"Ping Yang" for the
"Ping Yannigans" they being the "Yannigans." They help to make things
very lively and are affectionately regarded by all classes. Yesterday,
they and Fox and Cecil and I went to the races, with five ricksha boys
each, and everybody lost his money except myself. But it was great
fun. It rained like a seive, and all the gentlemen riders fell off,
and every time we won money our thirty ricksha men who would tell when
we won by watching at which window we had bet, would cheer us and
salaam until to save our faces we had to scatter largesses. Egan
turned up in the evening and dined with John and Cecil and me in the
Grand Hotel and told us first of all the story the correspondents had
brought back to Kobbe for which every one from the Government down has
been waiting. It would make lively reading if any of us dared to write
it. To-day he made his protests to Fukushima as we mapped them out
last night and the second lot will I expect be treated better. But, as
the first lot were the important men representing the important
syndicates the harm, for the Japs, has been done. Of course, much they
do is through not knowing our points of view. To them none of us is of
any consequence except that he is a nuisance, and while they are
conversationally perfect in politeness, the regulations they inflict
are too insulting. However, you don't care about that, and neither do
I. I am going to earn my money if I possibly can, and come home.

DICK.

TOKIO, June 13th, 1904.

DEAR MOTHER:

We gave a farewell dinner last night to the Ping Yannigans two of whom
left on the Navy expedition and another one to-morrow for God's
country. There were eight men and we had new lanterns painted with the
arms of Corea and the motto of the Ping Yannigans. Also many flags.
All but the Japanese flag. One of them with a side glance at the
servants said, "Gentleman and Lady: I propose a toast, Japan for the
Japanese and the Japanese for Japan." We all knew what he meant but
the servants were greatly pleased. Jack London turned up to-day on his
way home. I liked him very much. He is very simple and modest and
gave you a tremendous impression of vitality and power. He is very
bitter against the wonderful little people and says he carries away
with him only a feeling of irritation. But I told him that probably
would soon wear off and he would remember only the pleasant things. I
did envy him so, going home after ha