A "shiho" trading with the advance guard of the Japanese Army

A "shiho" trading with the advance guard of the Japanese Army

154

"Shiho" is the Jappnese name for small merchant. In our picture we see that this merchant has opened up temporary quarters where he will be in position to receive the trade of the advance guard of the Japanese Army. The place was less than a mile from Port Arthur, just in the rear of one of the foremost trenches. The Chinese and Manchurians are born traders. They are known as such in the Philippines, in Honolulu, in the Dutch Indies and in the English and French colonies in India. At Port Arthur they were not satisfied to sell their goods to the men in the main camp in the rear of the army, but pushed on even to the very front to reach the men whose duty kept them in the trenches, at sentry duty or at digging new trenches for weeks at a time before they returned for a few days of rest, another regiment taking their place meanwhile. The merchants did a thriving business in dainties, which the soldiers eagerly bought to relieve the monotony of their diet of rice and dried fish.

1 stereograph. 2 photomechanical prints on stereo card : halftone, stereograph, color ; 9 x 18 cm

1905 Ingersoll, T.W.

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