unbeaten tracks in japan-第35部分

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without　enormous　cost　it　would　give　north…western　Japan　the　harbour
it　so　greatly　needs。　　Extensive　rice…fields　and　many　villages　lie
along　the　road；　which　is　an　avenue　of　deep　sand　and　ancient　pines
much　contorted　and　gnarled。　　Down　the　pine　avenue　hundreds　of
people　on　horseback　and　on　foot　were　trooping　into　Minato　from　all
the　farming　villages；　glad　in　the　glorious　sunshine　which　succeeded
four　days　of　rain。　　There　were　hundreds　of　horses；　wonderful…
looking　animals　in　bravery　of　scarlet　cloth　and　lacquer　and　fringed
nets　of　leather；　and　many　straw　wisps　and　ropes；　with　Gothic　roofs
for　saddles；　and　dependent　panniers　on　each　side；　carrying　two
grave　and　stately…looking　children　in　each；　and　sometimes　a　father
or　a　fifth　child　on　the　top　of　the　pack…saddle。

I　was　so　far　from　well　that　I　was　obliged　to　sleep　at　the　wretched
village　of　Abukawa；　in　a　loft　alive　with　fleas；　where　the　rice　was
too　dirty　to　be　eaten；　and　where　the　house…master's　wife；　who　sat
for　an　hour　on　my　floor；　was　sorely　afflicted　with　skin　disease。
The　clay　houses　have　disappeared　and　the　villages　are　now　built　of
wood；　but　Abukawa　is　an　antiquated；　ramshackle　place；　propped　up
with　posts　and　slanting　beams　projecting　into　the　roadway　for　the
entanglement　of　unwary　passengers。

The　village　smith　was　opposite；　but　he　was　not　a　man　of　ponderous
strength；　nor　were　there　those　wondrous　flights　and　scintillations
of　sparks　which　were　the　joy　of　our　childhood　in　the　Tattenhall
forge。　　A　fire　of　powdered　charcoal　on　the　floor；　always　being
trimmed　and　replenished　by　a　lean　and　grimy　satellite；　a　man　still
leaner　and　grimier；　clothed　in　goggles　and　a　girdle；　always　sitting
in　front　of　it；　heating　and　hammering　iron　bars　with　his　hands；
with　a　clink　which　went　on　late　into　the　night；　and　blowing　his
bellows　with　his　toes；　bars　and　pieces　of　rusty　iron　pinned　on　the
smoky　walls；　and　a　group　of　idle　men　watching　his　skilful
manipulation；　were　the　sights　of　the　Abukawa　smithy；　and　kept　me
thralled　in　the　balcony；　though　the　whole　clothesless　population
stood　for　the　whole　evening　in　front　of　the　house　with　a　silent；
open…mouthed　stare。

Early　in　the　morning　the　same　melancholy　crowd　appeared　in　the
dismal　drizzle；　which　turned　into　a　tremendous　torrent；　which　has
lasted　for　sixteen　hours。　　Low　hills；　broad　rice　valleys　in　which
people　are　puddling　the　rice　a　second　time　to　kill　the　weeds；　bad
roads；　pretty　villages；　much　indigo；　few　passengers；　were　the
features　of　the　day's　journey。　　At　Morioka　and　several　other
villages　in　this　region　I　noticed　that　if　you　see　one　large；　high；
well…built　house；　standing　in　enclosed　grounds；　with　a　look　of
wealth　about　it；　it　is　always　that　of　the　sake　brewer。　　A　bush
denotes　the　manufacture　as　well　as　the　sale　of　sake；　and　these　are
of　all　sorts；　from　the　mangy　bit　of　fir　which　has　seen　long　service
to　the　vigorous　truss　of　pine　constantly　renewed。　　It　is　curious
that　this　should　formerly　have　been　the　sign　of　the　sale　of　wine　in
England。

The　wind　and　rain　were　something　fearful　all　that　afternoon。　　I
could　not　ride；　so　I　tramped　on　foot　for　some　miles　under　an　avenue
of　pines；　through　water　a　foot　deep；　and；　with　my　paper　waterproof
soaked　through；　reached　Toyoka　half　drowned　and　very　cold；　to
shiver　over　a　hibachi　in　a　clean　loft；　hung　with　my　dripping
clothes；　which　had　to　be　put　on　wet　the　next　day。　　　By　5　a。m。　all
Toyoka　assembled；　and　while　I　took　my　breakfast　I　was　not　only　the
〃cynosure〃　of　the　eyes　of　all　the　people　outside；　but　of　those　of
about　forty　more　who　were　standing　in　the　doma；　looking　up　the
ladder。　　When　asked　to　depart　by　the　house…master；　they　said；　〃It's
neither　fair　nor　neighbourly　in　you　to　keep　this　great　sight　to
yourself；　seeing　that　our　lives　may　pass　without　again　looking　on　a
foreign　woman；〃　so　they　were　allowed　to　remain！　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXVI



The　Fatigues　of　TravellingTorrents　and　MudIto's　SurlinessThe
Blind　ShampooersA　Supposed　Monkey　TheatreA　Suspended　FerryA
Difficult　TransitPerils　on　the　YonetsurugawaA　Boatman　Drowned
Nocturnal　DisturbancesA　Noisy　YadoyaStorm…bound　Travellers
Hai！　　Hai！More　Nocturnal　Disturbances

ODATE；　July　29。

I　have　been　suffering　so　much　from　my　spine　that　I　have　been　unable
to　travel　more　than　seven　or　eight　miles　daily　for　several　days；
and　even　that　with　great　difficulty。　　I　try　my　own　saddle；　then　a
pack…saddle；　then　walk　through　the　mud；　but　I　only　get　on　because
getting　on　is　a　necessity；　and　as　soon　as　I　reach　the　night's
halting…place　I　am　obliged　to　lie　down　at　once。　　Only　strong　people
should　travel　in　northern　Japan。　　The　inevitable　fatigue　is　much
increased　by　the　state　of　the　weather；　and　doubtless　my　impressions
of　the　country　are　affected　by　it　also；　as　a　hamlet　in　a　quagmire
in　a　gray　mist　or　a　soaking　rain　is　a　far　less　delectable　object
than　the　same　hamlet　under　bright　sunshine。　　There　has　not　been
such　a　season　for　thirty　years。　　The　rains　have　been　tremendous。　　I
have　lived　in　soaked　clothes；　in　spite　of　my　rain…cloak；　and　have
slept　on　a　soaked　stretcher　in　spite　of　all　waterproof　wrappings
for　several　days；　and　still　the　weather　shows　no　signs　of
improvement；　and　the　rivers　are　so　high　on　the　northern　road　that　I
am　storm…bound　as　well　as　pain…bound　here。　　Ito　shows　his　sympathy
for　me　by　intense　surliness；　though　he　did　say　very　sensibly；　〃I'm
very　sorry　for　you；　but　it's　no　use　saying　so　over　and　over　again；
as　I　can　do　nothing　for　you；　you'd　better　send　for　the　blind　man！〃

In　Japanese　towns　and　villages　you　hear　every　evening　a　man　（or
men）　making　a　low　peculiar　whistle　as　he　walks　along；　and　in　large
towns　the　noise　is　quite　a　nuisance。　　It　is　made　by　blind　men；　but
a　blind　beggar　is　never　seen　throughout　Japan；　and　the　blind　are　an
independent；　respected；　and　well…to…do　class；　carrying　on　the
occupations　of　shampooing；　money…lending；　and　music。

We　have　had　a　very　severe　journey　from　Toyoka。　　That　day　the　rain
was　ceaseless；　and　in　the　driving　mists　one　could　see　little　but
low　hills　looming　on　the　horizon；　pine　barrens；　scrub；　and　flooded
rice…fields；　varied　by　villages　standing　along　roads　which　were
quagmires　a　foot　deep；　and　where　the　clothing　was　specially　ragged
and　dirty。　　Hinokiyama；　a　village　of　samurai；　on　a　beautiful　slope；
was　an　exception；　with　its　fine　detached　houses；　pretty　gardens；
deep…roofed　gateways；　grass　and　stone…faced　terraces；　and　look　of
refined；　quiet　comfort。　　Everywhere　there　was　a　quantity　of　indigo；
as　is　necessary；　for　nearly　all　the　clothing　of　the　lower　classes
is　blue。　　Near　a　large　village　we　were　riding　on　a　causeway　through
the　rice…fields；　Ito　on　the　pack…horse　in　front；　when　we　met　a
number　of　children　returning　from　school；　who；　on　getting　near　us；
turned；　ran　away；　and　even　jumped　into　the　ditches；　screaming　as
they　ran。　　The　mago　ran　after　them；　caught　the　hindmost　boy；　and
dragged　him　backthe　boy　scared　and　struggling；　the　man　laughing。
The　boy　said　that　they　thought　that　Ito　was　a　monkey…player；　i。e。
the　keeper　of　a　monkey　theatre；　I　a　big　ape；　and　the　poles　of　my
bed　the　scaffolding　of　the　stage！

Splashing　through　mire　and　water　we　found　that　the　people　of　Tubine
wished　to　detain　us；　saying　that　all　the　ferries　were　stopped　in
consequence　of　the　rise　in　the　rivers；　but　I　had　been　so　often
misled　by　false　reports　that　I　took　fresh　horses　and　went　on　by　a
track　along　a　very　pretty　hillside；　overlooking　the　Yonetsurugawa；
a　large　and　swollen　river；　which　nearer　the　sea　had　spread　itself
over　the　whole　country。　　Torrents　of　rain　were　still　falling；　and
all　out…of…doors　industries　were　suspended。　　Straw　rain…cloaks
hanging　to　dry　dripped　under　all　the　eaves；　our　paper　cloaks　were
sodden；　our　dripping　horses　steamed；　and　thus　we　slid　down　a　steep
descent　into　the　hamlet　of　Kiriishi；　thirty…one　houses　clustered
under　persimmon　trees　under　a　wooded　hillside；　all　standing　in　a
quagmire；　and　so　abject　and　filthy　that　one　could　not　ask　for　five
minutes'　shelter　in　any　one　of　them。　　Sure　enough；　on　the　bank　of
the　river；　which　was　fully　400　yards　wide；　and　swirling　like　a
mill…stream　with　a　suppressed　roar；　there　was　an　official　order
prohibiting　the　crossing　of　man　or　beast；　and　before　I　had　time　to
think　the　mago　had　deposited　the　baggage　on　an　islet　in　the　mire
and　was　over　the　crest　of　the　hill。　　I　wished　that　the　Government
was　a　little　less　paternal。

Just　in　the　nick　of　time　we　discerned　a　punt　drifting　down　the
river　on　the　opposite　side；　where　it　brought　up；　and　landed　a　man；
and　Ito　and　two　others　yelled；　howled；　and　waved　so　lustily　as　to
attract　its　notice；　and　to　my　joy　an　answering　yell　came　across　the
roar　and　rush　of　the　river。　　The　torrent　was　so　strong　that　the
boatmen　had　to　pole　up　on　that　side　for　half　a　mile；　and　in　about
three…quarters　of　an　hour　they　reached　our　side。　　They　were
returning　to　Kotsunagithe　very　place　I　wished　to　reachbut；
though　only　2。5　miles　off；　the　distance　took　nearly　four　hours　of
the　hardest　work　I　ever　saw　done　by　men。　　Every　moment　I　expected
to　see　them　rupture　blood…vessels　or　tendons。　　All　their　muscles
quivered。　　It　is　a　mighty　river；　and　was　from　eight　to　twelve　feet
deep；　and　whirling　down　in　muddy　eddies；　and　often　with　their
utmost　efforts　in　poling；　when　it　seemed　as　if　poles　or　backs　must
break；　the　boat　hung　trembling　and　stationary　for　three　or　four
minutes　at　a　time。　　After　the　slow　and　eventless　tramp　of　the　last
few　days　this　was　an　exciting　transit。　　Higher　up　there　was　a
flooded　wood；　and；　getting　into　this；　the　men　aided　themselves
considerably　by　hauling　by　the　trees；　but　when　we　got　out　of　this；
another　river　joined　the　Yonetsurugawa；　which　with　added　strength
rushed　and　roared　more　wildly。

I　had　long　been　watching　a　large　house…boat　far　above　us　on　the
other　side；　which　was　being　poled　by　desperate　efforts　by　ten　men。
At　that　point　she　must　have　been　half　a　mile　off；　when　the　stream
overpowered　the　crew　and　in　no　time　she　swung　round　and　came
drifting　wildly　down　and　across　the　river；　broadside　on　to　us。　　We
could　not　stir　against　the　current；　and　had　large　trees　on　our
immediate　left；　and　for　a　moment　it　was　a　question　whether　she
would　not　smash　us　to　atoms。　　Ito　was　liv