Chapter I: Preface

_To my Young Friends:_

Not many years ago, China and Japan were regarded as among the barbarous nations. The rest of the world knew comparatively little about their peoples, and, on the other hand, the inhabitants of those countries had only a slight knowledge of Europe and America. To-day the situation is greatly changed; China and Japan are holding intimate relations with us and with Europe, and there is every prospect that the acquaintance between the East and the West will increase as the years roll on. There is a general desire for information concerning the people of the Far East, and it is especially strong among the youths of America.

The characters in "The Boy Travellers" are fictitious; but the scenes that passed before their eyes, the people they met, and the incidents and accidents that befell them are real. The routes they travelled, the cities they visited, the excursions they made, the observations they recorded--in fact, nearly all that goes to make up this volume--were the actual experiences of the author at a very recent date. In a few instances I have used information obtained from others, but only after careful investigation has convinced me of its entire correctness. I have aimed to give a faithful picture of Japan and China as they appear to-day, and to make such comparisons with the past that the reader can easily comprehend the changes that have occurred in the last twenty years. And I have also endeavored to convey the information in such a way that the story shall not be considered tedious. Miss Effie and "The Mystery" may seem superfluous to some readers, but I am of opinion that the majority of those who peruse the book will not consider them unnecessary to the narrative.

In preparing illustrations for this volume the publishers have kindly allowed me to make use of some engravings that have already appeared in their publications relative to China and Japan. I have made selections from the volumes of Sir Rutherford Alcock and the Rev. Justus Doolittle, and also from the excellent work of Professor Griffis, "The Mikado's Empire." In the episode of a whaling voyage I have been under obligations to the graphic narrative of Mr. Davis entitled "Nimrod of the Sea," not only for illustrations, but for incidents of the chase of the monsters of the deep.

The author is not aware that any book describing China and Japan, and specially addressed to the young, has yet appeared. Consequently he is led to hope that his work will find a welcome among the boys and girls of America. And when the juvenile members of the family have completed its perusal, the children of a larger growth may possibly find the volume not without interest, and may glean from its pages some grains of information hitherto unknown to them.

T. W. K.
NEW YORK, _October_, 1879.

CONTENTS.

* * * * *

CHAPTER I. PAGE

THE DEPARTURE. 17

CHAPTER II.

OVERLAND TO CALIFORNIA. 30

CHAPTER III.

ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 48

CHAPTER IV.

INCIDENTS OF A WHALING VOYAGE. 58

CHAPTER V.

ARRIVAL IN JAPAN. 72

CHAPTER VI.

FIRST DAY IN JAPAN. 83

CHAPTER VII.

FROM YOKOHAMA TO TOKIO. 101

CHAPTER VIII.

SIGHTS IN THE EASTERN CAPITAL OF JAPAN. 115

CHAPTER IX.

ASAKUSA AND YUYENO.--FIRST NATIONAL FAIR AT TOKIO. 131

CHAPTER X.

WALKS AND TALKS IN TOKIO. 144

CHAPTER XI.

AN EXCURSION TO DAI-BOOTS AND ENOSHIMA. 156

CHAPTER XII.

SIGHTS AT ENOSHIMA. 169

CHAPTER XIII.

ON THE ROAD TO FUSIYAMA. 183

CHAPTER XIV.

THE ASCENT OF FUSIYAMA. 197

CHAPTER XV.

EXECUTIONS AND HARI-KARI. 215

CHAPTER XVI.

AMUSEMENTS.--WRESTLERS AND THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENTS. 227

CHAPTER XVII.

A STUDY OF JAPANESE ART. 239

CHAPTER XVIII.

SOMETHING ABOUT JAPANESE WOMEN. 254

CHAPTER XIX.

FROM YOKOHAMA TO KOBE AND OSAKA. 266

CHAPTER XX.

THE MINT AT OSAKA.--FROM OSAKA TO NARA AND KIOTO. 279

CHAPTER XXI.

KIOTO AND LAKE BIWA. 291

CHAPTER XXII.

THE INLAND SEA AND NAGASAKI.--CAUGHT IN A TYPHOON. 303

CHAPTER XXIII.

FIRST DAY IN CHINA. 318

CHAPTER XXIV.

A VOYAGE UP THE YANG-TSE-KIANG. 328

CHAPTER XXV.

THE TAE-PING REBELLION.--SCENES ON THE GREAT RIVER. 339

CHAPTER XXVI.

FROM SHANGHAI TO PEKIN. 352

CHAPTER XXVII.

SIGHTS IN PEKIN. 365

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A JOURNEY TO THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA. 377

CHAPTER XXIX.

FROM SHANGHAI TO HONG-KONG.--A STORY OF THE COOLIE TRADE. 388

CHAPTER XXX.

HONG-KONG AND CANTON. 400