unbeaten tracks in japan-第27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！


pond。　　In　it；　as　in　most　towns；　there　were　shops　which　sell　nothing
but　white；　frothy…looking　cakes；　which　are　used　for　the　goldfish
which　are　so　much　prized；　and　three　times　daily　the　women　and
children　of　the　household　came　into　the　garden　to　feed　them。

When　I　left　Komatsu　there　were　fully　sixty　people　inside　the　house
and　1500　outsidewalls；　verandahs；　and　even　roofs　being　packed。
From　Nikko　to　Komatsu　mares　had　been　exclusively　used；　but　there　I
encountered　for　the　first　time　the　terrible　Japanese　pack…horse。
Two　horridly　fierce…looking　creatures　were　at　the　door；　with　their
heads　tied　down　till　their　necks　were　completely　arched。　　When　I
mounted　the　crowd　followed；　gathering　as　it　went；　frightening　the
horse　with　the　clatter　of　clogs　and　the　sound　of　a　multitude；　till
he　broke　his　head…rope；　and；　the　frightened　mago　letting　him　go；　he
proceeded　down　the　street　mainly　on　his　hind　feet；　squealing；　and
striking　savagely　with　his　fore　feet；　the　crowd　scattering　to　the
right　and　left；　till；　as　it　surged　past　the　police　station；　four
policemen　came　out　and　arrested　it；　only　to　gather　again；　however；
for　there　was　a　longer　street；　down　which　my　horse　proceeded　in　the
same　fashion；　and；　looking　round；　I　saw　Ito's　horse　on　his　hind
legs　and　Ito　on　the　ground。　　My　beast　jumped　over　all　ditches；
attacked　all　foot…passengers　with　his　teeth；　and　behaved　so　like　a
wild　animal　that　not　all　my　previous　acquaintance　with　the
idiosyncrasies　of　horses　enabled　me　to　cope　with　him。　　On　reaching
Akayu　we　found　a　horse　fair；　and；　as　all　the　horses　had　their　heads
tightly　tied　down　to　posts；　they　could　only　squeal　and　lash　out
with　their　hind　feet；　which　so　provoked　our　animals　that　the
baggage　horse；　by　a　series　of　jerks　and　rearings；　divested　himself
of　Ito　and　most　of　the　baggage；　and；　as　I　dismounted　from　mine；　he
stood　upright；　and　my　foot　catching　I　fell　on　the　ground；　when　he
made　several　vicious　dashes　at　me　with　his　teeth　and　fore　feet；
which　were　happily　frustrated　by　the　dexterity　of　some　mago。　　These
beasts　forcibly　remind　me　of　the　words；　〃Whose　mouth　must　be　held
with　bit　and　bridle；　lest　they　turn　and　fall　upon　thee。〃

It　was　a　lovely　summer　day；　though　very　hot；　and　the　snowy　peaks　of
Aidzu　scarcely　looked　cool　as　they　glittered　in　the　sunlight。　　The
plain　of　Yonezawa；　with　the　prosperous　town　of　Yonezawa　in　the
south；　and　the　frequented　watering…place　of　Akayu　in　the　north；　is
a　perfect　garden　of　Eden；　〃tilled　with　a　pencil　instead　of　a
plough；〃　growing　in　rich　profusion　rice；　cotton；　maize；　tobacco；
hemp；　indigo；　beans；　egg…plants；　walnuts；　melons；　cucumbers；
persimmons；　apricots；　pomegranates；　a　smiling　and　plenteous　land；
an　Asiatic　Arcadia；　prosperous　and　independent；　all　its　bounteous
acres　belonging　to　those　who　cultivate　them；　who　live　under　their
vines；　figs；　and　pomegranates；　free　from　oppressiona　remarkable
spectacle　under　an　Asiatic　despotism。　　Yet　still　Daikoku　is　the
chief　deity；　and　material　good　is　the　one　object　of　desire。

It　is　an　enchanting　region　of　beauty；　industry；　and　comfort；
mountain　girdled；　and　watered　by　the　bright　Matsuka。　　Everywhere
there　are　prosperous　and　beautiful　farming　villages；　with　large
houses　with　carved　beams　and　ponderous　tiled　roofs；　each　standing
in　its　own　grounds；　buried　among　persimmons　and　pomegranates；　with
flower…gardens　under　trellised　vines；　and　privacy　secured　by　high；
closely…clipped　screens　of　pomegranate　and　cryptomeria。　　Besides
the　villages　of　Yoshida；　Semoshima；　Kurokawa；　Takayama；　and
Takataki；　through　or　near　which　we　passed；　I　counted　over　fifty　on
the　plain　with　their　brown；　sweeping　barn　roofs　looking　out　from
the　woodland。　　I　cannot　see　any　differences　in　the　style　of
cultivation。　　Yoshida　is　rich　and　prosperous…looking；　Numa　poor　and
wretched…looking；　but　the　scanty　acres　of　Numa；　rescued　from　the
mountain…sides；　are　as　exquisitely　trim　and　neat；　as　perfectly
cultivated；　and　yield　as　abundantly　of　the　crops　which　suit　the
climate；　as　the　broad　acres　of　the　sunny　plain　of　Yonezawa；　and
this　is　the　case　everywhere。　　〃The　field　of　the　sluggard〃　has　no
existence　in　Japan。

We　rode　for　four　hours　through　these　beautiful　villages　on　a　road
four　feet　wide；　and　then；　to　my　surprise；　after　ferrying　a　river；
emerged　at　Tsukuno　upon　what　appears　on　the　map　as　a　secondary
road；　but　which　is　in　reality　a　main　road　25　feet　wide；　well　kept；
trenched　on　both　sides；　and　with　a　line　of　telegraph　poles　along
it。　　It　was　a　new　world　at　once。　　The　road　for　many　miles　was
thronged　with　well…dressed　foot…passengers；　kurumas；　pack…horses；
and　waggons　either　with　solid　wheels；　or　wheels　with　spokes　but　no
tires。　　It　is　a　capital　carriage…road；　but　without　carriages。　　In
such　civilised　circumstances　it　was　curious　to　see　two　or　four
brown　skinned　men　pulling　the　carts；　and　quite　often　a　man　and　his
wifethe　man　unclothed；　and　the　woman　unclothed　to　her　waist
doing　the　same。　　Also　it　struck　me　as　incongruous　to　see　telegraph
wires　above；　and　below；　men　whose　only　clothing　consisted　of　a　sun…
hat　and　fan；　while　children　with　books　and　slates　were　returning
from　school；　conning　their　lessons。

At　Akayu；　a　town　of　hot　sulphur　springs；　I　hoped　to　sleep；　but　it
was　one　of　the　noisiest　places　I　have　seen。　　In　the　most　crowded
part；　where　four　streets　meet；　there　are　bathing　sheds；　which　were
full　of　people　of　both　sexes；　splashing　loudly；　and　the　yadoya
close　to　it　had　about　forty　rooms；　in　nearly　all　of　which　several
rheumatic　people　were　lying　on　the　mats；　samisens　were　twanging；
and　kotos　screeching；　and　the　hubbub　was　so　unbearable　that　I　came
on　here；　ten　miles　farther；　by　a　fine　new　road；　up　an　uninteresting
strath　of　rice…fields　and　low　hills；　which　opens　out　upon　a　small
plain　surrounded　by　elevated　gravelly　hills；　on　the　slope　of　one　of
which　Kaminoyama；　a　watering…place　of　over　3000　people；　is
pleasantly　situated。　　It　is　keeping　festival；　there　are　lanterns
and　flags　on　every　house；　and　crowds　are　thronging　the　temple
grounds；　of　which　there　are　several　on　the　hills　above。　　It　is　a
clean；　dry　place；　with　beautiful　yadoyas　on　the　heights；　and
pleasant　houses　with　gardens；　and　plenty　of　walks　over　the　hills。
The　people　say　that　it　is　one　of　the　driest　places　in　Japan。　　If　it
were　within　reach　of　foreigners；　they　would　find　it　a　wholesome
health　resort；　with　picturesque　excursions　in　many　directions。

This　is　one　of　the　great　routes　of　Japanese　travel；　and　it　is
interesting　to　see　watering…places　with　their　habits；　amusements；
and　civilisation　quite　complete；　but　borrowing　nothing　from　Europe。
The　hot　springs　here　contain　iron；　and　are　strongly　impregnated
with　sulphuretted　hydrogen。　　I　tried　the　temperature　of　three；　and
found　them　100　degrees；　105　degrees；　and　107　degrees。　　They　are
supposed　to　be　very　valuable　in　rheumatism；　and　they　attract
visitors　from　great　distances。　　The　police；　who　are　my　frequent
informants；　tell　me　that　there　are　nearly　600　people　now　staying
here　for　the　benefit　of　the　baths；　of　which　six　daily　are　usually
taken。　　I　think　that　in　rheumatism；　as　in　some　other　maladies；　the
old…fashioned　Japanese　doctors　pay　little　attention　to　diet　and
habits；　and　much　to　drugs　and　external　applications。　　The　benefit
of　these　and　other　medicinal　waters　would　be　much　increased　if
vigorous　friction　replaced　the　dabbing　with　soft　towels。

This　is　a　large　yadoya；　very　full　of　strangers；　and　the　house…
mistress；　a　buxom　and　most　prepossessing　widow；　has　a　truly
exquisite　hotel　for　bathers　higher　up　the　hill。　　She　has　eleven
children；　two　or　three　of　whom　are　tall；　handsome；　and　graceful
girls。　　One　blushed　deeply　at　my　evident　admiration；　but　was　not
displeased；　and　took　me　up　the　hill　to　see　the　temples；　baths；　and
yadoyas　of　this　very　attractive　place。　　I　am　much　delighted　with
her　grace　and　savoir　faire。　　I　asked　the　widow　how　long　she　had
kept　the　inn；　and　she　proudly　answered；　〃Three　hundred　years；〃　not
an　uncommon　instance　of　the　heredity　of　occupations。

My　accommodation　is　uniquea　kura；　or　godown；　in　a　large
conventional　garden；　in　which　is　a　bath…house；　which　receives　a　hot
spring　at　a　temperature　of　105　degrees；　in　which　I　luxuriate。　　Last
night　the　mosquitoes　were　awful。　　If　the　widow　and　her　handsome
girls　had　not　fanned　me　perseveringly　for　an　hour；　I　should　not
have　been　able　to　write　a　line。　　My　new　mosquito　net　succeeds
admirably；　and；　when　I　am　once　within　it；　I　rather　enjoy　the
disappointment　of　the　hundreds　of　drumming　blood…thirsty　wretches
outside。

The　widow　tells　me　that　house…masters　pay　2　yen　once　for　all　for
the　sign；　and　an　annual　tax　of　2　yen　on　a　first…class　yadoya；　1　yen
for　a　second；　and　50　cents　for　a　third；　with　5　yen　for　the　license
to　sell　sake。

These　〃godowns〃　（from　the　Malay　word　gadong）；　or　fire…proof　store…
houses；　are　one　of　the　most　marked　features　of　Japanese　towns；　both
because　they　are　white　where　all　else　is　grey；　and　because　they　are
solid　where　all　else　is　perishable。

I　am　lodged　in　the　lower　part；　but　the　iron　doors　are　open；　and　in
their　place　at　night　is　a　paper　screen。　　A　few　things　are　kept　in
my　room。　　Two　handsome　shrines　from　which　the　unemotional　faces　of
two　Buddhas　looked　out　all　night；　a　fine　figure　of　the　goddess
Kwan…non；　and　a　venerable　one　of　the　god　of　longevity；　suggested
curious　dreams。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XIX



ProsperityConvict　LabourA　New　BridgeYamagataIntoxicating
ForgeriesThe　Government　BuildingsBad　MannersSnow　MountainsA
Wretched　Town。

KANAYAMA；　July　16。

Three　days　of　travelling　on　the　same　excellent　road　have　brought　me
nearly　60　miles。　　Yamagata　ken　impresses　me　as　being　singularly
prosperous；　progressive；　and　go…ahead；　the　plain　of　Yamagata；　which
I　entered　soon　after　leaving　Kaminoyama；　is　populous　and　highly
cultivated；　and　the　broad　road；　with　its　enormous　traffic；　looks
wealthy　and　civilised。　　It　is　being　improved　by　convicts　in　dull
red　kimonos　printed　with　Chinese　characters；　who　correspond　with
our　ticket…of…leave　men；　as　they　are　working　for　wages　in　the
employment　of　contractors　and　farmers；　and　are　under　no　other
restriction　than　that　of　always　wearing　the　prison　dress。

At　the　Sakamoki　river　I　was　delighted　to　come　upon　the　only