These are: THE MAGNUS BLOGS FROM JAPAN - 1899

April 11, 1899 4:30 p.m.

We are cheerfully in the process of sailing into Yokohama. We send you all our love.

Lovingly

Your Father, Magnus.

Yokohama, Grand Hotel, April 13, 1899.

My Dear Children!

Two mornings ago, we sighted land with the high snow-covered volcano, Fuyiyama. It is the pride of the Japanese, who offer it divine veneration. The shoreline is irregularly fissured with precipitous mountains rising suddenly and ruggedly straight out of the ocean. The quarantine commission arrived at 5 p.m. and everyone, including crew and Second Class passengers had to line up to be examined. We eight First Class passengers were ready at any time to stand up and stick out our tongue!

By 5:30, we were docked at a pier in this very spacious harbor. We sent our luggage to the hotel and stayed for dinner on board the "Hohenzollern". A ship's agent, Mr. Scharff-Schmidt, a friend of Behrend's arrived in time for the meal. The English had all left. We spent a very relaxed and cheery evening, the champagne flowed freely, and we sent many thoughts home. It is strangely pleasant

to be with compatriots so far from home, though on German soil. Preceded by paper lanterns, we marched in a body to the hotel, where we are very well looked after. The captain and officers of the "Hohenzollern" had already given us an unfavorable report about the Japanese steamship line, regarding the quality of the vessels, the food and the discipline of the Japanese. We found much of this confirmed. Not everything was "First Class" here. The Hong Kong Maru, with which we were to have travelled on May 6, has had a fire in the engine room and the stewards were on strike on her last trip. That was enough for us! We therefore decided to postpone our departure by one week, until May 13 and then book passage on the best steamer, "China". I immediately made sure of good accommodations and telegraphed to Hem-rich in Chicago and to you. I have spent 100 Marks for this.

It rained heavily yesterday and Yokohama did not present itself at its best. We learned that the Mikado was holding a garden party in Tokyo today (one hour by train from here) and I hurried to the consul to inquire about invitations. He thought that it might be too late but suggested that I introduce myself personally to the ambassador in Tokyo. This might possibly work out. I induced him finally to send a telegram, requesting a return reply. Last night, we received tickets. Being a member of the City Council does have its advantages! Prescribed attire are frock coat and top hat. I had not taken either on this trip and there was not enough time to have a coat made. Mother had the idea that the hotel manager’s coat might fit me. The man cheerfully agreed to this so we can take part in the festivities today. They start at 2:30. The Mikado will put in an appearance. Should he make any remarks about my frock coat, I shall reply respectfully that it is the fault of his tailors. Mr. De Weerth and Dr. Vosswinkel will also be along, the former in the frock coat belonging to Professor Knuth.

We received letters from Adolph, Heinrich and Iska and thought lovingly of Ise, yesterday. This letter leaves tomorrow via Vancouver. With much love

Mother and Father Magnus.

Lots of love! I shall appear at the Mikado's party today in my violet dress. Your loving Mother.

Kyoto Hotel, Kyoto. April 18, 1899.

My Dear Children!

I wrote to you on the 14th from Yokohama and sent it off with the Vancouver mail. I am following this up today with the printed report of the garden party. The newspapers contain an article on Kiaochow which should be of interest to you. Walter, please submit it to Editor in Chief, Mr. Walter, without delay. Should he be interested in publishing it in the Hartungische zeitung, please translate it. Only one of the three days we spent in Yokohama was pleasant and that was the day of the garden party. Otherwise, we were rained out. I must mention that the Mikado is an impressive personage of 47, but he does have a peculiar gait. The Empress, Mrs. Mikado, is a 51-year old close relative. She wore a diamond-studded tiara in the shape of a crown, a robe of damask and appeared grace and dignity personified. The guests were treated with great politeness. The attendants, military and servants alike, saluted when we passed by. Military bands played in three different locations and were not bad at all. When the Court arrived and departed, they played the national anthem which sounds like a funeral march. I shall bring back a score if it is available. Politeness seems to be the Japanese national virtue, but it is doubtful if it is sincere. I hope not to be corrupted during my stay here! Furthermore, here, as well as elsewhere in the Orient, one had better learn to be patient. “Tadaima", meaning "at once" in German, is a word in the Japanese dictionary but it means anything from now to a month from now. The Russians express it "Zi Tchass", and the Jews say" after the Sabbath". There is a passive resistance within the Oriental which can drive one to distraction. Maybe I shall learn to be patient on this voyage.

Miss Meyer, a cousin of Frau Dr. Weigert from Berlin, had asked me to call on a Mr. Kaufmann in Yokohama. After he had asked his wife more about Miss Meyer, he invited me to call on his wife. She was a young statuesque lady from Berlin, who received me most graciously, in a charming negligee. She wanted us to stay with them at once, but I declined with many thanks considering our departure the following day. We might stay with them when we return to Yokohama, at the end of the month. Incidentally, Kaufmann has relatives in Koenigsberg, Viktor & Levinstein, and was visiting there 1½ years ago. He is with Simon Evers Co.

On Saturday, we boarded the train for Kyoto at 6:50 a.m. It would be more convenient to take a steamer to Kobe in 24 hours, and then take a train ride of 2½ hours to here. But Mother and particularly the navel hero Behrend could not be talked into this. We were shaken up for 14 hours, but found the journey not as uncomfortable as we had pictured it. We had the parlour car with 20 chairs almost entirely to ourselves. The journey was almost free of dust and the passing scenery was most attractive. For hours, we travelled along the foothills of the mountain range which is topped by the volcano Fujiyama. On the other side of the carriage was the ocean. We travelled through highly cultivated region with many lovely mountain lakes and a number of wide-bed rivers, some dry, but hinting at their size and importance.

It is spring, and Mother Nature is sporting her first green dress. Among the trees here, we can recognize those known to us: weeping willows, maples, sycamores, Scotch pines. The cherry trees are in bloom, some past their peak. There are shrubs of all varieties, among them azaleas and tree-like camellias, green and blooming. A joy to behold. As far as fodder plants are concerned, the cultivation of hemp seems to be prevalent. We saw huge areas of this yellow-blooming plant which has a pungent odor. Peas, vetch and clover are in full bloom. The barley is sprouting and the wheat is about 6 inches high. But the main products seem to be rice and tea. The latter has a greenish leaf, which is sun-dried as a rule. When steeped it has a pale green color, is light in texture with a strong aroma, not much to our taste. The staple food of the population is rice, as it is in India and China. It is eaten with two chop sticks which are manipulated with great dexterity between thumb and index finger. At the railway stations very appetizing looking wooden boxes are offered for sale, containing boiled rice, vegetables and sliced meat. These are purchased by the natives. Tea is also available, served in cups which are turned in again at the next station. For Europeans, there is only Kirin Beer, a drink brewed in this country which tastes like a mixture of Bavarian and brown beer. It is quite palatable.

For the rest, our guide, Takahashi, took care of our provisions by bringing along a day's meals in baskets provided by the Grand Hotel. Our guide is a big dandy but otherwise not much. He speaks English passably well and is a courier. We settle with him daily and pay 2½ yen or dollars for 1 to 2 persons, 50 sen more for each

It is distributed by the banks and well accepted everywhere. In the retail trade silver can be spent at par value. In larger amounts it loses about 1%. I can recall the time in the 50s, when Russian paper money was 2-3% higher in value than silver, due to the more convenient mode of transportation - called Cats. They were leather pouches, which were worn buckled around the middle. Times change.

The First Class on railway carriages here is not nearly as good as our second class. When the compartments are fully occupied, it must be torture to make long journeys using those low and narrow slats. The Japanese seems to need very little space. For the most part, he squats in his seat and when sleeping only turns his head to the wall of the railway carriage. With few exceptions, First Class is only used by Europeans, higher military personnel and priests. When we left Yokohama we had with us for several stops a number of naval officers, among them, Admiral Hito, who led several successful battles against the Chinese. He had been pointed out to us at the garden party. Several stops before reaching Kyoto, about half a dozen officers of the guard boarded the train. One of them was of royal birth, as our guide pointed out most reverently.

Japan has two religions. Shintoism is the one practiced by the original inhabitants, a mixture of adoration of nature, gods, water, fire, mountains, wind and also ancestor worship. Temple and ceremony are very primitive and simple. Shintoism does not deal with moral laws. It culminates in the credo: "Follow your natural impulse and obey the "Mikado". Buddhism was introduced from China and came here by way of Korea. Lately, it is said to be losing followers. There is talk about introducing a more contemporary form of Shintoism. Be that as it may, the construction of a very cold-looking Temple to Buddha has begun but as yet is unfinished. During the present religious festivities at the time of the cherry blossoms, many pilgrims from all over are crowding in to admire the miracle and to leave a donation, usually 1 franc. It is said that two million Japanese have sacrificed their hair so that a rope could be fashioned from it, to be preserved forever in the temple.

We spent the day chatting, eating, reading, sleeping and observing the people. We arrived shortly before 9 p.m. After such a lengthy journey, the 25 minute ride by rickshaw to the hotel seemed an eternity. We were not in the best of moods when we arrived there and learned that we were to be lodged in the so-called bachelor quarter. This is an annex of Japanese architecture with a steep staircase, a long corridor with rooms on both sides. These can only be closed from the corridor with sliding paper-screens. Windows facing the veranda are fashioned of transparent paper in very small wooden frames. The furnishings are a large bed, a wash-stand and a chair. The floor is elastic so that we heavy people fear falling through with every step. We were reminded of Betty in Norway. We expressed our displeasure which did not make the slightest impression on the Japanese houseboy. We slept well after the tiring journey. Next day, we changed rooms and although it is also furnished rather primitively, it appears to us magnificent in comparison. After all, human judgment is formed and influenced by the presence of contrasts.

We are in the heart of Japan. This is the centre of the artistic industry, silk embroideries, bronze and lacquer wares, porcelain, and cloisonné works. The hotel is half Japanese. Originally we had wanted to lodge at the Jannic Hotel which is located on the slope of a hill, standing apart and offering a lovely view of the valley and the city. Unfortunately, it burned down recently and only one wing remained standing, offering room for only 20 guests.

It is amazing that there are not more fires here, as the houses are constructed of wood, flimsily put together with paper windows, with open flames and petroleum fires everywhere. In no time at all an entire district could be on fire. But since the Japanese are careful, particular end meticulous~ damaging fires occur relatively rarely.

It is almost time for the last mail collection - only time to send you our best love.

Mother and Father Magnus.

Kyoto Hotel, April 21, 1899.

My Dear children!

Our last epistle left two days ago by P. & 0. Steamer "Rosella". This one travels via San Francisco and might reach you befoer the other one.

We are completely surrounded here by Japanese life. Previously, Europeans were not allowed to settle in the interior. If I am not mistaken this condition is due to change in July this year, when new contracts will be in effect. From that time on, foreigners and natives will enjoy the same rights, with the one exception, that foreigners may obtain property as leaseholders for only 99 years. After that time it reverts to the original owner. Having spent ten days in Japan, I feel entitled to talk about the people. On an average they are short of stature. Many of the lower classes remind one of anthropoid apes, due to the shape of their heads and mouths, and by the length of their arms and general physiognomy. According to the impressions of Europeans living here, the Japanese are of a deceitful and stubborn character which is only concerned by their servile and courteous appearance. One man vent so far as to state, that they are really all coolies of whom only a few possess a superficial education. Allowances must be made for t'~ fact that the country was closed to foreigners until 1853 and only opened up after Admiral Perry of the United States Fleet arrived here. The only exception at that time was Nagasaki which had been open to the Dutch before that date. Judicious statesmen made the best of the situation and decided to introduce Western culture immediately, promoting and advancing it energetically. Education and jurisprudence instructors of other nations particularly Germany were called in. Reforms of all sorts ~~ere pursued arduously. The nation has thus retained its independence and according to the latest treaties has eliminated all foreign interference. The Japanese are said to be outstanding diplomats. It is not considered a great achievement that china was overthrown. Conditions there had been so rotten that the country was incapable of resistance. The number of soldiers was only on paper, the cannons were partially made of wood. Add to that the many-headed Mandarin government where everyone lined his own pockets and you have the complete picture. We ~an see now how each European state is trying to obtain a backdoor into china, from whence each bordering country must gravitate of its own volition to-ward the seat of culture. 'The sagacity of her statesmen has averted such 8 fate from Japan. In all fields of endeavour we observe intelligence, industry, persistence, and moderation. The Japanese are 8150 endowed with a particularly strong sense of family obligation which causes better situated members to look after the less fortunate ones, if at 811 possible. We hardly see any beggars here. The country

is carefully cultivated. They have worked their way up so well in industry that the Japanese have become a dangerous competition to the Europeans. This is because of their low wages. This nation has an old and well developed culture in arts and crafts, porcelain painting, Damascene work, cloisonné, silk embroidery, etc. ~ is furthering this most diligently. This is not a factory establishment, but here the master works together with the journeyman and the apprentices. He is delighted when his workshop is visited and his work admired, regardless of whether one purchases anything. It is amazing how much has been accomplished in so short a period of time.

In the port cities the particularly Japanese way of life is fast disappearing under the European influence. Within a reason-able space of time the genuine Japanese life will only be found in remote parts of the country just as it happened with our Lithuanians. It is not possible to place Japan on the same level culturally with European countries because until now only a fraction of the population has benefited from education. The very fact that the human being is still being used as a beast of burden here gives these people a sub-ordinate position. Rickshaws can be counted here most likely in the l00,000's although they were only introduced in the early 70s, earlier than in China. Loads are primarily moved in two-wheeled carts, similar but lower than those in Italy, and pulled mainly by men, secondarily by bullocks and rarely by horses. Animals are well cared for and are kept clean. The type of horse prevalent here resembles strongly a Cossack's horse.

The Japanese are very polite and courteous toward foreigners They are said to have great national pride which occasionally becomes excessive. The women are small, dainty and ignorant. They seem endowed with a particular grace in their movements, and one would like to put them on a knick-knack shelf. Pale colored skin is considered beautiful. Customs and usages are very different from ours. Kissing is unknown and is considered ill-mannered. Shaking hands is not customary here but is being introduced in better circles, as is European clothing. The first rule of conduct is "Naturalia non sunt turpia" and in that direction there is a certain childlike ingeniousness.

Since 1890, the Japanese have a voting system and a constitution, patterned after the Prussian; but the Japanese ministers try to educate the people to freedom. Prime Minister Ito is referred to as the Japanese Bismarck and is greatly revered. Commerce and industry are being revived with the definite intention of having them cover military and other government expenses. The press preaches friendliness toward foreigners. So far, extraditions are unknown here. The death penalty has been curtailed. Previously, a man who had killed an animal dedicated to the Temple would be beheaded ~ Now he only receives a jail sentence. The feudal power of the Daimyos and the sovereign authority of the military party which had degraded the Mikado into a puppet have been eliminated. This occurred after the suppressed revolution of 1868-1877. The populace presents a more satisfied and cheerful picture. The rickshaw-. men are supposed to be the trouble makers who form an important political party. Now to our adventures.

Our movements were curtailed by the inclement weather. Of the six days we had there were only two pleasant ones on which it was possible to make excursions into the surrounding countryside. Our first visit was to Nara. On our way to the station we visited a large silk house which produces art embroideries, the so-called velvet pictures among them. We also visited the already mentioned new temple, the Higashi Honganji Temple. The train ride lasts about 1½ hours. It leads across a very populated valley to the mountain chain which bisects Japan from the Northeast to the Southwest. The tilled land is so well taken care of that it gives more of a garden-like impression than that of an agrarian one. The small houses in the villages are straw-thatched or tiles and seem to have been taken out of a toy box and set down in the midst of little gardens full of well-tended flowers. All very reminiscent of Holland. Meticulous cleanliness is one of the national virtues of the Japanese. The floors of their homes are covered with mats, and they take their meals there squatting on pillows. When entering a Japanese house it is therefore necessary to remove one's boots or shoes. A kind of overshoe has been created lately which can be attached to the boots and thus makes it unnecessary to go through the bother of removing them. Arrived in Nara, our first steps led to an inn or tea house. There the cold Tiffin we had brought along was served to us barbarians on tables with chairs. Beer, coffee and tea as well as pastries were available there.

In these tea houses, of which there are entire streets in the large cities, one is waited on by maidens in the boldest sense of the word. A petite, rather pretty coquette patted me on the shoulder and called me "Daibutsu", which means Buddha, because of the resemblance of my slender figure with that of the squatting Buddha who has his arms crossed over his chest. In this country of utmost naturalness even Mother has to make concessions, but they do not go so far as to allow me to visit a teahouse without her company. Such flattering confidence is honour indeed!

After lunch we were in the proper mood to visit temples. Kasuga no Miya is a small temple city situated at the foot of the mountains, among giant old cryptomeria trees, pines, and camphor trees. Well-kept paths lined with thousands of stone lanterns on pedestals lead from temple to temple. On the 17th of December of every year all the lanterns are lit and it must be as in a fairyland to see these old wooden structures in the midst of all the greenery. This locality was founded by a Shinto deity who arrived here riding on a white antelope, and who invited other gods to follow him. Hundreds of antelope are kept here, roaming freely in the park and are so tame that they will let you feed them. One particularly sacred type of antelope, a white male, is kept in a cage and fed so thoroughly that it is almost bursting with saintliness.

A tree exists here in which seven different trees and bushes grow together in such a fashion that it is impossible to tell them apart. Betrothed couples are making sacrifices here, before their wedding ceremony, by attaching little folded paper strips containing their hopes and wishes. There is a deep significance in this childish game. We watched a temple dance, called "Kagura" in which a prayer leader marked the measure by clapping together two wooden blocks. An old Sybil played a horizontal stringed instrument and three children performed the dance. The harmony and aesthetic feeling were alien to us, and seemed more strange than beautiful. Then we went to see a huge bell from the 8th century which Behrend had to ring, but not with the aid of a clapper. A beam ~suspended by ropes j S Used, first pulled taut and then released against the ball. The piece de resistance, however, was my likeness the Colossal Daibutsu, a statue of Buddha 16 meters tall. During the current Cherry Blossom Festival great crowds of pilgrims flock here from all part~ of Japan, and some of them have never before seen a European.

They gaped at us, particularly Mother, in the same fashion that we would stare at a Japanese back home. Children run away from us. We were probably taken for cannibals.

April 22, 1899.

These lines were finished in Kobe, where we travelled in the pouring rain yesterday and spent the night. At 2 p. m. , we shall travel by steamer to Nagasaki, passing through the Inland Sea. Behrend is hurrying to lunch. I shall close, and send all my love,

Your Father, Magnus.

Steamer "Yamishiro Maru" April 24, 1899.

We learned in Kobe that the steamer "Gaelic", which was to follow our course, will have to remain in quarantine in Nagasaki, due to a case of the plague. This letter will now travel via Shanghai and should reach you more rapidly. With great reluctance, we decided to entrust our precious selves to a Japanese steamer with a completely Japanese crew, but we have no reason to regret it. Our stateroom is larger and the berths are more comfortable than on the Lloyd line. There is exemplary order and cleanliness. The service and food are good. Added to this, we have sunshine and calm seas while the ship. winds her way past an archipelago for thousands of islands. We are presented with an ever-changing panorama. We enjoyed a good part of this in the moonlight. Missed part of it by sleeping but will see that on the return voyage. My neighbour at table introduced himself as being Mr. Hempel from Amoy in China. Behrend immediately roared: "Ask him if he plays Skat!" An hour later we had settled down to a pleasant game of Skat until 11 p.m.

Mother had become a little run down during our stay in Kyoto. The bad weather, lack of comfort and possibly the run~ about the stores were to blame, but she is recuperating on this beautiful voyage, by getting much rest and sleep.

The Kyoto Hotel was unpleasant, badly managed, dirty and without comfort. Actually it was the only place that was not clean. I believe that the crowd of travellers arriving for a few weeks during the Cherry Blossom Time made the management loose their head. They are obviously not up to it the ship founders without a rudder.

Advertising is as important here as it {s in Europe. Even in the mountains, there are especially constructed kiosks recommending Tansa-water, beer, cigarettes, etc. in 3-foot high letters. When going to meals, we Pass lanes formed by picturesque figures presenting their business cards with a deep bow. It is a rather pleasant but expensive distraction to fill one's early morning and evening hours looking over all sorts of articles that are brought to the hotel for our inspection.

In the meantime our table has grown to seven persons: Schmidt-Scharff, as well as our old travelling companions from the ^"Hohenzollern" who had gone to Tokyo. Mr. De Weerth, Dr. Vosswinkel, Professor Knuth (the botanist from Kiel) had arrived. We have formed an agreeable group, sometimes joined by some of the English from the "Prinz Heinrich". One of these, a gentleman named Sisson travelling with his son, explained to me rather lengthily that his name derived from the French town of Soissons. I am inclined to think, though, that the cradle of his ancestors stood in Grajewo or somewhere nearby and that the family name more likely was Sisson. "Chaque fou a son gout!"

Incidentally, Knuth knows Dr. Koerner and his wife, nee Oster, in Kiel. He will be travelling with us to San Francisco on the "China".

I had noticed the name Blumenthal-Broadway, New York in the hotel register in Kyoto. Thinking that it might be Fritz' employer, I addressed a gentleman I took to be Blumenthal. Bad shot! It was not he, but a friend travelling with him, David Calmann, an attorney from New York. The Blumenthal to whom he introduced was not the right one either, but his cousin. Both of them know Fritz and Adolph , the latter as a good Skat player from the German Club. Calmann is the legal adviser of Maas & Waldstein . We shall meet again on the "China" and already have rnade plans to play Skat.

An excursion to the rapids of the Hozu River was rained out. After we had already travelled for 1½ hours we had to turn back. The second try on Thursday turned out well. We were favored with the most beautiful weather; but I am glad that Mother did not take part in this. We left the hotel in tandem rickshas, i.e. two coolies harnessed one behind the other. It took 3½ hours to reach the village of Hozu where we had a bite to eat before boarding the boats. The journey led through well-tended fields, sloping grounds, and along gaily bubbling brooks. On all sides we had wooded hills covered with camellias in bloom. That sight and those of all the plants and shrubs that were unknown to me made us oblivious to the rigors of the journey. Young girls presented us with branches of cherry blossoms, which were so closely covered with large flowers that neither branch nor leaves are visible. Our rickshaws were loaded and tied to two boats. We were accommodated on chairs and seats and were off on our swift voyage. Immediately beyond our point of embarkation the river dropped sharply. Short smooth stretches alternated with sudden drop-offs over which the fragile crafts were guided with great dexterity. The boards are so thin that we felt every rock over which the boat was buffeted. This went on for about 1½ hours, over and around jagged rocks, an exciting but fairly harmless journey. It

1

would have been something for my daughter Betty! Under such conditions,

I would not have wanted to sit near Iska either. When we were in Egypt, we witnessed a ride over the First Cataract which is far more dangerous. There is a great difference in ideology. The Egyptian boatmen believe in evil spirits which can be banished by loud screams. The Japanese raps on the bottom of the boat several times to awaken the river god, should he be asleep, so that he can watch over the craft and keep it from harm, then he proceeds calmly and quietly. Pessimists and optimists!

The excursion covered about 16 miles, and after sailing along a calm channel we reached a romantically located tea house with a magnificent view of the mountains, woods and the river. I believe that Japan can offer the most diverse scenic beauty in a relatively small area, so that all tastes can be satisfied. The return drive took about two hours by rickshaw. This gave us a chance to visit an old temple, Kinkakiji, known for its relics of several kinds and saints and renowned for its beautiful decorations. I am not a passionate admirer of temples and shall permit myself a wise limitation, as there is such profusion of choice. While in the temple, we met a German-speaking Japanese who told us that he had spent a year in Bremen and Luebeck and had only returned home this past autumn. When I made a few flattering remarks about Japan and the Japanese, he beamed and giggled like a child. Tonight, we shall reach Nagasaki and most likely leave from there tomorrow afternoon. Farewell!

Your Father, Magnus.

Nippon Yusen Kaisha 4;30 p.m.

"Kobe Maru", April 27, 1899

My Dear Children!

Since 11 a.m. we are floating again on our way to Yokohama, 360 miles from Kobe. A distance we should cover in about 28 hours. It is a lovely sunny day with little wind, and a calm sea. The temperature is between 59 F (14 C) and 62 F (15 C) and it is a pleasure to be on deck.

The steamer is well appointed and we have the largest and most comfortable stateroom we have occupied on this voyage. Captain Swain is American. The officers are British and German. The servants are Japanese and very clean and attentive. The food is passable, although we yearn for some plain fare.

On Monday, the 24th, we arrived in Nagasaki early in the morning from where I sent you my last letter. First of all, we had to make a decision regarding our return voyage to Yokohama. Either we would have to take the "Kobe Maru" the same day at 5 p.m. or remain in Nagasaki for four days. The latter did not seem indicated. I had a slight chill, upset stomach and a touch of fever. I only went ashore to present Mr. Krebs' introduction to Consul Mueller-Neek which Arthur had forwarded to me from Naples. He was a pleasant, portly man who received me affably. But aside from chatting with him for about a quarter of an hour, I had no cause to lay claim to his services.

I found time to admire the natural harbor on our way out - it is so spacious that all the world's fleets could find room in it. The harbor is circled by mountains, an enchanting sight. Battleships of all nations ride at anchor here. There is a particularly large number of Russian ships who have been using this port as their Far Eastern naval base until Port Arthur is completed. They are said to have Russified and corrupted the town already. A great many signs are in Russian here. With particular pride, I noticed the foremost cruiser of the German fleet, the "Kaiserin Augusta" at anchor, and did not expect it to take any notice of me. On Monday, we also bid Behrend farewell and sent along many greetings and good wishes to William. We have just spent a month with Behrend , from Colombo to Nagasaki. We had become very fond of him and now miss our charmingly entertaining travelling companion, whose easy way of meeting people stood us in such good stead.

Before our departure a large number of high-ranking Russian officers came on board, treating a gentleman in civilian attire with the greatest deference. We discovered later that the Russian Ambassador to Tokyo, Baron von Rosen, was travelling to Kobe with his family. When we passed the Russian warships, the crew of the cruiser "Russia" stood at attention in his honor, while the band played. The captain also informed us that the American Ambassador and his wife, Mr. & Mrs. Buck, were among the passengers and would be travelling with us to Yokohama. We do not have the slightest objection to this type of company, especially since both families are composed of the most amiable people. I put an end to my indisposition with a day of hunger and sleep and am now feeling like my old self again, ready to enjoy life. Monday, I felt out of sorts, to quote the late Professor Schneider.

The steamers which ply the regular route between Yokohama - Kobe Shimonoseki - Nagasaki - Shanghai should really not be recommended for tourist travel because they pass the most interesting points of the Inland Sea at night. This being the time of the full moon, I was the only passenger on deck til past midnight, enjoying the glorious hours and unextinguishable impressions (strange firecracker! ) ( (Inside family joke?? -- original translator)).

This body of water upon which we will spend 20 hours reaches at times a width of 40 miles, while narrowing at other times to just a few hundred feet. The vessel wends its way along the twists and turns of the passage, presenting us with an ever changing picture. Try to imagine the Norwegian coast, to which this Strait can be compared, but instead of bare rocks, which also exist here, there are islands and islets of wonderland shapes, beautifully wooded and planted. There is a sea alive with hundreds of fishing boats with their green and red lights blinking and gliding over the dark waters like will-o'-the-wisps. Whenever the passage narrows, we encounter brigantines and steam-boats which seem to fly towards the larger vessel. Within a few minutes, I counted two steamers and 14 sailing vessels which slipped past us so closely that we could almost touch their sails. What a picture among the grotesquely-shaped rocks bathed in the moonlight! It was simply fascinating and I found it very difficult to tear myself away to retire. It was a pity that Mother could not enjoy this sight with me, but she prudently avoided exposing herself to the night air.

For a few hours, the ship puts in at Shimonoseki which has become quite a well-known spot lately on account of the Peace Treaty between China and Japan. It is developing into a commercial city of some importance and several businesses of the Japanese trading centers have opened agencies there. German politics which had aided Russia and France in keeping Japan away from the mainland, had fostered bitterness towards Germans among the Japanese, who could not understand Germany's interest in the matter. Purportedly this is the reason for declining Prince Heinrich's visit to Japan, stating that they could not vouch for his safety. They referred to the attack by a policeman on the life of the present Emperor of Russia when he was crown prince. Also, they are not too well-disposed toward Prince Heinrich, because the Japanese newspapers reported that he had made disparaging remarks about the Japanese military establishment. I do not believe that, because the prince is an avowed enemy of public speeches. When the German merchants of Hong Kong wanted to honor him with a dinner, he accepted only on condition that no official speeches would be forthcoming. He said that he had had enough of it when he had gone through the farewells from his imperial brother on his trip to China.

Mentioning Hong Kong, reminds me of the story of the local Chinese ship-handler who supplies provisions to the Lloyd - he named his son Otto Bismarck and regularly sends our Kaiser a New Year's telegram. This is supposed to have procured the title "Purveyor to His Majesty" for the father. I saw a photograph of the adult Bismarck II in Captain von Bardeleben's quarters on the "Karlsruhe".

April 28, 1899, in the morning.

On the 26th at 6 a.m., we arrived in Kobe where the steamer had to remain according to schedule until the morning of the 27th. The weather was beautiful and we decided to make an excursion to the so-called Maiko Park. Kobe is a very bustling harbor from whence goods from Kyoto and Osaka are shipped. The latter town of about 600,000 inhabitants has earned the name of "the Japanese Manchester", because of its large spinning and weaving mills. The town, including the native section, has wide streets and to some extent even sidewalks, which even Yokohama does not have to offer. Otherwise the streets of Japan are macadamized, serving pedestrians and all types of vehicles. One is in the same situation as in the alleys of Naples, except that one becomes more mud-spattered in

bad weather. The Orient Hotel is comfortable and we even discovered some streets with European stores.

After a train ride of about 40 minutes, with the Japanese mountains on one side and the ever-moving ocean on the other, we arrived in Maiko. Mother inquired with some amazement, "Where is the park?". Our guide sounded almost hurt when he answered, "You are in it." Several hundred Scottish pines stood scattered along the sandy shore, belonging to a near-by temple. They are most impressive because of their age, reputed to be 700 years, and their bizarre shapes. Along the beach are some 20 teahouses against a background of wooded hills.

While our guide was preparing the tiffin we had brought along, in one of the teahouses, we took a little stroll along the beach and were lost in contemplation and memories of similar beaches at home. After our shoes had been wrapped carefully, we were allowed to step over the matting and climb a set of steep stairs to be fed. In a room with a sweeping view of the ocean, the table was set invitingly and we enjoyed our tête-à-tête. The female attendants here also called me Daibutsu. Although, I am pleased with the divine veneration, I would like to erase the feature that marks me as such (the obesity).

After the meal, we sat in the sand reading and cat napping. Mother tried to attract the attention of some Japanese children but did not succeed at first because they were afraid. After a while, they became more trusting and sat with her, sharing her chocolates and finally they all gathered pebbles. A little idyll that should have been painted. An hour later we returned, dined on board and spent the evening reading, then retired early.

As I already mentioned, the sea was pleasant. When sailing around the Cape of Kushimoto, the direction of the waves and the current collided, the vessel danced about for two hours, sufficiently so that a number of ladies, including Mother, were convinced to avoid the dining salon. It seems to me to be badly planned to pass this always turbulent spot at dinnertime. A lady in a neighboring stateroom burst a blood vessel. As her personal maid was seasick, the stewardess had to look after her and could not give Mother proper attention. Thus, Mother was not served any food. She became upset and talked herself into becoming seasick until she finally succeeded around bedtime, even though by then the sea was quite calm again. After a good night's sleep, she was ravenously hungry for breakfast and now sits on deck reading, all comfy and cozy.

We have just passed our old friend, Mount Fujiyama, hiding his snow-covered head in the clouds, and should arrive in Yokohama in about three hours. We hope to find good accommodations arranged for by our old friend, Eppinger of the Grand, to whom we had already sent congratulatory messages on his 69th birthday. It would be pleasant to have a little comfort and particularly to find a great deal of mail which would stimulate and refresh us. The telegram (to Eppinger) was not meant to insinuate ourselves into his good graces, as is meant by the saying "throwing a sprat to catch a herring". It was occasioned by admiration for a capable and diligent man, a pioneer of freedom and unity for Germany, who in 1848 was involved with Struwe, Hecker and Siegel in the Baden revolution and who fled, via Switzerland, to America. After many adventures, he landed here at last and despite his age is very active. The same reason led the father of Mr. Calmann (New York) to America. Much youthful exuberance was part of that revolution and it is good when young people are capable of enthusiasm. We are now enjoying the results of this movement, and its victims have become completely reconciled and are good, German patriots.

Pour comble le bonheur we have had the Belgian commercial attache and his wife on board since leaving Kobe. With much love from Mother, Your Father, Magnus.

Tokyo (Japan)

Imperial Hotel, May 3, 1899.

My Dear Children,

As expected, we found mail from our loved ones when we arrived in Yokohama on Friday, the 28th, and a second delivery followed a few days later. The reports now bring us up to March 21 for Mannheim, March 23 for Koenigsberg , and March 25 for Naples . Since you assume that a letter to Japan takes six weeks we shall not be expecting any more news from you before the end of the month, in San Francisco. I shall be sending these lines by the steamer departing on the 5th via Vancouver and think that you will receive them within a month.

We remained in Yokohama until yesterday, living quietly and nursing a chill we had taken. We have recuperated thanks to the nice warm weather. We started celebrating our 41st anniversary yesterday with beautiful flowers which I had ordered for Mother. We continued with a champagne lunch and ended it solemnly with loving thoughts for our children, particularly the Londoners ' for whom May 2nd has a special meaning.

The ride here took about one hour. The hotel is pleasant and quiet and we do not have the feeling of being in a city of a million inhabitants. During the day, it was raining heavily so that we could do very little. I drove out to the university to present Chief Justice Mosse's letter of introduction to Professor Dr. L. Riess. He received me very pleasantly and put himself at my disposal. I really could not think of any way that I would impose on him since we plan to leave here by Saturday at the latest. We plan to spend 5-6 days in the mountains at Miyanoshita and surroundings to gather up strength for the long sea voyage. I have also given up plans to visit Nikko, partly because I dread a train ride of 7½ hours duration, and particularly because I do not want to belabor my enjoyment. After seeing Dr. Riess, I went to call on our ambassador, Count von Leyden, so that I could thank him personally for the invitation to the Mikado's garden party. His Japanese attendant told me in good German that he had gone to Yokohama. The count's villa is located in a beautiful garden near the Imperial Palace. The drive by rickshaw to the university almost took 45 minutes. The design and type of construction are very different from the European concept of a university. The buildings are scattered in a large park about whose dimensions I have not the slightest idea. The section which I traversed is at least twice the size of our Koenigsgarten. It appears that all institutions connected with the university are located here, also residences of the professors and teachers. It is almost like a small city by itself. There are supposedly about 1500 students enrolled in the various departments of science, jurisprudence, medicine, engineerinq, literature, philosophy, and agriculture. The nucleus from which this institution of learning developed, since 1856, was the introduction of a school report or certificate, but as they call it "examination of writings of the barbarians". There seems to be no room for theology.

May 4, 1899.

What does a person do in a foreign country when he is on his own and it is raining cats and dogs? He goes to the theatre. There is no choice here as there is only one, the Kabuki Theatre. There is no such thing as a Court Theatre. The Imperial Family is only interested in the dance, and performances are at the palace for them. This public theatre was dedicated in 1893 and it was the only time that the Mikado was here.

One must put aside all European conception regarding the local theatre, although the building greatly surpasses the temporary shed we saw in Singapore. This is a wooden structure in the Japanese style, with a veranda circling the building that serves as a foyer for the balcony. The orchestra pit is a large space divided into squares of four seats each. They are not furnished with chairs, but merely allow room for four squatting people who balance precariously on the inch-wide slats of their seats.

On each side of the orchestra pit a 3-foot wide cat-walk leads from the actors' dressing-rooms to the stage, and all participants enter and exit in this fashion. On each side of these catwalks the orchestra boxes are located, and on the floor above are the balcony boxes, also prepared for four people. For Europeans chairs are placed wherever needed, though the ladies usually prefer to sit on the clean bamboo mats, as the lack of a guard rail might provoke vertigo. A box in the balcony goes for 12 yen, or 24 Marks, or 6 Marks per seat, which are also available singly.

The performance lasts from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., with various lengthy intermissions for meals. It is just like in Bayreuth , except that Wagner does not demand such endurance of his good Germans. We endured it for almost three hours, seeing the third act of the first play and then another one later. These are episodes from Japanese history, presented in the childlike interpretation of a bygone period and do not seem to have lost their attraction over the years. I estimated the audience to be about 1,500. The theatre was sold out and there seems to be a large demand. The theatrical season was to last for 25 days, but has been extended by five days.

Danjuro and Kiskugeso, mimes of the first rank, are performing. The former is an old man of 65, who no doubt will retire soon from the stage. Danjuro is revered here, as we revere Devrient.

A French actress, who made her theatrical debut here, has considered it a great honor to have appeared on stage with him. His admirers have ordered a silk curtain to be embroidered for him in Kyoto at a cost of $5,000 and have presented it to him. Nevertheless, it was an interesting performance since it introduced us to the customs and habits of old Japan. The audience also furnished us with much to talk about. The orchestra, consisting of drums, several stringed instruments and rattles sounded incredibly horrible.

The cloakroom was peculiar in appearance, being an unpaved, un-planked anteroom with bundles of umbrellas, shoes, and clogs piled on top of each other. It is a mystery to me how these people find their way through all this. In the theatre the Japanese wear slippers. In bad weather they wear a wooden clog, instead of rubbers. The clog being a wooden board shaped to the foot, resting on two cross-boards and attached to the foot by cords. (ed. Here was a drawing, but I added a photo)

0n hard ground they make sounds like wooden harmonicas and at times one might think they were tuned. Behrend, the Japan enthusiast, would say, "Everything in Japan is harmonious." I am sending you the story of the plays by book mail and enclose the ticket stubs.

Today the heavens smile again and we have sunshine and warmth. We shall devote our day to parks, temples, etc. First, we went to Shiba Park where we carefully looked at one of the many temples and mausoleums of the various Shogun dynasties. Great stress is put on carving, lacquer work and inlaid metal work which should prove of great interest to the connoisseur. The design and architecture are similar to other buildings of this type and it is very difficult for me to give you a graphic description. Temples and cemeteries are more than 300 years old. We are constantly surprised at seeing so many temples in this country, but take our many churches in stride. These temples are richly decorated and are places of worship for the Japanese and to this day are visited by devout pilgrims.

Since 1893, there exists here a "Welcome Society of Japan" which has set itself the task of furthering social intercourse and understanding between natives and foreigners. It offers counsel and advice to travellers. Among its duties are the supervision of guides, advice to tourists, introduction to natives, and provision of tickets to certain buildings and events usually not open to the general public. This is an excellent institution and one becomes a member by purchasing a map of Japan for the price of 50 sen = 1 Mark. With the aid of this society, we were recommended to the musical academy which we visited today. Mother particularly wanted to satisfy her curiosity and discover if the musical level in Japan was really as underdeveloped as we had heard. Equipped with tickets of admission, we betook ourselves to a building situated in Ueno Park. We were shown around in most friendly fashion past single cell-like rooms, where students were practising on ante-diluvium instruments. Then we were taken to a room where the present director where the present director of the academy, Mr. Junker, teaches. He is a student of Joseph Joachim, and had recently been appointed as successor to the Austrian, Mr. Diedrichs, who had died three years ago. Acceeding to our request, he had a six-year student perform a violin concerto with the assurance and purity of tone of a professional. It was very well played. He predicts a bright musical future for the Japanese. Mr. Junker lives in Yokohama, where able musicians can be found among the foreigners. On Thursday, the 11th, we hope to acquaint ourselves with this, when he shall listen to some quartet performances.

Count von Leyden presented his card today and I have just talked to Professor Knuth, who arrived from Nikko.

I have much more to tell you but it is 9:30 and the last mail collection is at 10:00. The next letter will probably travel with us to San Francisco. God bless you! With love,

Your Father, Magnus.

Excerpt from destined from a description on Japan by Professor Dr. Knuth, of Kiel, publication in the Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung.

"An invitation to a Japanese dinner was of great interest to me. We left our shoes at the entrance and were led over soft matting to a completely unfurnished room upstairs. After a square ½" thick pillow had been placed on the matting for each vistor, -we were asked to sit down. Several maidens with butterfly coiffures appeared and bowed deeply while kneeling, placing their hands flatly on the floor and touching it with their foreheads. Next, they served each guest with a cup of colorless strong tea, as well as with a few pieces of marzipan, shaped and tinted like maple leaves. They also placed before each guest a porcelain bowl of glowing coals so that he might be able to warm his hands or light his cigar. After some time, two small square tables, about 15-20 centimeters high, were placed in front of each guest. These were closely laden with a variety of dishes with foods, and then followed an uninterrupted succession of further dishes. Instead of knives and forks we were given chopsticks. We non-Japanese were taught their use by our Japanese friends or by the maidens who were sitting with each of us. One of the sticks is placed between thumb and hand and secured with the fingernail of the ring finger so that it remains immobile during use. The second stick is held between the tip of the thumb and the index finger and rests lightly on the top of the middle finger. This second stick is moved freely against the first one so that one picks up food as if with tweezers. In the beginning this mode of handling food presents great difficulties. Much to the amusement of the more practiced user, the novice of this art drops many a bite already fancied to be in his mouth! There is many a slip between chopstick and lip! After a short time we seem to have mastered the art though lapses into the old clumsiness are not rare.

Another great difficulty is sitting cross-legged on a flat surface. Already after a few minutes, one feels barely able to continue in this position, but no matter, the meal is only about to start. To begin with, large sugar-coated biscuits were served. Then came a soup with small pieces of meat ( it was served in lacquered bowls, and the soup is sipped) followed by two kinds of raw fish, one with white and one with red flesh. Both are very tender and tasty, the red one having a flavor something between salmon and ham. I sampled everyone of the many tasty courses, some of which I noted: a warm mixture of whole fish and pieces of meat, with lemon peel, shreds of poultry with completely shattered bones, different sized shells and mussels of various kinds, delicate bamboo sprouts, grated turnip, two kinds of seaweed (one soft and brown, the other green and gristly), fried sole, several other kinds of fried fish, for each one of us a whole large fried fish, boiled lily corms, stewed pears, a fish pudding, two kinds of soup with meatballs, fish, omelets, and poultry pieces. For dessert, oranges and dates (Matthew: that would be Japanese kaki or persimmon, which are dried and very common as a snack or dessert in Japan. Dates are to this day, almost unknown) were served, followed by another fish soup with fish pudding. As beverage, tea is served or a drink brewed from rice and called Sake, tasting like a mixture of Sherry and Whiskey. The drink is served warm in very small flattish porcelain bowls. The diners were entertained by the geishas who are sitting in front of each guest. They sing rather melodious songs, accompanying themselves on a rattling three-stringed mandolin, or they perform slow and dignified dances."

Fujiya Hotel (Hakone) (Japan) May 9, 1899.

My Dear Children!

You may have received the last letter, sent via Vancouver on the 5th. These lines will probably travel with us on the "China" via San Francisco. In the meantime, we received a dear letter from Hanna and Theodor, dated March 29, containing interesting news about Theodor's activities. Before continuing with descriptions of our adventures, I would like to mention a few things that I had omitted, such as the Geisha dances in Kyoto and the evening on board the ship in Kobe.

The performance of the Miyakodori only takes place once a year during the Cherry Blossom Festival in April. The most beautiful and most graceful of Japan's girls are chosen and trained for months The theatre consists of a large mat-covered room and a similar gallery with a balcony. On the latter are a few benches for Europeans. Just as in the Tokyo theatre, the orchestra space is flanked by two 3-foot wide catwalks which lead from the dressing-rooms to the stage. Behind this, the orchestra and the choir are seated on two raised platforms. As in every Japanese house, the Japanese remove their shoes or clogs when entering this sanctuary and slip into straw sandals. Our feet were placed inside of fabric covers. Five performances are presented between 5 and 10 p.m., each one lasting about 45 minutes. When we arrived, the performance had not yet ended and we were ushered to an ante-room where we were offered tea, cakes and sweets as guests of the Geishas. Squatting on a platform, one of the dancers attired in very elegant Japanese clothes, prepares the tea which is then served in miniature cups by nimble young girls who bow deeply. Along the wall, natives and Europeans are seated, who express their thanks with a bow. The same procedure takes place when the cup is collected. A charming picture of Japanese politeness.

At the beginning of the performance, eight dancers march on stage from the left, as well as the right side, using the catwalks. They execute their gyrations to sounds of music that could melt stones and could drive a man insane. The decorations change, as they are supposed to depict the four seasons. It can hardly be called a dance but rather a series of graceful movements, with many elegant bows. The coquettish handling of the fan plays an important role. I had more than enough after three quarters of an hour as there is a certain monotony in these dances. Others are much enthused, the Japanese become enraptured. The theatre was sold out to the last seat. We are bringing home some photographs which should give you a clear picture. The First Class admission fee is 30 sen = 60 Pfennig per person.

The evening in Kobe offered a picture of poetic atmosphere, such as one experiences rarely. The Kobe Maru, our steamer, rode at anchor, busy taking on cargo and was surrounded by hundreds of vessels. The huge transoceanic steamers bathed in electric light were particularly striking. There was a large number of small craft bobbing about like will-o'-the-wisps. The quay with its many buildings bathed in light completed the picture. In the background was the mountain chain with its grotesque shapes, the lighted villas twinkling along the mountain spurs. Above it all shone a full moon with her magic light that brought out all contours sharply. A picture in the grand manner, stirring the imagination to the fullest.

It is the peculiarity of all the vessels on which we have travelled, in Chinese and Japanese waters, that they contain an armory which is well stocked with guns, sabers and hatchets. This institution probably dates back to the times when piracy was in full flower in these waters. Only when European warships were stationed near harbors along the coast did this piracy come to an end.

During our voyage on the Inland Sea, we met a German merchant from Kiaochow, originally from Kiel. Mr. and Mrs. Diedrichsen had welcomed our fellow passengers from the Prinz Heinrich then travelling to Kiaochow and had become acquainted with them. In this way, we received an insight into the bustle and activities of this latest of German possessions. The firm of Diedrichsen, Ibsen and Co., is the representative of the North German Lloyd, and as the head of the company informed me, the company already covers its rather high expenses. He also told me that it is impossible to keep an agent there for less than 5,000 Mark annually, of which two thirds go for food and rent expenses. We met Professor Knuth again in Tokyo and here also. He knows Diedrichsen to be one of the wealthiest men in Kiel, who has just had the misfortune to inherit 10 million Marks from an uncle in Hamburg. This is supposed to be the reason for his voyage to Europe. He owns the most beautiful villa in Kiel. Our Kaiser was negotiating for it but he paid 300,000 Marks more than our Kaiser wanted to invest.

The British control of travellers in every port is a great bother on sea voyages in Japan. The First Class does not have to line up for inspection, but the doctors come to the staterooms even during the night and snoop around. The entire affair is more like a farce, a far cry from a serious inspection.

We have been invited at various times to take part in a Japanese meal but have always declined. It is not much to our liking to squat for several hours or to sit on our knee, or to possibly have to choke down a menu of some twenty courses while lying prone on our stomach. Professor Knuth, Dr. Vosswinkel and Mr. De Weerth took part in one of these banquets, and I shall try and obtain a bill of fare. They suffered for several days from painful joints, due to the unaccustomed position. We have been eating the new crop of vegetables for weeks already: peas, green beans, spinach, potatoes, asparagus; add to this the various vegetables unknown to us at home such as bamboo shoots and lily roots which have a pleasant taste. However, we could not develop a taste for lotus root which is also eaten here. (We had fresh strawberries regularly for breakfast at the Grand Hotel). Neither could we bring ourselves to eat raw flesh, which is torn off the living fish and which is supposed to be very tasty. There is only one step from oyster to raw fish, and to cannibalism. The Japanese have one bad habit, which I do not want to omit mentioning, and that is the audible belching after a meal. This is considered to be politeness toward the host, and it is far from suppressed. As is known, the Chinese consider it an act of courtesy if the visible process of digestion still takes place in their home. To each his own!

The four days in Yokohama, from Friday the 26th to Tuesday the 30th, passed rather uneventfully. The weather was not inclement but we were not very enterprising. Both of us had bad coughs and wanted to recuperate. While there, we received a letter of welcome from Deacon who is making his 30th voyage to China and regretted not being able to meet with us. I was interested to find out if many Jews were living in Japan. A large number of them are said to be living in Nagasaki, having mainly immigrated from Russia, and now have established religious institutions. About 30 families are living in Yokohama, but are not much in contact with each other. Though lately, they are said to have banded together to form an association to aid fellow Jews in need, when they are passing through. Eppinger was to have introduced me to several, but he became ill and took to his bed for several days. Even our guide had come down with influenza, while we were on the Inland Sea and had to rest.

Takahashi was a teacher and preacher by profession, but due to a mild stroke had to abandon this line of work. Being an idealist and a visionary he was ill suited for the practical profession of a guide. His substitute, Yamasaki, is a wine salesman by trade and does more justice to being a guide, although his knowledge of the English language leaves much to be desired. The guides form a guild under a chairman, and are liable for each other. The institution seems to be in much need of further development. Both representatives whom we hired were more like messengers than guides, in the proper sense of the word. Their honorarium is a modest $2.50 5 Marks per day for one to two persons, with a charge of 1 Mark for each additional person. They take care of their own food.

We could not completely repress our thirst for action in Yokohama and decided to take a tour to Kamakura and its temple. At one time, this was a capital of Japan with almost one million inhabitants but the town has now shrunk to a small seaside resort, with only a few scattered blocks hinting to its former size. The location is charming. There is a hotel or sanitarium existing with an ocean view, and surrounded by wooded hills which are the spurs of the distant mountains. Temples are unavoidable. To start with, we had to pay a visit to the Temple of the War God, Hachiman. The entrance to all temples is almost identical: a wooden gate, or occasionally one of bronze, in the baroque Japanese style, an avenue of old trees, lotus ponds and then several stone steps leading to the sanctuary. As a souvenir of the last Chinese war several captured bombs have been set up at the foot of the steps. Then comes the temple with the large bronze figure in the center, and various other gods in the four corners. One of these seemed to be an Aesculapius and appeared to be covered with a great mass of paper lumps. The faithful chew the paper and then try aiming at the precise spot of the figure that causes them pain. If he aims properly, the patient is sure to be relieved of his pain. Several antiques from Japanese history, worn occasionally during processions, such as armor, sabers, etc. and belonging to Japanese heroes are stored here in the Cave of the Priests.

The great Buddha "Daibutsu" is a piece of art of the first magnitude, 49 ft. high, with all other dimensions in proper proportions. The eyes are fashioned of pure gold. The silver ball set into the fore-head is said to weigh 30 lbs. The calm face expresses sublime grandeur. This bronze statue blends particularly well with its surroundings. It stands free in a wide open space in the middle of a forest. The temple structure which had originally protected the statue was repeatedly damaged and finally destroyed by tidal waves. The most attractive feature of the third temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, was its location atop a jutting promontory with a grandiose view of the coastline and the Plains of Kamakura.

After an hour's ride by rickshaw, we reached the Enoshima Peninsula where a festival was being celebrated that day, which had brought throngs of pilgrims. We had to give up our visit there, because walking would have taken about one hour and would have been too strenuous for Mother. It would have meant traversing a rather high dune and the rather strong sea breeze stirred up much sand. One can only set foot on this peninsula at low tide. At its. furthest point, there is a cave of huge dimensions. There, so legend has it, a dragon dwelt who devoured the children of the vicinity. The problem was solved much more ingeniously than in our fables. During an earthquake the goddess Benten appears among the clouds, the island rises from the sea, the goddess proposes marriage to the dragon and is accepted, and the husband becomes accustomed to nourishment other than children's flesh.

The journey on the dusty road agreed with us better than we deserved. Upon our time in Tokyo I already have reported. We briefly visited the newly established museum there, to see a valuable collection of, ethnographic artefacts and craft objects. Being a good Prussian, who had played with soldiers since infancy, I set out one morning to visit the big parade grounds and watched the infantry, cavalry and artillery exercising. According to my humble opinion, the Japanese are doing very well. My judgment is untroubled by expert knowledge. We also paid a visit to the horticultural Gardens but were not impressed by the conservatories. Ours are far from inferior - besides we may have become somewhat blase after just having been in the tropics. The landscaped portion is beautiful. Within a small area forests, rocks, ponds, waterfalls and cascades are most tastefully arranged. The Japanese are great artists with impeccable taste in establishing this type of agricultural garden in the smallest space.

It was very interesting for us to see an amateur play for the benefit of the "Welcome to Foreigners Society" . The play, "On Exchange" by Dr. von Moser was performed rather well by amateurs in the group. The audience was made up of the best elements of European and Japanese society. The Imperial orchestra performed during the intermissions. It was not very good. I understand that the German conductor had recently resigned from his position. Among the public, we saw the Russian and Belgian ambassadors and their ladies whom we remembered from our days on the "Kobe Maru". I am sending you the programs by book mail.

We had planned to leave on Saturday, for Miyanoshita, Hakone, but received a telegram just before our departure informing us that our rooms would only become available on Sunday. We decided to spend another day in Yokohama which is on the way. Our next letter will bring you a report of our wonderful stay at M. It should arrive at the same time as this one. Good night!

Tomorrow at 8 a.m., we are returning to Yokohama where we are to arrive at 1 p.m.. We shall remain there until the departure of the steamer "China" on Saturday the 13th. Much love,

Your Father, Magnus.

Steamer "China", Monday, May 15, 1899

My Dear Children!

For the past two days, we have been floating on the big pond which stretches endlessly between Asia and America, with the prospect of considering this large tub our world until we reach Honolulu in 10 days' time. For companions, it is hoped not companions in suffering, we have about 50 First Class passengers and a great number of Chinese in steerage. But pleasing and elevating thoughts crowd out everything else. We are travelling home and every day brings us closer to our loved ones. It seems as if the long repressed yearning takes an overwheleming possession of all our senses and we are already beginning to paint in our minds vivid pictures of our reunion. Is there a more beautiful thought?

Our last day in Japan was unpleasant.. It was stormy and rainy, large waves tossed about in the harbor and we wondered what the ocean would be like. When embarking on a sea voyage, the motto "A hard beginning maketh a good ending". Impending departure always brings with it a certain amount of excitement. The Grand Hotel had some 30 passengers to bring to the "China" and wanted to transport the large pieces of luggage to the steamer the night before the sailing. Inevitably night fell. Baumbach sings "Between midnight and rooster's song, many things can come along; silence!"

When we awoke, the sun was shining brightly and the sea was smooth. We went on board full of cheer, after having said our farewells at the hotel to our pleasant travelling-companions, De Weerth, a young lawyer, and Vosswinkel, a doctor of medicine; Schmidt-Scharff called on us on board. Professor Knuth is travelling with us. He is supposed to have written an epoch-making work on floral biology.

May 15, 1899.

It is difficult on board ship to find several consecutive hours in which to write without being disturbed. The best steamer on this route, the "China", is so crowded that almost every cabin is occupied by three people. The drawing salon, as well as the rather small smoking salon are always crowded with noisy people. There is little free space in the dining salon where three meals daily are served in two sittings. And a good German needs his Skat from time to time. We had made arrangements for that weeks ago. Callmann and Blumenthal insist on it and I say "Drag me, I shall follow gladly!"

May 18, 1899 5 p.m.

This is how far I had gotten two days ago, when Professor Knuth brought me his description of the Japanese dinner which I am copying for you. The Hartung'sche Zeitung might find it of interest. We now have five days of sea travel behind us, covering 350-360 miles daily so that we should be able to complete the approx. 3,400 miles to Honolulu in nine to ten days. The weather leaves nothing to be desired. The temperature remains between 65⁰F (18⁰C) and 68 F (20 C), so that even at night we can sleep with the windows open. The ship rolls slightly today, but it does not seem to bother anyone. After all, we are all seasoned travelers. Management, food, etc. cannot compare with those of the Lloyd. Nothing is done for our entertainment. For a couple of evenings there was gambling, but it seems to have been prohibited. We have a contrivance here, unknown to me until now, called a "plounge bath". It is made of sailcloth, small in size and kept on deck, with a permanent circulation of seawater, regulated by a pump. So far, we have only encountered one ship, the "Coptic", out of San Francisco which appeared the second day out. We seem to be in a secluded atmosphere of sky and water and the only breaks in the monotony of nautical life are herds of dolphins turning somersaults. This is always an event which brings everyone on deck. Whales supposedly have been sighted, but not by me.

The evening of chamber music on Thursday the 11th, in Yokohama was splendid. Mozart's G-minor quintet was well performed. The piano solos, played by Professor von Koeber, an amateur from the Tokyo university and a German from the Russian Baltic provinces, were artistic achievements. The concert surpassed our symphony concerts in length, so we preferred to skip the last number and walk back to our hotel. It gave us a strange feeling to realize that we were marching alone at 11:30 p.m. along the empty and dimly lit streets of Yokohama. Professor Junker had promised us a visit on Friday and we were looking forward to becoming better acquainted with him. However, he stayed away without any excuse whatever and as we were planning to leave the following day, this mystery will never be solved.

Now to our excursion into the Hakone mountains. Until then, we had spent most of our time in cities and had only occasionally journeyed into the environs. We had seen much that was faded and decrepit, belonging to a far-removed era of culture. We had gazed at the dead magnificence of a past that we do not understand. We had seen architecture that was foreign to us in taste and form, and were fatigued at times by the repetitive similarity of structures and surroundings. Now, we were off to see Nature, eternally young.

Mountains are the epitome of the Japanese landscape. It was raining heavily and we were concerned with the thought of what would happen if we encountered inclement weather in the mountains. In fairly low spirits, we met with professor Knuth and his companion, a Japanese botanist, Dr. Kohei Onuma. This gentleman had never been outside of Japan, but spoke rather fluent German. At times, he seemed more familiar with the scientific name of plants, trees and ----- than our professor.

A train ride of almost two hours brought us to Kozu. From there, we went by tramway for 1½ hours to Yumoto, where we had some light refreshments at a teahouse. We walked to Miyanoshita from there, while Mother was being conveyed in a sedan-chair, by four coolies. The path led along a raging brook which formed lovely ravines and graceful cascades, with magnificent vegetation on both sides. The forest consists mostly of cedars, maples and bamboo with a few deciduous and coniferous trees among them. Blooming magnolias are no rarity. The underbrush consisted of camellias, bamboo bushes, weigelia, which had ceased to bloom, and strawberry bushes. On the slopes were blooming rhododendrons, and red and lavender azaleas that were a riot of color among the various greens of the trees. Professor Knuth insists, and rightly so, that our most beautiful garden plants come from Japan, originally. What we barely manage to raise to a somewhat pitiful growth, thrives here with incredible abundance. The wisteria vine with its long clusters of blossoms grows wild here, as well as do pomegranates. It appeared to be a vast garden with all the charm of a magnificent landscape, just like in Switzerland. The mountains rise to about 4,000 ft. The volcano Fujiyama reaches a height of 12,000 to 13,000 ft.

The rains subsided. After a walk of about two hours, during which we were botanizing and talking animatedly, we arrived in the Miyanoshita Valley, about 1,500 ft. high. The Fujiya Hotel is charmingly located. It is surrounded by high mountains and overlooking the path upon which we had just come. The air was fragrant and free of dust. The hotel was built in the Japanese manner and is under exemplary management. Room and board were good, and the service courteous. Neatness and cleanliness were absolutely astounding. Our first thought was that it seemed a pity, that we had not come there much sooner for a longer stay. However, we had purposely planned this excursion toward the end of our visit to Japan, hoping to have warm pleasant weather. Indeed, we were fortunate during our four-day stay to have had the best possible climes.

Promptly at 8 the next morning, we undertook a beautiful excursion through these mountains to Ashinoyu and Hakone. I went with Professor Knuth arid Onuma, while Mother remained behind. This walking-tour took more than five hours and to be on the safe side I ordered a sedan-chair with four coolies to come along. A second one with two porters was needed for our guide and for food. We made up quite a caravan. The pay for each coolie was 70 sen or 1.40 Marks so that this was not a very expensive luxury. The three-hour walk to the teahouse on Lake Hakone was not strenuous at all. It offered a great variety of sights - all the way to Tokyo Bay, into the valley and ravines, and over the Water. All about us were gently murmuring brooks, several hot springs and waterfalls. The latter being gentle and not very powerful. Along the way, we noticed several bathing and watering hotels, mainly for the use of the natives. Here the sexes bathe freely together, receiving spectators with loud giggles. Along the way, we encountered a large number of Buddhas and other idols, some very artistic, carved into the rock. As we took a turn in the path, there was Lake Hakone with the mighty cone of Fujiyama, partially covered with snow and glittering in the clear sunlight, towering like a king above all the other mountains. The effect was incredibly beautiful and imposing. While we had our lunch in a teahouse on the lake, we had a magnificent view of the mountain in all its glory, though at a great distance.

The reception at such a teahouse seems rather amusing, due to the exaggerated courtesy of the hostess and the serving maid who repeatedly bow almost to the ground. The serving attendants did not leave us alone for an instant, dancing attendance and slipping and flitting about, alert to each signal. The unpretentious moderation of these people is truly amazing, considering the fact that we had brought our own food and aside from a bottle of beer or a cup of tea, we did not consume anything. I do not think that we paid more than 2 marks for the use of the room, service and gratuities. Rested and refreshed, we seated ourselves in an available boat, while another one received our porters and baggage. We were rowed along the lake for an hour and enjoyed the charming surroundings and a cigar. The return journey took about another three hours, over a most uncomfortable path climbing rather precipitously at times until we reached the spa Ubago which offered a similar view of bathers that we had had in the morning. The sulphur springs cure rheumatism and rashes. The bathing tanks do not seem very inviting for this reason. At one of the scenic spots we met a German, a carpenter who sailed out of Bremen, and who had come here to take the cure.

Then we arrived at the roughest stage of our tour. Burned out craters, lava and rising steam indicated that we were travelling over volcanic ground. The audible bubbling sound of boiling water reminded us that volcanic activity was taking place close to the surface, and the thought, that one wrong step might scald us or even dispose of us permanently, was by no means reassuring. We heaved a sigh of relief after we had traversed the Chasm of Ojijoky. Everywhere we saw rivulets of hot water, sulphurous vapors, dead trees and shrubs, and cleft rocks in the most bizarre shapes. A picture of Death and Destruction, a veritable Inferno, it filled us with horror.

On a small plateau surrounded by whirling sulphurous mists, we found Dr. Vosswinkel sitting on a rock. He had made the trip on the previous day with Mr. De Weerth, and had decided at lunch to serve us as a decoration in this landscape of desolation and fright. I would have liked to capture this scene on a photograph. The path became easier and more pleasant. I finally gave in to the repeated urging of the porters. I seated myself in the sedan-chair with a cigar, and for the last hour was carried, not on their hands but on their shoulders. We returned to the hotel at 5:30 p.m. A practical arrangement here is the use of rice-straw sandals which are strapped under shoes for mountain climbing.

Next day, our friends left us to attend the races in Yokohama on Tuesday. The Mikado had promised his attendance and was expected to receive a delegation of foreigners and to accept an address from them. This is an event of the first magnitude and has added greatly to the improvement of conditions between foreigners and natives. If I am not mis-taken, this is the first time that a Japanese ruler has accepted publicly the homage of foreigners. A Via Triumphalis had been erected from the station to the race course, along which the Mikado and his entourage would ride in carriages, to the cheers of the populace. We had passed it last Thursday, but did not consider the occasion important enough to give up our stay in the country, particularly since the garden party had already offered us the opportunity to see the Court and the entire aristocracy of Japan.

We spent three more lovely days in Miyanoshita, taking smaller strolls together while I climbed mountains every morning. My pleasure over the Jewish alliance in Yokohama acquired a slight by-taste. I was asked to donate $10.00 for charitable purposes.

May 19, 1899.

We have passed the 180th meridian, this being the spot where the calendar is adjusted by adding a day, so that this week we shall have two Thursdays. This event happened for the first and probably last time in my life. On the 17th, the anniversary of our betrothal, our thoughts met! After 42 years together we renewed our promise to each other to continue to live together as good friends and hope to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary. The regular peaceful life on board with its unlimited enjoyment of fresh air agrees with Mother far better than her stay in the country. She is much refreshed and improved. Touch wood!

May 20, 1899 6 p.m.

For the past few days the ship has been pitching gently but without any ill effects to the passengers. The air became more and more oppressive until a violent thunderstorm cleared it. The winds have subsided and we should soon have smooth sailing once more. Two days ago, we had a fire-drill as an exercise for the crew. The passengers had been forewarned by an announcement in their staterooms, so that they would not be alarmed. Neverthless, it brought to mind that in case of real danger the ship would have to be abandoned and we would not be able to depend on passing ships for assistance. We are still more than 1,000 miles from Honolulu. The other day, another steamer passed ours, the second in eight days. It is far wiser to suppress all thoughts of danger, otherwise one would be better off not undertaking any sea voyages.

When describing Japanese life, we should not forget to mention prostitution which is a publicly sanctioned institution. One can marry by contract on a time basis, but I understand that lately the terms are limited to three years. The price, payable to the parents, varies between $300 and $3,000. Prostitution occupies an entire section in the city. The, streets are brightly lit, as are the houses, and the girls sit on platforms behind wooden railings around a small coal box which is used for warming themselves and for lighting their small pipes. They are richly dressed in colorful national costumes and look like dolls. Men, women and children stroll along the streets and discover friends or relatives among the girls on exhibition, and engage them in lively conversation. It is not considered offensive to find young girls sitting there, and indeed the casual observer cannot notice anything objectionable. The girls sit there quietly, smoking, powdering their faces or preening in their cages which are only strong enough for naughty birds. Occasionally one finds among them women in simple attire. Those are the ladies of the higher society, who are being exhibited here by their husbands as punishment for adultery and who are available to anyone. This district of Yeddo (Tokuo) is one of the most elegant in the capital and shelters about 4,000 girls. A stay in these quarters is no barrier to marriage. The girls earn their dowry, particularly as dancers without whom no Japanese dinner would be complete. One such Geisha is said to be married to a high Japanese dignitary and fulfils her duties admirably. I would like to make this final statement of my opinion on Japan. The country is one of great scenic beauty, with much change and variety and is also highly cultured, a necessity in helping to support 40 million people.

The older culture which had come from China and Korea has been supplanted during the past thirty years by a European one, but this is only skin deep. What Japan has produced, during this new period, is merely an imitation of European inventions and institutions, and at this they are masters. So far, it has seemed to be beyond them to create anything original. Perhaps it is asking too much in this short time, but I am stating a fact. The foreign businessmen complain about the unreliable character of the Japanese, and Chinese are found in all responsible positions as they are said to be honest and reliable. However, the people have many admirable traits. They are sober, modest, persevering, clean and have great manual dexterity. According to our concepts their morality is still at a very low level and will remain there as long as women are considered chattels. Forces are hard at work to raise the moral standards of the country. Whatever has not yet been achieved, may perchance be reached in another generation. At any rate, it is an interesting country which deserves our admiration. It is an Eldorado for men who value the easy company of women above all else, and it is among these that we find the Japan enthusiasts.

The country possesses a very vast and as yet untapped capital --time. So far, they do not say that "time is money". Small children are pretty and cuddly, as are the young girls, but with age they all remind us of our descent from the ape.