unbeaten tracks in japan-第31部分

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the　same　courteous　and　agreeable　young　doctor　who　was　stationed　at
Innai　during　the　prevalence　of　kak'ke；　and　he　invited　me　to　visit
the　hospital　at　Kubota；　of　which　he　is　junior　physician；　and　told
Ito　of　a　restaurant　at　which　〃foreign　food〃　can　be　obtaineda
pleasant　prospect；　of　which　he　is　always　reminding　me。

Travelling　along　a　very　narrow　road；　I　as　usual　first；　we　met　a　man
leading　a　prisoner　by　a　rope；　followed　by　a　policeman。　　As　soon　as
my　runner　saw　the　latter　he　fell　down　on　his　face　so　suddenly　in
the　shafts　as　nearly　to　throw　me　out；　at　the　same　time　trying　to
wriggle　into　a　garment　which　he　had　carried　on　the　crossbar；　while
the　young　men　who　were　drawing　the　two　kurumas　behind；　crouching
behind　my　vehicle；　tried　to　scuttle　into　their　clothes。　　I　never
saw　such　a　picture　of　abjectness　as　my　man　presented。　　He　trembled
from　head　to　foot；　and　illustrated　that　queer　phrase　often　heard　in
Scotch　Presbyterian　prayers；　〃Lay　our　hands　on　our　mouths　and　our
mouths　in　the　dust。〃　　He　literally　grovelled　in　the　dust；　and　with
every　sentence　that　the　policeman　spoke　raised　his　head　a　little；
to　bow　it　yet　more　deeply　than　before。　　It　was　all　because　he　had
no　clothes　on。　　I　interceded　for　him　as　the　day　was　very　hot；　and
the　policeman　said　he　would　not　arrest　him；　as　he　should　otherwise
have　done；　because　of　the　inconvenience　that　it　would　cause　to　a
foreigner。　　He　was　quite　an　elderly　man；　and　never　recovered　his
spirits；　but；　as　soon　as　a　turn　of　the　road　took　us　out　of　the
policeman's　sight；　the　two　younger　men　threw　their　clothes　into　the
air　and　gambolled　in　the　shafts；　shrieking　with　laughter！

On　reaching　Shingoji；　being　too　tired　to　go　farther；　I　was　dismayed
to　find　nothing　but　a　low；　dark；　foul…smelling　room；　enclosed　only
by　dirty　shoji；　in　which　to　spend　Sunday。　　One　side　looked　into　a
little　mildewed　court；　with　a　slimy　growth　of　Protococcus　viridis；
and　into　which　the　people　of　another　house　constantly　came　to
stare。　　The　other　side　opened　on　the　earthen　passage　into　the
street；　where　travellers　wash　their　feet；　the　third　into　the
kitchen；　and　the　fourth　into　the　front　room。　　Even　before　dark　it
was　alive　with　mosquitoes；　and　the　fleas　hopped　on　the　mats　like
sand…flies。　　There　were　no　eggs；　nothing　but　rice　and　cucumbers。
At　five　on　Sunday　morning　I　saw　three　faces　pressed　against　the
outer　lattice；　and　before　evening　the　shoji　were　riddled　with
finger…holes；　at　each　of　which　a　dark　eye　appeared。　　There　was　a
still；　fine　rain　all　day；　with　the　mercury　at　82　degrees；　and　the
heat；　darkness；　and　smells　were　difficult　to　endure。　　In　the
afternoon　a　small　procession　passed　the　house；　consisting　of　a
decorated　palanquin；　carried　and　followed　by　priests；　with　capes
and　stoles　over　crimson　chasubles　and　white　cassocks。　　This　ark；
they　said；　contained　papers　inscribed　with　the　names　of　people　and
the　evils　they　feared；　and　the　priests　were　carrying　the　papers　to
throw　them　into　the　river。

I　went　to　bed　early　as　a　refuge　from　mosquitoes；　with　the　andon；　as
usual；　dimly　lighting　the　room；　and　shut　my　eyes。　　About　nine　I
heard　a　good　deal　of　whispering　and　shuffling；　which　continued　for
some　time；　and；　on　looking　up；　saw　opposite　to　me　about　40　men；
women；　and　children　（Ito　says　100）；　all　staring　at　me；　with　the
light　upon　their　faces。　　They　had　silently　removed　three　of　the
shoji　next　the　passage！　　I　called　Ito　loudly；　and　clapped　my　hands；
but　they　did　not　stir　till　he　came；　and　then　they　fled　like　a　flock
of　sheep。　　I　have　patiently；　and　even　smilingly；　borne　all　out…of…
doors　crowding　and　curiosity；　but　this　kind　of　intrusion　is
unbearable；　and　I　sent　Ito　to　the　police　station；　much　against　his
will；　to　beg　the　police　to　keep　the　people　out　of　the　house；　as　the
house…master　was　unable　to　do　so。　　This　morning；　as　I　was　finishing
dressing；　a　policeman　appeared　in　my　room；　ostensibly　to　apologise
for　the　behaviour　of　the　people；　but　in　reality　to　have　a
privileged　stare　at　me；　and；　above　all；　at　my　stretcher　and
mosquito　net；　from　which　he　hardly　took　his　eyes。　　Ito　says　he
could　make　a　yen　a　day　by　showing　them！　　The　policeman　said　that
the　people　had　never　seen　a　foreigner。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXI



The　Necessity　of　FirmnessPerplexing　MisrepresentationsGliding
with　the　StreamSuburban　ResidencesThe　Kubota　HospitalA　Formal
ReceptionThe　Normal　School。

KUBOTA；　July　23。

I　arrived　here　on　Monday　afternoon　by　the　river　Omono；　what　would
have　been　two　long　days'　journey　by　land　having　been　easily
accomplished　in　nine　hours　by　water。　　This　was　an　instance　of
forming　a　plan　wisely；　and　adhering　to　it　resolutely！　　Firmness　in
travelling　is　nowhere　more　necessary　than　in　Japan。　　I　decided　some
time　ago；　from　Mr。　Brunton's　map；　that　the　Omono　must　be　navigable
from　Shingoji；　and　a　week　ago　told　Ito　to　inquire　about　it；　but　at
each　place　difficulties　have　been　started。　　There　was　too　much
water；　there　was　too　little；　there　were　bad　rapids；　there　were
shallows；　it　was　too　late　in　the　year；　all　the　boats　which　had
started　lately　were　lying　aground；　but　at　one　of　the　ferries　I　saw
in　the　distance　a　merchandise　boat　going　down；　and　told　Ito　I
should　go　that　way　and　no　other。　　On　arriving　at　Shingoji　they　said
it　was　not　on　the　Omono　at　all；　but　on　a　stream　with　some　very　bad
rapids；　in　which　boats　are　broken　to　pieces。　　Lastly；　they　said
there　was　no　boat；　but　on　my　saying　that　I　would　send　ten　miles　for
one；　a　small；　flat…bottomed　scow　was　produced　by　the　Transport
Agent；　into　which　Ito；　the　luggage；　and　myself　accurately　fitted。
Ito　sententiously　observed；　〃Not　one　thing　has　been　told　us　on　our
journey　which　has　turned　out　true！〃　　This　is　not　an　exaggeration。
The　usual　crowd　did　not　assemble　round　the　door；　but　preceded　me　to
the　river；　where　it　covered　the　banks　and　clustered　in　the　trees。
Four　policemen　escorted　me　down。　　The　voyage　of　forty…two　miles　was
delightful。　　The　rapids　were　a　mere　ripple；　the　current　was　strong；
one　boatman　almost　slept　upon　his　paddle；　the　other　only　woke　to
bale　the　boat　when　it　was　half…full　of　water；　the　shores　were
silent　and　pretty；　and　almost　without　population　till　we　reached
the　large　town　of　Araya；　which　straggles　along　a　high　bank　for　a
considerable　distance；　and　after　nine　peaceful　hours　we　turned　off
from　the　main　stream　of　the　Omono　just　at　the　outskirts　of　Kubota；
and　poled　up　a　narrow；　green　river；　fringed　by　dilapidated　backs　of
houses；　boat…building　yards；　and　rafts　of　timber　on　one　side；　and
dwelling…houses；　gardens；　and　damp　greenery　on　the　other。　　This
stream　is　crossed　by　very　numerous　bridges。

I　got　a　cheerful　upstairs　room　at　a　most　friendly　yadoya；　and　my
three　days　here　have　been　fully　occupied　and　very　pleasant。
〃Foreign　food〃a　good　beef…steak；　an　excellent　curry；　cucumbers；
and　foreign　salt　and　mustard；　were　at　once　obtained；　and　I　felt　my
〃eyes　lightened〃　after　partaking　of　them。

Kubota　is　a　very　attractive　and　purely　Japanese　town　of　36；000
people；　the　capital　of　Akita　ken。　　A　fine　mountain；　called
Taiheisan；　rises　above　its　fertile　valley；　and　the　Omono　falls　into
the　Sea　of　Japan　close　to　it。　　It　has　a　number　of　kurumas；　but；
owing　to　heavy　sand　and　the　badness　of　the　roads；　they　can　only　go
three　miles　in　any　direction。　　It　is　a　town　of　activity　and　brisk
trade；　and　manufactures　a　silk　fabric　in　stripes　of　blue　and　black；
and　yellow　and　black；　much　used　for　making　hakama　and　kimonos；　a
species　of　white　silk　crepe　with　a　raised　woof；　which　brings　a　high
price　in　Tokiyo　shops；　fusuma；　and　clogs。　　Though　it　is　a　castle
town；　it　is　free　from　the　usual　〃deadly…lively〃　look；　and　has　an
air　of　prosperity　and　comfort。　　Though　it　has　few　streets　of　shops；
it　covers　a　great　extent　of　ground　with　streets　and　lanes　of
pretty；　isolated　dwelling…houses；　surrounded　by　trees；　gardens；　and
well…trimmed　hedges；　each　garden　entered　by　a　substantial　gateway。
The　existence　of　something　like　a　middle　class　with　home　privacy
and　home　life　is　suggested　by　these　miles　of　comfortable　〃suburban
residences。〃　　Foreign　influence　is　hardly　at　all　felt；　there　is　not
a　single　foreigner　in　Government　or　any　other　employment；　and　even
the　hospital　was　organised　from　the　beginning　by　Japanese　doctors。

This　fact　made　me　greatly　desire　to　see　it；　but；　on　going　there　at
the　proper　hour　for　visitors；　I　was　met　by　the　Director　with
courteous　but　vexatious　denial。　　No　foreigner　could　see　it；　he
said；　without　sending　his　passport　to　the　Governor　and　getting　a
written　order；　so　I　complied　with　these　preliminaries；　and　8　a。m。
of　the　next　day　was　fixed　for　my　visit　Ito；　who　is　lazy　about
interpreting　for　the　lower　orders；　but　exerts　himself　to　the　utmost
on　such　an　occasion　as　this；　went　with　me；　handsomely　clothed　in
silk；　as　befitted　an　〃Interpreter；〃　and　surpassed　all　his　former
efforts。

The　Director　and　the　staff　of　six　physicians；　all　handsomely
dressed　in　silk；　met　me　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　conducted　me
to　the　management　room；　where　six　clerks　were　writing。　　Here　there
was　a　table；　solemnly　covered　with　a　white　cloth；　and　four　chairs；
on　which　the　Director；　the　Chief　Physician；　Ito；　and　I　sat；　and
pipes；　tea；　and　sweetmeats；　were　produced。　　After　this；　accompanied
by　fifty　medical　students；　whose　intelligent　looks　promise　well　for
their　success；　we　went　round　the　hospital；　which　is　a　large　two…
storied　building　in　semi…European　style；　but　with　deep　verandahs
all　round。　　The　upper　floor　is　used　for　class…rooms；　and　the　lower
accommodates　100　patients；　besides　a　number　of　resident　students。
Ten　is　the　largest　number　treated　in　any　one　room；　and　severe　cases
are　treated　in　separate　rooms。　　Gangrene　has　prevailed；　and　the
Chief　Physician；　who　is　at　this　time　remodelling　the　hospital；　has
closed　some　of　the　wards　in　consequence。　　There　is　a　Lock　Hospital
under　the　same　roof。　　About　fifty　important　operations　are　annually
performed　under　chloroform；　but　the　people　of　Akita　ken　are　very
conservative；　and　object　to　part　with　their　limbs　and　to　foreign
drugs。　　This　conservatism　diminishes　the　number　of　patients。

The　odour　of　carbolic　acid　pervaded　the　whole　hospital；　and　there
were　spray　producers　enough　to　satisfy　Mr。　Lister！　　At　the　request
of