unbeaten tracks in japan-第3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！


with　iron　bridges；　neat　stations；　and　substantial　roomy　termini；
built　by　English　engineers　at　a　cost　known　only　to　Government；　and
opened　by　the　Mikado　in　1872。　　The　Yokohama　station　is　a　handsome
and　suitable　stone　building；　with　a　spacious　approach；　ticket…
offices　on　our　plan；　roomy　waiting…rooms　for　different　classes
uncarpeted；　however；　in　consideration　of　Japanese　clogsand
supplied　with　the　daily　papers。　　There　is　a　department　for　the
weighing　and　labelling　of　luggage；　and　on　the　broad；　covered；　stone
platform　at　both　termini　a　barrier　with　turnstiles；　through　which；
except　by　special　favour；　no　ticketless　person　can　pass。　　Except
the　ticket…clerks；　who　are　Chinese；　and　the　guards　and　engine…
drivers；　who　are　English；　the　officials　are　Japanese　in　European
dress。　　Outside　the　stations；　instead　of　cabs；　there　are　kurumas；
which　carry　luggage　as　well　as　people。　　Only　luggage　in　the　hand　is
allowed　to　go　free；　the　rest　is　weighed；　numbered；　and　charged　for；
a　corresponding　number　being　given　to　its　owner　to　present　at　his
destination。　　The　fares　are3d　class；　an　ichibu；　or　about　1s。；　2d
class；　60　sen；　or　about　2s。　4d。；　and　1st　class；　a　yen；　or　about　3s。
8d。　　The　tickets　are　collected　as　the　passengers　pass　through　the
barrier　at　the　end　of　the　journey。　　The　English…built　cars　differ
from　ours　in　having　seats　along　the　sides；　and　doors　opening　on
platforms　at　both　ends。　　On　the　whole；　the　arrangements　are
Continental　rather　than　British。　　The　first…class　cars　are
expensively　fitted　up　with　deeply…cushioned；　red　morocco　seats；　but
carry　very　few　passengers；　and　the　comfortable　seats；　covered　with
fine　matting；　of　the　2d　class　are　very　scantily　occupied；　but　the
3d　class　vans　are　crowded　with　Japanese；　who　have　taken　to
railroads　as　readily　as　to　kurumas。　　This　line　earns　about
8；000；000　a　year。

The　Japanese　look　most　diminutive　in　European　dress。　　Each　garment
is　a　misfit；　and　exaggerates　the　miserable　physique　and　the
national　defects　of　concave　chests　and　bow　legs。　　The　lack　of
〃complexion〃　and　of　hair　upon　the　face　makes　it　nearly　impossible
to　judge　of　the　ages　of　men。　　I　supposed　that　all　the　railroad
officials　were　striplings　of　17　or　18；　but　they　are　men　from　25　to
40　years　old。

It　was　a　beautiful　day；　like　an　English　June　day；　but　hotter；　and
though　the　Sakura　（wild　cherry）　and　its　kin；　which　are　the　glory　of
the　Japanese　spring；　are　over；　everything　is　a　young；　fresh　green
yet；　and　in　all　the　beauty　of　growth　and　luxuriance。　　The　immediate
neighbourhood　of　Yokohama　is　beautiful；　with　abrupt　wooded　hills；
and　small　picturesque　valleys；　but　after　passing　Kanagawa　the
railroad　enters　upon　the　immense　plain　of　Yedo；　said　to　be　90　miles
from　north　to　south；　on　whose　northern　and　western　boundaries　faint
blue　mountains　of　great　height　hovered　dreamily　in　the　blue　haze；
and　on　whose　eastern　shore　for　many　miles　the　clear　blue　wavelets
of　the　Gulf　of　Yedo　ripple；　always　as　then；　brightened　by　the　white
sails　of　innumerable　fishing…boats。　　On　this　fertile　and　fruitful
plain　stand　not　only　the　capital；　with　its　million　of　inhabitants；
but　a　number　of　populous　cities；　and　several　hundred　thriving
agricultural　villages。　　Every　foot　of　land　which　can　be　seen　from
the　railroad　is　cultivated　by　the　most　careful　spade　husbandry；　and
much　of　it　is　irrigated　for　rice。　　Streams　abound；　and　villages　of
grey　wooden　houses　with　grey　thatch；　and　grey　temples　with
strangely　curved　roofs；　are　scattered　thickly　over　the　landscape。
It　is　all　homelike；　liveable；　and　pretty；　the　country　of　an
industrious　people；　for　not　a　weed　is　to　be　seen；　but　no　very
striking　features　or　peculiarities　arrest　one　at　first　sight；
unless　it　be　the　crowds　everywhere。

You　don't　take　your　ticket　for　Tokiyo；　but　for　Shinagawa　or
Shinbashi；　two　of　the　many　villages　which　have　grown　together　into
the　capital。　　Yedo　is　hardly　seen　before　Shinagawa　is　reached；　for
it　has　no　smoke　and　no　long　chimneys；　its　temples　and　public
buildings　are　seldom　lofty；　the　former　are　often　concealed　among
thick　trees；　and　its　ordinary　houses　seldom　reach　a　height　of　20
feet。　　On　the　right　a　blue　sea　with　fortified　islands　upon　it；
wooded　gardens　with　massive　retaining　walls；　hundreds　of　fishing…
boats　lying　in　creeks　or　drawn　up　on　the　beach；　on　the　left　a　broad
road　on　which　kurumas　are　hurrying　both　ways；　rows　of　low；　grey
houses；　mostly　tea…houses　and　shops；　and　as　I　was　asking　〃Where　is
Yedo？〃　the　train　came　to　rest　in　the　terminus；　the　Shinbashi
railroad　station；　and　disgorged　its　200　Japanese　passengers　with　a
combined　clatter　of　400　clogsa　new　sound　to　me。　　These　clogs　add
three　inches　to　their　height；　but　even　with　them　few　of　the　men
attained　5　feet　7　inches；　and　few　of　the　women　5　feet　2　inches；　but
they　look　far　broader　in　the　national　costume；　which　also　conceals
the　defects　of　their　figures。　　So　lean；　so　yellow；　so　ugly；　yet　so
pleasant…looking；　so　wanting　in　colour　and　effectiveness；　the　women
so　very　small　and　tottering　in　their　walk；　the　children　so　formal…
looking　and　such　dignified　burlesques　on　the　adults；　I　feel　as　if　I
had　seen　them　all　before；　so　like　are　they　to　their　pictures　on
trays；　fans；　and　tea…pots。　　The　hair　of　the　women　is　all　drawn　away
from　their　faces；　and　is　worn　in　chignons；　and　the　men；　when　they
don't　shave　the　front　of　their　heads　and　gather　their　back　hair
into　a　quaint　queue　drawn　forward　over　the　shaven　patch；　wear　their
coarse　hair　about　three　inches　long　in　a　refractory　undivided　mop。

Davies；　an　orderly　from　the　Legation；　met　me；one　of　the　escort
cut　down　and　severely　wounded　when　Sir　H。　Parkes　was　attacked　in
the　street　of　Kiyoto　in　March　1868　on　his　way　to　his　first　audience
of　the　Mikado。　　Hundreds　of　kurumas；　and　covered　carts　with　four
wheels　drawn　by　one　miserable　horse；　which　are　the　omnibuses　of
certain　districts　of　Tokiyo；　were　waiting　outside　the　station；　and
an　English　brougham　for　me；　with　a　running　betto。　　The　Legation
stands　in　Kojimachi　on　very　elevated　ground　above　the　inner　moat　of
the　historic　〃Castle　of　Yedo；〃　but　I　cannot　tell　you　anything　of
what　I　saw　on　my　way　thither；　except　that　there　were　miles　of　dark；
silent；　barrack…like　buildings；　with　highly　ornamental　gateways；
and　long　rows　of　projecting　windows　with　screens　made　of　reedsthe
feudal　mansions　of　Yedoand　miles　of　moats　with　lofty　grass
embankments　or　walls　of　massive　masonry　50　feet　high；　with　kiosk…
like　towers　at　the　corners；　and　curious；　roofed　gateways；　and　many
bridges；　and　acres　of　lotus　leaves。　　Turning　along　the　inner　moat；
up　a　steep　slope；　there　are；　on　the　right；　its　deep　green　waters；
the　great　grass　embankment　surmounted　by　a　dismal　wall　overhung　by
the　branches　of　coniferous　trees　which　surrounded　the　palace　of　the
Shogun；　and　on　the　left　sundry　yashikis；　as　the　mansions　of　the
daimiyo　were　called；　now　in　this　quarter　mostly　turned　into
hospitals；　barracks；　and　Government　offices。　　On　a　height；　the　most
conspicuous　of　them　all；　is　the　great　red　gateway　of　the　yashiki；
now　occupied　by　the　French　Military　Mission；　formerly　the　residence
of　Ii　Kamon　no　Kami；　one　of　the　great　actors　in　recent　historic
events；　who　was　assassinated　not　far　off；　outside　the　Sakaruda　gate
of　the　castle。　　Besides　these；　barracks；　parade…grounds；　policemen；
kurumas；　carts　pulled　and　pushed　by　coolies；　pack…horses　in　straw
sandals；　and　dwarfish；　slatternly…looking　soldiers　in　European
dress；　made　up　the　Tokiyo　that　I　saw　between　Shinbashi　and　the
Legation。

H。B。M。's　Legation　has　a　good　situation　near　the　Foreign　Office；
several　of　the　Government　departments；　and　the　residences　of　the
ministers；　which　are　chiefly　of　brick　in　the　English　suburban　villa
style。　　Within　the　compound；　with　a　brick　archway　with　the　Royal
Arms　upon　it　for　an　entrance；　are　the　Minister's　residence；　the
Chancery；　two　houses　for　the　two　English　Secretaries　of　Legation；
and　quarters　for　the　escort。

It　is　an　English　house　and　an　English　home；　though；　with　the
exception　of　a　venerable　nurse；　there　are　no　English　servants。　　The
butler　and　footman　are　tall　Chinamen；　with　long　pig…tails；　black
satin　caps；　and　long　blue　robes；　the　cook　is　a　Chinaman；　and　the
other　servants　are　all　Japanese；　including　one　female　servant；　a
sweet；　gentle；　kindly　girl　about　4　feet　5　in　height；　the　wife　of
the　head　〃housemaid。〃　　None　of　the　servants　speak　anything　but　the
most　aggravating　〃pidgun〃　English；　but　their　deficient　speech　is
more　than　made　up　for　by　the　intelligence　and　service　of　the
orderly　in　waiting；　who　is　rarely　absent　from　the　neighbourhood　of
the　hall　door；　and　attends　to　the　visitors'　book　and　to　all
messages　and　notes。　　There　are　two　real　English　children　of　six　and
seven；　with　great　capacities　for　such　innocent　enjoyments　as　can　be
found　within　the　limits　of　the　nursery　and　garden。　　The　other
inmate　of　the　house　is　a　beautiful　and　attractive　terrier　called
〃Rags；〃　a　Skye　dog；　who　unbends　〃in　the　bosom　of　his　family；〃　but
ordinarily　is　as　imposing　in　his　demeanour　as　if　he；　and　not　his
master；　represented　the　dignity　of　the　British　Empire。

The　Japanese　Secretary　of　Legation　is　Mr。　Ernest　Satow；　whose
reputation　for　scholarship；　especially　in　the　department　of
history；　is　said　by　the　Japanese　themselves　to　be　the　highest　in
Japan　｛3｝an　honourable　distinction　for　an　Englishman；　and　won　by
the　persevering　industry　of　fifteen　years。　　The　scholarship
connected　with　the　British　Civil　Service　is　not；　however；
monopolised　by　Mr。　Satow；　for　several　gentlemen　in　the　consular
service；　who　are　passing　through　the　various　grades　of　student
interpreters；　are　distinguishing　themselves　not　alone　by　their
facility　in　colloquial　Japanese；　but　by　their　researches　in　various
departments　of　Japanese　history；　mythology；　archaeology；　and
literature。　　Indeed　it　is　to　their　labours；　and　to　those　of　a　few
other　Englishmen　and　Germans；　that　the　Japanese　of　the　rising
generation　will　be　indebted　for　keeping　alive　not　only　the
knowledge　of　their　archaic　literature；　but　even　of　the　manners　and
customs　of　the　first　half　of　this　century。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IV



〃John　Chinaman〃Engaging　a　ServantFirst　Impressions　of　ItoA
Solemn　ContractThe　Food　Question。

H。B。M。's　LEGATION；　YEDO