairs
are a multitude of other men, striving in like manner to pass
the most intolerable part of the day in the most comfortable
way possible. They smoke, they spit, they fix their eyes on
the ceiHng, but they won't talk. A dead silence pervades the
whole place. You hear nothing but the buzzing of the flies,
and sometimes the step of a black or coloured waiter or post
man bringing in papers, letters, or telegrams. From time
to time a blast of hot air mshes in, bringing with it a cloud of
dust from the st-eet The atmosphere is redolent of various

24 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
kinds of odours which add to the charm of the morning. I
am told that even at Buenos Ayres and Rio de Janeiro, the
summer is less trying and less injurious to health.
The consequence is, that everyone who can, escapes from
the town. The President is on the point of starting ; Mr. Fish
is already gone. The diplomatic corps and the heads of
departments follow their example. The House of Representa
tives is shut up. The Senate will close to-day or to-morrow.
I went to hear one of the last sittings. The debate was
calm and quiet, but the reverse of lively. It rather disap
pointed me, as amongst us, Europeans, although the debates in
our respective Houses of Parliament are often exciting, we are
apt to fancy that under the cupola of the American capitol
the time is spent in mutual recriminations, resulting very often
in insults and revolvers. Nothing ofthe sort happened. Two
honourable members attacked and defended a certain question
with grave courtesy and sonorous voices, more like pleaders at
the Bar, to which profession these politicians probably belonged.
In speaking, they alternately raised and let fall their voices, and
only in certain eloquent moments, struck the palm of their left
hand, stuck out horizontally, with their right finger. During
the debate, the other members read, wrote or slept. No one
talked or even whispered ; but on the other hand, no one
seemed to pay the smallest attention to the two speakers.
Their very existence seemed ignored.
The end of this session, however, coincides with an event of
no small importance — i.e., with the signing of the Treaty
destined to bring about the solution of the tedious question
of the Alabama quarrel; and to strengthen the friendly rela
tions between Great Britain and the North American Republic,
which recent events had somewhat weakened. The English
plenipotentiaries had left Washington only a few days before.
Hence the Alabatna Treaty was the great topic of conversation.
I heard of nothing else in England before my departure ; on
the steamer, in the railroad, at New York, here and everywhere,
no one talks of anything else. The greater part of the English
people whom I have seen, are unanimous in regretting that
they have been obliged to make concessions ; but congratulate
themselves at the same time on the settling of a question
which gave rise to mutual distrust, and might have ended in a

///. WASHINGTON. 25
serious mpture between the two countries. In their minds, a
certain satisfaction at the result is mingled with their vexation.
If I am not very much mistaken, that is the predominant feeling
in England. In America, politicians seem uncertain as to the
amount of value to be attached to the Treaty. They ask one
another if the question be really settled or not I have seen
several official men, a number of members of Parliament, and
the Governor of one of the principal States. Evidently their
idea on the subject is not a decided one ; or else they have
some reason for not expressing it. In the ordinary public
sense, the Treaty of Washington is looked upon in America
as an'act of deference on the part of the English Government,
and a recognition of the superiority of the United States.
England has owned herself in the wrong, and has capitulated ;
nothing more nor less. If this erroneous interpretation of the
business spreads itself through the States, and takes root in the
convictions of the masses, the conciliatory dispositions of the
British negotiator are evidently misunderstood, and the Treaty,
although it may smooth over existing difficulties, will pave the
way for future complications.
The Canadians, on the other hand, are extremely dissatisfied.
For them, there is the perpetual grievance of the fishery ques
tion. They complain that Lord Granville's plenipotentiaries
neglected them and sacrificed their interests ; that they are, in
fact, abandoned by the mother-country. Even before my de
parture from Europe, an eminent English statesman had said
to me : " The separation from Canada is only a question of
time. This Treaty will hasten it. Before four or five years
are over it will happen.'' Everyone knows how, in England,
public opinion has familiarised itself with the idea of the loss
of the colonies. If anyone, thirty years ago, had ventured to
suggest such a possibility, he would have been denounced as an
enemy if a stranger, or as a traitor if an Englishman. But the
present generation look upon such questions from a different
point of view. Tney admit it as inevitable, and expect a
declaration of independence from Canada and Australia at the
very first shot fired by Great Britain against a foreign enemy.
Utilitarians even discuss the advantages of such a separation,
and talk like courtiers who congratulate their sovereign on the
loss of a province.

26 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
During the three days I passed at Washington, I took my
meals at a little table with a young and nice-looking couple
whom I found out to be the Governor of one of the Western
States with his wife. The steward who, in the dming-room,
directs the waiters and fixes your place at table with an autho
rity which no one dreams of disputing, had placed us together,
which enabled us to enter into conversation.
The Governor began with the usual interrogatory.
" Allow me," he said, " to ask you an impertinent question.
What country do you belong to ? What is your profession ?
And what has brought you to this great country ? Wljat do
you think of America ? It's a fine country, isn't it? a very fine
country, a very big country."
Now one reads in every book published on Amenea, and
principally in England, that the Yankee is greedy of compli
ments on his native land ; that he swallows any amount of
flattery however exaggerated, and that the least criticism, even
silence, provokes and wounds his patriotic sensibilities. This
was true once, but the civil war has altered the state of things.
Men's minds have become matured. The enfant terrible, the
young scapegrace, has become a grave and earnest man. He
has visited Europe and has too much sense, and is too clear
sighted to hug himself as in old times, witii the belief that he
" whips all creation." This is especially the case in New
England, which may be called the centre of the intellectual life
of America. The men from the Western States, in the masses,
are less enlightened. The South — formerly renowned for its
princely hospitality and the aristocratic tastes of its great
planters, as well as for the eminent statesmen which she gave
to the Republic — the poor South is at present but a mutilated
tmnk bleeding from thousands of wounds, which time alone
can cure ; and is therefore in an abnormal condition. I shall
not be able to visit her and judge for myself, so that I must
leave out this question in speaking of America.
My Governor from the West was evidently of the old school.
I took great care, therefore, not to wound his susceptibilities.
In those conflicts between the duties of politeness and the
exigencies of truth (in which delicate situation I often find
myself), one gets out of the difficulties as best one can by
lavishing compliments or ingeniously disguising one's mitigated

///. WASHINGTON. 27
criticisms. I find that my audience dwell on my enthusiastic
expressions and take no note of the timid deprecation, or
covert malice with which I strive to satisfy my conscience, or
stifle its voice. Moreover, I have often observed that the more
a stranger dwells on the favourable side of things in America,
the more his native listener condescends to come down to the
regions of truth, and to point out of his own accord, what are
the faults of the constitution, and the social evils of the United
States. " Yes," replied the Governor, after having swallowed com
placently enough, a whole mouthful of my compliments ; "yes,
we are a great nation — a glorious country. But we are sick.
We are suffering from the consequences of a precocious child
hood, and a too sudden growth. As young men, we lived in
a forcing-house ; arrived at maturity, we undertook too much,
and are how wearing ourselves out with overwork. It is possible,
but not probable, that we shall arrive at old age. The Union,
I fear, has no future."
" You ask me," he continued, " for my opinion as to the
emancipation of the negroes. It is impossible to speak with
certainty ; but according to all human probability, the Act of
Emancipation was a sentence of death to the coloured people.
The negro is naturally idle and improvident Now that he is
free, he works little or not at all, and cares nothing for the
morrow. I allow that there are many exceptions. Since the
abolition of slavery, the Southern proprietors of the plantations
pay their negroes wages, or, which is better, give them a fourth
part of the produce, and this system on the whole works well.
But, as I said before, a negro who will work and save is the
exception. If the last cotton crop has been good, it is only
very partially due to the slave labourers; they have not the
wish to work in them, so they can never compete with the
whites, and very soon will fall into poverty and misery. They
are improvident and bad parents. They have no idea of taking
care of their children. That used to be the business of the
proprietor, who, anxious to preserve and increase his capital, if
not from humanity at least from interest, took the greatest care
of his female slaves when with child, and of their little ones
after. Now, the mortality among the latter is something
frightful. Besides, it has been proved by long experience, that

28 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Ch.ip
in the free States the blacks remain numerically stationary,
even if they do not diminish. In the slave States, on thj
contraty, independently of the contingent furnished by the
annual slave trade, the negro race increased in the most as
tonishing degree. This fact may be explained by two causes.
The first, the one I before: mentioned, namely, the extreme care
taken by the proprietors of the nursing mothers and their
infants ; the second, the partiality of the black women for the
whites. In the Southern States, before the Abolition, almost
all the marriages were contracted between the blacks themselves.
The union of a black woman with a white husband, whether
illegitimate or not, was the exception ; now the law makes no
distinction and throws no obstacle in the way, and the great
influx of w'orkmen from the Northern States facilitates the
alliance between the blacks and the whites. Thus, on the one
hand, miseiy and sickness especially among the children
diminish the black population, and on the other, the very few
negroes who by their industty have attained a good position
invariably strive to marry their daughters to whites, or at least
to half-castes ; so that you see that both their virtues and their
vices, idleness and work, equally conspire to bring about the
eventual destruction of the black race."
Whilst he was speaking, I asked myself, " Do the negroes
work or not ? " it seems to me that the whole question turns
upon that But on this essential point, which is, after all, one
of fact, opinions are divided. A statesman highly esteemed in
America, and the representative of his country at one of the
European courts, said to me :
" People declared, and generally believed, that the emanci
pated negroes would not work. The statistics of the last cotton
crops prove that, under the system of wages and a share in the
profits, they are become excellent workmen. Again, it was
asserted that they were hopelessly stupid ; and now we see that
not only are they possessed of extraordinary intelligence, but
that they have the greatest wish to educate themselves, and to
give a good education to their children."
The same statesman spoke to me of the growing political
importance of the coloured races :
" The partizans of emancipation were afraid lest the old
proprietors should be enabled, by underhand means, to elude

///. WASHINGTON. 29
the law and make this great philanthropic act a dead letter.
To obviate this danger, the negroes were allowed to share in
the universal suffrage. One of the consequences is, that, at
the next election for the President, they will be masters of the
position and that their votes will decide the question. As it is,
both democrats and republicans are striving to curry favour
with them and intriguing for their votes." To which I must
add, that President Grant fully recognises their importance ; in
proof of which he honours them with his special protection, as
the constant influx of negroes at the seat of Government proves.
In the Southern States they have got most of the power in
their own hands. In South Carolina the Vice-President of the
Legislature is a man of colour. Let us read what the Nem
York Observer says about it : —
" The position of South Carolina is well-nigh intolerable.
It arises from two causes ; first, that the blacks outnumber the
whites ; next, that the old planters refuse to fall in with the new
system, and to share the government with the blacks. In this
way the negroes, with the help of a few recently arrived whites,
have the game in their own hands and rule the State. Out of
one hundred and twenty-five members of the Lower House
ninety of them are blacks. The proportion in the Upper is
the same. The greater number of these men are venal and
corrupt Add to this, that the landholders in South Carolina
have lost evetything in the late war except the actual land ; that
they have no ready money whatever ; that the taxes are con
tinually augmenting of late years ; and that they press cruelly
on the landed proprietors  " The article then goes
on to speak of the way in which the public revenue is squan
dered. These statements, and others of the like kind, are con
firmed by all the Southerners and contradicted by most of the
Northerners whom I meet On which side lies the trath?
And how to find it out ? But one fact is allowed on all
sides : and that is, that the blacks are, to a certain degree, the
masters of the whites.
In some States they rule absolutely ; in others, they form the
majority of the legislature : everywhere they constitute a real
power — this very race who, only a few years ago, on this self
same spot, were considered the lowest animals in creation !

30 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap, jjj
One can understand the rage, the despair, the hatred continually
gathering in the hearts of the whites, not so much against their
old slaves, as against the North, the authors of all these evils.
See, too, what is passing in the South. At thi-, moment, Mr.
Davis is making a kind of triumphant progress through the
countty. His speeches electrify his audience. They may be
summed up in two words, " silence" and "hope :" which mean,
vengeance when the hour is come. The gentlemen, who are all
landed proprietors, abstain from voting and keep themselves in
the background, thus giving up the field to the negroes and
emigrants from the North. The Government cannot even get
any official agents. If they nominate any man, for example,
to collect the taxes or see after the revenue, he is sure lo
resign after a few weeks, either from intimidation or because he
sympathises with the Southern cause. The Southern women,
more impassioned aud more heroic than their husbands, do all
they can to fan the sacred fire of patriotism, which, in the eyes
of the law, is treason and revolt This is the picture presented
to me by impartial persons, by members of the diplomatic
corps, and by travellers well acquainted with the country and
complete strangers to the two parties. A great deal of their
information on this subject is not even attempted to be denied
by their adversaries. But one thing which evetyone admits is
the political preponderance of the coloured element in the
South at this moment Such an anomaly cannot last

CHAPTER IV.
FROM WASHINGTON TO CHICAGO.— FROM THE z^th TO
THE 30th MA Y.
Travellers in the Far West — The Miseries of a single Man. — Aristocratic
longings in the Country of Equality. — The Susquehanna. — The Juniata.—
Arrival at Chicago.
In the journey from New York to the official capital of the
United States, there is nothing which strikes the traveller as
vety different from what he meets with in an ordinary European
railroad. But when we turn our steps towards the West, the
look of our fellow-travellers gradually changes. Bankers with
their clerks, elegantly-dressed ladies from Boston, Philadelphia,
or Baltimore, officials from Washington, all those people, in fact,
whose cosmopolitan aspects remind one of their like in Europe,
disappear from the scene. I'hey are replaced by a lot of men
mostly young, bearded, ill-dressed, not over-clean, armed with
one or sometimes two revolvers, wearing round their waists
great coarse, woollen bags, which are generally empty when
they are starting for the Far West, and as commonly full of
gold on their return. There are also a number of farmers of
a less equivocal appearance, and draymen who, on the banks
of the Missouri, at Leavenworth and Kansas City, are going
to rejoin the caravans confided to their care. These men are
important personages in their way. The intrepidity, the per
severance, the habit of command (if it were only of the
bullock-drivers conducting their teams) an exuberance of
health, a certain brutal strength and a strong sense of their
own value, are all marked on their faces reddened with whisky
and exposure to the burning winds of New Mexico and

32 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chaf.
Arizona. The merchandise conveyed by them to Santa Fd,
Prescott, San Diego, California, or by the Paso-del-norte to
Chihuahua, is worth many millions. These men brave every
hardship and danger from Indians and desert monsters, to the
dreary snowdrifts of the higher levels, and the terrible passage
of the canones. They take three, four, or five months to reach
their destination. From time to time only, they find a halting
place where they can obtain fresh provisions. To these men
(real crusaders, saving the cross and the chivalry), such stations
appear like fairy casties,' where beautiful Indians rise up to wait
on them, and where, during a two or three days' halt, they find
every earthly enjoyment of the kind which they can best appre
ciate, which makes them forget the privations of the road.
When I pass before a group of these men in the corner of a
waggon, they salute me with a friendly and yet sharp and
somewhat bantering look, half mixed with pity: "Poor devil!"
(they think to themselves) "what is he good for?" and then
giving me a silent shake of the hand, let me pass on.
There are also several Germans in the train, who make
themselves remarkable by the boldness of their voices, for the
American is silent in general and only speaks in a whisper.
The ladies also have changed their appearance. Here, as in
other parts, they are almost -always travelling alone. But
elegant toilets have disappeared.
I was advised at New York to provide myself with letters
of introduction to the landlords of the different hotels and to
the station-masters of the places where I meant to stop ; and
in a previous journey I had already found the advantage of
such a precaution. The train arrives at a little station where
you mean to sleep. There are but one or two hotels in the
town — monster ones, it is true, containing eight or twelve
hundred beds. But they are always overflowing with passen
gers. Evetyone mshes towards the omnibuses which are to
convey you there, others mn on foot alongside. As to your
luggage, you need not trouble your head about it, as you have
your "check." It is sure to be sent to you safely and speedily.
Now we are amved at the inn, and behind a long bench stands
a gentieman of grave and majestic air. We travellers are all
an-anged in single file before him. The ladies are served first,
and taken to fine apartments on the first and second stories;

IV. FROM WASHINGTON TO CHICAGO. n
under their wing pass, likewise, tiieir husbands, or brothers, or
anyone who may have the privilege of being their masculine
escorts. But single men are ruthlessly sent up to the garrets,
for which purpose a lift is always ready to facilitate the ascension.
My turn came at last, and I presented myself before the Minos
of the place armed with my letter of introduction, given to me
by the master of the hotel where I had slept the night before.
He read it rapidly, looked at me for a moment with a cold but
keen and scrutinising glance ; then, he passes me over, and
sends my fellow-travellers to the aerial regions. When every
body has been provided for, I find myself alone, face to face,
with this important personage, who turns towards me his
countenance, visibly brightening, presses my hand warmly, and
smiling graciously, says : " Now for us two. Baron. You wish
for a good room, Baron. Very well, Baron, you shall have
one," and he gives me the best room he has to offer.
Here I cannot help making an observation, which neverthe
less has been made hundreds of times before. The American
has a thirst for equality, but a mania for tides. Those who
can lay claim to the titie of Govemor, Senator, Colonel,
General, even if it be only of the Militia, and their name is
legion, are always accosted by their title, and never by their
name. They are never weary of repeating it To him who
gives it, as to him who receives it, it is felt to be an equal
honour. As to titles of nobility, the forbidden fruit of the
republican American, they are pronounced with a sort of
voluptuous pleasure. I appeal to all those who have been
in America to clear me from a charge of exaggeration in this
matter. By a species of analogy, I might quote also the naive
pride of those old families who descend from the first Dutch
emigrants, the English Puritans, or the French Huguenots. I
never made the acquaintance of any one of these men or
women, that they did not say to me immediately after my
introduction :" I am of a vety old family. My ancestors
arrived in this country two hundred years ago. My cousins
have a seat in the House of Lords ; " or else, " We descend
from Huguenots — men well known in the court of France
before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes." And these
vety persons, who had begun by proclaiming their genealogy,
were generally the most distinguished by their poUshed manners
D

34 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
and a first-rate education. These anomalies, however strange
they may seem to us, are to be explained, I thinkj less by.
motives of vanity, which find other and more real gratification,
than by the essence of human nature, which, like the inanimate
creation, cannot exist without variety, and repudiates the notion
of equality. .
On the railroads, too, I found my letters of introduction
invaluable, especially when travelling alone. The station-
master begins the acquaintance by shaking my hand, calling
me " Baron " half a dozen times, and introducing me to the
guard of the train. Then comes a fresh exchange of civilities.
The guard gives me my titie, and I call him " Mister." That's
the custom in the Far West— they don't call one another " Ar,"
but " Mister" without adding the name ; for no one has the
time to, inquire, or it is forgotten as soon as told. If you are
a white man and an American, that is enough; for that con
stitutes your superiority over the wild man of the desert, over
the red man of the prairie, over all the other nations of the
earth, Europeans included. It is the species to which you
belong which they consider, not the individual. Vou are then
" Mister" which means " Master " — Master of Creation. After
being duly presented to the guard there is one more formality
to be gone through, which is an equally important one, and
that is to be introduced by the guard to the man of colour.
This is the waiter of the cars. In this case, with a due con
sideration for the shade of his skin, there is no shaking of
hands. In spite of the emancipation, we have not yet arrived
at that 1 They become legislators, certainly, and even vice-presi
dents. At Washington, the seat of the central government,
they are allowed to loll insolently enough in omnibuses and
cars and public places, and only to yield their places to women.
But to shake hands with them ! Fie ! it is not to be thought
of The guard as a friend, the coloured man as a servant,
become invaluable to you on your journey. They secure you
a good place ; they manage that you should avoid disagreeable
or dangerous company by putting you in a ladies' compartment,
if only you will dispense with your cigar ; above all, they will
reserve a " section " for you— that is, a window with four places,
which, during the night, will be transformed into a comfortable
bedroom.

IV. FROM WASHINGTON TO CHICAGO. 35
After a detestable luncheon, taken in haste at Baltimore in an
" eating-house," I rush off to the station of the Central
Pennsylvanian Railroad for the West Thanks to the com
petition with other lines, one has arrived at the utmost maxi
mum of speed. Thus, at the moment in which I write, and
while, according to my wont, I am striving, in spite of horrible
shakings, to scribble a few notes in my journal, we are rattling
on at a rate of between fifty and sixty miles an hour. To talk
with the first-com«r is one of the charms of a tourist If has
this advantage over reading, that- you can ask questions, and
don't tire your eyes. Besides that, some books are tiresome ;
but however dull you may be, there does not exist a human
being out of whom you cannot extract something'— a new idea,
a happy thought, some curious bit of information or fresh
appreciation. Sometimes, certainly, one comes across hope
lessly obtuse and case-hardened natures, into whom nothing
can penetrate. But put even such natures on a subject which
interests them, and they will unbend. Ask them for some
detail of their own biography, for instance, and be sure they
will talk, if not freely, at least with pleasure, and with profit to
yourself, if you know how to take advantage of it Only men
flying from justice, or women in a doubtful position, travelling
under the incognito of disconsolate widows, will ever consider
your questions indiscreet
In the highest society, which is almost always more or less
connected with men in power, frivolity and gossip, those
habituh of the drawing-room, are formidable rivals to serious
conversation ; and when we get out of the region of common
place, the reserve which our respective positions impose, or an
arrihre-pensie that one is afraid to betray, a thousand different
reasons, in fact, create a barrier to a liberal exchange of ideas.
Such conversations have to pass through the crucible before
producing any result H
The middle classes, on the other hand, offer a wide field of
observation. One learns far more from them, and finds more
variety, than in the higher classes ; but less knowledge of the
human heart and of real life, for the horizon of each is
necessarily limited in this little world of specialities. The
savant, the artist, the merchant, the tradesman, as long as he
talks to you of the business in which he is engaged, can give

36 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap ¦
you some valuable information. The least interesting men are
commercial travellers. If they would only talk of their sales
or their goods ; but they will talk politics. Each man tells
you with the greatest freedom all he thinks and feels on
such questions; and each man thinks and feels exactly what
he has read that morning in his daily paper. These men
— I own that there are exceptions — are marvellous ; they think
they know everything; the prime ministers of the greatest
states have no secrets from them. Like senSble men, unless
they were glovemakers, they would hesitate to give an opinion
on the quality of a glove ; but in diplomacy they consider
themselves master-minds. It is, however, among the people
that one can glean with the most profit The simple con
fidence of a peasant in our Austrian Alps, an old servant at an
inn in some littie German or Pyrenean village, the conversation
of the cure, the surgeon (the Sangrado, as they call him), the
alcalde of an old market-town in the Sierra Morena, gathered
together at the village chemist's, in tertulia; the chatter of
the young girl with classical features, and supple figure wrapt
in rags, who precedes me, with the step of an empress, into
the depths of an Irish turf cabin ; the autobiography of a work
man in a factoty, or of a book-keeper at his desk — all these,
and such as these, have never failed to interest me. They have
often struck me by the grandeur and novelty of their concep
tions ; they have thrown a whole flood of light on obscure and
difficult questions, and often evoked tears of sympathy, or
irresistible and hearty laughter ; and even in the most ordinary
talk of this sort, there is almost always some discovery to be
made. An historian, in order to enter into the spirit of the
centuty which he is describing, consults all possible con-
temporaty authorities. In the same way, a traveller, if he is
to travel with advantage, should listen to the people of the
countries he passes througl^ and make them talk of them
selves. It is the way I have always followed, and whicli I
mean to go on following, in my promenade round the worid.
The train is slackening speed; we are only mnning at the
rate of thirty or thirty-five miles an hour, that is, at tiie ordinary
rate of express trains in England. We have entered the
Susquehanna valley, and the Pennsylvanian Central follows its

IV, FROM ir.-iSH/NGTON TO CHICAGO. 37
winding, serpentine course through wooded glens and smiling
villages, and past the busy factories and picturesque cottages
which line the banks of this beautiful and poetical river. The
scenery is vety varied ; here and there all traces of culture or
cultivation disappear. Above a thicket of flowering shrubs
and branching elms rises up a fir wood, each coniferous speci
men being different of its kind, and growing tall, straight, and
thin, like the men of the Anglo-American race. Between these
tapering stems, the Susquehanna, of a greenish turquoise blue,
dashes by, giving itself the airs of a torrent, bounds against
the blocks of granite which line its bed, incircles them with
foam, and then resuming its tranquil course, as if ashamed of
its powerless futy, rolls on calmly and swiftly, caressing as it
passes the branches of wild roses which hang over its limpid
waters. It is a perfect type ofthe classical soil which witnessed
the first stmggles between the white man and the red-skin,
those scenes so beautifully described by Cooper. But this
countty saw no bloodshed ; it was only the theatre of the
peaceable conquests of WiUiam Penn. One's imagination loves
to dwell on those times, already so far distant, when the Far
West began at the gates of Philadelphia, and of the New
Amsterdam, which has since become New York. To convince
oneself of this fact, one has only to double this littie pro-
montoty. In the valley we have now reached, which is wide
and open, civilization unrolls its riches, its cultivated fields, its
steam factories, its market-towns and villages, with bright
clean-lookiftg villas, all built on a uniform plan, its farms sur
rounded by plantations,-^the whole a picture of active pros
perity, and of the straggle still going on between civilized
man and savage nature. But go on a little further, and you
come back to a region which is entirely uncultivated. Yes,
these contrasts give a peculiar character to the Susquehanna
valley, and make it the exact representative of the great state
which this river traverses from one end to the other. In
Pennsylvania, agricultural industty is more developed than in
any other state of the Union, without counting the working of
its mineral riches of iron and coal. But in spite of the
Increase of its productions, and the constant growth of its
population, three parts of its territoty is uncultivated for want
of hands ; and thus, as on the endhanting banks of the Sueque-

38 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
hanna, the noise and animation of the most active industiy of
which modern life is capable alternates with the silence and
soUtude of the desert
In the afternoon we passed by Harrisburg. Now the sun is
setting, flooding with a roseate light the idyllic banks of the
Juniata. The habitations seem more numerous than on the
Susquehanna. The villages succeed one another more fre
quently, and here and there, surrounded by carefully-kept
gardens," peep out little villas, somewhat pretentious in con
struction, but which give one a pleasant sensation, because
they produce the illusion in the mind of the European traveller
that he is once more in the Old World. This river has also
its solitary spots, and they are not the least beautiful.' A soft
and poetic melancholy pervades the whole scene. If the
Susquehanna, be like an epic poem, the Juniata, more modest,
reminds one of the eclogues of Garcilaso : Corria sin dueto
lagrimas corrientes.
At ten o'clock at night there is a grand commotion in the
cars ; everyone mshes out on the platform, to exclaim, with
the help of a glorious moonlight, not only on the beauty of
the scenery, which I thought doubtful, but on the hardihood of
constmction of the railway iu that particular spot. We came
into a gorge of the Jack's mountain, and soon after crossed the
Sideling Hills — that is to say, a chain of the Alleghanies at the
meeting of the waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.
The descent makes one shiver; fortunately, it is but short.
Night is coming on ; the passengers prepare to try to get some
sleep. In the bed-carriages the arm-chairs are rapidly trans
formed into beds. Boards separate them from one another.
A heavy curtain runs down the middle of the passage. Each
window allows for two beds, one at the top of the other, unless
the traveller has taken a " section," that is, the whole space of
one window. Under the shelter of the heavy curtain, men
and women, without distinction, put on their night things, pin
a handkerchief over the pillow provided by the authorities,
which is of doubtful cleanliness, lie down on or scramble up to
their beds and strive to sleep, in spite of the noise, the shaking,
the dust, the stifling atmosphere, and the nauseous smell of
this most infernal dormitoty. As for me, I do not mean to tty
tven to follow the general example. Although the envied.

IV. FROM WASHINGTON TO CHICAGO. 39
possessor of a " section," I make up my mind to bivouac
bravely on the steps of the platform. The night is beautiful ;
a full moon floods the whole country with silvery light. As
far as the eye can reach, the railroad follows a straight line,
which enables us to go at a fearful rate during the greater part
of the night A couple of feet above me, all along the sides
of the rails, the pebbles and flints, sparkling like diamonds,
look like a horizontal cataract In crossing the trestle-work
bridge, the train rocks and vacillates like a ship in a cross sea.
But I cling on to the balustrade, and comfort myself with the
reflection that on this line, one of the worst in the States, the
greater part of the trains, nevertheless, arrive at their destina
tion. From time to time the breaksmen msh upon the plat
form, drag the wheels, put on the breaks, and disappear again
by slipping into the next carriage. To judge by their hurry
you would think it was a question of life or death. The guard,
too, passes and repasses, never without a gracious smile or a
courteous word to me, as " Now, Baron," or, " Well, Baron ;
you're not gone to bed." Sometimes, as a variety, he says
nothing, but merely presses my hand. Each time I ask him :
" Well, how fast are we going. Mister ? " And his answer in
variably is : " Sixty miles an hour. Baron."
The dawn begins to break. It is getting cold. I make up
my mind to go back into the carriage. The coloured waiters
are already putting away the mattresses. In the rotonda, a
species of ante-room generally attached to the bed-carriages,
the passengers in single file are waiting their turns before a
somewhat miserable washing-stand; another is reserved for
the ladies. The latter, with a laudable absence of coquetty,
which, however, I should not recommend to any woman who
cares to please, appear one by one in their dressing-gowns,
carrying their chignons in their hands, and find the means of
making their toilette in presence of the company, although I
cannot say the result was generally satisfactory.
At two o'clock in the morning we passed Pittsburg. At
nine o'clock we breakfasted at Glastine. The train sped rapidly
through the somewhat scanty forests of Ohio. At twelve o'clock
we are at Fort Wayne, and at five we arrive on the confines of
Illinois, having traversed Indiana in all its breadth. The
countty is one vast plain, only limited by the horizon. Low

40 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap. IV.
undulations here and there do not suffice to break the monotony
of these solitaty regions, which are vety little cultivated, and
do not present a single feature to charm or divert the eye. At
last Lake Michigan comes in sight Looking like the ocean
towards the north, with its low downs and its fiat sandy banks,
nothing can be more dreary or desolate. At six precisely,
covered with dust, overcome with heat, and tired to death, but
without any broken bones, we arrive safe and sound at the
Chicago terminus.

CHAPTER V.
CHICAGO.— FROM THE 30th MAY TO THE zst JUNE.
Appearance of Chicago. — Growing importance of the German element. —
The great Caravanserais. — Economy of human strength. — ^The superiority,
in the United States, of the lower strata of Society. — Chicago the great
emporium of -the West. — Michigan Avenue. — A house on wheels. —
General Sheridan. — Manner and character of European travel. — The
position of Woman in the family.
I ALIGHT at Sherman House, the prototype of one of the great
American hotels. Thanks to my letter of introduction, the
gentieman at the office is most courteous, and gives me a
charming room on the first floor, with a bathroom alongside, of
which the water-cocks, as usual, are stopped up ; but which the
negro servant of the " quarter " promises to have put in order
for me. In the meantime, I stroll about the streets. The heat
is intolerable, and the first sight of Chicago is not encouraging
to an idle man. It was the hour of closing the shops and
factories. Streams of workmen — men, women, and children,
shop-boys, commercial men of all kinds, passed me on foot, in
omnibuses, in tramways— all going in the same direction —
that is, all making their way to their homes in the quarters
outside the town ; all looked sad, preoccupied, and worn out
with fatigue.
The streets are like all the other towns in America. The
houses, it is tme, are built of wood ;' but they imitate brick
and stone. Clouds of coal smoke issue from innumerable
factory chimneys, gather in the streets, throw dark shadows on
' A few months after my visit a fearful conflagration, as every one knows,
reduced three parts of fhi.-i great capital of the West to ashes.

42 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the brilliant shop fronts, and on the gorgeous gold letters of
the advertisements, which cover the fronts of the houses up to
the garrets, and seem to half stifle the crowd, who, with bent
heads, measured steps, and arms swinging hke the pendulum
of a clock, are flying in silence from the spots in which, all
day long, they have laboSred in the sweat of their brows. Now
and then, for a moment, the sun breaks through the dismal
black curtain which human industty has cast over this toiling
capital : but these sudden gleams of light, so far from brighten
ing the scene, tend, on the contrary, to show off its sadness.
In all the great thoroughfares, and as far as one can see, rise
the gigantic pOles of the telegraphic wires. They are placed
quite close to one another, and end in a double bishop's cros.s
: — the only kind of cross which is to be seen in this city, of
which the God is money.
I mix with the crowd, which drags me on wfth it I strive
to read in the faces as I pass, and evetywhere meet with the
same expression. Everyone is in a hurry, if it were only to
get a few minutes sooner to his home, and thus economise
his few hours of rest, after having taken the largest possible
amount of work out of the long hours of labour. Evetyone
seems to dread a rival in his neighbour. This crowd is a
very type of isolation. The moral atmosphere is not charity,
but rivalry.
Night falls, and the streets are beginning to be empty.
Everywhere I hear the German tongue, and strive to enter
into conversation with some of my fellow-countrymen. Not
till after they have looked at me with anxious rather than curi
ous eyes will German frankness overcome Anglo-American
reserve. But then they unbend and answer my questions
gladly. Ah I with what enthusiasm they speak of the late war I
National pride and the excitement of victory light up these
honest middle-class faces. The wonderful success of their
brethren beyond the seas has come to them in the light of a
revelation. It has raised their moral tone, revived their energy,
and given birth to new aspirations in their hearts, which, in
the American sense, would be incompatible with the constitu
tion of the United States. Until now, of all the emigrants,
the Germans were those who mingled the most steadily and
quickly, and were almost fused in fact, with the Anglo-Saxon

V. CHICAGO. 43
race, which forms the basis of the population of the Eastern
States. I was very much struck by this, last year, when I was
going to Niagara. Everywhere my emigrant fellow. countrymen
of the last ten or twelve years, if they still talked German to
their children, were answered by them in English. One sees
that the third generation, with the exception of some of the
customs of the Fatherland, such as the taste for music and for
beer, is completely Americanised. This was the case every
where except in Pennsylvania, where the Germans form so large
a portion of the community, and have in consequence pre
served the traditions, the habits, and, though very imperfectly,
the language of their mother- country. To-day, however, under
the impulse of a sudden, violent, and perhaps lasting reaction
the German element has emerged from its state of passive
resignation^ They have become proud of their nationality.
They reckon upon preserving and cultivating it. They are
like people who, suddenly having discovered their own value,
are naturally disposed to exaggerate its importance, to become
difficult to live with, and to quarrel with their friends. This
is the danger which is apprehended in the official circles of
Washington. This again is what is foreseen at New York,
where I even heard it asserted that the Germans had the inten
tion of forming a distinct element and constituting themselves
into a separate political body in the heart of the American
confederation. For my own part, I do not share in their
anxiety; I know what we are. We Germans are enthusiastic,
and people say we are gifted more with imagination and logic
than with political sense or instincts. We are often doctrinaires,
and we like to teach others ; but we do not sin through an
excess of vanity, and are not disposed to exaggerate. I am
afraid we are not as a whole an amiable nation. We like,
rather too much, to think ourselves always in the right An
American said to me one day, " I am myself of German ori
gin, but I can't bear the Germans. They are dirty, they are
cavillers, and they beat their wives." ^ Alas I from the Atlantic
to the Pacific they have this reputation. But the more one
advances towards the west of this great continent, the more
one is stmck by the traces they have left on their passage ;
' See Jules Froebel, whose judgment is to be relied upon. ("Aus
¦Anierica," 1857.)

44 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
by the marvellous results due to their inteUigence, activity, and
perseverance; by the great place they already occupy in the
New World ! and by the important mission they seem destined
to fulfil there.
¦WhUst indulging in these reflections, I find myself passing
under a whole array of flag?, which the evening breeze is gently
swaying. It is the flag of the German Vaterland I I see it
floating from the town hall, from most of the public buildings,
and from a multitude of private houses. The fact is, that my
German brothers have just been celebrating the conclusion of
the peace at Versailles-— ^at is, their victories. And the town
council has been obliged to give them its support, inasmuch
as they form three parts of the population of Chicago. The
night is dark. The ill-lit streets are completely deserted. ¦ The
Germans fill the Bierluiuser, and while emptying their stoups,
amuse themselves by singing national songs to discordant
tunes, unworthy of a land which boasts of being musical above
all others. In other respects the voices are good and fuU,
and such as Germany produces ; they sing in choir, and talk ;
that is, evetybody screams at the same time at the top of his
voice. As for the Americans, they are all swarming round the big
hotel, where evetyone is free to come and go. At each moment,
fresh omnibuses arrive and disgorge their travellers, who form
directly in single file and wait patiently and silently, advancing
slowly, and receive at last from the head-man at the office the
key of the room where each is to pass the night At the same
time, masses of trunks like cyclopean walls, are .packed or un
packed with marvellous celerity. The porters, in their shirt
sleeves, handle these great weights in a marvellous manner.
They are all Irish ; and are distinguished from the Americans
by their cheety ways, and by their respectful manners towards
the travellers. They are also remarkable for their strength and
Herculean dimensions. The Americans cannot act as porters.
They have not the physical strength, and their he^th gives
way under any excess of manual labour,
A great number of billiard tables, all full of players during
the evening and far into the night, fill the bar-room. This
enonnous, low, underground hall, is lit aU day by gas, the fumes
of which mingle with the exhalations from the various alcoholic

V. CHICAGO. 45
drinks which the barman is perpetually dispensing to the com
pany. Groups of men are always standing round this import
ant functionary, whose only merit in my eyes consists in his
concoction of lemonade. He melts the sugar in water, adds
the juice of the fruit which he squeezes out in an instant by
means of a small press like a nut-cracker, puts in three or four
bits of ice pure as crystal de roche, and rapidly passing the
liquid from a glass to a metal goblet, thereby accelerates the
freezing process. It is the work of a few moments. At last
I retire to my room, without taking advantage of the lift, as I
have the privilege of being lodged on the first floor. I light
the gas with some difficulty, and prepare my bath. Unfortu
nately, hardly had I plunged into the tepid water, than the gas
went out, and escaping by the tap, which had unfortunately
been left open, filled my whole room with a horribly mephitic
smelL I msh out of my bath in order to stop the mischief,
and unfortunately, iu so doing, displace the cock. My allu-
mettes will not act, my hands are wet. I content myself with
turning off the gas, and strive to find my way back to my bath
in the dark. But alas ! in the meantime the water has all run
out, and there am I, without a light, without a bath, without
any clothes, and with no possibiUty of finding the bell ! Be
sides, was an American waiter ever known to answer one?
The moral of this little misadventure is, that one must learn
evetything — even how to make use of those thousand inven
tions, as practical as they are ingenious, which constitute what
is caUed the " comfort " of American hotels, and which have
for their object to economize labour, to reduce the number of
hotel servants to a minimum, and to make the traveller inde
pendent by placing evetything within his reach by mechanical.
processes which enable him to shift for himself. He is waited
upon at dinner, and they will clean his room and his boots :
but they " calculate " that he will bmsh his own clothes, and
they "guess" he will understand the gas-cocks, and the hot-
and, cold-water apparatus. The hotels are all built and fur
nished on the same plan. The meals are abundant, but indif
ferently good, even if not bad. Evetyone eats in haste and in
silence. The waiters (all of the coloured race) help you with
a sulky, indifferent manner, unless you have been specially
recommended to them by the steward, to whom, if you are

46

A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,

wise, you have taken care to be presented by the gentieman
in the office. In that case they hope for a little gratuity, smile
benignly on you, even become respectful, and bring you niceties
which are not on the mow. There are no extras, and no addi
tional expense. Everything is abundant, and the ventilation is
excellent ; but on the whole, life at an American hotel, however
practical, is thoroughly disagreeable.
In the principal streets of Chicago, and other towns of the
West, strong iron rings are sunk into the pavement all along
the street They are for fastening the horses. It is their way
of doing without grooms or coachmen. To spare a man's
strength and time, to lose as httle as possible of either, and to
get'out of both as much as can be, this is essentially the
American maxim, of which the traces appear at evety turn.
Everyone gives in to the notion ; or rather it is a supreme law
which no one can resist Before this inexorable theory, all
false shame, human respect, and the prejudices which in the
old world exclude the higher and middle classes from manual
labour, entirely disappear.
There is no doubt that our refined lives vanish under this
harsh but stimulating treatment : and I cannot fancy that a
man of a certain age, accustomed to the gentleness, the ele
gance, and the refinements of our habits, can really find
pleasure in such a change of existence. But even Americans
who have lived a long time in France, England, or Germany,
when they return to their own country, look back to their
European lives with strong and often ineffaceable regrets.
It is the lower classes who gain the most by this system, for
it places at everyone's disposal, and at small cost, the material
¦ and intellectual enjoyments which raise the moral tone, and
which in Europe are the privilege only of the upper strata of
society. So, when the European emigrant, spmng from the
dregs of the people, and arrived at a state of ease and pros
perity here, returns to his native country, he is miserable, and
comes back as soon as he can to America. I met some Italians
once m the Pacific States, acting as pedlars. They had just
returned from Turin. One of them said to me : " There are
upwards of four hundred of us in the Nevada and in Cali
fornia, and aU, more or less, are doing well. Twenty-four, with
their boxes fuU of gold, returned a short time ago to their

V. CHICAGO, 47
native village. But they couldn't stand the life there, and all,
with the exception of three, came back to California. This is
easily explained. You see, we can't associate with the gentry
in Europe, and we can't live with our equals there, because,
without knowing it, we have raised ourselves far above them.
We feel, therefore, like fish out of water, and so we give up the
dream of living in our native land, and return to America."
The morning is beautiful : the sky without a cloud, and of
that metallic blue which is pecuhar to the central regions of
this continent The sun is, however, merciless. Even the
heavy wreaths of smoke from the factoty chimneys cannot
resist it. Man alone braves it. In tmth, the activity in the
streets exceeds anything I have ever seen even in the busy
hives of industty and commerce in England. The business
done is of a distinctly local character. There are two branches
of commerce which make the riches of Chicago. This town,
which only dates from 1855, now contains three hundred
thousand inhabitants. Built on a marsh, it was at first horribly
unhealthy. This evil has been remedied by raising the houses
on piles by means of cranks, without having recourse to steam,
or deranging the inhabitants. Some houses were transported
bodily in that way from one end of the town to the other.
Chicago has become the great emporium of the wheat and
other grains of Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the market
where all the population of the Western States (still called
"Western," though, now that California and Oregon have
been annexed, they should be called " Central ") come to
supply themselves with dty goods of all sorts and kinds. By
water and by raU, wheat arrives in incredible quantities. Here
it is that the inexhaustible granaries of the neighbouring states
become riiatters of speculation, are bought and sold, stored up
in warehouses, and embarked at a favourable moment, either
on the boats of the lake, or on the tmcks of the railroad.
From hence they stream towards the Eastern States, and even
to Europe. The mechanical appliances which facilitate these
operations, and the lifts and winches whereby these huge
stores are conveyed, form the pride as well as the riches of
the inhabitants.
The retail trade, with the innumerable pedlars who come

48 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
here to buy the contents of their packs, is another source of
prosperity to Chicago, and one which Cincinnati, and St. Louis
have for a long time rivalled. Today, however, the superiority
of Chicago is assured, and still more firmly established from
the geographical position of the town.
I strive to gain the banks of the hake, hoping to get a
mouthful of fresh air. Vain delusion ! not a ,b|-eath stirs, the
glassy water, which, silent and immovable, reflects the sky and
the sun, and blinds one with . its, glare. The railroad crosses
the extreme end of it on piles, which look like , crutches.
Beyond, some large steamers are waiting for their cargoes.
In spite of the brilliant sunshine, there is something vety
melancholy in this scene. Perhaps it is the contrast bet\y£en
the busy life I have just left and the inhospitable solitude. whifh
unrolls itself before me. This is, in truth, one of the strilfing
features of this continent, At one moment you are filled with
admiration at the extraordinary progress of civilization; then
you go on a few steps, you turn a corner, and you fall back
into a state of wUd and savage nature. The results already
obtained by the genius, the courage, and the practical sense of
this nation, considered by themselves, are astounding. B^t
they shrink into nothing when you see what yet remains to be
done. I find myself in a great avenue on the banks of the lake,
with a row of magnificent buddings on the other side. This
is the celebrated Michigan Avenue, the quarter of the pluto
cracy of Chicago. In these splendid mansions, all of wood,
but plastered over, and built in every imaginable style, Italian,
Classic, Gothic, Roman, or Elizabethan, each and all sur
rounded by pretty gardens bright with flowers, live the families
of men who, in a few years, have realized millions ; and who,
if they have for a moment lost them, begin again to make
their fortunes a second time. Higher up, this aristocratic
avenue leaves the borders of the lake and becomes a street
There are houses on both sides, less grand and rich, perhaps,'
than those in the avenue, but all bearing a look of comfort,
and even luxury, and built in a style of pastoral architecture.
I have been walking for more than an hour, and I am not yet
at the end of this street. You might fancy yourself in the
country. None but women and children are to be seen, with

V. CHICAGO, 49
a few private carriages, and no omnibuses. There is an air
of rest and idleness over the whole. Babies play in the little
gardens, ladies, elegantly dressed, lie on the verandas, and
rock themselves in arm-chairs, holding in one hand a fan, and
in the other a novel. All of a sudden a new object strikes
me. It is a house in the middle of the road. What a strange
fancy I But no, this house moves, walks, comes near ! Very
soon all doubt on the subject is at an end. Placed on trestles
resting on cylinders, one horse and three men, by means of a
capstan, do the work. I slop from sheer surprise, and watch
this singular phenomenon pass by. It is a building of two
storeys. A veranda in full flower trembles under the slight
shaking of the cylinders. The chimney smokes ; they are
evidently cooking. From an open window I catch the sounds
of a piano. An air from " La Traviata " mingles with the
grinding of the wheels which support this ambulatory domicile.
I stop before a little house of two storeys, having only three
windows in front — fresh, smart, and nearly new. A few steps
lead qp to the front door, which is only partially shaded by
a porch. Whilst waiting for the opening of the door, I am
nearly stifled. What a furnace I It is at one and the same
time the summer of the tropics without its dampness, and of
the qorth without its cool refreshing breezes which enable you
to bear it I am ushered into a drawing-room which runs
through the depth of the house. I find an air of elegance
and simplicity, and at the same time a military tone which is
not to be mistaken.
I am at General Sheridan's.
I had crossed the ocean with him on my retum to Europe,
and last year I had met him at .Rome. He welcomed me
most cordially, and I was delighted to see him again. Grant,
Sherman, "Sheridan ! These are the three stars, the three
heroes who destroyed the Confederation, and by their swords
brought about the cementing together of the two halves of the
Union. General Sheridan, of Irish origin, was brought up at the
militaty school of Westpoint Like the greater part of the
scholars of. that celebrated college, he unites a great amount
of solid knowledge with the martial air and manners of a
gentleman, I should almost say of a European, which distin-

so A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
guish the officers of the United States arniy. If, without
knowing him, I had met him in the streets, judging by his
appearance, I should have taken him for an Austrian general.
He is only thirtj'-eight years old. By a special chance^' his
name became immortalized at an age when the greater portion
of young officers are still in the lower grades of the army.
But one would give him at least ten years more. His face.
reddened and tanned and lined by the care, watchfulness, and
emotions of the late campaign, breathes at once an air of
simple modesty and honest pride. His brown eyes shoot
lightning, and teU of the Celtic blood which flows in his veins.
His countenance expresses intelligence, boldness, and that
indomitable courage which seems to provoke danger. He
wears his hair cut short, and is of middle height, with square
shoulders and powerful limbs. His detractors accuse him of
cmelty, and speak of him as the exterminator of the Indians;
his friends simply adore him. Both one and tho other talk of
him as a dashing officer ; in fact, one has but to look at him
to understand that he is the sort of man who would lead on
his soldiers to death or victory. His command extends over
three parts of the Union. It stretches from the borders of
Illinois to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, from the
frontiers of Canada to those of New Mexico and Arizona.
He must_ travel for two years before he can inspect all the
military posts under his care. And this great captain lives
quietly on a littie parrot stand which he has built himself,
and which he is sure to sell without loss should his duties to
the State compel his leaving Chicago, which is at present his
official residence. His office is in the heart of the toWn, on"
the second storey of one of those great houses where businesp,
science, and art, elbow one another ; but where rest, pleasure,
and domestic happiness are fairly banished.
In the United States, where everything is in a state of muta
tion, nothing changes so quickly as the official worid. The
holding of supreme power is limited to four years, and never
on any pretext can exceed eight. When the President goes
out of office, every single member of every branch of the
administration and of the diplomatic corps, that is, upwards of
forty thousand functionaries and official men, are at once turned
adrift. The only exception is the army, because it is supposed

V. CHICAGO. SI
to be a stranger to politics or political combinations. It is the
rock in the midst of the shifting sand. In its ranks, conse
quently, there is a strong feeling of independence and of
dignity, which people say is very rare in civil and political
circles. As to what concerns Generals Sherman and Sheridan,
the brilliant services rendered by them both place them out
of the reach of any hostile attempt Neither the President,
be he who he may, nor a majority of the Senate, would dare
to deprive them of their respective commands. Strange
anomaly I A republic where nothing is stationary or inde
pendent except militaty power.
In our long walks on board the Scotia, the .general often
spoke to me openly, with the clear strong sense and rough but
patriotic frankness of a man who has no need to conceal his
real feelings, of the grave questions pending in his own country.
If he touched boldly upon its social evUs, he also pointed out
to me the moral and material treasures, and the inexhaustible
resources of his great countty.' Like all public men who have
really done great things, and who are not somebodys only while
they occupy a high position, which they may owe to a trick of
fortune or chance, and from whence they may some day be
hurled with ridicule or obloquy, Sheridan detests popularity.
" I have the greatest horror of popular demonstrations," he
said to me. " Those very men who deafen you witii their
cheers to-day, are capable to-morrow of throwing stones and
mud at you 1 "
It was last year, at Queenstown, just as we touched once
more on European soil, that we first heard of the struggle
between France and Germany. Whilst we were disembarking,
a telegram announced the battie of Worth, of which the issue
was still uncertain. General .Sheridan intended to join the
head-quarters of the Emperor Napoleon. The rapid succes
sion of events, however, and, I think, a refusal from the French
mUitaty authorities, decided him to join the Prussian camp,
where he was received with enthusiasm. Everyone knows
the fruitiess efforts made by him befoie Paris to bring about a
cessation of hostilities. After that, for about six months, he
1 I regret not being able to reproduce the text of our conversations ; but
the reader will appreciate my reserve. I must impose tlie same rule upon
myself whenever I mention the name of the speaker.

52 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
visited almost all the countries and all the courts of Europe,
and only resumed his command a few days before my arrival
at Chicago. This encyclopedian way of rushing all over the
old world in less time than it would take us to- study a guide
book, is essentiaUy American. To us it would be a bore,, a
useless fatigue, a positive torture. But in this country, men
seem to be made of different stuff. Broken in to endure every
kind of fatigue, always hurried, even in their every-day life,
accustomed to think nothing of distances, to take their meals
in ten minutes, to rush about here, there, and everywhere, the
American may be called the very essence of locomotion. He
travels not only without suffering, but without feeling fatigue.
" WeU and good ; but then one's intellectual enjoyments — the
study of the interesting artistic objects one sees ; the historical
recollections they evoke." . . . . " Nothing is more simple.
In the evening one reads in one's guide book what one is to
see the next day." " But one would be worn out with having
to digest and take in so many new impressions all at once."
" Not in the least" In the first place, these impressions are
often only on the surface ; and then it seems as if the intel
lectual powers of an American are differently constituted from
our own. Certainly some of their books of travels that I have
read are singularly superficial and vapid. It is also true that the
greater portion of the American travellers whom we meet with in
Europe are nouveaux-riches, without any literary knowledge. But
I have known others, who, in spite of the rapidity of their
pilgrimage through Europe, have struck me by the fairness
and, what is more remarkable, by the novelty of their appre
ciations of what they have seen. To judge by what General
Sheridan told me of his Odyssey, I place him in the latter
category. He is, besides, a military man, and has traveUed
and observed in that sense. The study of a new rifle or
gaiter, and a comparison between different armies, have
occupied and impressed him more than the cupola of St
Peter's or the faUs of the Rhine.
A charming woman, charming both by her manners and by
her cultivation, with a mind well stored with serious reading,
and belonging to one of those old Eastern States which still
preserve their British origin, was my daily neighbour at table.

V. CHICAGO. ,53
during one of my voyages to America. She had just returned
from the "great tour" of Europe, and I delighted in making
her talk about it What interested me first in her was the entire
absence of prejudice ; there was nothing conventional about
her. She had that sort of moral courage which says frankly
what it feels. Her judgment may in some things have been
superficial, but her instincts were always just ; and her mind
was specially turned towards practical things. " Ah ! Austria,"
she exclaimed ; " what a fine country ! They bothered us
frightfully at the custom-house on the frontiers of Hungary,
however. But I forgive them, for those good Austrians are
such a practical people." I blushed with pleasure, for I had
not been used to such a compliment. " Only look," she Con
tinued, " how well they prop their telegraph wires ! And at
Vienna have you remarked by what a simple and ingenious
process, by means of little cups and a chain, they manage to
raise their bricks to the upper storeysof their buildings? Then,
in the neighbourhood of Salzburg, I was so struck by that kind
of wooden stage on which the peasants dty their hay," &c.
A journey to Europe is an understood social necessity in
America, and forms an indispensable element in their educa
tion. Anyone wh& has a pretension to elegance must have
visited the old world. Formerly, those who had fulfilled that
duty took the title of hadji (pilgrim) ; but the present genera
tion would ridicule such an idea. These journeys resemble
the "great tour" which young Englishmen of noble families
used to make in the seventeenth century and at the beginning
of the eighteenth. Women, especially, attach immense import
ance to them. There are some men, who, having only lately ac
quired large fortunes, deliberately make up their minds to sacri
fice almost all they have gained for this object. They take expen
sive couriers, occupy the best rooms at every hotel, have mag
nificent horses and carriages, and buy fine works of art. When
they retum home they are well-nigh ruined. But never mind.
They feel themselves ennobled by the process, satisfied with
themselves, and quite ready to begin again to make their for
tunes ; and redescend in the social scale as butchers, pedlars,
waiters, or even porters, according to their physical strength
and ability. Young men of a serious tum of mind, who think
of marrying, or, as they call it, " settling " in life, take pains

54 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
to ascertain first of aU if the object of their affections has: a
strong wish to go to Europe. I observed in one of my voyages
a young man who evidently avoided much intercourse with his .
fellow-passengers, and who, sitting by himself in a corner, was
always looking at his watch. One day, I ventured to ask him
why he was so impatient " It is not impatience," he replied ;
" it is regret : " and he showed me his watch. On the dial-
plate .was a coloured photograph of a young and pretty woman.
" That is my wife," he continued. " You think her beautiful ?
WeU, she was so, but alas ! she is dead. I went tO Eurojie to
try and divert my thoughts. I am in the fur trade, and a friend
of mine told me that St Petersburg was a gay town. I went
there, but found no distraction or pleasure ; so I am going
back to America as sad as I went. I always fancy I hear my
wife walking behind or beside me ; but when I turn my liead
to look at her, she has disappeared. That's why I can't help
continually looking at my watch, which holds her portrait, She
loved me devotedly, and she was a good wife. She prevented
my doing foolish things, and saying unkind things of my
neighbours, or spending my evenings in the bar-room. She
was a first-rate manager too, and never asked to be taken to
Europe. No Europe-going, no such nonsense!" He said
this in a dry, matter-of-fact tone, without betraying any emotion.
I lost sight of him during the rest of the voyage, and only met
him again at the moment of landing. I asked to be allowed
to look once more at his watch. This mark of sympatljy;|||;i
touched him. He reddened, and tears rushed unbidden into
his dull, expressionless eyes. But he only said, " She was
very fond of me, and never spoke of going to Europe."
I have now been three days at Chicago, and it seems to me
that I have exhausted the subject. In the Far West, the towns
are quickly seen and are all alike. One may say the same
thing of the hotels, which play so great a part here, not only
in the life of a traveller, but in those of the residents. A great
number of families, especially newly-married couples, Hve It
hotels. This method saves expense and the bothers of house
keeping ; it makes also the transition easy from one town to
another, as such changes are so frequent in America. But it
has the inconvenience of condemning the young wife to a life

V, CHICAGO, 55
of idleness and soUtude. All day long the husband is at his
office, or in his counting-house. He only comes in at meal
times, and devours his food with the silence and expedition of
a starving man. Then he rushes back to his treadmill. If
there are any children, they go to school when they are five or
six years old, by themselves, both going and coming, and pass
the rest of their days exactly as they please, no one thinking
it right to interfere with their liberty. Paternal authority is
nil, or at any rate, is never exercised. As for education, in our
sense of the word, they have none ; but instruction, and that
a public one, is good and accessible to all. These little gen
tlemen talk loud, and are as proud and sharp as the full-grown
men of their nation ; the young girls at eight and nine years
old excel in the arts of coquetty and flirtation, and promise to
become " fast " young ladies. But nevertheless they make
good and faithful wives. If their husband should be rich, they
will help him to ruin himself by excessive extravagance in
dress ; but they will accept misery with equal calmness and
resignation, and fly into the same follies as of old the moment
there is a change in the wheel of fortune.
The " home " of the Anglo-Saxon race, so dear to their
hearts, is only a secondary consideration in the lives of their
cousins beyond the seas. This is easily explained. In the
new world, rhan is born to conquer. All his life is a perpe
tual struggle, a forced rivalry from which he cannot exempt
himself, a race in the open field across terrible obstacles,
with the prospect of enormous gains if he reaches the goal.
He neither would nor could remain with his arms folded.
He must embark in something ; and once embarked, he must
go on and on for ever ; for if he stops, those who foUov/ him
would cmsh him under their feet To penetrate the virgin
forests, to make tracks which the next generation will turn into
high roads-j to convert the rolling prairies into cultivated
lands ; to civilize the red-skins, which he does by exterminating
them ; to open the way to civilization and Christianity ; to
conquer savage nature and create a new continent for the use
of man — this is the mission which Providence has assigned to
him. His life is one long campaign, a succession of never-
ending fights, marches, and counter-marches. In such a mili
tant existence, what place is left for the sweetness, the repose.

S6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
the intimacy of home or its joys ? Is he happy ? Judging by
his tired, sad, exhausted, anxious, and often delicate and un
healthy appearance, one would be inclined to dOubt it Such
an excess of uninterrupted labour cannot be good for any man.
It exhausts his physical powers, puts all intellectual enjoyments
out of the question, and destroys all recollection of souL
But it is the woman who suffers the most from this- r^gim^.
She never sees her husband but once in the day, for half an
hour at most ; and in'the evening, when, worn out with fatigue,
he comes home to sleep. She Cannot lighten his burden or
share his labour, anxiety, and cares, for she knows nothing oi
his business, or, for want of time, there has been little or no
interchange of thought between them. Even as a mother, her
share in the education of her children is of the smallest Her
little ones, as soon as they can run alone, pass their lives away
from her, out of the house, and really bring themselves up.
They are entirely ignorant of the obedience or respect due to
their parents ; but, on the other hand, they learn early to do
without their care or protection, and to suffice to .themselves.
They ripen quickly, and prepare themselves from their tender-
est years for the fatigues and struggles of the over-excitmg,
harsh, adventurous life which awaits them. Besides all this, if
she is boarding at one of these huge caravanserais, a woman
has not even the resource and occupation which ordinaty
domestic details involve. Is it as a compensation for these
privations that American society surrounds her with privileges
and attentions which are unknown in the old world ? Evety
where and at all hours she may appear alone in public. She
may travel alone from the borders of the Atlantic to the Gulf
of Mexico, or the states ofthe Pacific. Evetywhere she is the
object of a respectful gallantry, which might be called chivalric,
if it were less frivolous, and which sometimes becomes even
grotesque and ridiculous. For example, I am sitting in one of
those tramway-cars which cross all the principal streets of the
great towns. A tap of a parasol or a fan rouses me from my
meditations, or perhaps from sleep ; and I see standing right
in front of me a young woman, who looks at me from head to
foot, with an imperious, haughty, and even angry expres'iion.
I wake up to the situation, and hasten to give her my seat,
which she takes at once, without deigning to thank me, even

V, CHICAGO. 57
bya look or a smile. The consequence is, that I am obliged
to perform the rest of my journey standing in a most uncom
fortable position, and to hold on by a leather strap, which is
fastened for that purpose along the roof of the carriage. One
day, a young girl had expelled, in a peculiarly cavalier fashion,
a venerable old man from his seat, who was likewise lame. At
the moment of her leaving the carriage, one of the travellers
called her back : " Madam, you have forgotten something."
She turned hastily to retrace her steps. " You have forgotten
to thank this gentleman ! "
European travellers have often spoken admiringly of this
gallantry. I own that I found it, on the contrary, foolish
and excessive ; foolish like so many other things in America ;
¦ as, for example, in the hotels, the excessive luxury of the
public rooms, where the magnificent furniture is so little in
harmony with the very mixed society you meet in them. On
the other hand, it is the fashion to disparage American women.
People call them frivolous, flirting, extravagant, always run
ning after pleasure. These accusations seem to me unfounded
and unjust The American woman bears the stamp of the
position in which she is placed and the atmosphere around her.
As a young girl, she naturally follows the inclinations of her
sex, which are not, as with us, regulated and controlled by the
teaching and example of a mother. She wishes tD please, and
if she is naturally lively, she will become " fast ; " that is, she
will laugh loud, and, by smart repartees and piquant looks, will
endeavour to attract and retain round her the greatest possible
number of young men. But this vulgar coquetry, however
jarring to good taste, rarely goes beyond a certain point. Only,
beardless boy, just arrived from Europe, don't be taken in by
her ! Be on your guard. There is always a father, a brother,
or an uncle near, who, with his revolver, or the bowie-knife
(the Arkansas toothpick) under his arm, is quite ready to ask
you, with all imaginable politeness, if your intentions be fair
and honourable.
Married women in America are, as a mle, unexceptionable.
If they are too fond of dress, it is generally their husbands
who wish it. If they are often seen abroad, it is that they
have nothing ti do at home. If they are rather free and easy,
it is that iuch manners are allowed in society. It is after

S8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. V.
aU but bad taste — not a sin. Their minds are generally well
cultivated, for they read a great deal, and that not only novels,
but English classic authors and encyclopedias. And they
frequent public lectures and literary conversaziones which are
held in all the great towns of the Union. Although they enjoy
perfect freedom and live idle lives, and are without any settied
occupation (far more often than the ladies of Europe), their
conduct is above reproach. I do not mean that in great cities
like New York there may not be some scandals and' misunder
standings. But I do mean that, as a whole, family life is
healthy and pure, and that American women are worthy of the
respect and consideration of which they are the objects.'
' What I have here said on family life in America applies especially to
the Western and Pacific States. New England, in these resjiects, is mora
like Europe.

CHAPTER VL
FROM CHICAGO TO THE .^ALT LAKE CITY.— FROM THE
ist TO THE 4lh OF JUNE.
Mr. Pullman and his Cars. — The Mississippi. — Race between two Trains. —
Omaha. — The Prairies. — The Valley of La Plata. — The Indians. — A
Stationmaster scalped. — Stations on the Pacific Railway. — Cheyenne. —
The Roughs. — The life of United States Officera in the Far West. —
Passage of the Rocky Mountains — Fearful descent of Mount Wahsatch. —
Brigham Young at Ogden. — Arrival in the Capital of the ftfornions.
At Chicago I made the acquaintance of a great man. Every
one has heard of the Pullman cars. Those who are going to
travel to any great distance always tty to procure one, and
then marvel that this philanthropic vehicle has not yet been
introduced on any of the European lines of railway. The
inventor, who is just returned from Constantinople and Vienna,
said to me : " Europeans are not yet ripe for these kinds of
comforts ; they don't know how to travel ; but by and by they
will understand and appreciate me."
Mr. Pullman is a man still young, with an intelligent face, a
grave air, and an imposing manner. He speaks little, and that
with the consciousness of his own value, as well as of the value
of his time, every minute of which represents so many dollars
and cents. By dint of study and experience, thanks also to a
mind fertile in expedients, and to an extraordinary amount of
patience, he has contrived to solve this problem : i.e. how to
protect the railway traveller from cold and heat, from dust and
shaking, and to surround him with all the comforts of a well-
o/dered house. The excessive luxuty and overdone ornamen-

6o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
tation of his cars are perhaps in questionable taste ; but they
have the approbation of the American public. Such a carriage
costs from 20,000 to 25,000 dollars. Hence the great additional
expense for those who use them, but which is compensated for
by the convenience and still more by the greater security for
health of this means of locomotion. In America, where the
distances are immense, people generally go straight through to
their destination without stopping. From New York to New
Orleans the distance is upwards of 1,800 mUes, and to .St.
Francisco 3,300 miles. This last journey is generally accom
plished in seven days and nights. One understands, therefore,
the necessity of Pullman's cars and the deserved popularity
they enjoy. In Europe, on the other hand, it very rarely
happens that a traveUer passes more than thirty-six or forty-
eight hours in a train without stopping. The extra expense is,
therefore, not so justifiable, and I fancy that that is the real
obstacle to the introduction of those carriages into our country.
They are in use, however, on all the great lines of the Union.
All the plant has lately passed into the hands of a company of
which Mr. Pullman is the president the director, and the
principal shareholder. They tell me that the shares realize 12
per cent, and that he is himself a millionaire.
This morning he received me at the station, and placed me
in one of the compartments containing a state-room. This is
what a little drawing-room is called which is situated in the
centre of the compartment and takes up its whole breadth,
saving a tiny passage reserved for circulation between the two
extremities of the carriage.
During- the night, the state-room is transformed into a bed
room, and in the morning into a dressing-room. All the
an-angements are perfect. A man who excels in his profession,
be it what it may, is a man horsdigne. I saw with pleasure .
the marks of respect shown to Mr. 'Pullman by the workmen,
officials, and general public, as he solemnly conducted me
through the magnificent halls of the great station. It was
another Louis XIV. walking through the ante-chambers of
Versailles. If you vrish to convince yourself of the folly of
people's dreams of equality, come to America. Here, as.
everywhere else, there are kings and princes. They have
always been, and always will be to the end of time.

VL FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT LAKE CITY. 6i
Three lines of railway belonging to three different companies
run from hence to the banks of the Missouri in front of Omaha.
The longest route has been chosen for me. It is called the
C. B. Q. R. line, which, being interpreted, means Chicago Burling
ton and Quincy Railroad. On these three lines, the trains start
and anive almost at the same moment. It is a sort of race
with the bell. On either side the rails disappear in the horizon
as they take their straight course through the scarcely undulating
plains of Illinois. Everywhere one sees farms surrounded with
gardens, thin, tall trees, and fields which give the traveller the
delusive idea that he is in a cultivated country. In reality,
millions of hands are still wanted before this State can be
civilized. We started early in the morning. At five o'clock dinner is
announced. It is served in the dining-car, and is worthy of
one of the best hotels in New York, always excepting Prevost
House, which has no parallel in the two hemispheres. These
meals have but one inconvenience ; but to me it is an insur
mountable one. The train is continually enveloped in thick
clouds of dust To escape it, one is compelled to close the
ventilators and shut the double windows. Hence a positively
stifling atmosphere redolent of smells of kiti;hen. I believe
that this system of dining-cars does not pay, and will probably
be given up. It has already been abandoned on the Pacific
line, and beyond the Missouri.
At seven o'clock we are passing at a foot's space across the
Mississippi, on a bridge of recent and bold construction. It
seems to bend under our weight, and gives a rolling motion to
the carriages, like ships in a swell at sea. This magnificent
river rolls its silent waters between woody, flat banks, lit up,
as if by magic, at this moment, by the last rays of the setting
sun. _ The extreme beauty of the scenety strikes you the more
from its grand simplicity. Stamped with profound melancholy
and savage grandeur, it is one of those scenes which remain
graven for ever in the memoty of the traveller. Hardly have
we arrived on the right bank, when a turn of the road enables
us to look back and catch a glimpse of the bridge we have just
crossed. Against the flaming sky, a spider's web seems to be
thrown over the stream and cut horizontally above. One asks
oneself how it is possible that such a bit of filagree work can

62 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
bear a whple train. At this very moment a single locomotive
is crossing it alone, slowly, and as if hesitatingly. It reminded
me of Blondin on his rope, and I shut my eyes involuntarily.
After a short halt at Buriington, the train flies at fuU speed
through the green and grassy ]5rairies of the young state of
Iowa. Here and there some fine groups of trees break the
monotony. Night is closing in; but in the smoking car we
are a jolly set. M. B., a rich banker of St. Francisco, a man
of the world, whose manners leave nothing to be desired, the
Attorney-general of Nebraska, the very type of a farmer of
the Far West, who laughs, and smokes, and spits, and has
nothing of the bar about him, and a great manufacturer from
Pennsylvania, are the principal speakers. They talk of every
thing under the sun. Of the Alabama treaty, of the discontent
of the South, of President Grant, of his chance at the coming
elections, and, without disturbing the peace ot our Attorney-
general, of the deplorable venality of the judges. One of the
most irritating topics is that of the tariffs. The Californian
banker and the owner of the Pennsylvanian manufactories
discuss it with great liveliness. Each side becomes excited,
but only half angry. They like hyperbole, and use it freely.
But I do not hear one cutting or surly word. I have very
often been present at similar discussions, and, amidst the se,;,
of words, empty enough when they treat of questions of theory
or politics, but full of strong sound sense when it is a question
of practical life, I have always remarked that even underneath
the sarcasms which their very exaggeration makes inoffensive;
there pierces a fund of good humour, and an absence of
bitterness, which is very rare with us between antagonistic
parties. This is easily explained. In this young society, which
can dispose of illimitable space, vital questions do not exist
for individuals, in this sense, that everyone is sure to find bread
for himself and his own, and runs no danger of dying of hunger.
If he does not succeed in the east, he goes to the north or the
west In the struggle of conflicting interests — I speak now
of the interests of individuals, not of political struggles — there
may be shocks and reverses, but none of the combatants are
crushed ; no one remains on the field. The worst that can
happen to a man is to have to choose another line than the
one he had originally adopted. He is free to try another. No

VL FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT LAKE CITY. 63
prejudice stops him, and, what is more important, there is
room for everybody. It follows that in wordy duels as well as
others, they do not fight to the death. Europe has not this
advantage. Prejudices, traditions, customs, laws, especially
competition, that terrible enemy of a youth beginning his career
in life, form, in our old society, barriers which it is difficult, if
not impossible, to overcome. He who has once been ship
wrecked, finds it very difficult to get afloat again ; a man who
has once sunk, cannot regain his footing or find a new road.
He cannot, like the men we see here every day, be one day a
butcher, or a waiter at an inn ; to-morrow a banker ; then go
back to his first starting-point, to become in a year or two
general of mUitia, a lawyer, or a minister of some religious
congregation. In a word, in Europe it is very difficult to gain
one's livelihood ; competition is keener; vital interests are at
stake, and the great question of " to be or not to be." Can
we then look upon it as strange that the very desperation of
the struggle makes men equally violent in debate ?
The night wears on. We are going from fifty to sixty miles
an hour ; the conversation does not flag. But what a curious
group we are ! There are positions and costumes worthy only
of the Far AVest For my part, I have my head encircled
between a pair of great jack-boots. T hey belong to a big man
seated behind me, who finds it convenient to stretch out his legs
above my arm-chair. He is a rich farmer from Illinois. Only
now and then, when his mouth is not filled with tobacco smoke,
does he condescend to take part in the conversation; but when
he does speak, it is strongly. " I'he republic has had its day,"
he exclaimed ; " what we want now is a dictatorship. There
are only two classes of men in the States : those who pay, and
those who are paid — the tax-payers and the government func
tionaries. The first hate and despise the second. Everything
is going to the devil, and a military dictatorship is the only
thing which can put things straight" On this topic every
man becomes eloquent At last they agree upon the necessity
of preserving the republic. " It is indispensable," they argue,
" as long as we have such a mass of uncultivated land. When
America is more populated, then we must have a military
dictatorship." This IS not the first time that I hear this question ventilated.

64 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
I have often been surprised at the way in which the form of
government is discussed. The actual constitution is accepted
as an accomplished fact, and even as a necessity, as times go.
But no one seems to be really in favour of a republic. Many,
on the contrary, are disgusted with it and own it frankly. But,
on the other hand, it would be a great mistake to suppose that
the United States had any monarchical tendencies. What they
need is a strong government It is for that reason that they
are always talking of a military dictatorship; not as a probable
eventuality, but as an impossible dream. It is quite another
thing if anyone brings up the subject of the separation
between North and South, that is, of the dismemberment of
the great American empire. Then their blood is up at once
— the Northerners, because they are determined to maintain
the integrity of the Union at any -price, and the civil war
proves that they are in earnest ; and the Southerners, because
they are equally determined to seize the first opportunity to
bring about a separation. It is a subject which had better be
avoided. It gives rise to explosions of wrath on all sides, and
sometimes to more active measures, for it touches the most
vital interests of both parties, which are utterly and hopelessly
irreconcilable. June 2nd. — At nine o'clock in the rooming we pass by the
Council Bluffs, or certain isolated circular hills, so called because
they were the places of meeting in former times between the
chiefs of the wild Indians and the agents of the government
A few minutes later we first saw the Missouri. It winds sadly
enough between low, treeless banks, without any vegetation.
Earth and water bear the same dull, mud colour. But if this
great river oft'ers few attractions to the eye, we have a compensa
tion in one of those excitements which break the monotony of
American railway journeys. I have said that there are three
rival lines belonging to different companies. At first, they run
apart, then parallel to one another, till they finally converge
into one at the great Missouri terminus. On these three lines
three trains leave Chicago at the same hour. A few minutes
before running into the station, we behold one of these anta
gonistic trains running after us at full speed. The driver of
our locomotive makes it a point of honour to come in first. By

VI. FROM CHIC A GO TO THE SAL T-LAKE CITY. 65
a special miracle we dash into the station without being run
into and smashed to atoms by the monster behind us. By
another miracle we escape being plunged into the river. Every
one holds his breath till the danger is over. The bridge not
being finished, we pass over in a ferry-boat to Omaha, which
is on the right bank of the Missouri. This town, which is only
just springing into existence, owes its name to a once-femous
Indian tribe. In i860, it reckoned only about 2,000 inhabit
ants. In succeeding years, its numbers were quadrupled. It
reached its minimum (about 16,000) during the making of
the Pacific Railway ; since which time Omaha has lost much of
its importance and a large portion of its population.
The passengers stop about two hours here. During that time
I walk about the station. A young Frenchman in a blouse,
with an intelligent face and horny hands, who dilates on the
misfortunes of his country and its causes with remarkable
clearness and freedom, offers to be my guide. He is the first
French emigrant I have met since I left the banks of the
Atlantic. Here I find myself in vety truth on the frontiers
between savage nature and civilized life. Everything tells of
struggle and victory ; victoty over the soil, which has at last
yielded its treasures ; over extremes of climate ; and last, not
least, over the former masters of the soil — the buffalo and the
Indian. At twelve o'clock we leave Omaha, and cross the state of
Nebraska from one end to the other.
The U. P. R. R. , or Union Pacific Railroad, has only one
line, which is amply sufficient for the traffic, and so we go at a
very slow rate, that is, only twenty or twenty-five miles an hour.
There is only one departure in the day. Mr. Pullman has had
the courtesy to telegraph, so that a state-room compartment is
reserved for me.
The sky is clear and beautiful ; the countty looks like one
vast sea. No rising ground is in sight It is like the ocean,
but an ocean of evety shade of lovely green, brilliant and
bright in the sunshine, darker and tenderer in the shade. Here
we are in the vast, grand prairies. One seems to breathe a new
life in this fresh, elastic, scented air. It is the vety type of
unlimited liberty. A prisoner as I was in my railway cell, I
could not help envying two horsemen whom I saw galloping

66 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
right across the plain, sometimes almost disaf)pearing in the
long grass. What a pleasure it must be to be able to ride like
that without drawing rein throOgh unlirhited space !
The railroad mns continually to the left of the river Plata.
On the right bank one sees the tracks and ruts formed by the
bullock waggons and caravans which formerly were the only
methods of conveyance across this mighty continent The
guard pointed out to me two or three black specks in the
distance ; they were antelopes. We did not come near them ;
but at Fremont, at dinner, and when we supped at Great
Island, we tasted the flesh of this animal. It was rather hard,
but vety like roedeer. At Columbus, which is ninety-two miles
from Omaha, we were in the geographical centre of the United
States. The evening is singularly clear and beautiful. The sky is
liquid towards the west, tender green over our heads, and
deep blue towards the east The air is transparent and pure
beyond description. One single cloud is visible, which shrouds
with fantastic shapes the golden disk of the setting sun ; sheet-
lightning dances from behind it evety two minutes. At the
moment when the day-star sinks behind the horizontal line of
the prairie, a slight shower falls, and a piercing cold succeeds
to the burning heat of the expiring day.
June 3^^.— During the night, always foUowing the borders of
the Plata, we come into the land of buffaloes. Here they
pass and repass the river ; they seek a more temperate climate
in winter, and come back again in the spring. This region
extends from east to west over 200 miles. But where are the
troops of buffaloes which travellers, with somewhat vivid
imaginations, describe on their way to the Pacific? They
have seen them, perhaps, but only with the eyes of their minds,
for, with the exception of two short moments on their passage,
the buffaloes have completely disappeared from the line of the
railway. We pass through the Wood River Valley, the scene
of many unknown tragedies in past times, when the whites
were scalped without a question, and evety inch of the way had
to be fought for by the colonists at the sword's point, with the
ancient lords of the soil. Later on, in the middle of the night,
dunng a halt at Willow Island, I was shown some block-

VL FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT-LAKE CITY. 67
houses, either crenellated or strengthened by ditches. At all
the stations we come upon little detachments of troops, who
have the painful and often dangerous mission of watching the
Indians, so as to insure the safety of the stations and trains.
Fortunately, at this moment the red-skins are not on the war
path; no considerable attack therefore is dreaded. But woe
to the traveller who, in a solitaty place (and here there is
nothing but solitude) should allow himself to be surprised !
Woe to the settler who is not prepared with his revolver to
defend himself against a night attack ! For even in a time of
peace like the present, there are plenty of amateurs ready to
pounce on any luckless whites who may find themselves unarmed
on their path. If you are disposed to be nervous, don't listen
to what they tell you of the Indians, either during your short
stoppages at the stations or in your smoking carriages. Not
that you need take all their stories for gospel; but even allowing
for gross exaggerations, there is enough left to make one shudder,
especially when these stories are told you on the very places
where they took place. A pedlar, who regularly makes the
journey to Montana, is good enough to describe the sensation
of being scalped. It is afterwards that the agony is so atrocious.
As to the operation itself, it is the work of a moment There
are vety few instances where a man who has been scalped
survives the martyrdom. We are to see a specimen, however,
to-morrow, in a station-master of one of the chief stations on
the Union RaUroad, and the guard has promised to introduce
me to this singular gentleman, who has learnt to live with a
cranium guiltless of hair and skin. On the whole, thanks to
the energetic measures of General Sheridan, the road is safe
enough, always excepting accidents. Only you must be careful
not to stray from the main road ; not to delay between two
stations ; and not to place yourself in the last carriage.
Towards morning we arrive at North Plata city, which
was formerly a most flourishing town, being the central point ot
departure for the waggons and caravans destined for Mexico
and Colorado. The completion of the railway has now well-
nigh ruined this town, and reduced its population to the tenth
part of what it was two years ago. At sunrise, we find ourselves
4,000 feet above the level of the sea ; we stop to breakfast at
Sidney.

68 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
All these stations are alike. They consist of a ftvf wooden
houses, or sometimes merely a scaffolding with canvas stretched
over it A few wretched ragged Indians wearing the remains
of a shirt or a pair of trousers, which the big father, the Presi
dent of the Republic, distributes annually among them, are
standing about and staring at the passengers with emaciated,
dull, heavy countenances, scratching their skins and their heads
— the very pictures of moral degradation. These are what they
call friendly Indians ; that is, Indians who have left the war
path, and are by way of being semi-civilized. The women
carry their children back to back on their shoulders, so that
the poor littie creatures are forced to follow evety movement
of their mothers. I have seen them washing clothes in a pond,
and bent so completely forward that the children on their backs
were turned topsy-turvy.
But we have no time to lose. There are 30 minutes stop
page allowed for each meal — three a day. Everyone rushes
furiously towards the black man who sounds the gong, which
indicates the door of the restaurant, while the locomotive lets
off its steam, so that the row is fearful. The passengers run
to the door to try who shall first seize on a chair, so as to make
the most of their 30 minutes. The bill of fare is always the
same — a dish of antelope meat, one or two sweet dishes, and
some coffee. It is good and healthy food, and, considering
the country we are in, there is no cause for complaint The
attendants are mostly young girls, who wait very well. To the
treniendous noise withou t, a complete silence has succeeded—
the invariable silence of Americans at table. Nothing is to be
heard but the clatter of knives and forks. After ten minutes,
everyone has done ; and each man hurries out, placing a dollar
in the hands of the proprietor who stands at the door. The
men rush off to the bar-room ; the women, of whom there are
few, walk up and down the steps. All of a sudden the guard
cries out " On board, gentlemen; " and when he says " All on
board," the train starts off to the sound of a church bell, hung
just above the locomotive.
On leaving Sidney we passed through a flat countty, with
httle hillocks on the horizon. ' These prairies are much vaunted
by the agents of the Company as excellent pasture land ; but
I confess the soil seemed to me poor, and the grass very thin.

VI. FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT-LAKE CITY, 69
We have just come into the Wyoming Territory, of which the
legislature first decreed the enfranchisement of women. No
other State has yet followed this example. At twelve o'clock we
arrive at Cheyenne City, more than six thousand feet above the
level of the sea. This town, the most important after Omaha,
consisted, only four years ago, of one house. Soon after, it
reckoned upwards of six thousand inhabitants ; but they have
dwindled down to three thousand since the line was completed.
In the first years of its existence it was, like Denver and Jules-
burg, and other new cities in this country, the rendezvous of
all the loughs. Its orgies were fearful, and murder and rapine
were the order of the day. In the language of the place, the
young rowdies dined on a man every day ; that is, that there
was not a night, that at the gambling-tables or in the low
public-houses, which swarmed in the town, one man or other
did not come to an untimely end. At last, the better disposed
at Cheyenne organized themselves into a vigUance committee,
" and one morning," writes my Great Traf is- Continental Rail
road Guide-book, " we saw, at a convenient height above the
ground, a whole row of these desperadoes, hung on a cord.
The waming was understood ; and their companions, not
fancying a halter, relapsed into order. By which means
Cheyenne became a perfectly quiet, respectable town."
On returning to our places in the railway carriages, we met
on the steps the officers of Fort Russell, which is only three
miles, from here. They had come with their ladies in some
strong but very pretty little caniages, with capital horses and
harness. It is an object for them to come now and then to
meet the train, and enjoy, if but for a few moments, the
pleasure of communication with civilized beings. A fleeting
pleasure certainly, but one which, with buffalo hunting, con
stitutes their sole amusement What a life these men lead !
Look around you at the desolation. Even in this, the finest
season of the year, there is nothing but sand and dry mud, and
the half dead grass of last year. What will it be in the height
of summer ? And then, the frosts in winter I And yet these
are highly-educated gentlemen, accustomed to all the luxuries
of civilization, having lived half their lives in great capitals :
and now condemned to associate with none but Indians and
rowdies. They are certainly weU rewarded ; but it is not the

70 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
pay that would keep them. In America, no man who wishes
to become rich goes in for a military life. It is a feeling of
duty, and the real love of their profession, which makes them
endure this rough, hard life. I admire them for it, and still
more do I admire the fact that they find wives who are heroic
and devoted enough to share their exile.
On leaving Cheyenne, the line ascends rapidly to the sum
mit of the Rocky Mountains. Here we are at Sherman, the
highest point of the Pacific Railroad,^ at an elevation which no
other railway in the world has ever attained. The air is so dry
and rarefied that respiration is rather difficult. The descent,
which is vety dangerous towards the high land called the Park
of Laramie, is nevertheless effected without accident The
views of the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, in the midst of
which we now find ourselves, are too beautiful for description.
Ravines and smiling valleys are interspersed with mountains
on the horizon which, in spite of the extreme transparency of
the atmosphere, are simply lost in the infinite. Two peaks
were pointed out to me covered with snow — Long Peak, and
Pike Peak, one at 70, the other at 160 miles distance. Great
blocks of dark granite lie around us. Here and there, groups
of pine and cotton-wood trees relieve the savage yet grand and
picturesque character of the scenery. The necessity of cross
ing a bridge in trestie-work, 120 feet high, thrown like a
spider's web across a ravine, and called Dalesbridge, brought
me, somewhat unpleasantly, out of my ecstasy. At last, it is
safely crossed. Then to Laramie City, where we arrive at s
o'clock. Another town of wooden planks and canvas ; not a
tree in sight Some big bears are fastened to posts at the
gates : ragged Indians and desperadoes armed to the teeth,
with some of the soldiers from Fort Saunders, gather round us
at the station. We dine as we breakfasted, and as we shall
sup, the same women waiters serving the same antelope legs,
and coffee, and the same man waiting for his dollar at the
door,— then the everiasting, " On board, gentlemen."
The country maintains a uniform character. You can't
forget for a moment that you are at a great height. The
excessive transparency of the air makes the most distant moun-
' Eight thousand three hundred and forty-two feet above the level of the
sea.

VI. FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT-LAKE CITY. 71
tains seem near, and the high level on which we are travelling
gives the appearance of hillocks to the sharp peaks to our left,
covered with eternal snow. Here and there great rents in the
rock display streams of brackish water, coming from no one
knows where, and disappearing in unexplored regions. Cer
tainly this long journey piques more than satisfies one's curiosity.
At one moment the line seems to bury itself in the rocks, the
next the eye embraces a limitless horizon. But, strange to say,
in this country there is no distance. It seems as if you could
touch everything with your hand. As to the plains, they
remind one of the Campagna of Rame, minus the cupola of
St. Peter's, minus the walls of Belisarius, the aqueducts and
the tombs, and the towns and villas peeping out in briUiant
white from the green foUage of the Latin and Sabine hills. At
the moment when the sun is going to disappear, the noise of
our train startles a whole troop of antelopes. They fly across
the rocks, leaving behind them only their lengthening shadows.
Passing and beautiful vision ! which contrasts all the more
with the sUence, the immobUity, and the death-like character of
the scene.
June i^h. — The night is honibly cold. At the first dawn of
day we perceive Bitter Creek, and soon after, at the foot of a
tangled creviced wood, the rapid and transparent waters of the
Green River. Its turquoise green tint justifies the name. On
the left bank lies a large town. But no human being is visible
there, no smoke comes from its chimneys, death seems to
hover over the whole community. The fact is, its life has
really departed. The making of the railway gave it birth ; its
completion signed its death-warrant. Built only three years
ago, this town is now a deserted ruin. One lives and one dies
fast in this Far West ; or rather, life is perpetually changing
places. Behind this mournful agglomeration of abandoned
homes, the resort now only of wild beasts, the river runs
through a savage defile, where the eye cannot penetrate. High
mountains covered with snow close the horizon on the south
east Their noble and grand outlines, and the varied rose and
purple colour with which the rising sun tints their peaks,
remind me of the Edomite mountains in the great Arabian
desert Here we first come upon the Chinese race. In all

72 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE IVOr.LD, Chap.
the following stations they swarm ; some of them were talking
with the Indians, I know not in what language. Can there be
an affinity between the two races ? The officers who pass their
lives in these regions confirm this curious fact, for which
historical science has not yet been able to account ; that the
yellow immigrants can make themselves understood by the red
skins far quicker than the Avhites.
At Aspen 1 the line passes the highest defile of the
Wahsatch Mountains. These form the western side of the
American high level, while the Rocky Mountains form the
eastern. The descent to the Salt Lake is done without steam,
merely by the weight of the carriages, and although the break
is put on the wheels you go down at a frightful pace, and
of course the speed increases with the weight of tiie train;
ours being composed of an immense number of cars and
trucks, I became positively giddy before we got to the bottom.
Add to this the curves, which are as sharp as they are
numerous, and the fearful precipices on each side, and you
will understand why most of the passengers turn pale. To
enable you to admire the beauty of the ravines, the canones
of Echo and Weber, the thousand-mile tree, (so called because
it grows just i,ooo miles from Omaha), the Devil's Gate, and
other wonderfully picturesque snots, a car of observation is
attached to the train. It is a single truck, uncovered, and
without seats. Exposed to the sun and the draught of the
train, the traveller may not only admire the beauties of nature,
but also take account of the extreme danger he is evety
moment running, thanks to the defective construction and
extraordinary foolhardiness of this part of the line. Also, I
remarked that this car, though very full when we left Aspen,
was soon left empty. Very lew of the passengers had nerve
enough to stand the sight
At last our speed slackened; the glen opened out and
the promised land of the Mormons, the immense sheet of
the Salt-Lake, the green valley of the saints, and their wooded ,
hills, the whole framed by high mountains, pink, light blue,
and dark blue, unrolled themselves before the delighted eyes of
the travellers. We were all dazzled by the flow of light, '''
' Seven thousand eight hundred and thirty-five feet above tlie level of
the sea.

VI. FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT-L.IKE CITY, 73
enchanted with the beauty of the site, and astonished beyond
measure at the contrast with the desolate land we had so lately
left behind us.
At five o'clock we came to the Ogden station, situated at
the northern extremity of the Salt Lake, and forming the
terminus of the hne called the Union Pacific Railroad. From
hence to Omaha, the distance is 1,032 miles; to St Francisco,
882 miles ; while a branch hne, thirty-seven miles long, con-
stmcted by Brigham Young, leads to the Salt-Lake city.
Ogden is in its Sunday best The steps, the platform, and the
waiting-rooms of the station, are cro«jed to overflowing with
smart folk. We are in the heart of mormonism. The little
town is to-day honoured by the presence of no less a person
than the great prophet himself. President Brigham Young;
who has deigned to visit it to-day, and preach in its tabernacle.
At this moment, he is going to depart Although the ordinary
train starts for the Salt-Lake city in a quarter of an hour,
Brigham Young, with some of his wives and a numerous suite,
travels by special train. That is quite fair. Is he not
sovereign of the desert? the king of the new Jerusalem?
Standing on the platform, he salutes majestically with a wave
of his hand the crowd of Mormons, male and female, who take
off their hats and curtsey low to the great man. It was a
regular court scene, such as we often see in Europe at the
arrival or departure of our crowned heads. There was, how
ever, a shade of difference. Here nothing was factitious,
nothing conventional. And yet there was not a shadow of
enthusiasm or pleasure on those gaping faces, or in those bent
bodies, which remained immovable even for a minute or two
after the prophet had disappeared ! Was it a simple de
monstration of respect ? or an act of etiquette ? I do not
think so. It seemed to me rather a manifestation of a super
stitious belief, tormented, though perhaps not troubled, by
vague fears. It was the adoration of a Supreme Being who
had your fate at his disposal, and to whom you are irrevocably
bound ; but whom you dread far more than you love.
The stationmaster was overflowing in civility towards me.
I had of course presented to him my letter of introduction.
Although he had three trains to send off at one and the same
moment, he found time to do me a heap of httle services. He

74 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
changes my greenbacks for gold, as they do not pass currency
beyond Ogden. He takes care of my luggage. He pilots me
through the dense though silent crowd, who work violently
with their elbows. He gives me many curious details of the
"saints ;" teUs me the events of the day, and even adds his
own biography. No one could be more obliging or more help
ful. Belonging to a great New York house engaged in the fur-
trade, he made a larger fortune in an incredibly short time, and
as rapidly lost it Now he has accepted this humble place to
earn his bread. His wife shares his fortunes. She is of a good
Eastern family, yo.un|jt pretty, graceful, and determined to
accept bravely the privations of their new life. The home of
this young couple consists of one single room on a level with
the rails. But how beautifully " Madame " has arranged it !
How she has contrived to stamp it with that taste, elegance,
and coquetry of a woman of the world ! There are beautiful
flowers, a comfortable arm-chair, a good oil-painting, one or two
bits of pretty Oriental china brought by one of those ambula
tory children of the Celestial Empire. But so tiny ! so tiny I
The bed, which is hung with the whitest possible curtains, fills
up almost half the room ! "And the noise of the trains?" —
"Ah ! one soon gets accustomed to that" — "And the flies and
mosquitoes, those plagues of the plain ? " — " But has not
everybody got mosquito nets?" — "Yes, certainly, but the
dust, and what dust ! Why it is pure alkali ! " — " Well, one shuts
the windows." — "And you are the only 'Gentiles' in the
place." — " Quite true, but we are sufficient to ourselves. And
then at the hotel where we take our meals, they give us a
separate table " — in fact, everything is for the best One lives
on remembrance and hope. They anticipate happiness in the
future : and bear courageously bad days, hoping for better ones
by and by.
What strikes me is the European look of this crowd "which
throngs the steps. The stationmaster gives me the key of the
enigma. All these men dressed as workmen on Sundays, all
these women wearing evidently their best gowns, are English,
Norwegian, and Danes ; but the British element predominates.
Wales furnishes the largest contingent After the departure of
the great man, all the crowd mounted sadly and quickly into
the raUway cars. Women and babies swarmed. The women

VL FROM CHICAGO TO THE SALT-LAKE' CITY. 75
looked melancholy and subdued ; the men vulgar and in
significant The most distinguished personage in the mob was
an Indian warrior with a plumed head-dress, and his face all
begrimed with yellow ochre ; he looked at the Mormons, who
are defiling before him, from head to foot, with supreme dis
dain. In the carriage where I have installed myself, I have an
opportunity of watching one of the effects of polygamy.
The greater part of the men are travelling with two wives ;
some even have brought three with them ; but the youngest is
evidently the favourite. The husband does not trouble his
head about any of the others, he on||[ talks to her and buys
her cakes and frait at the station. The other neglected wives,
resigned to their fate, sit by, with sad and cross expressions.
This kind of scene is perpetually being repeated. In fact, it is
in the nature of things.
We spend two whole hours in making the thirty-seven miles
which separates Ogden from the Mormon capital. Every five
minutes we stopped at some little hamlet or isolated farm.
The railroad follows the line of the Salt Lake, which is an
immense sheet of water of a dull, metallic colour. Steep
rocks, empurpled by the setting sun, rise from its bed, Uke
branches of coral thrown on an imperfectly enameUed dish.
The countty is fine, and the effects of the light magical. If it
were not for the golden and crimson tints of the sky, the
extraordinaty cleamess and transparency of the atmosphere,
and the complete absence of those vaporous clouds which
hang towards evening over the southern countries of Europe,
one could fancy oneself on the coasts of Sicily or of Andalusia.
At last, towards night, we arrive at Salt-Lake City, and I alight
at the Old Townsend's, that is, at one of the most abominable
inns which I have ever had the misfortune to meet with in the
two hemispheres.

CHAPTER VII.
SALT LAKE CITY,— ^OM THE 4th TO THE 7th OF JUNE,
Appearance of the Town. — The modern Crusaders. — The Mormon Theatre
and Tabernacle. — Townsend Hotel. — The Indians and Indian Agents.—
Douglas Camp. — The Canones. — Brigham Young. — Mormonism.
What a curious town ! The houses are invisible. Entirely
surrounded by fruit-trees, they are hidden from sight Acacias
and cotton-trees (unknown to the east of the Missouri, of which
the flower resembles balls of cotton), form a thick green
curtain stretched all along what seem apparently interminable
avenues. As in all American towns, these avenues cross one
another at right angles, from north to south, and from east to
west On both sides, mountain torrents roll in abundant if not
limpid streams. They are the great treasures of the countty.
According to the tales of the first adventurers who visited this
unknown land when it still formed part of Mexico, fresh water
was not to be procured for love or money. If you are to
believe their stories, outside the Salt Lake there was nothing-
but pools of brackish water. But Brigham Young has changed
aU this. The " Elect of God," the Moses of the Mormons,
has caused water to gush out from the stony rock, and so
conferred an inestimable blessing on the town. I wander
alone, up and down these silent avenues. To my left murmurs
the stream ; the acacias shade my head, while the cotton-trees,
lightly swayed by the morning breeze, cover me with a shower
of white flakes, like snow. At times, I perceive above the tops
of the trees the " Twins," as the two highest peaks of. the
Wahsatch are called, — two diamonds sparkling in the sun,
suspended, as it were, in the blue sky 15,000 feet above the

Chap. VH. SALT-LAKE CITY. 77
sea. On this high level, the seasons succeed one another
with great regularity. After the autumn rains, the storms and
snow-drifts of winter ; then after a short season of winds and
rain called spring, six months of summer ; that is, a burning
sun, great heat and intolerable drought The want of rain,
the dust, and, during the last half of the hot season, the flies,
are. the great plagues of the Valley of the Saints. But now
nature is spreading out all her treasures of fresh, young, in
toxicating beauty. I am breathing the elastic mountain air,
and enjoying the delicious perfume of the fields which I have
unconsciously approached, as I have come to the extreme
confines of the town. For some time I had left the last houses
behind me. The avenues stretch on and on; but they no
longer mask the houses. Spaces and plans are all marked out
for future saints to dress their tents. Here the town is merged
in the country. At a little distance, the new Jordan winds
amidst the crevices of the rocks, and reminds one of its
biblical namesake. During the whole of my walk, I have only
met one or two women, and a httle group of children with books
and satchels on their backs, coming from school, and walking
quickly without talking. On their little pale faces you already
see the care and preoccupation of those of riper years. The
sight of a stranger excites their curiosity ; they scan me with
a searching look. Not a smile or a shadow of fun is to be
seen on any one of those countenances. Then they pass on.
Every^vhere there is solitude and silence. An Indian warrior
from Utah, proudly careering on his thin jade, passes me at a
gallop. His black, long, straight, shining hair, falls on his
shoulders from under a diadem of feathers ; his face is painted
yellow and red ; his features are fierce to the last degree ; he
is armed to the teeth, and his appearance is really terrible.
Behind him, running on foot, are his two squaws, the very types
of misery and female degradation.
I turn my steps towards Main Street, the principal one of the
town, and find myself all of a sudden in a regular city of the
Far West If it were not for the Indians, and for the extra
ordinary number of women and children who, even in this busy
quarter, far outnumber the men, one would forget that one
was in the centre of Mormonism. Here there are no trees.
Houses line each side of the street The greater portion are

78 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
buUt of brick, or rather of " adobes" which are brick and mud
dried in the sun ; others of wood and beams covered with
canvas, tell of the first immigrants. The more modern build
ings have some pretension to architecture. In all of them, the
first floor consists of open shops. The walls are, without ex
ception, covered from top to bottom with gaudy advertise
ments. The streets are thronged with buUock-waggons and
carriages of every description. A stage coach, drawn by ten
horses, belonging to a company well known in the States
(Wells, Fargo, and Co.), draws a crowd and increases the con
fusion. Formerly these coaches were the only resource of the
impatient traveller; but since the railroad was opened they
have nearly disappeared. Porters, miners on foot or on
donkey-back-^in a word, a whole body of strong, intelligent-
looking men, with tanned, weather-beaten faces and brawny
arms, whose life is one continual fight with savage nature, and
who are justiy termed the pioneers of civilization, jostle one
another in the crowded thoroughfares, all intent on their
respective business. The ancient masters of the soil, the
Utahs, of a finer and less degraded race than the greater
portion of the Indians on the borders, mingle their warriors
with the Crowd. They are encamped just outside the town,
and come into it now and then, each followed by his wives.
They hold their heads high and examine carefully, without
betraying the smaUest surprise, all the wonders of modem
civilization. I met several in one of the most elegant of the
Main Street shops. They looked at everything exposed for
sale vety minutely, all the time maintaining their air of dignity
and proud indifference. The looking-glasses only put them
out, and then what bursts of laughter! They cotild not be
lieve their eyes or cease from admiring themselves. I stopped
under a shed which served also as a cart-stable. Men who
trade between Corinne and Montana are dining at rough long
tables : close to them their steeds, fastened to iron rings, are
feeding likewise, and resting their tired limbs. These gentle
men have just arrived from Virginia City (Idaho). They
have traversed thousands of miles, foUowed the Missouri up to
its source, crossed and recrossed the mountain chains which
are as the backbone of this great continent, avoided, or fought
if necessary, the Indians who harassed their path, and served

VH. SALT-LAKE CITY. 79
as escort in certain dangerous passes, to the stage coach
which rans twice a month through these desert regions. It
starts from Corinne, always full of passengers of both sexes,
but does not always arrive with all its human cargo at its
destination. Cold and fatigue, or, in summer, excessive heat,
and privations of all sorts, to say nothing of the Indians, thin
their numbers. The dead are interred in haste along the
road-side, or rather, in the deep ruts left by the wheels, and
then the rest pass on. The company I am thrown among is of
a varied character. I enter into conversation with two or
three of them, and become vety much interested in their
stories. Their lives are adventurous to the last degree ; eveiy
hour has its danger; acts of violence become a duty, or a
matter of self-preservation ; hairbreadth escapes are an
ordinaty element in these roving lives. Put yourself in the
place of these modern crasaders, compare your ideas with
theirs, with their tastes, and their habits, and you will find that
a whole abyss separates you from them. It is impossible to
understand or to judge them fairly. Some of these men are
trappers ; others horse-jockeys ; others moustavguers ; and
their little Indian horses or moustangs, harnessed in Me: ican
fashioiij remind one of Andalusia, or rather of Arabia. Tlieir
saddles and stirmps, which, shaped like slippers, protect the
foot from sun and rain, are just like those I saw in Morocco,
and among the Arab tribes. They are still in use in those
parts of Spain which were the longest under Moorish mle.
-These cavaliers wore the sombrero and short jackets, made at
New York or San Francisco, with large Spanish sashes. But
the blood which flows in their, veins is Anglo-Saxon or Celtic.
Their children are of a mixed breed; having mostiy Indian
mothers. The group I was talking to was worthy of the pencil
of one of the great masters of the seventeenth century. Not
one of these bronzed faces had a commonplace or ordinary ex
pression. Strong, uncontrcdled passion are reflected in these
countenances ; the index of bold, resolute natures, sometimes
vicious and cruel, oftener calm, cynical, and determined.
In ;the :foi«noon, "old" Townsend took me to see the
tabernacle. It is a long low hall, entirely bare and destitute
of religious emblems, with a raised dais at one end, on which
werer: placed the- arm-chairs of the prophet and bishops, the

8o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
whole being covered by a heavy oval cupola, which is rightly
compared to a dish-cover, such as they use in England for
covering hot joints. Alongside they are building a new temple,
which is to be an immense edifice of cut stone, in the Roman
style. But only the foundations are as yet laid : and no one
hopes or seems to wish for the new tabernacle to be completed.
There are scarcely any men at work on it, for both money and
fervour are wanting.
The theatre is lar more popular. This is one of the thousand
schemes of Brigham Young, and the great resource of the
inhabitants of the Salt-Lake City. It is opened every night
The house is badly decorated, and still worse lit In the pit
I saw groups of children, who had evidently come all alone.
On benches and in the galleries sat a number of men in
blouses with their wives (two or three apiece), dressed with a
certain amount of care. The Prophet, who has reserved for
himself the best box near the stage, had not, contraty to his
usual custom, made his appearance that evening ; but I saw
through the curtains one of the youngest of his wives, who
was very graceful and pretty, and in a toilet which might be
called elegant. One of Brigham's own daughters, Mrs. Alice
Clawson, whose talent is justly appreciated, played the principal
part. She married a man in easy circuinstances, which, how
ever, does not prevent her accepting a good salary. The
piece, a sensational drama, which had a great run in England
some years ago, and is full of English habits and institutions,
contrasts singularly with the public of the New Jerusalem.
Society of the middle ages, as painted by Shakespeare, is not
wider apart than is high life in England at this moment com
pared with the social state of the Mormons. Nevertheless, the
play was listened to with great attention, although there was
neither laughter nor clapping. I am told that Brigham Young,
who is himself the censor, and excludes all indecent pieces, is
very anxious to encourage people to go to his theatre. It is in
his hands a kind of school of art, whereby he strives to refine
the habits of a society which has been reduced by circum
stances, as we shall presently see, to a condition of perpetual
forced labour.
It is two o'clock— the heat is terrible ; the sun is at a white

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. 8 1
heat It 5s the dinner hour of the place, and the guests at
"Old" Townsend's are waiting with no small impatience. A
large company is gathered in the veranda. The ladies, some of
them very well dressed, are grouped on one side. They are
almost all miners' wives. Their smart recherche toilets, and the
efforts they make to look lady-like, contrast droUy enough with
the appearance of their husbands, who rush in straight from
their mines, covered with sweat, mud, and dust These men
sit, or rather lie, on arm-chairs arranged side by side in straight
lines. The attitudes of these gentiemen defy description. One
must have seen them — and that can only be done in the Far
West Others stand close to the door waiting for the first stroke
of the bell, to msh into the dining-room and seize the best
places. They smoke and spit, but no one talks. The women
sometimes whisper to one another in a low voice, but con
versation is evidently considered out of place.
All this society is composed of gentiles, miners and their
families, commercial travellers, clerks, and government agents.
In consequence, the head of the establishment the "gentleman"
at the office, and even the waiters, look at us with an evil eye,
and the service corresponds with their hostile feelings. This
influx of unbelievers irritates and frightens them. Alas ! the
good old times of Mormonism are over. The masses, perhaps,
do not realize it ; but no intelligent man can doubt the fact
Certainly, Mr. Townsend, the dignitaiy of the tabernacle, is not
the model of an innkeeper. He pays little or no attention to
his house, and still less to his guests. He leaves everything
to his two wives, who bear the burden and heat of the day, if
not civiUy, at least with a patience and resignation worthy of
a better cause. I was really sorty for them. They are a con
trast to the " gentleman " at the office, who will not condescend
to answer any of your questions, and if you ask him for your
key, answers you : "Look for it yourself." The landlord passes
his time in sublime contemplation. His arm-chair is placed at
the extreme end of the veranda. There, lying on his back, his
head thrown on one side, he seems lost in the contemplation
of his feet, which are placed high above his person, against a
branch of a high acacia. This extraordinary position is cer
tainly not graceful, but we presume it must be comfortable, as
he keeps in it for hours together. At last the signal is given,
G

8z A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
The ladies enter first, gravely, in single file. Afterwards evety
man runs, struggles, treads on the other's toes, or fights with
his elbows, one more vigorously than the other. Doctor C.
has fortunately taken me under his protection. He is a man
of mark, who, in consequence, has a place reserved for him,
and manages to squeeze me in alongside. These meals have
but one merit, and that is to be able to be despatched in ten
minutes. They give you nothing but one dish of hard, badly-
cooked meat, and one or two cakes. For dessert, you have
very good wild strawberries — for drink, pure water. The bar
or taproom does not exist : the law forbids it. Nevertheless
the Mormons manage to elude the commandment, and wine
and spirits abound in their own houses. The only happy
moment is the one when one can leave the dinner-table with
the proud satisfaction of feeling one has accomplished a painful
duty. During my three days at the Salt-Lake City, Doctor C. is
good enough to give me his spare moments. For many ^'~
he practised on the banks of Lake Superior, and on the Upp
Mississippi, amidst the Indian tribes ; and his accounts of th^
races interested me extremely. They confirmed all that h^
been told me on this head at New York and Washington. 3
is from their perfect accordance with the inforttiation I@
obtained from the highest and most reliable sources thatl
attach so much value to the reminiscences and opinions of i
man vi^ho has passed so large a portion of his hfe among the
red-skins. " I abstain," he said, " from all expression of opinion on
the system which the Central Government, together with the
Congress, has adopted with regard to the Indians. I accept it
as a fact, and I suppose, or rather I am persuaded, that the
President, the big father of these unfortunate races, has the
wish and firm intention of observing the engagements entered
into with the different tribes. But amongst the Government
Indian agents there are thorough rogues. They keep backj
for their own use or profit, the greater part of the gifts in food
and clothes which the Government of Washington annually
sends for the Indians, and which it is the business of these
agents to distnbute. And not only do they appropriate a part
of these objects, but what remains is replaced by articles of an

Vn. SALT-LAKE CITY. 83
Inferior quality. This explains the enormous fortunes which
these men make in a few years ; but it also explains the dis
content and periodical hostilities of the red-skins and their
indiscriminate massacres, from time to time, of the whites.
Things revolve for ever in the same vicious circle. The
Indians complain of the agents ; the Government orders a
commission of inquiry, and commissioners accordingly are sent
from Washington. When they arrive here, the whole business
of the agents is to deceive them, in which they sometimes
succeed. If not, they resort to extreme measures. They
make the Indians look upon the intervention of the commis
sioners as an act of hostility on the part of the Government,
and excite their mistrust by a thousand subtle insinuations.
The Indians assemble in a pow-wow and discuss the subject
of war. The ancients of the tribe, especially those that have
been at Washington, and who have come back vety much
impressed with the power of the big father, vote for peace ; but
the young men who have never left their native wilds, overrule
these prudent counsels with loud and strong cries. From this
instant the war-path is decided upon. Messengers are sent in
different directions, and meetings are held at all the principal
stations. There is no longer any way by which the commis
sioners can learn the tmth from the chiefs themselves, or
understand the real cause of complaint they have against the
agents of the President Some weeks are spent in preparations.
The white settlers, to whom no alternative is left but flight, if
stiU possible, or the most horrible tortures if they remain,
eamestly demand troops. But the nearest fort is at one, two,
or sometimes three hundred miles distance. Besides, are there
troops numerous or well-armed enough to make head against
the Indians, whose movements are always very imperfectiy
known? War breaks out then, a little war, if you please,
which will hardly fill a column in a newspaper. But there will
be a few or more white men scalped, and more or less farms
and stations utterly ruined. On the other hand, under the
head of revenge or reprisals, such and such a tribe wUl be
exterminated down to the very last man. That is all. This
is just what is happening at this vety moment in Arizona, where
the blood of the white man has been flowing in streams, home
steads have been burnt right and left, and no end of misery

84 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
has been the result But the papers hardly allude to the
matter. It is certainly a painful fact for those that have been
scalped, whose wives and daughters have been ravished, whose
farms have been utterly destroyed, and whose cattle have been
carried off. But sometimes misfortunes are blessings in dis
guise ; the inquiry into the conduct of the agents has been
effectually stopped."
In the interior of this great continent, the fate of the Indians
and their relation with the Central Government are the subjects
of common talk. At Washington, again, in official circles, this
grave question is for ever claiming the attention of public
men, who discuss it, without, however, artjving, as yet, at a
satisfactory solution. Alas ! the solution is aheady given.
Not only the rascality of Government agents, but the contact
with modern civilization, the cross with white blood, and the
introduction of alcoholic drinks have sown the seeds of hope
less destruction in the red-skins. In the north-western tribes,
where travellers and trappers abound, there is hardly such. a
thing left as an Indian /«f- sang. The first generation, the fruit
of illicit unions between English and French adventurers and
Indian women, still possessed some of the higher qualities
possessed by both races. But their children were few, and of
a decidedly inferior stamp. The offspring of mixed blood in
the present day is almost always degraded, weak, and sickly.
It is remarked that in proportion as the white element in
creases in a tribe the black perishes. The former seems to act
like a slow poison, whUe brandy is a quick one ; its ravages
are fearful. The Indians are in consequence being extinguished
from a variety of causes ; fatally, irrevocably, these once grand
races seem destined to disappear, and they do disappear.
From the vety first day, I had the good fortune to make the
acquaintance of General Morrow, the commander of Fort
Douglas. This military post is situated at three miles to the
east of the city, on one of the hills which form the western
slope of the Wahsatch mountains. It is a commanding and
admirably chosen position. A camp has been installed here
for the last nine years. At first, the commander of the little
garrison employed in watching not only the Indians but the
militia of the Prophet, had not an easy time of it Lost in

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY, 85
tiiat vast space, without any certain communication with the
basis of operations, and without any hope of extraneous help
in time of need, he saw himself driven to depend on his own
resources, which, in certain eventualities, were manifestly in
sufficient To-day it is no longer the same thing. The Pacific RaiIroa4
links the Douglas camp to all the forts along this line and to
Chicago, which is the residence of the Commander-in-Chief.
In a few days, therefore, a sufficient number of troops might be
gathered together to make head against any danger, however
imminent Towards this point, therefore, I turned my steps one fine
moming in a covered char ct-banc drawn by two fine horses,
with a young Mormon driver, whom I found out to be a native
of Manchester. He was a mechanic by trade, but had lost
his arm in a railway accident, and had fallen into great poverty
when one of Brigham Young's missionaries found him out two
or three years ago, and at once engaged him for the Valley of
the Saints. Transformed into a coachman in spite of his one
arm, he earns enough to live from day. to day. The carriage
and horses are his own property. It is tme that they are not
paid for ; it was the President who advanced the necessaty sum.
His debt rather worries him ; but he consoles himself by the
thought that almost everyone is in the same boat As to his
two wives, they maintain themselves and earn their own living.
House rent being vety high in the town, he has lodged them
outside, one to the east, the other to the west of the city. " It
is economical," he said, "and besides, it avoids scenes of
jealousy." This prudent husband was my constant companion
in my expeditions about the Salt-Lake City, and amused me
vety much. He was gentle, resigned, and rather sad. In
matters of religion he was profoundly ignorant Evidently,
in his childhood, he never had the least instruction. Now he
is a believer. He believes in Brigham Young. The life and
actions of the Prophet have already acquired a legendary
character in his mind. Alongside of a sober, dty, prosaic
reality, the marvellous occupies a large share in his stories. '
Our -road ascends in a straight line, the gentle incline lead
ing to the camp, which crowns the summit of the hill. Just
before us, at pistol-shot range, a light phaeton flew along,

86 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
dragged by two spirited horses. " That's the general, going
home," said my driver. " Let's tty and catch him up." It
was not, however, tiU the moment when the commandarit
alighted at the door of his house, that our horses, quite out
of breath, came up with him. The general held_ out his arms
to me, which were full of children's toys. He is a tall man
with a fine militaty bearing, and perfect manners. In his
frank open face and sympathizing smUe one sees gentieness
aUied with energy and the habit of command. " I had had
notice of your visit," he exclaimed. " You are most welcome.
Excuse my not being able to shake hands with you. You see
I have got mine fuU. I have been buying some toys for my
little boy. He is not well, and we wanted something to amuse
him. Mrs. Mortow also is very poorly." He made me walk
into a littie drawing-room, simply but prettily furnished, and
then excused himself to go and see his invalids. When, a
few minutes later, he appeared, his somewhat anxious counte
nance had brightened into a joyous expression. " My littie
man is much better," he exclaimed, "and the toys have
answered their purpose. Now let us make ourselves comfort
able." And he began to do the honours of his home, which
was a pretty little cottage surrounded by a veranda ; and to
show me some of the treasures he had collected in the course
of his wandering life as an officer in the United States army.
He had some magnificent bearskins embroidered in different
patterns, a quantity of Indian dresses ornamented with feathers,
boWs and arrows, and arms of all kinds. Many of these were
trophies which had been acquired in bloody fights ; others had
been given to him by native chiefs, who, in spite of his white
skin, had learnt to love him, and saw him leave their countty
with regret Except during the late southern war. General
Morrow's militaty career had been spent entirely in countrids
inhabited by the Indians. I encouraged him to talk, and he
told me, simply and modestiy, some of the most remarkable
e'pisodes in his life. A really brave man is always simple and
modest His life was like a page of one of Cooper's novels.
Whilst talking he once put on the Indian warrior's clothes and
plumed head-dress, and imitated their attitudes and war cty.
" This cry produces a great effect," he said. " It encourages
the savages and frightens the whites. But what really de-

VII. SALT-LAKE CITY. 87
moralises our soldiers is the sound of a peculiarly shrill whistle,
which every warrior wears hung to his waist, and which he
never ceases to blow during the fight. As to their arrows,
they shoot infinitely faster with them than we can possibly do
with a revolver." As you may suppose, the good general
forced me to accept some of the mementoes of his battles,
which I shall gladly carry away with me to Europe.
We both got into my carriage, and Daniel, who in spite of
being a Mormon, seemed to be on very good terms with the
general, was told to drive us to the cafwn called " Emigration."
This is the last defile in the Wahsatch mountains which, after
their great exodus from Nauvoo, the Mormons passed before they
came to the promised land, the VaUey of the Saints. None of
them visit it now without singing a hymn which reminds them of
that solemn moment " Do you see that block of rock? " said
my companion to me. "When we come there, Daniel wUl
begin to sing, and wiU hold his tongue at the next," and in fact,
so it came to pass. The Mexicans call those deep and narrow
gorges, or rather fissures, in the great Cordillera chain of moun
tains, canoHes. This appellation has survived the dominion of
the old masters of this countty, and is a word in common use.
To the eye, these caHones appear simply perpendicular precipices,
huge crevices or fissures in the rocks, here and there carpeted
¦with straggling shrubs or grass, and with sharp points rising one
above the other. Following the narrow path, which creeps be
tween the abyss on one side and the wall of stones on the other,
if your nerves are steady enough to enable you to lean over
the side without losing your balance, you may see at the very
bottom of the ravine, a thin, slender line of water. Here it
reflects the blue sky or the setting sun ; there it flows in deep
dark shadow ; later on, it disappears altogether, under a natural
arch, with a dull roar like a train passing through a tunnel.
These are the boiling waters of the mountain torrents. From
cascade to cascade, from one subtenanean channel to another,
by secret passages, well known to the red-skins, but which
no white man has yet explored, they join the great arteries
of the American continent or are ignominiously absorbed in
one of the numerous salt-lakes of the great desert.' It is in
one of these gorges, the caiioti called " Emigration," that
" The Americans call these waters sinks.

88 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
Daniel has now plunged us. It is trae that we only see the
least perilous part. Nevertheless, the road is very . rough,
continually ascending and descending, and always on the vety
edge of the precipice. There are certain sharp turns which
make one's blood mn cold. But the general reassures me.
"In spite of his one arm," he says, "this English fellow is a
good coachman, and thoroughly master of his horses. Besides,
this is a royal road compared to the upper part of the gorge
or to the other caiiones which the Mormons had to pass. It is
fair to add that many of their carriages and buUock waggons
rolled into the torrent"
On om: way back, we stopped at the house of a Bavarian
brewer. , He is a gentile, and laughs at the Mormons. His
estabhshment has all the look of a little Munich brewety, and
is the principal resort of the officers and soldiers of the camp.
. Now we are once more seated in the general's veranda.
The sun has gone down. There is not a breath of air. A calni
and solemn stillness seems to hover over the panorama at our feet
To our left, that is, to the east of the town, running from
north to south and . looking like a creneUated wall, with here
and there sharp peaks standing out against the sky, as in the
drop scene of a play, rises the gigantic chain of the Wahsatch
mountains, the western base of the great uplands. Placed
close together, about five miles from the crest of the ridge,
these mountains all look to us foreshortened. The eye is
bewUdered by the chaos of precipices and ravines (the outlines
of which are distinctly visible in spite of the violet shadovra
which enshroud them), and of rugged, knobby mountains
wooded at the base, bare and naked higher up, sparkling with
the reflection of the evening light, marbled with white above,
and piercing the sky which floods their snowy tops with rosy
purple tints, culminating in two gigantic diamond peaks, the
" Twins ! " Oh ! those Twins I How they tower over the Valley
of the Saints ! What a striking sight they are ! And how, this
whole mountain range fascinates and charms one !
To the west, at our feet, spreads the Salt-Lake City like a
great river full of flowers and green, or rather like an immense
park rayed with lines of light ; the green avenues are mingled
with white specks, the roofs of the houses, which themselves
remain invisible. The ugly, heavy, oblong cupola of the

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. 89
tabernacle alone raises its head above the trees, which with
their varied shades of green, shroud and hide all human
habitations. Beyond the town, the Jordan, flowing now be
tween sharp rocks, now through green and smiling fields, falls
gentiy into the lake, where its short course is ended. On its
right bank are a mass of round, wooded hills : further on, nothing
but arid rocks. Above the river, in the distance, bathed in tender
tints, varying from azure blue to pearly grey, the rugged chain of
the Oquerrah mountains stand out against the flaming sky. A
luminous fringe of snow lies all along their tops. They are
shrouded with rays of vaporous light, for behindlhem the sun
is just disappearing. From Salt-Lake City to these high
mountains, the distance isforty miles as the crow flies.
Towards the south the valley rises gradually. It is rough
ground, full of ravines, but carpeted with green. Towards the
town, and for some miles round its suburbs, are a quantity of
small Mormon farms, their neat homesteads shaded with fine
trees. Fiuther on, nature in her wildest and most savage form
resumes her empire. An amphitheatre of low rocks, which
bounds the horizon on this side, hides from sight the lake of
Utah, which to the Saints, is the lake of Tiberias, just as their
river is the Jordan, and their Salt Lake the Dead Sea. In
fact, if the Oquerrah chain resembled more closely the mountains
of Moab, and were a little nearer and rounder, the analogy with
Palestine would be still more striking.
To the north, the great lake spreads out its slaty, lustrous,
metallic waters. Even at this moment when the heavens are
on fire, and Bengal lights are floating in the air, a#l crossing
one another in every direction, and when all nature has put on
a kind of festal, Venetian look, this stagnant, sleepy sheet of
water refuses to take part in the general festivity. But the sun
is sinking, and the shadow from tbe mountains is overpowering
by degrees the wild, sinister lights which flickered a few moments
ago over this cursed sea. A narrow line of white sand incircles
it Neither tree, nor shmb, nor any human habitation breaks
the profound melancholy of this site. In the centre of the
lake rise two or three little islands, of fantastic shapes and with
steep, rocky sides, their summits enamelled by the setting sun.
Nearer to us, on the right, a little promontoty stands out, half
in the water and half on land. This is called the Peak of

90 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Observation, or the Holy Mount, and is the sign of alliance
with the god of the Mormons,
Since the opening of the Pacific Railway, and that, in con
sequence, the number of visitors has daily increased, Brigham
Young has got tired of being stared at, examined, and com
mented upon, as an object of curiosity. To see him, one
must be furnished with letters of introduction.
My host, the " Old " Townsend before mentioned, offered
to present one which had been given to me at New York, and
to arrange an interview for me. One morning accordingly, at
ten o'clock, we went together to the President's house. Some
bishops and one or two elders whom we met on the road
begged to accompany us. I had to mn the gauntlet of the
usual questions, but I did not spare them either, and they
answered me with very tolerable grace. They were all Ameri-
caiis, for, as a general rule, the Americans alone aspire to the
higher grades of elders or bishops, and are evidently better
educated and better brought up than the greater portion of
the Mormons, three parts of whom are Europeans. Simply
though decently dressed, these men bore no sign of their
ecclesiastical dignities. Their faces told one nothing whatever.
There was no trace of fanaticism, affectation, or hypocrisy
about them ; still less of anything clerical. Nothing betrayed
the habit of meditation or prayer, or even a wish to make
believe anything of the kind. They looked just what they
were — men of business, farmers, shopkeepers, or commercial
travellers. It was impossible to be what the English call more
commonplace. There was only one exception — the Bishop
of  . I never saw a more slovenly dress, dirtier linen, or a
more threadbare coat; but he was, on the other hand, the
only one of the lot who had a jolly, open countenance, and a
frank, hearty laugh. " I have got three wives," he exclaimed ;
"so I am very well off." — "And your wives?" — "D  n
it I " (with a horse laugh) " that's their business." — " Seriously,
don't you think that polygamy degrades a woman ? " — " Not
the least in the world." — " Don't you ever feel any scruple
about it ? " — " On the contrary, I should be scrupulous if I
didn't In having several wives, I am simply obeying a
special commandment of God's. I feed my children and send
them to school — that's all that is necessary. But for the rest

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY, gi
you can't understand it, for you are not one of the elect
Now, we are not only one of the elect, but of the privileged
few. God has given us the privilege of inspiration, and all
that we do is right and well done. That's the reason we have
been made bishops. Inspiration is granted to a man or not,
as God pleases. He alone can give or refuse it."
He then entered into a confused explanation which he said
was a development of this theory ; but in spite of all the
trouble I gave myself to follow his line of thought, it was
utterly and entirely unintelligible. It was simply nonsense,
balderdash, and gibberish, delivered with a kind of careless, in
different ease, like a schoolboy who is repeating a lesson by heart
without understanding or thinking of a single word he is saying.
The mostTemarkable man of the company was Mr. George
Smith, caUed the historian, who must not, however, be con
founded with Joe Smith, the founder of the sect, who was
murdered. George is more educated than the other dignitaries
of the tabernacle, and so holds the first place in the church
after the President, Brigham Young. He assisted the latter in
guiding the Saints at the time of their terrible journey from the
borders of the Mississippi to those of the Salt Lake, and took
part likewise in the works consequent on the first establishment
of the New Jerusalem. He gave me a great deal of curious
information, and likewise a pamphlet which he wrote two
years ago.i
¦Walking vety slowly, for the heat was overpowering, and
seeking the shade of the acacia and cotton trees, which
bordered the long avenue, we at last arrived before the Presi
dent's house surrounded by a high wall, and composed of
several distinct buUdings and separate apartments for the- use
of his wives and children. A great room at one of the angles
of the inclosure is a school for the exclusive use of the latter.
¦VVe crossed the threshold and were shown into the parlour, a
litde room simply furnished and omamented with twelve oU
paintings representing the Mormon aposties. The first place
» "The Rise, Progress, and Travels of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints : being a Series of Answers to Questions, including the
Revelation on Celestial Marriage, and a Brief Account of the Settlement
of Salt-Lake Valley, with interesting Statistics," by President G. A. Smith,
Church Historian, &c. (Printed at the Deseret News Office, 1869.)

9i A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
was reserved, of course, for the portrait" of Joe Smith. The
secretary and son-in-law ofthe President, a little deformed
youth, after having offered us chairs, began to cross-question
me in a loud voice in the usual American way. Whilst I was
answering, I thought I saw a shadow behind the half-open
door. Twenty minutes passed in this way. The conversation
went ori ; but the President stiU kept us waiting. At last I
got up and said : " Mr. Young has doubtiess his own occupa
tions. I have mine. I have nothing to say to him, and do
not care to wait any longer to see him. Besides, they are
waiting for me at Fort Douglas." At that vety moment,' the
door, which had attracted my attention, opened suddenly, and
Brigham Young appeared on the threshold. He was dressed
with great care, and looked as if he had just come out of the
hair-dresser's hands. For some minutes he looked at me in
silence ; then he walked towards me in a solemn manner, only
answering the low bow of his people by a slight wave of the
hand. He had his hat on his head ; but took it off hastily
when he saw me dehberately putting on mine ; and then,
sitting down, motioned me to an armchair alongside of him;
The bishops and elders took their places at a respectful
distance. On a sign to his secretary, the latter, standing
before his master, read my letter of introduction out loud.
The conversation which followed lasted nearly an hour. I
give the main points, which I noted down in my journal as
soon as I got back to the inn, and was stmck, while doing 'SO,
at the trouble I found in seizing a single intelligible thought
atnidst the grand phrases, and the confused and illogical
statements with which his conversation was interlarded.'
" The world," he began, " is full of prejudices. A man
must be Of a privileged caste to rise above them. God gives
this privUege only to His elect What they teach is the truth)
for they only speak or act' by inspiration. Faith and work^
this is the sum total of our task . . . the object of our religion
is to make the bad good, and the good better. Read the
Mormon book. It has been translated into all languages, and
' Mr. Young said nothing very remarkable ; nothing but what he said
to everybody, everywhere, and especially in his very short sermons in the
tabernacle. I do not, therefore, fear to commit an indiscretion by giving
publicity to his words.

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. 93
is sold in Main Street You will find in it a correct account
of our origin and history. The first Mormons emigrated in
the time of King Solomon (!) The last emigration was 600
years before our Saviour (!) To-day they pour in from all
sides. The hour will come when they shall be spread over
the whole earth."
On my remarking tiiat he, Brigham Young, seemed to me to
unite both temporal and spiritual powers in Utah, he answered
sharply : '¦ You are quite mistaken. The Mormon is free.
Everything is done by compromise between the contending
parties, or by arbitration. I am not afraid of the railroads, as
people fancy. We did not leave Nauvoo to fly away from the
gentiles. 'We left it simply because we were turned out"
I then attacked him on the subject of polygamy. "In
Europe," I said, "you are well known. Everyone appreciates
the energy of a man who has made his will a law to his
disciples, and who has learnt how to transform a desert into a
garden. But, on the other hand, I cannot conceal from you
that there is but one cry of indignation against you for the
polygamy you practise, and which you have introduced into
your community. The general opinion is that it is a shame to
women and a disgrace to tiie century in which we live." Here
the audience gave an ominous growl of dissent. The President
started; but contained himself. After a few moments of silence,
he said, speaking in a low voice, and with a slightly disdainful
smile: "Prejudice, prejudice, prejudice ! We have the greatest
of all examples — the example of the patriarchs. 'What was
pleasing to God in their day, why should it be proscribed
now ? " He then went into a long explanation of a theoty
which was new to me, regretting that men did not imitate the
example of animals, and treating the subject of the relations
of the sexes in so confused and at the same time so ambiguous
a manner, that it was next to impossible to understand his
meaning; but he arrived finally at the conclusion that polygamy
was the only effectual remedy for the great social evil of
prostitution. Then he interrupted himself by exclaiming,
" As for the rest, what I do, and what I teach, I do and teach
by the special command of God." When I got up to take my
leave, he took my hand, drew me towards him and murmured,
closing his eyes, " Blessing, blessing, luck ! "

94 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Brigham Young, who was born in Vermont State, has just
completed his seventieth year, but appears much younger than
he reaUy is. He is above the middle height, holds himself
very upright, and seems to enjoy perfect health. His crisp,
curly, light-brown hair, with a tinge of red in it, carefully brushed
and combed, shades a broad head well placed on a pair of good
square shoulders. His eyes, which never look you straight in
the face, betray more cunning than intelligence ; his mouth is
thoroughly sensual ; his square and almost disproportionately
massive chin indicates an energy which I should fancy would
border on cruelty. Taking it altogether, his face is one which
can only belong to a remarkable man. It fascinates and repels
you at the same time. One understands how this man ex
ercises the charm of a serpent, which retains its victims by the
terror it inspires, and which crushes them without scmple or pity
the moment they strive to escape its clutches. I do not say
that Brigham Young is like this, I only say that his exterior
gives me that impression which I share with all the other
strangers who have described their visit to the Mormon chief.
Certainly one ought not to judge a man by the external
appearance only, or after one short interview ; therefore I am
only writing dewn the effect which his appearance produced
upon me, and which was most unfavourable. As to his
manners, I find them just as littie sympathetic. They are
wanting in simplicity, or rather they bear the stamp of affecta
tion,— -one moment pompous, the next familiar, now unctuous,
then joking, now severe, then oily, Brigham Young never for
a moment forgets the part he chooses to play as prophet
Before intoning one of his sententious phrases, he bends his
head, assumes an air of majesty, and fixes his eyes on the
ground. When he speaks, it is slowly, with a tone of authority,
and an interval between each word. Then suddenly he lifts
his head, throws it back and shows his great white teeth, and
his huge sensual mouth gleaming with a sinister smile. Then
he shuts his eyes again and lowers his voice ; that's when he
wishes to be funny. I own that these fits of forced and un
natural gaiety did not win me in the least. There was I know
not what kind of grossly theatrical pretence in these sudden
changes from the sublime to the ridiculous, from tragic effect
to vulgar comic ; but I suppose the ignorant public are carried

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. 95
away by this clap-trap, and are willing to let themselves be
humbugged. I remarked, too, that at such times the bishops
and elders all pretended to be electrified. Judging by his
exterior, his manners, and the bosh he has the impudence to
talk to you, Brigliam Young is the most audacious hypocrite
under the sun. But look around you ! Listen, not to what
his acolytes tell you, who adore him as a divinity, but impartial
witnesses, or rather men who have no sympathy with him, but
who know both him and his works ; listen to what they will
tell you of the obstacles he has overcome, the dangers he has
surmounted, the wonders he has wrought, — and not the least of
these miracles is having captivated, subdued, and broken the
will of nearly 200,000 human beings ; — let all this be told you
on the spot by impartial men, well acquainted with the state of
things, by the commandant of the federal troops at Fort Douglas,
for instance, or by his officers ; by the Chief Justice, by the
Attorney-General, by the doctors, by those who have been
resident here for years, by the miners who come and go ; and
your disgust wUl give place first to astonishment, and then to
something bordering on admiration ! — admiration, not certainly
for the doctrines Brigham Young has inculcated, nor still less
for his practices, nor even for the extraordinary success of his
colonisation, for others besides Mormons have done as much
in other parts of the American'Continent ; nor for the motives
which have actuated him, and "which, being unknown to us, we
have not a right to judge — but for the talents and ability which
Providence has vouchsafed to this most extraordinary man; for
the clear instincts of this uneducated mind, for his indomitable
energy, his marvellous perseverance, and especially for the
mysterious and absolute power he exercises over his sect.
Many books, pamphlets, and innumerable articles, have been
written on Brigham Young, on Deseret, and on the faith and
practises of the Mormons. The greater part of these accounts
are exact enough in their descriptions. Nothing can be more
attractive than the picture of New Jerusalem by Hepworth
Dixon. The portrait is exact as far as it goes. But neither
this author, nor any others who have written on this subject,
have been able to find out the secret of the terrible power of
this man, which has enabled him to estabhsh in the centre of
America a state of things which politically, religiously, and

96 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
socially, is a direct negation of the manners, ideas, and belief
of the century in which we live.
Joe Smith was the founder or regenerator of the Mormon
sect He gave himself out as inspired, but at the same time
was a thorough rogue. He did not actually preach polygamy ;
but if we are to believe the public, he practised it without
troubling himself with nuptial benedictions. This littie fact
became, after his death, the cause of a schism in the com
munity, his widow and children swearing that Joe had never
been a polygamist, and Brigham Young, who wanted to cite
the example of his prsdecessor in favour of polygamy, suborn
ing false witnesses to prove that the prophet Smith was a
partisan to the plurality of wives.
The expulsion of the Mormons from their settlements on
the Mississippi in lUinois, forms a most curious and significant
episode in the contemporary histoty of America. Poor Joe
never pretended that he had anything of a prophet about him
save inspiration. He had been dragged fifty times before the
judges and had always been acquitted, untU at last he ended his
career with the honours of martyrdom. Whilst he was shut
up in the Carthage prison, the chief town of Hancock County
(lUinois), a band of men with blackened faces got in and shot
him and his brother Hyram dead.' Admitted to bail, the
assassins were afterwards tried and acquitted. After the death
of the prophet, the carpenter, Brigham Young, in his quality
of president of the twelve apostles, took the whole direction
of affairs into his own hands. Notwithstanding the disastrous
state of things he succeeded in reconciling the conflicting
parties and in bringing all the believers into one fold, which
was his own. He managed to breathe a new life into the whole
sect, which, onjoe's death, had been on the eve of dissolution.
Nevertheless, acts of violence against them continued. Their
houses were burnt, their cattle driven oft', and their flocks
destroyed. The timid intervention of the authorities produced
no effect. A proclamation of the sheriff of the county gives
the following melancholy picture of the scene of devastation:
— "WhUst I write, the smoke rises up to heaven from the
burning homesteads. The people spare neither widows nor
orphans." The Illinois government sent a few militia; but
» This was in June 1844.

VII. SALT-LAKE CITY. 97
their commander soon told the Mormons that he was not able
to protect them; that the people were determined to expel
them ; and that they had no alternative but to expatriate
themselves. Then it was that their leaders determined to
emigrate to the Salt Lake and to send on a certain number
of tiieir body as pioneers. These men, headed by Brigham
Young himself, set forth in the beginning of January 1846.
A thousand families followed in February. This was the
beginning of the great exodus. Whilst the President was
making his painful way across the mountains with his band of
pioneers, Nauvoo, the head-quarters of the sect in Illinois, had
to be fortified in haste and undergo a regular siege. The
enemies of the Mormons had organized themselves into a
militaty force, with a park of artUlery, and challenged them to
fight on every possible occasion. At last, on the 17 th of
September, after a bombardment which lasted several days, the
besieged evacuated Nauvoo and took refuge on the opposite
bank of the MississippL
The conquerors, after having pillaged the town to their
hearts' content, burnt the tabernacle, which had cost half a
million of dollars, and several private houses. All this took
place under the vety eye of the government, who had, however,
given fair notice to the Mormons of its inability to protect
them. Nevertheless, Brigham Young, after having given some
of his best troops to the United States, then at war with
Mexico — the famous Mormon battalion — after having pro
visionally established the thousand families who had followed
him, at Florence, in the Nebraska, returned to the banks of
the Mississippi, not having himself gone much further than
Council-Bluffs on the Missouri. He there determined to
organize the emigration of the whole remaining body. God
had vouchsafed a revelation to him. He had seen in a dream
a conical rock rising on the borders of a lake. Towards this
point, Etisign Peak, he resolved to direct his steps. He
thought it necessary to examine the spot first himself, and
started this time with only 140 men. This was in the spring
of 1847, and by July he had arrived at the Salt Lake and laid
the foundation of the New Jerusalem. In the last days of the
year he came back. During this second journey all his horses
were carried off by the Sioux, and the Prophet and his followersH

98 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
had to go on foot. At last the moment came for the whole
sect of the Mormons to decamp. They were to traverse the
Nebraska prairies, to pass the defiles of the Rocky Mountains,
to cross the great American desert, that is, the high lands
situated between these mountains and the Wahsatch chain;
and then to descend into the valley of the Salt Lake, which
no one, before Brigham's expedition, had ever visited, saving
perhaps a few travellers and trappers. According to them,
it was an arid desert surrounding a dead sea, hemmed in by
rocks at the height of 12,000 or 15,000 feet, while on the
other side of the lake was a fresh chain of equally precipitous
mountains. The water was brackish and undrinkable ; as for
vegetation, there was literally none, save some miserable tufts
of sage-bush and, in summer, a few wild flowers, devoured
almost before they could spring up by the locusts, which, with
bears and serpents and the wild tribes of Utah, reigned
supreme in these inhospitable regions. Probably the informa
tion collected upon the spot by Brigham Young was somewhat
more encouraging : anyhow the emigration was resolved upon.
They started in the depth of winter in a multitude of caravans
— men, women, and children, in waggons, on asses, in
wheelbarrows, on foot — and took the road to the banks of the
Missouri, and from thence straight on to the Rocky Mountains.
The distance was upwards of 1,500 miles, and that through
a countty almost entirely deprived of all resources. Misery,
privations, and mortality cruelly tried, without subduing, the
courage, perseverance, and fertility in expedients of the
Prophet, or the resignation, patience, and blind faith of his
followers. Since the exodus of the Israelites, histoty has
never registered a similar enterprise. At last, the few whose
bones had not whitened the fearful path they had trod, emerging
one evening from a defile which has preserved the name of
Emigration Cation, perceived at their feet the lake, vaUey, and
river, which from its analogy with the Promised Land they
called the Jordan ; the whole being recognisable by the conical
promontoty which God was said to have revealed to His elect,
and which bore henceforth the. name of Etisign Peak,^ Any-
' Utah belonged then to Mexico. When ceded to the United States an
act of Congress established in 1850 a territorial government of which Brig
ham Young was made first Governor. He exercised these functions till 1857.

VII. SALT-LAKE CITY. 99
how, to have conceived the idea, to have carried it out, with
the loss of a great number of men, it is true, but without
shaking the faith or confidence of a single one of the survivors,
is an historical fact which would suffice to immortalise the
name of a man, be he king, captain, or prophet
Brigham Young unites in himself these three qualities. As
Prophet, though taking good care not to utter any prophecies,
he mles over men's consciences ; as sovereign, he exercises his
power without the smallest control ; as general, he has organized
so large and respectable a mihtia force, that it accounts for the
hesitation on the part of the Central Government to enforce
their power of bringing this potentate to respect the law of
the land.
The, first three years after the exodus were very trying ones.
George Smith, the historian, told me that he and his wife, as
in fact evetybody else, were reduced to half the food necessary
for the support of animal life. For many weeks they lived
entirely upon roots.
The work of preaching among the gentiles, which was begun
in 1837, was taken up again with renewed fervour. But they
did not make any proselytes except in England (especially in
Wales,) in Australia, and, in a less degree, in Scandinavia.
In America it was an entire failure. The contingents from
Germany, Switzerland, and other countries, where Young also
sent his missionaries, are infinitesimally small. With the
Chinese, Malays, Cingalese, and Indians, the Mormon Bible
would not go down at all Brigham Young always chose his
emissaries by inspiration. It has often happened to him to
accost a perfect stranger in the street Following a sudden
inspiration, he will tell him to start, and give him an apostolic
mission to Europe, Australia, or to the islands in the South
Seas. The man thus summoned, leaves wife, children,
and business, and starts. These missionaries address them
selves to the poorest and most ignorant class, whether in
England, which is a hot-bed of vice and misery, like all over-
populated centres of civilization, or in Wales, where the
inhabitants, like their Irish brethren, are particularly disposed
to emigrate. According to the unanimous testimony of persons,
who during my stay at the Salt-Lake City were kind enough
to give me the bcjt information on this strange community,
H 2

100 A RAMBLE. ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the Europeans who accept the proposals of these emissaries of
the Prophet are, in all respects, infinitely below the lowest
classes in America, whether in the country or in the towns.
The Mormon missionaries, therefore, never attempt to preach
to the rich, or even to those who are tolerably well off, neither
wUl they go near an educated man. Their proselytes are always
among the very poorest and the most ignorant class. Their
recruits spring either from those who have been born in utter
misety, or who have faUen into it from their own faults or the
fault of circumstances : men who have nothing to lose, and
who can but gain by being dragged out of the moral and
physical degradation in which they are plunged. This is one
of the facts which should be borne in mind to understand the
great and sudden expansion of the sect It is to men such as
these that they preach, and this is their doctrine : " God is a
Person of flesh and blood like man. He has the passions of
a man, but is perfect in all ^things. Jesus Christ was created
by Him in an ordinary way. The Father and the Son are
alike, except that the Father looks older. Man was not
created by God, for he exists from all eternity. He is not bom
in sin, and is responsible only for his own acts. He sanctifies
himself by marriage. There are gods, angels, men, and spiritSi
There is a resurrection in another world, which is but a con
tinuation of the actual existence of a man here below. God is in
direct communication with the Prophet : what he, the Prophet;
says or does, is said or done by inspiration. The bishops also
are inspired, but in a minor degree. Of all religions the Mormon
is the most perfect ; but gentUes are not necessarily damned."
Is it possible that the preaching of such doctrines should
touch people's hearts, strike their imaginations, and attract
from the worst quarters of London, from the dockyards of
Liverpool, from the agricultural population of Wales, the
3,000 or 4,000 converts who arrive every year on the borders
of the Salt-Lake City ? It is quite impossible. It is not tme;
as certain authors have asserted, that the novelty of these
doctrines acts powerfully on their imaginations. It might be
possible if these prophets were fanatics ; but theology is the
last thing that troubles them. They are simply men who find
themselves in a state of utter destitution, and want to get out
of it. If Brigham Young's missionaries had nothing more to

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. TOI
offer them than a continuation in another world (with a God
who is like themselves) of an existence as miserable as that
which has fallen to their lot here, do you imagine they would
accept the Mormon teaching with such eagerness ? Is it not
more likely they would at once turn their backs on the
missionaries ?
But these men tell them more than this. After having
promised them, as all religions do, eternal felicity in a future
state, they offer them what no other religion does, the most
briUiant horizon even in this lower world. On the single con
dition of moderate work they guarantee to them the enjoyment
of all the good things to which the heart of man can aspire,
which chance has only granted to the elect, and which has
been so obstinately refused to them hitherto.
Look at this stranger who has just crossed the threshold of
a humble home — blessed be the day when he first sets foot in
tiie house ! After having briefly recapitulated the chief articles
of the Mormon faith, he draws a glowing picture of their daily
life : of the advantages, the marvellous profits to be derived
from their speculations : he lifts, in fact, the dark curtain which
has hitherto hung over his auditors' sad hves, puts before them
an enchanting vision of future joys, awakens aU their covet-
ousness, promises to satisfy them to the utmost, points out to
them, beyond the seas, the New Jordan, the silver lakes of
the Bible, the hills of the New Jemsalem, the Promised Land,
where they will find what they have constantly endeavoured to
attain to, but in vain — happiness!
" Here," he exclaims, " you are nothing but slaves — slaves
of misety, if not of a master. In the VaUey of the Saints,
independence awaits you; independence and ease, at any
rate^perhaps riches. No more servile subjection; no more
privations; no more cares. In this world, as in the next, your
future is assured." Then addressing himself to the young men
among his audience with that sinister smUe peculiar to the
Prophet and his followers, he speaks of the delights of the
harem, and of the beauty of the young girls of Deseret,
promising them as many wives as they please — developing, in
fact, the whole theory of plurality. " Compare the state you
are now in with what you may be," he exclaims, in conclusion,
" and choose 1 "

102 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
How are these poor fellows to resist such brilliant promises,
unless they should be kept back by strong Christian convictions,
which they have not got ? Besides, no sooner have they given
in their adhesion, than Brigham Young's bankers at once
advance to them the money necessaty for their voyage. At
New York a pass is given to them, and letters for the whole
of their journey ; while, unlike the majority of other emigrants,
they are sure to find help and protection at the different
stations marked in their itineraty. _ '
Here I must again insist on this important point, which I
hope the preceding lines will have abundantly proved, and
which is confirmed by the most impartial and trastworthy evi
dence, namely, the fact that the proselytes who are brought
into 'Y'oung's sheepfold are not (with one or two vety rare
exceptions) attracted to it by a spirit of fanaticism, by a thirst
for truth, by one of those extraordinaty ecstasies or scruples
which sometimes trouble the souls of men ;— but simply and
entirely by worldly motives, and from the vety natural desire
of bettering their condition in life. On this ground they _ are
not to be distinguished from other emigrants. No religious
element has any share in their conversion.
But let us follow these neophytes in their new countty.
Here they are arrived. The bishops and elders procure work
for the strong ones, help for the sick, food for all ; in fact,
provide for their wants altogether until lands can be. assigned
to them for cultivation. Young then advances money to them
to build their houses — bricks or adobes (bricks dried in the
sun), boards, and tools. The value of the land and the objects
furnished to the emigrants are calculated in dollars and in
scribed in the creditors' books. The payment is made by
instalments, to which is added the tithe, which is a tenth of the
gross rental of the farm, and which is levied for the wants of
the Church.
It would be too long to enter into a detail of the minute
arrangements by which Young thus becomes the creditor of the
whole community. It is enough to say that very few, if any,
of the Mormons, have arrived or can ever arrive at clearing off
their debts. They gain a livelihood by dint of working ; they
may even become tolerably well off, which has now become
more and more rare ; but it is extremely difficult to save; and

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. 103
next to impossible to become rich. The rarity of specie and
the (almost) impossibility of procuring ready money in the
United States, causes a fresh difficulty, and adds to the finan
cial embarrassments which form the normal condition of this
society. UntU two years ago, that is, before the completion
of the railroad, Utah was an actual prison, for there were no
means of getting away from it : and so it still continues,
although in a minor degree. To leave Utah, the saints must
pay their debts ; to pay them they must sell their farms ; to sell
them they must find buyers with ready money, and with United
States money besides. Now, there is only one man in Utah
who is in that position, and that is Brigham Young. But
Brigham Young is precisely the man most interested in not
facilitating the sales. The gBeat secret of his political and
religious power consists (in a large measure, although not en
tirely, as I shall presently show) in the nature of his financial
relations with the majority of the Mormons, who are all, more
or less, his debtors. Thus we see that the missionaries who pro
mised independence to the emigrants, lied. The Mormons not
only live in utter subjection to Young, but are, in fact his
prisoners. But, strange to say, the emigrant, instead of inde
pendence, has found one thing which he wanted in Europe
when he embraced the religion of the saints, and that is.
Faith ! Yes, this unbeliever of yesterday, not only in the old
religions, but in the new, has become to-day the stanchest of
disciples — he believes firmly, blindly, in the Prophet, Brigham
Young. How account for this strange yet incontestable fact ?
which no one has yet been able to explain to me, but which
evetybody confirms, and which besides bears the evidence of
truth on the vety face of tilings ; for, to convince yourself, you
have only to look around you, or to talk for five minutes with
the first man you meet in the streets of the New Jerusalem !
Let us strive to elucidate this obscure but vital point ; for if
one could arrive at throwing some light upon it, one would
have got the key of the enigma and understand Mormonism.
To simplify it, I will set aside for the moment the influence
which the railroad, which has only been opened for two years,
exercises and will still further exercise on this strange com
munity. I will not dwell either on the still more recent dis
covery of the silver mines in the Wahsatch mountains, and the

104 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
great influx of searchers after the precious metals which was its
first result Let us confine ourselves to the Mormon sect, such
as it existed at the beginning of i86g.
At that time Brigham Young was in the zenith of his power.
One may affirm, without exaggeration, that in the normal con
dition of affairs, the Prophet, as long as he is Brigham Young,
is the absolute master of the bodies and souls of his believers.
This society, in fact, only admits believers : he who begins to
doubt is instantly put outside the pale of the law. His goods
are confiscated, he is himself obliged to fly ; and as flight is
impossible, he is compelled to submit, to repent and do
penance, and to begin life again, only without farm, or tools or
cattle, which have already been confiscated. And if it be a
question of real, active, dangerous heresy, why such men simply
disappear. Sometimes their remains are found ; sometimes
not. The few gentiles who are allowed to live here are only
tolerated ; but their existence is not an enviable one. Woe be
to them if they dare to make love to a Mormon girl ! The
offender would be simply torn in pieces. This has been done
more than once. Add to all these things the difficulty of
getting here and the impossibility of leaving the city without
the consent of the Prophet, and you will allow that the isola
tion is complete.
I have said that Brigham Young is master of the souls and
bodies of his sect. This is to be taken literally. As for souls,
he disposes of their wills and consciences, and even of their
thoughts ; for he gives them a certain direction and takes care
it shall be maintained. Besides, who dares to think for him
self in Utah ? They believe, they work, but they do not think.
The tabernacle on Sundays, the shop or the farm during
the week, the theatre and the harem evety night— ^that is
enough. There is no time left for reflection, everything is done
by inspiration. God inspires, and the person who is inspired is
Brigham Young. In every kind of business, trouble, difficulty,
or doubt, Brigham Young is the referee. Sometimes he remains
silent ; that is, when he has received no inspiration ; but if he
speaks, they are convinced that they have heard the voice of
God. Brigham is not an incarnate god, but he acts as such.
That is why I say that he disposes of the souls of men.
Now for their bodies. He concentrates in his own hands

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY, 105
the strings of all their material interests. He works the whole
territoty, and the territory of Utah is about as large as half
France. He works likewise the physical powers and the
mental faculties of two hundred thousand persons. Since the
days of Pharaoh, has the world ever seen a similar monopoly ?
H ; has in consequence the reputation of being the richest man
in the United States. People say he has a fortune of upwards
of twelve miUions of dollars. He rules the markets ; he fixes
the prices of food ; he makes the roads and exacts enormous
tolls. After having created all these difterent industries he
works them all for his own benefit. With his armed force, his
mihtia, perfectly well exercised and equipped, his telegraph,
which he has canied to every point of the territory of Utah
(the whole of which, saving Corinne, is Mormon), he is master
of the position ; he exacts unlimited obedience and submis
sion from his ovv-n followers, and makes himself feared by the
opposition, which as yet is very weak, while the Central
Government of Washington thinks it safer to temporize vrith
him for the present Besides all this, tiU two years ago, he
had the advantage of being geographicaUy inaccessible. Add
to this, a prompt and summary execution of justice, in part
occult— always surrounded with a semi-religious prestige, but
against which, until regular judicial authorities were established
in Salt-Lake City, there was no appeal, and you have a vety
fair picture of the unheard-of powers of this one man. Is it
too much to affirm that he disposes of the bodies of men ?
But there is still another view of the question.
Brigham Young never had the reputation of a saint, in the
habitual sense of the word ; but none of his friends or confi
dants foresaw, that, under pretence of having received orders
directly emanating from the Divinity, he would dare to impose
on the Mormons the doctrine and practice of polygamy.
One night (in 1852) he had a revelation which, in spite of
his prestige, which was already great, threw trouble and con
sternation into the minds of his docile followers. He affirmed
that God had inspired him with a determination to return to
the patriarchal life and have a plurality of wives. In order to
stifle any opposition, he summoned all the delegates who repre
sented the different Utah settlements, that is, about two thou
sand elders, and produced a pretended revelation which Joe

io6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Smith had received a year before his death. Under the title of
"Revelation on Celestial Marriages" the historian, George
Smith, has published this curious document in his " Atiswersto
Questions," which I have quoted above. The widow and
children of poor Joe declare that this document is entirely
apocryphal. They took care to draw it up in the style of the
Old Testament. Jehovah has not progressed with the times.
He still speaks the language of Abraham, but what He says is
new. The following is an analysis of the principal parts of
this important document : —
" If a man marries a woman without the intervention of the
Lord's anointed, he and she become angels in paradise, wiU
become the servants of the blessed, and remain celibates in
ceternum; but those who marry according to the law will be
gods ! Joe Smith is declared a descendant of Abraham. God
gave His commands to Abraham, and Sarah gave him Hagar.
Why? Because it was the law. Hagar was the mother of
numerous descendants. Did Abraham sin ? No. Yet Abraham
had concubines who engendered children. David, again, had
both wives and concubines, and he did well, for they were given
to him by Nathan and the other prophets, who had the power
of bestowing wives on the faithful. David only sinned in
martying the wife of Uriah. Solomon and Moses had also
several wives. The woman whose husband has committed
adultery may marry another man, provided she herself be
virtuous. On this point God reserves to Himself the right of
revealing His will to the prophet, Joe, who then wUl have the
power of blessing and authorising the marriage. If Joe
remains faithful to the law, God will give him, in this world,
houses, fields, women and children, and an eternal crown
hereafter. The priest who has espoused a virgin may, if he
will, espouse a second if the first will consent ; nay, if he likes
to marry ten, in virtue of this law, he may do so without com
mitting adultery. If one of these wives gives herself to another
man, she is an adulteress, and ought to be destroyed ; for she
and her companions have been given to the priest to multiply
the human race."
With the help of this document Brigham Young obtained the
•consent of the Assembly. It adopted the principle of polygamy,
which was declared to be a duty and a privUege, which

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. 107
privilege could not be exercised, however, without a special
command of God. It results from this pretended revelation
made to Joe Smith, that God gives or refuses the privilege by
the medium of His Prophet, now Brigham Young, who, before
giving his decision, examines into the merits of the case, or
hasit examined by his bishops. On the conduct of the young
woman or the young man before marriage, and on other
questions of the same nature, Brigham, as supreme arbiter,
pronounces the sentence, by the special order and in the name
of God. And it is God who in each case makes known His
. will to the Prophet
To sum up all I have said : by the monopoly the Prophet
exercises on the food, the goods, and the products of the soil,
as well as on the labour of the inhabitants, he acquires the right
of meddling in the most intimate family relations. Material
prosperity, domestic peace, and the reputation of each member
of a family depend solely on his good pleasure. I do not
wish to insinuate that Young abuses the enormous powers the
law gives him, which law is of his own making. I put aside
the question of individuals. The system is monstrous, and
without a parallel in the history of the human race.
The higher a man advances in the ranks of the hierarchy,
the more his duty compels him to use the privilege of pluraUy,
Brigham Young, at this moment, possesses sixteen wives.
without counting sixteen others, who are what is caUed sealed.
Some of these latter live with him in a conjugal fashion, but
the greater part are treated as widows or old maids, who, by
this means, hope to become, in a future state, what they are
not here below — the real wives of the Prophet George Smith,
the historian, has five wives ; the other aposties content them
selves with four. None have less tiian three.
It is an understood thing that no one is allowed to marty
more wives than he can maintain ; but, in reality, the wives
vety often maintain their husbands by their work. This is
especially the case with the poor. If a man has two wives,
each occupies a separate apartment, and rarely in the same
house. Hence the farms are almost always composed of two
or three separate buildings. The woman pKes her trade,
provides for her own wants, and, to attract the husband, employs
her savings in giving him a littie feast from time to time. The

loS A JiAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
actual wives of the Prophet (not the sealed ones) occupy
separate apartments in the Beehive, as his house is called.
They are all supposed to gain their own I'ving by some species
of labour, they dine at the same table, and are placed under
a strictiy bureaucratic administration. One of Young's sons-
in-law, who is at the same time his secretary, the little hunch
back who received me in the Prophet's parlour, is intrusted
with the supervision of this department, and acquits himself
of his delicate functions with great order and impartiality, save
for the exceptional favours which the caprice of his master
sometimes imposes on him.
Now, what is the meaning of sealing 1 What is a " sealed"
woman ? I had neither the time nor the opportunity, nor, I
own, the inclination to undertake a course of Mormon theology,
or to verify the confused, contradictory, and probably exagger
ated information contained in the books and papers which
treat on this subject It appears that a woman may be sealed
to her husband for this life and the next. A woman may thus
marry a dead man. It is even permitted, although I do not
know if it has ever been done, for a woman to be sealed to
two living husbands, one for this life, and the other for para
dise, but always with the consent and intervention of the
Prophet or the bishops. In a word, it is a system of
ignorance and credulity worked in favour of human lust, under
the pretended invocation of God. Let us turn away from so
sad an exhibition.
ChUdren swarm in the Salt-Lake City. You tumble over
them in evety direction. It is, in fact, one of the characteristic
traits of this town and of all the Mormon settlements. They
are well fed, decently dressed, and are all sent to school. But
the greater portion of those I saw are delicate and even
miserable-looking. Domestic authority, like all others, is
merged in that of the Prophet The parents hardly know
the number and names of their children. The President has
forty-eight, without counting those that have died. His last
baby is five months old. One day he was walking in the
street, and a quarrel between two boys attracted his attention.
He intervened by applying his cane rather sharply on one of
the blusterers. Having vented his wrath, he turned round to
the boy he had caned, and said, " Pray whose son are you?"

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY, 109
and the chUd answered, blubbering, " I am President Young's
boy ! " In truth, it was one of the forty-eight
Look at it which way you will, polygamy bears within it
the seeds of destruction : for the family first of all, and for society
afterwards. But its first victims are the women themselves.
All those I have seen have a sad, timid look. In their homes
they have not the place due to a wife. The men avoid speaking
of them, and never allow them, if they can help it, to appear
before strangers. One would fancy they were ashamed of
them, or rather of themselves. The wives of an Arab or a
Turk have never known the higher sphere which Christianity
has conquered for woman. But these poor things have fallen
from the place they once held : they feel themselves degraded,
and degradation is read on all those melancholy and faded
countenances. Brigham enjoys more than royal honours, inasmuch as he is
worshipped, if not adored as a divinity. A short time before
my arrival he had completed his seventieth year. On this
occasion he received the fulsome compliments of his Beehive,
and of his aposties, bishops, and elders. One of them, whUe
haranguing him, gave him the title of sovereign. "You will
live," he said, "to see the day when the kings of the earth
will come to seek your counsel." The official journals eagerly
published this allocution.
On Sunday Brigham preaches sometimes in his tabernacle.
I did not hear him ; but according to the unanimous testimony
of his hearers, these sermons are a mixture of incoherent
quotations from the Bible, denunciations of persons or hateful
insinuations, vulgar personalities, and unctuous or commonplace
phrases. His language is coarse, sometimes injurious, and
always stamped by the most profound ignorance. He has not
a shadow of natural eloquence. For a long time the Prophet
has chosen polygamy as the subject of his homilies, so as to
answer thus indirectly the attacks of the American press
which in this is the faithful echo of public opinion in the
United States.
As he pretends to tolerate every form of religion, he opens
the tabernacle occasionally to preachers of other sects.
An Anglican clergyman, on one occasion, availed himself of
this permission, and, putting on a surplice, addressed the con-

no A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
gregation. After him, Brigham, wrapped in a bed sheet, got
into the pulpit amidst shouts of laughter from the audience,
and delivered a comic speech, which was a coarse parody of
the sermon they had just heard.'
In one word, it is absolutism carried to its utmost Hmits and
personified by the head of the religion. On the part of the
sectarians, the most blind faith in the person of the Prophet
No divine worship, for the short Sunday sermons and a few
occasional hymns sung in the tabernacle do not deserve the
name. In general, speaking of the masses, no religious feehng
or sentiment whatever; or rather, the whole of their religious
sentiments are concentrated in a fanatical worship of Brigham
Young. Work and faith are proclaimed the governing principles
of the sect : work, manual and forced, and pushed to an ex
treme ; for besides earning their bread, they have to pay their
debts to the President (this excessive labour explains the mai-
vellous and rapid progress of the colony). A monopoly which
embraces evetything and extends to everything, exercised by
the Prophet only. The intervention of the latter, either
personally or through the medium of his bishops, in the most
intimate family relations and in the most private affairs, whether
of business or other matters : in all difficult and critical moments,
recourse only to one man, the oracle, Brigham Young : and to
sum up all, polygamy, declared a duty and a privilege, and
practised for twenty years — such is the essence of Mormonism.
^^ Labour and Faith" — that is their device — those are the
two words which are for ever in Brigham Young's mouth, and
which, in fact, explain these strange phenomena. But what
secret motives caused the birth of this faith in the hearts of
those who never possessed anything of the sort at the time
they embraced these new doctrines? How has this trans
formation been effected? How does it happen that men,
who, when they left their native land, believed in nothing,
were hardly arrived in the Valley of the Saints before they
began to believe in everything— that is, evetything which it
pleases Brigham Young to make them believe ? The Mormons
tell you " It's inspiration." But this is no explanation. That
which the gentiles give you is not more satisfactory. I would
' I found this fact mentioned in some book or paper. I forget where,"
But it was confirmed to me on the spot by credible witnesses.

VII. SALT-LAKE CITY, ni
not, however, let myself be discouraged. I went on questioning,
thinking, and watching, and the following are the conclusions
at which I at last arrived : —
The beginnings of Mormonism are like those of any other
sect With some people, spiritual needs, the thirst for more
supernatural help, the wish to draw nearer to God, which lies
at the bottom of every human heart from the highest to the
lowest, from time to time wake up in a sudden and unexpected
manner. The rarer these revivals are, the more violent they
seem, Hke a mill-dam which has been long closed and suddenly
opened. The waters at first rush out furiously; but when they
have had their flow, they resume their usual calm course. This
is the histoty of the famous religious revivals. This is also the
origin of the greater part of the sects, especially in America,
where everyone is so occupied with material interests that they
have few moments to give to meditation or prayer. Moral
wants, long neglected, the voice of conscience so long stifled,
repentance, even despair, suddenly take possession of souls.
They ask for consolations and accept them from the first
comer. At such moments men always turn up, ready to put
themselves at the head of the movement, to direct, master,
and, if possible, work it for their own ends. These are some
times hypocrites, often fanatics, or a mixture of the two.
But the hypocrite needs the light of faith ; the fanatic the
light of reason. Bad passions, cupidity, and sensuality mingle
in the business. What wonder then that they merge into the
absurd and the monstrous? In imitation of other sects, it, is
under these conditions that Mormonism was born. The first
founders of the sect, those who influenced Joe Smith (who was
looked upon as a rogue by one party and a saint by the other,)
were certainly in earnest : they were genuine fanatics. They
were, besides, Americans. They formed the moral centre which
afterwards received the European emigrants. The great migra
tion towards the Salt Lake made an epoch in the history of the
sect. It consoHdated the prestige and authority of the modern
Moses. Amidst a thousand dangers, and fearful privations,
but under the guidance of this wonderful man, they arrived at
last, and found the spot exactly as God in His vision had (it
was asserted) revealed it to His elect Certainly Brigham
Young must be a supernatural being. If he be not a god, he

1X2 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
is very near being one. And after all, what is God? The
Mormons do not trouble their heads with such inquiries ; and
besides, their Prophet has told them that man is the equal of
God. Certainly no one is so more than Young. It is evident
— it is clear — everybody thinks, repeats, and believes it Woe
to him who allows himself to doubt !
Thus public opinion formed itself in the Valley of the Saints,
and the atmosphere thus breathed was quickly imparted to the
new comers. How could it be otherwise ? The European
emigrant had no means of defence. He was poor, ignorant,
and debased ; and in declaring himself a Mormon, he had
already renounced the religion in which he was born. It is
not in the dogmas of a faith he had denied that he could seek
for arguments against the errors of the sect he had just era-
braced. More than this, he has burnt his ships. Henceforth
he belongs, body and soul, to the President He does, then,
like evetyone else. He shuts his eyes and becomes a believer,
that is, a believer in Brigham Young. The Welshwomen, who
form the great majority of the immigrants of their sex, are,
they say, peculiarly ignorant and superstitious. They push
their husbands in this direction and keep them up to it Be
sides, when once you have fairly embarked in this path, how iu
the world can you get out of it, seeing that there is no other ?
The Prophet has always his eyes open. He watches over the
purity of faith of his followers : and his avenging angels, the
Danites, are always at hand to punish the apostates. It is
impossible to exaggerate the importance or the influence of the
set in which you Hve : and the more exclusive such a set
becomes, the more powerful it is. Doctors belonging to lunatic
asylums have assured me that if they were to be shut up in
their madhouse beyond a certain time they would become mad
themselves. Duelling, though perfectiy explicable as an ordeal
or as a combat between individuals, is, in the modern sense,
everything that is most absurd. He who refuses a challenge .is
dishonoured. The man who is insulted is dishonoured too :
but if after the insult he receives a ball or a sword-stroke from
the hands of his insulter, then he is considered aU rij^ht It is
madness ; but except the present generation in England, who
have broken through the prejudice and freed themselves from
iis tyranny, it is looked upon, in the code of honour of other

VH. SALT-LAKE CITY, 113
nations, as an article of faith, although it is tme, vaty-ing
according to different ranks and positions in Kfe. In Germany,
for instance, it is unknown among the people : the middle
classes set littie store by it ; but it is ingrained in the nobility,
in the army, in the universities — that is, in the classes and
corporations which are looked upon as privileged. He who is
or believes himself to be one of this privileged set, is, by that
very fact, separated from the rest of his fellow-citizens ; — be
come one of such or such a coterie where they devote them
selves to literature, painting, or music. You wiU find in one
set, for example, the worship of modern musia Dare to ex
press the least doubt on the subject, or the smallest scruple,
and you are at once judged, condemned, and executed — that
is, excluded. If you really hold to keeping your place in the
temple, you must be converted, you must bow down to the
divinity they have chosen, and adore in your turn ; which you
do perhaps, at first, with a secret self-reproach at your hypo
crisy. But very soon, if you go on burning incense at the same
altar, the grace of faith or conviction vrill come upon you, and
the insensible influence of those around you will overpower
your previous impressions : you will believe in Wagner, and if
you are incHned to be enthusiastic, you will end by declaring
you are ready to give your Hfe for the Music of the Future.
This is the case with the majority of men. To resist the
empire of the atmosphere which you breathe, especially if this
atmosphere have Httle or no communication with that without,
it needs not only fixed principles, but a tme, clear judgment,
and a certain elevation of character. These qualities are
rare everywhere : what wonder, then, that they are found
wanting in the poor catechumens, who, deluded by the emis
saries of the Prophet, annually turn their steps towards the
inaccessible and hitherto hermetically-closed regions of the
New Jemsalem?
It is thus alone that I can explain to myself this strange
phenomenon of the sudden conversion of men without faith
or morals, into believers — I will not say fervent ones, but
simply and blindly devoted to the person and doctrines of the
Mormon chief.
Two years ago, cases of defection were vety rare. We have
seen by what methods erring sheep were brought back to the

114 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
fold or disposed of altogether. Since the opening of the rail
road, Anglican ministers and Presbyterians Have striven, with
out running any serious risks, to devote themselves to their
apostolic labours in the Salt-Lake City. But it has been so
much lost time — in the sense that the few men who have
declared themselves willing to leave the sect have shown them
selves incapable of receiving any religious impressions or any
moral sense. From believing Mormons and good workmen,
as long as they were kept under the iron rule of Brigham
Young, they became, when emancipated, frank atheists and in
corrigible scamps. This fact, which has been proved over and
over again, has its meaning. It is a counterproof of the utter
folly of the doctrine of the saints. In their teaching, the
moral elements are entirely wanting. Brute force does evety
thing. Remove the restraint, and you have beings fallen to
the vety lowest scale of human degradation.
The influence of the railroad (and in consequence of the
discovety of the silver mines, and the influx of miners in the
last few months) has already made itself felt in various ways.
In the first place, the Reign of Terror, under which the few
gentiles groaned who had the courage or the resignation to
settie in the Valley of the Saints, has entirely disappeared.
From helots, the Christians are become independent They
boast of their strength, and cany their heads high. Very soon
they will become a power. The littie town of Corinne, founded
a few years ago by the gentiles, about sixty miles north-west of
the Salt-Lake City, is become a hot-bed of opposition, where
the dissentients, headed by the sons of Joe Smith, the personal
enemies of Brigham Young, and aH those who wish to shake
off the yoke of the President, and at the same time to evade
by flight their pecuniaty obHgations, meet together to concoct
measures of resistance. Even in the heart of the community
the situation js much modified. Emigrants who are not Mor
mons have arrived, brought in capital, opened stores, and are
extending their operations evety day. Everything, in fact, is
changed. There is no longer a talk of sudden sentences and
secret executions. No more bodies of apostate Mormons ; no
more avenging angels ! The young giris themselves have taken
up an attitude of rebellion. They openly exclaim against the
practice of plurality, and swear mutually never to accept poly-

VIL SALT-LAKE CITY. iiS
garaist husbands. Even the Beehive has been invaded by a
spirit of insubordination. The eldest son has told his father
that he does not consider the children by ulterior marriages
legitimate. Mormonism is evidently on the eve of a crisis. Brigham
Young seems to have a presentiment of the fact, and in spite
of his great age, they say that he seriously entertains the idea
of a second exodus, either towards the deserts of Arizona, or
towards one of the islands of the South Seas.
At Washington they are still hesitating to tackle the Mormon
question ; but public opinion exacts more and more the active
and energetic intervention of the Central Government. The
material obstacles which formerly existed have now disappeared.
Nothing need prevent President Grant's sending a body of
troops by the railroad, and putting an end to a state of things
which the world declares to be incompatible with existing laws
and with the habits and feelings of the nineteenth century. To
this, the White House replies, that Mormonism, deprived of
all real vitality, is condemned to a speedy decay : that it will
disappear with Brigham Young, who is already an old man —
that it would therefore be impolitic to hasten its dissolution,
and that it would be better to let it die a natural death. Such
are the present dispositions of the Central Government But
such is not the opinion of the masses ; and everything seems
to indicate that, yielding at last to the force of an ever-increas,
ing pressure from without, General Grant will end by bringing
Brigham Young to trial, and resorting to mUitary intervention,
in case, which is not very probable, the Prophet should appeal
to his militia force to maintain his rights. What will be the
future, then, of this great community ? Will it disappear with
its chief? I find everyone around me convinced of the fact.
And certainly, if events were always earned to a logical con
clusion, there would be no doubt about it Let us suppose,
then, that the fact of their dissolution were accomphshed.
What would be the moral and social position of the remains of
this great body, which would then have lost all its vitality ?
It would be a society without faith or law : without faith, be
cause their belief is now centred in one object alone — in the
person of Brigham Young, who will have ceased to exist —
without law, for not only it originated with him, but he alone

ii6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap. VIL
can enforce its observance. This sect then, founded on the
moral prestige, and material, pitiless power of one man, what
will become of it when this man has disappeared ? No one
could replace him, even if it were possible to create a second
Brigham Young, or a man of the same stamp, which is highly
problematical. Mormonism must expire with its Prophet No
sort of resurrection of the sect in its present form would be
possible. The force of circumstances, the estabhshment of
the railroad, the discovery of silver mines, the influx of
American citizens, the intervention of the Central Government,
which must take place sooner or later, to say nothing of the
indignation of public opinion — all these things would prove
insuperable obstacles to its resuscitation. Then the peaceable
Valley of the Saints might become the scene of a feariul in
ternecine struggle, and especially between the children of the
first wife and those of the second, third, or fourth. Family
ties, vitiated in their very essence by the eft'ects or polygamy,
will be violently torn asunder : the rights and property of each
will be called in question. It will not only be a fearful civil
war, but positive anarchy and chaos !
I do not affirm that all this will happen ; but certainly it
would be the natural consequence, the logical conclusion, oi
the sudden and violent dissolution of the state founded by
Brigham Young. That is what they are afraid of at Wash
ington. At any rate, these are the principal considerations
'brought forward by those who are against the intervention of
the Central Government

CHAPTER VIII.
CORINNE.— FROM THE ^th TO THE %th JUNE,
Corinne, the type of a Cosmopolitan Town. — A Pow-Wow on the Bear
River. — Excursion in the Mountains. — Copenhagen. — Definition of the
word rowdy.
The three days in the Salt-Lake City passed quickly. Certainly,
as far as the comforts of material life are concerned, there
is much to be wished for ; but what is more amusing than
to tum over the pages of a new book full of original in
formation and fresh thoughts, to tty and discover its secret
sense, which is not always easy, and to be seconded in
the task by educated persons full of sympathy in the work
and only too anxious to satisfy your curiosity ?
The commandant of Fort Douglas, the chief-justice, and
the judges themselves, were good-natured enough to place
themselves at my disposal and to answer the thousand ques
tions I addressed to them. In the evening, seated in the
veranda of the hotel, I am sure vety soon to see the doctor
arrive. He rolls his arm-chair close to mine, stretches out
his limbs, seeks for, and at last finds, a comfortable posi
tion, according to the taste of his countty, and then begins
to talk — taking up the thread of his tale of the moming
exactly where he left it off, — and telling me one story after
the other, now ludicrous, now touching, always full of thrilling
interest, and I fondly hope, though I dare not affirm it,
with a certain foundation of truth running through the
whole. Sometimes, in the bright moonlight we walked in the
paths which led by the side of the river. But as we were

ii8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
continuaUy squashing great toads at every step, who thought
they had as much right to walk there as we had, we were
obliged at last to content ourselves with rhe raised platform
of the veranda. Towards nine o'clock the numerous but
silent company which gathers there after supper, retires.
Only Old Townsend remains. This new species of Stylites,
seated as in the morning, up at tiie end of the terrace,
in' the same place and the same position, is evidently absorbed
in profound meditation. His .black shadow, which reminds
one of an acrobat hung from his trapezium head downwards,
stands out sharply against the curtain of green foliage in the
silver light of the full moon.
The good-natured head of the Ogden Station had promised
to come and fetch me, and he kept his word. In his company
I left the Mormon capital to take once more the Hne of the
Pacific Railway. And here we are at Corinne, the sworn
enemy of the New Jerusalem. From Rome to Carthage in
three hours ! All the Utah territory belongs to the saints.
Corinne alone, this thorn in the flesh of Mormonism, has
dared to hold its own, in spite of Brigham Young, and to
act as a city of refuge to those apostates from the faith of the
Prophet who have been fortunate enough to escape the avenge-
ing sword of the Danites. This was a perilous and even a
desperate task up to two years ago ; but now it is easy enough,
since the railroad has brought them within reach and under the
protection of Washington.
Two notables awaited me at the station. They were Jews
from the banks of the Rhine, the one the proprietor of the best
hotel in Corinne, the other his assistant This last unites the
functions of butcher, of shopman — for the master keeps a
store for every kind of article, — of head-waiter, and of driver
of an omnibus. More than this, he aspires to the fair hand of
the master's daughter. All this was duly explained to me
whilst I was hoisted up in the char-a-banc, which, driven by
the young man in question, runs between the station and the
town. We came to a full stop before the "Hotel of the
Metropolis," a wretched plank hut, situated in Main Street, the
great and only street of Corinne ; at least, the only one which
deserves the name. The house was full ; the great hall, which
serves as a shop and a store, was crammed with buyers.

VIIL CORINNE. 119
Alongside, in the kitchen, the mistress of the house, still hand
some and young, with the help of her daughter was busy
preparing the supper. The careful toilet of the ladies strikes
me : I admire especially the colossal dimensions of their
chignons. Before the door of the house all the important personages
of the place are gathered together — the lawyers, the legal
authorities, the larger store-keepers, &c. The greater part of
the gentlemen understand and speak German. They are
waiting, like me, for the signal for supper, and in the meantime
cross-question me de omni re scibili, and offer me their services.
Some Indians of the Soshone tribe have pitched their tents
in a camp on the borders of the Bear River not far from the
town. To-morrow the chiefs hold a. pow-wow. They propose
to take me there. On the morrow also, the smart world of
Corinne is going to make a party to the mountains and invite
me to join them. It is impossible to be in greater luck ; for in
this country poiv-wow and picnics are rare.
One gentleman, the editor of one _ of the two newspapers of
the place, presents me with the last evening edition, in which I
read several articles of which I have the honour to be the
subject. It is a summary of my " Sayings and Doings in the
Salt-Lake City," the whole, of course, strongly inpregnated
with the anti-Mormon spirit of the people of Corinne. I ex
claim against these indiscretions, which I attribute in my own
mind to my friend the doctor; or rather, I hotly deny the
speeches put into my mouth, which are mostly pure invention.
But they hasten to reassure me. " At Corinne," exclaims the
newspaper-writer with a kind of proud satisfaction, " you have
nothing to fear from the avenging angels of the Prophet You
are a public man. You belong to the public. AUow me to
satisfy the legitimate curiosity of our readers."
The gong puts a stop. to our tertulia. " Madame " gives us
an excellent supper. It is true, one is not difficult to please
after having come out of the clutches of the venerable Town-
send ; — and for dessert, some wild strawberries, which taste of
the virgin forest from whence they have been culled. The
meal does not last ten minutes. Everyone seemed tired to
death, and only anxious to get to bed. My amiable host has
reserved his best room for me. It is exactly six feet square.

120 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
A thin boarding separates me from my neighbours— on one
side, a Mexican couple ; on the other, a great China merchant
and his suite. The young Mexican sings, and his wife accom
panies him on a guitar. Some notes are certainly rather false;
but let us not be too particular. Only, how to get any sleep?
My other neighbour poisons me with foetid exhalations.
" John," savs my landlord (" John " is the generic name of all
the children of the Celestial Empire), " John smeUs horribly,
Hke all his countrymen. It is an odour sui generis; but for
you, it is a good opportunity of preparing yourself for your
voyage to China."
Corinne has only existed.for four years. Sprung out of the
earth as by enchantment, this town now contains upwards ot
two thousand inhabitants, and is every day increasing in im
portance. It is a victualling centre for the advanced posts of the
colonists in Idaho and Montana. A coach runs twice a week
from hence to Virginia City and Helena, which are situated
at 350 and 500 miles towards the north. Notwithstanding
the serious dangers and terrible fatigue of these journeys,
these coaches or diligences are always full of passengers.
Various articles of consumption and dry goods of all sorts are
sent in waggons. The so-called " high road " is but a rough
track in the soil left by the wheels of previous vehicles.
The streets of Corinne are full of white men armed to the
teeth, miserable-looking Indians dressed in the ragged shirts
and trousers furnished by the Central Government, and yellow
Chinese with a business-like air and hard intelligent faces.
No town in the Far West gave me so good an idea as this
little place of what is meant by border-life, i.e., the struggle be
tween civilization and savage men and things. Nowhere is
the contrast more striking between the marvellous, restless,
abrupt energy of the whites, the methodical quiet, business
like habits of the Chinese, and the incorrigible idleness and
indifference of the redskins. In his exterior, manners, and
dress the American of the frontiers is unbuttoned, coarse, and
rough to the last degree ; the Chinese, careful, polished, and
respectable in appearance ; the Indian, the very type of misery
and degradation.
AU commercial business Is centred in Main Street. The

VIII. CORINNE. 121
houses on both sides are nothing but boarded huts. I have
seen some with only canvas partitions. The smartest are dis
tinguished by a facade of plates of wood much higher than
the roof, which gives to these houses the appearance of awk
wardly made drop-scenes in a theatre. The pavement is made
of stages of wood varying in height according to the taste of
the proprietor. As, however, they are generally full of holes,
I cannot say that they very nuich assist the circulation. The
lanes alongside of the huts, which are generally the resort of
Chinese women of bad character, lead into the desert, which
begins at the very doors of the last houses. To the south of
the town I saw some slight attempt at cultivation and some
teeble beginnings of gardens. As for the rest, there Is not a
tree. It is desert and nothing but desert, saving a few oases,
some Mormon establishments at the foot of the rocks or
perched midway. Situated some miles to the north of ths
Salt Lake, and at a less distance from the Bear River and the
Wahsatch mountains, which here are bare and uniform in
shape, Corinne is certainly one of the least pretty or attractive
places I have ever seen, unless perhaps to those who are come
to seek their fortunes. To the west, a small Presbyterian
church has been built ; another is building, which I believe is
to be Episcopalian. As yet, the Catholics have neither church
nor priests. The white population is a mixture of all nations.
The Germans are the most numerous ; but there are also a
good many Irish. The descendants of the Yankees from
Pennsylvania, with the Germans, forai the higher class ; but
taken altogether, the look of the town is more cosmopolitan
than American.
Three gentlemen have just come to fetch me in a light open
char-a-battc, which has been hired for I don't know how many
dollars. We first turn our steps towards the Indian camp. It
is pitched on the banks of the Bear River. The large number
of tents promises a good gathering ; in fact, several chiefs
accompanied by their warriors, with their women and children,
have arrived in the last few days, and others are houriy
expected. All belong to the once powerful tribe of the
Soshones, now degraded and miserable. They are going to dis
cuss their grievances, draw up their complaints, and divide the

122 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
annual gifts of the President of the United States. At the
extremities of the camp the younger men are pla;ced as senti
nels, women and littie boys are watching their wild ponies
(moustangs), which, scattered over the sandy plain, are striving
to satisfy their hunger with sage bushes. Although miserably
thin, these little horses are of a good breed. Some of them
even are very handsome, and all are excessively hardy and
can bear any amotfnt of fatigue. They led us to the tent of
the principal chief, where fourteen warriors, squatted on their
heels in a circle, were debating the questions at issue. The
chief alone rose to salute us, the others remained sitting, with
out betraying the smallest feeling of interest or curiosity. The
president of the assembly made me sit by his side, and the
discussion, which had been momentarily interrupted, was re
sumed. The orators spoke slowly, with deep sonorous voices;
sometimes they became animated, but a look of the chief's
instantly calmed their excitement. A great pipe, the famous
calumet so often mentioned ¦ in Cooper's novels, never ceased
passing from mouth to mouth. At the first turn, it was not
without a secret fear that I saw it drawing near to me, biit
either from delicacy or from understanding my feeling, my
right-hand neighbour obligingly passed it over my head to the
savage on my left Shall I own it ? It was this great pipe
which impressed me most It reminded me of the most ex
citing passages in the American novels, those brilliant portraits
of heroes whose ferocity was atoned for by acts of chivalry
worthy of the Crusaders, and whose doughty deeds have
become legends which still survive in the traditions of the
tribes, without, alas! inspiring their degenerate sons to follow
their example. I examined the countenances of these men
one by one. Disease, brandy, and misery have degraded and
debased features which in a few of them stiU bore the stamp
of the manly savage virtues of their ancestors. During the
debate, especially when the speakers became excited, I could
detect here and there movements of dignity and manly pride,
mingled, however, with an expression of deep and indefinable
melancholy. It was only a momentary flash, like the lighting
which suddenly reveals to you the ruins of a virgin forest which
a tempest has destroyed. This race Is indeed much to be
pitied. It is condemned to perish, and must perish by slow

VIII. CORINNE. 123
degrees. The instruments of its destruction are vice and
disease. It has the presentiment if not the consciousness of
its imminent ruin : it knows how it has sunk, and, what is worse,
it equally well remembers what it has been.
"... Nessun maggior dolore
Che ricordarsi del tempo felici
Nella miseria ! "
On leaving the pow-wow, we turned our steps towards the
mountains. Brigham City, nestled at their base, surrounded
by cultivated fields and flowering fruit-trees, and one of the
most flourishing of the Mormon settlements is Salt-Lake City
in miniature ; the same straight avenues crossing one another
at right angles, the same houses peeping out of the thick
foliage ; the same tabernacle and theatre, and one or two
other large buildings 'which by their appearance of prosperity
surpass the ordinaty Monnon settiements. A colonel in the
army gives us fresh strawberries and milk, after which we
resiitne our drive. Continually ascending a gorge between
gieat blocks of lava, carpeted here and t'lere with tufts of
grass, sage-bush and shrubs, we at last arrived in the heart
of the Wahsatch mountains. Here this noble chain is much
lower. Its peaked and fantastic shapes, which fascinated me
so much to the east of the Salt Lake, have now become
rounded and tame; a scanty vegetation covers their sides.
Further on, by a canon which, though not picturesque, gives
you evety facility for rolling into the abyss below, our panting
horses finally arrived at a high, circular valley, cultivated more
or less by a colony of Danes.
Copenhagen, their capital, is a group of miserable huts.
The inhabitants seemed to me equally miserable. An old
man came up to ofier my companions an ordinary plateful
of half ripe strawberries from his garden, for which he asked
and received two doUars and a half. On my remarking upon
the exorbitance of the price, the buyer made me a reply which
stmck me from its local character. "At Corinne," he said,
" far finer strawberries than these would not cost half a dollar ;
but in this region vegetation is backward, and these are the
first of the season ; that Is why I bought them. I shall take
them home to my wife, and I could scarcely offer her a present
which would cost less."

124 A RA.MBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
At last we come to the rendezvous — i.e., a group of maple-
trees mixed with a few grey poplars, which gave very little
shade. A dozen ladies, in careful and even elegant toilets,
about the same number of men, and fifteen or twenty children
of all ages, were encamped at the foot of the trees. Each
party had brought their own provisions, and formed a distinct
band. Yielding to the pressing hospitality on all sides, I pass
from one group to the other. After the meal, the men join in
a kind of drinking-bout, but one drinks as one eats, in silence.
The children alone seem really to amuse themselves, together
with an Episcopal curate, a young Oxonian, fresh from'Old
England, of whom he Is the faithful and joyous representative.
He held in his arms a magnificent baby, which he fondled
Hke a mother. It was the very type of an English baby, fat,
pink and white, thoroughly jolly, and the very picture of health.
I enter into conversation with the young papa, who has good
manners and Is well educated. How on earth can he live in
a circle so different from that in which he has been brought
up ! That Is the secret of American atmosphere.
Copenhagen, like all the Mormon establishments from the
most isolated to the most important, has the advantage of a
telegraph, with which Brigham Young has endowed every town
and village in his dominions. One of the young gentlemen
of the picnic, in coming here, had a slight fall from his horse.
Whilst some of his friends were laughing at him, another
rushed off to the telegraph office, and by the time we returned
to Corinne we found this little misadventure reported in aU
the evening papers, with the sensational title of "Narrow
Escape," and certain dramatic details which I need not say
were purely Imaginary, That is what is called " sensational
news," and the young man, instead of being annoyed, was
very much flattered.
During this busy day, I have considerably increased my
stock of biographies. There would be enough to write a new
series of Plutarch's Lives! All the adventures of these people,
making allowance for exaggerations, cannot be pure invention.
Some facts, told soberly and quietly, are evidently true ; their
pretended motives, however, may be received with caution.
For Instance, when a rough fellow, after having quietiy told
you how he despatched such and such a rival with a revolver

VIIL CORINNE. 1 25
in the public-house or at the corner of a street, swears that he
only left the neighbourhood because It was too hot, and that
the climate disagreed with his health, one may be allowed to
doubt his veracity. But the fact of the murder, or, as he calls
it, the " accident," is probable enough.
To have certain manslaughters on your conscience, com
mitted in full day, under the eyes of your fellow-citizens ; to
have escaped falling into the hands of justice by craft, audacity,
or bribery ; to have earned, in fact, a reputation for being
"sharp," that is, to know how to cheat all the world without
ever being caught in the fact — that is what constitutes a
true "rowdy" in the Far West. The terror of parents, but
the admired model of young men, and universally popular
among the fair sex, the rowdy is not necessarily a rogue and
a villain. Sometimes he is reformed up to a certain point ;
and as he possesses in a supreme degree the art of making
himself feared, he often becomes the head man of a village,
and then he grows old amidst the respect and consideration of
a large number of his fellow-countrymen, of whom he has
made himself the absolute tyrant.
This is the career of a good many rowdies ; others less
fortunate, or less clever, close their short and stormy careers
hanging from the branch of a tree. These are the martyrs, the
others the heroes of this species of civilization. In another
sphere, with the moral sense which in them is wanting, and
gifted, as they often are, with really fine qualities — courage,
energy, and intellectual and physical strength — they might
have become valuable members of society. Some of them,
placed in a different position, would have had their names
inscribed in the annals of the republic, annals which are so
rich in great deeds, and so poor in great men. But such as
they are, these adventurers have a reason to be ; a providential
mission to fulfil. To struggle with and finally conquer savage
nature, certain qualities are needed which have naturally thtIr
corresponding defects. I^ook back, and you will see the
cradles of all civilization surrounded with giants of herculean
strength, ready to run every risk and to shrink from neither
danger nor crime to attain their ends. The gods and heroes
of ancient Greece had loose ideas enough of morals and
propriety; the founders of Rome, the adelantados of Queen

126 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap: VIIL
Isabella and Charles V., the Dutch colonizers of the seven
teenth century, were not remarkable for conscientious scruples,
delicacy of taste, or particular refinement of manners. It is
only by the peculiar temper of the times and place, so different
from our days, that we can distinguish them fronv the bach-
woodsman and rowdy of the American continent

CHAPTER IX.
FROM CORINNE TO SAN FRANCISCO.— FROM THE Sth TO
THE ioth OF JUNE.
The Great American Desert. — The Silver Palace Cars. — Ascent of the
Sierra Nevada. — Cape Horn. — Arrival at San Francisco.
yune &ih. — We left Corinne this evening just before sunset
At the moment we plunged Into the most arid part of the great
American desert it was night ; but a brilliant moon, as If Ironi
cally, gave itself the trouble of lighting up the Immense sheet
of alkali and sand which covers this cursed land. Here and
there are some black spots ; these are scanty tufts of grass ;
further on, even this miserable attempt at vegetation disappears.
There is not a drop of drinkable water. A special train brings
it daily to the different stations along the line. At Promontory,
the two halves of the Pacific Railway (the Union and the Cen
tral Railroad) have been joined together ; but in consequence
of an arrangement made between the companies, Ogden
has been chosen as the terminus between the two lines. On
the Central line (between Ogden and the Pacific) the Pullman
cars are not in use. They are very imperfectly replaced by the
" Silver palace " cars, which, in spite of their pompous name,
have no dressing-rooms, are badly ventilated, and in all other
respects are sadly inferior to the carriage invented by the great
Chicago citizen.
At Thelton, a large number of passengers left the train to
take the coach, which runs regularly from hence to Idaho and
to the settiements in the north of Oregon. There are few more
dangerous or fatiguing journeys ; and yet these diligences are
always crowded with miners and their wives and children. You

128 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
will say, Auri sacra fames. Yes, it is tiie thirst for gold whict
makes men brave these dangers and endure this fatigue ; but
there Is stiU another reason ; there is the instinct and the need
of migration. This instinct seems innate in the American, be
he white or red ; and it is caught by all those who set their foot
on this continent The American is essentially nomad. The
Indian runs after a buffalo ! the white man after gold or to gain
money. One and the other must live, and to live they must
migrate ; even the farmer. If he gets a chance of bettering him
self, leaves in a moment his farm and his home to begin afresh.
Those even who do not themselves travel, pass with the greatest
ease from one occupation to another. It is only another kind
of locomotion. Everyone is imbued with the spirit of change
— wishes to push on — to " go ahead ;" and to do this they wiU
neither draw back from any obstacle nor be deterred by any
danger. And do not fancy that an American is made of a
different stuff from ourselves. He holds to his life as much as
we do, and sees no fun in risking it ; but his mission is to go
ahead, and he does go ahead ! He Is like a doctor, who, faithful
to his vocation, goes to his hospital, where cholera and typhus
are raging, just as he did before, but who would very much
prefer there being no epidemic
'yutie gth. — At the first glimmer of dawn, one sees a change
in the aspect of the countty. For the last hour or two we are
in the Nevada territory. An Isolated rock rises two or three
thousand feet above the sand. The emigrants give it the
name of " The Pilot," because It is at the mouth of the great
American desert and points out to the caravans the road to
the Humboldt river, where at least they can find drinkable
water. Soon after, the train slowly ascends a steep bit of ground
which forms the margin of the dried-up desert we traversed
during the night We cross the cedar defile and come down into
the H umbold t valley. This river takes its source near the cedars
and flows gentiy towards the weat. The railroad, like the cara^
vans, of which we still see the tracks, follows It all along Its
course — that is, upwards of 350 miles. AU day we watch its
green waters running between double banks of grey willows,,
covered with a fine alkaline dust, which fiUs the whole air and

IX. FROM CORINNE TO SAN FRANCISCO. 129
penetrates into the noses, eyes, and ears of the unhappy
travellers. Everyone begins to sneeze, and some of us complain
of violent headache.
Further on, the country becomes less monotonous. Beyond
the rocks which back the river the eye loses Itself in a sea of
undulating plains which are completely barren and uncultivated.
Certain peaks are seen above the horizon (appearing low only
because the valley here rises to a height of five or six thousand
feet) which are covered with snow during the greater part of the
year. Here, again, as In the Rocky Mountains, the analogy with
the Roman Campagna is striking. More to the west, the ground
becomes again stony, and we are once more stifled with dust.
The intense heat and foetid atmosphere drive me from the
inside of my " palace." According to my wont, I sit down on
the steps of the platform and there breathe freely the fresh
elastic air of the high level on which we are travelling. The
chain of rocks we perceive in the distance is rich in mineral
products. At Palisade Station, an immense quantity of silver
ingots, forming two high walls, are waiting for embarkation on
the railway trucks. A huge mass of money, piled up In the sun,
in the heart of the desert ! Certainly the prose of daUy life and
the poetry of the "Thousand and One Nights " run very close
to one another In the Far West. Wherever the train stops, there
is a crowd of Indians and Chinese. A few white men, going
to or coming back from the mines, fill up the strange picture,
which repeats itself at every station, as, between the stations,
you catch glimpses of the green river, the desert plain, and the
snowy peaks of the mountains. A monotonous picture, if you
will ! but of a severe and even grand beauty. The greater
part of the travellers are of my opinion, though artists are
divided on the subject
Two or three compartments in our train are filled with regular
troops of the United States army. They are bound for San
Francisco, and from thence are to march rapidly on Arizona,
where the Apaches have taken the war-path.
For several weeks, a regular massacre of the planters had been
the order of the day. These soldiers, admirably equipped and
armed, look very well. At one of the stations, a young Chinese
prisoner had been intrusted to them. In passing close to him,
I could not help observing his mortal pallor and the profound

I30 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
despair of his countenance. A few moments later, this poor
lad, either hoping to escape, or wishing to commit suicide, threw
himself out of the window of the train. The engine was
stopped, but nothing was found but a mutilated corpse. What
struck me most was the horrible indifference with which this
Incident was talked of. Some of my fellow-passengers even
made fun of it. I could not conceal my indignation. " At any
rate he was a man ! " I exclaimed. " No, no," was the reply,
" he was a Chinese ! " And another added, " One Chinaman
less, and that's aU. There are quite enough of them in the
country." Such is philanthropy in California.
At one of the stations, I sent a telegram to my banker at San
Francisco, asking him to be kind enough to secure me a lodging
there. One or two hours later the answer was remitted to me.
AVith the help of the railway guide my correspondent had
calculated where the answer would be most likely to find me,
and the head of the telegraph office, during a few minutes'
stoppage at one of the stations, had been clever enough to find
me out in the midst of a hundred other passengers. Gentlemen
of the European telegraph, would you have been able to do as
much ? Or, rather, would you be disposed to follow such an
example ?
Towards evening we perceive to the south, not far from the
line, an immense lake, or rather sea, thirty-five miles long and
ten broad. Into this great sheet of water the Humboldt faUs ;
it is its " sink." We are now In the great basin of the Californian
desert. A broad belt of land runs along the eastern slopes of
the Sierra Nevada and stretches from Oregon to Arizona. This
desert receives and absorbs in its burning sands the mighty
rivers and innumerable watercourses from the mountains, which
find no outlet, because between the Wahsatch mountains and
the high Californian chain, the soil gradually lowers.^ Notwith
standing the darkness, the crisper, keener air, and the gradual
slackening of our pace tell us that we are arrived at the first spurs
of the Sierra Nevada,
yune ioth. — At one o'clock in the morning our train enters
California. The station Is called " Verdi," "in honour of the
• Inall about l,loofeet. Ogden is at 4, 300 feet, and Mirage Station, where
tlie ascent of the Sferra Nevada begins, 3, 199 feet above the level of the sea.

IX, FROM CORINNE TO SAN FRANCISCO, 131
great master. One of the passengers, a Hamburg commercial
traveller, is indignant ; he demands with loud cries that the
station shall be called " Wagner." It seems to me in question
able taste to christen new and growing towns, or, as in Europe,
streets, with celebrated names which have no connection
with the locality. The illustrious personages whom a musical
engineer, a poetical architect, or a philosophical municipality
have thus desired to honour, often find themselves strangely out
of place, and very often become the subjects of raillery or
impertinent questions, such as : " How ? you here ? " or the like,
which the passengers involuntarily ask them. There is a reaction
on this head in the United States, and they are at last beginning
to prefer naming their new cities after the old Indian appellations
of the sites on which they are built
The line, by short and sharp curves and quick ascents,
follows the sinuosities of the mountain, plunges deeper and
deeper into the forest, and at last arrives at the " Summit "
Station, on the vety crest of the Sierra, which is the highest
point of its course.' On all sides rise up high granite peaks,
the crenellated tops of this great waU ; lower down, the gentle
slopes are covered with magnificent trees, and here and there
are rayed with bright lines ; these are artificial torrents formed
by the miners, for we are now actually in Eldorado. A second
chain of somewhat lower mountains prevents our looking down
on the great Californian plains. It is a perfect maze of hUls
flooded at this moment by hazy blue tints merging into tender
green. It is no longer the same atmosphere as that of the
interior of the continent. No more transparency, no more ex
traordinary supernatural Hght effacing all distances and destroy
ing, as it were, the perfection of the scenery. It is the sky of
Andalusia, with a blue, vapouty, hazy horizon, mingling with
the purple curtain of the mountains. In spite of the name of
the Sierra, there are only here and there patches of snow,
forgotten in some crevice of the rocks and surrounded with a
garland of flowers of every shade and hue. The train glides
swiftly along the abyss or through galleries made of wooden
beams tightly joined together destined to protect the line from
the snow. These frail constructions, which must be very in-
' 7,007 feet above the level of the sea. The highest point of the Central
Railway, Sherman, is 8,242 feet above the level of tlie sea.

132 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
adequate to resist a real avalanche, hide the view of the pano
rama at our feet ; but on the other hand, they save us from
seeing the precipices into which the slightest accident might
hurl us. Thus we have an enjoyment but also an emotion the
less ! The lower we descend the more the scene changes.
One station half-way down the Sierra remains for ever engraved
in the mind of the traveller. Nothing can be more graceful
and pretty than the appearance of the little town entitied
" Dutch-flat" Each house is surrounded with a garden. Vines
crawl over the walls of the cottages. Fruit-trees white with
blossom form the fences; a profusion of flowers scent the air;
while the streams running through the meadows give a delicious
freshness to the whole. Unfortunately there are no shepherds
or shepherdesses to live in this earthly Paradise. Nothing can
well be less pastoral and less in accordance with the idyllic
character of the site than the race of rough adventurers who
dwell there.
Between Dutch-flat and Gold-run the soil is all cut in trenches
and funowed with dykes. Everyone knows what is meant by
the hydraulic method. From the top of the mountains, great
columns of water are brought to bear upon a mineral strata, by
which huge blocks of rock, clay, and earth are detached in a
few seconds from their native bed, and the auriferous deposit
is conducted into what are called flutties, where they pick out
the gold.
A littie lower down, the train stopped at the station called
Cape Horn. This part of the railroad passes for being the ne
plus ultra of engineering art, and at the same time the most
perilous, as one finds oneself suspended over an abyss more
than 2,000 feet deep. I own, however, that this much-vaunted
spot, both for its beauty and its terrors, did not come up to my
expectations. In picturesqueness it does not exceed an Alpine
pass, and the conformation of the ground diminishes its terrible
character — the engineers of the Semmering and Brenner Rail
ways have overcome greater difficulties. But what is alarming
Is the construction of the line, and in consequence the forced
and fearful speed of the trains ; forced, in liiis sense, that it
depends less on the will of the driver than on the weight of
the train ; and that beyond a certain limit, the breaks are quite
insufficient. This is a danger which as yet they have not been

IX, FROM CORINNE TO SAN FRANCISCO. 133
able to meet ; but the engineers and drivers on these Pacific
lines fulfil their duties most scrupulously, and are, in this
respect, vety much in advance of their brethren on the other
side of the Missouri. Accidents, in consequence, are rare ;
though the experts say that this is due less to the construction
of the line than to the small number of trains which pass over
it and the great precautions taken. But now and then bad
accidents do happen. Lately there was a collision between
two trains, the carriages of one of which were of unequal size,
so that the smaUer ones were driven into the greater. This
terrible collision, which cost many lives, enriched their technical
railway vocabulary with a new term. They say : " Such and
such a train has been ' telescoped.' "
The influx of travellers on the Pacific Railroad will naturally
increase with time ; but until now, it is far from coming up
to the expectations of the shareholders or of the Washing
ton Government, who, in granting evety kind of facility and
immense concessions of territory to both companies, was
mainly actuated by political considerations. They reckoned
by this iron ring to tighten the bond of union between the
East and the West, and to strengthen their hands against the
Southern Secessionists. Will that object be some day attained ?
There are many sceptics on this point ; but it is one of those
questions which time alone can solve.
We are rapidly descending. The line winds through wooded
banks and rushing streams ;, but the devastations caused by the
miners spoil the view. Here and there you come upon. solitary
huts inhabited by Chinese. They look out for ground aban
doned by the whites : and thanks to their industty and the
extreme sobriety of their race, they manage to live comfort
ably and even to save on the gleanings of their predecessors.
We saw a good many of them at work. Seated with their
feet in the water, leaning forward and busily engaged in
washing the gold, they do not even turn their heads to see
the train pass.
At last we emerge from the mountains. The great Cali
fornian .plain^-already yellow and parched by the heat of a
Mexican summer, spangled here and there with magnificent
oak-trees, or dotted with villages and Httle towns surrounded
with greeii^was rolled out before us Hke a field of cloth of

134 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
gold. A transparent luminous haze floating in the air tempered
the glare of the day, and threw a veil of gauze over the glow
ing picture. Towards the horizon, in front of us, ranning from
north to south, was a longblueish Hne. That is the "middle"
chain of mountains which traverses the whole length of Cali
fornia. Some hours later, we found ourselves amidst their
gorges, which are bare at the top, but covered on the sides by
evety description of flowering shmb, whose lustrous leaves
shone in the sunshine in spite of the thick layer of dust which
dimmed their brightness. The river rushed and foamed almost
under our carriage-wheels. Then we came to another plain,
bounded to the west by another chain of low mountains — the
" Coast Range." The last sensation of fear reserved for the
passenger who has crossed the great American continent in
the way I have described is whUe passing over a succession of
frail bridges made of trestle-work, thrown over the marshes
and the American river close to Sacramento city.
A little grey cloud is pointed out to us on the horizon.
That is San Francisco ; not the town, which is invisible ; but
the grey, cold fog which envelopes it during the summer months.
We are, then, just at the end of our long journey. The
passengers, all of a sudden, seem to be in a fever of impatience.
At last, towards five o'clock in the afternoon, the train stops
at a little distance from Oakland, close to the bay, and just in
front of the town of San Francisco. Here the scene suddenly
changes. The sun is darkened, the sky has become black and
foggy, thick clouds shroud the tops of the mountains which
surround the gulf. Of San Francisco itself one sees nothing
save the great ships anchored in the harbour, and the houses
of the lower town. It is Hke a curtain in a play which is just
rising and showing only the feet of the actors. The air has
suddenly become extremely cold, an icy wind blows from the
north-west From twenty-eight or thirty degrees of Reaumur,
we have come down to three or four degrees below zero. In
less than ten minutes we have passed from the dog-day heat
of Mexico to the white frost of the North. One could fancy
oneself at Liverpool or Glasgow in a horrid foggy day in the
month of November.
From the railway carriage to the great steamer which is to
take us to the other side of the gulf there is but a step. But

IX, FROM CORINNE TO SAN FRANCISCO. 135
this step is a positive race. Evetyone seizes his bag, his wife,
his children, if he has any, and, without saying one word of
good-bye to the persons who have shared with him the fatigues
and perils of a journey from one ocean to the other, he mshes
towards the foot-bridge which leads to the steamer. As
Oakland is the residence of all the elegant world of San
Francisco, the immense boats (real floating palaces) are always
full, and sometimes it is most difficult to get a place. The
intense cold does not allow of one's remaining on deck. So
the huge saloon on the first floor, warmed by great stoves, is
positively crammed. The arm-chairs and benches are occupied
by ladies covered vrith furs from head to foot, and mostiy
dressed with a great deal of taste. The gentiemen wear
"ponchos" or hugely thick winter greatcoats. The whole
appearance of the company is decidedly cosmopolitan.
But here am I landed on the opposite bank of the gulf,
carried at a quick trot across the sombre deserted streets, set
down at last at the " Occidental" Hotel, and most comfortably
installed in a pretty littie apartment weU Ht, and above all,
well warmed; for excepting snow, it is winter, real winter,
regularly set in for the three months of June, July, and
August, at one or two miles only from the great semi-tropical
heat of a Mexican summer.

CHAPTER X.
SAN FRANCISCO.— FROM THE ioth TO THE 13th OF JUNE,
AND FROM THE zznd JUNE TO 1st JULY.
Its Origin.— The Pioneers.— Tine Reign of Pikes. — The Vigilance Com
mittee.— Commerce and Trade.— Wells & Fargo. — Growing Reaction
against the Gold»diggers. — Position, Climate, and Appearance of San
Francisco. — Its Inhabitants. — Its Cosmopolitan Character. — A German
Home. — The Chinese Quarter. — Cruel Treatment of Chinese Einigrants,
—Jesuit Colleges. — Cliff House. ,
At the time of the discovety of gold the mission Of Dolores
was nothing but a wreck. The Franciscan fathers had fotinded
it during the Spanish occupation,' but after the separation from
Mexico they abandoned it Near the convent rose z.presidi^,
that is, a littie fort built by order of his Catholic Majesty for
the protection of the mission. Under the Mexican govern
ment, a certain number of ragged soldiers still mounted guard
there. Now and then, a cutter would furrow the soUtaty
waters of the bay, which, like the presidio, bore the name of
the founder of the order. Indian huntsmen and wild beasts
haunted the forests and mountains which incircled the bay,
but the neighbouring slopes were cultivated by the natives,
whom the monks of St Francis had christianized, and in-
a great measure, civilised likewise. In 1849, when "the
Californian fever" broke out in Missouri, in New York, at
Boston, and in all the great towns of the east, and that gold-
diggers were first sent to this distant shore, San Francisco
could not boast of more than four houses deserving the name.
To-day, this young metropoHs, the Queen-City, reckons 130,000
to 140,000 inhabitants. Its rapid growth is due to the dis-
" In 1777.

Chap, X. SAN FRANCISCO. 137
covety of gold. But it is to its daily-increasing commerce, to
the cultivation of the soil, to its agriculture, which, it is to be
hoped, will soon replace the working of the mines, and to its
industry, still in its infancy but capable of unlimited develop
ment, that it will owe its lasting and solid prosperity.
Here everything is young, nature itself is still virgin ; the
oldest of the houses is not twenty years old, and the most
venerable inhabitant is under fifty. Among the last, the most
remarkable patriarchs are the men of " early days," iht pioneers,
as they proudly call themselves, those who witnessed the birth
of this golden capital ; who when they anived lived either in
one of the four solitaty huts before named, or slept in the
open air, under the protection of the guns of the Mexican
fort These men have grey hair and whitening beards— for
one lives fast in California — and are comparatively respectable.
Their ranks have been thinned ; many are dead and died poor;
few have made their fortunes, and still fewer on going back to
their own country have been able to carry off their savings.
Those that I saw did not seem to me prosperous. Yet they
gave up their whole lives to the worship of gold, and were the
first to extract it from the bowels of the earth, or to brush it
out of the sands of the caHoties. Gold in abundance has
passed through their hands; but somehow it did not stick
there. These men remind one of the old lion in the fable,
who has lost his teeth. Age and infirmities have tempered the
briUiancy of their eyes. They bear the stamp of hardy
adventurers; between brandy and exposure to the weather
they have no complexions left. Nevertheless, in spite of
threadbare clothes, scanty meals, and the disgust and decep
tions consequent on lives which have missed their mark, they
do not turn misanthropes. They have a kind of good-
humoured, caustic authority, the result of experience ; and
enjoy a sort of dignity which keeps them up, especiaUy in
their own eyes. Are they not the first who discovered the
riches of the soil ? who laid the foundation and paved the way
for the wonders of the future? These men have an innate
consciousness of their own value, which it is hard to dispute.
I made some of them tell me the history of San Francisco.
It is contemporaneous history, for it only goes back twenty
years, but with respect to the changes these twenty years

138 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
have witnessed they represent centuries. And to think that
these men have sown the seed, and seen the tree grow and
spread and finally develop into such magnificence! Certainly,
it is not altogether their work— nothing Hke it StiU they have
a right to lay claim to its origin. It was not till I had listened
to these modern Romuluses that I understood the foundation
of Rome ; the ardent passions of the men who marked out its
boundaries, who laid the first stone, watered by the blood of a
brother. In the daily strifes tor the soil, which they fought for
with each other as much as with the wild beasts. I seemed to
be reading over again the details which the pen of Titus Livy
has transmitted to us while listening to the stories of the
founders of San Francisco, or " Frisco," as they familiarly call
this child of their creation.
The first five or six years of the existence of this new town
were years of incessant struggle; every man's hand was against
his brother — bellum omnium contra omnes. In appearance
" Frisco " was like all other new settiements in America ; i.e.,
one or two streets lined with huts of wood or canvas, two or
three larger buildings for stores, four or five inns, or rather
public-houses, and besides, gambling tables without end and
houses of bad fame. At the mines, kiUing toll; in the town,
perpetual orgies; evetywhere strife, murders, and assassina
tions. Blood and absinthe flowed on aU sides. It was simply
a hell upon earth; not the hell of Dante, but the hell ima
gined by the two brothers Breughel — one of whom painted
scenes of peasant debaucheries, and the other devilries which
only a Dutch imagination of the seventeenth century could
have invented. It was the acme of gross and yet grotesque
vice. The first arrivals came from the only slave state in the west
— Missouri. The inhabitants of this state, who had mostly
immigrated from the south, brought with them the same ideas
and tastes. After having crossed the American deserts, and
become the first possessors of the auriferous soil, the Missouri
men found themselves suddenly confronted with their brethren
from the east. The Panama route not being yet opened, the
new-comers had been compelled to double Cape Horn. Many
had been six, eight, even twelve months In a salHng ship. At
the diggings these men soon became formidable rivals. The

X. SAN FRANCISCO. 139
antagonism which has always existed between the Yankees and
the Southerners added to the heat of competition. In point
of morality, one was as good, or rather as bad, as the other.
But the immigration of the Northerners went on increasing,
whUe that of the Missouri men diminished. After five years
of an anarchy which it is almost impossible to describe, but
which did not check the material progress of the town, the
Northerners found themselves the strongest, and determined to
take the lead. Then they established the famous VigUance
Committee. Evety man who had committed a murder, or
even was suspected of being capable of such an act, was
instantly, if a Southerner, brought before the Committee, and
hanged on the first tree — tnorto popolarmente, as Machiavelli
would say. It was from the moment of the creation of this
tribunal, however partial, arbitrary, and irregular its decisions
may have been, that we may date the beginning of a better
state of things. The "rowdies " of yesterday, transformed into
judges, took it into their heads to enforce order, and everyone
in consequence found his position more supportable.
Here begins the second era.' The reign of " pikes," thanks
to these summaty executions, was at an end for ever. The
members of the Vigilance Committee had the good sense to
dissolve themselves, and to give place to regularly constituted
tribunals. Lynch-law was, therefore, virtually at an end. But
another revolution in men's minds was being accomplished.
At first every new-comer had mshed off to the mines. In the
imagination of the first emigrants, California was a quany of
pure gold, and their only business was to seize and carry it off.
This delusion was soon dispelled, and at last men began to
understand that gold was to be found in other places than the
diggings. They likewise discovered that other occupations
would bring in more than gold-washing, if only they could
import the two things most needed in the colony — capital and
honesty. Men possessing both soon began to arrive, and
establish themselves at San Francisco. After a set of ad
venturers came men of business, after anarchy a tolerable
guarantee for the safety of Hfe and property. There was at
last order, security, and probity, in the CaHfornian sense of the
words, at any rate, if not in ours. Order did not exclude the
• From 1855 to 1856.

140 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
revolver, and precautions were needed in business transactions
which would astonish Wall Street and the city of London. But
the progress was, nevertheless, very remarkable, and as far as I
can judge, it is stiU going on. With a rapidity which can only
be compared to the burst of spring flowers in arctic regions,
an entirely new class of men came upon the scene. They
were mostly composed of new immigrants, bringing with them
both experience and capital; and some few ofthe old pioneers,
who, having made their fortunes at the diggings, wished • to
return to the pale of civilisation. These were first-rate men of
business. They installed themselves quietiy in Montgomety
Street, put the miners at once into a secondaty rank, and
embarked in their speculations with that sagacity, boldness, and
promptitude which insure success. What above everything
distinguished them were, intuition and courage. They seemed
to divine their business, they saw profits as in a vision, and
pursued their ideal with a vigour which converted it into a reality.
These men have become great merchants. Only if you come
from Europe, or even from New York, and wish to do business
with them, remember that they are infinitely cleverer and
sharper than you, and that they have wider ideas than yours as
to what, in their trade, is illicit and what is not
These men started a number of companies and private banks,
which are carried on with EngHsh and American. capital, and
whose ramifications extend to London, Shanghai, Hong Kong,
Calcutta, and Bombay. One of the most remarkable of these
establishments is the company of Wells & Fargo. Its enor
mous operations embrace the whole western side of the
great American continent, from the Rocky Mountains to the
Pacific, from the confines of British Columbia in the north,, to
the frontiers of Mexico in the south. Its agents are scattered
over all this immense surface. In the most remote corners of
the mining districts, and the primeval forests, wherever there is
a white settiement, you are sure to find a neat, clean little house,
bearing in colossal letters the inscription— WeUs, Fargo, and
Co. This company acts as bankers to the planters, the
backwoodsmen, the miners, and to the multitude of littie towns
which spring up one day to disappear the next, or to become
important centres of new districts. The transport of both letters
and parcels forms, however, one of the most important branches

X. SAN FRANCISCO. 141
of the operations of this great company.' For this purpose,
they buy stamped envelopes of the post-office, add their own
stamp, and charge a small percentage on each. The small
sacrifice this involves is amply compensated to the public by
the regularity and safety of their postal service. Until last
year, these operations were continually increasing ; but they have
been considerably reduced by the opening ofthe great railroad.
The coaches and cars of Wells & Fargo no longer convey
travellers to Fort Laramie or Salt-Lake City. The railroad has
taken all this work out of their hands ; but they continue to
supply all the carriage roads leading to the railroads, and unite
the important points of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and the
Pacific States from Olympia to Los Angeles and San Diego.
One can then forai some idea of the importance of this
company. Its capital is not derived from the gold-fields. It
appears to me a significant fact, that almost all the shares of
Wells & Fargo are in the hands of New York bankers.
The amount of English capital embarked in these companies,
and in the great banks of San Francisco, becomes larger every
day. It is, therefore, not Californian gold which feeds the
commercial activity of San Francisco. This gold, on the
contrary, finds its way abroad, and especially to England. It
would be curious though difficult to verify the proportion
between the value of precious metal exported, and the amount
imported from abroad.
Trade is continually on the increase. Wool manufactures
hold the first rank. The numberless flocks of the country
supply the raw material. They boast also of the perfection
and strength of the machinery manufactured in San Francisco.
The workshops here furnish the miners with all their tools ; the
import of such articles has entirely ceased. Formerly they
sent skins to the Eastern States to be tanned and sent back in
the shape of boots and shoes ; now they make them better
' In 1863, this company bought of the government 2,000,000 of envelopes
at 3 cents., 15,000 at 6 cents., 30,000 at lo and i8 cents. ; besides 70,000
postage stamps at 3 cents., and 12,500 at 6 cents. I borrow these figures,
which were verifijed on the spot, from an interesting book which 1 have
already quoted : "Across the Continent." New York, 1869. By Samuel
Bowles. This author gives also fragments of a sermon which I will quote
extracts firom later on.

142 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
here than anywhere else. Their production of silk stuffs also
promises well ; but their cotton goods are inferior. To sum up
all, we may rest assured that what is already done is nothing
but a beginning of what will be done hereafter in this rising
city. Natural riches abound, and form elements for a healthy
and flourishing trade independent of the gold-fields. Neither
capital nor hands are wanting : for the Chinese who swarm
here are exceUent workmen. In wooUen manufactures they
are preferred to all others. Generally, they reckon that one
white man does the work of two yellow ones : but in some
factories the workmen are entirely children of the Celestial
Empire. Like the commercial man, the Californian trader is
distinguished by largeness of views, boldness of conception,
and a natural disposition to venture large means to arrive at
great results. One might fancy that the size of everything in
nature inspires men with grandiose ideas. This is one of the
principal charms of the countiy, and one of the causes which
bring back most of those who have lived here for some time.
Its real riches, as I said before, do not consist in gold, but
in the fertility of the soil. If the statistical information I ob
tained be correct, only a sixth part of the available land Is as
yet under cultivation. Its principal products will always be
cereals. Already the crops not only supply the wants of the
country, but are sufficient to export flour to Japan, China, and
Mexico. It is evident that this exportation will increase year
by year. It appears to me doubtful, however, if the corn of
the Pacific states can ever seriously be put in competition with
the cereals of the inexhaustible granaries of Minnesota, Wis
consin, and other central states. Their natural outlet would
be the southern states of America and the extreme east The
agricultural pursuit which answers best here is gardening.
The quantity of vegetables and fruit produced from this soU is
something fabulous. Vine- dressing is also increasing, and I
have heard that the wine made in San Francisco is really ex
cellent, though as yet it is little dmnk. I do not fancy, how
ever, that the vintage of the country can ever compete with
that of France. One thing to be set against this extraordinary
produce is the ever-increasing price of land, especially on the
borders of the raUway which runs through the southern part of
California and Oregon, and unites the Bay of San Francisco

X. SAN FRANCISCO, 143
with Portland.' Speculation, of course, has something to say
to It; but even without this momentary augmentation, It must
be remembered that the value of land always corresponds with
the value and amount of production ; and no one can deny
the present briUiant results of cultivation ; or think that future
hopes Ol still more surprising returns are altogether chimerical.
The more commerce, trade, and agriculture prosper in this
colony, the stronger is the reaction against gold-digging. This
question has often been discussed before me. I have even
heard men, who might be looked upon as authorities in such
matters, declare that the cost absorbs the profits, and that you
bury in the earth as much gold as you get out of it. As a
proof, they cite the very small diminution in the value of the
precious metals, in spite of the enormous quantities produced
by the gold-fields of America and Australia. But it appears to
me that this fact may be explained by the immense increase,
during the last thirty years, of all those European products of
which gold acts as the representative sign; and also, though
in a less degree, by the constant exportation of money to
China. Whatever may be the cause, however, the feeling against
mining gains ground every day. The grievances on this head
are endless, and each man will^ve you a fresh one of his own.
To begin with : the intending gold-diggers arrive alone, with
out any capital, without any guarantee of character or morality,
and generally belong to the least respectable class of emigrants.
When once they have set to work at the mines, they naturally
faU into the ways and habits of those around them. As the
rights^ of property are badly defined, constant quarrels arise,
among the rniners themselves in the first place, and then be
tween the miners and the farmers whose land runs nearest the
mines. The whole existence of these men is, in fact, a con
stant protest against the fundamental conditions of civUIsed
Hfe. As to tiie government, it has neither the means nor the
• I purposely abstain from quoting the figures given me, which seem to
me exaggerated. I do not wish, either, to weary my readers with statistics,
which have no value but when they come from official sources and are
scientifically grouped. I have no' intention of furnishing a complete study
on the state of California. I am only trying to gather together, in one
clear picture, the varied information I received on the spot

144 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
wiU to bring them within the pale of the law. But this is not
all. Experience has proved that except in vety rare instances,
due mainly to chance, individuals cannot compete with com
panies. Sooner or later the miners are mined, give up the
diggings, and become the terror of the settiers — real banditti—
and a mnning sore in Californian society.
On the other hand, the companies, both large and small —
and there are upwards of three thousand of them — run fearful
risks. Enormous gains are frequently followed by as tremen
dous losses. Their transactions are, in fact, nothing but a huge
game of chance, of which one of the characteristics is the un
certainty and rapidity of gain and loss. It is, therefore, a
reasonable conclusion that gold-digging in aU its branches is a
permanent source of demoralization. Looking at it from an
agricultural point of view, it is, of course, the utter destmction
of a quantity of arable land which would indeed be precious,
if, instead of being burrowed into and destroyed, it were simply
cultivated. To have the least idea of the extent of the devas
tation of the soil, you have only to visit the mining districts.
Wherever the hydraulic process has been in operation on any
large scale, the most fertile land has been converted into a
chaos of rock, gravel, and mud. But from the vety excess of
the evil the remedy will arise. The hour is at hand when
agriculture, which is developing itself with giant strides, will be
strong enough to dispute the soil, and that victoriously, with
the mining interest. It will bring about a revolution which the
respectable part of the community is already earnestly desiring.
" Mining is a curse," are the words in everyone's mouth. It
would be difficult to express this conviction more eloquently
than was done the other day by a Protestant minister preaching
in San Francisco. " Don't let us deceive ourselves," he ex
claimed. " Histoty has proved that society can never organize
itself satisfactorily on an auriferous soil. Nature itself is in
bad faith. It corrupts, seduces, and cheats a man. It laughs
at the sweat of his brow. It transforms his toil into a game of
chance, and his word into a He."
San Francisco turns its back to the Pacific, which, in spite of
its proximity, remains invisible. The distance from the Queen-
City to the ocean is nevertheless not more than five or six
miles. The town looks upon the bay, which, stretching towards

X. SAN FRANCISCO. 145
the south-east, disappears inland. It is an oblong basin sur
rounded with hills, wooded in some parts, and in others covered
with vineyards and gardens. From the streets of the upper
town, if only the thick curtain of fog would sometimes rise, the
view is as unique as it is beautiful. Sometimes, but rarely, and
only in the early morning, the sun bursts through the thick dull
clouds which shroud the neighbouring heights. Then, wrapped
in your greatcoat, and shivering with cold, you see, as through
a black frame, a littie bit of bright blue sky, and the smiling
hUl-sides of Santa Clara and San Josd. You have at least had
the satisfaction of having had a glimpse of summer. The town
is built half on an artificial shore, which, with incredible labour
and expense, has been rescued from the waters of the gulf, half
on the eastern slopes of the " Coast Range" mountains, that
great granite dyke, which, mnning from north to south, stops
the waves of the Pacific. One single opening has been made
in it by nature, it is called the " Golden Gate." Francis Drake
was the first to cross its threshold. It gives access to large
ships, but at the same time to the icy winds, charged with
vapour, blo'wing ¦violently from the north-west, that is, from the
North Pole, during the three summer months, which beat in
rain against the rocky chain that binds the coast, but afterwards,
mshing through the Golden Gate, ingulf themselves in the bay
and accumulate above San Francisco those leaden, heavy, grey
clouds, which make winter in the midst of summer — winter
confined to the suburbs of the town, and surrounded by that
tropical heat which, at this season of the year, sets the plains
of CaHfomia almost on fire. This singular contrast never
ceases to strike me ; I have been here for three weeks, ar\d I
have only once or twice seen a few pale rays of sun, and that
only for a few moments.
The largest half of the town, as I have said, is perched on
the flank of the mountain — that Is, on the steep incline of a
granite rock covered with a thick bed of gravel and sand. If
the " pioneers " had marked out the plan of the streets In con
formity to the lay of the ground, it would have been easy, by
taking advantage of its very irregularities, to make good carriage
roads and picturesque terraces. But the first founders of this
city were either Yankees or Missouri men, who would not hear
of anything but straight lines and right angles. Just fancy the
L

146 A Ramble round the world, chap,
curve of a huge wave lashed by the wind and broken into a
thousand Httle cavities. That is the look of the ground.
Then, as a man who is used to command the elements and
remove mountains, you say : " I choose that these rocks and
inequalities should disappear, and be converted into plains " —
and so they are, in your mind's eye ! Then you take a rale
and a square, and map out streets and avenues, and " blocks "
and squares, exactly after the model of all other American
towns. Boston is an exception — but Boston was built by the
English. If San Francisco were to be rebuilt now, it would
be on a totally different plan. The cosmopolitan element
which begins to prevail would have set its seal on the place.
But the idea of an American is simply to go ahead — not to be
deterred by difficulties, but to attack them in front, and take
the bull by the horns. Thanks to this bold determination, the
result is marvellous, but I cannot call it successfuL Everyone
allows that nothing can well be worse than the construction of
San Francisco. In the streets the circulation is impeded at
evety tum : and the houses are not only ugly, but positive
caricatures. After having laid out some straight streets and
built houses on either side, they found that, owing to the shape
of the ground, they could not be made accessible for carriages,
so they were compelled to lower the level of the streets till they
became like deep ditches ; while to get into the houses, flying
staircases were added, which seemed positively to be hung in
raid-air. It reminds one of the excavations and mbbish left
sometimes near the approach to one of our great capitals by
the making of a new line of railroad. Nothing can be more
ugjy, untidy, and inconvenient. Very soon it was found out
that, from the nature of the soil (being chiefly sand and gravel),
the action of the wind on these aerial habitations, perched in
this way on the ledge of a precipice, very seriously endangered
the foundations. Serious accidents were the result More than
once it has happened that the " breeze " from the north-west,
after having undermined the foundations which these excavations
in the carriage-road had laid bare, simply threw the houses
down into the trench below. The expense of all these repairs '
was so considerable, that at last this absurd system was given
up. To rise to the different levels, as the houses are built on
the sides of the mountain, they now make use of steps. But

X. SAN FRANCISCO, 147
the result is, that if you go in a carriage, you have to make a
tremendous round. When you look up from the lower town,
die eye is struck, and I would almost add shocked, by the
optical effect of these straight lines, broken by the level of the
ground. Everywhere else, if you are looking at a long line of
avenue, the houses and trees on each side seem to be lowered
towards the horizon. Here, owing to the extraordinary way
the ground has been dealt with, they ascend. One would think
it was a fault in perspective ! But nature never commits such
enors. It is man who by his work makes her appear guilty of
an infraction of her laws.
The houses, with a vety few rare exceptions, are all built of
wood. Wooden buildings placed on sand ! It does not sound
solid. But what is characteristic of this hardy race of occupiers
is the coolness with which they answer your sinister predictions
by — " WeU, if they fall, we've only got to build them up again."
Do not fancy, however, that these men are too busy about
making money to care for the comforts of life, or that they
disdain the fine arts. In the designs of the new buildings
occupied by the rich bankers and merchants (which are all of
the style which one might call " American Renaissance "), I
saw several attempts at real beauty of form and proportion.
I do not say that these attempts have been always successful.
What I complain of is chiefly the material of which they are
built To take a lot of beams and planks, cover them with
plaster, and give them the colour of marble or cut stone, is to
commit a sin against good taste which any eye accustomed to
study architecture would at once detect But the Interior of
these houses Is vety fine^ spacious, and comfortable ; they are
handsomely furnished without being overdone. Very few
knick-kiiacks about — Californian taste disdains them. But,
on the other hand, they possess some very fine works of art
You find statues and pictures which came from the best studios
in Rome. The Oakland Villas are deservedly admired. All
those I saw deserve their reputation. The house of Mr. B.
is worthy of a merchant prince. That of General K., my
pleasant companion across the Atiantic, is a perfect gem of
elegance and good taste. Both house and garden are his own
creation, and nature and art have been equally lavish of their
treasures.

148 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chcpp.
But to come back to San Francisco. I like the modest
houses of smaller men, which are not without their merit
Hardly ever is a littie garden wanting — a perfect basket of
roses and fuchsias. The gardens of the larger proprietors,
though not very extensive, are admirably laid out The mild
ness of the climate in winter allows of a constant change of
flowers, and their lawns are well watered and carefully mown.
The great hotels and the public buildings are alike evety
where in America. There are also some really fine churches.
The most sumptuous ecclesiastical edifice, however, is un
doubtedly the Synagogue. I put it first, because, from its
position on one of the highest points of the city, it attracts the
eye before all the Christian churches, and attests likewise the
local importance of the Jewish element "St. Maty's," the
CathoHc cathedral, is a fine and noble Gothic stmcture. " St
Ignatius' " bears the name and the style of the order it repre^
sents. Besides these, there are the Church of St. Francis and
the convent chapels. The Protestants have likewise each
churches for their particular sect Nor must we forget the two
joss houses, or pagodas of the Chinese worshippers. What
seems to me significant is that all these religious edifices date
their construction from 1854 to 1856. It was the moment of
the establishment of the Vigilance Committee. When they
began to call the rogues and murderers to account, the
peaceable inhabitants began to remember that they were
Christians; coUections were made, and the re-establishment
of order coincided with the laying of the first stones of the
churches. The schools likewise date from the same era ; but
the architectural decorations of these latter buildings seemed
to me exaggerated and out of place.
Montgomery and Market Streets form the great arteries of
the lower town. They intersect the commercial and industrial
quarters, and are consequently always busy and thronged.
The other streets are more or less empty. The greater part of
the rich merchants live In the upper town. The uniform colour
of everything Is dust, which fills the whole air; the shade
varies from yellow ochre to pale brown, and under the shadow
of the summer fog-clouds to dark grey. The buildings, the pave
ments, the macadam ofthe streets, are ofthe same dingy uniform
tint A sepia drawing, done on yellow paper, with the shadows

X. SAN FRANCISCO. I49
in Indian ink, could alone give you an idea of the colouring.
The streets are filled with sand and the houses with dust
You wiU say that this is not an attractive picture! but,
strange to say, one has not been a week in San Francisco
without getting used to it Almost aU the stranger residents,
especially the Germans, have but one dream when they first
arrive, namely, to make their fortunes as fast as they can, and
then to return home. But when the hour of departure comes,
they have somehow changed their minds, or rather their feel
ings. They end by staying on ; or if they go home for a short
time, they generaUy end by coming back again. This Cali
fornian life has evidently a charm which no one can resist.
Evetything is on a large scale, and evetything is easy, at least
in the minds of people who think themselves capable of evety
thing, which is here the predominant idea. Evetyone has plenty
of elbow room. . The space is infinite, and that space belongs
to you. The future likewise is yours. This con'viction, which
is tiioroughly ingrained in men's minds, favours their bold con
ceptions, guides them in moments of trouble and uncertainty,
cheers them in discouragement, and enables them to bear up
against every trial. The moral atmosphere is like the air you
breathe, and acts upon body and soul Hke a glass of cham
pagne. The life you lead is the same. You are in opulence
or in misety. If the latter, why then, work ! You are the
master of your own destiny. And so they do work, and
speedily become rich. In the " eai'ly days," and not so vety
long ago either, it was a common thing to see gentlemen stand
ing at the corners of the streets offering their services as
porters. You saw them dressed in one of Poole's best coats,
canying sacks of flour, trunks, pianos, and the like, for a dollar
at a time. Now, we are far removed from this exceptional
and primitive state of things. Everyone has found his place.
Hands are not wanting : only the price of hand labour, which
seems fabulous to us, remains the same. But do not imagine
that living is as dear as certain traveUers wish to make you
believe. In the very best hotels you pay three gold dollars a
day — that is, about 17!^ francs. Everything is included in this
charge, except wine ; there is no extra charge of any sort. For
that, they give you an excellent room, and feed you to repletion.
The cooking may not be exactly according to your taste;

150 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
but the food of aU kinds is of the vety best quality. More
than this, you have all the luxuries and comforts peculiar to
American hotels. If I want a drawing-room, I have a magni
ficent apartment given me, thoroughly well warmed, and lit
(alas !) with six gas-burners, day and night, for five dollars. In
London, Paris, or Vienna, it would cost twice as much. Miners,
and people who have no pretension to elegance, find exceUent
board and lodging for half a doUar a day. This will give you,
without exaggeration,, the average of the prices of the neces
saries of life. Another thing which struck me vety much was
the rapid strides that have been made in every kind of scientific
appliance. In the public buildings, in the counting-houses of
the merchants, in private houses, in public schools, in work
shops, in factories, evetywhere, in fact, they have introduced
the vety last and best results of physical and mechanical
science. Ventilation, for instance, which is in its infancy
among us, is admirable here. The methods of lighting, and
warming, and laying on water, and all other domestic arrange
ments, leave nothing to be desired. Compare the great Pacific
steamers with those of the Atlantic, and you will see that in
point of comfort and luxury these last are terribly behind
hand. New York and London are evidently distanced by San
Francisco. This fact would be astounding, even where a desert
on the one hand and an ocean on the other did not completely
isolate a town from the rest of the civilized world. But the
explanation lies in this : that here evetything has to be created
from the very beginning. There is no bad system of the past
to be set aside or put up with for a time. The past ! Why,
there is none ! That is the secret of Californian life. Add to
this, that money is always at hand for everything. That is, one
has it or not, as the case may be ; but if at this moment your
exchequer is empty, to-morrow it will be fuU. So it comes to
the same thing ; for everyone has credit They do not, there
fore, draw back before any question of expense. On the
contraty, they take advantage of every new invention which
has sprung out of the speculative heads of the Old World or
of the States.' They appropriate them at once, and introduce
them on the largest scale.
• It IS thus that Californians call New England, and, in general, all the
Eastern Stales.

X. SAN FRANCISCO, 151
The cHmate also has its cliarms. It is a continual spring,
especially during the winter, which knows neither ice nor snow.
In summer, it is true, cold fogs prevail, but that is only in the
town. During this season, delicate persons always leave it
To escape the rigours of the months of July and August they
have only to cross the gulf and take refuge at Oaklands. The
journey occupies less than an hour. Here they find the most
deliciously warm temperature vrithout any great heat, as this
favoured spot is situated between the foggy region of the
Golden Gate and the burning plains of the interior.
And here we must not forget to m^ition the immense abun
dance of fish, flowers, and fruit at San Francisco. They are
within the reach of evetybody. The vety sight of these
treasures of nature pUed up in the public market-places, and
on all sides, rejoices one's heart Oranges, too, are sold in
immense quantities. They are imported, however, from far;
from the Southem States, or from Los Angeles and San Diego ;
but the greater portion are brought by saUing ships, which take
twenty or thirty days to come, from Tahiti and the South Sea
Islands. At every step you take in the streets you are re
minded of the great distance which separates you from the Old
'World. The extreme east and west meet here. At San
Francisco, one begins to understand that the earth is round,
and that extremes meet I am takmg a quiet stroll through
Montgomety Street. Some servants, German cooks, are re
turning from market The Germans are very numerous here.
Sometimes one hears nothing but German talked round one.
A few steps further on, the inexplicable sounds of the children
of the Celestial Empire fall upon my ear. Two of them, livid
with anger, are, I suppose, abusing one another. They don't
fight with fists, for that in China is a mark of respect, but with
their heads, which they shake furiously. Their comrades,
making a ring round them, are laughing heartUy. What a
hideous lot they are ! At the comer of the street, I come upon
a group of Irishmen and Irishwomen, unmistakable from
their dialect and peculiar characteristics. The women are all
tall, with black mantillas. The Mexicans have not disappeared
altogether : they live in a separate quarter of the upper town.
They are of mixed blood ; but the Andalusian, that is, the
Andalusian type, prevails. The genuine Americans, by which

152 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,,
I mean the Yankees, are numerically small. In the beginning,
they were raore or less the masters. They are still at the head
of evety movement ; they originate ideas ; they guide com
merce ; but they are no longer masters of the position; Other-
elements have come in to dispute their ground ; first the mass
of stranger emigrants — Irish, Germans, and Chinese ; then an
ever-increasing proportion of English capitalists. ¦ France is
represented by certain respectable commercial houses of the
second order. She furnishes besides to San Francisco, as to
all other parts of the globe, dressmakers, hairdressers, cooks,
and sometimes actors. But French people, as a mle, do not
like emigration. They prefer making smaller fortunes and
stopping at home. The little Austrian colony is composed
almost exclusively of Dalmatians. Some amongst them have
set up in business and done vety well. Others are pedlars,
fmitsellers, or whitesmiths. These good Austrians are a brave
and peaceable race, generally respected, never ha^ving any rows
amongst each other, and rarely with men of other nationalities;
and they give little or no trouble to our excellent consul. Ah !
Monsieur Miicke, I am afraid you can't say the same of me !
I know how I have abused your patience, your kindness, and
your time. But what pleasant moments do I not owe you 1
and what agreeable reminiscences I shall carty away !
Germany sends an important contingent to this cosmopolitan
population, important by their numbers, but still more by the
qualities which In all latitudes distinguish her sons. They are
laborious, sober, and economical. They possess two virtues
which are wanting to the Anglo-American : they know how to
wait, and they content themselves with small profits. They
also work for a cheaper rate of remuneration, and live for half
the sum.
From a social point of view, they are superior to their fellow-
counttymen in the States. Their children know and speak
habitually their parents' native language, and remain (Germans
whUe StiU becoming Californians. I went one evening to a
play acted by a German coinpany. The theatre, which was
about the size of the one at Leipsic, was crammed full. In the
States, as I mentioned before, the second generation Ameri
canize themselves -^ but here, only walk into a counting-house
* See p. 42.

X. SAN FRANCISCO. 153
in Montgomety Street, and you ¦would swear you were in
Bremen or Hamburg. Become acquainted with any one of
these famUies, which is easy enough, for the German of San
Francisco is most hospitable ; a member will be charmed to
take you home with him, provided it be towards the end of the
day, after he has shut up his counting-house. The way is long,
for we are going to the upper town ; but there is the tramway,
or else one goes on foot, which is a capital constitutional. If
• it be StiU light, you go through the Chinese quarter, which, it
must be owned, is not very safe after nightfall. By scrambling
up an endless succession of steps you reach the upper regions ;
and if you are exposed to all the winds of heaven, at any rate
you enjoy a glorious view. In this part of the town the Ger
mans and Mexicans prefer to live. You clamber up the last
staircase which is a perfect ladder (ha'ring previously climbed
up a steep street like a trench), and then find yourself in the
porch of a house, where you can fancy yourself at once in
Germany. The mistress of the house, whilst doing the honours,
never takes her eye off the two neat, clean, young German girls
who are waiting at dinner. The meal is excellent ; we have aU
the dishes of the " Vateriand " admirably cooked. Whilst one
devours a Frankfort sausage, or a Westphallan ham, emptying
at the same time a bottie of Liebfrauenmilch, one thinks of
one's absent brethren, and a tear glistens in the eye of more
than one of the guests. Wherever and whenever he may be,
a German is always sentimental. It seems to me that the men
take to the ways of the New Worid more than the women.
These remain essentially German ; they are excellent managers,
good musicians, and their souls are full of poetic dreams—
hauslich, poetisch, musikalisch. They manage the house, care
for and educate their chUdren, are not above putting then- hands
to cuhnaty occupation, and, notwithstanding all these employ
ments, they still have moments to give to Goethe and SchiUer.
In the evening 'they always make time for a little music— a
symphony of Beethoven's, played with more feeling, perhaps,
than briUiancy, or a lied of Schubert's, sung by one of those
round silvety voices which seem to be the special property of
German throats. The arrangement of the rooms, the graceful
vases of flowers in the drawing-rooms, the choice pictures or
engravings on the walls, aU bear the stamp of honest and

IJ4 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
honourable lives ; maintained by labour, it is trae, but ennobled
and embellished by a serious education and a taste for and
cultivation of the fine arts.
One night, rather late, I was going away from one of these
houses, where I had passed a most agreeable evening, and
being, as I thought, sure of my way home, I refused the escort
of my host " Turn round the Chinese quarter," was said to
me on aU sides, and off I started. But the night was dark ; a
damp, penetrating fog added to the obscurity ; and in San
Francisco, from Germany to China is but a step. All of a
sudden, I find myself in a narrow, dirty street, evidently in
habited by the yellow race. I hurry my steps, but in the wrong
direction, and here I am in the very midst of the Chinese
quarter. As far as the thick darkness will allow me to judge,
the streets are completely deserted. The lower houses are
wrapped in sombre shadow. Here and there red paper lanterns
swing from balconies, equally painted red, coloured lights
glimmer on the wooden pavement, shine through the chinks
of the beams, and finally disappear. At every step I stumble
against the signboards — long narrow strips of wood, suspended
perpendicularly on iron triangles, and blown about by the wind.
The sinister creaking of their hinges is mingled with dull, con
fused noises of various kinds. Inside the houses, I hear
whispering, as the signboards have betrayed the presence of
an Intruder. I descend as fast as I can. In some places the
darkness is complete, and I can only go on by feeling. In
others, momentary and vivid lights, coming from God knows
where, creep along the -wood-work of the gilt shop shutters and
light up some grotesque monster, or the cabalistic red and
black letters on one of the signboards. Further on, by the
pale red glare of a solitaty gas-burner, I begin to guess, rather
than perceive, the distance I have yet to go in this infernal
place. The wind increases in violence ; driven by the gusts,
the clouds and fog sweep down into the street and hide even
the stones. Seen through this misty veil, the monster signs
take the form of horrible-looking human beings, ranged in
double rows, furiously agitated or driven against each other,
and performing I know not what Satanic dance. I pass by an
open door, a feeble light streams from it ; I hear the sound of
voices and dice ; it is a gambling-house. A man placed, as

X. SAN FRANCISCO. iSS
sentinel is glued to the waH. On perceiving me he rushes In
to give the alann : he took me for a police inspector. I hurry
on as quickly as I dare on the slippery steps. I begin to see
at my feet one of the broad cross streets of the lower town.
Already my ear is rejoicing at the sound of a carriage or some
belated omnibus ; a hundred steps further and I shall be once
more in a civihzed country ! At this very moment, at the
comer of a blind alley, I am attacked by a band of women.
These harpies hang on to my clothes, seize me with their horrid
bony fingers and nails Hke birds' claws, and peer at me with
faces besmeared with white, red, and yellow paint, and with
that peculiar odour of the children of the Celestial Empire which
is certainly not a perfume. Fighting my way as best I can,
and digging with my elbows right and left, I at last manage to
rid myself of them, and followed by their screams and Impre
cations — luckily, their mutilated feet prevent their running after
me— I reacli, at last, the exit from this hell, my face streaming
with perspiration ; and after half an hour more I arrive safely
at the hospitable door of my hotel.
The Chinese quarter, neglected and badly looked after by
the police, «ho, however, know weU how to keep order in the
other parts of the town, is the theatre of all the worst crimes
committed in San Francisco ; but the guilty are generally white
men, fresh from the mines, who go there to keep their Saturnalia,
gamble away their doubloons, " eat " a yeUow man, and rob the
passers-by without distinction of colour. They are the last
survivors of that race of malefactors whom the Vigilance
Committee exterminated with so little ceremony.
This disagreeable nocturnal promenade was followed by
several others, made, however, during the day time, and in
company with persons who have relations with the great
Chinese merchants. There are between eighty and a hundred
thousand Chinese emigrants in California, of whom fifteen or
twenty thouand reside at San Francisco. Some of them have
founded large and important commercial houses here, and bear
an excellent reputation. People praise their honesty, their
intelligence, and the facility with which they at one seize and
adopt the ways of American and European commerce.- They
import silk, tea, and objects of curiosity. One of the most
eminent is Fang-Tang. Settled here ever since the first im-

IS6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
migration of his fellow-counhymen (in 1852), he has succeeded
in amassing a large fortune, and that by honest means. His
two wives and the younger children remain at Canton. From
time to time, he crosses the Pacific to pay them a visit The
Chinese emigrants very rarely allow their families to accompany
them ; so that one only sees the least respectable of their fair
sex in America. However, since last year, a good many of the
residents have sent for their wives. Fang-Tang also is disposed
to bring his two better-halves over, " in order," as he told me,
"to set a good example." The arrival of a few respectable
women will raise the moral tone of the Chinese colony and
remove its provisional character. Families will then remain in
the countty, will increase and multiply, and finally form an
integral portion of the population of the Pacific States. This
would bring about a revolution rich in consequences, of which
we can hardly as yet measure the result
Until now, the Chinese have been nothing but birds of
passage. Not one of them ever dreamt of settling himself In
America for life. They all come from the south of the Celestial
Empire, from the provinces of Kwang-tung and Kwang-si ; and
are of a superior class to the coolies exported from Macao to
Chili and Havanna. They are for the most part peasants in
easy circumstances. Some of them have a certain amount of
education ; others are artisans. A great many bring with them
a certain amount of capital ; all, vigorous arms and willing
hands, minds ready to embrace evety chance of success, and a
firm determination to make a Httle fortune. All of them leave
their native land with the hope and intention of returning
there. They make provision for their remains, in case of death,
that they may be transported to the -village where they were
born. To have their bodies sent home Is one of the first con
ditions of the contracts entered into by them with the govern
ment, or the companies, or the individuals who wish to employ
them. Also, evety steamer and every sailing ship bound for
Hong Kong or Canton carries back a large cargo of corpses.
These emigrants are divided into companies, of whom the
presidents or heads reside at San Francisco ; and these men,
according to what Fang-Tang tells me, have great influence
over their fellow-countrymen. They receive them on their
arrival, provide for their wants, arrange any little disputes or

X. SAN FRANCISCO. 157
quarrels among themselves, so as to prevent their being
summoned before the American courts, and exercise, with the
consent of the contending parties, a certain judicial power,
even in criminal cases. They give relief to the sick, facilitate
the emigration of the living and the return of the dead ; try,
in a word, to soften the somewhat hard lives of their country
men. Without their constant and paternal intervention, the
too well justified animosity of the Chinese against the whites
would break out in acts of open violence, and would probably
endanger the vety existence of the colony. I cannot find
terms severe enough with which to reprobate the conduct of
the Californians towards the Chinese. These last are virtually
put out of the pale of the law. Before the courts, their
evidence is refused. Those who work at the mines are taxed
to the extent of four dollars a month per head. At the gold
diggings, the most bloody scenes periodically recur. The white
miners chase away the Chinese, expel them from the claim they
have legally acquired, and kUl them if they attempt to resist or
defend their just rights. Without the least provocation on their
part, the Chinese are constantly beaten and robbed. But this
is not the worst ; no notice is taken of these iniquities. There
is not an instance of any verdict of any juty being given in
their favour or of any punishment being inflicted on the guilty.
Besides, ho.v prove the fact ? No white man will give evidence
against one of his own colour, when it is in favour of a China
man ; and the Chinese themselves are not allowed as witnesses.
That rough men, given to excesses of all sorts, and stimulated by
jealousy and the thirst for gain, should allow themselves to
behave in this way towards a weaker race, and think evety
atrocity permissible, is not to be wondered at But how is it
possible to justify the conduct of members of the legislature,
judges, juries, composed of well-educated men, who, perfectly
aware of the important services rendered by the Chinese, and
which they themselves are the first to profit by, are not
ashamed to pander in this way to the bad passions of the
multitude ? But, alas ! it is one of the running sores of this
great republic, especially since the introduction of universal
suffrage. Very often justice and morality yield to mob law,
and the weakest goes to the wall. Fang-Tang has very often
spoken to me of the sad position of his people, but always

1S8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
with a sober reserve worthy of a diplomatist of the old scliool.
"The Americans do not consider us as men," he said to me one
day. "This is not right, ;w/^i3^^. They would like to exter-
minaf.e us, like rats or any other vermin that is very bad. But,"
he hastened to add, " there are some Americans who think and
speak differently, only they do not dare act as they feel."
The origin of this extraordinary hatred is a question of
dollars and cents. The white miner receives, besides his food,
three, three and a half, or four dollars a day. The Chinaman
is not fed, and is content with seventy-five cents, or one dollar,
or at most a dollar and a half. It is the same with every other
branch of industry. In the towns, the Chinese act as domestic
servants, and are excellent cooks and washermen ; in the
country they excel as gardeners. The beautiful terraces which
are now being made, and the earthworks in different parts of
the Sierra Nevada, are all the result of Chinese labour. The
fact is they are the best workmen possible. Without their
concurrence, the Pacific line of railway would never have been
completed in so short a time. On board the steamers of all
the great companies, the sailors (bad ones, I must own) and all
the waiters and stewards for the passenger service are Chinese.
In the factories likewise, they replace the white men more and
more. Everywhere, in fact, their competition makes Itself felt
The masters, and all those who are in want of hands, very
naturally employ them ; for they are even better workmen than
the whites, and work for half (or less than half) the wages.
And as they are very numerous, and as the immigration goes
on increasing, their competition weighs in the labour-market
and begins to lower the price of the white workman. This Is
their only crime. They are forced to expiate It by being the
victims of acts of brutality, which arrive even at murder; of
legal enactrnents, which are the shame and disgrace of American
legislators; and of decisions of juries, which are as contrary
to justice as to common sense. And yet they hold on —
nothing seems to discourage them. Each of the great steamers
which plies monthly between San Francisco and Hong Kong
brings between eight and twelve hundred Chinese passengers.
A far smaller number return home in the same ships. These
are emigrants who have served their time. They carty away
in their trunks the fruit of their long and patient toil ; in their

X. SAN FRANCISCO, IS9
minds, a sovereign contempt for our civilisation ;' and in their
hearts the bitterest haired of the Christian.
The Irish, who are more numerous than either Germans or
Chinese, are valuable from their physical strength and tlie
multiplicity of occupations to which they can turn their hands.
The lowest trade is not despised by the vigorous sons of Erin ;
but you meet them in every sphere of life. The Occidental
Hotel presents a very fair picture of their social position in
California. The proprietors, — men who are respected and
looked up to by evety one for their high character and the large
fortunes they owe to their Industry, — the clerks, and every one
employed about the place as waiters or servants, are one and
all Irish. They fill every grade in this vast establishment, and
fiU it weU.
The Anglo-.'\merican population belongs, in a great measure,
to the Episcopal Church. This fact, which Is difficult to
explain, deserves, to be mentioned, from the contrast which
California presents in this respect to the rest of the States,
where Presbyterians, Methodists, and U^nitarlans form -ihe
majority of those who are not Catholics. The Germans are
mostly Protestant rationalists. There are also many Jewsamong
them ; but few Catholics.
The Catholic population numbers upwards of fifty thousand.
All the Irish and Mexicans, and a large number of the Anglo-
Americans, belong to this communion. If these statistics be
correct, they form the third of the San Francisco population.
The priests are almost all European, either Irish or the sons of
Irishmen, and Italians. The clergy is mainly recruited from
Europe, and in a small proportion from Canada. America,
absorbed by the pursuit of this world's goods, has few vocations.
It is the same with the nuns. The mother superior of the great
monastety of Notre Dame de Namur at San Jos6 told me that,
to fiUup the vacancies caused by death or sickness in the
ranks of her saintly daughters, she is obliged to have recourse
to the houses of their order in Belgium, or else to go herself
and fetch fresh novices from France, Germany, or England.
The Jesuits have two large colleges — St. Ignatius in San
Francisco itself, and Sta. Clara in the town of that name, which
' I Itnow that this assertion will be contested by many European residents
in China, But on this subject X think they are the victims of illusion.

i6o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
is situated forty miles to the south of the capital. At St
Ignatius they board and lodge a hundred boys, and have five
hundred and fifty in their day-school. At Sta. Clara the
number of boarders is much larger. In both houses the fathers
are Italians. The studies embrace the usual university classes.
Latin and Greek are not neglected ; but the greatest attention
is given to the study of the exact sciences, especially mathe
matics, chemistry, and mechanics. The pupUs have much
more liberty and take the initiative more than is allowed in
similar establishments in Europe. These are the only con
cessions made to the American spirit In all other respects
they have preserved the doctrines, practices, and habits of
European colleges. One fancies oneself once more in Europe,
in fact, when one has crossed the threshold of one of these
great and flourishing seminaries. And curiously enough, it is
mainly to this circumstance that they owe their great and
increasing popularity. A rich American merchant, a Protestant,
said to me : " I have placed my sons there, in the first place,
because the course of studies is better than in any other
college; and, in the second, because the young men there
learn to obey and have good and gentlemanly manners. When
they leave it, you would fancy they had come back from a
voyage to Europe ! " This opinion is confirmed by universal
testimony,' and by the fact that the Jesuit college in CaHfomia,
and that of Georgetown, near Washington, reckon among their
scholars a large number of Protestants, and even Jews. The
prejudice so widely spread in Europe against the members of
the Society of Jesus is utterly unknown in America.
If the Irish form here the principal Catholic element, and if
the Germans, representing the Reformed or Protestant ration
alist doctrines, are the natural-born enemies of the Celts, the
antagonism between the two races, proverbial throughout the
States, is here mitigated by the intense mutual hatred of the
Chinese. But Irish, Germans, and Chinese seem destined
to grow in Californian soil, to spread and multiply, and perhaps
eventually to contest the actual superiority of the Anglo-
American race. San Francisco, consequently, bears the stamp
' " Modem convents and colleges holding up the Cross . . . now offer
ing perhaps the best education of the coast to the children of our Puritan
emigrants." — "Across the Continent," by Samuel Bowles, p. 277.

X. SAN FRANCISCO. i6i
of a thoroughly cosmopolitan city. The houses, streets, and
pubHc buildings may still remind you of America, but the
greater portion of the inhabitants are born in far-distant lands.
They have brought with them other ideas and other customs.
Germans, Celts, and Mongols in presence of each other!
Surely, since the great emigration of the fifth centuty, no such
contrasts were ever seen In this world ! What kind of people
will come out of the contact of races so different In origin,
religion, and civilization? How far will they amalgamate?
What will be the influence, real though as yet unexplained,
of this rich and virgin soil on those who reclaim it and bring
it under cultivation? What moral and religious atmosphere
wUl be formed around these future generations? These,
and such as these, are the secrets of Providence. I shall not
attempt to strive to divine them.
At New York, on the vety first day of his arrival, a stranger
is taken to the Central Park ; at Washington, to the Capitol ;
at Chicago, to the Granaries; at San Francisco, to Cliff
House. These are the respective great "lions" of those famous
cities. lor my part, I give the palm to Cliff House. It is
impossible to see anything more strange or more attractive.
Saving a little cafe, of which the terrace serves as an observatoty,
nature itself has undertaken the details of the picture. The
hand of man has had littie or nothing to do with it M.
Miicke took me there in his gig, drawn by a "trotter" such
as America alone can produce. • He tears along the macadam
ized road in a straight line past the waving heights of the Coast
Chain. We have left behind us the last houses in the town —
now the cemeteries transformed into gardens. Further on, the
country bears the aspect of a succession of downs deprived of
all vegetation. Not a tree was in sight ; a low curtain of
black clouds hung over the sandy shore and prevented our
seeing the ocean. But we heard its roar. The noble animal,
which made the six miles in I don't know how many minutes,
stopped at the door of a house. We went in, and passing
through the building, came out into a veranda and found
ourselves face to face with the infinite.
The sea breaks against the natural terrace which supports
the house; to the right, towards the north, stretched the

i62 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. X.
rugged mountains of the Coast Range; to the left, is the
shore — before us the great Pacific. At a short distance three
great rocks rise out of the sea. The middle one is covered
with sea-birds, black and Immovable, like the stones on which
they are perched, and of which they seem to form part On
the two other rocks are grouped some colossal monsters. One
Is asleep — the others appear to be at play. Some of them are
frightened, and barking furiously. These are the celebrated
seals. They abound on the innumerable reefs of the CaHfornian
coast; but the prIvUeged inhabitants of these three rocky islands
enjoy the special protection of the State. A law has been
passed to leave them undisturbed. Swimming round and
about the rocks are heaps of these beasts, apparently sporting,
pushing one another and scrambling up the rock or falling
down heavily Into the water. When wet, their coats are a
dark grey ; but when dried In the air, they have the tawny, light
brown shade of a lion. It is altogether a strange, wild,
fantastic scene ! Above the coast Is a line of fixed clouds ;
towards the ocean an ever-shifting curtain of fog hides the line
of the horizon. But your imagination pierces through this
veil. You contemplate in thought the vast Pacific, which
alone divides you from the extreme East and rolls its waves
from one pole to the other. To complete the magic effect of
this panorama another sea monster, a huge whale, suddenly
appears on the scene, although he keeps himself at a prudent
distance. At this moment my meditations are cut short. I
hear a great noise, and turning round, perceive a quantity ot
beautifully-dressed ladles and smart men, all armed with tele
scopes, who, coming out of the "kiosk," rush towards the
balustrade to see the new-comer. Through the open doors
I distinguish tables loaded with good things and all the
farapheriialia of greediness. My dreams are dispelled. I
find myself in presence of all the .littlenesses of civilization,
and no longer alone face to face with the savage grandeur of
nature.

CHAPTER XI.
YOSEMITE.— FROM THE 13th TO THE 22nd OF JUNE.
Way of Travellin:;. — Modesto. — Mariposa. — The -Virgin Fo;-est. — The Big
Trees. — The Valley of Yosemite. — The Falls. — Coulterville.
An excursion to the Big Trees of Mariposa and the Yosemite
Valley is not an easy thing. Nevertheless it has become the
fashion with the inhabitants of " Frisco." Any man who
pretends to be "somebody" either has made this expedition,
or announces to his friends that he is about to do so. I have
not met many people who have visited these inaccessible
regions : but evety one tells me he is going — next year. As to
roads, there are only tracks ; but the railroad which is in pro
cess of construction, and which is to unite the mining districts
with the main lines, will soon make them superfluous. In the
meantime there is a public conveyance, always full of miners,
which comes and goes regularly.
For the comfort of tourists, evetything has to be created.
One gets on as one can. Two rival companies have been
formed to encourage the countiy propensities of the plutocrats
of Montgomery Street, and the roving instincts of the foreigners
whom the Yokohama steamers and the Pacific Railroad bring
to San Francisco. Their agents go from house to house, and
from hotel to hotel, to expatiate on the charms of this expedi
tion, to promise you every comfort and facility, and finally to
take down your name. When a sufficient number of excur
sionists have been secured, say twenty or thirty, you pay your
fare : relays of horses are sent on to certain ranchos ; and on a
certain day you start The distance, going and returning, is
440 mUes. The price of the tickets, partly by rail, partly in a

i64 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
carriage, and ])artly on horseback, is eighty gold doHars, or 480
francs. Of all ways of travelling I think it is the least agree
able. One gives up one's liberty and passes ten days in the
most intimate relations with perfect strangers. But here you
have' no choice. It is the only way of reaching that part of
the Sierra Nevada, or to travel at all with any kind of comfort
or safety.
yutie 13. — We left San Francisco at four o'clock in the after
noon. After shivering all day, we found spring at Oakland, and
summer at the next stage. At Lathrop we left the main line
of the Central Railway, and went by a side one called Visalia,
because it Is to end at this town, which is situated in the south
of California, between Los Angeles and San Diego. Visalia
will some day be the flourishing capital of the county of Tulare,
which will become, they say, the richest granary in the south.
At this moment it Is a great uncultivated tract of waste land,
covered with forests and marshes. But here people always talk
in the future. M. this moment the new railway, which crosses
the valley of St. Joachim in all its length, stops at Modesto,
twenty miles from Lathrop. The hotel at this little town, and
the company one meets there, amused me by its local colour
ing. It is purely Mexican : you might be at a thousand miles
from San Francisco. Men in sombreros and Andalusian gaiters
are talking and smoking on the steps. Miners in blouses are
indulging in potations at the bar. Everyone is armed to the
teeth. The agent who directs our little caravan has the
greatest difficulty in finding places for us at the table d'hote.
Then everyone seeks his Httle den for the night But the thin
boards neither keep out the noise nor the smell of tobacco and
absinthe which infects the air. Soon, however, the house is
converted into one great dormitory. To the noisy voices of
the first part of the evening succeed the hea-vy breathing and
deep snoring of the energetic civilizers of the West The
distance from San Francisco to Modesto is loi miles.
June 14. — We are called before daylight to start in two char-
a-bancs named diligences ; at five o'clock we are off. Our road
leads straight towards the mountains. The ground — a vast
plain covered with wild flowers and wheat scorched and browned
by the sun — looks like an immense dust-coloured carpet, and

XL YOSEMITE. 165
gives to our carriages a motion like a ship at anchor in a
rough!.sh sea. The fat old gentleman in front of me becomes
violently sea-sick. The other passengers turn pale. The heat
and the dust add to our discomfort I do not see a trace of a
road. Our four horses drag us across the fields, and woe to us
when they take it into their heads to trot ! What an idea of a
party of pleasure ! Nevertheless there is some fun in it There
are three or four grave and silent Yankees, with their wives ;
but there is a large family party from Omaha, who form the
noisy element ; — a young lady, the vety type of the " fast girl"
of the period, with a lot of young men, her brother and his
friends, all " swells" of the Far West There is also a father
and mother, but they are only accessories. I cannot take as
much part in their lively conversation as they seem to wish,
being absorbed in the care of my unhappy vis-d-vis, always
prostrate with sea-sickness. At Hormitas, where we stop and
dine, the young lady obtains the first place in the dining-room.
I watch her as she installs herself comfortably in her chair
while her parents are in vain seeking for places elsewhere. On
leaving the town, one sees, through a golden, glittering mist,
the bluish outlines of the Sierra Nevada. Very soon after, the
road — for here there really is one — winds through a little valley,
on each side of which rise the out-works of the great moun
tains. Beautiful groups of oak-trees relieve the eye, weary of
the dust and glare. Evetywhere we come upon the'devastation
consequent on the hydraulic process used by the miners.
Further on, we enter a thick wood. At six o'clock In the
evening we arrive at Mariposa. This is one of the principal
head-quarters of the mining districts. Hard by is the famous
Fremont Concession. Here gigantic fortunes have been made
and lost To-day, however, the tide is low, and the look of
the people is the same. Our carriage stops at a little inn kept
by Germans. As a fellow-countryman, the innkeeper and his
better half receive me with open arms. In the dining-room, a
group of miners and men of sinister looks seated round a table
are fighting for their supper with the flies. The air is stifling,
and impregnated v/Ith horrible smells. Fortunately, at seven
o'clock they make us continue our jburney ; but this time in
little carriages adapted to the mountain routes. I take advan
tage of the fact to change my companion, and luckily I faU on

i66 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
my legs. An old gentieman with European manners., who, at
our different halti.ig-places, has often watched me with a kind
of compassion, takes me under his protection. He is a great
proprietor of factories at Pittsburg In Pennsylvania. He has
often been in Europe. " In an evU hour," he says, " he had
the unhappy fancy to try the New Pacific Railway : and, still
greater folly ! to go and see the Big Trees of Mariposa." His
companions are a general of the Virginian militia (a Southerner
and good-looking, gentlemanly man), his son, and another
young man. Admitted into this pleasant circle, and no longer
obliged to watch over my fat New Hampshire friend, or to
parry the shafts of ray fast young lady from Omaha, I breathed
more freely, and was at Hberty to enjoy the fresh evening and
the beautiful scenery at my ease. The road passes through a
narrow gorge covered with magnificent fir-trees, and then
plunges into the forest From time to time the great yeUow
Californian plain peeps out through a clearing or between the
branches of the trees, whose tops are now brilliantly coloured
by the setting sun. But very soon the fast-gathering night adds
to the darkness of the forest. At last, at nine o'clock, some
feeble rays of light and the furious barking of a lot of big dogs
tell us that we have arrived at our destination.
We are in the heart of a virgin forest at the rancho of Messrs.
White & Hatches, planters in easy circumstances, who are
good-natured enough to receive the tourists. The house has
the look of a cottage ; all the rooms open on the veranda. A
soft lamp lit up the littie drawing-room, which was prettily and
tastefully furnished. The supper was quite exceUent It is
fair to add, that we were too hungry to be particular. What
delighted me most of all, however, was the lady of the house.
It was impossible to be more amiable or more ladylike. She
had the kindness to give me up her own bedroom, which was
a perfect model of cleanliness and elegance. The bed was
hung with snowy-white curtains. The furniture consisted of a
bureau and an arm-chair ; on a console table was a guitar and
some music and an open volume of Tennyson. The walls of
this dainty little chamber were composed of rough planks:
above the door, a Venetian blind, for want of shutters a,nd
glass, (for glass is a precious article in these parts), which
remains open day and night; the whole a germ of civiHzatlon

XI. YOSEMITE. 167
with a rough outside husk. From Modesto to the rancho cf
Messrs. White & Hatches they reckon eighty-four mUes.
yutie 15.— The song of the birds, whose concert seems to
come down straight from heaven, and the freshness of the
early dawn penetrating through the Venetian blind, woke us
early. At half-past six we were in the carriage. The road
rises rapidly, and the passengers get out and walk along the
little pafiis which have been water-courses In the rainy season.
The forest gets more and more dense. Hardly a ray of day
light can pierce tlirough this Gothic dome supported by thou
sands of tall, red, slender columns, which, running to a prodi
gious height, hide their capitals under a mass of foliage. The
thicket swarms with animal life. The eye loses itself in the
black depths of the gorges. Here and there, flickering lights
throw an uncertain gleam on the flowering shrubs, on the
purple, pink and white azalea blossoms, on the white graceful
bells of the mahogany flower and on the shining leaves of the
arbutus, with its velvety cups of flowers. A few steps further
on the twilight yields again to the night. But all of a sudden,
by an invisible opening, the sun sheds its dazzling light over
the whole scene. Then the forest bursts upon you In all Its
beauty under a very shower of golden dust What are these
trees which, by their size, impose upon the eye and charm It
by their endless variety ? I recognise our European oaks, our
maples, our larches, and many others belonging to our hemi
sphere : but the varieties of firs peculiar to California predo
minate. As to the mountains, we are in the midst of them,
but we cannot see them. Arrived at a ridge,^ an accidental
dip in the ground enables us to cast a last look on the plain,
which, by an optical Ulusion, seems to rise on the horizon like
a straw mat hung against a wall A blue line marks the middle
chain of hUIs, aud another, towards the north-west, the Coast
Range. The air is full of a kind of transparent haze, by which
both earth and sky are mingled into one. Towards the east,
at our feet, and on the side of the Sierra Nevada, of which we
have climbed the first spurs, are masses of tree tops : above us,
red trunks crowned with thick verdure. There is no trace oi
rocks except some low and rare blocks of black granite. Here,
as in the north, where it is crossed by the raihoad, the Sierra
« Five thousand three hundred feet above the sea.

l68 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
Nevada, with its rounded sumhiits, resembles the Jura more
than the Alps.
A I ten o'clock we descend into a little, flat, circular valley,
carpeted with velvety green. The trees have been cleared,
saving here and there where a magnificent fir has been left
Mr. Clark's raticho Is the last civilized spot in these regions.
Here also ends the carriage road, so-called. Nothing was
more striking than the little house of our host compared with
the giants of the forest v;hich shaded it From this planter's
farm to the Big Trees is only a couple of miles. But we have
to wait for the arrival of the people whom this morning we
were lucky enough to leave behind ; the " big fellow," as the
guide irreverently calls him, with his party ; and the Omaha
set, the young lady with her adorers, brother, and parents. At
last all the party are assembled, and we start, well mounted on
some little Indian horses {moustangs), harnessed and saddled in
Mexican fashion.
The Big Trees of Marlposa'^ well deserve their world-spread
reputation. A law lately passed and voted unanimously by
the legislature, shelters them both from speculation and from the
devastation of the mining companies. Unfortunately, however,
it cannot protect them from the incendiary fires of the Indians.
But none of these trees can be cut down. There are more
than four hundred, which, thanks to their diameter of more
than 30 feet, their circumference of upwards of 90 feet, and
their height of more than 300 feet, are honoured with the
appellation of the Big Trees. Some of them have lost their
crown and been in part destroyed by fire, that scourge of Cali
fornian forests. Others, overthrown by tempests, are lying
prostrate on the soil, and are already covered with those para
sitic creeping plants which are ever ready to crop up round
these giant corpses. One of these huge hollow trunks makes
a natural tunnel. We rode through it in all its length on horse
back without lowering our heads. Another, stUl standing and
green, enables a horseman to enter it, turn round, and go out
of it by the same opening. These two trees form the great
altractlon of the tourists. Like the Russian pilgrims In Pales-
' Discovered in 1855. They have been so often described of late years
tliat I should be afraid of wearying my readers by repeating what has been
so often said before.

XL YOSEMITE. 169
tine who have bathed in the Jordan, the tourists, after having
passed on horseback through the tunnelly trunk of one of
these trees and the interior of the other, strong in the conscious
ness of having done their duty, think of nothing but instant
departure. The greater part of these trees are marked by the
inscriptions of different celebrated persons. One of them
bears the name of Ferdinand de Lesseps.
Situated at 8,000 feet above the level of the sea, the ground
on which it has pleased nature to create these giants is a deep
hollow of the mountains covered with a thick virgin forest
Each generation presses upon the heels of the other, fiom the
little shoot which has hardly sprung into life, up to the vener
able patriarchs to whom popular opinion attributes thousands
of years. Death and infirmities spare no created thing. In
the same way, here, side by side with vigorous life, are marks
of decay and destruction. In some of these trees life has
evidently died out gradually and naturally. But there are also
younger saplings which have perished from unknown causes;
others which thunder, the fire of the red skins, or the tornado,
has destroyed before their time. But the living form the great
majority. "The Big Trees, with their smooth, dead-red trunks and short,
horizontal branches, are of a coniferous race, well known in
Europe. One sees specimens in all our botanical gardens and
in most of the " pinetums " of private persons. The first dis
coverer, an Englishman, gave them the name, which has stuck
to them in Europe, of " Wellingtonia." This name, whl(;h was
offensive to the Americans, was changed by them into " Sequoia
Gigantea" after an Indian chief of Pennsylvania, who distin
guished himself by his kindness to the whites and by his
civilized habits. These " Sequoias " would have a far grander
effect to the eye if they were isolated, instead of being crowded
with other trees, many of which have attained to almost the
same size. Without the help of a guide, it would be difficult,
if not Impossible, to distinguish them from one another. The
great Indefinable charm of this spot lies In the poetic beauty of
the site and the extraordinary fecundity of nature.
But after poetry comes prose. Mr. Clark's little house Is full
to overflowing. A party of excursionists, who have made the
journey in the contrary sense, are just arrived from the Yosemite

170 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
VaUey, and must share with us the few tiny rooms. The littie
parlour and the steps of the veranda swarm with people. No
one cares to lie on the grass, which, in the forest, is very unHke
the lawn of civUized regions. To walk In It, you must have
boots ad hoc, not reckoning the serpents, which are not boa-
constrictors certainly, but which one prefers to avoid if possible.
The ladles sit on the benches, the men on the floor, or leaning
against the beams. The "fast" young lady has already taken
possession of the new arrivals. By glances and signs, by
seductive attitudes and noisy laughter, or. If necessary, by
smart repartees or sarcastic speeches, she knows not only how
to allure, but how to keep her admirers round her. It is a
perfect study of village coquetry and a nice specimen of the
gallnntry of the Far West. " You are shocked," says my Pitts
burg Iriend to me ; " but don't be alarmed. That young lady
is perfectly aware of what she is about ; and her father, who
makes believe to be asleep, has probably already chosen his
victim, and Is only waiting for the moment when he shaU
pounce down on the young man he has selected and demand
his intentions."
The distance from White & Hatches' rancho to that of
Clark is twenty-four miles ; to the Big Trees and back twelve
miles. J'une 1 6. — On horseback by seven o'clock in the moming.
A special guide, whom we have been lucky enough to secure,
enables us to leave the rest of the caravan behind. From
San Francisco our route had been always in a south-easterly
direction. Now we turn towards the north. The road, a
narrow, steep and mossy path without stones, leads up by a
precipitous incline to the high ridge which separates us from the
Yosemite Valley. All round us the forest, as thick and vigorous
as the one we passed yesterday, spreads far and wide its resinous
perfume. Here and there columns of smoke mount straight up
to heaven. Beautiful trees, half burnt by Incendiary fires which
a heavy rain alone could quench, lean groaning against immense
trunks lying amidst the underwood already partly calcined by
the flames. Everywhere there Is the same diversity of age and
size. In these virgin forests you are born, grow, live, decay
and die in one huge family party. At eleven o'clock we have

XL YOSEMITE. 171
arrived at 7,000 feet above the level of the sea. In this
solitary spot is a poor little hut or ciiald inhabited by a planter
and his family. It Is called " Half-Way-House," because it is
half-way between Clark's rancho and the entrance to the cele
brated valley. The heat is quite overpowering.
After a short halt, followed by a three hours' march, always
in the forest, and inclining constantly towards the north, we
arrive at the edge of a precipice. 2,000 feet above us, out of
the depths of the mountains, a silvery white thread winds its
way downwards. This river, or rather torrent, is La Merced.
That dark gorge beyond, deep, jagged, and precipitous, filled
with big oaks and firs, which are not far behind the Big Trees
of Mariposa, is the Yosemite VaUey, the object of our journey.
The culminating point from which we look down on this strange,
wild scene, as from an observatoty, is caUed the Peak of
Inspiration. In front of us, on the opposite side of the Yosemite, one
single Immense block of square granite, with a flattened summit
and perpendicular flanks, rises out of the valley beneath. The
Mexicans gave it the name of El Capitan. Further on, towards
the north-east, on both sides of the abyss, rise smooth vertical
walls of rock, diversified here and there by peaks and domes,
with narrow aerial terraces, out of which spring giant firs. The
horizon is bounded by a complete wall of granite, higher than
the mountains which surround the valley ; and of which the
top appears perfectly straight This is the highest ridge of the
Sierra Nevada. We make our way down by a narrow, stony,
steep, but not dizzy path. It skirts the Peak of Itispiration,
and winds through the forest From time to time, through
the trees, we see the boiling waters of the cascades, the noise
of which follows us all the way. One of these, called the
Bridal Fall, falls in one single column of water the height
of goo feet We took two hours to anive on the banks of
La Merced, and one hour more to gain our halting-place.
From Clark's rancho to Yosemite there are twenty-four miles.
yune 17. — The Californian legislature has had the happy
inspiration to buy this wonderful Yosemite VaUey, and so to
exclude the miners. To preserve untouched the beauties of
this spot, they have given up the treasures which are buried in
its soU.

172 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Three emigrants have been authorized to settle in the valley.
To the cultivation of tiieir fields they add the few dollars which
the tourists (who, as yet, are not numerous) leave in their hands.
Thanks to these men, one finds in this out-of-the-way spot both
shelter and wholesome though plain food. During the hottest
hours of the day one remains sitting In the veranda, unless one
prefers the shade of the forest, which adjoins the houses. A
few rustic arm-chairs are placed for the convenience of tra
vellers. Just before you, the Yosemite dashes down from the
top of a rock 2,600 feet high. This celebrated waterfall is
one of the largest, I think, in the world, and is the glory of the
valley. It is divided into three cascades, of which the highest
is 1,600 feet. The compression of the atmosphere caused by
the waterfall, and the action of the current of air due to the
vertical configuration of the rock, slacken the fall of the foaming
Hquid and give it the appearance of innumerable rockets from
a parachute. In calm weather, a noise as of thunder tempered
by distance mingles with the rustling of the trees. At the foot
of the rock the rounded blocks of granite form a kind of circus.
It is upon them that this mass of water dashes itself into atoms,
which in their rebound fill the gorge with a luminous gauzy
steam. Seated in the veranda, it looks like a white cloud hung
just above the tops of the trees.
A tourist who has come from a long distance to enjoy the
solitude of a virgin forest Is soon weary of the commonplace
conversation of a set of strangers, and still more of the noisy
jokes of uneducated youth. Ever since the moming our
whole caravan has been here. Divided into parties, mounted
on little moustangs and guided by their owners, my travelling
companions have started off to see what they call the lions of
Yosemite — the different waterfalls, the Mirror Lake, and the
rocks of the Cathedral. For myself I intend to see only what
interests me, and to see It alone, vrithout even a guide. The
proprietor of the house pleases me by his patriarchal manner.
Except on the subject of dollars, I feel great confidence In
him ; so I ask his advice. " The valley," he says, " is full of
serpents, bears, and Indians ; but the Indians are friendly, and
the serpents and bears won't do you any harm unless you attack
them. Avoid the thick tufts of grass and moss, so as not to
walk on the reptiles, and go in peace."

XI. YOSEMITE. 173
A rough bridge is thrown over La Merced. The green and
transparent -tt'aters of this torrent, full of trout, remind me of
the Grutidtraun : the Captain of the Bachenstein ; the high
ridge of the Sierra Nevada, of the Todtengebirgc seen from
Aussee. It is just like the Styrian Valley, only seen through a
magnifying glass. Aussee, it is true, has no waterfalls, and
Yosemite no lake ; yet the resemblance is striking. It is the
same crystal water, the same contrast between the smiling
vegetation of the valley and the severe nakedness of the rocks
which surmount it Only, here, evetything is colossal. In the
Swiss .\lps there is far less resemblance. There, above the
sharp rocks which Inclose the torrents, smUing terraces and
green pastures are seen, although they may be afterwards In
their turn surmounted by glaciers. Here there are no inter
mediate stages — there are neither green pastures nor icy peaks.
The huge rocks rise all in one piece from the depths of the
gorge up to the sky, which they cut in an almost straight line.
Any peaks or inequalities in their outline are rare, and as they
do not attain to the height of the great wall on the ridge, they
are not so striking. The scene, therefore, is less varied. The
classic simplicity of their shapes contrasts with their enormous
size. The people say, that in order to appreciate the grandeur
of the nave and cupola of St Peter's at Rome, you must see
them many times. Here the traveller feels just the same.
Nature, as a first-rate architect and gardener, has chosen to put
such harmony in the proportions of this landscape, that it Is
only by calculating heights and distances that the eye can take
in the marvel. But having done so, one is filled with astonish
ment, admiration, and respect for the powerful Hand which, In
modelling these rocks, has stamped upon them the impress of
His own grandeur.
I crossed a smooth greensward, and found myself in a
thicket, where I already felt the fine rain which the evening
breeze brought from the neighbouring cataract Some half-
naked Indians were watering their moustangs in the river.
Another group sunounded a man who was distinguished by a
more careful toilet. He wore a pair of trousers and a police-
cap : only he had forgotten his shirt. This was " Captain
John," the chief of one of the most miserable tribes in America.
He was holding a pistol in his hand and aiming at a huge bird.

174 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
which was sitting quietly at a littie distance off on a branch of
a fir-tree. The captain fired and missed. He was evidentiy
put out. His subordinates looked at one another and laughed
in their sleeves. Human nature is the same all over the world.
The approach to the Yosemite Falls is not an easy one. It
was only by jumping from block to block, by scrambling on the
slippety moss, and by crawling painfully through the fissures of
the bare rock, that I found myself at last, soaked through with
spray, on the edge of an abyss hollowed out by the action of
the water and hidden from view through a thick cloud of foam.
There was nothing new, perhaps, in the sight But the profound
solitude and the savage grandeur of the scenety give to this
spot a character peculiarly its own. From where I was standing
one only saw the lowest fall and the upper part of the highest :
the middle one was hidden by its rocky basin. To get up
there would be impossible. No one but a chamois could
attempt it
The soft shadows which for the last hour had shrouded the
valley began to creep along the crenellated wall which bounds
the horizon before I could tear myself away from the contem
plation of a spectacle so monotonous and yet so varied at the
same time. Bright zig-zag lines of water, sparkling on a sheet
of dark green, would stop, as if hesitating, in the air, and then
dash down the abyss, to be Instantly replaced by other columns,
foUowing the same impulse, obeying the same laws, meeting
with the same obstacles, and sharing the same fate — like a
silver ribbon of fine tissue on -which the same design is ever
produced — and yet each of these separate streams had its
individuality. I watched millions of them tearing along down
the steep rock — no two were absolutely alike.
My descent from the waterfall was accomplished without
accident. Followed by the dull roar of the cataract, I again
came to the thicket 13ut It was now pitch dark. How shall
I ever find my way ? There are plenty of paths ; but they all
lead to a river clear as crystal — too wide to jump across — too
deep to be forded. No signs of any other way out. The
night wears on and I make up my mind to sleep out of doors.
But what is that sinister whistling ? Is it a serpent ? I Hsten
breathlessly. There is a strange rustling among the leaves.
Some heavy object is drawing near me through the overhanging

XL YOSEMITE, 175
branches. Great God ! Can it be a bear? My only weapon
is a parasol. At this moment, bursts of laughter and a ringing
voice whicliis familiar to me, break upon the sUence. I follow
the direction of the sounds, and making my way through the
bushes, fall into the path, leave the thicket, and find myself
face to face with the fast young lady and her joyous escort.
J^wie 18. — The Sunday rest makes itself felt even in the
heart of the Sierra Nevada. There Is no church certainly ;
but the master of the house, the mulatto he has engaged as
waiter, the farm servants, and some Indian " helps," have all
put on their Sunday clotiies, and are lounging on the arm
chairs of the veranda. The guests manage as best they can,
sitting on the ground or stretched on the hard beds of thelr
ceUs. In spite of tiie heat — 24° Reaumur, and not a breath
of air — I follow the course of La Merced. The valley gradually
narrows. A fresh gorge, which is like a succession of little
terraces, opens out to the south-east It is by these steps
that from cascade to cascade a powerful torrent falls into the
valley. One of these falls, known under the name of the
Nerval Fall, Is the object of my walk — four hours going and
returning. The character of the country Is always the same :
great blocks of shining granite, reddened in parts by the moss,
and shaded everywhere by gigantic trees. The grass is carpeted
v/ith flowers : but these minor detaUs are lost in the magnificent
and grand scenery around. The eye travels beyond them, or
rather cannot be seduced by minor beauties. Involuntarily it
rises to the tapering domes of the forest and, looking beyond
and above them, stops half terrified before the grandiose aspect
of those mountain Titans, who seem with one bound to reach
up to heaven. There is littie or no variety in the elements of
the scenery, which are continually repeating themselves without
ever becoming monotonous. The beauty lies in the simplicity
of the outlines and in their supernatural grandeur. As to
colours, the arti.st would only need three or four for his palette.
TJlue, for the Californian sky, that is, a tint of deep blue
powdered with gold ; light grey for the rocks, with coldish tones
bordering on yellow. Sometimes shades of light blue flickering
over the shining cliffs in vertical Hues. These are the reflec
tions of the sky on the polished surface of the granite. The
vegetation of an intense green, and of every imaginable shade.

176 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
There is neither the clear transparency of the higher levels of
America, nor the vaporous tints which make the beauty of our
Southern skies beyond the seas. One would fancy that the
Master who created this wonderful picture had forgotten or
disdained to put in the last touches.
yutie 19. — In the night a heavy storm cooled the air, which
is very rare at this time of year. This morning, however, it
is again vety hot Gusts of wind from time to time come
tearing down the valley, driving before them the clouds of
spray, and bowing the heads of the giants of the forest. The
roaring of the wind mingles with the sighing of the oak and
maple trees and the whistiing of the pines and cedars. The
clouds chase one another across the sky -with marvellous
rapidity. Sometimes there is a lull like that in the pulse of a
fever patient. The great Yosemite cataract is really subHme.
The wind has filled the vertical trench it has hollowed out of
the rock, and so dislodged this column of water 1,600 feet
high, which, flying from the storm, spreads itself into space
Hke the gauze dress of a ballet-dancer. At five o'clock in the
evening, the storm has sufficiently abated to enable us to take
a ride. It was delicious to feel the soft showers on one's face
from the branches of the trees, and to breathe the resinous air
of the forest. Nature, regenerated by the rain after a long
drought, seemed to have just come out of her bath ;' evetything
was joyous and fresh. Our little moustangs canter gaily across
the prairies which skirt the right bank of La Merced. Then
we turn into a narrow path which winds round the edge of the
abyss, and requires steady heads and sure-footed steeds. The
Virginian general and I, who are both used to such roads, get
on without any difficulty, but the rest of the party and the
guide (the latter not without certain maledictions on the " old
fellow " who retarded our march) remained behind to help our
Pittsburg friend over the most perilous places.
Nothing could be more beautiful or picturesque than La
Merced, at our feet, surmounted by the Peak of Inspiration.
Two distinct roads lead into the Yosemite Valley : one, to the
south, by which we first came, and which at this moment we
can follow with the eye from the edge of the great precipice
down to the spot where it enters the forest; the other, in which
we now find ourselves, escalades the valley towards the north.

XL YOSEMITE. 177
The ascent took two hours. A littie hut in the heart of the
forest served as a resting-place. This spot is called Crcan's
Flat, after the hardy colonist who has made It his home. The
elevation is 6,500 feet above the sea. The cold was intense.
Night was coming on, and the largest portion of our party had
not yet made their appearance. Has some accident happened ?
We begin to get anxious. The storm bursts forth afresh amidst
torrents of rain. At last, about midnight, our luckless excur
sionists turn up, the ladies more dead than alive, exhausted
with fatigue, soaked to the skin, and cursing the weather, the
place, and the whole human race.
J^utie 20. — Although we are only going to make a vety short
day's journey, the signal of departure is given at four o'clock
in the morning. "Why?" I ask our guide. "Because Mr.
Coulter will have It so," was the reply. Now Mr. Coulter Is
the arranger of all these excursions, one of the Californian
pioneers, the founder of the town where we are to pass the
foUowing night, and which on the map is marked " Coulterville."
Like his foundation, this great man has had his ups and downs.
To-day both are at their lowest ebb. The town is falling Into
ruins, and Mr. Coulter, as a last resource, keeps horses to let
out to the tourists whom, from time to time, he can pick up at
San Francisco. A carriage sent by him is waiting for us a few
mUes from Creatis Flat, at the spot where the road becomes
possible for a canlage. We are on one of the great spurs of the
Sierra Nevada. The road, by following the sinuosities of the
ridge, gives the coachman, whose seat I share, an opportunity
of showing off his powers of driving. With him, boldness,
not to say rashness, is greater than skiU, and, in spite of the
nature of the ground, we go like the wind. At every moment
I expect to roll into the ravine. The works on this road
(which is being made up to the Yosemite Valley) are executed
by Chinese labourers. We came upon several groups of them
who were doing their business admirably. These children of
the Celestial Empire had good, InteUigent countenances, and
the appearance of men above their condition In ILe.
At two o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at our destl.iation,
that is, at a little dirty inn kept by a German couple. What
has become 01 the great hotels which once were the gloty of

178 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
CoulterviUe? Deserted streets full of filth and mud, houses
half fallen down and abandoned, such is the picture presented
by this once flourishing city, and such are the alternations in a
miner's life. One solitary building struck me by its look, of
prosperity. This was the counting-house of Wells, Fargo, and
Co. The agent gave me a brief history of the town. He is a
Yankee by birth. His statements are clear and to the point
He takes a practical view of evetything, but only looks to the
exigencies of the day. He does not go to the bottom of
things : and in this respect is a very fair specimen of the
ordinary Anglo-.\merican mind.
I continue my walk through the town, always pursued by
Mr. Coulter's agents. Two steps from the inn is a church ;
a little further on a cemetery, divided according to the faith of
each section. To judge by the extent of this necropolis, one
must allow that Coulterville has more dead than living inhabit
ants. The Catholic cemetery is distinguished by its crosses.
There are about a dozen tombs of Italians, containing their
remains and those of their wives and children. On some of
these sepulchres verses are engraved. A husband weeps for
- the loss of his young wife In a sonnet worthy of Petrarch. The
rhymes might be improved, but the feeling is there all the
same. I met several Italians also in the town. Some are
engaged at the mines, others keep shop, but all are dying of
hunger, and cursing the day when they left their homes In
Piedmont and Lombardy to come to this place. I go and
visit one of these mines, but the fearful heat drives me back
to the shade of my hotel, for all about the town they have cut
down the trees.
The -\vife of the inn-keeper, a Bavarian miner, and a perfect
plague of flies keep me company. Complaints and maledic
tions alternate with short bursts of gaiety inspired by a hope
of a return of good fortune. The woman said : " We live
upon the miners who dine here every day ; when they can't
pay us, we must still feed them. If we didn't, it would make
them furious (and it's not a wise thing to enrage a miner) ; and
besides, if they were to die of hunger or go away, we should
be ruined just the same." " How are we to pay you," the
miner says, "when we haven't got our wages ? My companions
and I are all in the same boat The owners of the claim

XI. YOSEMITE. 179
engaged to give us three dollars a day besides our food : for
six weeks we've not had a farthing. If we give up working,
they wUl be ruined themselves, and we shall lose all the money
they owe us." So it goes on. Everyone here is over head and
ears in debt, tossed^ about between despair and Ulusion ; and
condemned all his life to the fate of a gambler.
In the dining-room, the father of the landlord, with the
authority which great age gives in our German villages, is
talking to a group of men, who, covered with sweat and dirt,
are just returned from the diggings. They will sup with us in
precisely the same state. They take up all the chairs and
benches which mn round the room. The excursionists remain
humbly standing. These strange manners, so incomprehensible
to new-comers, have ceased to shock me. One gets accustomed
to evetything. What everyone seems to take as a matter of
course one ends by submitting to, without even thinking of
resistance. In these savage regions, those who are by way of
representing civilization do not generaUy shine in point of
education. They have only brought with them into the forest
or to the mines strong arms, (often) remarkable intelligencq,
courage, perseverance, and above all, a thirst for equality. To
prove this, more than to satisfy it, they pretend to be your
superiors. Those who depend upon them follow their example,
and have a like pretension towards their masters. What is the
result? How are men to be happy living in a narrow circle
and constantly goaded on by the wish to be the equals of all
the world ? Their whole lives are a series of bitter deceptions,
and aspirations which can never be reahzed. The consequence
is that they all look out of humour and sad. You see things
which simply would be thought impossible if you had not
witnessed them yourself. For instance, the general rule in the
Siena Nevada Is that your grooms, your coachmen, your
bullock-drivers, your servants aU dine first They have pre
cisely the same food as the travellers, and are served at the
same table. Their masters stand patiently behind them tUl
their servants' dinner is over. Ever)rwhere these men affect
the most absurd superiority. Their insolence would really be
insupportable if there were not a comic side to it Sometimes,
however, this pride Is but a mask. It does not resist the
temptation of a dollar adroitly slipped into the hand of one 01

i8o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap..
these "gentlemen." Having done this, not only do their
countenances relax and vouchsafe an agreeable smile, but
they will push affability so far as to bring you some water to
your room, brush your coat, and blacken your boots. During
this expeiiitlon, the travellers were obliged to make their
ablutions in public, and in the open air, passing one after
another under a cock placed at the side of a rustic well ; and
if they wanted either their clothes or their shoes cleaned they
had to do It themselves. I asked my Pittsburg friend why he
didn't do like me. In reply, he merely coloured, and looked
at the tyrants of the place in silence. What strikes me most,
certainly, is less the insolence of the miners and servants than
the respectful, humble attitude of my companions. Amongst
them are men who, by social position as well as education,
belong, in the Eastern States, from whence they come, and
certainly in Europe, to the upper classes of society. When we
are alone or only amongst ourselves, they talk openly enough
of the infamous treatment to which we are subjected. But in
presence of the sovereign of the rancho and his vassals, prudence
prevails over impatience or natural indignation. Not only do
they hold their tongues, but they do so with a gracious smile.
They are more than loyal subjects ; they are devout courtiers
of the powers that be. If I notice this curious fact, it is
certainly not from a wish to find fault, nor to add to the number
of criticisms, often both stupid and unjust, which one reads
upon America and American life. Each of us, camped in any
little town of the Sierra Nevada, or In no matter what other
forest of the Far West, would do the same. I give these
examples to prove that, in America as elsewhere, unlimited
individual liberty and social equality are a chimera ; and that,
in the way of submission and etiquette, a petty village king is
more exacting than the greatest monarch of old Europe. From
Yosemite to Coulterville there are forty-seven miles.
fune 21. — We are called again at four o'clock. The farm-
servants and our coachmen breakfast first, as usual. Behind
the chair of each of the servants a traveller is patiently standing;
he Is watching for the moment when the place wUl be free and
he can take possession of it. After the servants have finished
their breakfast quite at their ease — and they take their time

XL YOSEMITE. i8i
about it — one of the coachmen gets up, and, turning round to
us, says, brutaUy : " Now, eat fast." Another adds : " We'll
give you ten minutes. Those who are not ready then will be
left behind."
Mr. Coulter settles where each of us is to sit. I have my
place assigned to me next to the coachman. He is the grand
son of a German, and can speak the language of his ancestors.
U'hilst his horses are trotting along at the rate of eight miles
an hour, he teUs me his history. He is the proprietor of two
pairs of horses and gains a hundred dollars a month. To
Hve, with a wife and two children, costs him, he says, six or
seven hundred dollars a year.
Twenty mUes from CoulterviUe we come down into the
plain, scorched, yellow and desolate as before, saving a few
€ne evergreen oaks scattered here and there. For several hours
we follow the course of the Tolomini : the vegetation on Its
banks is luxurious. This river is called the Tagus between
Abrantes and Santarem. Looking back, we saw the last of the
Sierra Nevada range, the grand, imposing rounded masses of
rock, wooded at the base, reminding me of the western flanks
of the Lebanon.
The sun is merciless, and I begin to ask myself how I can
possibly bear the heat of Its rays much longer. Fortunately,
at each stage, a good Samaritan, for half a dollar, condescends
to throw some cold water on my head. Thanks to this pre
ventive treatment, I arrive in the evening at Modesto station
alive and even in good condition, and an hour after, by the
railroad, at Lathrop, where we spend the night in an excellent
hotel To-morrow, by twelve o'clock, we hope to have once
more returned to San Francisco. The distance from Coulter
ville to Modesto is forty-eight mUes ; from Modesto to San
Francisco, loi miles.
Thus ended my excursion in the Virgin Forests of the Siena
Nevada. Although full of charm, novelty, and interest, this
little journey, in consequence of the provisional nature of the
present arrangements (which soon, however, will be brought to
perfection), presupposes both good health and great patience.
If you listen to your San Francisco friends, it is simply a
pleasant walk, which everyone advises you to take — especiaUy
those who have not tried it.

CHAPTER XII.
SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA.— FROM THE lit TO THE
zjth OF JULY.
Departure from the Golden Gate. — -Dismal appearance of San Francisco
from the Sea. — The Pacific Mail Company. — The China. — Monotony of
the Passage. — Reflections on the United States. — Landing at Yokohama;
yuly. I. — At twelve o'clodc precisely, the China leaves the pier
of the Pacific Mail Company. The departing friends -wring
the hands of those they love for the last time, and then hurry
on board. At one o'clock we have crossed the Golden Gate.
Seen from the sea, San Francisco offers the strangest and least
attractive aspect possible : — sandy hiUs divided into straight
lines by large unpaved streets, both streets and hills seeming
to rise perpendicularly from the sea, brown wooden houses,
yellow sand, and a pale blue sky bordering on grey, with flakes
of mist giving the look of a torn gauze veil over the whole.
The rocky galleries of the coast extend to the north and south.
But even here brown and yeUow tints prevail. Thick heavy
clouds shroud the tops of the mountains as with a baldachino.
Cliff House with its three rocks (the sporting-place of the
seals and birds) is the last peep of land visible from the deck
of the China. Beyond and around us the Pacific spreads its
green bUlows, over which dark shadows are creeping. The sea
line and the Farallone Islands are invisible. The fog which
awaits us has already hidden them from sight. One or two
more turns of the wheel and we are sunounded by it Nothing
could be sadder or more lugubrious than our departure.
"jFuly 2. — ^Weather splendid; wind north-east. The crisp
waves intensely blue, with darker purplish shades. Gigantic
gulls follow the wake of the ship, and flutter above the deck.

Ch. XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 183
In the deep clear sea, great flat fish are swarming, called by
the sailors " Portuguese men-of-war." This name probably
dates from the time when Great Britain usurped the supremacy
of the seas. The ships of Vasco da Gama and his companions
were not models of construction, but they had heroes on board.
That which was then a term of derision reminds navigators of
to-day of the fallen greatness of a once chivalrous nation.
yu/y 3. — The line of steamers which mns between San
Francisco and Hong Kong, touching at Yokohama, is of recent
creation. If a three years' experience allows one to form a
deliberate judgment, then the problem, so long considered
chimerical, as to whether they would be able to go across the
vast Pacific -with paddle-wheel steamers, seems to have been
successfuUy solved by the American company. But there is
only one departure a month ; and thirty-six or forty passages
(going and returning) are not enough, perhaps, to give a positive
result. However it may be, as yet they have had no accident
whatever. The boats start and arrive with as much regularity
as a raUway train. It is with a certainty which makes one
shudder, that, on the 1st of each month, at the moment of
quitting the Californian shores, the officers on board say to the
passengers : " On the 24th, at nine o'clock in the morning, you
will land at Yokohama." One of their steamers, it is trae,
only five days after leaving San Francisco, had something the
matter with her machinety, and could only go with one wheel.
Nevertheless, the captain had the rashness to go on and the
good luck to arrive at the port of Yokohama after only nine
days' delay, having used up aU his coal and been terribly
straitened as to prorisions. Another steamer was on the eve
of perishing on the Japanese coast in a typhoon. The question
is, are there really sufficient guarantees given by the company
for tbe safety of the passengers and merchandise embarked in
these vessels ? On this point opinions differ. EngHsh and
French naval and military officers and commercial men of San
Francisco whom I have heard discussing the question, positively
affirm the contraty. American sailors, however, on the other
hand, pretend that no navigation can be attended with less
danger, and that no ships are better calculated to brave any
which may exist

184 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
The objectors advance the following reasons : the Pacific
MaU Steamship Company receives an annual subsidy from the
Washington Government of five hundred thousand dollars
(more than two millions and a half of francs.) This subsidy
is insufficient, because, compared to the expenses, the traffic and
the number of first-class passengers are small. To cover the
outgoings, which are enormous, the company, which is com
pelled to despatch a steamer on the ist of evety month from
San Franciso, and on the 12th from Hong Kong, is obliged to
reduce the number of officers and men to the minimum of
what is strictly necessary. The companies of the Transatiantic
European lines and the French Messageries employ at least
double the number. As to the boats and material, the differ
ence is in the same proportion. The American company does
the whole service -with only four boats, each of which, going
and coming, must traverse the enormous distance of fourteen
thousand four hundred miles (60 to a degree). The result is,
that these boats wear out vety quickly ; and that when in har
bour, the very short time during which they are at anchor does
not allow of a proper inspection of the machinery, or even of
indispensable repairs ; so that in this respect there is always
great risk. More than this, to reduce the expense, the whole
crew, saving the officers and engineers, are Chinamen. Well
the Chinese are second-rate sailors : in bad weather they lose
their heads, and in cases of real danger they are wanting in
both courage and discipline. The servants on board are
equally Chinamen. To which must be added the large number
of passengers of this nation, especially in the vessels coming
from Hong Kong. The white passengers are comparatively few.
In certain eventualities this state of things might give rise to
grave difficulties. From San Francisco to Yokohama the mn
is S,ooo miles without a break, or any possibility of putting in
to a port in case of accident or running short of provisions.
They are therefore compelled to lay in an enormous quantity
of coal in case of any delay in the passage arising either from
accident or bad weather. The consequence is that these
boats for the first few days are terribly overloaded and un
wieldy. They lack buoyancy, an essential quality in. the
gales which in certain seasons prevaU on the Californian
coast, and which blow during almost the whole year off the

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 185
shores of Japan. But there are still graver considerations
worthy of the serious attention of the Central Government and
of the company. They refer to the construction of these ships.
They are all paddle-wheel boats of 5,000 tons, which can only
go by steam. Their masts are small and weak, and they are
obliged to be so, for the solution has not yet been found of
the problem of how to proportion sailing to steam power in
steamers of that size bound for such enormous distances. It
is true, that steamers run directly from England to Australia.
But they are, in reality, sailing ships, which take advantage of
the trade winds and currents ; and only when these fail, or In
a dead calm, have recourse to steam. The screw is but an
auxIHaty : the sails are the essential. These passages then are
accomplished under the most favourable auspices. But these
conditions are entirely wanting in the Pacific boats. First,
from the fault of construction which I have already pointed
out But this is not all. The Pacific has none of the advan
tages of which skippers know how to avail themselves in
the Australian waters. In the North Pacific there are neither
trade winds nor regular cunents. In these waters, the winds
generally blow in a circle on the Hne invariably foUowed by
the steamers In summer (the 36th degree), because it is the
straightest and shortest ; the east wind prevails ; while eighty or
100 miles further north the wind blows furiously from the west.
The sailing vessels which trade between the Pacific states in Asia,
and, in exchange for tea, carry to Japan corn and flour and wood
for building purposes from the Californian and Oregon forests,
always take a northern course to escape the calms further south.
This accounts for the fact that you never see a sail from the
deck of any of the company's steamers.
To sum up all — the means at the disposal of the company
are insufficient for their task; the disproportion between the
white and Chinese element is a grave inconvenience ; and lastiy,
and this is the main point, to carry on this service regularly,
by steam power alone, you must have enormous boats over
loaded with coal ; for In case of accident to the machinery, or
a falling short of fuel, their sails would be utterly useless.
Looking at the nature of the boats at the disposal of the
compan)', however good they may be as mere steamers, it vifould
be Infinitely wiser to divide the passage in half and put in at

i86 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
Honolulu. The voyage would certainly be a little longer, but
the risks run would be reduced to a minimum. To compel
these steamers to cross the whole Pacific in one run is to ignore
the rules of pmdence and court disaster.
To this the Americans answer : the means of the company
are amply sufficient Their boats are allowed by evetyone to
be models of perfection. They wear out less quickly than the
steamers of the Atlantic companies because they go slower,
their regulation speed being only 240 miles in the twenty-four
hours, while the boats of the Cunard and other companies make
300. There is sufficient time allowed at the two ends for the
necessary inspection, cleaning, and repairs. On all tbe waters
of the globe you will not find ships better kept or better
appointed. The service is not reduced to a minimum. There
are no superfluous hands, it is tme, no mass of waste paper, or
red-tapism, or distinctions of rank or etiquette beyond what is
absolutely necessaty. The captain does not fancy himself an
admiral or a commodore, -\fter having given his instructions
to his chief officer, he is not above visiting himself three or
four times a day (according to his instructions) the machinety,
the kitchens, the cabins of the passengers, evetything, in fact,
down to the hold. Compared to your European lines, it is
true, every officer does double work ; but then, he is paid double.
Our system has all the advantages of simplicity ; and in case of
danger, offers greater security than yours ; for evety one of our
agents has a sense of responsibUity, and does not think he is
too fine a gentleman to do things himself, nor leave evetything
to his subordinates ; for the very simple reason that he has not
as many at his disposal. The crew is composed of Chinese ;
and it is true that a Chinese sailor is not worth a white one.
But in point of discipline, we prefer them infinitely to the
American or European sailors who hang about the Pacific ports.
These belong, as everyone knows, to the vety dregs of the
population. They are mostly quanellers and drunkards, who,
the moment we cast anchor, break their engagement and make
off. The Chinese saUors, on the contrary, are noted for their
gentleness, submission, and obedience. We have never had au
instance with them of any row or Insubordination. As to the
passengers of this nation, the arrangement ot their cabins is
such that in case of a mutiny, we could put them at once under

XII. SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 187
lock and key. They are not armed ; and the captain, in case
of need, has always plenty of revolvers to distribute among his
white passengers, who, on setting foot on deck, promise to place
themselves under his orders, if necessary. Besides, for the
reasons we have before mentioned, the ships of all the great
English houses at Shanghai, - Hong Kong, and Calcutta are
manned with Chinese or Malays. The pretended danger,
therefore, caused by the preponderance of the Chinese element,
is a chimera.
But now to come to your great objection — the construction
of our ships. It is tme that steam is the essential element, and
it necessarUy must be so when it is a question of traversing
such immense spaces -with the regularity of a clock. It is also
tme that with us the sails are but accessories, and it would be
better if we could make more use of them ; but, as it is, in case
of any derangement of the machinety, they are invaluable.
Our small masts are then replaced by bigger ones. Each boat
is fiimished with a double supply. 'You may see them lying on
the deck. Therefore, even supposing that it were impossible to
work the ship even with one wheel, one would always have the
chance of reaching either Yokohama or San Francisco, or at
any rate of keeping afloat in our usual course long enough to
be helped or picked up by one of our own boats. For remem
ber, our service is done with such regularity and such nautical
precision, that, unless in vety rare instances, caused by thick
fogs, the steamers from San Francisco and Japan meet regfularly
at a certain point in the ocean on a day and hour calculated
and known beforehand. As to provisions, they are always
amply supplied. And as to coal, it is not conect to state that
our boats are overloaded on leaving the port. They are always,
on the contrary, carefully organized in this respect At sea one
must always contend with the uncertainties of the elements — it
is the case with evety species of navigation. But, in reality,
there is only one enemy we really fear, and that is, fire. The
most minute and ingenious precautions are taken to guard
against it, which we recommend to other companies. You
might weU take a leaf out of our book ! But what is better
than all our arguments is the experience of more than forty
voyages ; that is, eighty times crossing the Pacific, -with all the
dangers of the Chinese and Japanese waters. In the last three

i88 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
years, our boats have made more than six hundred thousand
miles. They have all come back safely to the Golden Gate
without the loss of one man or one case.^
There is tht for and agaitist. Who is right ? It is not for
the ignorant to decide. Well, we'll persevere, come what may.
And, as we are fairly off, let us persuade ourselves that. the
company is right, and that there is no safer way of crossing
the Pacific than in one of their boats. Certainly, nothing can
be pleasanter, so long as the ocean answers to its name, and I
suppose that is the rule in this season and in this latitude.
During the winter months the steamers follow a more southerly
course. The distance is then increased by 200 miles. In fact,
during all the year one may reckon on a calm sea and a clear
sky, always excepting a narrow zone of 300 miles on the
Californian coast and another of 500 or 600 on the Japanese.
Between the two, nature smiles on us — smUes, I must say,
which rather resemble yawns. Above, below, around us,
evetywhere, evetyone sleeps — men, air, and sea.
' This proud appeal to a short but brilliant past has since been cruelly
contradicted. On the 24th of August, 1872, between eleven and twelve
o'clock at night, in the roadstead of Yokohama, the America, the glory of
he company, just after having accomplished her eleventh voyage, was
burnt to the water's edge. The China brought the .sad news to San Fran
cisco. The inquiry into the cause of the disaster threw no light on the
subject From the testimony of eye-witnesses, it appears that in less than
seven minutes after the first flames were perceived, the whole ship, from
prow to poop, was one sheet of flame. At the last moment, the captain,
teiTibly burnt, threw himself into the sea and was saved by the commander
of the Costa Rica, one of the steamers of the same company. Three .
European passengers and more than sixty Chinese, all bound for Hong
Kong, were burnt or drowned. The Chinese, determined not to lose their
savings, dawdled a little, and then threw themselves all together on a
ladder, which broke with their weight. The gold found upon their corpses
proved that not one was returning poor, to his own country. The Bien
Ville, hired by the company to serve the New York and Aspinwall line,
also took fire on the 15th of August near the Bahama Isles. Scarcely had
the crew left the ship when she blew up and foundered. Out of 127
persons on board, forty were killed. Another steamer, bearing the name
of America, was also burnt a few hours after leaving the port of Nagasaki.
The same summer, another great steamer (of which I forget the name) was
Wrecked in the Japanese inland sea on her way from Yokohama to Shanghai.
These two ships did not, however, belong to the Pacific Company, which
has lately increased its staff and the number of its boats, as well as of its
voyages, which have become bi-monthly. Altogether it is in a very
flourishinj; condition.

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 189
'xuly 4. — The sky is pearly grey. The vessel is all painted
white; masts, deck-cabins, deck, tarpauHng, benches — all are
white. This deck, from poop to prow, is all in one piece, and
makes a famous walk. Almost all the morning I am alone
there. The first-class passengers get up very late ; the second-
class, that is, the Chinese, not at all. They go to bed at San
Francisco and never leave their berths till they reach their
destination. You never see one of them on deck. The
sailors, having done their duty, disappear likewise. And how
easy that duty Is in such weather ! On leaving the Golden
Gate, the sails were hoisted, and have remained untouched ever
since. The breeze is just strong enough to fill them and to
keep us steady. The result is a complete calm. The smoke
ascends up to heaven in a straight line. So the sailors have a
fine time of it. They sleep, play, or smoke downstairs with
their companions. The two men at the helm — these two are
Americans — are equally invisible, for a watch-tower hides them
from sight as well as the rudder and the officer of the watch.
I have thus got the deck of this immense ship entirely to
myself. I pace it from one end to the other : four hundred
feet backwards and forwards. The only impediment is a
transverse bar of iron, as high as one's head, which binds in the
middle the two sides of the ship. It is painted white like all
the rest, and is difficult to see. In every position in life, there
is always the worm In the bud, a thorn in the flesh, or, at any
rate, some dark spot. On boaid the Chitia the dark spot for
me is that detestable white bar. Not only am I perpetually
knocking my head against it, but it reminds me unpleasantly
of the frailty of human things. It is very thin, and yet, if I
am to believe the engineer, it is this bar alone which, in very
bad weather, prevents the enormous shell of the boat from
breaking in half. There are moments when one's life hangs on
a thread : here it hangs on an iron bar. That is" better, perhaps,
but it is not enough.
y^uly 5. — ^Yesterday evening the anniversary of the Declara
tion of Independence by the United States was celebrated.
The Americans spoke with ease and freedom, mingling Httie
touches of somewhat commonplace eloquence with sallies of
wit, in which they are rarely at a loss. Everyone seemed

igo A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
suddenly to wake up from the state of drowsiness in which we
had been plunged.
This morning the weather is more beautiful than ever.
Everything is blue and gold. The sea reflects the same won
derful shades of purple and blue which struck me so much the
second day of our passage. The pendulum of the machine
rises and falls with slow regularity. The waves swell and
break gently, like the breast of a sleeper. Around me, save
the murmur of the wheels, and now and then the flapping of
the wings of the sea-gulls, which have followed us ever since
we left San Francisco, the silence is profound. Down below
it is the same. From time to time I hear the sound of a
guitar : it comes out of the barber's shop^ The artist is a
mulatto. At the other end of the saloon cabin, the purser is
whiling away the hours with a similar instrument The^ passen
gers, shut up in their cabins, or stretched on arm-chairs in the
saloon, are reading or sleeping. They only appear on deck
vety late in the day. We are not many first-class passengers;
only twenty-two in all : — two English tourists, vety agreeable
young men of good famUy ; two merchants of the same nation,
established at Yokohama, one accompanied by his wife ; some
Americans, one a rich Boston merchant, another a young
doctor, who, after having practised In the Sandwich Islands, is
going to seek his fortune in Japan; two Italian silk-worm seekers;
and two Spaniards trafficking in human flesh, who are estab
lished at Macao, and pack off coolies to Chili and Havanna.
During my long residence in Lisbon I always found a pecuUar
character in the faces of those men who had become rich by
the slave trade, and a certain particular expression which was
the reverse of pleasing. I found this same look in one of
these Spaniards even before I knew his trade. Involuntarily,
the passengers, though so few, divided themselves into two
coteries, the Anglo-Saxon and the Latin. There is also a
young coloured woman, a widow, with the head and face of a
Madonna. She is going to join her future husband, who is a
hair-dresser at Yokohama. She has a littie girl, deaf and
dumb, who makes the most horrible and inarticulate sounds
possible. But the tenderness and indefatigable care of her
mother are so touching that evetyone bears willingly vyith the
presence of this afflicted littie creature. It is maternal love

XII, SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA, 191
which works this marvel. And then people disbelieve in
miracles !
The yellow race is represented by my friend. Fang Tang,
and by two other Japanese, dressed up in European costume,
in which they look horrible. The one, a former governor of a
province, only speaks Japanese ; the other, a young student
and the son of a daimio, it is said, seems not to have pro
fited much as a linguist by his stay in England ; however, he
managed to get out the words : " England all good, Japan all
bad!" This is the total result of his European education. It pro
mises him, certainly, unmixed happiness in his own countty.
The most interesting person among us, without a doubt, is
the old Parsee merchant of Bombay. A baker by trade, but a
princely baker, he produces the vety best bread for the European
residents at Yokohama, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Beiore
the steamers were established, his ships coasted in all the
Chinese and Japanese waters. He Is a considerable personage.
His fine head, his venerable white beard, his dignified manner,
his extreme politeness, even the sober but picturesque dress he
wears, harmonise with the bent of his mind, his vast experience,
and his high social position. Everyone knows that in Mussul
man society merchants are the first class. Our conversations
are long and easy, for he speaks English perfectly. He told
me that he wished to see something of European civilization,
and for that reason went to America. He has only visited San
Francisco. That was quite enough. After having convinced
himself that I was not an American, he owned that he could
not find terms severe enough to speak of what he had seen.
" What scandals in the streets ! The women — and what
women ! And the men : what a lack of dignity ! It is not so
in my countty. An Oriental loves his neighbour ; he is good,
obliging, decent Never in the streets of our town will you be
shocked by the sight of drankards and bad women. The
American thinks of nothing but himself : he Is vulgar and mde
to the last degree, and gives himself up pubHcly to every kind
of excess." It was with positive impatience that he waited for
the departure of the retum boat, which was to enable him to
escape for ever from so antipathetic a spot
Our captain. Captain Cobb, born in the Eastern States, like
aU the other officers is an excellent seaman, poHshed in manner.

192 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
and most attentive and kind to tiie passengers. More or less,
he gives the like tone to his subordinates.
Mr. O., the chief engineer, of an old and good Spanish
family, a native of the Canary Islands, and brought up at
Havanna, forms a singular contrast to his Anglo-Amencan
companions. He is a mixture of a caballero and an ascetic
CastUIan. One has only to look at him to see that he is a man
in a thousand. This first impression is confirmed by his con
versation. StiU young, he owes his place entirely to his merits.
His leisure moments are devoted to serious studies. His cabin,
which opens on one side to the deck, and on the other to the
machinery, is a vety fair indication of his tum of mind and the
higher aspirations of his soul. A well-chosen little libraty,
where theological and scientific works stand side by side with
classical authors and the writings of Donoso Cortfes ; two pots
of plants, which his wife gave him before his departure, and
which, by dint of care, he has been able to keep alive In spite
of the deleterious effect of the sea air ; and the portrait of this
young lady. Can you conceive anything like the poetic sadness
and solitariness of this abnormal existence? He loves his
profession, it is trae, and lives on good terms with his comrades.
But, a fervent Catholic, he passes his Hfe with men whose last
thought Is religion ; passionately in love with his young and
beautiful wife, he sees her once in three months for eighteen
days ; devoted to speculative studies, he finds himself com
pelled, almost the whole day, to watch a machine and count
its revolutions.
The doctor on board, a Southerner, and a man of a certain
age, is a philosopher. He looks at evetything on the worst
side. His speciality is to examine the reverse of the medal.
His great originality and a kind of caustic wit, redeemed by a
fund of good humour and immense experience, give a pecuHar
charm to his conversation. In general, the great attraction of
foreign travel is to meet men of a totally different stamp -from
yourself. Birth, education, ways of seeing and acting, experi
ence of life, evetything in them is different The doctor is,
likewise, the librarian. Evety day, at a certain hour, he distri
butes the books you ask for. There is a good collection of
classical English authors, and what is very useful to me, the
best and most recent works on China and Japan.

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 193
Do not let us forget the purser, the man who holds the ptirse
strings, an important personage for the passengers, and placed
in a higher position in the American boats than the stewards
of European vessels. He is a smiling, agreeable gentleman,
who neither expects nor will accept any " tip," and who, from
time to time, shakes hands with you affectionately. I like ours
vety much, but I should like him better if he would play the
guitar a little less.
The-head -waiter is a native of Hamburg. He and his white
comrade lead an easy life. They confine their labours to
overlooking the Chinese men and pass the rest of their time in
flirting with the ladies'-maids. These are the only two idlers
in the service. Thirty-two Chinamen do the duty of waiters,
on the passengers and at table. Although short, they look well
enough with their black caps, their equally black pigtails,
which go down to their heels, their dark blue tunics, their large
wide trousers, their gaiters or white stockings, and their black
felt shoes with strong white soles. They form themselves into
sj^mmetrical groups, and do evetything with method. Fancy a
huge cabin in which the small table of twenty-two guests is
lost, with aU these Httle Chinamen fluttering round them and
serving them in the most respectful fashion, without making
any noise. The Hamburg chief, idly leaning against a console,
vrith one hand in his trousers-pocket, directs, with the fore
finger of the other, the evolutions of his docile squadron.
J^uly 6. — Evety day, at eleven o'clock in the moming and at
eight o'clock in the evening, the captain, followed by the purser,
makes the rounds of the ship. In that of the morning, all the
cabin doors are opened, only excepting those of the ladies.
But the moment these have gone out, the eye of Providence —
that is, of the captain^visits them with equal care. If any
allumettes are discovered, they are pitilessly confiscated. This
morning, the captain invited me to accompany hiui, and I
could convince myself with my own eyes of the perfect order
and discipline which reign everywhere. Nothing was more
tempting than that department which one generally avoids, the
kitchens. The head cook and his assistants, all Germans, did
the honours of their domain. Evety man was at his post, and
only anxious to show the visitors the most secret comers of

194 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
his departinent It was like an examination of conscience
carefully made. The provision and store-rooms were admiiv
able. Everything was of the first and best quality ; everything
was in abundance ; evetything was classed and ticketed like
the drugs in a chemist shop. The Chinese quarter is on the
lower deck. We have about 800 on board. They are all in
their berths, smoking and talking and enjoying the rare pleasure
in their Hves of being able to spend five weeks in complete
idleness. In spite of the great number of men penned into
so comparatively small a space, the ventilation is so weU
managed that there is neither closeness nor bad smells. The
captain inspects evety hole and comer — literally everything-^
and everywhere we found the same extraordinaty cleanliness;,
One small space is reserved for the opium-eaters or smokers,
and we saw these victims of a fatal habit, some eagerly inhaling
the poison, others already feeling its effects. Lying on their
backs and fast asleep, their deadly pale features gave them the
look of corpses.
jfuly 7. — Contraty to our usual sleepy habits, we are all to
day in a state of excitement and agitation. The China is to
come to the point where it ought to meet the America, which
was to leave Hong-Kong five-and-twent) days ago. Our top
sails are filled with little Chinamen, whose eager eyes are fixed
on the horizon. The captain and oflicers are standing close to
the bowsprit, their telescopes pointed in the same direction.
Even my Spanish friend has left his engine, his flower-pots,
and his wife's portrait to gaze at the blue sea slightly rippled,
but, as usual, without a speck of a sail. No America I The
captain's heart is in his shoes ; he consults his charts, his
instruments, his officers, all in vain. The day passes without
the steamer being signalled. The dinner is silent and sad.
Evetyone seems preoccupied, and the captain is evidently
anxious. It seems that the directors of the company make a
point of their two boats meeting. It is to them a proof that
their captains have followed the straight course, and that the
San Francisco boat has crossed, without any accident, a third
of the Pacific. The passengers gladly avail themselves of this
precious opportunity to write to their friends. For the captains
themselves, it is a question of honour. They Hke to show

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA, 195
their skill in this way, and their cleverness In being able, despite
the variable and imperfectly understood currents of the Pacific,
to make a straight course across this enormous sheet of water.
yuly 8. — At five o'clock in the morning the second officer
rashes into my cabin : " The America is in sight 1 " I throw
on my clothes and tumble on deck. The morning is beautiful,
and this colossal steamer, the largest after the Great Eastern,
draws near majestically. The usual salutes are exchanged, and
the America's gig brings us an extract from their log, the list
of the passengers, the newspapers from Hong-Kong, Shanghai,
and Yokohama; and, which is essential, takes charge of our
letters for America and Europe. A few moments after she
resumes her course. What a grand and imposing sight 1 At
six o'clock she has already disappeared behind the horizon.
At the moment of meeting, we had run exactly 1,500 miles—
that is, half the distance between England and New York.
The Chinese and Japanese papers are. vety interesting.
They complain sadly of the stagnation of trade, and are full
of alarm at the state of things in Japan, where the old feudal
constitution has been -rirtually abolished. From hence great
discontent among the great daimibs, who are making prepara
tions for war. One of them has re-estabHshed a court ceremony
which had fallen into disuse — that of trampling the cross under
their feet.
These are, for me, so many problems. But the solution will
be in the next number, that is, in Japan itself, if I can only
find people wUling and able to give me the desired information.
y^uty 19. — The list of passengers on board the America is-
just posted up : it made me reflect There are upwards of
fifty Japanese of noble family. The reformed government
pf the day sends them for a year, at the cost of the state, to
America and Europe. They are to acquire the radiments of
evety kind of knowledge and civilization, which they are to
bring back into their own countty; just as the Italian sUk-
growers go evety year to Japan to procure fresh silkworms.
To judge byoiir two young Japanese who have just returnetl
from Europe, I shoidd venture to doubt the success of the
plan. The old Parsee, who seems to know the " Empire of the

196 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Rising Sun " better than most European residents, says to me :
"The Japanese are perfect children. Good children, but, old
or young, they are still children. Those who go to Europe
take with them a quantity of money ; they fall into the hands
of rogues and thieves, who lead them into every kind of mis
chief, and then rob them. The poor dupes come home crest
fallen, with empty purses, and as ignorant as they went. Look
at those two young men we have on board : they have learned
nothing, and have spent a fabulous sura. One of them, the
governor, owned to me that he was ruined." This fact was
confirmed by my friend, Fang-Tang, who is an intimate friend
of the functionaiy who has paid so dearly for his thirst for
knowledge. The Chinese and Japanese languages, although
sprang from the same Mongol root, have little or no affinity.
But in Japan they have adopted, for centuries, the Chinese
characters. Persons of the two nations can thus conespond
without knowing each other's language. My two travelling
companions make use of this method. Seated side by side,
they spend hours in -writing to each other, and exchanging
notes. What on earth can they have to say to each other ?
y^uly 10. — To-day we have passed the 164th degree of
longitude (Greenwich). It conesponds to the meridian of
Vienna. In our cabin we have 21 degrees Rdaumur. On
deck, even under the awning, it is still hotter. It is horribly
damp besides. The wind blows always from the east Since
we left San Francisco the sails have not been touched.
'yuly II. — I had a long talk to-day with a Southerner. His
country was, of course, the subject. They were Hke the lamen
tations of the Prophets in the Old Testament I have not
yet met one of his countrymen who did not talk to me in the
same strain, but rarely have I heard the sorrow of a patriot
expressed in language more touching or more high-minded.
After having described, in vivid colours, what the South was
before the war, he drew a picture pf what it had become since
— one great open wound. A stranger who has not studied
the question on the spot itself ought naturally to suspend his
judgment; but seeing the unanimity of the complaints, one
asks oneself whether men with the best will in the world, even

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA, 197
with the help of time, which heals so many wounds, will ever
be able to remedy evils which are considered incurable (under
the present Government) even by the sufferers themselves. I
own that the reasons adduced by the Northerners, who naturally
do not look upon things in so gloomy a light, do not reassure
me at all. They reckon on community of interests : but it
is precisely the divergence of their interests which produced
the secession : on the influence of time, which will modify the
feehngs of future generations ; but on what are these hopes
founded? Are they not chimerical? History shows few
examples of a nation, which, rightly or wrongly, think them
selves oppressed, being sincerely reconciled to their oppressors.
She may accept her fate with resignation ; but hopes and hatreds
remain ; hostile aspirations and a thirst for vengeance are trans
mitted from generation to generation. To this they reply :
" First, that the Southerners are not a separate nation ; then,
although the teiyitoty of the Southem States is very large, the
white population is comparatively small. The Immigration
increases. The new arrivals are the born antagonists of the
ancient proprietors of the soil, that is, of our enemies. They
will evict them. By and by, they wiU form the majority. The
day will come when they vrill be masters. The original white
population -will have disappeared ; anyhow it will not count.
Therefore there is some sense in our saying that time will act
in our favour."
I admit this argument It is a solution which time alone
can bring, and, saving separation, it seems to me the only
altemative. But for the Southerners themselves it is destmc
tion. They would perish Httle by little, like the first inhabitants
of the soil, the Indians. As long as they live, they wiU resist
the existing state of things, which seems to them unendurable.
It wiU either be smouldering hostility or a declaration of open
war. That being the case, I seek in vain for the elements ot
reconciliation. yuly 12.— Towards the middle of last night we were just
half-way between San Francisco and Yokohama. This morn
ing, as usual, we counted our friends, the gulls. The greater
number have deserted us. They went home in the wake of
the America, Six have remained faithful. These are intending

198 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
to go right across the Pacific, flying during the day round and
round the boat, skimming across the sea, or dipping- the tips
of their wings in the rising waves, on which they float and
seem to sleep at night, only to join us afresh on the morrow.
yuly 13. — This evening we shaU pass the 180th degree of
longitude. That is the moment for navigators to settle their
reckoning with earth and sun. Friday the 14th is to be sup
pressed, and we are to pass straight on to Saturday the 15 th.
For the boats coming in the contrary sense, from west to east,
it is the reverse ; they then repeat the day of the week anij
month. On board to-day this is the great topic of conversa
tion. Few understand it, and no one can explain it clearly.
A good many of the passengers seriously regret having left
one day at the bottom of the Pacific. ' "
yuly 15; — The fine -weather, which has been so faithful to
us hitherto, has deserted us. During the whole day a hot,
fine rain fell without intermission. In the cabins and evety
where the air is like that at the mouth of a stove. The
passengers begin to weaty of the passage, and to reckon how
many more days they will have to spend on board. The
dinners are not looked upon with so much favour. There are
a quantity of dishes, certainly, but they are all vety much the
same. There is a monotony in their vety variety. The
water used in the kitchen, like that which you drink, is sea-
water distilled, which paUs upon the taste and disagrees with
the stomach. The damp heat and the loss of the sun are
both causes of complaint On all sides I hear grumbling.
The Asiatics alone preserve their serenity. Towards evening
the thermometer falls rapidly, and the captain foretells *ind.
Happily we are not yet in the zone of the typhoons.
yuly 19. — The bad weather continues. Last night the
rolling banished sleep. To-day the monsoon blew violently.
It seemed to blow out of the mouth of a furnace. After break
fast the captain takes me into his cabin and explains our posi
tion to me — that is, tells me what is our best and worst chance.
" The monsoon is become a gale ; but it is not that he fears.
There are signs of a typhoon to the north-west What course

XII. SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 199
shall we take ? That is the question. Perhaps we are already
in its periphery. Perhaps not. Vety soon we shall know.
In the meantime, there is no imminent danger." The naviga
tion of the Chinese and Japanese seas is a lottery. Only the
bad numbers are rare. Captain Cobb talks with the calmness
of a physician who, on leaving his patient, only tells him a
portion of his malady. While foUowing his lucid explanation
I forgot that we were the sick man !
At this moment the ocean was really magnificent, In the
boiHng sea, the foam was driven horizontally towards the
east. The water was positively inky, -with here and there
whitish gleams of light. The sky was iron grey ; to the west
a curtain of the same colour, but darker. The thermometer
was still falHng rapidly. In the air above the waves I suddenly
saw a cloud of white flakes. They were litde bits of Joss-paper
which the Chinese were throwing into the sea to appease their
gods. I passed before the open cabin door of the engineer;
he was watering, his plants. The passengers were all gathered
together in the saloon. Some of them were moved almost to
tears. At twelve o'clock the sky cleared a little and the faces
brightened considerably. I have often remarked that people
when in danger, whether real or imaginary, are like children.
The slightest thing wiU make them laugh or cty. The Bombay
master baker, the Chinese merchant, and the two Japanese
struck me by their imperturbabUity. The first whispered in
my ear: "The company is very unwise to have a Chinese
crew; the Malays are much better. Chinese sailors are scared
at the least danger, and would be the first to make off in the
Hfeboats." Fang-Tang has an equally bad opinion of his
feUow-countrymen. He says to me : " Chinese good men —
vety good. Bad. sailors. Very bad ! " I reply : " If we go
to the bottom, what wiU happen to Fang-Tang?" He answers,
" If good, place above ; if bad, below stairs, punished."
yuly 20. — In the middle of the night the ocean suddenly
calmed. The China has got out of the region of the cyclone.
The weather is delicious — the sea like glass. But at four
o'clock in the afternoon we suddenly find ourselves amidst
colossal waves ; and yet there is not a breath of wind. They
teUus that this was probably, yesterday, the centre of the

200 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
typhoon. It has exhausted itself or gone elsewhere ; but the
sea which it lashed into futy is stUl agitated, Hke the pulse of
a fever patient after the fit is over.
yuly 22. — The days foUow one another with wonderful uni
formity. Except the short episode of the storm, these three
weeks leave on my mind the impression of a charming dream,
of a fairy tale, or of an Imaginary walk across a great haU, all
filled with gold and lapis lazuli — not a moment of weariness
or Impatience. If you wish to shorten the tedlousness of a
long voyage, divide your time properly and keep to the rale
you have laid down for yourself. It is the only way to become
accustomed to this kind of life, and even to enjoy it
In the morning, after your bath, take an hour's solitaty
exercise on the vast deck. Then read for an hour or two in
your cabin. Afterwards, if you fancy it, take part in the hoop
game. This is a very popular amusement on board the American
steamers. The players tty to throw some rings, formed of ends
of cord, into certain numbered squares which have been
traced on the floor with chalk. It is much more difficult than
one fancies. The two young Englishmen beat all the rest
At five o'clock dinner Is served in the great cabin. On board
the China all is abundant, and even copious. After the meal,
the Anglo-Saxons and Latins meet in the smoking-saloon. It
is the only place where they talk freely. The Spaniard from
Macao, the dealer in coolies, has taken a philanthropic tum.
He sheds tears of tenderness at any moment. He pretends
not to be able to listen without shuddering to the stories of
his neighbour, one of the Italian sUk merchants, a Garibaldian
hero, and, if we are to believe him, a ferocious assassin of the
Bourbons. But in the way of marvellous tales, no one can
beat our young American doctor, who comes from the Sand
wich Islands and is going to Japan. His adventures in the
midst of the savages, and the massacres In which he has shared,
are belled by the gentleness of his face and the modesty of
his manner, but certainly reflect credit on the fertility of his
imagination. All this is amusing enough during the smeking
of one's cigar. But the most enchanting part of the twenty-
four hours Is the night. Never have I seen stars shine with
such brilliancy. The Milky Way unrols its luminous ribbon

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 201
across the sky, and Is reflected in the waves. Our peasants
say it leads to Rome. Here It leads to the Ocean Archipelago,
that terrestrial paradise, the ideal of philosophers of the last
century. Feeding on their descriptions, we imagine the natives
luxuriating under the shade of the cocoa-nut trees, and revelling
In all the most beautiful products of nature ; while chaste
Naiads plunge in the crystalline waters and weave riva-riva
\vreaths for their hair. But then rise up the spectres of Queen
Pomare and the Rev. Mr. Pritchard ! which dispel our poetical
dreams and bring us back to the reahties of life. During the
first part of the night I am sure to meet the chief engineer, or
else he stops me as I pass the door of his cabin to exchange
a few words. I always see Fang-Tang closeted with the
Japanese functionary. Both are looking at the stars, however;
for the growing darkness has put an end to their talk upon
paper. The Parsee, too, is still up, and delays seeking his
berth. Sitting on his heels, he is thinking and stroking his
fine white beard. I take up a place by his side, and he gives
me his ideas on evety kind of question — from the white bread
which he furnishes to the English merchant-princes, down to
the tortuous policy of the Tsungli-Yamen and the reform of
Japan. Often we do not separate till the curfew-bell warns us
of the putting out of the lights.
This is the way we have crossed the Pacific.
yuly 23. — To-day evetything Is changed : the sky, the cHmate,
the feelings of the passengers, who already are counting the
minutes tUl they can land ; for only a few miles now separate
us from our port of disembarkation. The atmosphere, charged
with vapoury mists, wears no longer the same aspect. The
sun is paler, the sky less blue. The westerly wind brings with
it fantastic-shaped clouds, -which stUl preserve the outlines of
the mountains from which they have detached themselves.
These are the first messengers sent us from land. Towards
twelve o'clock the fitful gusts bring us others — a whole cloud
of dragon-flies. These graceful littie insects, with their slender
bodies and gauty wings, seem half stunned. The storm has
driven them from their flowery bushes and chased them across
the ocean. They alight on the deck, on the cordage, on the
masts — everywhere. But they are welcome; no one touches

202 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
or harms them. The China is going to bring them back to
their own land again. These are not the only shipwrecked
passengers whom we shall bring home. On the last voyage, in
the middle of the Pacific, some hundreds of miles from the
Niphon coast, a Japanese junk, without her masts, had been
sighted. A boat was sent, and they found by the side of five
or six decomposed bodies two men who still breathed. Their
cockle-shell of a barque, on the way from Hiogo to Yokohama,
had been caught in a gale which drove them out to sea, and
there they had been tossing about on the Pacific for nearly six
months. The two survivors were saved and brought to San
Francisco. A collection was made on board, which turned
out to be very large. Now the Chitia is bringing them home.
I'hey are on board with us. They are two fine youths, and
quite beside themselves with joy. In a few days they wUl
return to the parental roof in the dress of English sailors, with
their pockets full of dollars. They will be the rich men of
their village. What a turn in the wheel of Fortune 1
To sum up all in a word, we have had a glorious passage.
The east wind, helped by steam, has brought us quickly to the
haven where we would be. In fact, we might have landed at
Yokohama yesterday or to-day. But for the last forty-eight
hours we have slackened speed, for the orders are severe. A
captain who should arrive before his time, even if it were only
by a few hours, would be dismissed the serrice. I hear every
one around me blaming these restrictions. I own I think them
wise and prudent. The following are the reasons assigned :
the consumption of coal increases with the increase of speed,
and that in a very large proportion : without counting the
expense, therefore, the boats would have to be overloaded at
starting. If the time of the passage had not been fixed, the
captains of the four boats would rival one another in speed, to
the detriment of the vessel and the machinety. " Don't forget,"
they added, "that we are Americans, and wish for nothing
better than to go ahead." Besides this, the merchants of
Yokohama and Hong Kong depend on receiving and expe
diting their correspondence on a certain day, and that is only
possible by giving such a margin to the boats as shall make
allowance for the insuperable delays which now and then must
arise from bad weather or contrary winds. On their side, the

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA, 203
company is anxious that the steamers coming from San Fran
cisco and Hong Kong should not meet at Yokohama, because
they would then have to be laden and unladen at the same
time, and so they would need to double the requisite staff of
officials and cooHes. Now this coincidence would often happen
if the Californian boat were less than twoand-twenty days on
the passage. Add to this that the Government of Washington,
which has a right to interfere, as it pays the subvention, hearing
that the boats might shorten the run by two days, would
perhaps be tempted to force the coinpany to do so, and thus
reduce the time originally allowed by the contract
Towards evening, a three-master hove in sight. She had all
her sails spread and was making for the north-east. F^xcept
the America, this is the one and only ship we have seen since
we left San Francisco. The voyage is drawing to a close.
To-morrow, in leaving the China, we shall say good-bye to
America, Let us look back for a moment and give a summary
bf our impressions.
Yes, it is a great and glorious country. Yes, you have
reason to be proud of her and to give your blood, if necessary,
to preserve her independence. Composed of such varied
races, and with a soil hardly yet reclaimed from savage nature,
you already possess the quality which is the first condition of
the growth, prosperity, and glory of a great people — I 'mean
patriotism. The cIvU war, which I deplore, has proved it
I am not now asking if it might not have been avoided : if you,
Northerners, are using your victoty with moderation : if you.
Southerners, should not take the hand of your brothers,
provided it be offered sincerely : if it would not be worth whUe
for the one side to renounce a portion of the advantages it has
gained by force of arms, and for the other, the powerless
hatred called forth by the remembrance of irreparable wrongs :
if, on both .^ides, you should not, above all, strive for a recon
ciliation, if it were possible to realize it All these questions,
especially the last, which touches the vital interests, not only of
the South, but of the great republic of which it threatens the
very existence, I set aside. 'Vou have too recently emerged
from this fratricidal sttuggle to be disposed to listen so such
counsels. Even were they addressed to you by a voice of far
higher authority than mine, you would repudiate them. I take

204 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
no count either of the distinction of parties. I do not under
stand them. For me there are neither Democrats nor Repub
licans, only Americans. I affirm that on both sides during
this terrible civU war, you have displayed the same virtues, the
same courage, the same perseverance, the same self abnegation.
On this head there are neither conquerors nor conquered. You
all are members of one family, worthy of one another — a
nation full of life, youth, and strength, and, unless through
grave errors, with a glorious future before you. These same
virtues bear you up in another and more profitable struggle. In
the struggle with savage nature. With the sweat of your brow
you have, in less than a century, fertilised more than half a
great continent Thanks to the boldness of your conceptions
and the vigour of your arms, you have worked wonders. The
world sees the fruit of your labours, and tiie world is filled
with surprise and admiration.
If we, children of old Europe, we, who without shutting the
door on the progress which is to modify our future, cling to the
present, and to the logical, natural continuation of the past, to
our old recollections, traditions and habits ; if we do homage
to your success, obtained under the shield of institutions which
on all essential points are contrary to ours, this is a proof of
our impartiality ; and our praises are therefore the more flat
tering.' For, do not let us deceive ourselves — America is the
born antagonist of Europe. I speak of the America of the
United States, and of Europe such as she exists, such as
she has been formed by the moulding of centuries; and
not such as visionaries would like to fashion her, either after
your image or after a model of their own invention. The
first arrivals, the precursors of your actual greatness, those who
sowed the seed, were discontented men. Intestine divisions
and religious persecutions had torn them from their home
and thrown them on your shores. They brought with them
and implanted in the soU of their new country the principle for
which they had suffered and fought — the authority of the indi
vidual. He who possesses it is free in the fullest acceptation
of the term. And, as In that sense, you are all free, each of
you is the equal lA the other. Your country, then, is the classic
soil of liberty and equality, and it has become so from the fact
of being peopled by the men whom Europe had expelled from

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA, 205
Its bosom. That is why you, in conformity -v\'ith your recent
origin, and we, by a totally different genesis which is lost in the
night of time, are antagonistic. This antagonism Is more ap
parent than real. Amongst yourselves yoii are neither so free
nor so equal as we imagine in Europe ; and the old society is
not so hampered or divided into castes as you seem to think.
But do no let us discuss this question. It would lead us too
far ; and as to our reciprocal convictions, they would go for
nothing. I will content myself by saying that the more I travel
and the older I grow, tiie more I am convinced that human
beings and things everywhere resemble one another at bottom:
and that the divergences are prlnci])ally on the surface. I see
evetywhere the same passions, the same aspirations, the same
deceptions, and the same weaknesses. It is only the form
which varies.
But you offer liberty and equality to evetyone. It is to the
magic charm of these two words, more than to your gold-fields,
that you owe the influx of your emigrants, and the enormous
and ever-growing Increase of your population. Russia and
Hungary have still miles of uncultivated lands. Algeria only
needs and clamours for hands. But no one goes there. The
EngHsh emigrate to ."Australia, because it is another England,
and especially an England far more like you than the mother
country. The great mass of emigrants, therefore, turn their
steps to North America. Why? First, to find bread, an
article which in our over-populated Europe it is no longer
easy to procure ; next, to obtain liberty and equality. I am
not quite so sure whether you are able to offer them the latter,
in proportion to their dreams of those two great blessings,
which human nature, from its cradle, has so eagerly coveted.
But you certainly offer them space. It is space which makes
your fortune and which will make theirs; because you are
endowed with all the qualities necessaty to work it, and the
Celtic and German races possess the same and develop them
through your teaching and example. For other countries do
not lack space. The Pampas, for instance, and all those un
cultivated regions of the republics of South America, are only
waiting for men to develop their riches. But even without the
obstacle of climate, the inhabitants are not up to the rugged
straggle with nature ; and although they too have inscribed on

2o6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Cltap,
their banners the words " Liberty and Equality," the world is
not thereby taken in. Soldiers of fortune, periodically defeated
and replaced by rivals, equally hold in their hands this pre
tended liberty : and equality consists in submission to the will
and caprices of these ephemeral masters. The emigrants,
therefore, go to you. They seek, as I said before, for bread,
individual liberty and social equality : and they find space,
that is Hberty to work, and equality of success if they bring
with them the necessary qualifications.
I said that all the world admired you. But aU the world
does not love you. Those amongst us who judge of you
from an exclusively European point of view, see in you nothing
but the enemies of the fundamental principles of society. The
more they appreciate your works — and unless they are blind,
they cannot do otherwise than appreciate them — ^the more, in
fact, they admire, the ess they like you. I should add, that
they fear you. They diead your success as a dangerous example
to Europe, and they tty to stop, as far as they can, the invasion
of your Ideas. But they form the minority. Your friends are
more numerous. These see in you the prototype and the last
fmits of civUization. You have all their sympathy : and they
have the greatest wish, if not politically, which they do not
always like to own, at least socially, which they openly proclaim,
to transform themselves after your example. There is a third
class, whose who are resigned : their opinion is the widest
spread. Although they do not like you, they are willing to
submit to you : to submit to your principles, your habits, your
institutions. Fatally but inevitably, they beUeve that Europe
will become Americanised.
As for me, I share neither these hopes nor these fears. I
do not believe in this pretended fatality, and these are the
reasons for my scepticism.
First, I maintain that these fears, there hopes, this blind
faith in imaginary decrees of Providence, are founded on an
imperfect knowledge of America. In vain do we devour whole
libraries, and read every book which has ever been written or
published by eminent men on the United States. No sooner
does one set foot on your soil, than one is struck by the funda
mental difference existing between the reality and one's pre-
zonceived ideas, arising from what one had read. Everything

A7/. SAN FRANCISCO TO rOKO HA. V A. 207
is totally different from what one expects. Such is the first
Impression of all Europeans who come to your country, whether
as simple visitors or as residents. They come with prejudices
against you in one way, and for you in another ; and hardly
have they disembarked before they find themselves involuntarily
compelled to modify both. European democrats are invariably
disappointed. The luxury and social inequalities of New York
scare them. To those who are not democrats the same sight
causes a pleasant surprise. The Germans, socially and politi
cally the most advanced of all the immigrants, arrive in -Vmerica
as ardent republicans, but they very soon perceive that your
republic is very far from coming up to their ideal. They also
have found things quite dift'erent from what they imagined they
would be. I might multiply examples of this sort. Diversity
of taste also enters a good deal into their judgment and there
is no arguing upon differences of taste. Therefore let us not
dwell upon them any longer. All I wish to say is, that .\merlca
seen through tiie magnifying spectacles of books, and America
seen on her own soil, are two dift'erent and distinct things, and
that to found such important calculations (as they regard tiie
entire transformation of Europe) on the idea which each man
has formed in his own mind of America and the Americans,
without person.il observation or knowledge, is to give oneself
up to illusions, to more or less clever joking, but not to lead to
any serious results.
Compared to Europe, your countty is as a sheet of white
paper. Everything has to be begun ; evetything is new. In
Europe one rebuilds, or restores, or modifies, or adds (if one
has space, which Is more and more rare) a wing to one's house.
But unless you demolish what exists, you don't rebuild the
foundations ; for what abounds in America is what we need
most — space. To become American would be to presuppose
the entire destruction of Europe. I have too high an opinion
of the practical spirit of our children and of the generation
which will succeed them to believe in so radical an overthrow.
I also note with pleasure, that if some Europeans have taken
you for a model, there are very few Americans, and I have
never met one who has the pretension to put himself forward
as an example, ^^'hat would you say, gentlemen of Boston or
New York, if we were to propose to you to do like the Califor-

2o8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
nian pioneers, and cut down the fine oaks in your parks as they
level the trees of the virgin forests round their ranchos ? You
would naturally reply : " That was what our ancestors did,
but we have got beyond that : everything in its proper place
and in its proper time."
There is another reason why, in spite of the admiration you
excite, you cannot serve as a model. How choose as a model
a thing which is incomplete ? which is modified day by day by
the hand of Time, that indefatigable artist, and with the help
which Europe, and for the last twenty years, Asia, never ceases
to furnish ? In traversing your enormous territoty, one finds
everywhere (except in the South, which is sick) the same
strength, the same health, the same exuberance of power ; only
the degrees of development vary in each locality. Taken all
in all, nothing is complete. You are at the growing age j you
are not yet fully formed.
What wUl you be when you come to maturity? You do
not know, and no one can predict, for history offers no example
of such a genesis. The nations ofthe globe, and those of Europe
in particular, be they little or great, have a common origin, and
the same blood flows through the veins of each one of its
members. They have various nationalities ; but these races
live side by side, each preserving his particular character.
They have in common a sovereign, a central power, a fixed
legislation, territorial divisions of provinces, and a host of
minor interests ; but they have kept their own respective
languages and customs, often their religious and historic rights,
and are not physically amalgamated. Where such an amalga
mation has taken place, it has only been by slow degrees, the
result of a process which has lasted for centuries. As a general
mle, each nation had its religion. In these days, in the greater
portion of the European States there is no State religion.
Almost everywhere the principle of liberty of conscience has
been proclaimed, and an attempt is being made to introduce it
into their laws. But tills great revolution is not yet practically
accomplished, and we cannot yet judge of its effects.
This is a picture of Europe considered with reference to the
origin of the nations which inhabit it, and to the different races
of which it is composed.
But North America offers a totaUy different spectacle. In

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA, 209
the beginning, it is trae, there was a certain analogy. The
Anglo-Saxon element predominated. The majority of the
immigrants were English. The Dutch, who hardly counted
numerically, and the French in Canada and Louisiana, were
not in a position to dispute the land. The Indians retired
into their forests as wild beasts fly before cultivated districts.
The EngHsh then were masters of the sea-coast, and the name
of " New England " was appropriately chosen, and Is even still,
in some senses, tme. The descendants of the first English
colonists, from their numbers, could easily absorb and incor
porate among themselves this small number of heterogeneous
elements, and so form a nation in the ordinaty sense of the
term. In the limited space they then occupied, it was easy for
the English to impart the language, habits, and Ideas of the
mother-countty, with only the modifications resulting from
political separation, and from the republican form of govern
ment which they had chosen as most suited to the soil. But
in these last thirty years, this state of things has been con
siderably modified. The English immigrants, if you exclude
the Irish, who are of another and an antagonistic race, no
longer form the majority. The Germans have invaded the
Western States, and increase day by day towards the Pacific.
Then the Chinese ! Is it likely, if this influx of anti-English
elements continues, that the Anglo-Saxon race can .in the Far
West, maintain the pohtical and social preponderance which it
enjoys on the borders of the Atlantic ? Would it be possible
for its influence to prevail on the Pacific shores, and success
fuUy oppose the ever-growing importance of the Irish, German,
and Chinese elements? This is problematical, to say the least
of it But who will replace the Anglo-American ? What new
race will spring from this mixture of Celts, Germans, and
Mongols ? We cannot tell — no one can — we only know that
great changes will be the result. Have I not a right to say,
then, that you are not yet fully grown ?
There remains the unsolved problem as to liberty of con
science, the right of each one to adore the Supreme Being
according to his own fashion. Until now, this system, which
seems to me the only possible one under existing circumstances,
works well. The Catholic priests whom I have seen praise
the Uberty they enjoy. They say they would not change places

2IO A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
with the clergy of any other countty in Europe. I suppose
the Protestant ministers think the same. But that proves
nothing. Life is easy here for evetybody, for everyone has
space. To prevent a disagreeable meeting, one has only to
walk on the other side of the street. It is wide enough for
evetybody. On this great question of space, looked upon
from a religious point of -view, there is no better example than
the history of the Mormons. They give offence In New York
State ; they are IU-treated, and pass on to Ohio. They are
not more popular there ; and, rather than be expeUed by force,
they go and establish themselves in Illinois, on the borders of
the Mississippi. The same fate attends them. This time they
are chased by artillety. They would all have been kiUed if
they had not taken flight. Fortunately, there was room for
everybody. They could, without disturbing anyone, carry
\ht\x penates elsewhere. In Utah, too, the situation is becoming
critical, and already they talk of a fourth exodus to Arizona.
This proves two things : first, that in America there is room
for evetyone ; and next, that liberty of conscience is only tme
for the one who is the strongest, and who drives away the
weakest with blows or fire-arms. But the day will come,
although it is now far off, when this illimitable space will be
narrowed, and when it wiU be difficult, by flight, to escape the
pursuit of those who do not share your religious conviction?.
Therefore, even in your countty (let it be said in passing), the
question of liberty of conscience has not yet been definitively
settled. To sum up all I have before said : you have the great advan
tage of space, which is wanting in Europe ; and you are at the
growing age. One never can tell if the man will justify the
hopes entertained of the youth. But such as you are I love
you, and I will tell you why.
North America offers an unlimited field of liberty to the
Individual. It does not only give him the opportunity : it forces
him to employ all the faculties with which God has endowed
him. The arena is open — as soon as he enters it he must
fight, and fight to the death. In Europe it is just the contrary.
Everyone finds himself hemmed in by the narrow sphere in
which he Is born. To get out of this groove, a man must be
able to rise above his equals, to make extraordinary efforts, and

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 211
to have both abilities and qualities above the average. What
with you Is the rule, with us is the exception. In Europe, Ii a
man has fulfilled the duties of his state, — which are always
more or less limited by circumstances, — and has obtained the
ordinary reward for his labour (which reward is also limited
by circumstances), he thinks he has amply answered to the
requirements of his position. Why go out of the ordinary
path ? Why straggle for extraordinary objects when success is
uncertain and the recompense small ? Looking at the enormous
competition, it is quite enough for him if he can gain a respec
table livelihood. I don't say there are not some ambitious and
restless spirits who make a noise in the world; but they are
few compared to the masses of whom I am speaking. Let us
give an example. I know a great country where manufactures
would be capable of immense development. But If I were to
exhort the principal manufacturers to augment their production,
to Introduce this or that machinety, so as to compete in the
market with other countries, they would reply : " What would
be the use? We have a sufficient market at home." They are
content with small profits : small, I mean, in comparison
with the immense gains they might make with a little more
exertion. It is less trouble and less risk to go on in the
old way. From this point of view, perhaps they are right ;
but the commerce of the nation remains below that of its
neighbours. Now in America, in evety sphere of human activity, super
human efforts are made. Competition, which is rather a hin
drance than a stimulant, is far less ; but emulation is more keen,
for the results are far greater, and far more easy to obtain. In
Europe a man works to live, of, at most, to arrive at comparative
ease ; here he works to become rich. Everyone does not attain
to this, but evetyone tries for it Such supreme efforts on all
sides lead to extraordinaty success. On the shores of the
Atlantic, we see towns rivalling our greatest capitals in luxury,
cultivation of mind, and (whatever may be said by facetious
'traveUers) in the taste and refined habits of the upper classes :
in the interior, prairies and virgin forests have become in a few
years, thanks to the energy of a handful of men, the most
-abundant granaries on the face of the globe; from north to
south, from one ocean to the other, magnificent Hues of railway
p 2

212 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
have been cons';ructed ¦} on the rivers, steamboats like floating
palaces ; even In the most remote corners of this Immense
continent you find pioneers at work, clearing the ground and
paving the way for fresh conquests. And if you compare these
wonders with the numbers of heads and arms which have
achieved them, your astonishment will be still greater, so mar
vellous is the disproportion between the one and the other.
Hardly have the emigrants left our crowded Old World and set
foot on the soil of the great American Republic, than, from the
atoms they were, they have become individuals, each called in
his measure to participate in the common work.
This miraculous transformation, leaving out other causes
which I set aside, is evidently due in a large measure to the
political institutions which govern your great nation. To con
vince oneself of that fact, you have only to look at Canada.
Except the old colony of Louis XIV., which has remained
almost stationary in its happy, peaceful, bucolic isolation, the
immigrants in Canada are almost exclusively English. The
climate and the soU are analogous with those of the States on
the Atlantic shore. One might fancy, therefore, that the results
obtained would be the same as other English emigrants have
accomplished in New England. But no. There is less energy
and less progress in Canada. I do not say it as a reproach.
Perhaps its inhabitants are all the happier for it ; but taking
things altogether, and in a material point of view, there is an
incontestable inferiority in the British colony, however flourish
ing it may be in other ways.
I could cite many other advantages and good qualities which
you possess ; but I will content myself with bearing witness to
the absence of prejudice which distinguishes you, except when
the passions of the day fetter your usual freedom and clearness
of judgment ; and to the largeness of your views, which
corresponds with the greatness of your territory. There is
nothing small, or mean, or petty about you. This is, to me,
one of the greatest charms of America and the Americans.
People who know you better and have known you longer than I,
tell me that you have learned a great deal in the last few years,
especially in the bitter school of suffering and trial entailed by
' In 1861 the United States had 30,000 miles of railroad; in 1871 more
than 60,000 miles.

XIL SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 213
the Civil War; that you have ripened ; that you are less petu
lant, less confident in yourselves, and appreciate better the
things which are good and wise in Europe ; in a word, that
your mind has spread, and has become capable of embracing
more vast horizons. For my part, I can only be grateful for
the welcome that I have received everywhere, and I believe
there is no one that wUl not do homage to your kind and
generous hospitality.
So much that is brilliant must have its dark shadow. Every
mortal man is afflicted with the faults inseparable from his
good qualities. And you are not exempt from this infirmity.
You have obtained, and are obtaining evety day, enormous
results ; but it is at the cost of excessive labour, of a permanent
tension of mind and an equally permanent drain of your
physical strength. This excess of toil, of which I have already
explained the reason, seems to me the source of Serious
evils. It must produce exhaustion, lassitude, and premature
old age ; it deprives those who give themselves up to it, first,
of time, and then of the power of enjoying the result of their
labours. It makes fain — money — the principal object in life ;
excludes gaiety ; entails a sadness which is the natural con
sequence of over-fatigue ; and destroys the family tie and home
joys. To observations such as these the same answer is inva
riably given. " Yes, It is true ; but time will modify all this.
We are at the working stage. We are making our fortunes — ¦
later on will come the time of enjoyment and repose." I do
not admit the tmth of this reasoning. A sad and premature
old age awaits men who have abused their strength. It is the
same with individuals as with nations.
Another cause of your greatness is the unlimited expansion
of individual liberty. But the liberty of the individual must
necessarily be limited by the liberty of all represented by the
State. From the balance of the two results their mutual
guarantees. In the greater part of the countries of the Old
AVorld, the state claims too much and the individual obtains
too little. With you, the fault is just the contrary. It is the
conviction of most of your eminent men that you grant too
much to the individual and too littie to the state. The greater
portion of the scandals and abuses which we see in your
country anse irom that source. The control of the organs

214 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
of public opinion is insufficient What is wanting is the control
of an admitted authority recognized by all the world. The
complaints one hears on all sides are founded on facts of sad
notoriety. I cannot do better than quote on this subject a
passage from a book which has just come out, and whose authors
are your fellow-citizens : —
" All commentary would weaken the value of this story,
which brings with it its own lesson. The facts reveal to the
observer the cormption of our social system. No part of our
organization appears healthy when [i.u to the test The Stock
Exchange is a hell. The offices of our great companies are
secret dens, where the directors plot the rain of their share
holders. The law Is simply an engine of war for the use of the
bad ; party spirit is hidden under the ermine of the judge ';
the house of legislature is a market where justice and right are
put up to auction, whUe public opinion is silent and powerless."^
Are these grave accusations exaggerated ? I do not know.
All I can affirm Is that I have heard simUar complaints from
everyone's mouth. The cry for reform is universal. But what
kind of reform ? On what basis ? With what limits ? That
is the difficulty. The great reform by which you modified the
constitution left you by Washington and your first legislators
has not been a success. By abolishing the census which they
had the wisdom to establish, and adopting universal suffrage,
you have more or less given up your great towns to mob
Influence, or at any rate, to the most restless, most ignorant
and least respectable portion of the community. You see its
effects. They are less sensibly felt in the West, because there
everyone becomes a landed proprietor and consequently, to a
certain degree, a Conservative. But in the towns the evil is
great. The corruption and venality of which you complain
are, to a great extent, the result of this reform. Sooner or
later you will strive to mend matters. You will tty to retrace
your steps, but this is always difficult and often dangerous.
And outside these social questions there is the great political
' Chapters on Erie, and other Essays, by Ch. and H. Adams. Boston,
1872. See article entitled "Les Chemins-de-fer aux Etats Unis," in the
Revue des Deux Mondes, I Avril, 1S72.
[N.B. — The translator has been unable to reproduce the exact words ot
the text, not having access to the American original,]

XII. SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 215
one which calls for your most serious attention. From the St
Lawrence to the Potomac, from the Atlantic to the Missouri,
there is not a man, I believe, who would not give his life to
maintain the integrity of the Union. But to effect this, the
moral conquest of the South, which will not be an easy matter,
must succeed to the material one which has been accomplished.
The Far West, that is, the Pacific States, also call for your
earnest consideration. Great progress but also great changes
are being made there, ana still greater ones are preparing.
There is an enormous influx ot suange elements, which, as I
said before, will diminish more and more the Anglo-American
character of the population. You cannot then reckon on
community of blood, for It hardly exists ; and besides, two facts
in the history of your countty disprove its power — first, your
separation from the mother-country, and next, the Insunection
in the South. Community of blood ceases to be a guarantee
when there is not also a community of interests. You must
aim, then, at creating that common interest. You must make
the lives of your counftymen on the shores of the Pacific easy,
and convince them of the great and permanent advantages
they owe to the Union.
This great question of maintaining the Republic in aU its
extent is Hnked with another problem, which is still more
difficult to solve. As it is necessaty to secure to the individual,
and to the state, that is, to the totality of individuals which
compose it, the just amount of liberty which belongs to each, it
is also necessaty to balance the autonomy of the States with
the legislative power of the Central Government. As a counter
poise to the autonomy of the States, Washington does not even
represent the central link between the different members of
the republic. Seeing the powers conferred on the president
by the constitution, and the Influence he exercises — an influence
rendered all the more easy by the legion of functionaries and
agents whom he nominates or dismisses, and who disappear
with him at the end of four, or at the most, eight years ; seeing
also the means of action and of resistance which he has at his
disposal vis-d-vis the central legislature, Washington represents
the principle of personal government. Reforms are eagerly
demanded, and they wUl be granted ; but these reforms will
probably ^e more extensive than those who now clamour for

2i6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. -
them either wish or expect. It will probably happen to them
as It often does to an architect employed in the restoration of
a house. A party wall between two rooms has to be rebuilt ;
or an archway to be propped up. Nothing more ; but in pro
portion as the work advances, unexpected damages are dis
covered ; and sometimes he Is obliged to strengthen or renew
the very foundations of the building.
Public opinion cries out against abuses. But one must go
to the bottom of the evil, and that perhaps will lead you further
than you intend. In undertaking this arduous and delicate
task, which, in your patriotism, you will be sure to accomplish,
your difficulty wUl be not to sacrifice the central personal power
to the autonomy of the States, nor the autonomy of the States
to the central power. In the first case, you would compromise
the Integrity of the republic ; in the second, you risk denatura
lising the very essence of your institutions and opening the
doors to a Csesarism, which is the very worst form of govern
ment saving anarchy, whi'ch is not a government at all. As to
the dream indulged in by some superficial minds, not in your
own countty, but in Europe, that you wUl end by establishing
a monarchy, it does not deserve even a passing mention. You
do not possess any of the necessary elements. Kings cannot
be extemporized. Thrones are like the giants of your forests ;
they want a distinct soil and are the growth of centuries.
yuly 24. — It Is hardly day-light, but already the passengers
are gathered on the deck. Right and left, land is in sight:
wooded shores, grassy slopes, and rich fields of a green worthy
of Ireland ; while the outHnes of the mountains are hidden by
clouds of white vapour which seem to have come out of a
stove. Above this moving curtain is a colossal cone. Its
summit is shrouded in fresh clouds. It is the Fujiyama, an
extinct volcano, which lifts its crater fourteen thousand feet
above the level of the sea. On nearing the shore, the eye
perceives numberless little creeks, shaded with fine trees, and
bordered with smiling villas, while multitudes of junks, some
at anchor, some propelled with large oars or with gigantic sails,
reminding one of the galleys of the ancients, pass close to the
China. Standing on the deck, men, stark naked, save for a
littie strip of linen round their loins, ply their oars, and accom-

XII. SAN FRANCISCO TO YOKOHAMA. 217
pany each stroke with a low and measured chant. These
supple bodies, with their bronzed, shiny, tattooed skins, develop
in their athletic poses a symmetrical beauty worthy of the
clilsel of a sculptor.
A littie before eight o'clock we are in front of the Bluffs of
Yokohama. The steamer slowly rounds the wooded promon
tories crowned by magnificent firs, and by the flags of the
British Legation and of other foreign missions. A few minutes
later, and we steam into the harbour. It is full of sailing vessels
and steamers of aU nations. Native junks, great and small,
come and go. Further on, the graceful and imposing outlines
of several EngHsh, French, and American men-of-war stand out
against the sky. Before us, a long and handsome line of
buildings, mingled with fine trees, stretches the whole length of
the quay. This is the " Bund."
At eight o'clock precisely the China casts anchor. A little
after nine o'clock, exactly as we had been promised at San
Francisco, we step on the mysterious shores of the " Empire of
the Rising Sun."

END OF THE FIRST PART.

PART II.
JAPAN.

CHAPTER I.
YOKOHAMA.— FROM THE Z4th TO THE 26th; AND FROM
THE 28th OF JULY TO THE 3rd OF AUGUST; FROM THE
14th TO THE tSth OF AUGUST; AND FROM THE 18th TO
THEigth OF SEPTEMBER.^
First Impressions of a New Arrival. — The Look of the Town. — Commercial
Movements. — Europeans at Yokohama.
The impressions on arri-ring in Japan have been described. In
the last dozen years, a thousand times over. The French,
English, and German newspapers and reviews have all painted
them in more or less -vivid colours. There is not a commis
sioner nor a naval cadet stationed in the harbour who has
not sent a notice or an article on the subject to the head of
his department There are also more serious works, like that
of Sir Rutherford Alcock, the official founder of Yokohama,
and other books, both amusing and instructive, like the clever
report of Mr. Oliphant, and the charming " Voyage autour du
Japon " of M. Richard Lindau. But all they have said is less
than what one feels on being suddenly transported to a country
where evetything is absolutely new. One cannot believe one's
eyes. At evety step one asks oneself if it be not all a dream,
a fairy tale, a story of the Thousand and One Nights ; and
the vision is so beautiful a one that one fears every moment
lest it should disappear.
I will not attempt a useless description. Evetyone, in these
days, knows that the Japanese people are gentle, amiable,
civil, gay, good-natured, and childish; that the men of the
' I have adopted the English orthography for the Japanese and Chinese
names , as being the best known, the only one consecrated by use, and the
least offensive to the eye.

222 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
lower classes have skins bronzed by the sun, and often tattooed
red and blue like the designs on the lacquer-work of their
country ; that men of all classes have their heads shaved,
saving a little tail which is agreeably balanced above the
occiput ; that, in summer, they leave off their narrow trousers,
and content themselves with a simple tunic of silk or cotton,
according to the rank of the individual, and when they are
at home, with the fundashi. From the Mikado down to the
lowest coolie, this waistband or sash forms the principal part
of the toilet of every respectable Japanese. Everyone except
the merchants, who are the lowest in the social scale, belong
to some one, not as a serf or slave, but as a member of a
clan, which, divided into a great many different castes, ¦ forms
only one great family, of which the prince or daimio is the
chief. He has his counseUors, his vassals, his samurais, or
knights with two swords (the others having only one), his men
of war, and servants of all grades. Each one wears on his
back, and on the sleeves of his tunic, the coat of arms of the
prince or the corporation whom he serves, a flower or certain
letters inscribed in a circle. The sabres of the gentlemen,
their inkstands, their pipes, their purses fastened to their waist
bands, — all this Is well known. One knows also, on the
word of Sir Rutherford, that it is not pmdent, and that there
is even peril of death, in meeting one of these samurais when
they are acting as escort to their prince, or when they are
coming out of a house of entertainment heated by a few
bumpers of saki. It is less generally known that the present
government is striving to put down, these feudal institutions.
But the external appearance of the countty is, as yet, but
little altered. As to the women, all authors speak of them
with delight They are not exactly beautiful, for they are
wanting in regularity of feature. Their cheek-bones are too
prominent Their beautiful, large, brown eyes are too decidedly
of an almond shape, and their thick lips are wanting in delicacy;
but that does not spoil them. What does almost destroy their
beauty Is the habit of the young girls, just before their marriage,
of tearing out their eyebrows and blackening their teeth. They
take these precautions as a safeguard against themselves. By
sacrificing their beauty and rendering themselves less attrac
tive, and consequently less exposed to seduction, they give their

/. YOKOHAMA. 223
husbands a pledge of fidelity. But they are gay, simple, and
gracious, full of natural distinction, and, if we are to beheve
the young authors who have made their studies of manners
in the tea-shops of Yokohama, extremely easy to live with.
Their head-dress consists of two or three smooth bands of
ebony black hair, gracefully twisted and confined by two large
pins — only bad women wear more. Their toilet consists of
a petticoat and a jacket, with a broad sash tied in a large bow
behind. Their shoes are boards, adroitly fastened round the
great toe by a thin littie leather strap ; but all this is well
known through innumerable descriptions and photographs, and
even by the paintings on those Japanese fans so common now
in Europe.
But what no pen or pencil can ever truly render is the sight
of the streets, with their busy, picturesque crowd of men and
women smiling courteously at one another, and bowing pro
foundly to each other ; or, if it be a question of some great
personage, prostrating themselves on the ground ; but with an
agility and a dignity which takes off what might appear
humiliating in the action, and only gives it the appearance of
an excess of politeness and deference. Whilst you are walk
ing down a street, of which the extreme cleanliness is the first
thing that strikes you, and looking right and left, only regretting
that you have not a hundred eyes wherewith to take in all these
enchanting scenes, you hear the measured cry or chant of the
coolies, bearing great cases hung on long bamboos, resting on
their athletic shoulders. The perspiration is streaming down
their tattooed limbs : except the linen waistband, they are
entirely naked at this season of the year. They also are
smiling. During their short halts to take breath, they chatter
away and exchange compliments with each other. And then
the houses ! You know them weU. They have been repre
sented hundreds of times, and many of you saw in the Paris
Exhibition a real Japanese house. But beHeve me when I say
that all this does not give you in the least the Idea of the
reality. You should see these houses in Japan itself. Inhabited
by the natives themselves. You must look at the interior, which
is easy enough, for the house is entirely open towards the street
You should see the light and shade flickering in these habita
tions, without furniture, it is true, but with beautiful mattings,

224 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
and a view beyond of the little garden, with its dwarf trees
resembling, in spite of their stunted size, the giants of the
forest, like chUdren whom one has dressed up and disguised
as old men. Here am I, after my protest and against my will,
allowing myself to be tempted into giving descriptions, although
I have declared them to be powerless even by far cleverer pens
than mine! A thousand little problems of daily life are solved
before one's eyes by a people of evident refinement, who feel
the same wants as ourselves, but who satisfy them by totally
different means. It is impossible not to admire a picture so
charming in design and colouring: but when one comes to
examine it closer, one finds that it is an undecipherable puzzle.
We must not forget the Europeans. Yokohama Is the
creation of the first English merchants, who arrived in 1858
after the signing of the treaties, to seek their fortunes in the
Empire of the Rising Sun, which until then had been hermeti
cally sealed to them. Whilst the minister of Queen Victoria,
Sir Rutherford Alcock, was negotiating with the Siogun about
the territoty to be conceded to the Europeans, these latter,
of their own authority, chose a desert shore on which to erect
their houses and factories, close to a fishing-vUlage called
" Yokohama," or " Across the Sea-Shore." This spot had
the advantage over that proposed by Sir Rutherford, of being
more accessible to ships than any other port in the Gulf of
Yedo. The Japanese ministers were in favour of the selection,
because, hemmed in by tiie sea on one side and a marsh on
the other, as well as by a river and a canal, this locality seemed
to them to combine all the requisite conditions for being con
verted into a second " Detsima " or prison, when a favourable
opportunity presented itself of ridding themselves of the
strangers. This after-thought did not escape Sir Rutherford ;
but he was compelled, at last, to yield to the wish of his
counttymen, and to the force of circumstances. In general,
the opinion is, that the security of the moment will never be
troubled, and people laugh at the sinister previsions of the
late English minister. Because, in these last few years, no
English resident has been murdered, they feel themselves as
safe as if living in the Strand or In Charing Cross. I suppose
that this is in human nature. When it has been fine for a
month, a good many people will not believe in bad weather.

/. YOKOHAMA. 225
At the close of the long and happy epoch of peace which
divided the reigns of the two Napoleons, many serious-minded,
reflecting men no longer believed In the possibUity of war.
It was, they said, incompatible with that degree of civUization
to which human nature had attained. If you doubted it, you
were looked upon as a visionary and even a dangerous man.
It Is in these dispositions that I have found the English residents
of Yokohama. I can only fervently hope that future events
will justify these optimists, and prove that the prudent Sir
Rutherford was in the wrong.
Hardly was the new town built than it was almost entirely
destroyed by fire. This was on the 20th November, 1866.
No trace now remains of this disaster. It is buUt in the shape
of a parallelogram, crossed from west to east by three great
arteries, out of which lead street's of minor Importance. Along
the sea-shore, parallel to the large thoroughfare, stretches the
Bund, which is a row of fine houses, each with its little garden,
either before or behind. To the east Is the native quarter,
which spreads itself out towards the north. At the entrance
is the palace of the Japanese governor, situated at the corner
of Curio Street, which is a prolongation of Main Street, and
contains shops where evety kind of bronze and lacquer-work,
China vases, and other curiosities are sold. At the end, a
gateway and bridge, carefully guarded by native troops, lead to
the country beyond, and to the village which gave its name to
the town. The road winds up a steep hill, and descends on a
plain on the other side. A double row of houses skirts this
road, which at a little distance joins the Tokaido, or the great
royal highway of Yedo. To see a perpetually moving stream
of human beings of all ages and conditions, one has only to
take a walk between Kanagawa and Kawasaki. Formerly, to
do this would have been an act of bravery. If not of temerity;
but to-day there Is no danger. This part of the Tokaido will
soon lose its peculiar character, however, for a railroad, of
which the works are already far advanced, will unite the capital
with Yokohama.! To the west of the European town, beyond
' One portion of this railroad was opened with great pomp on the 12th
June, 1872. No unlucky accident marred the solemnity, except that the
principal personage, the Prime Minister Sanjb, was forgotten in the waiting-
room! Q

226 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the Httle river, are the celebrated " Bluffs," or heights, ^yh^oh,
detaching themselves from the neighbouring hills, advance
towards the sea : in the few last years they have been covered
with a number of pretty viUas. There is the (at this moment
unoccupied) residence of the English Legation, the house of
the English judge, and of most of the English and American
residents, and the legations of other foreign governments. The
greater part of these buildings are surrounded with magnificent
trees, and enjoy a glorious view ; towards the north, above the
hills on that side, the great volcano, Fujiyama; towards the
west and south, the Pacific ; towards the east, the long, wooded
promontoty, and the white line formed by the houses of
Kanagawa. At the foot of these bluffs is the French, barrack;
and on the summit, the barrack of the English troops- One
knows that on the occasion of some troubles in the interior,
the governor of the town, having declared to the diplomatic
agents that he could no longer answer for the safety of, the
Europeans, the French admiral, Jaurbs, disembarked his marines,
and that a regiment of the line was sent for from Hong Kong.
This military occupation still continues, although with certain
modifications ; and I own that, whatever people may say, I
think it is a wise precaution.
The commerce of the place is centered in the lower town.
There are the great banks, the counting-houses of the principal
firms, the offices of the three steam packet companies, the
factories and shops, (raore or less abundantly furnished,) and a
large number of pubHc-houses.
AU these establishments prove the partiy successful efforts
that have been made to convert the newly-created factory into
one of the great emporiums of the East Nevertheless, symptoms
of disquiet are evident. It is more difficult to point out the
cause. It is evident that here, as in China, one is far off from
the golden age of sudden and fabulous profits. The influx of
European and American merchants, the establishment of new
houses, and even the competition, which is every day more
sensibly felt, of the Chinese themselves, to a certain degree
explain this fact There are also the fluctuations inherent in
all commercial operations, the consequence of the late events
in Europe. Nevertheless, the foreign trade is decidedly on
the increase, though, during the last two years, the EngHsh

/. YOKOHAMA. 227
have not done so well. I hear a great many complaints, and
they are easUy to be understood. People do not exile them
selves to the antipodes and ran the chance of the climate to
work hard and gain littie. In that case they had better have
remained at home. They were attracted by the brilliant
prospect of great fortunes rapidly made. These illusions have
been dispeUed, and hence the discontent
I do not, of course, venture on an opinion upon a matter
which I have been unable to study deeply. But I fear that
the calculations and hopes of some of the foreign merchants
are founded on suppositions which a more accurate knowledge
of the resources of the countty would scarcely justify. The
Japanese people are happy and contented with the conditions
in which they are placed, or rather, in which they have been
placed until now. Misery is unknown amongst them, but so
also is luxury. The simpHcity of their habits, an extreme
frugality, and the absence of those wants which Europe could
and would satisfy^ are, it appears to me, so many obstacles to a
-vast exchange of European products with those of Japan.
The tea of this countty is not -popular with us : and since the
best silkworms' eggs were exported to Lombardy, the Japanese
silks have diminished In value. Their mines remain, which
perhaps conceal unto]d riches. But in the present state of
things, neither the people nor the country is rich. Excepting
English cottons, the inhabitants have no need of European
articles ; and even if they had, they would have no money
wherewith to buy them. AU this, it is true; may be changed,
only it wIU not be to-day or to-morrow. Generations will
come and go before these dreams can be realized. The existing
governments are tending towards this end and advancing with
giant strides. But, even if the nation should wish to follow, has
it the power? That seems to me doubtful. The European
merchants hope for it, because they wish for it They pat the
reformers on the back, hoping to profit by the change. But
men who are well versed in such matters, and have no precon
ceived views or interests, fear, on the contraty, that these
expensive innovations wUl become a source of impoverishment
rather than of riches to the countty; and that foreign trade
has already attained the extreme Hmit possible under the given
circumstances.

228 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
The official documents for tbe year~i87o; compared with the
preceding year, prove a notable increase in foreign trade. In
round numbers, the value of the imports in the five ports
permitted by the treaty represent upwards of thirty-one mUKons
of dollars ; ^ the exports more than fifteen millions ; total, forty-
six millions two hundred and sixty-three thousand dollars.
The Imports of English cottons alone amount to the enormous
sum of seven millions of dollars ; woollen stuffs to two miUions.
But the sum-total of the Imports of European and American
merchandise is only about thirteen millions ; whilst, ovring to
the bad harvests of the two last years, more than eighteen
miUions of dollars' worth of food were imported from China in
the shape of grain, rice, peas, sugar, and oil. Japan paid
twelve mUlions of dollars for rice alone. Hence arose the
diminution of demand for European goods.
The exports are less satisfactoty. The principal product,
which is silk, was unusually dull. The war between France and
Germany and the deterioration of the Japanese silk explain the.
stagnation of this branch of trade. The export of tea, on the
other hand, made by private houses for American consumption,
rose from two millions to three miUions eight hundred and
forty-eight thousand dollars — that is, about double. These
transactions involve a debt of sixteen mijlions of dollars, which
the country will have to pay in specie. Since the new era, gold
and silver have completely disappeared from circulation, and
nothing is seen but paper-money.
An analysis of official returns proves a notable diminution
in English trade and a slight Increase in the transactions -with
France. Whilst in the same year the number of foreign ships
has increased, the English navigation has diminished. This
diminution is entirely in the coasting trade, which is now carried
on exclusively by the steamers of the P.M.S.S. Company. These
ships in themselves represent three-quarters of the navigation
of America in the North Pacific.
We have seen how large a share in these transactions falls to
the Chinese. All retail business is now beginning to pass
through their hands. Lately, the Costa Rica, one of the
steamers of the Pacific Company, carried from Shanghai to
' The dollar, at par, is worth 4 francs 50 centimes iu French money ;
about 3s. 9d. in English.

/. YOKOHAMA. 229
Yokohama i.Soo tons of European and Chinese merchan
dise, of which 300 only were consigned to European and
American merchants at Yokohama, and 1,500 to Chinese houses
established in that port and at Nagasaki. There are a good
many German houses here, but they trade chiefly with English
capital. As to the navigation, this is the order of the different flags
according to the number of their tonnage : EngHsh, American,
German, French and Dutch. The Germans carry Swiss and
English goods in preference to the productions of their own
countty. They rarely come from a German port, but they do
almost all the coasting trade between Yokohama, Hiogo,
Nagasaki, and Shanghai. Their flag waves in almost every port,
even in the most out-of-tiie-way harbours of China and Japan.
On land and sea, German activity makes itself more and more
felt They, with the Chinese, are the most formidable rivals to
EngHsh commerce. The French ships are far less numerous,
and generally come straight to and from France. Their cargo
is almost invariably French. In all commercial transactions,
however, the London and Liverpool markets lay down the law.
Among other things they regulate the price of silks. A con
siderable portion of the Japanese silks destined for the French
weavers is sent to Marseilles by the Messageries Maritimes,
then across France, and so to London and Liverpool, where
they are bought by the Lyons manufacturers. Japan will only
take Birmingham and Manchester goods. The Americans
import flour and building materials from Oregon and California.
In exchange they export tea, of which there is an enormous
consumption in the Pacific States.
In external appearance, the commercial quarter of Yokohama
does not certainly resemble in any way the great industrial
centres of Europe or America. No chimneys vomiting clouds
of black smoke ; no throng of cabs or omnibuses ; no press of
business-men jostling against one another. Houses and passers-
by have all a quiet, respectable, and somewhat rural look. The
buUdings, though adapted to the climate, have a decidedly
British stamp upon them. The principal ornament of the
streets are the fine trees, of which the heads appear above the
roofs. For two or three hours in the morning and before sunset,
here is a slight stir in the streets from the merchants going to

230 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
or returning from their counting-houses. The rest of the day,
all is quiet and stUl, save that about twelve o'clock evetyone
goes to breakfast, and the shops and offices are shut As in
India and China, the " tiffin " is the principal meal ; the dinner
is but a ceremony. The only really, biisy days are those of
the arrival and departure of the maUs. On ordinaty occasions,
people think they have done quite enough by four o'clock, and
that. it is then time to amuse themselves. The young men
leave their pens and rash off— some to take a ride, others to go
boating. The fashion is for each gentleman to cany his own
canoe (which is long and narrow), through "the streets, and
launch it himself in the water. Then, like all Englishmen,
trained from boys to every kind of athletic sport, they seize
their oars and start off Hke an arrow from a bow. It is a
struggle of courage, skiU, and strength. At that hour the
Bund begins to fill with gigs or Httie Hght carriages built at
Hong Kong, drawn by littie Australian or Philippine horses;
and filled with young couples — for here everybody is young—
who drive rapidly towards the bluffs. They trot up the steep
ascent, pass the racecourse (which is never wanting in any
English settiement), and finally get into the " New Road/' as
it is called, whichi by wooded hiUs and through green rice-
fields and groves of bamboos, leads down to the bay of Missis
sippi. Evetywhere you meet gentlenien on horseback, either
niounted on the ponies of the countty, or bestriding some huge
English charger, a veteran of the last Chinese war; — English
officers, French sailors, or gentlemen in white clothes, with
solar topees on their heads, fresh from India. What adds to
the charm of the scene is the smUing look of the countty and
the intense beauty, at this season, of the setting sun. The sky
is positively crimson, with great clouds of Sevres blue; the
long promontoty of Thanagawa is inundated with mother-of
pearl ; and on the purple and violet sea, the pale shadows of
the ships and junks stand out against the sky, the one rocked
by the swell, the others gliding across the water like phantoms.
Englishmen form the great majority of the residents ; then
come the Americans, Germans and French. Italy is repre
sented by silk^growers : they arrive in summer and retum in
November. The ladies are few. Last year Sir Harry and
Lady Parkes were able to get about thirty together at a ball

YOKOHAMA. aji
given on the Bluffs ; but that was an event which is still talked
pf. A fete at the English club given to some English officers
of one of the regiments which was ordered home, enabled me
to admire the elegance, freshness and beautiful toilets of some
of these young ladies, who had courage enough to dance with
the thermometer at 30 degrees of Reaumur.
The natives whom one meets with in the European quarter
are either servants or clerks. The place of comprador, which
is such an important one in the European houses and banks, is
invariably held by Chinese. From year to year these men
play a more important part in this country. As servants they
are much preferred to the natives. "The Japanese have
adopted the civilization, religion, and even the handwriting of
the Chinese;" this was told me by a man who has long been
resident here. Now they are ttying to Imitate Europeans.
They cannot help copying others ; it is in their nature. Only
compare a Japanese and Chinese servant The former will
watch the minutest habit of his master, and conform himself to
it with the most wonderful faciUty ; only he must not act by
his own inspiration, for he has no head. The Chinese remain
always Chinese. "They observe and copy less, but they do
better when they are left to follow their own imaginations.
The Japanese, pro-rided you keep them in their place and
make them observe the etiquette of their own countty, are
gentle, merty, and vety affectionate towards their master. 1 If
he beats them, they are not the less attached ; besides, the
bamboo brings -with it no dishonour. They are only chUdren
whom a father has chastised. But if you treat them as you
would a European servant, they become familiar, rade, and
positively insupportable. The Chinaman, on the other hand,
can never.be made to love the master he serves. He is proud,
\'indictive, and vety susceptible; but always of an exquisite
poHteness. At the slightest observation you make to him, he
leaves your service, either under the pretext of the illness of
his mother, or telling you, vety respectfully, and with the
peculiar smile of his race when announcing disagreeable intel
ligence, that there is between you and him an incompatibility
of character. Having said tills, nothing stops him, atid he
leaves you.
In one of the wide streets, behind a little wall and sur-

232 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD Chap,
mounted with a cross, a fine church rises at the bottom of a
court ; and before the porch, the statue of the Blessed Virgin.
On one side is a low house, the humble domicile of the apos
tohc delegate, Mgr. Petitjean and his vicars, all belonging to
the Paris Foreign Missionaty College. Apostolic zeal and
love have led them to these distant shores. The laws of the
country, the jealous vigilance of the Japanese authorities, the
hatred of Christianity (which has survived the transformations
operated or meditated by the innovators), and the prudent
counsels of the foreign envoys, have hitherto placed insur
mountable obstacles in the way of their ministty. They are
pastors without flocks, save such Catholic residents as have
tlnie to remember that they are Christians, and the Irish and
French soldiers and sailors, who never forget it. Thousands
of native Christians, cruelly persecuted at this vety moment,
vainly demand the religious consolations which these good
fathers are forbidden to bring to them. There is nothing,
therefore, to be done, but to pray, to wait, to hope, and to
perfect themselves in the knowledge of the language, manners,
and histoty of the countty ; they trast that this new rerision
of the treaties will bring about good results ; and cherish the
hope, which perhaps is not altogether a chimerical one, that
the day is at hand when Japan, open to European commerce,
will be equally so to the propagation of the faith.
To sum up all I have said, Yokohama is an important place.
A great deal of work is done here, but not too much. There
is a good deal of activity ; but not that exaggerated, feverish
activity which characterises the great centres of industty and
commerce in America. There is time left for rest, for rational
amusements, and also for the regret which everyone seems to
feel for their birthplace. A new arrival has not been twenty-
four hours at Yokohama without finding out that all the world
is home-sick. They work and play, it is trae, each one accord
ing to his own taste and means. Below the rank of gentleman
there is the rowdy ; for this element, though not so developed
as in the Far West, is not altogether wanting — witness the
drinking-shops and billiard-rooms, which are constantly filled
¦with these noisy adventurers. But all sigh for " home." Talk
to them of Old England, and a cloud at once passes over their
faces. Man is thus constituted. He is always looking for

n, YOKOHAMA,

233

some happiness in the future instead of seizing what is granted
to him in the present Life In these distant countries fosters
this disposition. Living between the regret of what they have
left behind and the hope of what they will get, their years are
passed in suspense and agitation. Those who have become
really rich (and they are the exceptions) leave with joy the exile
where they have passed the best years of their lives. They
decide to go home — they are homeward bound. What music
in those two words ! — magic words, which call forth the sighs
of all those who hear them. But I fancy the happiest moment
for these favoured mortals is the passage. It is the time of
illusions. Hardly have they arrived In their own country, with
its leaden-grey sky and murky fogs, than they begin to regret
the bright Japanese sun, the beautit'ul cedars which shaded
their house, the quantities of servants, the work, the animation
— in fact, all the surroundings of their Yokohama existence.
There, at any rate, they were somebody ; they were at least
better than a chi-fu-chi. In England they find themselves —
nobody I In Japan they had the mat du pays — they were home-^
sick j in England they long, at heart, to return to Japan.
"Man never is, but always to be blest 1"
If they had to begin life over again, would they go and seek
their fortunes at tiie antipodes ? '
' Here is the census of the European residents in Japan from the report
of Sir Harry Parkes, April 29th, 1871 : — 782 English; 229 Americans;
164 Germans; 158 French; 87 Dutch; and 166 Europeans of all other
countries. Total, 1,586.

CHAPTER IL
YOSHIDA,— FROM THE 3rd TO THE 14th OF AUGUST,
Japan, saving the Trade Ports and the Towns of Yedo and Osaka, always
closed to Strangers. — Way of Travelling in the Interior. — Passage, of
the Odawara River. — The Baths of Miyan6shita. — The Pilgrims of
Fujiyama. — The Temple of -y^oshida. — The defile of Torisawa. — Hac
hoji. — Return to Yokohama.
Treaties have not yet opened Japan. They have only
given the European residents the liberty to reside and to trade
in the five ports called " of the treaties : " namely, Yokohama,
Hiogo (Kobe), Nagasaki, Niigata, and Hakodate ; and in the
great towns of Yedo and Osaka. All the rest, that is, the
whole territory of the empire, saving these seven points, is
hermetically sealed. Around each " treaty port " there are a
few square miles accessible to strangers. Posts on which are
painted in English and Japanese characters, ',' Frontiers of the
Treaty," mark the boundaries. Beyond is forbidden ground.
Only the heads of legations and consuls-general are, by virtue
of conventions, permitted to travel Into tbe interior. The pro
hibition for evetyone else is strictly maintained. However, on
the demand of the envoys, permission is sometimes given to visit
the hot springs of Miyanoshita and of Atami, and to make the
ascent of Fujiyama. In these cases, an armed guard, whom the
Europeans call, I am told wrongly,^'a/jM«/«i'(as thisappeUation
belongs to officers of a superior rank) accompany the tourist,
less with the object of protecting than of watching him. The
most distant points granted by these permits are Subashiri, at
the foot of the Fujiyama to the north-east, at about fifty miles
from Yokohama ; and Atami, on the sea-coast, to the south
west, at about sixty miles. Whenever they proceed with the

II. YOSHIDA. 235
revision of the treaties,^ this question of the closing of Japan
will form one of the most important in the negotiations. Until
nov/, no foreign legation has approached the subject officially :
but when sounding the views and intentions of the Mikado's
councillors, the answer has always been the same, namely, that
"As long as the samurais (mUitaty men) remain armed, the
shutting-up of the country must be maintained, even in the
interests of the strangers themselves. To permit these last to
travel in the interior would be to expose their persons and even
their lives to the greatest dangers." When you answer to this :
" WeU, why not disarm the samurais ? " the reply is : " This is
a serious business ; a question of interior policy vrtiich we are
not aUowed to discuss with the representatives of foreign
powers." In this way they elude the discussion. " To disarm
the samurais would involve a revolution. To allow strangers
to travel in the interior before they were disarmed would only
be to multiply assassinations. These have all been committed
in the open tenitory ; judge what they would be if we were to
authorize strangers to travel in the interior ! " This argument
is unanswerable."
Is there any great danger at present in travelling in the
interior? On this point, opinions are divided.3 In diplomatic
circles, the fa,shion is to look upon everything and evetybody
in Japan on the bright side. A liberal ministry, which assumes
friendly relations with strangers, is in power. They must be
coaxed, encouraged, helped, as far as possible, to carty out
their benevolent civUized, and enlightened views. Certainly,
the Hst of murdered foreigners is large, and comparing the
number of -rictlms with the residents, it is even startling. But
for some months, there have been no similar attacks. If two
samurais, helped by a third, whom chance had brought upon
the scene of action, did cut to pieces two Englishmen in the
service of the Japanese government last January, why, those
fools had only themselves to thank for it, for they had sent
away their guards, and showed themselves at night in the
' This wai done in 1873.
• By the last advices from Japan it appears that the disarming of the
samurais has been effected in various parts of the empire.
3 If the last accounts are to be believed there is a notable amelioration
in this respect

236 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
streets of the capital with one of the women of the country.
Certainly, Sir Rutherford had reason to say in his book that it was
not safe to meet daimios travelling in the interior with their
escort of two-sworded knights ; that even he ran the chance of
a sudden and violent death. But then, you do not meet
daimios as often as you did formerly, for the reason that they
generally travel in steamboats and not on land. The samurais,
besides, are not so hostile as they used to be. They begin to
yield to the influences of civilization.
" But the terrible attack of those two fanatics in the streets
of Kiyoto on Sir Hany Parkes, at the vety moment when, sur
rounded by"his soldiers and staff, he was solemnly going to pay
a visit to the Mikado in his own palace?" "Oh, that was
three years ago. Things have changed very much since then."
In fact, to beHeve the official talk of the legations, all danger
has disappeared.
The residents in Yokohama are equally confident." Never
theless, some amongst them have owned to me their complete
ignorance on this head. The Catholic missionaries, whose
information is so valuable in other parts of the East, and
especially in China, were not able to give me any precise
indications. On one point alone evetyone is agreed, that the
people are good, amiable, and benevolent As for the two-
sworded gentlemen, why one had better avoid them as much
as one can. The rest is unknown. Many things are, in this
countty ! A thick curfiln Is still drawn over it The legations
of the great powers have just lifted up a little corner of it ; but
their means of information are Hmited, and, saving the English
minister, who is at Yedo, they are all settied at Yokohama.
Besides, circumstances impose great reserve on the heads of
departments. If they were to insist too much on the dangers
that might be run by their fellow-countrymen who wish to
penetrate into the interior, they would cause a panic in the
Yokohama factory, and wound the susceptibilities of the native
authorities. If, on the other hand, they were to enlarge on the
security which Europeans now enjoy in consequence of the
treaty, they would indirectly encourage that spirit of adventure
which is one of the attributes of the Anglo-Saxon, and would
assume the responsibility of the murders which might be the
result. They therefore keep silence. But as I have said, con-

//. YOSHIDA.

237

fidence prevails at this moment in aU circles, official, diplomatic,
and consular.
August 3. — M. Van der Hoeven, the Netherlands minister,
has proposed to me to join an excursion which he is about to
make to Fujiyama. I hope to profit by this opportunity to ex
plore the countty which is hitherto so Httle known to the north
and north-east of this extinct volcano. Our party consists of six ;
and amongst these we have the good fortune to bring with us
M. Kempermann, a distinguished Japanese scholar, and the
Interpreter of the North-German Legation. Our preparations
are at last made, and the government orders duly conveyed by
couriers to the local authorities. The cook, in a cango, with
provisions, plate, and beds, loaded on coolie shoulders, precedes
us : and this morning by five o'clock, in magnificent weather,
which, however, threatens intense heat, we get into our char-d-
banc. It will carry us by the Tokaido or royal carriage road,
which begins a league from hence, down to the banks of the
river Odawara. From thence we shall go on horseback, on
foot, or in a cango. A band of yakunins,* our guardian angels
and also our watchers, mounted on little screws of horses, sur-
Tound the char-a-banc. Hardly had we got into this primitively
constructed vehicle, than everyone, except I, who never carty
any, begins to examine his fire-arms. My young neighbour
puUs out of his pocket a formidable revolver. The way in
which he handles it makes me, for the first time in my wander
ings, tremble in my shoes.
The Tokaido is, as usual, very animated. Travellers on
foot, or in cangos or norimons, men, women and children,
wanlors with two swords, and priests with shaven heads,
follow one another without Intermission. From time to time
we meet a messenger. Like the greater part of the men
we see, he has no clothes, save the piece of Hnen called a
pagne. He is covered with a great round flat hat, mira
culously balanced on the top of his head, and carries on
his shoulder a long, thin bamboo stick. At one end is a
littie parcel containing his despatches, at the other his slender
baggage. His little feet are shod with straw sandals. He runs with
niarveUous grace and agility : hardly does he touch the ground.
' Spekyaconin by Sir R. Alcock. [Translator's Note. J

238 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
This Mercury in only a poor coolie in the pay of some daimio,
or of the government, or of the post-office ; for there is a. post-
office for letters, the service of which is very well done. Our
yakunlns are fine fellows. Under their black, lacquered, flat,
paper hats, with wide borders, and in their ample, flowing, silk
robes they look vety well. On both sides of the road ,there
are houses, shops, and trees. The villages meet The largest
is called Totska. At half-past eight we arrived at Fujisawa, . a
town celebrated for its temple. The countty is beautiful.
Wooded hills alternate with Httle valleys, which, closed towards
the mountains, open out to the road. Mountains, valleys,
gorges, all are of a brilliant green. Rice-fields cover the
plains : the flanks of the mountains are cultivated in Httle
terraces, stage upon stage, as well as the clefts of the hiUs,
which are shaded by magnificent trees, pines, cryptomerias,
Japanese laurels, and here and there tufts of bamboos.
We breakfast in a great tea-house. The ne-satis — the young
ladles, that is to say, the servants of the inn, so frequently
mentioned in travels in this country — cluster round us. Although
they are accumstomed to see strangers here, there is stUl a
great crowd of curious folks. At half-past nine we start again.
An hour later we cross the treaty frontier, and passing through
the suburb of Oitso, anive at about one o'clock on the banks
of the river, face to face with the feudal town of Odawara.
Here we left our carriage, and each of us was stretched on a
plank, passing our fingers through little holes bored for that
purpose. Then four naked men lifted us up, placed us on
their shoulders, and dashed with us into the river. It is a
most strange, exciting scene, and a little nervous besides. In
the middle of the torrent, the water rose up nearly to the
shoulders of the bearers. Forced to yield to the violence of
the cunent, they let themselves drift, fortunately without losing
their footing. The shores fly past us as if we were in a boat
Soon the sound of the surf breaking on the sea-shore mingles
with the measured chant of the coolies, who, while straggling
with the waves, look at us from time to time and laugh.
Tossed about on these planks, we hold on with all our might.
At last we reach the shore and are deposited on the sand. A
few steps more and we are in the principal street of Odawara.
At the entrance of the town, the mayor and his adjuncts, all in

//. YOSHIDA. 239
official costume, receive us with due honours and make great
" kow-tow :" then they lead us solemnly to a large tea-house,
where our servants, whom we had sent on the day before, had
prepared the " tiffin." For the last two or three years, Odawara
has been visited by Yokohama residents ; but the anival of
white faces is still an event. A number of the inhabitants of
both sexes, and innumerable children, ran to see us eat. After
our meal was over, a man appeared holding a beautiful lacquered "
box divided into four compartments, containing red, blue, black
and white sand. Throwing it on the floor, as a farmer would
throw his seed, he contrived to draw and paint at the same
time strange ornaments, flowers and birds ; and at last, amidst
the loud laughter of the company, erotic subjects worthy of
the secret chamber of Pompeii. The enjoyment of the young
girls and women gave one a singular idea of the morality of
the Japanese people. But the conectness of the design, and
the harmony of colour of these sand pictures, executed in so
strange a fashion before our eyes in a few seconds, were not
the less admirable. To me, it was a ray of light ; I seemed to
understand all at once Japanese art
At four o'clock we again started, but this time on horseback.
Until now we had gone to the west ; now our march was to
be directed towards the north. The road follows the right
bank of the torrent, allows us a glimpse of the great chateau
of one of the daimios, shaded by magnificent trees, and then,
becoming more and more steep, winds through the mountains,
which are evetywhere covered with an exuberant vegetation.
Nothing can be more picturesque than the little vUlage of
Yumoto, situated at the foot of a gorge. Here we left the
Tokaido, which goes on to Kiyoto ; and then, by nanow
paths, on fragile bridges, between rocks covered vrith lichens
and always rising higher and higher, we arrived at seven o'clock
in the evening at the baths of Miyanoshita. The distance from
Yokohama is fourteen ris, or thirty-five English mUes.
August 4 and 5. — Miyan6shita, which means "above the
temple," consists of a temple (" MIya") and a group of houses
placed one above the other, their foundations resting partly on
the sides of the rock, partly on a nanow gorge which opens
out towards the north. In that direction, the eye catches the

240 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
eastern slopes of a fine chain of hiUs. All around are
mountains covered with cryptomerias and evety kind of coni
ferous tree, mingled vrith oak and maple. Evetything is green
save the grey roofs of the houses, supported by red pillars and
showing, here and there, movable partitions papered white.
Steps cut in the granite rock serve as streets. Round the
houses little gardens are laid out in terraces, while limpid
streams form miniature cascades. Tiny oaks, tiny firs, tiny
cedars, dwarfed and twisted Into various shapes according to
the taste of the country, shade them. Little bridges formed
of one single rock are thrown over small artificial tonents.
All this is in questionable and somewhat infantine taste, and
yet the proportions are harmonious, and a good deal of imagina
tion has been shown in the design. If, from your balcony, you
look out into the garden, you may fancy for a moment you are
in a fine park. But see— there is a young girl passing, and
she is taller than the oldest cedar. It is all a plaything ; but
we must own, a vety charming one.
The mayor has lodged us In the finest apartment of the
finest hotel in the place, but to do so, has turned out one of
the native families. I detest these arbitrary acts of authority,
but the mischief having been done, I profit by it like my
neighbours. I am bound to say that the dispossessed party
smile at us most agreeably. Our hotel Is composed of several
separate sets of apartments, united by a long corridor. While
walking in it, one may study the home life of the Japanese.
All the world is come for the water-cure. At the end of the
coiridor is the bath-room, where evetyone meets and is covered
by turns with hot water or cold ; then each one goes back to
his room, which is more or less open on all sides. There you
are rabbed by blind men, or, if you have a wife, she under
takes the task. I saw a fat gentleman stretched on a mat,
smoking and reading, while his wife, crouched at his side,
spent whole hours passing her delicate hands backwards and
forwards over the shoulders of her lord and master. Their
daughter, a pretty girl, with her hair beautifully dressed, played
an instrument rather like a lute. From time to time their
servants crawled in on hands and knees to serve fresh tea and
fresh tobacco to the father of the family, who was an official
personage in "Vedo.

//. YOSHIDA.

241

In another room, our yakunins, squatted in a circle round
some young girls, are singing and drinking saki. The kitchen
swarms with women, cooking the dinner, watching the sauce
pans, and cutting up into pieces wretched fishes still alive.
They are extremely clean, and go about their work most
methodically. There is nothing to shock the eye. All the
world laughs and talks. Everyone is merry, careless and
easy-going. As the rooms adjoin one another, and aie only
dirided by paper partitions the greater part of which are left
ajar, you may peep into evetything. Heads gracefully dressed,
and finely-moulded, vrith naked arms and busts are seen through
the half-lighted apartments. Here and there a ray of sunshine
darts through a chink, and a golden shower of dust pierces
athwart the darkness. Further on, you see daylight, and in
the background trees, waterfalls, and here and there a few
pedestrians ascending and descending the steep steps cut in
the rock, and then disappearing in the green woods or in the
little houses above.
August 6. — Our party was under way by six o'clock in the
moming. If one could only unscrew one's legs, nothing
would be pleasanter than a journey in a cango. THIs kind
of litter, which belongs especially to the countty, is an open
basket, three feet long by two feet high : one must deduct
the thickness of the big bamboo to which it is suspended.
The roof is a poor protection from the sun ; and the whole
thing is so low that you are obliged to He on your back, while
the -ricinity of the bearer before you obliges you to double up
your legs under you. But one makes up one's mind to every
thing in this world, or else one must certainly not come to
Japan, where evetything is different from what it is anywhere
else. On leaving Miyanoshita, you cross the gorge, and travelling
constantly towards the north, traverse a fine forest After a
march of two hours and a half, we made a halt at the viUage
of Sen-goku-no-hara. At half-past nine we started again ; we
have left the shade of the wood, and it is under the buming
rays of a pitiless sun that we ascend the last spur of the
mountain chain which separates us from Fujiyama. The
grass, -which is as high as a man, is white on one side and

242 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
green on the other, which makes the mountavnsTook now
pale grey, now bright green, according to which way the wind
blows. The path becomes steeper and steeper. Behind; us,
a lltfle to the west, stretches a sheet of dark water between
low solitary banks : this is the northern extremity of Lake
Hakone. At eleven o'clock, emerging from the defile, we
come to the crest of the mountain, which is only a few feet
wide, with a precipitous descent towards an undulating and
fertile plain covered with meadows, plantations, hamlets, and
vUlages. The light, soft green of the thick Alpine grass, con
trasted pleasantly with the green of the foliage above our
heads, which was dark in the shade and silvered in the sun.
On the other side of the plain, towards the north-west, about
four or five miles off, rises, in one sheer rock, 14,000 feet
above the sea, that giant of volcanos, the holy mountain of
the empire, Fujiyama. It reminds one of Etna, seen from
Taormlna: only its flanks are less torn, its outlines less broken:
and the exceptional heat of this summer has melted the snow
which covers it half-way during the greater part of the year.
We travellers let ourselves glide along the grass. In a few
minutes we are in the plain. Here we find all the svveet smeUs
of spring and the fresh elastic air of the Alps.
At one o'clock we arrive at the viUage of Gotemba and halt
at a picturesque tea-house. Then follows a charming walk
across an English park, where shade and water abound. By
degrees the trees disappear. We have come to the steppe
which encircles the base of the volcano. In this lava region
stands Subashiri, the village where we are to pass the night
We arrive there at half-past six. The distance from Miyanoshita
is seven ris, or seventeen miles and a half.
All this day's journey has been delicious. When one travels
in a cango, one shaves, as It were, the vety soU. During the
morning, when crossing the meadows, the grass, moss, and
flower stems tickled my face. My eyes pierced throiigh those
mysterious regions which the pedestrian treads under foot, but
which escape his sight It was to me like a revelation. . The
sun sparkled amidst the shadows cast by the broad leaves. I
watched the bees, the butterflies, and millions of little insects
gliding and fluttering through the blades of grass or sucking
the calyx of the flowers. And what flowers ! Great blue-bells

//. YOSHIDA.

243

gently inclining their heads over magnificent pinks ; exquisite
lilies, blossoming under a dome of long, thin leaves ; and an
endless variety of shades, and colours, and plants unknown
in other hemispheres. Everything smiles in this countty — the
vegetation as well as human beings. Look at the poor fellows
who are cartying you ! They never cease chattering and
laughing, though the perspiration streams down their bronzed
. backs. Every two or three minutes they change shoulders.
It is the work of a second. We have each four coolies as
relays. In climbing the hiUs those who are off duty help the
others by pressing their hands against their backs. From one
ten minutes to another they reUeve each other, and never
without a preamble of civUity like the following: "Your
highnesses must be tired." "Not at all." "Your highness
makes a mistake." And so on with renewed laughter and
protestations !
. August 7. — It is from hence, i.e., the vUlage of Subashiri, or
by a little path more to the west of Hakone, that Europeans,
duly authorized, escorted and watched, make the ascent of
Fujiyama. At this season, native pUgrims likewise throng there
from evety side; but their usual point of departure is from
Yoshida. Beyond Subashiri is the mysterious land so Httle
known to the whites. It is there, to the north-east of the vol
cano, that the town of Yoshida is situated, so celebrated for
its temple, for the holiness of its. site, and for the incredible
number of pilgrims who, in July and August, come to pray
there after having made the ascent of the holy mount. This
place is the object of my journey. As for Fujiyama itself,
I am quite willing to rest, satisfied with the descriptions of my
companions. I know vety well that the pleasure will not
equd the fatigue. A tolerably well-kept path, divided into
eight stations or halting-placeSj. where you may.pass the night
in a hut, leads to the mouth of the extinct crater. If, by an
exceptional chance, the sky should be clear, you enjoy an ex
tensive though rather uninteresting view. The great charm of
Alpine scenery, seen from a great height, consists less in the ex
tent than in the variety of the panorama. Half terrified, you gaze
at the deep gorges of the giant mountains around you, measure
the height of their peaks and the depths of the chasms into

244 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
which a false step might plunge you ; and then, to rest your
eye, you cast a glance on the plain below, which, by an optical
delusion, seems to raise the horizon to the vety spot you occupy.
Now this surrounding of mountainous peaks is entirely wanting
at Fujiyama. Those that encircle it are not above 3,000 feet
high. Seen from the crater, therefore, the countty below bears
the aspect of a large sheet of crampled paper, generally green,
but here and there marked with black and white lines : these
are Yedo, Yokohama, and the innumerable towns, hamlets, and
villages of Kuanto.'
The preparations for the ascent have filled up the whole
morning. At two o'clock my friends start off. At the same
time (accompanied by the incomparable M. Kempermann, the
only one among us who has the gift of native tongues), I mount
my horse and plunge into an unknown countty. The sun is
crael, the scenety monotonous. We follow the course of a
ravine, or rather a deep fent in the soil. On emerging from
this, we find ourselves in front of a Httle lake ; on the horizon
is a chain of mountains ; to our left, the volcano. Our route
lies north-north-east On aniving at the banks of the lake, we
accept for a few minutes the hospitality of the Mayor of
Yamanonaka, a little village coquettishly buried between the
slopes of the wooded hill and the lake. Our arrival disturbs
the whole population. On all sides they ran to look at us, with
astonishment but in silence ; then they begin to laugh — but a
frank, gay, amiable laugh ; we are evidently welcome. The last'
part of this short day's journey was delicious. The Fujiyama
threw its deep shade across our path. At half-past five, after
having passed before the entrance of the Great Temple, we
anived at the first houses of Yoshida. The Mayor received us
and led us to a littie temple with a great hotel in front, where
he had retained the best rooms for us. The distance from
Subashiri is six ris, or fifteen miles.
August 7 to 10. — The town of Yoshida occupies the slope of
one of the spurs of the Fujiyama. The great street descends in a
straight line. A stream, forming little cascades here and there,
foUows Its whole length. The houses, with flattened roofs, pro-
' A group of eight provinces. The literar translation is "The east of
he frontier.

II' YOSHIDA, 245
tected by big stones, remind one of our Alpine chctlets.
Seen from a sufficient distance so as not to take in the detaUs,
the illusion is complete. One could fancy oneself in Switzeriand
or the Tyrol Looking back in the direction of the street, the
colossal cone ofthe volcano rises above the sacred woods which
cover the neighbouring heights. Towards the east, in the far
distance is a mass of rugged rocky mountains, some bare, some
covered with the most luxuriant vegetation.
The temple hotel, where we are lodged, is an immense buUd
ing, containing a multitude of rooms, each divided, as usual, into
movable partitions. In front is a great courtyard. A garden
runs round one side, above the wall of which one again sees
Fujiyama. From my lodging, which abuts on the temple, 1 can,
through the half-open sashes, perceive all that goes on in this
vast caravanserai. I see a multitude of pilgrims, some great
nobles and their suites, and, in the rooms adjoining the outer
court, a legion of servants and armed men, all wearing on their
tunics the heraldic devices of their masters. Beyond the court,
troops of pilgrims, dressed in white, and incessantiy ringing a
small beU, never cease defiling up the long street They are
just come from Fujiyama. The master of the hotel, who is
also the priest of the temple, puts his stamp on their clothes,
and thus verifies that they have made the ascent of the Holy
Mount These vestments are handed down from fatiier to son,
and are considered precious relics.
My room, which is vety vast, looks into a littie court, and
from thence into the sanctuary. There is an altar with can-
delabras, and in themiddle.the sacred minor — no monsters or
statues of false gods. A noble simplicity and a solemn silence
reign in tills spot, which is consecrated to an abstract idea and
free from all the exterior attributes of Buddhist worship. The
confused sounds from the street, the kitchens, and the pilgrims'
rooms, reach this solitude tempered by distance. Magic and
inexplicable lights wander in the vast space, creep along the
panels, pierce through the paper frames, are reflected on the
lacquered borders of the parquet floor, and lose themselves in
the depths of the apartment. As in the Italian inns in the. days
of Montaigne, men of rank hang their shields up on leaving,
either painted on wood or canvas. There is also a multitude
of votive pictures which represent the givers surrounded by

245 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
their companions, Fujiyama covered with snow, sick persons
miraculously restored to health, , successful fights, or people
miraculously escaped from thieves. Some of these pictures
seem to go back to the, sixteenth or seventeenth centuries.
The rise and fall of art and. the difference of taste are distin
guishable in these ex-votos, which are mostly coarsely executed,
but which, nevertheless, betray some of the deepest feelings of
human nature.
;. The innkeeper, as I have before said, is priest, or rather guar
dian of the temple, for, as I am assured, the Sin too religion
has not got, any priests in the ordinary sense. The members
of the present government are systematically opposed to the
Buddhist faith, which is that of the great majority of the
people. The dogmas of Sintoo'ism are well-nigh forgotten;
only a few of their learned men are acquainted with them.
The politicians of the day have no knowledge of them, and
willingly confound them with the doctrines of Confucius, which,
in reality, are only a compilation of highly moral maxims. One
knows that the great Chinese philosopher, when questioned by
one of his disciples on the existence of another world, repHed :
" I have never been there, so I know nothing about it" Such
Is the faith of the present privy council of the Mikado : and it
is thus that they understand Sintooism, which is patronized by
them, and indirectiy imposed on the people as the religion of
the state. But this interpretation must be received with caution.
Sintooism was certainly the old religion of the country, but it
gave place to Buddhism, which, officially introduced into China
at the beginning of the first centuty, towards the sixth invaded
and, we may say, conquered Japan. The ancient faith professed
by the Mikados was overrun by Buddhist forms and practices.
As to the Sioguns, they were all Buddhists. This explains the
rapid growth of this religion, imported from India vi& China :
and one understands, too, how the dogmas and worship of the
old religion fell' into disuse and finally were forgotten. The
official Sintooism of the day is simply the negation of all re
ligion and the abolition of all forms of worship : it involves the
destruction ofthe Buddhist temples, which has been already in
augurated by the demolition of a great part of the celebrated
sanctuaty of Kamakura, and by the confiscation with which
they threaten the property of the priests ; but it is not evi-

//. YOSHIDA, i/\n
dently the old religion of the empire. In a great many temples
the two forms of worship have been practised simultaneously.
In others, as at Yoshida and its environs, several Buddhist
ceremonies, pleasing to the masses, have been introduced, with
a certain reservation. Nowhere are the dogmas, doctrines, and
ceremonies of the ancient religion really preserved in their
original purity.
Here and all round flie base of Fujiyama, Sintooism is pro
fessed, but Buddhism is more or less practised. Our innkeeper
priest is of a noble family : he has given up wearing arms out of
respect to the functions of his ministty. Every afternoon he
sports his official costume and appears in the great temple.
His wife, a matron of great beauty, but wanting in dignity—
alas! I see her every evening the worse for saki—\a.^ two
daughters, who act as servants in the hotel, and his son, a
charming boy of fifteen, compose the whole family. This
young samurai, armed with his two swords, is vety proud of
himself, and likes to show himself off before us in his knightly
costume. His good manners are an index of his higli-bred
feelings. A little scene which took place on the return of my
companions gave e-vidence of this. One of them wanted to
carty; away an ex-voto picture as a souvenir. The scraples of
the hotelkeeper having vanished before a splendid offer for the
picture, it was taken down from Its nail and presented to the
purchaser. But they hadreckoned vrithout the young samurai,
who began to sob. "You have no right to sell that picture,"
be exclaimed to his father. " It is the property of the temple ;
it was a gift to our sanctuary, which belonged to our an
cestors, and now to you, but which will some day be mine :
and to let it be canied off by strangers ! What a shame !
What a sin ! " And then his voice was broken by emotion. It
is not necessaty to add that the picture was put back in its
original place.
' The great temple is situated at a few steps from the entrance
of the upper town, in the midst of a sacred wood of cedars
and ctyptomerias more than six centuries old. A long avenue
formed of these venerable trees and a double row of stone
lanterns leads from the high road to the " Fork," that is, to
the entrance-gate, which is isolated, and to which the ascent
is by two beams slightly inclined, resting on two other beams,

248 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
horizontally placed one at the top of the other. This portal,
of which the design is certainly simple, and, one must own,
not over-graceful, as it reminds one of a gallows, is repeated in
all the Sintoo temples, and, gives access to an oblong, paved
court. In the middle, and facing the temple properly speaking,
is a platform, raised five or six feet above the ground, , and
covered with a heavy roof resembling a wide felt hat, with the
edges turned up. A stage made of tfestle-vvork, put up for
the occasion and reserved for the priests, joins the platform to
the temple. A flight of steps leads up to it : a gallety rans
all along the fa9ade. Behind the gallery a haU leads to the
sanctuaty, which is perfectly accessible to the eyes of the pro
fane, and which contains the altar and candelabra, the incense-
burner, and the sacred mirror in which the divinity is said to be
reflected. A heavy roof seems to squash the sacred edifice.
The frieze is richly sculptured, and retains some traces ot
gilding. In the court we admired some itchos. (Salisburia adi-
mantifolia) of a rare size and beauty, and a stone basin, roofed,
with a bronze water-pipe, well moulded, representing a dragon-
serpent Every day in the afternoon vve paida visit to the temple.
The evening before our departure there was a great cere
mony. The court was fiUed with people ; on the wooden stage
a little- altar had been set up and decorated vrith flowers, which
supported the mystic minor ; and a priest, robed in ample sUk
folds, with a helmet on his head, executed a sword dance with
two swords. It was a fierce struggle with an invisible enemy.
From being on the defensive he passed to the attack : then he
drew back, turned on his heels, mshed forward again in pur
suit of the demon, and finally is supposed to have vanquished
him. The scene of action, which was the platform before
mentioned, was not above twenty feet square. The priestly
warrior was, therefore, often obliged to retrace his steps. His
movements, which were full of dignity, were regulated by the
plaintive sounds of a flute, together with the hoarse and lugu
brious beating of a big drum. The musicians were an old
man and a child, squatted on their heels in a corner of the
platform. At last, the priest retreated into the interior of the
temple. At this moment, half-a-dozen other priests appeared
at the top of the steps and threw little pieces of copper monev,
among the women and children. ^

U. YOSHIDA, 249
The second ceremony.
A bonze appears on the threshold of the temple, and then,
passing across the trestle-work stage, advances majestically on
to the platform. His gait is that of a tragedian. He drags one
leg after the other and stops between each step. He wears a kind
of chasuble richly embroidered. His whole costume reminds
one of our pontifical vestments. His head, which Is not com
pletely shaved — for he is a Sintoo, and not a Buddhist — is
bound with a rose-coloured ribbon, of which the end, tightly
tied, stands upright, oscUlating above the forehead. He carries
a bow in his hand, and on his back, fastened by a cross-belt,
a quiver full of anows. A profound sUence reigns in the blue
and flesh-coloured crowd — which all crowds are In Japan.
One hears nothing but the monotonous song of the grass
hoppers and the gentle rustling of the cedar branches waving
in the evening breeze. Thousands of eyes are fixed upon the
priest : but no emotion, no feeling of devotion, of recollection,
or even of curiosity can be traced on any of these upturned
faces. Those who are near us seem to think that we are more
worthy objects of attention. They stare at us with a half-
scared look. Two white men in.the temple of Yoshida ! The
moment the priest's foot touches the platform the music re
commences. The flute begins playing a recitative evidently
of great antiquity. From time to time the great dmm imitates
the low growl of distant thunder. The bonze, after haring
marched round and round the platform several times, always as
if he walked in buckskins, turns his eyes upwards, then rapidly
bends forward, places an arrow in his bow, aims at the evil
spirit he pretends to have discovered in the sky, lets fly the
anow and kUls him. Directly, the flute sounds a hymn of
triumph and of vIctoty. The priest begins his -walk again,
discovers a fresh spirit, and exterminates him in the like
manner, while the music goes on expressing the different
phases of the fight. At last, after having delivered Yoshida
from aU these malevolent beings, the bonze Intones a canticle
as a thanksgiving, throws some beans into the air, prostrates
himself before the mirror, and disappears.
I have not words to paint the expression or play of his face,
the classical beauty of his attitudes, the startiing cft'ect of the
music, or the grand and mysterious simplicity of the place.

2S0 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD Chap.
The poses of the performer were, as I have said, clasiiic : but
they were not so only in the ordinaty sense; they reminded me
unmistakeably of those well-known types of Greek statuary in
the best times of art The transitions from one pose to
another were, on the contrary, in Japanese taste — that is, they
were abrupt, jerky, .rather exaggerated, and bordering: on the
ridiculous. That these ceremonies date from an era far,
anterior to our own, there is no doubt. That certain rhyth
mical movements should be found in wood sculptures and
other pious statues of the Japanese, nothing can be more
simple: but how explain the classical ; purity of their attitudes
or their incomparable analogy with Greek art? whUst in the
manufactures of the country, no trace of this character can be
found. Could it be simply chance? I do not admit this
commonplace way of explaining things which one can't under
stand. Can Greek art, in its golden age, have ever penetrated
to the extreme East? On this point we have no historical
data whatever.
After having thus routed the evil spirits, the bonzes appeared
anew on the threshold of the temple to throw money aniong
the people. Encouraged by the benevolence of the. spectators,
we, in our turn, boldly mount the steps and exchange the usual
compliments with the priests. These receive us with exquisite
poHteness, accept our humble offering, and giving us some rolls
of little copper money, invite us to share in the distribution.
Beliold us then, transformed into bonzes, and throwing money
among some hundreds of the faithful, who mn, draw back,
tumble down, and roll over one another in the most ludicrous
fashion. I cannot say that this bit of burlesque was mucli in
harmony with the sacred nature of the place ! Evety one, in
cluding the priests, roared with laughter. Amongst these
I recognized the warrior hero of the sword-dance, and the
hunter of evil spirits. Stripped of their fine clothes and,
without their arms, they only seemed quiet, inoffensive, middle-
class citizens.
After this somewhat profane entr'acte, they went on with the
concluding part of the ceremonies. The; priest assembled in
the sanctuary. Seated in a circle on their heels before the
altar, they pass a sacred vase from one to the other. The
liquid it contains is poured into a saucer, and each one drinks

//. YOSHIDA, 251
in turn. They sing in parts ; then rise simultaneously, cross
the outer hall, where they resume their sandals, and then retire.
They wear white, blue, or red tunics according to their rank ;
the white are for those of the highest grade. On their
head is the coloured ribbon or the black lacquered paper cap
worn by men of rank when they go to Court The sun Is
setting behind Fujiyama, lighting up with its Bengal fire the
triple and quadruple ranges of mountains which rise to the
east, which few Europeans have seen, and which we hope to
cross to-monow or the day after. The sky is bright pink, and
azure blue clouds float In the air. It is only at Yokohama,
and even there rarely, that I have seen similar effects of light
I feel as if I were in an ideal world, amidst enchanted regions,
and I go to sleep to dream of the strange, mysterious, and
poetic scenes in the great temple of Yoshida,
August 10. — My companions anived yesterday from Fuji
yama, They suffered terribly from the heat On the other
hand, they were able to pass the night at the very mouth of the
crater, at 14,000 feet above the ocean. Their descriptions
confirm those of other travellers. They distinguished Yoko
hama and Yedo ; but the rest was only like a great carpet
sprinkled with white spots ; and a vast horizon of sea-clouds
obscured the view towards the north. We are only going
a short stage to-day, and are to start at half-past two in the
direction of the north-east Turning our backs on Fujiyama,
we enter a large, wide valley. The mountains are all green :
single rows of trees mark their outlines. In Japanese scenery,
the same elements are repeated ad itifitiitum. All these heights
end in sharp sides, as steep as the blade of a knife. Between
the two slopes there is only room for a single row of trees. We
pass by a number of little villages, all clean, tidy, and evidently
prosperous. Everywhere there is the richest and most careful
cultivation. In the narrow plains, which here and there wind
between the mountains, are patches of rice, and quantities of
mulberry trees. The road is but a path, well kept, and full ot
people. At every turn, we meet fresh pilgrims. They walk In
great and small bands, all dressed in the same white dresses,
and all ringing a bell. When rain threatens, they put on their
straw cloaks. Some are followed by their servants. Female

252 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
pilgrims are rare, but are not altogether wanting. AU along
the road, charming details abound. For instance, at the
second ri, near a Httle tea-house, a stone staircase leads to
some beautiful tombs shaded by a fine group of cryptomerias.
Further on, near the village of Tokalchiba, we stop to see
a foaming cascade. The wonderful vegetation which surrounds
it forms its principal charm.
At half-past five we arrive at Yamura, a little town situated
In the centre of one of the great silk districts. There are
mulberry trees everywhere. The river rashes violently across
the flowery meadows and flows swiftly along the edge of the
rocks, covered with moss, grass, and trees of different kinds.
Behind us, between the green peaks, the crater of Fujiyama Is
StUl visible. Our arrival is an event; all the population rush
out of their houses, but keep at a respectful distance. It is
evetywhere the same scene. The babies cty, the children hide
themselves behind then mothers, the young girls fly. The men
even seem inclined to hold back ; the matrons only are
courageous. With them we open negotiations : then all the
world becomes reassured ; and after the first moments of sur
prise are over, we see kind and smiling faces, full of good-
humour, and only anxious to be of use to us. They chatter
and laugh, and group themselves round the travellers, whom
they will not leave. They follow us everywhere in fact : at our
meals, and even in our baths, unless we are cruel enough to
shut the paper partitions. They especially delight to assist at
our toilets. I am, of course, now speaking of the lower and
middle classes, and not of the nobility.
At about a quarter of an hour from the town, near the river,
my young companions have found a solitaty spot where they
gladly plunge into the fresh and limpid waters, when all of
a sudden the whole population turns out, men, women, young
girls and children. By chance, our yakunins, who like to
amuse themselves, have escaped ; it therefore rests with me
to watch over the public morality. Arming myself with a long
bamboo, I place myself across the narrow dyke which alone
gives access to the bathing-place. I let the men pass ; but am
inexorable towards the fair sex. Vain hope ! At the risk of
rolling into the torrent below, these ladles turn my position,
and clamber up the slope of the pier, many of them with babies

//. YOSHIDA. 253
on their backs : a certain number attack me in front There
were some vety pretty girls among them, and all were beautifully
clean and neat. Their little feet, shod in tiny wooden pattens,
their knees sHghtiy bent, their arms stretched out and their
hands folded backwards (as this race alone knows how to do),
their heads bare, and a little thrown back, they overwhelm me
with a tonent of words, mixed with merry little laughs, and
fix their great, brown, almond-shaped eyes upon me with an im
ploring expression of sweet and gentle intreaty. The grace
of their movements is a little spoiled by the twist of their limbs ;
but in this country, grotesqueness is a characteristic both 01
men and things. Here again I could not help admiring the
talent for imitation and the conscientious exactness of the
Japanese artists. I have seen the same scene represented a
thousand times In sculpture, lacquer-work, and painting, and
even in the coarse pictures which you buy for a few pence.
At last, weaty of the struggle, I yield the passage, and the
whole crowd of curious ladies rush forward and approach as near
as possible the confused bathers, enjoying at last, with ineffable
delight, the unheard-of, extraordinary, and fantastic appearance
of five men completely white.
The distance from Yoshida to Yamura is four and a half ris,
or about twelve mUes.
August u. — Departure at five o'clock. Direction, east
The valley winds between mountains 3,000 or 4,000 feet high.
At two ris from Yamura we halted for a few minutes close
to a temple surrounded by a fine wood. At half-past eight we
arrived at the great and important market town of Saru-Haschi.
Here we crossed a deep river embedded in the rocks. The
bridge, which is hung at a great height, is of a peculiar con
struction; the beams are placed horizontally one above the
other, so that each end is a Httle longer than the other, and
meet in the same way in the middle of the water. This is
the celebrated Monkey Bridge. We have seen it represented in
many of the votive pictures in the temple of Yoshida.
The country is always smiling, but still keeps its resemblance
to the Upper Alps. Except for the vegetation, one might fancy
oneself in the canton of Unterwalden. Everyone is struck
with the analogy. We meet a number of pilgrim bands, all

254 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
singing and ringing their little bells ; but nothing in their faces
betokens devotion. According to M. Kempermann, no reli
gious sentiment leads these thousands of men to the Holy
Mount. " It is a tradition — a physical exercise : the prayers,
if any, are said mechanically. Neither head nor heart are
concerned." This is possible, and to look at the men them
selves, you would say it is more than probable, but it is not
certain. After all, what do we know about it? Japan has
only been accessible during the last few years, and only now at
five or six points in its whole circumference. Its language is
stUI a study. How can we read into the hearts of the people ?
how explain the origin and the keeping up of the innumerable
temples scattered over the whole empire ? Who built them ?
Who endowed them more or less HberaUy? Evidently not the
people. Religious sentiments must then have pervaded the
upper classes at some time or other. How and why, by what
revolution, have these feelings been lost? Here are many
problems to be solved.
Fine and flourishing vUlages succeed one another at short
intervals. This makes one of the principal charms of the
country. We are here among the highest mountains of Kuanto :
nevertheless, everywhere there is careful culture, neat houses,
traces of human activity, and of a very ancient civilization. The
vUlages themselves are all alike. A limpid stream runs through
the length of the principal street, at an equal distance from the
houses. In many places it is edged with flower-beds full of
enormous balsams. The houses are mostly new : which proves
that, quite recently, a typhoon, a fire, or an earthquake — those
three scourges which, like certain epidemics, are periodically
reproduced — have here exercised their terrible ravages.
Fortunately, if Nature in her fits of anger destroys buildings
in a few moments, men know how to build them up again in a
few days. Warned of our passage, the mayor and his attendants
meet us at the entrance of each village, make their prostrations,
put themselves at the head of the column, and arriving at the
other end of the place, take leave of us with the like ceremonial.
Everywhere the people smile on us without saluting — but they
prostrate themselves before the chief of the yakunins, who,
during the exercise of his functions, represents to them the
sovereign authority of the emperor. Ask a peasant in Europe

//. YOSHIDA. 255
what is meant by a functionary representing imperial power !
But in this country the lowest coolie understands It. He knows
the code of etiquette by heart, practises it scrupulously himself,
and expects that the same will be done to him.
At Saru-Haschi, we leave the great valley we have followed
ever since we left Yoshida. It serves as a bed to a river, which,
taking Its rise from the littie lake of Yamanonaka, at the foot
of Fujiyama, flows first towards the north, then from Yoshida
towards the east, and from Sam-Haschi towards the south.
If my great Japanese map is right, this river falls into the sea
near the Oiso village (between Fujisawa and Odawara).
Arrival at Torisawa at half-past nine. Departure at one
o'clock. Here we came into a lab)Tinth of mountains — one of the
most beautiful landscapes I ever saw. The path, which winds
up abrapt heights and follows the crest of the mountains, is so
narrow, that there is scarcely room for one man to pass. In
some places, if I had been on foot, I should have gone on hands
and knees ; but in a cango I have no fear. One must, however,
have a good deal of faith in the legs of one's bearers. As they
change shoulders every two or three minutes, the traveller finds
himself hanging now over an abyss to the left, now over a
precipice to the right Froni that to Blondi«'s father-in-law
there is but a step ! But how can one feel fear, when, in the
most difficult and dangerous places, you see your coolies laugh
ing and talking, and exchanging civilities with one another ?
On both sides of the pass are precipices which the least false
step on the part of your bearers would turn into your grave.
But have the courage, if you do not get giddy, to look down
into the abyss below, clothed as it is with flowering shrubs, and
exquisite plants, ivhich Nature (that great gardener) has arranged
with such wonderful taste — and then turn your eyes upwards to
the varied peaks which stand out against the sky a>bove your
head. It is an ever-varying panorama. In all directions are
ranges of mountains ; I counted more than a dozen. It was
like the ocean, lashed by a tempest, suddenly petrified, and
carpeted with the most luxuriant vegetation. Nature has nothing
small or petty about her. She is grand and graceful at the
same time — and produces effects which both charm the eye and
pique the curiosity. The villages are still numerous, but appear

256 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
less prosperous than those we saw yesterday. In several of
them, we came upon a fair, or religious file — that is to say, a
mass of poles ornamented with flowers, papers, ribbons, and
images. Everywhere, crowds of pilgrims. At half-past six we
arrive at Uyenohara. The distance from Yamura is nine and a
half ris, or twenty-five miles.
August 12. — Some rain fell and refreshed the air. At five
o'clock we started in the same easterly direction. After we had
crossed a large river in a ferry-boat (a branch of the one we
had followed the two preceding days), we clambered up by a
vety steep defile the highest mountain — perfectly visible from
Yedo on a clear day — of the chain which forms, as it were, the
band of Fujiyama. The country maintains its Alpine character. .
From eleven o'clock to four we halted at the village of Koma-
klno. On leaving the tea-house there, which was the prettiest
I had seen, our coolies, to the great detriment of our members,
amuse themselves by Improvising a race. In less than an hour
they have borne us to PlachojI. At five o'clock in the evening,
in the midst of an immense crowd of people, we made our
solemn entty into the town. The importance of Hachoji is
due to its great silk trade. The inhabitants seem happy
and prosperous; and the great street is remarkable for the
beauty and elegance of its houses. The hotel where we are
lodged, is large, spacious, and clean. Unfortunately, having
exhausted our stock of wax candles, we were obliged to dine by
the uncertain light of the Japanese substitutes for such articles,
which are made of vegetable wax and give more "smoke than
light But look at that young girl, the nesan, snuffing them with
the pin which confines her silky, abundant, black hair — ^what
grace, what distinction, and what real modesty in her manners !
My young companions rave about her.
During this journey, which is drawing to a close, we have
all been stmck with the paucity of animals. We have scarcely
seen a single bird, very few dogs, still fewer horses, no cattle ;
here and there some pigs and chickens, and that is all.
The distance from Uyenohara to Hachoji is seven and a half
ris — that is, about twenty miles.
August 13. — Departiure at a quarter past six o'clock. The

/;: YOSHIDA. 257
great sti-eet liJ still deserted : but yesterday the inhabitants had
stretclied out in it their great yellow oiled-paper umbrellas,
ornamented with black inscriptions, to dty. We have the sun
in our faces. It is still low, and changes the umbrellas into
luminous transparencies. The morning breeze makes them
turn on their handles. No painter could render the effect
produced by the simultaneous action of the direct and trans
mitted rays of the sun : the tints of bright and dead gold which
flicker on the earth, light up the bronzed legs of our porters
and illuminate the doorsteps of the houses, of which the in
habitants are still buried in sleep.
Ever since we left Yoshida we have been constantiy marching
towards the east : now we turn to the south.
We entered upon a vast plain, but a plain full of littie deUs
and breaks, shaded by magnificent trees, and here and there
fine thickets of bamboo. A labyrinth of little palms led to
a quantity of smiUng hajnlets, Hterally buried in foliage. Think
ing that our main column was following close behind us, I had
left Hachoji with only one of my travelling companions and
gone on ahead. After some hours' march, however, we found
out that we were quite alone, and that M. Van der Hoeven
had taken another route. We went on, therefore, as best we
could, tete-ortite, reduced to conversing with the natives by looks
and signs, and resigned to put up with the cooking of the
countty. On arriving, however, at an isolated tea-house, we
perceived two great swords, lying, according to etiquette, on
the consol in the entrance-hall. Here then were some samurais,
those two-bladed gentlemen who perpetuate so effectually in
their countty the chivalry of the Middle Ages, but who have
the unfortunate habit of hacking Christians in pieces whenever
an occasion presents itself. Evidently there could not be a
better one than now. We had seated ourselves before the
house, and my young friend improved the occasion, as usual,
by taking some Japanese lessons from our lovely nesaiis, when
the three knights made their appearance. They were three
tall, strapping fellows, with caps of light-blue silk, rayed with
white, and wearing on their tunics the arms of the prince they
served, or the " daimio," as the young girls exclaimed, who
hastened to bring the lesson to a close, and to escape ; not
without liaving been subjected to some rough embraces from
s

258 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
our three cavaliers oti the way. These men, holding one
another's arms, stared at us insolently from head to foot (for
they had evidently been imbibing copious Hbations of saki),
came nearer and nearer to the place where we were sitting,
and evidently determined to enter into conversation first and
quarrel with us after. I saw my companion quietly putting
his hand into his trousers pocket I knew what that pocket
contained ; it was the terrible revolver which had already made
me feel goose-skinny on leaving Yokohama. If he should show
it to these three bravos, a scuffle was inevitable, and the issue
would not be doubtful. Happily, at this stage of tbe proceed
ings, the master of the house intervened, and approaching the
samurais with evety demonstration of respect, and overwhelm
ing them with civilities, persuaded them to go back into the
house. At this moment our coolies, wamed by the prudent
innkeeper, made their appearance with the cangos. We got
into them with joy, and off we went, at a rattling pace. At
ten o'clock we arrived at Tana, situated close to a fine river
which, according to my Japanese map, is the same whose course
we have followed from its rise in the little lake of Yamanonaka
to Saru-Haschi. We crossed it in a ferry-boat, and found on the
opposite bank a little barque and some boatmen, who offered
to take us to Atsugi, the town where we were to pass the night
It wa^ a beautiful and exciting little voyage. The river here
forms a succession of rapids between two hedges of flowering
shrubs. A multitude of aquatic birds, perched on the banks,
looked at us without moving, and as if stupefied. Now is the
moment to make use of the famous revolver. My companion
thrusts his hands into his trousers pocket, which does duty as
an arsenal, pulls out his pistol, alms at a group of great white
birds, fires, and misses ! Therevolverwon'tgooff ! Certainly,
this time it is clearly proved that this tenlble engine of war
is absolutely inoffensive and not likely to do harm to anything
on earth. Why did I not make this happy discovety a little
sooner ? Each moming, on learing our halting-place, amidst
the crowd of servants, people belonging to the inn, and curious
natives, I used to see this revolver being carelessly handled by
our young traveller, and never, I own, without a sinister pre
sentiment It was enough to embitter the days of any peace
able citizen. Now I am reassured, and to-monow at this time

//. YOSHIDA. 259
we shall, I hope, have returned to Yokohama without having
shed any innocent blood.
Towards six o'clock we saw, intermingled with fine trees, the
grey roofs of a large town : this was Atsugi. AVe had the double
satisfaction ot regaining our caravan and our dinner, which was
only waiting to be served.
The distance from Hachoji to Atsugi is seven ris, or eighteen
miles. August 14. — Departure from Atsugi at half-past seven. Arrival
at Fujisawa at twelve o'clock. The country was like the one we
passed through yesterday.
A carriage conveyed us to Yokohama, where we retumed at
seven o'clock in the evening, delighted with our excursion. The
distance was twelve ris, or thirty miles.^
' As the route we followed from Subashiri has been rarely taken, and,
as far as I know, has never before been described, I althought it might be
useful to mark exactly the hours of arrival and departure, though it is cer
tainly an imperfect manner of calculating distances. These are marked in
ris on the "Guides," which you can buy in every Japanese town of any
size : only the ris are not always the same. Everywhere, however, our
coolies marched at the quick pace of about five kilometres an hour.

CHAPTER IIL
HAKON&.—FROM THE 23nd AUGUST TO THE tst
SEPTEMBER,
The celebrated Tea-house of Hata. — A bad Night. — The Lake of Hakone.
— The love of nature and the taste for art spread among the People. —
Spirits travelling. — The Hot Springs of Atami. — The Holy Island of
Enoshima. — Daibutsu. — The old Residence of the Sioguns. — Buddha in
Disgrace. — A great Japanese Lady. — ICanazawa.
August 22. — Yesterday we left Yedo. My travelling com
panions are Mr. Adams, the English minister, and M. Satow,
Interpreter and secretaty to the legation. By the same route
which I had taken in going to the foot of Fujiyama, we arrived
this afternoon at Yomoto, where the road branches off towards
the north-east, on the road to Miyanoshita. We continue to
follow the Tokaido, which, skirting the torrent, leads us to the
village of Hata, celebrated for the beauty of its site, and for
its famous tea-house and gardens. There are always the same
elements in the picture ; but the use made of them by nature
and men vaty indefinitely. Where find words to describe them ?
How escape repetitions ? How paint the scarcely perceptible
shades of difference which yet make their principal charm?
In the photography of Beato I do not find the least trace of
resemblance. How can I describe to you the beautiful wood
carvings of the Hata tea-house : the lovely little cascades ; the
garden paths which scale the abrupt sides of the mountain ;
the goldfish and carp, worthy of the gardens of Fontalnebleau ;
and last, not least, the pretty tiesans, who, evety evening, by
clapping their hands, bring back the fish into a hollow of the

///. HAKONE. 261
rock to preserve them from the nocturnal visitors to these en
chanted regions, the fo-xes and the jackals? AU this has been
told a hundred times ; but when one arrives, one is both sur
prised and charmed, and one finds that the most glowing de
scriptions and the most successful photographs and sketches
give but a poor idea ot the exquisite beauty of these rural
scenes, which are so strange and so poetical at the same
time. From Fujisawa to Hata eleven ris, or twenty-eight
miles. August 24. — Can you conceive greater bliss than to lie on a
scmpulously clean matting. In a lovely little room completely
open to the garden, while a fine close rain falls irom morning
till night, giving a delicious freshness to the whole earth, and
making you conscious of a renewal of health and strength ? In
addition to these agreeable sensations, I have the good luck to
share them with men in every way distinguished and congenial,
and who are better acquainted than almost any other Euro
peans with this strange country, which is stiU such an enigma.
Always ready to answer my thousand and one questions, they
sometimes take their turn of interrogation, and bring back my
thoughts to our mutual friends in that dear and far -distant land
which we each call " home." Thus we pass the day. The
servants we have brought with us and the masters and people of
the Inn only approach us with bows and protestations, more or
less profound according to the rank they hold. They advance on
all fours, then pause, with their heads stretched forward, their
arms leaning on the ground, and their hands turned inwards, after
which they squat down familiarly on their heels. As their masters-
are likewise lying on their mats on the floor, they are on the same
level. However, these are forms of civility, and regulated by
etiquette from time immemorial. In Europe, in the sixteenth
century, and even later, similar demonstrations were looked
upon as de rigueur. Persons of the same rank bowed to the
earth before embracing one another. Children went on their
knees before their parents to wish them good night. A page,
although a nobleman's son, was compelled to kneel when serving
his master. The kissing of the hand in great ceremonies Is still
preserved in many European Courts. But the Yokohama
merchants consider these demonstrations absurd and unworthy

262 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
of humanity, and have forbidden them to their Japanese ser
vants, who. In consequence, freed from the rules and usages ot
their country, have become rude. Insolent and insupportable.
It is easy to destroy the forms of an ancient civilization, but it is
not so easy to replace them by others.
August 25. — Yesterday evening, hardly had we gone to bed
than we were awoke by the roaring ofthe storm and the sinister
creaking of all the beams and woodwork of the house. At the
same time we felt some severe shocks of earthquake. It was a
combination of one of the most terrible typhoons which had
ever ravaged the provinces of Kuanto, and one of those earth
quakes which so frequently disturb the bowels of this volcanic
country. To day the anger of the elements is appeased. Hata
has not suffered much, being nestled in the hollow of the
mountain : but the idea of being squashed by the weight of
the roof, and the impossibility of escaping — for during the night
the Japanese houses are shut up like a box— caused us some
moments of anxiety.
The weather has cleared. At eight o'clock we continue our
journey on foot The departure from an inn is always an ani
mated scene. We pass through one room after the other between
a double row of inquisitive faces. The master and mistress
have received from our comprador the amount of their bill, and
overwhelm us with compliments and blessings. The nesans
run after you laughing, gesticulating, and wishing you a happy
journey and a speedy return. On the threshold of the house
you have to hunt for your shoes, which you have left on your
arrival. There you find, waiting for you, the municipal autho
rities, the mayor and his attendants, and other functionaries,
who, bowing to the ground, precede and escort you to the
end of the village, where they take leave of you with similar
formalities. We still follow the Tokaido, which is here abominably paved,
and in some places scarcely practicable for horses. The
scenery is always the same. Trees of great variety and beauty
shaded the ground, which was carpeted with flowers and long
grass. After having clambered up to the top of a hill we de
scended on the Hakone Lake. A colossal statue of Buddha
rises over the edge of the water. Behind the god is an avenue

///. HAKONE. 263
of magnificent and very old cryptomerias. Wooded promon
tories and hills covered with grass of two shades, white and
green, are reflected In the still lake. This avenue leads to the
little town of Hakone, which Is the object of our journey.
The distance from Hata is two ris, or five miles.
August 26. — On the eastern bank of the lake is the cele
brated and very ancient Sintoo sanctuary known under the
name of Hakond-no-jinja. Like many other native temples. It
has just been " purified ; " that is, to the great but passive dis
content of the people, it has been given back to the exclusive
worship of Sintoo. The statues have been destroyed or carried
off, as well as the vases and ornaments of the Buddhist gods.
Hakone-no-jinja is situated on the slope of the mountain.
The ascent to it is by a succession of stone steps. We saw
some magnificent trees and some very curious and ancient pic
tures painted on wood and hung from the cornice ; the whole,
however, was neglected, solitaty, and abandoned ; for a people
deprived of its gods are little disposed to bow before the official
divinities of the moment I am not going to allow myself to
pass any judgment upon the matter. I have not any greater
partiality for the one than for the other, but there are some
things which are everywhere alike. A wise government will
think twice before meddling with people's consciences. It
may succeed in destroying the religion of the people, which is
a dismal political victory after all ; but it will be a more difficult
task to make them adopt the belief which it chooses to patronize.
It is therefore a work of destruction and nothing else.
August 27. — We made the tour of the lake in a boat. The
resemblance with the north of Scotland is striking. Certainly,
the sky and vegetation are very diff'erent, and one would seek
in vain for the cottages, castles, and parks which brighten the
shores of Loch Lomond or Loch Katrine. The Lake of
Hakon^ stretches its grey waters under the shadow of rounded
mountains only inhabited by wild beasts. With the exception
of the little town Itself and the temple that bears its name, I
did not see a single human habitation along its solitary banks.
Sometimes a strong gust of wind drives away the clouijs which
settle on the crater ; then our old friend Fujiyama rises above
the mountains like a celestial vision which disappears as soon

264 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chip.
as seen. Words cannot paint the beautiful details of the picture,
nor the grand and severe aspect of the ivhole scene.
August 28. — An American niIssionar\-, Dr. B., has been to
call upon me. For a year he has been living at the port of
Niigata, on the northern coast of Niphon. The cHmate there
is totally different The cold north-west winds of Manchouria
blow over the place the greater part of the year and chill the
whole air. In winter, the town is buried In snow, and the in
habitants are compelled to dig passages in order to get from
one house to another. In spite, however, of the abundance
and duration of the snow, the thermometer rarely falls below
zero. It is also to zero that the European and American resi
dents have been reduced. The only white man left there is an
English petty officer, the orderly of the consul, who is at this
moment absent.
I admire M. Satow. He talks with everyone, and never fails
, to mark down in his note-book any new expressions or phrases
which strike him. By carefully comparing these memoranda,
he has learned to define and fix the sense of each word. It is
a mental labour of every moment There are scarcely any
grammars or dictionaries in the Japanese language ; or else they
are very incomplete attempts to teach the rudiments of this
strange tongue. To penetrate its spirit and seize all the delicate
allusions in the sentences, Is the great difficulty. The system
followed by M. Satow seems to me the only one practicable or
possible to discover the language of the people.
August. 29. — The heavy rains of the last few days have
destroyed the bridges, and made the royal road to Yedo im
practicable. As to fording the Odawara river, it is not to be
thought of. We shall get over the difficulty by going round by
Atami, from whence it will be easy to get to the island of Eno
shima by sea, and from thence back to Yokohama. There is
a path which leads straight to the south-west It is the road
open to those Europeans who have received permission to
visit Hakond and the hot springs of Atami. We chose another
road more to the west ; it is a little out of the way ; but the
mayor of Hakone' and our innkeeper recommend it to us on
account of the beauty of the scenery : and in these matters the
Japanese, even of the lowest class, are competent judges. At

///. HAKONE. 265
twelve o'clock we started in our cangos, and climbed up one of
the mountains which surround the lake, the path leading through
two rows of grand old cryptomerias. After half an hour's
march, we reached the top, and enjoyed a falry-Hke view over
the bay of Sumga. A great tea-house which is placed on the
culminating point of the mountain, was full of travellers and
people from Kiyoto, belonging to every class of society. Poli
tics, pecuniary interests, and commerce, call them to Yedo,
which is become, alas ! the residence of the emperor, to the
great detriment of their ancient and once rich and flourishing
capital. Evetyone seemed enchanted with the view.
The Japanese are wonderful lovers of nature. In Europe a
feeling for beauty has to be developed by education. Our
peasants wUl talk to you of the fertility of the soil, of the
abundance of water, so useful for their mills, of the value of
their woods, but not of the picturesque charms of the country.
They are not perhaps entirely insensible to them : but if they do
feel them, it is in a vague, undefined sort of way, for which they
would be puzzled to account. It is not so with the Japanese
labourer. With him, the sense of beauty is innate. Perhaps,
also, he has more time to cultivate it He is not so overworked
as our English or German labourers. The fertility of the soil,
the soft rains, the warm sun, do half the business. There are
many hours when he can rest, lying on his mat at his cabin
door, smoking his pipe, and listening to the songs of his
daughters, while his eyes are feasting on the beautiful scenery
around him, which he thoroughly enjoys. If he can, he builds
his house on the banks of a stream : with a few big stones,
placed in the necessary spot, he makes a little waterfall, for he
loves the sound of mshing water. At the side of his hut grows
a little cedar. He separates some of the branches, and makes
them bend over the roof, both for shade and beauty. This is
a subject you see thousands of times depicted in illuminated
Japanese drawings. On the other side he plants an apricot
tree — ^when it is in flower, the man and his family are in an ecstasy.
This extraordinary love and feeling for nature is reflected in all
Japanese productions. A taste for the fine arts is common
among the very lowest classes, and to a degree which is not
found in any country in Europe. In the humblest cottage
you wiU find traces of this — an artificial flower, an ingenious

266 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
child's toy, an incense-burner, an idol, heaps of little ornainental
things, the only use of which is to give pleasure to the eye.
With us, except in the service of religion, this kind of art is the
privilege of the rich and of people in easy circumstances. In
Japan It Is evetyone's property : and If a man be too poor to
ornament his hut with a picture representing the snowy cone of
Fujiyama, with a fine pear-tree in full flower in the foreground;
or with a statue of a singer sitting on a death's head ; or with a
drawing of abird mounting up to the sky; or of a butterfly settling
on a rainbow ; or of a beetle casting amorous glances on a turtle,
who turns his head away in disdain — If, as I say, he is too poor
to indulge in one or other of these favourite subjects, well, he
will console himself by looking, with an artistic eye, at the
mountains near his house, at his aprlcot-tree In flower, or at his
littie cedar ; and he wiU Hsten with delight to the music of his
cascade, and expect you to be delighted too.
It is really with difficulty that we tore ourselves away from
the contemplation of this delicious panorama : a perfect maze
of green valleys and hills sinking Into a plain : then the gulf
with its scattered rocks : beyond, low promontories stretching
towards the sea from north to south : above them, a chain of
higher mountains extending from south to north, then another
tier of rocks, and then another, all wooded below and streaked
above, as is the fashion of the country — and below the whole,
the long, low waves of the great Pacific Ocean.
Soon after leaving the Tokaido, we turned our steps towards
the south-west The path was lost in the long grass, which is
of an extraordinary height and thickness, and . tickles the
shoulders and cheeks of our coolies. At last, separating from
one another, we lose our way altogether. In vain the bearers
send forth loud cries — the echoes alone answer. I find myself
with my men at the edge of a precipice, or rather of a perpen
dicular declivity entirely covered with thick grass. The coolies
keep on bravely. Sometimes, however, they miss their footing
and fall. My cango escapes from their hands, capsizes, and,
turned into a sledge, descends with fearful rapidity. • Thanks
to the thickness of the grass, it always ends by stopping of its
own accord : it is a kind of montagne russe. Fortunately,
nature itself provides safeguards ; and there Is nothing to fear
except from serpents. But if our naked coolies do not mind

///. HAKONE, 267
risking themselves in the tangle, the danger cannot be vety
great. The descent is accomplished In a few moments. Here
we are in a deep ravine. The question Is how we are to
scramble up the opposite side. To walk on this slippery gjass
up a steep perpendicular Incline, is, to me. simply impossible.
To attempt it even, one needs the vocation of a coolie. At
the very first trial, I roll ignominiously down into a ditch : and
the good fellows laugh till they have to hold their sides. They
hoist me up on their shoulders, drag me up to the top, recover
the lost cango, and all the while laugh and chatter and never
for a moment lose their good-humour. At last we get out of
this sea of waving grass, and to my great satisfaction I perceive
in the distance my friend Mr. Adams, hung midway over a
sirailiar incline, and half rolling, half dragged, striving painfully
to reach the lost track which is to lead us to our destination.
At last we meet — but now for a fresh adventure ! The fatigue
of carrying men across such mountains does not satisfy our
coolies ; they have enough energy left to go a hunting.
Suddenly, giving a kind of war-cty, they drop their cangos and
rush down the Incline as hard as they can go. A few minutes
after, they reappear vrith a little bear which they had caught
and killed with blows of their bamboos.
At half-past four we arrived at Karlnzawa, having made
about four ris or twelve miles. There we find Satow, who,
being a good walker, has arrived an hour before us. The
mayor tells us that we are the first Europeans that he and his
officials have ever had the honour of seeing. To judge by the
effect we produced, I should say this was highly probable.
We had a simUar scene to the one I before described : the babies
crying, the young girls hiding, the men keeping themselves in
the background, and the older women alone coming forward
to welcome and smile at us. By degrees the crowd became
tamer, but we had only to advance a few steps for them to
retire in all directions. To have an idea of it, one must have
swum in a pond full of fishes. The village is small, but
coquettishly placed between two wooded mountains ; a limpid
stream rans through it, and its banks are lined with beautiful
flowers. We alighted at the mayor's own house. It was a
perfect gem, and with an equally lovely garden. In the court,
a scafiolding was erected, ornamented with flowers and little

268 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
flags in coloured paper. It bore a cage in the shape of a
temple, and of which the door was open. This tempietto was
destined to receive the spirits of the dead, whom they expect
to-morrow, and who are coming back from I know not what
distant region of eternity.
We left Karlnzawa a littie before five o'clock. Direction,
south. We crossed a mountain by a road which seemed like
a tunnel, so tightly were the branches of the old trees inter
laced over our heads. We reached the summit after halt an
hour's march, and came down on the opposite side in fifteen
minutes. These mountains are the continuation of a chain
known by the name of Hakone. They coast the Pacific,
running from east to west, forming an almost horizontal Hne
above, and then go sheer down into the sea. From the point
where we now are, these long, steep promontories seem to
spread themselves, one behind the other, like the side scenes
in a theatre ; but I do not think that the Imagination of the
scene-painters, even of the great Paris opera, ever conceived
such a magic decoration. At the bottom of a little bay formed
by two capes, exactly at our feet, we perceive a long, white
line : that is Atami. We arrive there at half-past seven
o'clock. It was pitch dark when our good coolies, who
never ceased laughing and chattering, deposited us at the door
of an elegant and spacious hotel.
The distance from Hakone is six and a half ris or rather
more than sixteen miles.
August 30. — Atami is agreeably situated on the shores of a
littie bay, in front of an island, and on the slope of the
mountain. The streets descend rapldily to the shore, and
here and there are transformed into staircases, h. sulphurous
spring attracts in the season a great number of native bathers,
and sometimes a few of the European Yokohama residents.
Every three or four hours the water bursts out anew from a
spring which is buried among some great blocks of rock.
In the inclosure close by, there is a carefull)'-kept tomb or
rather monument, erected by an English traveller over the
remains of his dog. The natives take great care not to injure
it : many of them prostrate themselves before it ; for they say
it is always prudent to keep on good terms with the spirits of

///. HAKONE, 269
the departed, even if it be but of a dog. As at Hata and
Hakone the inhabitants make the most beautiful little boxes
and other objects in camphor wood, which they offer at
ridiculously low prices.
We started at nine o'clock in two boats of six oars each,
one of which is occupied by ourselves, and one by our suite.
Direction, east-north-east. On sea and sky, a perfect calm.
The two boats, joined by a rope, keep together. The boat
men, standing on the cross benches, display all the athletic
beauty of their bronzed bodies, leaning now forward, now
backwards, and regulating their strokes by a measured cry
which seems to harmonise admirably with their supple move
ments. Some of these men are the very types of masculine
strength and beauty. Others would be so If their legs were
not so slender. AU are remarkable for the smallness and
fineness of their hands and feet. They have only two poses,
which they continually repeat, but both are classic In the
highest degree. One must have travelled in Japan during the
summer to understand the Greek statuaty of the golden age.
The great masters of Attica and Corinth, sunounded by men
with little or no clothes, had always before their eyes the play
of the muscles of the human body. Our sculptors form them
selves on models of which the attitudes, being almost always
forced, lack both tmth and animation.
Sometimes the cord is slackened, our boats are separated,
and the boatmen determine on having a race. Then the men
behave as if they were possessed. I'hey no longer sing, they
howl. From antique statues they have been transformed into
savages. The waves, just before so calm, are changed into
masses of foam. At last, exhausted by their efforts, our athletes
stop, look at one another, and burst out laughing. All of a
sudden there is a dead silence. The course is changed, and
noiselessly and rapidly the boats are propelled close to a long
black line which we see floating above the water. It is a huge
whale, asleep, rocked by the surf. One of the boatmen rushes
on the prow. There, standing up to his full height, his body
slightly thrown backwards, his left hand pressed to his heart
as if he would still its beatings, he gently raises his right arm
above his head, and balancing the harpoon in his slender
fingers, prepares to lance it Before us, at a few fathoms

270 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
distance, the monster sleeps on. It Is really a sublime sight 1
all It wants is a Phidias capable of rendering its indefinable
beauty. Unfortunately, at the very last decisive moment, the
giant woke, and disappeared beneath the water.
In spite of these episodes, we have made some way.
We have been coasting along the shore, the vegetation of
which belongs to the tropics. Orange-trees are mingled with
cryptomerias. High stone walls protect the gardens from the
visits of the wild beasts, especially of the bears which abound
in this country. Then we pass successively by Idzusan, sus
pended midway in the bay between orange and bamboo woods ;
by Yoshihama, another considerable market-town; round the
Cape of Madzu-no-hama, and by the mouth of the Odawara
river. At five o'clock in the evening, we are in front of Oiso.
Here the mountains stretch further back, and the wooded
shores become flatter. Our men have been rowing for eight
hours without a moment's intermission. Some handfuls of
barley (for rice is reserved for the rich), -with a drijik of pure
water, is the only meal of these poor fellows. But how they
seem to enjoy it! Poor? yes, they are that, certainly; but
knowing neither miseiy nor care, they are not unhappy.
The sun was setting when the island of Enoshima came in
sight, its dark shadow standing out against the crimson clouds.
At eight o'clock we landed. As the tide was low our boats
could not get near the pier, so our boatmen carried us on
their shoulders. It was a ten minutes' walk, and to judge by
the way they laughed, they found it charming. At last we set
foot in the Japanese Paradise. The night was vety dark, but
the coloured lanterns hung on the doors of the houses, lighted
our way. Built on the side of a rock, and -wide open, the
shops are as full and gay as possible; men selling fmit and
vegetables, women preparing great dishes of rice and fish, and
bands of pilgrims hunting for lodgings, cross and recross the
narrow street Everywhere there are festoons of flowers and
flags of different colours, for Enoshima, the holy isle, is always
In fete. We were conducted to the best hotel ; it was full to
overflowing. Music, singing, and drinking were going on in
evety direction. Hardly was the dinner announced when the
Innkeeper made his appearance. After having accomplished
the usual dut'es of politeness prescribed in tlie ceremonial.

///. HAKONE. 271
he gave us a littie paper, carefully folded, containing toothpicks.
On the envelope was a long inscription, as follows : " Imperial
toothpicks. Shiraki, hotel-keeper in the principal street, fifth
house to the left. Imperial lodgings. Abundant re])asts
promptly served." On the other side the distances are marked
from Enoshima to Kamakura, Yedo and Kiyoto. The word
"imperial" means first-rate, or super excellent From Atami
to iioshima is sixteen ris or forty miles.
August 31. — Certainly the lodging was the reverse of
" imperial." Hardly could we close our eyes. The pilgrims,
when not saying their rosaries or ringing their bells, chatter
frIghtfuUy. But the delicious freshness of the morning makes
us forget the miseries of our sleepless night. We explore the
little streets of the town. The crowd of pilgrims Is already
thronging round the stalls where they sell rosaries, votive
pictures, and shells of every kind. This little Island has been
often and admirably described. It is a delicious place. From
one sanctuary to the other, we arrive at last at the top of the
rock. Some old trees growing almost miraculously out of the
clefts, stretch their branches over the summit like a baldachino.
In the temples themselves, which are small and not much
ornamented, I found nothing particular ; but there are never
theless, some pretty details. Among others, we admired the
classic design of a well, which reminded one of a cistern in a
Venetian palace. It is an artificial circular rock, full of tortoises,
who hid themselves as we drew near. Circular stones, kept
together by a hooped band, formed the stand of the fountain.
The upper part was carefuUy polished and ornamented with
bas-reliefs and circular subjects carved in the Byzantine style,
with here and there some inscriptions. Towards the west and
south the rock slopes straight down into the sea. It is Hke,
"Tiberius' Leap," in the Island of Capri, only in smaller
proportions. You go down by a staircase cut in the rock,
if you are a real pilgrim you must visit the Black Grotto,
which is only accessible to those who can jump on some
blocks of stone, which are half under water.
A natural dyke, passable at low wa,ter, unites the island of
Enoshima with the mainland. At this very moment long files
of pilgrims are crossing over it Preferring our boat, we pass

272 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
this narrow arm of the sea, double a littie promontoty, and
disembark, an hour later, not far from the village of Sakanoshlta.
Here we are within the limits of the treaty. This district, one
of the most picturesque of the province of Niphon, is weU
known to the residents of Yokohama. We are to visit three
celebrated spots to-day : the Daibutsu, Kamakura, the ancient
capital of the Sioguns, and Kanazawa, renowned for the beauty
of its site and gardens.
The colossal bronze statue of Buddha, the Daibutsu, rises
near a little village surrounded by trees. The conception
belonged to the great Siogun, Yoritomo ; but it was only fifty
years after his death, towards the middle of the thirteenth
centuty, that this splendid monument was placed in the spot
where It is still seen. The face of the god breathes perfect
quiet, and an ineffable sweetness. One asks oneself how it is
possible to produce so much effect by such simple means.
This great work Is an ineslstlble proof of the perfection to
which the founder's art had attained at so distant a period.
The pedestal is four feet high, the statue fifty ; the circumference
of the head is thirty-two feet, the nose alone four feet
The air being deliciously fresh and the path shady, vve
continued on foot across rice-fields and meadows, passing by
the isolated tea-house, where two Englishmen, Major Baldwin
and Lieutenant Bird, were massacred by a bonze and a samurai
with two swords. The yakunins who escorted the travellers
either had not the time or the inclination to rush to their rescue.
Here we came Into the long and beautiful avenue which leads to
Kamakura, now only a small village, but formerly the flourish
ing residence of the Sioguns. This magnificent avenue is the
sole indication that this spot, now covered with fields and
woods, was once the second capital of the empire. Incendiary
fires seem to have utterly destroyed it. Its min, however,
made the fortune of Yedo. The principal interest attached to
this deserted place is due to the great temple of Hachiman,
founded by the Siogun, Yoritomo, towards the end of the
twelfth centuty.
Yoritomo, and four centuries after him, Taiko Sama, are the
two prominent figures in Japanese annals. Their praise Is in
every history, and popular legends have transmitted their re
membrance from generation to generation. But if Yoritomo

///. IIAKO.\E. 273
foimded the temple of Kamakura, it does r,oL follow that the
magnificent constructions which were still standing three months
ago were of so ancient a date. Is It possible for wooden
buildings to resist the inclemency of the seasons for seven
centuries? This Is, at least, doubtful. But besides, the most
beautiful sanctuaries, those that were dedicated to Buddha, mr
now lying on the ground. The government of the day ordei ec
their demolition. Only those buildings consecrated to the state
religion have been sjiared. We saw heaps of broken columns
lying pell-mell, with pillars richly sculptured, lacquered, andgOt,
Buddhist idols mutilated, candelabras In pieces ; — one may
fancy the despair of the population ! The historian and the
lover of art deplore the destruction of such precious antiquities ;
the Christian wishes to see the images of the false gods super
seded not by the mirror but by the Cross ; politicians shrug
their shoulders ; while philosophers smile and say there Is no
thing new under the sun.
We continue our journey by a hollow road, shaded by
magnificent firs. After having crossed a gorge, the path widens
down to the shores of an inland bay, full of scattered islets,
and surrounded by low hills. In front of us is the town of
Kanazawa. There a specimen of true Japanese civility awaited
us. A young lady belonging to one of the great famUies of
Yedo, the chief of whom Is an intimate friend of my fellow-
traveller's, is taking sea-baths here. Hardly had she been
informed of our arrival than she announced her intention of
paying him a visit, and very soon after appeared, escorted by
her old doctor. She was a very beautiful woman of about
eighteen, a native of Kiyoto, as fair as any European, though
rather pale, for she is not weU, and dressed with that simple
elegance which distinguishes ladles of high rank all over the
world. Her manners are graceful, modest, and gracious. She
makes her prostration and the grent kow-tow, that Is, she touches
the mat with her beautiful forehead. After having remained on
her knees for a few moments, her arms leaning on the ground
and her hands turned inwards, she gets up, bending her knees
and leaning her hands upon them ; at last she squats down on
her heels, and, the above necessary compliments being ended,
she begins to talk. My friend, as a gentleman who knows
what good manners are, passes in his turn through all the
t

274 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
phases of this ceremonial. I admire his courage and his un
constrained action : only, how to keep one's countenance !
But let him laugh best who laughs last. AU of a sudden, the
young Japanese lady rose, looked at me with the sweetest
smile, and directly made me a great prostration and all the rest
To respond to these civilities, I am compelled to follow the
example of my companion, and perform, in my turn, all these
evolutions. The lady and her doctor, who are far too civil to
laugh at my awkwardness, resume the conversation — a some
what commonplace one, it Is true, but mingled with kind words,
and amiable speeches and meny little laughs. No sooner had
she gone back to her own apartments than she sent us some
baskets filled with beautiful fruits and evety kind of sweet
thing. The distance from Enoshima to Kanazawa is five ris, or
twelve and a half miles.
September i. — At six o'clock we were off. At the veiy
moment wc were getting into our cangos we perceived our
charming neighbour, who, followed by her doctor, came to
wish us good-bye. She only wore a thin sUk tunic : her little
bare feet were shod with wooden sandals, and she had not had
the time to have her hair done ; but this neglige suited her to
perfection. We are nearly at the end of our expedition. After five hours
spent In exclamations of enthusiasm at the extreme beauty of
the scenery and in groans at the torture which we endured
from the speed of our cango-bearers, we were landed safely at
the door of the great " Intemational Hotel " of Yokohama just
as the clock struck twelve.
The distance from Kanazawa is five ris, or twelve and a
half miles.

CHAPTER IV,
YEDO.— FROM THE 26th TO THE 28lh JUL Y; FROM THE i8th
TO THE 22nd AUGUST: FROM THE 3rd TO THE 13th SEPTM
BER; AND FROM THE 14th TO THE i8ih OF SEPTEMBER.
General aspect. — The Neighbourhood. — Visit to Sawa, the Foreign Minister.
— German School. — The Shiba and its Art Treasures. — Evident but in
explicable influence of Italian Taste. — Conversation with Iwakura, the
new Minister. — His plans of Reform. — Shops. — Silks and Curiosities,—
The Temple of Meguro. — Saigo. — The Sanctuaries of Ikegami. — The
Forty-seven Ronins. — Feast at Sawa's. — -The Palace of Hamogoten, —
Dinner at Iwakura's. — The Prime Minister Sanjo. — At the Temple of
Asakusa. — Dramatic Art. — A Japanese Vaudeville. — Lay Figures. —
Yedo at night. — A Dinner at the Restaurant Yaozen. — Audience ot
the Mikado. — The English Legation. — Departure.
yuly 26 to 28.- — My first visit was consecrated to a general
study of the great and mysterious capital of Japan. Open to
strangers only during the last two or three years. It had been
previously visited by the two ambassadors, Lord Elgin and
Baron Gros, and more recently by travellers and residents at
Yokohama. The foreign legations have made it their tem
porary residence. Of the different descriptions vvhich have
been -written and published (and to which I do not wish to add
another), the one addressed by M. Richard Lindau, in De
cember, 1864, to the Asiatic Society of London, North China
Branch, is the most known, the most celebrated, and the best
I have read. Necessarily, there are some things wanting ; as
at that time a good many of the temples, and among the rest,
the tombs^f the Sioguns, the pearl and triumph of Japanese
art, were still inaccessible. The merit of the German author
is not less real ; and aU the more because it was far more
difficult then than nov; to go about in the streets of Yedo.
T 2

276 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
These are the notes which I have taken on the spot'
Imagine an undulating plain, bathed to the south by the waters
of a great gulf, bounded to the north and east by a fine large
river, and crossed towards the south, parallel to the sea, by
a chain of low hills. In the centre of this plain, but perhaps
a little nearer to the sea, rises a circular eminence three or four
miles in circumference. To the north-east another row of hills
rises from the great river and stretches away towards the west.
This Is the lay of the ground occupied by the Japanese capital.
The river is the Sumidagawa. On the eminence rises the
ancient castle of the Sioguns, which has become of late years
the residence of the Mikado. That wooded hill to the north
east of the castle is Ueno, which contains the temple and
ancient monuments of the former masters of Yedo. The
other hill, towards the south, is the celebrated Shiba, with its
magnificent tombs of other Sioguns. Between the heights and
round the low cone on which stands the imperial castle, lies
the town. Its limits are : to the north, the Sumidagawa, which,
after making a deep bend, throws itself into the sea; to the
east, uneven but cultivated ground ; to the south, the gulf : and
to the west, little valleys covered with pines, bamboos, and
nce-fields, which come up to the gates of the city. To
the east of the river Is the great suburb of Hondjo. At the
south-western extremity of the town is the large village of
Shinagawa, which is only a continuation of the suburb of
Tanagawa. Yedo is divided into four parts: Jiro, Soto-Jiro,
Midzl, and Hondjo.
Jiro is the imperial castle ; only the walls are visible. Trees,
three centuries old, planted by the great Taiko-Sama (In 1598),
'hide from profane eyes a spot now inhabited by the son of the
gods. Green turt", which always looks fresh and bright, covers
the sides of the mount ; a large wide ditch, at this moment full
of gigantic lotus-flowers, mns all round it. No mortal man,
save the people about the court and the great dignitaries of
the state, may penetrate into those sacred precincts. Foreign
ministers are only admitted on the rare occasions when
tliey seek an audience of the emperor. •
Around Jiro lies Soto-JIro. It contains fht yashkis ; that is,
' I give them to my reader to refresh his recollections ; but, I repeat, I
have no intention or pretensian to write a full description of this town.

/f. YEDO, 277
the palaces of the great personages about the court, the minis
ters of state, and the daimios, who, in the days of the Sioguns,
were compelled to reside at "Yedo for six months in the year.
Since the fall of their master they live mostiy in retirement on
their estates. A large canal, forming an irregular circle, is the
limit of this part of the town. It Is only towards the east that
it extends to the banks of the Sumidagawa. This part of Soto-
Jiro is crossed by wide streets and by a number of smaller ones
running out of the larger arteries. This is the commercial
quarter, rightiy called by the English the " City." From the
beauty and elegance of its shops, and from the gay and busy
crowd which fills its streets from morning till night, it forms
a marked contrast with the rectangular blocks of the palaces,
the greater portion of which are now shut up, and with the
silence and solitude of the aristocratic quarter. To the north,
west and south of Soto-JIro extends the Midzi, or the town,
properly so called. Several high-arched bridges connect this
quarter with Soto-Jiro. The most celebrated is the Niphon-
bashi, the Bridge of Japan, so called because it leads to the
great imperial road which traverses the island of Niphon from
its southern extremity in front of the Island of Kluchiu, to the
northern point opposite Hakodate, in the island of Yesso. In
the interior of the town this road bears the name of 0-dori
(great street) ; outside, that is from Yedo to Nagasaki, it is
called Tokaido (road to the west) ; while the northern branch
of it, from the capital to Hakodate, is known by the appella
tion of Oshiu-kaido (northern road). The Tokaido, be it said
in passing, is generally well kept, and from Yedo to the banks
of tiie river Odawara It is even practicable for carriages ; but in
the mountains it comes to be nothing but a path, and across
the rocks, to steps cut in the stone, which make it almost
impracticable for horses.
Niphon-bashI is the geographical centre of the empire. In
the official itineraries it is from thence that the distances are
counted to all the Japanese towns. To this spot the melancholy
recollections are attached of the murder of M. Heusken, the
secretary of the United States legation. The Midzi is a mixture
of frequented and deserted streets, of gardens and rice fields,
parks and temples, of which the finest are Asakusa to the
north-east, and Shiba to the south-west O-dorl, and the other

278 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
streets paraUel to the sea, the quarter which one crosses behind
the Shiba to anive from the suburb of Takanawa to the castie,
and the approaches to Asakusa, are the most lively partsof the
Midzi. In other portions you might fancy yourself in the
countty. On the side of Meguro, to the north of Takanawa,
the town loses itself in thickets and rice-fields. To the south,
on the sea-shore, at a short distance from the mouth of the
great river, a new quarter has been built within the last two
years, called Tsukiji (or the place of strangers), surrounded by
canals, and without trees or gardens. It is a most melancholy
site. There, however, the " Great Hotel " has been built, in
imitation of an American caravanserai ; the houses of the
consuls, and of a few other foreigners ; and last, not least, a
French restauratit, which has dignified its paltry shed with the
grand-sounding title of " Hotel de France." As yet there are
no women there. At a short distance to the south-west of
Tsukiji is the imperial country palace, with a beautiful park,
bathed by the waters of the Lake of Hamagotdn. To the
north of the Midzi is the famous Yoshiwara, the quarter ofthe
courtesans. Everyone has read lying and exaggerated descrip
tions of this establishment, which is partiy founded and over
looked by the government It is asserted that, according to
the ideas of this country, this horrible trade is not looked upon
as disgraceful ; that daughters of good families are placed there
by their parents, and that honourable men do not hesitate to
choose their wives among them. Persons living at Yedo, and
whose witness cannot for a moment be called in question, have
assured me that all this is absolutely false. It may happen in
Japan, as in other countries, that a man, yielding to his passion,
will marry one of those poor creatures; but there, as elsewhere,
these unhappy girls are considered lost and dishonoured ; and
these places of prostitution are hot-beds of vice, misety, disease,
and often of suicide. An official man who should be known
publicly to frequent them, would be dismissed the service and
degraded without mercy.
On the left bank of the Sumidagawa stretches the great
suburb of Hondjo, In this neighbourhood there are a great
quantity of tea-houses and what are called hatagoya, literally
" houses of rest ; " but In reality, bad houses, frequented mainly
by students. Further on are the great government storehouses,

/ V. YEDO. 27.)
and several palaces belonging to the daimios. A fine quay
runs along the river's edge. To the north live the etas (or
cursed race), the pariahs of Japan.
Such is the general look of Yedo. As to the principal
features of which this strange picture is composed, which
unrolls itself as a new world before evety fresh visitor, I have
reckoned four which repeat themselves ad irfinitum; the
temples ; the yashkis, or residences of the daimios : the houses
of the middle classes; and the incombustible warehouses or
safety-places. In the temples, the Buddhist character is the most often met
with. Yedo Is essentially a Siogun town. It Is they who trans
formed it into a capital, and the Sioguns have all along practised
and protected Buddhism.
The yashkis are only palaces in name. They are simply
groups of houses of one stoty each, without any pretensions to
architecture, whitewashed, and their windows fitted with black
wood gratings. These buildings serve as an outer wall and
living-rooms for the servants and suite of the master. Always
low and rectangular, they look like warehouses or barracks.
The roof is covered with black tiles, bordered with white.
Black and white are the two colours of Soto-Jiro.'
The houses of the middle class, have, like all simUIar buildings
in Japan, enormously heavy roofs resting on pillars. They are
completely open towards the street and the court During the
night they are closed with panels which move on slides like the
scenes of a theatre. If there be any partitions, they are simply
frames on which are stretched little squares of white paper.
In walking along the streets, the eye takes in all the detaUs of
the interior of these houses. Domestic life is entirely open to
the inquisitive passers-by. There is nothing to hide ; two or
three women, naked, at this season, down to the waist, are
busy with housework, cooking, &c, ; the men, entirely naked,
saving ihs fundoshi or strip of linen round the loins, are lying
on the floor, smoking their pipes ; children are playing in the
half light A fire is burning in one corner ; in the other, are
the petiates of the house on a Httle altar, with a lamp, some
flowers, and littie bits of paper fastened to small sticks- On
" I shall speak of the interior of these yashkis when describing my visits
to certain great personages.

28o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
a square tray are some little cups for tea, which is ready to be
served at all hours of the day and night No other furniture,
only a beautiful matting. Everything is of the most extreme
cleanliness. If it be a shop, the upper stoty has a wooden
grating and a balcony, which ordinarily serves as a store-room.
Last, not least, are the incombustible warehouses, which are
a kind of wooden tower covered with a coat of cement-like
stucco and painted black. The windows are very small, and
are closed vrith massive Iron shutters. They are houses of
refuge in case of fire or typhoons. Everything of value is
hastily placed here, and then the owners make their escape,
learing the winds and the flames to do their worst. These are
the four great features of the town of Yedo. Fancy temples
rising In all directions : yashkis clustered round the royal castle,
scattered here and there in the Hondjo, but vety rarely seen in
other parts of the town : little houses all alike and in the
mercantile quarter of Soto-Jiro, flanked by those round black
towers— imagine all this, as I said before, and to complete the
picture, fancy the streets, which, from the houses being so low,
look wider than they are, and which are filled with men and
women of the middle and lower classes (for ladies of rank rarely
show), a multitude of chUdren, a fearful number of blind people,
and streams of tiorimons, cangos, and jinrikishas, and you will
have a good idea of Yedo. The norimons and cangos replace
the palanquins. The first are closed baskets ; the second open
ones, hung on great bamboos resting on the shoulders of
the coolies. The jitirikis hit only came into existence a year or
two ago; but there are already more than 20,000 in Yedo.
It is a kind of carriage on two wheels, prettUy lacquered,
covered with a white hood, and drawn by a man. Its inventor
has made his fortune. The word means, " a carriage moved by
human strength." ' A coolie goes at a little trot, and makes
three or four miles an hour. If you wish to make use of one
of these carriages, and you want to avoid coming into contact
with this useful being, who combines the functions of coachman
and horse, keep tight on your seat and draw your legs and feet
well under you. Prepare yourself also for various little incidents
which happen very frequently : a wheel which comes off ; the
seat which sinks down ; the head, which remains hanging on the
' Jin, man ; rilii, strength; sha, a corruption of the English word, car.

IV. YEDO, 25 1
front of a shop. Now imagine a file of these droll conveyances
full of women, bonzes, singers, dancers (these last always
recognizable from the exaggeration of their head-dress). In a
word, Japanese exactly like the pictures you have seen a thousand
times painted on vases, screens, or rice-paper, and you will be
able, without any great effort of Imagination, to form a just Idea of
this great " capital of the East." In the richer quarters, where
the thieves are attracted by the hope of gain, there are, besides,
a number of little sentry-boxes and sentries, with wicket gates,
which, being shut at nightfall, prevent honest men from going
about freely, but do not hinder the sharpers. As a shade to
this brilliant picture, we must not forget the manure-bearers.
Tum your head and walk quickly, but you will not altogether
escape the horrible odours which are emitted by these filthy
streams. But, saving this, there is no great town in Asia, and
vety few even in Europe, which on the score of cleanliness can
be compared to Yedo.
It has also a look of prosperity and gaiety which is pleasant
to see. There are always some quarters where they are
celebrating the feast of some god. Bamboos ornamented -with
artificial flowers, and greasy poles, are raised before the temples ;
bonzes crowd round them ; honest shopkeepers stand at their
doors to see the processions pass. It is an excellent pretext for
idleness that day ; but rice is plentiful ; people are satisfied with
little ; and in Japan, there is neither riches nor poverty. They
keep a middle line. It is the happiest lot, and, unless appearances
deceive me, it is the condition of most of the people in this
town. I have seen very few beggars. There are a few on the
Tokaido and here and there in Yedo. But those I saw seemed
more to be plying a trade than to be very miserable ; and they
do not bother one as in some countries. In the tea-houses,
children are sometimes trained to beg, and taught to roll their
big, shaved heads, and do clever tricks with their Httle hands,
while they sing the praises of the passers-by ; but these were
inesistibly comic. Poverty takes the shape of caricature. In
Europe the professional beggar tries to move you to compas
sion ; here he makes you laugh.
Their lamentations fall on a deaf ear, for you know they are
put on. But the buffoonery cf the poor Japanese first moves
your spleen, and then by a natural reaction, your heart. The

232 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
idea is not a bad one ; it is, at any rate, a practical, and I would
almost add, a profound one.
I have vainly hunted for some culminating spot from whence
one could look down on this immense town as a whole. The
lay of the ground and the absence of high towers prevent your
seeing anything but a small portion of it at one time. From the
roof of the great hotel at the Tsukiji, one sees a huge triangle
crowned by the castle. To tiie north and south-east, the horizon
is limited by the Ueno and the Shiba. Further to the south,
you see the forts, run up in haste (in 1854) to resist the approach
of the American fleet ; beyond, the promontory of Kanagawa
and the waters of the Gulf. Further on, the outlines are almost
inperceptible, earth, sea, and sky being mingled together. In
the Soto-Jiro quarter, near the castle, there is another Httle hill,
on which is a poorish kind of tea-house. From thence you see
the same part of the town in a contrary sense. Look now ;
from north, to south, to the right, the view is Hmited by one of
the palace gates and by a clump of large trees ; to the left, by
the heights of Ueno ; but before you, that is, at your feet, a
wonderful panorama is unrolled, which is striking, not for its
beauty so much as for its strangeness and size.
I should be puzzled to describe the impression this view made
upon me ; but here is an analysis : an immense green carpet,
with white and grey lines scattered here and there and following
the laws of perspective, accumulating towards the edge. There
is neither beginning nor end. You know without seeing it that
behind Ueno to your left, and behind the castle to your right,
there is a mass of houses, trees, gardens, and fields. Before
you, there is the same thing ; nothing that fixes the eye. If,
here and there, you see a heavier roof, a little higher than the
rest, why, you know It is a temple. Then you perhaps discover
the poles on which the government decrees are posted up,
especially those which punish all those who dare to profess the
Christian religion. The little black towers of the warehouses
are not high enough to be distinguishable. The solitaty buildings
which rise above the ordinary level of the scene, are the hotel,
and the customhouse, buUt for the government by an English
engineer. Saving these two heterogeneous objects, the disagree
able effect of which is mitigated by distance, nothing impairs the
character of this strange panorama. Add to this, the profound

IV. YEDO. 283
silence which reigns above the town. The cries of the bearers and
beitos do not reach so far. The sound ot the temple gongs is
equally duUed. As to birds, there are none, I think. Sometimes a
eeble confused murmur reaches one's ear; but so unlike what
one generally hears from a great city, that it only deepens the
strange, mysterious, indefinable impression of the whole scene.
To the north-east of the castle is another spot, noted for Its
beauty and for the view It affords of a different side of Yedo.
These are the heights of Atangoyama. Two stone staircases
lead up to them. Magnificent cryptomerias crown the summit,
and shade a picturesque tea-house. Go there towards sunset
The western portion of the Midzi quarter stretches towards-the
south. Look then on the opposite side, and you will see a
mass of little hills intermingled with valleys, covered with grass,
fine trees, and rice-fields, the whole of the most brilliant green.
It is a charming contrast, which must strike the eye and the
imagination of the beholder. Here, a huge capital — there, a
scene of Alpine beauty ; but both one and the other are Yedo.'
One must not come here without visiting Oji. It is a place
for pleasure-parties, just outside the town. We do like evety
one else, and, like everyone else, we are quite delighted. Here
you find beautiful green hills, old cryptomerias, limpid streams,
shade, water, freshness. Charmingly pretty and graceful young
girls, who smile on you and bring you tea, tobacco, and lay
cut in pieces, cluster round you, give you a lesson in the way
of managing your chopsticks ; and having waited till you have
finished your meal, bring you a little stool, prettily sculptured and
lacquered, after having carefully covered its cushion with a
fresh sheet of paper. This is your pillow. You stretch your
self on your mat ; and the tiesati having discreetly retired, and
pushed together the paper partition of your apartment, you
take your siesta, softly fanned by the breeze which flows
from a little gorge, plays with the tiny cascade, skims over
' I omit statistics, because those that I have seen in dilTerent books do not
inspire me with much confidence I would only say that the ground on
which Yedo stands is (supposed to be) thirty-six square miles, of which
sixteen miles only are covered with houses, and the rest with parks, gardens,
and rice-fields. As to the population there is the same doubt. Some say
two millions ; others a million and a half. Since the fall of the Sioguns,
and the departure of the daimios and their servants, people say that tha
population has fallen to eight hundred thousand.

284 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the big lotus-leaves, and finally comes to caress and cool your
burning cheeks. AU this is delicious; but it has been vety
often described. As for the nesans, they are only female waiters
in an Inn, it is trae, but they are dressed like ladles, and have
acquired their habits and language. People will say that this
is too -favourable an opinion. But contrary ones are only
founded on suppositions and perhaps calumnies, which have
no interest but for those who like to dive into disagreeable
mysteries. At twenty minutes', distance from Oji are the tea-field.s. I
have forgotten to mark down the exact name of the spot near
thMn. A powerful stream falls from a high rock. Above its
foaming waters some old pines form a kind of dome. There,
both men and women come to take douches. Alongside,
Japanese genius, which is essentially turned towards making
playthings, has invented one which has been lately introduced
into Europe. A water-melon, in the shape of a hollow ball,
lacquered with red, is placed on a vertical jet of water, which
comes out of a round osier basin. This ball turns on Itself, and
driven by the force of the water at its base, rises and falls with
the regularity of a machine.
On returning home we passed a row of dwarf cedars, artifi
cially bent and twisted. A young and pretty peasant woman
met us, with one child on her back, and leading another by
the hand. All of a sudden, she uttered a cry of fear and
distress ; her beautiful features became deadly pale. We ran
forward, and saw a large serpent hanging to one of these trees.
Its head and the upper part of its body, which was shiny and
speckled with black, were stretched out towards the poor
mother, who, trembling and fascinated, -B'as incapable of
taking flight. Our guards bowed respectfully towards the
reptile, who did not seem to me the least scared by the advent
of so many men. They took care, in fact, not to molest it,
for the serpent is sacred. Dragons sometimes assume this
shape ; and the gods, as everyone knows, like to disguise
themselves under the form of dragons. To kill a serpent,
therefore, would be to expose oneself to commit a fearful act
of sacrUege.
August 1 8. — I have accepted the kind hospitality of Mr.
Adams, and it is with joy that, on returning from my different

IV, YEDO. 285
excursions, I come back to the British legation at Yedo. On
my arrival this moming I found the judge of the English
community of Japan, Mr. Hannen, with his charming wife.
several other members of the mission, and Dr. Wheeler.
AVhat a contrast between this comfortable and well-ordered
home, with Its well-educated and agreeable society, and the
ciowd of unknown foreigners whom I had left at the hotel of
Yokohama ! •
August 19 — To-day I took a long walk in the neighbour
hood. It was just like an English park, saving for the peculiar
vegetation of Japan. There is another speciality : you go out
of the hotel of the legation, which is situated In a very gay
street ; you descend a little alley which by degrees takes the
look of a village. A few steps further on and you find your
self in the midst of a complete solitude. Go on a little
further, and there you are come back into a town. But even
in the most frequented streets you hear very little noise ; there
is no pavement, no carriages, hardly any horses. The straw
sandals of the foot passengers deaden the sound of their steps.
There is rarely a crowd, but even if there be one, each glides
on softly. The people are not taciturn— far from it, they
chatter all day long ; but you hear more laughs than words.
August 20. — It Is Sunday. In the little European quarter
at Tsukiji there is neither Catholic priest nor Protestant
minister ; neither church nor chapel. On the other hand,
in every part of the town where public edicts are posted
up, one may read the decrees forbidding to the Japanese the
exercise of the Christian religion. The members of the
present government, in spite of their reforming and civilizing
tendencies, have, they tell me, retained their hatred of
Christianity, and especially of the Catholic faith. The free
exercise of their religion is guaranteed to foreign residents In
treaty-ports ; but is it the same in Yedo and Osaka? Pending
this question, Mgr. Petitjean, the Vicar Apostolic of Japan,
has done wisely, I think, not to provoke hostihties by opening
a chapel at Tsukiji, and to reserve Its solution for the time of
the revision of the treaties, which cannot be far distant
I passed this afternoon with Sawa Nabuyoshi, the first
Foreign Minister. Although not above fifty, he looks like an
old man; in Japan one lives last His face is a pleasant one,

286 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
frank, and open, somewhat sarcastic when he Is joking, but
full of that good humour which wins you at first sight He
and his son, a fine young fellow, are simply dressed in a silk
tunic. Both are distinguished by high-bred manners and
exquisite politeness. The room In which we are sitting, with
the exception of a table and some chairs placed for the use of
foreign diplomats, is entirely without furniture. In a niche Is
a fine Boheqaian glass vase, a souvenir of the visit of our mission.
By the order of his father, the young man brings and puts on
the gala dresses of his mother, laughing heartily all the time ;
he also shows us some beautiful embroidered stuffs in silk and
gold. Sawa is a man of letters, and told us many interesting
things on the manners, history, and antiquities of his country.
Trusting to the scientific turn of his mind, I pleaded for
permission to visit Kiyoto (Miako). "What do you want to
do at Kiyoto? " he asked me with an embarrassed air. " It is
an old town which has been very much neglected since the
Mikado took up his residence here, and it has been partiy
destroyed by recent fires. If you go there, other Europeans will
wish to do the same. The people at Kiyoto are bad ; some
accident might happen to you. Don't go. Besides, recollect
that the fire has destroyed almost all the fine new buildings."
" I am surprised," I replied, " to hear you speak thus. It
is not to see the new buildings that I want to go there ; it is
to see and admire the most ancient and beautiful temples in
the empire. You who are so great a connoisseur In architecture,
can you deny that Kiyoto is the most interesting and the
oldest town in Japan ? "
This observation struck home. The minister replied, smiling,
" You are right. Let me have a little time to think. I will
try and find some arguments which will Influence the council
to give their consent."
Sawa is a man of intelligence, and very clear-sighted : he
wishes for reforms and likes progress ; though he Is too wise to
approve of the race which Is now the order of the day among
the higher powers. Still the idea of a European penetrating
into the holy city does not please him ; and to obtain the con
sent of his colleagues will require all his oratorical persuasion.
So strongly is the idea of the exclusion of strangers engrained
n men's minds 1 This does not prevent the government from

IV. YEDO, 287
favouring European journeys, the adoption of our costumes
and habits, and the study of foreign languages. They have
just established a German School.
I went to visit it one day. There were about a dozen young
men and boys repeating In chorus the foUowing sentence : —
" The poor man wants to become like the rich man." " The
rich man does not want to become poor." They were con
tinually making mistakes and saying, " The rich man wants to
become poor." The teacher, the type of a German school
master, cried out In severe toies : " Amarisen, amarisen "
(" not that, not that ! ") And then the scholars, after a mo
ment's hesitation, began again In chorus: — " The-poor-man-
does-not-want-to-become-like-the-rlch-man." A fresh explosion
of wrath from the master. The word rich (" reech ") was the
stone of stumbling to them all. Nothing was more comical
than to see the eft'orts of these little throats to overcome this
difficulty ! These boys will perhaps forget their German —
probably they will never learn it ; but the moral maxim incul
cated, which is certainly not that of the gospel, that riches are
worth more than poverty, will remain engraven on their minds.
August 21. — I have passed the greater part of the day at
Shiba. It is my third visit
Shiba contains the tombs of a great number of Sioguns,
besides several temples and richly-endowed convents. Now,
the guardians of these sanctuaries, the bonzes, are in part ex
propriated. They have been given a little money and the
advice to marry, which is contrary to their vows. The se
questered convents have been turned into banacks. This Is
the most recent change, but will probably not be the last.
There are voices in the ministerial council which demand the
formal abolition of Buddhism, the suppression of all the
Llaitiaseries, and the demolition of the Shiba and Kiyoto
temples, which are the most beautiful specimens of Japanese
art' At this moment they exist in all their magic splendour.
' The fears on this head conceived by the Buddhists and by the Europeans
of Yokohama who care for works of art, have been but too well justifieS.
In Tune 1872 we hear from Japan that the government had decided to pull
down all the Shiba temples. The Yokohama papers protest energeticallj
against this act of civilized Vandalism.

288 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
In the midst of the court is the great temple, and at the side
the roof-covered stage which seems to be an essential feature
in every sanctuaty which includes the two kinds of worship.
A square and graceful tower of several stories rises out of a
group of fine old trees. There is nothing in the constmction
of these buildings which differs from other Buddhist temples,
save the wonderful perfection of the sculptures, the richness of
the details, and the profusion of gilding. The undefinable
harmony of the colours makes one forget the barbarism of the
architecture and the grotesqueness of the statues. Certainly
they are the divinities of the spot ; but it breathes also a courtly
atmosphere. Involuntarily one thinks of Louis XIV.'s chapel
at Versailles.
The real treasures of Shiba, however, are the tombs. Sepa
rated from one another by a wall, they are built all along an
avenue shaded by different species of pines. The age of these
trees is not quite certain ; but it is supposed to be towards
the end of the sixteenth centuty that Taiko-Sama had them
planted. The oldest tombs go back to the first half of the seventeenth
century. I have visited them all, and compared them with a
great deal of care. From this examination I thought I could
trace a gradual decay of the fine arts. "But I abstain from
forming a judgment until I have seen the great temples and
the castle of Kiyoto, which are equally the work of Taiko-Sama.
The mausoleums of Shiba are composed of three distinct
elements : the outer court, the sanctuary or temple, properly
so called, and behind the temple the tomb. The court is
separated from the great avenue by a wall, which, inside, forms
a covered gallery. Beautiful open-worked sculptures in high
relief serve as gratings to the windows of the inclosure. They
represent peacocks, pheasants flying in the clouds, and aquatic
birds swimming in the ponds. The sculptor brings out the
action of the birds in the most wonderful manner. The bril
liancy of the colouring and of the glldlng'^ adds to the mar
vellous effect of these chefs-d'osuvre of art, where the feeling of
i>ature is controlled by the symbol c and ideal character of the
subject. In the court, there is a double row of lanterns sculptured in
stone, as one sees in all the temples, and in a great many

IV. YEDO. 289
public and private gardens. At each step one is dazzled by
the richness of the material, the prodigality of the ornaments,
the exquisite finish of the detaUs, and the solemn magnificence
of the whole.
In front of the entrance is the actual temple. Here e\cry-
thing speaks of the greatness of the defunct potentate, of his
power, his riches and his mystical faith. On both sides of the
door stand the Idols, the invariable ornaments of Buddhist
temples. One, with angry features, and a face painted bright
red, is supposed to exhort you to behave properly. Another,
whose face is green, bids you welcome. If this explanation,
which was given me by a bonze, be not exact, the learned mu't
correct me. A richly-carved door, ornamented with beautiful
bronzes, led into the interior. When we entered, the Hght was
waning, and darkness shrouded the space. But by and by the
eye began to take in the details, and we saw the richly-gilded
ornaments of the beams, the sculptured ledges and friezes, and,
behind an altar loaded with flowers, vases, and lights, the great
god, Buddha, the symbol of supreme insensibility, of absolute
and eternal quiet. "Grato m'fe il sonno e I'esser di sasso.''
Chandeliers, hung from the roof, sunounded the altar ; mats
of the finest and most marvellous quality covered the floor,
which was lacquered with reddish-brown at the edges.
A taste for the grotesque, and a search after the beautiful,
refinement and perfection in technical art, fecundity of imagi
nation, and a delicate feeHng for nature, each and all restrained
by the exigencies of Indian theogony and the holiness of the
spot : — these are the characteristics of the marvels scattered in
profusion over the last abode of the Sioguns. One thing
puzzled me vety much : it was the unmistakable and evident
stamp of Italian baroque taste which was shown in some of the
sculptures. As long as they deal with sacred subjects they
follow tradition ; but as soon as they pass to birds, flowers,
clouds, or waves, they leave the old tracks, take a freer range,
and produce works which might have come out of the studios
of Bonomini or Bernini Let any one who can, explain this
strange fact ! Behind the temple is the tomb. It is a
variegated column, surrounded by a double circular balustrade u

290 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
in sculptured stone. You go up to it by steps. The effect of the
whole is simple, grand, and barbaric. The venerable trees of
Taiko-Sama form the framework. The monotonous notes of the
grasshoppers do not cease for a moment : they add to the wild,
sad, strange, and solitary character of this essehtlally heroic spot.
September 3. — During our excursion to Hakone, the Reform
Government has not stood still. It has by a simple stroke of
the pen abolished the hans. One knows that the Japanese
towns are divided into three categories : the fits, of which there
are only three, Kiyoto (Miako), till the year before last the
residence of the Mikado ; Yedo, until the fall of the Sioguns
their capital and residence ; and last, not least, Osaka, the
pearl of Japanese towns, and the great emporium of the
commerce of the interior. The other towns are either what is
called hans, that is, feoffs of the daimios, who are the hereditary
princes of the country ; or else ketis, that is, towns placed
directly under the authority either of the Mikado or the Siogun.
The edict by which the minister of the interior has suppressed
the authority of the feudal lords is an act of most important
bearing on the future of Japan, Inasmuch as it destroys a
system of which the origin is lost In the night of time. It
inaugurates one of the most radical social and political revo
lutions possible. At present, it is true, it only exists on paper,
and in Japan, more than anywhere else, there is a long way
from a decree to Its execution. Not to offend the daimios too
seriously, they have left them, instead of their feudal rights, the
administration of their ancient feoffs, with the title of governor
or delegate of the Mikado.' Among the Cabinet Ministers
also a change has been made. Among others, our old friend,
Sawa, has been relieved from his functions as Minister of
Foreign Affairs. This " grand seigneur " of the old school, a
friend and protector of the fine arts, and himself a very good
artist, renowned especially for being well versed in the histoty
and antiquities of his country, bears his disgrace with ease and
dignity. He came to-day with his son to dine at the Legation.
He was very gay, laughed heartily, and said, in speaking of his
retirement, " Vety well, I shall go back to my books."
' A few days later, this concession was revoked, and the government was
withdrawn from the princes to be bestowed on functionaries named by the
Government.

IV. YEDO. 291
September 4. — Iwakura Tomomi, who has just replaced Sawa
at the head of the Department for Foreign Affairs, came to-day
to be presented in his new capacity to the Legation. The
visit, according .to the custom of the country, lasted some
hours. I could, therefore, on this occasion, make the acquain
tance of a personage who exercises so great an Influence over
the destinies of Japan. Iwakura, although belonging to the
class of huge, that is, the highest and oldest nobility about the
court, had lived at Kiyoto In voluntaty obscurity. The revolu
tion of 1868 brought him forward. Ever since that time he
has played a great part, and to-day he passes for being the
most Important man In the empire. He told me he was forty-
eight years old. In Japan, as in China, the question of age Is
the first which well-educated people address to one another.
His face has nothing very remarkable about it, unless it be the
vivacity of his eyes when he speaks, and a rather sarcastic
expression about the mouth. His speech is short and rather
dry : his manners are those of a man of the great world, simple,
easy, and natural.' A conversation which was anything but
common-place, gave me the opportunity of drawing from the
highest source some curious Information on the origin, nature,
and bearing of the great reform which Iwakura and his friends
have just inaugurated.''
I first talked to him about my great wish to see Kiyoto," the
capital of the east, the holy town specially closed to strangers.
When the English minister, Sir Rutherford.Alcock, crossed Niphon
from Osaka to Yedo, he was entreated not to enter Kiyoto —
and he never saw it Baron Richtofen, who has travelled so
much in the interior, was not more fortunate ; and when, three
years ago, the ministers of England, France, the United States,
and the Low Countries, went there by the special invitation
of tiie Mikado, the presence of these diplomats was sadly
' Since I was in Japan, Iwakura conceived the idea of an embassy to the
United States and to the gieat Courts of Europe, of which he was to be
the chief and Kido the second plenipotentiary. During his absence the
direction of affairs was confided to .Sango and Saigo.
^ What Iwakura said to me has since become the avowed programme ot
his Government. He repeated it not only to the members of the diplomatic
corps but to all strangers who approached him, as he evidently wished to give
his words as much publicity as possible. I have therefore no scruple in
giving here a resume of our conversation.
U 2

292 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
signalized by the bloody assault on the person and suite of
Sir Harry Parkes. The Legations returned to Osaka without
having had either the time or opportunity of visiting the prin
cipal monuments of the town. M. de Brants, Secretary of
Legation to the Nortii German Confederation, and some other
members of the diplomatic corps, have recently made one or
two short excursions there ; but except these officials, and a
schoolmaster and an engineer, Avho are both in the Japanese
service, it seems that no European has been allowed to
penetrate into the town. However that may be, no person
has ever yet given a description of it de visit} Only Doctor
Kaempffer, who visited it in the seventeenth century, has, in
his precious Japanese work, given us a few pages about it.
He was the doctor of the Dutch factory at Detsima, and
accompanied one of the embassies which this colony, once in
every four years, was obliged to send to Yedo. During these
voyages, the Dutch delegates were treated as prisoners of
state; they travelled in closed norimons, and did not dare
leave their hotels, where they were watched all through
the night Kiyoto has thus remained an unknown and
mysterious land, which I have the greatest wish to explore.
The old Sawa had almost given his consent ; but he is no
longer in power. I addressed myself, to his successor, who,
already warned of my intention, hastened to promise that he
would try what he could do to get the council to listen to my
proposal. I had also a still more delicate matter to negotiate
with the new minister ; and that was my audience with the
Mikado. As a rule, the son of the gods must be invisible to
mortals. The only exception made is for his servants, and,
since the whites have obtaiped the ports, the foreign ministers.
He has also received the admirals commanding the navil
stations in the eastern seas. Mr. Seward, the old United
States foreign minister, is the only non-official personage who
has ever been presented to the emperor. Nevertheless, thanks
to the powerful, although indirect support of the English
representative, I am to have my audience. We then passed on
' This summer (1872) there was au industrial exposition at Kiyoto.
Certain foreigners were allowed by favour to go there, and the English
papers contained a short description of this Capital of the East, But since
then, Kiyoto has been anew hermetically sealed.

IV. YEDO. 293
to the events of the day, and to the suppression of the feudal
rights, which is the theme of every tongue at this moment.
"The daimios," said Iwakura, "were kept in order by the
Sioguns. Many of them were directly under their dominion.
When the Slogunate was suppressed, they all became entirel)-
independent That was intolerable. It was necessary to
re-establish the power of the Mikado, and that is what vve
have undertaken to do. In three years our task vrill be
accomplished. The hans have been abolished. The daimios
will not even be left as governors in their old dominions. We
shall oblige them to come and live at Yedo with their families.
Able men, no matter of what caste, will be made governors.
The daimios will be employed in the higher Offices oi the
state, but only on condition that they are capable persons.
The Httle clans will be absorbed in the larger ones, and an
army will be formed of the soldiers who, until now, have been
in the pay and under the orders of the daimios alone. Our
adversaries affirm that we are the enemies of the religion ot
the people. That is not true. We have no intention ot
destroying Buddhism. We only wish to purify the temples
which were formerly dedicated to Sintooism. The Sioguns
consecrated them irregularly to Buddha, and established his
worship in them, sometimes simultaneously with, but often to
the exclusion of, Sintooism, which has always been the
official religion, that is, the religion of the Mikado. As to
what regards the taxes, it is true that the peasants belonging to
the daimios were exempt whenever the harvests were bad ; and
that the imperial Government cannot do the same, seeing that
the expenses of administration are alike in good or bad years.
But we wiU tty to diminish the charges which weigh the most
heavily on the raral population, by making the merchants and
labourers share them, as these have hitherto been exempt from
all taxation."
September 5. — I went this morning to visit the principal shops
in Yedo. In the native quarter of Yokohama, goods are made
expressly for the European market Here, on the contraty,
the manufacturers consult only the taste of their fellow-country
men. Nothing can be more interesting than to examine
minutely these thousand and one objects, the very use of which

294 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
escapes your penetration unless enlightened by a resident in
the country. The different members of the Legations have
good-naturedly acted as my guides In turn. It is a real study.
The great variety of utensils forms an inexplicable contrast
to the extreme simplicity, or rather the extreme absence of
furniture in the houses of the rich as well as of the poor.
Almost all their productions attest a Hvely imagination, which
delights in droll conceptions : a great sense of beauty, although
sometimes spoUt by the tendency to caricature ; an evident
desire to produce great effects by small means ; the worship of
inanimate nature purposely exaggerated, and a great latitude
allowed to individual taste, alongside of a profound veneration
for traditional types and routine. Comparing the objects of
art, of which I will speak further on, with the industrial
products, I should say that the artist in this country has a
good deal of the artisan about him, but the artisan is essentially
an artist It was the same in Europe in the middle ages.
The shops where they sell toys excited my greatest admiration.
One asks oneself how it is possible to expend so much wit,
invention, and taste, to amuse children, who are incapable of
appreciating these real chefs-d' xuvre of art ? The answer is
simple enough. It is, that in this country evety one spends
his leisure in playing like chUdren. I have seen three genera
tions — a grandfather, father, and son — absorbed in the operation
of flying a kite. Ladles of high rank, who hardly ever go out
of doors, spend, I am told, whole hours with toys.' At this
moment the fashionable game is the to-sen-kio, or the fan game.^
A little box of light wood is placed on the mat, and on this
box a junk figure, covered with silk, representing a butterfly,
cho. The players, who are generally ladies squatted at a certain
distance, aim and throw their fans in turn, the handle of which
is to carry off the butterfly without upsetting the box. The
losses and gains are regulated by a table setting forth the different
methods by which the butterfly is to be attained. The ladies
of the Mikado, I am told, have brought this game into fashion.
I bought, for a very small sum, a quantity of curious things,
' Some are strange enough, and are seen equally in the hands of children
and on the altars of Xh.&\x penates. One is the symbol of fecundity, -which
means the prosperity of families ; but there is no bad thought involved in it.
' T£ means to strike ; sen is a fan ; tiio a game.

IV. YEDO. 29s
some of which are reaUy wonderful works of art. Among the
rest, some bronzes, paper weights representing different animals,
groups of tortoises, &c. In each there is a vein of the comic.
1 saw similar groups in other shops, and the same ideas, but
never two alike. I'hey will not copy. It is not the same model
produced mechanically, but the same thought. The artisan,
or rather the artist, although imitating nature, introduces his
own idea as well.
I admired, also, the fine, delicate, beautifully clean hands of
the women, who packed up my purchases in soft, silky paper.
We went to see two of the largest silk warehouses. We
went up stairs to the first story, and there found ourselves'In
a vast room full of customers, and among the rest several
ladles of high rank. Every one, men and women, were sitting
on their heels behind a table a foot high, on which the goods
were spread. There were the finest crapes and the heaviest
stuffs, some woven in patterns, some quite plain. The colours
were of an extraordinaty brilliancy. Were It not for their
great price, one would willingly employ some of these stuffs
for curtains and hangings ; they would make, besides, most
beautiful vestments for churches. Here they are converted
into court dresses for both sexes on great occasions.
It must be owned, however, that their silk manufactures are
in thefr decadence, and it is again Europe which is the cause
of it The two great centres for the production of silkworms'
eggs are the provinces of Oshiu and Shidshiu, for which the
towns of Yonesawa, Uyeda, Chosiu, and Shimamura, serve as
depots. The climate is peculiarly favourable to the production
of eggs, which need, above everything, a dry air, and that
condition can only be obtained in Japan on the high levels.
Formerly, the producers of silk in other parts of the empire
always went to seek their eggs in these two provinces. But
since the disease In the Lombardy silkworms brings every year
ItaUan silkgrowers seeking for eggs, these last have attained a
fabulous price. It follows that in the south, and other places
where silk manufactures are carried on, they have ceased to get
their material from those provinces, and that, in spite of their
vety inferior quality, they content themselves with the eggs
which can be produced on the spot'
* The English Government has given great attention to this subject

296 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
After our " tiffin " we took a long and most enjoyable walk on
foot to Meguro, a littie village to the north-west of Yedo, cele
brated for its beautiful temple, surrounded by fine cryptomerias
and by teahouses, and the habitual retidezvous of the smart
world of Yedo. Mr. MItford, in his "Tales of Old Japan"
gives a charming account of it This book has just appeared
in London,- and a copy was sent to the Legation. People are
devouring it, and with reason. The histoty of the 48 ronins,
and the terrible scene of hari-kari, at which the author
nssisted as a delegate from his chief, will be read with interest
by the great European public. The other tales are perhaps
too exclusively Japanese to please those who have not seen the
country. But the littie fairy tales in the second volume are
written with a native simplicity and a poetic charm which no
one can fail to appreciate.
From Meguro we directed our steps towards an elevated
spot called Shinfuji, from whence we enjoyed one of those
idyllic views which give so peculiar a character to the neigh
bourhood of Yedo. The features are always the same — an
oblong valley, sunounded by wooded hills, rice-fields, crjrpto-
merias, the massericana and retinispora pines, on the heights
and round the temples, which, placed half-way, are hidden by
the foliage ; with cherry and plum-trees in full flower, several
species of laurels and maples, the acer Japonica, and the Salis
buria adimantifolia, which the Japanese call itcho. These two
species belong specially to the sacred woods, and are considered
essentially sacerdotal. Add to this Hst, camellias and azaleas,
and for a variety, the pale-green plumes of the bamboo. Cer
tainly there are repetitions In this scenery ; but it is the most
charming, the most sweet, and the most poetic of monotonies.
To-day they will gossip finely in the teahouses of Tokei.
(This is a new name just invented for the capital of the east.
To signifying east, and kei capital. The smart men of the
period prefer it). The unheard-of event which has set every
one talking is the fact that a lady of high rank is going to dine
Mr. Adams, with some experts, visited the principal districts where the
silkworms are bred. His reports on this subject, communicated to Parlia
ment, give every species of information, which is the more valuable as
having been made on the spot. See the Blue-Books on Japan of 1870
and 1871.

IV, YEDO. 297
at the EngHsh Legation. Mr. Adams is the author of this
innovation, thanks to the intimate relations he has fori-ned with
the notables of the country. His guests are Matsune' and his
wife, the daughter of Uwajima, the present ambassador to
China. The young lady is hardly fourteen. She Is very little,
has beautiful large almond-shaped eyes, and delicate hands and
feet. If her head seems large, it is from the effect of her
beautiful hair, which is divided into two bands, and fastened
up by two great tortoise-shell pins. Over her fine white chemise
she wears a narrow tunic of pale-grey silk. A large sash, the
colour of a tea-rose, Incircles her waist, which is very short,
and ends with a huge bow, which reaches nearly to her shoulders.
If it were not an anachronism, I should say she looked like an
old Dresden figure dressed in the style of the first empire. I
am seated next to her husband, and just opposite her. Nothing
can be more amusing than to watch her, her bright, intelligent
eyes take in everything on and around the table. She wants
to do just as we do ; and her Japanese instincts serve her so
weU, that by the time we have arrived at the roast she has
already learnt how to use her knife and fork. By degrees her
stiffness vanishes, and on getting up from dinner her manners
are as natural and naive as those of a child. She walked round
the drawing-room, where everything was new and strange to
her, and then, taking a Httle stool, went and sat down at her
husband's feet, smoking a cheroot and apparently forgetting
our existence.
Matsund, in spite of some irregularities of feature, is a good-
looking fellow; but, like so many of his countrymen, he is
undergoing a process of transformation. He is become Euro
pean at the extremities. He wears fine Parisian boots, has cut
off his pig-tail, no longer shaves his head, but lets his hair
grow, which being thick and crisp takes away his look of dis
tinction. I asked him " why he had given up the Japanese
head-dress." He replied "that it always gave him cold."
Desirous of being a liberal politician, or Inclining towards
progress, but not daring yet openly to avow his principles, he
tries to swim between the two streams. He is no longer a
coditw, and not yet a progresisto. This is the case vrith many
Japanese at this moment But you may be sure that when a
man begins to cut off his tail he has gone over to the cause of

298 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
reform; and their number increases daUy. Japan is ou the
move. September 6. — This evening at dinner I made the acquain
tance of Saigo, who, from being a simple samurai of the Prince
of Satsuma, has become one of the most influential men in
the island of Kiushlu. It was necessary to insure his support
before attempting any reforms, and to obtain, through his
intermediation, the support of the great clans of the south.
Iwakura went to fetch him from the depths of his island home,
won him over to approve of the new programme, and then
persuaded him to com.e and establish himself at Yedo. Saigo
is of a herculean stature. His eyes are full of intelligence,
and his features of energy. He has a military air, and his
manners .are those of a countty gentleman. They say he is
bored to death with the court, and dying to get back to his
own property in the country.
September 7. — Religion is at a low ebb. None but women
and old men go out of their houses morning and evening, at
sunrise and sunset, to adore the beneficent luminaty. As a
general rule, no one prays, except to obtain a favour. Wives
ask the gods to make their husbands faithful; the sick plead
for health, young girls for a new gown, a jewel, a lover, or a
husband. 'When any one is iU, they go to the temple and call
the god by beating a gong or clapping their hands ; they bow
before the god, who appears invariably after the third summons,
adore him for a few moments, put a little bit of copper money
into a box, and all Is done. At the temple of Asakusa there
is a bronze god who goes to visit the sick. They rub that
part of his body which corresponds with the part where they
suffer. In fact, they have a whole heap of superstitious cere
monies ; but among the upper classes and the intellectual
circles there is an entire absence of faith or religion. That
is what I hear all round me, and it confirms my previous
impression at Yokohama. I have many times questioned the
notables of the country on the subject of their belief. They
all answered, laughing, that it was all folly. Only the old
Sawa, though smiling sarcastically, expressed himself with a
certain amount of reserve on the subject The sanctuaries

IV. YEDO. 299
of Ikegami, to the west, and at a littie distance from Yedo,
are of great antiquity. We went there in the afternoon. I
give up the attempt to describe the beauty of the place. Let
those who can explain in what consists the wonderful charm
of these Japanese temples. They are, after all, always the
same — some beautiful old trees shading a few pillars, which
support a heavy roof with a wide border ; and yet you are in
an ecstasy. It is not a question of architecture. You might
say they were only colossal cottages, with a pigeon-house and
a few perches. But what I admire so much Is the way in
which the architect has understood what one can and cannot
do with wood ; and that he has known so weU how to make
use of the very simplicity of the construction to introduce the
most effective ornament Look at that frieze. It binds to-
ether the pillars, serves as a console to the beams which
support the ceUing, and makes the natural transition to the
roof. The horizontal beams, of which there Is a double layer,
give solidity to the building, while their extremities, elegantly
carved, agreeably break the line of the frieze.
In a round, solitary tempielto of graceful design, and of which
the tender red, green, and grey shades harmonized wonderfuUy
with the dark green of the cedars and ichos around it, there
was a colossal statue of I know not what god. When we
arrived, an old bonze of venerable appearance was chanting
some hymns, whUe the faithful prostrajed themselves in adora
tion of the dirinity. It was a true Japanese picture ; but it
would have been wanting in reality if our yakunins, who, with
their pipes in their mouths, had gone into the sanctuary laugh
ing and chattering, had not openly mocked both at the priest
and his god
September^. — There is no legend more popular than that of
the " Forty-seven Ronins." It gives us an insight into a signi
ficant fact connected with feudal habits.' The ronin is gene
rally a fallen man. Ordinarily they are military men who have
been dismissed by their daimios. At other times they have
become ronins in consequence of their masters' ruin. Well,
one day there was a daimio, Takumi-no-kami, who, sent with a
message from the Mikado to the court at Yedo, was there
' This legend is supposed to date from 1727.

300 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
cruelly affronted by Kotsukd, one of the great functionaries of
the Siogun. As no one Is allowed to draw his sword within
the precincts of the palace without running the risk of death
and confiscation of all his goods, Takumi contained himself as
long as he could ; but one day, provoked be) ond bearing, he
drew his sword and rushed upon his enemy, who escaped ;
while he himself, arrested and dragged before the tribunal, was
condemned to death. His goods were confiscated, his family
reduced to misery, and his vassals and the gentlemen of his
suite became ronins. Some became merchants, others took
service with some daimios. But Kuranosuke', his principal
counsellor, and forty-six other knights belonging to the unfor
tunate Takumi-no-kami, swore to revenge their master. Un
fortunately, Kotsukd got wind of their project, and, to insure
his own safety, surrounded himself continually with so formi
dable a guard that, unless his suspicions could be lulled, all
hopes of revenge would have to be abandoned. The forty-
seven ronins, therefore, knowing that at Kiyoto they were
watched by the spies of Kotsukd, separated, each taking a
different disguise, one as a carpenter, one as a merchant, and so
on. Kuranosukd himself feigned to give himself up to the
lowest vices. He was only seen in bad houses or drinking
saki. One day he was found dead drunk in a stream of the
street. A passer-by, a man of the Satsuma clan, exclaimed,
" Is not that Kuranosuke', formerly the counsellor of the un
happy Takumi ? Instead of avenging his master he gives him
self up to women and wine. Oh, the wretch ! unworthy of the
name of samurai ! " and, pushing him with his foot, he spat
in his face. This little incident. Instantly reported fo Kotsuke
by his spies, seemed to him to augur well for his future safety.
But this was not all. The faithful counsellor pushed his dis
simulation even to craelty. Playing the part of a debauch^, he
overwhelmed his wife with imprecations, and drove her from
his house with her children, except the eldest son, who was then
sixteen, and whom he kept with him. At this intelligence,
which was instantly forwarded to Yedo, Kotsuke, believing
that all danger was passed, sent away the greater part of his
gijards. The day of justice was, therefore at hand. The
counseUor secretly left Kiyoto, and went to rejoin his com
panions, who were aU gathered together at Yedo, and only

IV, YEDO, 301
waiting for the signal of their chief to set to work. It was in
the depth of winter that, on a cold, dark night, and during a
heav-y snow-storm, the conspirators met, and separating into
two bands, one led by the chief, the other by his son, stole
sUently, unpercelved, to the yashki of the man whose death
they had sworn to accomplish. They had agreed to enter the
palace, to shed no innocent blood, to spare such of the servants
as should make no resistance, and finally to kiU Kotsukd, and
place his head on the tomb of their master in the temple oi
Sengakuji, in the suburb ot Takanawa. Having accomplished
this, they would quietiy present themselves before the judges
and await their sentence, which they knew must be death.
Such were the instmctions oi the head of the conspiracy, and
each man swore to carry them out to the letter. The high
wall which surrounded the palace was scaled, and the interior
door forced open by blows from a hammer. To prevent the
neighbours coming to the rescue, Kuranosuke had sent them
this message, " We ronins, formerly in the service of Takuml-
no-kaml, intend this night to make our way into the palace ot
Kotsuke-no-Suke to avenge our master. We are neither thieves
nor rogues, and no harm will be done to the houses in the
neighbourhood. Therefore be reassured and remain quiet"
The neighbours took very good care not to come to the
rescue of a man who was so little popular in the quarter ; they
therefore remained quiet, and let the ronins have their way.
These soon penetrated into the interior of the palace. A
tenlble struggle ensued bet-A-een them and the samurais of the
master. Very soon all these were left dying or dead : not one
of the ronins had perished. The son of the chief conspirator,
although only sixteen, had performed prodigies of valour. But
where was Kotsukd ? Vainly he was hunted for in every hole
and comer. Already the ronins in despair were on the point
of disembowelling themselves, when their chief, on examining
Kotsuke's bed, found it stiU warm. It was evident that he
could not be far off. At last they dragged from his hiding-
place an old man of respectable appearance, clad In a simple
tunic of white silk. He was easily recognized. This was
Kotsukd. The chief of the ronins went on his knees before
him, and after having performed the marks of respect due to
his rank and age, said to him, " My lord, we are the followers

302 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
of Takumi-no-kami. Last year your grace had a quarrel with
him. He was forced to die, and his family was ruined. As
good and faithful vassals we are come this night to avenge him
You must recognize the justice of our cause. And now, my
lord, we conjure you to perform the hari-kari.^ I will be your
second ;'^ and after having humbly taken up the head of your
grace, I will deposit it as an offering on the tomb of our lord
and master." But Kotsukd, pale and trembling, could not make
up his mind to die like a gentleman. As time was precious,
and help might anive, Kuranosukd cut off his head with the
sword which his master had made use of when compelled to
disembowel himself. To avoid a conflagration, the ronins, be
fore leaving the palace, took care to put out the lights and the
fires. Then they put the head of their victim in a basket and
retired. The day began to dawn. The news of the events of
the night had already spread like wildfire through Yedo. The
people crowded round them, and received with cheers and
acclamations these forty-seven brave men who, covered with
blood and wounds, formed in procession, and marched to the
suburb of Takanawa. At every moment they expected to be
attacked by the samurais of the father-in-law of their victlmj
.But one of the eighteen great princes of Japan, who was the
friend and relation of Takumi, had assembled his warriors in
haste to defend the forty-seven. As these passed before the
yashki of the Prince of Sandal, they were invited to enter, and
were served with rice and wine. Arrived at the temple where
the body of Takumi had been laid, they washed their bleeding
trophy in a fountain which still exists, and then solemnly laid it
on the tomb of their master. Then Kuranosuke gave all his
money to the priest, told him that they were all going to per
form hari-kari, and begged him to bury him and his faithful
companions by the remains of their lord. The bonze shed tears
of admiration and sorrow. The ronins then quietly waited for
the magistrates' summons. After some deliberation, they were
' Hari-kari, or "hara-kini," disembowelling— performed by the con
demned himself when of too high rank to be touched by the executioner.
= That is, ' ' To shorten your sufferings, at the moment you rip up your
belly with your poniard, I will cut off your head with my sabre." It is
generally a member of the family or his best friend who performs this last
service to the prince or noble condemned to perform "hari-kari."

IV. YEDO. 303
made to appear before the supreme council, when it was notified
to them that, having been wanting in the respect due to the city
and the government, they were all condemned to death. They
were divided into four groups, and placed under the care of
four daimios. It was in the houses of the latter that. In the
presence of the officers of the Siogun, they all disembowelled
themselves. Having freely made the siLcrlfice of their lives for
one object, they finished their course with wonderful intrepidity.
Their bodies were carried to Sengakuji, and buried near the
remains of their master, Takumi ; and ever since that day the
people never cease to visit their tombs, to ornament them with
branches and flowers, and to burn incense before them. Among
the first who presented himself was that man of the Satsuma
clan who had insulted Kuranosuke when he feigned to be drunk
and asleep in the stream. He declared he had come to make
an honourable amends to the holy martyr, and to expiate the
fault he had committed by insulting him. Saying these words,
he seized his poniard, opened his belly, and died. He was
buried in the same inclosure.
Such is t'ne tragedy of the " faithful ronins," ^ known at Yedo
under the title of the " Forty-seven." They tell me that in this
part of Japan there is not a man or a woman but knows it.
The details have been transmitted by oral tradition from gener
ation to generation, and it was probably in their popular tales
that Mr. MItford found the elements of this simple and touch
ing stoty. But the principal facts rest on documents of unques
tionable authenticity. In the temple of Sengakuji they have
preserved the clothes and arms of the " Forty-seven " as relics.
In hunting over these things, Mr. Mitford discovered some
writings, which proved to be a short but complete summary of
the facts, and the reasons which determined the ronins to
avenge their master. A copy of this memorandum was found-
on the body of each of Takumi's faithful followers. This is,
however, a custom in this country, when men are about to en
gage in any matter in which their lives may be sacrificed. Always
jealous of their honour, they are very careful to put down in
writing the motives of their actions ; and this paper they carty
' Sir Rutherford Alcock spells the word Lontns, but In this, as in other
native words, I have followed the etymology of M. de Hiibner. , (Trans.
lator's note.)

304 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
about with them with the utmost care. Several authors who
have written on Japan have mentioned this bloody episode;
but the young English writer before mentioned has tbe merit
of being the first to make the story really known. I did not
Hke to pass it over in silence, and, contrary to my ha,bit of only
inscribing in my journal what I have seen or heard, I have
given an extract from Mr. Mitford's account It appears to
me that the history ofthe " Forty-seven," and the veneration paid
to them by the people, throw a curious light on the habits of
thought in this countty, such as they were not long ago, and
such as they still are in the great majority of the nation. In
the justification of their conduct found on their bodies and
addressed to the manes of Takumi, we find the words, — "We
have eaten of your bread."
This Is the secret of their conduct As faithful servants and
loyal knights, they were bound to avenge the death of their
master. Then follows the justification. They quote a precept
from Confucius : " Thou shalt tiot live under the same sky nor
tread the same earth as the enemy of thy father or thy lord."
"How," they add, "could we read this verse without blush
ing ? " PubHc opinion unanimously approves of their act
Both people and daimios admire this fidelity to a master,
although carried to an extreme. Only three years ago, a man
after having prayed before the tomb of young Chikara, the son
of Kuranosukd, again disembowelled himself. The wound not
being mortal, he cut his throat. Why ? A paper found on his
body declared that he was a ronin who had wished to enter the
clan of the Prince de Choshiu ; that his petition had been
refused : that he would not serve any other master : and that
he had, in consequence, come to die and be buried by the
graves of the brave. This was in 1868. How, after such facts
as these, can one believe that the historic constitution of a
country, which Is the growth of centuries, can suddenly fall
into ruins? — that all the feelings and ideas which form its
groundwork and its moral basis have vanished, and that, with
a few decrees on rice-paper, " oti chatigera tout cela" as MoUfere's
Mddecin exclaims ?
To-day we went to see the spot It is only a few steps from
the Legation. On going up the hill, we passed by the fount
ain where Takumi's head was washed. An inscription records

IV. YEDO. 30S
the fact Further on is a small inclosure, beautifully kept.
Fine trees are planted round it One sees there forty-eight
little tumular stones, placed vertically along the railing which
forms the inclosure. Little cups full of water are placed
before each, and it is in them that the incense is burnt Near
the entrance of the inclosure rises the fine monument of the
chief for whom their lives were given. Little branches of
trees, brought by the faithful, whom the holiness of the place
perpetually attracts, omamented the last resting-place of the
faithful " Forty-seven."
In the chapel are the wooden statues of these popular heroes
and their master. They are painted or lacquered, armed, and
represented in the midst of the fight They are real chefs-
dceuvre of art, and remind one of some of the finest Spanish
sculptures of the seventeentii century.
September 9. — ^This evening we dined with Sawa Nabuyoshi
— reheved, as I have already said, from his official functions,
but living quietly, like a philosopher, a wise man, and an artist,
in his beautiful yashki, situated at about four miles from the
Legation, and not vety far from the European quarter.
The invitation was for five o'clock, and not vety long after
we arrived at the gate of honour of the palace. Like all
noblemen's habitations, the courtyard is strewed with big
pebbles, on which it is impossible to walk without making a
noise, and thus calling the attention of the guards. A little
path facilitates the approach to the main entrance ; a second
double door, which is open, leads to the interior, and, like the
outer one, is strong and heavy— amied with nails and sheets of
bronze or iron. I'hree or four servants are squatted motion
less on their heels opposite a screen which prevents the eye
from penetrating beyond. Two gentlemen with double swords
receive us, and through narrow passages, like the approaches to
a fortress, lead us to the room on the first stoty where Sawa
received me when I paid him my first visit. It was wide open
towards the garden, in which was a pond surrounded with
trees. In it are little bays and a promontoty shaded by a
magnificent cedar. The master of the house invited me to
come up on the roof to see the view of Yedo. But what struck
me far more was the yashki itself, thus seen in a bird's-eye X

3o6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
view. It was a perfect labyrinth of detached buildings, united
by long, covered corridors, with a mass of roofs of different
heights and sizes, divided from each other by nanow passages.
To the eye it appears but a confused mass of black, heavy
roofs. This form of construction is, however, found in all the
large houses and palaces. It is a pledge of safety ; or, at least,
it gives a last chance of escape in cases (which used to be
frequent) where men, actuated by political rivalry or private
revenge, seek the life of the master, and have already managed
to get into the courtyard.
Sawa then led us into an adjoining room, which opened into
the garden. On a low table were spread out, with the taste
and refinement so universal among the Japanese, some large
sheets of paper,mlxed colours ready for use, paint-brushes, Indian
ink, and a cup of water. A young lady, the wife of one of
Sawa's samurais, instantly sets to work. She takes a sheet of
paper and fixes it by means of a great block of rock-crystal.
With a sure and skilful hand she begins to trace the buds,
flowers, and leaves of a plant Then she unites these scattered
parts by the stem and the branches, leaning more or less
heavily on her bmsh ; and thus, mixing the colours at the end
with more or less water, which is ingeniously contained in the
upper part, she manages, in one single touch, to put three or
four shades on the paper. She draws and paints at one and
the same time with wonderful accuracy and beauty. To this
we must add her extraordinary rapidity of execution. In ten,
five, no — three minutes, the sketch is done ; and certainly it is
worthy of a place in a screen in the most elegant boudoir.
Doubtless, this proceeding is partly mechanical. The artist
has learned a certain number of subjects by heart, which, by
dint of practice, she reproduces with admirable correctness.
But the application she makes of these elements is entirely her
own. It is a sort of game, played with wonderful dexterity.
It puzzles the spectator, leaving him as long as possible in
doubt as to the subject, and then surprises him by the last
touch which gives a form to the whole. Not to let him have
time to guess what is coming, the artist must work quickly. So
the extraordinary rapidity of the execution adds greatly to the
merit After the young lady came the turn of the good old Sawa.

IV. YEDO. 307
Laughing, and handling with great skill a big brush (which, by
the fineness of the point would certainly rival Cherlaut's), and
plunging it alternately in the cup and in his mouth, he ended
in a few minutes by producing a charming sketch of a group of
horsemen. He began by the head of a horse ; then went to
that of the man who rode him ; then drew a horse's hoof, and
so on. It was impossible to guess the subject of the drawing.
At last, with a few touches of his brush, he reunited all these
scattered members, added the shadows, and so completed his
little chefdoeuvre.
The growing darkness put an end to this littie amusement,
and our host brought us back to the other room. We sat
round a low table, and dinner was served. Lanterns fastened
to the roof, and torches cleverly placed in the garden so as to
reflect their light in the water, added to the charm of this
strange scene. We are a party of six: Sawa himself; an officer
of the minister of foreign affairs ; a friend of the house ; Mr.
Adams, Mr. Satow, and I. Sawa's son is iU, and could not
assist at the entertainment. The meal was composed of a
number of dishes served to each guest in a littie cup of porce
lain as fine as a sheet of paper. Most delicious chicken soup ;
then entremets of eggs, which rather excite our appetites than
satisfy them ; boiled fish, broiled fish, roast fish-; then a
quantity of other kinds of food of which we could not even
guess the nature, all seasoned with fish sauces of a delicate and
aromatic taste. They are too well bred to force us to eat ; but
our praises of such-and-such a dish are received with manifest
pleasure, and repeated and commented upon by the three
Japanese guests. The wine, or the saki — ^made, I think, with
rice — is what I appreciate least. It is sent up in a little china
bottle and poured Into tiny cups. We have been two hours at
dinner, when, according to the etiquette of the countty, the
guests ask for rice — that is the civil way of begging to rise from
table. The rice is served on a square plateau of red lacquer,
with the famous Tay (the most delicate fish In Japan), and some
soup and other Ingredients. This is the bouquet of the feast ;
and our two Japanese guests loudly express their satisfaction.
During dinner. In an adjoining room, opened its whole
length on the side of the dining-room, and mysteriously lit
with little white-paper lanterns, five blind men, squatted on
X 2

3o8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the matting, executed various pieces of music. Their instru
ments resembled our zither, which is so popular In the Styrian
mountains, and a violin. Sometimes they accompanied them
selves with the voice. Their songs were rather monotonous,
but in no way disagreeable. The same phrases were often
repeated, united by recitatives. One would say that they were
seeking for melodies which they could not find. The best
artist played the flute, and he had reaUy a wonderful talent AU
of a sudden we saw a young woman, who could only be a great
lady, glide into the room and squat down on her heels, turning
her back to us all the while. It was Sawa's daughter-in-law,
whom he had persuaded, with great difficulty, to appear before
the barbarians. She played on a similar instrument to that
used by the blind men. We were all stmck by the beauty and
clearness of her touch. She kept time, and evidently directed
the other musicians. The good old Sawa was in an ecstasy,
and never ceased singing the praises of his daughter-in-law.
Unfortunately, we could only admire her art and not her
beauty ; for the moment the piece of music was over she dis
appeared, without deigning to come into the dining-room or to
turn her face once towards us. StUl it was a very chamiing
sight to see this young lady gracefully seated in front of the
four blind, men, with her grey silk robe and bright scarlet sash,
her head gently inclined over her instrument, letting one see
the outline of a prettily-rounded cheek and a beautiful little ear
whilst her taper-white fingers played with the strings of her
lute, which vibrated under her touch.
The meal being over, paper, colours, and brashes were again
brought and the master of the house, with the wife of the
samurai, completed some other sketches, which they were kind
enough to add to our collection of drawings.
But it Is half-past nine. In this country that hour is looked
upon as midnight We therefore took our leave ; and after
having passed through innumerable lobbies and ante-rooms,
which were lit by great wax candles fixed in bronze chandeliers,
we arrived at the courtyard, where Mr. Adams's pony-carriage
was wating for us, with his orderly on horseback, the Japanese
guards, and the betlos (or grooms) of the Legation.
We have to cross a large portion of the town. It is the first
time that I have seen Vedo by night Generally one takes

IV, YEDO, 309
care to avoid noclurnal pvonienades. Unless for some urgent
reason. It is tbrbidden to Europeans, in the Interest of their
own safety, to quit their own quarter after sunset. At the
Legation, except in cases of absolutenecessIty,no one goes out at
night Even at the beginning of this year two Englishmen in
the service of the Japanese government were badly wounded
and lamed for life. It not the thieves that one has to fear, but
samurais heated by saki, who, at the sight of a European, feel
a sudden and irresistible attraction to cut him in pieces. We
therefore set out with all possible precautions. The EngHsh
orderly, mounted on a big horse, a giant himself in size, follows
the carriage. Five Japanese horsemen form our rear-guard.
One of them leads the way at the head of the procession,
Evety three or four minutes he is relieved by one of his com
rades. These gentlemen are punctilious on the point of
honour. Every one covets the dangerous post, which is in
front, and not behind ; for if we are attacked it will be in front
There is something of the middle ages — something fine
and chivalrous — about the people of this country. On. both
sides of the carriage mn the bettos, crying, " Hal ! hai ! "
(Take care ! take care !) Bettos and horsemen are all furnished
with coloured lanterns, which are great globes of paper in
closing candles. The air is mild, the sky dark, with here
and there a solitary but brilliant star. Almost all the houses
are shut. Sometimes a ray of light from a coloured lantern
flickers across the street There is no other attempt at lighting.
At the corners of the different quarters of the town we see
groups of anned men sitting at the doors of their guard-houses.
Everywhere else pitch-daikness. Mr. Adams, however, drives
his ponies quickly on, and, without having run over a single
belated man or woman, who, on foot or in jinrikishas, were seek
ing their homes, he liuided us safe and sound at the threshold
of the Legation.
September 10. — The weather is a Httle cooler. We profit by
it to visit Hamagotdn, which means the "palace on the shore."
This Siogun castle rises on the sea-shore in the midst of a fine
park surrounaed by a high wall. A fortified gate gives
entrance to the vast building. In Japan, a castle has not yet .
become a palace. During tbe Duke of Edinburgh's visit, the

310 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
interior of this summer habitation was fitted up in European
fashion. At this time, although not so long ago, the vvind did
not blow quite so strongly in favour of reform and European
manners. Men were still asking themselves if they were to
tolerate or exterminate the whites. The revolution of 1868
was accomplished under the double cry of restoration of the
Mikado and expulsion of strangers. Nevertheless, prudence re
quired that civility should be shown to the son of the Queen oi
England, and it was consequently in his honour that a quantity
of heavy, lumbering, mahogany furniture was imported from
Hong Kong. Neither did they forget plate and glass, especi
ally for the table. When the foreign minister receives the
plenipotentiaries of England and other countries at dinner, he
borrows the furniture of Hamagoten ; and on these rare occasions
the French cook of Tsukiji is allowed the signal honour of
cooking the dinner. Thanks to this artist, and to the visit of
the English prince, those high in office have been Initiated into
the grave mysteries of European cuisine. They have also
learned to use a knife" and fork, and to be able to maintain
their equilibrium on a chair. The Hotel de France and
Hamogoten wUl really deserve a place in the history of
civilization. In the meantime I myself prefer to the inside of the castle,
vulgarly Europeanised, the beautiful 'park outside, which has
remained Japanese. Magnificent trees, terraces, artificial lakes,
promontories, bridges thrown over creeks, the ground arti
ficially and naturally thrown about, and between the trees, the
horizon of sea — all this is really beautiful. Everywhere,
besides, there is solitude and silence.
September 11. — Dinner at Iwakura's. Aniving at seven
o'clock at his palace of Soto-Jiro, we go through the great
walled court, pass before a dozen servants squatted on their
heels, and are introduced, as usual, by the two-sworded gentle
men, to the apartment of the foreign minister. With the ex
ception of a round table and four chairs placed, for the occasion,
the room, like all those we have passed through, was com
pletely bare of furniture, saving always the Httle itagere or rack
to receive the swords of the visitors. Soon after, dinner was
announced and served In European fashion. I could not help
admiring the tact and skUl of the servants. They changed the

IV. YEDO, 311
covers and plates witliout making the .s'iglilest noise, and with
the grace and delicate care of a Sister of Charity who is giving
you luncheon in her convent Dinner and conversation were
prolonged till midnight. But these five hours really passed
like so many minutes. Iwakura, who was in a talking mood
that night, expressed himself easily, briefly and clearly.
Among other things he said : —
" My great aim Is to establish friendly relations with foreign
powers and to introduce domestic reforms. It Is not true that
Japan has always been closed to foreigners. Two causes led
to this voluntary isolation of the empire : first, the usurpation
of the Sioguns, who were afraid of compromising their power
by putting themselves in contact with the world outside : and
next, the rebellion of the Christians.' The Mikado, now re
stored to his throne, and in the plenitude of his power, has
nothing to fear, like the Sioguns, from the curiosity of strangers.
They are welcome to examine Into his rights, whicli are in
contestable, and no one can call them in question.
"The success of the revolution of 1868, and the consent of
the two great clans of Satsuma and Chioshlu to sacrifice their
privileges, can only be accounted for by the universal vene
ration which the Mikado enjoys. He reigns in every heart r
and the successful usurpation of centuries has not been able to
dispossess him." We then went on to speak of the journeys
now undertaken by the young Japanese to Europe and America.
I ventured to observe to the minister, that it would be wiser to
send men of greater age and experience than so large a number
of uneducated youths, who were incapable of understanding
the bearing of things in Europe, and who besides were exposed
to the dangerous seductions of our large towns. Iwakura
replied, " Your words are those of a wise man. Nevertheless,
these young men do bring back new and larger ideas, which
they spread in their own country. On this head, such foreign
travel does good." He added, laughing heartily, as most
Japanese do, "We have the reputation of being great liars.
These liars were the Sioguns, who all wished to pass themselves
off as emperors."
' Allusion is here made to the revolt of the Christian inhabitants of Arima
and Shimabara (to the east of Nagasaki), who were driven to desperation
by the horrible cruelties of their govemor in 1638.

312 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
It is not only to us that Iwakura speaks of his plans of
reform. He talks just as freely with all those v\'ho come near
him. " You are afraid," he said, " or some of you fear that we are
not yet fit for such a task, and that. If we fail, the odium will
fall on the foreigners. Be reassured : in Europe, it is the
people who choose their kings. In Japan, they believe that
the emperor came straight down from heaven, and that all men
are his slaves. The princes and samurais have always looked
upon tiie Mikado as their master, to whom they owe a blind
obedience. This is the basis of our public rights. For a long
time I and my colleagues have meditated the abolition of the
daimios ; but It was a bold and da.ngerous step to deprive with
one blovy 760 noblemen of their hereditary dignities. It was
impossible, however, not to feel that these princes were a per
manent obstacle to the reforms we wished to carry out in the
Interior, and to the developments we hope to give to our inter
course with foreigners. In consequence, as you know, I went
to the Satsumas and Chioshius, and induced these important
personages to consent to the immediate and complete aboHtion
of the clans. The Tosas, whom I invited to join us, have
acceded likewise to our plans. Now we are busy organizing
a guard of 10,000 men, and an imperial army. These three
clans have already sent us all their soldiers. The others wiU
be compeUed to follow their example. We shall then have the
means of crushing any attempt at resistance. The Imperial
Government has now established itself at Yedo : and it is here
that we mean to concentrate all the branches of the public
service. The rates and taxes of the country wUl all come
into this department The revenue amounts now to 12,000,000
of rios. The duties received at the ports are insignificant
Our task is difficult, but not impossible. We shall succeed.
The Sioguns lied : but we will tell the truth to all the worid."
Iwakura's two sons are in New York : that Is now the
fashion. AU men of rank send their sons either to Europe or
the United States. They come back wearing the European
dress, and, begging their pardon, like the poor soldiers, they
look just Hke monkeys. We should be quite as ridiculous if
we were to adopt vertical tails, or if, when walking in our
gardens in summer, we were to content ourselves with a fan

IY, YEDO. 313
and a bit of Hnen round our waists. In the streets of Yedo,
one meets people wearing gibous hats ; others, boots with
elastic sides ; or paletots, which have the advantage of showing
the legs naked up to the waist. Some of them who are dressed
entirely in European fashion have kept their wooden patten-
sandals, and their taps of lacquered paper. What disfigures
them all, however, is the way they try to do their hair, which,
being naturally coarse and hard, will not divide or brush like
ours, so that they resort to oiling it and tying it with a ribbon.
These innovators still fom-i a small minority, and excite the
indignation rather than the imitation of the people. But they
enjoy the protection of the Government, hold the highest
places, and think themselves, and to a certain degree are,
important people. Certainly, nothing is more praiseworthy
than an ardent desire for progress — a wish to better oneself,
and to adopt the inventions of nations more civilized than our
own. But I am afraid these good impulses are often badly
directed ; and that they may produce great disturbance in
men's minds, and perhaps some day a strong and bloody re
action. September 12. — I paid a visit to-day to the Prime Minister,
Sanjo. His yashki resembled those of Sawa and Iwakura.
In going through the apartments I saw the most beautiful
Specimens of old lacquered screens placed before the doors, or
rather before the openings left between the frames of the par
titions. We were introduced by two Httle pages. The great
nobles, the kugds, and the daimios are served in this way by
children. These, at the slightest signal from their master,
glide softly to his feet, receive his orders, and fly to accomplish
thern. Respect, fidelity, ardour and devotion are all sym
bolized in the manners of these pages.
Sanjo received us in full court-dress — a magnificent silk
tunic richly embroidered, with wide, stiff sleeves sticking out
like wings. He wore the black official cap of lacquered paper
which covers only the shaved part of the head, and is turned
up behind. The minister is about thirty-one years old. He
belongs to one of the most ancient families of Kiyoto, and owes
his position to the very active part he took In the commence
ment of the revolution in 1868, when he was one ofthe first to'

314 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
proclaim against the Siogun. As Saigo, by his presence in
Yedo, powerfully contributes to maintain the Kinshiu clans in
favourable dispositions, so Sanjo, as prime minister, exercises
an analogous influence on a large portion of the ancient no
bility. His importance arises less from his personal qualities,
than from his social position and the name he bears. Our
conversation, which was interrupted by the refreshments which
the pages continually brought and carried away again — scarcely
touching the mats with the points of their feet in so doing —
was resumed after the coUation : but did not turn on any sub
jects of great interest However, Sanjo said to me : "I wish
you woiUd give me some advice as to the art of governing ; for
I fill an Important post ; and as yet I have little or no ex
perience." This was only a pohte phrase, no doubt : but it
really expressed the actual dispositions of men's minds. The
same thought ran through the speech of the Mikado at my
audience, and was communicated to me before, in writing.
They really wish to learn from Europeans, and they have the
good sense to own it
September 13. — We are once more going to visit the great
temple of Asakusa, one of the marvels of Yedo. We went
down to the shore and embarked in one of those pleasure-boats
which are the fashion for nocturnal excursions, and greatiy
patronised by young men and singers. Nothing can be
cleaner or prettier than these little boats: only the vety
low roof of the cabins obHges you to go in on hands and knees,
and, when there, to squat on your heels or lie flat on the mats,
which, fortunately are always of an irreproachable cleanliness.
When night falls, these cabins are lit by lanterns hung from
the ceiling. Seen from the shore or from the canals of the
town, these boats look Hke glow-worms fluttering on the
water. The wind was fresh, and the gulf slightiy rippled. To our
left we saw nothing but low promontories, interspersed with
little, creeks covered with green cedars, pines, gardens, parks of
which the most wooded was that of the imperial palace of Hama-
gote'n, but not a trace of any houses. To our right, towards the
south, stretched the vast gulf. Behind us, disappearing to*
wards the west, are the wooded banks of the suburb of Tak*-

I^- YEDO. 31 S
nawa, surmounted by the British flag fl)ing from the English
Legation. Further south are the forts, detached and bathed In
the sea, and the grey hills of Kanagawa. The cone of Fuji
yama, as usual, is draped in clouds. Sometimes they are good-
natured enough to displace themselves, exposing now the
mouth of the crater, now the sides of the colossal pyramid.
At last, after a steady mn to the east, shaving the basement
stoty of the American hotel, we turned suddenly round to the
north, and entered the mouth of the great Yedo river. People
compare the Sumidagawa with the Thames in London ; but it
seems wider from the low elevation of the houses on its banks.
It is at the same time a gay and beautiful sight Along its
bank stretch long rows of houses, interspersed with magnificent
trees. At anchor are a triple and sometimes a quadruple row
of boats, of the most fantastic and varied shapes. Great junks,
loaded with merchandize and provisions, their heavy sails filled
with the south-westerly breeze, are slowly going up the river.
Others are coming down rowing. This animation, which, in
fact, reminds one rather of the Thames, is lost as we advance
higher up the river. There we see only a motionless sheet of
water, and on both sides the parks and palaces of the daimios,
and here and there a few teahouses. The solitude and silence
are complete. One might fancy oneself in the country, or
anywhere but in the heart of a great capital. We next pass
under four great wooden bridges, which join the city to the
Hondjo suburb, one of which has been partly destroyed by the
late typhoon.
After a rapid navigation of an hour and a quarter, during
which we made more than ten miles, we disembarked on the
right bank of the river, and at the southem part of the Midzi,
but not yet at the extreme end of this enormous town. We
clambered up some steep steps, and then found ourselves in
a long, nanow street with teahouses and shops on both sides,
which leads straight to the great entrance of the temple. We
have great difficulty in making our way through the dense
crowd. Here a busy sale is going on of votive pictures, blessed
paper, and holy images, mingled with some profane objects
likewise, and a heap of photographic views and portraits.
The Japanese are perfect masters of this art, which was only
introduced a fevv years ago, but which may be found now iu

3i6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the most out-of-the-way locaHties, where no European foot has
ever trod.
We follow the lead of the crowd, and enter the great door
way, called the " doorway of the princes." These princes are
certain gods called Nio. Their horrible faces, besmeared with
red, make one shudder. In front of the portal is a temple
dedicated to the goddess Kwanon. Mr. Beato, of Yokohama,
has photographed it, and heaps of travellers have published
descriptions of it; but neither photographs nor descriptions
give the faintest idea of the mystical charm of this place.
The sanctuary is in a half light. Gold covers the altar and the
back-ground of the goddess, and Is lost in the depths of the
chapel. Flowers, strange ornaments, and grotesque statues
Inspire a secret terror. On the walls are hung a multitude of
votive pictures, some of which were nearly covered with little
bits of white paper, which the faithful have spit upon the image.
If the paper sticks to the picture, it is a sign that the prayer is
granted. Two tints prevail in the colouring of this temple —
red and dark brown, brightened with gold. A crowd of de
votees pressed round the altar of Kwanon. Their knees
slightly bent, their heads stretched forwards, their eyes eagerly
attentive and fixed on the altar, they clap their hands three
times. They are calling the great Buddha. At the third blow
the god appears. At this moment they bend, or rather pros
trate themselves on the floor. The expression of expectation
has given place to one of profound recoUection. They then
say their prayers, which is an affair of a moment, throw some
pieces of coin into a great chest divided into several com
partments, and retire. Others instantly replace them. Stay
for half-an-hour near these poor people, watch the expression
of their faces, the play of their countenances, the fervour of
their prayers, and then tell me if you don't think they really are
believers. Doubtless their belief is the lowest superstition;
but they do believe and pray ; and in praying and calling upon
God they draw near to Him whom they ignorantiy worship.
That they may ask, one for the success of a commercial trans
action, another for the fidelity of a husband, or a new dress, —
what does It signify? they beiia'e. In this people — and it is
only the people whom you see here — a feeling of religion does
exist. As to persons of tire upper class, they are very rarely

IV. YEDO. 317
seen, and then only a few men. Women of rank never appear
in the temples.
After prayer comes relaxation. Their hearts have been
raised to God : to false gods, it is tra'e — but still it has raised
their thoughts for a moment. Now they seem in haste to
descend again into the ruts of common life. From the sane
tuary of the goddess they pass to the teahouses, to the drink-
ing-houses where they sell saki, to pleasure-places of all kinds,
to the theatres, or to the celebrated lay figures. Establish
ments for all these different diversions sunound the temple,
and are shaded by fine trees. On my first visit I assisted at
one of these theatrical representations. The stoty was as
follows: — An old, bald man keeps a mistress; a younger one
enjoys at the same time the favour of the wife and of the
mistress. This last is jealous of the lady; the lady of her
husband ; the young man of the old one ; the old man of the
young one. The subject, as my readers will allow, is some
what loose, and the execution vety free ; but tire intrigue is
well carried on, and the actors are perfect I have seen in the
Palais Royal many vaudevilles acted with far less spirit, and
with quite as equivocal a tendency ; with this difilSrence, how
ever, that with us everything is said, and here in Japan everj-
thing is done on the stage. The audience was composed
almost entirely of women and young girls, who laughed heartily.
I was assured, however, that they were almost all respectable
women; but all belonged to- the lower classes.
We next went into the house which contained the lay figures.
Miraculous scenes are represented, apparitions of gods, fights,
and legendary tales. The figures, which are the size of life,
are made of bamboo and papier mache, and dressed in silk
stuffs. Each group is placed by itself in a niche representing
the place where the event happened. The merit of these
figures consists in their extraordinary resemblance to real life,
the feeling of nature, the study and knowledge of the anatomy
of the human body, and besides, a wonderful facility for ex
pressing dift'erent emotions and passions, such as anger, fear,
impatience, physical love, &c. Even here, however, the ten
dency to caricature is evident The first intention is to im
press the beholder and not to amuse him. But involuntarily,
and as it would seem almost without his knowledge, the artist

3l8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
mingles humour with his tragic scenes, as if he would say to
you : " Don't be too much touched. You are not obliged to
believe all I am telling you."
On our return, to avoid the sea, which has become rough,
and the wind, which is contraty, we thread the interior canals,
of which the vast net-work facUitates in all weathers the com
munications between the different parts of the town. Our
boatmen take to their oars, and stretched on our mats, we see
the shores fly past us, at our ease.
The sun is already low. Floods of yellow Hght Ulumine the
rpofs, brighten up the streets, and glance on the surface of the
canals, which are sometimes ^ide and sometimes nanow. AVe
glide before interminable rows of houses, a few miserable huts
(many of which were destroyed in the last tj'phoon),' and some
enormous yashkis (palaces of the daimios), with their lower
stories painted black, the upper ones white, and apparently
weighed down by their heavy roofs. There, as we have already
¦said, live the nobles, the chiefs of the clans, and their servants.
Square, large, low openings, closed with black wood gratings,
serve as windows. During the day you cannot see in, but in
the evening? when the lanterns are lit, one discovers interior
scenes worthy of a Hobbema or a Melssonier. The gateways
of these strong castles are fixed in deep embrasures, and open
with folding or double doors, which are of massive wood
with great iron or bronze nails (as at Toledo). When open,
they are sheltered in the interior by little penthouses which
come out of the wall at right angles. If the outer inclosure
reminds one of our banacks, the great doorway, with its coat
of arms finely sculptured, gives at once an aristocratic look to
the building. You recognize that It is the residence of a great
feudal baron of olden times, transformed against his will into
a courtier, and taking his precautions accordingly." Now we
come to a less aristocratic, but more gay and busy quarter. It
is the commercial portion of Soto-Jiro. All the houses belong
to the middle classes, and have their backs turned to the
canals, and their fronts, with their well-filled shops, to the
' The typhoon of the 24th of August destroyed several quarters in Yedo
and ruined entire streets,
° We have already said tliat the daimios were compell.ed to live in Yedo
six months of the year.

IV. YEDO. 319
street On the quays, which we glide past, and in the cross
streets which open on the canals, there is a busy throng, but no
actual crowd. Here we see jinrikishas, cangos borne by
coolies to the cry of " Hai ! Hai ! " women, always slightly
bent forward, and walking awkwardly on their pattens ; bonzes
with their heads completely shaved, and dressed in wide tunics
of yellow and violet crape ; a great many soldiers of the new
Imperial army, dressed more or less like Europeans ; and last,
not least, samurais, with their two sabres passed horizontally in
their waistbands, and their arms resting fiercely on their
haunches, like men who feel and know that every one will get
out of their way to give them a free passage.
The air is soft, agitated, and feverish. Gently rocked in our
luxurious -boat, we glide on and on, and yet we have been on
our way for more than two hours. The sun sets behind a bank
of clouds lined with gold. Before us, the canal stretches like
a broad ribbon of moire-antique, the colour of mother-of-pearl.
The black silhouettes of other boats, and their naked boatmen
standing in the prow, fly past us like shadows. To the left and
in front of us the houses seem covered with a transparent veil
of Chinese ink, in which purple shadows tremble. To our
right, the line of houses and trees crimsoned by the magic
after-glow, which in these latitudes follows the setting sun, and
precedes the rapidly-advancing night. Is, as it were, melted into
a luminous halo of indescribable beauty. Nevertheless, the
life on the water has almost ceased. WhUe shooting under the
innumerable bridges, we only see two or three belated people
walking quickly, and seeming anxious to reach their homes
before the night fairly closes in. In the streets which lead to
the canals the lanterns are being lighted at the doors of the
houses. The pavement and quays are deserted. Around us
the solitude makes itself felt. At last we row past the walls of
the park of Hamagotdn, and a few minutes after find ourselves
in the open sea. The gulf, lashed by the south-wester, makes
our Httle boat dance, but she bears on bravely; the men redouble
their toil ; from creek to creek, from promontory to promontory
we come at last to the landing-place, and a quarter of an hour
after arrive safely at the Legation.
^September 14. — It rains in tonents. They are the first autumn

320 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
rains — the disagreeable season for the inhabitants of Japanese
houses. The damp pervades them all. The paper partitions
become unpasted : there is no longer any protection from the
wind ; and although it is mUd out of doors, inside one shivers.
In summer one suffers terribly from the heat ; in winter there is
no way of guarding oneself from the cold. It is only during
the short spring and towards the end of autumn that one finds
oneself really comfortable.
I have been hunting about for old books in several libraries.
In the last few years the price of books is very much fallen.
The only sale is for encyclopedias, translated from EngHsh,
French, or German. I have purchased an illustrated description
of the town of Kiyoto, in eleven volumes, for which I have
paid four bous — that is,, a little over five francs. Last year this
edition was worth six rios, or upwards of thirty-six francs.
September 15. — It is a fine day, and we want to give ourselves
a Japanese dinner at the famous Japanese restaurant Yaoen.
It is the "Caf^ de Paris" of Yedo. The house is situated
behind Asakusa, at the opposite extremity of the town, and at
eleven or twelve miles from the Legation.
Our hostess led us to a pretty room on the first floor, made
us take our places on some fine matting, and advised us to
simplify our toilets. A Japanese always makes himself com
fortable and at his ease before eating. The sash alone Is
indispensable ; other garments are accessories ; he wears them
or takes them off according to the season and the weather.
The taste of the people is to aim at simplicity. They like to
play, it is true ; they surround themselves vety often with heaps
of superfluous objects ; but they are just as willing to do with
out them. If necessaty ; and they have always all they need, for,
whether in good or bad times, they are content with what comes
within their reach. The dinner was excellent — evety kind of
fish, raw, cut in slices, boiled, or broiled ; a delicious fish soup ;
various kinds of sv/eetmeats ; and at the end, a dish of vermi
celli, made with a root of which I do not know the name ; the
whole being served in Httle porcelain cups, placed before each
guest on a small lacquered tray resting on four legs. Near us
four young girls, richly dressed, played the newest pieces on an
instrument like a lute, to which they added occasionally voca

IV. YEDO, 321
accompaniments. In the entr'actes they talked and laughed ;
but there was notiiing that went beyond the strictest propriety.
These girls are very caret'ul of their reputations, I am told, and
are never known to forget their position, unless tempted with an
extra glass of saki. Even then it only makes them rather more
noisy; and this exuberance of spirits disappears with the f.imes
of the liquid. Two other girls danced, or rather acted, a kind
of pantomime. They tried to express, by gestures ^\\di.poses, the
words of the singers. The music did not follow the dance ;
it was rather the dance which completed the song. The subjects
of these pantomimes were all tender scenes. A young man
goes and visits his love In secret To show the hidden nature
of the meeting, and at the same time the resistance which the
young lady makes to the entreaties of her lover, the dancer
bends forward and hides her face and neck behind her fan.
At last she Hstens to the young man. To express the departure
of the lover, the dancer imitates the movements of a samurai,
when he slips his two swords into his waistband, and puts on
his hat At last, to denote the happiness of both, she counts
on her fingers the number of times of meeting. The dancer
could not have been more than fourteen, but she was already
a woman. She had beautiful eyes, and a rather delicate look,
regular features (as far as the Mongol type will allow), an ex
pression of soft melancholy, and an extremely modest manner.
Her attitudes were full of grace, though in some ways rather
exaggerated, showing the analogy In this respect with all Japan
ese productions. Her toilet consisted of a bluish-grey silk
gown, fastened round the waist by a scarlet sash. In the course
of the evening she and her companions retired two or three
times to change their costume. The entertainment went on.
The first singer, who was rather older than the rest, took a
more prominent part In the recitative. She had pretty features,
and the easy, elegant manners of a woman of the world. A
stai tling event had lately happened In this quarter. An actor
had canied off a married woman. The couple had been seized
and thrown into prison. To be sent to prison in Japan means
death, or at any rate the extremity of misery. It Is true that a
commission, accompanied by one of the students of the English
Legation, went recentiy to Hong Kong to see the penitentiary
of the English colony there, which Is a model of all the perfec-

322 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
tions that philanthropy has invented for the incarceration of
criminals. But tliis question Is only in embryo, and in the
meantime the prisons are the most horrible dens imaginable.
Unless they have iron constitutions, those who are shut up there
must die either of hunger, cold, or disease.' A man sent to
prison is, therefore, and with reason, a subject of commiseration
to his fellow-citizens. Our singers, therefore, were eloquent in
deploring the fate of the unhappy actor ; but — and this is a
characteristic trait — they approved of the imprisonment of the
woman ; because, they said, when a woman says to a man that
she loves him, what can the poor devil do laut yield to her
wishes ? To act otherwise would be to violate all the laws of
gallantry; It would be disgraceful; it would be mean. What
do you say to this code of morality ? There is another fact
which I do not like to omit, as it throws a strong light on the
movement which is now going on in men's minds, especially as
represented by the youth of Yedo. The indefatigable Satow,
while chattering to these fair ladles, carefully transcribed in his
Tiote-book the songs which we have just been listening to.
Among the rest here is a specimen : — " Ah ! would that I could
travel by telegraph ! for the jinrikisha is terribly slow ; it
drags along painfully, bruises your limbs, and crushes you if it
falls." This is an echo of young Japan ; progress, imitation
of Europe, despising of native things.
On our way back we were shown, from a distance, the house
of the chief of the Etas. It is situated not far from Asakusa,
on the left bank of the Sumidagawa. The house seemed very
tidy and well kept, and in no way betrayed the abject position
of its proprietor. It was impossible to visit it. We should
have been considered tainted for ever, and our bettos would
have left us on the spot. These Etas are the pariahs of Japan.
They live amongst each other, and are employed as gravediggers
and in all other trades which are considered infamous.
September i6. — My audience with the Mikado, which was
fixed for to-day, gave rise to several interviews with M. Satow
' According to the last news (September 1872) great ameliorations have
been introduced into the great convict prison of Yedo. The prisoners,
though all condemned to forced labour, are sufficiently fed, and treated
with greater humanity.

IV. YEDO, 323
and Iwakura. The words that the emperor would address to
me were duly communicated to me, and I had to supply
answers. I also had sent me the plan 01 the pavilion where
my audience was to take place, on which were marked not only
the throne, but all the places which each of us was to occupy
on the occasion. As to the etiquette. It was regulated after the
precedent furnished by the previous audience granted to Mr.
Seward, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the United
States. This morning, accordingly, a chamberlain came to fetch us
in a kind of phaeton, built at Hong Kong, probably the only
carriage belonging to the Imperial court, where the use of such
vehicles Is unknown. The Mikado never goes out,^
At twelve o'clock, Mr. Adams, M. Satow, and I left the
Legation, preceded and followed by the English orderlies on
horseback and by about twenty Japanese cavalry. The bettos
ran on foot by the side of the carriage. The distance which
separated the castle from the suburb of Takanawa Is about four
miles. All along the road the cross streets had been barred by
cords to prevent the Influx of passers-by : sentinels were placed
at short distances. The guards at their respective posts pre
sented arms. A dense, curious, but not hostile crowd stood
closely packed behind the barriers.
Arrived at the gate of the first inclosure, we found troops
under arms, and the same at the entrance of the second court
and at every avenue leading to the palace. Armed and partly
dressed in European fashion, these soldiers looked well, only a
Httie einbarrassed by their new uniforms. On the other hand,
the yakunins and the other military and civil officers, who wore
their native arms and costumes, were really magnificent to look
upon. After having crossed the last bridge, thrown across the
deep ditch or moat which runs round the castle, we alighted,
and were conducted to the private garden of the Mikado,
strictly inclosed and hermetically sealed from ordinary mortals,
with the rarest possible exceptions. This garden is a narrow,
' Some months after, in consequence of the advice of the New Reform
Ministry, the emperor showed himself in an open carriage to his amazed
subjects. This summer (1872) he was seen driving through the streets of
Yokohama in <« hired conveyance ! The son of the gods wore a fancy
European dress, half of an admiral and half of an ambassador !

324 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
circular space, which on one side surrounds the castie, and on
the other Is bounded by the moat But neither moat nor castie
is visible. They are hidden behind a double curtain of bamboo
and other trees planted by Taiko-Sama ; fine coniferous speci
mens with their red trunks ; maples with their fine starred
leaves, evergreen oaks, cryptomerias, laurels, and fruit-trees,
chosen for the beauty of their flowers, the only ones to be found
in this enchanted spot. There is no attempt at flower-beds,
and only one path through the thick, fresh, nicely-kept lawn.
The ground is artificially formed into a mountainous region.
Here and there they have built little chalets, like the summer-
houses that we had seen in the gardens of other palaces. We
had been walking for about five minutes when we were received
by Sanjo, the President of the CouncU; by Iwakura; and by
three other members of the Privy Council, Kido, Okuma, and
Itagaki, the delegates of the Chosiu, HIzen and Tosa clans,
who, with Saigo (the chief of the Satsumas, and unfortunately
absent at this moment), effected the great revolution of 1868.
We found ourselves, therefore, in presence of the men who,
according to the views of opposite parties, will be the regene
rators or destroyers of Japan. I have already spoken of Iwakura
and Sanjo. Both look what they are — men of the highest class.
Okuma, who on the eve of the revolution was only a poor
student at Nagasaki, is become, with Kido, one of the leading
men of the day. The others, before their promotion to their
present posts, were simply samurais or kotos, and their elevation
has not given them manners. But they have interesting, heads
— more interesting even than those of their noble colleagues.
InteUigence and boldness are stamped on their countenances,
with the assurance of the gambler, who, feeling himself In a
good vein, is determined to play his last card. Certainly their
nails are not cared for, and their rough, abrupt movements are
wanting in the graceful ease of the Japanese of high rank.
But they are not the less the masters of the position. On them
rests, in a great measure, the final issue of this struggle between
those who will gain by the reform and those who will lose. I
shall speak at greater length on this subject when examining
into the political position of the empire. It is enough to say
that, thanks to their popularity, these four counsellors, three of
whom are at this moment sitting opposite to me, decided their

IV. YEDO. 32s
clans to take up arms in 1868 and to continue to .support the
radical reforms which are to change the face of Japan.
After a short conversation, they came to announce that the
Mikado was ready to receive us. We resumed our march, and,
accompanied by these dignitaries, who all wore grand court
dresses, we arrived at the open door of the pavilion called
" The Cascade." In spite of my extreme curiosity to see the
emperor, I could not help casting a glance around me and
admiring the poetic beauty of the site. The pavilion is placed
on the edge of a little circular plain backed by gigantic trees.
In front, some granite blocks, exquisitely grouped, form a steep
rock, over which falls a stream \vh\ch. gives its name to the
kiosk. We are conducted to our places in the inside, and find our
selves in the presence of the son of the gods. The audience
chamber was about 24 feet long and from 16 to 18 feet wide.
The floor was covered with the finest matting. There was no
furniture save the pedestal about two feet high occupied by the
Mikado, On coming in, the room seemed dark; but by a
lucky chance, a ray of sunlight, gliding between the blinds and
a crack in the paper partitions, threw a vivid glow over the
person of the emperor. In the rare official audiences which
are always given in the castle itself, a half-lowered curtain hides
the head of the sovereign from the indiscreet gaze of the
persons who approach him. Here, no such precaution had
been taken. He was seated on a footstool, his legs crossed,
and holding his hands leaning against one another. It is the
exact attitude given to all the statues of Buddha.
The emperor is twenty years of age, but he seems to be
thirty. His surname is Mutsuhlto. I had a good deal of
trouble "to find this out. M. Satow alone could give me the
required information. Among the people, the sovereign is
never known but by the generic appellation of " Mikado." It
is only after his death that he will be given the name by which
he will be recorded in history. The features of Mutsuhlto bear
the character of the Japanese race : his nose is large and
flattened ; his complexion Is sallow ; but his eyes are sharp
and brilliant, In spite of the immobility which etiquette
prescribes. I had often met faces like his in the streets ot
Yedo. His costume was as simple as possible — a dark blue

326 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORBD, Chap,
tunic, almost slate colour, and wide scarlet trousers. His
hair was done in native fashion ; but he wore a colossal
aigrette, made of bamboo and horse-hair, which, fixed behind
the right ear, rose vertlcaUy at least two and a half feet above
the head, and shook violently at the least movement This
is the insignia of supreme rank. Neither the Mikado nor
any of his ministers wears jewels. Except at the moment ot
speaking, his Majesty held himself as immovable as a statue.
Behind him, a great dignitaty bore the sword of state
carefuUy thrust into its sheath. Woe be to him who should
behold it naked ! It would be his death. To the right of the
throne, leaning against the partition, stood Sanjo and the three
members of the privy councU; to the left Iwakura. Mr.
Adams and I, accompanied by M. Satow and the court
interpreter, were placed in the middle of the room, in front
of the emperor, and at a few paces from him. During the
first few minutes, a deep silence reigned in this little parilion,
which at that moment held the arbiters of the future destiny of
a great empire. Nothing was heard but the buzzing of the
flies and the chirp of the grasshoppers.
Mr. Adams, who had been requested by Iwakura to proceed
with the presentation, then spoke and stated that, in the
absence of the Austrian representative, who was a resident at
Shanghai, he had the honour o. introducing Tie to his Imperial
Majesty. The Mikado replied in a few courteous words, and
then, turning to me, congratulated me on having crossed both
oceans without accident — to which I made some answers
suitable to the occasion. Then the Mikado spoke again.
" I hear," he said, " that, for a long time, you have fiUed
important positions in your own country, and that you have
oxrclsed the office of ambassador on several occasions. I do
not exactly understand what has been the nature of your occu
pations. If, from the results of your experience, you have
learned things which it would be useful for me to know, I beg
of you to speak without reserve to my principal counsellors."
In accordance with etiquette, the emperor, when speaking,
only murmured the words between his teeth, emitting almost
inarticulate sounds. Sanjo repeated them in a loud voice, and
the dragoman of the palace translated them into English. Our
answers were translated into Japanese by M. Satow. Each

IV. YEDO. 327
time that the emperor spoke, he turned towards us, and, look
ing at us straight in the face, his features assumed a kind and
benevolent expression. But when he closed his mouth, his
face again became grave and serious, or rather. Insignificant.
When it came to the moment of retiring, the emperor
remained immovable, but fixed his eyes upon us. Neither on
our arrival nor at our departure did he bow to us. The
ministers followed us out and made us take a turn in the
garden. They showed us a little model farm, whereby they
hoped to make their sovereign understand and give him some
ideas upon the cultivation of the soU by his subjects. I was
also allowed to scramble up the sides of the moat, from whence
I enjoyed a beautiful view over Yedo. After this, a delicate
luncheon -was served to us in one of the pavilions. It was
impossible to help admiring the symmetty and elegant simplicity
with which the table was served.
At the moment when we were about to rise from luncheon,
Sanjo, acting under his master's orders, begged me to give him
my ideas upon Japan. I excused myself on the plea of my
ignorance, whUe all the whUe applauding the efforts of the new
minister to ameliorate the condition of the country and in
troduce salutary reforms. " The wisdom of the eminent men
whom I see around me," I added, "will guide them in this
arduous task. They will take into account the habits and ideas
of their counttymen ; they will understand that many things
which are good In Europe cannot be so in Japan ; they will
avoid precipitating radical changes ; and will proceed with
extreme circumspection."
Thus ended my audience. The dignitaries of the court
accompanied us to our carriage, and at three o'clock we fovmd
ourselves once more returned to the Legation.
In the evening the Mikado sent us some boxes filled with
sweetmeats and preserves of a curious shape, and a quantity of
sugarplums of different kinds. These boxes were of plain
vt'ood; for in the imperial court, in accordance with an old
tradition, they disdain to paint or have lacquered wood.
I do not think I shall ever forget the scene of this morning :
that fairy-like garden ; those mysterious pavilions ; those grave
statesmen in their gorgeous court dresses, walking about with
us in the shrubberies of those beautiful pleasure-giounds, and
that oriental potentate who presents himself like an idol, and

328 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
who believe? and feels himself to be a god. It surpasses a
tale in the " Thousand and One Nights."
September 17. — I met this morning one of the four members
of the council who had assisted at the audience of yesterday,
and we had a talk over public affairs. " The heads of the re-
for mmovement," he said, " are sure of success. They say and
believe it, and I share their opinion. We do not anticipate any
serious opposition. In three years the work will be accom
plished." (This is exactly what Iwakura had told us.) "Per
haps we are not quite sure of the south, nor of the Satsumas
in the Island of Kiushiu ; there, I think, we shall have a good
deal of opposition ; but they will end by yielding. As for me,
I have never doubted of our final success. One of our great
plans is to unite the small clans into one great one, and to diride
such clans as are too large, and in consequence too powerful."
I was struck by the analogy of these proceedings with what
often takes place in Europe. Provinces are divided into
departments, and the electorial districts are changed. In
Japan a simUar fate awaits the clans, who are the historic
elements of which the nation is composed.
" Already," continued my interlocutor, " we have suppressed
the rights ofthe daimios, the feudal principalities ; there remains
the grave question of the samurais, those gentlemen of each clan
attached to the persons and service of the daimios, and who,
until now, have Hved on the rations of rice and the liberality
of their chiefs. This is our proposed plan : ' We shall reduce
their incomes by one-third ; the two other portions will be paid
them for ten years as a pension. The remainder, with com
pound interest, will make a public fund with which to liquidate
the pensions.' '
" All the daimios without exception -will be compelled to
live in Yedo, or to establish themselves here for a certain part
of the year with their famUies. They will have leave to visit
their properties and to travel in foreign countries.
" Our reforms are a response to the prayers of the nation.
Many of the clans had addressed petitions to us in this sense,
and what we propose to do is exactly what they asked for."
The truth of this is, that the central leaders give the word to
' This financial operation has been simplified. I hear from Japan (April
29, 1872) that the rations of rice of the two-sworded gentry have been
almost all suppressed.

jV, yedo, 329
the leaders of the clans, who draw up petitions under their
dictation, which pretend to emanate from the free initiative ot
the clans themselves. Who Is not struck by the resemblance
of these proceedings with the means employed by our European
Radicals ?
I ask myself if this be the natural fruit of certain tendencies
and circumstances, or of foreign influence acting in secret?
I fancy that both causes ai-e at work, only I find It hard to
persuade myself that Europeans or .Americans would Interfere,
even Indirectly, in the movement going on in Yedo. No doubt
the Japanese ministers, who are extremely anxious for all the
information they can glean on European matters, have taken
the habit of consulting the envoj-s of the great powers on such
or such an administrative or financial measure ; and I have
been told that when thus Interpellated, these diplomats have
not always refused to give their advice. The future will perhaps
prove that they would have been wiser to have abstained ; for
the givers of counsels are always looked upon as morally re
sponsible, although, in reality, they can only be answerable for
their ideas In proportion as they may have been called upon to
carry them out, which is not the case here. J5ut on this point
I suspend my judgment I am only making a general obser
vation, and not a disguised criticism, on the conduct of such
or such a minister accredited to the Mikado. Of one thing I
am firmly persuaded, and that is, that not one of these diplomats,
if even he had been consulted, would have taken upon him to
encourage the Government to rush into the unknown, or to
furnish a programme for the future constitution of Japan, based
on European models. However disposed one may be to see
the country inaugurating wise and necessary reforms. It is im
possible not to understand that these attempts, however laud
able in themselves, may, if they should fail, bring about a serious
reaction, and that this reaction might very easily compromise
the interests, the prosperity, and perhaps the lives of the Euro
pean residents. Nevertheless, the analogy between the pro
ceedings here and those employed by our Radicals is so striking,
that I repeat one cannot deny the action of European and
American influences. These are, I expect, the first fruits of
the journeys of the Japanese in foreign parts. Already these
influences are making themselvei felt. They will be still more

330 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
powerful when all those young Solons return from Europe and
America. In the evening, Kido, whose acquaintance I made yesterday
at the palace, dined at the Legation. He is the leader of the
Chioshlu clan, one of the principal movers In the revolution of
1868, and the author of the celebrated petition to the Mikado
by which the daimios asked for their mediation. He has the
look and manners of a man of the people. In fact, before
filling the place he now occupies, he was a simple samurai. But
I have not met any face so clever or intelligent in this countty.
When he speaks, his whole features light up ; he expresses
himself with readiness and ease. No one can look at him
without seeing that he is a man quite out of the common. We
made him talk a good deal after dinner, and the summing-up
of his conversation was, unlimited confidence in the work of
reform. He also declares that three years will be sufficient to
displace all hereditary rights, to change the habits and transform
the ideas of his countrymen !
The British Legation at Yedo is composed at this moment
of Mr. F. O. Adams, minister ; of a second secretary, now
absent, whose place is supplied by Mr. Dohmen, vice-consul
at Tsukiji ; of Mr. E. Satow, Japanese Secretary of Legation,
and although scarcely thirty, one of the best Japanese scholars
Hving ; and of four " students," who, placed under the care
of the interpreter-secretary, are learning the language of the
country. They live in some nice cottages in the inclosure of
the Legation, and their pay during their studies amounts to
;£'2oo a year. On the mail days they work at the office, which
initiates them into the routine of business. As soon as they
are sufficiently advanced, they are placed as interpreters either
at the Legation, or at one of the five treaty ports. The consular
service is equally open to them ; but they enter into an en
gagement only to serve in Japan. This system produces
excellent results. These young men, full of zeal and emula
tion, make rapid progress, become passionately fond of the
country where the greater part of their lives will be spent,
and will contribute some day to bring light into the dark
ness which still enshrouds the empire of the rising sun.
But it is not onlv the students who care to leam the Ian-

IV. YEDO, 331
guage. This wish is shared by evety member of the Legation.
They speak nothing but Japanese and of Japan. The unknown
always piques one's curiosity : it is a puzzle which one tries to
decipher. Besides the diplomatic corps, there is a doctor, an
inspector, and four orderlies who foUow the minister on horse
back on state occasions, or when there is a question of danger.
Their business is to watch over the safety of the members of
the Legation within the inclosure, and alternately to do the
night service.
Until the new embassy is buUt, which is to be erected at
Soto-Jiro, the EngHsh Legation occupies a yashki, situated in
the neighbourhood of the Takanawa suburb, at about a mUe
from the western gate of Yedo. Like all these habitations, it
is a group of Httle houses in wood, or paper, united by passages,
raised two or three feet above the soil, opening on one side to
the courts, and on the other to a large and beautiful garden.
A strong wall surrounds the whole. Tliere are, certainly, one
or two weak points on the side of a sacred wood, belonging to
an old temple ; but the orderlies keep it in sight The prin
cipal buildings are in the centre. Some beautif^ul trees do not
let you forget that you are in Japan. In fact, both house and
garden are thoroughly characteristic of the country. Close to
the house stands the pole which bears the British flag ; outside,
in front of the great porch, which Is always an important feature
in the yashkis, is placed a guardhouse, occupied by thirty yak
unins, or soldiers, whose business it Is to watch over the safety
of the members of the Legation, and to accompany them when
they go out I have often tried to slip through them and go
out without being perceived. Vain attempt ! Three or four
men, throwing down their cards or pipes, and quickly slipping
their great swords into their waist-bands, spring forward and
dodge my steps. To escape them I jump into a jinrikisha and
Cty to the coolie : " Quick ! quick ! to the Shiba ! " But,
alas ! scarcely have I reached the tombs of the Sioguns, than
three other carriages follow in hot haste and deposit on the
pavement my three yakunins. They bow profoundly and
smile somewhat maliciously, then surround, follow, and never
leave me till I have again reached the gate of the Le
gation. The approach to this place is not easy. A long and steep

332 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
hUl, broken at intervals by some wide steps, brings you to the
door. Luckily, both horses and carriages are used to it The
garden, although without flowers or any kind of luxuty, is
nevertheless very beautiful. It has a fine avenue, and is situ
ated on a rising ground, from whence one discovers, above
the heads of the trees, the Gulf of Yedo, the maritime forts,
which are now dismantled, and, in the horizon, the blue hills
of Kanagawa. In this solitaty spot it is delicious to pass the
hot houis of the day, enjoying the fresh sea-breezes, and lis
tening to the sound of the gongs of the temple calling to their
gods, and to the thousand strange, confused sounds, which,
tempered by distance, mount up from the gulf, and the lower
parts of the town to these aerial heights.
These are my last hours in Yedo, and we are aU sad at the
prospect of our approaching separation.
The guest or the fellow-traveller of Mr. Adams for more
than a month, and enjoying besides the daily intercourse of
M. Satow and the other members of the Legation, I feel
painfully the termination of a visit so full of interest and en
joyment My regrets are, I think, shared by my host ; for in
this briUiant but distant exile one has rarely the opportunity
of meeting persons with whom one can talk of men and
things in Europe. Great distances affect the mind as a gauze
curtain does the eye. Home news, cut short and imperfectly
rendered, as it often is, in telegrams, arrives first by the
electric wire and two months after by the mail. In the in
terval, vety probably, the whole position of things in Europe
has changed. It is hardly worth while to read the newspapers,
the cream of which has been already given one by telegram.
Such is the state of mind of* most residents in the extreme
east The news of their countty comes to them just as the
sounds of a concert, in a house with the windows shut, do
to the passers-by in the street below. They hear the big drum,
but the finer parts of the music escape them. Your heart
may still be in your native countty, but you despair of being
able to follow the rapid course of events there. Certainly
the lives of these courageous and devoted men are not always
enviable. The merchant comes to make his fortune ! the
missionary, faithful to his vocation, is supported by the inward
satisfaction consequent on a life of self-abnegation and sacrifice

.i V. YEDO. 333
But the diplomatic and consular functionaries are neither
attracted here by the love of gold nor by the hope of those eter
nal rewards reserved to apostles and martyrs. Except for some
doubtful chance of ultimate promotion, only a feeling of- duty
can induce them to remain at a post of such danger. Yes, I.
repeat It, a post of danger ! Look at this English Legation,
the only one which inhabits the Japanese capital. The Guh
cf Yedo, owing to its shallow waters, is inaccessible to men-
of-war. And even supposing that some gunboat were in the
roadstead, waiting to receive you, it would be necessary to
cross some of the most crowded streets before you could get
down to the shore. Without a miraculous interposition of Provi
dence it seems to me that in case of a sudden rising of the
populace or of the troops, no member of the Legation could
possibly escape with his life. Their existence depends abso
lutely on the loyalty of the Japanese Government, on the
means it may have {or ttot) of defending them, on the Incal
culable and more often mysterious movements of its political
leaders, and on the conduct of the opposition, which to-day
is silent and contained, but not resigned, and which, at any
given moment, and when it Is least expected, may very likely
rise and strive to regain the power it has lost'
At this moment I am quite wlUing to believe what every
one tells me, that there is no danger. But in Japan more
than anywhere else days succeed, but do not resemble each
other. At Yokohama there are more guarantees for the safety
of the life and property of the residents. The troops and the
European men-of-war In the harbour would probably insure
sufficient time for embarkation in case of attack. Compara
tively, but not absolutely, you are there in safety. But the diplo
matic corps has already furnished several victims. M. Heusken,
Secretary of Legation of the United States, was massacred In
the heart of the city of Yedo, close to the famous bridge of
Niphon-bashI. Sir Rutherford Alcock, the predecessor of
Sir Harry Parkes, was scarcely installed in the temple not far
from the actual Legation, than he was attacked at night by a
" This spring (1872) a body of armed men penetrated into the palace 01
the Mikado, After a desperate fight with the guards they were overpowered
and massacred. It was a desperate attempt, but it proves that the fire is
still smouldering below.

334 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. IV.
body of armed men, and one of his orderlies and his cook were
klUed. Mr. OHphant, the clever writer, then Secretary of Lega
tion, was severely wounded a few days only after his arrival from
London. Honour and glory then be to those men who accept
these perilous situations, who fill them with such devotion, who
watch over the interest and safety of their countrymen, maintain
the honour of their countty's flag, and by their arduous studies
of the language and customs of Japan open new roads for the
conquests of science 1

CHAPTER V.
6SAKA.—FR0M THE igth TO THE 22nd SEPTEMBER,
Kobe and Hi6go. — The bar of Yodowaga.— Osaka.— Its commercial im
portance. — Its general appearance. — The Street of Theatres. — The
CasUe of Taiko-Sama.— The Chi-fu-Chi.
September 19. — At four o'clock in the afternoon I went on
board the Costa Rica, one of the fine steamers of the Pacific
Steamship Company, which keep up a regular service between
Yokohama and Shanghai, touching at (Kobe) HI6go and
Nagasaki. These vessels start and arrive four times a week.
The English P. and O. Company and the Messageries
Frangaises follow the older and more Important line between
Yokohama and Hong Kong ; but they only mn twice a month,
But evety week one has the opportunity of going either to the
north or south of China, Vety few Japanese take advantage
of it, except the tourists and students sent by the Government ;
but a great many of the southem Chinese come this way to
Japan, and their brethren in the north (natives of Kiangsu and
Shantung) are beginning to follow their example. Little by
littie the Chinese element increases in the treaty ports, and
especially at Yokohama and Nagasaki. When the interior of
Japan shall be open to strangers, the children of the Celestial
Empire will pour in in masses ; for the expansion of this race
is only equalled by its activity, perseverance, and extreme
frugahty. If the reforms which have been lately inaugurated
in Japan should be accomplished without a revolution, and
the interior be consequently accessible to everyone, Europeans
will find the Chinese fomiidable competitors in the com
mercial working of the countty.

336 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Some of my friends have come on board to see mc off.
How they envy me ! But he who is leaving is not disposed to
feel light-hearted. To quit a country with the certainty of
never seeing it again Is always painful. You look back and
you feel that this episode in your life is closed for ever. It is
Hke a foretaste of death. Anyhow, it is a solemn moment
which calls for serious reflection, and, when one has been
loaded, as I have, with kindnesses and hospitality, for the
deepest and warmest gratitude.
Towards nightfall we are out of the gulf. By the dim twi-
Hght we distinguish the outHnes of the Island of Enoshima
and the two peaks of Hakone. An Olympic brightness inun
dates Fujiyama.
September 20. — The Japanese seas have a bad reputation
especially at this season, which Is the time ofthe change ofthe
monsoon. It is the most dangerous in the year on account of
the frequency of typhoons. But by a rare exception, the
weather is glorious and the sea like glass. What adds to the
perils of navigation in these waters is that they have no good
nautical charts. The captains follow a certain course where
they are sure to keep clear of shoals or rocks ; but if a gale
or the changeable currents, which are little known, drive the
ship from the beaten track, all is left to chance. At this
moment France and England are making a hydrographic
reconnoitring of these waters, and the publication of their
charts Is impatiently looked for.
We are only a small party on board, and of not vety in
teresting materials. But the fore-deck is loaded with Japanese
passengers. There are a few also in the first-class cabins.
They are all going to Kiyoto or to the island of Kiushiu.
As soon as they go on board a foreign vessel they drop their
usual ceremonial, and they are quite right to do so ; but when
they affect to adopt European habits, they are simply in
supportable.' Of course, I admit that there may be excep
tions. ' Mr. Jledhurst, the English consul at ShAiighai, makes the same obser
vation on the subject of the European sed Chinese, He calls them most
insufferable creatures. See " The Foreigner in Far Cathay." London '.
1872. P. 176. .

V, OSAKA, 337
About three o'clock in the afternoon we near the shore,
which is, in aU points, like Yokohama ; with rugged mountains
covered at the base with luxuriant vegetation.
Septeitiber 21. — At two o'clock in the morning, the Costa
Riea was at anchor before the establishment of Kobe, situated
a inUe to the west of the Japanese keti, Hiogo. The distance
from Yokohama is 342 mUes (60 to a degree). Kobe is one of
the five treaty ports. It has only been opened for three years ;
but already the " Concession " is covered with fine houses and
spacious shops. The number of inhabitants, even counting
the floating part of the population, does not exceed 200 or
300 ; but there is a future for Kobe, for it Is in reality the port
of Osaka-
Mr. Gower has been kind enough to offer me the hospitality
of the English Consulate, of which he is the chief. His house
is a perfect gem of comfort and good taste. On the side of
the mountain, he has a Japanese house, which he had trans
ported from Osaka ; it is surrounded with a garden, and from
thence you enjoy a beautiful view over the gulf. Behind this
little Tusculum, a stafrcase leads to a temple half buried in
the foliage.
I have here made a vety interesting acquaintance. The
P. Monico, of the Missiotis Etrangeres at Paris, who is at
the head of the Catholic establishment in this growing town,
gave me a deal of curious information on the sad and yet
glorious position of the Japanese Christians, and on the cruel
persecutions of which they are the object.' This devoted and
exceUent priest is a native of Tarbes. He is a perfect type of
a missionaty — pale, melancholy, but noble features, with an
expression of the greatest sweetness and resignation. When
he speaks, his face becomes animated, and a rather sarcastic
smile lights up the thin lips of the ascetic. The residents of
Kobe, although mostly Protestants, speak of this holy man
with the greatest veneration. He is also an excellent Japanese
scholar. ' I shall profit by it in treating, later, of this subject Father Monico,
¦who died only a few weeks after my visit to Hi&go, leaves a terrible gap in
the missions of this country, and universal regrets in the circle in whicL he
exercised his holy and devoted ministry. Z

338 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
The gulf of Osaka runs Inland from south to north. Hiogo
and Kobe are situated on its western shore. Towards the east
the great town, the Fu of Osaka, stretches along both banks of
the Yodogawa, which, running from north to south, after having
traversed the Fu, flows into the gulf a little below the town.
From Kobe to Osaka by sea, in a straight line, they reckon
fifteen miles, and twenty-two by land, i.e. making the round of
the gulf. A multitude of little steamers belonging to native
Companies, but commanded by Englishmen, ply between the
two towns. One of these boats (of which the different parts
were built in Germany) takes us in a hour and a half to the
Bar of Yodogawa, which is always difficult to cross, and some
times dangerous. A few minutes after, we anive at the first
houses of Osaka, and at eleven o'clock in the morning, after a
passage of two hours, at what Is called the " Concession,"
which is small enough. Inside the bar, and a littie above its
mouth, the river is vety narrow, and in consequence deep and
rapid. The houses on its banks, like all the buildings in this
town, have only a ground-floor. On both shores, before the
houses, double and triple rows of junks of all sizes narrow
the bed of the river, and add greatly to the difficulties of the
navigation. Osaka (one of the three Fu) reckons from
400,000 to 500,000 inhabitants. The ground on which it
stands is less extensive than Yedo ; on the other hand, there
are fewer yashkis here, fewer temples and sacred woods, fewer
private gardens, and less cultivated ground. I should, therefore
be tempted to think that half a million was below the truth.
Three branches of the Yodogawa and another smaller river
traverse the town. These water-courses are joined by a net
work of canals. There are more than 260 bridges, almost
aU of wood : some are of great length. Osaka is the com
mercial capital of Japan. All the foreign merchandise destined
for the interior passes through it In spite of the bar and the
slight depth of this part of the gulf, the influx of native boats is
incredible. In fact, the busy activity on the Yedo river seems
to me less than that which one meets with here. Steam
begins to play a great part in Osaka, and in this respect the
Japanese are ahead of their Chinese neighbours. These last
have never yet learned to work a steam-engine or direct a
steamer, but the Japanese is capable of both. The Prince of

V, OSAKA, 339
Tosa (Isle of Shikoku) possesses several fine steamers, of which
both captains and engineers are natives. We saw outside the
town three fine steamers at anchor. They belong to this daimio,
and trade between Yokohama and the littie potts in that inland
sea. As the price of the passage is so much less ' than that
of the American company, they are always overloaded with
passengers. From Osaka the foreign merchandise is carried
up the river Yodogawa to Fujimi, and from thence by land
to Kiyoto. Other boats, going still higher up the river, reach
the great central lake known under the names of Biva or
OmL I was welcomed by Mr. J. J. EnsHe, the English vice-consul.
Although StUl young, he is one of the oldest of the British
consular staff' in this part of the world. He has been in the
country for ten years, is well acquainted with the language,
and especially with the men and things in this part of Niphon.
He is going to have the kindness to accompany me to Kiyoto.
This is an enormous favour, for in this countty, still closed to
strangers, and where there is not a ghost of an interpreter,
good or bad, as in Egypt or Turkey, one would be compelled
to give up any attempt at traveUing in the interior without
this effectual official protection.
The quarter allotted to foreigners, entirely surrounded by
the river or by canals and carefully guarded, is situated at the
southern extremity of the town. It contains two or three
European houses, the British Consulate, which Is established
in a pretty Japanese yashki, and some native huts adapted to
the use of the " white barbarians." A few fine trees are the
sole ornament of this exile which bears the stamp of a some
what Am'ericanlsed "Young England." In this settlement
there are about twenty Europeans and Americans ; an equal
number employed at an exchange wliich has lately been built
at the southern extremity of the town ; and four or five French
masters who live at the castle — in all, about fifty whiles.
White women are not to be seen. There is neither church,
" The passage from Kobe to Yokohama is, on board the Americin
steamers, for first class 30 dois., and only 18 dois. on Tosa's boats; In
these last it is fair to say you are not fed, you go slower, and you i-un the
risk of foundering or being blown up. But, nevertheless, they are always
fulL

340 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
priest, njr minister. The spirit of the native, population
would not bear the public exercise of the Christian religion.
Besides, the right to erect a church in the "Concession" seems
doubtful. Osaka is not a treaty port, only a town which has
been opened to a few strangers. Everything here struck me
as precarious and provisional. The foreign merchants do very
little business. Their best customers were formerly the daimios,
who used to reside here for some months in the year. But since
the downfall of the Siogun, they do not come any longer. The
native merchants are jealous of strangers, and the authorities
(secretly, it is true, for fear of provoking demands for redress
from the consular agents) throw every possible obstacle in
their way. The little colony, therefore, remains stationary,
and many residents talk of leaving. The population, formerly
secretly excited against the foreigners by the government func
tionaries, have remained hostile. When walking in the streets,
one sees parents whispering words of abuse to their children,
which these latter, who dodge one's footsteps, repeat in a loud
voice. The soldiers of the new imperial army, whom every
one strives to avoid, are remarkable for their insolence. Thanks
to the energetic representations of the foreign ministers, how
ever, the authorities have received orders to put a stop to these
hostile demonstrations, and at this moment, there is conse
quently a better state of things.
I had hardly crossed the threshold of the Consulate, when
the governor of the town who had received notice of my arrival
by a special courier from Iwakura, announced his visit. A few
minutes after, he made his appearance accompanied by the
vice-governor and an interpreter. He was the type ot the
great Japanese official — courteous, dignified, rather awkward,
which however did not misbecome him — with his features con
tracted foi the occasion, according to etiquette, whereby
his face assumed a certain set and stupid expression. This is
rather like the conventional style of our Foreign Office, which
i snelther brilliant nor remarkable, but which has the advant
age of surbordinating the character of the individual to the
exigencies of the affairs of which he treats. Besides, with
Japanese officials, after haring enchanged the usual common
place phrases, their faces relax, their natural expression, which
is generally gay and often benevolent, returns ; and they set aside

V, OSAKA, 341
the official mask, only to resume it at the moment of departure.
The Chi-fu-ji [or governor of a Fii^, with a headdress of
lacquered black paper, wore his great court dress, an ample
robe with large stiff" sleeves, of a rich stuff embroidered in silk
and gold. His two sabres, one of which was of an enormous
and the other of an ordinary size, were richly carved. His
companion had a good open face, a sonorous voice, and a
frank, hearty laugh, which made one forget the extreme irregu
larity of his features. He wore a colossal Phrygian cap of
lacquered paper, and a dress of violet silk embroidered with
pink roses. The governor congratulated me with effusion on
the unheard-of honour I had received of being allowed to
approach the Mikado ; and told me that the emperor had
given orders that during all my travels in his countty I was to
be considered as his majesty's guest.
These great personages having taken their departure, we
started in jinrikishas to see the town. Mr. Ensile sent away
the yakunins, which in Yedo would have been impossible; so
we had the pleasure of going alone through this enormous Fu.
The inhabitants of this busy town are evidently equally de
termined to work and to amuse themselves. The look of the
place is somewhat uniform ; but its animation makes up for its
monotony. The streets are all in straight lines, vety narrow —
not above four to eight feet wide — vety clean, very long, and
meeting at right angles. There are some quarters where, being
all shops, the houses are composed of long low parallelograms
dirided into open courts with projecting pent-houses. Above,
a species of attic serves as a shop, and supports the heavy flat
roof. To the eye they seem like one great block furrowed by
a network of streets. Black and grey are the predominant
colours. Nothing can be sadder, or less graceful ; but one has
not time to study the houses. One is absorbed by the riches,
the variety, and, I would add, the strangeness of the objects
exposed for sale, and by the motley crowd of foot-passengers.
Amidst this mass of human beings, who are perpetually
crossing one another, though without disorder, there are very
few horsemen or jinrikishas. One of these streets, running from
south to north and crossing several bridges, traverses the
greater part of the town. It Is the Oxford Street of Osaka.
In a paraUel street rise two large and very ancient Buddhist

342 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
temples. They belong to the sect of Monto, which is im
portant enough to require careful handling by the Yedo in
novators. One of the ministers said to me : " We dare not
touch them yet; for among the Montoites are some vety
important persons." Shaka, the Buddha of the Japanese,
reigns, therefore, here supreme. No one interferes with him,
nor with his under-gods, nor with his sanctuaries. His temples
go back to the early ages. Neither painted nor lacquered red
and green, like the other temples I had seen before, they have
preserved the natural colour of the wood, which, in the lapse
of centuries, has changed from reddish brown to a light grey.
The sculptures in the interior are rich, but sober. There are
no alto-relievos, nor any of that baroque Italian taste which
struck me so much in the buildings erected under the auspices
of Taiko-Sama and his immediate successors. Their heavy
roofs, like felt hats turned up at the sides, give a feature to the
town, and break the monotony of its aspect We quit our
little carriages to climb up on foot the steps leading to the
upper town. Now we are in the street called : " Of the
Theatres." Along the whole length of these buildings, hung
above the gallery which mns above the fa9ade, are pictures, in
vivid colours, painted in gouache, and representing scenes from
the plays most in fashion, especially historic dramas. At the
doors there is a dense crowd of all ages and both sexes
struggling for admission. I see some quite old men breathless
with their efforts to make way for themselves. A sort of
feverish impatience could be read on their pale, emaciated
faces. All of a sudden a body of dancers and musicians, the
former highly painted, with their hair ornamented with three or
four pins, and wearing rich silk stuffs, approach the great
entrance. Five or six of them form a special band. The
crowd gaze on these privileged beings with curiosity and bene
volence, and do their best to make room for them. In the
meantime we are almost carried away by the current The
throng Is enormous, but they do not hustle one another.
Here, as elsewhere In this country, the colour of the crowd is
blue and bronze flesh. Among the people are many men of
high rank, but not one woman of the upper classes. It is not
their dress vvhich would distinguish them^ — for that is alike for
all ; but their clearer and more delicate skins, their carefully

V. OSAKA. 343
kept naUs, and especially their high-bred appearance. We see
also a good many of the two-sworded gentlemen. Above this
human chaos, and the pictures hung to attract visitors, is
a perfect forest of poles, standing out against the sky, orna
mented with festoons, flowers, and flags of different sizes and
colours, waving in the breeze. All the world seems gone mad
with a thirst for the play ! It is a strange sight ! where elegance
and grotesqueness walk side by side ; but where, as a whole and
in the details, good taste and propriety predominate.
At the end of this street we scrambled up some more large
stone steps, and came into the "Street of Temples." In the
pleasure quarter there was plenty of life, but in the gods'
quarter complete solitude. On both sides, the outside walls of
the inclosure, pierced with great gateways, showed the Httle
courts in front of the sanctuary. However narrow these may
be there is always room for some magnificent ichbs — some
cedars or ctyptomerias, of which the twisted branches,
stretching over the street, give a pleasant shade to the passers-
by. On the threshold of the doors sit the bonzes, their heads
shaved, in dirty dresses of yellow and violet silk. They smoke
their pipes, and look at us out of their little eyes in a curious,
malevolent manner. It was in one of these temples that the
English, French, American, and Netherlands ministers were
lodged when the events of 1868 brought them to these coasts,
which no European before them had ever visited.'
We have arrived at the highest point of the town. It is
occupied by the castle, which, built by Taiko-Sama,= has so
many times, and quite lately, at the downfall of the Siogun,
played so great a part in the history of Japan. It is a double
inclosure, formed of cyclopean walls, of which the houses,
slightly bulged, are ranged in curved lines. Two enormous
ditches, walled in the same fashion, protect it ; but from in
credible ignorance of fortification, two large solid bridges
faciHtate to besiegers the access to the fortress. In the middle
of the second inclosure, and on the highest point, stood the
palace. The Siogun burnt it in 1868 when he found he would
be compelled to evacuate it On that occasion, too, he also
' Some years before, Sir Rutherford Alcock had passed there, but withou
stopping. « In 1590.

344 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
burnt to the ground the great yashki of Prince Satsuma, on the
banks of the Yodogawa, as he considered him one of the
causes of his downfall. The palace is completely destroyed,
but the second inclosure is still intact From one of the four
towers that flank it the panorama is magnificent This
immense town is stretched at our feet, crossed by an infinity of
water-courses and streets, looking in the distance like so many
white ribbons. Above this confused mass, the roofs of the
two temples are seen, as in profile, against the silvety waters of
the vast gulf. Beyond are the mountains, gilded by the setting
sun, and here and there, shadowed by the light clouds which
the evening breeze scatters on the azure and rose-coloured
ground of the sky. Such is the view to the south-west and
north-west To the north, a large flat valley opens out, which
is the bed of the Yodogawa and our future road to Kiyoto.
To the east, the green mountains, with their graceful outlines,
rise near the town. A narrow and well-cultivated strip of
plain separates them.
In front of the castle, on the other side of the stream,
proudly rises the new Exchange, built at the expense of the
government by English architects, and directed by officials
belonging to the same nation. It is an enormous edifice,
which has cost millions. The furniture of the pa-riHon des
tined for the reception of the Japanese functionaries has
alone cost 10,000 dollars ! They will want time to learn
how to sit in those gorgeous arm-chairs and sofas covered
with Lyons velvet. The rest is in accordance with it The
Exchange begins to work; the new rio has answered very
well. We ended our walk by a retum visit to the govemor, who
received us in his official yashki, placed on the canal in the
centre of the town. Here we enjoyed one of those magic
effects of light which are only possible in this latitude and in
Japanese houses. The great doorway leading into the court,
which had been hastily opened for us — for etiquette does not
allow people of rank to pass through the postern-gates — is
painted black, and the flooring is of bricks of the same colour.
In front of this portal, the vestibule, also framed in black, is
wide open. Beyond, in the Interior of the palace, a beautifully
fine yellow matting is spread, while the partitions are, as usual,

V. OSAKA, 341J
in white paper. The sun's disk, visible between the houses
which are on the opposite side of the canal, touches the
horizon. Its rays, which are nearly horizontal, pass through
the wide gateway, glide over the pebbles of the court,
fill the vestibule, and light up that and the rooms beyond with
a fiery glow which is almost insupportable ; tints of dead and
shining gold illumine the yellow matting, while all around is
a transparent halo of light, with the deep-black background of
the dark walls. It was a picture never to be forgotten.
We passed through a multitude of oftices, which at this
moment were deserted ; a labyrinth of rooms, where they have
just placed, for the use of the clerks, some tables and chairs.
This is in itself a complete revolution. The Japanese writes
standing or squatted on his knees, his head bent forward. He
holds his brush vertically, so as to enable his Chinese ink to
flow freely. If he sits against a table, he must necessarily
slope his brush backwards. It would be necessaty, then, to
replace his Chinese ink with ours, and anyhow to substitute
a pen for a brash, although a pen does not lend itself easily to
tracing Chinese characters, which are wide and fine at the
same time. He must, therefore, adopt other methods, and in
troduce European writing — a revolution which would hardly
tally with the essence of Mongol languages. I dwell ont hese
details, puerile though they may seem, because they have in
reality a great signification, and give an idea of the almost
insurmountable obstacles to be encountered by the Imitators of
European fashions.'
The Chi-fu-ji received us in a room opening on the garden.
He invited us to sit round a table. Another functlonaty, not
without the previous prostrations, took his place by our side.
Two pages, who are never wanting in the houses of the great,
and three two-sworded knights, were squatted on a matting at
a respectful distance. The conversation turned on the culture
of the tea-plant, on which the governor gave me some very
' According to the American papers (September 1872), ^ professor of
Newhaven, accompanied by about a hundred teachers, had been sent for to
Japan, to establish seven normal schools in different parts of the empire.
The government of the Mikado had decided that English should be the
learned language taught ; and that in the native tongue the Chinese charac
ters should be replaced by the Roman alphabet

346 A RylMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. V,
interesting information. The province which grows the best
sort is Udji ; the next is Kiyoto. Then he gave us a lesson as
to how we should make it; and joining practice to theory
he made the pages place on the matting the tea-tray and tea
pot, squatted down beside them himself, and gave us some of
the Udji tea, which was the most delicious and finely perfumed
I ever tasted. Here is his receipt : — Make tiie water boil in
an earthenware pot, and not in a metal one. Then you must
calculate exactly the quantity of leaves and water required for
each cup ; drink the tea scalding hot, immediately after the
infusion, and never make a second. They gave us different
kinds of sweetmeats, which I thought rather insipid ; but they
all had a delicate, refined, perfumed taste, which answered the
smell of different flowers. Japanese palates are less blas'e than
ours- in Europe, and are, therefore, more apt to seize the
shades of taste which escape us.
Our return to the settlement was made by water on a de
licious evening. The palace of the governor is, as I have said,
in the centre of the town. Nevertheless, in spite of the speed
of our rowers, we were nearly an hour in getting home.
A number of tea-boats, lit by coloured lanterns, and full of
young men and singers, glided alongside of our barque. We
also met a quantity of junks returning from Kiyoto, overloaded
with passengers. At the angles of the canals were a number
of tea-houses, brUliantly lit up, and flooded likewise by the
magic rays of the full moon. Evetywhere we heard laughter,
joyous cries, and songs, accompanied by flutes or guitars.

CHAPTER VI.
RIY6t0.—FR0M the 22nd TO THE 25th OF SEPTEMBER.
On the Yodowaga. — Fujimi. — The Capital of the West. — The palace of the
Mikado. — The Castle of the Siogun. — The Temples, — Yiew of Kiydto.
— Guion-Machi.
Septetnber 22. — Besides the great rowing boats employed in the
transport of travellers and merchandise, some small steamers
leave Osaka every moming, and, according to the variable
state of the Yodogawa current, arrive (or do not arrive !)
towards evening, or in the night, at Fujimi. The captain,
engineers, and sailors are all natives. This accounts for the
frequency of the accidents on board. Luckily of late there
have been no explosions. Accordingly, on board one of these
little steamers we embarked at seven o'clock in the morning.
Thanks to the intervention of Mr. Ensile, our guard of honour
has been reduced to two civil functionaries, two officers, and
four soldiers. The cook and servants belonging to the consul
complete our suite. The Chi-fu-ji, in spite of my protestations,
had reserved the quarter-deck for us . entirely, as well as the
cabins of the ship. We are therefore very comfortable. We
pass before several palaces. The largest is, or rather -was, that
of Prince Satsuma, burnt, as we have seen, by the Siogun, at
the moment of his retreat. The walls of the inclosure alone
are left standing. Further on, we pass by the imposing build
ings of the new Exchange, At last the houses yield to fields
and gardens. The banks are too high to admit of our seeing
the whole of the ground ; but what we do see gives us a
' Kiyoto is marked Miako on European maps. It: Japan tliis name has
fallen into disu^ie.

348 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
wonderful idea of the fertUity of the soil. Soon the banks of
the Yodogawa begin to get flatter. We are steaming between
tufts of bamboos and fine groups of maples, larch, and weeping
willows. Market-towns, great and small vUlages, all looking
populous and prosperous, succeed one another at short intervals.
Whilst they put down and take up passengers at these different
stations we watch various little scenes of village politeness.
They accompany the departures and welcome the new anivals at
the piers with every demonstration of respect and friendship.
They make littie groups, and talk to one another in the attitude
required of people who have been well brought up : that is, the
legs bent and the hands resting on the knees. Solitaty spots,
where woods and thickets replace houses, are rare, and of a
thoroughly bucoHc character. But on the river the scene is
always busy and gay. The boats are furnished with one large
single square sail, formed of nanow bands of junk, arranged
vertically and bound together by a slight cordage. Both light
and wind pass through them. Curious and singular sights
meet you at every turn and remind you that you are in the
heart of Japan, where everything seems new to you, because
everything is strange. By special favour of the stream we
arrive at four o'clock at Fujimi. A brilliant reception awaited
us. The authorities in court-dress received us at the landing-
place, and led us to a beautiful apartment, ornamented with
flowers and carpets, and where chairs and tables even had been
placed for the occasion. These useful articles, which the
governor has been obliging enough to place at our disposal,
will follow us throughout our journey.
Fujimi has often been mentioned in the histoty of Japan.
It was there that was fought, only three years ago, the battle
which decided the fate of the Siogun. Other remembrances
are attached to this town. St. Francis Xavier Hved here, when,
a cmcifix in his hand, a wallet on his back, frozen feet, arid a
body covered with ulcers, he boldly presented himself, with two
catechumens, at the court of the Mikado,
The road from Fujimi to Kiyoto winds up a gentle declivity,
on both sides of which houses are built without intermptlon.
One leaves Fujimi and arrives at Kiyoto without finding out
where the one ends and the other begins. The whole road is
but one long street of three ris, or a Httie less than eight mUes.-

VL KIYOTO, 349
The country preseives the Idyllic character of the Yodogawa
Valley. On our road we visited two celebrated temples of
great antiquity. In the first, Inarino-Yijiro, a little buUding
dedicated to the Sintoo rite, there were a quantity of foxes
sculptured on the beams and the wainscot At one ris further
on is the large and Emcient Buddhist temple of T6-fu-Kuji,
founded, if we are to believe our Japanese friends, by the
Siogun, Yoritomo, at the beginning ot the thirteenth centuty.
The greater part of these Japanese temples have been rebuilt
several times. This one, to judge by the colour of the wood
and the sculptures, must be very ancient. A sacred wood
sunounds it, and a bridge is thrown over a deep ravine, shaded
by gigantic maples and ichos, which would seem to be as old as
the temple itself. Followed by a crowd of functionaries and
officers, with an escort of thirty soldiers, sent by the Chi-fu-ji
of Kiyoto, Mr. Ensile in a norimon, and I on his beautiful
Japanese pony, we make our way slowly through a mass ot
people who have mshed along our path to enjoy the rare
spectacle of two European travellers. At six o'clock we enter
the capital of the west, and half-an-hour aiter arrive at the door
of a fine hotel in the south-east quarter of the town. Under
our balcony flows the Kanagawa River, which at this hour of
the night is full of pleasure-boats. The Dai-Sanji, or vice-
governor, comes to pay us his compliments, and to announce
the visit of the Chi-fu-ji, thefoUowing morning at seven o'clock ;
adding that the governor had chosen that early hour so that we
might see the town before the great heats of the day.
The distance frorii Osaka to Fujimi is ten ris; from thence
to Kiyoto three ris — in all about thirty mile.
Septetnber 23. — The two Osaka functionaries have just taken
leave of us and been replaced by the vice-governor, Dai-SanjI,
and another personage, both commissioned to do the honours
of their town and accompany us in our walks. They come at
sunrise and unroll before us a paper six or eight feet long, on
which are marked the names of the different temples we are to
visit It is with some difficulty that Mr. Ensile persuades them
to cross out some of them. The chief of our guides Is a little
gentleman with a commonplace countenance, and a face terribly
marked by the smallpox, but with bright, quick, intelligent

3SO A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
eyes. He wears a cap of lacquered black paper, which looks
like a plate with a point in the middle, and he has covered il,
after the fashion of the Anglo-Indians, vrith a great veil of
white muslin. A tunic of riolet silk with a white border, and
trousers and boots of European fashion, make up his costume.
By an ingenious contrivance he has passed his two sabres
through the gussets of his waistcoat, which takes the place of
the ordinary handsome Japanese waistband. One of these
swords, which is a masterpiece of chasing and incrustation, has
belonged to his family ever since the reign of Taiko-Sama.
Altogether, the appearance of this little gentleman is highly
comic. He is also a perfect type of a bureaucrat of the first
water. Very respectful towards his superiors, and of an ex
quisite poHteness towards us, he is stiff with his subordinates,
and sucks in with evident delight the profound salutations
which he receives from the people. His second, more advanced
than himself in the path of progress, wears his rough, stiff,
and badly-brushed hair in the European fashion. His great
coat and trousers fit abominably ; the use of a shirt or a cravat
is still unknown to him ; his varnished boots are evidently a
misety to him, for whenever he can he replaces them with
the sjndals of his country. He is a young man with a frank,
open countenance, and if dressed like a Japanese, would be a
good-looking fellow ; but the costume of the " barbarians "
makes him appear both awkward and vulgar.
At seven o'clock precisely the Chi-fu-ji appears at the hotel.
On his arrival there is a regular kow-tow. Evetyone prostrates
himself before hinn, and we hear the noise of aU the foreheads
knocking against the ground. This great man overwhelms us
with civilities. Intimately connected with the authors of the
reform movement, he has only occupied his present post for a
short time ; but he has already done great things for public
education, and opened several schools for young girls. Until
now, with rare exceptions among the upper classes, women
were never taught to read or write. Like Iwakura and Kido,
he affirmed that the transformation of Japan would be accom
plished in three years. I admire this strength of conviction ;
it is a pledge of success, if success be possible.
^ To go from our hotel, which Is In the south-east quarter of
Kiyoto, to the castie of the Mikado, whicli is at the extreme

VI. KIYOTO. 35 1
north, we have to cross the town in all its length. At the head
of our procession marches the functionary belonging to the
governor, a samurai mounted on an enormous big black horse,
which, according to the taste of these two-sworded gentlemen,
has been trained to caper and kick out at his neighbours. Six
guards on horseback Immediately precede us. The sanji and
his second are on each side of the Europeans. The bettos
follow on foot It is with great difficulty that we prevent their
seizing the bridles of our horses. Six yakunins with two swords
and on horseback and a body of foot-soldiers form our rear
guard. Altogether we are more than forty people, so that our
triumphal march produces a great sensation. The passers-by
stop, the merchants and shopkeepers msh to the doors of their
houses. All prostrate themselves before the sanji, and salute
the other officers to the ground. Towards the two barbarians
they make attempt at civility. We are stared at with curiosity
and coldness; in certain quarters, inhabited, I suppose, by
conservatives, or by wrong-thinkers, as our sanji says, the looks
cast upon us are anything but friendly; decidedly, we are not
popular. My eyeglass makes a great sensation. When we
halt, the principal persons draw near and ask permission to try
it They pass it from hand to hand, and having excited the
admiration of some hundreds of persons, it is given back to
me with endless demonstrations of respect and gratitude.
The Mikado's palace occupies a vast space. The servants'
quarter and the lodgings of the smaller officials and samurais
are built within the first inclosure, and are only distinguished
from the rest of the town by that solemn calm, that indescrib
able court atmosphere which one generally breathes in the
neighbourhood of royal residences. Here, in the same way,
everyone seems to feel his own importance, and to take part
in the splendour of the emperor whom he serves, but whom,
unfortunately, he has lost for ever.
In the second space, i.e., that comprised between the first
inclosure and the second, and caUed " Of the Nine Doors,"
which, in fact, form a vety high wall, are the palaces of the
court aristocracy, the Kuge's. Their yashkis, Hke those of the
daimios, are surrounded with little gardens, where laurels
alternate with dwarf cedars, and with the vety largest weeping
wUlows I have ever seen.

3S2 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
One of the principal objects of my journey to Kiy&to
was to visit the emperor's castie, the pied-d,-terre of this
mysterious personage, whose real home is in Olympus, since
he is the son of the gods. To compare his palace with the
magnificent residences of the Sioguns at Yedo, Osaka, and
Kiyoto even, would be, I hoped, to lift a comer of the veil
which still hangs over the relatioi^s between the Sioguns and
the Mikado, and which are so littie understood. But at Yedo
and at Yokohama, everyone had said to me : " Don't think
of it. The abode of the gods is inaccessible to mortals,"
That might be vety true ; but I did not despair. Thanks to
the amiable and always efficacious intervention of Mr. Adams
and M. Satow, after a good many hesitations, Iwakura had
furnished me with a letter for the superintendent ofthe palace,
containing an order to let me see within the " nine doors " of the
second inclosure ; that is, to admit me within the kuges' quarter
" From thence," he said " you can see the palace perfectly."
But, arrived on the spot, and finding that through these
famous gateways, which were fortunately open, one only saw
another wall and not a sign of the palace, I insisted upon
entering the second inclosure, which led to the third. The
sanji could not conceal his surprise, not to say his displeasure.-
What unheard-of pretension ! That may be ; but stUl, I insist.
The matter becomes serious. Our friend is evidently shaken.
His remonstrances give place to entreaties, to forced laughter,
and finaUy to an embarrassed sUence. At these symptoms of
indecision I put spurs to my horse and pass quickly through
the forbidden portal, dragging after me the two great func
tionaries and our whole escort
Arrived in this second court, we look at one another in
silence. Consternation is depicted on all these countenances.
A great sacrilege has been committed ! That is evident But
they accept it at last as an accomplished fact, and we make the
tour of the third and last inclosure called of " The Six Doors."
We pass successively before the great portal called " The
South ; " before that of " The Sun," which faces the east, and
those of "The Garden," "The Mikado's Wives,"*"' The
Kitchens," and the " Functionaries ; " turning to the north-east,
north-west, and south-west All these doors resembled the
portals of the temples. They are made of wood, which has

VL KIYOTO. 3S3
become grey under the influence of centuries. Here and there
are remains of sculpture and gilding which is hardly percep
tible ; but there is neither lacquer nor painting. The inclosure
consists of a basement ol cut stone on which rises a sloping
wall, made of wood, covered with cement, painted grey and
divided into compartments. A littie roof of black tiles pro
tects it from the rain. It was impossible to see anything of
the palace save some gables and a few trees. Some of the six
doors were closed ; others were half open. Whenever I tried
to peer into the sanctuary, the imploring looks of the sanji
stopped me. Mr. Ensile in vain exhausted himself In argu
ments which might overcome his scruples. The answer invari
ably was : " The superintendence of the palace is not in the
province of the administration ; the superintendent belonged
to the old court party who were hostUe to the present ministry,
to progress, and especially to Europeans." As a last favour
the sanji leads us to the door of the kitchens and lets us see,
above the low roofs of certain small houses, the gable end of
the great hall of the palace. " Well, are you satisfied ? " he
exclaimed with a forced laugh : " on your return to Europe you
will be able to boast of haring seen what no one sees — the
emperor's palace." And he hastens to turn his bridle, adding
that it is late ; that the Chi-fu-ji was waiting for us at the castle;
that the road was long ; that it was very hot ; and that it was
time to think of breakfast " No," I replied, " I am not satisfied
with your conduct. How! You imitate our customs, you
dress yourself up in our costume, you think yourself in the full
vein of civilization ; and yet you are superstitious enough to
exclude us from the residence of your sovereign ! How they
will laugh at you in Europe when they hear that the permission
to cast a look at the Mikado's kitchen is all that your pretended
civilization amounts to ! " Mr. Ensile had scarcely translated
these words when a complete silence fell upon them all. As far
as his Mongol tint will allow, the sanji blushes. A short con
versation in a low voice takes place between him and his
subordinate. "You are right," he said at last, "they would
laugh at us." He then offered to go and find the superin
tendent, adding, however, that he did not expect any favourable
result from this step, as, except Sir Harry Parkes and his three
colleagues, whose short apparition produced such a ferment

3S4 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
and occasioned the massacres, no European has ever set foot
within this inclosure. In the meanwhile we rest under a mag
nificent lime-tree. A group forms itself round us at a respectful
distance. They are the servants of the kugds. We are struck
by their costume and by the coquettish coiffure of the maid
servants. In the rest of the inclosure there is not a soul !
nothing but the monotony of the walls. I'he eye involuntarily
rises towards the summit of the trees and the blue mountains
which form the horizon.
Half an hour passes like this. At last, our ambassadors
joyfully retum. We are to be admitted. The superintendent
and his assistant only beg leave to be allowed time to put on
their court dresses. After another quarter of an hour's delay
they make their appearance. They look very sulky ; but they
put a good face upon It and allow us to cross the threshold of
the forbidden city. We enter the " Functionaries " doorway.
In spite of a broUing sun, everyone bares his head. As for us,
we are requested at least to fold our parasols in token of re
spect The men in our suite throw themselves on the ground
and pick up the littie pebbles with which it is strewed, inviting
us to follow their example. These stones are talismans, which
are thought to preserve them from iflness. We find ourselves
in a spacious and solitaty court A profound silence reigns
here. In the shade of a doorway, three guards, like statues,
are seated immovable on their heels. Behind them, a great
screen, ornamented with paintings on a gold ground, prevent
profkne eyes from penetrating into the interior. At this moment,
a kugd, in a great robe of cloth of gold, with wide stiff sleeves,
crosses the court with measured steps, passes before the guards,
who do not budge, and disappears behind the screen. This
court, like all those we have seen, is surrounded by a covered
gallety which follows the line of the wall. The columns are
painted red and white ; one finds the' same colours in all the
temples of the Sintoo rite. Arrived at the end of the gallery, the
superintendent, whose embarrassment and bad humour are on
the increase, is about to make us go back the same way we came.
But this time our sanji openly takes part with the barbarians ;
he gesticulates, screams, and gets crimson with rage. Mr.
Ensile backs him up ; and in spite of the angry protestations
of his subordinate, the scruples of the superintende nt are as

VL KIYOTO, 355
last overruled. Similar scenes are renewed at each door ; but
fortunately all are open and I go boldly through them, as soon
as I see the authoriiies beginning to waver or give way. I had
been told at Yedo : " The Japanese bureaucrats are stupid and
heavy and delight in creating difficulties; but with ¦ patience,
civility, and firmness you can get over them." This advice stoocl
me In good stead to-day.
We are in the court of honour, at the bottom of which, in
front of the southern gate, is a great isolated building, called
the hall of audience. A projecting piece of wall serves as a
screen to this sanctuary and protects It, even when the door of
the Inclosure Is open, from the curious eyes of the passers-by.
It was In this hall that Sir Harry Parkes and his three colleagues,
with their suite, where admitted to the emperor's presence ; the
first and until this moment the last time that Europeans had
set foot in it The diplomats are introduced by the great door
and are reconducted by the same way. The other parts of
the palace remain, consequently, inaccessible. The hall of
audience is of wood ; the flooring is raised four feet above the
soil and a large staircase leads to it The building is a paral
lelogram. One side looks on the court and makes a handsome
fa9ade. The roof is double, very high, very heavy, and over
hangs the walls by several feet The ends of the beams which
support it are richly sculptured and gilt. The wooOvvork,
according to the taste and traditions of the court of the Mikados,
is neither painted nor lacquered. Phis hall was rebuilt about
twenty years ago. There are no interior fittings save the usual
fine matting on the floor. The darkness of the room did not
enable us to examine the ornaments on the panels, if there
were any. Round the court of honour there is another gallery
painted red and white.
In an isolated pavilion had been preserved, from time im
memorial, the mystic insignia of supreme power among the
Mikados, namely, the sword of state, a casket and a minor.
These precious objects were last year transported to Yedo.
After fresh discussions, ending by fresh concessions, we passed
into the court which leads to " the Portal of the Sun " or the
east. To sum up all In a few words, the Mikado's palace,
which, if you leave out the two kug^s' and servants' quarters,
covers but a small space, is only distinguished from the yashkis

3S6 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
by rather larger demeu.sions and by the essentially sacred
character of Its architecture. It is a labyrinth of courts, of
narrow passages formed by separate buildings, of pavilions,
corridors and simple partitions. The roofs, like those of all
the Sintoo- temples, rest on horizontal beams, lacquered white
and red and gilt at the extremities. They are likewise
ornamented with littie sculptures some of which are real chefs-
dceuvre. At the angles of each building are projecting pieces
of wall serving as screens, built of stone, or wood, and covered
with cement. The partitions are like those in all the other
houses : i.e., movable and covered with little square pieces of
white paper. Sometimes they are protected by wooden grat
ings. I admired their design, which was at the same time
varied, simple and elegant. The shutters have also kept the
natural colour of the wood, only varying with agCj from pale
mahogany colour to Hght grey. Here and there the sameness
is relieved by rods of black lacquer. The effect of the whole
is indescribable. The sober and soft harmony of the colours,
the beauty of the details, the finish of the ornaments, which
seem to be kept in the background rather than startle the eye,
the exquisite taste, the elegance and noble simplicity which
pervade this mysterious and inaccessible place, make you for
get the barbaric character of the architecture. There is no
where the smallest trace of those open-work sculptured alto-
relievos which we admired in the Shiba of Yedo, and in general
in all the buildings erected by Taiko-Sama; the taste and the
Sintoo traditions cf the Mikados probably disdained them.
" But where are the living rooms, the bedroom of the
emperor ? " "In the garden." " Let us go then into the garden."
" Impossible. Two doors alone lead to it One, the door of
honour; this one Is not to be thought of; it would wound
the susceptibility of the people beyond bearing. The other is
nailed up. Therefore, you see, it is absolutely impossible."
" We never thought of pretending to the honour of entering by
the great door. We are modest people. But nothing is
easier than to pass by the one which Is nailed up. A pair of
pincers and a Httle good will are all that is needful." This
time, I own, before the visible despair of the sanji and the
superintendent, and before the scarcely-repressed rage of his
subordinate, who, in a low voice, was evidently conjuring his

VL KIYOTO. 357
chief not to yield, I was disposed to stop and give up any
further attempt to penetrate into the holy of holies. But Mr.
Enslie had no idea of being so easily discouraged. He enters
into conversation with our Cerberases and actually succeeds
in wheedling them.. We therefore enter the garden by the
postern gate. I need not add that, as to the nails, they had
only existed in the fertile imagination of the steward.
The Mikado's garden contained nothing but a little pond
affecting to be a lake. On two sides there are some fine old
trees. On the third a wall : and on the fourth, two low houses,
resting on beams and united by a corridor. This was the
residence of the Mikado and of his wives ; we did not see the
inside : they told us that all the mattings and thep recious objects
which it contained had been sent to Yedo. A zigzag bridge was
thrown over the little lake This strange shape, which is very
much the fashion in China, is intended to resemble a serpent
and indirectly a dragon, the symbol of supreme power. The
state of neglect in which we found tiie garden of the son of the
gods sufficiently explained the extreme reluctance of the steward
to let us in. The whole place spoke of the absence of the
master. The little piece of water was covered with dead leaves
and vegetable matter. Grass was growing over the walks :
only a few flower-pots ananged before the houses, testify to the
existence of a gardener. But even without dwelling on the
absence of care, everything here is small and mean, excepting
the trees. What a contrass between the tmly imperial park of
the Yedo palace, the work of the Sioguns, and this miserable
tea-garden of the son of the gods '
On leaving the palace, we went to the Castle ; it is situated
in the western part of the town. To arrive there we had to
cross Kiyoto in aU its length, and that in a heat which was
almost unbearable. I will only briefly mention what stmck
me most in this other -curious and magnificent building. 1^ e-
buUt from the ground by Taiko-Sama, it bears the stamp of the
genius and power of this great man. Before it is a vast
esplanade bordered on one side by magnificent trees. The
outside wall is like that of the palace, only more solid. The
entrance door, in grey wood, leads Into a spacious court In
front is the portal of the main building ; I admire the sopra-
porta; it is most richly worked with birds and flowers in high

358 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD, Chap.
relief, painted and gUt, reminding one of the windows of the
Shiba. The apartments, which are a repetition, only on a larger antl
finer scale, of those which one sees In tlie palaces of the
daimios, are specially remarkable for their height; for in Japan
the houses are ordinarily low. Everything here breathes of
the splendour of that epoch which was the golden age of the
Sioguns and the golden age of the arts." On ceilings of dead
gold, the sculptured beams cross one another In a kind oi
chequer-work, and rosettes of gilt bronze elegantly carved, are
placed at the intersection of each square. We passed through
several rooms before arriving at the great hall, which is eighty
feet long, thirty feet wide, and twenty-two feet high. The
ceiling, which is in the same style as the one I have described
above, is of rare beauty. On the walls and movable partitions
are painted great trees in a free, bold style, but not altogether
without the exaggerations which are according to the taste of
the country.'
Round this hall runs a lobby, of which the windows pierced
high up In the vail, like those of the Shiba, are of a won
derful richness and variety. There is the same style, although
less rich, in the apartments where the Sioguns in old times
received the daimios and the kugds. The room which the
Siogun himself occupied is ornamented with panels In old
lacquer-work and contains some valuable pictures, which refute
the generally-admitted supposition that the Japanese were
ignorant of the rules of perspective. The Siogun emblem, a
trefoil surrounded by a ring, is here repeated ad infinitutn.
After a collation served in the great hall, the Chi-fu-ji took
us all over the apartments in the castle, and then through the
official rooms, which within the last few days have been fitted
up with chairs and tables. The clerks were sitting at them
' This epoch embraces about half a century, from 1580 to 1630.
' I took advantage of a moment when our host was absent to make a
sketch of this hall, which I compared later with a drawing made by Engle-
bert Kaempfer, in 1691, and which is precisely the same. Perhaps it was
in this very room that the Dutch Legation had their audience, at which the
clever German assisted. We know that the Mik-:dos often lived in the
castle, especially during the visits of the Sioguns, to whom it belonged until
the dignity was abolished. See llie French "History of J.ipan," by E.
Kaempfer. Translated from the German. The Hague, 1729.

VL KIYOTO. 359
awkwardly enough, writing as quickly as they could, for, of
course, on the appearance of "their chief, etiquette alone would
have prescribed redoubled zeal. In each room is a stand for
the swords of the company. That is an Important piece of
furniture ; for they do not play at swords in this country ; and
such of the officials as belong to the military took care not to let
you forget that, before evetything, they were gentlemen. The
sabre is the essential — the pen, or rather pencil, is the acces-
soty. There was a little circumstance which happened two or
three months ago illustrating this feeling. Two members of
the diplomatic corps of Yokohama came to Kiyoto. In a
little town in the neighbourhood, during a halt, one of them by
accident, touched the sabre of a yakunin with his foot. This
man thought himself dishonoured. His colleagues first, and
then the idlers of the town, all began to pity the unfortunate
yakunin, who declared that he could not survive such an affront,
and that he must perform hari-kari. The position of the
Europeans was becoming critical, when one of the Japanese
interpreters had the happy inspiration to say to the yakunin :
" You left your sword on the mat and not in the stand as you
ought to have done. It was, therefore, by pure chance that
the stranger lord touched your sword ; and with no intention
of offending you. Your honour is safe." This interpretation
satisfied evetybody, especially the officer, who was spared having
to open his belly, and the two travellers, who hastened to leave
a country where the population were so ticklish on a point of
honour. The governor was amiable enough to have a dinner pre
pared for us at the town hall, which, according to his programme,
was one of the places we were to visit In a fine hall of this
building they had laid the table, which was covered with a silk
carpet, and ornamented with an immense nosegay of flowers,
five or six feet high, such as we see in the temples ; an English
carpet covered the matting, and on the chairs they had thrown
some beautiful shawls. Places were laid for the two Europeans
and the two sanjis. The officers of the suite dined In the
same room, seated on the floor, and the others in the adjoining
rooms. The repast Vas copious and the dishes were very varied.
The principal one, of course, was the famous Tay fish. It Is
cut in slices alive, and they hastened to put it on the table.

36o A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
pouring into its eyes some drops of vinegar. The muscles
give a convulsive movement The slices wriggle asunder and
the wretched animal seems to expire. This time the experiment
did not succeed ; but several Europeans have assured me that
they were eye-witnesses of this cruel and disgusting spectacle.
"Ma io col viddi, ni credo che sia."
Alongside of the dining-hall is the school of the quarter —
a great room filled with great and little giris and great and
littie boys, all busy in blackening paper which was already
black enough. In Kiyoto there are sixty-four schools. The
present governor, who is a man of progress, has the merit of
having opened the greater number.
After having paid a visit to the Sintoo temple, KItanotenjin,
consecrated to the memory of a celebrated warrior of the
fifteenth century, we passed through some interminable streets,
always going westward. At last we got out of the town.
Long avenues of fine trees, growing on the banks of a stream,
lead to a chain of wooded hills. Above, and at a distance
of some miles, high mountains close the valley of Kiyoto
towards the west. We have come to the end and object ol
our walk : one of the richest of the Buddhist teinples, named
Kin-kaku-ji, and dedicated to Tojimlzu, one of the heroes
of Japan. This buUding, erected towards the year 1420, is
only distinguished from the other temples before Taiko-Sama
by the beauty and extent of its shi-ubberies. The art of
Japanese gardening is brought to the greatest perfection here,
but at the same time goes to the utmost limits of the grotesque.
To give an example, they have turned a colossal pine into a
boat, the trunk being the mast, the upper branches forming the
yards, and the lower ones the oars. The real poetical charm
of this place consists in its wonderful solitude, and the beauti
ful peeps one has of the neighbouring countty, while the town
is entirely hidden behind a thick curtain of foliage.
At a little distance is a rising ground, from the summit of
which I feel sure there must be a beautiful view of Kiyoto.
Unfortunately, this spot is not marked in the governor's
programme. The good sanji points this ouf tome by unroUIng
the paper on M'hich is our itinerary. But emboldened by ray
success in the morning, I quietly go up the Manjelon by

VL KIYOTO. 361
myself, leaving Mr. Enslie to pacify the guards. Seeing that I
was thus determined, they hastened to dismount and follow
me, irreverently fastening their horses to the balustrade of the
temple. The ascent is very steep, but the view amply rewards
us. At our feet was spread the whole town and valley of
KIy6to. The centre looked like an ocean of black roofs, sur
rounded by an equally wide ocean of green trees. The frame
of the picture was composed of mountains bathed in tints of
grey and pink. But what a rose-colour ! and what pearly-grey
tints !
In spite of our putting our horses at a quick trot, we took
an hour and twenty minutes to reach our hotel. It is pitch-
dark when we arrive. On the river, like yesterday, there is a
kind of Venetian file: pleasure-boats, with their coloured
lanterns dancing on the water; songs, music,, cries of various
kinds — the whole shrouded in the soft darkness of a mild
summer's night
September 24. — The best artists of the town came to us to
day, bringing a heap of curiosities ; amongst them there are
some real chefs-d'oeuvre. Unfortunately, the rich people in
Japan like collecting too, so that the prices are exorbitant.
The things in modern lacquer and the ivory sculpture seem to
me infinitely superior to those one sees at Yokohama or even
at Yedo. As to the bronzes, they are quite exceptionally
beautiful. I chose a cup and a metal box, incrusted with gold
and silver, both of them the work of the famous Goroza. An
inscription on the back gives the name of the artist, and it is
said that this illustrious family of goldsmiths, the Cellinis of
Japan, has flourished for nine generations.
At seven o'clock we resume our walks round Kiyoto, Nlshi-
hon-guan-ji, the great Buddhist temple of the Monto sect,
erected in the thirteenth centuty, and almost entirely rebuilt by
Taiko-Sama, is composed of two separate buildings united bya
gallery, and standing at the bottom of an oblong court There
is only one tree, but it is the growth of centuries. Two door
ways give access to this vast inclosure. The two temples are
of the era of the great Siogun. One is consecrated to Shln-
ranshozo, the founder of the Monto sect, the other to the
goddess Amida.

362 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
We enter the great hall, which is in the form of a parallelo
gram, 124 feet long by 56 feet wide. The lower end is filled
by five separate chapels, divided one from another by parti
tions. The middle one is the sanctuary. One would think
that the artist had studied and Imitated the Gothic churches of
Florence. In front is a passage railed off from the hall by a
balustrade. The roof is supported by columns without capitals,
in the natural colour of the wood. The temple was full of
men and women dressed in white. Even those who had
nothing but a piece of linen round their loins wore a little bit
of white paper in their hair. White is the colour of mourning.
They were allowed to pass through the passage by turns.
They prostrated themselves in the sanctuary, said the prayer
for the dead, which was an affair of a moment, and then
poured out to the right and left, laughing and talking. In
spite of the enormous crowd, there was neither press nor
confusion. The faith and devotion of these good people
were a source of great amusement to our sanji. Like all
men of his stamp, his object was to make us see how littie
he believed in any religion. The panels of the chapels and
the backs of the doors, which were all wide open at this
hour, are richly gilt and ornamented by sopra-portas, also
finely sculptured and gilt The sanctuary is really magni
ficent On the altar, which is lacquered black, stands a
bronze tempielto, or tabernacle, richly chiselled and gilt It
is closed, but I conclude that it holds the idol. Before the
altar is an oblong table, covered by a silk carpet, richly
embroidered in the Byzantine style. On it stands the incense-
burner, two tablets, and two beautiful china vases, one of
which contains an immense nosegay of fresh flowers. Six
low stools In black lacquer, ornamented with gilt arabesques,
are placed symmetrically on both sides of the altan The
panels of the sanctuary are ornamented with paintings on a
dead gold ground. Four great lamps, hung from the celling,
and also gilt, mingle their pale lights with the reflection of
the sun's rays from the court outside, glide through the
forest of columns in the hall, and concentrate themselves in
the sanctuary, which they flood with a brilliant glow, like
an Illumination.
The residence of the goddess is like that of the god. This

VL KIYOTO. 363
great and celebrated temple, one of the glories of this ancient
capital, and at the same time one of the most venerable sanc
tuaries of the empire. Is richly endowed. Until lately, it was
served by a multitude of bonzes. But notwithstanding the
consideration which the importance of the Montbite sect
requires of the ministry, financial embarrassments have pre
vailed over the mles of pmdence, and the respect due to
vested rights. The government has consequently reduced the
number of these priests, confiscated part of their revenues to
the profit of the state, and appropriated to Itself some of the
finest buUdings belonging to the temple. At this moment they
are being converted into apartments for distinguished guests.
In one of these was a beautiful picture representing three
women going into a palace. It Is worthy of one of our finest
old masters, and the perspective is excellent. All these
buildings, temples, and houses, excepting a little gateway,
evidently much more ancient, bear the stamp of the baroque
style of Taiko-Sama and his immediate successors. The
emblem of the great regent,' is again found here : only it Is
composed of three trefoils, which meet in the middle and are
inscribed in a circle. The shape of the leaves Is heraldic, and
not of that natural kind which the Japanese know so well how
to imitate. The sacred wood, which stretches a long way
behind the temple, is supposed to be the finest and largest in
Japan. Its palms and bananas give it a tropical look. Every
where one meets with souvenirs of the Hfe and actions of
Taiko-Sama. Here he rested during the heat of midday;
there he would stand to look at the full moon ; there two birds,
which are nearly rubbed out on the wall, are his painting, &c.
I have paid a visit to a multitude of other temples, which I
pass over in silence. The most remarkable is Higachi, in the
style of the one I have just described, and also the work of
Taiko-Sama ! a fire has lately destroyed a large portion of it
Mr. Enslie possesses a MS., giving the dates of the foundation
of these sanctuaries,^ several of which. If this document is to
¦ Taiko-Sama was never a Siogun. His name was Toyotomi Hidiyoshi,
and his official title Kuambaku, which means regent. When he abdicated
in favour of his son, he took the title of Taiko, or regent in retreat.
' The oldest dates are 839, 870, 950, 1162, 1185, and 1240, According
to this MS. the Temple of Taiko-Sama, which I have just described, was
built in 1578, and the Higachi in 1592.

364 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
be beheved, date from the ninth and tenth centuries. In spite
of the interest attaching to these temples, one very soon tires
of them. Heaps of questions present themselves to one's
mind : but no one can answer them. Our knowledge of the
sacred and mythological history of Japan is stiU very Incomplete.
On the other hand, the bonzes, In a suffocating heat, make you
rush up and down, scramble up perpendicular and very shaky
ladders, plunge into caverns, and all this to show you a stone,
a kiosk, or a hut, to which some absurd miracle Is attached or
some ridiculous legend, deprived of all historical Interest
The temples of Kiyoto and its neighbourhood are really
innumerable. Some of them are endowed with lands, and at
this moment these are being mercilessly seized by the govern
ment Others have a subvention from the state, which consists
of rations of rice ; but a large number of the priests live upon
alms. One curious fact, attesting the great part once played by the
Sioguns who were Buddhists, in the residence and under the
very eyes of the Mikados, who officially at least are Sintooltes,
Is, that Kiyoto reckons more than 3,000 Buddhist temples.
To the south-east of the town, beyond Kanagawa, are the
Guion-machi and Shima-barra quarters, consecrated especially
to houses of entertainment and pleasure-gardens. They cover
the sides of the mountains which bound the Kiyoto valley
towards the east The most elegant tea-houses (the favourite
resorts of young men and dancers) succeed one another with
out intermission. We turned towards Guion-machi, and there
fancy-fairs and feasts seem permanent institutions. Every
where you saw poles ornamented with flags, festoons of flowers,
or strings with little bits of paper, stretched across the streets
from house to house. The sound of guitars and flutes mingles
with the songs and noisy laughter of the guests. A very steep
path led us up to the most fashionable of these tea-houses, from
whence the view is really magnificent I need not dwell on
the " imperial " repast which the Chi-fu-ji, in the name of the
Mikado, had prepared for us al the " Rocher de Cancale " of
Guion-machi ; nor on aO the delicacies served to us by the mas
ter of the establishment, accompanied by an endless number
of kow-tows. On leaving this elegant feast, we passed before a
little sanctuary, where about a dozen bonzes, squatted on the

VL KIYOTO, 365
ground and ranged in one line, sang litanies, each beating a
big dmm. Close by, the crowd was amusing itself, without pay
ing the smaUest attention to the priests. Under a shed, a Httle
further on, an old man offered me some photographs. He had
never seen a Europeai before, and had learnt his art from a
native. From a technical point of view, his photographs
perhaps might have been improved.' but he possessed another
talent, which is heaven-born ; and that is, the art of seizing
objects by their prettiest and most picturesque side.
Afa Httle distance Is the temple of Chionin, which Is become
historical by the residence of Sir Harry Parkes, during his shoi t
apparition at the court of the Mikado.
On our return they made us follow the route which witnessed
the procession of the British Legation to the imperial palace,
on the 23rd March, 1869. Mr. Enslie, who was one of the
eye-witnesses, showed me the vety spot where the attack was
made. Sir Harty, on horseback, Hke all his secretaries, wore
the full dress of an envoy ; but to conform to the custom of
the countty on such occasions, and to prove the pacific cha
racter of his mission, he had given his sword to one of his
suite. Thirteen English orderlies on horseback preceded him.
Fifty men of a line regiment, from the garrison of Yokohama,
brought to add to the iclat of the embassy, and. If necessary,
to protect it, followed the chief and the members of the Lega
tion. A mass of Japanese functionaries, samurais, and soldiers
closed the column. There were between a thousand and twelve
hundred men in tiie procession. An enormous crowd was
tightly pressed against the houses. The first half of the escort
and the minister himself had just turned the corner of a narrow
street opening on one of the great thoroughfares, when signs of
disorder appeared at the head of the procession. Two great
swords flashed in the air. In an instant nine out of the thir
teen orderlies fell greviously, though not mortally wounded.
One of the assassins, a samurai, brandishing his bloody sword,
then rushed upon the envoy. Sir Harry, though not armed,
with that wonderful intrepidity which he gave proof of during
his terrible captivity in China did not betray the least fear.
Already his assailant had lifted his sword ; but at the moment
of striking, he sHpped his foot and fell AU this was the affaii
of a moment Covered with wounds, the samurai crawled

366 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
away and took refuge in a shop. Some Japanese soldiers pur
sued him, dragged him from his hiding-place, and despatched
him. The other murderer, a bonze, equally badly wounded,
was spared, thanks to the intervention of one of the envoy's
secretaries. He was afterwards, however, tried in a native
court, condemned, and executed. Mr. EnsHe, who was In the
suite of the minister, had not turned the corner of the street
He heard confused and sinister sounds and guessed there was
some mischief, but could not advance. Looking back, he saw
only the fifty English soldiers, whom the obstruction — caused
by the horses and orderlies stretched on the ground — prevented
from being able In any way to help the minister. The function
aries, samurais, native troops, and inhabitants, who, a moment
before, crowded the streets, had all disappeared as if by magic.
A void had been made round the Europeans, who hastened to
regain the temple which they had left While this horribly
bloody scene was taking place in one of the most crowded
thoroughfares of the city, the Mikado, seated on his throne in
his palace, and surrounded by all the great dignitaries of the
empire, waited in vain for the envoy of the Queen of England.
The whole population were in a state of silent ferment ; a
repetition of the attack was to be apprehended. However, the
audience took place ; after which the envoys returned to Osaka.
The judicial Inquiry which was soon after set on foot, and
other information gathered from the best sources, prove that this
attempt, like all those directed against the Europeans at Yedo
and in the neighbourhood of Yokohama, arose from political
fanaticism. A sudden Inspiration, perhaps a stronger libation of
saki than usual, arms these murderers, who have already made
the sacrifice of their own lives. It is evident that for two men
to attack a column of more than a thousand men, all armed,
they must have made up their minds to die. The presence of
the English Legation had stirred up that hatred, against all
foreigners which is so universal among the upper classes in
Japan, and nowhere more than in the former residence of the
Mikados. These two men had simply made themselves the
interpreters of the popular will in attacking the English with
the rapidity of lightning and the boldness which a resolution
to perish alone could give. It is always the same story. Two
samurais drink together in a tea-house. They begin talking of

VL KIYOTO. 367
the foreigners. One gets excited and says, " I am quite deter
mined to kill one of them." Another gets up and cries, " I'm
your man — we'll go together." They go out and with their
swords, which are as sharp as razors, they cut in pieces the first
white man they may chance to meet. They do not for a mo
ment forget that their own lives will be forfeited by the act.
They make up their minds beforehand to sacrifice them. They
know very well that they shall be executed, and if they are
nobles that they shall have the privilege of performing hari-
kari.^ But in any case, they are dead men. Never mind !
Their name will go down to posterity, their tombs will never
lack branches of trees or incense, and the veneration of future
generations wUl surround their memories with the aureola of
heroes and martyrs. This fanaticism, which is essentially
political and not religious, seems to come out of the very
bowels of the nation. It Is clothed with the veil of chivalry
among the nobles, and justified In their eyes by the contempt
of death ; while it strikes its victims with an unheard-of bold
ness and rapidity. This Is, for Europeans, the only real danger
of journeys Into the interior.
Kiyoto, situated in the province of Yamaskiro,^has been,
according to native historians, the residence of the Mikado
ever since the eighth centuty, that is, in 798. But this vety
ancient Kiyoto has well-nigh disappeared in consequence of a
succession of fires. Before the transfer of the court to Yedo
this town reckoned more than 400,000 souls. In the last two
years this number has fallen to 200,000. I need not repeat
that these statistics rest on approximate calculations. The
streets traverse the town in a straight line from north to south,
and from east to west, crossing one another at right angles.
Seven of these streets being wider and inhabited by the higher
classes, are distinguished by numbers. No. 1 belonging to that
which leads to the imperial palace ; they are from twelve to
twenty feet wide, and their length varies from three to five
mUes. The cross streets, which are less wide and not more
' An edict, published in consequence of this attack, and which was first
put in force in 1872, deprives the samurais who shall have killed a foreigner
of the privilege of committing suicide.
' This central portion of Japan is called Gokinai. It consists of five
provinces : Yamaskiro, Yamato, Idsumi, Kavaji, and Setsu.

368 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
than two and a half miles long, are honoured with names.
The houses are all built of one story, like all the other towns
in this countty. Each contains a shop. Since the departure
of the court a great many proprietors have followed the em
peror and shut up their habitations at Kiy6to, but they have
not dismantled them. I have already described that second
inclosure of the palace, the " Faubourg St. Germain " of the
kuges. One hundred and twenty of these noble lords have
remained here with their families. The rest have gone to settle
in Yedo. Excepting the two or three great thoroughfares I
have mentioned, the streets of Kiyoto are not very lively. The
principal source of its prosperity has dried up, and its very Hfe
is waning. Only foot-passengers are to be seen, no jinrikishas,
no carriages, very few horsemen. Sometimes, though very
rarely, one meets carriages drawn by black oxen. The inhabi
tants are of a much fairer tint than the population of Yedo,
and the women seeni to me to deserve their reputation for
beauty. For the last fortnight, two Europeans in the Japanese
service have been living at Kiyoto ; one, an English engineer,
employed in the preHminary plan of a raUroad, which is to
unite this town with Osaka ; the other, a Prussian schoolmaster,
who has been sent for to teach German to the children of the
Rising Sun. I regretted very much not having seen either of
these two pioneers of civilization.
According to what they tell me, opinions are vety much
divided among the upper classes at this moment. The reform
ers scandalize the old conservatives in a thousand ways ; they go
so far as to defile themselves by eating meat at Kiyoto. As at
Yedo, a butcher's shop has just been established, and once a week
the Innovators may eat beef. The Japanese, in general, have a
perfect horror of meat. They live on barley, rice, fish, and
only on rare occasions allow themselves poultty or pork, which
already in the eyes of the orthodox is a great sin. Bread,
which they scarcely ever touch, is called pan (pSo). This is the
only trace which the Portuguese have left of their passage
in the sixteenth century. The princes of Tosa and Choshiu
are among the reformers. Choshiu had Ordered his soldiers to
eat meat "to give them strength," as he announced' In his
edict This innovation created a tremendous opposition, and
it required energetic measures to overcome the objectors. ;

VI. KIYOTO. 369
The Prince of Tosa wished to replace the straw sandals of
his soldiers with leather shoes ; but as any contact with the skin
of an animal is looked upon as a defilement excepting for etas,
who are themselves Impure, no one could be found who would
undertake to make shoes of this kind. The prince finally
overcame this resistance by pnmiising, by an edict, titles of
nobility to such shoemakers as should second his views of
civilization. During these two days, which have been entirely spent on
foot or on horseback, we have gone to every part of the town
and visited an immense number of temples and monuments,
but unfortunately not half of those which the governor had
inscribed on our Itinerary. Our sanji, in consequence, is very
much put out He fears the displeasure of his chief; and
besides, he personally had set his heart on showing us certain
stones and mystic inscriptions which had worked prodigies ;
for, strange to say, or less strange, perhaps, than one might
fancy, this man, all free-thinker as he is, believes in the most
absurd miracles. But in spite of his regrets, he took very good
care not to press us to stay. If it be true that Kiyoto is the
hot-bed of the conservative and anti-European opposition, we
ought to congratulate ourselves that no disagreeable adventure
has troubled the sojourn of two white travellers like ourselves
wandering alone in the heart of Japan.

CHAPTER VII.
THE LAKE OF BIVA.— FROM THE 2Sth TO THE 2ph OP
SEPTEMBER.
Otsfi. — The Lake. — Ishiyama, — The Govemor and his Dai-sanji. — Owaku.
Udji, — Return to Osaka. — The Arts in Japan.
At peep of day the sanji and his subordinate make their appear
ance in my bedroom. They are come to wish me good-bye
and have resumed their handsome Japanese dress. We can
hardly recognize them, so completely have they the look of
high-bred gentlemen in their natural costume. I cannot help
complimenting them on the subject, which does not please them
at all, as they pique themselves on their likeness to Europeans.
We started at eight o'clock. Preceded, sunounded, and
followed by an escort of guards of honour, and spies (who
drove us to despair), we crossed the great bridge of Kanagawa,
and entered a mountainous gorge to the east of the town. In
less than forty minutes we have attained the highest point of
the defile, and turning to the north, descend rapidly towards a
little plain. That part of the Tokaido which we are now
following is like the high street of a populous town. Nothing
can be n#!« busy than the scene : foot-passengers, travellers,
messengers, (those Mercuries of Japan), men beating great
baskets of fish, which they have brought from the great lake,
or the Northern Sea, coolies with their long bamboos, women,
pilgrims, and a great number of carts drawn by oxen. The
road is very well kept. Flagstones, placed transversely,
preserve it from the ravages of the mountain torrents and

Chap, VIL THE LAKE OF BIVA. 371
heavy storms vvhich are so frequent at certain seasons ; the
wheels of the carts leave deep traces on the stone.
The great suburb of Yamashlna occupies the centre of a
littie table-land formed by the two crests of the mountain-chain,
which, running from south-east to north-west, divides Kiyoto
valley from that of the great lake. We leave the Tokaido to
take a shorter cross road, which, however, is more mountainous.
We are going in the direction of north-north-west The
country has the general character of Japan, but it is less
smiling. However, one sees everywhere cultivated fields.
Following the windings o. a narrow gorge, of which the flanks
are cultivated up to the top by a succession of littie terraces,
and passing by rice-fields, which seem to be hung between the
rocks, with thickets of bamboo, laurels, and maples, we reach
the second crest of the mountains at about half-past nine.
Then, after a short but very steep descent, we arrive at the
great temple and fir.st houses of the town of Otsfl, The
distance fioin Kiyoto is three ris ; or a little more than eight
miles. The temple of IMidera, of the Tendais sect, is one of the
most considerable Buddhist establishments in Japan. Its
foundation dates from the ninth centuty. Its revenues are
50,000 kokus of rice, representing a value of 40,000 rios, or
more than 120,000 francs; an enormous sum; if you consider
the present high price of specie. The Government, in 'conse
quence, is about to remodel the convent, and to reduce the
bonzes to 300. Long, steep stone staircases lead up to the
temple. The sanctuaries, the priests' houses, and the pUgrlms'
quarters are admirably kept up. Round the whole are the
usual magnificent trees, like all the other sacred woods, but
which one is never weary of admiring. Our yakunins told us
laughing that women are only admitted into the garden once a
year, for fear they should trouble the devotions of the priests.
The great curiosity of this place and the glory and joy of the
monks is a huge bell covered with inscriptions in Japanese
characters, which dates from the first centuries of our era.
Like all the bells of these temples, it is placed on a high
wooden scaft'olding ; a kind of weighted battering-ram, hung
close by, replaces the clapper. Whilst we are lounging about,
enjoying the cool shade of the beautiful trees, curious and

372 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
somewhat lugubrious sounds fall on our ears, softened by dis
tance, but evidentiy coming from the neighbouring heights.
We are told that they are the trumpets of the tetiddite, priests
who are wandering over the mountains seeking for and calling
on their gods. But what most of aU attracted my attention
was this great mysterious lake, so rarely beheld by Europeans.
The ken of Otsfi, which is the capital of the province, is placed
on the slope of the mountain which runs down to the lake.
The lower part of the town stretches towards the shore. Seen
from our present point, Otsfi only presents a confused mass of
grey and black roofs. Immediately after the last houses, to
the east and south, rise magnificently-wooded mountains, the
narrow gorges of which give access to the town. Before us,
from west to north, above the sombre roofs of the houses, lies
the lake, placid, silent, and solitary ; not a sail enlivens its grey
waters ; only in the far distance we perceive to our surprise, a
black, spiral column of smoke from the funnel of a steamer
which is approaching. To our left, towards the north, low
promontories richly cultivated, and groups of trees, forming a
succession of little bays, break the line of the lake. They are
the last spurs of the mountains, and prevent our seeing the
extreme northern end of it In front of us, towards the east,
is spread a Hne of low hills, surmounted by the peaks of a high
chain of mountains called Shigarakldane, which, running from
south to north, forms the eastern border of the basin. These
fantastic-shaped rocks, barren and bare, and, which is rare in
Japan, without trees, — though, I am told, covered with lichens,
— fall sheer down into the lake, their precipitous sides sur
mounted by peaks or domes. Thus, while the western shores
of this sheet of water have all the charms of an idyllic poem,
the opposite banks revel in a kind of wild and savage grandeur.
To the north-north-east, and on the limit of the horizon. Is
another distant chain of mountains. One can clearly distinguish
their outlines In spite of the distance and their blue tints, which
are nearly as light as the sky. This chain forms a kind of
natural dyke against the furious blasts of the North Sea which
dashes against its base.
The Lake of Biva — literally, "a lute with four stritigs," —
which in the old Jesuit maps of the sixteenth century is
marked Oils (Otsfi), and some modern charts call Oini, form a

VII. THE LAKE OF BIVA. 373
kind of irregular square, of which the length and breadth are
from eighteen to nineteen ris: or forty- five to forty-eight miles.
Its shores are tolerably well peopled. The most important
points are the little towns of Hadjemanje on the east bank,
and on the northern, HIkoneno-Mayebara, and Kaltsu. From
this last place to Tsfiruga, the nearest port to the North Sea,
the distance is not more than seven ris; or about seventeen
miles. A traveller leaving Otsfi In the morning by the steamer,
and walking the rest of the way, would easily reach Tsiiruga
in the evening. The distance from Osaka to Kiyoto is twelve
ris; from Kiyoto to Otsft three ris; from Otsfi to Hikoneno
eighteen ris; from Hikoneno to Tsfiruga seven ris; in all forty
ris; or one hundred English mUes. One must deduct the
windings of the road, which are vety considerable in the
mountains ; and those on the Yodogawa River, whereby the
distance from Osaka to Tsfiruga would be much diminished.
Thus the heart of the principal Islands of Japan, which extend
in a diagonal Hne froni the 34th to the 42nd degree of latitude,
is composed of a great sheet of water separated from the two
seas only by a nairow chain of mountains — strange configura
tion ! of which the globe, I think, contains few other examples.
On the northern bank of the lake sUkworms are largely
cultivated. The cocoons are sent to Otsii, and from thence to
Osaka and Hiogo. For some little time a company of native
shareholders has established three steamers which leave OtsCi
in the morning, make the tour oi the lake, and return at night
They have absorbed all the traffic, and are the cause of the
disappearance of the saUing ships.
At Yokohama the fertile imagination of certain speculators
has conjured up a wonderfiil picture of the fertiHty of this soU,
the possible development of trade, and the superabundance of
population in these regions, which they have never visited. To
believe their statements, this enormous amount of produce
only needs an outlet It is a sort of Promised Land which
must be opened to civilization and European commerce. The
Government of Yedo, entering, to a certain extent, into their
views, has sent, as we have seen, an English engineer to
Kiyoto. He is employed to make a plan for a new line o
railroad from this town to Osaka, and to prolong it eventually
to Tsuruga. Without wishing in any way to prejudge the

374 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
development of which the agriculture and commerce of tills
part of Japan may be susceptible, I own that this solitary sheet
of water, surrounded by rocks and rice-fields, and to the north
only, by some mulberry plantations, that this much vaunted
lake, I say, of which the whole traffic is easily done by three
little steamers, does not seem to me to accord with the brilliant
hopes of the speculators of Yokohama; or to be Hkely to
reward the pecuniary sacrifices, which these projects, if realized,
will entail on the state treasury, already so Impoverished from
other causes.'
A littie boat- took us to the other side of the lake. On
running along the southern shore, we passed by a great feudal
castle. The proprietor, one of the principal daimios of the
province, and a partisan of the new ideas, ha's asked for and
obtained the permission to demolish his old castle and its ap
pendages in order to bring the land under cultivation. Every
where one meets with signs of the working of reforms in men's
minds. We are nearing the spot where the Yodogawa rises
out of this lake. It is here called Setogawa, and flows first
towards the east, bathes the feet of the mountains which divide
Kiyoto from the lake, crosses the province of Udji, of which It
takes the name (Udjigawa), then turns towards the west, till it
arrives at Fujimi, to flow afterwards towards the south under the
name of Yodogawa, and then empties itself near Osaka into the
Pacific. At a little distance from Its rising in the lake it forms
a little island, which the Tokaido crosses on two bridges.
These bridges and this spot are exactly described by Dr.
Kaempfer." We passed under one of these bridges, and
coasting along the delicious banks of Setogawa, arrived at
a Httle village coquettishly placed on the edge of the water at
¦ the foot of a steep rock, surrounded by large trees, and bearing
on its summit the old and celebrated temple of the granite
mountain, Ishiyama. The distance from Otsd is two ris, or
five miles.
' These details about the Lake of Biva were given me by the bonzes of
Midera, by the Vice-Governor of OtsQ, and by several other competent
authorities in this town. They are identical with the accounts I obtained
at Kiy&to and Ishiyama. 1 therefore have every reason to think that they
are founded on truth,
^ lu 1691.

vn. THE LAKE OF BIVA. 375
This temple, of which the foundations are lost in the night
of ages, Is like the Asakusa of Yedo, consecrated to the
goddess Kwanon. Its antiquity is shown by the simplicity of
its construction, the grey shade of Its woodwork, and the
absence of all ornament in the columns which support the
roof. But on consulting my notes on other temples and the
chronological Information given to me, I cannot believe that
the actual temple Is older than the twelfth century. A tempielto
with two roofs put on like parasols, the lower one ending in
a flat cupola, charmed me by the elegance of the design and
the clever way In which the architect had made the beams work
into each other, the ends being richly sculptured and forming
the sole but graceful ornament of this little gem. The merit
consists in the way in which the architecture Is adapted to
wood, as I have often before remarked. A little house, raised
above the ground, on poles, several feet high, holds the archives
or depot of their holy scriptures, and strikes us by its simple
and ingenious construction. I had never seen anything like it
Mr. Enslie, who has visited the ports of Manchouria and the
Russian establishments in the North Pacific, tells me that this
littie building is of the same type as the cottages in Siberia,
If it be so, the fact is very curious, and, like many other things
in this enigma of Japan, lays down problems which no one at
present can solve.
From the summit where we are now standing, the view
embraces the northern shore of the lake. We admire, as we
did at Klyoio, the clear, transparent, soft tints of the atmo
sphere. Before the temple we met three young girls, dressed with
great elegance and evidently belonging to the upper classes.
In passing before us, they turned their heads and hid their
faces behind their fans ; an indispensable precaution, according
to the imperial functionaries, for young girls who have not yet
blackened their teeth or pulled out their eyebrows ; prudence
requiring that their wonderful beauty should be hidden from
the looks of bold barbarians.
The Httle village of Ishiyama is, what it appears, a simple
place of pilgrimage. It consists of a single row of houses
backed by the mountain and looking upon the river. Almost
all the houses are inns, and very weU kept Before them is an

376 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Cha^,
avenue of dwarf conifers, a,nd at short distances, stone lanterns
and Httle altars, which add to the essentially ecclesiastical
character of the spot Here and there are some small sheds
where they sell rosaries and miracle pictures of the sanctuary.
Little children are playing in the streets ; men are lounging
about under the pine-trees. Pilgrims come and go. Every
body looks with stupefaction but not with malevolence at the
two strange beings comfortably installed in the veranda of the
tea-house, and seated, not on their heels, but on chairs and
round a table ornamented with vases filled with flowers. They
are the same articles of furniture with which we made acquain
tance at Fujimi, and which have been, ever since, our useful
and inseparable companions. A profound stillness reigns over
air, earth, and water. Everything breathes of the sanctitas loci.
On returning at nightfall to Otsfi we received the visit of
the Chi-ken-ji (governor of the keti). He was a silent and
timid young man. Before speaking or answering our questions,
he looked anxiously at the dai-sanji, who was his right hand,
probably also his factotum, his mentor, his spy and the being
whom he seeks, fears, and detests the most ; the man who
embitters his days, but without whom these very days of office
and power would perhaps be counted ! Alongside of this
specimen of timid official authority, the ease and ready talk of
the dai-sanji formed a marked contrast. But the one is neces
saty to the other, and I suppose that at Otsfl, as elsewhere,
public affairs go on smoothly enough.
September 26. — At seven o'clock in the moming we retum
the visit of the Chi-ken-ji, which brings us back to the temple
of Mld^ra, for it is there he Is lodged. He occupies the apart
ment of the high priest, since the Government has taken
possession of part of the convent on the ordinary pretexts :
" We want room for the public offices and there are more
monks than are necessary. Besides, the pontiff is an absentee
— he is always making excursions." I committed the indiscre
tion of questioning the governor on this subject and the dai-
sanji had the goodness to answer. In other countries, when
they suppress religious houses, similar explanations are given.
Only, In Japan they are more frank, " And the high priest," I
asked the governor, '< is he pleased at seeing you installed in

vn. THE LAKE OF BIVA. 377
his apartment ? " The poor ken-ji looked at his sanji with a
scared expression. This last answered smiling : " No ; but we
are the strongest"
To-day we are to cross a country hitherto unvislted by any
European. Departure from Otsfi at twenty minutes past eight o'clock.
Direction south-east Arrival at the village of Oiwaki at nine
o'clock. — Here we left the Tokaido to turn towards the east,
to the Udji district, famous for its tea, which is the best In
Japan. I am traveUIng on horseback and it is pouring with
rain ; but the temperature is soft and pleasant We passed by
a great market-town, Daijingoji, where we saw a great temple
in the middle of a sacred wood of great extent and surrounded
with a fine white wall. We went on through a succession of
villages and temples inclosed In the like manner and all bear
ing the stamp of an old and refined civilization. At eleven
o'clock we halted at Tissomura, another considerable market-
town. Departure at midday. Half-an-hour after we are at
Owaku — that is, before the portal of one of the most renowned
Buddhist temples. It consists of the usual amount of courts
and separate buildings. In one of the largest halls is an altar,
in the form of a table, on which are the ordinary objects : —
a great vase in the centre, with the branch of a tree ; before
the vase an incense-burner. On either side, a small and a
large candlestick ; at the two extreme ends, other vases of a
purely classic design, filled with the most beautiful flowers.
Behind the altar, on three Isolated pedestals or terms, in the
Italian baroque style of the seventeenth century, are three large
statues of gilt wood : the one, a colossal figure in the middle,
representing Shaka, the Buddha of Japan : the two others, as
large as Hfe, his two favourite disciples, Anan and Kashu.
Buddha is sitting : but they have not given him his usual pose
of supreme quiet : he Is lifting his right hand to give benedic
tion. A great aureola or nimbus. In the form of an elliptical
conch-shell, starts from the pedestal and forms a sort of niche
round the god. The two disciples are absorbed in adoration.
Anan turns his face towards his master lifting up to him his
clasped hands. Kashu has his hands bent and his head slightly
inclined forward. The attitudes and expressions of both
figures may be seen in any Catholic church. All along the

378 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
lateral walls of the hall are seated, on a kind of platform,
eighteen statues, nine on each side. They are also of gilt
wood, and the size of life. In these chefs-d'cxuvre of Japanese
statuary may be traced all that characterises art in this nation —
respect for truth, a strong feeling for nature, technical per
fection, a taste for contortion, and with the grotesqueness, a
certain decided amount of humour. Some of these heads are
monstrous, and yet true to life — terrible, and yet ridiculous at
the same time. But such as they are, no one can deny their
artistic value.
We leave the temple at one o'clock. The weather has
cleared, and we enjoy the beauty of the scenery, always com
posed of the same elements, but to which, since leaving
Owaku, tea-plantations are added. A large dike is carried
across them, and leads us to the banks of the Udjigawa, which,
flowing precipitately through a narrow-wooded gorge, runs
through the plain, which It does not leave tUl It empties itself
into the sea. In front is Udji, the chief town of the district,
which produces the best tea in Japan. A ferry-boat takes us to
the opposite side. Before visiting the plantations, we rest in a
pretty little hotel adjoining. I must say that nothing can be
raore ugly than the grounds devoted to the cultivation of tea ;
— rows upon rows of stiff little bushes, arranged In squares,
the spaces between full of manure, and everywhere the most'
detestable and mephitic smell.
At Udji our guard of honour left us to return to Otsfi. It Is
a grave Infraction of their orders, for they were told to foUow
us to Osaka. But, thanks to the eloquence of Mr. Enslie, we
have got rid of them, and now breathe freely. One can
scarcely believe the importunity of these men. Neither during
the journey nor during our halts will they leave us in peace for
a single instant
At half-past three we started in a boat. The shores get
flatter as the river gets wider. After having glided gently
between islands covered with grass, we passed under the
Fujimi bridge; and the darkness not aUowing our wretched
boat to go further, we disembarked towards seven o'clock on
the right bank of the stream, which already here takes the
name of Yodogawa. From this soHtaty spot to the village of
Yivata they reckon half a ris. Our servants having gone on

VH. THE LAKE OF BIVA, 379
before us In another boat, Mr. Enslie decided to remain in
charge of our property tUl I could send him back some one to
fetch it ; and so I started with two of the boatmen, carrying a
lantern, hoping to reach the village on foot. The night Is
dark ; it rains in torrents ; the only road is at the top of a high
dike, hardly a foot wide, with the river running on one side,
and a marsh on the other. The ground is soaking. At every
step I slip, and leave my shoes in the mud. At last one of
the boatmen, takes me on his back. Resting his hands on the
back of his comrade, who walks first to find out where it is
safe to place one's foot — always on the point of falling either
into the river on one side or the marsh on the other, and
stumbling at each step, this good fellow still goes on without
falling. After this procession had lasted twenty-five minutes —
it seemed to me an hour — we perceived In the distance a bright
light This was the inn. I was received with open arms.
Men, women, and children, cluster round me, look at me with
immense curiosity, ask me half-a-hundred questions, which I
don't understand, and overwhelm me with care and kindness.
In half-a-minute, and in spite of my protestations, I am, coram
populo, deprived of ray streaming clothes, and plunged into a
bath of water hot enough to boil a lobster. Then they pour
cold water over me. This is the Japanese fashion, and it is a
capital one. I am wrapped up in a new tunic belonging to
the innkeeper, and left on a fresh matting in the best room,
where some cups of boiling Udji tea set me up altogether.
The distance from Otsfi is eight ris, or twenty miles.
Septetnber 27. — We are rapidly going down the river. At
twelve o'clock we had reached the first houses of Osaka, and
at half-past one we had landed in the foreigners' quarter. This
will give an idea of the extent of this the third town of the
empire. Whilst our littie junk was gliding quietly between the banks
of the Yodogawa, and I was lying at the bottom of the boat,
I began to think over the art treasures I had seen in this coun
try, and jotted down in my note-book the following reflections :
— Kiyoto, Kamakura, and Yedo possess the temples most re
nowned for their antiquity, richness, and beauty of construction.
The sanctuaries of Kamakura have been partially destroyed.

380 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Among the tombs, those of the Sliiba hold the first rank, and
are, with the ch&teau of Taiko-Sama and the two temples at
Kiyoto, the greatest chefs-d'xuvre of Japanese art. Round the
two capitals of the east and west are grouped a number of
sanctuaries of the first class. The districts to the east oi
Kiyoto, between the Lake of Biva and the north of tbe Yodo
gawa vaUey, are covered with sacred woods and temples. That
of Owaku is the pearl of the whole. At NIkko, to the north
of Yedo, there are some Siogun tombs, and to the east of
Kiyoto some of the Mikados, which I could not manage to
visit. But saving these two necropoli (very inferior, they tell
me, to that of Shiba) I have seen all the most celebrated monu
ments of Japan. As to the different art productions, Kiyoto
is their great centre. Yedo only holds a secondaty rank. I
was able to see and examine a mass of different objects.
Nagasaki has the monopoly of the manufactory of vases, but
which, in the actual state of this branch of commerce, can
hardly be counted among works of art
Now we will sum up our impressions.
Architecture. — This word perhaps is misapplied. The tem
ples, casties, palaces, middle-class houses, and poor cottages,
all are composed of the same elements — a flooring raised a
certain number of feet above the soil (which is a necessary
precaution against damp and reptiles), then four or more ver
tical beams, and a heavy roof. The partition waUs are only
frames covered with paper, running in a groove. The outside
wall is replaced by wooden shutters, fastened during the night
In the temples, castles, and yashkis, there is, besides, a real
wall of storie, covered with cement AU the rest is in wood.
It is the most primitive construction possible, and at the same
time the most suited to the climate, and to the financial position
of the nation. It resists earthquakes and typhoons infinitely
better than the stone houses of the Europeans. It is more ex
posed to the danger of fire ; but even if injured or destroyed
by fire, wind, or the earth's convulsions, the evil is remedied
both promptly and easily. The terrible typhoon of the 24th
of August in this very year, had destroyed in Yedo half the
suburb of Takanawa ; it had also done much damage at Yoko
hama, in the European quarter, and especially at " The Bluffs."
One of the English government buildings, the residence of the

VIL THE LAKE OF BIVA. 381
judge, was entirely uncovered, and threatened with actual ruin.
in spite and perhaps on account of the solidity of its walls.
The repaii-s will last for months, and cost considerable sums ;
while the reconstruction of the Takanawa houses was nearly
completed when, only nine days after the disaster, I returned
to "V^edo. Architecture, then. In the ordinary sense of the
term, does not exist at present among the Japanese ; but they
adapt themselves to circumstances, and possess. In the highest
degree, the understanding of the material which they most
employ — that is, wood.'
Sculpture. — I'he greatest chefs-d'auvre vvhich Japan has pro
duced in this line, in my opinion, are, the Daibutsu, near
Kamakura, a work in bronze ; and the wooden statues of
Owaku ; also, thoegh in another way, the figures representing
the forty-seven ronins. Those of Asakusa also deserve men
tion. The Greek sculpture of the golden age aspired to abso
lute beauty, and tried to realize the Ideal of human perfection.
The great Italian masters of the Renaissance followed a more
complex idea. They, too, sought for ideal beauty, but with an
arriere-pens'ee ; they wished to subordinate beauty to a symbol
indirectly expressing the dominant Idea of the times or of the
individual who had ordered the work. Thus, for example,
Michaelangelo, who was employed to execute the tomb of
Julius IL, compares this Pope to Moses, who becomes, under
the hand of the master, the symbol of divine inspiration and
superhuman strength. On looking at this unique creation one
feels seized, as it were, by fear. One looks down, surprised
and intimidated at the sight of the supernatural. Beauty and
truth are sacrificed to grandeur. The Japanese sculptor tries
to render the different emotions of the soul ; the absolute quiet
of Shaka (Buddha), the ecstasy or the profound recollection
of his disciples ; a gentle and yet sarcastic melancholy ; fear,
anger, hatred, surprise, gaiety, rarely tenderness. The naked
form, that great problem of ancient statuary, has no interest
for him ; he only produces it as a portrait But when he sets
' Last spring (1872) a fire .destroyed another great quarter of Yedo.
The government ordered that the houses should be rebuilt in the European
style. This innovation supposes a change of climate, a total transformation
in the habits of the country, and, what is more serious, a great increase of
pecuniary resources, which at present are altogether wanting.

382 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
himself to do it, he succeeds. Not that he has studied anatomy,
of which the very name is unknown to him ; and besides, no
Japanese can touch a corpse without being defiled. But he
has the nude constantly before his eyes ; living bodies whose
muscles are constantly stretched either in carrying weights, or
In handling an oar, or in lifting some heavy object — not models
whose /(7j-tf Is always forced .and put on for the occasion. His
works consequently, however Imperfect they may be in other
ways, have a quality vvhich is often wanting in our modern
statuaty; they have animation, real life. In general, a Japanese
artist looks for truth before beauty. Like the painter and the
poet, he Is, they say, a humorist. But his humour makes Itself
felt less In the attitudes of his subjects than in the expression
of their faces. He exaggerates, it is true, but it Is only In a
certain degree and without sinning against taste. In his repro
ductions of animals he excels ; he knows how to give to their
faces and even to their attitudes a reflection of human passions
and affections. No one can look at these productions, which
are at the same time droll, touching, and childish, with an
astonishingly technical tnaeslria—no one can look at them, I
repeat, without feeHng inclined to laugh ; only this laugh is
kept back by surprise and admiration and a feeling of half
sadness. But that is precisely what constitutes humour. They
seize at the same time the comic and the grave side of every
thing. The result is a conflict of feelings which pique the
curiosity and please the eye ; and hence a kind of tension of
mind mingled with an agreeable stirring of the soul. It is Hke
something in cooking, between sweet and sour, or between cold
and hot. Anyhow it is a great refinement which one is aston
ished to find in a half-savage nation.
Goldsmith's work — Bronzes. — It is at Kiyoto, especially, that
these two arts have been the best preserved. The bronzes
manufactured for the EngHsh market and sold at Yokohama
are miserably inferior. They are slop-work, of which the only
merit formerly consisted in the difficulty of procuring anything
better ; but which now has no business to exist
Paintitig. — It treats of heaven and hell, earth and water, crea
tures both animate and inanimate. Indian theology passing
from the banks of the Ganges to China, from China to the
Corea, and from the Corea to Japan, left some of its terrors

VIL THE LAKE OF BIVA. 383
behind it and accommodated itself to the taste of this childish
race, which likes to laugh and cry at the same time. More than
this, the world has changed. The gods have left the ethereal
heights of Olympus; and if they are not gone down to the very
last scale, if no Japanese Offenbach has yet been found to
make them dance to the profane sounds of his bow, it is not
the less true that the days of their reign are numbered. I
have not found a single man of rank or education, who, when
talking of religion, did not use the language of the gfeat philo
sophers of the last century. " Shaka ? The gods ? bah !
They are all the invention of the priests ! We have a little
more sense than to believe in them, and laugh both at the
priests and their gods ; but it is vety' good for the people."
One understands that with such Maecenases, religious art
and sacred p.ainting and sculpture can scarcely be said to
flourish. They still manufacture and sell to the common
people, for half a tempo, a quantity of Images of gods In a rage,
with green or red faces, seated on a dragon, vomiting flames,
brandishing their swords, or fighting to the death. But the
gentlemen who wear silk tunics, especially if they have any
pretensions to learning, make a mock of them all. I saw plenty
of proof of this when I was shopping at Yedo and Yokohama.
We must leave then the representations of heaven and hell, or
rather of purgatory, for Buddhism will not admit the doctrine
of eternal punishment Let us pass to real life, to the art of
painting, such as it is practised to-day, without excluding
the old pictures, none of which seem to me to be anterior to
the seventeenth century. All that I have said of sculptors
applies equally to painters, with this difference, that with the
latter humour has a wider field. But even their exaggeration
and love for the grotesque is kept within bounds by a respect
for truth and an earnest desire to copy nature.
There is one point on which I ought not to be sUent It is
generally believed in Europe that perspective is unknown to
Japanese artists. I have seen and mentioned above several
chefs-a'ceuvre of art ; three pictures of the date of Taiko-Sama
which prove the contrary. How are. we to believe that artists
so clever in reproducing and copying nature exactly had no
eyes for the effects produced by distance ? This is inadmissible.
There is no doubt that they are ignorant of the laws of geo-

384 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
metry, and in consequence, of the strict rules of perspective ;
just as their sculptors have no idea of anatomy, which does not
prevent their modelling very correctly; but if their painters
would, they could reproduce, with more or less exactitude, all
the effects of a landscape as it is presented to the eye. Tiiere
are in Europe a number of landscape-painters who have never
studied perspective, but who, by intuition or the habit of copying,
arrive at producing conect drawings. For my part, I believe
that the Japanese painter purposely sets aside the rules of per
spective. With us, art is put to the service of the Church, of
the state, of the rich and elegant world, of all classes in easy
circumstances. Here the painter works for everybody : he
wishes to and must be understood by the people. Well, the
people in all countries understand little or nothing of perspec
tive. On the part of the artist as of the public, perspective
supposes and exacts a certain amount of mental work and culti
vation of mind. Put before any ordinary peasant a picture of
his own vUlage — the fountain, the old trees, and above, the
spire of the belfry. The man, quite puzzled, will not under
stand what you show him, and will be vexed at not finding in
the picture the old churchr, or the town-hall, or such and such
a building which is the glory of the Inhabitants. You strive in
vain to explain to him that this is impossible, as these objects
are hidden by the trees and the fountain. He will not be the
less disappointed. Then to satisfy this good fellow, you get
upon a high ground from whence you can look over the whole
village. You can then bring in all the principal buildings ; but
take care not to represent them as you see them — that is, in a
bird's-eye view. The vUlagers do not understand the fore
shortening of objects. To satisfy them, therefore, you must
set aside all rales of perspective. This is even more necessary
in interiors, which are so much Hked by the Japanese public,
for here the artist must unite in one small space several groups
of persons ; and unless you paint them all of a row, or one
above the other, one group must hide the others. This explan
ation is only a hypothesis, and as such I note it down in my
journal. But I affirm that Japanese painters all know or have
understood perspective.
There are three kinds of painting — historical, landscape,
and screens. As to lacquered objects and vases of moderii

VIL ' THE LAKE OF BIVA, 385
china, they cannot be reckoned amidst art productions. His
torical paintings, besides the mythological subjects menlioned
above, perpetuate according to certain traditional forms, lacts,
and events known to the people. Then there come illustrations
of the most popular novels, pictures which are in themselves
perfectly innocent, but which represent scenes that are not so.
A great number of these drawings and sketches represent only
a woman or a girl's head. They are always portraits, most often
of courtesans, done by or for their adorers. It would never
occur to any of them to order an artist to paint the face of a
woman only for her beauty, not even a Gabrlelle d'Estrdes,
unless he were her Henty IV. Pictures of certain celebrated
beauties are now and then to be found in shops ; but they owe
their origin, not to the worship of abstract beauty or artistic
feeling, but to some personal or family motive.
Thefr landscapes, both in design and colouring, are very
inferior to their figures. But as " collective portraits," if I
may be forgiven the expression, they are invaluable. I bought
a great number of these coloured drawings, rather coarsely
done, of which the subjects are taken from the streets of Yedo.
They are not views ; vainly have I hunted for any places that
they may represent ! Such places simply do not exist ; though
the painting admirably renders the general character of the
subject Houses, bridges, canals, trees, figures, everything is
there. Looking at these drawings, anyone who knew the place
would exclaim, " Here we are at Yedo ! " Even as a likeness
(though always generaHzed) the finest of M. Beato's photographs
¦wUl not bear comparison.
Fan-painting demands a separate notice, for its productions
are spread among every class in the nation, from the Mikado
down to the poorest coolie. It is a trade ; but it is also an art,
where you find reproduced all the characteristic signs of Japanese
statuaty and painting. Cheapness is the first consideration.
If some of the fans are dear, I never myself saw any. The
carved ivory fans, which pass In Europe for being Japanese,
are all made in China. Those painted In this country are all
of paper, and represent evety conceivable subject : scenes from
novels, Fujiyama, the plants and trees of Japan, the four
seasons, works of agriculture, the temples of Yedo and Kiyoto,
the plans of these towns, and other similar subjects. All these
c c

386 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
come naturally. But there are other designs still more simple
and graceful which excite one's curiosity, and strike one by the
contrast presented between the scantiness of the principal
object and the immense space given to the groundwork. As
an example : a stork holding a fish In its beak. It skims over the
waves of the sea, of which the horizon is lost to sight — which
adds to the impression of the infinite. Another fan : a starry
sky, or else a dark sky with the sun setting on one side and
the moon rising on the other, — one, two, or three little birds
are flying — one asks oneself where they are going. The effect
is always curiosity mingled with anxiety ; and it is produced
by the simplest elements : a little bit of triangular paper, some
Chinese ink, and three or four colours at the outside. Add
that these little chefs-d'oeuvre are sold for a few centimes. I
have then reason to say that art has penetrated to the lowest
classes. I have already mentioned in my first volume, that art is
cultivated by the upper classes, and that you find artists among
women ; but I also remarked that their productions are more
like a clever trick, in which certain subjects are learned by
heart, or varied according to the inspiration of the moment
I do not think I am mistaken in thinking that the best of the
modern drawings (saving some caricatures of locomotives,
telegraph posts, strangers in European customs, with red
whiskers, &c.) are simply feeble reproductions of the past.
In these days no one invents anything new. The gift seems
exhausted — a characteristic sign of decadence. To prove this
inferiority one has only to compare what is done to-day with
the works of ancient art, of which the finest are in Europe,
where they have been sent by the Dutch from Detsima.
The Japanese themselves own the fact, but the explanation
they give is as shallow as themselves. Rich people, they say,
no longer pay as they used to do. To be able to live an artist
must produce a great deal, and in consequence must work fast
He has no longer the time to work well. If that were tme, it
would be the consequence, not the cause, of the decay of art
But, on the contrary, amateurs pay vety dear ; and the proof
is in the extraordinarily high prices which are given for the
beautiful things made at Kiyoto. But it is quite true that rich
people do not like to buy second-rate articles at the same price

vn, THE LAKE OF BIVA, 387
as their fathers gave for chefs-d'xuvre. Everywhere there is a
demand for something original, and the artists of to-day do
not know what to Invent ; so they only reproduce, and that
imperfectly, the old forms of which everyone is tired. What
has been preserved is a gift which Heaven alone can bestow —
taste and perfect comme-il-faut in little things.
In Japan, there are neither workshops, nor academies, nor
picture-seUers. Art is transmitted in the same families from
fatiier to son. Hence its stereotyped character. Ordinarily,
an amateur who gives an order, calls the artist, pays him three
or five rios (eighteen or thirty francs) a month, boards and
lodges him during all his work-time, and In return expects a
certain number of pictures, which, painted on silk or paper, are
kept rolled up, or else are pasted on little bamboo rods, and hung
in a niche, or on the Immovable part of the partition in the
best room of the house. It was just In this way that Murillo,
passing five years in one Seville monasteryand ten in another,
produced his masterpieces, and painfully and miserably gained
the aureola of immortality.

CHAPTER VIIL
NAGASAKI.— FROM THE 28th SEPTEMBER TO THE 2nd
OCTOBER.
Papenberg. — Detsima. — ^Native Christians. — Political position of Japan,
September 28. — After spending a very pleasant day at Hiogo
with the English consul, Mr. Gower, and his friends, I em
barked in the night on board the American steamer. New York,
Captain Furber, one of the most amiable men I have ever met
on board ship.
September 29. — The New York set sail at three in the mom
ing, and steamed away for what is caUed the itmer sea. At
sunrise I was on deck. On both sides are conical islands and
to the south rise the high mountains of Shikoku.
At two o'clock we are before Mehara, situated on the
continent, that is, on the great island of Niphon. Steaming
close to the shore, we pass before the great feudal castle or
yashki of the Prince of Kiushiu : to the eye, it seems only like
a huge high wall, pierced at equal distances by great gateways.
The prince is there ; armed men swarm the gates and on the
shore. Close to it is the hati, or principal vUlage of the fief.
On board, all round me, people are asking themselves if aU
this power will really crumble away like the walls of Jericho,
before the new edicts from Yedo. The New York keeps to its
regulation speed of ten miles an hour. The scenery, every
where renowned for its indefinable beauty, is similar to what I
have before described. The sea, which to-day is like glass, is
half river and half lake. Everywhere we see a number of
extinct volcanos, flanked by rounded blocks like the waves of

Chap. VIIL NAG AS A KL 389
the ocean. Au abundant vegetation covers them from head to
foot. The sides of the gorges are cultivated in terraces ; the
tops of the mountains are crowned with fine trees. Between
their trunks one sees the blue sky. Compared to the moun
tains, the trees appear gigantic, and yet, seen through the
veiled and hazy atmospheric prism, the mountains seem both
distant and high. This is a strange optical effect, which
accounts for some of the oddities In Japanese painting. Very
often what seems to us extraordinary. Is only a faithful repro
duction of nature.
The shore Is Indented with a thousand Httle bays, in the
depths of which rise up white houses and villages and fisher
men's huts. Boats swarm in the little creeks and all along the
tiny piers which run out into the water. Above the roofs you
catch a gHmpse of the mountain peaks standing out against
the sky. Step^ cut in the rock lead to the temples buried in
the thick foliage of the sacred woods. From time to time the
deep and lugubrious sounds of the gong, caUing upon their
gods, break the sUence and stillness of the lake.
September 30. — The finest part of this interior sea is the
Strait of Shimonosdki, known in Europe as the scene of the
attack of the English and French squadrons (in 1864).
! Unfortunately we passed it a few hours before the sun rose.
I On the other hand, to-day's voyage is even more varied and
beautiful than that of yesterday, and changes with evety turn
lof the wheel of our little steamer. The sea widens as well as
I the horizon. To the south is the island of Firando, celebrated
for the preaching of St Francis Xarier, the outlines of which
.are more than usually fantastic. The mountains of the great
¦ Kiushiu island, •which play such an important part in the
histOty of the day, form an imposing background. The
scattered rocks are pierced by grottoes and caves, where the
waves break and roar. Some of them, deprived of aU vege
tation, but crowned with tufts of gigantic trees, are like giants'
heads with shocks of rough hair, which a master-hand has
¦ sketched boldly on a sheet of grey paper. One of these islands
seems to have white rays from top to bottom. They are deep
crevices inhabited by millions of white sea-birds.
We are at the entrance of the Bay of Nagasaki. A high.

39° A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
long mountain stretches Hke a green curtain behind a labyrinth
of little Islands. One of them, which is simply a sheer wall
crowned with trees, is Papenberg. It was from the height ol
this rock that, in 1638, 4,000 Christians were precipitated into
the sea. Here, therefore, the only civilization in Japan was
destroyed. To-day Papenberg is the rendezvous and the ob
ject of the expeditions of the European residents of Nagasaki.
" We make all our pic-nlcs there," one of them said to me.
Of the 4,000 martyrs he seemed to have no kind of remem
brance. At five o'clock the New York cast anchor In the harbour of
Nagasaki. The town rises like an amphitheatre. To the east
is the European quarter, which trenches on the waters of the
bay, the soil having been reclaimed from the sea at considerable
cost On the highest point stands the Catholic church, shaded
by a magnificent acacia, and the imposing buildings of the
English Consulate. Below is Detsima, the former Dutch factoty,
and behind it, the native town, the whole surrounded by high
green mountains. ' The sea Is Hke a lake. Several foreign
men-of-war and other large ships, with a multitude of junks,
enliven the roadstead.
I left autumn at Yedo and Hiogo; here I find summer.
Seated on the deck of our steamer, breathing with delight the
soft and perfumed air, we are enjoying the indescribable beauty
of an almost tropical night Together with the perfumes of
the forest the sounds of music are wafted to us by the evening
breeze. It Is the band of the Ocean frigate which is playing
" God Save the Queen," " Weber's Waltz," and other dances.
We are both charmed and touched; it is Hke a breath of
Europe. October i. — I made the round of the town. The shops and
offices of the European merchants, which are closed to-day,
being Sunday, occupy the lower part of the strangers' quarter.
Their houses, surrounded by gardens, are scattered in and out
of the mountain gorges or crown the heights. Here, as at
Yokohama and Hiogo, the complaints as to the stagnation of
trade are universal. On the other hand, the English, French,
and American squadrons from the China seas constantly visit
this port, and the steamers of the Pacific Company touch here

VIH. NAGASAKL 391
regularly. The church, which is served by priests belonging
to tiie Foreign Missionary College at Paris, was full of sailors
and soldiers from the English frigate, but the rest of the con
gregation consisted of three men (including myself), and not a
single woman.
The former Dutch factoty at Detsima ' can be seen In all its
length in about three minutes. It is only a few steps wide.
Except the house, which is now occupied by the Netherlands
consul, all the rest is posterior to the last fire, which, thirteen
years ago, entirely destroyed the old establishment, or rather
the nanow prison of the Dutch merchants. These men never
dared to quit it, and were always watched. Evetyone knows
the sad and disgraceful part which the members of this factory
played at the time of the tenlble persecution against the
Christians. It is only to be explained by religious and
political antipathies — the States-General being then at war
with the crown of Spain, whose subjects the missionaries
were, — by commercial rivalries, and by the wish of evicting
the Portuguese, who at that time had flourishing counting-
houses at several points in Japan. According to some Catholic
authors, the Dutch indirectly helped in the extermination of
the Catholic Christians, whether foreign or native. This fact
is not proved; but what is certain Is, that the Dutch never
ceased to excite the suspicions of the Sioguns against the
missionaries, accusing them of being the political agents of
Spain, sent to prepare the people's minds for an intended
invasion by the king. For this reason a great part of the
fearful evils which fell upon the aposties and their neophytes
must be laid to the charge of the Dutch. Not to be included
in the ruin of the Christians, they strove in evety possible way
to make the Japanese understand the difference between the
Protestant and the Catholic religion. They thus obtained and
kept for more than two centuries the exclusive and lucrative
monopoly of European commerce. On the other hand, their
habitations were prisons, and their lives a misery. The magic
power of gold alone can explain how they could submit to
such tortures. Every four years a kind of embassy of obedience
was to be sent to Yedo to the Siogun, and sometimes also to
' Founded in 1638, and suppressed after the treaties in 1858 which
opened the Port of Nagasaki to all nations.

392 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the Mikado. I have already mentioned the German doctor,
Engelbert Kaempffer, who was employed at the Detsima
factoty, and has become so celebrated by his excellent work
on Japan. He has left us a most thrilling description of one
of these forced embassies of which he formed a part To
judge by the exactness with which he describes the different
localities, which I was able to verify on the spot, his veracity
is indubitable. The delegate or ambassador of the factory and
his suite travelled in closed norimons, and were always treated
as state prisoners. They were received vv'ith certain honours,
but, with vety rare exceptions, they were not allowed to see
anything. It required marvellous address on Kaempffer's part
to observe and take notes of things as he did, and still more to
make the furtive sketches which appear in his book. When
admitted into the presence of the emperor — Siogun or Mikado
— -whom nevertheless they never saw, for he remained with the
empress behind a grating, — the members of the embassy,
saving the ambassador himself, who was exempted, were forced
to perform a kind of theatrical representation. They were to
talk to one another in their own language, abuse one another,
feign to laugh, to fightj to be drunk, and to dance. It has
been asserted that they were also compelled to trample on the
cross. Kaempffer says nothing about this, and I suppose,
until it is proved, it is better to disbelieve the accusation.
But it is certain that several times at Nagasaki during the time
of the great persecutions, this cereitiony took place In the
presence of the members of the factoty, and that the sanjis,
like well-educated men, had the delicacy to warn them of it
beforehand so that they might look another way. In the last
years which preceded the opening of the Nagasaki port and
the closing of the factory, the burlesque scenes of which I
have spoken ceased to exist. The Sioguns were sufficlentiy
edified by the Dutch way of quarrelling and getting dmnk.
It is fair, however, to call to mind that the government of the
Netherlands was the first to stipulate in their last treaty with
the Siogun for the abolition "of all such practices as were
injurious to Christianity."
In the bazaar one may see the vases, once so celebrated, of
the peculiar lacquered porcelain of Nagasaki. Quantities ate
still exported to the United States and to Europe.

VIIL NAGASAKI, 393
The English Consulate is a large house, beautifully furnished.
You might fancy yourself in the countty-house of a nobleman
of Old England. It is the luncheon hour. The chi-fu-ji
(governor), his dai-sanji, with his interpreters. Captain Hewitt,
of the Ocean and the different consuls, are all gathered round
Mr. Annesley's hospitable table. The conversation turns on
the reforms announced at Yedo. The governor is overwhelmed
with questions. "Will all these innovations be accepted?
Will there be resistance, or perhaps an insurrection? WIU
the daimios lend themselves to the enormous sacrifices asked
of them ? or will these grand edicts remain a dead letter ? "
To all these questions the governor and his dai-sanji give the
same answers that the great functionaries gave to me at Yedo,
Kiyoto, Otsii, and Hiogo : " Everything will do well, and go
on swimmingly." The winding-up invariably Is, " that in three
years the reforms will be accomplished." Evidentiy the govern
ment of Yedo knows how to give the word of command, and
to enforce obedience on its agents. But will the daimios obey
them? Will they be in a hurry, in pursuance of the public
" order in councU " of the Mikado, to perform this political
and financial hari-kari? This Is the point on which opinions
are divided. During my last journey into the Interior I heard
that the great feudal lords had not the smaUest intention of
dispossessing themselves of their powers and authority — that
they meant, on the contrary, to be stronger than ever. They
laugh at the Yedo decrees. The Princes of Satsuma, Hizen,
Choshiu, and Toza, make believe, it is true, to sacrifice them
selves to the cause of progress ; but in reality they are only
going to work it for their own benefit and to share, with the
leaders in the capital, the spoils of such of the daimios as are
weak and simple enough to take these reforms seriously.
" The chiefs of the four clans, or rather the makers of those
chiefs who, with Iwakura, constitute the actual government"
(said a man of high station to me), " have formed themselves
into a kind of oligarchy, and hope to become the masters of
the country. They ask great sacrifices of the daimios. The
four princes feign to sacrifice themselves, all the time deter
mining in their hearts to give little or nothing and gain a great
deal. The future will prove if thefr calculation be justified, or
if they wiU themselves fall into the pit they have dug for others."

394 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
An event which took place three weeks ago seems to con
firm the general opinion In the provinces, that, untU now,
the ministers of the Mikado have not dared to insist, with
the chiefs of the great clans, on obtaining the execution of
the new decrees. There was a question of laying down the
electric cable which was to unite Nagasaki with Shanghai.
The company having asked the minister for the required au
thority, the latter answered, " that the point where the cable
was to be fastened was on the territoty of the Prince of HIzen,
and that it was to him that the company were to address them
selves," Now, HIzen is the chief of one of the four great clans
which made the revolution of 1868, and are to-day the heads
of the reform movement There are, therefore, mysteries
which one cannot possibly understand. On the other hand,
a series of facts prove that the ideas of progress and reform
gain strength from day to day. I mentioned how one daimio
had levelled his castie to the ground to obtain a greater amount
of arable land. Here it is remarked with satisfaction that a
good many samurais show themselves disarmed in public, or
armed with a single sword ; some, because they fear to lose
their rations of rice if they do not conform to the new regula
tions ; others, because they have themselves embraced the new
opinions. In either way, since these gentlemen have taken
to walk about like ordinary citizens, there are fewer bloody
quarrels, fewer murders, and far greater security for Europeans.
I cannot pass over in silence what a personage of the country
said to one of the consuls : " We have exchanged our bows
and arrows for the guns and cannon of the Europeans because
we have recognized their superiority. Perhaps the day wUl
come when it will be the same thing with religion." This is a
remarkable speech, disclosing, as it does, in few words, the
frivolity of the innovators of the day, ready to sacrifice every
thing to their ideas of progress — customs, traditions, constitu
tion, and even the religion of their country. They ignore the
fact that all religion presupposes faith ; and that faith takes its
birth in the depths of the heart, and not in the calculations of
worldly and material profit ; and yet perhaps this prophecy
may be realized. A clever member of the diplomatic corps of
Yokohama said to me : " Before fifty years are over Japan will
be a Christian country." THat is possible. The innovators

VIIL NAGASAKI. 395
who have roughly destroyed the idols of the people may create
a belief in nothing ; and out of this nothingness may arise new
aspirations and a desire for truth. But I find it difficult to
beHeve tiiat the paths of Radicalism, the infraction of right,
and a superficial imitation of European things, with the ten
dency to level everything, and the whole enforced by arbitrary
power, can lead young Japan to embrace seriously the sublime
doctrines and practices of Christianity.
When, soon after the conclusion of the treaties,' the priests
of the foreign missions of Paris anived in this part of the ex
treme East, the existence of native Christians was entirely
unknown. It was generally thought that the great persecutions
of the seventeenth centuty had destroyed the last vestiges of
St, Francis Xarier's work. Three years only after their installa
tion at Nagasaki the French fathers learned that not far from
this town, and in the Interior of the great island of Kiushiu,
several villages,* and amongst others the great market-town of
Urakarai, situated several ris from the town, were inhabited by
Christians. The missionaries went there at once to exercise
their holy ministty. Later on, owing to an order of the vicar
apostolic, Mgr. Petitjean, which was Issued at the instigation
of the French minister at Yokohama, they were forced to ab
stain flora going beyond the limits assigned to strangers.
It is, therefore, an ascertained fact, that in spite of the
tenible persecutions and the entfre absence of native or Euro
pean priests (no missionary since 1638 having set foot on the
soil of Japan), the Christians have remained faithful to their
faith — have preserved, together with the fundamental dogmas
of Christianity, the form of baptism ; and that in each Christian
community there have been men performing the functions and
bearing the name of baptizers. They belong to certain families,
and their dignity Is hereditar)'. They also found some prayer-
books, the gift probably of the Franciscan fathers, for in them
there is an invocation to the saint of that order. Later on, it
' In 1858 they were provisionally established in the islands of Liukiu,
and afterwards in the five ports open to Europeans.
' It will be understood why I abstain from naming these seats of Chris-
tianity, known to the missionaries, but perhaps still ignored by the perse
cuting government.

396 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
was found out that in the islands of Goto, and in the south-east
of Niphon, a large number of hamle'-s stUl preserved the lights
of Christianity, though darkened, it is true, by ignorance, super
stition, and pagan practices. An edict, lately published in the
official journal of 'VTedo, condemns the Christian inhabitants of
a village In the neighbourhood, and reveals at the same time a
fact unknown until now — that Christianity had penetrated into
countries far removed from the seat of the labours of the first
missionaries. One supposes, therefore, that in the times ofthe
ancient persecutions, as In the more recent ones, the govern
ment transported the Christians into the interior, and that they
have thus been disseminated in different parts of the empire.
From the preaching of St. Francis Xavier until the final catas
trophe (the massacres of Papenberg) is ninety years ; and the
epoch of great preachings and numberless conversions is hardly
spread over more than half a century ; and yet, notwithstanding
periodical persecutions and constant vexations, the Christian
traditions have been maintained to this day.
At the end of 1869 a vague rumour of the crael persecution
carried on against the Christians in the island of Goto reached
Yokohama. Sir Harty Parkes, who, on board a man-of-war,
was then visiting the treaty ports, went to the spot to ascertain
the truth. I do not know whether he was able to verify the
fact; but, on his return to Nagasaki, he was witness of the
fearful treatment inflicted on the Christians in the village of
Urakami. On New Year's Day, 1870, 4,000 persons, men,
women, and children, old and young, were torn from their
homes, garroted, and thrown, pell-mell, almost entirely naked,
into some junks, to be transported no one knew where. Sfr
H. Parkes, justly indignant at this revolting sight, instantly
addressed an energetic protest on the subject to the minister
of foreign affairs, and asked the governor of Nagasaki to sus
pend provisionally the execution of his orders. This functlonaty
ha\-ing excused himself, alleging the peremptory instmctions
he had received from head-quarters. Sir Hany hastened to
return to Yokohama. The terribly distressing news from
Urakami had preceded him. The members of the diplomatic
corps had been horrified, and, without any previous agreement
with each other, had, one and all, energetically protested.
They only waited for the arrival of the English minister 'Ji

VIIL NAGASAKL 397
concert as to the measures which should be taken in common.
All the heads of the missions went to Yedo. .\ conference
took place, at which the prime minister, Sanjo, .and Iwakura
(then only a member of the privy council, but already the soul
of the imperial government) assisted. The English minister
detailed the facts of which he had been in part a witness. In
his language he was forced to adopt'a tone of great reserve.
He appealed to the sentiments of humanity, which, he said,
doubtless animated the counsellors of the Mikado, and made
some aUusion to the bad effect which such acts— so little In
hannony with the ideas of the age or the projects of reform
entertained by the imperial government — would have In Europe.
M. Outrey, while warmly expressing the sympathies of Fiance
for his co-religionists, used a like caution, and put himself on
the same footing as his English colleague. Mr. Delong, the
envoy of the United States, pleaded the cause of the Christians
in energetic terms. Iwakura then spoke. To the remonstrances
of the diplomatic body he opposed the grievances of his own
government The gravest accusations alternated with the most
puerile ; but all tended to establish the essentially political
character of the crimes imputed to the Christians.
"The native Christians," he said, "refuse to join in the
worship of the country. This is a direct act of rebellion
against the Mikado, the Son of the Gods, and the chief of
that religion which the Christians despise.
" The Christians refuse to furnish flowers for the ornamenting
of our altars.
" They avoid passing through the forks (the isolated portals
placed at the entrance of the temples), or crossing the ground
round the sanctuaries.
" They recognize the authority of stranger priests, and refuse
obedience to the magistrates.
" Contrary to our customs, they do not invite the bonzes on
the occasion of births, maniages, deaths, or burials in their
families. In other words, they refuse the fees exacted by them
on such occasions.
" In one word, therefore, they are conspirators, for they hold
thefr meetings in secret; and they are rebels against their
sovereign, who is the head of religion.,} and against the laws
and customs of the countty."

398 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
The representatives of the different powers endeavoured
to refute these arguments, and finally demanded that the
Japanese government should reinstate the exiled Christians in
their homes. In return they promised, with the consent of
Mgr. Petitjean, to take care that no foreign priest should pass
beyond the limits of the treaty ports, or exercise his ministty
in any locaHty inhabited by native Christians.
Sanjo and Iwakura having declared that, before giring a
decided answer, they must confer with their colleagues, the
sitting was brought to a close. But the final decision of the
government was not long in being announced. It was a de
cided and categorical refusal. The two ministers went to
Yokohama to impart this disappointing news to the foreign
envoys. " To go back," they said, " from a policy sanctioned
by the emperor, already carried out, and generally approved
by the country, would be an outrage to the authority of the
Mikado, and would set public opinion at defiance. In one
word, it is impossible." At the same time, they delivered the
following memorandum to the envoys in justification of their
conduct ; —
"The government of the Mikado has learned with regret
that certain measures taken with regard to some of the subjects
of the Mikado, inhabiting Urakami, and calling themselves
Christians, have given displeasure to the foreign ministers.
"The value they attach to the friendship and good opinion
of these powers, with whom they are living in friendly and
commercial relations, leads them to explain the cause of their
conduct. A brief recapitulation of the motives for this appa
rent harshness will clear up aU possible misunderstanding.
" Nothing is further from the intentions of the Japanese
government than to punish their people because they profess
a strange religion, unless they show, as at Urakami, symptoms
of rising and rebeUion.
"Never has the government thought of meddling in the
religious opinions of its subjects. Several individuals who
have arrived in Japan as Protestant raisslonarles are to be
found in the service of the state. They teach sciences and
foreign languages In our colleges and public schools. No pro
hibition interferes with the circulation of foreign books — even
of those which treat of religious matters. They are translated

VIIL NAGAS.4KL 399
into our own language, and are to be found in all the Hbraries.
The government brings forward these facts as a proof that It
wishes to act in a liberal spirit on all religious questions.
" But when our own subjects embrace Christianity In order
to be able to conspire freely, and throw discredit on the funda
mental laws of the country ; when these communities of native
Christians call In question the spiritual authority of the Mikado;
and their catechists promise them the protection of foreign
powers — that is to say, impunity ; then the government cannot
remain sUent. In self-defence, and to maintain the authority
of the emperor, it must take such measures as shall bring back
its misguided subjects to respect the laws and institutions of
their country. This conduct is imposed upon the government
by necessity, and still more by public opinion, which has kept
in remembrance the deplorable events which occurred two cen
turies ago, when the Catholic missionaries brought Christianity
into Japan. Even now public opinion demands that this cause
of discord be removed, which in old times nearly upset the
government, and threatened the independence of the sovereign
of the country."
Thus this matter ended in a non-acceptance of the pro
posals, and the only result of the negotiation was the weaken
ing of ihe prestige of the foreign ministers, without in any way
ameliorating the condition of the Christians ; added to which,
an engagement was entered into with the Japanese govern
ment which forbade the exercise of the CathoHc ministry
beyond the nanow limits assigned by the treaty.'
' On the gth February, 1872, a numerous deputation from the Evangelical
Alliance presented themselves at the Foreign Office, to call the attention of
the principal Secretary of State to the persecutions directed against the
Japanese Christians. The Queen's minister in Japan being then in England,
Lord Granville begged him to attend the audience and be his mouthpiece.
I borrow from the summary of the Times (of the 12th of February, 1872)
the main features of Sir H. Parkes's speech : — " He admits the existence of
religious persecution in Japan ; but it is a heritage of old times, the perse
cutions having continued since the seventeenth century. The history of
the last two centuries is always present to the minds of the Japanese. It
was the revolt of the Christians which caused the expulsion of the mission
aries from Japan. The law has not been changed since. Once it was
exercised with such rigour that twelve Japanese were executed solely for
having embraced Christianity. One fact is certain, and that is, that Christi.
anity undermines the authority of the Mikado, who, in the idea of the

40O A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
I have stated that in this memorable conference the envoy
of the United States distinguished himself by the energy of
his remonstrances. The government of Washington, listening
to the representations of the Bible Societies, and to the voice
of humanity, so cmelly outraged under the very eye» of Its
masses, is of divine origin. To authorize the propagation of a strange
religion would be to condemn the national faith. It is true, tbat the popu
lation of the village of Urakami was exiled ; but, according to the Japanese
government, 'this measure was taken in the interest of order, and to prevent
an explosion of religious sentiment.' (I am translating literally.) The
foreign ministers received assurances that the exiles should not be ill-treated.
Having heard that the government had not kept its word, he (Sir Harry)
had instantly sent an olficer to the spot to inform himself as to the real
state of things. The result of this inquiry was, that in only one of the
three localities visited by the agent the Christians had suffered cruel treat
ment. As soon as the Japanese government were informed of it, they
hastened to disavow the acts Of their functionaries and to condemn them
publicly in their Court Journal. • More than this, the Japanese ministers
affirm that, in spite of the necessity of conforming to the laws, especially to
those which treat of religion, they would not oppose the development of
new opinions in matters of faith, any more than they would hinder the
introduction of new political and commercial ideas. Changes in matters of
religion would imply changes in men's minds and convictions ; and, in spite
of its liberal dispositions, the government was powerless to overcome the
prejudices and traditions of the people in such matters. The envoy con
cluded by saying that he was authorised to protest without hesitation if the
Japanese government showed itself cruel or intolerant towards the native
Christians;. Similar instructions had been given to the ministers of other
nations, who, in such circumstances, bad likewise protested. He does not
think that these remonstrances have been without their effect ; and he hopes
that, thanks to the rapid progress of public opinion, which is becoming in
Japan every day more and more enlightened, and thanks to the measures
taken by the Japanese government to second this movement, the wishes of
the Evangelical Alliance will eventually be realised, unless any imprudent
attempts at propagandism should throw fresh obstacles in the way."
It is for the future to justify or destroy these hopes. The same Evangelical
Society pleaded the cause of the Christians with the Japanese ambassadors
who were then in England. The veiy reserved answer given by Iwakura
was reproduced in the Times of the 7th December, 1872, and deserves the
serious attention of Sir H. Parkes. Here is a summary of his reply :--
"I'he rumour that we have carried out the laws against the Christians
with fresh vigour is fixlse. The government acts only in the interest of its
subjects. It favours liberal ideas in matters of religion as in civil affaks.
Such is our policy, and our conduct proves it."
In the me.intimc the unhappy Christians are sufferin.t; and dying by inches
in the dungeons of this government which calls itself liberal, and of which
Iwakura is the soul, the head, and the mouthpiece. What hope is there
hen for an alleviation of their sufferings?

Vin. NAGASAKI 401
minister, not only approved the conduct of Mr. Delong, but
declared Itself disposed. In concert with France, to coine to
more decided measures. Overtures in this sense were made at
Paris, and communicated to the English cabinet. The war
between France and Germany put a stop to these nego
tiations. We have seen that, according to the formal assurances of
the Japanese ministers, the exiled Christians were treated with
humanity. The entire falsehood of this statement was soon
proved. Divided into littie bands, and spread in the interior
of Niphon, these unfortunate people were confided to the
guard of certain daimios, or dragged into the neighbourhood
of Yedo and Kiyoto. They were lodged like brute beasts in
miserable sheds ; those who could be prevailed upon to apos
tatise were allowed to go out during the day to work and gain
a few tempos : but the "refractory," that is, those who remained
faithful to their religion, were shut up night and day in stinking
holes ; both one and the other received, besides, only the
most miserable pittance of food, not enough to live upon, and
were decimated by hunger and disease. It is to a Protestant
American missionaty that we owe the first authentic information
of the fate of these noble confessors of the faith. An officer
in the consular service, sent into the interior by Sir H. Parkes,
has confirmed it He found but two places where the
Christians were treated with common humanity, and he visited
only a few of these depots.' It is affirmed, and I fear with
truth, that by the end of last year more than a third of the
poor exiles from Urakami had fallen victims to cold, hunger,
and moral miseries of every description. I could not obtain
the exact numbers ; but it Is certain that a very large propor
tion of these confessors are dead. Exposed to long and
atrocious tortures, sorne of them abjured Christianity, hoping
thereby to obtain their liberty. The only improvement in
their condition, however, was the permission to work outside
their prisons during the day. The others, worthy descendants
of the glorious martyrs of the seventeenth century, continue
' From the last accounts, the government has relaxed its hardship in
favour of the apostates. By virtue of a decree of the 2nd March, 1872, all
Christians wJio would abjure their jaitli were to be sent back to their homes.
"Those who remain faithful are treated with the same cruelty.
D D

402 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
to give an example of heroic constancy and unalterable at
tachment to the faith of Christ.
The measures taken by the foreign ministers, although littie
known In detail, have been variously judged. The European
residents generally are thankful to have avoided complications
which might seriously have affected their commercial transac
tions. Some of them, however, with a conscidusness of the
outrages committed on humanity, blame the weakness of the
foreign ministers. " If," they say, " all had held the same
determined language, and let the Japanese government see
that, in case of refusal, acts of reprisal would be the result,
Iwakura and his colleagues would have taken good care to
change their tone ; the envoys would have had the merit of
saving four thousand of their co-rellglonlsts, and would have
been spared the humiliation and pain of seeing a multitude of
inoffensive beings killed by inches, the victims at one and the
same time of the religious and political fanaticism of their
executioners." There are, besides, at Yokohama many fervent
Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, who deplore the fate
of the victims, and consider that the Legations were more or
less responsible. They also think that, with a little more
energy and firmness, they would easily have overcome the
resistance of the Japanese government. For my part, I feel
to the full the sufferings of the martyrs and indignation at their
fate : but I do not agree vrith the judgment pronounced on
the conduct of the diplomatic body. This incident at Urakami
touches on such grave intemational questions, that it seems to
me to deserve careful investigation.
I am wlUIng to grant (although even that, I think, doubtful)
that, if all the foreign representatives had held absolutely the
same language — if certain shades of difference, which could
not escape the penetration of Iwakura, had not weakened
their authority — they would perhaps have obtained a more
satisfactory result But that is precisely the great difficulty in
all coUective diplomatic action. Each one of these represen
tatives, besides the common and transltoty cause which he is
about to defend, must protect the particular and permanent
Interests of his country : aud these Interests are not always
identical with the Interests of the other states represented by
his coUeagues. Those who have had a seat in European con-

VIIL NAGASAKI 403
ferences know well how difficult It is, even between the
plenipotentiaries of powers who are closely allied with each
other, to establish and maintain a joint responsibility of lan
guage and conduct In the case before us, considering the
large amount of English capital embarked in the Japanese
trade, a grave responsibility rested on Sir H. Parkes, From
hence arose his great caution, and the apparent timidity with
which he is reproached. The mission of France is 10 protect
Catholic interests in pagan countries. This explains the com
paratively greater warmth of M. Outrey ; but this warmth was
tempered by political considerations, and by the regard due to
French commerce. Evidentiy he did not wish to separate
himself from his English colleague, who, it was equally evident,
would not make the affair a casus belli Iwakura must have
understood this. I do not know what Hne was taken by the
envoy of the North-German Confederation. I fancy that he
must have been divided between the wish to speak out
strongly, as a great power should do, and the fear of com
promising the commerce of the merchant seamen of Germany,
which is very large in these seas. The American minister was
certainly very energetic in his protest But his colleagues did
not know If he would have the approval of his government, or
whether he would be prepared to act alone, and to act In the
probable case where England, and in the possible case where
France, would remain passive.
Russia, whose commercial interests In Japan are nil, and who
has no missions there ; Austria, whose political and commercial
interests are equally nil in this country, and who at this time
has not even any diplomatic relations with the Mikado —
Austria and Russia were not represented at the conference.
They enjoyed, therefore, the real benefits of absence. People
say : " If the foreign ministers had employed menaces, the
Japanese would have yielded." That is not so certain ; and
great nations cannot threaten unless they are resolved and pre
pared to act After having threatened, if those threats were
not attended to, they would have been obliged to proceed
immediately to the employment of coercive measures. Had
the envoys a sufficient military and naval force at their disposal
to commence hostihties ? Evidentiy not They had no alter
native then but either to retreat dishonourably, or to launch
D D 2

404 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
into hostilities and provoke events, the bearing of which might
be incalculable. Such a course would involve the fall of the
men In power, who, comparatively speaking, are friends of the
strangers, the advent of the old anti- European party, an entire
cessation of commerce, a recommencement of isolated assas
sinations and attacks against the factories. To deliver four
thousand Japanese from prison, the ministers would have ex
posed to ruin and perhaps massacre two thousand Europeans,
and involved their respective governments in war with Japan. .
As to what touches the question of right, I seek in vain for
any legitimate plea which should justify the intervention of the
foreign diplomats. The treaties only guaranted to foreigners
the free exercise of the Christian religion in the open ports.
Not a syllable was said as to native Christians. The plenipo
tentiaries. Lord Elgin, and M. Gros, simply ignored their
existence ; and the Japanese government keeps to the engage
ment made before with the Dutch to abolish all injurious
practices. Looking at it fairly on both sides, it seems to me that the
reserve of the English minister and his colleagues was justified.
For, do not let us deceive ourselves — they could not invoke any
general principle. Modern states — without an acknowledged
religion — seem to me to have renounced the right, except
under very special circumstances, to intervene in order to
protect such or such a faith in a foreign countty. They may
lift up their voice in favour of humanity, but their action is
limited to that. They could only employ force on the vague
and indefinite ground of philanthropy. Looked at from this
point of view, the remedy would probably be worse than the
disease. The plenipotentiaries of the foreign powers, after having
vainly appealed to the prudence or generosity of the Japanese
government, saw themselves therefore condemned to the ignoble
role of being passive spectators of the tortures inflicted on their
co-religionists. October 2. — The last shores of Japan, the islands of Goto,
have disappeared on the' horizon. The New York Is steam
ing away at the regulation speed of ten knots an hour. The
Yellow Sea, setting aside its usual rough manners, is beat-

VIIL NA G. 1 SA KL 405
ing us with uncommon courtesy. It Is a very good moment to
recapitulate one's impressions on the political position of Japan.
The Portuguese were the first people who penetrated into
the ports of Kiushiu, the most southerly of the four great
islands of which this empire Is composed. At the same
time St. Francis Xavier, accompanied by a few priests, set
foot on the soil of the country of which he was to become
the apostle. That was the era of brilliant commercial trans
actions in the Portuguese factories, and of the great conquests
of Christianity. This was from 1549 to 1638, a period of
about ninety years. Fabulous profits, resembling the enormous
gains which in our days were made for a few years at Shanghai
and Hong Kong, enriched the town of Macao, then the
great emporium of the Portuguese trade, in the extreme
east. The successful preaching of the missionaries fostered
the most sanguine hopes. The island of Kiushiu, the princi
pality of Nagato (Choshiu), the territory of the Prince of
Toza, and the islands of Goto and Firando were covered
with Christian communities. Even at Kiyoto, the very strong
hold of the Mikado, the Cross made numberless conquests.
But these brilliant successes were to be followed by as signal
reverses. The hatred of the bonzes ; the boasting of the
Portuguese, those parvenus of fortune; the growing distrust o
the Sioguns, aroused by the indiscreet talk of a Castillan
traveller, who had spoken of the irresistible power of PhUip IL,
then master of Portugal ; the taking of the Philippines by the
Spaniards ; the intrigues of the Dutch, who had become for
midable rivals of the Portuguese — all seemed to conspire
against the latter, and still more against the work of the
Catholic missionaries. Restrictive laws, partial persecutions,
and absolute prohibition, on pain of death, to the natives to
embrace Christianity, fill the last years of Talko-Sama's reign
and that of his successor. The rising of a body of native
Christians, In which the Portuguese were implicated, finally
l.rought about the catastrophe. That same year (1638) the
Portuguese residents were expelled, the Dutch (who had
established a factory at Firando, to the north of the islands of
Goto) were admitted into the Portuguese settlement of Detsima
(Nagasaki), and Christianity was drowned in the blood of
its missionaries and of many thousands of native Christians.

4.o6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
From that moment until the arrival of the American squadron,^
that is, for more than j:oo years, Japan was hermetically closed
to strangers. During all that time the Dutch merchants, shut
up In the little island of Detsima, had the entire monopoly of
European commerce. What the world knew of this mysterious
empire it owed to the former missionaries and to the Dutch
merchants; specially to two Germans, Dr. Engelbert Kaempffer,
who at the end of the seventeenth century practised his art in
the Dutch factory; and Siebold, who might almost be called a
conteraporaty, and who was eqmlly established at Detsima.
But these two savants, closely watched in this little island, and
only travelling in the suite of the factory delegates, who every
four years visited the court at Yedo, or Kiyoto, obtained their
information from indirect sources. Carried in closed norimons,
their observations were necessarily incomplete. Before this
time the missionaries had travelled over the country freely
enough ; and, though their vocation was the saving of souls,
and they had little time to give to scientific researches, never
theless, their correspondence contained some valuable infor
mation. But, howevei rich might be the materials furnished
both by one and the other, they did not suffice to give a clear
idea of Japan. There were great gaps in their descriptions,
and (as was discovered later) some essential errors ; one of
which, as we shall presently see, was to exercise an important
influence on the destinies of Japan.
In all times there were relations between this countty and
China ; more than once Japan felt the rebound of the great
events which were accomplished in the Celestial Empire. The
peninsula of Corea, placed under the nominal suzerainty of the
Emperor of China, and frequently invaded by Japanese armies,
formed the geographical link between these two great nations
of the Mongol race. It was from China, through the Corea,
that Buddhism invaded Japan ; that the phUosophical ideas
and moral maxims of Confucius, and even political doctrines,
have been imported. The adoption of Chinese writing facili
tates, with the exchange of ideas, the political and commercial
relations (formerly rare enough) between the two nations. The
more one becomes acquainted with the language, customs, and
' Commodore Periy arrived in 1 844, and concluded his famous treaty
the following year.

Vin, NAGASAKI. 407
literature of Japan, the more one undcstands the important
influence e,Kercised on this country by the Celestial Empire.
It was on this ground that, after the Opium War, in 1844, and
on the occasion of the opening of several Chinese ports, the
King ofthe Belgians advised the Siogun to follow the e.xample
of China. " If you do not do it of your own accord," he said,
"youwUl be forced to do it by and by. Escape, then, this
humUiation." The Siogun's only answer was a positive refusal.
In the Interest of their extensive naval operations in the North
Pacific, the govemment of the United States undertook to
estabhsh relations with Japan, and to obtain, either willingly
or by force, the opening of certain ports of refuge and for
victuaUing their ships. A squadron, commanded by Commo
dore Perry, came and anchored in the harbour of Yedo. The
following year it reappeared, and, thanks to the moral influence
of its cannon, after short negotiations, a treaty of peace and
friendship was signed In the village of Kanagawa.' Two ports
were henceforth opened to the ships and merchants oi that
nation, and England and Russia, represented by Admirals
Sterling and Poutlatine, obtained the like concessions.^
But, at Yedo, the arrival of the Europeans gave rise to
bloody tragedies. The party which was hostile to foreigners
rose in a body. The Siogun was poisoned or massacred in his
palace. His son and successor being a minor, the wise and
moderate li-Kamon-no-Kami became regent. But, suspected
in his tum of sympathy for the foreigners, he was assassinated In
open day at the entrance of the Siogun's palace, and his head
sent to, and pubHcly exposed at, Kiyoto. The real author of
the blow was the Prince of Mito, one of the heads of the
anti-European party. A member of the regent's suite, to
avenge his master, killed the prince's father.
The Dutch, annoyed at the loss of their monopoly, obtained,
in compensation, some advantages, of which the most Important
was the promise of being admitted Into all the ports opened to
other nations.3 The Detsima factory was maintained, and the
' The 3 1 St March, 1854.
" The English convention was signed in October 1854. The Russian
treaty has never been published.
3 On the conditions of the Convention concluded at Nagasaki in November
1855. Additional articles were signed in January 1856.

4oS A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
Japanese government promised to abolish the custom of
trampHng the cross under foot Soon after, the last Chinese
war broke out It was a fine opportunity for England and
France, flushed with victory, to revise their treaties with the
Siogun, and, in other words, to open Japan to commerce and
civilization. The fleets of the two powers, with Lord Elgin
and Baron Gros on board the admirals' flag-ships, appeared at
short intervals in the Bay of Yedo. The following are the
principal clauses of the treaty which these two plenipoten
tiaries concluded with the Siogun : — '
Diplomatic agents to reside at Yedo and consular agents at
all the open ports. These ports are Hakodate, Kanagawa
(Yokohama), and Nagasaki ; to which were afterwards added
Hiogo and Niigata. English and French subjects may settle
there ; buy houses ; trade ; build churches, and freely exercise
their religion. They may alro, at certain fixed times, be
admitted to Osaka and Yedo ; but only to trade there. (This
would seem to exclude the missionaries.) The diplomatic
agents and the consuls-general shall alone have the right to
travel in the interior. In a paragraph of the article which con
cerned the free exercise of the Christian religion by foreigners
in the open ports, the plenipotentiaries took care to obtain,
Hke the Dutch, the cessation of practices insulting to our faith.
Finally, it was provided that these treaties should be revised
at the end of twelve years. The winding-up of these acts,
which opened Japan to European commerce, whUe limiting
the points where it was to be carried on, was followed by
the signature of analogous conventions with Prussia, Spain,
Belgium, and, two years ago, with Austria.
According to a long- established belief, shared in by the
former missionaries, Japan was placed under the dominion of
two emperors. One governed the empire ; the other, the
souls of men. The savants of Detsima shared in this opinion,
which was Impressed upon us all when, in our Infancy, we
learned the rudiments of geography. The one, the Mikado,
was the spiritual head ; the other, the Siogun, the temporal.
Lord Elgin. and Baron Gros believed this like evetyone else,
and, following the example of the foreign admirals, who had
" The English treaty was signed on the 26th August, the French treaty
on the 9th October, 1858.

VIII, NAGASAKL 409
made the former treaties, addressed themselves to the Siogun,
and negotiated and concluded the treaty with him. It was
only later that they found out that the Siogun, although more or
less the master since the twelfth century of the most important
part of the countiy, was only legally the first vassal of the
emperor, and therefore had no power to treat with foreigners ;
also that it was against the wishes and orders of the Mikado
that these treaties had been signed. Already in a tottering
position, as we shall soon see, the Siogun wished to take
ad\antage of his relations with the foreigners to awe the
court of Kiyoto, and to defeat the machinations of certain
great daimios who were striving to induce the emperor to break
openly with him. It is pretended, that to leave the plenipo
tentiaries of the two powers in ignorance as to the nature of
his authority, he took the Chinese title of Taikoun in dealing
with them, which signifies sovereign. Instead of his habitual
title of Siogun, which answers to that of general-in-chief. The
result of this conduct, however, was very contrary to his hopes.
It hastened his downfall and the abolition of the Slogunate.
Supreme power throughout the empire was henceforth centred
in the hands of the Mikado. In reality, it passed to the chiefs
of the four great clans who had overturned the Siogun, or
rather to their principal agents, who are now the council and
ministers of the emperor. There was no doubt that the
arrival of the Europeans would sooner or later bring about
great changes in the interior state of Japan ; but the in
voluntary enor of the French and English plenipotentiaries,
and the fact that they addressed themselves not to the Mikado,
but to his vassal, rallied round the discontented daimios all the
elements which were most hostile to foreigners, and in conse
quence, hastened the fall of the Siogun. The interests of the
Europeans did not, however, suffer from this mistake. The
division between the native governments, was, on the contrary,
favourable to them. But to Japan the abolition of the Sioguns
entailed the gravest consequences.
The treaties having been duly concluded, they proceeded to
the carrying out of their articles. The foreign missions were
established at Yedo ; the consuls and merchants on the shores
of Yokohama, where a considerable town soon sprang up
The cabinet of St. Petersburg, faithful to the old and wise

410 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
maxim that the presence of a diplomatic agent should always;
be justified by the exigencies of the imperial interests which
the government had decided to preserve and maintain by force,
in case of need — the Russian cabinet, I say, abstained from
appointing a minister to the Siogun court, and limited itself to
establishing Consulates at Yokohama and Hakodate, and In the
island of Yesso, the nearest point to the possessions of Russia on
the borders of the Pacific. In this way the Russian government
provided for its trade and navigation which is not of any great
importance in these waters), and avoided, by the absence of a
diplomatist, embarking in a doubtful and perilous path, which
it foresaw would be bristling with difficulties, and might se'riously
compromise the future. The political position was, in fact,
dark, complicated, and critical. Treaties had been concluded
with the Siogun ; and although a thick curtain hid what was
passing at the court of Kiyoto, and in the camp of the great
daimios (who were clamouring for the expulsion of the Intruders),
from the diplomatic agents, it was impossible not to see that
all the upper classes of the nation were hostile, that the
power with which they had treated was tottering, that it
was mined in its foundations and ready to crumble into
dust Nevertheless, they leant on that power, and were
determined to do so, without thinking (or, perhaps, because
they were unable to do otherwise) that the moral support
given by foreigners to the Siogun would only discredit him
more and more with his own people, give a handle to his
enemies, and hasten his downfall. At this time the leading
feature in the position was the weakening of the Slogunate.
As to the reason, no one can give it They speak of
cormption, of venaHty, of treason ; but such is still the
darkness in which the contemporary histoty of Japan is
involved that no one has yet been able to ascertain the facts.
On this capital point, as on so many others, one Is reduced to
conjectures. Iwakura alone, to whom I ventured to address
the question, gave me a clear and precise answer : " The
Sioguns " he said, " were detested by the Japanese nation, which
is full of loyalty and affection for its legitimate sovereign the
Mikado." "But how does it happen, then, that the Japanese
nation, so full of attachment to the emperor, has borne with
these usurpers for seven centuries ? and why has thefr long

Vin. NAGASAKI 411
dormant loyalty so suddenly woke up into life ? " To this
question he made no answer whatever.
This, then, is an important fact to ascertain. The Slogunate,
established in tbe twelfth century, and maintained with various
fluctuations to our own day, was already, from some unknown
cause, undermined before the anival of the foreigners.
At Kiyoto, the kugds — i.e., the aristocracy of the court —
declared that the treaties concluded with the Europeans could
only be carried out with the consent and ratification of the
Mikado. This was the first blow Inflicted on the Siogun by
the court party. From this moment both the master of Yedo
and the Mikado endeavoured to make use of the Europeans,
the one to confirm his power, the other to regain it : Kiyoto
became the vety hot-bed of intrigues.
It seems that the south has always played a great part in the
revolutions of Japan. They sent agents there, and tried to
excite public opinion against the Siogun, whom they accused
of yielding up the country to the barbarians. The Siogun
on one side, and the great daimios on the other, armed them
selves in haste, borrowed instructors from the foreigners,
bought rifles, and built men-of war in Europe. The chiefs of
the great clans of Satsuma, Choshiu, and Toza, to whom,
later, was added that of Hizen, combined with the kug^s to
demand the expulsion of the foreigners, and addressed a peti
tion to the Mikado that they might all be thrown by the
Siogun into the sea. The order was actuaUy given ; but the
Siogun excused himself, alleging his weakness. The leaders
of the anti-European party, who were more and more under
the dominion of the samurais, or militaty class, then demanded
the punishment of the Siogun at the hands of the Mikado, and
begged the latter to undertake a cmsade himself against the
barbarians. If this request were not complied with, it was
only because the Mikado at that moment found himself in the
hands of one of the most powerful daimios of the north — the
Prince Aidzu, at that time military governor of Kiyoto, and a
relation and friend of the Siogun's. The Prince Choshiu
(known also under the name of Nagato), wishing to get posses
sion of the person of the Mikado, tried to take Kiyoto by sur
prise.' The Choshius got into the town, and fought a pitched
' This was in 1864.

412 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
battie with the .troops commanded by Prince .Aidzu. But,
beaten and rejected, they retired to their own country, at the
southern extremity of Niphon, in front of the island of Kiushiu.
For the moment, therefore. Prince Aidzu and the Siogun found
themselves in the Mikado's court entire masters of the situa
tion. They dragged out of him an order for the Siogun to
punish the Choshiu clan.' It was at this very time that the
foreign ministers went to Hiogo to ask the Mikado for a ratifi
cation of the treaties. M. Roche offered the assistance of the
French troops to reduce the Choshius. This was an indirect
way of intervening with a mUItary force in favour of the Siogun.
The Mikado declined the offer, but ratified the treaties. Never
theless, two events took place. The English had in vain
demanded satisfaction of the Prince of Satsuma for certain
hostile proceedings. They therefore bombarded Kagoshlma,
the capital of his principality in the island of Kiushiu. The
folio ivlng year^ the ships of all the four European powers
shelled and burnt the town of Shimonoseki, situated at the
entrance of the Inner sea, and belonging to Prince Choshiu.
In these two actions the Japanese must have been convinced
of the Incontestable superiority of the Europeans. Henceforth
more amicable relations were established between the foreign
representatives and the heads of the two clans of Satsuma and
Choshiu. The Siogun undertook two campaigns against the
latter. But during this expedition he died at the castle of
Osaka.3 A few months after, the Mikado followed him to the
tomb,'* and the present emperor, then hardly twelve years of
age, mounted the throne of his ancestors. Keiki, the youngest
son of Prince MIto, was raised to the Slogunate. He accepted
this dignity In spite of his father's advice, and that of the other
members of his family, who were all hereditary enemies of the
Sioguns. Keiki, established in the castle of Kiyoto, persisted,
nevertheless, in taking the title of Siogun. But to disarm the
opposition he declared his Intention of co-operating in the
icstoration of the Mikado, and of relinquishing his dignity as
soon as the daimios In council should have decided on the
basis of the new constitution. To effect this he convoked a
meeting- of the princes at Kiyoto. A great many answered to
' Thi:i was in 1863. - In 1864. 3 At the end of 1866.
* He died at Kiyoto in February 1867.

VIII, NAGASAKL 413
his appeal ; but the chiefs of the Satsumas, Choshius, and
Tozas clans, concentrated their forces round this town.'
Decisive events followed one another with astonishing rapi
dity. On the 3rd of January, 1868, the troops of Prince
Satsuma penetrated into Kiyoto, and obtained from the Mikado
an order for the Siogun and Prince Aidzu to withdraw their
troops from the palace, which was instantly occupied by Sat-
suma's band. Feeling that they were no longer safe, the
Siogun and Aidzu evacuated Kiyoto that same day, and retired
precipitately on Osaka, where they arrived the following evening.
This retreat was signalized by an important edict issued by the
emperor himself The Mikado declared his empire to be re
established throughout the country, and that the Slogunate was
abolished. Another decree laid down the principles of the
new constitution. But Prince Aidzu did not consider himself
defeated. Dragging the Siogun Into making a last attempt, he
marched with him upon Kiyoto. Near Fujimi, about five miles
from the capital, they met the troops of Satsuma and Choshiu.
A bloody battie was fought, which ended in the defeat of Aidzu
and the Siogun, and their retreat on Osaka. After having
burnt his palace in that town, the Siogun took refuge on board
one of his frigates, which conveyed him to his capital. The
conquerors, led by a member of the imperial family, went by
land to Yedo and entered it, without the Siogun attempting
any resistance. He took refuge in the temple of Ueno ; and
afterwards was permitted .to retire to his ov/n property,
where he lives in peace, without being molested by the imperial
government Such was, after seven centuries, the end of the Slogunate.
Prince Aidzu returned with his troops into his own dominions ;
and having formed a league with certain daimios, known under
the name of the Northern Confederation, continued his hos
tilities for a long time. Towards the end of the year 1868,
however, a signal defeat put an end both to the confederation
and the civil war. Evetywhere, save in one point, the authority
of the Mikado was recognized.
One knows that Yesso, the most northern of the four great
islands, is only a vast forest, containing treasures of copper and
coal, but inhabited by aborigines, who are real savages. Some
' In December 1867.

414 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
parts of the southern coast have been colonized by the Japanese.
In the extreme end, facing Niphon, is Hakodate, an important
establishment It is this port which, on the demand of Com
modore Perry, was opened to the Americans ; and it is, of all
the five treaty ports, the one most accessible to Europeans.
AVhilst the prince's troops were marching on the Siogun capital,
the captain of a man-of-war took possession of the Japanese
fleet anchored before Yedo, and sailed for the Bay of Hakodatd
His arrival with the fleet became the signal for a pacific revolu
tion. Captain Brunet, one of the French instructors, put him
self at the head .of the movement. They proclaimed a republic
and universal suffrage ! This suffrage, it is true, was reserved
for the samurais — that is, for the military. All the other classes
were carefully excluded. The resident foreigners, who were
most of them adventurers, and were few in number, and amongst
them one of the consuls, made common cause with the revo
lutionists. For some months this droll constitution marched
well enough. Everyone, as it seemed, was satisfied, save the
Mikado's government, who at last sent a naval squadron to
bring them to reason. A naval action was the result ; the two-
sworded republicans were defeated ; Brunet returned to France ;
and the island of Yesso to the dominion of the Japanese
emperor.' The first question to be decided upon was the choice of the
future capital. For centuries political life had centred in Yedo.
Yedo also shared with Osaka its commercial supremacy. Yedo
held all the strings of government in the time of the Sioguns,
whose power extended from Yesso to Kiushiu. Yedo was,
consequently, fixed upon as the imperial residence. The
Mikado went to look at it, returned to Kiyoto, and finally
established his court at Yedo.
What was the conduct of the foreign ministers and what the
fate of the Europeans since their establishment at Yokohama
and during the civil war ? At one moment the evident hostility
of the upper classes, joined to the weakness of the Yedo
government, seemed seriously to menace the existence of the
young colony. A series of murders commited on the residents
at Yokohama and its neighbourhood, and, at the seat of govern
ment, three attacks directed against the British Legation, had
» This was in 1869.'

VIII NAGASAKI. 415
carried the utmost consternation into Yokohama, and imposed
upon the representatives of the four powers, and on the admirals
commanding the naval stations, the duty of providing for the
security of their fellow-countrymen. The foreign ministers,
continually exposed to murderous attacks, thought It wiser to
leave Yedo. Only the representative of the United States,
separating himself from his colleagues, remained on there for
some time. The rest established themselves at Yokohama, in
the midst of their countrymen, and under the protection of the
men-of-war bearing their respective flags. One day a group 01
armed men assembled round the factory. The Japanese
governor professed himself unable to defend it The residents
armed themselves in haste, and made arrangements for em
barking their families on board the ships. It was during this
period of panic that Admiral Jaur^s disembarked a body of
marines and established them at the foot of " The Bluffs." An
English regiment, hastily summoned from Hong Kong, pitched
their camp on the heights. This joint occupation, with certain
modifications conceded to the susceptibUitles of the present
government, has been maintained to this day ; and it would be,
I think, the height of imprudence to withdraw these forces,
which, after all, are small enough, and, in case of a victorious
attack, only sufficient to give time to the residents to take
refuge on board their men-of-war. A short time after, the
English Legation again removed to Yedo. The other ministers
continued to reside at Yokohama. In these last tinies all
danger seems to have' disappeared, and the " Concession "
enjoys, to all appearance, perfect security.
I have spoken above of the tortuous poHcy (on the whole
favourable to Europeans) of the Siogun's court, which was
placed in the delicate position of having at the same time to
satisfy the foreigners and the hostile feeling of the country.
When the ministers of the four foreign powers announced to
the Siogun their intention of chastising Prince Choshiu by
bombarding Shimonoseki, he hastened to give his consent
privately, while publicly protesting against the act The
Mikado had given him orders to expel the foreigners. He
published an edict conceived in this sense, yet hastened secretly
to assure the diplomatic agents that his proclamation was only
a demonstration. When, under the pretext of helping the

4i6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
emperor, he undertook the campaign against the Choshius, he
begged the admirals to allow his hatamotos to be conveyed by
French and English ships, and, in order not to wound public
opinion, that they would hoist the Japanese flag. This demand
was naturally refused ; but he was allowed to freight some
EngHsh merchant-men and to cany his flag. These facts are
significant A power reduced to such expedients is afready
judged and condemned.
In the face of all these complications nothing could be more
delicate than the task of the diplomatists. In the first place,
they had vety imperfect information. The news which came to
them from Kiyoto, the hot-bed of the plots hatching against
the Siogun, was scarce, incomplete, and generally contra
dictory. A policy of abstention was evidently the wisest and
the only one to be recommended. But how abstain when
your fellow-countrymen were being massacred, when incendiary
fires were the order of the day, when one of the Legations was
openly attacked and several of Its members killed or wounded ?
To remain with one's arms crossed was only to increase the
insolence of the enemy and encourage further outrages. To
act vigorously, on the other hand, was to embark in a path of
which neither the direction nor the issue was known. Never
theless, it was absolutely necessaty to provide for the safety of
the Legations. It was incumbent upon them, therefore, to ask
and obtain satisfaction for these Injuries ; otherwise their prestige
was lost, and the vety existence of foreigners in Japan com
promised. But what was to be done ? Would it be wise to
use persuasion, or menaces, or reprisals ? There were doubtless
some hesitations ; but, on the whole, if I may be allowed to
pronounce a judgment, I should say that the representatives of
England, who played the principal part in these transactions
(from the importance of British commercial Interests in Japan,
and from the material force at their disposal), I should say,
then, that Sir Rutherford Alcock, Colonel Neal, and Sir Hany
Parkes, who succeeded one another as the heads of Queen
Victoria's Legation, acted in these moments of difficulty witii
a pmdence and energy, and, what is most essential for the
public interests, with a success, which are incontestable. The
French representative, M. Roche, took a more decided line :
he did not attempt to conceal his sympathies with the Yedo

VIII. NA GA SA KL 4 1 7
govemment, and went so far as to offer the Mikado — or, In
reality, seeing the state of things at the moment, the .'-^iogun —
the intervention of the French naval Ibrces. Alter the fall of
the latter M. Roche, left Japan, and was replaced by M.
Outrey. The United States minister held aloof. The conduct
of the Netherlands plenipotentiary, although naturally of a less
important bearing on the state of affairs, was stamped with that
wise and concillatoty spirit which distinguishes that nation.
When the revolution of tlie four great clans triumphed, the
heads of the movement felt the necessity of consolidating their
relations with foreign powers. The Mikado, therefore, informed
the envoys who were charged to present their credentials to the
emperor, that he would receive them himself at Kiyoto. I
have already described the bloody episode which troubled that
solemnity.' Recent researches and discoveries, whicli are due in a great
measure to the zeal and Intelligent activity of the interpreters
and students of the Legations, have considerably modified the
old Ideas in Europe on the constitution of Japan. It is now
ascertained that the Mikado has always been the supreme
master. The Son of the Gods, invisible (untU these latter
days), like Jehovah, speaking to Moses surrounded by clouds,
this man unites in his person all the attributes of Divinity.
The depositary and source of all power, he is not considered,
as was thought for so long, the head of a religion, a kind of
pope, the distributor of spiritual graces, and the guardian of
the faith. He Is a great deal more than that, for he Is the issue
of the Divinity. There is no recognized distinction between
his spiritual and temporal power. Since the ninth century he
has resided at Kiyoto, surrounded by his kugds, or court nobles
of high and ancient lineage ; and when convoked by him, by
all the daimios of the empire. The military power was dele
gated to two great functionaries— one commanding the north,
the other the south, with the title of Siogun, or general-In-chief
One of these, in the twelfth centuty, had the audacity and the
good luck to make this dignity hereditary in his family, and,
under the supremacy of the emperor, to take possession of the
richest and most important provinces of Japan. It was thus
' The attack of the two lanatics on Sir H. Parkes on the 23rd November
1869. E E

4i8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
that this Slogunate was established, which was to last for seven
centuries. The Siogun was looked upon as the first vassal of
the Mikado. As to the extent of his power. It fluctuated with
circumstances. Since the days of Yoritoma, one of the great
figures in Japanese history, but who belonged to an epoch too
remote for us to be able to judge fairly of his importance, the
tenlble Taiko-Sama, at the end of the sixteenth century, is one
of the principal characters. Bom in an obscure position, but
arrived at the height of greatness, thanks to his genius, his
energy, his great marriage, and his star, he still lives in the
legendary traditions of his country, and has left in the two
centres of Yedo and Osaka, which are his creations, and even
in Kiyoto, the most magnificent monuments of his grandeur.
The link of vassalship, which was to a certain degree nominal,
was yet maintained by the Sioguns towards the Mikado. From
time to time they went to Kiyoto to make their act of obedience.
We owe to one of the envoys of the Dutch factory of Detsima
a curious account of one of these interviews. From the win
dows of the house which served them both as hotel and prison,
they saw the cortege pass of the two potentates, of which they
left us a vivid description.
The Siogun territoty was composed of eight provinces, com
prised under the collective title of Kuanto, with Yedo and the
towns of Osaka, Nagasaki, Niigata, and Hakodatd with their
tenitories. These towns and provinces, administered by
governors, were all under the direct authority of the Siogun.
He was absolute master over them, monopolized the commerce,
and took possession of all the produce of the custom-houses.
But in the different hans, towns, and domains of the daimios,
who had become their -vassals, they were obliged to reckon
with them. Also, when, in the negotiations with the American
and European plenipotentiaries, there was a question of admit
ting foreigners, the Siogun only consented to the opening of
the ports and towns placed under his direct authority. He
took good care not to grant the opening of the hans about
which the lords, though his vassals, would probably have pro
tested, and even resisted. His armed force was furnished by
the hatamotos (Hterally, men wider a bantier). The successor
of Taiko-Sama, by ennobling the militaty class and endowing
them with lands, had created this caste of hatamotos, who were

VIIL NAGASAKL 419
bound to serve the Siogun in time of war, either personally or
by furnishing a certain number of soldiers or a certain indem
nity in money. There were So,ooo hatamotos. Ingulfed iu
their master's ruin, they dispersed themselves about the countiy.
Some became merchants ; others, and those the largest portion,
swelled the ranks of the ronins.
Besides the daimios, vassals of the Siogun, and besides the
princes and mediatised counts (If it be allowed to use such a
term, unknown as yet in Japan), there were daimios holding
directly under the Mikado, more or less submissive according
to the times ; or more or less deserving the title of kings,
which the old missionaries gave to the eighteen feudal lords of
the first order. Those in the north were the most Independent
We have seen the important part played by them in the last
revolution. But as a general rule, the northern part of this
great island is too far off, and perhaps too poor, to exercise a
decisive influence on the destinies of the empire. These pro
vinces, which, owing to the severity of the climate, lack that
article of first necessity to a Japanese — i.e., rice, which they
have to buy from the south, are only partially cultivated, thinly
peopled, and far less prosperous, than those of the south or the
centre of Japan.
Such was, only two or three years ago, the political constitu
tion of this country. Socially, the nation was divided, on the
one hand, by clans, and on the other by castes. From this
double point of view, the north of Scotland In old times and
India have a certain analogy with Japan, The military caste
has the first rank. Tradesmen yield to agriculturists, and
occupy the lowest place In the social scale. The bonzes and
scholars enjoy a certain consideration. The peasants form a
respectable and respected class. In each village the mayor is
elected by the heads of families. There is not even in Europe
an example of a more liberal municipal council. FuU of
respect towards others, and a strict observer of the rules of
etiquette, gentle and easy to live with, the Japanese peasant is
nevertheless jealous of his rights ; and woe be to the agent
who should infringe them I Only lately the agriculturists of a
large vUlage, having to complain of certain exactions, after
having exhausted themselves in petitions, sent a numerous de
putation to the govemor. When they saw that this functionary
E E 2

420 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.'
¦was not likely to listen to their just demands, they strangled
him in his yashki, and then went home quite quietly. Every
body considered this proceeding as an act of self-defence,
justified by circumstances. The military profession is heredi
tary. It is a kind of feudalism, born in the earliest ages,
developed In the course of centuries, animated by the chival
rous spirit of our crusaders, and identified with the ideas,
traditions, and customs of the whole nation. AVe have said
that trade occupies the lowest scale In the social hierarchy of
Japanese society. A sword-cutier forms the sole exception.
He even has the rank of a noble. When he comes to the
mere delicate portion of his work — that is, when he has lo
solder together the iron and steel which form the blade of the
sword — he shuts the front of his shop, and puts on a court-
dress.' These swords and daggers are handed down from
father to son, and from generation to generation. The names
of the great sword-cutlers of Kiyoto, Yedo, and Osaka, are
known to every samurai, and form constant topics of conver
sation. Even ladies learn to wield a halberd. Mr. Mitford
mentions that among some families of the old stock this habit
is still preserved. There are also associations between people
of the same caste, the object of which is mutual defence,
charity, and the helping of the oppressed. In the European
quarter of Yokohama you will hear that all this is ancient
history — that chivalry and the feudal system have had their
day, but are now obsolete and used up. I wIU refer to these
assertions by and by. But whatever people may say or think
of the feudal system In general, and of the institutions which
have hitherto prevailed in Japan, there is one point on which
everyone Is agreed. At the time of the arrival of the Euro
peans, and until vety lately, the people were happy and
contented. Excepting the enormous revenues of the great
daimios, which were mostly absorbed by the expenses of their
position, and formed in a sort of way the common property of
the whole clan, there were few large fortunes and hardly any
poor. Although several classes were armed, there were, com
paratively speaking, but few acts of violence committed.
Japanese history knows of no horrors like those perpetrated in
China by the Tae-pings. Public order was rarely troubled in
» See Mitford's " Tales of Old Japan."

VIII NAGASAKI, 421
Japan. Life and property were better protected than in any
other pagan nation. The cultivation of the soil, the develop
ment of certain branches of industry, the taste for and the
practice of the fine arts, bespeak a long-established civiHzatlon.
Doubtless this civUization is imperfect, for Christianity has
never shed its light freely on the land. Certain barbarous
customs tarnish the spirit of chivalry and the feeling of honour
which distinguish this people. Gross superstitions darken and
hinder the aspirations of their souls, which are dissatisfied with
the Buddhist doctrines, although Buddhism is the religion of
the majority. The spirit of scepticism has invaded and ener-
-vated the whole of the upper classes. The family forms the
basis of the poHtlcal institutions of the state ; but woman,
although more free and more respected than in any other
pagan society, still awaits the hour of her enfranchisement.'
Hence arises a deplorable relaxation in morals; but the
shameful vices which sully the Chinese people are almost
unknown in Japan. Respect for parental authority, fidelity to
the head of the clan — who Is looked upon as the common father
of all the members of these historic groups — bravery, and
voluntaty death, when exacted by honour, were and are the
most widely-spread virtues of this gay, polite, careless, chival
rous, and amiable people.
That the abolition of the Slogunate, which for so many
centuries had filled so large a place In the state, should leave a
great void — that the country would have to go through a series
of troubles and crisis before filling It up — aU this was indubit
able ; but no one foresaw the extent of tiie subversion of which
this has been the consequence.
The civil war was hardly at an end before its principal
authors, those who had planned and accomplished the down
fall of the Siogun, Princes Satsuma, Choshiu, Toza, and Hizen,
addressed a petition to the Mikado, which was partly inspired
by a simple samurai belonging to Prince Choshiu, named Kido,
who is to-day one of the most influential members of the
emperor's council. In this memorable petition, these great
princes offered the Mikado both their lands and their troops.
' In Japan the husband simply sends away his wife when he is tired of
her, and gives notice of his intention to the chief of his clan. When this
formality has been gone through, he consiciers himself legally divorced.

422 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
It was like asking for their own destruction. The non-initiated
could not believe their ears. The offer was accepted. The
other daimios, with the exception of eleven, who, however,
soon resigned themselves to the common fate, foUowed the
example ofthe four princes. From that moment the Mikado's
govemment has plunged into the path of reform with incredible
boldness. The titles of daimio, feudal lord, and kugd (court
noble), were abolished and replaced by the vague designa
tion of katsoku, or noble. The daimios were left at the head
of their clans, but only with the title of governors under the
Imperial Council. Soon after, a ministerial change took
place.' "The leaders of the revolution of 1868, Iwakura and
the principal agents of the four princes, who, until now, had
acted behind the scenes, were brought forward on the political
stage. At this moment they form, with Sanjo and Saijo, the
ministty and councU of the Mikado.
I have before mentioned the principal acts of the new
govemment, as they have been told and explained to me by
their authors : the abolition of the hans, [towns and feudal
territories], transformed into ketis, that is, tovms and lands
holding dfrectly under the crown. This was, with a stroke of
the pen, to destroy the feudal constitution of the whole empire.
This extraordinarily bold measure was received by the countty
in the silence of a kind of stupor ; and by the Europeans of
Yokohama, who had applauded the first innovations with an
ill-disguised anxiety. Everyone asked himself whether an edict
of such great importance could possibly be put Into execution
without exciting serious resistance.
The daimios, first transformed into simple govemors of their
old dominions, were afterwards dismissed, to be replaced by
functionaries sent from Yedo. More than this, they were
ordered to Hve constantly in town. We know that the
daimios, subject to the Siogun's authority, were obliged to
pass six months of the year in Yedo. But this obligation was
imposed upon them at the time when they had become vassals
of the Siogun, and in virtue of mutual agreement. The edict
of the new ministty, on the other hand; is purely arbitraty ;
it deprives the highest personages in the empire of a right
which is not refused to the etas, or even to the poorest beggar
' In the month of August 1S71.

VIII. NAGASAKI 423
— that of living in the place which has witnessed their birth.
Prince Ichlkusen, having drawn upon himself the displeasure
of the ministty, was simply dismissed, replaced in his functions
by a govei-nment official, sent for to Yedo, and shut up in his
palace, which is close to the English Legation. According to
ancient usage in similar cases, the great door of honour In his
v-ashki was destroyed, and the opening closed by planks nailed
on transversa beams. .\U this passed during my sojurn at
Yedo. The ministers were quite proud of having dared to
cany out so bold an act of authority.
The clans of which the interior organization was virtually
destroyed by the abolition oi the daimios, are likewise, as we
have before said, to undergo important modifications. The
little clans are to be grouped into one or two, and the larger
ones are to be divided.
The government announced its intention of forming an
imperial army. The great daimios received an order accord
ingly to send both troops and material of war to Yedo and
Kiyoto ; and the chiefs of the four clans hastened, at least,
apparently and in a certain measure, to obey an order which
formed part of their own programme. Great was the Mikado's
satisfaction, and great the public astonishment. Barracks
being wanted they took possession of part of the convents of
Shiba. The bonzes were dislodged with or without an in
demnity. The soldiers were equipped, armed, and drilled ^
I'Europknne. The religious question was not likely to escape the govem
ment solicitude. The new ministers, maintaining that they
must go back to the purer dogmas of tiie religion of the
Mikado, ordered the destmction of the symbols, statues, and
Buddhist images which existed in the former Sintoo temples.
If these orders are canied out to the letter they will involve
the destmction of the sanctuaries held in the greatest venera
tion by the people, and indirectly of the Buddhist religion,
that is, religion in general. Already the question has been
mooted of the demolition of the magnificent tombs in the
Shiba, the most precious sepulchral monuments in Japan.
Evetywhere they have begun by confiscating or expropriating,
in a great measure, the large Buddhist convents, on the promise
of a feeble indemnity. To appease the clamour of the monks.

424 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
they are dispensed from the celibate. The people look on in
silence : they let the govemment have its way, without under
standing anything of this crusade suddenly declared against
their gods and their priests.
But there is another cause of disaffection. The state of the
finances Is not brilliant, and reforms cost dear. Until now the
financial system was simple enough. The Mikado, the Siogun,
the daimios, and the peasants lived cf the fruit of their ground.
The agriculturists paid a tax to the daimios, and these latter
paid tribute either to the Mikado or to the Siogun. The
hatamotos of the Siogun had certain lands assigned to them.
The samurais of the Mikado and the daimios, in addition
to certain farms worked by them, had rations of rice and a
certain number of kokus, the price of the koku varying accord
ing to the state of the receipts, but representing, on an average,
twenty-five francs. This pay formed almost the sole resource
of the saraurais. Tradesmen and artisans were exempt from
taxation. When the crops failed, the tax was -remitted, but
spread over other years when the crops were abundant This
consideration was natural in princes whose paternal spirit
rarely forgot that their subjects were members of their family, and
that the impoverishing of the peasant fell upon the proprietor.
The modern state of things, the complexity of its machinety,
and the deamess of its administration, no longer admit of such
regard to the feelings and wants of the people. To-day the
tax is rigorously levied without reference to the quality or value
of the crops. Hence, in the important class of agriculturists,
who form the majority of the people, there are universal
symptoms of discontent To lighten their burdens, the govern
ment propose to reduce these charges (which they will not be
able to do owing to the increase of their financial embarrass
ments), and also to tax the tradesmen and artisans, which they
will certainly attempt ; the result will be to Increase the number
of the disaffected. But they have other sources of revenue at
their disposal. The daimios have made the sacrifice of their
lands, and, in consequence, of the immense revenues derived
from them. The government while appropriating these, in
tends to leave a tenth part to the former proprietors, taking
on itself the charges inherent on the position. The most
considerable of these charges, beyond the purchase of ships

vin. NAGASAKI

425

and of war materials, is the subvention due to the samurais.
I have said above that the government proposes to pay two-
thirds of their pension and to fund the remainder. In this
way, they hope, in ten years, to repay the pensions. In the
meantime, all specie has disappeared ; except a little copper
money, nothing is to be seen but paper.
Such Is a summary of the financial measures meditated, and
In part already proclaimed, by the reform government But
the embarrassments increase daily. They are owing to two
causes ; first, to the disturbance caused, In all the departments
of the state, by these sudden and Important changes, and In
consequence a notable diminution of the pubHc revenues ; and
next, to an enormous addition to the expenses. It was
necessaty to provide for the installation of the Central Govern
ment, copied from the expensive model of European adminis
trations, at least, such as they Imagined thern to be ; for the
formation and maintenance of an imperial army and navy ; for
the Introduction of telegraphs and railways ; for the foundation
of schools of foreign and other languages ; for the construction
of the famous Exchange at Osaka, and last, not least, which is
a real benefit, for the erection of lighthouses on the coast and
in the Inner sea. To meet all these requirements, Europeans
are needed. They have engaged, therefore, at great expense,
English, French, and German engineers, architects, professors,
military instructors,|^nd schoolmasters. They send annually
a certain number of young men to Europe and to America,
some as simple travellers, charged to take note of and bring
back with them all the European Ideas they can ; others as
students, to follow courses of medicine, mechanics, and physical
sciences. Their expenses are paid, and they receive besides a
grant of a thousand dollars. They tell me that the number of
these young emissaries of civiHzatlon is more than 500, and the
cost upwards of eight mUlions of francs. English, German, and
French books, generally compilations or popular encyclopaedias,
destined to propagate various kinds of useful knowledge, are
translated into Japanese and spread among the youth of both
sexes. In direct contradiction to these efforts to endow Japan with
all the benefits of European civilization, is the hatred of
Christianity which seems to animate the reformers, the perse-

426 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
cutions to which the native Christians are exposed, who were
little molested under the reign of the Sioguns, the cruelty
exercised on their victims, and the non-acceptance of the
friendly remonstrances of the whole diplomatic body on their
behalf Now, who were the real authors of the revolution of 1868?
and what is the ostensible object and the secret tendencies of
Its leaders ?
Let us first listen to the natives themselves. Iwakura said to
me, and to all vvho came near him : " The nation loves and
venerates the Mikado. The Siogun had become the object of
universal execration. It was necessary to compass his over
throw. But under him were the chiefs of the clans, the
daimios, who were dependent upon him. After his downfall
they looked forward to complete emancipation. It was Intoler
able. The Mikado alone could reduce them to obedience. It
was therefore necessary to accomplish the restoration of his
power. That has been done, and In three years all these
reforms will have been peaceably carried out." This is the
official language of the day, and Httle calculated to enlighten
us. It Is true. But I have a very curious document before me.
I think, without being able positively to affirm ft, that it is
among the papers communicated to the English Parliament. It
evidently dates from the first months of the revolution, when
the expulsion of the barbarians was s^l inscribed on the
banners of the four victorious clans. It bears the title of Fuku-
ko-roti (Return to the old regitne).
Here are some of its essential portions : —
"It is believed and even maintained that the emperor can
not continue in the supreme government of the empire for a
long succession of years. One must be deprived of the gift
of; reflection and observation, and not be able to read the signs
of the: times, to hold such language." Then follows a long
dissertation to prove, I think contrary to historical fact, that for
two thousand years the Mikados had reigned and governed
without the p.artlcipatlon of. the military class ; and that if they
had for a few short years yielded to them the reins of the. state
it was by a voluntary act. Then the author continues :. "This
time it is the people themselves who spontaneously have taken
the initiative in the re-establishment of the exclusive authority

VIIL NAGASAKI, 427
of the Mikado. This movement, begun by the ronins,' suc
cessively enlisted the sympathies of the kcrais, the karos, and
finally the daimios. Emanating thus from the people them
selves, it spread further and further, and ended in the return of
the whole country to the old form of government It foUows
that even if the Mikado itnshed to change his policy, he could ttot
do so, because the opinion of the people would be against such a
change." . . .
" Again, it is said : ' Apparently the present movement Is a
leturn to the government of the sovereign ; but in reality its
object is to place the power in the hands of the daimios.'
This is an entire contradiction of the facts of the case. The
people took the initiative In the business, and will bring It to a
successful issue. How could the daimios, whatever might be
their intentions, work out their own ends ? ... If any one
examines the proceedings of the new government, he will see
that in all matters of business, even the least important, the
daimios may be consulted, but it is the Mikado who decides.
This is the Ideal of a national and impartial government The
promoters of this revolution have doubtless been. In the first
instance, Satsuma, Choshiu, and Toza. Later on, the other
daimios have given them their energetic support Whoever
would undo this equitable anangement would meet with the
opposition of the united forces of the empire. . . . How has
it happened that the initiative in this movement has been taken
by the lower classes? For two hundred years the people
have been in the habit of discussing the obedience due to their
sovereign. They reckoned up the crimes perpetrated in these
last times by the Slogunate. On the occasion of the signature
of the treaties with the external barbarians, the hitherto con
tained indignation of the people was slightly manifested." . . .
Here the author enumerates these (slight?) manifestations of
popular anger : the assassination of the regent, li-Kamon-no-
Kaml ;. the attack on the person of the second minister for
foreign affairs, Tsushima, who was grievously wounded ; the
assaults on the members of the English Legation, the cook and
' Allusion is here made to the 600 ronins, who, in 1S65, revolted against
the Siogun, in the provinces of -yamato and Tajima, under tlie lead of the
kuges. They were dispersed, aud the kuges took refuge with Fiince
Chdshiiu

428 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
a orderly being kUled, and the Secretary, Mr. Oliphant,
badly wounded ; the revolt ofthe 600 ronins; and the division
in the clan of Prince Milo, one fraction of which declared for
the Mikado.'
This memorial, evidently Inspired by the chiefs of the move
ment, of whom It pretends to justify the conduct, although
filled with wilful Inaccuracies and palpable contradictions, which
are easily explained by the position of the leaders, throws a
strong light on the origin and object of the revolution. It
endeavours to refute the popular belief that the Mikados were
Incapable of governing by themselves. It tries to give to the
whole movement an essentially democratic character. The
people, who in reahty had not moved, are supposed to have
taken the initiative with the intention of dispossessing the
military class — that is, these very same samurais who, fighting
under the banner of their clan, overthrew the Siogun. The
memorial maintains that the principal object was the restoration
of the Mikado ; but It hastens to add that the Mikado would
be powerless to place his power In the hands of the military
class, contrary to the wish of the people, thus putting the
people above the Mikado. It admits that the great crime of
the Siogun was to have treated with the barbarians ; and it puts
forward, as an ideal of a well-regulated state, the government
of the daimios ; or, to speak more truly, of the three chiefs oi
the clans who provoked the movement, and whom the Mikado
consulted before giving his decision. What a wa?/' confession I
It proves that those who think that the replacing of the Siogun
by an oligarchy was the object, as, in its present phase. It is the
result of the revolution, were not so far wrong in their opinion.
Now, let us look at the information gathered by the
Europeans, and I may add by the men who have the best
opportunity of ascertaining the truth. The foUowing is a
summary . —
The initiative of this great movement belonged to the prin
cipal counsellors of the two great southern princes, Satsuma
and Choshiu, round whom were rallied certain kuges, of whom
Sanjo, by his family relations. Is in the highest position, and
Iwakura is the most talented and active. The yashkis of
Prince Satsuma and Choshiu, in the south, and Kiyoto in the
• These events took place in 1S60, 1862, and 1865.

vin, NAGASAKI 429
centre, were the two hotbeds of the Intrigues which plotted the
destruction of the Siogun. His complete ruin, the destruction
of his power, and the abolition of his dignity, were the first
objects of the conspirators. To Insure the concurrence of the
great clans, they appealed to the hatred against the foreigners,
which is so common among the samurais. The rallying cry
consequently became — " The restoration of the Mikado, and
the expulsion of the barbarians." When the first part of the
programme had been carried out, the samurais asked to march
upon Yokohama. The leaders tried to quiet them by saying :
" These foreigners are stronger than we are, better armed,
richer, and superior to us in a thousand ways. They burnt
Kagoshlma and Shimonosdki, and they will burn Yedo and
Osaka. Have patience ! our day will come. But before
everything, we must perfect our arms, driU our troops, borrow
from the barbarians means of action, which some day will help
us to exterminate them." This reasoning had its effect But
the leaders themselves, what are their feelings with regard to
the Europeans? It Is thought that their only anxiety is to
maintain their power— that they do not share In the bitterness
of the samurais — but that we should grossly deceive ourselves
if we imagined that their feelings towards us were really
friendly. As to the people, to whom this famous memorial
attributes the initiative In the revolution, they have taken no
part whatever In the matter : they do not trouble their heads
with politics, and are, what they have always been towards
Europeans — civil, amiable, and indifferent
There is no possible doubt of the tmth of the preceding
statement But several important facts remain unexplained.
To lift the curtain one loses oneself In conjectures. Thus I
hear some. people affirm that the princes and the daimios in
general are stupid, bratish, and fallen almost into a state of
imbecility — that they have become only the tools of those
about them ; that their counsellors, who are all of the samurais
class, conceived the revolution, not to replace the Siogun by
the Mikado, for they care for neither the one nor the other,
but to shake off the yoke of their masters (of the vety men
who, if we are to believe these self-same people, they work
upon and domineer over in their own interests) ; that modern
and democratic ideas, imported from America and Europe,

430 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
have bitten them all ; that the feudal system, here as in Europe,
has had its day; that these institutions have outlived their
time ; that, ruined in their foundations, the first breath would
blow them away ; that the contact with Europeans has opened
the eyes of men of letters ; that aspirations towards progress
and the adoption of our civiHzatlon are more and raore spread
among all classes ; that the frequent travels of the Japanese
youth in Europe and America develop this movement and
consolidate the reforms inaugurated under our very eyes. To
this I answered : " Do you know the princes personally ? "
They owned that they did not, or at least only superficially.
They have only seen them on official occasions, when etiquette
imposes on the great absolute silence and Idiotic faces. This,
therefore, proves nothing. It is true that many are influenced
by their surroundings, which seems to show that they are
wanting in intelligence and energy. No fact could be brought
forward to prove the pretended intention of the samurais to
withdraw from their vassalship to the princes. It is, then, a
mere supposition. We have read the history of the forty-
seven ronins. I put it down in my journal because it Is the
apotheosis of the principle of loyalty, which is the basis and
essence of feudal Institutions. About 150 years, it is tme, have
passed since that tragedy was enacted ; but the people still
burn incense on the tombs of the martyrs to this principle. It
was there that, only three years ago, a ronin committed suicide
because his admittance into a certain clan of a great prince
had been refused him. But to prove the vitality and vigour of
feudal institutions as they still existed in 1868, there is another
fact which, in my opinion, is unanswerable ; and that is, the
history of this very last revolution. The power of the Siogun,
although weakened, was still immense. This prince, master of
the richest province of the empire, with a perfectly-equipped
army at his disposal, with 80,000 hatamotos, with all the
customs-duties of the open ports of Yedo and Osaka, with the
scarcely-disguised and very real moral support ofthe diplomatic
corps, yet was defeated, and defeated by three princes, who,
thanks to the organization of their feudal power, found every
thing which was necessary to upset this Colossus — moral and
material resources, men trained to arms, and determined to
Uve and die under the banner of their chief.

VIIL NAGASAKL 431
As to the existence of a strong public opinion, widely spread
in certain quarters, which asks for progress without knowing
what direction to take or where to stop — as to the existence of
such aspirations, however vague, the fact seems to me incon
testable. The ministers of the day have begun these trans
formations by letting themselves run with the stream. In this
work they are encouraged and helped by the unanimous
approval of the European merchants ; by the kind reception
they meet with from the heads of the Legations when they ask
their opinlcn on financial or administrative measures (for I
suppose they prudently abstain from giving advice on questions
of interior or home policy) ; by the assistance of a good
number of Americans and Europeans engaged in the Mikado's
service — in a word, by the flattering echoes which come Irom
the other side of the globe ; by the favourable appreciation of
the American and English press ; and by the letters of the
tourists and Japanese students who have visited the United
States, England, France, and Germany, to draw streams of
civilization from the fountain-head. It is by channels such as
these that Europe and America invade Japan.
I have often asked myself to what extent and In what degree
the reform measures decreed at Yedo have become a reality.
On this capital point, for want of agents and travellers who can
penetrate into the Interior of the country, the information
which arrives at the Legations and at the great commercial
houses of Yokohama is rare, incomplete, and contradictory.
One fact, however, is ascertained beyond a doubt. The Princes
of Satsuma and Hizen, whose kingdoms (to use their old
appeUation) extend over the greater part of the Island of
Kiushiu, have lost nothing of their prestige nor of their power.
This is what the merchants of Nagasaki write, and one or two
Europeans employed by these great feudal lords. There is
nothing vety astonishing in this, however, when we remember
that it is Satsuma and Hizen who, with Choshiu and Toza,
made the revolution. It is quite natural that they should work
it in their own interests. But the other great daimios who
adhered to Kido's celebrated petition, will they be forced
to commit suicide? A person inhabiting one of the treaty-
ports, a stranger to politics, but one living in constant rela
tions with the people of the country, told me : —

432 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
" In the interior, the greater part of the new edicts issued at
Yedo remain a dead letter. Thus the government has abolished
the hatis — dismissed, despoiled, and degraded the daimios ;
but their power was never raore firmly established. As a matter
of form, they pretend to obey ; in reality, they do just what they
please. They levy fresh taxes, make and unmake the laws, and
raise both men and contributions, just exactly as if the Mikado's
government did not exist ; and the emperor takes good care
not to insist on the execution of his orders, and thereby provoke
a fresh struggle with these petty kings. In Japan it is always
the same story — the same powerlessness on the part of the
government whether it be that of the Mikado or the Siogun ;
with this difference, however, that the latter was really master
in the provinces placed under his direct authority; and that
he had the power of controlling to a certain point, and by using
delicate management, his vassals, the daimios; so that the
action of the Central Government to-day is weaker than it has
ever been." '
I find the same ideas among several of the members of the
diplomatic corps. " Next year," one of them said to me, "we
shall have the negotiations for the revision of the treaties.*
There wUl probably be a question of the whole country being
opened to the Europeans. If the government puts any obstacle
in the way, it wiU be on the ground that they cannot guarantee
our security till a general disarmament has been effected, and
that this is a serious measure which involves time. For this
reason they will plead for an adjournment But the real motive
is to be found elsewhere. In theory, the Mikado's power is
now universal ; in reality, whatever the reformers may say, this
authority Is far from being universally recognized."
The favourable view taken of the reforms by the foreign
' Tills was true in September 1871 ; but in the following year there were
considerable modifications. Obeying the impei-ial orders, the daimios arrived
in great numbers at Yedo. Shut out from all participation in the affaire of
state, despoiled in a great measure of their revenues, they see themselves
condemned to insigiiificance and obscnrity. Tn this point of view the wnrk
of destruction is being carried out. But has the authority of the government
been the gainer? Has it been thereby consolidated in the provinces and in
the hearts of the clans, deprived of their natural leaders ? My Japanese
letters are sil<:nt on this capital point.
" On the demand of the Japanesegovernment they are ajourned to 1873.

VIII NAGASAKL 433
merchants, though somewhat abated at the present moment, is
easily explained. The Anglo-Saxon is naturally philanthropic,
and rather Inclined to propagate his own Ideas, especially of
useful knowledge. He gets an aft'ection for the country where
he Hves, and approves of all that seems an assimilation to
British institutions. Then comes the question of Interests.
CivUization creates new wants, which English commerce can
supply. The Japanese wUl be able to pay — at least they fancy
so at Yokohama, if only because they possess an inexhaustible
supply of minerals. Nevertheless, some people think other
wise. " The ministers of the day," they exclaim, " are acting
in the teeth of common sense : they are like children ; they
destroy all the old institutions of the country without having
any clear idea how to replace them. They seek for moJels in
America and Europe without realizing that they are Incapable
of appropriating them ; they run after certain notions, of which
they cannot penetrate the sense. A perfect rage for Imitation
possesses them just now : It will pass ; but the question is,
whether it will leave any good or useful trace behind. After
all, they are doing very much like the savages In the Sandwich
Islands, who have adopted European customs, trousers, and
waLtcoat, leaving out the linen ; and have established, over
and above, two chambers and a responsible government ! "
This is the most widely-spread reasoning ; It Is not very flatter
ing to the Japanese, whom they compare to savages, and It does
not seem to me to He vety deep. If the reformers act In spite
of common sense, how can we hope that something useful will
come out of their aberrations?
Lastly, let us listen to the adversaries of Japanese progress.
They are less numerous. They say: " The reforms of the new
ministers, unless they remain a dead letter, imply the total ruin
of the daimios, who wUl be despoiled of nine-tenths of their
revenues, and the entire destruction of the samurais, reduced
to a state of mendicity. It was, nevertheless, the daimios and
the samurais who made the revolution and placed the authors
of their rain in power. Thus, those very men who have raised
you to the highest position are to receive, without resistance,
and with the vety sword which they have placed in your hands,
the final blow which is to put an end to their existence. Is
this credible ? But yet this Is the starting-point of the reformers.
F F

434 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
Add to this, financial embarrassments, the exhaustion of the
treasury, the impossibility of replenishing it without impover
ishing the country, inevitable bankruptcy, the puerile and
ruinous attempt to Introduce institutions and administrative
forms suited only to advanced countries like England and the
United States, the confiscations of the lands and goods of the
Buddhist clergy, the growing discontent of the peasants, ofthe
innumerable bonzes,' and especially of the military, and you
wUl have a very fair notion of the difficulties of the position.
In order that these reforms (which have been begun and carried
out with a boldness, precipitation, and thoughtlessness, which
may really be called unheard-of) should succeed, the daimios
must be idiots, and the Hnks of twenty centuries between them
and their clans must have been suddenly broken ; the samurais,
besides, must be as great fools as their masters. V/e must
suppose, likewise, that the peasants, so independent, so jealous
of their rights, and forijilng an Immense majority in the king
dom, have suddenly fallen below the level of the fellahs oi
Egypt, or the blacks of Central Africa; and that the Buddhist
priests, iUumlned by a sudden ray of divine light, have now
but one wish, and that is, to see their idols and temples
destroyed, to lose their rations of rice and their homes, and be
reduced to an extremity of misery. And all these miracles are
to be wrought In order to endow the nation with institutions
borrowed from the barbarians, whose destruction had served
as the rallying-cry at the beginning of the revolution ! Is it
probable — is it possible that these projects should be realized
without provoking furious resistance? Either the Japanese
nation is a dead body, or it still has some vitality. In the first
case, the reformers have nothing to fear or to hope for. Like
remedies applied to a corpse, their reforms will be ineffectual.
If the Japanese people have any life left in them, they wIU end
by not tolerating these violent attacks directed against their
goods, their customs, their institutions, and their religion.
They will rise as one man, and crush those who have been
foolhardy enough to try and overturn all they hold most dear.
Anarchy and civil war will flood the country with blood and
ruin, and the European establishments will be ingulfed in tiie
' Their number is supposed to be (I know not oa what authority) upwards
of 400,00a

vin. NAGASAKI 43S
general catastrophe ; for the reaction will come, and the cry
wUl be : ' Death to the barbarians ! ' "
Such are the sinister previsions of the pessimists. For my
own part, I hesitate about pronouncing an opinion. To
understand the reform one ought to possess cert.iln informa
tions which are entirely wanting — a thorough knowledge of the
national character, of the men who have lately climbed to
siUDreme power, of the nature of their relations to the Mikado
and to the four great clans, of the real feelings of the latter,
and of the influence and authority of the agents charged with
the execution of the new decrees in the Interior of the country.
On all these points I find myself more or less in the dark, or
reduced to scanty information given rae here and there, of
which I cannot prove the accuracy, and which very often is
only supposition. Nevertheless, In all human things there are
element's which, saving the differences of time and place, are
common to all races, are found in all latitudes and in all
societies, and are ordinarily the most essential. From this
point of view, considering recent events in Japan under their
general aspect, I have arrived at certain conclusions, and I give
them here with every kind of reserve. In the first place, I
have been iraraensely struck with the depth, and at the same
time with the lerity of those who have directed the movement
of the four clans, and who to-day are working out Its conse
quences, ist. With the depth : it was the question of destroying
the Siogun. The authors of the scheme began by proclaiming
their object to be the restoration of the Mikado. They thus
legitimatized their enterprise by appealing to the highest prin
ciple, and also the principle most ingrained In the heart of the
nation. To insure the moral support and co-operation of those
who were to lend them their swords, they next appealed to
the ruling passion of the day — the hatred of foreigners. Their
watchword thus became : " Restoration of the Mikado !
Expulsion of the barbarians ! " But the Mikado Is only a
talisman — an invaluable one, it is true — to those who wish to
influence the masses ; but of real power — financial, pohtical,
or military resources — there is not a vestige. Still his moral
prestige is enormous. The Mikado has his wives ; his kuges,
who put on their brocaded robes, with wings of cloth of gold,
and their black caps, and go and prostrate themselves before
F F 2

436 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. _
the idol ; he has also a few samurais ; but he has no army.
It is this or that great daimio who is called upon to mount
guard with the men of his clan over the sacred person of the
son of the gods. Nevertheless, It appears that, without the
Mikado; no success is possible. The last events seem to prove
it Whilst prince Aidzu held the castie of Kiyoto the affairs
of his friend the Siogun went well enough. Choshiu, too,
before attempting his great lev)', tried to get possession of the
person of the emperor — fhe first time by Inviting him to meet
him at a temple outside the town This was a trap ; the thing
got wind, and faUed. The second time his men forced their
way into Kiyoto, but they were repulsed. At last the talisman
fell into the hands of the conspirators. From that moment
the cause of the Siogun was lost One sees, then, the great
moral Importance of the Mikado, in spite of his material
powerlessness. If they had nothing to put in the place of the
Siogun but the Mikado— who Is only a principle, and not a
substantive power — it is quite clear that no central authority
could be created, or else that it would vanish as soon as
established, and that the daimios, both small and great, would
become altogether Independent This would have led to civil
war and permanent anarchy. It was necessary, at the very
moment of the fall of the Slogunate, to substitute another
power equally strongly organized and ready to accept the suc
cession. This they found in the authority of the four great
princes — those who had conceived the Idea of the movement,
borne the burden of the war, gained the victory, and destroyed
the enemy. If the revolution of 1868 has any meaning at all,
it means the replacing of the Slogunate by the dominion of
the four princes, under the supreme but nominal authority of
the Mikado. For this latter potentate all this overthrow was
reduced to a change of residence. Yedo, the capital of the
Siogun, must necessarily be that of his successors, who could
not do without the Mikado. The talisman v.'as therefore
transported from Kiyoto to Yedo. I do not mean to imply by
this that the present government did violence to the feelings of
the emperor. It seems certain, on the contraty, that the young
sovereign, who was vety favourably disposed in favour of the
innovations, approved the conduct of his ministers.
The new state of things is, in fact, the dominion of the four

VIII, NAGASAKI

437

chiefs of the clan, collectively exercised in the name of the
Mikado, by the ministers, who are their proxies, and spreading
nominally or actually over eveiy part of Japan. Thus we
have a combination which is at once clever and deep : for It
rests on a just appreciation of given elements.
To consolidate its strength this new power had to create an
army. The hatamotos of the Siogun were dispersed. Devot
ed, besides, as they were to their chief, It would not have been
safe, even had It been possible, to enlist them under the
banner of the new regime. The Mikado, as 1 said before, had
no railltary force. There remained, then, only the clans of the
four princes, who were Hving at the extreme ends of the
empire. Here began both the difficulties and the levity of the
proceeding. The four princes had offered their territories to
the Mikado, and the other daimios had been obliged to follow
their example. Now it became a question of making a fresh
sacrifice — of sending to Yedo troops from all the clans, so as
to form an imperial army, which should be, in fact, the army
of the collective powers. This serious and radical measure
was in the direct interest of the four princes ; it gave them the
means of consolidating their new power in the very centre of
the empire, and of rendering the other daimios harmless by
disarming them. But at the same time it destroyed the organi
zation of the clans, which was a fundamental institution of
the nation. Politically speaking, and with a view to the wants
of the moment, the measure was an excellent one ; but
socially, and as regards future consequences, I think it most
disastrous, even for the four princes themselves, who, in
destroying their clans, sapped the very foundations of their
own existence.
The Central Government is composed of a certain number
of ministers, of whom the most important is Iwakura ; and of
four imperial councillors, delegates of the four clans, called
upon to co-operate with the ralnisters, and at the same time to
control and watch them. Kido, as I have before said, is the
most active and the cleverest among them. Saigo, too, renders
valuable service. The result is, that the direction of affairs is
centred in the hands of the men who, with the four princes
and their troops, made the revolution of 1868. If they call
themselves ministers and counciUors of the emperor, it is to

438 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
save the principle. In reality, they are the proxies of the
princes ; their whole power rests upon their support ; and as
these princes (as it is supposed) are in the hands of their
counsellors or advisers, these advisers have the real authority ;
and they again lean on the most influential men of their clan.
This is how they go on. At Yedo an important question is
mooted. The plan Is instantly communicated to the counsel
lors of the four princes, sent into the provinces, and there
debated and discussed in the dominant coterie of each clan.
The assent is given in the form of a petition to the ministers.
These men publish the decree or measure which has been
decided upon in consequence, as they assert, of the strong
pressure put upon them by public opinion ; witness such and
such petitions. In a word, it Is the oligarchy of Yedo leaning
on the smaller oligarchies which lead the four clans. The
comings and goings between the capital and the residences of
Satsuma, Choshiu, Toza, and HIzen, are incessant Can this
state of things last? The Central Government, under the
pressure of the urgent wants of their position, absorbs more
and more the vital forces of the clans, who, to make the new
organization work, give their blood and their money. They
have suppressed the daimlats — at least, on paper, — ruined the
samurais, and destroyed the clans ; they are forced to burden
the people vrith taxes, and have recourse to the most disastrous
financial measures. From hence a universal weakening of the
four clans, who must feel it, although masters for the moment
of supreme power. The day will perhaps come when they
will tire of the sacrifices which the 'Yedo government does not
cease to ask of them, and when the reform party, who are in
power to-day, will be replaced by men of the old stock. On
this important question — the true feeling of the clans — I have
no reliable information. But it Is in human nature, and in the
nature of the situation, that sooner or later the governing power
at Yedo will try to emancipate themselves from the tutelage of
the four clans. The more the organization of the imperial
army becomes matured, the more they will feel tiieir strength
increase, and the less they wIU be pleased at playing the part
of simple proxies.
The ministers who came into office at the end of the civil
war had already favoured the innovations copied from European

VIII. NAGASAKI 439
models. But their successors — the real authors of the revolu
tion — launched themselves furiously In this path. In a few
days after the formation of the new administration they had
despoUed and ruined the daimios, Indirectiy destroyed the clans,
and reduced the mUitary to perfect misery. They have attacked
the rehgion of the country, opened a crusade against Buddhism,
and, pressed by financial embarrassments, they have appro
priated a large portion of the lands of the clergy. Only the
Montoites, on account of the political importance and the
riches of this branch of the Buddhist sect, have been treated
with some consideration. One would say that the ministry,
the more it breaks with the ancient traditions of the country
and with those who hold them, the more it seeks for a moral
support in the new opinion which strives to borrow from
Europe and the United States the models of the future institu
tions of the countty. I am far from wishing to cast obloquy
or suspicion on the motives of the remarkable men whom we
see at the head of afiairs. Until I have proofs to the contrary,
I hold them to be animated with the purest and most patriotic
intentions. I have no sympathy with the god, Buddha; but
I fear that in destroying the idols and temples under the
pretext of restoring the official worship, which is no religion at
all, they will deprive the people of their faith, and, what Is
more serious, of the power of believing, — a bad way, in my
opinion, of making them happy and civilized. However
seductive their outward appearance may be, I have few regrets
for their barbarous chivalry ; but it is closely linked with their
feudal constitution, which they are destroying without know
ing how to replace it I bear witness, in the upper strata of
society, to their eager aspirations towards progress, their ardent
thirst for improvement, their genuine wish to acquire useful
knowledge, and to endow their country with all the conquests
of European civiHzatlon. Only I do not think that the way
they set to work Is practical. The papers and the greater part
of the resident foreigners think that they have entered on a
right path, but that they go too quickly. I beg their pardon ;
but I do not think the path is a good one. It appears to me
that any work of reform ought to begin by touching the hearts
of men. It ought to implant charity and the renunciation oi
self. This being done, one can, with some chance of success

440 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
proscribe acts of vengeance and violence, and establish phUan-
thropic Institutions. By placing woman In her proper position,
the conjugal link would be purified and strengthened, public
morals would be corrected, and the family, which is the basis
of the state, would be regenerated. The result would be, re
spect for property and private rights, and honest guarantees
for public order, without which trade will never flourish. Then
the moment would arrive for telegraphs and railroads. To
begin with them is to set the cart before the horse. A man may
learn to work the telegraph wires and drive a locomotive, and
yet remain a barbarian, sharpen his sword on the first man he
meets after leaving the station, or, If the stationmaster has re
proved him, perform hari-kari to avenge his injured honour.
All these questions are naturally subjects of warm discussion
among the European residents. When I tell them my ideas
on the subject they smile archly ; they are too cIvU to laugh
cut loud ; which, however, does not prevent my fearing that the
attempts I see made around me will turn out ill ; for experi
ence proves that the contract with our"cirilization is always
fatal to savage or semi-barbarous races, as long as they are
deprived of the lights and benefits of Christianity.
But a trace to these reflections. Let us limit ourselves to
bearing witness to the fact which, in the empire of the Rising
Sun, is now of paramount importance. The ministers have
embarked in an ultra-reform movement, either to dfrect or
work it as a weapon against their adversaries — against the
opinion of old Japan, which remains stupefied, silent, intimi
dated, but not so devoid of vitality as people imagine. I do not
reproach them for it ; but what I cannot approve of, is their
total want of respect for vested rights, the arbitrary nature of
their measures, the levity which attacks everything right and
left, and the use they make, to carry out their work of destruc
tion, of the name of the Mikado, whose prestige, although
twenty centuries old, might well be eclipsed in their rash and
inexperienced hands.
Lastly, in the midst of loud cheers -which, however, the
least accident would convert Into reproaches and injuries — the
boat has left the shore, and is rapidly drifting down the stream.
WUl she arrive at a safe haven? It Is possible. WUl she
founder? It is probable. No one can tell. Not being able

VIIL NAGASAKL 441
either to stop or to reascend the stream, they leave it to
chance. The sight is a curious but not a new one. Already
Guichardin has said : " That those who Introduce a novelty
Into the machinery of the state can never foresee the course the
movement will take, and rarely see the end of It." '
¦ I venture to call the attention of my readers to a piece given in the
appendix. It is an historical frkis, of twelve months, irom the end of
September, 1871 (vvhich is the date of my departure Irom Japan), to the
end of September, 1872. The gentleman to whom I am indebted for it is
a close and benevolent observer, who has inhabited Yokohama for some
years. I will add some extracts of letters from another resident in the same
town. He judges the acts of the reform government with more severity
than the author of the memorial ; but both deserve confidence and careful
attention

KND OF THE SECOND PART.

PART IIL
CHINA.

CHAPTER I.
SHANGHAI.— FROM THE 3rd TO THE Sth OF OCTOBER, AND
FROM THE 14th TO THE i6th OF NOVEMBER.
The different appearance of the "Concessions." — The Chinese tovra, Su-
kia-wei. — A symphony of Haydn performed by the Chinese. — The
Sisters' Orphanage. — Fluctuations in the present state of Trade.
October 3. — The sky is grey ; the air sharp and cold. A fresh
breeze blows from the north-east. One might fancy oneself
in Russia. Yesterday we were feeling that we were under
the equator. We have not, however, left the 31st parallel. At
twelve o'clock the New York is at 200 miles from the mouth
of the Yang-tse-kiang, and already the sea is paler. Towards
evening it becomes mud-colour.
October 4. — At ten o'clock we entered the " great river," as
the Chinese call it, and not without reason; for after the
Amazon and the Mississippi, it Is the largest river In the world.
The left bank is Inrisible. To our right the plains of the
province of Kiang-su stretch onward till they disappear on the
horizon. Some large English merchant steamers are paddHng
in the muddy waters of the stream, which is at this moment
lashed by the wind. Pilot-boats and junks, with their huge
sails all set, are tacking backwards and forwards as in the
open sea.
At one o'clock the New York enters the Hwang-pu, passes
before the French naval station of Wusung, and coasts along
the flat, green, cultivated banks of the river, amongst which

446 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Ckap.
villpges are scattered, which recall the banks of the Hmnber
in Yorkshfre.
There is nothing in the scenety which, by its beauty or
novelty, strikes the eye or speaks to the imagination. One has
seen the Hke a thousand times before. Nevertheless, on the
river, the animation increases as we near the great metropolis.
Afready, through a forest of masts, we see the imposing build
ings of the English town, the houses of the American quarter,
and the flags of the different Consulates.
We have passed before the dockyards and the docks of the
American company, of which the great steamers of two stories,
painted all white, serve the line of Yang-tse-kiang. Higher up
you perceive, either starting, arriving, or at anchor, tbe ships of
the English Peninsular Company and those of the French
2^Iessageries. Add to this the numerous English merchant
steamers which have come straight from London, Liverpool,
or Glasgow ; those of the great Shanghai houses of Jardine and
RusseU ; and near each of these leviathans, like planets gravi
tating round the sun, the Chinese sampans, employed in lad
ing or unlading these big ships. There are also a large num
ber of saiHng vessels ; but since the opening of the Suez Canal
their number is sensibly diminished. It is steam which now
monopolizes the seas. My ej-e rejoices at the sight of a fine
Austrian corvette, the Fasatia, Captain Funk, which has just
arrived from Trieste. In the lower part of the harbour one
sees nothing but a confiised mass of masts, yards, and fantastic-
shaped sails. There are junks of all sizes anchored under the
walls of the Chinese town. The prow of each of these boats is
omamented by two great painted eyes. Unfortunately, the
captains don't make vety good use of thefrs ; or else, passing
before the European steamers, by way of expressing thefr
contempt, they provoke accidents, of wlucb they and thefr
bcaij become the -v-ictims. These great, staring eyes, which
seem fixed upon you with sinister intentions, never failed, I own,
to inspire me with secret tenor. Being the symbol (though
a l.ving one, it is trae) of the vigilance of these vessels, tfaey
give them the appearance of monsters prepared to devour you.
We disembarked near the American quarter, and I faU with
joy into the open arms of M. de CaHce, our Consul-general at
Shanghai, and resident minister in China and Japan. He offers

/. SHANGHAI. 447
me, and I accept with gratitude, his cordial and splendid
hospitality. The more I examine this town the more it excites ray ad
miration. Certainly its site, in a flat and marshy plain, is the
reverse of attractive. In a picturesque point of view, it is
about the most ugly country one can well imagine. It is also
certain that the residences of the rich merchants, although fine,
imposing, and pretentious edifices, are not models of architec
ture ; and as for its climate, Shanghai enjoys the reputation of
being one of the most detestable in the world. But what I
admire is the boldness, the perseverance, the elastic, energetic,
indefatigable genius of the Anglo-Saxon race, ever rich in
expedients, who first conceived the idea of buUding a town
here, and who have succeeded, after a desperate but victorious
struggle with nature, and with every species of difficulty — the
silent resistance of the Chinese government, attacks from the
rebels, commercial failures, rivalry between the immigrants of
other countries, and dissensions even In the heart of the British
residents themselves. It is true that the whole merit Is not due
to the English. The French government has had its share.
But nine-tenths of the capital employed in the commerce and
navigation of Shanghai are English ; and the white population,
if you look to thefr origin, shows a proportion of six to one
between the English residents and those of all other Christian
nations. The difference between the spirit of the French
people and the sons of Old England, which is so striking in the
extreme East and wherever the two flags float side by side, is
equally remarkable here. The English factory Is the creation
of individuals, helped by the moral support, and exceptionally
and very rarely by the military and naval forces, of their govern- /
ment. The French establishments are the work of the govern-/
ment itself, accomplished with or without national concurrence'^
The official agents of France march at the head of tly
colonists, whereas the British functionaries only form the rear
guard and reserve. The first inspire and direct their country
men ; the second protect and often have to control them. The
official agents of both countries are the constant object of the
criticisms of their countrymen. The English complain of too
much interference, the French of too little, Tbe English ex
claim : "Our consul meddles in everything;" the French;

448 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
" Our consul cares for nothing." The truth is, that the task of
the British authorities is less to direct than to control ; whUst
the French consuls must govern and even reign. Withdraw
these officials, take away the French flag, recall the French
ship In the harbour, and I would bet you ten to one that in a
few years the whole establishment will have disappeared. In
an English factory things would be quite different. After the
departure of their consul and of the Queen's troops, the resi
dents would set about at once maintaining order, and, if neces
saty, organising a defence against an external enemy. There
might be some bad or anxious times to go through; but it is
next to certain that the respectable elements would get the
upper hand, and would establish a tolerable if not a good state
of things. The French, I repeat, would depart in the wake of
their civU and military authorities, and the few that remained
would amalgamate with the natives. This we have often seen :
and it has been often before said. If I inscribe it on these
pages, it is that we may the better understand Shanghai. Far
be it from me to disparage the noble French people. One
may be a great nation, and yet not have the vocation of colo
nization. Besides, what is the meaning of colonization ? Is it
merely the clearing of the soil ? In this point of view the
colonies of Louis XIV. in Canada would compare favourably
with the most flourishing of those of other nations. Is it to
work the ground for the profit of the Immigrants ? In that
case the English deserve the palm which all the world allows
them. But if we understand by colonization, carrying civiliza
tion into the hearts of the native population whose territory
you occupy, then the Portuguese and Spaniards of the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries seem to me to have been the first
colonizers of the earth. Histories written — do not let us forget
it — by pens which were anything but impartial, have tarnished
(and justly, If the facts related be true) the reputation of the
Spanish and Portuguese conquerors, and accused them of
unheard-of acts of cruelty, oppression, and wrong. Even those
who were reported gentle and humane employed means which
our own centuty would not stand for a moment But these
kingdoms beyond the seas were rich and prosperous, and the
capitals of the presidencias became the centres of civUization.
The natives flocked into them, and took back to thefr homes,

/. SIIANGHAL 449
>\Ith the light of Christianity (though perhaps feeble and un
certain) the ideas and usages (though very imperfect also) of
civilized life. The progress made was real and lasting. Wit
nesses who are beyond suspicion — traveUers who, like Alexander
Humboldt, have visited the Spanish colonies at the beginning
of this centuty — that is, at a time when Spain herself had long
since fallen from her rank among the first powers of Europe
— speak with admiration of the organization she had left be
hind — of the regularity of the administrative service in these
colonies — of the security and order which reigned there, and
of the wisdom of the colonial laws, drawn up and codified
under the reign of the Philips. The Court of Madrid, it is
trae, drew from its tenitories beyond the seas a quantity of
precious metals ; but on the other hand the mother-countty
gave her blood. The constant emigration which finally ex
hausted Spain is, in truth, one of the principal causes of the
rapid decadence of this noble and chivalrous nation. Even to
this day the young men of certain provinces expatriate them
selves in crowds. In the north, and especially in the Asturias,
one only sees women and old men. The young ones are gone
to Havana, to Pem, or to Rio de la Plata. Wlien traversing
the hamlets buried in the gorges of the Cantabrian mountains
I used to see notices put up In every direction announcing the
departure of such and such ships from Santander, Gigon, and
Ribadesilla, for Cuba and South America — all, it was stated,
furnished with a surgeon and a chaplain. Alas I both one and
the other are necessary, for in these passages the mortality is
frightful. Evety one of these emigrants (and formerly even
more so than now) becomes, very often unknown to himself, an
agent of civilization. Thus, see the results. Wherever the
Spaniards have reigned we find Indian tribes who have em
braced Christianity, and adopted, in a certain measure, our
habits and ideas. The greater part of the politicians whom we
now see at the head of their repubUcs are of Indian origin. I
have had pure redskins as colleagues ; and I have seen ladies
of the same colour, dressed by Worth, delighting in Patti's
roulades. I do not quote these personages as models of states
men ; or these fair critics as great authorities in music ; but the
fact is none the less significant. Well, this is the work of
Spanish colonization. Can one say the same thing of the
G G

4SO A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
effect of Englifh emigration? Evidentiy not I set aside all
question of India, which I have not yet visited. But every
where, especially in North America, the contact of the Anglo-
Saxon race with semi-barbarous savages is fatal to the latter.
They only adopt European vices ; they hate and fly from us,
and that is the wisest thing they can do ; or else they perish
miserably. In every way they remain what they have alw.ays
been-— savages. But what is the use of discussing the com
parative merits of different nations ? Rather let us render to
each their due. Now let us see what the " stranger devils "
have done here, and how they have set about it
The Hwang-pu, which in reality is only a creek, appears at
Shanghai to be a majestic river, about half-a-mlle wkie. It
runs from south to north, and then turns suddenly towards the
east It is in this bend that a new-comer first discovers, on
the left bank, the houses of the American quarter, or " con
cession," as it is caUed. It is separated by a little stream,
called the Suchow Creek, from the. English concession, which
in its tum adjoins the French, the most southem of the three.
Another littie creek divides the French quarter from the
Chinese town.
The American concession contains, besides the Austrian
Consulate and the North German Confederation, some low
houses, a good many sheds and shops, and further to the east,
a new street, lined vrith fine houses. The English "con
cession," however, is the great centre of commercial activity.
The receipts of the town for the current year, arising from taxes,
post office, &c., are reckoned at ;^6o,ooo. With the practical
good sense and absence of prejudice which distinguishes the
Yankee, the principal American houses have been built on
the English concession. One arrives there by crossing over
a littie bridge thrown over the Suchow creek, and there one
sees, all the length of the quay, called the Butid, a row of
great buildings, which are perfect palaces, built in British taste
certainly, but all having a veranda, that indispensable accessory
in a cHmate where tropical heat alternates with Siberian frosts.
Nothing can be more imposing than the look of this long line
of princely residences, with their fagades turned to the quay
and the view of the Hwang-pu, the centre of their commercial
prosperity. A vast inclosure sunounds the different buUdings

/. SIIANGHAL 451
of the British Consulate, the law courts, and the residence cf
tiie English judge. Then follow the houses of the merchant
princes. Those of Jardine & Co. and of Dent are the most
striking. On the quay, fronting the houses, is a public garden.
At this moment the fine trees are bending under the fury of
a black east wind, which is stripping off their yellow leaves,
and freezing the blood of the passers-by. The only thing
wanting in this fine Bund is a stone dike. But stone is the one
thing needed at Shanghai, which is built on tbe edge of a great
alluvial plain without any materials for building. Beams of
wood, therefore, replace granite ; and numberless plank piers,
called go-downs, enable those who have practised gymnastics to
reach or leave their boat in safety. Shanghai has two or three
churches, of which th^ largest has no belfry from want of
capital. Behind this curtain of palaces the English town
stretches away towards the west Here the taste for what Is
beautiful and splendid gives way to the exigencies of what is
useful and necessary. Nothing is to be seen but warehouses,
depots, stores, and shops ; these last richly furnished with all
English productions One could fancy oneself in Oxford Street
or the Strand. In this point of view, neither Yokohama nor
any other European town in Asia, saving Calcutta and Bombay,
can bear a comparison with Shanghai. Further on Is the quar
ter inhabited principally by Chinese. In the shops, kept by
tradesmen wltli black pigtails, you find again every article of
English manufacture, not of such good quality perhaps, but at
very reduced prices ; for the Chinaman has the superiority over
the European merchant of being always cheap. In other
words, he is contented with small profits, and is not in a hurry
to be rich, which in the long run ought to give him an ad
vantage over his white competitors. All the houses are num
bered, but the Chinese disdain figures, and prefer words. Even
the great houses condescend to adopt the social reasotis adapted
to the taste of the country. Thus, Dent & Co. call themselves
"Precious and obliging;" Jardine & Co. have chosen the
title of "Honest and harmonious." In the streets there is
a mixture of white and yellow men, and of a few Chinese
women, but hardly any Europeans;. At Shanghai, too, that lack
of the female sex, which Is the great want in the far East, pro
duces melancholy consequences. However, in the last year or
G C 3

452 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
two this rare and precious article begins to be imported. The
clerks who have gone home for their holidays come back
married. The number of homes in consequence increases, and
the morals and manners of the place afready feel the sanitary
influence of good and virtuous women. At this hour the Bund
is full of people — on foot, on horseback, in carriages, and In
wheelbarrows. These wheelbanows are built on the prin
ciple of an Irish car, with one wheel, pushed by a Chinaman.
Two persons sit on them back to back, their feet supported by
a plank. I saw some fine Australian and Cape horses, which
they pay vety dearly for, and some ponies of the countiy of the
Mongol race. For sometime the great steamers of the Pacific
Company have brought horses over from California. Theheads
of the great commercial houses have beautiful equipages ; their
clerks, gigs or saddle-horses.
Following the quay, we come to the French concession.
The Bund goes on ; but, except for the activity which reigns
round the great offices of the Messageries Maritimes, and
those of the Shanghai Steam Navigation Company, both
placed in this concession, the. animation and business life of
the place seem to have stopped short at the limits of the
English quarter. The houses of the residents, too, cannot be
compared with those of the British colony. On the other
hand, the sumptuous residence of the consul, the great
cathedral, and the municipal palace, strike the eye at once.
The difference between these two quarters of the town is extra
ordinary. There the merchants, the residents, without any
preconceived plan, and according to the wants of the moment
or their own pleasure, do the whole work. Here it is the
government that watches, that thinks, that reflects, that acts
methodically and bureaucratically — the government, in- fact,
has conceived, ordered, and carried out everything. The
residents are simply the subjects of a despotic administration.
If they resist they are easily put down. It has happened that
the municipality has shown itself Intractable. The consul dis
solved them at once, put the most refractory counciUors in
prison, and quietly went on his way. Our road led us to the
Chinese town, situated, as I have said, to the south of the
European concessions, and surrounded by a high wall. We
went in by one of the seven gates, and, traversing a perfect

/. SHANGHAI. i,i3
labyrinth of streets and lanes, we looked at everything curious
around us — the great temple, with a garden where there are
more sham rocks than trees and flowers ; the tea-houses, which
cannot be compared with those of Japan ; and lastly, the
restaurants, frequented, one kind by gentlemen, the other by
the lower classes, but both being equally remarkable for their
vUlanous smells, for the noisy talk of their guests, and the
disgusting dirt of the waiters and cooks. I have read so many
descriptions of Chinese towns, that the first I visited did not
come upon rae with the charm of novelty. I did not even
take the trouble of taking any notes. One must, however, de
clare, to the honour of the people of Shanghai, and in the
interest of truth, that the greater part of the travellers whose
books I have read exaggerate a little the horrors with which
their descriptions are filled. Certainly there are corners, public
places, and by-streets here, where one had better shut one's
eyes and stop up one'j nose, and where one sees scenes worthy
of appearing in Hoffmann's fantastic tales. But the principal
streets of Shanghai in the Chinese quarter are not worse than
what one sees of this kind in the soutii of Europe.
To be able to leave this untempting place, we have con
stantly to cross and recross streams of human beings, give and
receive pokes from their elbows, and expose ourselves to other
inconveniences peculiar to Chinese crowds. In one little square
the pepj)le were gathered Into a compact mass. A juggler was
the attraction. Thanks to a superhuman effort, I managed to
squeeze myself close to the ragged artist who evidently had
gone without his dinner, and who, judging by the few sapeqties
he receives, is as likely to go without his supper. On his
sharp, witty face, one reads deceit, Impudence, and misery ;
and yet this poor devil does wonders. I am tempted to ask
myself if there is not some magic in It I actually saw him
swaUow half-a-dozen little cups of fine porcelain, and disgorge
them again after a few moments. I could not believe my eyes;
but I attest the fact, and I leave It to anatomists and medical
men to explain It The other day, however, I was told that his
companion, not being able to disgorge thera, and having some
how missed the trick, died amidst the most horrible sufferings.
But now, thank God ! we are out of the Inclosure. We are
in the open country, and can breathe freely. Beiore us stretches

454 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
a flat, green plain, without trees, and as ugly as it is mono
tonous. On the horizon a pagoda of several stories high
Stands out against the leaden-coloured sky. At a little distance
from this tower, and about five miles from Shanghai, rise the
large buildings of Sfi-kia-wel, surrounded by a fine garden.
This is the old and celebrated Jesuit college. Founded In the
seventeenth century, ingulfed at the time of the great per
secutions in the common ruin of all Christian establishments,
given back to the society at the end of the last war, again
abandoned at the approach of the Taeplngs, and reoccupied
after their flight, it has risen from its ashes more prosperous
and more flourishing than ever. The fathers — ^all except the
superior, who Is Italian, and three Chinese — are French. All
wear the dress and the long tail of tiie Celestials. The boys in
the college belong almost entirely to native Christian families.
There is an orphanage for the children of the lower classes who
have been brought here by their parents. A thing which is
curious and difficult to explain is, that th'e number of chUdren
has considerably augmented since the terrible massacres of
Tien-tsin, last year, which made such a sensation throughout
the empire. People say that the English carry their habits and
traditions with them to the antipodes, or wherever they go.
The same thing may be said of the Jesuits. The establish
ments of the society are like one another all over the world.
One or two large rooms, a corridor in the middle of the house,
on both sides the cells of the fathers, small, but beautifully
clean ; the classrooms and dormitories of the scholars, the
kitchens and refectories — the whole impressed with the like
stamp of order and discipline. The scholars pass through a
course of classical studies in the Chinese sense, and learn
every kind of useful knowledge. The orphans are taught
all sorts of trades. Each of these young men, on returning to
his family, will bring back with him the germs of a new civiliza
tion. Everybody, fathers and students, seemed gay and happy
and in good health. The superior would not let us go without
having Improvised a little concert Under the direction of a
Chinese father, four of the students began to play a symphony
of Haydn's. The reverend conductor of the orchestra, witii a
huge pair of spectacles on his nose, directed, cheered, and
with baton and eye kept time and guided these juvenile vfrtuosi,

/. SIIANGHAL 455
who, fixing their Httie eyes on the music, and perspiring from
eveiy pore, managed to perform very satisfactorily one of the
finest compositions of this great master. Haydn performed In
China and by Chinese ! ! Why be ashamed to own it? We
were all greatly touched and pleased.
This mission consists of upwards of eighty fathers ; but the
greater portion are spread over the different provinces of
Kiangsu and Nganwhei. Twice a year they meet here for a
retreat, and to go through the spiritual exercises ; after which a
few da)-s are given to rest, to the exchange of ideas, and the
enjoyment of the moderate European comfort which the college
has to offer to these devoted men, whose whole lives are a
series of labours, perils, and privations of every kind.
At a short distance from Sfi-kia-wei is a house of education
for young girls and an orphanage, under the care of some
sisters.' The superior, a young lady of most pleasing e.xterior,
a soft and yet intelligent face, did the honours o; her establish
ment with the grace and easy manners of a person in the
highest society. Her French Is the pure Parisian of the
Faubourg St. Germain, from which she came to bury herself in
this terrible solitude, and to consecrate the best years of her
life, her health, and probably life itself, to the arduous duties
of her vocation. By a special favour, we were admitted into
the boarding-school, which is generally closed to men. It is a
large court surrounded with little rooms, where, grouped ac
cording to their ages (which are from five to sixteen), these
young girls receive an education suited to their position in the
world. They all looked well and happy, and were simply but
nicely dressed. None of them seemed to me to have any
beauty ; but perhaps my eye is not yet accustomed to the style
of women and things in China. I am not then a competent
judge of feminine charms, as they are understood in the
Celestial Erapfre. Although dying with longing to stare at this
rare apparition of a European, the yellow young ladies obeyed,
nevertheless, the mle which expects them to redouble their
zeal and application in presence of the superior. One set,
their books in their hands, were repeating their lessons out
' Of the .Society of Les Religieuses Auxiliatrices des Ames du Purgaldrc,
founded by Mdlle. Eugenie de Smet, in religion Mere Marie de la Provi
dence ; born at Lille, in 1825 : died at Paris, 7tri of February, 1871.

4S6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
loud ; others were doing needlework ; and some few, magnifi
cent embroidery.
We were taken to the orphanage, the " salle d'asUe " of the
babies, brought to the sisters by their families or picked up in
the street These poor Httle creatures, all girls, who, when
they anive, are just bundles of skin and bone, hardly breathing,
devoured by vermin, and generally full of disease and wounds,
are baptized, washed, their wounds dressed, and If they survive,
brought up In this house, and married to their co-religionists,
or else placed as servants in Christian famUies. We went Into
one of the large rooms. It was spacious, beautifully clean, and
well ventilated. All along the walls are ranged, cradles, each
containing two children, placed head to foot A number of
sisters, leaning over them, were tending them with the utmost
care. Strange and marvellous change in these Httle existences,
which reckon only a few hours ! Yesterday these poor little
creatures had been thrown on a dung-heap, left to be devoured
by the pigs or to expire in a slow and horrible agony. To-day
they have found mothers who, to save them, have come from
the uttermost parts of the earth on the wings of Sod-like
charity. France is rich enough to pay for her glory, her ideas, her
caprices, and even her faults. Since the days of Louis XIV.
she has held to the idea of pervading the whole earth, and
striking all nations with the prestige of her greatness. The
pursuance of this policy imposes upon her, it is trae, in these
distant regions, sacrifices which are not strictly in accordance
with the material Interests of her traders. But this considera
tion does not stop her. She has given herself the honourable and
civilizing mission of protecting her co-religionists aU over the
world. Do not let us look too closely into her motives, which
perhaps are not all purely religious. The results have been,
and are, as everyone must allow, the most important services
that could be rendered to humanity.
In the world of ideas, the French are the most expansive
people in the universe. By doing both great good and some
harm, they have Impregnated the whole civUized world with
their tastes, their ideas, and even with their fashions. But no
nation has so great a dislike to leave their homes. French emi
grants are the least numerous everywhere; and even those

-'¦• SHANGHAI 457
one does meet with, are not (saving certain honourable excep
tions) the brightest specimens of their nation. The truth is,
that France ofiers to her children space and means wherewith
to support them, to anive at a comfortable independence, and,
occasionally, to riches and the highest offices in the state.
Those who quit her shores rarely find beyond them the fortune
which they have disdained to seek at home. But, side by side
witii these emigrants, who are not always successful, there are
others, who, while liring and acting in comparative obscurity,
surround themselves In their distant country with an aureola of
imperishable gloty'. In China, as in every other foreign land,
wherever you see above the Consulate the French flag flying,
you perceive likewise, in the neighbourhood, the spire of a
church, and alongside a convent, a school, a hospital. There
human minds are being enlightened by civilization, and huraan
hearts by faith ; there the wounds of both souls and bodies are
healed, miseries are aUeviated, and the apostolic virtues ol
charity, love, self-abnegation, patience, and devotion are exer
cised In the highest degree. All these missionaries and Sisters
are not French, is is true : Italy, Spain, and Belgium have
furnished their contingent; but the great majority of these
Christian heroes and heroines belong to France ; and it Is
France which shields them with her powerful protection.
Built not far from the mouth of the Yang-tse-kiang, on the
shores of a deep river, accessible to the largest ships, Shanghai
was, from time Immemorial, the natural port of Suchow, that
rich and flourishing city, which, thanks to its position on the
great canal, amidst a network of navigable streams, is con
sidered the principal emporium of the north of China. Canals
and creeks unite the two towns. The distance whicli separates
them is only ninety mUes. Already in the middle of the last
century, the agent of the East India Company had recommend
ed the establishment of a factoty at Shanghai. The execution
of this project was not carried out for ninety years. It was
only at the end of the first war, and in vfrtue of the treaty of
Nankin,' of which one of the principal clauses opened the land
and port of Shanghai to foreigners, that the English could set
foot in this town. But If the birth of the settiement was slow,
' Singed in 1842.

458 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
the projress of the new-born colony was slower stIU, and its
existence remained a problem for a long while. The cHmate
was said to be very unhealthy ; and was so in reality, for the
soil of this immense alluvial plain, which forms the province of
Kiangsu, hardly rises above the level of the river. Both stone
and wood were wanting, and the ground was a perfect marsh.
At only a foot or two below the surface, you came upon water.
It was necessary then to build upon piles and to bring stone
from a great distance. For about ten years it was a struggle
for existence. Happily about this time, silk rose in a most un
expected manner. Other foreigners arrived. The govern
ments of France and the United States demanded and obtained
" concessions " of their own ; and the Chinese sold, for a very
smaU sum, the fields and gardens which surrounded the town.
It is on this land that the sumptuous buildings of the European
Shanghai are now built
After great sacrifices the difficulties of the ground were over
come. Sanitary works diminished those obstacles which the
climate seemed to oppose to the permanent installation of the
whites. To-day, intermittent fevers and ague have almost
entirely disappeared ; and very soon it seems as if Mr. Med-
hurst's prediction wbuld be verified, and Shanghai become one
of the healthiest towns In China.
The interior organization of the factoty offered difficulties of
another kind. The new colonists had to manage the suscepti
bilities of the imperial authorities, the prejudices of the Chinese
people, the national jealousies between the English, French,
and American residents — in fact, to make an appeal to the
sense and autonomic Instinct so profoundly ingrained In the
Anglo-Saxon race, although comparatively rare with the French.
They had hoped, at first, to make one solitary cosmopolitan
establishment This project was wrecked owing to the justifi
able repugnances, as I consider them, of the French govern
ment The Americans, after a good deal of hesitation, ended
by a complete incorporation of their concession with the
English one. Sir Rutherford Akock, the British Consul-
General at Shanghai, and later on. Minister both in Japan and
China, acting in concert with his colleagues of France and the
United States, had the merit of elaborating and persuading the
possessors of the territory to adopt a constitution, which, thotlgh

/. SIIANGHAL 459
modified lately in the liberal sense, still governs the Anglo-
American settiements ; ' but which, with regard to the French
concession, has had to undergo some radical changes.
The emperor being the proprietor of the soil, those who have
bought the land are, according to Chinese law, only tenants at
will. They have, however, obtained a lease in perpetuity, on
the condition of paying a nominal fine to the government It
is on these conditions that it is allowable for the subjects oi
the foreign powers who signed the treaty with China to acquire
land within the limits of the concessions, and exceptionally
beyond it, within a rayon of a certain number of miles. The
contracts of sale between the Chinese and the foreigners are
deposited at their respective Consulates, who remit a certificate
to the buyer, which, duly legalized by the taotai (or governor,
properly speaking, " the head of a circle," but always a great
personage, called "his Excellency"), takes the place of a legal
title to the property.
In the English and American concession, the task of the
consuls, setting aside judicial functions, Is purely negative, and
is limited to the obligation of examining If the acts of the
municipality do not contravene the stipulations of the Treaty
of Tien-tsin. The summa rerum is intrusted to a municipal
councU, composed of a president and six members, elected
every year by the landed proprietors and other residents who
have the right to participate In this election. It is this council,
responsible to the electoral body, which distributes and levies
the taxes, takes care to keep the piers, bridges, and roads in
good order, and undertakes to find and pay a police force, whose
business it is to watch over the maintenance of public order
and the repression of crime. Seventy men chosen out of the
London constabulary are sufficient for the work. The officers
of this corps, like all the other civil employes, are named by
the municipality. Although the foreign concessions reckon a
Chinese population of 60,000 souls, the tranquillity and se
curity of the settlement leave nothing to be desired. With
regard to British subjects, justice is administered in the first
place by the consuls, and as a last resource by the supreme
' This was in 1854. To understand the details read "The Treaty Ports
cf China and Japan," by W. F. Mayers, N, B. Dennys, and Ch. King;
also the official correspondence published by the French government

46o A RAMBLE ROUS.'D TIIE WORLD. Chap.
court of Slianghai; for the otiier foreign residents, their re
spective consuls are Invested with judicial powers. All the
expenses fall on the community. The government takes no
cognisance of it.
They have also arrived at settling in a simple and prac
tical raanner the relations of the residents with the local
authorities, and the intervention of the latter in certain delicate
matters where It is a case of proceeding in the civil courts
against the Chinese residents, or when some crimes have been
committed by the Chinese on the territory included In the
concessions. Such is the constitution which at present is in
fuU force in the Anglo-American settlement, which becomes
every day more cosmopolite. It is, as I said before, entirely
distinct from the municipal organization of the French con
cession, which was published in 1868. In virtue of this act,
the municipal body Is composed of the French consul and the
eight municipal councillors, of whora four are P"rench and four
are foreigners, both one and the other chosen by an electoral
body, of whom the consul gives and revises the list It is
again the consul who convokes this assembly ; who convokes
also the municipal body, who presides over it and has the right
of suspending It, with only the check of having to give an
account of his reasons for so doing to the French minister at
Pekin, who, in cases of difficulty, refers the affair again to the
foreign minister in Paris. The council debates on all questions
referring to the budget, the receipts and municipal expenditure,
the repartition or recovety of taxes, &c,, the plans of public
buildings, all sanitary measures, or any other business which
the consul raay see fit to submit to them. The results of these
deliberations, however, are not carried out without the con
sent and decision of the consul himself, who (always with the
reserve of the approbation of the French minister at Pekin)
raay refuse to execute the measures proposed and voted by
the Assembly, whether they regard the construction of public
buildings, or expropriations, or sanitary improvements, or wha.t
not The council appoints all officers attached to the muni
cipal service, but these again are subject to the approbation of
the consul, who raay put a veto on any such appointment, or
suspend or revoke at any time the holders of these places.
Again, public security rests solely with the consul. The body

/. SHANCIIAL 461
of police, whose pay is charged to the municipal council, is
placed entirely under the orders of the consul, and it is he
who appoints, suspends, and dismisses his agents. This con
stitution, which contrasts so strongly with the organisation of
the English settlement, answers its purpose very well. But It
converts the French concession into a colony governed by the
consul ; whUe the EngHsh establishment is self-relying and
independent, the intervention of the consul being limited, as
we have seen, to the exercise of a negative control.
The results of the English system have gone beyond one's
expectation. Look at this town of palaces ; count. If you can,
the masts of the ships, with which the port Is bristling ; look
at those great leviathans of steamers continually coming and
going ; examine the commercial statistics of any one of these
large houses, and you cannot fail to admire the vigour, the
energy, and the vitality of the Queen of Yang-tse-kiang and
of the Yellow Sea, and the strength of the Hnk which binds
the Immense Celestial Empire to Europe, America, and Aus
tralia ; and all this is the work of a handful of brave, enter
prising men I Their country's cannon has opened the way for
thera; and the breach once made, they have established them
selves so securely that it is not very probable that they will
ever be dislodged.
Those were remarkable men, those merchant princes of the
early days ! Work and worry have thinned their ranks ; others
have made their fortunes, retired from business, and gone back
to England. To-day there are only four houses of this stamp
— Jardine, Russell, Herd, and GIb-LivIngston.
During my short stay I made acquaintance with the " big
wigs " in the financial world, and I must say that I never found
myself in contact with men of more agreeable manners, or
better instructed in their own sphere. Do not believe vs hat
has been said about the merchants in the East. The witness
which impartial men, who know them thoroughly, bear to
their loyalty and upright, honourable conduct on all occasions,
utterly deraoHshes the accusations brought against them by
certain writers, who either could not or would not understand
the real state of things. There is, of course, one dark side —
the opium trade — now perfectiy legal, but immoral in my eyes
from the fact that it furnishes a poison to the people, the

462 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
deleterious effects of which, as far as I myself have seen,
cannot possibly be exaggerated. Those who are most inter
ested in this trade do not attempt to deny it Their only
excuse is that- the excess of alcoholic drinks, so frequently
seen in Europe, produces analogous, effects ; that opium
smokers do not all fall victims to this fatal habit ; that many
of them know how to indulge in it in moderation, and so
suffer no evil consequences ; that the sin, after all, cannot be
said to lie at the door of the English, as the production of
opium has been extraordlnarUy increased in the interior of
China of late years.' The only real argument, they say, that
they could bring against us (and in reality it is not one) is
borrowed from the political necessity which does not allow the
Indian government to prohibit the cultivation of the poppy
plants and the making of the drug.
San Francisco and Melbourne are, like Shanghai, the work
of individuals and not governments : but the capitals of Cali
fornia and of the Australian colony have sprang and grown up
on their country's soil ; Shanghai is an exotic plant, growing in
the open air, exposed to all the winds of heaven, needing
gardeners to care for it, a hothouse to shelter it, living in its
own strength, and drawing from this foreign soil the nourish
ment it needs. Its short existence (for it is not yet thirty years
old) is only a series of straggles, trials, admirable efforts, mis
takes and weaknesses instantiy rectified and atoned for by
fresh attempts crowned with fresh successes. Like Hercules
in his cradle, Shanghai has strangled the serpents of revolt
Local insurgents, taking advantage of the general disorder
which the rebellion of the Taepings had caused, got into
the Chinese town and maintained themselves there for a year
and a halt> The factories were respected, thanks to the pres^
' I find the same arguments reproduced by Mr. Medhurst, in his book
(so full of authentic information) "The Foreigner in Far Cathay : " London,
1872. A residence of tliiity years in the country, to say nothing of his
official character, gives to the British consul at Shanghai an authority which
no one could or would dispute or deny. He is especially distinguished by
his great and rare impartiality of mind. The only weak part about his
book seems to me his attempt to excuse, or, at any rate, to palliate the opium
trade, though evidently against his own convictions. I need only refer my
readers to a quotation on page 88 of this valuable work.
» From September 1853 to February 1855.

/. SHANGHAI 463
ence of some men-of-war in the harbour and to the firm front
presented by the residents. Then, for the first time, Chinese
families In rich and easy circumstances came to take refuge
in the concessions, and took the habit of living among the
" foreign devils." After the retreat of the insurgents, however,
they went home again. But very soon the rebel hordes again
surrounded them. Evetyone knows what rebellion means in
China. It means burning, dest^-oying, and massacring every
one, without distinction of age or sex : after which, epidemic
diseases and famine ensue. The great province of Kiangsu
underwent this honible fate. Thousands and thousands of
square miles were entirely devastated. When (in May i860)
Suchow fell into the power of the Taepings and was changeti
into a heap of rains, hundreds of thousands of Chinese came
to take refuge at Shanghai, where a lew English troops, the
armed residents, and a squadron of French marines, were
enough to stop the flood of the rebellion. This struggle,
which had its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows, lasted for
nearly four years,' and forms a strange and curious episode,
and one without precedent, I think, in the world's history.
Fancy the insurgents — that Is, as I said before, a set of merci
less incendiaries and assassins — fancy them encamped on the
other side of the Suchow Creek, only a mile's distance from
the centre of the English town. Add to this the dismal spec
tacle, night after night, of villages in flames, and remember
that these four years of anguish and peril were, at the same
time, an era of the m ,st furious speculation, of fabulous gains,
and of the most exaggerated luxury. It Is said that the
Chinese fugitives might be counted by hundreds of thousands.
It was necessary to lodge them. Buildings were run up in
haste. Houses adapted to the use of the people of the country
spru'ig up like magic. The rich merchants sunk their money
In these ventures : those who had none borrowed it for the
same purpose. Clerks, " compradors," factors, servants, every
one took part in the speculation, and everyone gained. Shang
hai was deluged with gold. Beyond the "defence-creek,"
death under its most hideous forms, the ruin and misery of
millions of human beings. Here on the river, thousands of
junks, a great number of European vessels, and a considerable
» From ii:6o to xS6j

464 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
naval force. On the Bund, and in the houses of the residents,
the ostentatious pomp of the itarvenus, doubly insolent in the
face of such terrible calamities.
But envious fate, which, if we are to believe poor mortals, is
so inclined to laugh at the best-laid projects, began to be tired
of such unmixed prosperity. The contrast between the miseries
of the one and the overweening prosperity of the other, seemed
to provoke her anger. The honors in China had made the
fortune of the English in Shanghai. A child of their own
nation, Inscribing his name in letters of gold in the annals of
the Celestial Empire, was to be the involuntaty instrament of
their chastisement The imperial armies had been beaten by
the rebels all along the line. The English forces hardly suf
ficed for the defence of the European concessions and the
Chinese town of Shanghai. Later on, they were able to clear
a space of thirty miles round the factories. But it was impos
sible to advance further into the interior, or to deHver the un
happy province of Kiangsu from the scourge of the rebels.
Nevertheless, an American adventurer, named Ward, vrith a
following of rowdies of the worst kind, and some thousands of
coolies, formed a band, which was called " Ward's force," and
which did good service. After the death of Ward, the com
mand passed to a certain Burgevin, who united in his own
proper person all the vices and aU the audacity of a cotidottiere
of the lowest class. This monster, who was dismissed the
service, passed over to the enemy, the rebel Taepings, but vety
soon quarrelled with them, was shut up in a cage, marched
from one town to another, and finally perished miserably in
crossing a river. At this time they learned that the English
government had authorized its officers to serve temporarily
under the Chinese colours. A young officer of the Royal
Engineers, Major Charles Robert Gordon, took the command
of the remains of the shattered " Ward force," organized it
anew, brought It up to 6,000 men, converted it into an excel
lent body of troops, inspired It with all soldier-like virtues, led
it on from victory to victory, annihilated the rebels, and re
established, in less than a year, peace and tranquillity through
out the whole extent of this vast pi-ovInce.
The Investment (more or less strict) of Shanghai had lasted
for more than tiiiee years. It was hoped that the greater

/. SHANGHAI 465
part of the immigrants would settle there permanently. They
had brought their wives and children, and, thanks to the con
tact with the foreigners, easily found means to earn their bread.
The rich Chinese and those in easy circumstances had
acquired, as people thought, a taste for the comforts, security,
and enjoyments o» European life. Vain and terrible illusion !
The vety day when the news of the taking of Suchow ' (one of
the great deeds of Gordon's heroic band) arrived at Shanghai,
the Chinese began to make their preparations for departure.
The upper classes were the first to regain their ravaged horae-
steads : the great mass of their fellow-countrymen followed
them in a few weeks. In less than two years, the whole Chinese
population, which reckoned some hundreds of thousands of
souls, fell to 65,000^ All the new quarters built for their
yellow occupants were abandoned. Very soon, lands which
had been bought lor fabulous sums ceased to have any value at
all, and, as the greater part of these houses had been built on
credit, bankraptcy became the order of the day. The conster
nation was such, that at first they despaired of surviving the
• November 1863.
= In round numbers, taken from ofScial sources, the following is a tabular
statement of the native and foreign population of the Anglo-American
and French concessions and that of Hongkow (the right bank of the
Hwang-pu :)
Anglo-American Concession — 1862-3 1865 1869
Chinese  250,000 90,500 86,500
Foreigners  3,000 5,130 7,200
French Concession —
Chinese  80,000 55,500 32,000
Foreigners (French)  300 300
The total of 7,500 foreigners — that is, English, American, German and
French — includes, vnth the residents, the floating population of the ships.
Since 1869 this floating population has diminished, in consequence of the
decrease of tonnage, in proportion as sailing-ships have been replaced by
steam. To-day, according to statistics which I believe to be correct, the
foreign population of the concessions does not amount to more than 6,200,
in the foUovring proportions : —
English ........ 3,200
Americans ...•..., 1,300
Germans ..•  700
French  400
All other nations ...... 600
Chinese population ...... 100,000
Chinese city and its suburbs .... 125,000
H H

466 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
crisis. But if tempests ravage the soil they purify the air.
Shanghai came out of this fiety trial wounded, temporarily
impoverished, but regenerated, warned by her past faults, and
understanding (for several reasons which I shall allude to later)
that the era of fabulous gains and sudden and princely fortunes
was closed to her for ever.
It is impossible to understand Shanghai without taking into
account the commercial movements going on in other ports
of the Chinese empire opened to foreigners. And no one can
have a correct idea of them without knowing Shanghai, which
is the queen, the metropolitan, and the regulator of aU European
commerce with the Celestial Empire.
It has already been said that Shanghai owes its fortune and
its conditions of existence in a great measure to its geographical
position. Situated at only a short distance from Suchow, the
victualling centre of so many provinces ; near also to the
Yang-tse-kiang, the high road which leads lo the silk-producing
districts ; at a short distance from the sea, that road which leads
everywhere, and which especially leads to England, Shanghai is
the greatest emporium of English goods consumed in China.
By Suchow, they reach the vety centre of the empire ; by Tien
tsin, Pekin and all the northern provinces ; and it is a for
midable rival to European commerce in the south — that is to
say, of Hong Kong, which it begins to eclipse; of Canton,
which is only a shadow of Its former self; and of Macao, that
town which seems to sleep under its beautiful sky, and only
lives on heroic memories, the trade in coolies, and its gambling-
houses. Until these last times, Shanghai monopolised alto
gether the trade of the Yang-tse-kiang. It is stiU and always
will be the principal emporium. But since the opening of the
ports of Hankow, Chlnkiang and Kinkiang there is a slight dimi
nution in the exportation of tea, the first of these three factories,
situated in the interior, 700 miles from the mouth of the river,
having begun to export directly to London, Odessa, and Mel
bourne. As a general rule, the tea of the provinces of Kiangsi
and Hupeh is brought by the American steamers which ply on
the Yang-tse-kiang, sold here, and re-exported to Europe and
America. The opening of the little trade-ports on the coast
has also, though in a less degree, reacted on the Shanghai
market But it is not likely that this rivalry will seriously

/. * SHANGHAI 467
damage it. Its distributing power remains intact. To un
derstand it, it is necessary to cast a glance on the transformation
which European commerce in China has undergone In the last
few years.'
The times of great and startiing successes are already long
since past In those days colossal fortunes were made, and as
rapidly lost. Men speculated, or rather I should say, gambled
with unknown elements. Men of genius guessed the wants oi
the Chinese market, and founding their calculations on the
suggestions of instinct, sometimes realized enormous profits.
Others, less happily inspired, but also more rash, ruined them
selves in the outset and disappeared from the scene. Of
rivalty, there was little or none. By the power of capital, a
limited number of great houses distanced all smaller competi
tors, and possessed, in fact, the monopoly of the Chinese
commerce. Between these £reat houses, however, the rivalty
was as keen as possible. We have all heard of the steamers
which Jardine and Russell used regularly to charter and send
to Singapore to get the last quotations of the London market,
and thanks to their extraordinary speed, to bring them to their
proprietors a few days, or It may be only a few hours, before
the arrival ofthe regular mail. The amelioration in the P. and
O. Service, and that of the Messageries Maritimes, without
speaking of the telegraph which has been established during
the last few weeks, has put an end to this kind of speculation,
which, however, deserves to be had in remembrance, because
it gives one an idea of the ways of trade at that time. To-day
' I here give a summary of the information I have successively obtained
at Shanghai, Che-fu, Taku, Tien-tsin, Pekin, Hong Kong, Canton, and
Macao, and I purposely abstain from giving the figures. Such of my
readers as may be interested in this matter will find them in the consular
reports published by the English government, and in the annual " Reports
on Trade," printed at Shanghai by order of Mr. Hart, which are very
minute and full of interesting details. What I wish is to give to my readers
a general idea of the recent phases in European trade, of the causes which
determined them, and the results which probably will ensue. Mr. Hart,
inspector-general, Mr. Harrison, commissary ofthe Chinese custom-houses,
the consuls of the different nations, and some leading European merchants
whom I met with in my wanderings, and last, not least, Mr. Charles
Winchester, formerly consul at Shanghai, have been most good-natured in
giving me every kind of information, for which I take this opportunity of
thanking them.
H H 2

468 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
we have two new elements to contend with : the perfect know
ledge which has been acquired of the wants and tastes of the
country, and the growing rivalry not only of a great number of
Europeans, but also of native merchants. The result is this :
first, the gift of divination has no longer any field for its
exercise. There is no longer any guess-work. Everything is
known. Therefore, there are no more speculations flying
about : no more gambling or fabulous profits ; no more fortunes
gained in a day. People are become more solid, more
prudent, and more reasonable. Business is now done in
China as in London or Liverpool. One may grow rich ; but
it will be slowly, by the sweat of one's brow. As to rivalry, it
has become possible since, by the establishment of different
banks, everyone — that is, everyone who can give sufficient
securities, — can obtain money. In other words, the banks
have destroyed the monopoly of the merchant princes. Among
the new rivals, we must reckon the Germans and the Chinese.
As in Japan, and as in the Pacific States of North America,
evetywhere, in fact, where they appear in the arena, the
Germans beat the Anglo-Saxons by their greater fmgaHty, the
simplicity of their habits, and their willingness to be contented
with small profits. But the Chinese possess all these quaHties
in a still higher degree. Formerly English manufactures,
brought in English ships, were consigned to wholesale mer
chants ofthe same nation ; other English merchants, eitherat
Shanghai or in the smaller ports, sold them retail to native
traders, who carried them into the interior. Thus each article,
before it came to the consumer, passed through three hands.
To-day in the trade-ports, the Chinese buy direct from the
importer the goods they want, and sell them at once to the
consumer. Hence a notable reduction in the profits of the
English houses established at Shanghai and Hong Kong ; but
indirectiy a great advantage to trade and English navigation,
and for this reason : that the goods, no longer passing through
so many hands, can be sold at a cheaper rate and consequently
in greater quantities. _ .
One may attribute to other causes the diminution of the im
portance, not of trade in general, for that, on the contrary,
increases, but of the returns arising from individual operations.
Thus, the opening of the small ports, and the establishment of

/. SHANGHAI. 469
factories in each of them, has naturally drawn away part of
the transactions which formerly were concentrated in Shanghai
and Hong Kong. The opening of the Yang-tse-kiang to
foreign navigation tends, as I have said above, to deprive
Shfraghal in part of its importance as the great emporium of
tea, the three ports situated on the banks of this stream having
begun to export it directly. More than this, the black teas
gathered in Hunan and Hupeh, and formerly sent to Canton to
be from thence shipped to Europe, now take the shorter route
of Hankow and the VTang-tse-klang. A look on the map will
suffice to make us understand to what an extent the establish
ment of the " foreign devils " on the Blue River and its
neighbourhood makes itself felt in the heart of this immense
empire. To sum up all I have said, the commercial histoty of the
Europeans in China is divided into two eras, separated the one
from the other by the disasters brought about by the excess of
building speculations and the exodus of the Chinese from
Shanghai. The first was the reign of chance, of the unknown,
of audacity often crowned with success, of monopoly, wild
hopes, and frightful luxuty. The second era is a slow but
continual transformation, wfiich has not yet attained to its full
development; the rivalty of smaller merchants, rendered pos
sible by the estabhshment of banks ; the cessation of the
monopoly formerly possessed by the merchant princes ; the
increasing rivalry of the Chinese themselves ; the lowering of
the price of English goods and European articles in general,
and in consequence the increase of their consumption ; lastly,
in all business transactions, greater firmness, smaller individual
profits, but increased returns for the majority — that is, for
English and European trade in general. In this last point ol
view — which is the only one possible to Impartial judges — this
new phase of the commercial existence of Shanghai deserves
our suffrages.
But the merchants settled in China, and even the heads of
the great houses and almost aU business men, the last arrivals
as well as the pioneers of early days, judge very differently of
the present state of things. They see their profits more and
more reduced. Some who have anived with the hope of
realizing, like their predecessors, great fortunes in a short

470 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. L
time, have soon discovered their delusion. Add to this the
necessity for the one to reduce their establishments, which are
on too expensive a scale for the present times, and in their
business transactions to restrict operations begun in better
days, which are of too great magnitude now ; for tiie others, to
endeavour, by a multitude of little privations, to square their
accounts and make both ends meet ; and you will understand
the terrible complaints heard on all sides of the stagnation of
affairs and the decline of trade. The grounds for such com
plaints are real enough as regards individuals, but contraty to
truth with respect to the general development of navigation
and foreign trade. The result is, a general feeling of discon
tent, felt <and expressed in different degrees certainly,"but real,
deep, and important, because it might at any moment seriously
affect tlie political relations of the foreign powers with China.

CHAPTER IL
PEKIN.— FROM THE Sth TO THE 2gth OCTOBER.
The weariness and length of the voyage to Pekin. — Che-fu. — The Bar of
Taku. — The Pei-ho. — Tung-chow. — Arrival at Pekin. — General aspect
of the town. — Scenes in the streets.— The Temple of Heaven. — Confucius
and Buddha. — The great Lamaserie. — Shops and Chinese curiosities. —
The Jesuits' Observatory. — The last word of bureaucracy. — Pei-tang.^ —
The Portuguese cemetery. — The tombs o! the Mings. — Nan-kow. — The
Mongolian Chain. —The Great Wall.— The Summer Palace.— -The Cli
mate of Pekin. — The Imperial custom-houses intrusted to strangers.-—
Mr. Hart — Position of the Diplomatic Corps. — The question of audiences.
— Yisit to Prince Kung. — Departure.
October 8. — The voyage to Pekin is always a serious business.
In the vety best weather it takes ten days to go there from
Shanghai, and eight to retum. The steamers of the great
companies do not touch at any port to the north of the mouth
of the Yang-tse-kiang. But the ships formerly employed by
Jardine and RusseU to bring the first European news from
Singapore, and to-day to trade between the treaty ports, hold
frequent communications with Tien-tsin. The Jardines possess
eight vessels ; the Russells eighteen, thanks to the amount of
Chinese capital embarked in their houses. Among these
vessels there are some magnificent ones, which keep up the
speed of former times ; there are others which have suffered
from the changes of the last few years. Fate willed it that,
except for safety, we fall into the worst luck possible. The
Dragon of Jardine's is a nutshell ; good in a storm, perhaps,
but a horribly slow goer. The food, the cabins, the waiting

472 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
are all equally detestable. But the captain, an old sea dog,
knows his trade. His staff is composed of a first and second
officer and an engineer. Saving these four Englishmen, the
whole crew is composed of coolies ; for here, as in the Ameri
can Pacific boats, European sailors are not lo be had ; or If
you do get them, they are of the worst possible description,
without control or discipline, given to drinking and gambling,
and deserting on every possible occasion. More than this, at
one or two of the most important points, lighthouses are
entirely wanting. Fortunately, the officers of the English and
French navy have made a hydrographical survey of the coast,
which we are about to follow. Lastly, only a short distance
(about 1 20 miles from Cape Shantung) separates us from the
unknown and inhospitable shores of the Corea. To risit
Pekin, October is the best month ; but it is the worst for
navigation. At this season the Yellow Sea is lashed by
the north vrinds, which, rising unexpectedly, blow for twelve
hours with the utmost fury in the Gulf of Liatung, for twenty-
four in the Gulf of P^-chi-li, and further south for three or
four days.
We left Shanghai this morning, and arrived towards noon at
the mouth of the Yang-tse-kiang. In consequence of the bad
weather, the captain cast anchor close to the lighthouse.
Alongside of us is a magnificent steamer of Russell's. She
left Shanghai three days ago. What a pleasant prospect I It
is blowing a regular gale. A freezing rain Is faUing in tonents.
A black curtain hides the shores from us altogether. Below us
the river is foaming ; angry crests rise above its muddy waves.
In the cabin my time is spent in hunting cockroaches. The
steward sniUes at me disdainfully. " So much time wasted ! "
he says to me in his " pigeon " EngHsh : ' " Many piecy
beetey." He seemed quite proud of them. "No boat of
Jardine's has so many," he exclaimed. There are only four
passengers on board, and these four passengers are, myself;
a young Englishman, M. J. M., my amiable feUow-traveller
across the Pacific, whom I found again at Shanghai ; his
friend, a yaung American ; and Mr. Boyce. Mr. Boyce Is the
principal architect and inspector of the govemment buildings
' A kind of lingua-Franca which the English and Chinese make use oi
in tills country.

//. PEKIN. 473
belonging to the English government in China and Japan.
From going frequently to Pekin he has picked up a very
tolerable acquaintance with the Chinese tongue, and has been
good enough to volunteer to be our guide.
October 9. — At nine o'clock in the morning tiie Dragon
weighed anchor, and went out to sea. Weather awful ; wind
still to the north. The ships, whose course Is towards the
Liatung Gulf, are obliged to steer to the north-north-east. It
is an immense way round, but the only means of avoiding the
shoals caused by the quantities of slime and other matters
which the Yang-tse-kiang brings from the interior, from the
western provinces, and even from the mountains of Thibet.
October 12. — ^Yesterday and the day before the weather was
vety bad. To-day all is changed. The storm has exhausted
itself. The sun has been pleased to unstiften our shrammed
bodies ; the air is light and bright. At eight o'clock we neared
the promontoty of Shantung. The fantastic outlines of the
mountains reminded one of the coasts of Provence ; but the
grey-green, yellowish sea has none of the beautiful tints 01 the
bright blue Mediterranean. During the whole morning we
coast along the cliffs. At their feet Is a narrow border of green,
with here and there little fishing-villages. There is nothing
surprising in seeing houses rise up everywhere, when we re
member that this province of Shantung alone is said to con
tain 28,000,000 of inhabitants. At eleven o'clock at night
we cast anchor at Che-fu.
October 13. — Che-fu is, so to speak, a colony of Shanghai.
Certain speculators from that great emporium built some houses
here a few years ago, which are at present occupied by about
1 20 Europeans and Americans. In this number are included
the inspectors of the French naval station and the cosmopolite
officials of the imperial customhouses. The concession extends
to the foot of a little promontory crowned by the residence of
the EngHsh consul and by a Chinese lighthouse. The nativr-
town, which is small, is called Ten-Tai. In front is a chain t f
low rocks.
We are in a harbour full of Chinese junks built at Bankok

474 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
(Siam) for the Chinese merchant service. There is a good deal
of activity in the roadstead, and a briUiant future is prophesied
for this factoty. It wUl be, they say, the centre of the Corean
trade, and of that of the Russian sea-coast. In the meantl.ne
Che-fu has nothing to boast of but Its climate, which is the
most temperate and healthy on the whole coast During the
hot season it is, consequently, the resort both of the rich mer
chants and the diplomats. Then this solitude is brightened up
a little. One sees smart and elegant ladles and gentlemen In
bathing costumes, all lodged in two or three wretched little
houses, but well fed by a certain SIgnor Pignatelli, an enterpris
ing ItaHan, who has had the courage to open an hotel (the best
m China) on this inhospitable shore. Everything is comparative
in this world. In my eyes, Che-fu is monotonous, triste, and
ugly. But to the toilers at Shanghai and the exiles of Pekin,
it is a real terrestrial paradise.
We breakfasted with Mr. Mayers, the principal author of a
book which cannot be too highly recommended, called " The
Treaty Ports of China and Japan."' At twelve o'clock the
Dragon again got under way, crossed slowly enough the Pd-
chi-li Gulf, arrived towards evening before the bar of Taku,
and there ran fast aground In the mud !
October 15. — The rising tide enables us to get afloat again.
The bar is passed, and we enter the Pei-ho. This river is a
perfect sea — an ocean — at this moment The whole countty,
from the mountains of Mongolia to the Gulf of Pd-chl-li, more
than 10,000 square miles, is tinder water, and 2,000,000 of the
inhabitants ruined. Since the beginning of this century' the
province of Chi-li had never been so cruelly tried. The
Dragon passed by a multitude of villages, all more or less sub
merged. Some men, squatted on the banks, were striving to
get a miserable subsistence by the help of some large nets,
which they plunged into the stream by means of a kind of
rocker, and which they drew out again filled with a multitude
of little fishes. The country — at least the small proportion
of it which is visible — the clear and cloudless sky, the dry
atomsphere, the willows, the fields of maize, and tufts of rushes,
made me fancy myself on the banks of the Lower Danube^
" Quoted above. ' The great inundation of 1803.

n. PEKIN. 475
The houses even, which are all built of mud, have no particular
Chinese character. The men alone remind the traveller of the
distance which separates him from Europe.
The Pei-ho, so dreaded by sailors on account of the continual
shiftings of its current, is worse than ever at this moment A
few days ago, one of the steamers coming down, struck on the
flags of the great highroad to Pekin, which is still under water !
From one reach to another we steam on, slowly enough, for the
stream has endless windings. At last, towards twelve o'clock,
we perceive the spire of a church ; about twenty German,
Norwegian, English, and Danish sailing-ships, all dressed out
with flags in honour of Sunday ; and a great yellow house, the
English Consulate. We are at Tien-tsin. This most weari
some voyage is, therefore, at an end. Eight days and seven
nights making 750 miles !
October 16 to 19. — This moming an unexpected difficulty —
i.e., the absolute refusal of the taoiai, or head of the custom
house, to give me my passport — threatened to bring abruptly to
an end my peregrinations in the Celestial Empire. Mr. Lay,
the English consul, having been obliging enough to ask for this
indispensable article for me, was answered by a categorical
refusal. "This foreigner," said his Excellency, "has nothing
on earth to do at Pekin. He will have no passport from me."
To which Mr. Lay, referring to the stipulations of the treaty,
replied : " If you choose to refuse him a passport, he wUl
simply go without one." The answer was not long in coming :
" I do not choose," replied the great man with a black pigtail,
" that this foreigner should be guilty of an infraction of oui
laws. Here is the passport." What do you think of this way
of masking a retreat ? As to the passport, it is a fine specimen
of Chinese caligraphy. It ought to be put under a glass case.
This difficulty having been happily smoothed down, we settle
ourselves comfortably enough in our boats, each of which Is
furnished with a great sail, and manned by three rowers. In
China, without reckoning the natural arteries of the country,
an immense network of canals intersects the whole territory.
Everyone prefers traveUIng by water. Hence they have brought
this kind of locomotion to great perfection. At the moment I am
getting into my house-boat, as it is called, I see a Chinese of

476 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
superior appearance arranging my property, making my bed,
and giving minute directions to A-kao, my young page, a charm
ing and inteUigent child, whom one of my Shanghai friends has
most kindly lent to me for the voyage. This Chinese, to my
still further amazement, addresses me in the purest possible
French I He turns out to be Father Delmasure de Roubaix, a
Lazarist, who is at the head of what remains of the Catholic
mission of Tien-tsin.
Here we are fairly off. If it were not for the draughts ot
air, and our unpleasant proximity to our rowers, their snoring
during the night, and the odours they exhale night and day ;
if it were not, also, for the slowness of our progress, the
hideous monotony of the country — a bare and flooded plain
up to the very edge of the horizon — this little voyage would
be vety agreeable. There is not a breath of wind; and
our men, who are toiling for sixteen or eighteen hours a
day, are constantly obliged to track and drag the boats after
them. Whilst they are painfully ascending the stream we often
land, and, walking through the fields, rejoin- our floating-houses
at dinner-time. It is always with great satisfaction that I hear
A-kao, standing on the prow, cty out: " Bleakfast leady."
(The Chinese cannot pronounce the r.) At a given signal the
cooking-boat rejoins the four house-boats, and we step into
Mr. Boyce's, where, thanks to the prorisions brought from
Shanghai and Tien-tsin, and to the skill of our native cook, a
most excellent meal is served up to us.
The villages which I go through on foot offer no object of -
interest But everywhere there is a crowd. The population
swarms. The children call me a foreign devil; the men look
at me with a cold, inquiring glance ; and begin to laugh dis
dainfully as soon as I have passed ; the women ran away and
hide themselves. Pedlars go from house to house crying their
miserable wares. Evetything is dirty, poor, and mean, saving
Nature, who has amused herself by creating innumerable
Chinese. Higher up the inundations begin to diminish. We come
upon well-cultivated fields — cotton, beans, the castor-oil plants,
and thousands of peasants hard at work. Thefr carts have
curious teams; here, a horse and an ass; there, a buffalo, a
donkey, and a cow. I saw one which was dragged by 'hree

//. PEKIN, 477
men, and anotiierwith a woman and an ass harnessed together.
On the river we met numberless junks, some of them of great
tonnage. To-day, the 19th October, at twelve o'clock, we arrived at
Tung-chow. The distance from Tien-tsin by water is a hundred
and twenty-six miles, and eighty by land. The ordinary time
taken in the voyage Is four or five days. Ours has only lasted
three. Tung-chow, situated thirteen miles to the east of Pekin, is
united to the capital, of which it is the port (for the Pei-ho
arrives here from the north-east), by a canal and a royal road,
all paved with slabs of marble, but completely neglected and
hardly possible for carriages. A forest of masts stretches as
far as the eye can reach : and the shore swarms with human
beings — yellow, dirty, and covered with rags. All are occupied
-n'ith the lading and unlading of ships. Behind this ants'-nest,
at a little distance from the stream, stretch the sombre, crenel
lated walls of the town. Further on one perceives a high
pagoda of several stories. Saving the sky — which, for the
moment, is bright — the earth and the water, the skin and the
clothes of the Inhabitants, the walls and the beasts of burden,
all are mud-colour.
Hardly had we reached the shore when a Cossack belonging
to M. le General Vlangali, the Russian minister in China,
followed by a mafu (or groom) came on board. He brought
me a most kind letter from the envoy, who, wamed by a
messenger of my arrival, sent me his horses, offered me anew
the shelter of his hospitable roof, and, as a man of experience,
gave me some useful hints as to the way of dealing with the
Mongol pony which he had destined for my use. The Cossack
delights me. To everything that I say In German, French, or
English, he answers me by one single word, of a sound difficult
to seize, but which he repeats again and again, with an energy
which fills rae with confidence. I learnt afterwards that this
raagic word was " Slusheyu " (I will obey). " I wish to start at
once." — "Slusheyu." "My companions want horses too." —
"Slusheyu." " How are v^e to get through this crowd without
being suffocated?" — "Slusheyu." And this was not a vain
word. This child of the steppes guessed all I wanted ; with him

478 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, CIup.
instinct replaced the knowledge of languages. To begin with,
he pilots me admirably through the crowd. Half-way we meet
a European on horseback. This was M. Starzoff, the head of
the most important Russian house In Tien-tsin, and I think In
China. He took me outside the town to a temple, transformed
into a hotel, where (the rare) European travellers are accus
tomed to lodge, presented his young wife to me, accompanied
me Into the town, and, with the help of the Cossack, found
horses for all my friends.
We first made the tour of the ramparts. The muddy waters
of the Pei-ho, so full of Hfe and business near the town, but
which higher up are entirely deserted, lose themselves in the
far distance. A slight elevation of the soil and a few trees
intercept the view towards Pekin. At our feet is a sea of
black roofs. The streets are Hke crevasses. You can only
just see the heads of the camels which are passing. The
crowd, which throngs and hustles one another, screaming and
shouting, remains Invisible. Below the wall, and all along our
road, lies the disgusting filth of many generations. One feels
oneself in Dante's circle —
" Pute la terra che questo riceiie."
In some places the broken wall had hardly enough solid
stones left to place one's foot upon. But the horrible prospect
of retracing our steps makes us bravely face this perUous
passage. Finally, by scrambling over the remains of a staircase,
we come Into the street The little caravan is at last organized.
Madame Starzoff Is an excellent horsewoman. She haa put on
her riding-habit and placed herself at the head of our column.
The streets are narrow and crowded, the pavement slippety.
At each step I hear M. Starzoff cry out: "Beware of the
camels 1 "
They certainly look at us with an evil eye. Evidentiy the
foreign devils are not popular in China. The camels and
mules bite you; the dogs bark at you; the Mongol ponies
kick and rear whenever you try to mount them. Although we
went as quickly as we possibly could, we were more than half
an hour going through the town.
Our amiable hosts of Tung-chow took leave of us at the fine
bridge called Palikao —built of white marble, and ornamented

II. TEKIN. 479
with curious sculptures — which has become so famous since
the last war. The high road being In such a wretched state,
besides being encumbered by carts, horsemen, and foot-pas
sengers, we follow the south bank of the canal ; but the time
is running on ; the gates of Pekin are rigorously closed at
Eunset ; so that we had no alternative but to ride as hard as
we could, sometimes on the dikes, sometimes In the path, some
times across the fields. Groups of trees, villages, and solitary
houses, surrounded by kitchen-gardens, contrast pleasantiy
with the monotonous banks of the Pei-ho, and especially with
the loathsome horrors of the town of Tung-chow.
On coming suddenly out of a hollow road an exclamation
of surprise and delight escaped us, and involuntarily we each
stopped our horse short Before us was the sun's disk. Just
below this setting luminary, like a pale, transparent black band,
was stretched out, as far as one could see, an immense crenel
lated wall. On three points only this straight line was broken
by the double roofs of the gates of the town. One can tell
the distance they are from each other by their different shades.
Above this sombre wall, hanging in the blue atmosphere Hke
a mirage, are the crests of the hills, on which rises the summer
palace. Further on, looking like soft white clouds, are the
Mongol mountains. Half an hour after, we passed, by the
gate called Tung-pien-men, into the Chinese town ; and by
an inner gate into the Tartar one. This is the grand moraent
for our Cossack. At our approach the armed guards rushed
to the gate to bar the way, and prevent our entrance ; but the
sight of our Russian horseman acted like a talisman on these
Cerberases. We were allowed to pass without the smallest
molestation. They did not even ask for our passports. The
most kind and cordial of welcomes awaited me at the Russian
Legation. At last I am In Pekin. The dream of my child
hood has been realized in the decline of my days.
Pekin, built many centuries before our era, fallen to the rank
of a provincial town after the dissolution of the kingdom of
Yen,' of which it was the capital, conquered by Genghis-
Kahn,'^ abandoned and rebuilt, has only become again the
capital of the eihpire since the beginning of the fifteenth
' In 222 B.C. = In 1215

48o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
century. From this era we may date its great wall and its
oldest buildings. Pekin, In that sense, may be called a com
paratively modern town. Its walls remind one of our strong
castles in feudal times. Only, here, everything Is colossal :
while in Europe the buildings of the middle ages are of small
dimensions. The walls of Pekin are fifty or sixty feet high ;
twenty, forty, and fifty feet wide ; and of a circumference of
more than twenty English miles ! In spite of this great exten'-,
sixteen gates only give access to the town.
The capital of the empire is composed of two towns, the
Tartar and the Chinese one. Seen on a ground plan, it repre
sents two parallelograms. The Tartar town is placed verti
cally as it were, on one of the sides of the Chinese city.
These appellations arose from the separation which for a long
time was maintained between the conquerors and the conquered
— between the Chinese and the men of the nor:'), who had
arrived from the other side of the Mongol mountains. To-day
a great many of the Chinese live in the Tartar town ; and
time has mitigated, though not entirely effaced, the antagonism
between the two races. In the centre of the Tartar town is
the palace of the emperor, the imperial town, called the
" Forbidden City," surrounded by walls, and, as its name
implies, inaccessible to mortals. The streets cross one
another at right angles. Some are wide, and some narrow.
High walls hide the houses of the rich from the curiosity of
the passers-by. The only houses which are visible are miser
able to look at, being nothing but mud huts, without any attempt
at architecture or any trace of ornament In the Chinese
town, where the commercial and industrial life of the place
seems to be concentrated, there are whole streets with nothing
but shops well furnished with native goods and a few European
articles. The chemists' shops, the tea-warehouses, and the
tobacco stores, are distinguished by magnificent fronts in
lacquer or gilt work, and by some colossal signboards hung
vertically to some poles placed before the doors.
In the Tartar town the interminable streets, which furrow it
from north to south, deserted at Intervals, or lined with poor
cabins, alternate with beautiful shops and walls surrounding
invisible palaces. But go on again a few steps and you come
back to solitude and misery. And yet you have never deviated

//. TEKIN. 481
from the straight line which reigns supremely in the capital of
tire Celestial Empire. These large arteries were formerly
paved with marble, which also covered over the streams. To
day evetything is falling into ruins. The temples are badly
kept The official residences of the great mandarins, always
placed at the angles of the streets, are not distinguishable from
the " yamens " of other towns — an inclosure or palisade round
the whole ; a great doorway, omamented with a coarsely-
painted dragon ; one or two flag-staffs ; and on the threshold
a host of beggars and place-hunters. These public buildings
— even the palace of the ministers, the Tsungll-yamen— do
not shine in cleanliness. That ineslstlble enemy, dust, has
invaded and tarnished them all — covered them with mud, and
saturated them with villanous smells ; for before arriving at
these higher regions it had dwelt in more humble domiciles and
whiried through the streets, which' in many places are simply
Immense depots of filth and Impurities of every sort
It is not an easy task to walk about in Pekin. Whether you
are on foot or on horseback, you have not the time to look
about you ; and yet, if everything Is not beautiful, all is curious,
new, and interesting. But your attention is absorbed by the
holes which the rain has made in the flags, by the deep ruts
left by the cart-wheels, by the littie bridges of planks thrown
over black and stinking streams, by the long files of camels
with two humps (the height of elephants) which are bearing
Mongols with large faces, flattened noses, foolish laughs, but
frank" and loyal expressions. Beware, too, of the hack-cabs
which abound. They are carts harnessed to one or two ponies,
covered by the half of a cyHndrlcal tent, and provided with a
kind of hood or awning, which shelters both coachman and
horses. These primitive caniages circulate by hundreds, for
litters and sedan-chairs are the privilege of mandarins of a
certain rank. Here comes one of them. Four coolies carry
his chair ; they are going at a trot ; half-a-dozen servants follow
him. Their liveries are dirty and worn, and the chair is in
the same state : but the mandarin who occupies it has a clean
face and hands ; his linen is white ; his dress cared for ; all
about him breathes an air of high bureaucracy. Furnished
with a huge pair of spectacles, he is profoundly absorbed in
reading a file of papers. He is a member of the CouncU of
I I

482 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD, Chap.
State, going to the councU and preparing his report An
obstrtjctlon in the street compels us for a few minutes to stop
still right opposite this magnate's chair. He stares at us with
a disdainful look, and then returns to the study of his papers.
It is impossible to get on. Let us take this quieter side-
street which runs along the wall of the "Forbidden City."
But here comes another difficulty — a middle-class marriage
procession. The young coujile, the near relations, and the
other members of the family or friends— all those who have
been invited to the wedding, in fact — are In hack-cabs. It
reminded me of Paris and the young couples with their escorts
who drive about the Bois de Boulogne.
We wander about in this way for hours, which seem to be
only so many minutes. Our Mongol ponies, saving sundry
impatient freaks, behave themselves admirably. We have
ridden along the sides of the " Imperial " or " Forbidden
City," which is situated, greatly to the inconvenience of ordinary
mortals, in the very centre of Pekin, thus breaking the diagonal
line of the streets, and compelling the passers-by to make a
great detour. Now we come into the principal thoroughfare,
which crosses the northern quarter of the town, and the impos
ing spectacle of a great funeral Is before us. To judge by its
magnificence, it surely must be the remains of a minister oi
some member of the imperial family whom they are bearing to
his last abode. My error Is quickly rectified : he who is about
to rejoin the spirits of his ancestors is only a little official of
the fourth class. But reverence for the dead and the love of
family — those two fundamental virtues in the Chinese character
— explain the pomp displayed in these circumstances. Unfor
tunately, this proof of the regrets with which the dead are sur
rounded is often a source of great difficulties and even ruin to
the survivors. The body was borne under a huge baldachino
in scarlet cloth, richly and barbarously ornamented with fringes
and gold baubles. Before the coffin an empty chair, hung
with white, was carried, which was supposed to hold the soul of '
the departed. The family followed in hack-coaches. Every
one was in mourning ; even the" hackney coachmen had a white
handkerchief on their hats. The family and friends formed
the shabby part of the procession ; but the dead man himself
made his exit out of the world like a great personage. To the

//. PEKIN. 4S3
magnificence 01 the coffin corresponded the number and rich
ness of the flags, parasols, and gilt or lacquered lances, which
were borne by men walking two and two on each side of the
road. I call " parasols " some long silk tubes, sometimes red,
sometimes blue, ornamented with fringes, and richly brocaded
in gold, some covered with inscriptions, others with grotesque
designs of dragons and monsters. At certain distances, men
dressed as fools, in tight-fitting clothes and caps of scarlet silk,
struck a gong, and thus regulated the pace of the procession.
Bands of music played alternately — that is, filled the air with
h*rsh and discordant sounds.
In contrast with the pomp of this funeral scene was the in-
dlfi'erence of the passers-by. I did not see a single one who
stopped. In fact, it was as much as they did to cast a glance
at it, and that glance was an ill-tempered one, for business-men
don't like obstractlons in their way. They are besides blasi
with these sights, which are repeated evety day, and which
interest no one but the mourners, and especially the dead man
himself. I like walking about Pekin, for here everything is different
from what one sees elsewhere.
We are in a street leading to one of the gates of the " For
bidden City." I have a great wish to peep in ; and as the
double gates are open I can give myself that satisfaction.
Only what I see of the Pekin reserved for the emperor, and
what I know of the Pekin accessible to the profane, is as like
as two peas.
Our attention is attracted by a group of people gesticulating
and howling round a half naked man. A Chinese woman,
foaming with rage, is behaving to him like one possessed.
This man has just stolen a little thing, which he stUl holds. It
was a honible and yet grotesque scene ; to paint it, one needed
the pencil of the artist of the " Danse Macabre." All of a
sudden there is complete silence. An old man appears.
Gentleness is depicted on his face, and dignity in his manner.
He summons the accuser and the accused, and puts them
through a short interrogatoty. Then he touches the thief on
the shoulder and walks away. Everyone hastens to make a
line so as to give him a free passage. At a distance of two
hundred steps follows the malefactor, with his arms crossed
II z

484 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
on his chest and his head bent. This old man is a police
agent The unhappy thief, who seems to have other sins on
his conscience, has been arrested : he is going to prison, and
he knows what awaits him there — torture, the bamboo, hunger,
sickness, and death.
We have escaladed the walls, and are above the great central
gate which leads from the Chinese to the Tartar town. It is
called Chien-mgn. We are looking towards the north. At
our feet is the Corean quarter, which is composed of mud huts ;
further on, what appears to be a great forest, the tops of the
trees sprinkled with dust. Above this moving mass of dead
greyish-green rises to our right the tower of the Russian
ecclesiastical mission. Before us are the yellow roofs of the
imperial palace — a large group of buildings forming a square,
and surrounded by gardens, of which the finest ornament is
the artificial moutitain. This is the culminating point of Pekin.
The principal gateway, which gives access to the imperial town,
is at a short distance only from where we are standing. It
strikes us by its shabby appearance. This, however, is accord
ing to the ideas of the country. The greatest riches are hidden
under a poor exterior. Beyond the " Forbidden Cltj^" though
at a great distance, one sees the two unfinished towers of the
French church. Nearer to us, to our left, rises above the trees
the Portuguese cathedral. Below us on both sides of the gate,
of which the entablature serves us as an observatory, are seen
imposing masses of sloping walls, which divide the two towns.
This exterior inclosure, which Is crowned with fine battlements,
is supported by strong buttresses. The plan is not varied ; it
is composed of two elements, which are continually repeating
themselves ; but the optical effects of distance, and the conse
quent softening of the colours, enable you to measure — in
thought, at any rate — the enormous dimensions of this gigantic
work. At the foot of the wall, all along a deep ditch, files of
camels come and go incessantly. Turn towards the south, and
you will see a still more busy sight. A magnificent bridge of
white marble leads to the Chinese town, and to a great thorough
fare always thronged with foot-passengers, beasts of burden,
and carts ; this is the industrial quarter. On the horizon, in
front of you, rises above a curtain of trees the triple roof of

// PEKIN. 485
the Temple of Heaven, Towards the south west an elegant
pagoda, of several stories high, attracts the eye. Beyond,
stretches a great sandy plain, across which the north-east wind
is sweeping furiously, dashing the waves ol sand against the
walls, and sometimes covering them half-way up. Accumulated
at the foot of the vast inclosure, these moving downs threaten
to bury the wall itself; but the next violent gust will scatter
them all again to atoms. Nothing can be more triste than the
country round Pekin : it is a steppe without any apparent limit
The horizon is lost in the dusty haze of the air, so that you see
the tops of the mountains, but rarely their base.
Pekin is like a great camp of barbarians bivouacking round
the tent of their chief, and sheltering those who till the ground.
The nomad protects the tiller of the soil. Ah ! it is indeed
Asia ; and I understand that, in the imagination of the people
of the high central lands irom Ural to Kashgar, from Kiachta
to Hindukush, Shuntian (Pekin) is the city of cities, the
tenestrial paradise, the centre of the world. To me it is the
t)fpe of the ancient cities mentioned in the Bible. It is Babel
or Nineveh — grand, heroic, and barbarous.
After taking some solitary walks, I joined a joyous and
numerous cavalcade of horsemen. We are all mounted on
good Mongol ponies — a little rough, perhaps, somewhat vicious,
and disposed to rear and take the bit between their teeth, as
children of the steppes are apt to do, but well-fed, well-groomed,
and proud of the noble blood which flows in their veins.
We cross the Chinese city in all its length, and come out on
a great, irregular square in front of a vast inclosure, and of the
gate (happily open at this vety moment) of Tientan, the Temple
of Heaven, which the emperor goes to visit once a year, and
which the rest of the time Is abandoned and closed — closed
especially to strangers since some American travellers — men,
women, and children — took it into their heads to organize a
picnic on the very altar of the great antiual sacrifice. But
there Is a way of accommodating matters with heaven, or rather
with the guardians of the temple which bears its name. Only,
In order to get In, there must be a combination of craft, bold
ness, and money. The gates are open, and fate smiles upon
us. According to the advice of one of our amiable guides, we

486 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
pretend to be going quietiy on our way. Then he starts his
horse off at a galop, flies past the group of guards who wish to
dispute his passage, and enters the first court of the temple.
We follow him, and find ourselves within the inclosure.
Mr. L  , with his lynx eyes, at once perceives that another
of the gates is half-open. The same manoeuvre is repeated, and
in a few moments we are in the inner court The guardians,
half-a-dozen men, whose liveries, both as to cleanliness' and
appearance, leave a good deal to be desired, surround us with
cries of remonstrance. This is the moment to open negotia
tions, and for our gentlemen-interpreters to show off their know
ledge of the language and their diplomatic skill. Vety soon
the Chinese change their tone. Then, in sign of respect, they
let their pigtails fall upon their shoulders, which, according to
the custom of the common people, were rolled round thefr heads.
A few more explanations, and angry looks give place to smiles
and demonstrations of respect In a word, the affair was settled.
It was a question of calculation — that is, to approximate the
number of strokes of bamboo which the guardians would receive
having let in the " foreign devUs," and to make us pay a cor
responding number of taels. The sum haring been arranged to
the satisfaction of both parties, we are free to enter. They only
entreat us, with piteous cries, to cany off nothing and to de
stroy nothing, for in that case it would not be a question of
bamboo, but of losing their heads. That would go beyond a
joke. The Temple of Heaven, with its park and courts, surrounded
by walls and ditches, covers ground of more than two miles in
circumference. The sacred wood, however, which is composed
of cedars and other fir-trees, has a neglected appearance. The
principal building is the sanctuaty of tiie annual sacrifices ; it
was built in the middle of the last century. On a circular ter
race, surrounded by three balustrades in white marble, rises the
temple, which is also circular, or, property speaking, polygonal.
The waUs of the building consist of a fine grating, fantastically
sculptured, and enameUed with blue glass-work. Three roofs,
placed one above the other, affecting the shape of parasols, and
composed of blue tiles, cover this building, which is at one
and the same time elegant and baroque, fine and savage — dis
turbing to the eye from the curious crossing of the Hues, and

//. PEKIN. 487
yet pleasing from the harmony of its colours ; the deep blue
of the roof contrasting agreeably with the dark- brown walls
and pure white balustrades. Seen from a certain distance, the
curves in the balustrades as they descend and the curves in
the three parasols, which seem to bring them close together,
produce the strangest possible effect One cannot help ad
miring the imagination and invention of the architect. But
the merit is not altogether due to him. The effect is mainly
produced by the great size of the buildings and certain optical
laws. Chinese imagination goes for littie or nothing in the
matter. The interior is forbidden to mortals unless to the emperor,
the princes of the blood royal, and the personages in the suite
of his celestial majesty. Huge locks and bolts seemed to stop
us hopelessly on the threshold of the sanctuary. HappUy, none
of the guards have thought it necessary to follow us. Sure of
their bastonade, and sure also of their tails, of which they have
already pocketed a certain portion on account, they leave the
Temple of Heaven to our discretion. I therefore try the bolts,
and one of them is obliging enough to yield. Each of us has
the consciousness of being about to commit a grave indiscre
tion ; but curiosity gets the better of us. We go in. Four great
wooden columns, sculptured and painted, and united above by
four large beams equally coloured, support a gallery ornamented
with pUasters, on which rests the cupola. As far as the feeble
light enabled me to judge, I should say the cupola was flat, and,
like the columns, beams, and walls, ornamented with woodwork
painted and lacquered ; and it is the only one I have seen like
it in China. It is from the inside that, thanks to the light from
without, one can fully appreciate the rich and varied beauty
of the trellis-work, which takes the place of walls in this curious
building, and is Hke nothing but the finest spider's web.
There is no idol or statue whatever, and nothing to remind
one that you are in a house of prayer. It is simply a
magnificent and colossal kiosk, worthy of being the meeting-
place between the Master of Heaven and the master of
eartL The uncovered altar, on which the annual sacrifices are
offered, is simply a circular platform of white marble thirty feet
higfi, and composed of three stages, of which the diameters

433 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
measure one hundred and twenty, ninety, and sixty feet Here,
as in all the other buildings belonging to the Temple of Heaven,
the number three predominates. The number of steps is three,
six, nine, and so on — always a multiplication of three. It is
the same thing with every other part of the building, as, for
example, the flags of the pavement and the balustrades of
the galleries. In the Temple of Earth, situated to the north
of Pekin, it is the number two which prevails. No one
could explain to me the mystical meaning of this sacred
geometty. We also visited the kitchens, with their great boilers, where
the flesh of the sacrificed beasts is cooked ; the great corridor
leading to the haU of prayer ; and, lastly, the house occupied by
the emperor and his suite during the great annual sacrifices.
All these buildings are in a tolerably good state of preservation ;
but the interior Is neglected and covered with dust This is
perhaps owing to the emperor being a minor, and so not risit-
ing the sanctuaries yet
I have seen all the most celebrated temples, and evetywhere
I have been shocked at the evident neglect in which I found
thera, and especially at the absence of the faithful. The
official residences of the great mandarins are not better cared
for, because these dignitaries, compelled to keep up their
yametis at their own expense, rarely remain in office more than
three years. But how explain the miserable tum-out of their
secretaries and their servants? the still more miserable state of
the high roads throughout the empire, of the streets of the
capital, of the canals, of the bridges built in the last centUty of
fine marble and now falling into ruin ? How account for the
general look of decay in the whole countty, which contrasts so
strongly with the qualities and dispositions of the Chinese
people, who, with vigour, activity, and intelligence, invade
America, Australia, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean,
rivalling everywhere (though within certain limits, yet on a foot
ing of equality) the nations which are the most advanced in
material progress and civilization ?
This question, Hke so many others, I have asked of men
who, by their position, by their experience (the fruit of a
lengthened residence in China), and by their knowledge of the
language, of the men, and of things in this country, were better

//. PEKIN. 489
able than any others to give me the informStion I sought for
Mr. WiUiams, an American missionary, author of a book
entitled, " The Middle Kingdom," and who has inhabited
China for the last thirty-four years ; General Vlangali, Russian
minister ; Mr. Wade, first interpreter of the Legation for many
years, and now English minister ; Mr. Brown, his secretary-
interpreter ; Mr. Low, minister of the United States ; the
German geologist, Baron de Richthoven, who has visited
several portions of the empire, and whom I saw start for the
distant provinces of Kansu and Sze-chuen ; Mgr. de la Place,
vicar apostolic at Pekin ; M. Favler, of the same mission ;
M. Lenzi, interpreter of the Russian Legation ; M. Annecke,
charge d'affaires ; M. Bismarck, interpreter of the German
Legation ; — all these gentlemen, with a kindness and good
nature which greatly touched rae, never wearied of answering
my questions, enlightening my doubts, and rectitying my errors.
These Interesting conversations filled up the first hours of the
day, and singularly abridged the long autumn evenings, which
I always passed under the hospitable roof of General Vlangali,
or in the salotis of the other Legations.
" This decadence," I asked, " is it only apparent, or is
it real ? Is it the nation or only the dynasty which is being
extinguished ? "
" This is a theme," they answered, " which is both complex
and inexhaustible. China is a country of contradictions. The
ideas of the people are essentially conservative. Thefr ways
of thought, habits, dress — saving some insignificant modifica
tions — are to-day what they were a thousand or a couple of
thousand years ago. But nowhere are buildings constracted
which are so Httle solid or durable. With the exception of a
pagoda at — (the name escaped me) — in the province of Kiang
si, of which the construction goes back to the tenth century,
there Is not in the whole empire a single edifice which reckons
more than two hundred or two hundred and fifty years.
" They are essentially patriarchal ; and yet, except eight or
nine princely families, they have no hereditaty nobility. On
the contraty, the nobility confened by the emperor descends
one degree in each generation, and finally disappears. The
son of a marquis, for instance — that is, of a man whose rank
corresponds with the rank of a marquis in our country — will be

490 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
an earl ; his son, again, a baron ; his grandson will have no
title at all. The princes of the blood are an exception to this
rule, and etiquette grants them great privileges. The ministers
themselves are, vis-d,-vis these men, in a very inferior position.
On the other hand, all influence In the affairs of state is refused
to princes of the blood.
" Everyone may rise to the highest posts, the son of a coolie
as much as the son of a prince, provided he has passed a B.A.
examination in the principal town of his district, obtained a
licentiate in the capital of his province, and a doctor's degree
in the University of Pekin. A doctor may aspire to the highest
grades in the social hierarchy. As a Hteraty man he becomes
a member of a body which has real power, but to enjoy
individually his part In this power, he must follow an official
career, the doors of which are open to him in proportion to the
academic honours he has received. One may say then, and
with reason, that China is essentially a bureaucratic country.
And yet there is no state in the world where the number of
functionaries is so limited. In this immense empire there are
not above 12,000 mandarins,' that is, taking the word in its
common sense, which is, a man in the pay of the state. For —
and this is another contradiction — in no part of the world has
the principle of self-government, the autonomy of each parish
or town, been so fully developed.
" Let us go on now to consider the relations between the
sovereign and the people. The Chinaman is the submissive
and obedient subject of the emperor. The emperor himself Is
the representative of God and destiny. The obedience paid
to him must therefore be blind and unlimited. He is emperor
only because God has willed it so. If he be a bad prince, so
much the worse for the Chinese ; but that does not alter the
obligation laid upon each one of obeying his decrees, however
Iniquitous they may be. Of all crimes the greatest is rebeUion.
But if the rebellion succeeds, it is evident that Heaven has
willed it so. If, in consequence of a victorious rebellion, a
usurper takes possession of the throne, he enters immediately
' It is well known that this title of mandarin was given by the Portuguese
sailors in the sixteenth century to all officials, great and small. It comes
from the Portuguese word mandar — command, and is entirely unknown to
the Chinese themselves.

//. PEKIN, 491
into the enjoyment of all the rights and privileges (and they
are unlimited) of the chief of the dynasty he has dethroned.
Success gives legitimacy, because Is not success due to the
manifest will of God ? Thus the first duty of a citizen is
absolute fidelity to his sovereign ¦ and, at the same time, an
immediate and absolute acknowledgment of whatever may be
an accomplished fact Can any contradiction be greater or
more striking ?
" Having said thus much, -(\'e come to your question. The
Chinese people, having so high an idea of the power and
authority of the emperor, refer to him for a thousand things.
The maintenance of public order, the execution of the laws,
the repairs of the state buildings, bridges, high roads, canals,
fortresses, seaports, aU this is the emperor's afiair, not the
people's. Well, it happens that the present emperor Is a
minor, that his father was a man of debauched habits and
narrow mind, who never gave himself the trouble to look into
the affairs of state ; and that his grandfather was or passed for
being a man of very second-rate intelligence. The trade of a
sovereign is no sinecure In China. If the emperor takes no
part In pubHc affairs, or if he neglects to fulfil his duties, public
interests suffer. Thus, look at Pekin at this moment ; the
streets are like gutters, the streams are all open, the flags of
marble, which formerly covered them, are broken, and their
scattered pieces still further impede the circulation ; the temples
are in a state of dirt, which would be shocking to the faithful
if the faithful ever visited them ; the public buildings are in
the most deplorable state ; and outside the capital, the canals,
those great arteries of the country, are more than half ruined ;
the royal roads are transformed according to the season, into
dried-up torrents, rivers, or marshes. All this is the result of
the last two reigns. An energetic, active, and intelligent prince
would put all this to rights, and, in a few years, do away both
with the effects of the bad government of his predecessors, and
the decadence which strikes evei-y European, but which does
not surprise the natives."

This afternoon was devoted to a visit to the great temple of
Confiiclus, Wen-Miao and to the great Llamaserie, the Yung-

492 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
ho-kung, both one and the other situated to the north-east of
the Tartar town. From the university and temple of the great
philosopher to the sanctuaty of the great god there is only a
step. But in the order of ideas, the distance which separates
them is enormous. People say that the Buddhist religion is
the most widely-spread on earth. I doubt it, and think that
the number of adherents to Confucius, that is, the rationalists,
is still larger. But here they are in presence of one another.
Look at the residence of the philosopher. You enter by
a picturesque court, planted with cypresses, of which the
branches by a well-known process, are made to stretch out
horizontally. Let us leave to the learned the care of deter
mining the age of certain stones like bells, and covered with
characters, which have not yet been deciphered ; which is not
surprising, if it be true, that Confucius, five centuries and a half
before our era, inscribed them vrith his own hand. The great
hall is a magnificent empty void. No idols, only inscriptions,
the names of the phUosopher and of his disciples, and the whole
covered with thick coats of dust Here the emperor comes
annuaUy to say his prayers.
In the University of Confucius, which is situated close to the
Temple, and, I think, forms a part of it, the complete works of
the sage and of other classic authors, inscribed on tablets of
black stone, are arranged all round a little court AU these
buildings have an academic stamp about them, together with
a kind of court atmosphere ; which correspond with the position
and tum of mind of the head of the sect, or rather of the
pedant professor, and the elegant, learned courtier, called Con
fucius ; and with the high rank of the protectors of his remains,
the emperors, who have built and rebuilt these houses, which
are wrongly called temples, for they have nothing to do with
religion. Kien-lung, whose reign embraces two thirds of the last
centuty,' built the pretty apartment where the emperor comes
evety ten years to sit on a richly-sculptured wooden throne,
to hear read out to him some chosen pieces of classic authors.
We have now come to the great Llamaserie of Yung-ho-kung.
The bonzes, who are Moguls, are all in one hall saying their
office. One amongst them, the overiooker of the building,
aposfrophised us with a kind of brutality. By a blameable
» From 1736 to 1796,

//. PEKIN. 493
distraction, I had forgotten to throw away my cigar. As a
punishment, I am condemned to expulsion. But M. Lenzi, the
first interpreter ofthe Russian Legation and my amiable guide,
manages to appease the Cerberus, and the office, momentarily
interrupted, resumes it course. The priests, novices, and
acolytes, all vested in yellow tunics and cloaks, and all with
their heads completely shaved, were squatted on some benches
and chanting in choir. As to physiognomies I have rarely
seen any more stupid or more clever. Alongside of men,
exhausted by fasting, with eyes half closed, and an ascetic
look, there were younger ones full of life and health, and
some Httle boys whose e5'es glistened like burning coals. As
to the voices, two or three basses, worthy of the Venice or
Paris Opera, overpowered the nasal sounds of the multitude.
It has often been remarked by travellers how much the
solemnities of the Buddhist temples resemble the ceremonies
of the Catholic Church. Close to this hall Is the sanctuary of
Buddha — a sombre, nanow, but iraraensely high chapel, entirely
filled by the colossal statue of the god. The darkness adds to
the terrors of the spot. To see the details, and reach up to
the huge ears and shoulders of the divinity, we must go up
several stories.
Alongside are the apartments, now in ruins, which the
emperor, Yung-men, built for his thirteen sons, to prepare
them for an existence which was more claustral than princely.
The rooms, opening out of a corridor vrith circular doors, are
very small, but rich in pretty details. The house is built
against the northern wall of the town. I cannot say how
delighted I was vrith this fine but savage picture.
The great interest of the day to rae was the striking contrast
between the Temple of Reason and the Sanctuary of Faith —
between intellectual exercises and ascetic practices — between
philosophic speculations and superstitious belief — in a word,
between Confucius and Buddha.
Pass from a Wesleyan chapel, with its four bare walls, to the
pulpit of St. Peter's during pontifical high mass, and you will
find a less striking difference. Confucius was a moraHst He
gave raaxiras and counsels full of wisdom ; but politely
declining the discussion of a future state, he sought the source
of good and evil in the reason and will of each souL

494 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
People say that the Chinese are born sceptics. Is this a
well-attested fact ? If so, another, which no one disputes, would
seem to give the lie to this assertion. All educated persons
are sceptics ; but all the people are believers. The learned
have been fed entirely on the works of Confucius. Is it not
probable that It is precisely these doctrines of the philosopher,
which in the course of twenty-five centuries have moulded
men's minds, and developed those sceptical tendencies which
are so convenient during life, and so powerless to sustain or
give us corafort at the moment of death ? I read in a book of
an American Protestant missionary, whose name I forget, that
the literates in China, who are all atheists, ordinarily return at
the hour of death to the beHef and practices of Buddhism ; and
Catholic missionaries have confirmed this assertion. But if the
savants will not admit the existence of a God, there are no
legends so fabulous, no superstitions so gross, as not to be be
lieved by them, just as our strong minded men and women
believe in spirit-rapping and table-turning. At this moment. In
the north of China, the event of the day is the discovery, near
Tien-tsin, of a little serpent, brought by a peasant and exposed
in the temple. It is a dragon, they say ; and a dragon is a god.
The entire population, the governor-general of the province,
the taotai, and the magistrates of the town, are all gone with
great pomp to adore the little beast I asked some one, whose
judgment makes him an authority, " whether the governor and
other great personages did not look upon this visit to the serpent
as a political act — as a concession. In fact, made to the popular
superstition ? or whether they shared in it?"
" I am convinced," repHed my interlocutor, " that the vice
roy is as fully persuaded of the divinity of the serpent as the
lowest coolie." And to bear out his assertion, he mentioned
to me several facts which had lately occurred. Only the other
day one of the secretaries of Legation fell ill : they found out
that his house was damp, and the minister hastened to take
measures to improve its sanitary condition. He spoke of it to
a mandarin of high rank — a very intelligent, and even learned
man, — in a word, one who was very much superior to the
greater portion of the men of his class. "Do you fancy it is
the damp which has made that house unwholesome," he replied
gravely. " It is, fotishue (literally wind and water — that is, a

//. PEKIN. 495
charm — evU spirits). Why did you build that chimney so close
to your secretary's house? It Is from thence that the evil
spirits come out Don't you understand ? Of what use is It
to seek for any other explanation ? It Is quite evident"
"If the Portuguese cathedral," continued my friend, "has
not been destroyed during the two last persecutions of the
Christians — if it be still standing, it is doubtless owing to the
extreme aversion which the Chinese have for the demolition of
great houses. They believe that the evil spirits who inhabit
them come out of the rains and Infest the whole neighbourhood.
On the other hand, I believe that the literates, to hound on the
Tien-tsin mob against the missionaries and Sisters of Charity,
excited their fears (probably shared In by themselves', of the
towers and spires, which always fill the Chinese with dread, as
attracting the evil spirits. The spire of the Catholic church In
that town was a continual source of irritation and disquiet to
the Inhabitants. If they did not entirely destroy It, it was owing
partly to the solidity of the construction, which resisted all their
efforts, and partly because order was re-established before their
work could be accomplished. Look what happened here. When
the two towers of the French church, which has been recently
built, had got to a certain height, the government Intervened,
and made use of the pretext that from the top of these towers
indiscreet eyes might peer into the gardens and courts of the
imperial city. But the tme reason was the spirits ; and Mgr.
de la Place has done wisely to obey the wishes of the Tsungli-
yamen." These superstitious people are not fanatics. I have been
assured that, in matters of religion, among both learned and
unlearned, and , which Is more astonishing, among the Chinese
Buddhist clergy themselves, fanaticism in religion Is unknown.
It is not the same with the Mongols. The nearer one gets to
Thibet, the more the Intolerance in religious matters increases.
In China everyone may save his soul In his own way ; and if,
unhappily, an exception be made for the Christians, It is from
poHtical motives, and not on account of their faith.
The different sectaries of Confucius— the Taoists and the
Buddhists — live quietly alongside of one another, and I have
never heard that thefr peace was broken by any religious dis
cussions.

496 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
When Mgr. Mouly, the last vicar apostolic at Pekin, died
(in December 1858), they gave him a pompous funeral in ac
cordance with Chinese ideas. His body was carried to the
Portuguese cemetery in a rich coffin. The clergymen, dressed
in their sacerdotal robes, followed, bearing the cross at their
head. All the foreign ministers followed the procession, which
had to cross the great thoroughfare leading to the gate of Ping-
tsu-men. The streets, as evetyone knows, are only raised
dykes with two low sides. Well, all the people in carriages
whom they met, and among thera was a prince of the blood,
easily recognized by his green coach, got out of their own
accord on the footway, leaving to the Christians what we should
call the place of honour. The people looked on with interest
and curiosity, without showing the smallest hostUity.
There are, at Pekin, three or four noted shops, well furnished
with fine porcelain, sculptures in wood and ivoty, enamelled
china (cloisontik), and jade. Here, as evetywhere else, second-
rate articles abound, and real objects of art which deserve the
name are rare and at an exorbitant price. They offered me two
pretty vases of old china for ^80 sterling, an enormous sum
if you consider the value of money at this moraent and the
nature of the article. It is true that both foreign and native
amateurs abound. Europeans cannot trade in this capital,
where there are vety few foreign visitors, and where the only
residents are the members of the Legations and the mission
aries. But the Chinese merchants make battues in the houses
of individuals and send their purchases either to Shanghai or
to Tien-tsin through the medium of the European houses there
— the china, especially that known as cloisontd, being highly
appreciated in the elegant world of St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Really beautiful things, however, are rarely found in the shops.
The best way of making purchases is to buy things when the
occasion ofiers. The merchants bring to the Legations a quan
tity of objects which are more or less curious : it is a kind of
pedlaring which is renewed several times a week, and gives a
little variety to the monotonous lives of the diplomatists, whose
days, alas ! follow and repeat one another. But it is not
enough to have these curiosities shown to one ; one must know
how to bargain, that is, to fix the price yourself and never ex-

//. PEKIN. 497
ceed it ; that is to say, you must be a connoisseur, nViA not be in
a hurry. The owner of the coveted bit of china will carry it
ofl", disappear for a month, reappear, then go away again, and
finally, perhaps, at the end of a year, accept your price. One
of the best connoisseurs I know in such matters is General
Vlangali. To poke about with him in the streets of Pekin
and to examine in his company the miUtitude of curiosities,
which almost every day are spread out in his garden for sale, is
one of the most amusing studies and yet the greatest tempta-
. tion possible.
To sum up the whole, I have seen very few things which
seemed to me to possess a really intrinsic or artistic value.
What struck me most In the productions of the best periods
was the beauty of the colouring and the finish of the work. I
think the Chinese have less taste than the Japanese ; that their
colours are more startling and less harmonious ; their designs
less rich in invention and deprived of that humour which, in
my idea, makes the principal charm of Japanese art Jade,
which is an extremely hard stone, and very difficult to work, is
particularly liked by the natives. In some shops there is a
great choice. Every man of rank wears a ring of white or
green jade.
Europe is flooded with ivoty carvings. Here I have only
seen one real bijou ; the rest were commonplace and uninter
esting. In an artistic point of view I prefer wood-carvings.
Their lacquer-work does not seem to me comparable to the old
Japanese lacquer. As to porcelain, however, contraty, I believe,
to the general opinion, I give the preference to the Chinese.
Of course, I am speaking now of large pieces of the first class.
General Vlangali has a small but precious collection of the vases
of the Ming dynasty, and of the emperors of the last centuty.
The most ancient, those of Ming, go back to the end of the
sixteenth century or the beginning of the seventeenth. They
are remarkable for the brilliancy of their colours ; those of the
last century for the boldness of the design. It is impossible
not to recognize the influence of European taste. How explain
that strange and curious analogy with baroque art whicli I have
already spoken of in the Japanese sculptures of the reign of
Taiko-Sama and his immediate successors ? As to what con-
cems China, the explanation is more easy. It is to the Jesuits,
K K

498 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
then holding high positions in the court of Pekin and constantly
in communication with Europe (from whence they obtained
books, maps, designs, and instruments), that we raust attribute
this infusion, though In a small degree, certainly, of Italian
baroquism, and later on, of French rococo of the time of
Louis XIV.
The vases now made at Pekin are inferior, both with regard
to design and colouring; nevertheless, they still manufacture
some fine things ; and in this branch of industty I do not see
the falllng-off which stmck me so much in the same produc
tions in Japan, and especially in the vases of Nagasaki. As to
the cloisotine, it is certainly not to be compared with what was
made In the last century. The designs are less correct and
pure, and the enamel does not possess those delicate shades so
admired in old specimens. We went to see the studio of a
ceramic artist. Nothing could be more simple than his tools
or his proceedings. In the middle of a little court a few feet
square, was a fire, round which two children were walking and
fanning the flame, so as to produce a given heat Alongside,
under a miserable shed, two or three workmen, under the
superintendence of the master, shared the toil, and really
produced some very pretty things.
For my part, I own I cannot be enthusiastic about Chinese
china. It Is artificial and not artistia Real classical beauty is
entirely wanting. The more our coraraunications with the
extreme East are multiplied, the raore I think the taste will
diminish in Europe for objects pf which the great merit,
originaUy, was precisely the difficulty of obtaining them.
M. Fritsche, a learned young Russian, sent by his govem
ment on a scientific mission, has been good enough to ac
company me to the Jesuit observatory, situated to the east of
the Tartar city, between the Tung-pien-men and Chi-ho-men
gates. We cross the south-east angle of the town : an agglo
meration of mud-huts and of a multitude of miserable-looking
human beings. But how they swarm I What Is the population
of Pekin ? The geography books, which we learnt by heart in
our childhood, reckoned the number at 3,000,000. This, how
ever, must be an evident exaggeration. I put the question to
Mr. Williams, the best authority in these matters, and to two

//. PEKIN. 499
diploin.tts, vvho are also very well versed in such calculations.
AU three owned to me their complete Ignorance, The census
made by order of the imperial government does not deserve
reliance, they said. One is, therefore, reduced to conjectures.
Their calculations vaty from 1,000,000 to 800,000 or 500,000,
At the time of Baron Gros' embassy, himself a studious and
well-informed person, he obtained from Prince Kung statisti
cal details which gave the population of the empire and its
tributary states at 525,000,000.' According to Mr. Wade, the
Chinese population before the Taeping rebellion amounted
to 400,000,000. The opinion of certain authors who have,
since this period, diminished the population by one-half, is
evidently erroneous.
Here we are arrived at the end of our walk, a square, low
tower, adjoining the wall of the town. In the court are two
planispheres supported on bronze consoles, in the form of
dragons, beautifully carved. On the entablature of the town,
equally in the open air, are several quadrants and a celestial
globe, on which is marked the heaven of Pekin : the whole In
a perfect state of preservation. My companion assured me
that in a scientific point of view, these instruments are real
chefs-d'ceuvre. They are not less so as works of art.
Look at this massive wall, this long line of crenellated bas
tions, the results of brutal force. At your feet. In the town,
a labyrinth of huts, surmounted by a forest ; beyond, the
desert ; then the horizon ; and, above all, the azure sky.
Evetywhere the most profound silence, interrupted only by
sounds which seem to come from the celestial regions : they
are white clouds of pigeons which, at an extraordinary height,
vibrate, in passing, their Eollan harps.^ Everything in this
scene is strange, fantastic, or barbarous, saving these instru
ments, destined to raeasure heaven, abandoned It Is true, but
respected by raen and by the elements ; eloquent remains of
an already distant epoch, when It seemed possible that millions
' See Blue Book, China I. (1872) p. 6. See also, " On the Population
of China," an interesting article by Dr. Martin, of the French Legation at
fekin (Bulletin de la SociJte de Geograpliie Julliet-AoAt, 1872).
' At Pekin pigeons swarm. They are all furnished witii tiny bamboo
whistles which are excessively li,q;ht and whicli are fastened between their
wings to protect them from birds of prey. The sound of this ingenious
little instrument varies according to the speed of their flight.
K K 2

Soo A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
of human beings, not by force, but by persuasion, and vyith the
double light of preaching and of science, might be gained to
Christianity and civUization.
Very often, when I have been walking about Pekin, I have
thought of the heads of our diplomatic offices, who taught me so
carefully how to copy a despatch, how to fold it in a particular
manner, and especially how to give to everyone the courteous
appellation which is his due ; to shade, with a nice discernment,
the "perfect," "distinguished," or "highest consideration," &c.,
&C. These worthy men, these noble masters of paper and ink,
have for a long time slept the sleep ofthe just Why cannot I
evoke their names? How they would rejoice to find a great
capital entirely peopled with their fellows ! In truth, the
Chinese seem born bureaucrats. This is explained by the fact
that they must pass through the bureaux to arrive at any
important official position. If the mandarins are few In num
ber, a great number of Chinese possess the kind of knowledge
required of such functionaries. Look, for instance, at the
servants, who, in a social point of view, are vety superior to
ours : from their careful dress and their scrupulously clean nails,
you might take thera for gentlemen. What is the essence of red-
tapism ? The worship of routine. Routine is your compass,
your gospel, your habitation, your prison. It guides, enlightens,
and sustains you in doubt ; it shelters you In political tempests.
Governments fall, states cramble, but the the public offices
remain. After the storm is over you find there the same faces,
the same ideas, if they have any, and the same ways. The
lodging is narrow — there is no room for genius ; but good
sense, solid acquirements, a strong sense of duty and perfect
honesty, find there their home. To restiess spirits, to men
above the average, or who imagine themselves to be so, for
those, in fact, who kick against the pricks, such a position
becomes a forced imprisonment
In the capital of the Celestial Empire everything breathes of
redtaplsm. The subject of Chinese functionaries was often
discussed in our talks. They are accused of rapacity, venality,
and cruelty. The organization of the empire ; the union in
the hands of the sarae official of administrative and judicial
functions ; the independence which the representatives of the

//. PEKIN, 501
emperor enjoy in the provinces, which are real kingdoms ; the
want of control of any sort; the obligation weighing upon
them to send considerable sums to the imperial treasury ; their
miserable pay, which compels them almost to fleece those
under them ; the habit of the Tsungli-yamen to make them
disgorge on their return to Pekin, not in favour of the shorn
sheep, but of the state treasury ; — all this and a thousand
other circumstances explain, if they do not justify, the abuse
of justice, and the arbitrary acts of which the mandarins are
perhaps justly accused.
Fortunately, the strong family tie and the spirit of autonomy,
which are both so powerful in China, especially In the south,
joined to the horror they have of the intervention of the
mandarin, and of any recourse to his tribunal, considerably
restrain the action of the civil power, and replace It, in a great
measure, by patriarchal authority. Courts where, alongside of
the man whose age and social position give him the greatest
importance in his native town or village, are seated the notables
of the clan or of the municipality, take cognizance of all
matters of civil and often of criminal law. Tolerated — but not,
I think, legally constituted — ^these courts cannot pronounce a
sentence of death. Nevertheless, rather than refer the case to
the mandarin, rather than expose the criminal to have his head
cut off, or, which is the most ignominious fate, to be hacked to
pieces in little bits, and thus to compromise the fate of his
family, who are generally ingulfed in his ruin, the patriarch,
after having pronounced the sentence, says to the condemned :
"Thy crime is of such enormity that we ought to send thee to
jthe taotai, who will cut off thy head. If thou wilt escape this
junishment, go Into the next room, where thou wilt find a cord
or some poison." There has never been an instance of the
criminal prefening to go before the mandarin.
These delegates of imperial power are, therefore, certainly
not popular. It is allegeij, as an excuse, that they are all more
or less in the hands of their subordinates, who are also very
few in number and badly paid, so that they extort money
wherever they can. But all the mandarins are not bad. Some
times they win the esteem and affection of their subjects, and
at the expiration of their vice-royalty they receive from them,
as a testimony of regret, a scarlet sUk parasol, on which may

502 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
be read, embroidered in gold, the names of the donors. It is
this parasol which the functionary who Is happy enough to
possess one never faUs to have carried before his chair when
he appears in public.
One day, when taking a walk in the streets of the Tartar
city, I saw pass, with great fuss and pomp, a band of servants
preceding and following a sedan-chair. This was the minister
of finance — a great mandjou lord, and, as chief of one of the
eight banners, having the rank of marshal.
" The life of a statesman," remarked lately this Chinese
excellency, " is sometimes strewn with thorns. This is what
has just happened to me. My vice-banner-chief , begs to have
his salary paid from the first of the month. But as he only
entered upon his functions a fortnight after, this demand is
inadmissible. But, unfortunately, in my position as chief of
the banner, I cannot refuse him my support. I have, therefore,
written a note to the finance minister — that Is, to myself; and
evetything that could be said in favour of a pretension so
ridiculous and so contraty to law I have said. This done, in
my position as finance minister, I summoned my council, who,
being all entirely of my way of thinking (that is, as finance
minister), refused indignantly the petition of my vice-chief.
This resolution, duly approved by me as finance minister, has
been communicated to rae in an official note, with every regard
to ray position as marshal of the banner. In this latter quahty,
I of course cannot fail to express ray grave displeasure, which
is naturally shared by my vice-chief Also, he will not give in ;
and at this moment, as his natural head and protector, I am
occupied In drawing up an energetic protest, which I fear will
be displeasing to the finance minister. It is a grave and com
plicated matter. I do not know how it will end."
There are four Catholic churches and parishes here, all
served by the priests of the Lazarist congregation. The
cathedral, Nan-tatig (Church of the South\ comraonly called
the Portuguese Church, Is an imposing edifice of the seven
teenth century, and, according to the peninsular taste, abound
ing in baroque ornaments. The Quinas, the old heraldic de
vice or arras of Portugal, which formerly was placed above the
portal of this temple, the fruit of the piety and munificence

//. PEKIN. 503
of the "ir:0.'5t faithful" kings, have been replaced by the arms
of France.
Pci-tang {the Church of the North), situated in the centre of
the town, near the " Forbidden City," is a fine Gothic buUding
of modern erection. Its two towers remain unfinished. We
know why. At Pei-tang is the residence of the vicar-apostollc,
the principal hotise of the Lazarists in China, and the semlnaty.
This site was formerly occupied by a Franciscan convent, which
disappeared at the time of the great persecution.
The two other Catholic churches are called after their geo
graphical position, Tung-tang and Si-tang (the churches to the
east and west).
The diocese of Pekin reckons twenty-seven thousand Chris
tians, and the town itself eight thousand. Among the latter
are a good many respectable artisans; and almost all the clock-
makers of Pekin. Clock-making was introduced Into China by
the Jesuits ; and the Christian faith has, together with this art,
been preserved in certain families, and propagated from father
to son.
One Sunday — on a foggy, dark morning — I was carried to
Pei-tang. Mass was going on, at which a large body of the
faithful were assisting. They were all natives, arranged with
the men on one side, and the women on the other. In the
transept, five or six Sisters of Charity were kneeling in the
midst of their pupils — a multitude of young girls. One of the
missionaries played the harmonium ; then, mounting on a
stool, near the balustrade which separated the choir from the
nave, he addressed a short sermon to the congregation in the
Chinese tongue. Evety face in this pious crowd was fixed
upon him. From where I sat I could examine at ray ease these
upturned faces. I saw the sarae cut of features, but a totally
different expression to the faces one meets with in the streets.
Confidence, respect, and calm were staraped upon them — no
trace of scepticism, or irony, or bad-tempered Indifference,
which is ordinarUy to be seen on Chinese physiognomies.
Almost all the foreigners who have visited the Christian
missions In this empire, whether Protestant or Catholic, have
been stmck by the influence which the Catholic faith has on
the expression and ways of those who have embraced it, and
many English authors speak of it in describing their travels.

504 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD, Chap.
Mgr. de la Place, Bishop of Adrlanople, and vicar-apostolic at
Pekin, one of the glories of the apostolate of modern times,
was kind enough to show me himself over his church, house,
and seminary. The museum of natural history, which is
unique of its kind, was made by the learned Abbe David,
a Lazarist The objects It contains come mainly from the
province of Che-li. The ornithological part of this rich
collection is the most appreciated by the learned.
The collection of books, formed in part out of the wrecks
of the fine library of the Jesuits in old times, possesses some
valuable works and atlases, the greater part being Dutch
editions given by the emperors. In the fly-leaf of some of
them one reads, in the large, bold characters of the seven
teenth centuty, which time has already yeUowed : " Datum ab
Imper atore Kang-hi."
In my visit to the seminary, Mgr. de la Place asked me to
open some of the pupUs' desks at random. Each pupil has
one of his own, which contains his books, his writings, his razors,
his little " goodies " — the whole arranged with great taste and in
perfect order. Some had even invented a way of hanging little
sacred pictures or statues in them, and of erecting tiny altars.
It is the peculiar talent of this people to know how to utIHze
the smallest space.
We went into the garden, where the seminarists gave us ?
littie concert. Not Haydn, as at S(i-kia-wei ; but real Chinese
music, executed with strange Instruments, the sound of which,
on the whole, was pleasing. I especially admired a small kind
of portable organ : that is, a series of flutes joined together,
which the musician places vertically on his lips. In managing
the numerous keys, his fingers have great difficulty in avoiding
a contact with his nose, which fortunately, is not very promi
nent. There was a certain tremolo very pleasing to the ear :
but how describe the effect on the eye ? A series of fillips,
which the artist applied to himself, and which by the jerks of
his head, he vainly endeavoured to escape. I held my sides
with laughing, and the young virtuoso, far from being affronted,
shared my hilarity.
The students are evidently well cared for, physically and
morally. Their manners were simple, frank, modest, and
pleasing. They all seemed in good health. Thefr very ap-

//. PEKIN. 50!,
pearance does credit to the seminary at Pel tang and to all
those who direct it
The Portuguese cemetety is to the west of Pekin, at two
mUes from the gate called PIng-tzu-men. Like the cathedral
and the library, it owes to the protection of the court of St
Petersburg, and pei'haps also to the superstitious fears of the
Chinese, its escape from destruction. M. Favier was kind
enough to take me there. About two hundred tombs contain
the remains of the fathers of the Company of Jesus, who for
two centuries, exercised their devoted ministry here, and died
in this part of the empire. Nothing can be more striking than
the first appearance of this sombre necropolis. The RIcci,
Schall, Verbiest, — those great names, which, with so many
other of the fathers, figure in the most brilliant annals of science
and of the apostolate, are buried in the oldest part of the
campo sattto. Their funeral raonuments are composed of four
principal elements : the sarcophagus, a kind of slab composed
of one single, enormous stone ; five large vases as incense-
burners ; and lastly, the tablets, which, crowned with dragons,
and resting on tortioses, give, in Latin and Chinese, with the
name of the departed, the dates of his birth and death. Every
thing is grandiose, imposing, and solemn. A colossal cross,
planted on a culminating point, reminds the visitor that Chris
tian remains are interred in these mausoleums.'
' Father Mattel Ricci, bom at Macerata in 1552, arrived in Cliina in
1583, and died at Pekin in i6lo. He obtained the favour of the emperor
and left some valuable works on morality and geometry. Father John
Adam Schall, born at Cologne in 1591, arrived in China in 1622, and died
at Pekin in 1666. Father Ferdinand Verbiest, born at Pitthem, near
Courtrai, in 1623, joined the Chinese mission in 1659, and died at Pekin in
1688. He obtained the friendship and confidence of the great emperor
Kang-hi (1661 — 1722), was professor of astronomy, and directed the Canon
Foundry. We have a volume from him entitled " Liber organicus Astro-
nomise apud Sinas restitutae. " Everyone knows the attack of the Dominicans
upon the Jesuits on the subject of the adoption of certain Chinese rites.
The inquiry, which passed through an endless variety of stages, was defini
tively settled by Pope Benedict XIV., who forbade the missonaries, hence
forth, to conform to Chinese customs. As soon as Rome had spoken the
Jesuit fathers obeyed without rcsei-ve ; but they ventured to maintain the
following : — I. That they had always considered as purely civil and not or
all religious, tbe Chinese rite concerning the honours rendered to Confucias
and deceased relations. 2. That it was not only the Jesuits who undeirstou
in this sense the real character of these observances, 3. That certan podt

5o6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
October 23. — This morning I started to visit the Great WaU.
At Pekin, the gates of the city close at sunset and only open
at dawn. The raules and baggage-horses which are needed for
travellers and their suite, raust be brought In from the country.
Hence an annoying delay. We shall hardly arrive at our
destination before the close of the day; and in the Celestial
Empire, night is not a pleasant time for travelling. At last, at
nine o'clock, our caravan gets under way and leaves the
Russian Legation. M. Lenzi directs it
To arrive at the north-west gate, caHed Techeng-m^n, we
spend an hour and a half But how could one go quicker?
How cut that gordian knot coraposed of human beings, camels,
horses, asses, carriages, sedan-chairs, bonzes, coolies, and
peasants ? Between the two gates, the inner and the outer, the
pressure of the crowd is so great, that for an instant we begin
to despair. At last we are out ! We come into the long single
street of a village adjoining Pekin, which is as dirty, as muddy,
and as full of encumbrances as the most frequented thoroughfare
of the city. Another half-hour and we have reached the
countty 1 Groups of vrillows, littie ponds, and mud hillocks,
alternate with cultivated fields and isolated farms. Are we in
Moravia, in Hungary, or in China ? The resemblance is so
striking that I ask myself whether it was worth while to go
and seek at the other end of the globe so vulgar and unin
teresting a countty.
The day is spent in ttying to avoid the high road, which is
all under water, and in scrambling on to the natural dykes
which line it on either side. Very often these last end abruptly,
tions of these rites, which were declared superstitious, had been eliminated
a long time before the Holy See had pronounced its judgment. This cele
brated trial came back to my mind when I saw all those dragons and
tortoises, symbols which appear so Pagan, but which, in the opinion of the
Jesuits, are purely political and civil. One can understand that monks
arriving fresh from Europe and having no knowledge, or a very imperfect
one, of men and things in this country, should have been shocked at what
they called and thought to be too great a deference to Paganism and a
dangerous innovation. Hence their protest. Men who are entirely strangers
to the dispute and well versed in questions of Chinese etiquette and rites,
have assured me that it seemed to them extremely difficult to draw a line of
demarcation between religion and politics : between the worship of the
gods and the ceremonies which only symbolize the respect due to the
emperor ; and which hence are purely civil acts.

II PEKIN, 507
and our men have to plunge into the plain and be up to their
middles in mud, swearing, gesticulating, and screaming at the
tops of their voices. Of a road there is no longer a trace.
One marches on, then, as best one can. Some of us are in
litters, others on horseback. I chose the first method of locomo
tion, and rejoice In my foresight; for every moment I see one
or other of my friends who are on horseback, rolling in the
mud. Fortunately, we are In the midst of such a sea of that,
that no one is hurt Their toilets alone suffer. On the other
hand, my mules trip at every step, and as we are going along
the side of a ravine, the prospect is not very reassuring. Our
muleteers and grooms are all Chinese Moharamedans. They
choose them by preference because they are less hostile to
Europeans. Such is the antagonism between them and their
pagan fellow-countrymen, that they feel as if they have more
affinity with the Christians. " We are of your religion," they
said to us.
At nine o'clock in the evening, after a twelve hours' march,
we arrive at the gates of the town of Chang-plng-chow. But they
are shut ; impossible to enter. We set ourselves to work to find
a temple — they are always near the gates of the towns. We
grope our way, therefore, along the interminable wall. By the
uncertain light of a partlally-veUed moon, the crenellated bas
tions seem to get larger, and prolong themselves indefinitely.
But here is the temple. The priest who serves it, seated in
the court, smoking his pipe, makes a sign for us to enter with
out disturbing himself.
October 24. — To-day will be remembered by me for ever
among the recollections of my travels. I have seen the tombs
of the Mings.'
Thy are scattered temples in a plain separated from the rest
ofthe world, on three sides by the chain of Mongol mountains,
and towards Pekin, by the gradual rising of the ground.
One arrives by an avenue bordered with colossal statues
coarsely carved : kings, horses, griffins, elephants, lions, and
camels. They add to the tragic solemnity of the spot. Never
did I feel myself so entirely alone.
The tombs are placed behind the temples, each of which is
' The princes of tliis dynasty reigned from 1366 to 1644.

So8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
surrounded by an inclosure. I counted thirteen, but I think
the number is greater. We visited the last abode of the
Emperor Tsuwen, Restored by Kien-lung,' it Is to-day com
pletely neglected. Admire first the dimensions of the great
hall, of which the roof is supported by Immense columns,^
which are the tranks of natural trees, and the gift of the King
of Siam. Visit afterwards the sarcophagus,- which occupies a
separate building. Then go up to the tower, from whence
you raay enjoy at your ease the heroic and funereal beauty of
the site.
At our feet stretches the plain, torn by the beds of the torrents.
Towards the east, at the distance of only a few miles, rise the
first spurs of the Mongol mountains, thickly covered with brush
wood. Making a great curve, these hills run towards the west.
Their deep gorges are sunk in shadow, while their summits are
glistening with light. Near us everything is of a kind of brown
ish-red : further on, of Sevres blue. The last visible range of
hlUs seem to melt their azure tints into those of the sky, which
are hardly less tender. The northern vegetation, as far as one
can see it, contrasts with the rich colouring of the south. The
weather is magnificent ; there is not a breath of wind. A deep
silence hovers over the necropolis.
A march of three hours leads us to Nankow.
On going down a steep hill, we perceived at the entrance of
the ravine -which leads into Mongolia, this little town, surrounded
by dilapidated walls and a few groups of trees. We managed
to lodge pretty well in one of those numerous hotels frequented
by the camel-dirivers on their way to and from the north.
Here we were told that the road was completely destroyed,
and that the only way of reaching the Great Wall was to make
use of the little sedan-chairs of the country. This so-called
high road, however, is never practicable for carts. They are
obliged to carry them on camel's backs, after having taken off
their wheels.
October 25. — We leave our caravan at Nankow, and, in spite
of the darkness, we start at five o'clock in the morning. Our
' He reigned from 1736 to 1796.
' The middle ones are 60 feet high, and of a circumference of nearly 12
feet

,//. PEKIN. 509
caniage was a miserable little chair, without a back, carried on
two bamboo poles. Two shorter ones, placed In the longitu
dinal axle of the chair and bound by cords to the two larger
poles, rest on the shoulders of our four coolies, who march one
before the other, two before and two behind. Furnished with
lanterns, they advance rapidly. The road is the bed of a
torrent filled with muddy, foaming water, amidst scattered
blocks of rock. It is only by fording or by jumping from stone
to stone, that our bearers can get along, and also by passing
incessantiy from one bank to the other. To keep their equili
brium they stretch out their arms like tight-rope dancers. They
slip, they trip, but they scramble on. One of my men fell into
the very ralddle of the current; but the others bore him up
and there was no accident I assure you our trust and con
fidence in these men, whom we had never before seen in our
lives, and whom we shall never see again, was simply boundless !
Long journeys make us fatalists. One must really become so
if one aspires to the honour of being what the Yankees elegantly
call a "globe trotter," i.e., one who travels round the globe.
The air is soft, and impregnated with the bitter perfumes
which are exhaled by the aromatic shrubs of the Pyrenees, or
the Sierra Morena. We are on the high road to Mongolia.
Genghis Khan followed it when he invaded China. His hordes
probably presented the same aspect as the men whom we meet
now, and who, squatted between the two humps of their camels,
are dragging along others in their suite.
We halted for a short time at the fortress of Tsuyung-quan.
The learned are divided as to tiie meaning of the characters
with which one of the doors of the fort is covered. Among
the crowd which pressed round us were several galley-slaves.
In China, convicts, far from being dishonoured, enjoy, on the
contraty, the sympathy of the people. These men wear round
their necks a heavy iron ring, and another on their legs. These
rings are fastened to an iron rod, which they hold in their
hands like a ?tlck. They seem quite accustomed to this triste
garb, and honest men talk and laugh familiarly with them as if
they had done no wrong.
The further we advance, the more we are stopped by inter
minable files of great and beautiful two-humped camels. They
come or go from Kiachta. Ji. Starzoff, my amiable host at the

5IO A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
temple of Kung-chow, is sending there at this moment a
caravan of 15,000 camels, bearing 60,000 cases of tea! This
gives one an Idea of the importance of the commercial relations
of Russia with China.
The gorge through which we are passing narrows more and
more. At one spot, named Vu-gul-tow, where a little temple
Is most picturesquely hung, and, as it were, encased between
the rocks, in front of a red sumraer-house, equally resting on
the flank of the mountain, the valley is simply a trench. I do
not believe it is more than forty feet broad.
The last part of our road is the most ttying. But our
coolies. In spite of the thirteen ralles they have already run in
less than five hours, betray no fatigue, and deposit us at ten
o'clock at the foot of the Great Wall, the Ultima Thule of my
journey. Seated on the top, above the gate, one foot in China and
one in Mongolia, we can contemplate at leisure this celebrated
wall. Towards the north-east, after having crossed the narrow
valley, it follows the crest and sinuosities of the mountains.
On this side all the heights are crowned with towers. The
wall rises and falls, and rises again in zig-zags, appearing and
disappearing behind the rocks. One cannot take count of the
distances, save by the gradations of colour, and by the lights
and shades.
Towards the south-west the eye plunges into the valley we
have just left. The rocks seem to precipitate themselves into
the gorge and to be interlaced with each other. It is a chaos
of rugged blocks of every shade and hue ; dark brown, violet,
grey, and blue.
Towards the south-west a mountain rises abruptly quite
close to us. The wall mounts in a serpentine fashion, doubles
itself at a right angle, and escalades the summit, which here
takes the shape of a camel's back with two hum^s.
To the north-west the gorge opens out on a littie plain.
Beyond, a line of other mountains form the second range, and,
as I am told, the last of the Mongolian plateau. The thickness
of the air does not enable us to see them clearly. At this
moment, long lines of caravans are crossing the plain and
coming into the defile. In spite of the distance, the sharp

//. PEKIN,

SI'

cries of the camel-drivers reach our ears. Everything In tiiis
picture is grand, sombre, and savage. The absence of sun
adds to the indefinable sadness of the whole scene. It Is a
thorough picture of Central Asia.
Having returned to Nang-kow before night-fall, in spite of
the advanced hour, we made anotiier stage in the direction of
Pekin.' October 26. — We passed the night at Yaufan, in a good Inn,
that is, good from a Chinese point of view. At five o'clock we
were again in the saddle. During the whole morning a thick
fog shut out all sight of the country. Happily towards mid
day, after a painful march of six hours, always on wretched
roads, the curtain of fog lifted. The sun warmed us gentiy,
and lit up the country with its pale light Great gardens
surrounded with waUs, fine buildings, summer-houses, and
kiosks are seen on both sides, together with wooded hills
which are reflected in a large sheet of water, and stand out
against the soft blue of the Mongolian mountains. The spires
of two pagodas, rising gracefully in the middle of the trees,
give a local colouring to this beautiful picture.
We are close to the suraraer-palace, at the entrance of the
Yuen-mlng-yuen, or, the magnificent circular garden of the
emperor. The inclosure being shut on that side, we went on
towards Wanshow-shan. Going along, the caravan suddenly
turned into a little lane, so as to leave the road free to two or
three hundred cavaliers of martial bearing, well dressed and
armed, some with guns and some (the most numerous) with
bows and arrows. These soldiers belong to one of the mandjou
corps, who are noted for retrograde ideas. The sight of Euro
peans acts upon their ner/es ; and we do well to keep at a
respectable distance from these conservative warriors.
• Everyone knows that there are two walls — the inner and the outer.
But neither the learned Chinese nor their European brethren have ever been
able satisfactorily to solve the question which is constantly mooted at Pekin :
" Which of the two is the most ancient?" The length of the Great Wall
is about 500 miles. That part which I visited is creneUated on the Mon
golian side. The height of this strange rampart varies from 30 to 32 feet,
and from 10 to 12 feet in the spots where it crosses over the precipices. It
is built of a kind of granite which is found in the mountains.

512 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
After a short negotiation, conducted by the clerer M. Lerizi,
and leading to a happy result, we were allowed to enter the
court; then passing by a mass of varnished bricks, broken
statues, and overturned columns, we went into the park, and
from the height of an artificial mamelon we could contemplate
the imposing remains of a monument created by the genius of
a barbarous people' and converted into a heap of ruins by the
armies of two great civilized nations. The little that remains
standing, and the broken bits of the sculpture have a rococo
stamp upon them, which one is surprised to meet with in
China. Everything here breathes a kind of court atmosphere ;
one feels oneself transported to Versailles, to Schonbrunn, or
to Potsdam. Certainly there is no material resemblance, but
there is affinity.
Breakfast was served in the garden, and our Chinese valet
surpassed himself. If it be true that in Europe, even on the
< lassie soil of France, the culinary art is on the decHne, and
that good cooks become more and more rare, one had better
l^rovide oneself with some from China. The Chinese are calm :
they rarely loose their heads, and possess that greatest quality
In a cook — delicacy of taste. Whilst we were enjoying a most
excellent meal, seasoned by good appetites, the guardian
approached and apostrophised us in language which was evi
dently the reverse of flattering. He was furious at our haring en
camped under a portico haunted by certain spirits, who have as
little tenderness for the "foreign devUs" as the Cerberus
himself. For a long time the imperturbable Lenzi feigned to
ignore the presence of this personage, who gesticulated furiously,
and screamed like one possessed. At last, it was necessary to
speak. "Go away from here," exclaimed our mentor, with a
gracious smile ; " the smell of your pipe annoys us." " Your meat
infects the air." " Very well, that is an additional reason for you
to go away." " That is true," he murmured at last, and retired.
This, they tell rae, is the only way to treat these children of the
south, to be very courteous, vety calm, and especially very logical.
In passing rapidly through the town we saw nothing but
' During the long reign of Kien-lung (from 1736 to 1796). This palace
had so many visitor, in i860, and so many siaue'iirs were brought to Europe,
as well as so many published desciip.iuiis, thai I siippiiss the notes 1 torik
on tbe spot.

//. PEKIN, 513
frowning faces. The inhabitants, who were formerly in easy
circumstances, thanks to the long periodical residences of the
court, have fallen into destitution since the sack and destruc
tion of the palace.
Our short stay in the capital draws to an end. We have
constantly had beautiful weather. This evening a high wind
rose, whicli woke us in the night To-day the air is again
calm, but the thermometer has lowered considerably ; at sun
rise it froze. Winter is beginning, and will go on till the end
cf March. During this long period, saving a little snow which
AiUs towards the end of November and in February, and which
the wind sweeps away as soon as it falls, the sky is clear, and
the sun shines ; but with the terribly cutting north-east wind,
the cold Is severely felt, although the thermometer rarely falls
(and that only for a few days) to fifteen degrees Rfeumur.
Clouds of dust then invade Pekin and penetrate into the most
carefully closed apartments. To take exercise or go out on
horseback is impossible. The spring is short and disagreeable ;
the summer Is most trying, owing to the intense heat and the
mud. From June to September torrents of rain fall at short
intervals, transforming the streets into gutters, and rendering
them almost impracticable. I understand now how the prophet
Jonah took three days to go across Nineveh. During this sea
son the members of the diplomatic corps take refuge on the
sloping hills near the summer palace, or at Che-fu. October is
ihe only fine month. It is then autumn ; and at this season,
judging by my own experience, I may say that nothing could
equal the beauty of the sky, and the soft and yet bracing air,
which gives to evetyone a feeling of health and strength. The
climate is not unhealthy ; there are few fevers or epidemic
diseases, saving the small-pox, which in China, as in Japan,
makes terrible ravages.
Ai a residence, always excepting this month of October, Pe
kin is simply a hell. There Is no kind of distraction to console
you for the climate ; no social resources beyond the tiny colony
formed by the members of the diplomatic corps. The Lazarist
fathers and the few Protestant missionaries, absorbed by the
toUs and duties of their ministry, do not frequent the salons
ofthe Legations. Nevertheless, I heard few complaints. The
younger diplomats, it is true, have now and then fits of discour-
I. L

514 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
agement; but they very soon get accustomed to their almost
monki.sh seclusion, and to this famUy Hfe with its intimate and
daily relations between them and their chief. The great want
is women. Formerly there were seven : since the departure of
Madame Low and her daughters the number is reduced to four.
The wives and daughters of the American and English mission
aries do not count socially. The greatest harmony reigns in
this noble, and in every respect admirable littie colony.
The Russian, English, and French Legations occupy vast
spaces. A strong wall sunounds each of these buildings, which
consists of the residence of the minister, the bungalows of the
secretaries, the servants' quarters, the chapel, stables, and gar
dens. They are establishments, in fact, worthy of great powers.
The Russian Legation, rebuilt or restored under the personal
direction of General Vlangali, is distinguished by its noble and
elegant simplicity. It consists of a group of houses scattered
in a garden, and alongside, a vast court and its dependencies.
It is from thence that I used to see the Cossacks start with
the heavy mails for Kiachta. These journeys generally take a
month. The couriers of the Russian government make the dis
tance from Pekin to Kiachta (1,300 English miles) in fifteen
days. The members of the Legation ordinarUy take that route,
-which they judge preferable in the good season (April and
May) to the long navigation on the Yellow Sea and the Indian
Ocean. They make use of a Chinese cart, to which two camels
are harnessed, and carty with them provisions for thirty days,
which is the ordinaty length of the journey. At Kiachta it is
very easy to buy carriages, and you find there also, as through
out Siberia, post-horses and posting stations admirably organ
ized, together with vety tolerable inns — in fact, civilization.
By this route you can get over the distance from Pekin to St
Petersburg in two months.
I cannot pass over one vety remarkable man in silence.
It is weU known that the Chinese government, wishing to
put a stop to the frauds committed by its officials vrith the con
nivance of the European and American merchants, has confided
to foreigners the direction and administration of the custom
houses established in the open ports. The chief, bearing the
title of Inspector-General, is Mr. Hart, an Englishman, and
other functionaries, his subordinates, all chosen by him and

H. PEKIN. 515
placed under his orders, are of different nations. In Mr. Hart
one sees a man in evety respect above the average ; in him,
inteUigence, activity, and energy are all combined. He was
in the consular service, and then passed on to that of the
Chinese government, and reorganized the whole of its custom
house system. He has a very large salary, and pays his
subordinates at a rate which is far above that given by our
governments. He has, therefore, the first pick of the best
men, rather to the detriment of the Legations and Con
sulates. The existence of this institution is a homage rendered
to the honourable character of Englishmen in this part of the
world, and does honour likewise to the Chinese government,
which, in this matter, has enfranchised itself from its anti-
European prejudices. Lastiy, it gives Mr. Hart and his staff
an opportunity of studying the country and creating relations
with the people which, perhaps, some day may raake his
services as valuable to China as to Europe. Mr. Hart is still
young, and up to the present moment vety much esteemed at
the TsungU-yamen. He has lately made himself very popular
with foreigners by the publication of a memoir, which he has
" submitted to the imperial throne." In this curious piece of
writing, the head of the custom-house and trenching on high
political ground, denounces the vices of the Chinese administra
tion and the faults and weaknesses of the mandarins in no
measured terms.
Are the Europeans established at Pekin exposed to any
danger? To this question I was answered in the negative.
But they o-wn, at the sarae time, that there are two eventualities,
either of which would involve them in great peril : — a rebellion
against the existing dynasty ; or. If war with the European
powers should become Imminent, or should the Chinese govern
ment consider it inevitable. Then the hatred against foreigners
would break out, and the authorities would lack the means or
the will necessaty to restrain it. " If we are not massacred on
the spot, we shall be kept as hostages," was said to me. It
will be a second Abyssinia.
They flatter themselves that the present dynasty wUl not be
soon shaken. " The moral basis of society in this countty,"
they say, "lies in a fatalist submission to the will of the

5i6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
soverei;gn, as long as it is the will of Heaven that he should
reign. To this kind of loyalty, which has nothing in common
with the question of right, is joined the respect for parents and
for old age. The result is a kind of stability, or rather
of immobility." By this process of reasoning people try to
reassure themselves and to reassure the ladles, who were very
much alarmed by the terrible massacres at Tien-tsin, last year.
One evening, after dinner, my charming neighbour at table —
I am not going to betray her — said In my ear : " Do you think
we shall be all killed some fine day ? " This gives an idea of
the position.
As to the men, not only the question of danger does not
occupy their thoughts, but it does not exist for them. It
would be doing an Injustice to these bravely-tempered souls to
think them capable of the least movement of fear. In Japan,
as in China, the diplomats, merchants, and missionaries, all are
convinced that there is no danger. They would never dream
of it till the moraent came to affront death ; like sick men,
afflicted with an incurable disease, who only remember it at
the moment when they are in pain.
Have the European governments done wisely to establish
their missions at Pekin? Let us Hsten to the "for" and
" against" There is, first, the question of audiences. Whoever ap
proaches the emperor must prostrate himself, i.e., make the
kow-tow. It Is in consequence of these pretensions that the
ambassadors formerly sent to China failed. Refusing to sub
mit to this humiliating ceremonial, they returned to their
respective countries without having fulfilled their mission.
To-day, the representatives of the powers residing at Pekin
live at the doors of the imperial palace, and yet find them
selves, for the same reason, deprived of the privilege of
approaching the sovereign to whom they are accredited. In
a European point of view this is intolerable. The Chinese,
on whom the most severe penalties are inflicted if they dare
raise their eyes to the sacred and divine person of their
master, and who are obliged to shut all their doors and windows
on the rare occasions when he goes through the streets to visit
a temple — the Chinese, on the contrary, consider the preten-

//. PEKIN. S17
sions of the European ambassadors presumptuous to the last
degree. The members of the Council of State, when dealing
with this question with the envoys, sheltered themselves behind
the minority of their master. " Etiquette," they said, " is
•with us a part of our religious rites. We cannot, of our own
authority, consent to its violation. The people would tear us
to pieces. Wait for the emperor's majority ; for he alone can
grant you the necessary dispensation ; and, again. It is to be
feared that such a concession would injure him very seriously
in public opinion."
The admission of the envoys is considered by Chinese
statesmen to be a tenible humiliation and a national misfor
tune ; because it will show the people that " The Son of
Heaven " is neither the sole nor the most powerful sovereign
in the universe. This explains the want of insistance which
the English and Russian ministers have exhibited in this
thorny question; for they have no wish, and no one can
desire, to hasten the fall of the reigning dynasty. French
diplomacy has, however, been more exacting; and, if It
succeeds, which appears to me problematical, the cabinet of
Versailles will have the honour of opening the doors of the
imperial palace; but it is also on France that will rest the
responsibUity of the consequences. For the moraent, the
solution of the difficulty is postponed until the declaration of
the emperor's majority — that is to say, tUl next year.
Let us point out other inconveniences.
The commercial interests of Europe in China are enormous.
The amount of the transactions with England alone is reckoned
at forty-two millions of pounds sterling a year ! All this busi
ness is done, not in the capital, the entrance of which is
forbidden to foreign merchants, but in the open ports,- and
especially in Shanghai. That would be the natural seat of the
Legations. At Pekin, blocked up by ice during nearly six
months of the year, it is necessary, to correspond with Europe
(saving by way of Siberia), to make use of the couriers whom
the Chinese custom-house at Chin-kleng (one of the three
trade-ports on the Yang-tse-kiang) sends to Pekin with the
Shanghai raails. If they are not robbed and murdered en route,
which is not at all a rare occurrence, these messengers will
take fifteen days to make tha distance.

Si8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
On the other hand, they tell me that the residence at Pekin
gives two great advantages to the European envoys — the being
near the central authorities, and far from the European mer
chants. The relations with the Chinese ministers are reduced to rare
visits to the Tsungli-yamen; for on no occasion will Prince
Kung or his colleagues receive any of the diplomatic corps in
their private houses. Nevertheless, they meet ; they can talk,
and sometimes they thus prevent difficulties arising which,
unless cleared up at the vety beginning (and that supposes the
presence of the ministers at the seat of government), might
lead to bitter and serious complications.
Again, the Legations are thus free from the influence and
atmosphere of the trade-ports. The residents there are all
merchants. They have only their own profit in riew. That
one can understand. But the result is an unhappy tendency
to establish on all occasions a solidarity between their com
mercial interests and the political interests of their country.
The least impediment placed in the way of their speculations
is immediately declared to be a violation of the treaties.
Everyone has recourse to the minister of his own nation, and
they make him responsible for the losses incurred, or the gains
that have not been made. Commercial enterprises are put on
a level with affairs of state, and the diplomatic corps find that
they are expected to do nothing but smooth difficulties which
rash speculators have created without thought or care. Living
in this etitourage, and finding themselves constantly under the
pressure of exigencies put forward by rich, intelligent, active,
and perhaps influential men in their own country, the diplo
matic representatives would have great difficulty in preserring
that freedom which is necessary to maintain the great interests
of their respective countries.
October 23. — To-day I visited Prince Kung, brother of the
Emperor Hien-fung, and in consequence, uncle to the present
Emperor Tung-chi, President of the Council, and the most
important statesman in China.
Everyone knows the part played by him on the advent of
his nephew. At the approach of the Anglo-French troops, the
court had retired to Je-ho. Hien-fung died there, on the 22nd

//. PEKIN. 519
August, 1861. His reign of ten years had been marked by
calamities and misfortunes of all kinds : the rebeUion of the
Taepings, the Anglo-French war, the impoverishment of the
empire, and the decay of the government His son being
only seven years old, the dying emperor instituted a Council
of Regency composed of eight members, all supposed to be
most hostile to foreigners. The most remarkable among them
were Prince De I, a near relation of the sovereign ; Prince de
Ching, and Shu-shu-en, younger brother of the last named.
A tew days after. Prince Kung, to whom the reins of govern
ment had been intmsted during the absence of the court, had
to notify to the foreign ministers the death of his majesty. In
the circular one read : — " His sacred person, seated on a dragon,
has mounted up to heaven." The return of the young emperor,
which was for a long time put off, although advised and asked
for with eagerness by Prince Kung, and at last resolved upon
by the empresses, did not take place till the autumn.' Two
days before the arrival of the new sovereign, the Prince, ac
companied by his troops, went out to meet him, and when the
members of the Council of Regency strove to prevent the
Interview, he declared he would employ force. His adversaries,
intimidated by his threats, did not venture to make any resist
ance. The Prince, therefore, saw the emperor, and, what was
more important, the two empresses, one the widow of Hien-
fung, the other his concubine, but the mother of the present
emperor. This last had, by a special brevet of the deceased
emperor, obtained the title of empress.
Hardly had he retumed to Pekin than Prince Kung sum
moned the Council of Regency, and read to them a decree
purporting to emanate from the young emperor himself. " The
Council is dissolved ; its members dismissed, and the Regency
is confened on the Empress Dowager." This coup d'itat,
probably concerted with the two widows of Hien-fung during
the Prince's visit to Je-ho, fiUed tiie members of the dissolved
councU with the utmost terror. The two princes and Shu-shu en
alone, instead of submitting to their fate, ventured to go to the
palace with noisy protests and remonstrances. This act of
audacity hastened their ruin. Fresh decrees foUowed. The
censors and the nine higher courts were Invited to send in
' 1st November, 1861.

520 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
their memorials, of which the most important were published
in the English newspapers. In this crisis, where he was playing
for his life, the Prince showed all the qualities necessary In
such an emergency : presence of mind, calmness, and courage.
Princes I and Ching were arrested In Pekin : Shu-shu-en, at
a short distance from the capital. He was travelling with his
wives and with a considerable armed forced. But a young
brother of Prince Kung's, to whom this delicate mission was
intrusted, surprised his victim in the dead of night, made him
prisoner, and brought him in triumph to Pekin.
The three councillors were accused of having forged the
decree by which the dying raonarch had appointed the Re
gency. Was this accusation just ? I was told that the fact
had never been proved, but that it was more than probable.
The inquiry into the whole proceeding was conducted with
such precipitation, that six days after the emperor's entrance,
judgment was given. Princes I and Ching were condemned
to lose their Hves gradually, that is, to be cut in pieces from
head to foot, but obtained a commutation of their sentence,
that is, the permission to commit suicide. In other words,
they were strangled in prison. Shu-shu-en, who was the object
of the particular hatred of the empress-mother, whom he had
had the impradence to offend, was treated like an ordinary
malefacton He had his head struck off in the place appointed
for pubHc executions. This great personage walked to the
scaffold with an air of perfect indifference, launched some
clever sarcasms against his persecutors, and died with the
utmost courage. The Pekin public Is like all other publics
in this world ; it loves success. Prince Kung became at once
the popular hero and he has remained so, in the sense that
they believe him to be the only man capable of goveming
China. He has also given general satisfaction by his having
persuaded the empresses to transfer the court to Pekin.
•Nevertheless, his task is not an easy one. The empress-
dowager, who has never had any chUdren, is of a gentie,
indolent character. The mother of the present emperor, on
the contrary, is said to be of a vindictive, restless, and ambi
tious nature. She has demanded and obtained a participation
in the affairs of state. The reports of the high functionaries
and of the different councUs are addressed to the ministers

//. PEKIN. 521
assembled at the Tsungli-yamen ; then, by the advice of Prince
Kung, they are sent on to the two empresses, who give or
withhold their seals of assent at the bottom of each report.
The position of the prince vis-h-vis the empress-mother, who
is in favour of his adversaries, is often very delicate, and has
been several times compromised. At one moment, the dis
grace of Prince Kung seemed to be complete. By a decree
pubhshed in the "Gazette of Pekin," he was dismissed and
deprived of all his dignities. The news spread like wild-fire,
and produced universal consternation. The highest persons in
the realm were seen to shed tears, the empire was considered
lost The empresses were afraid, the decree was revoked in
the name of the emperor ; and the prince reinstated in all his
functions. It was with a vivid curiosity that I went this morning to see
so remarkable a man. After having rapidly passed by the
eastern quarter of the town, we arrived at the Tsungli-yamen.
A little group of people were gathered round the entrance of
this too simple building.
Hardly had we set foot within the gates, than we were
received by Wen-slang, member of the council, one of the two
assistant secretaries, and by Tsung-Hsiin, a celebrated poet,
intrusted with the foreign correspondence, and one of the
finance ministers. All important decrees concerning exterior
or foreign policy emanate from his pen. These dignitaries and
a thfrd minister, made us pass by a little corridor which led
into a small inclosure. There, in the midst of his court, stood
Prince Kung. He took me by the hand, and led me into a
little summer-house hardly large enough to hold a small round
table, loaded with a multitude of little dishes : spiced meats,
preserved fruits, and sweet things. My noble amphltryon made
me sit down on his left hand, which Is the place of honour.
He and his ministers filling little saucers with these good
things, invited us to eat ard especially to drink. The wine
seemed to me tasteless and heady, and it was not without sin
ister presentiments that I accepted their toasts. Fortunately,
they were contented with my pretending to drink frequent
copious libations. Tsung, the poet-minister, never ceased
drinking. After each bumper, he showed me the bottom of
his empty glass. Prince Kung laughed heartily, talked very

522 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
loud, and said that Tsung was an old dnmkard. Towards the
end of the meal he announced to me his intention of paying
me a visit on one of the following days ; and as I expressed to
him my very sincere regrets at being unable to accept this
honour, my departure from Pekin being fixed for the following
morning, he filled my glass again, exclaiming : — " Well, if that
be so, you must drink to-day the wine which General Vlangali
would have offered rae had I paid you a visit."
M. Bismark, who was good enough to act as my interpreter
on this occasion, acquitted himself so admirably of his func
tions, that the conversation, which, however, was rather com
monplace, never halted for a moment. I felt as if I were
before the personage in the celebrated novel, "The Two
Cousins,"' Pdkong, the president of the office of ceremonies,
who laughs and drinks with the imperial monitors, U and
Yang. The prince, who was in very good humour (which, they
say, does not always happen to him), joined in the conversation,
and seemed to enjoy beyond measure the clever repartees and
jokes of his colleagues. I told him that his fame had reached
Europe. He replied, "Really, I do not know how I have de
served such an honour ; or to what I owe such consideration."
" To your high birth, first of all," I replied, " and then to your
courage and wisdom. By your courage you have obtained the
place you occupy, and by your wisdom you have known how
to retain it, and will continue to do so." The prince smiled.
The allusion to the crisis so boldly brought about and so
adroitly managed by him at the time of the emperor's arrival,
seemed to flatter and please him. "I do not know how to
answer you," he replied. " On the one hand, I cannot con
tradict you : on the other, I must not sing my own praises.
Let us drink another glass 1 " At one moment the conversa
tion took a more serious tum. Wen-slang gave me an oppor
tunity of alluding to one of the vital questions of the day, and
was entering into a discussion upon It, when a cold and severe
glance from the prince made him stop short suddenly.
The visit having lasted more than an hour, I felt I ought to
rise and take my leave. The prince promised to send me his
photograph as soon as it was taken.= " You have other and
« Translated from the Chinese by M. de Re'musat
- He kept his word, and I have his photograph.

n. PEKIN. 523
more important things to think of," I replied ; "you wUl forget
it" " No," he answered. " Besides," he added, turning to
one of the ministers with a marked air of authority, "you will
not forget."
We were conducted back again with the same ceremony. On
taking leave of me, the prince repeated his regrets at my leaving
Pekin so soon. " All the more," he added, " that we shall
never see one another again ! " This kind and courteous
expression was said with great simplicity and with a tone of
sincerity which remains graven on my memory.
Yih-sin, Prince of Kung, is about forty years of age. He
has, for a Mandjou, wonderfully regular features, and a languish
ing look ; he is short-sighted, and has a way of winking his
eyes. A gracious and rather sarcastic smUe precedes his
pleasantries. Before speaking to you, he looks at you fixedly,
full in the face ; but when he begins to speak, he looks down.
His figure is slender and above the ordinaty height His
complexion is sallow and his features are drawn, as if from
over-fatigue. On the whole he has the indifference, the laissez-
aller and the simplicity of a man of high birth. One sees also
that he is a man who is rather blase with everything ; and who
has enjoyed power long enough to be surfeited with it ; which,
however, does not mean that he would willingly give It up or
let it be taken from him. His hands, which are rather effemi
nate, are remarkable, according to the custom of the country,
for the enormous length of the nails. Men of high rank let
them grow like this to prove that they do no manual labour ;
just as they lame all the Chinese women to distinguish them
from Mongol ones : it is a way of expressing that the Chinese
are not nomads, as their women can do without the power of
walking. The left hand of the prince was ornamented with a
fine ring of green jade. The rest of his dress was remarkable
for its simpHcity; a dark blue tunic, with the collar and the
turning up of the sleeves, of a lighter blue; on his cap a single
button with a tassel of crimson silk. "This statesman," I was
told, " is not a man of very superior intellect ; but he possesses
in the highest degree the precious talent of knowing how to
choose able men, and to employ each one according to his
capabiUties. He is brave and courageous. When the young
emperor becomes old enough to take the reins of government.

524 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. IL
the position of the prince wiU become critical." The three
ministers were dressed exactly like their chief, except that they
wore, hanging from their caps, magnificent peacock's tails.
Wen-siang belongs to the dominant race. He has a pleasant face
and the characteristic features of the Mandjous. Tsung-Hsiin
is a Chinese, and in this respect differs from his fellow-country
men — that he looks what he is — a good-natured epicure. He
never ceases repeating that the only things he cares for are wine
and poetry.
October 29. — At last, the painful hour of departure has stmck.
This morning almost every member of this little colony has
come to shake hands with me for the last time.' Our acquaint
ance only dates from yesterday, ¦ and yet I feel as if I were
leaving old friends. The great courtyard of the Russian Le
gation is vety fuU. Our "good-byes" are prolonged. Our
Mongol ponies, held by the " mafous," begin to paw the
ground. The kind and clever master of the house, his secre
taries, and attaches, and the minister of the United States, do
not leave us till the very last moment. What hearty shakings of
the hand, and how many "au revoir 1" " au revoirf" In Europe,
be it understood, and not in China ! At last, in the saddle !
Some of these gentlemen, with M. Lenzi at their head, ac
company us outside the town. Then we put our horses into
a gallop. The Cossack, always up to his duties, takes care
that the servants, the " boys," do not lag behind. Vety soon
we come in sight of the Tung-chow pagoda, then of its
crenellated waUs, then the masts of its junks. Towards night
fall, our boats spread their huge saUs, and seconded by both
wind and current, we rapidly leave behind us the capital of the
empire. » I deeply regretted not to have found at Pekin M. le Comte de Roche-
chouart, chargl d'affaires of France, who, unfortunately for me, was, at that
moment, absent.

CHAPTER IIL
TIEN-TSIN.— FROM THE 31st OF OCTOBER TO THE 1th OF
NOVEMBER.
The Settlement.— The Chinese City.— The Serpent-God.— The Club of
celebrities of Shiansi. — The Massacres.
This morning a confused noise vvakes me up. Our boats are
gliding rapidly between a double hedge of junks, anchored
before a perfect chaos of houses and huts. We are at Tien
tsin. Half an hour later we disembarked at the European
settiement A most kind welcome, but at the same time
a despairing piece of news awaits us. The west wind has
driven away the water from the Bar of Taku. It is absolutely
impossible to pass it We are, therefore, stranded. When will
it please the north-east monsoon to set us afloat again ? God
only knows I If the river becomes frozen before the wind
changes, we shall have to winter at Pekin. Fortunately,
nothing could be more agreeable, poetical, and pleasant, than
this involuntaty halt. They fight as to who shaU have us. Mr.
Boyce and ray young companions are lodged at the English
Consulate. As on my first visit, I accept with great pleasure
the hospitality of Mr. Henry Beverldge, agent of Jardine and
Co., a fine type of Young England, and of a thorough gentle
man, who thinks it no degradation to work. His charming
wife, who is of French origin, and a native of Hong Kong,
gathers every evening round her fireside, which is not a luxur)',
and round her piano, which she plays admirably, MM. de
Maison-n.euve and SaUandrouze, the commandants of the

526 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
Couleuvre a.T\A Scorpion; M. DiUon, the French consul; and
another young Frenchman, who is employed in the Chinese
custom-house. Sometimes Father Delmasure comes to com
plete our little social circle. We laugh and talk, and exchange
wits ; and these are not wanting, for in this little salon vve are
in France. Outside, a freezing atmosphere, a sky of polished
metal. The stars shine ; the Pei-ho rolls her muddy waters in
silence ; the wind blows ; and what a wind I How k cuts one's
face ! Do not be too much astonished ; it comes straight from
Siberia. _ As to the mornings, they only seem to me too short I have
visited the Chinese city three times, and have made for myself
an all-absorbing occupation. Since the massacres, sixteen
months only have elapsed. Here people are still experiencing
the reaction from this horrible event. Will it be reproduced ?
the residents ask one another. To answer this question, one
must go back to the origin of the mischief. Has anyone done
this ? The reports of the English minister and consuls con
tain some precious information ; but as, with the exception of
one man, all the Frenchmen on the spot on that fatal day were
kiUed, it was impossible to obtain their depositions, so as to fiU
up the gaps in the information obtained by the English agents.
To collect the notes on the subject, to put them In order, to
compare them with the Blue-Book and with the results of the
researches made immediately after the catastrophe by the Abbe
Favier, the Pekin Lazarist, this is the work I have undertaken,
and which, with the eager help of some of the residents, I have
been able to accomplish.,-
During my eight days' detention at Tien-tsin, I had the good
fortune to see and be able to question three natives — a man
darin, a servant of the French consul, and a Christian belonging
to the Lazarlst's house, who were all more or less mixed up in
the bloody scenes of the 21st of June, 1870. They answered
all my questions with remarkable clearness and precision.
With the help of this Information, and an attentive examination
of the spots, I have come to a conclusion, which I believe is a
trae one, of the real facts attending the Tien-tsin massacres.
It is true I have discovered nothing very new or important
which cannot be found in the Blue-Book and in the depositions
obtained by the Pfere Favier. I have not been able to lift the

Ill- TIEN-TSIN. 527
veU which still shrouds in obscurity the oiigln, the object, and
the real authors of the crime.
It was whilst I was giving myself up to this task that the idea
first came to me of publishing an account of my travels.
Let us first visit the Chinese city. As to the English and
French concessions, they wUl be quickly described. In the
first, you find, as in all the Chinese and Japanese factories, the
^««^— that is, a quay, lined with some fine and well-built
houses. Here — and that alone proves how much everyone in
this place must consider his personal safety — all the habitations
are surrounded by a strong wall. Everyone has a watchman.
Furnished with a rattle, he makes every night the rounds of the
house, and does not cease, by the noisy sound of his instrument,
to warn thieves of his presence, and to disturb the peaceable
sleep of the inhabitants. I saw several fine houses occupied
by the English, French, Russian, and North German consuls ;
by M. Hannen, director of the imperial custom-houses ; by
Mr. Beverldge, M. Starzoff, my amiable cicerone to Tung-chow ;
and several other Europeans. They are not vety numerous.
Nevertheless they have a club, and in this club I saw a ball
given. In consequence of the inundations the guests came in
boats. They could only find three lady dancers; but yet
evetybody was amused and pleased.
The French concession is as yet without houses. The small
number of residents lived until lately in the Chinese town.
The mission in the native city having now been definitively
abandoned, they are building a church on French ground.
From the concessions to the Chinese town there are about
two miles. At the time of my first visit, the neighbourhood
was only one vast lake, reminding one of Venice and its lagunes,
only without the Alps In the horizon. A sampan took us across
the fields, striking here and there on hillocks, which were tombs.
To our left we see a temple called " The Elgin " Joss-house,
because the treaty was signed there In 1858. At last our boat
stops near a group of mud huts. We are anived. Sickened
by the disgusting and mephitic odour, we stopped up our noses,
and ran. It is the ordinary mode of going into a Chinese
town, the whole outside of which is only a mass of human
filth.

528 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
The town, properly so called, forms a square. Its walls are
crenellated and flanked by towers at the four angles. It is in
the suburbs that the trade and commerce of the town are
centred. The town and suburbs are situated on the southern
bank of the Pei-ho and of the great canal, which here joins
that river.'
Another suburb stretches along the northern bank. It was
there, near a bend In the Pei-ho River, that the cathedral was
built, commonly called the French Church. This noble build
ing, which was only just finished, was destroyed at the time
of the massacres. The walls, the spire, and the little towers
alone remain standing. As the staircases were burnt, the hired
assassins of the mandarins could not mount up to the pinnacle
to complete the work of destruction. Alongside of the cathe
dral was the establishment of the Lazarists and the French
Consulate. These houses, consumed by the flames, have en
tirely disappeared. The site has been converted into a ceme
tety. Higher up, about five minutes' distance, is the yamen of
the Commissaty of the " Three Northern Ports." Behind these
edifices stretches a perfect labyrinth of littie streets and courts,
inhabited by the dregs of the people, and by a turbulent set of
raalefactors. The two banks communicate with each other by a single
bridge of boats, which opens at certain hours to allow for the
passage of the junks which ascend and descend the stream.
We must add that the current of the Pel-ho is very strong, and
makes the passage difficult and sometimes dangerous. Nothing,
therefore, can be so easy as to cut off the communications
between these two banks of the river. This is a fact which is
worth noting.
With the exception of the Tartar city of Pekin, where the
Mongol element predominates, Chinese towns have all the
same appearance. A ditch — or rather a sewer, round a crenel
lated inclosure ; the gates, with two or three roofs, one above
the other ; then streets and narrow lanes, all filthy, full of dust,
mud, or human filth ; houses without architecture, shops well
or badly furnished, and ornamented with gaudy gUt signs, where
' At Tien-tsin I was told that this watercourse is not the great canal, but
another river called the Yiiho. I leave to geographers the task of clearing
up this point

///. TIEN-TSIN.

529

they sell drags, tea, or tobacco. The houses of the rich are
invisible : they are masked with high walls. Two or three
yamen, more or less out of repair, but nevertheless. Imposing
from thefr two flag-poles at the entrance, their two dragons in
stone or tena-cotta in the courtyard, and a crowd of people in
rags pressing round the gates, either to solicit some favour, or
to receive some bamboo strokes, or worse. Here and there Is
a temple. Do not let us stop to visit them : it Is not worth
while, nor worth the pushing and elbowing of the crowd. If you
for a moment bar their way. Besides, how can one stop amidst
this mass of human beings, with their wan cheeks, dirty com
plexions, and haggard eyes? They are like a stream pent in
between deep rocks, and drifting, at one moment against a
mandarin, or a rich banker, carried in his litter by coolies In
livery, at another, against bales of merchandise, bullock-waggons
or wheelbanows full of woraen. The)- are not beautiful, this
fair sex : but they are rarely seen in the streets — women of high
birth hardly ever ; and those of the lower classes only when
the affairs of their households absolutely oblige them to go out
We are nearing one of the gates of the inner town. It is an
enormous arch, all buUt of hewn stone, surmounted by a budd
ing of two stages, which resembles the tower of a pagoda.
The passage is difficult The carts and sedan-chairs splash
about in the mud ; the foot-passengers slip and stagger on
tresties raised three or four feet above the soil, and so^ narrow
that two persons meeting find it almost Impossible to pass one
another. Is it the effect of imagination, or a reality ? But
these scenes in the Chinese streets act upon me Hke a perfect
nightmare. One needs the pen of a Callot to give an Idea of
such grotesque, tenible, ridiculous devilries. The nearer we
get to the gate the more the crowd increases. Ah I why can
not I retrace my steps ? But it is too late. This sombre, dark
funnel is about to ingulf us. My guide, the very type of a
herculean Anglo-Saxon, does his best to open the way for me.
I try to foUow him, but the throng separates us. If I have the
bad luck to fall on these slippery boards, no one will take the
trouble to come to my rescue. It will only be one foreign
devil the less in the world ! That is all ! He will have fallen
down by chance, and by chance they will have crashed him to
death. Chance pays no indemnities ; he is not exiled on the

530 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
banks of the Amoor. Tliey don't cut off his head 1 And I,
who am stumbling on the very edge of these slippery planks !
at this supreme moment, feeling myself already under the
wheels of the carts, or trodden under foot by the Mongol
ponies and the porters, I seize. In my despair, the tail of a tall
gentleman who is walking just before me. Can any position
be more droll or more lamentable? An honest European
holding on for dear life to the black tall of a Chinaman 1 — the
Chinaman turning his head in a furious rage towards the man
whom he is towing along in spite of himself, and whom he
can't get rid of : for the crowd prevents his making use of his
fists ; whilst I, not daring to let go the taU, am striving, for
want of words, to express my gratitude by the play of my face
and a sickly smile, and, if possible, to appease his wrath.
For the last few weeks Tien-tsin has been in a state of ex
citement, in consequence of the apparition of a god metamor
phosed into a dragon, who has shown himself to mortals under
the form of a serpent, found by a Honan peasant, and exposed
to the adoration of the faithful. The pagoda (which is miser
able enough In appearance) where this new divinity is lodged,
is situated on the northern bank of the river in the quarter of
Tien-tsin which has the worst reputation. Some tortuous littie
streets lead to it After having taken off our hats at the en
trance of the temple, which dispenses us from all further acts
of civUity towards the Httle beast, we are admitted into the
sanctuary, thanks to the protection of our friend, the mandarin.
The offerings, among which were baskets filled with fruit, filled
up almost evety opening. On the altar, resting on a plate,
covered with a sheet of yellow paper, reposed, rolled up and
motionless, a serpent about forty centimetres long. We could
examine him at our ease — at least, as much as the artificial
darkness allowed. But the faithful succeeded One another
without Intermission, and prostrating themselves at the foot of
the altar, deposited their gifts, and then went away wltiiout
deigning to take any notice of the three stranger devils.
In front of the altar a theatre has been set up, where plays
are acted from morning till night. A round table and some
chairs, placed in the middle of the temple, are reserved for
the mandarins and for the notabilities who come from far and

///. TIEN-TSIN. 531
wide. After having made their kow-toic, they take their places in
front of the stage, and seem to think no more of the god-serpent.
The guard of honour about the dragon Is confided to an old
mUitary mandarin of the Tientsin district, who, at the time of
the massacres, played a part which must be called equivocal,
to say the least of it Deprived of his place, as his only pun
ishment, he was soon after appointed to the command of the
Taku Forts. But it seems that this honourable official was
bored there, which I should think was vety natural ; and that
he sought too often the distractions of Tien-tsin, which ended
In his being again deprived of his post To Indemnify him,
doubtless, he was named chamberlain-extraordinary in the ser
vice of the little serpent. I had the advantage of making the
acquaintance of this amiable personage, and was struck by the
contrast which existed between his distinguished manners and
his sufiering face.
Place yourself under the protection of a native of high rank
if you wish to see the Chinese town with either profit or
pleasure. To-day, the young mandarin again does the honours
of his native place. He is a real type of his class. A pale
face, projecting cheek-bones, but well-covered, plump hands,
naUs like bird's claws, abundant tresses, a thick-set figure, pro
mising obesity in maturer age ; and for costume, two tunics,
quilted with blue silk, worn one over the other, for it is cold ;
a cap, with the button of the required colour — the whole, both
the individual and his dress— clean, cared for, and elegant
Add to this the manners of an ofticlal, full of deference, or im
perious, ciril or the reverse, according to the rank of his inter
locutor — but never famUiar. Avoiding the great thoroughfares,
we stroU along from shop to shop. I saw some very fine pelis
ses. Tien-tsin has a considerable market in furs. We enter an
opium-house — a sad and heart-breaking sight ! " Bad ! bad ! "
exclaimed our mandarin. "Bad " and "good" composed his Eng
lish vocabulary. Happily, M. Dillon, the French consul, who has
the goodness to accompany me, speaks Chinese with rare facility.
We went into the club of notabilities at Shansi. This pro
vince reckons a good many rich persons among its inhabitants,
and those who come for business to Tien-tsin or who live there,
seek the society of their fellow-countrymen. You may see

532 A R 1MB LE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
them every morning gathered together in their magnificent
club. Our best circles In Paris, Vienna, or London could not
bear a comparison with that of Shansi.
This vast establishment consists of several separate buUdings
and isolated summer-houses, where people meet to talk or
receive friends. They are nanow, oblong rooms, furnished
with tables and chairs, which according to the custom of the
countty, are arranged symmetrically along the walls. The latter
are covered with finely sculptured trellis-work. In the theatre,
which is ornamented with magnificent China lanterns, different
pieces are performed all day long. The president of the circle
was condescending enough to present us with an index of the
plays inscribed on Ivory sticks two or three feet long. Each of
these sticks contains the name of a particular piece. We chose
an historical drama. The actors hasten to finish a vaudeville
that they were in the middle of performing, and whilst the
'clowns" are being turned into heroes, our Amphitryon
offers us a little luncheon. Tea Is drunk in quantities. With
great difficulty we escape a dinner also. But the theatre Is
filling rapidly. Several members of the club arrive. They
are all men of high rank in their own country — literary
characters, or rich merchants, some of whom, through their
financial successes, have acquired the rank of mandarins.
They bow profoundly to one another, shake their heads, and
lightly bending forward, do the chinchiti, that is, show one
another their fists, rubbing them and giving them a kind of
rotation, quickened or slackened according to the amount of
respect or affection which they owe one another. Then they
go up to the square tables placed at the foot of the stage, each
sunounded by four chairs. That Is the moment to perform
another series of demonstrations. No one will sit down first ;
nor take the left side, which is the place of honour. This
polite straggle being over, and the actors having painted them
selves, and put on the rich heroic costumes necessary for the
characters they are about to represent, the piece begins. They
made use of the same grimaces as in other Chinese theatres;
the same noise from an infernal orchestra ; the same fights
and processions ; the same skill in imitating the voices, walk,
and gestures of woraen. It is weU known that the fair sex are
forbidden to appear on the stage.

///. TIEN-TSIN. 533
The conversation with the president, in the meantime, does
not flag. Among other civil speeches, he said to me : " Europe
is worth more than China. You have the telegraph and rail
roads, and your streets at night are Ht by gas. We are very
much behindhand." What struck me In these literates was
their exquisite politeness, and their easy graceful manners,
which make one forget that one is in China ; but also the
emptiness of their conversation and the poverty of their ideas.
After having shown us a fine temple full of horrible idols,
the president, whose name 1 forget, had the moral courage
actually to accompany us into the street ; and in presence of
a crowd who looked at us with curiosity, but without any dis
agreeable manifestation, to make the chin-chin, in a word, to
pass through all the phases of Chinese ceremonial.
Alas ! it was a courageous act It is true that there have
been no recent acts of violence to deplore, but a profound
mistrust exists. It is reciprocal, Europeans and Chinese equally
Hsten to the sinister rumours spread periodically of a coming
war and of fresh massacres. Only In April last the natives
talked among one another continually of the hour when they
would wash (i.e. kill) all the foreigners. The European mer
chants, to the number of five or six, have kept their counting-
houses and shops ; but they do not dare pass the night in the
Chinese city. Every evening they retfre for safety to the
concessions. Only one month before the events took place of which I am
going to try and trace the mournful histoty, the great town of
Tien-tsin enjoyed profound tranquillity.' There were certainly
' I have written the account of these Tien-Tsin massacres after verbal
communications with the ministers accredited to the Pekin Court; vvith
the foreign ministers residing here and at Shanghai ; with Father Favier,
Lazarist, sent by his superiors to Tien-tsin directly after the catastrophe ;
with Dr. Frazer, the English physician; with M. Stai-zoff, the Russian
merchant, both of whom are settled at Tien-tsin ; lastly, with three Chinese
inter.ogated by me with the help of an able Chinese scholar who was kind
enough to act as my interpreter. They are : a mandarin, a servant of M.
Fontanier's, and a man in the service of the Pere Chevrier, Superior of the
Tien-tsin mission, all three witnesses of the massacre. I did not see M.
Coutries, the only member of the little French colony who survived the
carnage. But I read his relation of the facts, which he made to his friends.
I had the good luck to find in Uie club sf the settlement the English Blue-

53t A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
some men to be found who did not attempt to conceal their
hatred of foreigners ; soraetiraes injurious and threatening
words were used against them; and it ought to have been
known in official quarters, and at the Pekin Legations as at
the Consulates, that the whole state of affairs was anything but
satisfactoty. Ten years bad passed since the opening of the
empire, and no real advance had been made in reconcUIng the
natives to the presence of foreigners. Nevertheless, saving
one or two littie incidents without any apparent importance,
the five or seven or nine hundred thousand inhabitants of the
town of Tien-tsin (so much do the calculations differ), especi
ally the middle and lower classes, manifested no hostile or
malevolent dispositions towards the handful of Europeans,
missionaries or merchants who had ventured to leave the con
cessions and install themselves in the heart of this great and
populous city.
In the first rank among these must be reckoned the French
consul, the only member of the diplomatic body who, to watch
over the CathoHc establishments, prefened the exile of the
Chinese town to the pleasanter and safer existence that he
might have created for himself in the concessions. M. Fon-
tanier, though of a quick and choleric temperament was uni
versally looked up to and respected. In later days, it was
remarked by people about him, that his character had been
rather soured. Friends began to keep aloof. Besides M.
Fontanler, only one European resided at the Consulate, his
secretary, M. Simon. The nearest neighbour to the consul
was the Lazarist Father Chevrier, Superior of the CathoHc
mission of Tien-tsin. A low wall alone separated the courts
Book (China, No. I, 1871), and I have also before my eyes "The Tien-tsin
Massacre," by George Thin, M.D. (Edinburgh, 1870); also the "Memo
randum sur les Affaires de Tien-tsin," printed at Fuchow in September
1870. The author is the Baron de Meritens, formerly secretary and inter
preter to the French Legation at Pekin ; and then commissary of the Chinese
custom-houses. These two pamphlets, without giving a complete recital of
these horrors, are interesting from their appreciation of the events and of
the conduct of the principal actors and victims on that fatal 21st of June.
I have also seen the letters of the Pere Chevrier and the P^re Ou, written
only a few days before their death. In quoting the Blue-Book in support
of my story, my readers must understand that they are the " Papers relating
to the Massacre of Europeans at Tien-tsin, presented to both Houses of
Parliament." (China, No. i, 1870.)

///, TIEN-TSIN, 535
of the Consulate and the presbytery : but the relations be
tween the two neighbours had cooled. Although naturally
gentle and gay, M. Chevrier had left off going to the consul's.
Irritated by the earnest but respectful representations of the
Superior, who foresaw the coming danger, M. Fontanler had,
on the 9th of June, formally forbidden him his house. A
Chinese father naraed Ou, an excellent priest, zealous, learned,
and amiable towards evetyone, a Catholic literate, named
Wang-san, and a few servants, in addition to the orphanage,
completed the staff of the mission, which was much frequented
by the native Christians.
On the other side of the water, in the centre of one of the
most populous suburbs, not far from the river, in a small house
near a small church, ten Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de
Paul were established, of whom six were French, two Belgians,
one Irish, and one from Tuscany. These religious had the care
both of the hospital and an orphanage. Dr. Frazer, the
EngHsh physician, though established in the concessions and a
Protestant, came constantly to visit and treat their sick. By
the testimony of the most impartial witnesses, these good
sisters were universally loved and respected. " Sister Maty "
was continually sent for to the different Chinese houses ; and
up to the last hour of her life never ceased to visit the homes
of the poor. The other residents were French, English, Swiss,
and Russian merchants and a French lady ; in all, about twelve
or thirteen persons.
In the Chinese world, Chung-hou held the first place. He
was one of the guardians of the hereditaty prince, adomed with
the insignia of the highest rank — a peacock's plume with two
eyes — Lieutenant-General of the Han-chiin division under the
red flag and one of the Vice-Presidents of the War Department.'
A Mandjou by birth and highly thought of at court, he had for
ten years filled the functions of commissary of the "Three
Northern Ports."^ Like the Viceroy of Nankin in the centre
of the empire, and as the Viceroy of Canton in the south, he
was employed in the direction of all affairs regarding foreigners.
The latter spoke warmly of his benevolence, his pleasing
manners, and his perfect courtesy. The agents of the foreign
' Blue-Book, p. 83.
• These three ports are : Che-fu, Tien-tsin, and new Chwang.

536 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD Chap,-
powers, whose business it was to treat with him, had the vety
highest opinion of this functionary. Vis-a-vis the authorities of
the province and of the town, however, his position was ill-
defined, and in consequence full of embarrassments. Chung-
hou had no jurisdiction in Chinese affairs. On this point, his
influence over the governor-general of the province and over
the taotai, and the magistrates of the town, was limited to con
fidential communications, and had only the weight attached to
his Mandjou origin, his high rank, and the favour he enjoyed
at Pekin. He had, besides, the coraraand of the troops assem
bled at Tien-trin, that is, about 4,000 men, aU armed and
disciplined in European fa.shion.
The governor-general of Chih-li rerides alternately here and
at Pao-fing-fu, the capital of the province, situated at a hundred
mUes from Pekin, and at the same distance from Tien-tsin.
Tseng-kwo-fan, the newly appointed holder of this post, annoyed
at the interference of Chung-hou, had lately changed all the
mandarins in his government He was absent at the time of
the massacres.
The principal functionaries residing at Tien-tsin were : Chou,
the taotai, or chief administrator in the departments of Tien
tsin and Ho-kien-fu; Chang, the chi-fu, or prefect ofthe
district of Tien-tsin : lastly Lin, the chih-hiien, or magistrate of
the town.
Properly speaking the chih-hiien is the chief, and though
belonging ordinarily to the categoty of little mandarins, he
exercises great influence over the population. He is the judge
in all criminal cases, and even pronounces sentence of death,
which, however, to be canied into execution, must be confirmed
by the govemor of the province.
There was besides the chen-ta-chuai, or military chief of the
district A few days before the massacre. General Chen-kwo shuai
anived, who was a native of Hupeh. Compromised during
the rebellion, he had turned king's evidence and betrayed his
old comrades to save himself. As a reward, he was raised to
the rank of ti-tu, or coramander-In-chlef of a body of irregular
troops. Being at the same time the terror and the disgrace of
the government, this turbulent fighter, who was adored by the
Pekin mob, made himself noted in the provinces by continual

///. TIEN-TSIN,

537

acts of violence and intense hostility against the Europeans.
At Nanking and at Chinkiang he had tried to raise a riot
among the people. No official duty called him to Tien-tsin.
Followed by a band of five or six hundred malefactors, he
came of his own accord ; and It was soon discovered with what
intentions. Outside the official regions, the town contained a
considerable number of what are called literates. One knows
what these men are and what they feel on the subject of the
white intraslon into their country. Do not let us forget also
the forty-eight old and several new corporations of firemen.
The heads of the former were all of the literate class. To
these men, who are brigaded and always ready to trouble the
public peace, we raust add the Imins, or old volunteers, against
the Taepings ; free lances, in fact, authorized to cany arras and
always ready for any fray.
Nevertheless, no signs of raovement or hostile preparation
were visible. The people went on quietly with their own
business; Tien-tsin was in its normal state.
It was towards the middle of May 1870 that the position
became anxious. Alarming rumours were in circulation and
industriously spread among the lower orders. Certain children
had disappeared. They had been kidnapped by persons in
the pay of the missionaries. The Sisters had killed them.
They had torn out their eyes and their hearts to serve for
charms and magical remedies. This was not the first time
that such absurdities had been propounded. Therefore it was
hoped that these new mmours would vanish like the rest
Contrary to this expectation, however, they assumed greater
consistency. The dispositions of the public (not of the mob,
which were always bad), but of respectable people, visibly
changed towards the Sisters. Vague and superstitious terrors
seemed to have taken possession of the people. The good
sisters, formerly so beloved and respected, met with nothing
but cold or angty looks when they went out ; no one would
make room for them or show them any of the usual marks of
courtesy. One evening, angty groups gathered round their
house, and it was the same the next day. The accusations
against them were multiplied ; facts were asserted, and what
is worse, beHeved. There was no actual disorder as yet, but
a profound disgust and an excitement which became evety

538 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
moment more menacing. The immense population of Tien
tsin was quivering like the leaves of the forest in the gusts
which precede a great storm.
Fate seemed to conspire with the authors of these sinister
mmours. An epidemic illness declared itself In the Sisters'
Orphanage. Several of the children died. They n ers buried
in the cemetety of the poor, behind the French Consulate.
During several days some hundreds of people went there eviry
morning.' Many of the coffins were opened, and the bones
thrown here and there. Those of the Christians were grossly
outraged. Pfere Chdvrler rushed to the spot. He seized a
man, whom they surprised rifling a tomb, and dragged Idm to
the Consulate. He then and there saw M. Fontanier, and
conjured him to speak to the Chinese authorities. He stated
" that It would be easy for them to quiet the growing agitation ;
that the mandarins could do it at once ; that if the thing was
allowed to go on there would be serious raisfortunes ; that they
would be lost in the midst of that huge, hostile population ;
that the coiicessions were far off; and that, besides, menaced
themselves in case of an outbreak, they would be unable to
assist thera, as there was not a single man-of-war in the Pei-ho."
Such was the language of the Superior of the mission. •- His
proceedings, however, produced, unfortunately, no effect on
the consul, who, to put an end to the missionaty's importu
nities, simply showed him the door.
Nevertheless, the position became worse from day to day.
This is how the Pfere Chevrier describes it in a letter written
on the i6th of June, five days before his death : " Again am
I behindhand — always behindhand 1 It is more than half-past
nine, and I must write to . . . to . . . but first to you. Pray
for me that at least I may not anive in heaven after the gates
are closed. The day before yesterday the Superior, accom
panied by Sister Sullivan, made up her mind to go to the
consul's. Two EngHshmen, who went to see the establishment,
advised this step. They were not badly received. There was
no mention made of me. But with regard to the atrocious
calumnies which are spread and believed raore and more, it
seems that, in the consul's opinion, the hour is not yet come to
say a word to the Chinese authorities. One of iJie ramours
' On the 4th of June for the first time.

in. TIENTSIN. 539
to-day is, that the first and second catechists (Chinese) are in
despair because they have killed the daughter of the first and
the wife of the second ! To-day, Corpus ChrlstI, there were
hardly any women at mass. The Pagans, who formerly were
such great friends with the Christians, draw back now, and
consider us ' bad people.' To-day I tried to prove to my
congregation that they were happy mortals : ' Beati estis qtium
maledixerint vobis propter me. Gaudete et exultate quoniam.'
But tills doctrine did not enter quickly into their heads.
Sister Maty said to rae to-day that when she goes into a
riUage where formerly she was received with open arms, now
everyone rans away and hides himself. They asked me If I
did not fear for our own little establishment, as organized
bands were going about ttying to sow disorder and stir up the
people against us. In the midst of all these devilish projects,
we and the Sisters place our confidence above, and do not
despair of receiving help from on High."
More anxious than irritated at the strange inaction of M.
Fontanier, Pfere Chdvrier went to the concessions. He ad
dressed himself to the Russian consul-general, and corarau-
nlcated to him all that had passed between himself and
M. Fontanier, entreating him to use his influence with his
French colleague ; and, in concert with him, to appeal to
Chung, and act upon the authorities of the town. M. Skatsch-
koff, judging the position to the full as seriously as the Lazarist
father, instantly went off to the Chinese town. Anived at the
Consulate, however, he was refused admittance on the plea
that M. Fontanler had gone out He returned then to the
concession, and demanded an interview in writing. M. Fon
tanier accordingly came to see him the next day. But when
M. Skatschkoff began talking to him of the danger of the
moment, he interrupted him with the words : " What business
is It of yours to meddle ? " and instantly left the house.
Vexatious incidents followed one another in rapid succes
sion. One evening a young girl stopped before a shop to buy
some rice. According to Chinese custom, she did not go in
on account of her sex. She held out her basket, therefore. In
which were some sapeques. The tradesman filled it with rice,
and was going to return it to her, when he saw that the young
gfrl had disappeared, and was following an individual. He

540 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
left his shop, and called the attention of his neighbours to this
strange fact. Evidently the man who was walking before the
young girl was a sorcerer. How was it possible to doubt it ?
He was foUowed, insulted, dragged before the chih-hiien, con
demned to receive so many blows of bamboo, and, for want
of proof, released. The people went away, murmuring and
dissatisfied. Two days later, two Chinese strangers made
their appearance in the western quarter, inhabited by Moham
medans. They carried a sack on their backs, and were leading
two little children by the hand. They were questioned to
know where they came from, and what they were going to do,
when the men made their escape. More than ever convinced
that they were sorcerers, they were pursued, seized, and
dragged to the yamen of the chih-hiien. In their sacks some
Mexican dollars were found (the coinage generally used by
Europeans) and some packets of drugs. Put to the torture.
they owned to having bewitched these children by means of
the drugs ; and that the dollars had been given to them by the
Sisters in payment of their crime ! The chih-hiien actually
allowed these depositions to be taken down. The law provides
against the crime of sorcery. Besides, the confession of these
two men had nothing surprising to a Chinese mind, even were
it that of a literate or a mandarin. The chih-hiien referred
the case to the chi-fu. The two men, convicted on their own
showing of a crime said to be committed at the instigation of
the Sisters, were condemned to death, and executed. It was
impllcitiy condemning the Sisters and denouncing death to the
Europeans. A proclamation by the chi-fu brought the facts to
the knowledge of the public. Without directiy naming the
Sisters, it seems that the magistrate dwelt on the fact of the
natural indignation of the people and the sympathy of the
mandarins. Enchanted with this act of compHcity on the part
of the authorities, which they reckoned on working for their
own ends, the authors of the disorders organized a popular
demonstration. They clubbed together, and presented to the
chi-fu, in token of gratitude, an official umbrella, on which
was inscribed the names of the donors. The execution of the
two men was carried out in conformity to a decree of Tsing-
kwo-fan's, governor-general of the province, then absent from
Tien-tsin. This high functlonaty approved of this summary

///. TIEN-TSIN. S4I
judgment, and authorized the execution of the sorcerers In
other vvords, he published martial law In consequence of the
frequency of these imaginary crimes. The chi-fu, the militaty
mandarin, and chih-hiien, next went to Chung. They enlarged
upon the gravity of the matter, and asked for an authorization,
which he refused, to raake an Inquiry on the spot — that Is, to
exhume and examine the bodies buried In the poor people's
cemetety, situated, as we have said, behind the French (Con
sulate. On this occasion the three mandarins solemnly affirmed
that they believed the Sisters of charity to be guilty. Chung-
hou maintained the contrary ; and persisted In refusing the
permission asked of him. At last, intimidated by the violence
of public opinion, which was already unfavourable to him, he
yielded. He did like Pontius Pilate, and washed his hands.
The inquity took place. This was the first act of the tragedy.
The Chinese mandarins came into the inclosure of the mission,
under the vety shadow of the French flag, and were followed
by a furious crowd, who, by their screams and vociferations,
already anticipated the verdict of the magistrate. In the
cemetety, several bodies were dug up and examined. In some
cases the eyes were wanting — the natural result of decomposi-
tisn — but this was interpreted as a positive proof of the cul
pability of both Sisters and missionaries.
A Catholic Literate who was at the head of a school in the
neighbourhood, accompanied by one of his pupils, came on a
feast day to Tien-tsin. In the evening, on their way back to
their village, they stopped at a Chinese restaurant Some men
who were seated near him at table remarked that the pronun
ciation of the schoolmaster — he was born on the frontiers of
Mongolia — difiered from that of the child ; an evident proof
that he was a sorcerer. They beat him cruelly with iron bars
heated in the fire, and dragged him before the chih-hiien. The
inquity proved his entire Innocence, and on the demand of
Pere Chdvrier, the unhappy man, who had one of his ribs
broken, was carried on a litter to the Lazarist Mission, amidst
the yells and groans of the mob. ' On the 14th of June, four
days before the massacre, they arrested in a neighbouring vil
lage a young man named Wu-lan-chen. He was also accused
of having bewitched a man. Brought before the chih-hiien, he
made the following deposition : " I am a native of Ning-chin-

542 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
shien. I am nineteen years old. My father and grandfather are
still living. My father's name Is Wu-tsun : he is in his forty-fifth
year. My mother's maiden name was Fang. I have not any
brothers. I was married the first month of this year. Not having
anything to do In the house, I left it on the i8th of February, and
. . . went to Tien-tsin, where I earn my living as a boatman.
Until this time I did not know Wang-san of the Ho-lou (of the
Catholic Church), but on the 13th of June he gave rae a drug and
dragged me into the church. I did not cross the threshold.
Wang-san insisted on my becoming a Christian. I began by re
fusing. Wang-san then said he would kill me. He frightened
me, and I consented. He gave four dollars to a man named Tang
with an order to keep them for me. On the 14th he gave me a
littie packet containing a soporific drug, and with it the commis
sion to go about the country and recruit men by means of this drug.
It was a fine sort of powder, folded in some thin paper. I went
to Mu-chuang-tzu, and there met a young man about twenty
years of age, dressed in a blue tunic and trousers of the same
colour. I put the powder In the hollow of my hand, and with
it rubbed the man's cheek. At once he became like one stupe
fied, and followed me. I returned in hot haste to the Catholic
church, and gave the man up to Wang-san. In return he gave
me five dollars and another packet of powder. I went to the
village of Tao-hua-ssu, where I saw a man called Li-so occupied
in drawing some water. I made hira giddy with the powder,
and he followed rae in the same way that the other had done.
But I was arrested by the peasants and taken before the magis
trate. There are in the Catholic church seven men besides me
employed as recruiters. Each night we slept in the Inclosure
of the church. Wang-san was our chief. Every morning he
brought from an inner chamber a certain number of packets
containing this powder. He gave one to each of us, and also
300 pieces of copper money for our food. When we had not
been able to bring in any fresh person, we gave back the pow
der to Wang-san. (Here he mentioned the names of his pre
tended accomplices.) Wang-san is about twenty years old.
He has a pale complexion, and is slightly marked with small
pox. After he had drugged me and taken me to the churcli he
gave me an antidote. Hardly had I taken it than I recovered
consciousness. Wang-san told me that after having taken tha

///. TIEN-TSIN.

543

powder one must make a mixture in which they put sweet herbs,
the calapash of a grasshopper, and that of another insect, dried
in the fire and pulverized, and some sesamum oil. This decoc
tion, drunk hot, makes you all right directly. Yesterday, after
having followed me, the vUlagers asked me what was to be
done. I replied that they must give this antidote to Li-so, and
that he would be cured as soon as he had taken it I hid In
the sash of my trousers the five dollars I had received for having
bewitched the man from Mu-chuang-tzu. I lost them when I
was arrested. During my stay at the Catholic Mission, Wang-
san gave me every morning before I went out a red powder to
take, like snuff. After having taken it I felt all my courage re
vive, and thought of nothing but how I could recruit people.
When I returned in the evening a few drops of the drug given
me by Wai-.g restored ray consciousness. But then the gates
were shut, and I could not get away." '
In consequence of this (utterly ridiculous) deposition, the
chi-fu and the chih-hiien requested Chung-hou to demand the
extradition of Wang-san. Then followed the same hesitations
and evasion on his part He either did not dare or would not
take- this step against the French consul. "They were wel
come," he said, " to act according to their judgment, but on
their own responsibility." They took possession accordlpgly
of this unfortunate man. The chih-hiien put hira to the ques
tion, when 'ne was most cruelly tortured, and then sent back
with his ankles broken and mangled. On the 19th the taotai
presented himself to the Consulate. He brought the deposition
of several witnesses, who declared they had been the victims of
these recruiters of children eraployed and paid by the mission
aries. He demanded an authorization from the consul to make
an inquiry. M. Fontanier had not much difficulty in proving
to him that all these rumours were false, and the work of evil-
disposed persons.
Some hours after, the chih-hiien, accompanied by an emis
sary of the police, appeared again at the Consulate. M. Fon-
' The Bluc-Eook, p. 18, gives this curious document I reproduce it in
exlenso because it throws a strong light on the customs, ideas, and super
stitions of the Chinese people. The reader will see later on that the
magistrates of Tien-tsin owned, themselves, the entire falsehood of Wu's
depositions, who was only the miserable instrument of the authors of the
carnage.

544 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
tanler tried to excuse himself; but, the magistrate Insisting
on seeing him, he was obliged to make a virtue of necessity.
The Chinese official was consequentiy introduced into the
drawing-room whilst his suite invaded the Consulate. An
animated conversation followed between him and the French
consul. Their angty voices were heard in the ante-chamber.
The mandarin insisted on an official inquity being made in the
houses of the missionaries and Sisters, and dared to threaten
the consul with the resentment of the population. The latter,
no longer master of his anger, broke up the interview, de
claring he would not treat the affair with anyone but Chung.
The chih-hiien left the Consulate in a furious rage, and the
consul dispensed himself from accompanying him to the gates,
according to the rules of etiquette. At the moment the man
darin was going out, M. Fontanier was heard to say to him :
" If there be a tumult, I shall consider you responsible." The
secretary, who followed the chih-hiien, drew near to the consul
and begged hira, in a low voice, not to mix him up in this
business. That sarae day, the English doctor. Dr. Frazer, on
leaving the Sisters' house, was attacked by the mob, and only
saved by the fleetness of his horse. In the hospital was a
captain in the English merchant service. Although he was
seriously ill, the Superior hastened to have him removed to the
coricessions, fearing he might, otherwise, perish with the Sisters
in the massacre which she already foresaw.
For the last few days. General Chen-kwo-shuai had been at
Tien-tsin. His arrival was the signal for an increase of the
agitation. The streets were covered with incendiary placards.
They cried for vengeance on the recruiters and sorcerers of
their children. In passing by a group of people who were
whispering together, the comprador of a European resident
heard these words : " Let us kUl all the foreigners." Others
replied : " Quick, quick, let us make an end of them ; now
is the moment, for there is not a single man-of-war in the
river." On the 2oth of June a great crowd was assembled on the
quay. Some men more audacious than the rest threw stones
and bricks against the Mission and the Consulate. Night dis
persed these groups.
Chung, informed by a message from M. Fontanier of the

in, TIENTSIN. 545
scene ii the day before, came himself to the Consulate.
Although pretending to excuse him, he spoke in severe terms
of the chih-hiien, and complained of the little attention he had
paid to his remonstrances. He said, " that it was in vain he
had tried to prove the falsehood of the ramours spread against
the missionaries. At last he had been compelled to allow
them to have their say." His conduct seemed to entitie him
anew to the public epithet, of being " the right hand " of the
Europeans. WhUst these confidences, mingled with amiable
words, were being interchanged between the representatives of
France and China, the one pre-occupled with his personal em-
banassments, and taking good care not to allow that there was
anything serious in the affair, the other lulled by a false secu
rity, which seems almost inconceivable, the missionaries and
Sisters did not give themselves up to any illusions. They felt
and knew that the hour of their martyrdom was at hand. M.
Coutries, one of the residents in the Chinese city, had met the
Pfere Chevrier in the course of the day. " Come to-raorrow
to mass," said the good priest ; " it is time to prepare ourselves
for death."
That same evening M. Thomassin, interpreter of the French
Legation, arrived at the Consulate with his young wife. This
young couple had just arrived from Europe. They had been
urged to stop at the concessions : but being hunled, they pre
fened passing the night in the Chinese town, so as to continue
their journey to Pekin on the morrow. Little did they think
that they would there meet their death ! In the concessions
the greatest consternation prevailed. The residents not only
trembled for the fate of their fellow-countrymen, exposed to
such grievous peril in the Chinese town, but they feared also
for themselves. A deputation, composed of Dr. Frazer and
four more of the notabilities of the place, went to the English
consul to intreat him to send for one of the gun-boats stationed
at Che-fu. Mr. Lay, fearing probably to Increase the panic,
seemed not to share in it He had already written to Chung
on the morning of the 20th, begging him to publish a procla
mation exhorting the people to civility towards foreigners. In
consequence of the insult received by Dr. Frazer, he repeated
his request in a second note,' which was sent to Chung the
« Blue-Book, Mr. Lay to Mr. Wade, pp. 19-32.

546 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
next morning, only a few hours before the massacres. The
evening before, [20th of June,] he sent the following message
to Mr. Wade : — " We are urgently in need of a man-of-war.
When there are none in the Pei-ho disorders of this kind in
crease. That the spirit of the Chinese is vety hostUe to all
foreigners at this moment is an undoubted fact The fire has
been smouldering under the ashes : now it is on the point of
breaking out." He was amazed at the inaction of M. Fon
tanier as regards the Sisters. Everyone asked, in fact, why in
the world they were not sent to the concessions ? If it were
not possible for them to leave the convent by daylight, and all
together, could they not, at least, withdraw them, one by one,
at night ? But M. Fontanier did nothing, for he did not be
lieve in the danger.
The very day of the massacres, before they were known at
the settiement, Mr. Lay wrote to Mr. Wade : ' "It is my pain
ful duty to inform you that the state of things here is very
unsatisfactory. For some time the Chinese have threatened
to kill all foreigners, and to drive them from Tien-tsin. These
last days the excitement has increased. The Chinese have an
nounced their intention of burning the Catholic church and
the French Consulate, and of killing all foreigners  I
do not think that we are actually in danger of death, but I am
very anxious concerning our property, our warehouses being
full of merchandise. Every day repprts are spread that we are
to be killed or driven away. . . ." He wrote also to Che-fu
to hasten the return of the gun-boat Wiser than his French
colleague, whora an inexplicable fatality seemed to blind, Mr.
Lay saw the danger ; but even he did not measure it in its full
proportions. In the Chinese city the gong was already sum
moning the assassins to their bloody work, while he was writing
the lines we have just read.
We are now arrived at the ill-omened 21st June. According
to the pious advice of Pfere Chevrier, M. Coutries went very
early to the cathedral to attend the six o'clock mass. The
church was quite full. A large number of native Christians,
feeling that their last hour was come, crowded round the
confessionals of the two fathers. By nine o'clock far more
considerable groups than the day before had gathered before
' Blue-Book, Mr. Lay to Mr. Wade. p. 21.

///. TIEN-TSIN, 547
the mission house and Consulate. Very soon projectUes of
aU kinds began to fly against the windows. An invasion
seemed imminent It was ten o'clock; the taotai, the chi-
fu, and the chih-hiien with a numerous suite arrived at the
gates. They brought with them Wu-lan-chen,' the wretched
man whose denunciations against the missionaries we have
read above. Received by Pere Chdvrler, who had himself
asked for the inquiry, they were taken over the whole house,
questioned all the servants, and at last owned themselves
that they could find nothing suspicious whatever. The miser
able Wu-lan-chen, confronted with the two missionaries and
the servants, became confused, and did not know either the
persons he had denounced or the localities which he had
pointed out in his prerious depositions. At last the magis
trates, disgusted with their failure, and full of angry spite
at having been duped by Wu-lan-chen, retired atnidst the
fronical laughter of the crowd, but without attempting to
make the least effort to calm the raob or make them dis
perse. They simply got into their chairs and said they
were going to refer the matter to Chung. This last official
had just sent for the head of the mission, and Pfere Clie'vrier
hastened to obey his surainons. Chung began by repeating
that he did not attach the least weight to the calumnious
ramours which had been cfrculated ; nevertheless. In order
to disarm suspicion, he begged of him in future to let the
mandarins know the birth-place, name, and, in case of
necessity, the death of all such children as should be received
in the mission school or Into the Sisters' orphanage. The
Pfere Chevrier gladly consented, and hastened to return to
his house. There the state of things had become worse.
Fresh stones were thrown at the church, threatening cries
were heard on all sides, and the mob seemed ready to
commit any excesses. Men belonging to the fire brigade
had mingled with the people. Their presence was a bad
sign. Pfere Chevrier, on going back, found all the glass In
his church destroyed. Nevertheless, he sat down to dinner
and made believe to eat, wishing thus to reassure the Chris
tians and give them an example of quiet courage and resig
nation. The turault increasing, he presented himself before
• He is still alive in the prisons of Tien-tsin.

548 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
the populace, and invited thera to enter the house to con
vince themselves of the entire falsehood of the rumours
spread against the raissionaries. At the same time he ordered
all the gates to be thrown open. It was then one o'clock.
The mob rushed into the courtyard, amd then, as if seized
with a sudden panic or shame, retired again into the street
But after a few minutes, encouraged by some one am.ong
the crowd, they came back again and invaded the house.
Seeing that their last hour was at hand, and despairing of
any help from the consul, whom he rightly judged was as
completely lost as himself, the good Pfere Chevrier made a
last appeal to Chung-hou. He sent him his visiting card
by a servant — for visiting cards are much thought of in China,
— told him the extreme danger of their position, and asked
for troops. Having done this, in haste, the two fathers,
Chevrier and Ou, took refuge in the church, which they
barricaded. Four other Christians were also there. After having
heard the confessions of Pfere Ou, Pfere Chevrier received the
same Sacrament from his brother priest, when the doors of
the church yielded to the violence of the blows. The two
fathers took refuge In the sacristy. There we will leave them
for a moment to see what had become of the French consul.
You remember that the Consulate and the Mission touched
one another, only being separated by a low waU. The build
ing Inhabited by M. Fontanier looked upon the quay, if one
may so caU the space between the river and the houses. Like
all European habitations in China, the Consulate was sunounded
by a veranda. It was there that, attracted by the noise, the
consul and his two guests, M. and Mde. Thomassin, were
quietly watching the first scenes of the tragedy. The consul
had sent M. Simon, his secretary and his " Hterate," to Chung,
to ask for troops. Whilst these two officials tried to reach the
yamen of the high commissioner, M. Fontanler, wishing to
take advantage of M. Thomassln's approaching departure,
began to write to M. de Rochechouart, the French chargi
d'affaires at Pekin.' " Our little town of Tien-tsin, generally
so quiet," he writes to his superior, "has been troubled the last
few days by cries and crowds who have gathered in the
neighbourhood of the Consulate and of the Sisters of Charity."
' Blue-Book, M. Fontanier to the Count de Rochechouart, p. 20.

///. 2IEN-TSIN,

549

Then follows an account of the visits of the taotai and of
Chung-hou, and also of the scene with the chih-hiien. "A
Httle incident," he goes on, " which might have taken a serious
turn but for the intervention of Chung-hou, but which to-day
is pretty nearly at an end — Chung having besides promised me
that in a fevv days he wiU publish a Httie proclamation to quiet
the people's minds."
WhUe reading these lines, written at ten o'clock on that
fatal morning, one seems to be in a dream. The cries with
which this little town is disturbed the last few days— this little
town haying six or seven hundred thousand inhabitants I The
little incident — that is a serious quarrel with the chief magis
trate who has already plotted his ruin ! The A'///^ proclamation
vvhich Chung promises to publish in a few days to appease
men's minds I Why, M. Fontanier, in a few hours you will
yourself be a mutilated corpse !
Chung sent some police agents. "How!" exclaimed M.
Fontanier. " I ask for soldiers and he sends me a few man
darins ! " In a rage he went down into the street and told them
to go away. In truth, finding themselves powerless to disperse
the mob, and being themselves attacked, they quickly dis
appeared. One of them, who was cmelly ill-treated, only
saved himself by jumping into the ferry-boat and getting to
the other side of the water. The consular messenger tried to
prevent the yells of the crowd. He was beaten, and saved
with gfreat difficulty by the cook.
At this moment M. Coutries, who was close to the door of
the Consulate, saw on the right bank of the river a Chinaman
richly dressed, and surrounded by a numerous suite. The mob
saluted him with acclamations of joy. After having spoken to
the people for a few moments he retired, pointing with his hand
to the Consulate, and turning round to the unoccupied estab
hshment of the Jesuit fathers. Directiy the cries and sinister
noise of the gong recomraenced, and the mob began to throw
stones against the house (which had been hitherto respected)
of the fathers of the society.
M. Fontanier, after having waited in vain for the succours he
had demanded of Chung, resolved to go himself in search of
them. Armed with a six-barreUed revolver, and accompanied by
his secretary, M. Simon, who had hastily put on a sword, he

S50 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
left the Consulate by a back door, in spite of the entreaties
of his servants, and tried to gain the residence of the commis
sioner for the " Three-ports," which was not far off, by
passing through some little back streets. M. Coutries, armed
with a gun, and the principal Chinese servant belonging to the
consul, seeing the danger to which he was exposing himself, ran
after him in hopes of being able to rejoin hira.
We have mentioned that Pfere Chevrier had sent a man In
whom he could trust with his card, and a verbal message for
Chung. This servant likewise tried to reach the yamen by the
back streets ; but attacked with stones, frightened by the crowd,
and finding it impossible to get through it, he retraced his steps,
and then perceived the consul and his secretaty, the first seizing
a Chinaman by his taU, and brandishing a pistol in the other
hand. The Chinaman was one of those littie mandarins whom
Chung had sent to re-establish order before the church and
the Consulate. M. Fontanler, in a furious passion, overwhelmed
this man with reproaches. " How," he exclaimed, " you a
mandarin, you do not attempt to appease the people and yet
you StUl dare to wear your button ! Come with me directly to
Chung-hou." These words, heard and repeated round the
consul, added to the fury of the mob. On all sides they cried
out: "He is going to kUl a mandarin!" Arrived at the
yamen, they found the gates shut. The consul burst open the
door with one blow of his foot, and rashed in, accompanied by
M. Simon and the mandarin. The servant of Pfere Chdvrier did
not dare to follow them into the second court ; but he could
distinguish the angty voice of the consul, exclaiming : " How 1
our very lives are threatened, and you do nothing to protect
us I " He did not hear any other noise. Vety soon M. Coutries
and M. Fontanier's servant arrived. These three were consult
ing as to what had better be done, when they were all of a
sudden attacked by the soldiers and servants of Chung, who
were assembled in the outer court, to the cry of, " KUl ! Kill ! "
The consul's servant was knocked down, and received several
pike wounds ; a secretary of Chung's managed to save him.
M. Coutries owed his life to the protection of a friend of his,
a little official, who hid him In a dark cupboard. The next
day Chung had him escorted to the concessions. M. Coutries
thought he heard his protector say : " He is not a Frenchman ;

///. TIEN-TSIN. 551
he is English." The servant of the Lazarist fathers, watching
for a favourable moment, escaped unpercelved.
What passed iu this interview between the consul and Chung-
hou no one knows, unless people choose to believe the state
ment of Chung himself, whose veracity seems to me more than
doubtful. These are the terms in which, on the very day of
the massacres, he describes, in a report to the Tsungli-yamen,
the last visit of M. Fontanier : — '
"After having taken leave of Pbre Chevrier, wishing to
dispel the suspicions of the people and reassure the foreigners,
I was occupied in drawing up a proclamation in that sense,
which I intended to publish immediately, when, about two
o'clock, I heard there had been some fray between the people
of the cathedral and certain idle vagabonds gathered near the
church. I had just sent an officer to inquire Into the disturbance
and re-establish tranquillity, when I learned that M. P"ontanIer
himself had come to the yamen. I went to meet him. The
consul was in a violent rage, and carried two pistols in his waist
band. Another foreigner, who accompanied him, was armed
vrith a sword. Both of them rushed forward to meet me ;
and hardly had he come near rae than M. Fontanier began
to speak In a raost improper manner, drew his pistol from his
sash, and fired it in my presence. Fortunately, no one was
htu-t, and M. Fontanier was anested. As it would not have been
dignified on my part to have come to blows with him, I retired.
M, Fontanier, in coming into the reception-hall, broke all the
cups and other objects on the table, and never ceased vociferat
ing with rage. I again approached him, and told him that the
crowd (which had gathered round the entrance of the yamen)
had taken up a menacing attitude ; that the fire brigad j had
joined them, with the evident intention to assist them in any
mischief; that I feared disorders might ensue, and therefore
begged him to stay where he was. But he, regardless of his
life, rashed ont of the yamen. I sent some men with orders to
rejoin him and serve him as an escort"
Such is the account of one of the interlocutors. The other
perished a few minutes after this interview. One raust then
hold to Chung's version of the affair. But leaving ou^;
the lies which this high functionary did not blush to tell about
' Blue-Book, Chung- hoti to the Yamen of Foreign Affairs, p. 21.

553 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
the death of the consul, and which he was subsequently obliged
to retract, the account -we have just read Is only admissible on
the supposition that M. Fontanier had completely lost his head.
To fire a pistol in the interior of a yamen, in presence of a
mandarin of high position, if not at him, would have been an
act of sheer madness. There is no doubt that the consul was
killed on the spot by the soldiers and mob stationed near the
Consulate ; and perhaps Chung-hou, even if he had wished it,
could not have saved him. On the other hand. It is affirmed
that, on returning towards the Consulate, M. Fontanler seemed
like a drunken man.' But if In the midst of a pack of
devils thirsting for his blood, in-the face of Chung's cowardice,
and the scarcely-disguised treason of the m.iglstrates, the un
fortunate Fontanier had for a moment lost his reason, his
trouble of mind had not stifled the accents of his brave and
loyal heart His post was at the Consulate. He had to pro
tect, not only the missionaries, his neighbours, but M. and
Mde. Thomassin, his guests. It was then to the Consulate
that he strove to return. He knew that he was thus meeting
death ; that in staying with Chung he would probably be safe ;
but he did not hesitate for a moment in rejecting the offer of
the high commissioner : and, followed by his secretary, he left
the yamen. About a dozen little mandarins, ordered by Chung
to protect him, followed him on foot.= The chih-hiien, first in
his chair, and then on foot, marched by his side.
The unhappy consul had scarcely crossed the threshold of
the palace, when he received a lance-thrust in the side. This
was his first wound. He was then in a fearful state of over-
excitement They saw him gesticulating violently. Perhaps to
calm him and prevent his adding to the irritation of the mob,
the chih-hiien touched him with his hand. The consul thought
himself insulted. "Wretched chih-hiien!" he exclaimed,
" miserable mandarin 1 will you do nothing to keep back the
» This was the expression of several ocular witnesses, of whom the greater
number were native Chris'iians, who told it to the Lazarist fathers. His
servant, when questioned by me as to the pistol shot in the yamen, was silent.
^\ short time after the event he declared he had heard it, then he denied it.
M. Ccutries and the servant of Pere Chevrier (this last also interrogated by
me) declared that the v heard nothing like the firing off of a pistol or of any
fire-arm whatsoever.
» One ot tliise officials was the mandarin whom I questioned myselt

///. TIEN-TSIN,

553

raob?" The magistrate shook his head, saying, "That Is not
my business."' They were then on the quay, where several
little streets meet, all of which at this moment were full of men,
armed with pikes. They rushed instantly upon the two Euro
peans. M. Fontanier used his revolver, but hit no one ; then,
turning to the chih-hiien, fired straight at him. He, being a
little man, and seeing the pistol turned towards him, had the
nresence of mind to hide behind his servant, who received the
charge, was fatally wounded, and died a few days after. The
mob cried out, " He is killing us ! Let us kUl him and all
those who tty to prevent us ! " These words were the signal
for the flight of the chih-hiien and all the mandarins oi tiie
escort They were at this moment close to a little pagoda,
half-way between the bridge of boats and the church. It was
half-past one o'clock. The two Frenchmen, though badly
wounded by the lance-thrusts of their enemies, resolved to
make one more effort, charged the crowd boldly, and opened
a passage which enabled them to reach the great gate of the
Consulate, but there, overpowered by numbers, they sank under
the blows of their murderers. At this moment, the two fathers,
Chdvrier and Ou, pursued by a horde of assassins, who had
tracked them into the sacristy, jumped out of a window into
the coiut of the Consulate, and endeavoured to hide themselves
in a little summer-house, sunounded with rock-work : but the
wretches, who had just despatched the consul and his secretary,
rushed upon thera and killed them.
These were not the first victims. M. Thomassin and his
young wife had, during M. Fontanier's absence, quitted the
Consulate and taken refuge in a neighbouring house, inhabited
by some Swiss merchants, MM. Borel. If they had remained
there they would have been saved ; but, taken with a sudden
panic, and hoping to reach their boat, which was waiting for
them at a vety short distance off, to take them to Pekin, M.
Thomassin, armed with a pistol and a Chinese sword, went out
with his young wife. A stone was thrown at them, and he had
the imprudence to fire on the crowd. Instantly he was cut to
pieces, and his young wife killed by a blow of a hatchet on the
nape of the neck.'' Thefr bodies, completely stripped, were
' Account given by the Christians who were interrogated by Pere Favier.
• Proved by the examination of the corpse.

554 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
thrown Into the river, and the next day fi.shed out close lo the
concessions. It was after this first crime that the crowd rushed
upon the Consulate and began to demolish it
When the chih-hiien saw the consul lying mortally wounded
by the side of his secretary, this mean-spirited assassin was
filled with terror. He ran back to Chung : " A terrible mis
fortune has happened ! " he exclaimed. " The consul has been
killed. I reckon upon you to save me." " How can I save
you ?" replied the high commissioner. " I shall have a great
deal of trouble to save myself. You are the chief magistrate
of the town. It was your business to quiet the people. So far
from doing so, or fulfilling your duty, you have encouraged the
disorders. If the consul has been killed, the only thing you can
do is to protect the other Europeans and prevent pillage."'
Hastily taking off his official costume, Chung then left his yamen,
and staying prudently near the gate, watched in silence the sin
ister spectacle of the burning of the cathedral, mission-house,
and Consulate, which were speedily consumed by the flames.
It wUl be remembered that the most turbulent portion of the
Tien-tsin population lived on the north bank of the river, and
that a single bridge of boats connected it vrith the inner town
and the great suburbs on the opposite side, where the church,
convent, and orphanage of the Sisters of St Vincent de Paul
were situated. We may remember also that the confraternity
of firemen on both sides of the river sympathised with the
assassins, who, directed by invisible agency, openly encouraged
by General Chen-how-shuai, and secretly by the militaty man
darin of the district, only waited for the signal to begin the
work of blood. This signal was given at mid-day. In five
different quarters of the town the gong called the firemen and
volunteers to arms. The most simple prudence would have
recommended the prevention of a union between these two
disorderly bands by stopping the crossing of the river. Nothing
could be so easy. They would only have to withdraw one of
the boats which formed the bridge. It was not, however, tUl
after the massacre of the consul that Chung gave this order.
' This curious colloquy is, it seems to me, one of those facts wliich cannot
be invented. The mandarin whom I have mentioned above related it to
me, and said be had been present and heard the words himself.

///. TIEN-TSIN. 555.
They were on the point of obeying him, when General ("^I-ci-i-
how-shuai appeared on the quay, and insisted on crossing the
bridge. They did not dare resist him, and he crossed, dragging
over with him a whole horde of assassins. On the left bank of
the river the work had been accomplished — the Europeans had
been killed, their houses and church pillaged and burnt. Now
for the Sisters.
For more than a week the poor Superior had been in the
greatest anxiety and agony of mind as to the fate of her
Sisters and children. She had, as we have already mentioned,
considered the position so dangerous that she had sent away
the English captain frora the hospital in spite of his precarious
state. Dr. Frazer, that good Saraaritan, who evety day, and
sometimes twice a day, devoted himself to the care of the sick
in the hospital, had been vety nearly assassinated the last time
he went to see them. He had only escaped, In fact, owing to
the fleetness of his horse. Since this adventure he had not
dared to retum to the Chinese city. Their coraraunications
with the Lazarist Fathers had likewise been stopped, as the
Sisters did not dare, as before, show themselves outside their
gates. For the last three days a dense crowd, yelling and
howling, had been stationed from morning till night In the
neighbourhood of the convent Nevertheless, flight was still
possible. In the night the Sisters might have made their
escape to the concessions. But then, what would have become
of their orphans and their sick ? Utterly abandoned, without
any human succour, surrounded by a fanatical mob, who were
evidently ready to commit any excesses, these holy and
courageous women made up thefr minds to remain and fiilfil
their duties to the end.
These are thefr names : — The Sister Superior, Marie Thdrdse
Marquet, born in Belgium, 46 years old ; The Sisters : Marie
Sdraphine Clavelln, bom in France, 48 years old ; Marie
Pauline VioUet, born in France, 39 years old ; Marie Anne
Pavilion, bom in France, 47 years old ; Araelie Caroline
Legras, born in France, 36 years old ; Adelaide Marie Ange-
llque Lenu, born in France, 38 years old ; Marie-Clarinde
Andreoni, l3orn in Tuscany, 34 years old; Alice O'Sullivan,
born in Ireland, 34 years old ; Marie Joseph Adam, born In
Belgium, 34 years old ; and Marie-Anne Nodmi TiUet, born

556 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. CIup.
in France, and 44 years old. About a hundred children were
in their orphanage. Towards half-past two o'clock, to the
sound of the gong and the letting off of petards, a horde 01
assassins, Ctying out, " Death to the French 1 " " Death to the
foreigners ! " arrived before the convent. They set fire to it,
and the door was burst open in a moment The wretches
found themselves face to face with the Sister Superior, whom
they immediately thrust through with a lance, and finished by
sword-cuts. The other Sisters took refuge in the church, in
the cellars, in the garden, and in the dispensaty. But they
were all seized in a few minutes and massacred. The rage of
these madmen makes one hope that their death was Instanta
neous.' Their bodies were literally torn to pieces, and thrown
into the flames. Some strips of roasted flesh and calcined
bones heaped up in the courtyard of the hospital was all that
remained of these noble, devoted, and holy woinen.= Their re
mains, sent by the taotai to the English consul, were not enough
for five complete bodies. What had become of the remainder ?
The most careful researches made by Pfere Favier and Dr.
Frazer amidst the ruins of the house and church produced no
result. One cannot attribute the disappearance of so many
corpses to calcination, for in that case some of the bones would
have been found. Probably the bloody limbs were carried off
as charms and distributed among the people. According to
the deposition of one of the children in the hospital, a man
struck her on the cheek with the hand of one of the Sisters,
This is according to the opinion of Pere Favier. My pen refuses to
reproduce the details of the horrible outrages committed upon them, as. they
are described in the reports to Mr. Lay. (Blue-Book, pp. 24 and 28.)
Pfere Favier is persuaded that considering the fearful excitement of the mob,
the Sisters were killed on the spot, and that the murderers only wreaked
their vengeance on their lifeltss bodies. In spite of the most careful inquiries
made by the ecclesiastical and consular authorities on the death of the Sisters,
the information obtained is most obscure and unsatisfactoi-y. This is easily
explained. The Chinese Christians had fled, and the Pagan neighbours of
the Sisters, who were all more or less compromised in the massacre, took
rare not to talk, and especially not to tell the truth.
' " The Pious and Good Sisters of Charity : The Tien-tsin Massacre,"
p. 52, By George Thin, M.D., Vice-President of the "Northern China"
Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. English people residing at Tien
tsin and at Shnn^hai, Protestants who have known them and seen their
\virl;s, have spoken to nie of these good Sisters with tears in their
cyj..

///. TIEN-TSIN. SSI
which had been cut off, exclaiming brutally, " Here is thy
mother" (the name given by the orphans to the Sisters) " who
is punishing thee ! " One of the Chinese witnesses, quoted in
the Blue-Book (page 75), asserts that a hundred children be
longing to the orphanage were stifled in a cave where they had
taken refuge. This assertion, happily, was not confirmed. The
chUdren, half dead with fright, hid themselves in every direc
tion. They were seized, thrown into prison, and questioned.
As they would not say anything against the Sisters they had
much to suffer ; but at the end of six weeks they were given
up by the Chinese authorities to the missionaries who were
sent from Pekin for that purpose.
A good many native Christians lost their lives at the entrance
of the convent The others, tracked by the murderers, fled in
evety direction, and tried to hide in friends' houses, or to leave
the town. One woman was thrown into the river, and dragged
out only on condition that she would promise to denounce the
Sisters (who were already murdered), and declare that she had
been bewitched by them. They took her off to the yamen to
be intenogated, which is a curious fact and worth noticing,
because it is one of the numerous proofs that the assassins
proceeded with method and were directed by men who felt
the necessity of being fiurnished beforehand with some legal
justification.' M. de Chalmalson, a merchant established in the Chinese
city, was massacred at the moment when he was going out of
his house. A French lady, who lived under the same roof,
ran down a little back street and was saved by a poor woman
who hid her in her house. In the dead of night, disguised as
a Chinese, she went back to her residence, but, finding it
abandoned, she retraced her steps, but could not find again
the home which had previously sheltered her, and knocked at
a wrong door. Recognized as a foreigner by her accent, she
¦ivas instantly killed. An Englishman, living in the same
quarter, owed his life entirely to the fidelity of his comprador.
This last, after having hid his master on the roof of the house
between two chimneys, shut the doors and windows, and,
quietiy smoking his pipe, presented the key of the house to
the leader of the band of assassins. " Come In," he said to
»^Blue-Book. Evidence of a native, p. 37.

558 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
him, "the owner is gone to the concessions." The two Swiss
merchants, MM. de Borel, were miraculously saved. From
mid-day till evening they remained blocked up in their house.
The mob appeared frora time to time, but, thanks to the
entreaties of their cotnprador, they always ended by going
away. During the night Chung had thera conducted to the
English concession.
A M. Bassow, and a young couple, manied only during the
few previous days, M. Protopopoff ' and his wife, the sister of
Mde. Starzoff, all three settled In the European concessions,
had gone that vety morning to the Chinese town to breakfast
with some merchants of their own nation who lived in the
eastern quarter of the city. Not attaching any importance to
the gathering crowds in the streets, they had quietly sat down
to breakfast about twelve o'clock, when a Chinese servant came
ranning in to say " that the Catholic church had been thrown
into the water." They resolved to go back to the concessions
as quickly as possible. The bridge being crowded, they took
the road of H^-doune (salt road), that is to say, the left bank
of the river. As they had come in the morning in sedan-
chairs, the young couple and M. Bassow started to retilrn
home in the same way. The three othei" Russians followed
on foot, but meeting troops of armed raen, they hid themselves
in the sentry-box of one of the guards. They were questioned,
and after having proved their Russian nationality,- they were
allowed to proceed. M. and Mde. Protopopoff and their friend
were rapidly crossing the streets of the northern quarter of the
town, when, to the cty of: "There go some foreigners: kUl
them ! kUl them !" they were set upon by a band of murderers.
In vain they asserted that they were not French — that they
were English. They answered, " Never mind ; we mean to
kUl all the foreigners I " They had not time to get out of
their chairs, which were broken to pieces at the top of them.
The two men who tried to defend the young lady were
despatched with swords. The unfortunate Mde. Protopopoff
was massacred also, and the bodies, stripped naked, were
buried in a field, and during the night thrown into the stream.
Four Protestant chapels (English and American) were destroyed
' Blue-Book, pp. 105-139, and from the verbal communications of M,
Starzofif.

///. TIEN-TSIN 559
or badly damaged. At half-past five o'clock the tum-tum beat
the retreat on aU sides. The different brigades of firemen,
considering thefr work done, formed themselves Into columns
and returned to their homes In perfect order. The crowd
dispersed. The darkness and silence of night followed the
horrible orgies of the day.
m ..... ,
TOiUst blood was thus flowing In the Chinese city the
greatest consternation prevailed In the concessions. Being
without any raeans of defence, deprived even of the feeble
help of the gunboats, separated from the scene of the mas
sacres only by a flat piece of ground where nothing could stop
the invasion of hostile bands, the residents considered them
selves as fated to die. A heavy rain which fell towards
evening probably saved them. However, they armed them
selves in haste. But what could such a handful of men do
If attacked by thousands of wretches dmnk with blood and
all armed with pikes or knives ? The English and American
missionaries, with their wives and children, took refuge on
board a merchant steamer anchored in the Pei-ho.' The next
morning Chung made his appearance very early at fhe con
cessions, and demanded to see the consuls. His proposal to
send troops for the protection of the Europeans was declined.
Mn Lay answered him vety justly when he said that his soldiers
were more to be feared than the people. Chung gave his own
account of the events of the day before, and especially of the
visit and death of M. Fontanier. " This last," he declared,
"after having fired two pistol-shots at him, had been killed at
his side. He had taken care of the body, which was at his
yamen, and would be sent to the concessions with the remains
of the other victims." ,
Throughout the day bad news from Tien-tsin followed
rapidly. The fears of an attack were renewed. " Our posi
tion," writes Mr. Lay to the Queen's representative at Pekin,
" is really terrible. Evety man in the comraunity mounts guard.
But, consider, how few are our numbers ! "
Before their windows, floating on the river, were the mutl-
' In mentioning this fact to Mr. Wade, Mr. Lay added : " And although
this is against my wish as an appearance of danger, yet I have no power to
stay them." Blue-Book, p. 23.

56o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
lated corpses of their friends. The first body taken out of the
^vater was that of the unfortunate French consul. Chung's
account, therefore, was proved to be a deliberate He. His
Excellency had simply invented the whole thing. The taotai
sent the remains of the Sisters. The male portion of the
white population being occupied in watching over the general
safety, and the coolies positively refusing to touch a dead body,
it fell to the lot of the EngHsh consul and his subordinate to
place them in their coffins. This painful task accomplished,
Mr. Lay had to reassure the ladies; to answer the thousand
questions asked him by the men, and to take aU possible
measures of precaution, all the while striving to allay the panic
which had naturally invaded the little community.
In the Chinese city, also, the agitation continued. Those
vvho had anything to lose, fearing reprisals from the Europeans,
and the pillage of the people, hastily left the town. The
merchants turned all the ready money they possessed into
goods ; for thieves carty off money more easily than cumbrous
articles. The " literates " continued to cry, and caused to be
cried, " Death to the foreigners ! " Mr. Lay was vety much
afraid that the French minister at Pekin would strive to punish
the assassins with an insufficient force. " If they attempt," he
writes to Mr. Wade, " a corep de main with two or three gun
boats, not one of us will survive to give an account of the
defeat or of the fresh massacres which will ensue." The
women and children were embarked on board different merchant
vessels. In the Chinese town they sold fans and pictures representing
the murder of MM. Fontanier and Simon. The Chinese
authorities seized these atrocious prints, which have in conse
quence become rare. I possess two on this subject With
some few varieties, you see Chung's yamen, and in the middle,
the cathedral, very correctly represented ; the consul's house
and the Lazarist mission in flames ; the consul and chancellor
knocked down ; four assassins striking them vvith lances and
swords ; a raan stooping down to tie his shoes, and holding
his sword in his mouth meanwhile, turns his head towards the
scene, which seems to amuse him ; this is the clown of the
band ; further on, a functionary, and, according to the saying
of the Tien-tsin public, the chih-hiien himself, standing near

///. TIENTSIN. 561
his chair, and surrounded by mandarins. Is quietly leaking on
at the murders ; on both sides of the river, and on the bridge,
men are seen running towards the scene of action, armed with
pikes ; others are coming in boats ; a curious crowd assist by
agitating their fans; further on, are two men on horseback,
probably meant for General Chen-how-shuai and the mllltaiy
mandarin of the district, both of them deserving, by their
conduct, the honour of figuring in these infamous pictures.
Although coarsely done, they breathe- blood and carnage, and
are striking frora the strange contrast they present between
the agitation of the murderers, and the Olympic quiet of the
spectator.s. But at last, English gunboats arrived from Che-fu and
Shanghai. Chung addressed the people in a proclamation,
which brought instant calm. This was a fresh proof that the
mandarins. If they had only chosen to do so, could easily have
kept back the people, and restored tranquillity.
Later on, towards the beginning of winter, alarms were
again felt. What would be the fate of the residents at the
settlement after the departure of the gunboats, which could
not be exposed to the risk of being taken prisoners by the ice,
and which had, in consequence, received orders to return to
Che-fu as soon as the first frosts set in ? The English govern
ment suggested the Idea of facilitating the departure of the
residents from the concessions during the winter season. At
Pekin, also, the question was mooted of the departure of the
Legations. Mr. Wade, however, in accordance with the views
of his coUeagues, opposed such a measure ; "not justified," he
writes, " by circumstances, contraty to the general opinion of
the other factories in China, and prejudicial to 'EngWsh prestige
in that part of the world." But at Tien-tsin the state of things
became more and raore critical.
"I am no coward," writes Mr. Lay to Mr. Wade; "and I
shaU stick to my post as long as they don't drive rae out of It
If they attack us, I hope we shall give thera a warm reception.
But I cannot expose the lives of my wife and child ; yet, if I
remove them frora hence, it will be the signal of a general
flight What ara I to do ? " " Do nothing," was Mr. Wade's
answer. " You have been on the qui-vive for the last three
laonths. You ha\-e become nervous. There is raore fear than
o o

S62 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
danger now at TIen-tsIn.'' Do you understand a position like
this? The consul quite ready to sacrifice his own person, but
trembling for the lives of those dear to him — the minister biking
upon him to reassure him by pleading public Interests..
Really, diplomatic service in China is no sinecure. Let us
give due homage to the devotion, coolness, and imperturbable
courage of these worthy representatives of a great country.
We must own that subsequent facts have justified the opinion
of the Queen's representative. Order has not again been dis
turbed at Tien-tsin. Chung and the governor-general of the
province, TsSng, who was sent expressly to the spot to direct
the inquity, knew how to overawe the mob, keep the "literates "
in order, and protect the few European traveUers who, on the
way to Pekin, or returning from that town, were obliged to
traverse Tien-tsin.
We have now come to the time when we should look back
and examine the conduct of the principal actors in this dismal
tragedy. They have accused the missionaries and the Sisters of having,
by their imprudence, and by an Indiscreet zeal in proselytizing,
brought about the events of which they became the victims.
The vety day of the massacres, the 21st of June, in the morning,
Mr. Lay writes to Mr. Wade : " The Sisters of Charity have
been stupid enough to buy chUdren," &c.' Now, it has been
fully proved that this assertion was entirely false ; and Mr.
Wade, who had at first believed it, hastened, with that loyalty
for which he is distinguished, to rectify his error." A deputa
tion of English merchants engaged in the Chinese trade waited
on Lord Granville to present a memorial. We there read :
"The community to which these Sisters belonged has existed
for upwards of three hundred years ; and we believe that in
this long space of time no coraplaint has ever been made or
' "The Sisters of Charity have been very stupid in buying children,''
and so on. Blue-Book, p. 19. This passage has been universally blamed
by the English residing in the tra^e ports.
" "My impression, that the original cause ofthe excitement was the
belief that children received by the hapless Sisters of Charity were taken
into the orphanage for unholy uses, remains unshaken ; lut I am assured
that it is incorrect to assert that any of t/iese infants were, as I had Ihouglu,
purchased by the Sisters," Blue-Book, p. 6S.

ri. TIENTSIN. 563
]ii-oved against them, Evetyone was perfectly cognizant of
their works and way of proceeding. It is maintained, in a
most categorical manner, that they never gfave any money for
children, even for those who were brought to them when they
had been abandoned."'
The vague accusation of "indiscretion" raised against the
Lazarist Fathers of Tien-tsin, seems to me to have just as Httle
foundation in truth. Those who were so anxious to prove
that the anger of the people was solely dfrected against the
Catholic priests and Sisters, and that both one and the other
were mainly French, would certainly not have neglected any
opportunity of justifying their accusations if they could have
produced the smallest fact in support of their hypothesis.
Now, nothing of. the sort can be found in the brief regarding
this case. The absurd depositions of the miserable Wa-lan-
chgn, eridendy paid by the " literates," were afterwards with
drawn by him, and the Chinese functionaries admitted their
entire-falsehood.' Besides, these accusations were made against
all CathoHc missionaries and Sisters of Charity in general.
I shall come back to this point when dealing with the question
of missionaries. Here I will confine myself to stating the fact,
that the only wrong which could be imputed to the good Sisters
of Tien-tsin was that of having received the sick in their
hospital, and the children iu their orphanage. An epidemic
disease had broken out amongst them, and a few cases of
death had occurred. The instigators of the massacre took
advantage of this to hound on the people. How is it possible
to make the Sisters responsible for this epidemic? Remember
too, in their defence, if defence be needed, and as they cannot
defend themselves, death haring closed thefr lips, — remember,
then, the facts, warmly affirmed by a great number of Pro
testants, and by all the residents of Tien-tsin, that during the
space of eight years, and, in fact, till the middle of May, that
is, till one month before the massacres took place, these very
Sisters were universaUy beloved and respected by the natives ;
that, as regards the admission of children Into their house, they
had never changed their way of proceeding ; that several times
• Blue-Book, p. 51.
" Chung-hou to the Yamen of Foreign Aliairs, 2ist June, 1S70. Blue.
Book, p. 21. C 02

S64 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
before, when Ulness had broken out in the place, the mortality
in the orphanage had been greater than during the few days
preceding the massacre; but that until then, the ill-natured
rumours occasionally spread against the Sisters and priests of
the mission, had always promptly evaporated — and you will, I
think, come to the conclusion that by no possibility could
these disastrous events be laid at the door of the Sisters with
any shadow of truth.
The unfortunate French consul, the victim of a strange
blindness, and who would neither Hsten to the advice nor the
warnings of his neighbour, Pere Chdvrier, nor to those of the
Russian consul, his colleague — of a violent temperament, over
excited by the presence of a danger which he had neither fore
seen nor tried to avert — this unhappy man did, in fact, nothing
to prevent and everything to accelerate the catastrophe. He
was himself one of the first victims. His faults, expiated by
a noble death, were faults of judgment and character; the
most pardonable in a pubHc man, although, unhappily, the
most pregnant with unhappy and sometimes fatal consequences.
If the consul had judged rightly of the state of affairs he
would have warned his colleagues in time, and tried by a
united movement to reanimate Chung's courage, who feared
the violence of the mob, but who ought to have been made to
fear a good deal more the complaints of the diplomatic corps
at Pekin, and his consequently impending disgrace with Prince
Kung. It would have been easy to send the Sisters to a place
of comparative safety ; and to insist, on the morning of the
massacres, when he saw the angry groups gathering round the
Consulate, that the bridge of boats should be opened and the
communication between the two banks of the river conse
quently stopped. After a reiterated and careful examination
of the localities, and an attentive study of the Blue-Book, with
the help of all the information I could obtain both at the con
cessions and in Pekin, I am bound to say that my opinion
entirely coincides with that of almost the whole ofthe residents
who at that time were living in the concessions. Their con
viction Is, that had M. Fontanler only followed the line of
conduct we have just Indicated, these terrible misfortunes
would have been averted ; that he might not, perhaps, have
been able to prevent the destruction of the eftablishments in

///. TIEN-TSIN. 56s
the Chinese city; but that he would have saved the Sisters'
probably all the Europeans, and without neglecting his duty,
himself also. One is exposed to being taxed with harshness
for thus severely judging the conduct of a brave man whose
own life was so cruelly sacrificed. I have done full justice to
the noble feeling which induced him to overlook his personal
safety and meet death at his post, but I could not be silent as
to his faults. The first and often the painful duty of a historian
is the search for, the respect and worship of, truth. Mr. Lay,
also, although in a less degree than the French consul, was
deceived as to the serious nature of the position. I judge
exclusively from the correspondence signed by his own hand.
Seven days after the event, he writes to Mr. Wade : ' " I had
not an idea that the affair would be so serious." In fact, he
evidently had not. His conduct proves it He wrote twice
to Chung, it is tme : but when ? His first letter is dated the
20th June; bis second on the morning of the 21st! That Is
to say, on the eve and on the vety day of the massacres. In
one, he begs the high commissioner to exhort the people to be
ciril towards foreigners, and to respect the chapels and hospital.
In the other, complaining of the insult offered to Dr. Frazer,
he requests Chung to explain to the Chinese, by a proclamation
from the chi-fu, that they were not to molest tho Queen's
subjects.* This proves how little Mr. Lay attributed the
effervescence in the Chinese city to any cause of real impor
tance. In his excuse one may say that he was not on the very
spot; that the Sisters who came to pay a visit to Mrs. Lay
only a week before their murder, did not seem to think they
were in any danger ; and that the little Russian colony shared
in this melancholy delusion. If it had been otherwise, how
could the unhappy young couple, Protopopoff, have ventured
to go to the Chinese city on the very morning of the massacre ?
Their Russian friends who lived there, and with whom they
went to breakfast, did not seem to have been better informed.
On the other hand, it is certain that this Ul-founded security
was not general. The Russian consul. Dr. Frazer, and many
other notabilities, insisted on precautions being taken, and
especially that the commandant of the naval station of Che-fir
' Blue-Book, p. 32.
¦ Hid. ; Mr. Lay to Mr. Wade, quoted abov*.

566 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.,
should be intreated to send the gunboats without delay. After
the catastrophe Mr. Lay's conduct was admirable.
As to the Chinese functionaries, the one in the highest posi
tion, Chung, is with justice accused of negligence and irresolu
tion. Unpopular among the " literates," by the very fact that
his functions obliged him to hold personal intercourse with the
foreigners, he saw himself surrounded by a soldiery who were
unwiUing to obey his orders, and who, moreover, were excited
to rebellion by the infamous Chen-kwo-shuai. Chung exercised
no jurisdiction and no direct action on the taotai and the two
magistrates of the town. His situation was false, and his
action impeded. To have conducted himself differently, he
should have possessed the two qualities in which he was-most
deficient — courage and energy.
That the chi-fu and the chih-hiien should have indirectly
both encouraged and favoured the murderers i« a fact which
has not only been abundantly proved, but which has been
tacitly recognized by the imperial government It is well.
known, and recent experience has abundantly proved, that in
ordinary times the mandarins, by their proclaraations, can
always prevent serious troubles. Numerous and quite recent
facts confirm this. To mention only two : the temporary
Superior of the Lazarist mission at Pekin — the-vicar apostoHc
being at that moment in Europe — was alarmed for the safety
of the Sisters at Peitang, and resolved to send them to Shang
hai, for which purpose he demanded an escort The Tsungli-
yamen hastened to reassure him by promising to answer for the
security of tbe Catholic estabhshments in the capital.
At Tung-chow, on the Blue River, there are some American
missionaries. Frightened at the menacing attitude of the
lower orders, they had taken to flight with their wives and
children. The taotai sent them a message, begging them to
retum, answering for their lives and property. In both cases
the Chinese authorities knew perfectiy well how to restrain the
population. But the conduct of the two magistrates of Tien
tsin was entirely different ; and if there be no actual proof of
their having taken an active part In the murders, the procla
mations of the chi-fu and the cliih-hiien would alone suffice to
establish their complicity in the crimes.
There is positive proof that General Ch^n-kwo-shuai openly

///. TIEN-TSIN, 567
encouraged and directed the assassins in their bloody work ;
and that the military mandarin seconded him, though in an
underhand manner. After all, it does not much matter inquir
ing now what part in this horrible business was taken by each
one of these wretches. What would have a really practical
interest for Europeans would be to find out the secret authors
of these crimes, and the motives of their action.
From whence did the blow come? And against whora was
it really directed? Unfortunately, these capital questions
remain shrouded in obscurity. A mass of depositions have
been taken, but with no positive result In spite of the
insistance of the diplomatic corps, the imperial government
has constantly refused to make any serious inquiry into the
origin and cause of that general rising among the people
which produced the massacres.
Among the Europeans two distinct opinions were formed.
According to some, the impradence of the missionaries and
Sisters aroused, first the suspicions, and then the anger of the
people. A spontaneous explosion was the consequence ; but
the atta.ck was directed solely against the French (the Sisters
and priests belonging mainly to that nation), and not against
other foreigners. Among those who maintain this thesis — and
their number, I must say, is vety limited — Mr. Wade stands
first A long residence in the countty, personal relations with
great dignitaries, "Hterates," and rich merchants, a profound
knowledge of the raen, things, history, and literature of China,
the wide horizon given him by his exalted position — all these
advantages, added to a proverbial loyalty, give to the opinions
expressed by the honourable representative of Queen Victoria
a great value, and make him in such matters a real authority.
He founds his theoty on a general appreciation of the state of
the country, and on the facts reported in the relation we have
just read. The murderers were heard to cry out : " KUl the
French !" The three Russian merchants were spared when
their nationality was proved. Mr. Wade's great argument seems
to be the excitement produced by the imprudence of the Sisters.
" I think it my duty," ' he writes to Mr. Lay, " to express my
conviction that, without the suspicion conceived by the Chinese
Uiat chUdren had been kidnapped, no serious agitation would
• Blue-Book, p. 45.

568 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
have taken place among the people, and that the excitement
produced by this suspicion would have had no serious result if
the habit of the Sisters of admitting into their hospital a large
number of children had not been considered by the Chinese, in
their ignorance, as a proof of the guilt of these unhappy ladies.
The anger of the people once roused against them, their fellow-
counttymen and co-religionists were naturally included in the
sarae sentence of death. I learn that even native Catholics
were arrested and ill-treated, while they set Chinese Protestants
at Hberty."
Now, let us listen to an opinion directly contrary to the one
we have just mentioned. Here it is. The blow had been for
a long while preparing by the " literates." The fury of the
people, it is tme, was directed first against the Sisters and the
Catholic establishments ; but the real object of the instigators
of the movement was the expulsion and destmction of all
foreigners. Mr. Lay, who is also a great authority — for he, too,
knows China well, and has resided here for years, besides hav
ing been himself close to the scene of the massacres— ^Mr. Lay
writes to Mr. Wade : ' " The cty (of the mob) was not ' Kill the
Sisters,' but 'Kill the French,' and then 'Kill all the other
foreigners.' " Mr. Wade replies : " I cannot admit your version,
according to which the origin of the outbreak was hatred against
foreigners in general. " "
If there be two men in China whose opinions on the events of
the 2ist of June may be considered as authoratative, they.are,
I repeat, Mt Wade and Mr Lay; and yet, as we see, their
ways of thinking are diametrically opposed to each other. If
three Russians were spared because they could prove their
nationality, three other Russians were massacred, although
they said to the assassins: "We are not French; we are Eng
lish." (They would probably have done better had they said
they were Russians.) These two facts were proved, according
to the Blue-Book, by the depositions of the natives, and con
firmed to me by M. Starzoff, the brother-in-law of one of the
victims, who made every possible inquiry on the spot
Lastly, the opinion that the massacres were only a partial
realization of a vast programme having for its object tiie exter-
' Blue-Book, p. 32. Mr. Lay to Mr. Wade.
• Ili.id. : despatch quoted above.

///. TIEN-TSIN. 569
mination of forelgnen; in general, is shared by the immense
majority, I should almost say, by the totality of European and
American residents, I have already done justice to the hon
ourable character of this class : and no one can deny to many
of the foreign merchants a long, exact, and intimate acquaint
ance with both men and things in this countty. Their opinion
of the matter, therefore, is equally entitled to great weight
I ought not to pass over in silence a third version, widely
spread among the natives, and accredited specially by the rich
Chinese merchants. They think that the events of Tien-tsin
the first results of a great conspiracy, plotted by the patriots in the
centre of the empire, with the object of provoking a war against
the Europeans, and in consequence, the downfall of the Prime
Minister, Kung, If not the upsetting of the Mandjou dynasty.
In the face of such conflicting opinions, each resting on such
high authority, it would not become me as a simple tourist, to
pronounce judgment I will only venture once more to observe
that the most minute inquiries made on the spot by the con
sular and ecclesiastical authorities, the depositions of several
natives, and the unanimous testimony of the European residents
at Tien-tain (both in the Chinese city and at the concessions),
have concurred in asserting the utter falsehood of the accusa
tions of impradence and indiscreet zeal launched against the
Fathers and Sisters of the mission. These devoted priests, these
good and holy women were the victims, but were certainly not
the cause of the massacres.
The news of the events of the 21st of June spread like wild
fire in the interior and all along the shores of the empire. At
Wii-ching, not far from Klu-kiung, the mob burnt a Catholic
church, the priest of vvhich was fortunately absent At Han
kow the agitation of the lower orders gave some alarm to the
small factOty there. The English consul offered an asylum to
the Sisters of Charity who were there ; but these courageous
ladies, who were all Italians, preferred remaining at their post,
and happily were not molested. Even Canton, In spite ofthe
1,500 miles which separates it from the banks of the Pei-ho, felt
the rebound of the catastrophe of Tien-tsin. The French con
sul, fearing for the Sisters of Charity, forced them, in spite of
their protestations, to take refuge at Hong Kong.
At Pekin the events of the 21st of June gave rise to long

570 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
negotiations between the heads of all the foreign Legations
and Prince Kung. The most active part naturally reverted to
M. le Comte de Rochechouart the French minister. Mr, Wade
had also to intervene specially, in consequence of the murder
of the Irish Sister who was a British subject. The Blue-Book
gives several diplomatic reports and a good many letter's
exchanged between them and the Chinese authorities.
On the 3rd of August a solemn funeral service for the victims
took place at the Tien-tsin cemetery. The representatives of
France and England, admirals Duprd and Kellett, comman
ding the English and French squadrons in the Chinese seas,
aU the consuls, the captains of the gunboats anchored in the
Pei-ho, and all the European and American residents, followed
the coffins to their last resting-place. Chung himself received
the procession. The vicar-apostolic of Pekin performed the
religious service. After the ceremony, the bishop, the two
diplomats, and Admiral Dupre, pronounced the funeral
orations. The ordinaty ganison of Tien-tsin had beeii rein
forced by the troops of Prince Kung and of the governor-
general of the province. No incident or any symptom of a
hostile demonstration troubled the funeral solemnity.
Immediately after these events Chung was named Ambas
sador Extraordinary to France, with the mission to explain the
conduct of the Chinese government'' Tseng-kwo-fan received
orders to go to Tien-tsin to make the necessaty inquiries on
the spot, and to give instructions for the indiriduals accused
of complicity in the massacres to be brought to trial. He
came late and did nothing. A visit from M. de Rochechouart,
and the news, which came from Che-fu, that Admiral Duprd
was on the point of coming up the Pei-ho with his gunboats, at
last stimulated the zeal of this mighty personage.
After four months of negotiations and delays, the final sen
tence was given under the form of an imperial decree.'' It
was declared that the chi-fu, Chang-kuang-tsao, and the chih-
hiien, Lin, on the occasion of the conflict which had occurred
between the people and the Christians, had neglected,, before
' Circular of the Count de Rochechouart to the French consuls in China.
Blue-Book, p. 2,^0.
= Communicated by Prince Kung to the diplomatic corps, Blu< -Book,
p. 194.

///. TIEN-TSIN.

57 1

the event, to take the necessary precautions, and after the
event, to proceed promptly in arresting and punishing the
guilty. "In consequence," continues the decree, "we (the
Emperor) have deprived them of their official position and
sent thera to the Hsing-pu (Hterally, ' punishment de
partment'), to receive the reward of their deeds." After
having been interrogated by Tseng-kwo-fan, they were again
remanded — he having proposed that in addition to the
dismissal which had been inflicted upon them, in conformity
with the law relating to such servants of the state as had
proved themselves Inacpable of restraining the people in case
of disorders, these two functionaries should be sent to serve at
the frontier stations (to be reduced to the ranks and serve as
private soldiers). , " Their fault," continues the decree, " was
afready serious enough ; but they have aggravated It by go
ing away of their own accord and stopping according to their
good pleasure, one at Shun-te and the other at Mih-yun, which
was mocking the authorities." In consequence " an extreme
punishment shall be Inflicted on Chang and Lin. The place of
their exile shall be changed. They will be sent to Hei-lung-
chiang(in the province of Tsituharon the banks of the Amour).
And in expiation of their crimes, and as a warning to others,
they shall be employed in forced labour."
This decree needs no comment It shows the clear-sighted
and yet Chinese mind of Prince Kung. He regretted the
massacres, and felt that satisfaction must be given ; but at the
same time he tried to humour the national susceptibilities. As
they were compelled to make an example of the guilty, at least
let them be punished according to the regular forms of justice
of the countty, and not with the appearance of any pressure
from without
The condemnation ofthe two magistrates to militaty service on
the frontier having appeared insufficient to the diplomatic corps
they were compelled to go a little further; but to raask this
fresh concession they inculpated the guilty in a fresh crime —
they had gone away without the permission of the authorities
—therefore, they had been wanting in respect, and consequently
they were condemned to forced labour. M. de Rochechouart
had insisted that their Hves should be forfeited. But on this
point Prince Kung was inexorable. Twenty of the wretches

572 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
who had owned their participation in the massacres were
executed, and thirteen others exiled for ten or five years. But
General Cheng-kwo-shuai, who on the 21st of June had
actually directed and ordered the massacres, was only brought
before the Hsing-pu as a matter of form and released. Thanks
to his rank as a Mandjou and a general officer, he escaped all
punishment' As to the military mandarin of the district, who
was guilty likewise, I had the honour of making his acquaintance
when I visited the Httle serpent-god, in whose court he officiated
as chamberlain. Two hundred and fifty thousand taels were
granted as indemnity.
Knowing the importance of imperial proclamations and the
effect they produce, on the masses, the diplomatic corps exacted
and obtained, though not without great difficulty, that a
proclamation should be issued and spread in every part of this
vast empire.
This proclamation briefly relates the events we have been
describing : the credulity of the people ; their suspicions ;
their anger ; the massacre of a large number of foreigners, —
" acts evidently criminal and committed in defiance of the laws."
Then follows an enumeration of the punishments inflicted on
the guilty. The two functionaries have been punished with
" unusual " severity. " They wished to make an example."
The most Important passage, however, reminds the higher
classes, the military, and the people generally, that "since the
conclusion of the treaties, foreign merchants raay trade and
raissionaries preach freely, the object of their sermons being
to make men virtuous, and trade being as advantageous to the
natives as to foreigners. ... No one, therefore, has the
right, on any pretext whatever, to gather a mob together and
comm.it acts of violence. Whoever, then, chooses to mis
understand the express will of the Emperor in this respect
will act contrary to the laws, and wIU be punished with
the greatest severity. The functionaries and people of Tien-tsin
wUl be to the offenders the mirror of Yin.' Lee each man tremble
' Heaven did nut leave him unpunished : for he has since been executed
ill prison for a ci ime which had nothing to do with the Tien-tsin massacres.
- That is to say, the punishment inflicted on the two functionaries and
tiie people compromised in the massacres of Tien-tsin, will be for those
who disregard the decree — the mirror of the Yin dynasty,— in other words,
they will see the punishment that awaits them.

///. TIEN-TSIN. 573
and obey ! Let no one daie to resist ! Special proclam-
tion."' .......
Follow me to the cemetery. In the vast inclosure which
formerly contained the houses of the consul and of the Lazarist
mission, rise, arranged in two groups, thirteen large stone tombs,
ending, acconling to Chinese custom, in a half-cylinder. Here
repose M. Fontanler at the head and the other lay victims ;
there, the Fathers Chevrier and Ou, the ten Sisters (that is, the
Httle that remains of them), and some Christian servants of the
house, killed at the same time as the Fathers. Inscriptions
will be placed on all these tombs by the care of the Chinese
authorities, who are to erect, besides, an explatoty monument
where a proclamation is to be engraved, which will be more or
less satisfactory.
Let us mount up on the eminence formed by the ruins.
Close to us, the spire of the cathedral rises to heaven still
surmounted by the cross. The stream, furrowed with ships,
flows majestically onwards, and disappears in the horizon
between a forest of masts. In front is the town, sombre,
barbarous, and terrible. Its confused noises reach up to us
even here. All around us is the calm and sleep of death, the
sadness of which is transfigured by the glories of martyrdom.
' Annexe to the report of Mr. -Wade to Lord Granville, of the 24th
October, 1870. Blue-Book, p. 222 and 223. To complete the account
given above, I have only to bonow from the Journal Officiet, of Paris, of
the 25th November, 1871, the following note: — "The President ofthe
Republic received at Versailles the Chinese Ambassador, Han-Tchiou
(Chung-hou) who presented the regrets and excuses of the Chinese Govern
ment for tlie Tien-tsin massacres." The same paper and number contains
the list of the reparations offered, i.e., degradation and exile of the prefect
and sub-prefect of Tien-tsin, condemnation to death and execution of twenty-
one murderers, and exile of twenty-five others found guilty. Indemnity of
3,450,000 francs for the families of the victims, both lay and religious, as
well as for the loss of merchandise and destmction of buildings, &c. The
Journal Officiet of the 15th March, 1872, contains a decree naming the com
mission to divide the indemnity. I do not know what reparation has been
made to the Russian victims. Whilst I was at Pekin the negotiations were
drawing to a close, which had been conducted by General -Vlangali with as
much firmness as prudence, and especially with a perfect knowledge of tbe
Chinese spirit

CHAPTER IV.
HONG-KONG.— FROM THE 7th TO THE 2Sth OF NOVEMBER.
The amenities qf the Yellow River. — Appearance of Hong-Kong. — Its
commerce. — Its political and military importance.
November 7 to 19. — Shall we have to pass, the vrinter at Tien
tsin? That becomes more and more proba.ble ; for the cold,
which is already intense, goes on Increasing; very soon we
shall be fast bound in the ice. , Flight alone can save us.
But how to fly when the west wind is continuaUy driving the
water from the bar, and preventing the ships detained before
Taku from entering the Pei-ho ? There is not a single steamer
in Tien-tsin, and if there were, they could not get out The
captain of the Maison Neuve has solved the difficulty. H6
has had the great good-iiature to carry us to the mouth of the
Pei-ho in the Scorpion, comm&n&eA by M. SaUandrouze. Arriving
that same day at Taku, we cross the bar in the captain's gig.
Half an hour after we are safe and sound on board the Sittan-
Sing a magnificent steamer of the house of Jardine & Co.
Then came the pleasures of the YeUow Sea : gusts of wind ;
the skylights stove in by the waves ; great douches of frozen
water pouring in upon us from above in the middle of dinner ;
two pleasant days' respite at Shanghai, where winter is set in
already ; then fresh storms ; Chinese junks well-nigh wrecked ;
and all under a metallic sky, without clouds, and in a temper
ature which even now makes me shiver to think of. The
Amoy Canal behaves itself as ill as It well can. It is the
bouquet. Really these Chinese seas deserve their detestable

Chap. IV. HONG-KONG. SIS
reputation ! But one fine morning we wake and find ourselves
in the tropics. The sky smiles upon us. The sun warms us.
The coast, with its steep rocks, and its triple band of little
islands, reminds one of Norway ; balsamic scents reach us in
soft puffs. On the 19th of November we cast anchor in the
roadstead of Hong-Kong.
Fancy to yourself the Rock of Gibraltar, on a large scale,
looking to the north. There facing us is terra firma. Let
us scramble up to the flag-staff, proudly standing on the highest
peak of the mountain. The sun, which is already low, bathes
sky, earth, and sea, in crude, fantastic, exaggerated lights.
Woe be to the painter who should dare reproduce such effects !
happy would he be if he could succeed.
Towards the south, the sun and the fogs are fighting over the
islands, which at this moment stand out in black groups on a
liquid gold ground, framed in silver. Towards the north, we look
over the town, officially called Victoria, and vulgarly, Hong-
Kong. It is stretched out at our feet, but we only perceive
the roofs, the courts, and the streets ; further on, the roadstead
is crowded with frigates, corvettes, gunboats, steamers belonging
to the great companies, and an infinity of smaller steam
and saiHng vessels of less tonnage. In front of us, at three or
four miles' distance, is a high chain of rocks, bare and rugged,
but coloured by the setting sun with tints of rose colour and
crimson, resembling a huge coral bracelet That is the continent
Towards the west are the two passages which lead to Canton
and Macao ; to the north-east is a third passage by which we
ourselves have come. The sea here is Hke a lake, bordered
on one side by the rocks of terra firma, and on the other by
the peaks and summits of the Hong-Kong cliffs. I have seen
in many other lands softer and more harmonious effects of
light, but I never saw any so strange.
Victoria is charming, sympathetic, and imposing; English,
and yet tropical— a mixture of cottages and palaces. Nowhere
can be found a happier combination between . the poetry of
nature and prose of commercial life ; between English corafort
and the intoxicating exuberance of the south. The streets,
which are well macadamized, well kept, and beautiiuUy clean,

576 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
run in a serpentine fashion along the rock, sometimes between
houses of which the rather pretentious fa9ades are coquettishly
veiled by the verandas, sometimes between gardens, bamboo
hedges, or stone balustrades. It is like Ventnor or Shanklln,
seen through a magnifying glass and under a jet of electric
Hght Everywhere there are fine trees — banians, bamboos, and
pines. One raay go on foot from one end of Hong-Kong to
the other, and yet always be in the shade. Only, no one
dreams of walking. Nothing is to be seen but chairs. The
coolies, their heads sheltered by enormous straw hats, cany
you at a rattling pace. Nothing can be more delicious than a
night promenade in an open sedan-chair. In the lower part of
the town the scene is most animated and busy : officers and
soldiers In red uniforras and with swarthy coraplexions (sepoys),
Parsees, Hindoos, Chinese, Malays, European ladies in elegant
toilets, and men and women with yellowish skins, dressed like
Europeans (half-caste'Portuguese). The higher you climb the
quieter you find it Insensibly the town turns into country.
Scramble up still a Httle higher, and you are in the middle of
rocks bare of trees, but covered with odoriferous shrubs, and
traversed by a fine macadamized road, with glimpses of views
here and there of marvelloiis beauty.
General Whitfeild, militaty commander, and the tempotary
civil govemor, Mr. Austin, the colonial secretaty, Mr. Casvrick,
of the house of Jardine, the judge Mr. Ball, the representatives
of the house of Russell, — in fact, all the persons whose
acquaintance I have made, overwhelm me with cirilities.
Dinners, pic-nics, excursions in carriages and in boats, succeed
one another without inteiraission. It is English hospitality on
a large and princely scale. The official and high commercial
world live on an excellent footing with each other; but civU
functionaries and the military and naval elements seem to
predominate. Evetywhere you find that solid luxury which
already stmck me at Shanghai and in the other ports. I am
enjoying the hospitality of the Austrian consul-general, M.
d'Overbeck, one of the raost considerable merchants of Hong-
Kong. His house, which is partly a vUla and partly a chdteau,
combines all the agreeableness of an English country-house
with the splendour of the tropics ; the whole, however, subdued
by a fine and chastened taste.

IV. HONG-KONG. 577
We have spent the afternoon at East Cliff, and we have
come back in a carriage by the Happy Valley — "happy,"
because there is a little more shade, a little more breeze,
and greater freshness here than elsewhere.
We follow the line of the sea-coast: the sun has already
disappeared behind the rock on which the flag-staff is perched.
Again one of those magnificent and startling effects of light !
The sky orange and pearly grey ; the ships at anchor riding
out like black spectres against the silvery haze ; the granite
rocks, dark violet colour, speckled with yellow.
The trade of Hong-Kong has not only shared the fate of all
the other European comraercial establishments in China, but
in these last fevv years it has changed its nature. When this
rock was seized by the EngHsh government (in 1841) and
transformed into a second Gibraltar, Canton seemed to be
about to become the great centre of the commercial opera
tions between the mother-country and China. This prevision
has not been realized. Shanghai has replaced Canton. The
great artety of the Yang-tse-kiang attracts the exports of the
centre and even of the south of the empire. Canton is now
only a shadow of its former greatness. Nevertheless, Hong-
Kong will always be a commercial port of the first order.
Here are stored the treasures of the great foreign houses
established at Shanghai and other open ports. Politically and
miHtarily, one cannot exaggerate the importance acquired by
this little island since it has fallen into the hands of its actual
possessors. I think no Englishman can visit it without feeHng
a legitimate pride in his countty. Hong-Kong is the hand ; the
colonies on the Straits of Malacca, Ceylon, Aden, and Malta,
the arm ; England the head and heart of that great British
giant, which holds in its grasp the south of Asia and the
extreme East.

1» P

CHAPTER V,
THE CHRISTIAN SETTLEMENTS OF SE-NON.— FROM
THE 2Sth TO THE syth OF NOVEMBER,
The villages of Si-kung, Ssin-tiiig=say, and Ting-kok. — History of the
Christian settlements of die district of Se-non.
We have just come out from tiffin. Sitting in M. d'Overbeck's
veranda^ we are enjoying the freshness of the afternoon, for
although it is hardly three o'clock the sun has already disap
peared behind the peak of the Hong-Kong: mountain. In front
of us, on the other side of this arm of the sea, the rocks of
the continent are bathed in Hght Evety crevice, is visible.
" That white Hne," says some one to me, " which looks almost
vertical, is the road which leads to Kao-lung in the . interior,
and to several villages inhabited by the A-ka," "Let us go
there," I exclaim. ¦" Impossible," answers one pf the guests
of the consul. " Difficult," says- another. " It is a perfect
nest of pirates. When we go there, which is very rarely, for a
shooting party, we are vety. numerous and armed . to the teeth.
This winter again an English gunboat has tried to purge those
inner seas. The only result was the capture of a junk which
had been purposely wrecked and abandoned by the pirates.
Nothing can be so easy as to escape from justice in a country
where all the inhabitants are alternately agriculturists and bri
gands. They are as clever with their oars as with flieir spades.
Pedlars and little tradesmen abound. They have only to
stretch out their hands to pUlage them. The occasion is too

Chap. V. CHRISTIAN SETTLEMENTS OF SE-NON. 579
favourable a one, and it is the occasion which makes the thief.
Give up the idea of visiting the Se-non district" At these
words the Pfere Rairaondi, procurator of the Propagation of
the Faith for the Chinese Missions, and charged with that of
Hong-Kong, smiled and said to rae : " I will take you tiiere,
and 1 will answer for your safety."
The day before yesterday accordingly, In the morning, we
started for Se-non, Father Rairaondi, a Chinese Father who
speaks Latin fluently, and I. In fifty minutes we had crossed
the channel which separates Hong-Kong from terra firma.
Then we escaladed, by a little pathway, partly paved, this
great granite wall, which forms a band round the Chinese con
tinent. From the summit, the view of Hong-Kong was
superb. During three days we lived and travelled with an apostolic
simpHcity in that wild country, and in the midst of a popula
tion of pirates, who, nevertheless, begin to improve, inasmuch
as the Christians have all renounced brigandage.
We passed the first night in the Christian village of Si-kung;
and the next day on a little island called San-tlng-say, all the
Inhabitants of which have received baptism. In the evening
we arrived at Ting-kok, the most important point in the Se-non
mission. The Fathers possess a comparatively spacious house
there, of which the salubrity would be perfect without a curtain
of trees which prevents the western breeze from bringing a
little freshness to It The superstition of such of the inhabi
tants as have remained pagan would not allow of their making '
gaps in the wood. It would displease the spirits. The new
Christians already laugh at the alarms and ignorance of their
unbaptlzed brethren. This littie trait stmck me. The greatest
obstacle which one ineets with in China to the work of civili
zation is superstition. Remember that conversation which I
quoted of the Pekin diplomat with his friend, a man of learn
ing, enlightenment, and education ; civilized, therefore, to a
great degree in some things, and yet mortally afraid of disturb
ing the evU spirits, and in this respect more benighted and
less civilized than the poorest Christian villager of Ting-kok.
The other Christian villages each have a little chapel, orna
mented or not with a cross according to the favourable or
hostile disposition of the population, and flanked by a misei-
P p 2

58o A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
able little room which serves as a shelter to the priest during
his numerous visits.
Here the configuration of the country, saving the sky and
the vegetation, remind one of the shores of Norway. It is a
labyrinth of granite mountains and arras of the sea, which
partiy resemble rivers and partiy lakes. Towards the south
the rocks are completely bare, but on their northern flanks
they are clothed with pines and dwarf palms with indented
leaves. Every little corner of earth Is worked and cultivated.
But generally we walk through ravines full of scattered blocks
of black granite, of which the sharp peaks glisten in the sun
of the torrid zone. The island of San-ting-say looks like a
black ewer filled to the edge with flowers and exotic plants.
These two colours, black and green, the green in evety
variety of shade, marry one another most harmoniously. The
Christian community of this island is not very numerous ; but
what good faces ! Here, as in all the other Christian settle
ments we have visited, our arrival produced a certain sensation.
People flocked round us from all quarters. The raen went
into the missionary's room ; the women, many of them mothers
with babies slung on their backs, passed in file before the door
without crossing the threshold. All knelt and asked for a
blessing. Now I understand the influence and moral ascen
dency of the Fathers. They live amongst thefr people, know,
share, and console thera in their sufterings.
The Se-non district reckons above 600,000 Inhabitants. It
is part of the ApostoHc Mission of Hong-Kong, founded after
the English had taken possession of this island ; and it was
from thence that missionaries were sent to explore this terri
toty, which was then completely pagan. Father Borghinoli,
of Verona, was the first to establish himself here in 1863. To
day there are above 600 Christians. In this number I do not
include the children of the Sainte Enfaiicc, that is, the babies
picked up in the streets or brought to the orphanages.
Of late years they reckon annually about 100 conversions,
which is considered a very good result ; only all these converts
belong to the lower orders. There is not an example of a
" literate " having been baptized. Two European Fathers of
the Hong-Kong mission reside alternately in the thirteen
Christian villages, which constitute the mission of Se-non.

V, CHRISTIAN SETTLEMENTS OF SE-NON. 581
The taotai of the district resides at Nam-tao. Without favour
ing the missionaries, he condescends to ignore tiieir presence.
On a recent occasion he has even indirectly acknowledged
their merit by exhorting his subjects in a proclamation to give
their children to the Fathers rather than to kill or expose
them. At Ting-kok I took leave of the Father-procurator, who,
followed by Don Andrea, the Chinese priest, continued his
tour of inspection. A young missionary, Don Luigi de Ber
gamo, accompanied me on ray retum. He has hardly seen
twenty-four summers, but has been here for two years. The
sun of the tropics, and the fatigues and privations of his
wandering existence, have not yet extinguished, on his fine,
manly face, the beauty and freshness of youth. He has the
tall, straight figure of the children of his native soil — just such
as old Marshal Radetzky delighted in. " I love those Ber-
gamatques," that great captain exclaimed one day ; " they are
aU born grenadiers." This excellent Don Luigi — this valiant
grenadier, fighting for the faith — marches before me with a
bright, quick, elastic step. The stifling heat, which half kills
me, does not appear to affect him in the least. It seems as if
he scarcely felt it, so accustomed is he to go along these very
paths under the self-same sun, though a far more cruel one,
in the height of summer. He tells us about his labours, his
difficulties, his deceptions, his consolations, — a good con
science, I think is, after aU, the best investment, — the
vicissitudes of his apostolic life, the sufferings of his parish
ioners, their clever ruses to withdraw themselves from the
vigilant hatred and denunciation of the " literates," their weak
nesses, which are rare, their sublime devotion, their heroic
courage and constancy — epic poems, animated Chinese pic
tures, exotic fruits gathered from the stem !

CHAPTER VL
CANTON.— FROM THE zSth NOVEMBER TO THE 2nd OF
DECEMBER.
The Canton River. — Shamien. — Elegant shops. — A bonze's head. — The
Temple and Convent; of the Ocean Banner. — Eng and his house. —
Procession of the God of War. — The Great Prison — The Pretorium. —
Visit to the Yiceroy.^Fati.— City ofthe Dead.r-The Plage of Executions.
Departure for Macao.
We are going up the Pearl River. Here is Bocca-Tigris,
known also under the name of Bogues ; then Wampoa, the
port where foreign sailing ships are to discharge their cargoes
when destined for Canton. The British flag floats over the
cellular prison of the British consul, the only European
established in this littie town. Further on, two spires rise up
towards heaven. The English call them first-bar and second-
bar pagodas. We are on the spot where the first intercourse
was established between the Red Whiskers and the Black
Tails. Here the prologue of the great drama, in several acts,
was played, entitled, " Opening of China." These first acts
were startling. The curtain has fallen on Canton, Nankin,
Taku, Palikao, the summer palace, Tien-tsin. The sequel will
soon appear. The unravelling of the tale is the secret of
Providence. Seated on the foot-bridge, I let the soft breeze caress my
cheeks. The magnificent river rolls its calm and abundant
waters between flat banks, covered with rice-fields, sugar-canes,
and groups of gigantic trees. Here and there we see villages,
with towers rather resembling Gothic spires or creneUated

Chap. VL CANTON. 583
casties. But they are neither churches nor feudal habitations;
they are simply the depots of pawnbrokers. Why have
they dispelled my illusions? I fancied myself going up
the Rhine — that is, an ideal Rhine, — transfigured by the
tropical sun.
We have a Chinese prisoner on board. On the route to
Kao-lung — precisely the same which I followed yesterday — he
robbed and murdered a merchant who was passing by. Arres
ted at Hong-Kong, where he had taken refuge, an English
policeman will give him over to the authorities of Canton,
which is his native country. In the night he tried to break his
head against the wall. The captain of our steamer, when
pointing him out to me, had the delicacy to describe, in expres
sive pantomime, the fate which awaits him. A shudder and a
look of utter despair passed over the poor wretch's face. And
yet this malefactor, who knows that to-morrow, if not this
evening, he wUl be either beheaded or crucified, or slowly cut
in pieces, is walking about the deck, dragging his heavy chains
after him, his head bound up with bandages and plasters, and
admiring, with open mouth, the wonders of civilization.
It is twelve o'clock. Beiore us a green curtain still hides
from us the view of the capital ; but already the dome is to be
seen of the French cathedral. Behind it, at a great distance,
are seen the outiines of the "White Cloud" Mountains.
They deserve thefr name. Very soon, masses of houses ap
pear on both sides of the river and on the island of Honan.
The detaUs of the picture are the same as we see in other
Chinese towns, but the whole etisemble is imposing. We cast
anchor in the entrance to this quarter, which is composed
entirely of boats, taking the place of houses. To anive at
the quay, we cross a whole street of hotels in a rowing-boat.
Besides the boat-hotels, there are in this floating Canton, tea-
boats, flower-boats, furnished boats, and so on. It is in these
that native travellers, arriving in the morning in their junks,
and about to start again the next morning, pass the night, the
doors of the town being shut at sunset Both on land and
water the scene is as busy as possible.
I land at a house belonging to Mr. Russell of Sh.anghai. It
is built on the spot formerly occupied by the old English
factory, which has been entirely destroyed. The new settle-

584 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
ment, which only dates a few years back, is called Shamien.
There are only a few houses as yet : but these are all elegant
and well kept, with a fine episcopal church served by Arch
deacon Gray, a club-house, and a good deal of land to sell, or
rather to resell. A magnificent granite quay, some great trees,
and a fine view over the island of Honan, form the glory of
this quarter, which more resembles a country-seat than a great
commercial centre.'
Archdeacon Gray comes to fetch me : he has the good
nature to be my guide. No one knows this town as well as he
does, and no one is better known or more appreciated. As all
foreigners who come here try to see him, and as all those who
have once seen him can never forget him, he cannot think it
amiss if his numerous friends spread his photograph. He is,
besides, a public character.
The Rev. John Henry Gray was born on the Scotch border.
He is, I should think, about fifty, and has exercised his ministry
here for nineteen years. The most busy time of his life coin
cides with the occupation of Canton by the English, when war
and sickness, even more thaa Chinese balls, cut short so many
young lives. It was then that the Cantonese became accustomed
to see this good man in his cylindrical hat, white cravat, and
long black greatcoat, rushing from hospital to hospital, and
from port to port, tending the sick, consoling the dying, and
burying the dead. It was from that moment that dates the
reverend gentleman's great popularity. A fine and noble face,
an intelligent look, whiskers white as the driven snow, a tall
figure, square shoulders, vigorous arms — the ensemble thoroughly
sympathetic. After having seen him for a quarter of an hour,
you feel as if you had known him from cliildhood, and you
regret not to have some terrible secret on your conscience.
What a relief it would be to be able to confide it to him ! In
the meantime it is he who is to let me into the mysteries of
Canton. We are in the western suburbs, which is the rich, populous,
' Everyone knows the history of the old factory of tbe East India
Company at Canton, the events which led to its destruction, and later, the
creation of this comparatively second-rate establishment. Canton, which
since the war, has been open to foreigners, has been so often described that
I shall here only give some fragments of my journal.

jy. CJNI'ON. S8S
commercial part of the town. The n.irrow streets are sheltered
from the sun by matting. Under this tent glide a multitude ot'
human beings. At Canton carriages are both unknown and
impossible. I did not see a single horse. It is a town of foot-
passengers and sedan-chairs. At every step one is pushed, but
gently ; the Cantonese seem made of cotton-wool. A dim
half-light gives a magical effect to these picturesque streets.
Here, as evcrv-where else in China, the signs, which are long
lacquered or gilt boards, are hung perpendicularly before the
shops like the sides-scenes of a theatre. The twilight mitigates
and harmonizes colours which otherwise might be too glaring.
. It is Uke a symphony for the eyes.
Evety two minutes my guide stops, jumps out of his chair,
draws close to mine, and explains to me in a stentorian voice
the objects most worthy of my attention. The shops are all
very high and wide open towards the street On the threshold
you see a little altar consecrated to the tutelar god of riches ;
at tbe back, another altar, in sculptured and gilt wood, is
dedicated to the ancestors of the proprietor. This last, simply
but elegantly dressed, smiles pleasantly at you. His two or
three clerks, living images of bureaucratic decorum, bo\v to
you prolbtmdly. In tront and all along the pavement before
the shop, the goods are exposed -vrith a taste and skill worthy
of the best decorator of a shop-front in Paris or Vienna.
Seated beiore a little table, two or three gentlemen with a grave
and pompous air are examining minutely the different articles
which tempt them. The calm of this picture, the interchange
of cIvUities between the personages concerned, the beauty of
the shop, which is high, thoroughly aity, and built so as to show
off all its treasures, contrast curiously with the motic y, r.iggcd
crowd who pass rapidly through the street, crossii.t;- and re-
crossing one another, a perfect current of human beings, who,
whUe struggling in tills nanow channel, never Infringe its
banks. " A striking proof," says ray guide, " of the respect for
property araong the Cantonese." Here, they sell jade and
evety description of jewellery ; there, a Chinese '• Chevet "
displays his deHcacIes : further on, a la brioche iconomique, the
poor people find eatables at a cheap rate : rats, mice, dogs'
legs, and the dorsal spines of these animals, which are much
RpprecJated by gastronomists.

586 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
Let us go into this baker's shop. His counter is loaded
with different kinds of fancy bread, maccaroni, and cakes. A
back-door leads us into a gaHery which stretches far away out
of sight. More than a hundred bullocks are employed in
grinding wheat, tuming in a circle. By a special contrivance,
as simple as it is ingenious, the exigencies of cleanliness are
provided for at the sarae time as the demands of the agricul
turists, who come here to make their provisions of manure.
In China nothing is thrown away, nothing is lost. The vilest
matters have their value. We pass before a shop of which
the shutters, which are closed, are all covered with hand-biUs.
It is the shop of a bankrupt, and these notices are put up by
his creditors, who thus make known the amount of their
losses. Everywhere the archdeacon makes himself at home; he
goes in and comes out without paying the smallest attention to
the shopkeepers. He knows exactly where the things are
which he wants to show me. He seizes them, spreads them
out on the table, and explains them, just as the guardian of
a museum would do. His museum is Canton, and, strange to
say, no one finds fault with him. They all smile when he
comes In, and let him do what he likes. Ever)-one knows and
loves him. Besides, in China, a white beard always commands
respect. "You have never seen a bonze's head quite close, have
you ? " said he to me one day. " And yet it would be well
worth your while." By chance, at that moment, about a dozen
bonzes were passing quite close to us. They walk one by one :
Taciti, soli, seuza compagnia. " The head of each one of these
men," said ray guide, " is raarked with as many white spots as
he has made vows. They are burnt in. You shall see."
Saying these words, he seizes the head of one of the bonzes,
draws it down to a convenient height, and begins his ex
planations with as much coolness as a medical professor before
an audience of students. The companions of the luckless
bonze whose skull we are about to examine thought it prudent
to make their escape as fast as they could. " Here is the vow
of chastity.". . . (Here a convulsive movement on the part
of the bonze.) " Steady ! " roared my guide ; and he goes on.
" Th« other white points are : a vow to abstain from wine :

VI CANTON. 58-/
a vow not to kill a pig ; a vow not to eat meat ; a vow to respect
the life of the carp in the temple ponds ; " and so on. From
time to time the head, the object of our study, moves uneasily ;
but the archdeacon holds it tightly, repeats his " Steady 1" and
pursues his course of sacred anatomy. At last he sets the
bonze at liberty, who, more surprised than angry, after an ex
change of pohte phrases and chin-chins, hastens to rejoin his
brethren. " And the vows on the arms," exclaimed the arch
deacon ; "we had forgotten them." He calls back the bonze,
who good-naturedly retraces his steps, turns up the sleeve of
his tunic, and lets us see, on his lean, fleshless arras, a whole
heap of white burns, indicating as raany vows, one more strange
than the other.
We have just come back from a visit (in the island of Honan,
which is in front of Canton, and forms part of the town) to the
celebrated temple of the " Ocean Banner." We then paid
a visit to the abbot We went Into the convent, which
occupies a vast space of ground, and is full of bonzes.
Through this labyrinth of houses and little streets the arch
deacon has no difficulty in finding his way all alone. The
abbot, a Httle old man with a weary face, dull eyes, but a fine
smile, receives us in his bedroom. Everything is beautifully
clean and well kept A fine mosquito-net protects the bed ;
the furniture is elegant; on the mahogany tables, made in
Hong-Kong, are a heap of Chinese and European nick-nacks
and three or four clocks. There was no luxuty, but evetything
that was necessaty for a moderate enjoyment' of the pleasant
things of this world, combined with the ascetism which is
obligatory on the bonzes. His room has something, I know
not what, of ecclesiastical about it In another room, alas !
we perceive the fatal flute — the opium pipe. This worthy
prelate has that weakness; and in spite of repeated efforts
(always seconded and encouraged by the archdeacon) he has
never been able to throw off this sad vice. Like all opium-
smokers he knows that he is killing himself: there aie times
when he has a horror of himself : but the chain is too strong ;
he cannot break through it ; and he comes back wit'i delight
1" his magic pipe. This holy personage will decidedly die in
i.nal impenitence.

588 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
In one corner of the immense garden is the cremarium,
where they burn the bodies of the dead bonzes; in another
corner is the mausoleum — a granite cylinder. There are
placed the urns, containing the ashes of each, carefully ticketed.
The Chinese are constantly occupied with the thoughts of
death; the recoUection of It does not frighten them in the
least; but they have a horror of a corpse. Hence in this con
vent there is a most barbarous custom. When the doctors
despair of saving a sick monk, or when he is anived at a great
age, he is carried to a separate building, which is the abode of
dying. Those who know the inside of it are perfectly aware
that he will never come out of it alive.
Close by, in a sort of warehouse, there are a great number
of coffins placed vertically, and provided with tickets, "which
contain the names of the proprietors. These coffins belong to
private individuals, and are generally presents, given by affec
tionate children to their parents when they have accomplished
their sixty-one years. These useful articles of furniture are
kept, until wanted, in a holy place.
In the island of Honan is also the palatial residence of Eng,
the chief of one of the most illustrious and noble families of
Canton. Eng, his sons, his sons-in-law, their wives and children,
their tenants, servants, and slaves, in all more than six hundred
persons, occupy a group of houses surrounding a vast inclosure.
Nothing outside betrays the riches hidden behind these vast
walls. The annual expenses of Eng's establishment amount
to _;^2o,ooo sterling. The archdeacon is the friend of the
house, so that we get into this Httle town without any difficulty.
The vestibule is a perfect arsenal. In all the corners they have
heaped up pikes, lances, and bows and arrows — a necessary
precaution against thieves, and I fear one -which gives the lie
direct to the glowing picture which my guide, who always sees
the good side of humanity, is apt to draw of the virtues of the
Cantonese people. We pass by a great number of drawing-
rooms, smaller apartments, and studies. On our way we meet
a good many chUdren, each one accompanied by his peda
gogue, who with one eye smiles graciously upon us, and with
the other betrays the surprise he feels at seeing a stranger
here. In his right hand he carries the sign of his employ
ment, an instrament not much to the taste of his pupU.

VI. CANIO.V. 589
The archdeacon is reaUy wonderful. He knows all the ins
and outs of this labyrinth. Except to the ladles' apartments,
which he respects, he goes everywhere. One might fancy he
was the lord of Eng, and not the venerable archdeacon. The
persons whom we meet and surprise in their different occupa
tions let us pass without taking any notice of us, or come
forward and salute my guide with cordial eagerness.
The garden, which is finer than any I saw in the north of
China, contains a lake, with banks of curious shape, which is
entirely covered in summer by lotus-leaves ; on the two oppo
site banks are two large summer-houses, one for raen and one
for women. Here they meet to smoke and play at dift'erent
games. In the men's sui-i-imer-honse we find Eng himself. He was
surrounded with stewards and agents writing from his dictation ;
but on our entrance" they retired respectfully into one corner of
the room. The master of the house rose, left his pipe, and
came to meet us, welcoming the archdeacon as an old friend,
and bestowing upon me the civilities usual on such occasions.
His manners are those of the best society. He has a con
sciousness of his own importance, and feels no necessity of
impressing it upon others.
The raost richly decorated building in the house contains
only one large room, open on one side, and consecrated to the
memory of the deceased chiefs of the family. Here, in the
"haU of thefr ancestors," and before thefr monuraental tablets,
are accoraplished all the great acts of Chinese self-govemment
— ^the reading of wUls, the distribution of property, amicable
arrangements, trials in criminal cases, judgment and condem
nation. Here deceived husbands plead their cause. Woe be
to the guilty wife ! She pays for her forgetfulness of her duties
-with her Hfe. The sUps of a husband, on the otiier hand, are
expiated by a few strokes of bamboo.
This evening we had a ball at Shamien. The whole of the
littie colony were present The European merchants of Canton
no longer embark in great commercial speculations. Shanghai
and the opening of the Yang-tse-kiang have killed Canton.
Eut the grand style of thefr establishments is that of thefr pre
decessors, who were more favoured by fortune. There is

590 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
nothing of the parvenu about them, or of the newly-made
milliotiaire. One sees that these merchant princes of old days
sprang from the rank of landed gentty, and indirectly from
England's old nobUity. The factories founded by them have
been endowed with the comme-il-faut and the luxurious tastes
which characterized high life in the last century. I was ex
pressing these thoughts to an old gentleman who, like me, had
made his way into the ball-room. There,' in a heat of 30°
Rdaumur — we are precisely under the tropic of Cancer — three
or four young ladies, in the freshest and most irreproachable
toilets, and as many young gentlemen, vrith white neckcloths
and flowers in their button-holes, were going through the
arduous labours of waltzing, with that British seriousness
which seems to be considered a necessity in such cases.
" Without doubt," replied my neighbour with a sigh, " all this
luxury is not in proportion to our profits. But it would be
impossible to reduce it It would discourage the old, and take
away from the young all confidence in the future. Live and
let live."
This morning, vety early indeed, in a temperature which is
now that of a fine May day, but which at noon will be tropical,
I am walking alone on the crenellated waUs of the town. I look
towards the north, where Canton, properly speaking, lies — that
is, the old town ; but, as at Pekin, one only sees masses of trees
surmounted here and there by a pagoda. The highest tower
belongs to the Mohammedan mosque. On the horizon rise
the " White Cloud " Mountains. I make my way through the
suburb, as my object is to reach the French church. It is a
noble building, In the Gothic style. The architect was a M.
Thermite, a young Frenchman, who died too soon for his repu
tation ; for he was, in my opinion, the equal, if not the superior,
of the most distinguished architects of his countty.' Alongside
of the church is the house of the missionaries ; and further
still, that of the Sisters of Charity, whom the French consul,
as we have already said, thought it his duty to send to Hong-
Kong after the Tien-tsin massacres. The five priests of the
' The palace of the govemor at Sa'igon, and the town-hall of Hong-Kon-:,
the two finest buildings of this kind that I have seen in the cast, are tin.'
work of Lhermite.

VI. CANTON.

591

Foreign Misrionary College at Paris received me with the
greatest kindness. They fear for their brethren scattered
among the Christians in the provinces of Sze-chuen and
Yiinan which are far distant What on earth will be their fate
if the anti-European party should happen to get possession of
the )Oung emperor, or if the dynasty itself were to disappear ?
From the Mongolian wall to Canton, and from Pekin to the
heart of the empire, the soil trembles under your feet
In passing through the western suburbs we visited the resi
dence of a magnate, which was almost as magnificent as that of
Eng. The gardens seemed to me finer and more vast They
have built a theatre in the middle of thera. A pond divides it
frora a kiosk destined for the spectators : the woraen and their
friends occupy the upper story. In general, the rich go to great ex
pense to amuse their wives and daughters, intra muros, of course.
The street, which is vety narrow, is thronged vrith people.
Fortunately we have had places reserved for us in the angle of
a doorway. There we wait amidst thousands of other curious
spectators for the passage of the " God of War." Dislodged
from his temple, which certain bankers have been restoring,
he is going to retum solemnly to his former abode. All Canton
is on foot The street is like a channel lashed by a tempest.
From the side-streets fresh arrivals pour in every moraent
Hence a continual flux and reflux. In the raidst ot this fearful
crowd fmit and bon-bon sellers balance above their heads in the
palms of their hands tempting dishes coquettishly arranged on
little trays. No one thinks of touching them without having
first deposited his sapkques in the tray. Would it be the same
in Europe ? " Would the mob in our capitals behave as weU ? "
my guide asks proudly.
After waiting for a long time the dull sound of the gongs and
an infernal music announce the approach of the god. Police-
agents armed with rotitis (a species of knout) open the pro
cession. How in the world is it to pass through such a dense
crowd ? It is a mystety ; but with the help of the bamboo
and the goodwill of the people themselves they are formed in
line, and I see defile before rae a succession of shifting pictures
of an Indescribably strange and lairy-like character.
The procession had lasted lor two hours. The elements of
which it is composed file pass with great regularity. Coolies

592 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
carrying ba.nners, of which the highest points rest on a fork
which another coolie holds with great difficulty in order to
maintain its equilibrium ; screens of a curious shape, richly-
sculptured, lacquered, and gilt; various offerings; divers uten
sils; richly-brocaded parasols; children of noble family mounted
on ponies representing different gods ; and young girls dressed
in historic or fancy costumes, fastened to iron triangles so that
they seem to fly in the air. There are courtesans who, wishing
to give themselves an appearance of modesty, have adopted for
the moraent the stupid, sad expression of woraen of rank. Then
come the ancients of the quarter who are received with loud
acclamations by the people ; then a number of young men of a
respectable class, dressed simply but carefully ; then men armed
with halberds, pikes, and old swords. Bands of music, which
succeed one another at short intervals, fill up the narrow
passage with a bewildering noise. The hero of the feast closes
the triumphal march. This god looks like a good-natured
devil. His staring eyes, open mouth, and flat colossal ears
frighten no one. Mars has nothing martial about hira. Al
though gilt from head to foot, he is a sorry gentleman. Even
the coolies, who bear him on a miserable litter, are not in any
way impressed with the holiness of their mission : they are
smoking, chattering, and laughing. So true is it that it is not
enough to-be born in Olympus; one must justify by one's
personal qualities the advantages of position which it has
pleased Heaven to give us. The crowd which was so restless,
so turbulent, so eager when waiting for the procession, seems
satisfied and satiated : it disperses slowly and peaceably. The
rich Cantonese, Hke wise men, try to win the friendship of the
people. One day processions, another plays, a third distribu
tion of rice. Panem et circeiises.
With all due respect to these divinities, and even, to a certain
point, to this false god, I own that a group of young ladles
during this religious ceremony gave me many distractions. In
front of us, on the other side of the street, four young ladies,
or young women, occupied the hall of a house let for the occa
sion. To judge by the comparative whiteness of their skins,
their air, their simple but elegant dress, they are ladles of high
rank. My guide confirms my supposition. Their hair Is
beautifully dressed, and two of tiiem, even in Europe, would

VI CANTON. 593
pass for great beauties. Women of their rank ought to look
apathetic and bored. It is de rigueur when they appear in
public. The mles of society exact it. But when people begin
to talk and laugh with one another the mask falls. That is
what took place in the hall : their faces brightened ; their little
almond eyes sent forth lightning glances ; and a malicious
sceptical expression replaced the conventional look which had
been put on at first .\ matron, very much painted and very
fat, a striking Hkeness of Madame Thierret of the Palais Royal,
seemed to have the charge of them as duenna. She is imprudent
enough to be shocked at the directions of my eye-glass ; and I
must own it is not always that of the procession. She ac
cordingly places herself before the door so as to prevent these
young ladies from seeing or being seen. From thence, as by
an electric wire, communications are established directly with
the foreign devil ; a formal order to the duenna to allow their
glances to have free course and for me full liberty to contem
plate this scene of Chinese high life. Old gentlemen approach
these ladies, bow profoundly, showing their fists, obtain in
return a gracious smile, order tea for them, and then retire very
respectfully. The young ladies raeanwhile, seated on little
stools, talk, laugh, play with their fans, and enjoy the fun of
teasing and plaguing the duenna.
An order from the viceroy opens to us the doors of the
great prison. It is an oblong building divided into several
courts and surrounded by a double gallery. The Inside one is
coraposed of cells occupied by men ; the external one, which
a nanow, uncovered passage separates from the great outer
wall of the inclosure, is reserved for the woraen.
In the courts, those who are detained before or after their
sentence push against one another. The greater portion will
be executed at the coming term. Save in exceptional cases,
executions in China take place only twice a year, in spring and
autumn. At Canton it is a real carnage. Amongst these
prisoners one set were painfully dragging their heavy chains,
the others wore thera with revolting indifference. To judge by
their countenances, which were the raost irapudent and abject
imaginable, these poor wretches were not innocents, or alas !
they are no longer so. This infected atmosphere, this per-
Q Q

594

A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap,

manent contact witii vice, must stifle the last remains of the
honourable or human feelings which they raay have brought
with thera into this cursed place. One of thera said to me :
" I am accused of murder, but I deny it" The warder
answered by a sardonic smile, which meant to say, " Torttire
will make you own it" A young raan coraes up to us with a
half-idiotic look. At fifteen he had poisoned his schoolmaster, a
crime which the Chinese law ranks with panicide. His youth
alone saved hira from a honible death. Every year his father,
who Is of good family, implores his pardon of the viceroy.
The viceroy sends it to the TsungH-yaman, who submits the
question to the empress regent The request is always rejected.
We went into a room leading out of the gallery. It is meal
time. The half-famished wretches throw themselves on their
miserable pittance and devour it like wild beasts. The click
of their chains replaces the rausic at table. To corapare this
scene with that In the Zoological Gardens would be doing an
Injustice to the beasts.
In one great room without windows, and of which the pro
found darkness is only relieved by a fevv feeble rays of light
from the sombre hall, we guess rather than see, behind a
massive iron grating, the men condemned to the terrible
torture of the catigue. They groan, they cty, they sigh. Some
are lying on the bare ground, others are standing, leaning
against the wall. A good many are crouched down on their
heels ; a few are walking round in a circle. All are incessantly
moving and striving to find, what they never can, poor creatures !
— a little comparative ease. On seeing us, they all crowded
towards the grating, cast upon us looks of hatred, vengeance,
and despair — real looks of the damned ! Then they crawled
away again into the darkness.
There are other dungeons perfectly dark, from whence we
hear the most agonizing cries and howls accompanied by the
clicking of chains and the dull thud of the bamboo. In one
room, which was comparatively clean and well kept, some
retitletneti prisoners were smoking their pipes and taking their
meals served by their own domestics. These are privileged
mortals, condemned to death, perhaps, but who, by paying an
exorbitant price, have obtained the use of a separate room.
The letting of these cells is one of tiie perquisites of the

IV, CANTON. 595
mandarin director of the house. Other rooms are transformed
Into gambling-halls, — an excellent wa) of making money, and
getting custom out of the prisoners.
We next went into the exterior gallery, reserved to the
women, and separated, as I said, by a nanow, uncovered
passage from the high wall round the prison. It is the sublime
¦jf the horrible, or, rather, it is the abyss of abomination — the
imagination of Dante can alone rise so high or descend so low.
What he only partially imagined with the help of his genius,
I have seen with my own eyes, in flesh and blood. Evety
where a fallen woman is more degraded than a man in the
same position. Made of a finer and raore delicate stuff, she
falls from a higher pinnacle, and, therefore, falls lower. One
finds oneself here face to face with all kinds of physical horrors
and moral degradation. And in this Infamous den are shut up
as hostages, pell-mell with the condemned, honest wives and
young innocent daughters, whose husbands or fathers have fled
from the pursuit of justice. Let us fly from this terrible spot
since flight is possible to us ! Before the door a certain
number of living skeletons are chained, who are compelled
to keep in certain attitudes. On their breasts is placed a
notice in writing that they are there exposed to " pubUc deri
sion ! " ^\^lat a subject for mirth !
At the moment we crossed the great court which precedes
the prison, a touching spectacle was presented to us. About
thirty men, just anived, were resting under the shade of a
tycamore. There are men in the prime O'f life, others quite
young, some few old ; several of thera seem to belong to the
respectable classes. They are sorcerers or recruiters : their
trade has been to furnish involuntary emigrants to the bar-
rancoes of Macao. These unhappy creatures are bound by
fours, their tails being fastened to strong cords. Sitting on
thefr heels, or lying on the ground quite close to one another,
they are like a flock of sheep. Death awaits them, and before
death, torture. They know it Every Chinaman knows his
code by heart The expression of their faces tells it plainly
enough: some are ctyIng in silence; others sigh deeply; a
few seem to be the prey of abject terror; no one speaks.
Passing by them an hour later, we lound them smoking some
cigarettes, which a good Samaritan had given them. For a
Q Q a

596 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Ciiap.
moment Ihey forget their awful fate in this quiet enjoyment
A kind of apathetic indifference had relaxed the faces which
we had seen contracted and set in sheer despair.
The pretorium or judgment hall, a little oblong court, is
close to the great prison. The judge is seated in an open
gallery, with a table before him loaded with briefs. On his
right is a clerk, and on his left an interpreter, both of whom
are standing. At a few steps in front of the table is the place
reserved for the accused. On both sides are five or six subal
tern agents of the tribunal. The executioner and his assistants,
leaning against the wall alongside of their instruments of tor
ture, stained and msty with blood, await the signal to make
use of them. The archdeacon and I place ourselves by the
side of the interpreter. Speaking in a low voice, which is the
only concession he makes to the majesty of the court, my
guide rapidly translates for me the essential parts of the inter
rogatoty. The court is quite empty. There is not a single
spectator save the two strangers, i.e., ourselves. Neither the
judge nor his assistants take the smallest notice of us; they
pretend not even to perceive our presence.
The judge Is a man of about forty years of age, perhaps
fifty. A pale face, cat's eyes, adorned with a pair of enormous
glasses, a repulsive expression, his dress simple but cared for,
his nails like bird's claws, on His thumb a great jade ring — his
whole person respectable, imposing, and hideous to the last
degree. This Chinese Minos bends over the table, and never
takes his eyes off the two sets of papers, one of which is written
in black ink, and the other in red. Behind his seat stand his
servants. Frora time to time one of them passes a long pipe
over his arra, and withdraws it quickly, his raaster contenting
himself with one or two puffs. Although the judge understands
and speaks the southern dialect perfectiy, he is supposed to
know nothing but the mandarin, the language of the north ;
hence the necessity of the interpreter. He never himself takes
any part in the interrogatory. That is the business of the
clerk and the interpreter ; but he directs them by saying a few
words from time to time in a low voice. There is the most
profound silence throughout the audience. Shall I own ti?
The look ofthe judge freezes me with terror. There is nothing

VI. CAN2VN.

597

human in that bronze face — not a trace of mercy or of charity.
I look around me, and I see the same expression on all these
diS'erent countenances. I try and put myself in the place of
the accused, and feel a cold perspiration mounting to my brow.
They brought in the first prisoner, or rather they carried him
in In a basket Here, on this very spot, yesterday, he was put
to the torture. They broke his ankle-bones. To-day he is
simply a packet of bones and flesh, incapable of answering a
word. His life is ebbing fast On a sign from the judge he is
carried off.
A young man of the lower orders is now brought in, loaded
with chains. He kneels in the place set apart for the accused ;
they always kneel before the tribunal. Fear and craft are
combined on his ignoble face, where crime and vice have left
indelible traces. After the usual questions as to the family of
the accused, his parents and grandparents, the Interpreter says
to him : " You stole thirteen dollars ? " The accused denies it
obstinately. On a slight movement from the hand of the judge
the executioner advances. At the 'sight of him abject teiror
seizes the unhappy culprit. He hastens to own it " Yes, he
stole the money, but it was from hunger, to buy rice." " In
what shop ? Was it in such or such a street ? " (The scene,
probably, of some other crime — a murder perhaps, committed
by this vety man,) Here the accused turns pale, hesitates,
sobs,. Implores the mercy of the judge, and denies the crime
again. The interpreter, who till now has tried to intimidate
hira, takes, all of a sudden, a soft, insinuating voice. " Why
deny it, my child ? " he says ; " own it ; and you wUl then only
have to praise our tender mercies. Come along ; take off his
chains." This to the executioner, who obeys. " And now, my
cljUd, speak." But " my child " is not so easily taken in. Here
begins a struggle between these two men of audacity, lying, and
ruse; the one knowing that his Hfe is at stake ; the other, his
reputation as inquisitor. The coaxing tone of the latter con
trasts with the look of hatred and ever-growing terror which
may be read on the face of the accused. At last the poor
wretch persists in his denial, upon which the judge, in a low
voice, speaks to the executioner, who, vvith his assistants, throw
him down, stretch him on the ground, strip off his clothes, and
then, squatted on his heels, the executioner, counting each

598 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
stroke in a loud voice, app'ies at least a hundred L"g'.\.? on his
body with a long bamboo. I own I almost fainted at the
horrible sight, and my excellent archdeacon was very nearly as
bad. The assistants looked at us with disdainful surprise.
Never, as long as I live, shall I forget the screams and howls
of this poor fellow. After some minutes, however, the roars
ceased. He was only an inert bleeding mass — impossible to
proceed to-day with the second part of the question — that is,
to break his legs. They drag him off, therefore, or rather, he
is carried away.
The young thief is replaced by two gentlemen of respectable
appearance — a merchant and his head clerk ; the latter, a young
man elcgantiy dressed; the former, a raan of a certain age.
They are accused of having passed contraband salt After
having bowed profoundly to the judge they knelt as usual.
Neither the one nor the other seemed much moved. The old
man began by pleading guilty ; the clerk tried to defend him
self. " He had only obeyed the orders given to him. He did
not know that he was acting contrary to law. It was tme that
he had given some rice to the customhouse officers. But was
it a crime to feed the hungry ? " Whilst he was speaking, his
master, evidently anxious as to his revelations, never took his
eyes oft' him, and tried by signs to impose silence upon him.
This scene Is suddenly interrupted by the judge. He takes a
huge EngHsh watch out of his pocket consults it attentively,
and then suddenly rises, and closes the sitting. They cany off
the two merchants, who have evidently bribed some one in
court. The judge, followed by his suite, without deigning to
honour us with so much as a look, takes his solemn departure ;
the clerk and the interpreter shut up their ink-bottles, and fold
up their briefs ; the executioner and his assistants put away
their horrible instruments into a recess. Everything is done in
perfect silence, but with order and system. This pretorium is
a real hell, but a hell which is well organized.
Mr. Hughes, the English consul ad interim, is good enough
to accompany me to the yamen. A discharge of little cannon,
arranged on steps in the court, fire a salute, and thus give
notice of our arrival. The viceroy comes to meet us, and takes
us into a prettily-sculptured and lacquered summer-house,

VI CANTON.

599

which op-cub into the garden. The stin, which is already low,
shines through some exotic plants into the little apartraent
"here, seated round a square table, we give ourselves up to
the enjoyment of a regular Chinese meal. The viceroy never
ceases loading my plate with all the tit-bits he can find in the
little saucers with which the table Is covered. I return the
civility in a like manner. The champagne Is served in tea-cups.
The servants are numerous, and well dressed. The scene, as
a whole, might have been borrowed from an old lacquered
screen. The personal friend of the late emperor, and for nine years in
the most important government of China, as it embraces the two
great provinces of Kwang-tung and Kwang-si, and also the most
difficult to administer, owing to the necessary intercourse with
foreigners, Yue is one of the most remarkable raen in the
empire, thought highly of at court, and likely vety soon to form
part of the ministty. Evetyone praises his intelligence aud sweet
ness. He is sixty-two, and has the exterior appearance of a
statesman grown old in the management of important afairs.
He has a noble and clever face ; a clear, frank eye ; and a tine
and caustic smile. He wore His official costume, which is a
dark-blue tunic, with the lining of a lighter blue, and the front
above the breast richly embroidered in gold. Round his neck
hung a huge rosaty. A magnificent peacock's plume hung
from his cap, which was ornamented with a ctystal button.
The conversation turned on diSerent subjects. There was
a great interchange of compliments, but few commonplace
phrases. At our departure we had to cross a variety of rooms and
passages. The viceroy accompanied us to our sedan-chairs.
At each door we had to chi/i-chiti. There is nothing so ridicu
lous as to see a European perform this ceremony. You raise
your two fists to the height of your forehead and give them a
rotatory movement; whilst, slightiybendlng forward towards one
another, you look at your friend fixedly between the eyes. But
the viceroy acquitted himself of this grotesque diity with such
grace and dignity that it gave me quite a new insight into the
chin-chin. In fact, ever since my visit to his )-amen, when I
see Chinese gentiemen executing these gymnastics, I ara no
longer incHned to laugh. .-\s an ai.tldote to the too great

6oo A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
familiarity of manners which we have borrowed from the
Americans and which is invading our own country, I would
venture humbly to recommend to those who give the ' toti ' to
our European salotis, that the chin-chin should be acclimatized.
In the village of FatI (field of flowers) we went to see the large
nursery-gardens of the florists vvho provide Canton with these
luxuries. What a strange and perverted taste they display !
The singular pleasure of metamorphosing orange-trees into vases,
box-bushes Into dragons with porcelain eyes, and oleanders
into monsters, c)rpresses into junks and pheasants ! and all
these plants grow and flourish and are reproduced ; painfully,
it Is true, and awkwardly, just as the woraen walk painfully and
awkwardly on their rautllated feet The principle is the same.
The genius of this nation, which in everything is both cruel
and subtle, delights In mutUating without killing.
While descending one of the numerous streams which throw
themselves Into the Pearl River, we heard the sound of a
gong, mingled with piteous cries of pain. It is a thief whora
they ate marching through the great street of a village which has
a bad reputation. The man with the tura-tura precedes the
penitent ; the executioner follows, showering blows on his naked
body. "The villagers look on with open raouths. This sight
seeras to amuse them : I should doubt If it would correct
them. It is nearly night We are in the south-east quarter of the
town, in the City of the Dead. Fancy a whole town full of
corpses ! Here are provisionally deposited the bodies of Che-
kiang natives who have died at Canton, waiting for their relations,
who come to fetch them and transport them into their own
province. Each coffin is placed in a chambre ardetite which is
preceded by a little hall. It is the system of corporations, so
e.->sentially Chinese, applied to the dead. The greatest clean
liness reigns In this necropolis. Not the slightest smell betrays
the fact of decomposition. One passes from catafalque to cata
falque. A man with a lighted torch precedes us. What a
melancholy walk !
We have just passed through a little street lined on one side
v, ith shops where pottery is made, and on the other by a brick

VL CANTON. 6c I
waU. Fortunately they are not at work on that side. But we
see all along the wall the instruments which are made use of :
the tables on which a man is stretched when he Is to be hacked
in pieces, crosses for cracifixions, littie cages where the heads
are exposed, vases filled with a kind of paste to take the flesh
off the heads, &c., &c. All these utensils, as one sees but
too plainly, have recently been used. At the time of the public
executions the soil in this street is literally soaking with blood.
Let us hurry our steps and pass on.
December 2. — For my voyage to Macao the -riceroy has been
gracious enough to place at my disposal the Paig-chao-hoy, a
steamboat belonging to the state, used for the customhouse
service. It is a magnificent steamer, commanded by an old
officer of the Austrian navy. Captain Vasallo, a native of
Prague. At five o'clock in the morning he comes to fetch rae
in his gig ; and after having woke the peaceable inhabitants of
Sharaien by a noisy salute of guns, the red and white Austrian
flag flying, I think, for the first tirae alongside of the dragon
of the Celestial Empire, the Petig descends the Pearl River,
making about twelve knots an hour. M. Bowra, inspector of
the imperial customhouses at Canton, and Mr. Thomas, one of
the residents in that town, are good enough to accompany me.
He who has not visited Canton has not seen China. Pekin
is central Asia — the town of the Bible ; above all, a camp —
the nomad tent during a halt Canton represents China ;
Pekin, Mongolia. Canton is the centre of a huge population,
civilized and yet perverted. In its crowded streets one sees
the whole life of the Chinese people. At evety step the eye
is surprised, pleased, and disgusted.
At breakfast we meet in our amiable captain's cabin. Here
we are in Austria. Furniture, curtains, carpets all come from
Vienna. On the walls are portraits of the emperor and empress,
of the Archduke Maximilian, and various views of our common
but distant country. At our meal we are served with " Gum-
poldskirchen," a wine well known and much appreciated In
Vienna. At two o'clock in the afternoon the steamer doubles the
Port da Barra, on which floats the venerable flag 01 Portugal.
A quarter of an hour later we land at Macao.

CHAPTER VIL
MACAO.''— FROM THE 2nd TO THE 4th OF DECEMBER.
Its decay. — The question of the coolies. — Progress of the Chinese element.
Camoes.
It is a feast day. Mixed with a group of young dandies, who
are dressed in that exaggerated style and bad taste which
characterizes the Iberians in their "Sunday best," I see arriving
in sedan-chairs on the steps of the church, which they painfully
climb, a number of Macao beauties, all covered up in their black
capas. They have dark skins, slits of eyes, and look like great
packets of flesh. Followed by their duennas and Malay
servants, they go into the church, and do as they do in Portugal
— that is, they squat indolently on their heels, murmur a few
prayers, and play with their fans. If the servants, like all the
women of the lower classes, have a darker skin and eyes raore
slit than their mistresses, it is that they have more Chinese or
Malay blood in their veins ; they are not quite so fat, and wear
capas of calico of the most brilliant colours possible. There
are not a dozen families of pur sang left in Macao, In this
number I do not include the doctors or the civil and military
functionaries, whora the government sends here at certain
seasons, and who, being miserably paid, when they have served
their time, return to their own country. The days when Portuguese
merchants came here to make their fortunes belong to history,
' Macao is a little peninsula formed by three little hills united in a kind
of plateau which is entirely covered with houses, An isthmus connects it
with the continent. In this respect the analogy with Cadiz is vei-y striking.

Chap, vn, MACAO 603
or rather to the age of myths. No one prospers here except
the coolie-brokers and the proprietors of the gambling-houses.
Shut these up (they told me), suppress the coolie trade and
you will see the grass grow in the streets of Macao. Besides
the Portuguese, there are three English residents and five
Germans — both one and the other merchants without any
business. Soraetiraes, though vety rarely, the govemor invites
them to meet one another at an evening party. This is the
only place, in fact, where the Germanic and Lusltanian
races meet, saving in the streets, which are always deserted,
and contrast wonderfully, in this respect, with the Chinese
quarter, which is full of life and activity. There you find a
succession of tempting shops (full of customers), flanked by
huge signboards ; restaurants full of consumers, and gambling-
houses, which are always crammed. Between a double row of
low houses built In the native style, you meet porters stumbling
against one another, hawking their goods in sharp cries or
songs, coolies bearing heavy cases or sedan-chairs, and innu
merable foot-passengers, men, women, and children. It Is real
China. But tum round that comer and you find yourself in a
country-town in Portugal. No one is in the streets, unless it
be some soldiers who are lounging about, smoking their
cheroots, or, vety rarely, a sedan-chair, filled to overflowing by
one of those ladies with whom we made acquaintance under
the church porch. The houses, which are of stone, whitewashed,
or coloured red or yellow, bear the stamp of the mother-
countty. One may say that not one of these is older than the year 1622,
and that very few are later than 1650. Behind the houses,
and on each side, above walls omamented with vases, or
crowned with massive stone balustrades, we perceive cedars,
banian-trees, and exotic shrubs with shiny leaves. The magni
ficent cathedral of St Paul, built by the Jesuits at the end of
the sixteenth century and transformed into a barrack under the
Pombal ministry, was entirely destroyed by fire a few years
ago. Only the fagade reraalns, which, though overdone with
ornament, is very fine. The other churches are of strange
shapes, and without any artistic pretensions. The flights of
stairs and heavy balustrades remind you of Abrantes, Santarem,
and Viseu. At evety step one comes upon imposing buildings.

6o4 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
They are old convents of monks and nuns, now transformed
into banacks without soldiers, museums without any of the
treasures which they are destined to hold, and public offices
full of clerks who are dying of hunger. The pray a giaiidc, or
quay, is a suite of houses turned towards the sea and looking
to the south — It reminds one of the Junqueira of Lisbon. By
a strong hyperbole, the people of Macao compare it to the
Chiaja of Naples. Here they enjoy in summer the south
western monsoon ; and in all seasons a very fine view of the
coast oi terra firma and the archipelago which surrounds it
These islands, deprived of all vegetation, saving some shrubs
burnt up by the sun, arrest your attention by their fantastic
shapes and by the shifting effects of light which this sky,
although less beautiful than that of the south of Europe, does
not cease to produce.
The Chinese element gains ground conlinunlly. Nothing
can be raore natural. The Chinese represent life, the Portu
guese, sleep, if not death. One sees in consequence the Chinese
settled In sorae of the finest and oldest Portuguese houses. I
have visited some of them. The metamorphosis is complete.
The image of the Madonna, which certainly was not wanting
in any one of these houses, is replaced by the altars of the
ancestors. There is no longer a trace of that simplicity of
furniture, that disdain for the conveniences of life which
characterizes the homes of people of the Iberian race. You
find, on the contraty, a thousand little useless things which are
the dehght of all Chinese in easy circumstances : toys, rolls of
stuff or painted paper, strange pots and pans, porcelain vases,
and all those little nick-nacks and china raonsters which we
caU Chitwiseries. Whilst the English and German residents
are leaving Macao because their business is at a standstill, and
whilst the Portuguese element, by the continual infusion of
Asiatic blood, becomes vitiated, and finally dies out, the Chinese,
thanks to their extraordinary activity and marvellous sobriety,
are accomplishing what their government tried In vain to obtain,
either by force or artifice : under the vety shadow of the Portu
guese flag they are retaking possession of the territory which
formerly was conquered by Lusltanian heroes.'
' The Chinese govemment would never recognize the occupation by the
Portuguese of the Macao peninsula.

VII MACAO, 605
The increase of the Chinese element, which is so odious to
the Portuguese, has given rise to a law which reminds one of
those by which California tries to defend herself from the
invasion of the yellow race. At Macao, the Chinese are
prohibited from building houses in the native style on the
praya gratide ox the adjoining streets — a measure which is as
unjust as it is powerless and impolitic. The result Is simply
that the Chinese buy Portuguese houses. When these pass
into native hands thefr value is doubled. I am living now
in a magnificent and spacious mansion surrounded by a fine
garden close to the praya grande. The proprietor, who has
his own reasons for not selling it, has let it to a Canton merchant
whose family pass the sumraer here, for the ridiculously small
sum of forty dollars a month ! If sold to the Chinese, it would
represent at least double its actual value.
The causes of the decay of trade in this place are — the
competition of the Chinese, and the opening of the treaty
ports. Evetytiiing, in fact, conspires to rain Macao. Yet it was
the great emporium of the first Portuguese merchants; and
since the last half of the sixteenth century, the centre of
CathoHc science in the extreme east. It is even to-day the
link which binds this branch of the Portuguese race to faith
and civUization.
I have received several visits to-day. The govemor, Vice-
Admiral Sergio de Souza, seems to me to deserve his popularity.
The streets are clean and the roads well kept ; everything which
relates to the administration is perfect ; that is his great merit.
The coolies give him a great deal of anxiety. He told me he
did all he possibly could to regulate and humanize this slave-
trade of the yellow race. The foreign merchants who came to
see me, spoke bitterly of the increasing stagnation of trade.
" Canton," they exclaimed, " is no longer what it was ; and
Macao was only a kind of supplement to Canton. The vessels
which had shipped their black tea at the latter port used to
come here to complete their cargoes. But the tea arrives no
longer either at Canton or Macao ! It is sent to the ports
on the Yang-tse-kiang. Consequently there are neither ships
nor business. It is only the coolie trade that brings in any
profits, and men who have any regard for their own reputation,

eo6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
like the English and Germans, will not embark in this infamous
traffic. These are the results of the pusillanimity of the English
government What we want is a more energetic policy." Thus
the raore they suffer, the raore warlike they become. In the
eyes of these merchants the only panacea for all these evils,
is war i
I have visited the banancoes great' in detail. It is a large
building painted blood-colour, and containing some good-sized
halls. On the walls are placards in large Chinese characters
telling the conditions on which coolies are engaged ; either for
Pem or the Havanas. On their landing, they are shut up in
the barrancoes: then they collect them together, read to them
the conditions of their engagement, and ask them, three or four
times over, if they are really determined to start ? When they
have given their definitive and final assent, which is done by a
forraal act before a notaty, they are considered bound. It
often happens that at the last moment they declare that they
wish to go home again. One day out of 800 coolies, 300 de
manded to be sent back again. As they had -not made any
forraal engagement, they were put back on Chinese tenitory.
Those who are really engaged are taken on board ship. These
embarkations take place three times a week. A number of
fine sailing-ships, anchored in the roadstead, weigh anchor the
moment their human cargo is completed. According to their
destination and the season, they either double Cape Horn or
the Cape of Good Hope, and generally take three months on
the voyage. At this moment they are building some large
steamers to replace the sailing-ships. The duty of the gover
nor is to see that the number of emigrants in each ship, which
is fixed by certain rales and regulations, shall never be ex
ceeded. Impartial witnesses have assured me that Admiral
Souza has the best will in the world to provide for the well-
being of the emigrants, and especiaUy to prevent that any of
them should be put on board contraty to their own will. He
also strives to insure that they shall be well treated during the
passage. For this purpose he favours a practice which gives
to the captains a premium of 1/. sterling and the first officer
a premiura of 5^. for each coolie who shall be disembarked in
good condition either at Callao or Havana. But the benevolent

vn. MACAO. 607
efforts of the Portuguese governor, although energetically sup
ported by the Chinese authorities, who put the recruiters to
death without mercy, are very often paralysed by the venality
of subaltern agents, by the connivance and cupidity of the
brokers (Spanish or Portuguese), and by the captains them
selves, who, after having taken In at Macao their complete
cargo of human flesh, huddle together at the bottom of the
hold many other poor creatures, who, by the contrivance of
the brokers and the Chinese recruiters, have been put on
board from some solitary bay or creek on the coast.
Lastiy, one must bear in mind the thousand artifices which
the recruiting bodies make use of to entrap their victims.
Here is one which is most frequently employed : the agent
goes from village to village, declaring that he is going to
exchange his present miserable condition for the brilliant lot
which awaits him in America. They believe him on his word ;
he makes dupes, leads them to Macao, and goes through all
the required formalities. Then coraes the raoraent of definitive
engagement The emigrants go in single file before the notaty's
table, passing through a narrow, boarded passage like those
one sees before our theatres or at railway stations. The
recruiter by an excess of civility, begs his victims to pass on
before him. While they are signing their agreements, he takes
care to make off and disappear.
To sum up all I have said, I believe the coolie slave trade
to be as bad as that of the negroes. During the passage,
which is always horrible, the latter perhaps suffered rather
more. But once arrived at their destination, the slaves found,
In the vety interest of their proprietor, who was anxious to
preserve his capital, a guarantee of comparative well-being.
The coolies have not even this advantage ; and they tell me
that tiieir fate is the more lamentable because they belong to
a race which is more civilized and more inteUigent than the
negroes. At Macao, Cam'oes composed his poem. In a garden,
which is badly kept, but of an indescribable beauty, between
natural rocks and fine old trees, they still point out on a hiU
the poet's grotto. A profound solitude reigns there; the silence

6o8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap, VII.
is only interrupted by the rustling of the leaves ; the eye revels
in an enchanting view over the town, the sea, the opposite
coast, and the archipelago. Involuntarily it brought back my
thoughts to Tasso's oak at St. Onofrio. A last and melancholy
analogy between these two great and unhappy contemporaries!
On a stone some verses of the Lusiadas are inscribed : com
plaints of royal ingratitude. They might have chosen better.
Why remind everyone of this poor gentleman's miseries ? Why
not rather follow the bard into those ethereal regions of Par
nassus, where, sunounded by his peers, he is now celebrating
his greatest triumphs ? Inspiration, that necessity for singing
which belongs to the nightingale, patriotism and devotion to
his king, vibrated in the chords of his lyre, and not the hope
of obtaining court favours, a little gold, or a ribbon ! At a few
steps from the grotto is a cavern, where, according to the
legend, Camoes observed the stars through a fent in the rocks.
Poor Camoes ! thy star was then being eclipsed, but it has
reappeared on the horizon, and will shine there to the end
of timet

CHAPTER VIII
HOMEWARD BOUND.— FROM THE 6th OF DECEMBER TO
THE 13th OF JANUARY.
Departure from Hong-Kong. — The missionary question. — State of China
as regards its relations with European powers. — .'Arrival at Marseilles,
At twelve o'clock precisely, the Tigre of the French Messa
geries Maritimes left the port of Hong-Kong. With the
help of the north-east monsoon, which pushes us on, we
may hope to arrive in thirtv-eight days at MarseUles.
On learing the extreme East I feel myself overwhelmed
with pleasant recollections — with grateful ones ; especially for
the cordial welcome which everywhere awaited me. Would
you believe it? Saving the first few days at Yokohama,
and whilst I was travelling in the Interior, where there are
no Europeans, I have not slept in an inn one single night
since I left America.
In Europe, I prefer an hotel. But here, it Is a different
thing. Your friends discover your Itinerary, and give notice
of your approaching anival to their correspondents in the
towns you are about to visit The steamer which brings
you comes into harbour. A whole fleet of sampatis, little
boats and skiffs of all kinds, surround It Immediately. In a
gig, rowed by men in livery, you perceive a young gentle
man dressed in whfre from head to foot, with his hand on
the mdder and a cheroot in his mouth. He jumps on
board, hunts you out, guesses whp you are, and carries you
off. His "boys" take charge of your luggage. Here you
are on shore, installed in a charming room, slightly shaded
R R

6io A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
by a veranda. Your bath is all ready, your toilet made,
and dinner announced. You go into the drawing-room,
where the mistress of the house, beautifully dressed, welcomes
you In the most cordial manner. Generally a charming
person herself, she is equally charmed to see you. Every
body is ; for you are going to break the monotony — the
entiui — which is the gnawing worm of colonial life. A Euro
pean, a fresh arrival, who is come to amuse himself and
not to be a rival — this rara avis is always welcome. I do
not dwell upon material enjoyments, though they are not to
be despised ; I am only speaking of the intellectual and
social advantages which you derive from this generous and
often princely hospitality. You become, for the time, one
of the family , and at the same moment you find yourself,
as it were. In a new world. Evety hour is rich with fresh
knowledge. Count the many hours lost vis-d-vis to one's
self in European hotels ! Here, from morning till night,
you only hear people talk of local affairs. Whilst your host
is ait his office, you chatter with his wife, you play with the
babies, or you take lessons in " pigeon " English from their
good Chinese nurse. In fact, you see and hear of nothing
else but China and Japan. At all hours you are in the
midst of it
I am going to take advantage of this leisure time to sum
up my impressions. Let us see what it is which at this
moment engrosses the attention of all foreigners living in the
" ports." Two questions are uppermost in men's minds :
that of the missionaries, and the future relations of China
with Europe.
In spite of all the efforts which the French governments
had made, through the intervention of M. de Lagrenee, to
obtain an edict of toleration in favour of the Christians, our
religion remained for a long time severely prohibited through
out the Celestial Empire. The missionaries who taught, and
the natives who embraced that faith, were exposed to peri
odical persecutions and continual vexations. Their fate, their
property, their very lives, depended on the good pleasure of
the mandarin. The utmost and the best thing they could
obtain was, that he would deign to ignore their existence

VIIL HOMEWARD BOUND. 6ii
The treaties of Tien-tsin and the convention of Pekin,'
concluded by China with England and France, put an end to
this state of things.
The eighth article of the English treaty runs as follows : —
" The Christian religion, as It is professed by the Protestants
and the Roman Catholics, inculcates the practice of virtue, and
teaches men that they should treat others as they wish" to be
treated themselves. In consequence, those who teach this
religion will have an equal right to the protection of the Chinese
authorities, and raay not be pursued or contravened, provided
that they keep to their own affairs, and are not guilty of any
infraction of the laws."
The thirteenth article of the French treaty, which is much
more explicit, is thus conceived : —
" The Christian religion, having for its essential object to
bring men to the knowledge and practice of virtue, members
of all Christian communions shall enjoy entire security for their
persons and thefr property, and the free exercise of their re-
Hgtous practices ; and an efficacious protection shall be given
to aU missionaries who desire to enter peaceably into the inte
rior of the kingdom, furnished with regular passports. No
hindrance shall be placed by the authorities of the Chinese
Empire to the right, which is recognized in China, of every
indiridual to embrace, if he wishes it, the Christian faith and
to follow its practices, and he shall not be subject to any pains
or penalties for such an act."
"The sixth article of the supplementary convention concluded
with France, at Pekin, adds an important clause :—
" The religious and charitable establishments which were
confiscated and taken from the Christians during the recent
persecutions, shall be restored to their owners, with the ceme
teries and all other edifices belonging to them."
The total number of Catholic Chinese Christians is reckoned
(though somewhat arbitrarily) at 500,000 by sorae people ; by
others, at 1,000,000 or 2,000,000. The largest Christian mis
sions are in the provinces of Sze-chuen, Kiangsu, Ngan-hwei,
• The English treaty was signed at Tien-tsin, on the 26th of June, 1858,
and an additional convention at Pekin, on the 24th of October, i860. The
French treaty of Tien-tsin is dated 27th June, 1858, and the convention,
or treaty of peace of Pekin, on the 2Sth October, i860. R R 2

6i2 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
and Chi-li, In this vast erapire, about 500 European mission
aries, three parts of whom are French, and from 160 to 200
Chinese priests, divide among one another the cure of souls.
Here is the detail : —
French priests from the Paris " Missions Etrangeres," in the
provinces of Kwang-tung and Kwang-si (they can hardly yet be
said to- have a regular footing in Kwang-si), in Sze-chuen, Yu-
nan and Kwei-chow ; also in Mandjouria, in the Corea (from
whence they have lately been expelled), and in Thibet
The Dorainicans (Spanish) : in Fuh-kien, Hunan, and the
Island of Forraosa.
The priests (French) of the congregation of the Lazarist
raisslon : in Che-kiang, Chi-li (the northern part, Pekin), Western
Chi-li, and Kiang-si.
The Jesuits (French, and some few Italians), in Kiang-su,
Southern Chi-li, and Ngan-hwei.
The Franciscans (Italians), in Shan-si, Shen si, Kang-su, and
Hu-peh. The priests (Italians) of the Propagation of the Faith -at
Rome : in Honan, where the hostile spirit of the population is
such that they have hardly been able to go into it, in the
island of Hong-Kong, and in the district of Se-non (Kwang-
tung). Tbe priests of the Belgian congregation (for the Foreign
Missions of China), in Mongolia.
The Sisters of St Vincent de Paul (Sisters of Charity,
French) : at Pekin, Ning-po, Shanghai, Hang-chow (Che-kiang),
and in the islands of Chusan.
The Carmelites, at Shanghai.
The Sisters " AuxUiatrices des Ames du Purgatoire," (French),
at Sii-kia-wei.
The Sisters of St Paul de Chartres (French), at Canton, and
since the Tien-tsin massacres of the Sisters of Charity), at
Hong-Kong. The Sisters (Italian) of the MUanese commtTnlty, caUed of
Canossa, at Hong-Kong.
In each province there is a vicar-general. Sze-chuen and
Chi-li reckon three. Each vicariate is subdivided into districts,
according to the number of priests and missions in each.
"The congregation of the Propagation of the Faith at Rome

VIII. HOMEWARD BOUND, 613
is the link between the Holy See and the missions. His
procurator-general, who is to-day the Very Rev. P. Ralmondi,
and who resides at Hong-Kong, is his organ and mouthpiece
to the various apostolic vicariates. It is he who by circulars
makes known to them the Pope's orders and wishes ; and this
service is so well organized, that the letters of the procurator-
general arrive at the most distant vicariates in less than two
months and a half.
The Chinese priests all belong to families converted for the
last two or three centuries. No recent convert or neophyte is
admitted to the priesthood except with a special dispensation,
which is rarely asked for, and stiU raore rarely granted. The
native priests are firm behevers, studious, and zealous ; but they
are not energetic ; they are timid and incapable of direction.
They eagerly seek theological discussions ; but more subtle
than profound, they rarely go beyond a certain point in science.
Vis-d-vis European missionEuies, they feel and sometimes resent
thefr inferiority ; but if treated vrith gentleness and discernment,
they become exceUent fellow-labourers. With regard to morals,
they leave nothing to be desired. They have never yet been
promoted to the higher grades of the hierarchy.
The native Sisters are vety holy, and do a great deal of good,
but they need constant direction.
To enable a mission really to flourish, the missionaries ought
to be able to have frequent and regular communications with
each other. But in many of the prorinces the enormous dis
tances place an insurmountable obstacle to this continual and
personal intercourse which is nevertheless so desirable among
the members of the same mission. But in the creation of fresh
ones they always strive so to anange the stations as that they
raight touch ; and that the priests might be able to see one
another once or twice a month. The pioneers of Christianity
are the catechumens. Going from vUlage to village, they
awaken curiosity, answer aU the questions which raay be
addressed to them, and often leave behind them the seeds of
conversion. Then the native priests come ; and it is only after
the ground has been duly prepared that the European mission
aries arrive to complete the work by opening a mission. As
regards the women, the first duties 01 the apostolate are con
fided to the native Sisters. They proceed like the catechumens.

6i4 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
gathering together the women and young girls in some friendly
house, explaining to them the fundamental dogmas of our
faith, and awakening in their minds a desire for conversion.
That is the moraent for the missionary to step in to complete
the instruction and confer baptism. The Chinese neophytes
are rarely fervent ; but they remain faithful, especially as long
as they stay in their native villages. Those who travel a great
deal, and remain a long time absent from home or settled in
pagan towns, lose their faith very often, without, however,
publicly apostatizing.
The old Chinese Christians are devoted to their religion. In
Sze-chuen, where they are very numerous, they have a sense of
their own strength and importance, and defend themselves
vigorously, sometimes with arms in their hands, against the
persecutions of the " Hterates."
The inherent dangers of the apostolate in China are well
known. The miserable existence of the Sisters and mission
aries is less so. The ranks of these noble and devoted men
and women are thinned, in consequence, with fearful rapidity.
" We left Europe ten years ago," said one missionary to rae.
" Counting the six Sisters, we were twenty-four in all. With
the exception of four, including myself, all the rest have died.
The diplomats and consuls," he continued, " bear their resi
dence in China well enough. The great mortality among the
missionaries cannot, therefore, be attributed to the climate. It
is to be explained -by the very hard lives we are compelled to
live; especially from the Chinese food, the want of medical
help, and the privations of every kind to which we are neces
sarily exposed."
During my journey in China the question ofthe missionaries
was a constant subject of conversation. The memorandum of
Prince Kung ' and the massacres of Tien-tsin had brought the
topic prominently forward. Evetyone was discussing the " mis
sionary question." Let us listen to the foreigners established
in the ports, to the Chinese government, to the missionaries
themselves, and lastly, to the representatives of the Christian
powers in China.
I cannot better reproduce the opinion of the trade ports than
• Annexed to the circular of the Tsungli-yamen, of the gth February,
1871.

VIH, HOMEWARD BOUND, 615
by borrowing again from the book of the EngHsh consul at
Shanghai.' Mr. Medhurst is both English and Protestant : —
" It is the fashion now," he writes, " to complain of the
Protestant missionaries, and to compare them in an unfavour
able manner with their Roman colleagues. ... I shall avoid
this kind of parallel, and content myself with considering both
one and the other as regards their ralsslonaty activity in China.
. . . One sees vety littie of the Catholic raissionaries, although
their nuraber, compared to the Protestants, is legion. Their,
systera is, frora the first moment of their arrival, to advance as
far as possible into the interior, carefully to avoid all contact
with European merchants, to disguise themselves as Chinese,
and to work in the dark and with indefatigable ardour in the
different stations occupied by their brethren for many years'
if not for centuries. Their devotion is remarkable — their sue
cess astonishing ; and I am araong those who think that they
have done, and are doing, a great deal of good. They strive
to gain proselytes by means of education, a process necessarily
slow, but of which the result, as regards the number and the
solid nature of the conversions, is all the raore satisfactory.
In any town or village where there is a Catholic mission one
is sure to find a kernel of Christian families, in whom the faith
has been transmitted from generation to generation ; and I
have been often strack by the peace and look of respectabUity
which one sees In these communities, especially when com
pared with the pagan inhabitants around them ; as also at the
obedience and attachment which the converts show to their
'spiritual father,' by which name they habitually call the
priests."^ Mr. Medhurst, however, regrets the clauses which have been
inserted in the French treaty. According to his view, the
CathoHc priests, who had hitherto been obliged to live hidden
lives, have been emboldened, in consequence of these con
cessions, to demand a restitution of their property, which had
been confiscated from political motives, and lately to arrogate
' "The Foreigner in Far Cathay," My reader must forgive the ana
chronism which I om committmg by inserting iu the text of my journal of
1871 passages tiom a book only published in 1872.
" I have liot the book in quekliou : so that Mr. Medhurst must excuse
the translation il it be not altogetlier an accurate one. (Note of Translator.)

6i6 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
to themselves a kind of jurisdiction over the native members
of their Church, which may infringe on their duties as Chinese
subjects. He also thinks that the Catholic and Protestant
missionaries commit a fault in erecting magnificent churches
with spires, without the least deference for Chinese prejudices.
Lastly, the author blames the Sisters of Charity for admitting
children into their orphanages, thereby, as he imagines, fur
nishing their enemies with a pretext for spreading calumnious
reports. Others, less moderate than Mr. Medhurst, lift up their voices
against missions in general, and dispute their practical utility.
Like all the world, however, or, at any rate, like all those who
have spoken to me on this matter, they admit the superiority
of the Catholic missionaries over the Protestant ones.
The Catholic missions date back 200 or 300 years. The
teaching and propagation of the faith have never been inter
rupted, and among the numerous Christian missions scattered
over the surface of this great countty, there are some of con
siderable importance. The Roman CathoHc raissionaries know
China better than anyone ; and it is from them that the
diplomatic bodies receive the best and most certain information
as to what is going on in the most distant, and most inac
cessible points of the empire.' All this they are willing to
allow ; but they are afraid that the raissionaries may become
too exacting, and, by exciting the opposition of the mandarins,
thereby hinder their trade.
" What is the use," these men say, "of preaching the Gospel ?
The Chinese do not understand it. They are not yet ripe for
the dogmas and truths of Christianity. Allow the action o(
time, and you will see. Civilize raen first before you convert
thera. Already the great wall which surrounded China raay
be said to have ceased to exist Our cannons have made
breaches in it, and a new element has been introduced into this
country, formerly so hermetically closed, and to-day opening
more and more. This new element is ourselves. We bring
them new ideas, give thera a feeling of security, of cleanliness,
' When transmitting to Lord Granville Prince Kung's proclamation on
the massacres of Tien-tsin, Mr. Wade adds : — " We shall learn from the
Roman missionaries how far this proclamation will have been spread in the
interior." Blue-Book, China, I. p. 222.

vin. HOMEWARD BOUND. 617
of well-cleaned, well-swept, weU lit streets, railroads, and tele
graphs. .\dd to this the influence of those Chinese who
return from America, Australia, and the Straits of Malacca.
They have adopted, to a certain degree, the tastes, ideas, and
habits of Europeans. These are the real missionaries. When
the Chinese shall be sufficiently enlightened to laugh at their
superstitions, they wiU perhaps become Christians. If the
CathoHc priests, instead of preaching, if the English, German,
and American parsons, instead of selling bibles, were to spread
little pamphlets on useful knowledge, or iUustrated newspapers,
or popular treatises on physics and mechanics, they would
bring about the transformation of this country."
When you answer, " But the emigrants come back from
CaHfomia, Australia, and Singapore, more Chinese and more
hostUe to foreigners than they were when they went," they only
smile and hold their tongues. However, evetyone does not
share in these illusions : —
" I have constantiy found," writes Mr. Medhurst,' " that the
Chinese do not improve by contact with foreigners. . . . The
dominant classes tolerate us ; but they would welcome the day
when they saw the last factory demolished and the last ship
leave thefr shores. The emigrants, when they return, fall in
stinctively back into their old grooves, and look upon their
sojourn among foreigners as a trial which has had to be borne,
but which is happily over. Even Chinese of a certain rank,
who have lately visited the West with a quasi-diplomatic
character, do not appear to have been in the least touched
or impressed by what they have seen, and are in no way
disposed to second the progress of civilization."
The author cites Chung-how as an example, the commis
sioner of the three ports at Tien-tsin. He saw hira when he
embarked for Europe on board a magnificent steamer of the
Messageries Frangaises, and he visited him in London at the
fashionable Grosvenor Hotel. On both these occasions the
luxury which surrounded him seemed in no way to awaken the
attention of this great personage, or to strike him more than if
he had been miserably installed in a junk, or in a dirty Chinese
inn. Mr. Medhurst thinks that the spirit of this nation is
incapable of ridding itself of its traditional ideas and customs.
' "The Foreigner in Far Cathay,'' p. 1 76.

6i8 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
Thus the public cf the ports wishes for the civilization of
China, but doubts the efficacy of any missions. It has a
very high opinion of the personal qualities of the Catholic
raissionaries, but considers them rather as a source of embar
rassment As to the Sisters, they blame what they call their
" Imprudence," but they speak of them with Immense admira
tion. Such Is, in China, saving some rare exceptions, the state
of feeling as regards the Catholic missions in the European
factories. The Protestant missionaries are even less popular than their
Catholic brethren. They are accused of being traders ; of
occupying themselves too much with the goods and affairs of
this world, and of their families ; and of troubling the consuls
incessantly by their reclamations : as, for example, they cite
that after the massacres of last year, they insisted not only on
indemnities for the reparation of their chapels, but for the
profits which they derived from the sale of their bibles, which
was necessarily interrupted by the Tien-tsin troubles.
Let us listen again to Mr. Medhurst, who is less prejudiced
against them than the greater part of the European
residents : —
" The Protestant missionaries are almost all married, settle
in the open ports, build for themselves comfortable houses in
the European style in the concessions, and live almost entirely
in the society of foreigners. Although they profess to abstain
frora all commercial transactions, the natives think that they
take part in them. I have said that they are manied.
Certainly, I have nothing to say against the conjugal state, and
I do not wish to plead that of celibacy ; all the less because I
know more than one devoted couple whose united efforts have
doiie a great deal of good. Nevertheless, I think that, as
regards China, men and women who are unmarried are more
able to fulfil the duties of missionaries. Their tirae and
attention should be consecrated to the work of the apostolate ;
and it would be then far easier for thera to avoid contact with
a European etitourage and to live quietly amidst the native
population. They would thus more easily gain the respect and
benevolence of the Chinese, who look upon celibacy as the
principal element of real self-sacrifice."
The author recognizes the success, which is only relatively

VIII HOMEWARD BOUND, 619
important, o' laincd by the members of the different bible
societies. As for rae, I have met very few Protestant mission
aries. Those I h.ive seen seemed to me to deserve the
consideration which they enjoy among their co-religionists.
The number of native conversions to Protestantism, however,
seems to be Infinitesimally small. But, If the English,
American, and German missionaries bring but few sheep Into
the fold, they have, during the last four years, contributed a
good deal to spread the knowledge of China In Europe.
I think I have in the preceding pages given an exact, or, at
any rate, a conscientious summary of the judgment of the
factories on the missions of the different Christian communions.
The merchants come Here to make their fortunes ; the priests
and Sisters, to save souls. They live in totally different worlds,
and cannot understand each other. That is the simple fact
Now we come to the complaints ofthe Chinese governraent,
as they have been drawn up In their faraous memorandura.'
The result of the treaties as regards trade, they say, has
been vety satisfactory. The stipulations regarding the mission
aries, on the other hand, have missed their aim, and compro
mised the good relations with foreigners. The missionaries
have confened baptism on good and bad alike — even on rebels.
They support the petitions of bad men. Hence the unpopu
larity of the Christian religion. The nation makes no distinction
between Catholics and Protestants, nor between one foreigner
and another. Vainly has the government tried to enlighten
the pubHc mind ! China is a vast empire.
Already, before the Tien-tsin massacres, the growing
animosity against the propagation of the Christian faith had
fixed the attention of the government At the conclusion of
those events mandarins have been sent into exile, murderers
executed, and indemnities paid. But if explosions of this
nature should be repeated, the employment of measures of
repression would be more difficult
In past times, the functionaries of China and the represen
tatives of foreign nations committed the fault of employing
palliatives. Foreigners demanded, and China conceded the
' Of the 9th Febmary, 1871. Already on the 26th of June, 1869, the
Tsungli-yamen had addressed a note to Sir R. Alcock on the sjime subject,
then English minister at Pekin.

620 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
adoption of measures intended to smooth down the difficulties
of the moment. The exigencies of foreigners are often
Inadmissible, and seem to be put forward in order to place
China in a false position. The Chinese governraent desires
that the missionaries should submit to the same rules as in
other countries ; that they should observe the laws ofthe state ;
and that it should be forbidden them to arrogate to themselves
rights and authority which do not belong to them ; or to give
scandal and surround their works with mystery — (this is an
allusion to the orphanages). In all respects their conduct
should be in conformity with their teaching. So far from that,
they oppress the non-Christians and exasperate the people by
despising Confucius. They encourage the Christians to escape
from their obligations as subjects of the empire, and to refuse
payment of the taxes ; they plead the cause of the refractory
before the courts, annul promises of marriage, and consequently
provoke dissensions in families. They importune the author
ities, demanding in certain cases exorbitant indemnities, and
do not hesitate to shelter Christians from the action of justice.
Some of thera, likewise, in their correspondence, have made
use of titles and seals to which they have no right Lastly,
they abuse the sixth article of the convention with France, in
demanding the restitution of the property of "the Church,
without having respect to the sympathies and prejudices of the
people, or to the increased value of the ground they claim.
To-day they constitute a distinct power within the state.
Seeing with what severity the men iraplicated In the Tien-tsin
raassacres were punished, they wiU become more and more
bold. The result will be a rising among the people vvhich the
authorities will find themselves powerless to restrain. Grave
would be the responsibility of the European governments if
they hesitated to take, in concert with China, measures of
precaution against such eventualities.
In consequence, the Tsungli-yamen propose :•—
I. The entire suppression of the orphanages ; or, if that be
impossible, the exclusion of all non-Christian children. In
every case a registration to be raade of the children, and a
free admission for all persons belonging to their famUies who
vyish to visit them. The secrecy at present maintained gives
rise to suspicions. The poor people are persuaded that the

VIIL HOMEWARD BOUND. 621
Sisters tear out the eyes and the hearts of the children. Be
sides, similar institutions abound in China, so that Christian
orphanages have no need to exist at all.
2. It should be forbidden to women to frequent the same
churches as men. 'Women cannot be missionaries.
3. 1 he Christians known as bad people should be expelled.
It is also required that lists, periodically revised, should be
sent in, containing the names of all the members of each
Christian community. Likewise new regulations as to the
passports of the missionaries.
FinaUy, the missionaries are accused, especially those living
in the interior, of claiming a semi-official position equal to that
of the mandarin of the province ; of contesting the authority
of the latter with regard to the native Christians ; of sheltering
these from the operations of justice, and consequently attract
ing evil-livers to their community, and of recruiting children
for their orphanages, contrary to the wish of their parents. In
this latter accusation the Legations and Consulates of France
are indirectly included, as they are suspected of supporting
secretly, if not openly, the pretensions of the Catholic priests.
In answer to these accusations, the missionaries do not
attempt to deny the popularity they enjoy, nor the moral
authority which they exercise in the Christian districts. The
mandarins are few. There are some districts of 2,000,000 of
inhabitants administered by only two or three mandarins.
These last are very often ignorant of what passes in the bosom
of these populations, and care very Httle. Personally they are
not always hostile to Christianity. Some of them throw no
obstacle whatever in the way of the propagation of the faith.
They administer justice with tolerable impartiality and receive
the taxes. There are both good and bad mandarins ; but as a
rule, people avoid them as much as they can. The governor
of the province, the taotai of the district, and the chi-fu, are
personages the very sight of whom makes the people shudder.
The villages have a very free municipal constitution. They
govern themselves. Wherever Christianity takes root, the mis
sionaries, whether they will or no, have a great ascendency.
The Chinese like to be directed. They love authority, for they
feel the want of it ; and prefer that of the missionary, who has
never done them anything but good, to that of the mandarin.

632 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap,
who never shows himself but with followers whose only object
is to extort and cany off as much money as possible.
The raissionaries deny that they ever excite any subjects to
rebellion ; but they allow that they encourage them not to take
part In pagan ceremonies, and not to contribute to the ex
penses of such rites.
They own that they often plead with the mandarins the
cause of Christians vvho are being persecuted for their religion ;
and they declare that they cannot refuse to admit into the
bosom of the Church raen who may be considered bad by tbe
mandarins, provided their conversion be sincere ; the object of
the Christian religion being to save souls, and consequently to
correct the bad.
The treaty between France and China having expressly
stipulated the restitution of the former property of the Church,
the missionaries are only making use of their undoubted right
in claiming such restitution through the intervention of the
consuls or minister of France. If these latter consider the
demand inadmissible or inopportune, they either abandon or
adjourn their claim. In all ways, if anyone had a right to
complain of their Importunity, it would be the diplomatic and
consular authorities of France, and not the mandarins.
As to what concerns the fact of having assumed titles and
seals to which they had no right, that is simply a question of
individual appreciation and obedience to superior authority.
The missionary is bound above everything to give an example
of humility. But the vicars-apostolic are bishops, princes of
the Church, and in making use of their seals as bishops they
in no way whatever infringe upon the jurisdiction of the raan-
darlns. In China, a seal is a symbol of official authority
exercised by those holding high offices in the state. The seal
of the vicar-apostolic or bishop constitutes, in the eyes of the
native Christians, the proof of his position as chief pastor or
bishop. Long before the treaties, even the vicars-general
always made use of their seals. Besides which, as the Tsungli-
yamen Is well aware, contests on questions of etiquette or
precedence are extremely rare.
As to the orphanages, everyone knows how things really are.
On no occasion have either priests or Sisters purchased children.
The moment an orphanjige Is begun, the children flock from all

VIII, HOMEWARD BOUND. 62.5
parts. They are brought either by their parents, or by Christian
or pagan travellers to whom their parents have intrusted them
for this [lurpose. They never expose male children, unless
utter misery or the absolute impossibility of feeding them com
pels the father to abandon thera. The girls, on the other hand,
being only considered as a burden, are thrown into the street
or into the river, or else burled alive. There are even
some people in good circumstances who get rid of their girls In
this way. But when they know that there is an orphanage In
the neighbourhood the voice of nature makes Itself heard, and
the parents bring their children to the missionaries. The
mortality araong the young boys Is very great, from the reason
that their parents cannot bear to part with them till reduced to
the last extremity ; the children have then suffered terribly from
hunger. When admitted into the orphanages, they get fat and
appear to be in good health; but after a few months they fall
away suddenly and a very large number of them perish and
die. Araong the young girls, the mortality, although also very
great is less than with the boys ; because they have been ex
posed or carried to the sisters iraraediately or a few days after
their birth. They have not had time to contract the diseases
which arise from want and privation. It is trae that raany,
even of these children, die; but many, on the other hand,
become healthy and strong. All these poor little abandoned
creatures would have perished miserably but for the intervention
of the missionaries and the nuns. In the "treaty ports" they
accuse the Sisters of imprudence. They say to them : " The
number of children whom you save Is too few to make up for
the harm you do to yourselves and indirectly to us all, by giving
rise to suspicions and calumnious rumours against all Euro
peans." To this reproach we, missionaries and Sisters, answer.
That, in the first place, we deny the fact The sisters every
where are sunounded by the affectionate veneration of the
people. At Ning-po, for instance, natives of all classes salute
them respectfuUy wherever they appear, and the poor boatmen
at the great ferry refuse to accept money from them.' We
might quote hundreds of such proofs. It is only in these last
times that the Hterates have succeeded in setting the people
' This fact was confirmed to me by a Protestant English resident at
Ning-po.

624 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap,
against us. And do not forget that we are missionaries : that
we wish to save not only the lives of these poor little ones, but
their souls. As soon as they are brought to us, if they have
not attained to the age of reason, we baptize them ; those who
are above seven years old are first instmcted and then baptized.
You smile ? Very well, everyone frora his own point of view.
Let each raan do his duty according to his ponscience. As
long as no grave inconvenience results for others, no one has
a right to complain of us. You remind us of Tien-tsin. We
do not admit that the mortality among our orphans was the
cause of the massacres. It was only the pretext and an arm
in the hands of those who provoked, prepared, and directed
the movement The object of these men was and is, the ex
termination or expulsion not only of the missionaries but of
all foreigners.
As to the complaints of the Tsungli-yamen, they are not
sincere. They bring them forward only to strive to deprive us
of our exterritorial rights ; to subject us to the laws of the
countty, that is, to torture and the bamboo ; to come back to
the state of things which existed previous to the war and the
treaties : and that with the consent of the very powers with
whom they concluded them.
A good raany of these arguraents may be found in the
answers which the English and United States ministers made
to the circular of the Tsungli-yamen and which have been
communicated to the EngHsh Parliament The' note of the
French Chargi d'Affaires, inspired by his government, has
not been officially published; but one knows the context of
it " If the ideas which dictated the memorandum were to pre
vail," writes M. le Comte de Rochechouart to the Tsungli-
yamen,' "our relations with the Celestial Empire would be
profoundly troubled, if not altogether broken." The eight
articles are then repeated one by one in energetic language.
"Not one of them," the note says, in conclusion, "is ac
ceptable to the French government, and not one appears to
have been seriously proposed. If the French governraent
thinks that the Christians cause any anxiety to the Chinese
government, they believe still more strongly that the Chinese
' Pekin, 14th November, 1871.

VIII: HOMEWARD BOUND. 625
only make use of them as a pretext." It would be superfluous
to reproduce the notes of the English and United States
ministers. I wUl allude to only one or two passages. Mr.
AVade takes occasion to recommend anew the creation of an
intemational code applicable to mixed cases, and to exhort the
Chinese government to admit loyally the principle of official
relations with foreign powers ; in other words, to establish per
manent Legations at the different foreign courts. " It is not
a panacea :'or all ills," he says, "but it would be the means of
preventing frequent wars, and be the sole efficacious guarantee
against a renewal of international differences. In this way they
would put an end to those incessant recriminations between the
yamen and the Foreign Legations, which makes life at Pekin so
hard to diplomatic agents. China ought to raake herself heard,
and to know what passes beyond her own frontiers."
Mr. Low dwells upon the fact, that almost all the complaints
of the Chinese government relate to Christians and priests
Hving in the Sze-chuen and Kwei-chow provinces, that is to
say, very far from the spots inhabited by the consuls, merchants,
and foreigners in generaL Hence the impossibility of obtain
ing impartial witnesses. The best way to prevent these
troubles would be, according to the American representative, to
establish consulships in the interior and to open these same
provinces to foreign trade.
Lord Granville in his despatch to Mr. Wade, which was an
answer to the Chinese memorandum, recommends, like Mr.
Low, the opening of the interior of China to foreign commerce.
The realinterest of this diplomatic correspondence is centred
in the reports sent by Messrs. Wade and Low to their respec
tive governments.
"The Chinese memorandum," writes Mr. Wade, " is badly
written. It contains, alongside of some affirmations which are
easily refuted, accusations which they know cannot be main
tained. But looking at them as a whole, and comparing them
with what I have learned in conversation during these last eight
years, these articles confirm rae in ray conviction that, to protect
the missionaries against the hostility of the literate classes, we
must have one of two things : either the protecting powers
must, sword In hand, support the missionaries out and out ;
or else, the latter must be subject to certain restrictions. These
s s

626 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
restrictions, on the one hand, should leave to the missionaries
all that latitude of action which they can desire, if their object
be simply to Christianize China ; and on the other hand, to
furnish the Chinese govemment vrith the means of declaring
to the native conservatives, who are wounded by the preten
sions of the missionaries, that these pretensions are not
authorized by the protecting powers 
"It is but just to add, that, according to the unanimous
testimony of the Roman missionaries, the government does
what it can to prevent collisions with the Christians. Three
parts of the Catholic raissionaries, in all 400 or 500, are
French ; and the non-Christian Chinese call the Roman
Catholic religion, the ' French religion,' or ' the religion of the
Saviour of Heaven.' I have very often heard them express a
dread here on the subject of the ascendency of Romanism.'
Also, I think, that the fear of seeing the Romanists recruited
from aip.Dng their enemies, and by degrees exceeding in
nurabers their weU-disposed subjects, or of seeing the Christian
missions throw themselves completely into the arms of France,
this fear, though they would not own it, is, I believe, what
really inspired the memorandura."
Mr. Lowe, United States minister, says in his despatch to
Mr. Fish : — " I do not believe that the complaints against the
CathoHc raissionaries are either trae, reasonable, or just ; but
I fancy that sorae few of the complaints against them are not
altogether destitute of foundation. And although I am per
fectly aware of their difficulties and dangers, candour compels
me to say that I do not thirk the remedy lies in diplomacy,
but is beyond its action. A healthy policy, as much as the
religious and moral duties of Christian nations, precludes one's
retracing one's steps, however great might be the advantage
which such a conduct would insure to trade or commerce.
Considerations of humanity likewise necessitate the assertion
of the right that all foreigners should be governed and punished
according to the laws of their respective countries. On the
other hand, the governraents must watch that their officers,
agents, and subjects should not infringe on Chinese rights, and
' Mr. Wade constantly makes use of the words Romanising and Romanist
n his despatches — words used by English Protestant missionaries in a hostile
ense, but not usual in diplomatic correspondence.

VIII. HOMEWARD BOUND. 627
that the stipulations of the treaties should be equally observed.
That a rigorous abstention from all Intervention between native
Christians and the Chinese authorities would entail sufferings
and persecutions on the former is more than probable ; but
perhaps such conduct would result in helping the cause of the
missionaries. . . . The remedy, if remedy there be, France
alone is caUed. upon to employ. It is to this power, in her
own interest as well as in that of all the foreign residents, that
we must look for removing all just cause of complaint from the
Chinese government"
To sum up the whole, Mr. Wade and Mr. Low are agreed In
their conviction that diplomacy is powerless to solve what is
called the "missionary question." Only, they arrive at opposite
conclusions. The English minister insinuates, indirectly, that
the missionaries should be left to their fate. This advice is not
necessarily inspired by a hostile feeling or a want of sympathy
for the work of the apostolate. I am far from accusing him of
this. A certain number even of fervent Catholics share in Mr.
Wade's opinion, and beg for the cessation of the whole pro
tectorate. By and by I will examine this theory. Mr. Low,
on the other hand, with a liberality of spirit and an elevation
of feeling whic'h are equally remarkable, claims for the priests
the maintenance of all those rights and privileges which the
treaties guarantee to all foreign residents in China.
In Europe, the Chinese meraorandum gave rise to an ex
change of ideas between the great powers.' The French
cabinet had expressed the wish that the answer to the Tsungli-
yamen should be a collective one. The British government
declined this proposal, basing their refusal on the difference
which existed between the French and English treaties relating
to the Catholic and Protestant raissionaries in China. In
consequence, each of the envoys presented his note separately,
but each answered in the sarae sense as to their non-acceptance
of the proposed conditions. For the moment things remain as
they were.^
The tragedy of Tien-tsin and the recent reverses in France
' In Tune and Tuly, 1871.
' In "November, 1871, the incident of the memorandum was considered
at an end. " We made certain projiosals to you," said Prince Kung to the
ministers ; " you don't like ihem. Well, don't let us speak of them again."
S S 2

628 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
for a moment compromised the protectorate exercised by her
over the missionaries and the native Christians. Suggestions
were made for a new kind of arrangement, which at first sight
recommends itself by its simplicity. "The Catholic mission
aries," people said, " are siraple foreigners, like the merchants
residing in the ports. These priests should then be under the
protection of the ralnisters and consuls of their respective
nations ; the French priests, of the French agents, the Spanish
Dominicans, of the Spanish government ; the Italians (Fran
ciscans and priests from the Propagation of the Faith at Rome),
of the minister and consuls of the king of Italy, and so on ; or
else, If the Holy See objected to this solution of the difficulty,
could not all the missionaries be placed under the collective
protectorate of the powers represented at Pekin ? A council
might be formed, consisting of the Russian, English, German,
and Italian ministers, as well as of the representative of Catholic
France, and this council should be the judge and the last re
sort of all questions concerning the raissions."
This plan was seriously discussed at Pekin, and communi
cated confidentially to the Chinese ministers, who entertained
it favourably. It was not, however, the sarae with the mission
aries. All — French, Spanish, Italian, and Belgian — unani
mously rejected the proposal, and declared that they infinitely
preferred to remain under the protectorate of France.'
0:her voices have been raised in favour of the cessation of
all protectorates. The flourishing state of the Church in China
under the great emperors of the present dynasty would seem to
recommend a return to the old state of things. The protec
torate entails endless inconveniences : first (and it is not the
least among thera), the Intermeddling of those who exercise
it, in the name of France, in purely ecclesiastical affairs. The
envoy at Pekin and the consuls in the ports- — obliged to watch
over the interests of the Church, responsible, within certain
limits, for the .safety of the missionaries, and called upon like
wise to support their demands — have they not the right to
exact in return that their proteges should keep them informed of
' I have learnt, since my return to Europe, that the Holy See had tor-
bidden the Dominicans and Franciscans, under pain of excommunication,
to have any relations, whether private or ofEcial, with the representatives
of the Spanish and Italian governments.

Vni. HOMEWARD BOUND. 629
their proceedings ? And in those delicate cases where spirit
ual and temporal interests meet, or in critical moments, should
they not Hsten to the advice of the official representatives of
the protecting powers ? Theoretically, this pretension is both
logical and just But in practice it results in grave incon
veniences, inextricable difficulties, and a painful clashing of the
interests of both parties, which become scandalous if rumoured
abroad, and sometimes extremely compromising. Remember
the misfortunes of Tien-tsin : a consul who meddles in the
affairs of a mission ; who will settle everything and direct every
thing, even to the orphanage ofthe Sisters ; who shuts his doors
on the Fathers because they venture to make remonstrances;
who, from a spirit of opposition, entirely ralstakes the gravity
of the situation, and that precisely because the Fathers try to
make him understand it. In the time of China's grandeur, the
Jesuits protected themselves — that is, they knew how to obtain
the sole efficacious protection, that of the emperors. Doubt
less bad days are come — the days of trouble and persecution.
So much the worse for the missionaries ; or rather so much the
better. It is an opportunity for them to gain the crown of
martyrdom. And after aU what was the protection of France
worth at Tien-tsin ?
This kind of reasoning — which, after all, I have heard from
no missionary, but from certain of the laity — seems to mi
altogether untenable. One cannot compare the China of to
day with the China of Kanghi. The arrival and estabhshment
of Europeans in the ports and of the Legations at Pekin has
entirely changed the face of affairs. The Jesuits of former
days knew how to conciliate the favour of the court, and that
during nearly two centuries. Nobody then suspected them of
political after-thoughts. To-day every single Catholic mis
sionary passes for being a French agent, and in consequence.
Is suspected. As to the doctrines professed by the priests and
Sisters in their schools and orphanages, the Chinese ministers
do not trouble thefr heads about them. What does displease
them, and what irritates public opinion, is the presence of the
missionaries in the Interior of the empire ; their want of re
spect for Confucius ; and the introduction of foreign rites. To
this we must add the enormous increase of conversions. Per-
sons whose veracity on ti-is point cannot be questioned have

630 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
assured me that since i860 the number of Catholic Christians
in China is enormously increased. Hence the increace of
hatred and dread on the part of the literates, and the obliga
tion, on the part of the Chinese government, to take restrictive
measures, or at least to have the appearance of so doing.
Sorae of the raost enlightened raerabers of the Chinese apos
tolate have said to me : " To withdraw all diplomatic protec
tion from the missionaries would be to annul the benefits of
the French treaty ; to put thera beyond the pale of the law ;
to give them up to the persecutions and hatred of the man
darins ; to compromise, and that gravely, the vety existence of
the Christian missions. Doubtless, conflicts wUl sometimes
arise between the protectors and the protected. No legislator
has yet succeeded in drawing the Hne of demarcation between
the spiritual and temporal power ; for the separation of church
and state is a chimera, or else it is the divorce between the
church and the state ; and in its last stage, the dissolution of
Christian society. One must, then, give up the hope of find
ing a solution as a general rule. But in all the difficulties
which may arise, priests and diplomats or consuls ought to tty
and act together. Besides, when have such conflicts arisen ?
We do not know a single Instance in which the missionaries
have not yielded to the opinion or decision 01 the French
minister at Pekin. If our demands seem to him just and not
inopportune, he supports them ; in a contraty case, he refuses
or adjourns his consent, and all is said and done.
"To-day we see, residing in Pekin, the representatives of
great countries who are not CathoHc — Russia, England, and
the United States. We have only to praise their conduct and
thank them for their sympathy. But we must have, alongside
of these anti-Catholic powers, an advocate who will defend the
interests of our holy religion ; and who, thanks to the treaties,
shall have authority to speak in our favour. Now, such a mis
sion as this, Austria being absent, can only be fulfiUed officially
by very-Catholic France — at least in China."
What is the interior position of the empire ? What happens
at the court, in the bosom of the Tsungli-yamen, in the heads
and hearts of those innumerable " literates " who exercise so
great an influence on the destinies of their countty ? One can

VIII. HOMEWARD BOUND. 631
understand how difficult it is, even for diplomats, living at the
very seat of the central government, to penetrate through the
veil which shrouds all these mysteries. Now the following is
what I have been able to gather from different sources on this
head : —
Whilst the foreign powers are resolved, I am told, to main
tain their acquired positions, to ensure to their fellow-country
men all the advantage guaranteed to them by the treaties, and
to watch that the imperial government should fulfil her engage
ments to the letter, the Chinese, on the contrary, have but one
wish, and that is to withdraw themselves as much as possible
from the obligations imposed upon them by the treaties, and
to work in the dark so as to bring about, if possible, the ex
pulsion of the foreigners. This vow, or determination, more
or less ardent according to individual character, lies deep in
the heart of every Chinaman. It is specially the dream of
that vety influential class of literates or little mandarins. The
masses, absorbed by the miseries of daily life, have not the
time to occupy themselves with political questions. But anti
pathies against foreigners do not the less exist in the heart of
this people ; and the literates take good care to feed it by sinis
ter rumours, carefully- spread calumnies, innumerable libels,
and constant prophecies of massacres and pillages.
Now what is the conduct of the central government In the
face of these dispositions ?
The reigning dynasty is undergoing the fate of those which
have preceded it; it is degenerating : a natural consequence of
the omnipotence with which the sons of heaven are invested,
and of the cloistered life they are compelled to lead. The
founder of this dynasty and his Iraraediate successors were raen
of note — men ot action ; but hardly had they arrived at the
suramit of their power than they began to deteriorate. These
races of despots becorae vety quickly enervated and enfeebled.
After a childhood sunounded with too ranch care, a precocious
youth, [thanks to the courtesans] blas'e before their time, comes
the age" of manhood which, with them, is the age of decay, of
imbecility, and of moral and physical powerlessness. Now
the Chinese government is eminentiy a personal government.
.All the wheels ot theadminstratlon revolve round the emperor
and are set in motion by him. When this will is wanting or

632 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
weak, the machinery stops. China, therefore, cannot stand the
existence of a slothful or Idiotic sovereign. This explains the
fall of the dynasty and the precarious state of the reigning
royal family.
As to Tung-chi, the present emperor, he has not yet had the
opportunity of showing what he can do. All that is known is,
that he is impatient to escape from the tutelage and somewhat
pedantic authority of the empress-regent, and to seize the reins
of governraent. Also, that he is surrounded by ambitious
confidants. These men, who are equally anxious to have their
share of the supreme power, hope to arrive at it by hoisting
the national flag of hatred against the foreigners.
The most Influential personages in this camarilla are the
empress-mother and the seventh prince, the younger brother of
Kung, who is the sixth. In this coterie they are persuaded,
and they try to persuade the emperor, that the defeats suffered
by the Chinese had no other cause than the inferiority of the
Chinese arms and ammunition ; that to-day the imperial troops
are equipped and armed in a manner to be able to repel all
aggressors and defeat the enemy; that a word from his majesty
would suffice to bring into the field an innumerable and irre
sistible force. Unfortunately, the members of the present
ministry (they add) are incapable cowards ; or rather, they are
traitors ; they are the authors of these humUiating treaties ; of
the installation of foreigners In the trade ports ; of all the
evils, in fact, which for the last twelve years have fallen upon
China. The attitude of these courtiers, who lean on the
authority of the mother of the eraperor, on a close alliance
with the literates and little mandarins and on the patriotic
feelings of the countty, fill the Tsungli-yamen with consterna
tion. And this may be easily understood: for in China,
statesmen, on losing their places, lose likewise their lives.
The conduct of ministers proves their trouble of mind. In
stead of accepting the struggle and proving to the young
emperor the falsehood of the accusations heaped upon thera,
the folly of the dreams with which the court is deceived, and
the powerlessness of China to come out victoriously from a
second war with one or more of the great European powers.
Prince Kung, the most enlightened and courageous member of '
the gieat council, and his colleagues, fall into the trap prepared

VIIL HOMEWARD BOUND, 633
for them. They accept the position of accused persons, pro
test their innocence, and give in to the measures proposed by
the war patty. Thus they have consented to send away the
greater part of the* naval instructors and foreign coramanders
of the Chinese navy ; with their knowledge. If not with their
concurrence, the troops are systematically excited against
foreigners ; and the fortifications and building of men-of-war
are vigorously pushed forward. As to the obligations imposed
by the treaties, the ministry, in the vain hope of disarming
their adversaries and yielding to public opinion, study to
restrain as much as possible the application of the stipulations,
to throw every difficulty in the way of the just demands of the
diplomatic corps, and to raake inadraissible proposals to the
foreign powers. The famous memorandum on the missionaries
(of the 9th February, 187 1) had no other object but to try and
stop the mouths of the anti-foreign cabal.
The carnage of Tien-tsin and the indignation it roused in
the European concessions aggravated the position. The
polemic of the English newspapers, published in the ports, and
the abuse which they constantly pour on the Chinese govern
raent, are no secret to the great mandarins, who see in these
articles and pamphlets a determination on the part of the
foreign merchants to bring about a fresh war. Thanks to the
pamphlets which the English and American missionaries
publish in the Chinese language, the camarilla, the Tsungli-
yamen, the literates, and the little mandarins have a tolerably
conect notion of the state of Europe, of the late French
disasters, of the increase of the power of Germany, and of the
difficulties of England with Araerica and Russia.
There is consequently a struggle between the two parties in
the highest government circles ; a dangerous, but explainable,
hesitation on the part of the ministry, and throughout the
countty a deep but sUent agitation, the result of the active
propaganda canied on against the foreigners. From north to
south, from the borders of the YeUow Sea to the frontiers of
Thibet, combustible elements are accumulating with the
patient activity which distinguishes the Chinese. The minis
ters do their best to maintain tranquiUity. Instructions in
this sense, and an order to stifle difficulties and avoid conflicts
with foreigners, have been duly given to the governors of the

634 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
different provinces ; but in the actual state of public opinion a
spark would be sufficient to bring about an explosion.
Such is the position of China as regards its interior state
and policy. Let us cast a glance on its relations with foreign
powers. All the great powers, in the last eleven years, have conclu
ded treaties with China; but Russia and England alone in
this empire have to protect and save the permanent interests
of their countrymen ; and in that sense, it does not depend on
the will of these governraents to sacrifice them to other con
siderations. A grave reverse at Pekin would destroy the
prestige of Russia in Central Asia ; and a similar disaster to
England would comproraise her dominion in India.
France protects the missionaries and ensures to the native
Christians, within the limits of the treaties and of her power,
the free exercise of Catholic worship. It is a grand and noble
mission which she has undertaken ; but were she compeUed to
give It up — which God forbid ! — she might abandon it without
losing her position as one of the great powers of Europe. In
a commercial point of view, the French government asks vety
little of China. All French articles of consumption for
foreigners in the treaty ports, saving silk, enter free -of dues.
Some of their productions — perfumety, for instance — begin to
be highly appreciated by the Chinese, and on this head the
importation has greatly increased during the last few years.
The United States draw nearer in proportion as their steam
coraraunications with California are multiplied. Nevertheless,
the number of American merchants established in China is
very small, and some of these employ Chinese capital. Steam
navigation, and the Interests attached to it, form, then, the only
link which unites the Celestial Erapfre with North America.
The principal object of the latter is to discover some coal
mines, and to work them for the profit of their steamers. In a
mihtary point of view, thefr basis of operations — their Atiantic
arsenals — are further off even than Portsmouth or Cherbourg.
It is also well known that her war navy is not in proportion to
the vastness of her territory, and that public opinion in the
United States is not in favour of distant expeditions. The
merchant-ships of Germany, which are always numerous, have

vin. HOMEWARD BOUND. 635
rather diminished in the last few years. The vessels bearing
the flag of the North German Confederation were during the
war, blockaded in the Chinese and Japanese ports by the ships
of the French naval station, which were very strong at that time.
But the Chinese, in consequence, acquired the habit of making
use of the English and American steamers, which do the coast
ing trade ; and it will be some time before the German flag will
regain the importance it formerly possessed. The merchants
of this nation, established in the far East, claim, then, from
their government a more efficacious protection : the creation of
a navy strong enough to defend them in case of war : and the
seizure of a portion of Chinese territory, to which part of the
emigration stream from the " Vaterland " raight be directed,
and which might become a kind of German Australia. They
first thought of Formosa, but the unhealthy climate of this
island raade thera give up the idea. During my stay there thw
were talking of the Corea. Such are the aspirations of tire
German colony in the trade ports, who are few in number. It Is
true, but active and enterprising. Austria, at the present
moment, has no motive for sending men-of-war to the extreme
East No political or serious coraraercial interest calls upon
her to take such a step. Its flourishing trade, which provides
for the wants of the erapire, and in certain articles enters into
competition with foreign industry in the markets of Europe and
the Levant, is not yet in a condition or obliged to seek an outlet
in the antipodes. In signing, in concert with all the other
great powers, a treaty with China, the Austrian government has
assured for herself a place in Asia for any future eventualities.
She has established a Consulate in the raost important port ot
the Celestial Empire ; and in order to enable her consul to
proceed with an exchange of the ratifications of the treaty, she
has conferred upon him a diplomatic character. This
temporary mission, which has, I think, answered its end, vtfill,
I suppose, be suppressed. Complications on questions foreign
to the monarchy may arise on distant shores. To refuse all
concurrence with her allies, as long as she Is represented there,
would be impossible ; to co-operate on a great scale for the
defence of interests which are not her own, would appear, from
the point of view of a healthy policy, absolutely inadmissible.
To liml). herself, as Spain does, for instance, to hoisting her flag

636 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
in the suite of the Anglo-Fierch fleet, would be unworthy of
her position as one of the first powers in Europe. The absence
of any diplomatic representative would seem then to be pointed
out to her.
Russia touches the Celestial Empire on points extending
over raany thousands of miles. All fresh progress raade by
her towards the centre of this vast continent brings her nearer
to China, and indirectly adds to the ascendency she enjoys.
Her first relations with the Celestial Empire, of which the
motives were mainly based on religious grounds, and conse
quently were not of a strictly official character, go back to the
reign of Peter the Great. Some Russian prisoners, brought to
Pekin towards the end of the seventeenth century, had formed
a kind of colony there. Although married to Chinese women,
they had preserved and transmitted the Christian faith to their
children. In virtue of a convention between the two courts,
priests of the Greek rite carae to settle in Pekin. They were
the curates of the Russian colony. This ecclesiastical mission,
directed by an archiraandrite, and renewed every ten years,
exists to this^ day. It has always abstained frora attempting
any propagation of tiie faith, and on several iraportant occa
sions has acted as interpreter between the two governraents.
The official relations of the Chinese empire with England and
France, which were the consequence of the late disastrous war,
only date from the verr i860. The Russian mission, on the
other hand, goes back more than two centuries.
The Russian residents are few. Established at Tien-tsin,
and near Hankow, on the Yang-tse-kiang, their principal trade
is tea. Almost all are from Siberia. The chief among them
were born at Kiachta, that is, on the frontiers of China. I'hey
leam and speak Chinese. The Tartar blood which flows in
their veins establishes a certain affinity between them and the
mandarins, who, in Chian, are the dominant race. They have
known one another, therefore, for some time, and understand
each other easily. Also, the Chinese people always make a
distinction between " Russians " and other " foreigners."
Under the latter denomination they include all other nations
represented in the open ports.
The position of the Russian minister towards his fellow-
countrymen is that of a father of a family. In cases of difter-

vin. HOMEWARD BOUND. C37
ences between Russian subjects, or discussions between P. t's'an
and Chinese, he succeeds easily in makinj; his counsels fol
lowed. He supports their claims, but he chooses his own tirae,
and, if necessary, without any commotion, he subordinates the
interests of individuals to the interests of the country he repre
sents. He has not got to deal with the passionate pubHc
opinion of the " ports," or with the Shanghai and other factory
newspapers, with the pamphlets of the American missionaries,
or with the interpellations of the English parilament and the
Times' articles. But as all that he does is known to everyone,
his conduct is sufficiently controlled ; only he is at Hberty to
act according to the instmctions of his court and the dictates
of reason and of his own conscience. The result is, that his
position is a far less difficult one than that of his principal
coUeagues; and that his relations with the Chinese govern
ment are courteous and almost cordial.
The Russian consular body, which is reduced to wi:at is
strictly necessary. Is composed of a consul-general, established
at Tien-tsin, who holds the exequatur for all the Chinese ports ;
an agent at Shanghai, and another at Hankow, both of whom
are merchants. The Chinese are a sceptical race, and only
beUeve what they see ; and they see Russia : they see her,
because they meet her on their frontiers : to the north, north
east, north-west, they touch her, as it were, with their finger.
They believe, then, in Russia. They cannot doubt, either, of
the existence of England and France. The painful remi
niscences attached to the way in which they first made their
acquaintance are too recent to be already or easily effaced.
As to other states, they only know thera by hearsay. " Austria,"
I was asked one day by the viceroy of Canton, a great scholar,
and one of the most reraarkable of Chinese statesmen, " Aus
tria : is it to the north or the south of Russia ? England, I
know, is to the -west." To him also, as one sees, Russia was
his point of departure for all knowledge of the globe.
Such are the advantages of this power in China. They
rest mainly on her geographical position, on a certain affinity
of race, and on the fo-'ce of circumstances— that is, on the
decrees of Providence, which no statesman, unless he be blind,
can do otherwise than admit, even if he should be unable to
understand its designs. Russia, I need not say, is closely

638 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap
watched. On both sides of the Pacific, clear-sighted eyes are
fi.xed upon her. As for her steady progress in the interior
of this continent, it is she herself who makes it known. The
St Petersburg papers, and the coraraunications of the Russian
savans, givp inforraation from time to time of the march and
success of the forces which are operating in the centre of Asia.
I do not fancy that the govemment seeks to withdraw such
knowledge from the world. The news arrives late in con
sequence of the distance and the absence of rapid coraraunica
tions. But, sooner or later, the truth is known. Evetyone
¦'s aware that, with regard to the territoty and ports of the
Araour, which are frozen up during six raonths of the year,
Russia entertains no chimerical projects : that she does not
dream of establishing a naval antagonism with the other powers.
But everyone sees and knows that on the high levels which di
vide Siberia from India and China from the basin of the Aral and
the Caspian Sea, Russia is continually marching onwards ;
obeying, like the English in India, imperious necessities, and
fulfilling, like her, a mission which cannot be otherwise than
beneficial to a large portion of the huraan race. I was stmck
to find in the United States, and in Japan and China, among
the English residents, a large number of serious-minded men,
who, although foreseeing complications, if the Russian armies
draw too near to the Indies, yet judge that nation with fair
ness and impartiality.
At Pekin, the task of Russian diplomacy is reduced to
watching over the interests which I have just pointed out.
Commercially speaking, Russia asks nothing of China. PoH-
tically, the frontier question having been settled, all she asks is,
that they should not raise difficulties to her occupation of
Central Asia.
The position of England is entirely different Enormous
commercial interests claim her care and protection. Her
annual exchanges with the Celestial Empire mount up to the
prodigious sum of forty-two millions of pounds sterling. They
would assume stIU larger proportions if the whole empire were
opened to British manufactures, which are now only adraitted
at the sixteen ports, and hampered — contrary to the spirit of
the treaties, the English say ; legally and regularly, according
to tiie Chinese — by transit dues, which are received by the

VIII HOMEWARD BOUND. 639
custom-houses of the interior. Thus, the opening of the whole
empire to the productions of European industry, the admissio'i
of foreign trading-ships into the livers, the establishment of
free and direct communications between the provinces of the
west Sze-chuen, Yiinan, and the Indies (by Irawaddy), the
abolition of customhouse duties, or the free transit of Euro
pean goods : these are the conquests aimed at by England. I
say England : Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, — all those great
manufacturing centres of the mother-country, which I dis
tinguish here from her children established at Hong-Kong,
Shanghai, and the other open ports of China. English com
merce, then, exacts the opening of the empire, and a free transit
for their manufactures ; and the Queen's governraent could not,
if it would, refuse to follow any other course. To attain this
end, she employs all the means of persuasion at her disposal ;
and will redouble her eft'orts on the occasion of the revision of
the treaties. But from financial and political considerations,
from motives of humanity, and a thousand other reasons, she
will draw back as long as possible from employing force. She
knows also that, if comraercial necessities exacted a second
Chinese war, she could hardly reckon on the armed concurrence
of the other great powers, looking to the imraense dispropor
tion of the interests at stake. And here let rae touch, in
passing, on a subject which I have frequently heard discussed.
It is the question of the solidarity between the powers repre
sented at Pekin, in the event of grave complications arising,
which might trouble the relations of one or other of these
powers with China. This solidarity, so much wished and
hoped for, is the great argument brought to bear against the
obstinacy of the Chinese authorities. " You find yourselves,"
they say, " confronted, not by England alone, nor by Russia,
nor by France, nor by the United States, but by us all." It is
this argument which Mr. Hart uses several times over In his
memorandura. Is it necessaty to prove its faUacy ? Can one
seriously expect that the povrers who take little or no Interest
in the commercial movements of the open ports should draw
their swords to support the pretensions of England ? That
England, on the other hand, should fight for the political
interests of Russia in Central Asia? or for a more efficient
protection 01 the Catholic missionaries ? That Russia should

640 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap.
break with China to maintain the English prestige in India ?
And yet these illusions exist So tme it is that raan is always
inclined to believe what he wishes. Without a doubt there is
community of interests ; and in defence of these interests, it
will perhaps be possible to establish an accordance between the
powers, and an analogous and even identical language between
their representatives at Pekin. But from this etitetite cordiah
to a common military action — that is, war — there is a long way.
The foreign governments are well aware of this, and so is the
Tsungli-yamen. It is only in the foreign concessions that this
delusion exists.
I have already spoken of the position, less prosperous than
formerly, though still satisfactory, of the European merchants
in the trade ports. We have seen that individual profits have
diminished, although the importation of English goods has in
creased. I have given the explanation of this state of things.
The result is In the "settiements," or " concessions," I will not
say universal discontent, but a moral uneasiness, and, in conse
quence, a certain agitation, a disposition to criticize the English
government and her principal agents in China, a growing
animosity against the Tsungli-yamen and the mandarins in
general : in a word, the very natural wish to come to a crisis
and by that crisis to retum to the " good old times " with its
great and rapid profits. Two different currents consequently
flow through the Legation and Consulates of her Britannic
Majesty : that which coraes from the mother-country ; which
wishes for a gradual and peaceful development of her commer
cial relations with China for the profit of all ; and that which
emanates from the ports, and which consists of indiridual
complaints, interpretations of the treaty in the sense of each
one's pretensions, menaces, acts of reprisal, and, if necessaty,
cannon-baUs. The EngHsh govemment is accused of weakness,
the minister at Pekin of yielding to, and almost sympathzing
with, the Chinese. The imperial authorities are reproached
with falseness and insolence ; they demand of the consuls and
commanders of the men-of-war the immediate punishment of
the offenders. Many examples and good reasons may be
alleged in favour of this method recomraended by the factories.
It is by acting in this way, that is, by his direct and spontaneus
consular intervention, supported by a naval force, that Mr.

VIIL HOMEWARD BOUND, 641
Medhurst, in 186S, squared accounts with the viceroy of
Nankin, and Consul Gibson vvith the mandarins of Formosa.
The trade ports were loud in their praises ; but a disavowal of
this policy came from London. " It does not belong to con
suls," wrote the Foreign Office, " to proceed to acts of reprisal,
nor to the captains of men-of-war to give them a helping-hand.
It is to the central government, tiirough Its organ at the Pekin
Legation, that complaints and demands must be addressed."
The Shanghai consul was blamed, the consul of Formosa was
sent away, and the officers severely reprimanded. The English
community responded by a fmltless outbreak of anger. On all
sides they protested against what they called an entire abandon
ment of British interests. A deputation of merchants of the
city of London engaged in the China trade waited upon Lord
Granville and thus expressed themselves : —
" The anxiety of our friends, which we fully share, has been
not a Httle augmented, we cannot hide it from your Excellency,
by the policy of concession and complaisance which her Ma
jesty's government has recently adopted towards the Chinese
authorities ; while we, on the contrary, consider it more neces
sary than ever to insist on the observance of the treaty, and to
hold ourselves ready to deraand satisfaction in case of Injustice
and injuty. We cannot forget the prompt settlement of the
difficulties which arose In the island of Formosa, thanks to the
energetic intervention of Consul Gibson. Instead of rewarding
and thanking him for the signal service rendered to us on that
occasion, this functionary has been severely blamed, and de
prived of his post We learn also, to our great regret, that the
Admiralty has forbidden the officers at the Chinese naval
stations to diserabark their men in any case, even if It were a
question of protecting and saving the Hves of British sub
jects, &c."
I quote these words of the China merchants in the City
because they are the faithful, though temperate, echo of the
complaints of their Chinese friends.
The iraperlal government and Its principal mandarins give
occasion for other complaints. Mr. Hart has summed them
all up in his memorial. Accused of Chinese sympathies, the
inspector-general of the custom-house enjoyed a doubtful popu
larity in the European comraunity. He atoned for his fault, If
fault there were, by laying at the feet of the Chinese emperor
T T

642 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap
a petition, or rather a lecture, drawn up with a sincerity and,
seeing the position of the author, who is in the pay of the
Chinese government, with a boldness, or I should rather say,
a temerity, which is without example. To this courageous act
on the part of Mr. Hart Prince Kung and his colleagues re
plied by a longanimity, or rather a proud disdain, which was
equally remarkable. In Europe, in the freest states, the dis
missal of the author would have followed closely on the heels
of the presentation of a similar memorandum.
In the Celestial Empire things go on differently. On the
receipt of the bitter criticisms which their subordinate addressed
to them in the face of China and the whole world, the emperor's
ministers quickly passed on to the order of the day. Mr. Hart
kept his place and China her abuses. The status quo was
maintained. Certainly no European is more capable than Mr.
Hart of knowing all the wheels within wheels of the imperial
government, its vices and virtues ; and on this ground alone,
if on no other, the memorandura of this high English func
tlonaty in the service of the Celestial Empire would deserve
our serious attention.
"In China," he says, "the western races have found an
abyss of weakness. 'What is the use of an admirable code
when the laws are not observed ? The administration, excet
lent in principle, is becorae a raiserable machine. The func
tionaries retain their places a very short time. The result is
the nuraber of agents who act rightly is vety Hmited, and the
nuraber of those who have recourse to dishonest practices is
legion. " The war taxes are enorraous ; but the payments of the
troops is always In arrears of several months ; sometimes even
of more than a year. On paper the soldiers raay be reckoned
by ralUIons ; but in reality the array is a collection of valetu
dinarians or ignorant fools, who, in time of peace, instead of
being drilled, gain their livelihood as coolies. When it comes
to fighting a battle, a razzia is made on the people who have
come to market, and they are armed with spades suddenly
transformed Into sabres and lances. The Tartar troops that
one sees, in times of peace, practising at bows and arrows or
slings and stones, only do it for forra's sake. They are worth
less as troops, and only clever in taming birds. As to the
apparition of the rebels, they succeeded happUy in avoiding

VIII. HOMEWARD BOUND. 643
an encounter ; but a man wiU kill himself with his whole
family to obtain a claim on Imperial compassion. Fant^y the
two forces In position against each other ! If the rebels retire
the others will advance in a mass ; but if the rebels do not
retire at once, the emperor's soldiers will be the first to run
away. The officers will naturally represent the whole affair as
a victory, and in confirmation of their statement will kUl one or
two peaceable individuals ; or if some wretched villager, who
has not had his head shaved, falls Into their hands, they will
kill him, on the pretext that he is one of the long-haired rebels.
This will be a fine opportunity for the officers to ask for a
reward of merit
" The study of books is, in theory, a raeans of acquiring
knowledge, and the literates, nowadays, know how to make
verses and to verite essays. In this way the door Is opened to
them for official employments. But of useful or practical
knowledge they have not the remotest idea. How is it possible
with such administrators to remedy evils, root out abuses, or
make regulations which shall Inspire respect? The people are
only subjected by them to incessant exactions. Thus, laws
which are good in themselves, produce incalculable evils and
to such a degree that even men, who by nature are subraissive
and excellent, are driven to desperation, and throw themselves
into opposition and every kind of disorder.
" Everthing, both in civil and military administration, is
founded on a lie. Those whose business it is to see to the
execution of the laws only look to their own profit The
guardians of the public purse think of nothing but of making
their fortunes, and the men In power raake believe to shut then-
eyes. The real interests and condition of the lower orders
cannot therefore come to the knowledge of those in high
position ; and the orders of the government do not reach the
people. How, then, can one answer for the. latter ? or how
prevent their contempt of the governing classes Irom breaking
out some day into open rebellion ? "
The author then goes on to speak of foreign affairs. The
treaties have settled the frontier question with Russia, the
question of the Catholic missionaries with France, and the
questions ot foreign trade with all three powers, but especially
with England. 'What would hai'pen It China were to violate
her -engagements with Russia? Mr. Hart is silent on that
T T a

644 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD, Chap.
point If China is wanting in her engagements v;ith rsgard
to the missionaries, all the Catholic powers would (according
to Mr. Hart) defend this, to thera, common cause. If, again,
the Chinese governraent were guilty of an infraction of the
privileges granted to coraraerce, this would be an offence which
would iraplicate her with all the foreign powers. If the emperor
persists in refusing audiences to foreign ministers, it will not be
the cause of iraraediate war ; but it is to be feared that they will
pick a quarrel with him on some other pretext. Finally, the
author of the memorandum claims the establishraent of per-
raanent Legations in Europe ; and the permission for foreign
merchants to associate with the Chinese for the construction
of railroads and steamers, and the laying down of telegraphic
wires. I will sum up the English position In China. The enormous
importance of the British trade in this part of the world, and
the hope of seeing it attain a stUl greater development, would
not allow the English government even if it wished it, to
abandon Its position in the East But If it be impossible to
abandon this position, it is equally difficult to maintain the
status quo. We have seen why. On the one hand, the re
sidents, dissatisfied with their position, willingly identify their
individual interests with the public Interests of England, mul
tiply, in consequence, irritating discussions with the Chinese
government, take a high tone and demand of the mother-
country a " firm and energetic policy," which in plain terms
means a policy of threats and war. On the other hand, the
Queen's government, obeying the inspirations of a healthy
policy, and consequently not being willing or able to follow
such a line of conduct, has, in hopes of diminishing the danger
of unexpected complications, withdrawn frora her consuls and
officers at the naval stations the pov/er of raaking reprisals, on
their own responsibility, against the local authorities. But in
Insisting that all demands should be addressed through dlplo-
raatic channels to the central governments at Pekin, has she
not given herself up to dangerous illusions? Does she not
picture to herself (I have heard it said at Tien-tsin, Shanghai,
and Canton) an imaginary China — a civilized country, In fact —
very different from what exists In reality? In the Celestial
Empire all is different to what It is with us — ideas, belief, laws,
traditions, usages, and notions of right and wrong, or honour.

VHL HOMEWARD BOUND. 645
The relations of China with foreign powers need the common
basis of intemational right Its interior organization is opposed
to that which governs civilized states in Europe : or rather,
this organization is entirely wanting. If the European States
resemble a human body, each portion of which exercises
certain functions, of which the blood circulates according to
fixed rules, and the muscles obey the will, China is an immense
polypus, or rather, an agglomeration of different bodies having
nothing in common between them but the origin of race, the
hatred of the foreigner, pride and presumption, those two fatal
enemies of all amelioration, the strength of inertia and the
arras of cunning and treachery.
How, to give an exaraple, could one ask of the central
governraent the free transit of European goods ? as that woiUd
suppose the abolition (at least, a partial one) of the lines of
custom-houses which surround each province, and the produce
of which furnishes in a large measure to the provincial govern
ment the means of carrying on the working of it, and of
yielding to the Iraperlal treasure the annual tribute, which Is
the sole moral link existing between the heart and the rest of
this polypus. How recommend the creation of an international
code — so Indispensable in trials between Chinese and foreigners,
and for what are caUed tnixed cases — ^when the ideas of uistice
in China are so different from ours ? How delude oneselV with
the Idea that It will be possible to arrive at a modus vivendi
which shall be, at least, tolerable ? It would be wiser, then, to
renounce such vain attempts, which only serve to expose ou;
entire poweriessness. Let us have the courage to look at the
position as it really is. Let us own frankly that we are placed
in this dilemma : either to leave China, or to take a portion o.
it  other powers can do the same — and govern the country so
occupied according to the laws and principles of civilized states.
In fact, in a logical point of view, this is the only radical
solution possible. Only, politics will not always bear such
solutions, and the English government is too enlightened to
second such projects.
There is in the life of individuals as of nations, moments
when one must learn to temporize, to live from. day to day,
aU the whUe preparing the means of attaining the desired end
when tbe propitious moment shaU present itself. This is the
case of the foreign governments in China. In the actual state

646 A RAMBLE ROUND TIIE WORLD. Chap.
of things it would be better, it seems to rae, to give up the
hope of settiing, by any general principles, the differences
which are every day arising. Each case raust be judged of,
and treated separately, within the limits of what is possible,
and according to given circumstances, and to the men with
whom one has to deal. If the central government be power
less to impose upon its distant satraps the strict observance of
its international engagements, it is evident that foreign powers
should take it upon theraselves to open the obtuse under
standings of these prevaricating functionaries ; or should they
be wanting in goodwill, to inflict upon them that chastisement
which their own government is powerless to apply ; only these
acts of intervention can only be justified by an imperious
necessity; andthe diplomatic representative at Pekin should
be the judge as to when such intervention is necessary, and
not the consular agents of the trade ports. Not that I doubt
the least in the world the intelligence of the distinguished and
honourable men whose business it is to watch over the com
merce, «nd, in many cases, the lives and properties of British
subjects. But every one of us has only the horizon of his
own position, and taat of the consuls is necessarily more
limited than the horizon of the minister at Pekin. It is for
him, therefore, in each given case, to weigh the different
elements, to decide If coercive measures be necessaty, if the
political situation in China and Europe will bear thera, and in
what raeasure and at what raoraent it would be better to pro
ceed to carry out active operations.
This reference to Pekin, considering the great distance, and
during winter the extreme difficulty of comraunlcation, is, of
course, open to grave inconveniences ; but for the consuls to
act on their own responsibility would be a still more serious
matter. It would expose England to see herself suddenly,
and, as It were, without her knowledge, plunged into a regular
Chinese war. It is probably on this account, and not under
the erroneous supposition that China could be treated on the
footing of a civilized state, that the late Lord Clarendon
withdrew from the consuls and centred in the hands of the
Pekin representative the necessary powers to employ, in case
of danger, coercive measures. If that be so, all impartial
minds must acknowledge the wisdom of this precaution.
A last word on the eff'orts which are being made or attempted

VIIL HOMEWARD BOUND. 647
to spread the benefits of civilization in China. It Is a grand
and noble feeling ; and if foreign travellers feel the wish, at
their own peril and risk, to preach to the Chinese the gospel
of useful knowledge — telegraphs, railroads, and the like — no
one can say anything against it But I would venture to
submit that this is neither the task of the diplomats nor the
consuls. What Mr. Low said on the subject of the mis
sionaries and the native Christians applies, it appears to me,
still more strongly to the propagandism of civilization. This
work is placed, to repeat the wise words of the envoy of the
United States, beyond the pale or mission of diplomacy. The
task of both missionaries and consuls is to guard the Interests
of their countty, and not to mix themselves up with the in
terior affairs of the empire in which they have to exercise their
functions. The wisest counsels they might offer would be
received with distrast if it were thought that they had therein
ulterior or interested motives. I have always seen that am
bassadors who take too keen an interest in the country where
they reside, end by coming to grief, and, what is worse, cora-
promlse the interests of their own country. Besides, the
Chinese are not so obtuse as people choose to imagine. If
they will not hear of railroads or telegraphs, it is not that they
undervalue the advantage accruing frora this conquest over
space and time, but probably because, far from wishing to
multiply and accelerate their relations with Europe, their in
tention is, on the contrary, to isolate themselves as far as
possible from it, and to render coraraunications difficult, or,
better still, impossible. The proof that they appreciate tho
roughly the progress made by us in certain sciences (wherever
it suits them), is the work going on in their arsenals, which
they have reorganized on the European system, the war-steamers
they are building in these arsenals, their anxiety for improving
their arms and amraunitlon, and the European forts they are
building, not in the interior or on their northern frontiers, but
on the Bar of Taku aud in the open ports, in front of the
European concessions.
To persuade the Chinese to accept our civilization, we must
act on their hearts more than on their minds, which are far more
open than people generally think. We must know how to in
fluence their wills.
The Chinese are not like the Japanese — those chamiing

648 A RAMBLE ROUND THE WORLD. Chap. VIIL
children, governed by etifans terribles. They are serious-
thinking men. They will adopt our civilization when they
begin to understand it ; but they wiU not understand it tiU the
day arrives when they choose to do so.
Alas ! My dear Journal ! I have many things stIU which I
should like to inscribe on your pages ; but you would sweU to
an unreasonable size. Let us be modest and not presume too
much on the patience of our readers. Already, wUl not people
say : " How can this tourist dare to Hft up his voice on matters
which he has not had the time to study thoroughly ? " To this
we will answer : " The extreme East is stiU an unknown land.
We leave to masters in science the glory of great discoveries ;
to us, humble workmen, the minor merit of having shared in
the work in proportion to our powers."
Happy those, who, in fine weather, have the good luck to
take their passage on board the Tigre, to have Captain BoUfeve
for a commander and such charming fellow-voyagers as my
daily companions at table ! These have been really six weeks
of villegiatura. The monotony of the passage is relieved by
those bright pictures which we come across in the ocean :
Saigon, Singapore, Ceylon, the rocks of Scotora, Aden ; and
further on, or to speak more correctly, nearer to our dear
home, the Isthmus of Suez, the sumrait of Mount Ida covered
with snow, Etna, Corsica, and the coasts of Italy.
January 13, 1872. — We are before Marseilles. Twilight
bathes us in its pale, mysterious light The land is hidden
from our gaze under a white curtain : but its confused noises
reach our ears, as in a theatre one sometimes hears the noise
of the actors in the scene before the curtain rises. Now the
first rays of the sun, the pale sun of winter, rend the mist, and
amid a sudden gleam of Hght, on the peak of her rock, glitters
the spire of Notre Dame de la Garde.

APPENDIX.

Summary ofthe events which happened in Japan from the month
of Septetnber 187 1, to the month of September 1872.

At the end of September 1871, a plan was put into execution
which had been secretly fostered for a number of years by the
political reformers. This was the publication of a decree changing
the han into ken. Henceforward the han — that is to say the semi-
independent territories under the administration of hereditary
govemors as were the daimios — are incorporated with the ken, or
imperial domains, the govemors of which are nominated by the
central government, and chosen from amongst the samurais, two-
sworded warriors, and from the kuazokus, or noblemen.
All the hereditary governors were dismissed the same day.
Their subordinates were ordered to fulfil their respective functions
as usual until new arrangements concerning them should be made.
Another decree commanded the nobles to return to Yedo in the
course of the month of October, under the false pretext that they had
originally been sent from the capital into the different provinces ; — a
measure which naturally met with resistance in various parts of
the empire. In some of the provinces, the people, urged on by
leaders belonging to the two-sworded class of men, who were
iiTitated at the loss of their own power and importance, rose up on
the day fixed for the departure of the ex-daimios, and proceeded
even to threats in order to prevent them.from leaving.
The movement was, however, so badly organized that nowhere
had it the slightest chance of success. It was soon put down by
the troops belonging to the party commissioned to carry out the
new reforms.
At the end of December all the ex-daimios had returned to
Yedo, and since that time they have no longer any political im
portance.

650 - APPENDIX,
In consequence of the transformation of the daimlats into im
perial domains the government was necessarily obliged t" take
upon itself the pecuniary obligations of the princes. The latter
were in the habit of circulating great quantities of inconvertible
paper-money only current in their own domains. In several
provinces this paper had fallen 9 per cent. To meet this difficulty
the government decided that the paper-money of the daimiats
should be exchanged according to the rate of August 29th. In
addition to this, the princes were in debt to the foreign and native
merchants. The latter could be compelled to wait but amongst
the foreign merchants there were some to whom this sudden inter
ruption of mercantile transactions was a serious loss. Demands
for redress poured in daily from the various seaports. Attention
was paid to most of them, and before the end of the month of
January 1872 the imperial treasury had spent more than two mil
lions and a half of doUars in their liquidation. A trifling portion
only of these debts had been contracted at Yokohama, the largest
open port, and the one where there is the most commercial
activity. This is a curious fact to note, as it proves that the merchants of
that town are less disposed than the inhabitants of more recent
establishments to abandon the tea and silk and what is called the
"importation" trade, to devote themselves to that of guns and
steaml.oats, in the hopes of more rapid gains.
The administrative system has also undergone some important
changes. Towards the end of April the office of censorship and
that for the infliction of penalties were united in one. At the
commencement of September the whole of the interior adminis
tration (which until then had been divided between the Minister of
the Interior and the Minister of Finance) was given over to the
latter. It is he alone who has now the management of the receipts
and accounts of the State, the encouragement of manufactures, the
publication of the acts of the government, the coinage, the posts,
and the census of the population. The council of state will hence
forth undertake the superintendence of all the affairs formerly
under the co^inizance of the legislative council and of the eight
departments, to be called in future the left and right chambers.
The ancient council of state is to bear the name of the principal
chamber. The right charnber was to be composed of the ministers
and of the vice-ministers of the eight departments. Its members
were to assemble six times a month. Little by little, how
ever, this project was given up, and at present it exists only on
paper. The duties of the legislative council are but sHghtly defined ; but
this is, in point of fact, in perfect accordance with the turn of mind
of its members, who are, for the most part, pohtical theorists. It

APPENDIX. 651
is said to be charged with the preparation of legislative measures ;
but it can neither vote nor promulgate them ; this being the office
ofthe principal chamber, composed of the first minister and of the
four councillors oi' state. The latter are chosen out of the power
ful clans of Satsuma, Ch6shiu, Hizen, and Tosa. In the budget,
the nomination of one or two under-secretaries of state is moreover
provided for. This is what would be caUed in Europe the govern
ment of H.M. the Mikado. Of all absolute sovereigns he possesses
the least authority. Hence the origin of the report that the time
may perhaps not be far distant when he may find himself compelled
to abdicate in order to give place to the president of a republic.
At all events, he has been more and more despoiled of his pretended
dirine claims. The first step in this downward course was the
decree of the 27th September, 1871, enjoining the functionaries no
longer to appear before his Majesty in the national court costume,
except on occasions of grand official solemnities. This costume
was finally abolished in the month of February, 1872, to be replaced
by a European dress according to individual taste. Now as the
Japanese tailors, shoemakers, and hatters are incapable of manu
facturing clothes bearing the remotest resemblance to our own, the
only habiliments to be seen are such as would put a Sandwich
Islander to the blush.
On the 1st October, 1871, another decree announced that in
future the Mikado would go out frequently, either in a carriage or
on horseback ; and that the public must, on these occasions,
abstain from the demonstrations of respect which had hitherto
prevailed (.^). Accordingly, the following day, the Mikado pro
ceeded to the private residences of the prime minister and the
minister of foreign affairs, Iwikura, and gave a breakfast in the
palace of Hamagotfo to all the great officers of state.
On the 1st of January, 1872, he went to inspect the arsenal at
Yokosuka, some miles from Yokohama. It is related by eye
witnesses that his suite wore European costumes of the most
extraordinary description, and that the people were allowed to
approach his Majesty during the whole course of the visit
Hitherto, in writing, when certain Chinese signs were used which
express a portion of the names of the Mikado, or of his father and
grandfather, it had been obligatory, as a mark of respect, to omit
one of these signs ; but this usage was abolished by a declaration
of the month of March 1872. It deserves to be made mention of
here, inasmuch as it shows the political tone of the men who are
actually in power. The Mikado was also taken to visit the offices
of the different departments and the civil and naval schools, under
the pretext of mataiig him acquainted with the working of the
administration and with the means employed for the intellectual
development of his people. At the end of June 1872 he left Yedo

652 APPENDIX,
to make a cruise along the western coast of Japan. The squadron
was composed of eight men-of-war. He returned the beginning of
July. During the whole voyage he wore a European costume
made by a native tailor of 'Yedo. The coat was so overloaded
with gold and embroidery that the cloth could hardly be seen.
The grotesque appearance which this garb gave to his Majesty
was no doubt the cause of the remonstrances of Shimadzu Sabur6
at Kagoshlma, against the rapid progress of denationalisation.
But it is not the sovereign alone who has suffered from the levelling
spirit which animates his ministers. The two-sworded warriors
have been authorized or rather ordered to give up the wearing of
arms. Happily, they take advantage of this permission — which
is a great gain for the public safety. As a compensation, they have
been deprived of the right of passing the toll-bars without paying !
In future, the samurais are to abstain from murdering persons
belonging to inferior classes, unless there be some serious provo
cation ; hitherto they might indulge in similar feats without
undergoing the smallest punishment. Henceforth marriages are
permitted between the three classes, i.e. of the nobles, the samurais,
and the people. The latter may, in future, wear trousers and
cloaks, a privilege hitherto confined to the samurais — they may
also ride on horseback. In order to destroy all distinction of
class, a semi-official journal published, in May last, the project of
a decree abolishing nobles and gentlemen ! Let us complete this
picture by adding that beggars and workers in leather, who, from
time immemorial, were pariahs, were last year enfranchised from
every civil disability and put on an equality with the people. It
will, however, be difficult to do away with the prejudices existing
against them.
In addition to the administrative changes mentioned above,
there were also others during the past year (1871). The depart
ment charged with the propagation of the state religion, called
Shint6, formerly held the same rank as the State Council, and a
superior rank to all the other departments of the administration.
By a decree of the month of September it was assimilated with the
others. From the nature of its functions it was especially calcu
lated to aid the attacks recentiy made on Buddhism, which were
considered necessary to secure the stability of the Mikado's
authority. These measure gave great dissatisfaction.
Early in the morning of the 26th March, i8;2, ten Buddhist
fanatics tried to force their way into the palace, with the intention
— such is the official version — of laying a petition at the feet of the
Mikado. They were all massacred on the spot. If these unhappy
people had really no other design than that of presenting a request,
the manner of rejecting it might be considered somewhat severe.
But possibly they came with other intentions known to the

APPENDIX. 653
government, but of which its organs do not choose to inform us.
However this may be, shortly afterwards, in order to conciliate the
feelings of the Buddhists, the Shinto office was abolished, and in
its place a department of religious instruction was instituted,
charged equally with the interests of Shinto and of Buddhism.
New giades and new titles were created and confened indiscrimi
nately on priests of every creed— the greater portion of them even
faUing to the share of the Buddhists. Great attention is paid to
religious questions. Many of the Japanese are of opinion that
their only possible solution is in the liberty of all religions, including
the Christian. At the end of last year a remarkable pamphlet
appeared in this sense. It was written in Chinese, and endeavoured
to prove that the civilization of the west — the one thing coveted
by the whole of Japan— was everywhere the result of the Christian
religion ; and that consequently it was egregious folly to admire
the fruit and condemn the tree.
The author had even the boldness to advise the Mikado to be
baptized and to place himself at the head of the Church of Japan,
Christianity becoming thus, if one may so say, the director of
Japanese progress. Japan might, under its shield, become by
degrees a little Europe in Asia. The effect which this pamphlet is
likely to produce on native statesmen is difficult to foresee ; but it
must at any rate be better than the cowardly invectives put forth
in the anti-Christian pamphlet published four or five years ago.
The whole nation appears to have become more tolerant, and one
has a right to hope that the time of persecution is at an end (?).
In October 1871, the division of the country into prefectures of
equal dimensions was begun. The difference in extent of the
districts governed by the daimios varied to any amount. The
largest had a hundred times more cultivated and taxed land than
the smaller, whUst each district had an equal number of officials ;
besides which several of the daimios were in possession of estates
lying out of their provinces and far distant from their seat of
government Four or five months were spent in completing this
new organization. An official list was then published containing
the names of the new prefectures, the towns, the taxed estates, the
provinces and the departments, as well as those of the former
daimiats and of the imperial domains recently amalgamated.
There are three towns : Tokai (Yedo), Kiyoto, and Osaka. There
are seventy-two prefectures, each of which is in proportion rather
smaller than a province.
The principal island, called by the Europeans Niphon, Kiushiu,
and Shikoku, contains sixty-eight The island of Yezo, being called
a colony, is not comprised in the new administrative circonscription ;
but the name of Hokkaido has been given to it. It is important
to observe that hardly any change has been made in the districts

654 APPENDIX,
formerly governed by the independeiit dalinios (kokushi), even
when it was in opposition to the newly-established principle, i.e.
that a prefecture shall not extend beyond the limits of a province.
The most difficult problem for the government to solve at the
present moment is the question as to the extent to which (without
danger) the samurais may be deprived of the hereditary pension
they have enjoyed for nearly three centuries. From a European
point of view, they have as much a right to retain these pensions
as a merchant has to keep a fortune made in commerce. But in
a country where the word " right " does not even exist, everything is
decided by the law of the greatest strength, " le droit du plus fort"
The .samurais are descendants of peasants who more than eight
hundred years ago were taken from the plough in order to form a
distinct class. The lands which had hitherto been cultivated by
them were given up to men who were less robust and who from
that time had to do double work and pay double taxes. The
samurais, the greater number of them at least, are indolent ; but
at the same time they are the most intelligent class in the country,
and if they be deprived of their hereditary pensions, it is thought
that by means of commerce and agriculture they will be able to
keep themselves in the same position : on the other hand, not
having been brought up to trade, it is probable that many of these
men will fall into misery. To meet this difficulty various projects
have been suggested and partly carried out. One is, that the state
should pay down out of its funds a round sum, equivalent to five
years' income, to all who ask permission to retum to the merchant
and farmer class. The government has not succeeded in inducing
the body of samurais to agree to this arrangement, and pro
bably the want of funds prevented its being made compulsoi-y. It
is believed that the recent mission of the assistant vice-minister of
finance to Europe had for its aim the effecting of a loan for this
purpose, and that the project will shortly be put into execution.
It is difficult to understand the benefit which the nation will derive
from it ; for there is no question of diminishing the burdens of the
peasants, although the hereditary pensions, now to be abohshed,
were the original cause of the over-taxation with which they are
oppressed. But the government spends a great deal and its wants are many.
This is also the cause of the enormous and hitherto unlimited issue
of non-convertible bank-notes. Without mentioning the facility of
imitating bank-notes printed in Japan, there are numbers in circu
lation which were m:-inufactui-ed in Frankfort, and latterly fresh
orders have been issued there. The mint has been in great
requisition since the month of April 1871 ; but coin is, at present,
only to be seen within the precincts of the exchange.
The government is much occupied with foreign politics. Last

APPENDIX, 6S5
year a mission was sent to Pekin to negotiate a treaty with China
after the model of those which the Celestial Empire concluded
with the Western Powers. The Chinese government, although
apparently indifferent to these overtures, did not reject them ;
and succeeded, by means of a clever change in the wording, in
essentially modifying the sense of an article on mediation, in order
that this article should be identical with a clause inserted in the
treaty with China and the United States. No sooner did the
cabinet of the Mikado hear of this, than a messenger was de
spatched in all haste to Tien-tsin to desire the Japanese envoy to
return at once. The order arrived too late. The treaty had just
been signed. On his return to Yedo, the negotiator was disgraced,
and the Chinese govemment indignant at such proceedings, showed
its displeasure by refusing to resume the negotiations.
The Japanese government was not happier in its negotiations
with the Corea. It despatched thither letters and messengers
extolling the advantages of European civilization ; but without
ever receiving any answer. More recently, a clerk from the
Foreign Office was sent in a man-of-war to make a last attempt ;
but the success of his mission appears to be very doubtful. Corea
seems in short resolved to retain her ancient institutions.
All the treaties of Japan with foreign countries contain a clause
by virtue of which these treaties can be revised, on the demand
made by one of the contracting parties to this effect, a year in
advance, dating from July 1st, 1872. And the near approach of
this date was indeed a subject of great anxiety to the Japanese
government. Their fear was, that liberty of religious worship
should be demanded, in favour of Europeans, as well as the
permission of travelling over the whole extent of the empire. It
was under the influence of this fear that the idea was conceived of
sending an embassy to all the courts of Europe which had treaties
with Japan.
This embassy, composed of Iwakura, vice-minister of state ;
Kid6, councillor of state ; Okub6, minister of finance ; Ito, vice-
minister of public works ; and Yamaguchi, assistant vice-minister
of foreign affairs, embarked at the end of December 1871 on board
an American packet-boat bound for San Francisco. It was at
Washington that Iwikura formed the project of revising the
treaties in Europe ; whereas the revision was not to have taken
place until after the retum of the embassy to Japan.
Consequently three of the ambassadors remained in the United
States, whilst Okub6 and Ito were sent to Yedo to ask for plenary
powers. The request did not, however, meet with the approbation
of the minister and vice-minister of foreign affairs. Both of them
opposed it, hoping themselves to negotiate the revision after the
return of the ambassadors, and having no desire to give up to

656 APPENDIX.
others the rewards which they expected to obtain from it The
minister even went so far as to send in his resignation ; but as the
vice-minister did not follow his example he soon recalled it. The
post of resident minister in London was then offered to the latter,
and he was given to understand that if the treaties were revised in
Europe he would be appointed one of the ministers plenipotentiary.
Upon this, plenary powers were granted ; and at the end of June,
Okubo and Ito started again for Washington.
The telegraphic line from Nagasaki to Yedo is finished, and the
positive opening of the railway from Yedo to Yokohama is
announced for the nth October.
The greater part of this line had been open for traffic, or at
least for the transport of travellers, at the beginning of June. In
the month of August the average number of passengers was at the
rate of 2,300 a day. This number will probably be doubled when
the whole line is finished, and when the more timid portion of the
population have become accustomed to this new mode of loco
motion. Besides this line, another one is actually in construction
between Kiyoto and Osaka, Other railways are also projected :
one is to go from Osaka by Kiy6to and Tsiiruga, along the western
coast ; a second from Kiy6to to Yedo interlaced with a branch for
Niigata by Shinano ; another again from Yedo to the straits of
Tsuguru, opposite the port of Hakodatd. It will, of course, be
years before this network of railways can be completed, as
European engineers and workmen have to be engaged at an
enormous expense, to say nothing of the roUing stock, which
cannot be manufactured in the country.

Extract from a letter from Yokohama, dated Aptil 29, 1872.
" If you were here I do not think that the actual state of affairs
would give you much hope for the future of this country. Those
who are in power seem but to have one aim : to denationalize
Japan as quickly as possible and make it like a European state.
They press forward matters too much, and it is impossible to
foresee what will be the result. The first probable consequence of
such a policy will be the min of the public funds. The inevitable
impoverishment of the country will bring on a reaction. The
great panacea of those in power is the confiscation of estates ;
thus they have taken possession of all the estates belonging to the
religious establishments of the Buddhists and the Shintoites, and
recentiy compeUed all the landowners of Yedo to buy title-deeds

APPENDIX. 657
to their estates, thus paying over again the price of their own
property. ¦' The rations of rice allowed to the two-sworded warriors have
been reduced to a mere nothing, without, however, the ta>:es of the
peasants being lightened. The samurais have been forced to give
up their swords, and the last project of the most advanced among
the refomiers is that of abolishing entirely the class of nobles.
They pretend that all these things are done for the benefit of the
Mikado, but his whole establishment is as insignificant as ever.
There are still to be found some good old Japanese ; but I must
confess that the more I see of this nation the less I like it. Notwith
standing their mania for imitating the Europeans and the
ostentation with which they seek for information of every kind,
I am convinced that, in reality, they look upon us with the same
contempt and insolence as they ever did. The soldiers, for
instance, although dressed and exercised like the French, have
no greater pleasure than that of insulting foreigners. It is the
same with the sailors, who affect to be turned out after the English
fashion. Those who are foremost in the government seem even
to think themselves strong and wise enough to set on one side
the principle of exterritoriality (exierritonaliii), and I should
not be surprised if, when the treaties come to be revised, they were
to propose to us to put Europeans under their jurisdiction, offering
us in exchange permission to travel in the interior of the country.
"This idea is entertained also by some Europeans in the
Japanese service, and by a petty little newspaper edited by a
European lawyer. Who will undertake to bring these presump
tuous reformers to reason ?"

Extract of a Letter from Yokohama, dated October 3, 1872.
" There is no important news to send you, except a slight revolt
at Kiushiu, situated at about a hundred English miles from Yedo.
It was caused by a decree of the finance department raising the
measure (which had been in use for three centuries) by which the
taxes on rice were calculated. It is said that the samurais, driven
to desperation by the loss of their hereditary pensions, have joined
the insurgents."

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