A Trip Around the World, 1910-1911

then with Vice-Governor Gilbert, and at noon caught train for Daguban. Greatly interested in seeing the country. Reached Daguben after night fall but got a good meal at the "Oriental Hotel, Bar and Grocery" and a clean cot upstairs. Most of the stores are run by Chinamen.

December 9th. Got up at 5:00 and found Daguban quaint-looking by day as well as by night. Met a number of interesting fellows and a very attractive little 12-year-old girl on the train to Manila. Crozier took me around to the Forestry Department and to the Museum, after which I called again to see Judge Elliott to whom I am indebted for a delightful automobile ride. At supper finally got into touch with Prof. C. M. Connor who came up and talked most interestingly about Philippine agriculture, etc.

December 10th. Connor took me on an automobile ride and showed me the agricultural department work in and around Manila. Much interested in the various tropical plants? Boarded boat for Hong Kong.

December 11th, 12th. A long nightmare. Let us forget it.

December 13th. Arrived back in Hong Kong and find by the Hotel scales that I have lost seven pounds as a result of the starvation and torture on the China Sea. Got some mail from Cook's and pulled myself together enough to write my Philippine article and write a letter or two. Burns is about as badly used up as I am.

December 14th. The Hong Kong Chinese waiters have cut their queues since I left for

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Manila and when I come to China again, I suppose I shall find no queues at all.

December 14th-18th. On N. G. L. S. S. "Kleist" from Hong Kong to Singapore. The best fare I have ever eaten. I am taking six meals a day-- three regular meals, and toast 7 a.m., sandwiches and tea at 11:00, tea and cakes at 4:00. My room-mate is Judge Charles Evans of Cincinnati. Read "Philippine Life in Town and Country"; also "Mr. Isaacs" by F. Marion Crawford, "The Arabian Nights" and part of Harben's "Abner Daniel". Wrote article No. 2 on the Philippines.

December 18th. Landed at Singapore at 10 a.m., closing a most delightful voyage. Captain's dinner and ball last night. Judge Evans and I are making the Adelphi our headquarters in Singapore. Went to Botanical Gardens this afternoon, and at 5:30 to service at St. Andrews Cathedral.

December 19th. Spent morning in inquiries about steamship, visit to Raffles Museum and buying books. At Raffles Museum saw many interesting specimens of wild life around here. There is a skeleton of a whale 42 feet long that got stranded near here. An enormous pen was built around him so he could not get back at high tide, and it took him a week to die; for three days he moaned terribly. A crocodile 15 feet long shot at Singapore, and an elephant and a tiger shot by the Sultan of Jahore, were also in the collection. In the afternoon did some writing.

Singapore is the most cosmopolitan place I have ever

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soon. Every known color is here, and it is said that 60 languages are in use in the city,

Went tonight to a Javanese play. I couldn't understand a word, but the music was very good.

December 20th. Started early for Johore where we visited the Palace of the Sultan, the Mohammedan Temple, and a gambling house. One chinaman lost all his money and then his watch at fantan. Introduced to a pretty girl who is from North Carolina and is going to Rangoon on my ship.

I was greatly interested in the tropical vegetation between Singapore and Johore--cocoanut groves, rubber plantations, mango trees, bananas, and several pineapple plantations. Much clearing of the dense tropical jungle-growth is in progress, presumanly by way of preparation for rubber plantations.

December 21st. Spent the day writing my Progressive Farmer article and at night went to hear Madam Calve, of which an account appears herewith. I especially enjoyed, next to Calve's singing, Pintel's rendering of Mendelsohn's "Spring Song."

December 22nd. Registered my article and looked after some other matters in the morning, and in the afternoon went with Judge Evans to board the "Bharata" for Penang and Rangoon. I am forced into a second-class cabin, but it is large and airy and the boat is better than I expected.

December 23rd. On board the Bharata. The fare is good, and the Mohammedan

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servants with their turbans, robes, rope girdles, and bare feet look as if they had just stepped out of the Arabian Nights. I am reading "Pepy's Diary" for the first time and am greatly interested in it. By way of spice I also also read some of Mark Twain's short stories; and to little Adelaide Amos read some "Uncle Remus" stories.

December 24th. After breakfast went out with Judge Evans to see Penang. Went to the Botanical Gardens past cocoanut groves and tropical homes. At gardens saw many interesting trees and shrubs, etc.-- the deadly upas, cinnamon, cloves, rubber, orchids, etc. Delightful tiffin at E. & O. Hotel, after which, Christmas Eve as it is, the Judge and I sat with great delight in the cool shade of the cocoanut palms on a green lawn looking out on a summer sea. After another tour of the town with its variegated population, we returned to our boat and I summoned Samuel Pepys to entertain me in the main although mingling therewith some conversation with fellow-passengers.

December 25th. What a Christmas this is! I am wearing the thinnest and sheerest underclothing to be found and the thinnest outer suit I have ever owned--a pongee silk. Delighted to find a Christmas look about our breakfast table, thanks to the older and younger Mrs. Sefton, both charming women: a Christmas tree and a present for each one, a jack-in-the-box for the Captain who thought he was opening chocolates when he got it, a red ball for the Judge, a rattle for me, etc.

Spent the day in conversation with the men, women,

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and children aboard, in thinking of the folks at home and of past Christmases, and in reading Rousseau's "Confessions".

December 26th. Unusual life aboard steamer. Interested in hearing fellowpassengers talk of big profits in cocoanut and rubber plantations. Judge Evans says the Chinese in the Philippines pay one peso (50 cents) a tree per year for the cocoanuts--and an enormous number can be planted on an acre. Many Europeans have cocoanut plantations and live handsomely from the income, having no trouble except to have the trees counted occasionally. The chief engineer talked interestingly of a trip to the Fijis. The natives, he says, are dying out. The change of diet (they can't eat one another any longer) doesn't seem to agree with them. A jolly game of shuffleboard late this afternoon.

December 27th. Arrived in Rangoon about 1 o'clock. Interviewed Thomas Cook, went about town somewhat and in the later afternoon went with Judge Evans to see the marvelous Shwe Dagon Pagoda. It amazed us. For gorgeousness of coloring it hardly has an equal on the earth, the colored glass mosaic work for which it is distinguished glistening in the sunlight like the gems of another Aladdin's palace.

December 28th. Got up early and went with Mr. E. Hildebrand and Shobinger to see the elephants work. [crossed out phrase] It was better than a circus and we enjoyed it immensely. Got caught on the ship when it was taken out in the river and had to wait two hours longer than I