unbeaten tracks in japan-第39部分

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joined　a　large　crowd；　far　too　intensely　occupied　by　the　coming
disaster　to　take　any　notice　of　the　first　foreign　lady　they　had　ever
seen。

The　Hirakawa；　which　an　hour　before　was　merely　a　clear；　rapid
mountain　stream；　about　four　feet　deep；　was　then　ten　feet　deep；　they
said；　and　tearing　along；　thick　and　muddy；　and　with　a　fearful　roar；


〃And　each　wave　was　crested　with　tawny　foam；
Like　the　mane　of　a　chestnut　steed。〃


Immense　logs　of　hewn　timber；　trees；　roots；　branches；　and　faggots；
were　coming　down　in　numbers。　　The　abutment　on　this　side　was　much
undermined；　but；　except　that　the　central　pier　trembled　whenever　a
log　struck　it；　the　bridge　itself　stood　firmso　firm；　indeed；　that
two　men；　anxious　to　save　some　property　on　the　other　side；　crossed
it　after　I　arrived。　　Then　logs　of　planed　timber　of　large　size；　and
joints；　and　much　wreckage；　came　downfully　forty　fine　timbers；
thirty　feet　long；　for　the　fine　bridge　above　had　given　way。　　Most　of
the　harvest　of　logs　cut　on　the　Yadate　Pass　must　have　been　lost；　for
over　300　were　carried　down　in　the　short　time　in　which　I　watched　the
river。　　This　is　a　very　heavy　loss　to　this　village；　which　lives　by
the　timber　trade。　　Efforts　were　made　at　a　bank　higher　up　to　catch
them　as　they　drifted　by；　but　they　only　saved　about　one　in　twenty。
It　was　most　exciting　to　see　the　grand　way　in　which　these　timbers
came　down；　and　the　moment　in　which　they　were　to　strike　or　not　to
strike　the　pier　was　one　of　intense　suspense。　　After　an　hour　of　this
two　superb　logs；　fully　thirty　feet　long；　came　down　close　together；
and；　striking　the　central　pier　nearly　simultaneously；　it　shuddered
horribly；　the　great　bridge　parted　in　the　middle；　gave　an　awful
groan　like　a　living　thing；　plunged　into　the　torrent；　and　re…
appeared　in　the　foam　below　only　as　disjointed　timbers　hurrying　to
the　sea。　　Not　a　vestige　remained。　　The　bridge　below　was　carried
away　in　the　morning；　so；　till　the　river　becomes　fordable；　this
little　place　is　completely　isolated。　　On　thirty　miles　of　road；　out
of　nineteen　bridges　only　two　remain；　and　the　road　itself　is　almost
wholly　carried　away！



LETTER　XXVIII（Continued）



Scanty　ResourcesJapanese　ChildrenChildren's　GamesA　Sagacious
ExampleA　Kite　CompetitionPersonal　Privations。

IKARIGASEKI。

I　have　well…nigh　exhausted　the　resources　of　this　place。　　They　are
to　go　out　three　times　a　day　to　see　how　much　the　river　has　fallen；
to　talk　with　the　house…master　and　Kocho；　to　watch　the　children's
games　and　the　making　of　shingles；　to　buy　toys　and　sweetmeats　and
give　them　away；　to　apply　zinc　lotion　to　a　number　of　sore　eyes　three
times　daily；　under　which　treatment；　during　three　days；　there　has
been　a　wonderful　amendment；　to　watch　the　cooking；　spinning；　and
other　domestic　processes　in　the　daidokoro；　to　see　the　horses；　which
are　also　actually　in　it；　making　meals　of　green　leaves　of　trees
instead　of　hay；　to　see　the　lepers；　who　are　here　for　some　waters
which　are　supposed　to　arrest；　if　not　to　cure；　their　terrible
malady；　to　lie　on　my　stretcher　and　sew；　and　read　the　papers　of　the
Asiatic　Society；　and　to　go　over　all　possible　routes　to　Aomori。　　The
people　have　become　very　friendly　in　consequence　of　the　eye　lotion；
and　bring　many　diseases　for　my　inspection；　most　of　which　would
never　have　arisen　had　cleanliness　of　clothing　and　person　been
attended　to。　　The　absence　of　soap；　the　infrequency　with　which
clothing　is　washed；　and　the　absence　of　linen　next　the　skin；　cause
various　cutaneous　diseases；　which　are　aggravated　by　the　bites　and
stings　of　insects。　　Scald…head　affects　nearly　half　the　children
here。

I　am　very　fond　of　Japanese　children。　　I　have　never　yet　heard　a　baby
cry；　and　I　have　never　seen　a　child　troublesome　or　disobedient。
Filial　piety　is　the　leading　virtue　in　Japan；　and　unquestioning
obedience　is　the　habit　of　centuries。　　The　arts　and　threats　by　which
English　mothers　cajole　or　frighten　children　into　unwilling
obedience　appear　unknown。　　I　admire　the　way　in　which　children　are
taught　to　be　independent　in　their　amusements。　　Part　of　the　home
education　is　the　learning　of　the　rules　of　the　different　games；
which　are　absolute；　and　when　there　is　a　doubt；　instead　of　a
quarrelsome　suspension　of　the　game；　the　fiat　of　a　senior　child
decides　the　matter。　　They　play　by　themselves；　and　don't　bother
adults　at　every　turn。　　I　usually　carry　sweeties　with　me；　and　give
them　to　the　children；　but　not　one　has　ever　received　them　without
first　obtaining　permission　from　the　father　or　mother。　　When　that　is
gained　they　smile　and　bow　profoundly；　and　hand　the　sweeties　to
those　present　before　eating　any　themselves。　　They　are　gentle
creatures；　but　too　formal　and　precocious。

They　have　no　special　dress。　　This　is　so　queer　that　I　cannot　repeat
it　too　often。　　At　three　they　put　on　the　kimono　and　girdle；　which
are　as　inconvenient　to　them　as　to　their　parents；　and　childish　play
in　this　garb　is　grotesque。　　I　have；　however；　never　seen　what　we
call　child's　playthat　general　abandonment　to　miscellaneous
impulses；　which　consists　in　struggling；　slapping；　rolling；　jumping；
kicking；　shouting；　laughing；　and　quarrelling！　　Two　fine　boys　are
very　clever　in　harnessing　paper　carts　to　the　backs　of　beetles　with
gummed　traces；　so　that　eight　of　them　draw　a　load　of　rice　up　an
inclined　plane。　　You　can　imagine　what　the　fate　of　such　a　load　and
team　would　be　at　home　among　a　number　of　snatching　hands。　　Here　a
number　of　infants　watch　the　performance　with　motionless　interest；
and　never　need　the　adjuration；　〃Don't　touch。〃　　In　most　of　the
houses　there　are　bamboo　cages　for　〃the　shrill…voiced　Katydid；〃　and
the　children　amuse　themselves　with　feeding　these　vociferous
grasshoppers。　　The　channels　of　swift　water　in　the　street　turn　a
number　of　toy　water…wheels；　which　set　in　motion　most　ingenious
mechanical　toys；　of　which　a　model　of　the　automatic　rice…husker　is
the　commonest；　and　the　boys　spend　much　time　in　devising　and
watching　these；　which　are　really　very　fascinating。　　It　is　the
holidays；　but　〃holiday　tasks〃　are　given；　and　in　the　evenings　you
hear　the　hum　of　lessons　all　along　the　street　for　about　an　hour。
The　school　examination　is　at　the　re…opening　of　the　school　after　the
holidays；　instead　of　at　the　end　of　the　sessionan　arrangement
which　shows　an　honest　desire　to　discern　the　permanent　gain　made　by
the　scholars。

This　afternoon　has　been　fine　and　windy；　and　the　boys　have　been
flying　kites；　made　of　tough　paper　on　a　bamboo　frame；　all　of　a
rectangular　shape；　some　of　them　five　feet　square；　and　nearly　all
decorated　with　huge　faces　of　historical　heroes。　　Some　of　them　have
a　humming　arrangement　made　of　whale…bone。　　There　was　a　very
interesting　contest　between　two　great　kites；　and　it　brought　out　the
whole　population。　　The　string　of　each　kite；　for　30　feet　or　more
below　the　frame；　was　covered　with　pounded　glass；　made　to　adhere
very　closely　by　means　of　tenacious　glue；　and　for　two　hours　the
kite…fighters　tried　to　get　their　kites　into　a　proper　position　for
sawing　the　adversary's　string　in　two。　　At　last　one　was　successful；
and　the　severed　kite　became　his　property；　upon　which　victor　and
vanquished　exchanged　three　low　bows。　　Silently　as　the　people
watched　and　received　the　destruction　of　their　bridge；　so　silently
they　watched　this　exciting　contest。　　The　boys　also　flew　their　kites
while　walking　on　stiltsa　most　dexterous　performance；　in　which　few
were　able　to　take　partand　then　a　larger　number　gave　a　stilt　race。
The　most　striking　out…of…door　games　are　played　at　fixed　seasons　of
the　year；　and　are　not　to　be　seen　now。

There　are　twelve　children　in　this　yadoya；　and　after　dark　they
regularly　play　at　a　game　which　Ito　says　〃is　played　in　the　winter　in
every　house　in　Japan。〃　　The　children　sit　in　a　circle；　and　the
adults　look　on　eagerly；　child…worship　being　more　common　in　Japan
than　in　America；　and；　to　my　thinking；　the　Japanese　form　is　the
best。

From　proverbial　philosophy　to　personal　privation　is　rather　a
descent；　but　owing　to　the　many　detentions　on　the　journey　my　small
stock　of　foreign　food　is　exhausted；　and　I　have　been　living　here　on
rice；　cucumbers；　and　salt　salmonso　salt　that；　after　being　boiled
in　two　waters；　it　produces　a　most　distressing　thirst。　　Even　this
has　failed　to…day；　as　communication　with　the　coast　has　been　stopped
for　some　time；　and　the　village　is　suffering　under　the　calamity　of
its　stock　of　salt…fish　being　completely　exhausted。　　There　are　no
eggs；　and　rice　and　cucumbers　are　very　like　the　〃light　food〃　which
the　Israelites　〃loathed。〃　　I　had　an　omelette　one　day；　but　it　was
much　like　musty　leather。　　The　Italian　minister　said　to　me　in
Tokiyo；　〃No　question　in　Japan　is　so　solemn　as　that　of　food；〃　and
many　others　echoed　what　I　thought　at　the　time　a　most　unworthy
sentiment。　　I　recognised　its　truth　to…day　when　I　opened　my　last
resort；　a　box　of　Brand's　meat　lozenges；　and　found　them　a　mass　of
mouldiness。　　One　can　only　dry　clothes　here　by　hanging　them　in　the
wood　smoke；　so　I　prefer　to　let　them　mildew　on　the　walls；　and　have
bought　a　straw　rain…coat；　which　is　more　reliable　than　the　paper
waterproofs。　　I　hear　the　hum　of　the　children　at　their　lessons　for
the　last　time；　for　the　waters　are　falling　fast；　and　we　shall　leave
in　the　morning。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXIX



Hope　deferredEffects　of　the　FloodActivity　of　the　PoliceA
Ramble　in　DisguiseThe　Tanabata　FestivalMr。　Satow's　Reputation。

KUROISHI；　August　5。

After　all　the　waters　did　not　fall　as　was　expected；　and　I　had　to
spend　a　fourth　day　at　Ikarigaseki。　　We　left　early　on　Saturday；　as
we　had　to　travel　fifteen　miles　without　halting。　　The　sun　shone　on
all　the　beautiful　country；　and　on　all　the　wreck　and　devastation；　as
it　often　shines　on　the　dimpling　ocean　the　day　after　a　storm。　　We
took　four　men；　crossed　two　severe　fords　where　bridges　had　been
carried　away；　and　where　I　and　the　baggage　got　very　wet；　saw　great
devastations　and　much　loss　of　crops　and　felled　timber；　passed　under
a　cliff；　which　for　200　feet　was　composed　of　fine　columnar　basalt　in
six…sided　prisms；　and　quite　suddenly　emerged　on　a　great　plain；　on
which　green　billows　of　rice　were　rolling　sunlit　before　a　fresh
north　wind。　　This　plain　is　liberally　sprinkled　with　wooded　villages
and　surrounded　by　hills；　one　low　range　forming　a　curtain　across　the
base　of　Iwakisan；　a　great　snow…strea