SS Rohilla, Nagasaki harbour, Monday morning, April 25/98. 8 o’clock. Your time is 9 hours behind us.
I got a letter dispatched by the Rosetta, which sailed past us on Saturday at 5 p.m. Possibly you may get both the letters of 21st & 23rd by the same mail. I don’t know at the moment when the next mail leaves here but steamers come & go every day, & some of these carry mails, & maybe you will get one or two letters via America, but this I am not sure of. It depends which way the steamer is going from here: Yokohama or Hong Kong. If via Yoko’ then the Empress line carry them via Vancouver. This is, however, immaterial.[1]
Nothing eventful occurred after despatching Saturday’s letters. We were all examined, as I then told you. During the afternoon, 2 boats were lowered, sailing & rowing. I preferred the sailing & we had about 1 ½ hours on the water but we dare not go close to shore or harbour wards. During the night Mrs. Hertz sang several very good songs. She assists him during his performance in this way. He has not yet given us any entertainment. I wish he would. He is a very merry fellow. Rain most of the day. Yesterday (Sunday) opened out lovely & continued so the day throughout. The officials came on board at 10 o’clock & all were mustered on deck. Crew very clean & looked well, all Chinamen. They were carefully scanned by [3:63] the doctors (3). All were passed. They merely looked at us passengers. We were all apart: passengers, seamen, firemen, stewards, engineers, & officers, & all counted by the officials.
Church service was held at 11 o’clock in the music saloon. Bell was rung at 5 to 11, not a very good muster. C. of E. Prayer service, only 3 hymns, “Ancient and Modern” book. Chief officer accompanied on the piano. During the afternoon, 2 parties went out in boats. About 12 of us went ashore on the Quarantine island, Captain with us, took picnic tea & had it served in the same place as we had refreshments after disinfecting. The attendant prepared us boiling water. We ascended the hill from where we had a very panoramic view of the harbour & surrounding hills, all verdure clad. The scenery even from the ship deck is very pretty. The hill sides far up are all under cultivation: wheat (green), after this is ripe & harvested then rice is sown after the ground has been watered, so 2 crops is raised on the same land every year. The shores are fine but there is little ebb & flow, & little sandy beach is to be seen. We are close to the island of Pappenberg[2] (sailed very near its shore on Saturday). See Chambers, “Nagasaki”, & it will mention this island where the native christians were decoyed to, then thrown down its face on to the rocks below & killed.
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After returning from our shore visit, we spent the rest of the evening & night very quietly. This (Monday) morning, it is dull & the mist lays on the tops of the hills. It had rained heavily during the early hours of the morning. We decided yesterday that if it be a fine day today we would go on shore at 11, take luncheon with us, & spend the best part of the day ashore.[3] I hope it does clear up as it relieves the monotony. So far we’ve done very well & the 5 remaining days will pass away very nicely, I have no doubt. The inspection is to be at 2 o’clock today but the Captain thinks we who go ashore can be inspected there, so that we need not be detained on board.[4] We will, should no more cases break out, weigh anchor on Friday afternoon, go near the port (not far off from where we are laying), discharge what ship has in for Nagasaki, then leave next day, Saturday, early & get into Kobe on Sunday morning. Ship is not to go on to Yokohama. Her time won’t permit as she must have the mails back to Hong Kong by the 11th May, early morning,[5] so I won’t have time to go to Yokohama, but will see 3 or 4 Japanese towns: Kobe, Osaka, Tokio & again see [3:65] Nagasaki on our return here, a week come Saturday May the 7th. If I can do this I shall be satisfied. I’m told that Tokio is the city worth seeing. It was the capital in by gone times. Kioto is now the capital, not far from Yokohama.[6] We have all given in our names this morning for “passports” to be ready for us at Kobe on arrival. If I get this off by the “Doric”, due here today for S. Frisco,[7] then it will go via United States. You’ll see by post marks.[8] What I despatch from ship is sent ashore without stamps, but the money is enclosed in the large envelope which contain all letters & the post people are to fix stamps. The weight we just have to guess. I fancy the first (21st) would be over ½ ounce. The purser thought not. I hope he is right as I don’t want you to have double postage to pay on receipt.
I’ve been looking over some of the copy of this journal. I had not corrected much of it before detaching, & I find some errors & also doubt whether you will be able to make it all out intelligently, but as it is written conversationally & you so well understand me, I think you will gather the gist of it & thereby work through it all satisfactorily.
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When this book is finished, I will post it on so that you can refer if need be.
I shall write Mary a letter next in reply to hers, which I much appreciated. You’ve all occupied much of my thoughts lately & I won’t be able to shake off the effects for awhile. It’s yet like a dream, & my thoughts always get back to my last goodbye with father at Berwick station. This sorrowful incident has given me the desire to be at home with you all. This is, however, impossible, & I humbly submit to the inevitable & look forward with trust & full assurance of being with you all in due time.
As I told you, the “Australian” is due to leave Hong Kong on 10th May. We are due there daylight 11th. They told me at the office on enquiry about Australia’s sailing that they seldom go on due date & our Captain says they always get back to Hong Kong in time to catch the Australian going steamers. A few hours will do all I want at Hong Kong, & I am going to write Mr. Plage & Mr. Roberts (who I hope gets away to go by “Australian”) to get my 4 packages ready for shipment, so I have every hope I shall be in or near Australia by the date you receive this. You can watch the papers for “Australian” arriving at Brisbane[9] [3:67] or Sydney, & reasonably suppose I am there. You see it is so difficult for you to follow me as I am so far ahead by the time you get letters. I prospect every Sunday & Monday morning (your time of course) what letters you receive & let me say, after I leave Hong Kong you may have an interval or 2 or 3 weeks between receiving letters, therefore don’t be surprised & just feel sure that the earliest possible opportunity will bring you a letter.
I am thankful to say I am well, & this to me is a great contentment, & I use every means to keep myself healthy & humanly speaking proof against contagion. We Europeans have no fear about plague whatever, & to us quarantine is nothing more than delay & confinement.
I hope you all keep well & happy, & that my lovely Comely is merry & a good boy. Kiss him for me & tell him I often think of him.
By the way, Synod will open today, noonday, 25th. Mr. MacKenzie told me he had got a substitute to preach the opening sermon.
We have longer days here than when nearer the Equator & we have twilight here – none near the line – we saw new moon last night, so I will look forward to fine moonlight during the next 3 weeks. It is now 10:30. I left off soon after 8 & resumed this after breakfast. Ta-Ta.
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[1] Inserted on facing page: “Both lines carry the mails to America – ‘Empress’ line to Vancouver – & the O&O line to S. Frisco – the ‘Doric’, ‘Belgic’ & other steamers of the Occidental & Oriental line”.
[2] Inserted on facing page: “Beautiful rock island – verdure topped.
Pappenberg (rice either sown or transported)”.
[3] Inserted on facing page: “We got ashore at 12 noon”.
[4] Inserted on facing page: “The doctor merely looked at us after we had afternoon tea, 4:30”.
[5] Inserted on facing page: “Mails will be sent on by rail from Yoko to Kobe”.
[6] Inserted on facing page: “Kioto the present capital is about 40 miles from Yokohama”. [Editor’s Note: William mixed up the names of Tokyo and Kioto. It was Tokyo which was the capital of Japan and 40 miles from Yokohama.]
[7] San Francisco
[8] Inserted on facing page: “‘Belgic’ arrived first en route to Hong Kong from S. Frisco & this letter would go by her. She left about 4:30. We were on the quarantine verandah & waved them as she passed.
‘Doric’ only came in about 8:30 night – she goes to Frisco – both these steamers are obsolete Atlantic liners, ‘White Star’, fine boats. The Doric looked beautiful as she passed us, all lighted up. She sailed quite close past us & could have spoken easily”.
[9] Inserted on facing page: “About 28 or 30th May”.