unbeaten tracks in japan-第28部分

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restriction　than　that　of　always　wearing　the　prison　dress。

At　the　Sakamoki　river　I　was　delighted　to　come　upon　the　only
thoroughly　solid　piece　of　modern　Japanese　work　that　I　have　met
witha　remarkably　handsome　stone　bridge　nearly　finishedthe　first
I　have　seen。　　I　introduced　myself　to　the　engineer；　Okuno　Chiuzo；　a
very　gentlemanly；　agreeable　Japanese；　who　showed　me　the　plans；　took
a　great　deal　of　trouble　to　explain　them；　and　courteously　gave　me
tea　and　sweetmeats。

Yamagata；　a　thriving　town　of　21；000　people　and　the　capital　of　the
ken；　is　well　situated　on　a　slight　eminence；　and　this　and　the
dominant　position　of　the　kencho　at　the　top　of　the　main　street　give
it　an　emphasis　unusual　in　Japanese　towns。　　The　outskirts　of　all　the
cities　are　very　mean；　and　the　appearance　of　the　lofty　white
buildings　of　the　new　Government　Offices　above　the　low　grey　houses
was　much　of　a　surprise。　　The　streets　of　Yamagata　are　broad　and
clean；　and　it　has　good　shops；　among　which　are　long　rows　selling
nothing　but　ornamental　iron　kettles　and　ornamental　brasswork。　　So
far　in　the　interior　I　was　annoyed　to　find　several　shops　almost
exclusively　for　the　sale　of　villainous　forgeries　of　European
eatables　and　drinkables；　specially　the　latter。　　The　Japanese；　from
the　Mikado　downwards；　have　acquired　a　love　of　foreign　intoxicants；
which　would　be　hurtful　enough　to　them　if　the　intoxicants　were
genuine；　but　is　far　worse　when　they　are　compounds　of　vitriol；　fusel
oil；　bad　vinegar；　and　I　know　not　what。　　I　saw　two　shops　in　Yamagata
which　sold　champagne　of　the　best　brands；　Martel's　cognac；　Bass'
ale；　Medoc；　St。　Julian；　and　Scotch　whisky；　at　about　one…fifth　of
their　cost　priceall　poisonous　compounds；　the　sale　of　which　ought
to　be　interdicted。

The　Government　Buildings；　though　in　the　usual　confectionery　style；
are　improved　by　the　addition　of　verandahs；　and　the　Kencho；
Saibancho；　or　Court　House；　the　Normal　School　with　advanced　schools
attached；　and　the　police　buildings；　are　all　in　keeping　with　the
good　road　and　obvious　prosperity。　　A　large　two…storied　hospital；
with　a　cupola；　which　will　accommodate　150　patients；　and　is　to　be　a
medical　school；　is　nearly　finished。　　It　is　very　well　arranged　and
ventilated。　　I　cannot　say　as　much　for　the　present　hospital；　which　I
went　over。　　At　the　Court　House　I　saw　twenty　officials　doing
nothing；　and　as　many　policemen；　all　in　European　dress；　to　which
they　had　added　an　imitation　of　European　manners；　the　total　result
being　unmitigated　vulgarity。　　They　demanded　my　passport　before　they
would　tell　me　the　population　of　the　ken　and　city。　　Once　or　twice　I
have　found　fault　with　Ito's　manners；　and　he　has　asked　me　twice
since　if　I　think　them　like　the　manners　of　the　policemen　at
Yamagata！

North　of　Yamagata　the　plain　widens；　and　fine　longitudinal　ranges
capped　with　snow　mountains　on　the　one　side；　and　broken　ranges　with
lateral　spurs　on　the　other；　enclose　as　cheerful　and　pleasant　a
region　as　one　would　wish　to　see；　with　many　pleasant　villages　on　the
lower　slopes　of　the　hills。　　The　mercury　was　only　70　degrees；　and
the　wind　north；　so　it　was　an　especially　pleasant　journey；　though　I
had　to　go　three　and　a　half　ri　beyond　Tendo；　a　town　of　5000　people；
where　I　had　intended　to　halt；　because　the　only　inns　at　Tendo　which
were　not　kashitsukeya　were　so　occupied　with　silk…worms　that　they
could　not　receive　me。

The　next　day's　journey　was　still　along　the　same　fine　road；　through
a　succession　of　farming　villages　and　towns　of　1500　and　2000　people；
such　as　Tochiida　and　Obanasawa；　were　frequent。　　From　both　these
there　was　a　glorious　view　of　Chokaizan；　a　grand；　snow…covered　dome；
said　to　be　8000　feet　high；　which　rises　in　an　altogether　unexpected
manner　from　comparatively　level　country；　and；　as　the　great　snow…
fields　of　Udonosan　are　in　sight　at　the　same　time；　with　most
picturesque　curtain　ranges　below；　it　may　be　considered　one　of　the
grandest　views　of　Japan。　　After　leaving　Obanasawa　the　road　passes
along　a　valley　watered　by　one　of　the　affluents　of　the　Mogami；　and；
after　crossing　it　by　a　fine　wooden　bridge；　ascends　a　pass　from
which　the　view　is　most　magnificent。　　After　a　long　ascent　through　a
region　of　light；　peaty　soil；　wooded　with　pine；　cryptomeria；　and
scrub　oak；　a　long　descent　and　a　fine　avenue　terminate　in　Shinjo；　a
wretched　town　of　over　5000　people；　situated　in　a　plain　of　rice…
fields。

The　day's　journey；　of　over　twenty…three　miles；　was　through　villages
of　farms　without　yadoyas；　and　in　many　cases　without　even　tea…
houses。　　The　style　of　building　has　quite　changed。　　Wood　has
disappeared；　and　all　the　houses　are　now　built　with　heavy　beams　and
walls　of　laths　and　brown　mud　mixed　with　chopped　straw；　and　very
neat。　　Nearly　all　are　great　oblong　barns；　turned　endwise　to　the
road；　50；　60；　and　even　100　feet　long；　with　the　end　nearest　the　road
the　dwelling…house。　　These　farm…houses　have　no　paper　windows；　only
amado；　with　a　few　panes　of　paper　at　the　top。　　These　are　drawn　back
in　the　daytime；　and；　in　the　better　class　of　houses；　blinds；　formed
of　reeds　or　split　bamboo；　are　let　down　over　the　opening。　　There　are
no　ceilings；　and　in　many　cases　an　unmolested　rat　snake　lives　in　the
rafters；　who；　when　he　is　much　gorged；　occasionally　falls　down　upon
a　mosquito　net。

Again　I　write　that　Shinjo　is　a　wretched　place。　　It　is　a　daimiyo's
town；　and　every　daimiyo's　town　that　I　have　seen　has　an　air　of
decay；　partly　owing　to　the　fact　that　the　castle　is　either　pulled
down；　or　has　been　allowed　to　fall　into　decay。　　Shinjo　has　a　large
trade　in　rice；　silk；　and　hemp；　and　ought　not　to　be　as　poor　as　it
looks。　　The　mosquitoes　were　in　thousands；　and　I　had　to　go　to　bed；
so　as　to　be　out　of　their　reach；　before　I　had　finished　my　wretched
meal　of　sago　and　condensed　milk。　　There　was　a　hot　rain　all　night；
my　wretched　room　was　dirty　and　stifling；　and　rats　gnawed　my　boots
and　ran　away　with　my　cucumbers。

To…day　the　temperature　is　high　and　the　sky　murky。　　The　good　road
has　come　to　an　end；　and　the　old　hardships　have　begun　again。　　After
leaving　Shinjo　this　morning　we　crossed　over　a　steep　ridge　into　a
singular　basin　of　great　beauty；　with　a　semicircle　of　pyramidal
hills；　rendered　more　striking　by　being　covered　to　their　summits
with　pyramidal　cryptomeria；　and　apparently　blocking　all　northward
progress。　　At　their　feet　lies　Kanayama　in　a　romantic　situation；
and；　though　I　arrived　as　early　as　noon；　I　am　staying　for　a　day　or
two；　for　my　room　at　the　Transport　Office　is　cheerful　and　pleasant；
the　agent　is　most　polite；　a　very　rough　region　lies　before　me；　and
Ito　has　secured　a　chicken　for　the　first　time　since　leaving　Nikko！

I　find　it　impossible　in　this　damp　climate；　and　in　my　present　poor
health；　to　travel　with　any　comfort　for　more　than　two　or　three　days
at　a　time；　and　it　is　difficult　to　find　pretty；　quiet；　and　wholesome
places　for　a　halt　of　two　nights。　　Freedom　from　fleas　and　mosquitoes
one　can　never　hope　for；　though　the　last　vary　in　number；　and　I　have
found　a　way　of　〃dodging〃　the　first　by　laying　down　a　piece　of　oiled
paper　six　feet　square　upon　the　mat；　dusting　along　its　edges　a　band
of　Persian　insect　powder；　and　setting　my　chair　in　the　middle。　　I　am
then　insulated；　and；　though　myriads　of　fleas　jump　on　the　paper；　the
powder　stupefies　them；　and　they　are　easily　killed。　　I　have　been
obliged　to　rest　here　at　any　rate；　because　I　have　been　stung　on　my
left　hand　both　by　a　hornet　and　a　gadfly；　and　it　is　badly　inflamed。
In　some　places　the　hornets　are　in　hundreds；　and　make　the　horses
wild。　　I　am　also　suffering　from　inflammation　produced　by　the　bites
of　〃horse　ants；〃　which　attack　one　in　walking。　　The　Japanese　suffer
very　much　from　these；　and　a　neglected　bite　often　produces　an
intractable　ulcer。　　Besides　these；　there　is　a　fly；　as　harmless　in
appearance　as　our　house…fly；　which　bites　as　badly　as　a　mosquito。
These　are　some　of　the　drawbacks　of　Japanese　travelling　in　summer；
but　worse　than　these　is　the　lack　of　such　food　as　one　can　eat　when
one　finishes　a　hard　day's　journey　without　appetite；　in　an
exhausting　atmosphere。

July　18。I　have　had　so　much　pain　and　fever　from　stings　and　bites
that　last　night　I　was　glad　to　consult　a　Japanese　doctor　from
Shinjo。　　Ito；　who　looks　twice　as　big　as　usual　when　he　has　to　do　any
〃grand〃　interpreting；　and　always　puts　on　silk　hakama　in　honour　of
it；　came　in　with　a　middle…aged　man　dressed　entirely　in　silk；　who
prostrated　himself　three　times　on　the　ground；　and　then　sat　down　on
his　heels。　　Ito　in　many　words　explained　my　calamities；　and　Dr。
Nosoki　then　asked　to　see　my　〃honourable　hand；〃　which　he　examined
carefully；　and　then　my　〃honourable　foot。〃　　He　felt　my　pulse　and
looked　at　my　eyes　with　a　magnifying　glass；　and　with　much　sucking　in
of　his　breatha　sign　of　good　breeding　and　politenessinformed　me
that　I　had　much　fever；　which　I　knew　before；　then　that　I　must　rest；
which　I　also　knew；　then　he　lighted　his　pipe　and　contemplated　me。
Then　he　felt　my　pulse　and　looked　at　my　eyes　again；　then　felt　the
swelling　from　the　hornet　bite；　and　said　it　was　much　inflamed；　of
which　I　was　painfully　aware；　and　then　clapped　his　hands　three
times。　　At　this　signal　a　coolie　appeared；　carrying　a　handsome　black
lacquer　chest　with　the　same　crest　in　gold　upon　it　as　Dr。　Nosoki
wore　in　white　on　his　haori。　　This　contained　a　medicine　chest　of
fine　gold　lacquer；　fitted　up　with　shelves；　drawers；　bottles；　etc。
He　compounded　a　lotion　first；　with　which　he　bandaged　my　hand　and
arm　rather　skilfully；　telling　me　to　pour　the　lotion　over　the
bandage　at　intervals　till　the　pain　abated。　　The　whole　was　covered
with　oiled　paper；　which　answers　the　purpose　of　oiled　silk。　　He　then
compounded　a　febrifuge；　which；　as　it　is　purely　vegetable；　I　have
not　hesitated　to　take；　and　told　me　to　drink　it　in　hot　water；　and　to
avoid　sake　for　a　day　or　two！

I　asked　him　what　his　fee　was；　and；　after　many　bows　and　much
spluttering　and　sucking　in　of　his　breath；　he　asked　if　I　should
think　half　a　yen　too　much；　and　when　I　presented　him　with　a　yen；　and
told　him　with　a　good　deal　of　profound　bowing　on　my　part　that　I　was
exceedingly　glad　to　obtain　his　services；　his　gratitude　quite
abashed　me　by　its　immensity。

Dr。　Nosoki　is　one　of　the　old…fashioned　practitioners；　whose　medical
knowledge　has　been　handed　down　from　father　to　son；　and　who　holds
out；　as　probably　most　of　his　pa