1894.] ESSAYS. 59 



strawberries in abundance — a curious sight in October. Chinatown, 

 in San Francisco, was also visited one evening. 



We left San Francisco Oct. If), on the steamship Peru^ and for 

 twenty days endured an exceptionally rough passage to Yokohama. 

 This city is an interesting sight; rising from the water front, every 

 street has plenty of trees, and the upper branches seem to fill every 

 street above the buildings. No street cars or coaches were awaiting 

 the passengers, but there was many a "rikisha" — a small chaise or 

 gig — in charge of men, who draw their passengers wherever they wish 

 to go. These men will pass over forty to fifty miles per day, drawing 

 this carriage and passenger, and then appear as smiling and happy as 

 if they had made no extra exertion during the day. They are always 

 cheerful and obliging if well treated, and satisfied with fifteen cents 

 per hour for their services. But if slighted, or imposed upon in the 

 least, they not only resent it, but give notice, far and near, of the 

 fact, with such description of the offender that it is difficult for that 

 person to secure any further service from any of this class, wherever 

 he may go. We found the Grand Hotel an excellent one, upon the 

 European plan, but with American viands added to the bill of fare, 

 even Boston baked beans being included. Yokohama is a city of 

 temples and gardens — every family has one of the latter, even if only 

 a very small one. While in Japan I made the most of my time, pass- 

 ing every morning in prospecting, thus gaining much information. 

 Visiting the establishment of Louis Bojhmer & Co., I was invited to 

 lunch, after which he conducted me through his extensive gardens and 

 greenhouses, where everything was in perfect order, and all the stock 

 at its best. Of the large stock of chrysanthemums, I found only one 

 that I cared for, and bought, but selected many other kinds of plants. 

 Observing across the bay a hill covered by foliage and surmounted 

 by a large temple, I went to it one morning; two maidens at the tem- 

 ple entrance beckoned to me to approach. When near the steps, one 

 maiden seized my right foot and offered a slipper to put on it, the 

 other was at my left. I removed my boots, donned the slippers and 

 entered the edifice, which astonished and delighted me by the magnifi- 

 cence of sculpture therein, which represented men, animals, birds and 

 flowers, all executed in the highest style of art. On leaving the 

 temple I noticed a Ginkgo tree on either side of the entrance. They 

 were fifteen feel in diameter and stood one huudred feet high to the 

 lower limbs. They were noble specimens, and their effect was grand. 

 The Cliff Gardens is only one of many pretty spots near Yokohama. 

 There I saw dwarf figures, composed of chrysanthemums, represent- 



