八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > unbeaten tracks in japan >

第32部分

unbeaten tracks in japan-第32部分

小说: unbeaten tracks in japan 字数: 每页4000字

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!




The odour of carbolic acid pervaded the whole hospital; and there
were spray producers enough to satisfy Mr。 Lister!  At the request
of Dr。 K。 I saw the dressing of some very severe wounds carefully
performed with carbolised gauze; under spray of carbolic acid; the
fingers of the surgeon and the instruments used being all carefully
bathed in the disinfectant。  Dr。 K。 said it was difficult to teach
the students the extreme carefulness with regard to minor details
which is required in the antiseptic treatment; which he regards as
one of the greatest discoveries of this century。  I was very much
impressed with the fortitude shown by the surgical patients; who
went through very severe pain without a wince or a moan。  Eye cases
are unfortunately very numerous。  Dr。 K。 attributes their extreme
prevalence to overcrowding; defective ventilation; poor living; and
bad light。

After our round we returned to the management room to find a meal
laid out in English stylecoffee in cups with handles and saucers;
and plates with spoons。  After this pipes were again produced; and
the Director and medical staff escorted me to the entrance; where
we all bowed profoundly。  I was delighted to see that Dr。
Kayabashi; a man under thirty; and fresh from Tokiyo; and all the
staff and students were in the national dress; with the hakama of
rich silk。  It is a beautiful dress; and assists dignity as much as
the ill…fitting European costume detracts from it。  This was a very
interesting visit; in spite of the difficulty of communication
through an interpreter。

The public buildings; with their fine gardens; and the broad road
near which they stand; with its stone…faced embankments; are very
striking in such a far…off ken。  Among the finest of the buildings
is the Normal School; where I shortly afterwards presented myself;
but I was not admitted till I had shown my passport and explained
my objects in travelling。  These preliminaries being settled; Mr。
Tomatsu Aoki; the Chief Director; and Mr。 Shude Kane Nigishi; the
principal teacher; both looking more like monkeys than men in their
European clothes; lionised me。

The first was most trying; for he persisted in attempting to speak
English; of which he knows about as much as I know of Japanese; but
the last; after some grotesque attempts; accepted Ito's services。
The school is a commodious Europeanised building; three stories
high; and from its upper balcony the view of the city; with its
gray roofs and abundant greenery; and surrounding mountains and
valleys; is very fine。  The equipments of the different class…rooms
surprised me; especially the laboratory of the chemical class…room;
and the truly magnificent illustrative apparatus in the natural
science class…room。  Ganot's 〃Physics〃 is the text book of that
department。

I。 L。 B。



LETTER XXII



A Silk FactoryEmployment for WomenA Police EscortThe Japanese
Police Force。

KUBOTA; July 23。

My next visit was to a factory of handloom silk…weavers; where 180
hands; half of them women; are employed。  These new industrial
openings for respectable employment for women and girls are very
important; and tend in the direction of a much…needed social
reform。  The striped silk fabrics produced are entirely for home
consumption。

Afterwards I went into the principal street; and; after a long
search through the shops; bought some condensed milk with the
〃Eagle〃 brand and the label all right; but; on opening it; found it
to contain small pellets of a brownish; dried curd; with an
unpleasant taste!  As I was sitting in the shop; half stifled by
the crowd; the people suddenly fell back to a respectful distance;
leaving me breathing space; and a message came from the chief of
police to say that he was very sorry for the crowding; and had
ordered two policemen to attend upon me for the remainder of my
visit。  The black and yellow uniforms were most truly welcome; and
since then I have escaped all annoyance。  On my return I found the
card of the chief of police; who had left a message with the house…
master apologising for the crowd by saying that foreigners very
rarely visited Kubota; and he thought that the people had never
seen a foreign woman。

I went afterwards to the central police station to inquire about an
inland route to Aomori; and received much courtesy; but no
information。  The police everywhere are very gentle to the people;…
…a few quiet words or a wave of the hand are sufficient; when they
do not resist them。  They belong to the samurai class; and;
doubtless; their naturally superior position weighs with the
heimin。  Their faces and a certain hauteur of manner show the
indelible class distinction。  The entire police force of Japan
numbers 23;300 educated men in the prime of life; and if 30 per
cent of them do wear spectacles; it does not detract from their
usefulness。  5600 of them are stationed at Yedo; as from thence
they can be easily sent wherever they are wanted; 1004 at Kiyoto;
and 815 at Osaka; and the remaining 10;000 are spread over the
country。  The police force costs something over 400;000 pounds
annually; and certainly is very efficient in preserving good order。
The pay of ordinary constables ranges from 6 to 10 yen a month。  An
enormous quantity of superfluous writing is done by all officialdom
in Japan; and one usually sees policemen writing。  What comes of it
I don't know。  They are mostly intelligent and gentlemanly…looking
young men; and foreigners in the interior are really much indebted
to them。  If I am at any time in difficulties I apply to them; and;
though they are disposed to be somewhat de haut en bas; they are
sure to help one; except about routes; of which they always profess
ignorance。

On the whole; I like Kubota better than any other Japanese town;
perhaps because it is so completely Japanese and has no air of
having seen better days。  I no longer care to meet Europeans
indeed I should go far out of my way to avoid them。  I have become
quite used to Japanese life; and think that I learn more about it
in travelling in this solitary way than I should otherwise。  I。 L。
B。



LETTER XXIII



〃A Plague of Immoderate Rain〃A Confidential ServantIto's Diary…
…Ito's ExcellencesIto's FaultsProphecy of the Future of Japan
Curious QueriesSuperfine EnglishEconomical TravellingThe
Japanese Pack…horse again。

KUBOTA; July 24。

I am here still; not altogether because the town is fascinating;
but because the rain is so ceaseless as to be truly 〃a plague of
immoderate rain and waters。〃  Travellers keep coming in with
stories of the impassability of the roads and the carrying away of
bridges。  Ito amuses me very much by his remarks。  He thinks that
my visit to the school and hospital must have raised Japan in my
estimation; and he is talking rather big。  He asked me if I noticed
that all the students kept their mouths shut like educated men and
residents of Tokiyo; and that all country people keep theirs open。
I have said little about him for some time; but I daily feel more
dependent on him; not only for all information; but actually for
getting on。  At night he has my watch; passport; and half my money;
and I often wonder what would become of me if he absconded before
morning。  He is not a good boy。  He has no moral sense; according
to our notions; he dislikes foreigners; his manner is often very
disagreeable; and yet I doubt whether I could have obtained a more
valuable servant and interpreter。  When we left Tokiyo he spoke
fairly good English; but by practice and industrious study he now
speaks better than any official interpreter that I have seen; and
his vocabulary is daily increasing。  He never uses a word
inaccurately when he has once got hold of its meaning; and his
memory never fails。  He keeps a diary both in English and Japanese;
and it shows much painstaking observation。  He reads it to me
sometimes; and it is interesting to hear what a young man who has
travelled as much as he has regards as novel in this northern
region。  He has made a hotel book and a transport book; in which
all the bills and receipts are written; and he daily transliterates
the names of all places into English letters; and puts down the
distances and the sums paid for transport and hotels on each bill。

He inquires the number of houses in each place from the police or
Transport Agent; and the special trade of each town; and notes them
down for me。  He takes great pains to be accurate; and occasionally
remarks about some piece of information that he is not quite
certain about; 〃If it's not true; it's not worth having。〃  He is
never late; never dawdles; never goes out in the evening except on
errands for me; never touches sake; is never disobedient; never
requires to be told the same thing twice; is always within hearing;
has a good deal of tact as to what he repeats; and all with an
undisguised view to his own interest。  He sends most of his wages
to his mother; who is a widow〃It's the custom of the country〃
and seems to spend the remainder on sweetmeats; tobacco; and the
luxury of frequent shampooing。

That he would tell a lie if it served his purpose; and would
〃squeeze〃 up to the limits of extortion; if he could do it
unobserved; I have not the slightest doubt。  He seems to have but
little heart; or any idea of any but vicious pleasures。  He has no
religion of any kind; he has been too much with foreigners for
that。  His frankness is something startling。  He has no idea of
reticence on any subject; but probably I learn more about things as
they really are from this very defect。  In virtue in man or woman;
except in that of his former master; he has little; if any belief。
He thinks that Japan is right in availing herself of the
discoveries made by foreigners; that they have as much to learn
from her; and that she will outstrip them in the race; because she
takes all that is worth having; and rejects the incubus of
Christianity。  Patriotism is; I think; his strongest feeling; and I
never met with such a boastful display of it; except in a Scotchman
or an American。  He despises the uneducated; as he can read and
write both the syllabaries。  For foreign rank or position he has
not an atom o

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的