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Nagasaki,
April 28th, '95.

Dear Mr. Hecker,
After a pleasant little voyage on the Natal I arrived in"the land of the rising sun" on Tuesday last. 

The immensity of India makes things of Japan doubly miniature but detracts not from their beauty.  I am glad to be able to study the contrast.  Fate is again on my side and I am here in time to see the spring blossoms, and very wonderful they are --- quite unlike those of Ceylon and India and richer, fuller, more perfect than those of the same species in your garden and mine besides hundreds of flowers, vines and shrubs new to me.  I make daily short trips by "rickshaw" to the country and find the country roads and scenery splendid beyond description.  I wish I could send you for your Sunday dinner of the floral offerings received by me yesterday, how they would delight your family!!

I have made pleasant acquaintances here both native and foreign.  Have the run of the club and have been entertained Japanese fashion by several good families --- not the highest, but very interesting people.  Some of the Japanese ladies are thoroughly captivating and keep me quite dismayed in my vain efforts to half follow their politeness.  I have met two or three who seem to have stepped down from Outamaro prints --- one permits me to address her as "O Outamaro san".  She rather enjoys my intended compliments and wretched pronunciation, while I admire her grace and find Outamaro more easily remembered than her real name.

I was misinformed concerning the time of opening of the Kioto Exhibition. It occurred April 1st, so I decided to see Nagasaki now instead of doubling back here from Kobe.  I have had no way of getting mail since leaving Calcutta but expect to have it reach me at Kobe about the middle of this week and after receiving same will cable you.

I hope that yourself and family are very well.  I wish you were all here to make an excursion with me today. I am practically all right again, leg a little weak but good for a couple of miles walk, fever entirely gone. 

With best wishes to all,

Yours very sincerely

Charles L. Freer

Long hand.