unbeaten tracks in japan-第41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！


sunlight　and　colourwonderful　shades　of　cobalt　and　indigo；　green
blues　and　blue　greens；　and　flashes　of　white　foam　in　unsuspected
rifts。　　It　looked　a　simple；　home…like　region；　a　very　pleasant　land。

We　passed　through　several　villages　of　farmers　who　live　in　very
primitive　habitations；　built　of　mud；　looking　as　if　the　mud　had　been
dabbed　upon　the　framework　with　the　hands。　　The　walls　sloped
slightly　inwards；　the　thatch　was　rude；　the　eaves　were　deep　and
covered　all　manner　of　lumber；　there　was　a　smoke…hole　in　a　few；　but
the　majority　smoked　all　over　like　brick…kilns；　they　had　no　windows；
and　the　walls　and　rafters　were　black　and　shiny。　　Fowls　and　horses
live　on　one　side　of　the　dark　interior；　and　the　people　on　the　other。
The　houses　were　alive　with　unclothed　children；　and　as　I　repassed　in
the　evening　unclothed　men　and　women；　nude　to　their　waists；　were
sitting　outside　their　dwellings　with　the　small　fry；　clothed　only　in
amulets；　about　them；　several　big　yellow　dogs　forming　part　of　each
family　group；　and　the　faces　of　dogs；　children；　and　people　were　all
placidly　contented！　　These　farmers　owned　many　good　horses；　and
their　crops　were　splendid。　　Probably　on　matsuri　days　all　appear　in
fine　clothes　taken　from　ample　hoards。　　They　cannot　be　so　poor；　as
far　as　the　necessaries　of　life　are　concerned；　they　are　only　very
〃far　back。〃　　They　know　nothing　better；　and　are　contented；　but　their
houses　are　as　bad　as　any　that　I　have　ever　seen；　and　the　simplicity
of　Eden　is　combined　with　an　amount　of　dirt　which　makes　me　sceptical
as　to　the　performance　of　even　weekly　ablutions。

Upper　Nakano　is　very　beautiful；　and　in　the　autumn；　when　its　myriads
of　star…leaved　maples　are　scarlet　and　crimson；　against　a　dark
background　of　cryptomeria；　among　which　a　great　white　waterfall
gleams　like　a　snow…drift　before　it　leaps　into　the　black　pool　below；
it　must　be　well　worth　a　long　journey。　　I　have　not　seen　anything
which　has　pleased　me　more。　　There　is　a　fine　flight　of　moss…grown
stone　steps　down　to　the　water；　a　pretty　bridge；　two　superb　stone
torii；　some　handsome　stone　lanterns；　and　then　a　grand　flight　of
steep　stone　steps　up　a　hill…side　dark　with　cryptomeria　leads　to　a
small　Shinto　shrine。　　Not　far　off　there　is　a　sacred　tree；　with　the
token　of　love　and　revenge　upon　it。　　The　whole　place　is　entrancing。

Lower　Nakano；　which　I　could　only　reach　on　foot；　is　only　interesting
as　possessing　some　very　hot　springs；　which　are　valuable　in　cases　of
rheumatism　and　sore　eyes。　　It　consists　mainly　of　tea…houses　and
yadoyas；　and　seemed　rather　gay。　　It　is　built　round　the　edge　of　an
oblong　depression；　at　the　bottom　of　which　the　bath…houses　stand；　of
which　there　are　four；　only　nominally　separated；　and　with　but　two
entrances；　which　open　directly　upon　the　bathers。　　In　the　two　end
houses　women　and　children　were　bathing　in　large　tanks；　and　in　the
centre　ones　women　and　men　were　bathing　together；　but　at　opposite
sides；　with　wooden　ledges　to　sit　upon　all　round。　　I　followed　the
kuruma…runner　blindly　to　the　baths；　and　when　once　in　I　had　to　go
out　at　the　other　side；　being　pressed　upon　by　people　from　behind；
but　the　bathers　were　too　polite　to　take　any　notice　of　my　most
unwilling　intrusion；　and　the　kuruma…runner　took　me　in　without　the
slightest　sense　of　impropriety　in　so　doing。　　I　noticed　that　formal
politeness　prevailed　in　the　bath…house　as　elsewhere；　and　that
dippers　and　towels　were　handed　from　one　to　another　with　profound
bows。　　The　public　bath…house　is　said　to　be　the　place　in　which
public　opinion　is　formed；　as　it　is　with　us　in　clubs　and　public…
houses；　and　that　the　presence　of　women　prevents　any　dangerous　or
seditious　consequences；　but　the　Government　is　doing　its　best　to
prevent　promiscuous　bathing；　and；　though　the　reform　may　travel
slowly　into　these　remote　regions；　it　will　doubtless　arrive　sooner
or　later。　　The　public　bath…house　is　one　of　the　features　of　Japan。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXXII



A　Hard　Day's　JourneyAn　OverturnNearing　the　OceanJoyful
ExcitementUniversal　GreynessInopportune　PolicemenA　Stormy
VoyageA　Wild　WelcomeA　Windy　LandingThe　Journey's　End。

HAKODATE；　YEZO；　August；　1878。

The　journey　from　Kuroishi　to　Aomori；　though　only　22。5　miles；　was　a
tremendous　one；　owing　to　the　state　of　the　roads；　for　more　rain　had
fallen；　and　the　passage　of　hundreds　of　pack…horses　heavily　loaded
with　salt…fish　had　turned　the　tracks　into　quagmires。　　At　the　end　of
the　first　stage　the　Transport　Office　declined　to　furnish　a　kuruma；
owing　to　the　state　of　the　roads；　but；　as　I　was　not　well　enough　to
ride　farther；　I　bribed　two　men　for　a　very　moderate　sum　to　take　me
to　the　coast；　and　by　accommodating　each　other　we　got　on　tolerably；
though　I　had　to　walk　up　all　the　hills　and　down　many；　to　get　out　at
every　place　where　a　little　bridge　had　been　carried　away；　that　the
kuruma　might　be　lifted　over　the　gap；　and　often　to　walk　for　200
yards　at　a　time；　because　it　sank　up　to　its　axles　in　the　quagmire。
In　spite　of　all　precautions　I　was　upset　into　a　muddy　ditch；　with
the　kuruma　on　the　top　of　me；　but；　as　my　air…pillow　fortunately　fell
between　the　wheel　and　me；　I　escaped　with　nothing　worse　than　having
my　clothes　soaked　with　water　and　mud；　which；　as　I　had　to　keep　them
on　all　night；　might　have　given　me　cold；　but　did　not。　　We　met
strings　of　pack…horses　the　whole　way；　carrying　salt…fish；　which　is
taken　throughout　the　interior。

The　mountain…ridge；　which　runs　throughout　the　Main　Island；　becomes
depressed　in　the　province　of　Nambu；　but　rises　again　into　grand；
abrupt　hills　at　Aomori　Bay。　　Between　Kuroishi　and　Aomori；　however；
it　is　broken　up　into　low　ranges；　scantily　wooded；　mainly　with　pine；
scrub　oak；　and　the　dwarf　bamboo。　　The　Sesamum　ignosco；　of　which　the
incense…sticks　are　made；　covers　some　hills　to　the　exclusion　of　all
else。　　Rice　grows　in　the　valleys；　but　there　is　not　much
cultivation；　and　the　country　looks　rough；　cold；　and　hyperborean。

The　farming　hamlets　grew　worse　and　worse；　with　houses　made　roughly
of　mud；　with　holes　scratched　in　the　side　for　light　to　get　in；　or
for　smoke　to　get　out；　and　the　walls　of　some　were　only　great　pieces
of　bark　and　bundles　of　straw　tied　to　the　posts　with　straw　ropes。
The　roofs　were　untidy；　but　this　was　often　concealed　by　the　profuse
growth　of　the　water…melons　which　trailed　over　them。　　The　people
were　very　dirty；　but　there　was　no　appearance　of　special　poverty；
and　a　good　deal　of　money　must　be　made　on　the　horses　and　mago
required　for　the　transit　of　fish　from　Yezo；　and　for　rice　to　it。

At　Namioka　occurred　the　last　of　the　very　numerous　ridges　we　have
crossed　since　leaving　Nikko　at　a　point　called　Tsugarusaka；　and　from
it　looked　over　a　rugged　country　upon　a　dark…grey　sea；　nearly
landlocked　by　pine…clothed　hills；　of　a　rich　purple　indigo　colour。
The　clouds　were　drifting；　the　colour　was　intensifying；　the　air　was
fresh　and　cold；　the　surrounding　soil　was　peaty；　the　odours　of　pines
were　balsamic；　it　looked；　felt；　and　smelt　like　home；　the　grey　sea
was　Aomori　Bay；　beyond　was　the　Tsugaru　Strait；my　long　land…
journey　was　done。　　A　traveller　said　a　steamer　was　sailing　for　Yezo
at　night；　so；　in　a　state　of　joyful　excitement；　I　engaged　four　men；
and　by　dragging；　pushing；　and　lifting；　they　got　me　into　Aomori；　a
town　of　grey　houses；　grey　roofs；　and　grey　stones　on　roofs；　built　on
a　beach　of　grey　sand；　round　a　grey　baya　miserable…looking　place；
though　the　capital　of　the　ken。

It　has　a　great　export　trade　in　cattle　and　rice　to　Yezo；　besides
being　the　outlet　of　an　immense　annual　emigration　from　northern
Japan　to　the　Yezo　fishery；　and　imports　from　Hakodate　large
quantities　of　fish；　skins；　and　foreign　merchandise。　　It　has　some
trade　in　a　pretty　but　not　valuable　〃seaweed；〃　or　variegated
lacquer；　called　Aomori　lacquer；　but　not　actually　made　there；　its
own　speciality　being　a　sweetmeat　made　of　beans　and　sugar。　　It　has　a
deep　and　well…protected　harbour；　but　no　piers　or　conveniences　for
trade。　　It　has　barracks　and　the　usual　Government　buildings；　but
there　was　no　time　to　learn　anything　about　it；only　a　short　half…
hour　for　getting　my　ticket　at　the　Mitsu　Bishi　office；　where　they
demanded　and　copied　my　passport；　for　snatching　a　morsel　of　fish　at
a　restaurant　where　〃foreign　food〃　was　represented　by　a　very　dirty
table…cloth；　and　for　running　down　to　the　grey　beach；　where　I　was
carried　into　a　large　sampan　crowded　with　Japanese　steerage
passengers。

The　wind　was　rising；　a　considerable　surf　was　running；　the　spray　was
flying　over　the　boat；　the　steamer　had　her　steam　up；　and　was　ringing
and　whistling　impatiently；　there　was　a　scud　of　rain；　and　I　was
standing　trying　to　keep　my　paper　waterproof　from　being　blown　off；
when　three　inopportune　policemen　jumped　into　the　boat　and　demanded
my　passport。　　For　a　moment　I　wished　them　and　the　passport　under　the
waves！　　The　steamer　is　a　little　old　paddle…boat　of　about　70　tons；
with　no　accommodation　but　a　single　cabin　on　deck。　　She　was　as　clean
and　trim　as　a　yacht；　and；　like　a　yacht；　totally　unfit　for　bad
weather。　　Her　captain；　engineers；　and　crew　were　all　Japanese；　and
not　a　word　of　English　was　spoken。　　My　clothes　were　very　wet；　and
the　night　was　colder　than　the　day　had　been；　but　the　captain　kindly
covered　me　up　with　several　blankets　on　the　floor；　so　I　did　not
suffer。　　We　sailed　early　in　the　evening；　with　a　brisk　northerly
breeze；　which　chopped　round　to　the　south…east；　and　by　eleven　blew　a
gale；　the　sea　ran　high；　the　steamer　laboured　and　shipped　several
heavy　seas；　much　water　entered　the　cabin；　the　captain　came　below
every　half…hour；　tapped　the　barometer；　sipped　some　tea；　offered　me
a　lump　of　sugar；　and　made　a　face　and　gesture　indicative　of　bad
weather；　and　we　were　buffeted　about　mercilessly　till　4　a。m。；　when
heavy　rain　came　on；　and　the　gale　fell　temporarily　with　it。　　The
boat　is　not　fit　for　a　night　passage；　and　always　lies　in　port　when
bad　weather　is　expected；　and　as　this　was　said　to　be　the　severest
gale　which　has　swept　the　Tsugaru　Strait　since　January；　the　captain
was　uneasy　about　her；　but　being　so；　showed　as　much　calmness　as　if
he　had　been　a　Briton！

The　gale　rose　again　after　sunrise；　and　when；　after　doing　sixty
miles　in　fourteen　hours；　we　reached　the　heads　of　Hakodate　Harbour；
it　was　blowing　and　pouring　like　a　bad　day　in　Argyllshire；　the　spin…
drift　was　driving　over　the　bay；