unbeaten tracks in japan-第33部分

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write　both　the　syllabaries。　　For　foreign　rank　or　position　he　has
not　an　atom　of　reverence　or　value；　but　a　great　deal　of　both　for
Japanese　officialdom。　　He　despises　the　intellects　of　women；　but
flirts　in　a　town…bred　fashion　with　the　simple　tea…house　girls。

He　is　anxious　to　speak　the　very　best　English；　and　to　say　that　a
word　is　slangy　or　common　interdicts　its　use。　　Sometimes；　when　the
weather　is　fine　and　things　go　smoothly；　he　is　in　an　excellent　and
communicative　humour；　and　talks　a　good　deal　as　we　travel。　　A　few
days　ago　I　remarked；　〃What　a　beautiful　day　this　is！〃　and　soon
after；　note…book　in　hand；　he　said；　〃You　say　'a　beautiful　day。'　　Is
that　better　English　than　'a　devilish　fine　day；'　which　most
foreigners　say？〃　　I　replied　that　it　was　〃common；〃　and　〃beautiful〃
has　been　brought　out　frequently　since。　　Again；　〃When　you　ask　a
question　you　never　say；　'What　the　d…l　is　it？'　as　other　foreigners
do。　　Is　it　proper　for　men　to　say　it　and　not　for　women？〃　　I　told　him
it　was　proper　for　neither；　it　was　a　very　〃common〃　word；　and　I　saw
that　he　erased　it　from　his　note…book。　　At　first　he　always　used
fellows　for　men；　as；　〃Will　you　have　one　or　two　FELLOWS　for　your
kuruma？〃　〃FELLOWS　and　women。〃　　At　last　he　called　the　Chief
Physician　of　the　hospital　here　a　FELLOW；　on　which　I　told　him　that
it　was　slightly　slangy；　and　at　least　〃colloquial；〃　and　for　two　days
he　has　scrupulously　spoken　of　man　and　men。　　To…day　he　brought　a　boy
with　very　sore　eyes　to　see　me；　on　which　I　exclaimed；　〃Poor　little
fellow！〃　and　this　evening　he　said；　〃You　called　that　boy　a　fellow；　I
thought　it　was　a　bad　word！〃　　The　habits　of　many　of　the　Yokohama
foreigners　have　helped　to　obliterate　any　distinctions　between　right
and　wrong；　if　he　ever　made　any。　　If　he　wishes　to　tell　me　that　he
has　seen　a　very　tipsy　man；　he　always　says　he　has　seen　〃a　fellow　as
drunk　as　an　Englishman。〃　　At　Nikko　I　asked　him　how　many　legal　wives
a　man　could　have　in　Japan；　and　he　replied；　〃Only　one　lawful　one；
but　as　many　others　（mekake）　as　he　can　support；　just　as　Englishmen
have。〃　　He　never　forgets　a　correction。　　Till　I　told　him　it　was
slangy　he　always　spoke　of　inebriated　people　as　〃tight；〃　and　when　I
gave　him　the　words　〃tipsy；〃　〃drunk；〃　〃intoxicated；〃　he　asked　me
which　one　would　use　in　writing　good　English；　and　since　then　he　has
always　spoken　of　people　as　〃intoxicated。〃

He　naturally　likes　large　towns；　and　tries　to　deter　me　from　taking
the　〃unbeaten　tracks；〃　which　I　preferbut　when　he　finds　me
immovable；　always　concludes　his　arguments　with　the　same　formula；
〃Well；　of　course　you　can　do　as　you　like；　it's　all　the　same　to　me。〃
I　do　not　think　he　cheats　me　to　any　extent。　　Board；　lodging；　and
travelling　expenses　for　us　both　are　about　6s。　6d。　a　day；　and　about
2s。　6d。　when　we　are　stationary；　and　this　includes　all　gratuities
and　extras。　　True；　the　board　and　lodging　consist　of　tea；　rice；　and
eggs；　a　copper　basin　of　water；　an　andon　and　an　empty　room；　for；
though　there　are　plenty　of　chickens　in　all　the　villages；　the　people
won't　be　bribed　to　sell　them　for　killing；　though　they　would　gladly
part　with　them　if　they　were　to　be　kept　to　lay　eggs。　　Ito　amuses　me
nearly　every　night　with　stories　of　his　unsuccessful　attempts　to
provide　me　with　animal　food。

The　travelling　is　the　nearest　approach　to　〃a　ride　on　a　rail〃　that　I
have　ever　made。　　I　have　now　ridden；　or　rather　sat；　upon　seventy…six
horses；　all　horrible。　　They　all　stumble。　　The　loins　of　some　are
higher　than　their　shoulders；　so　that　one　slips　forwards；　and　the
back…bones　of　all　are　ridgy。　　Their　hind　feet　grow　into　points
which　turn　up；　and　their　hind　legs　all　turn　outwards；　like　those　of
a　cat；　from　carrying　heavy　burdens　at　an　early　age。　　The　same　thing
gives　them　a　roll　in　their　gait；　which　is　increased　by　their
awkward　shoes。　　In　summer　they　feed　chiefly　on　leaves；　supplemented
with　mashes　of　bruised　beans；　and　instead　of　straw　they　sleep　on
beds　of　leaves。　　In　their　stalls　their　heads　are　tied　〃where　their
tails　should　be；〃　and　their　fodder　is　placed　not　in　a　manger；　but
in　a　swinging　bucket。　　Those　used　in　this　part　of　Japan　are　worth
from　15　to　30　yen。　　I　have　not　seen　any　overloading　or　ill…
treatment；　they　are　neither　kicked；　nor　beaten；　nor　threatened　in
rough　tones；　and　when　they　die　they　are　decently　buried；　and　have
stones　placed　over　their　graves。　　It　might　be　well　if　the　end　of　a
worn…out　horse　were　somewhat　accelerated；　but　this　is　mainly　a
Buddhist　region；　and　the　aversion　to　taking　animal　life　is　very
strong。　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXIV



The　Symbolism　of　SeaweedAfternoon　VisitorsAn　Infant　ProdigyA
Feat　in　CaligraphyChild　WorshipA　Borrowed　DressA　Trousseau
House　FurnitureThe　Marriage　Ceremony。

KUBOTA；　July　25。

The　weather　at　last　gives　a　hope　of　improvement；　and　I　think　I
shall　leave　to…morrow。　　I　had　written　this　sentence　when　Ito　came
in　to　say　that　the　man　in　the　next　house　would　like　to　see　my
stretcher　and　mosquito　net；　and　had　sent　me　a　bag　of　cakes　with　the
usual　bit　of　seaweed　attached；　to　show　that　it　was　a　present。　　The
Japanese　believe　themselves　to　be　descended　from　a　race　of
fishermen；　they　are　proud　of　it；　and　Yebis；　the　god　of　fishermen；
is　one　of　the　most　popular　of　the　household　divinities。　　The　piece
of　seaweed　sent　with　a　present　to　any　ordinary　person；　and　the
piece　of　dried　fish…skin　which　accompanies　a　present　to　the　Mikado；
record　the　origin　of　the　race；　and　at　the　same　time　typify　the
dignity　of　simple　industry。

Of　course　I　consented　to　receive　the　visitor；　and　with　the　mercury
at　84　degrees；　five　men；　two　boys；　and　five　women　entered　my　small；
low　room；　and　after　bowing　to　the　earth　three　times；　sat　down　on
the　floor。　　They　had　evidently　come　to　spend　the　afternoon。　　Trays
of　tea　and　sweetmeats　were　handed　round；　and　a　labako…bon　was
brought　in；　and　they　all　smoked；　as　I　had　told　Ito　that　all　usual
courtesies　were　to　be　punctiliously　performed。　　They　expressed
their　gratification　at　seeing　so　〃honourable〃　a　traveller。　　I
expressed　mine　at　seeing　so　much　of　their　〃honourable〃　country。
Then　we　all　bowed　profoundly。　　Then　I　laid　Brunton's　map　on　the
floor　and　showed　them　my　route；　showed　them　the　Asiatic　Society's
Transactions；　and　how　we　read　from　left　to　right；　instead　of　from
top　to　bottom；　showed　them　my　knitting；　which　amazed　them；　and　my
Berlin　work；　and　then　had　nothing　left。　　Then　they　began　to
entertain　me；　and　I　found　that　the　real　object　of　their　visit　was
to　exhibit　an　〃infant　prodigy；〃　a　boy　of　four；　with　a　head　shaven
all　but　a　tuft　on　the　top；　a　face　of　preternatural　thoughtfulness
and　gravity；　and　the　self…possessed　and　dignified　demeanour　of　an
elderly　man。　　He　was　dressed　in　scarlet　silk　hakama；　and　a　dark；
striped；　blue　silk　kimono；　and　fanned　himself　gracefully；　looking
at　everything　as　intelligently　and　courteously　as　the　others。　　To
talk　child's　talk　to　him；　or　show　him　toys；　or　try　to　amuse　him；
would　have　been　an　insult。　　The　monster　has　taught　himself　to　read
and　write；　and　has　composed　poetry。　　His　father　says　that　he　never
plays；　and　understands　everything　just　like　a　grown　person。　　The
intention　was　that　I　should　ask　him　to　write；　and　I　did　so。

It　was　a　solemn　performance。　　A　red　blanket　was　laid　in　the　middle
of　the　floor；　with　a　lacquer　writing…box　upon　it。　　The　creature
rubbed　the　ink　with　water　on　the　inkstone；　unrolled　four　rolls　of
paper；　five　feet　long；　and　inscribed　them　with　Chinese　characters；
nine　inches　long；　of　the　most　complicated　kind；　with　firm　and
graceful　curves　of　his　brush；　and　with　the　ease　and　certainty　of
Giotto　in　turning　his　O。　　He　sealed　them　with　his　seal　in
vermilion；　bowed　three　times；　and　the　performance　was　ended。
People　get　him　to　write　kakemonos　and　signboards　for　them；　and　he
had　earned　10　yen；　or　about　2　pounds；　that　day。　　His　father　is
going　to　travel　to　Kiyoto　with　him；　to　see　if　any　one　under
fourteen　can　write　as　well。　　I　never　saw　such　an　exaggerated
instance　of　child　worship。　　Father；　mother；　friends；　and　servants；
treated　him　as　if　he　were　a　prince。

The　house…master；　who　is　a　most　polite　man；　procured　me　an
invitation　to　the　marriage　of　his　niece；　and　I　have　just　returned
from　it。　　He　has　three　〃wives〃　himself。　　One　keeps　a　yadoya　in
Kiyoto；　another　in　Morioka；　and　the　third　and　youngest　is　with　him
here。　　From　her　limitless　stores　of　apparel　she　chose　what　she
considered　a　suitable　dress　for　mean　under…dress　of　sage　green
silk　crepe；　a　kimono　of　soft；　green；　striped　silk　of　a　darker
shade；　with　a　fold　of　white　crepe；　spangled　with　gold　at　the　neck；
and　a　girdle　of　sage　green　corded　silk；　with　the　family　badge　here
and　there　upon　it　in　gold。　　I　went　with　the　house…master；　Ito；　to
his　disgust；　not　being　invited；　and　his　absence　was　like　the　loss
of　one　of　my　senses；　as　I　could　not　get　any　explanations　till
afterwards。

The　ceremony　did　not　correspond　with　the　rules　laid　down　for
marriages　in　the　books　of　etiquette　that　I　have　seen；　but　this　is
accounted　for　by　the　fact　that　they　were　for　persons　of　the　samurai
class；　while　this　bride　and　bridegroom；　though　the　children　of
well…to…do　merchants；　belong　to　the　heimin。

In　this　case　the　trousseau　and　furniture　were　conveyed　to　the
bridegroom's　house　in　the　early　morning；　and　I　was　allowed　to　go　to
see　them。　　There　were　several　girdles　of　silk　embroidered　with
gold；　several　pieces　of　brocaded　silk　for　kimonos；　several　pieces
of　silk　crepe；　a　large　number　of　made…up　garments；　a　piece　of　white
silk；　six　barrels　of　wine　or　sake；　and　seven　sorts　of　condiments。
Jewellery　is　not　worn　by　women　in　Japan。

The　furniture　consisted　of　two　wooden　pillows；　finely　lacquered；
one　of　them　containing　a　drawer　for　ornamental　hairpins；　some
cotton　futons；　two　very　handsome　silk　ones；　a　few　silk　cushions；　a
lacquer　workbox；　a　spinning…wheel；　a　lacquer　rice　bucket　and　ladle；
two　ornamental　iron　kettles；　various　kitchen　utensils；　three　bronze
hibachi；　two　tabako…bons；　some　lacquer　trays；　and　zens；　china
kettles；　teapots；　and　cups；　some　lacquer　rice　bowls；　two　copper
basins；　a　few　towels；　some　bamboo　switches；　and　an　inlaid　lacquer
etagere。　　As　the　things　are　all　very　handsome　the　parents　must　be
well　off。　　The　sake　is　sent　in　accordance　with　rigid　etiquette。

The　bridegroom　is　twenty…two；