unbeaten tracks in japan-第21部分

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dirty　people　crowded　in　to　stare　at　the　foreigner　till　the　air
seemed　unbreathable。

But　there　were　signs　of　progress。　　A　three　days'　congress　of
schoolmasters　was　being　held；　candidates　for　vacant　situations　were
being　examined；　there　were　lengthy　educational　discussions　going
on；　specially　on　the　subject　of　the　value　of　the　Chinese　classics
as　a　part　of　education；　and　every　inn　was　crowded。

Bange　was　malarious：　　there　was　so　much　malarious　fever　that　the
Government　had　sent　additional　medical　assistance；　the　hills　were
only　a　ri　off；　and　it　seemed　essential　to　go　on。　　But　not　a　horse
could　be　got　till　10　p。m。；　the　road　was　worse　than　the　one　I　had
travelled；　the　pain　became　more　acute；　and　I　more　exhausted；　and　I
was　obliged　to　remain。　　Then　followed　a　weary　hour；　in　which　the
Express　Agent's　five　emissaries　were　searching　for　a　room；　and
considerably　after　dark　I　found　myself　in　a　rambling　old　over…
crowded　yadoya；　where　my　room　was　mainly　built　on　piles　above
stagnant　water；　and　the　mosquitoes　were　in　such　swarms　as　to　make
the　air　dense；　and　after　a　feverish　and　miserable　night　I　was　glad
to　get　up　early　and　depart。

Fully　2000　people　had　assembled。　　After　I　was　mounted　I　was　on　the
point　of　removing　my　Dollond　from　the　case；　which　hung　on　the
saddle　horn；　when　a　regular　stampede　occurred；　old　and　young
running　as　fast　as　they　possibly　could；　children　being　knocked　down
in　the　haste　of　their　elders。　　Ito　said　that　they　thought　I　was
taking　out　a　pistol　to　frighten　them；　and　I　made　him　explain　what
the　object　really　was；　for　they　are　a　gentle；　harmless　people；　whom
one　would　not　annoy　without　sincere　regret。　　In　many　European
countries；　and　certainly　in　some　parts　of　our　own；　a　solitary　lady…
traveller　in　a　foreign　dress　would　be　exposed　to　rudeness；　insult；
and　extortion；　if　not　to　actual　danger；　but　I　have　not　met　with　a
single　instance　of　incivility　or　real　overcharge；　and　there　is　no
rudeness　even　about　the　crowding。　　The　mago　are　anxious　that　I
should　not　get　wet　or　be　frightened；　and　very　scrupulous　in　seeing
that　all　straps　and　loose　things　are　safe　at　the　end　of　the
journey；　and；　instead　of　hanging　about　asking　for　gratuities；　or
stopping　to　drink　and　gossip；　they　quickly　unload　the　horses；　get　a
paper　from　the　Transport　Agent；　and　go　home。　　Only　yesterday　a
strap　was　missing；　and；　though　it　was　after　dark；　the　man　went　back
a　ri　for　it；　and　refused　to　take　some　sen　which　I　wished　to　give
him；　saying　he　was　responsible　for　delivering　everything　right　at
the　journey's　end。　　They　are　so　kind　and　courteous　to　each　other；
which　is　very　pleasing。　　Ito　is　not　pleasing　or　polite　in　his
manner　to　me；　but　when　he　speaks　to　his　own　people　he　cannot　free
himself　from　the　shackles　of　etiquette；　and　bows　as　profoundly　and
uses　as　many　polite　phrases　as　anybody　else。

In　an　hour　the　malarious　plain　was　crossed；　and　we　have　been　among
piles　of　mountains　ever　since。　　The　infamous　road　was　so　slippery
that　my　horse　fell　several　times；　and　the　baggage　horse；　with　Ito
upon　him；　rolled　head　over　heels；　sending　his　miscellaneous　pack　in
all　directions。　　Good　roads　are　really　the　most　pressing　need　of
Japan。　　It　would　be　far　better　if　the　Government　were　to　enrich　the
country　by　such　a　remunerative　outlay　as　making　passable　roads　for
the　transport　of　goods　through　the　interior；　than　to　impoverish　it
by　buying　ironclads　in　England；　and　indulging　in　expensive　western
vanities。

That　so　horrible　a　road　should　have　so　good　a　bridge　as　that　by
which　we　crossed　the　broad　river　Agano　is　surprising。　　It　consists
of　twelve　large　scows；　each　one　secured　to　a　strong　cable　of
plaited　wistari；　which　crosses　the　river　at　a　great　height；　so　as
to　allow　of　the　scows　and　the　plank　bridge　which　they　carry　rising
and　falling　with　the　twelve　feet　variation　of　the　water。

Ito's　disaster　kept　him　back　for　an　hour；　and　I　sat　meanwhile　on　a
rice　sack　in　the　hamlet　of　Katakado；　a　collection　of　steep…roofed
houses　huddled　together　in　a　height　above　the　Agano。　　It　was　one
mob　of　pack…horses；　over　200　of　them；　biting；　squealing；　and
kicking。　　Before　I　could　dismount；　one　vicious　creature　struck　at
me　violently；　but　only　hit　the　great　wooden　stirrup。　　I　could
hardly　find　any　place　out　of　the　range　of　hoofs　or　teeth。　　My
baggage　horse　showed　great　fury　after　he　was　unloaded。　　He　attacked
people　right　and　left　with　his　teeth；　struck　out　savagely　with　his
fore　feet；　lashed　out　with　his　hind　ones；　and　tried　to　pin　his
master　up　against　a　wall。

Leaving　this　fractious　scene　we　struck　again　through　the　mountains。
Their　ranges　were　interminable；　and　every　view　from　every　fresh
ridge　grander　than　the　last；　for　we　were　now　near　the　lofty　range
of　the　Aidzu　Mountains；　and　the　double…peaked　Bandaisan；　the　abrupt
precipices　of　Itoyasan；　and　the　grand　mass　of　Miyojintake　in　the
south…west；　with　their　vast　snow…fields　and　snow…filled　ravines；
were　all　visible　at　once。　　These　summits　of　naked　rock　or　dazzling
snow；　rising　above　the　smothering　greenery　of　the　lower　ranges　into
a　heaven　of　delicious　blue；　gave　exactly　that　individuality　and
emphasis　which；　to　my　thinking；　Japanese　scenery　usually　lacks。
Riding　on　first；　I　arrived　alone　at　the　little　town　of　Nozawa；　to
encounter　the　curiosity　of　a　crowd；　and；　after　a　rest；　we　had　a
very　pleasant　walk　of　three　miles　along　the　side　of　a　ridge　above　a
rapid　river　with　fine　grey　cliffs　on　its　farther　side；　with　a　grand
view　of　the　Aidzu　giants；　violet　coloured　in　a　golden　sunset。

At　dusk　we　came　upon　the　picturesque　village　of　Nojiri；　on　the
margin　of　a　rice　valley；　but　I　shrank　from　spending　Sunday　in　a
hole；　and；　having　spied　a　solitary　house　on　the　very　brow　of　a　hill
1500　feet　higher；　I　dragged　out　the　information　that　it　was　a　tea…
house；　and　came　up　to　it。　　It　took　three…quarters　of　an　hour　to
climb　the　series　of　precipitous　zigzags　by　which　this　remarkable
pass　is　surmounted；　darkness　came　on；　accompanied　by　thunder　and
lightning；　and　just　as　we　arrived　a　tremendous　zigzag　of　blue　flame
lit　up　the　house　and　its　interior；　showing　a　large　group　sitting
round　a　wood　fire；　and　then　all　was　thick　darkness　again。　　It　had　a
most　startling　effect。　　This　house　is　magnificently　situated；
almost　hanging　over　the　edge　of　the　knife…like　ridge　of　the　pass　of
Kuruma；　on　which　it　is　situated。　　It　is　the　only　yadoya　I　have　been
at　from　which　there　has　been　any　view。　　The　villages　are　nearly
always　in　the　valleys；　and　the　best　rooms　are　at　the　back；　and　have
their　prospects　limited　by　the　paling　of　the　conventional　garden。
If　it　were　not　for　the　fleas；　which　are　here　in　legions；　I　should
stay　longer；　for　the　view　of　the　Aidzu　snow　is　delicious；　and；　as
there　are　only　two　other　houses；　one　can　ramble　without　being
mobbed。

In　one　a　child　two　and　a　half　years　old　swallowed　a　fish…bone　last
night；　and　has　been　suffering　and　crying　all　day；　and　the　grief　of
the　mother　so　won　Ito's　sympathy　that　he　took　me　to　see　her。　　She
had　walked　up　and　down　with　it　for　eighteen　hours；　but　never
thought　of　looking　into　its　throat；　and　was　very　unwilling　that　I
should　do　so。　　The　bone　was　visible；　and　easily　removed　with　a
crochet　needle。　　An　hour　later　the　mother　sent　a　tray　with　a
quantity　of　cakes　and　coarse　confectionery　upon　it　as　a　present；
with　the　piece　of　dried　seaweed　which　always　accompanies　a　gift。
Before　night　seven　people　with　sore　legs　applied　for　〃advice。〃　　The
sores　were　all　superficial　and　all　alike；　and　their　owners　said
that　they　had　been　produced　by　the　incessant　rubbing　of　the　bites
of　ants。

On　this　summer　day　the　country　looks　as　prosperous　as　it　is
beautiful；　and　one　would　not　think　that　acute　poverty　could　exist
in　the　steep…roofed　village　of　Nojiri；　which　nestles　at　the　foot　of
the　hill；　but　two　hempen　ropes　dangling　from　a　cryptomeria　just
below　tell　the　sad　tale　of　an　elderly　man　who　hanged　himself　two
days　ago；　because　he　was　too　poor　to　provide　for　a　large　family；
and　the　house…mistress　and　Ito　tell　me　that　when　a　man　who　has　a
young　family　gets　too　old　or　feeble　for　work　he　often　destroys
himself。

My　hostess　is　a　widow　with　a　family；　a　good…natured；　bustling
woman；　with　a　great　love　of　talk。　　All　day　her　house　is　open　all
round；　having　literally　no　walls。　　The　roof　and　solitary　upper　room
are　supported　on　posts；　and　my　ladder　almost　touches　the　kitchen
fire。　　During　the　day…time　the　large　matted　area　under　the　roof　has
no　divisions；　and　groups　of　travellers　and　magos　lie　about；　for
every　one　who　has　toiled　up　either　side　of　Kurumatoge　takes　a　cup
of　〃tea　with　eating；〃　and　the　house…mistress　is　busy　the　whole　day。
A　big　well　is　near　the　fire。　　Of　course　there　is　no　furniture；　but
a　shelf　runs　under　the　roof；　on　which　there　is　a　Buddhist　god…
house；　with　two　black　idols　in　it；　one　of　them　being　that　much…
worshipped　divinity；　Daikoku；　the　god　of　wealth。　　Besides　a　rack
for　kitchen　utensils；　there　is　only　a　stand　on　which　are　six　large
brown　dishes　with　food　for　salesalt　shell…fish；　in　a　black
liquid；　dried　trout　impaled　on　sticks；　sea　slugs　in　soy；　a　paste
made　of　pounded　roots；　and　green　cakes　made　of　the　slimy　river
confervae；　pressed　and　driedall　ill…favoured　and　unsavoury
viands。　　This　afternoon　a　man　without　clothes　was　treading　flour
paste　on　a　mat；　a　traveller　in　a　blue　silk　robe　was　lying　on　the
floor　smoking；　and　five　women　in　loose　attire；　with　elaborate
chignons　and　blackened　teeth；　were　squatting　round　the　fire。　　At
the　house…mistress's　request　I　wrote　a　eulogistic　description　of
the　view　from　her　house；　and　read　it　in　English；　Ito　translating
it；　to　the　very　great　satisfaction　of　the　assemblage。　　Then　I　was
asked　to　write　on　four　fans。　　The　woman　has　never　heard　of　England。
It　is　not　〃a　name　to　conjure　with〃　in　these　wilds。　　Neither　has　she
heard　of　America。　　She　knows　of　Russia　as　a　great　power；　and；　of
course；　of　China；　but　there　her　knowledge　ends；　though　she　has　been
at　Tokiyo　and　Kiyoto。

July　1。I　was　just　falling　asleep　last　night；　in　spite　of
mosquitoes　and　fleas；　when　I　was　roused　by　much　talking　and　loud
outcries　of　poultry；　and　Ito；　carrying　a　screaming；　refractory　hen；
and　a　man　and　woman　whom　he　had　with　difficulty　bribed　to　part　with
it；　appeared　by　my