A Trip Around the World, 1910-1911

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[begin crossed out] whereupon I flung him. [end crossed out] Cost me 40 sen to mend my breeches, [begin crossed out] but I think he got hurt some! [end crossed out]

In the afternoon we went to the Queen's Tomb, and here again we found the spirit of the East unhampered by Occidental influence. The grotesque figures about the tomb are as odd as if they had come from Mars. Had an amusing experience with a little peasant boy carrying an enormous load of hay. Stopped sometime waiting for car and watched men at work in rice fields.

After dusk went into temple of the God of War, The attendant lighting all the candles for us, making a most weird scene as Ash and I wandered around among the grimly queer images.

After tea we took a walk among the shops.

October 15th. Ash having left, after despatching some mail I called on Mr. Scidmore, American Consul-General, and Mr. Gould, Vice-Consul. Then went to see Rev. Mr. Bunker, a delightful Methodist missionary. In the afternoon he and I made a tour of the town. I [begin crossed out] then [end crossed out] called on Rev. J. S. Gale, Presbyterian, and while waiting for him had the pleasure of meeting some charming American or English girls--just how charming they are it takes a trip like this to discover! Also had some chocolate cake--the first since I left home! Highly interesting talk with Mr. Gale and Mr. Gould.

October 16th. Spent on railway, my only English-speaking companions being Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bennett of the Unsan Gold Mine, bride and

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groom, both from Indiana. He has been here about three years and she has just come over and they were married on the 13th. He told me some very interesting stories. About midnight left car and went up Yalu River to Antung, stopping at a Japanese hotel for the night.

October 17th.

Bright and early caught the little box-car affair on the narrow-gauge railway and started on my two days journey to Mukden. The country is surpassingly beautiful, the October weather at its loveliest, the mountain sir most exhilarating, and I entirely forgot the discomforts of my car in my enjoyment of the scenery. Stopped for tiffin at an engineers' club, and at night reached the Nisshin Hotel, where Mr. Hirishima of the Mitsui Co., Tokyo, also stopped. He thinks something should be done to dissipate the misunderstanding between Japan and America, and discussed also the "weakening of the nation" through the drift from country to town.

October 18th.

Left in the fine mountain air just after a beautiful sunrise, the autumn foliage in the woods and the "garnered largess of the fields" -- kaoling, corn, millet, etc. -- looking so beautiful that I found myself wishing the day a week long in spite of my railway (lack of) accommodations.

Took tiffin with my Japanese friends in picnic fashion: canned goods and some beef steak which they fried on a little chafing-dish-looking heater on the table. They ate

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with chopsticks, but I gave it up after an effort, my time being limited.

Passed a bridal procession curious to look upon--the gorgeous bride astride an ass, two two-wheeled mattingcovered wagons and several Chinese on donkeys in attendance. About 4:00 o'clock we reached Shih-Chao-tzu where we changed to a broad-guage line, but I had come to like my little low car from which I could step out so easily at each station, and regretted to change. Found the Yamato Railway Hotel at Mukden a marvel of comfort and convenience.

October 19th.

Called early to see Consul Fisher and took tiffin with him. Later called to see the German Consul and Mr. Heickendorff of the British American Tobacco Co. In the evening wrote up memorandn of my investigations into the vexed Manchurian situation.

October 20th.

In the morning, wrote. In afternoon called on American Consul who was leaving for meeting, and as rain had come up I remained with his wife. Found her complaining of being unable to get anything done about the house, though there are eleven servants for her and Mr. Fisher (no children). Each servant waits for the other to do the job. Breakfast and dinner with my Japanese friend, and in the evening met Mr. Tyer, a North Carolinian and Trinity 1900, now traveling for the American Tobacco Co.

October 21st.

Early morning called on Mr. Fisher and secured application for permission to visit palace and the Peiling (Northern Tombs). Found the Palace hardly worth the unceasing tips I had to give,

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especially as they wouldn't let me quite get firmly seated on the Chinese throne -- though I almost did. After tiffin at Astor House went to Peiling. The tomb itself is a massive earth mound probably fifty-feet at the highest point and covoring about an acre. Here lies Taitsun, the Emperor who forced Manchurian rule upon Peking, now guarded by a long aproach of gates and temples and odd statues of animals, real and mythological, carved in oriental style. Around the tomb is an autumn forest, the trees bedecked with mistletoe, some with red and some with bright yellow berries.

It was significant that on leaving the tomb of the great Chinese Emperor--the chieftan-- I came to the British Consulate and met his Chinese clerk just as outside a long line of Japanese soldiers in Khaki marched by. "Ah, there are so many Japanese soldiers," he said with a troubled voice not easy to forget. "Can you tell me what they have all come for?"

And that is the Spinx-riddle for China.

October 22nd.

In morning read "Peace or War East of the Baikal?" (lent me my Metz) for an hour, after which I called on the German Consul who very kindly went over my entire article with me and helped me out on a number of points. From there called on the British Consul, who rather excused the Japanese in general, but was silent when I suggested the foreign unanimity as to Japan's taking the country. About 3:00 o'clock Consul Fred D. Miller took me in his carriage to see Edward C. Parker, a most interesting American in charge of the Government Experiment Farm. Bought some photographs returning to hotel, where

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I found Mr. Tyer with Mr. Lewis, another North Carolinian. He proved a most delightful raconteur, and recited story after story of his Eastern experiences until eleven o'clock.

October 23-- Failing to get a cook's check cashed, borrowed ten yen from Tyre and started for Newchang at 8:50. Met a couple of interesting English railroad men. Reached Newchwang in late afternoon and did some writing.

October 24th

Early morning went to call on the American Consul, Capt. W. P. Kent, late the Republican candidate for Governor of Virginia, and previously American Consul to Guatemala. He gave me a note of introduction to the Chinese Taotai, Mr. Chow. After tiffin I got a carriage and drove through the immerorial filth of New Chang to see him. Educated in America, Chow can speak English with absolute perfection and talked with great frankness about Japanese aggression in Manchuria. Also called on Mr. McCoslin of the Standard Oil co., and on the German Consul. About 7:15 went by invitation to the home of Consul Kent to take dinner. A Mrs. Betts, a Virginian by birth (as are Mrs. Kent and the Captain, of course), was there with her son, who struck me as quite a fine fellow. Had a delightful meal. Found the consul a most interesting talker and when I came out I found Orion so high that I know it must be about midnight: my watch had stopped!

October 25th.

Left New Chwang bright and early ferrying across to the train. Immense traffic, a regular forest of ship masts. Did some