unbeaten tracks in japan-第29部分

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knowledge　has　been　handed　down　from　father　to　son；　and　who　holds
out；　as　probably　most　of　his　patients　do；　against　European　methods
and　drugs。　　A　strong　prejudice　against　surgical　operations；
specially　amputations；　exists　throughout　Japan。　　With　regard　to　the
latter；　people　think　that；　as　they　came　into　the　world　complete；　so
they　are　bound　to　go　out　of　it；　and　in　many　places　a　surgeon　would
hardly　be　able　to　buy　at　any　price　the　privilege　of　cutting　off　an
arm。

Except　from　books　these　older　men　know　nothing　of　the　mechanism　of
the　human　body；　as　dissection　is　unknown　to　native　science。　　Dr。
Nosoki　told　me　that　he　relies　mainly　on　the　application　of　the　moxa
and　on　acupuncture　in　the　treatment　of　acute　diseases；　and　in
chronic　maladies　on　friction；　medicinal　baths；　certain　animal　and
vegetable　medicines；　and　certain　kinds　of　food。　　The　use　of　leeches
and　blisters　is　unknown　to　him；　and　he　regards　mineral　drugs　with
obvious　suspicion。　　He　has　heard　of　chloroform；　but　has　never　seen
it　used；　and　considers　that　in　maternity　it　must　necessarily　be
fatal　either　to　mother　or　child。　　He　asked　me　（and　I　have　twice
before　been　asked　the　same　question）　whether　it　is　not　by　its　use
that　we　endeavour　to　keep　down　our　redundant　population！　　He　has
great　faith　in　ginseng；　and　in　rhinoceros　horn；　and　in　the　powdered
liver　of　some　animal；　which；　from　the　description；　I　understood　to
be　a　tigerall　specifics　of　the　Chinese　school　of　medicines。　　Dr。
Nosoki　showed　me　a　small　box　of　〃unicorn's〃　horn；　which　he　said　was
worth　more　than　its　weight　in　gold！　　As　my　arm　improved
coincidently　with　the　application　of　his　lotion；　I　am　bound　to　give
him　the　credit　of　the　cure。

I　invited　him　to　dinner；　and　two　tables　were　produced　covered　with
different　dishes；　of　which　he　ate　heartily；　showing　most　singular
dexterity　with　his　chopsticks　in　removing　the　flesh　of　small；　bony
fish。　　It　is　proper　to　show　appreciation　of　a　repast　by　noisy
gulpings；　and　much　gurgling　and　drawing　in　of　the　breath。
Etiquette　rigidly　prescribes　these　performances；　which　are　most
distressing　to　a　European；　and　my　guest　nearly　upset　my　gravity　by
them。

The　host　and　the　kocho；　or　chief　man　of　the　village；　paid　me　a
formal　visit　in　the　evening；　and　Ito；　en　grande　tenue；　exerted
himself　immensely　on　the　occasion。　　They　were　much　surprised　at　my
not　smoking；　and　supposed　me　to　be　under　a　vow！　　They　asked　me　many
questions　about　our　customs　and　Government；　but　frequently　reverted
to　tobacco。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XX



The　Effect　of　a　ChickenPoor　FareSlow　TravellingObjects　of
InterestKak'keThe　Fatal　CloseA　Great　FireSecurity　of　the
Kuras。

SHINGOJI；　July　21。

Very　early　in　the　morning；　after　my　long　talk　with　the　Kocho　of
Kanayama；　Ito　wakened　me　by　saying；　〃You'll　be　able　for　a　long
day's　journey　to…day；　as　you　had　a　chicken　yesterday；〃　and　under
this　chicken's　marvellous　influence　we　got　away　at　6。45；　only　to
verify　the　proverb；　〃The　more　haste　the　worse　speed。〃　　Unsolicited
by　me　the　Kocho　sent　round　the　village　to　forbid　the　people　from
assembling；　so　I　got　away　in　peace　with　a　pack…horse　and　one
runner。　　It　was　a　terrible　road；　with　two　severe　mountain…passes　to
cross；　and　I　not　only　had　to　walk　nearly　the　whole　way；　but　to　help
the　man　with　the　kuruma　up　some　of　the　steepest　places。　　Halting　at
the　exquisitely　situated　village　of　Nosoki；　we　got　one　horse；　and
walked　by　a　mountain　road　along　the　head…waters　of　the　Omono　to
Innai。　　I　wish　I　could　convey　to　you　any　idea　of　the　beauty　and
wildness　of　that　mountain　route；　of　the　surprises　on　the　way；　of
views；　of　the　violent　deluges　of　rain　which　turned　rivulets　into
torrents；　and　of　the　hardships　and　difficulties　of　the　day；　the
scanty　fare　of　sun…dried　rice　dough　and　sour　yellow　rasps；　and　the
depth　of　the　mire　through　which　we　waded！　　We　crossed　the　Shione
and　Sakatsu　passes；　and　in　twelve　hours　accomplished　fifteen　miles！
Everywhere　we　were　told　that　we　should　never　get　through　the
country　by　the　way　we　are　going。

The　women　still　wear　trousers；　but　with　a　long　garment　tucked　into
them　instead　of　a　short　one；　and　the　men　wear　a　cotton　combination
of　breastplate　and　apron；　either　without　anything　else；　or　over
their　kimonos。　　The　descent　to　Innai　under　an　avenue　of
cryptomeria；　and　the　village　itself；　shut　in　with　the　rushing
Omono；　are　very　beautiful。

The　yadoya　at　Innai　was　a　remarkably　cheerful　one；　but　my　room　was
entirely　fusuma　and　shoji；　and　people　were　peeping　in　the　whole
time。　　It　is　not　only　a　foreigner　and　his　strange　ways　which
attract　attention　in　these　remote　districts；　but；　in　my　case；　my
india…rubber　bath；　air…pillow；　and；　above　all；　my　white　mosquito
net。　　Their　nets　are　all　of　a　heavy　green　canvas；　and　they　admire
mine　so　much；　that　I　can　give　no　more　acceptable　present　on　leaving
than　a　piece　of　it　to　twist　in　with　the　hair。　　There　were　six
engineers　in　the　next　room　who　are　surveying　the　passes　which　I　had
crossed；　in　order　to　see　if　they　could　be　tunnelled；　in　which　case
kurumas　might　go　all　the　way　from　Tokiyo　to　Kubota　on　the　Sea　of
Japan；　and；　with　a　small　additional　outlay；　carts　also。

In　the　two　villages　of　Upper　and　Lower　Innai　there　has　been　an
outbreak　of　a　malady　much　dreaded　by　the　Japanese；　called　kak'ke；
which；　in　the　last　seven　months；　has　carried　off　100　persons　out　of
a　population　of　about　1500；　and　the　local　doctors　have　been　aided
by　two　sent　from　the　Medical　School　at　Kubota。　　I　don't　know　a
European　name　for　it；　the　Japanese　name　signifies　an　affection　of
the　legs。　　Its　first　symptoms　are　a　loss　of　strength　in　the　legs；
〃looseness　in　the　knees；〃　cramps　in　the　calves；　swelling；　and
numbness。　　This；　Dr。　Anderson；　who　has　studied　kak'ke　in　more　than
1100　cases　in　Tokiyo；　calls　the　sub…acute　form。　　The　chronic　is　a
slow；　numbing；　and　wasting　malady；　which；　if　unchecked；　results　in
death　from　paralysis　and　exhaustion　in　from　six　months　to　three
years。　　The　third；　or　acute　form；　Dr。　Anderson　describes　thus。
After　remarking　that　the　grave　symptoms　set　in　quite　unexpectedly；
and　go　on　rapidly　increasing；　he　says：…　〃The　patient　now　can　lie
down　no　longer；　he　sits　up　in　bed　and　tosses　restlessly　from　one
position　to　another；　and；　with　wrinkled　brow；　staring　and　anxious
eyes；　dusky　skin；　blue；　parted　lips；　dilated　nostrils；　throbbing
neck；　and　labouring　chest；　presents　a　picture　of　the　most　terrible
distress　that　the　worst　of　diseases　can　inflict。　　There　is　no
intermission　even　for　a　moment；　and　the　physician；　here　almost
powerless；　can　do　little　more　than　note　the　failing　pulse　and
falling　temperature；　and　wait　for　the　moment　when　the　brain；
paralysed　by　the　carbonised　blood；　shall　become　insensible；　and
allow　the　dying　man　to　pass　his　last　moments　in　merciful
unconsciousness。〃　｛15｝

The　next　morning；　after　riding　nine　miles　through　a　quagmire；　under
grand　avenues　of　cryptomeria；　and　noticing　with　regret　that　the
telegraph　poles　ceased；　we　reached　Yusowa；　a　town　of　7000　people；
in　which；　had　it　not　been　for　provoking　delays；　I　should　have　slept
instead　of　at　Innai；　and　found　that　a　fire　a　few　hours　previously
had　destroyed　seventy　houses；　including　the　yadoya　at　which　I
should　have　lodged。　　We　had　to　wait　two　hours　for　horses；　as　all
were　engaged　in　moving　property　and　people。　　The　ground　where　the
houses　had　stood　was　absolutely　bare　of　everything　but　fine　black
ash；　among　which　the　kuras　stood　blackened；　and；　in　some　instances；
slightly　cracked；　but　in　all　unharmed。　　Already　skeletons　of　new
houses　were　rising。　　No　life　had　been　lost　except　that　of　a　tipsy
man；　but　I　should　probably　have　lost　everything　but　my　money。



LETTER　XX（Continued）



Lunch　in　PublicA　Grotesque　AccidentPolice　InquiriesMan　or
Woman？A　Melancholy　StareA　Vicious　HorseAn　Ill…favoured　Town
A　DisappointmentA　Torii。

Yusowa　is　a　specially　objectionable…looking　place。　　I　took　my
luncha　wretched　meal　of　a　tasteless　white　curd　made　from　beans；
with　some　condensed　milk　added　to　itin　a　yard；　and　the　people
crowded　in　hundreds　to　the　gate；　and　those　behind；　being　unable　to
see　me；　got　ladders　and　climbed　on　the　adjacent　roofs；　where　they
remained　till　one　of　the　roofs　gave　way　with　a　loud　crash；　and
precipitated　about　fifty　men；　women；　and　children　into　the　room
below；　which　fortunately　was　vacant。　　Nobody　screameda　noteworthy
factand　the　casualties　were　only　a　few　bruises。　　Four　policemen
then　appeared　and　demanded　my　passport；　as　if　I　were　responsible
for　the　accident；　and　failing；　like　all　others；　to　read　a
particular　word　upon　it；　they　asked　me　what　I　was　travelling　for；
and　on　being　told　〃to　learn　about　the　country；〃　they　asked　if　I　was
making　a　map！　　Having　satisfied　their　curiosity　they　disappeared；
and　the　crowd　surged　up　again　in　fuller　force。　　The　Transport　Agent
begged　them　to　go　away；　but　they　said　they　might　never　see　such　a
sight　again！　　One　old　peasant　said　he　would　go　away　if　he　were　told
whether　〃the　sight〃　were　a　man　or　a　woman；　and；　on　the　agent　asking
if　that　were　any　business　of　his；　he　said　he　should　like　to　tell　at
home　what　he　had　seen；　which　awoke　my　sympathy　at　once；　and　I　told
Ito　to　tell　them　that　a　Japanese　horse　galloping　night　and　day
without　ceasing　would　take　5。5　weeks　to　reach　my　countya
statement　which　he　is　using　lavishly　as　I　go　along。　　These　are　such
queer　crowds；　so　silent　and　gaping；　and　they　remain　motionless　for
hours；　the　wide…awake　babies　on　the　mothers'　backs　and　in　the
fathers'　arms　never　crying。　　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　a　hearty
aggregate　laugh；　even　if　I　were　its　object。　　The　great　melancholy
stare　is　depressing。

The　road　for　ten　miles　was　thronged　with　country　people　going　in　to
see　the　fire。　　It　was　a　good　road　and　very　pleasant　country；　with
numerous　road…side　shrines　and　figures　of　the　goddess　of　mercy。　　I
had　a　wicked　horse；　thoroughly　vicious。　　His　head　was　doubly
chained　to　the　saddle…girth；　but　he　never　met　man；　woman；　or　child；
without　laying　back　his　ears　and　running　at　them　to　bite　them。　　I
was　so　tired　and　in　so　much　spinal　pain　that　I　got　off　and　walked
several　times；　and　it　was　most　difficult　to　get　on　again；　for　as
soon　as　I　put　my　hand　on　the　saddle　he　swung　his　hind　legs　round　to
kick　me；　and　it　requir