unbeaten tracks in japan-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　a　man　and　woman　whom　he　had　with　difficulty　bribed　to　part　with
it；　appeared　by　my　bed。　　I　feebly　said　I　would　have　it　boiled　for
breakfast；　but　when　Ito　called　me　this　morning　he　told　me　with　a
most　rueful　face　that　just　as　he　was　going　to　kill　it　it　had
escaped　to　the　woods！　　In　order　to　understand　my　feelings　you　must
have　experienced　what　it　is　not　to　have　tasted　fish；　flesh；　or
fowl；　for　ten　days！　　The　alternative　was　eggs　and　some　of　the　paste
which　the　man　was　treading　yesterday　on　the　mat　cut　into　strips　and
boiled！　　It　was　coarse　flour　and　buckwheat；　so；　you　see；　I　have
learned　not　to　be　particular！

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XIV



An　Infamous　RoadMonotonous　GreeneryAbysmal　DirtLow　LivesThe
Tsugawa　YadoyaPolitenessA　Shipping　PortA　Barbarian　Devil。

TSUGAWA；　July　2。

Yesterday's　journey　was　one　of　the　most　severe　I　have　yet　had；　for
in　ten　hours　of　hard　travelling　I　only　accomplished　fifteen　miles。
The　road　from　Kurumatoge　westwards　is　so　infamous　that　the　stages
are　sometimes　little　more　than　a　mile。　　Yet　it　is　by　it；　so　far　at
least　as　the　Tsugawa　river；　that　the　produce　and　manufactures　of
the　rich　plain　of　Aidzu；　with　its　numerous　towns；　and　of　a　very
large　interior　district；　must　find　an　outlet　at　Niigata。　　In
defiance　of　all　modern　ideas；　it　goes　straight　up　and　straight　down
hill；　at　a　gradient　that　I　should　be　afraid　to　hazard　a　guess　at；
and　at　present　it　is　a　perfect　quagmire；　into　which　great　stones
have　been　thrown；　some　of　which　have　subsided　edgewise；　and　others
have　disappeared　altogether。　　It　is　the　very　worst　road　I　ever　rode
over；　and　that　is　saying　a　good　deal！　　Kurumatoge　was　the　last　of
seventeen　mountain…passes；　over　2000　feet　high；　which　I　have
crossed　since　leaving　Nikko。　　Between　it　and　Tsugawa　the　scenery；
though　on　a　smaller　scale；　is　of　much　the　same　character　as
hithertohills　wooded　to　their　tops；　cleft　by　ravines　which　open
out　occasionally　to　divulge　more　distant　ranges；　all　smothered　in
greenery；　which；　when　I　am　ill…pleased；　I　am　inclined　to　call　〃rank
vegetation。〃　　Oh　that　an　abrupt　scaur；　or　a　strip　of　flaming
desert；　or　something　salient　and　brilliant；　would　break　in；　however
discordantly；　upon　this　monotony　of　green！

The　villages　of　that　district　must；　I　think；　have　reached　the
lowest　abyss　of　filthiness　in　Hozawa　and　Saikaiyama。　　Fowls；　dogs；
horses；　and　people　herded　together　in　sheds　black　with　wood　smoke；
and　manure　heaps　drained　into　the　wells。　　No　young　boy　wore　any
clothing。　　Few　of　the　men　wore　anything　but　the　maro；　the　women
were　unclothed　to　their　waists　and　such　clothing　as　they　had　was
very　dirty；　and　held　together　by　mere　force　of　habit。　　The　adults
were　covered　with　inflamed　bites　of　insects；　and　the　children　with
skin…disease。　　Their　houses　were　dirty；　and；　as　they　squatted　on
their　heels；　or　lay　face　downwards；　they　looked　little　better　than
savages。　　Their　appearance　and　the　want　of　delicacy　of　their　habits
are　simply　abominable；　and　in　the　latter　respect　they　contrast　to
great　disadvantage　with　several　savage　peoples　that　I　have　been
among。　　If　I　had　kept　to　Nikko；　Hakone；　Miyanoshita；　and　similar
places　visited　by　foreigners　with　less　time；　I　should　have　formed　a
very　different　impression。　　Is　their　spiritual　condition；　I　often
wonder；　much　higher　than　their　physical　one？　　They　are　courteous；
kindly；　industrious；　and　free　from　gross　crimes；　but；　from　the
conversations　that　I　have　had　with　Japanese；　and　from　much　that　I
see；　I　judge　that　their　standard　of　foundational　morality　is　very
low；　and　that　life　is　neither　truthful　nor　pure。

I　put　up　here　at　a　crowded　yadoya；　where　they　have　given　me　two
cheerful　rooms　in　the　garden；　away　from　the　crowd。　　Ito's　great
desire　on　arriving　at　any　place　is　to　shut　me　up　in　my　room　and
keep　me　a　close　prisoner　till　the　start　the　next　morning；　but　here
I　emancipated　myself；　and　enjoyed　myself　very　much　sitting　in　the
daidokoro。　　The　house…master　is　of　the　samurai；　or　two…sworded
class；　now；　as　such；　extinct。　　His　face　is　longer；　his　lips
thinner；　and　his　nose　straighter　and　more　prominent　than　those　of
the　lower　class；　and　there　is　a　difference　in　his　manner　and
bearing。　　I　have　had　a　great　deal　of　interesting　conversation　with
him。

In　the　same　open　space　his　clerk　was　writing　at　a　lacquer　desk　of
the　stereotyped　forma　low　bench　with　the　ends　rolled　overa
woman　was　tailoring；　coolies　were　washing　their　feet　on　the　itama；
and　several　more　were　squatting　round　the　irori　smoking　and
drinking　tea。　　A　coolie　servant　washed　some　rice　for　my　dinner；　but
before　doing　so　took　off　his　clothes；　and　the　woman　who　cooked　it
let　her　kimono　fall　to　her　waist　before　she　began　to　work；　as　is
customary　among　respectable　women。　　The　house…master's　wife　and　Ito
talked　about　me　unguardedly。　　I　asked　what　they　were　saying。　　〃She
says；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　are　very　politefor　a　foreigner；〃　he
added。　　I　asked　what　she　meant；　and　found　that　it　was　because　I
took　off　my　boots　before　I　stepped　on　the　matting；　and　bowed　when
they　handed　me　the　tabako…bon。

We　walked　through　the　town　to　find　something　eatable　for　to…
morrow's　river　journey；　but　only　succeeded　in　getting　wafers　made
of　white　of　egg　and　sugar；　balls　made　of　sugar　and　barley　flour；
and　beans　coated　with　sugar。　　Thatch；　with　its　picturesqueness；　has
disappeared；　and　the　Tsugawa　roofs　are　of　strips　of　bark　weighted
with　large　stones；　but；　as　the　houses　turn　their　gable　ends　to　the
street；　and　there　is　a　promenade　the　whole　way　under　the　eaves；　and
the　street　turns　twice　at　right　angles　and　terminates　in　temple
grounds　on　a　bank　above　the　river；　it　is　less　monotonous　than　most
Japanese　towns。　　It　is　a　place　of　3000　people；　and　a　good　deal　of
produce　is　shipped　from　hence　to　Niigata　by　the　river。　　To…day　it
is　thronged　with　pack…horses。　　I　was　much　mobbed；　and　one　child
formed　the　solitary　exception　to　the　general　rule　of　politeness　by
calling　me　a　name　equivalent　to　the　Chinese　Fan　Kwai；　〃foreign；〃
but　he　was　severely　chidden；　and　a　policeman　has　just　called　with
an　apology。　　A　slice　of　fresh　salmon　has　been　produced；　and　I　think
I　never　tasted　anything　so　delicious。　　I　have　finished　the　first
part　of　my　land　journey；　and　leave　for　Niigata　by　boat　to…morrow
morning。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XV



A　HurryThe　Tsugawa　Packet…boatRunning　the　RapidsFantastic
SceneryThe　River…lifeVineyardsDrying　BarleySummer　Silence
The　Outskirts　of　NiigataThe　Church　Mission　House。

NIIGATA；　July　4。

The　boat　for　Niigata　was　to　leave　at　eight；　but　at　five　Ito　roused
me　by　saying　they　were　going　at　once；　as　it　was　full；　and　we　left
in　haste；　the　house…master　running　to　the　river　with　one　of　my
large　baskets　on　his　back　to　〃speed　the　parting　guest。〃　　Two　rivers
unite　to　form　a　stream　over　whose　beauty　I　would　gladly　have
lingered；　and　the　morning；　singularly　rich　and　tender　in　its
colouring；　ripened　into　a　glorious　day　of　light　without　glare；　and
heat　without　oppressiveness。　　The　〃packet〃　was　a　stoutly…built
boat；　45　feet　long　by　6　broad；　propelled　by　one　man　sculling　at　the
stern；　and　another　pulling　a　short　broad…bladed　oar；　which　worked
in　a　wistaria　loop　at　the　bow。　　It　had　a　croquet　mallet　handle
about　18　inches　long；　to　which　the　man　gave　a　wriggling　turn　at
each　stroke。　　Both　rower　and　sculler　stood　the　whole　time；　clad　in
umbrella　hats。　　The　fore　part　and　centre　carried　bags　of　rice　and
crates　of　pottery；　and　the　hinder　part　had　a　thatched　roof　which；
when　we　started；　sheltered　twenty…five　Japanese；　but　we　dropped
them　at　hamlets　on　the　river；　and　reached　Niigata　with　only　three。
I　had　my　chair　on　the　top　of　the　cargo；　and　found　the　voyage　a
delightful　change　from　the　fatiguing　crawl　through　quagmires　at　the
rate　of　from　15　to　18　miles　a　day。　　This　trip　is　called　〃running
the　rapids　of　the　Tsugawa；〃　because　for　about　twelve　miles　the
river；　hemmed　in　by　lofty　cliffs；　studded　with　visible　and　sunken
rocks；　making　several　abrupt　turns　and　shallowing　in　many　places；
hurries　a　boat　swiftly　downwards；　and　it　is　said　that　it　requires
long　practice；　skill；　and　coolness　on　the　part　of　the　boatmen　to
prevent　grave　and　frequent　accidents。　　But　if　they　are　rapids；　they
are　on　a　small　scale；　and　look　anything　but　formidable。　　With　the
river　at　its　present　height　the　boats　run　down　forty…five　miles　in
eight　hours；　charging　only　30　sen；　or　1s。　3d。；　but　it　takes　from
five　to　seven　days　to　get　up；　and　much　hard　work　in　poling　and
towing。

The　boat　had　a　thoroughly　〃native〃　look；　with　its　bronzed　crew；
thatched　roof；　and　the　umbrella　hats　of　all　its　passengers　hanging
on　the　mast。　　I　enjoyed　every　hour　of　the　day。　　It　was　luxury　to
drop　quietly　down　the　stream；　the　air　was　delicious；　and；　having
heard　nothing　of　it；　the　beauty　of　the　Tsugawa　came　upon　me　as　a
pleasant　surprise；　besides　that　every　mile　brought　me　nearer　the
hoped…for　home　letters。　　Almost　as　soon　as　we　left　Tsugawa　the
downward　passage　was　apparently　barred　by　fantastic　mountains；
which　just　opened　their　rocky　gates　wide　enough　to　let　us　through；
and　then　closed　again。　　Pinnacles　and　needles　of　bare；　flushed　rock
rose　out　of　luxuriant　vegetationQuiraing　without　its　bareness；
the　Rhine　without　its　ruins；　and　more　beautiful　than　both。　　There
were　mountains　connected　by　ridges　no　broader　than　a　horse's　back；
others　with　great　gray　buttresses；　deep　chasms　cleft　by　streams；
temples　with　pagoda　roofs　on　heights；　sunny　villages　with　deep…
thatched　roofs　hidden　away　among　blossoming　trees；　and　through
rifts　in　the　nearer　ranges　glimpses　of　snowy　mountains。

After　a　rapid　run　of　twelve　miles　through　this　enchanting　scenery；
the　remaining　course　of　the　Tsugawa　is　that　of　a　broad；　full　stream
winding　marvellously　through　a　wooded　and　tolerably　level　country；
partially　surrounded　by　snowy　mountains。　　The　river　life　was　very
pretty。　　Canoes　abounded；　some　loaded　with　vegetables；　some　with
wheat；　others　with　boys　and　girls　returning　from　school。　　Sampans
with　their　white　puckered　sails　in　flotillas　of　a　dozen　at　a　time
crawled　up　the　deep　water；　or　were　towed　through　the　shallows　by
crews　frolicking　and　shouting。　　Then　the　scene　changed　to　a　broad
and　deep　river；　with　a　peculiar　alluvial　smell　from　the　quantity　of