unbeaten tracks in japan-第45部分

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！


nearly　overpowering　stench　came　across　the　level　from　the　sheds　and
apparatus　used　for　extracting　fish…oil。　　I　enjoyed　the　afternoon
thoroughly。　　It　is　so　good　to　have　got　beyond　the　confines　of
stereotyped　civilisation　and　the　trammels　of　Japanese　travelling　to
the　solitude　of　nature　and　an　atmosphere　of　freedom。　　It　was　grey；
with　a　hard；　dark　line　of　ocean　horizon；　and　over　the　weedy　level
the　grey　road；　with　grey　telegraph…poles　along　it；　stretched
wearisomely　like　a　grey　thread。　　The　breeze　came　up　from　the　sea；
rustled　the　reeds；　and　waved　the　tall　plumes　of　the　Eulalia
japonica；　and　the　thunder　of　the　Pacific　surges　boomed　through　the
air　with　its　grand；　deep　bass。　　Poetry　and　music　pervaded　the
solitude；　and　my　spirit　was　rested。

Going　up　and　then　down　a　steep；　wooded　hill；　the　road　appeared　to
return　to　its　original　state　of　brushwood；　and　the　men　stopped　at
the　broken　edge　of　a　declivity　which　led　down　to　a　shingle　bank　and
a　foam…crested　river　of　clear；　blue…green　water；　strongly
impregnated　with　sulphur　from　some　medicinal　springs　above；　with　a
steep　bank　of　tangle　on　the　opposite　side。　　This　beautiful　stream
was　crossed　by　two　round　poles；　a　foot　apart；　on　which　I　attempted
to　walk　with　the　help　of　an　Aino　hand；　but　the　poles　were　very
unsteady；　and　I　doubt　whether　any　one；　even　with　a　strong　head；
could　walk　on　them　in　boots。　　Then　the　beautiful　Aino　signed　to　me
to　come　back　and　mount　on　his　shoulders；　but　when　he　had　got　a　few
feet　out　the　poles　swayed　and　trembled　so　much　that　he　was　obliged
to　retrace　his　way　cautiously；　during　which　process　I　endured
miseries　from　dizziness　and　fear；　after　which　he　carried　me　through
the　rushing　water；　which　was　up　to　his　shoulders；　and　through　a　bit
of　swampy　jungle；　and　up　a　steep　bank；　to　the　great　fatigue　both　of
body　and　mind；　hardly　mitigated　by　the　enjoyment　of　the　ludicrous
in　riding　a　savage　through　these　Yezo　waters。　　They　dexterously
carried　the　kuruma　through；　on　the　shoulders　of　four；　and　showed
extreme　anxiety　that　neither　it　nor　I　should　get　wet。　　After　this
we　crossed　two　deep；　still　rivers　in　scows；　and　far　above　the　grey
level　and　the　grey　sea　the　sun　was　setting　in　gold　and　vermilion…
streaked　green　behind　a　glorified　mountain　of　great　height；　at
whose　feet　the　forest…covered　hills　lay　in　purple　gloom。　　At　dark
we　reached　Shiraoi；　a　village　of　eleven　Japanese　houses；　with　a
village　of　fifty…one　Aino　houses；　near　the　sea。　　There　is　a　large
yadoya　of　the　old　style　there；　but　I　found　that　Ito　had　chosen　a
very　pretty　new　one；　with　four　stalls　open　to　the　road；　in　the
centre　one　of　which　I　found　him；　with　the　welcome　news　that　a　steak
of　fresh　salmon　was　broiling　on　the　coals；　and；　as　the　room　was
clean　and　sweet　and　I　was　very　hungry；　I　enjoyed　my　meal　by　the
light　of　a　rush　in　a　saucer　of　fish…oil　as　much　as　any　part　of　the
day。

SARUFUTO。

The　night　was　too　cold　for　sleep；　and　at　daybreak；　hearing　a　great
din；　I　looked　out；　and　saw　a　drove　of　fully　a　hundred　horses　all
galloping　down　the　road；　with　two　Ainos　on　horse…back；　and　a　number
of　big　dogs　after　them。　　Hundreds　of　horses　run　nearly　wild　on　the
hills；　and　the　Ainos；　getting　a　large　drove　together；　skilfully
head　them　for　the　entrance　into　the　corral；　in　which　a　selection　of
them　is　made　for　the　day's　needs；　and　the　remainderthat　is；　those
with　the　deepest　sores　on　their　backsare　turned　loose。　　This　dull
rattle　of　shoeless　feet　is　the　first　sound　in　the　morning　in　these
Yezo　villages。　　I　sent　Ito　on　early；　and　followed　at　nine　with
three　Ainos。　　The　road　is　perfectly　level　for　thirteen　miles；
through　gravel　flats　and　swamps；　very　monotonous；　but　with　a　wild
charm　of　its　own。　　There　were　swampy　lakes；　with　wild　ducks　and
small　white　water…lilies；　and　the　surrounding　levels　were　covered
with　reedy　grass；　flowers；　and　weeds。　　The　early　autumn　has
withered　a　great　many　of　the　flowers；　but　enough　remains　to　show
how　beautiful　the　now　russet　plains　must　have　been　in　the　early
summer。　　A　dwarf　rose；　of　a　deep　crimson　colour；　with　orange；
medlar…shaped　hips；　as　large　as　crabs；　and　corollas　three　inches
across；　is　one　of　the　features　of　Yezo；　and　besides；　there　is　a
large　rose…red　convolvulus；　a　blue　campanula；　with　tiers　of　bells；
a　blue　monkshood；　the　Aconitum　Japonicum；　the　flaunting　Calystegia
soldanella；　purple　asters；　grass　of　Parnassus；　yellow　lilies；　and　a
remarkable　trailer；　whose　delicate　leafage　looked　quite　out　of
place　among　its　coarse　surroundings；　with　a　purplish…brown
campanulate　blossom；　only　remarkable　for　a　peculiar　arrangement　of
the　pistil；　green　stamens；　and　a　most　offensive　carrion…like　odour；
which　is　probably　to　attract　to　it　a　very　objectionable…looking
fly；　for　purposes　of　fertilisation。

We　overtook　four　Aino　women；　young　and　comely；　with　bare　feet；
striding　firmly　along；　and　after　a　good　deal　of　laughing　with　the
men；　they　took　hold　of　the　kuruma；　and　the　whole　seven　raced　with
it　at　full　speed　for　half　a　mile；　shrieking　with　laughter。　　Soon
after　we　came　upon　a　little　tea…house；　and　the　Ainos　showed　me　a
straw　package；　and　pointed　to　their　open　mouths；　by　which　I
understood　that　they　wished　to　stop　and　eat。　　Later　we　overtook
four　Japanese　on　horseback；　and　the　Ainos　raced　with　them　for　a
considerable　distance；　the　result　of　these　spurts　being　that　I
reached　Tomakomai　at　noona　wide；　dreary　place；　with　houses　roofed
with　sod；　bearing　luxuriant　crops　of　weeds。　　Near　this　place　is　the
volcano　of　Tarumai；　a　calm…looking；　grey　cone；　whose　skirts　are
draped　by　tens　of　thousands　of　dead　trees。　　So　calm　and　grey　had　it
looked　for　many　a　year　that　people　supposed　it　had　passed　into
endless　rest；　when　quite　lately；　on　a　sultry　day；　it　blew　off　its
cap　and　covered　the　whole　country　for　many　a　mile　with　cinders　and
ashes；　burning　up　the　forest　on　its　sides；　adding　a　new　covering　to
the　Tomakomai　roofs；　and　depositing　fine　ash　as　far　as　Cape　Erimo；
fifty　miles　off。

At　this　place　the　road　and　telegraph　wires　turn　inland　to
Satsuporo；　and　a　track　for　horses　only　turns　to　the　north…east；　and
straggles　round　the　island　for　about　seven　hundred　miles。　　From
Mororan　to　Sarufuto　there　are　everywhere　traces　of　new　and　old
volcanic　actionpumice；　tufas；　conglomerates；　and　occasional　beds
of　hard　basalt；　all　covered　with　recent　pumice；　which；　from　Shiraoi
eastwards；　conceals　everything。　　At　Tomakomai　we　took　horses；　and；
as　I　brought　my　own　saddle；　I　have　had　the　nearest　approach　to　real
riding　that　I　have　enjoyed　in　Japan。　　The　wife　of　a　Satsuporo
doctor　was　there；　who　was　travelling　for　two　hundred　miles　astride
on　a　pack…saddle；　with　rope…loops　for　stirrups。　　She　rode　well；　and
vaulted　into　my　saddle　with　circus…like　dexterity；　and　performed
many　equestrian　feats　upon　it；　telling　me　that　she　should　be　quite
happy　if　she　were　possessed　of　it。

I　was　happy　when　I　left　the　〃beaten　track〃　to　Satsuporo；　and　saw
before　me；　stretching　for　I　know　not　how　far；　rolling；　sandy
machirs　like　those　of　the　Outer　Hebrides；　desert…like　and　lonely；
covered　almost　altogether　with　dwarf　roses　and　campanulas；　a
prairie　land　on　which　you　can　make　any　tracks　you　please。　　Sending
the　others　on；　I　followed　them　at　the　Yezo　scramble；　and　soon
ventured　on　a　long　gallop；　and　revelled　in　the　music　of　the　thud　of
shoeless　feet　over　the　elastic　soil；　but　I　had　not　realised　the
peculiarities　of　Yezo　steeds；　and　had　forgotten　to　ask　whether　mine
was　a　〃front　horse；〃　and　just　as　we　were　going　at　full　speed　we
came　nearly　up　with　the　others；　and　my　horse　coming　abruptly　to　a
full　stop；　I　went　six　feet　over　his　head　among　the　rose…bushes。
Ito　looking　back　saw　me　tightening　the　saddle…girths；　and　I　never
divulged　this　escapade。

After　riding　eight　miles　along　this　breezy　belt；　with　the　sea　on
one　side　and　forests　on　the　other；　we　came　upon　Yubets；　a　place
which　has　fascinated　me　so　much　that　I　intend　to　return　to　it；　but
I　must　confess　that　its　fascinations　depend　rather　upon　what　it　has
not　than　upon　what　it　has；　and　Ito　says　that　it　would　kill　him　to
spend　even　two　days　there。　　It　looks　like　the　end　of　all　things；　as
if　loneliness　and　desolation　could　go　no　farther。　　A　sandy　stretch
on　three　sides；　a　river　arrested　in　its　progress　to　the　sea；　and
compelled　to　wander　tediously　in　search　of　an　outlet　by　the　height
and　mass　of　the　beach　thrown　up　by　the　Pacific；　a　distant　forest…
belt　rising　into　featureless；　wooded　ranges　in　shades　of　indigo　and
grey；　and　a　never…absent　consciousness　of　a　vast　ocean　just　out　of
sight；　are　the　environments　of　two　high　look…outs；　some　sheds　for
fish…oil　purposes；　four　or　five　Japanese　houses；　four　Aino　huts　on
the　top　of　the　beach　across　the　river；　and　a　grey　barrack；
consisting　of　a　polished　passage　eighty　feet　long；　with　small　rooms
on　either　side；　at　one　end　a　gravelled　yard；　with　two　quiet　rooms
opening　upon　it；　and　at　the　other　an　immense　daidokoro；　with　dark
recesses　and　blackened　raftersa　haunted…looking　abode。　　One　would
suppose　that　there　had　been　a　special　object　in　setting　the　houses
down　at　weary　distances　from　each　other。　　Few　as　they　are；　they　are
not　all　inhabited　at　this　season；　and　all　that　can　be　seen　is　grey
sand；　sparse　grass；　and　a　few　savages　creeping　about。

Nothing　that　I　have　seen　has　made　such　an　impression　upon　me　as
that　ghostly；　ghastly　fishing…station。　　In　the　long　grey　wall　of
the　long　grey　barrack　there　were　many　dismal　windows；　and　when　we
hooted　for　admission　a　stupid　face　appeared　at　one　of　them　and
disappeared。　　Then　a　grey　gateway　opened；　and　we　rode　into　a　yard
of　grey　gravel；　with　some　silent　rooms　opening　upon　it。　　The
solitude　of　the　thirty　or　forty　rooms　which　lie　between　it　and　the
kitchen；　and　which　are　now　filled　with　nets　and　fishing…tackle；　was
something　awful；　and　as　the　wind　swept　along　the　polished　passage；
rattling　the　fusuma　and　lifting　the　shingles　on　the　roof；　and　the
rats　careered　from　end　to　end；　I　went　to　the　great　black　daidokoro
in　search　of　social　life；　and　found　a　few　embers　and　an　andon；　and
nothing　else　but　the　stupid…faced　man　deploring　his　fate；　and　two
orphan　boys　whose　lot　he　makes　more　wretched　than　his　own。　　In　the
fishing…season　this　barrack　accommodates　from　200　to　300　men。

I　started