unbeaten tracks in japan-第15部分

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paper；　in　which　stems；　leaves；　and　even　petals　are　brutally
crushed；　and　the　grace　and　individuality　of　each　flower
systematically　destroyed？

Kanaya　is　the　chief　man　in　this　village；　besides　being　the　leader
of　the　dissonant　squeaks　and　discords　which　represent　music　at　the
Shinto　festivals；　and　in　some　mysterious　back　region　he　compounds
and　sells　drugs。　　Since　I　have　been　here　the　beautification　of　his
garden　has　been　his　chief　object；　and　he　has　made　a　very
respectable　waterfall；　a　rushing　stream；　a　small　lake；　a　rustic
bamboo　bridge；　and　several　grass　banks；　and　has　transplanted
several　large　trees。　　He　kindly　goes　out　with　me　a　good　deal；　and；
as　he　is　very　intelligent；　and　Ito　is　proving　an　excellent；　and；　I
think；　a　faithful　interpreter；　I　find　it　very　pleasant　to　be　here。

They　rise　at　daylight；　fold　up　the　wadded　quilts　or　futons　on　and
under　which　they　have　slept；　and　put　them　and　the　wooden　pillows；
much　like　stereoscopes　in　shape；　with　little　rolls　of　paper　or
wadding　on　the　top；　into　a　press　with　a　sliding　door；　sweep　the
mats　carefully；　dust　all　the　woodwork　and　the　verandahs；　open　the
amadowooden　shutters　which；　by　sliding　in　a　groove　along　the　edge
of　the　verandah；　box　in　the　whole　house　at　night；　and　retire　into
an　ornamental　projection　in　the　dayand　throw　the　paper　windows
back。　　Breakfast　follows；　then　domestic　avocations；　dinner　at　one；
and　sewing；　gardening；　and　visiting　till　six；　when　they　take　the
evening　meal。

Visitors　usually　arrive　soon　afterwards；　and　stay　till　eleven　or
twelve。　　Japanese　chess；　story…telling；　and　the　samisen　fill　up　the
early　part　of　the　evening；　but　later；　an　agonising　performance；
which　they　call　singing；　begins；　which　sounds　like　the　very　essence
of　heathenishness；　and　consists　mainly　in　a　prolonged　vibrating
〃No。〃　　As　soon　as　I　hear　it　I　feel　as　if　I　were　among　savages。
Sake；　or　rice　beer；　is　always　passed　round　before　the　visitors
leave；　in　little　cups　with　the　gods　of　luck　at　the　bottom　of　them。
Sake；　when　heated；　mounts　readily　to　the　head；　and　a　single　small
cup　excites　the　half…witted　man…servant　to　some　very　foolish
musical　performances。　　I　am　sorry　to　write　it；　but　his　master　and
mistress　take　great　pleasure　in　seeing　him　make　a　fool　of　himself；
and　Ito；　who　is　from　policy　a　total　abstainer；　goes　into
convulsions　of　laughter。

One　evening　I　was　invited　to　join　the　family；　and　they　entertained
me　by　showing　me　picture　and　guide　books。　　Most　Japanese　provinces
have　their　guide…books；　illustrated　by　wood…cuts　of　the　most
striking　objects；　and　giving　itineraries；　names　of　yadoyas；　and
other　local　information。　　One　volume　of　pictures；　very　finely
executed　on　silk；　was　more　than　a　century　old。　　Old　gold　lacquer
and　china；　and　some　pieces　of　antique　embroidered　silk；　were　also
produced　for　my　benefit；　and　some　musical　instruments　of　great
beauty；　said　to　be　more　than　two　centuries　old。　　None　of　these
treasures　are　kept　in　the　house；　but　in　the　kura；　or　fireproof
storehouse；　close　by。　　The　rooms　are　not　encumbered　by　ornaments；　a
single　kakemono；　or　fine　piece　of　lacquer　or　china；　appears　for　a
few　days　and　then　makes　way　for　something　else；　so　they　have
variety　as　well　as　simplicity；　and　each　object　is　enjoyed　in　its
turn　without　distraction。

Kanaya　and　his　sister　often　pay　me　an　evening　visit；　and；　with
Brunton's　map　on　the　floor；　we　project　astonishing　routes　to
Niigata；　which　are　usually　abruptly　abandoned　on　finding　a
mountain…chain　in　the　way　with　never　a　road　over　it。　　The　life　of
these　people　seems　to　pass　easily　enough；　but　Kanaya　deplores　the
want　of　money；　he　would　like　to　be　rich；　and　intends　to　build　a
hotel　for　foreigners。

The　only　vestige　of　religion　in　his　house　is　the　kamidana；　or　god…
shelf；　on　which　stands　a　wooden　shrine　like　a　Shinto　temple；　which
contains　the　memorial　tablets　to　deceased　relations。　　Each　morning
a　sprig　of　evergreen　and　a　little　rice　and　sake　are　placed　before
it；　and　every　evening　a　lighted　lamp。



LETTER　X（Continued）



Darkness　visibleNikko　ShopsGirls　and　MatronsNight　and　Sleep
Parental　LoveChildish　DocilityHair…dressingSkin　Diseases。

I　don't　wonder　that　the　Japanese　rise　early；　for　their　evenings　are
cheerless；　owing　to　the　dismal　illumination。　　In　this　and　other
houses　the　lamp　consists　of　a　square　or　circular　lacquer　stand；
with　four　uprights；　2。5　feet　high；　and　panes　of　white　paper。　　A
flatted　iron　dish　is　suspended　in　this　full　of　oil；　with　the　pith
of　a　rush　with　a　weight　in　the　centre　laid　across　it；　and　one　of
the　projecting　ends　is　lighted。　　This　wretched　apparatus　is　called
an　andon；　and　round　its　wretched　〃darkness　visible〃　the　family
huddlesthe　children　to　play　games　and　learn　lessons；　and　the
women　to　sew；　for　the　Japanese　daylight　is　short　and　the　houses　are
dark。　　Almost　more　deplorable　is　a　candlestick　of　the　same　height
as　the　andon；　with　a　spike　at　the　top　which　fits　into　a　hole　at　the
bottom　of　a　〃farthing　candle〃　of　vegetable　wax；　with　a　thick　wick
made　of　rolled　paper；　which　requires　constant　snuffing；　and；　after
giving　for　a　short　time　a　dim　and　jerky　light；　expires　with　a　bad
smell。　　Lamps；　burning　mineral　oils；　native　and　imported；　are　being
manufactured　on　a　large　scale；　but；　apart　from　the　peril　connected
with　them；　the　carriage　of　oil　into　country　districts　is　very
expensive。　　No　Japanese　would　think　of　sleeping　without　having　an
andon　burning　all　night　in　his　room。

These　villages　are　full　of　shops。　　There　is　scarcely　a　house　which
does　not　sell　something。　　Where　the　buyers　come　from；　and　how　a
profit　can　be　made；　is　a　mystery。　　Many　of　the　things　are　eatables；
such　as　dried　fishes；　1。5　inch　long；　impaled　on　sticks；　cakes；
sweetmeats　composed　of　rice；　flour；　and　very　little　sugar；　circular
lumps　of　rice　dough；　called　mochi；　roots　boiled　in　brine；　a　white
jelly　made　from　beans；　and　ropes；　straw　shoes　for　men　and　horses；
straw　cloaks；　paper　umbrellas；　paper　waterproofs；　hair…pins；　tooth…
picks；　tobacco　pipes；　paper　mouchoirs；　and　numbers　of　other　trifles
made　of　bamboo；　straw；　grass；　and　wood。　　These　goods　are　on　stands；
and　in　the　room　behind；　open　to　the　street；　all　the　domestic
avocations　are　going　on；　and　the　housewife　is　usually　to　be　seen
boiling　water　or　sewing　with　a　baby　tucked　into　the　back　of　her
dress。　　A　lucifer　factory　has　recently　been　put　up；　and　in　many
house　fronts　men　are　cutting　up　wood　into　lengths　for　matches。　　In
others　they　are　husking　rice；　a　very　laborious　process；　in　which
the　grain　is　pounded　in　a　mortar　sunk　in　the　floor　by　a　flat…ended
wooden　pestle　attached　to　a　long　horizontal　lever；　which　is　worked
by　the　feet　of　a　man；　invariably　naked；　who　stands　at　the　other
extremity。

In　some　women　are　weaving；　in　others　spinning　cotton。　　Usually
there　are　three　or　four　togetherthe　mother；　the　eldest　son's
wife；　and　one　or　two　unmarried　girls。　　The　girls　marry　at　sixteen；
and　shortly　these　comely；　rosy；　wholesome…looking　creatures　pass
into　haggard；　middle…aged　women　with　vacant　faces；　owing　to　the
blackening　of　the　teeth　and　removal　of　the　eyebrows；　which；　if　they
do　not　follow　betrothal；　are　resorted　to　on　the　birth　of　the　first
child。　　In　other　houses　women　are　at　their　toilet；　blackening　their
teeth　before　circular　metal　mirrors　placed　in　folding　stands　on　the
mats；　or　performing　ablutions；　unclothed　to　the　waist。　　Early　the
village　is　very　silent；　while　the　children　are　at　school；　their
return　enlivens　it　a　little；　but　they　are　quiet　even　at　play；　at
sunset　the　men　return；　and　things　are　a　little　livelier；　you　hear　a
good　deal　of　splashing　in　baths；　and　after　that　they　carry　about
and　play　with　their　younger　children；　while　the　older　ones　prepare
lessons　for　the　following　day　by　reciting　them　in　a　high；
monotonous　twang。　　At　dark　the　paper　windows　are　drawn；　the　amado；
or　external　wooden　shutters；　are　closed；　the　lamp　is　lighted　before
the　family　shrine；　supper　is　eaten；　the　children　play　at　quiet
games　round　the　andon；　and　about　ten　the　quilts　and　wooden　pillows
are　produced　from　the　press；　the　amado　are　bolted；　and　the　family
lies　down　to　sleep　in　one　room。　　Small　trays　of　food　and　the
tabako…bon　are　always　within　reach　of　adult　sleepers；　and　one　grows
quite　accustomed　to　hear　the　sound　of　ashes　being　knocked　out　of
the　pipe　at　intervals　during　the　night。　　The　children　sit　up　as
late　as　their　parents；　and　are　included　in　all　their　conversation。

I　never　saw　people　take　so　much　delight　in　their　offspring；
carrying　them　about；　or　holding　their　hands　in　walking；　watching
and　entering　into　their　games；　supplying　them　constantly　with　new
toys；　taking　them　to　picnics　and　festivals；　never　being　content　to
be　without　them；　and　treating　other　people's　children　also　with　a
suitable　measure　of　affection　and　attention。　　Both　fathers　and
mothers　take　a　pride　in　their　children。　　It　is　most　amusing　about
six　every　morning　to　see　twelve　or　fourteen　men　sitting　on　a　low
wall；　each　with　a　child　under　two　years　in　his　arms；　fondling　and
playing　with　it；　and　showing　off　its　physique　and　intelligence。　　To
judge　from　appearances；　the　children　form　the　chief　topic　at　this
morning　gathering。　　At　night；　after　the　houses　are　shut　up；　looking
through　the　long　fringe　of　rope　or　rattan　which　conceals　the
sliding　door；　you　see　the　father；　who　wears　nothing　but　a　maro　in
〃the　bosom　of　his　family；〃　bending　his　ugly；　kindly　face　over　a
gentle…looking　baby；　and　the　mother；　who　more　often　than　not　has
dropped　the　kimono　from　her　shoulders；　enfolding　two　children
destitute　of　clothing　in　her　arms。　　For　some　reasons　they　prefer
boys；　but　certainly　girls　are　equally　petted　and　loved。　　The
children；　though　for　our　ideas　too　gentle　and　formal；　are　very
prepossessing　in　looks　and　behaviour。　　They　are　so　perfectly　docile
and　obedient；　so　ready　to　help　their　parents；　so　good　to　the　little
ones；　and；　in　the　many　hours　which　I　have　spent　in　watching　them　at
play；　I　have　never　heard　an　angry　word　or　seen　a　sour　look　or　act。
But　they　are　little　men　and　women　rather　than　children；　and　their
old…fashioned　appearance　is　greatly　aided　by　their　dress；　which；　as
I　have　remarked　before；　is　the　same　as　that　of　adults。

There　are；　however；　various　styles　of　dressing　the　hair