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after the gong had called us to our last meal on the ship, for at eleven o’clock we expected to reach Yokohama, twenty miles up this beautiful bay.
Trunks are packed and baggage put in order for shore, stovepipe hats replace the wideawakes and Scotch caps, which have seen service on ship board, and after breakfast all are gathered on the upper deck as We pass the light ship and carefully thread our way through the fleet of foreign ships anchored in front of the city. Besides the eight war vessels, two, each, of French, American, British and German, there are now in this port over fifty sailing ships and fifteen steamers, representing every maritime nation in the world. The gun is fired, the anchor dropped, and the wheels stop for the first time since leaving San Francisco.
Trim looking beats come along side from the different men-of war for letters and papers, for we bring ten days later news from the seat of war in Europe. We recognize the tricolored flag, and notice the disappointed looks of the French officer when told of the surrender of Metz. The steward and waiters are especially polite this morning and have an expectant air as they help us off with our baggage. We go ashore in a Japanese boat which lands us at the custom house pier, where we submit our trunks to the inspection of the officials, two-sworded men, in semi-European uniform, wearing no hats, but sometimes carrying one under the arm. They are very civil, and take our word that we have nothing subject to duty, which may be a rash statement, as we profess to know little about Japan “tariffs.” A crowd of coolies surround us, each eager for the job of carrying our baggage to the International Hotel. These fellows are both dirty and ragged—if the latter term is possible, in view of the small amount of clothing they wear—but they are faithful and honest, fat and jolly, and satisfied with what seems to us very trifling compensation for their labor.
Yokohama is situated on the south shore of the bay of Yeddo, and contains about 35,000 inhabitants. It is one of the four ports open to foreigners, and has nearly all the export trade of Japan. Along the Bund facing the harbor are the foreign commercial houses, mostly twe stories high, built of stone, and many of them enclosed in substantial stone walls. Each enclosure is
