unbeaten tracks in japan-第36部分

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immediate　left；　and　for　a　moment　it　was　a　question　whether　she
would　not　smash　us　to　atoms。　　Ito　was　livid　with　fear；　his　white；
appalled　face　struck　me　as　ludicrous；　for　I　had　no　other　thought
than　the　imminent　peril　of　the　large　boat　with　her　freight　of
helpless　families；　when；　just　as　she　was　within　two　feet　of　us；　she
struck　a　stem　and　glanced　off。　　Then　her　crew　grappled　a　headless
trunk　and　got　their　hawser　round　it；　and　eight　of　them；　one　behind
the　other；　hung　on　to　it；　when　it　suddenly　snapped；　seven　fell
backwards；　and　the　forward　one　went　overboard　to　be　no　more　seen。
Some　house　that　night　was　desolate。　　Reeling　downwards；　the　big
mast　and　spar　of　the　ungainly　craft　caught　in　a　tree；　giving　her
such　a　check　that　they　were　able　to　make　her　fast。　　It　was　a
saddening　incident。　　I　asked　Ito　what　he　felt　when　we　seemed　in
peril；　and　he　replied；　〃I　thought　I'd　been　good　to　my　mother；　and
honest；　and　I　hoped　I　should　go　to　a　good　place。〃

The　fashion　of　boats　varies　much　on　different　rivers。　　On　this　one
there　are　two　sizes。　　Ours　was　a　small　one；　flat…bottomed；　25　feet
long　by　2。5　broad；　drawing　6　inches；　very　low　in　the　water；　and
with　sides　slightly　curved　inwards。　　The　prow　forms　a　gradual　long
curve　from　the　body　of　the　boat；　and　is　very　high。

The　mists　rolled　away　as　dusk　came　on；　and　revealed　a　lovely
country　with　much　picturesqueness　of　form；　and　near　Kotsunagi　the
river　disappears　into　a　narrow　gorge　with　steep；　sentinel　hills；
dark　with　pine　and　cryptomeria。　　To　cross　the　river　we　had　to　go
fully　a　mile　above　the　point　aimed　at；　and　then　a　few　minutes　of
express　speed　brought　us　to　a　landing　in　a　deep；　tough　quagmire　in
a　dark　wood；　through　which　we　groped　our　lamentable　way　to　the
yadoya。　　A　heavy　mist　came　on；　and　the　rain　returned　in　torrents；
the　doma　was　ankle　deep　in　black　slush。　　The　daidokoro　was　open　to
the　roof；　roof　and　rafters　were　black　with　smoke；　and　a　great　fire
of　damp　wood　was　smoking　lustily。　　Round　some　live　embers　in　the
irori　fifteen　men；　women；　and　children　were　lying；　doing　nothing；
by　the　dim　light　of　an　andon。　　It　was　picturesque　decidedly；　and　I
was　well　disposed　to　be　content　when　the　production　of　some
handsome　fusuma　created　daimiyo's　rooms　out　of　the　farthest　part　of
the　dim　and　wandering　space；　opening　upon　a　damp　garden；　into　which
the　rain　splashed　all　night。

The　solitary　spoil　of　the　day's　journey　was　a　glorious　lily；　which
I　presented　to　the　house…master；　and　in　the　morning　it　was　blooming
on　the　kami…dana　in　a　small　vase　of　priceless　old　Satsuma　china。　　I
was　awoke　out　of　a　sound　sleep　by　Ito　coming　in　with　a　rumour；
brought　by　some　travellers；　that　the　Prime　Minister　had　been
assassinated；　and　fifty　policemen　killed！　　＇This　was　probably　a
distorted　version　of　the　partial　mutiny　of　the　Imperial　Guard；
which　I　learned　on　landing　in　Yezo。＇　　Very　wild　political　rumours
are　in　the　air　in　these　outlandish　regions；　and　it　is　not　very
wonderful　that　the　peasantry　lack　confidence　in　the　existing　order
of　things　after　the　changes　of　the　last　ten　years；　and　the　recent
assassination　of　the　Home　Minister。　　I　did　not　believe　the　rumour；
for　fanaticism；　even　in　its　wildest　moods；　usually　owes　some
allegiance　to　common　sense；　but　it　was　disturbing；　as　I　have
naturally　come　to　feel　a　deep　interest　in　Japanese　affairs。　　A　few
hours　later　Ito　again　presented　himself　with　a　bleeding　cut　on　his
temple。　　In　lighting　his　pipean　odious　nocturnal　practice　of　the
Japanesehe　had　fallen　over　the　edge　of　the　fire…pot。　　I　always
sleep　in　a　Japanese　kimona　to　be　ready　for　emergencies；　and　soon
bound　up　his　head；　and　slept　again；　to　be　awoke　early　by　another
deluge。

We　made　an　early　start；　but　got　over　very　little　ground；　owing　to
bad　roads　and　long　delays。　　All　day　the　rain　came　down　in　even
torrents；　the　tracks　were　nearly　impassable；　my　horse　fell　five
times；　I　suffered　severely　from　pain　and　exhaustion；　and　almost
fell　into　despair　about　ever　reaching　the　sea。　　In　these　wild
regions　there　are　no　kago　or　norimons　to　be　had；　and　a　pack…horse
is　the　only　conveyance；　and　yesterday；　having　abandoned　my　own
saddle；　I　had　the　bad　luck　to　get　a　pack…saddle　with　specially
angular　and　uncompromising　peaks；　with　a　soaked　and　extremely
unwashed　futon　on　the　top；　spars；　tackle；　ridges；　and　furrows　of
the　most　exasperating　description；　and　two　nooses　of　rope　to　hold
on　by　as　the　animal　slid　down　hill　on　his　haunches；　or　let　me
almost　slide　over　his　tail　as　he　scrambled　and　plunged　up　hill。

It　was　pretty　country；　even　in　the　downpour；　when　white　mists
parted　and　fir…crowned　heights　looked　out　for　a　moment；　or　we　slid
down　into　a　deep　glen　with　mossy　boulders；　lichen…covered　stumps；
ferny　carpet；　and　damp；　balsamy　smell　of　pyramidal　cryptomeria；　and
a　tawny　torrent　dashing　through　it　in　gusts　of　passion。　　Then　there
were　low　hills；　much　scrub；　immense　rice…fields；　and　violent
inundations。　　But　it　is　not　pleasant；　even　in　the　prettiest
country；　to　cling　on　to　a　pack…saddle　with　a　saturated　quilt　below
you　and　the　water　slowly　soaking　down　through　your　wet　clothes　into
your　boots；　knowing　all　the　time　that　when　you　halt　you　must　sleep
on　a　wet　bed；　and　change　into　damp　clothes；　and　put　on　the　wet　ones
again　the　next　morning。　　The　villages　were　poor；　and　most　of　the
houses　were　of　boards　rudely　nailed　together　for　ends；　and　for
sides　straw　rudely　tied　on；　they　had　no　windows；　and　smoke　came　out
of　every　crack。　　They　were　as　unlike　the　houses　which　travellers
see　in　southern　Japan　as　a　〃black　hut〃　in　Uist　is　like　a　cottage　in
a　trim　village　in　Kent。　　These　peasant　proprietors　have　much　to
learn　of　the　art　of　living。　　At　Tsuguriko；　the　next　stage；　where
the　Transport　Office　was　so　dirty　that　I　was　obliged　to　sit　in　the
street　in　the　rain；　they　told　us　that　we　could　only　get　on　a　ri
farther；　because　the　bridges　were　all　carried　away　and　the　fords
were　impassable；　but　I　engaged　horses；　and；　by　dint　of　British
doggedness　and　the　willingness　of　the　mago；　I　got　the　horses　singly
and　without　their　loads　in　small　punts　across　the　swollen　waters　of
the　Hayakuchi；　the　Yuwase；　and　the　Mochida；　and　finally　forded
three　branches　of　my　old　friend　the　Yonetsurugawa；　with　the　foam　of
its　hurrying　waters　whitening　the　men's　shoulders　and　the　horses'
packs；　and　with　a　hundred　Japanese　looking　on　at　the　〃folly〃　of　the
foreigner。

I　like　to　tell　you　of　kind　people　everywhere；　and　the　two　mago　were
specially　so；　for；　when　they　found　that　I　was　pushing　on　to　Yezo
for　fear　of　being　laid　up　in　the　interior　wilds；　they　did　all　they
could　to　help　me；　lifted　me　gently　from　the　horse；　made　steps　of
their　backs　for　me　to　mount；　and　gathered　for　me　handfuls　of　red
berries；　which　I　ate　out　of　politeness；　though　they　tasted　of　some
nauseous　drug。　　They　suggested　that　I　should　stay　at　the
picturesquely…situated　old　village　of　Kawaguchi；　but　everything
about　it　was　mildewed　and　green　with　damp；　and　the　stench　from　the
green　and　black　ditches　with　which　it　abounded　was　so　overpowering；
even　in　passing　through；　that　I　was　obliged　to　ride　on　to　Odate；　a
crowded；　forlorn；　half…tumbling…to…pieces　town　of　8000　people；　with
bark　roofs　held　down　by　stones。

The　yadoyas　are　crowded　with　storm…staid　travellers；　and　I　had　a
weary　tramp　from　one　to　another；　almost　sinking　from　pain；　pressed
upon　by　an　immense　crowd；　and　frequently　bothered　by　a　policeman；
who　followed　me　from　one　place　to　the　other；　making　wholly
unrighteous　demands　for　my　passport　at　that　most　inopportune　time。
After　a　long　search　I　could　get　nothing　better　than　this　room；　with
fusuma　of　tissue　paper；　in　the　centre　of　the　din　of　the　house；
close　to　the　doma　and　daidokoro。　　Fifty　travellers；　nearly　all　men；
are　here；　mostly　speaking　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　and　in　a
provincial　jargon　which　exasperates　Ito。　　Cooking；　bathing；　eating；
and；　worst　of　all；　perpetual　drawing　water　from　a　well　with　a
creaking　hoisting　apparatus；　are　going　on　from　4。30　in　the　morning
till　11。30　at　night；　and　on　both　evenings　noisy　mirth；　of　alcoholic
inspiration；　and　dissonant　performances　by　geishas　have　added　to
the　dim

In　all　places　lately　Hai；　〃yes；〃　has　been　pronounced　He；　Chi；　Na；
Ne；　to　Ito's　great　contempt。　　It　sounds　like　an　expletive　or
interjection　rather　than　a　response；　and　seems　used　often　as　a　sign
of　respect　or　attention　only。　　Often　it　is　loud　and　shrill；　then
guttural；　at　times　little　more　than　a　sigh。　　In　these　yadoyas　every
sound　is　audible；　and　I　hear　low　rumbling　of　mingled　voices；　and
above　all　the　sharp　Hai；　Hai　of　the　tea…house　girls　in　full　chorus
from　every　quarter　of　the　house。　　The　habit　of　saying　it　is　so
strong　that　a　man　roused　out　of　sleep　jumps　up　with　Hai；　Hai；　and
often；　when　I　speak　to　Ito　in　English；　a　stupid　Hebe　sitting　by
answers　Hai。

I　don't　want　to　convey　a　false　impression　of　the　noise　here。　　It
would　be　at　least　three　times　as　great　were　I　in　equally　close
proximity　to　a　large　hotel　kitchen　in　England；　with　fifty　Britons
only　separated　from　me　by　paper　partitions。　　I　had　not　been　long　in
bed　on　Saturday　night　when　I　was　awoke　by　Ito　bringing　in　an　old
hen　which　he　said　he　could　stew　till　it　was　tender；　and　I　fell
asleep　again　with　its　dying　squeak　in　my　ears；　to　be　awoke　a　second
time　by　two　policemen　wanting　for　some　occult　reason　to　see　my
passport；　and　a　third　time　by　two　men　with　lanterns　scrambling　and
fumbling　about　the　room　for　the　strings　of　a　mosquito　net；　which
they　wanted　for　another　traveller。　　These　are　among　the　ludicrous
incidents　of　Japanese　travelling。　　About　five　Ito　woke　me　by　saying
he　was　quite　sure　that　the　moxa　would　be　the　thing　to　cure　my
spine；　and；　as　we　were　going　to　stay　all　day；　he　would　go　and　fetch
an　operator；　but　I　rejected　this　as　emphatically　as　the　services　of
the　blind　man！　　Yesterday　a　man　came　and　pasted　slips　of　paper　over
all　the　〃peep　holes〃　in　the　shoji；　and　I　have　been　very　little
annoyed；　even　though　the　yadoya　is　so　crowded。

The　rain　continues　to　come　down　in　torrents；　and　rumours　are　hourly
arriving　of　disasters　to　roads　and　bridges　on　the　northern　route。
I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXVII



Good…tempered　IntoxicationThe　Effect　of　SunshineA　tedious
AltercationEvening　Occupat