unbeaten tracks in japan-第16章

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intervals　to　see　if　the　girls　were　following。　　I　like　the　firm
hardy　gait　which　this　unbecoming　costume　permits　better　than　the
painful　shuffle　imposed　upon　the　more　civilised　women　by　their
tight　skirts　and　high　clogs。

From　Kohiaku　the　road　passed　through　an　irregular　grassy　valley
between　densely…wooded　hills；　the　valley　itself　timbered　with　park…
like　clumps　of　pine　and　Spanish　chestnuts；　but　on　leaving　Kisagoi
the　scenery　changed。　　A　steep　rocky　tract　brought　us　to　the
Kinugawa；　a　clear　rushing　river；　which　has　cut　its　way　deeply
through　coloured　rock；　and　is　crossed　at　a　considerable　height　by　a
bridge　with　an　alarmingly　steep　curve；　from　which　there　is　a　fine
view　of　high　mountains；　and　among　them　Futarayama；　to　which　some　of
the　most　ancient　Shinto　legends　are　attached。　　We　rode　for　some
time　within　hearing　of　the　Kinugawa；　catching　magnificent　glimpses
of　it　frequentlyturbulent　and　locked　in　by　walls　of　porphyry；　or
widening　and　calming　and　spreading　its　aquamarine　waters　over　great
slabs　of　pink　and　green　rock；　lighted　fitfully　by　the　sun；　or
spanned　by　rainbows；　or　pausing　to　rest　in　deep　shady　pools；　but
always　beautiful。　　The　mountains　through　which　it　forces　its　way　on
the　other　side　are　precipitous　and　wooded　to　their　summits　with
coniferae；　while　the　less　abrupt　side；　along　which　the　tract　is
carried；　curves　into　green　knolls　in　its　lower　slopes；　sprinkled
with　grand　Spanish　chestnuts　scarcely　yet　in　blossom；　with　maples
which　have　not　yet　lost　the　scarlet　which　they　wear　in　spring　as
well　as　autumn；　and　with　many　flowering　trees　and　shrubs　which　are
new　to　me；　and　with　an　undergrowth　of　red　azaleas；　syringa；　blue
hydrangeathe　very　blue　of　heavenyellow　raspberries；　ferns；
clematis；　white　and　yellow　lilies；　blue　irises；　and　fifty　other
trees　and　shrubs　entangled　and　festooned　by　the　wistaria；　whose
beautiful　foliage　is　as　common　as　is　that　of　the　bramble　with　us。
The　redundancy　of　the　vegetation　was　truly　tropical；　and　the
brilliancy　and　variety　of　its　living　greens；　dripping　with　recent
rain；　were　enhanced　by　the　slant　rays　of　the　afternoon　sun。

The　few　hamlets　we　passed　are　of　farm…houses　only；　the　deep…eaved
roofs　covering　in　one　sweep　dwelling…house；　barn；　and　stable。　　In
every　barn　unclothed　people　were　pursuing　various　industries。　　We
met　strings　of　pack…mares；　tied　head　and　tail；　loaded　with　rice　and
sake；　and　men　and　women　carrying　large　creels　full　of　mulberry
leaves。　　The　ravine　grew　more　and　more　beautiful；　and　an　ascent
through　a　dark　wood　of　arrowy　cryptomeria　brought　us　to　this
village　exquisitely　situated；　where　a　number　of　miniature　ravines；
industriously　terraced　for　rice；　come　down　upon　the　great　chasm　of
the　Kinugawa。　　Eleven　hours　of　travelling　have　brought　me　eighteen
miles！

IKARI；　June　25。Fujihara　has　forty…six　farm…houses　and　a　yadoya
all　dark；　damp；　dirty；　and　draughty；　a　combination　of　dwelling…
house；　barn；　and　stable。　　The　yadoya　consisted　of　a　daidokoro；　or
open　kitchen；　and　stable　below；　and　a　small　loft　above；　capable　of
division；　and　I　found　on　returning　from　a　walk　six　Japanese　in
extreme　deshabille　occupying　the　part　through　which　I　had　to　pass。
On　this　being　remedied　I　sat　down　to　write；　but　was　soon　driven
upon　the　balcony；　under　the　eaves；　by　myriads　of　fleas；　which
hopped　out　of　the　mats　as　sandhoppers　do　out　of　the　sea　sand；　and
even　in　the　balcony；　hopped　over　my　letter。　　There　were　two　outer
walls　of　hairy　mud　with　living　creatures　crawling　in　the　cracks；
cobwebs　hung　from　the　uncovered　rafters。　　The　mats　were　brown　with
age　and　dirt；　the　rice　was　musty；　and　only　partially　cleaned；　the
eggs　had　seen　better　days；　and　the　tea　was　musty。

I　saw　everything　out　of　doors　with　Itothe　patient　industry；　the
exquisitely　situated　village；　the　evening　avocations；　the　quiet
dulnessand　then　contemplated　it　all　from　my　balcony　and　read　the
sentence　（from　a　paper　in　the　Transactions　of　the　Asiatic　Society）
which　had　led　me　to　devise　this　journey；　〃There　is　a　most
exquisitely　picturesque；　but　difficult；　route　up　the　course　of　the
Kinugawa；　which　seems　almost　as　unknown　to　Japanese　as　to
foreigners。〃　　There　was　a　pure　lemon…coloured　sky　above；　and　slush
a　foot　deep　below。　　A　road；　at　this　time　a　quagmire；　intersected　by
a　rapid　stream；　crossed　in　many　places　by　planks；　runs　through　the
village。　　This　stream　is　at　once　〃lavatory〃　and　〃drinking
fountain。〃　　People　come　back　from　their　work；　sit　on　the　planks；
take　off　their　muddy　clothes　and　wring　them　out；　and　bathe　their
feet　in　the　current。　　On　either　side　are　the　dwellings；　in　front　of
which　are　much…decayed　manure　heaps；　and　the　women　were　engaged　in
breaking　them　up　and　treading　them　into　a　pulp　with　their　bare
feet。　　All　wear　the　vest　and　trousers　at　their　work；　but　only　the
short　petticoats　in　their　houses；　and　I　saw　several　respectable
mothers　of　families　cross　the　road　and　pay　visits　in　this　garment
only；　without　any　sense　of　impropriety。　　The　younger　children　wear
nothing　but　a　string　and　an　amulet。　　The　persons；　clothing；　and
houses　are　alive　with　vermin；　and　if　the　word　squalor　can　be
applied　to　independent　and　industrious　people；　they　were　squalid。
Beetles；　spiders；　and　wood…lice　held　a　carnival　in　my　room　after
dark；　and　the　presence　of　horses　in　the　same　house　brought　a　number
of　horseflies。　　I　sprinkled　my　stretcher　with　insect　powder；　but　my
blanket　had　been　on　the　floor　for　one　minute；　and　fleas　rendered
sleep　impossible。　　The　night　was　very　long。　　The　andon　went　out；
leaving　a　strong　smell　of　rancid　oil。　　The　primitive　Japanese　dog
a　cream…coloured　wolfish…looking　animal；　the　size　of　a　collie；　very
noisy　and　aggressive；　but　as　cowardly　as　bullies　usually　arewas
in　great　force　in　Fujihara；　and　the　barking；　growling；　and
quarrelling　of　these　useless　curs　continued　at　intervals　until
daylight；　and　when　they　were　not　quarrelling；　they　were　howling。
Torrents　of　rain　fell；　obliging　me　to　move　my　bed　from　place　to
place　to　get　out　of　the　drip。　　At　five　Ito　came　and　entreated　me　to
leave；　whimpering；　〃I've　had　no　sleep；　there　are　thousands　and
thousands　of　fleas！〃　　He　has　travelled　by　another　route　to　the
Tsugaru　Strait　through　the　interior；　and　says　that　he　would　not
have　believed　that　there　was　such　a　place　in　Japan；　and　that　people
in　Yokohama　will　not　believe　it　when　he　tells　them　of　it　and　of　the
costume　of　the　women。　　He　is　〃ashamed　for　a　foreigner　to　see　such　a
place；〃　he　says。　　His　cleverness　in　travelling　and　his　singular
intelligence　surprise　me　daily。　　He　is　very　anxious　to　speak　GOOD
English；　as　distinguished　from　〃common〃　English；　and　to　get　new
words；　with　their　correct　pronunciation　and　spelling。　　Each　day　he
puts　down　in　his　note…book　all　the　words　that　I　use　that　he　does
not　quite　understand；　and　in　the　evening　brings　them　to　me　and　puts
down　their　meaning　and　spelling　with　their　Japanese　equivalents。
He　speaks　English　already　far　better　than　many　professional
interpreters；　but　would　be　more　pleasing　if　he　had　not　picked　up
some　American　vulgarisms　and　free…and…easy　ways。　　It　is　so
important　to　me　to　have　a　good　interpreter；　or　I　should　not　have
engaged　so　young　and　inexperienced　a　servant；　but　he　is　so　clever
that　he　is　now　able　to　be　cook；　laundryman；　and　general　attendant；
as　well　as　courier　and　interpreter；　and　I　think　it　is　far　easier
for　me　than　if　he　were　an　older　man。　　I　am　trying　to　manage　him；
because　I　saw　that　he　meant　to　manage　me；　specially　in　the　matter
of　〃squeezes。〃　　He　is　intensely　Japanese；　his　patriotism　has　all
the　weakness　and　strength　of　personal　vanity；　and　he　thinks
everything　inferior　that　is　foreign。　　Our　manners；　eyes；　and　modes
of　eating　appear　simply　odious　to　him。　　He　delights　in　retailing
stories　of　the　bad　manners　of　Englishmen；　describes　them　as
〃roaring　out　ohio　to　every　one　on　the　road；〃　frightening　the　tea…
house　nymphs；　kicking　or　slapping　their　coolies；　stamping　over
white　mats　in　muddy　boots；　acting　generally　like　ill…bred　Satyrs；
exciting　an　ill…concealed　hatred　in　simple　country　districts；　and
bringing　themselves　and　their　country　into　contempt　and　ridicule。
｛10｝　　He　is　very　anxious　about　my　good　behaviour；　and　as　I　am
equally　anxious　to　be　courteous　everywhere　in　Japanese　fashion；　and
not　to　violate　the　general　rules　of　Japanese　etiquette；　I　take　his
suggestions　as　to　what　I　ought　to　do　and　avoid　in　very　good　part；
and　my　bows　are　growing　more　profound　every　day！　　The　people　are　so
kind　and　courteous；　that　it　is　truly　brutal　in　foreigners　not　to　be
kind　and　courteous　to　them。　　You　will　observe　that　I　am　entirely
dependent　on　Ito；　not　only　for　travelling　arrangements；　but　for
making　inquiries；　gaining　information；　and　even　for　companionship；
such　as　it　is；　and　our　being　mutually　embarked　on　a　hard　and
adventurous　journey　will；　I　hope；　make　us　mutually　kind　and
considerate。　　Nominally；　he　is　a　Shintoist；　which　means　nothing。
At　Nikko　I　read　to　him　the　earlier　chapters　of　St。　Luke；　and　when　I
came　to　the　story　of　the　Prodigal　Son　I　was　interrupted　by　a
somewhat　scornful　laugh　and　the　remark；　〃Why；　all　this　is　our
Buddha　over　again！〃

To…day's　journey；　though　very　rough；　has　been　rather　pleasant。　　The
rain　moderated　at　noon；　and　I　left　Fujihara　on　foot；　wearing　my
American　〃mountain　dress〃　and　Wellington　boots；the　only　costume
in　which　ladies　can　enjoy　pedestrian　or　pack…horse　travelling　in
this　country；with　a　light　straw　matthe　waterproof　of　the
regionhanging　over　my　shoulders；　and　so　we　plodded　on　with　two
baggage　horses　through　the　ankle…deep　mud；　till　the　rain　cleared
off；　the　mountains　looked　through　the　mist；　the　augmented　Kinugawa
thundered　below；　and　enjoyment　became　possible；　even　in　my　half…fed
condition。　　Eventually　I　mounted　a　pack…saddle；　and　we　crossed　a
spur　of　Takadayama　at　a　height　of　2100　feet　on　a　well…devised
series　of　zigzags；　eight　of　which　in　one　place　could　be　seen　one
below　another。　　The　forest　there　is　not　so　dense　as　usual；　and　the
lower　mountain　slopes　are　sprinkled　with　noble　Spanish　chestnuts。
The　descent　was　steep　and　slippery；　the　horse　had　tender　feet；　and；
after　stumbling　badly；　eventually　came　down；　and　I　went　over　his
head；　to　the　great　distress　of　the　kindly　female　mago。　　The　straw
shoes　tied　with　wisps　round　the　pasterns　are　a　great　nuisance。　　The
〃shoe　strings〃　are　always　coming　untied；　and　the　shoes　only　wear
about　two　ri　on　soft　ground；　and　less　than　one　on　hard。　　They　keep
the　feet　so　soft　and　spongy　that　the　horses　can't　walk　without　them
at　all；　and　as　soon　as　they　get　thin　your　horse　begins　to　stumble；
the　mago　gets　uneasy；　and　presently　you　stop；　four　shoes；　which　are
hanging　from　the　saddle；　are　soaked　in　water　and　are　tied　on　with
much　coaxing；　raising　the　animal　fully　an　inch　above　the　ground。
Anything　more　temporary　and　clumsy　could　not　be　devised。　　The
bridle　paths　are　strewn　with　them；　and　the　children　collect　them　in
heaps　to　decay　for　manure。　　They　cost　3　or　4　sen　the　set；　and　in
every　village　men　spend　their　leisure　time　in　making　them。

At　the　next　stage；　called　Takahara；　we　got　one　horse　for　the
baggage；　crossed　the　river　and　the　ravine；　and　by　a　steep　climb
reached　a　solitary　yadoya　with　the　usual　open　front　and　irori；
round　which　a　number　of　people；　old　and　yo