unbeaten tracks in japan-第24部分

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the　boats　come　in　loaded　with　the　vegetables；　without　which　the
people　could　not　exist　for　a　day；　the　bustle　is　indescribable。　　The
cucumber　boats　just　now　are　the　great　sight。　　The　canals　are
usually　in　the　middle　of　the　streets；　and　have　fairly　broad
roadways　on　both　sides。　　They　are　much　below　the　street　level；　and
their　nearly　perpendicular　banks　are　neatly　faced　with　wood；　broken
at　intervals　by　flights　of　stairs。　　They　are　bordered　by　trees；
among　which　are　many　weeping　willows；　and；　as　the　river　water　runs
through　them；　keeping　them　quite　sweet；　and　they　are　crossed　at
short　intervals　by　light　bridges；　they　form　a　very　attractive
feature　of　Niigata。

The　houses　have　very　steep　roofs　of　shingle；　weighted　with　stones；
and；　as　they　are　of　very　irregular　heights；　and　all　turn　the　steep
gables　of　the　upper　stories　streetwards；　the　town　has　a
picturesqueness　very　unusual　in　Japan。　　The　deep　verandahs　are
connected　all　along　the　streets；　so　as　to　form　a　sheltered
promenade　when　the　snow　lies　deep　in　winter。　　With　its　canals　with
their　avenues　of　trees；　its　fine　public　gardens；　and　clean；
picturesque　streets；　it　is　a　really　attractive　town；　but　its
improvements　are　recent；　and　were　only　lately　completed　by　Mr。
Masakata　Kusumoto；　now　Governor　of　Tokiyo。　　There　is　no　appearance
of　poverty　in　any　part　of　the　town；　but　if　there　be　wealth；　it　is
carefully　concealed。　　One　marked　feature　of　the　city　is　the　number
of　streets　of　dwelling…houses　with　projecting　windows　of　wooden
slats；　through　which　the　people　can　see　without　being　seen；　though
at　night；　when　the　andons　are　lit；　we　saw；　as　we　walked　from　Dr。
Palm's；　that　in　most　cases　families　were　sitting　round　the　hibachi
in　a　deshabille　of　the　scantiest　kind。

The　fronts　are　very　narrow；　and　the　houses　extend　backwards　to　an
amazing　length；　with　gardens　in　which　flowers；　shrubs；　and
mosquitoes　are　grown；　and　bridges　are　several　times　repeated；　so　as
to　give　the　effect　of　fairyland　as　you　look　through　from　the
street。　　The　principal　apartments　in　all　Japanese　houses　are　at　the
back；　looking　out　on　these　miniature　landscapes；　for　a　landscape　is
skilfully　dwarfed　into　a　space　often　not　more　than　30　feet　square。
A　lake；　a　rock…work；　a　bridge；　a　stone　lantern；　and　a　deformed
pine；　are　indispensable；　but　whenever　circumstances　and　means　admit
of　it；　quaintnesses　of　all　kinds　are　introduced。　　Small　pavilions；
retreats　for　tea…making；　reading；　sleeping　in　quiet　and　coolness；
fishing　under　cover；　and　drinking　sake；　bronze　pagodas；　cascades
falling　from　the　mouths　of　bronze　dragons；　rock　caves；　with　gold
and　silver　fish　darting　in　and　out；　lakes　with　rocky　islands；
streams　crossed　by　green　bridges；　just　high　enough　to　allow　a　rat
or　frog　to　pass　under；　lawns；　and　slabs　of　stone　for　crossing　them
in　wet　weather；　grottoes；　hills；　valleys；　groves　of　miniature
palms；　cycas；　and　bamboo；　and　dwarfed　trees　of　many　kinds；　of
purplish　and　dull　green　hues；　are　cut　into　startling　likenesses　of
beasts　and　creeping　things；　or　stretch　distorted　arms　over　tiny
lakes。

I　have　walked　about　a　great　deal　in　Niigata；　and　when　with　Mrs。
Fyson；　who　is　the　only　European　lady　here　at　present；　and　her
little　Ruth；　a　pretty　Saxon　child　of　three　years　old；　we　have　been
followed　by　an　immense　crowd；　as　the　sight　of　this　fair　creature；
with　golden　curls　falling　over　her　shoulders；　is　most　fascinating。
Both　men　and　women　have　gentle；　winning　ways　with　infants；　and
Ruth；　instead　of　being　afraid　of　the　crowds；　smiles　upon　them；　bows
in　Japanese　fashion；　speaks　to　them　in　Japanese；　and　seems　a　little
disposed　to　leave　her　own　people　altogether。　　It　is　most　difficult
to　make　her　keep　with　us；　and　two　or　three　times；　on　missing　her
and　looking　back；　we　have　seen　her　seated；　native　fashion；　in　a
ring　in　a　crowd　of　several　hundred　people；　receiving　a　homage　and
admiration　from　which　she　was　most　unwillingly　torn。　　The　Japanese
have　a　perfect　passion　for　children；　but　it　is　not　good　for
European　children　to　be　much　with　them；　as　they　corrupt　their
morals；　and　teach　them　to　tell　lies。

The　climate　of　Niigata　and　of　most　of　this　great　province　contrasts
unpleasantly　with　the　region　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountains；
warmed　by　the　gulf…stream　of　the　North　Pacific；　in　which　the　autumn
and　winter；　with　their　still　atmosphere；　bracing　temperature；　and
blue　and　sunny　skies；　are　the　most　delightful　seasons　of　the　year。
Thirty…two　days　of　snow…fall　occur　on　an　average。　　The　canals　and
rivers　freeze；　and　even　the　rapid　Shinano　sometimes　bears　a　horse。
In　January　and　February　the　snow　lies　three　or　four　feet　deep；　a
veil　of　clouds　obscures　the　sky；　people　inhabit　their　upper　rooms
to　get　any　daylight；　pack…horse　traffic　is　suspended；　pedestrians
go　about　with　difficulty　in　rough　snow…shoes；　and　for　nearly　six
months　the　coast　is　unsuitable　for　navigation；　owing　to　the
prevalence　of　strong；　cold；　north…west　winds。　　In　this　city　people
in　wadded　clothes；　with　only　their　eyes　exposed；　creep　about　under
the　verandahs。　　The　population　huddles　round　hibachis　and　shivers；
for　the　mercury；　which　rises　to　92　degrees　in　summer；　falls　to　15
degrees　in　winter。　　And　all　this　is　in　latitude　37　degrees　55'
three　degrees　south　of　Naples！　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XVII



The　Canal…side　at　NiigataAwful　LonelinessCourtesyDr。　Palm's
TandemA　Noisy　MatsuriA　Jolting　JourneyThe　Mountain　Villages
Winter　DismalnessAn　Out…of…the…world　HamletCrowded　Dwellings
Riding　a　Cow〃Drunk　and　Disorderly〃An　Enforced　RestLocal
DiscouragementsHeavy　LoadsAbsence　of　BeggarySlow　Travelling。

ICHINONO；　July　12。

Two　foreign　ladies；　two　fair…haired　foreign　infants；　a　long…haired
foreign　dog；　and　a　foreign　gentleman；　who；　without　these
accompaniments；　might　have　escaped　notice；　attracted　a　large　but
kindly　crowd　to　the　canal　side　when　I　left　Niigata。　　The　natives
bore　away　the　children　on　their　shoulders；　the　Fysons　walked　to　the
extremity　of　the　canal　to　bid　me　good…bye；　the　sampan　shot　out　upon
the　broad；　swirling　flood　of　the　Shinano；　and　an　awful　sense　of
loneliness　fell　upon　me。　　We　crossed　the　Shinano；　poled　up　the
narrow；　embanked　Shinkawa；　had　a　desperate　struggle　with　the
flooded　Aganokawa；　were　much　impeded　by　strings　of　nauseous　manure…
boats　on　the　narrow；　discoloured　Kajikawa；　wondered　at　the
interminable　melon　and　cucumber　fields；　and　at　the　odd　river　life；
and；　after　hard　poling　for　six　hours；　reached　Kisaki；　having
accomplished　exactly　ten　miles。　　Then　three　kurumas　with　trotting
runners　took　us　twenty　miles　at　the　low　rate　of　4。5　sen　per　ri。　　In
one　place　a　board　closed　the　road；　but；　on　representing　to　the
chief　man　of　the　village　that　the　traveller　was　a　foreigner；　he
courteously　allowed　me　to　pass；　the　Express　Agent　having
accompanied　me　thus　far　to　see　that　I　〃got　through　all　right。〃　　The
road　was　tolerably　populous　throughout　the　day's　journey；　and　the
farming　villages　which　extended　much　of　the　wayTsuiji；
Kasayanage；　Mono；　and　Mariwere　neat；　and　many　of　the　farms　had
bamboo　fences　to　screen　them　from　the　road。　　It　was；　on　the　whole；
a　pleasant　country；　and　the　people；　though　little　clothed；　did　not
look　either　poor　or　very　dirty。　　The　soil　was　very　light　and　sandy。
There　were；　in　fact；　〃pine　barrens；〃　sandy　ridges　with　nothing　on
them　but　spindly　Scotch　firs　and　fir　scrub；　but　the　sandy　levels
between　them；　being　heavily　manured　and　cultivated　like　gardens；
bore　splendid　crops　of　cucumbers　trained　like　peas；　melons；
vegetable　marrow；　Arum　esculentum；　sweet　potatoes；　maize；　tea；
tiger…lilies；　beans；　and　onions；　and　extensive　orchards　with　apples
and　pears　trained　laterally　on　trellis…work　eight　feet　high；　were　a
novelty　in　the　landscape。

Though　we　were　all　day　drawing　nearer　to　mountains　wooded　to　their
summits　on　the　east；　the　amount　of　vegetation　was　not　burdensome；
the　rice　swamps　were　few；　and　the　air　felt　drier　and　less　relaxing。
As　my　runners　were　trotting　merrily　over　one　of　the　pine　barrens；　I
met　Dr。　Palm　returning　from　one　of　his　medico…religious
expeditions；　with　a　tandem　of　two　naked　coolies；　who　were　going
over　the　ground　at　a　great　pace；　and　I　wished　that　some　of　the　most
staid　directors　of　the　Edinburgh　Medical　Missionary　Society　could
have　the　shock　of　seeing　him！　　I　shall　not　see　a　European　again　for
some　weeks。　　From　Tsuiji；　a　very　neat　village；　where　we　changed
kurumas；　we　were　jolted　along　over　a　shingly　road　to　Nakajo；　a
considerable　town　just　within　treaty　limits。　　The　Japanese　doctors
there；　as　in　some　other　places；　are　Dr。　Palm's　cordial　helpers；　and
five　or　six　of　them；　whom　he　regards　as　possessing　the　rare　virtues
of　candour；　earnestness；　and　single…mindedness；　and　who　have
studied　English　medical　works；　have　clubbed　together　to　establish　a
dispensary；　and；　under　Dr。　Palm's　instructions；　are　even　carrying
out　the　antiseptic　treatment　successfully；　after　some　ludicrous
failures！

We　dashed　through　Nakajo　as　kuruma…runners　always　dash　through
towns　and　villages；　got　out　of　it　in　a　drizzle　upon　an　avenue　of
firs；　three　or　four　deep；　which　extends　from　Nakajo　to　Kurokawa；
and　for　some　miles　beyond　were　jolted　over　a　damp　valley　on　which
tea　and　rice　alternated；　crossed　two　branches　of　the　shingly
Kurokawa　on　precarious　bridges；　rattled　into　the　town　of　Kurokawa；
much　decorated　with　flags　and　lanterns；　where　the　people　were　all
congregated　at　a　shrine　where　there　was　much　drumming；　and　a　few
girls；　much　painted　and　bedizened；　were　dancing　or　posturing　on　a
raised　and　covered　platform；　in　honour　of　the　god　of　the　place；
whose　matsuri　or　festival　it　was；　and　out　again；　to　be　mercilessly
jolted　under　the　firs　in　the　twilight　to　a　solitary　house　where　the
owner　made　some　difficulty　about　receiving　us；　as　his　licence　did
not　begin　till　the　next　day；　but　eventually　succumbed；　and　gave　me
his　one　upstairs　room；　exactly　five　feet　high；　which　hardly　allowed
of　my　standing　upright　with　my　hat　on。　　He　then　rendered　it
suffocating　by　closing　the　amado；　for　the　reason　often　given；　that
if　he　left　them　open　and　the　house　was　robbed；　the　police　would　not
only　blame　him　severely；　but　would　not　take　any　trouble　to　recover
his　property。　　He　had　no　rice；　so　I　indulged　in　a　feast　of
delicious　cucumbers。　　I　never