unbeaten tracks in japan-第26章

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no　ceilings；　and　in　many　cases　an　unmolested　rat　snake　lives　in　the
rafters；　who；　when　he　is　much　gorged；　occasionally　falls　down　upon
a　mosquito　net。

Again　I　write　that　Shinjo　is　a　wretched　place。　　It　is　a　daimiyo's
town；　and　every　daimiyo's　town　that　I　have　seen　has　an　air　of
decay；　partly　owing　to　the　fact　that　the　castle　is　either　pulled
down；　or　has　been　allowed　to　fall　into　decay。　　Shinjo　has　a　large
trade　in　rice；　silk；　and　hemp；　and　ought　not　to　be　as　poor　as　it
looks。　　The　mosquitoes　were　in　thousands；　and　I　had　to　go　to　bed；
so　as　to　be　out　of　their　reach；　before　I　had　finished　my　wretched
meal　of　sago　and　condensed　milk。　　There　was　a　hot　rain　all　night；
my　wretched　room　was　dirty　and　stifling；　and　rats　gnawed　my　boots
and　ran　away　with　my　cucumbers。

To…day　the　temperature　is　high　and　the　sky　murky。　　The　good　road
has　come　to　an　end；　and　the　old　hardships　have　begun　again。　　After
leaving　Shinjo　this　morning　we　crossed　over　a　steep　ridge　into　a
singular　basin　of　great　beauty；　with　a　semicircle　of　pyramidal
hills；　rendered　more　striking　by　being　covered　to　their　summits
with　pyramidal　cryptomeria；　and　apparently　blocking　all　northward
progress。　　At　their　feet　lies　Kanayama　in　a　romantic　situation；
and；　though　I　arrived　as　early　as　noon；　I　am　staying　for　a　day　or
two；　for　my　room　at　the　Transport　Office　is　cheerful　and　pleasant；
the　agent　is　most　polite；　a　very　rough　region　lies　before　me；　and
Ito　has　secured　a　chicken　for　the　first　time　since　leaving　Nikko！

I　find　it　impossible　in　this　damp　climate；　and　in　my　present　poor
health；　to　travel　with　any　comfort　for　more　than　two　or　three　days
at　a　time；　and　it　is　difficult　to　find　pretty；　quiet；　and　wholesome
places　for　a　halt　of　two　nights。　　Freedom　from　fleas　and　mosquitoes
one　can　never　hope　for；　though　the　last　vary　in　number；　and　I　have
found　a　way　of　〃dodging〃　the　first　by　laying　down　a　piece　of　oiled
paper　six　feet　square　upon　the　mat；　dusting　along　its　edges　a　band
of　Persian　insect　powder；　and　setting　my　chair　in　the　middle。　　I　am
then　insulated；　and；　though　myriads　of　fleas　jump　on　the　paper；　the
powder　stupefies　them；　and　they　are　easily　killed。　　I　have　been
obliged　to　rest　here　at　any　rate；　because　I　have　been　stung　on　my
left　hand　both　by　a　hornet　and　a　gadfly；　and　it　is　badly　inflamed。
In　some　places　the　hornets　are　in　hundreds；　and　make　the　horses
wild。　　I　am　also　suffering　from　inflammation　produced　by　the　bites
of　〃horse　ants；〃　which　attack　one　in　walking。　　The　Japanese　suffer
very　much　from　these；　and　a　neglected　bite　often　produces　an
intractable　ulcer。　　Besides　these；　there　is　a　fly；　as　harmless　in
appearance　as　our　house…fly；　which　bites　as　badly　as　a　mosquito。
These　are　some　of　the　drawbacks　of　Japanese　travelling　in　summer；
but　worse　than　these　is　the　lack　of　such　food　as　one　can　eat　when
one　finishes　a　hard　day's　journey　without　appetite；　in　an
exhausting　atmosphere。

July　18。I　have　had　so　much　pain　and　fever　from　stings　and　bites
that　last　night　I　was　glad　to　consult　a　Japanese　doctor　from
Shinjo。　　Ito；　who　looks　twice　as　big　as　usual　when　he　has　to　do　any
〃grand〃　interpreting；　and　always　puts　on　silk　hakama　in　honour　of
it；　came　in　with　a　middle…aged　man　dressed　entirely　in　silk；　who
prostrated　himself　three　times　on　the　ground；　and　then　sat　down　on
his　heels。　　Ito　in　many　words　explained　my　calamities；　and　Dr。
Nosoki　then　asked　to　see　my　〃honourable　hand；〃　which　he　examined
carefully；　and　then　my　〃honourable　foot。〃　　He　felt　my　pulse　and
looked　at　my　eyes　with　a　magnifying　glass；　and　with　much　sucking　in
of　his　breatha　sign　of　good　breeding　and　politenessinformed　me
that　I　had　much　fever；　which　I　knew　before；　then　that　I　must　rest；
which　I　also　knew；　then　he　lighted　his　pipe　and　contemplated　me。
Then　he　felt　my　pulse　and　looked　at　my　eyes　again；　then　felt　the
swelling　from　the　hornet　bite；　and　said　it　was　much　inflamed；　of
which　I　was　painfully　aware；　and　then　clapped　his　hands　three
times。　　At　this　signal　a　coolie　appeared；　carrying　a　handsome　black
lacquer　chest　with　the　same　crest　in　gold　upon　it　as　Dr。　Nosoki
wore　in　white　on　his　haori。　　This　contained　a　medicine　chest　of
fine　gold　lacquer；　fitted　up　with　shelves；　drawers；　bottles；　etc。
He　compounded　a　lotion　first；　with　which　he　bandaged　my　hand　and
arm　rather　skilfully；　telling　me　to　pour　the　lotion　over　the
bandage　at　intervals　till　the　pain　abated。　　The　whole　was　covered
with　oiled　paper；　which　answers　the　purpose　of　oiled　silk。　　He　then
compounded　a　febrifuge；　which；　as　it　is　purely　vegetable；　I　have
not　hesitated　to　take；　and　told　me　to　drink　it　in　hot　water；　and　to
avoid　sake　for　a　day　or　two！

I　asked　him　what　his　fee　was；　and；　after　many　bows　and　much
spluttering　and　sucking　in　of　his　breath；　he　asked　if　I　should
think　half　a　yen　too　much；　and　when　I　presented　him　with　a　yen；　and
told　him　with　a　good　deal　of　profound　bowing　on　my　part　that　I　was
exceedingly　glad　to　obtain　his　services；　his　gratitude　quite
abashed　me　by　its　immensity。

Dr。　Nosoki　is　one　of　the　old…fashioned　practitioners；　whose　medical
knowledge　has　been　handed　down　from　father　to　son；　and　who　holds
out；　as　probably　most　of　his　patients　do；　against　European　methods
and　drugs。　　A　strong　prejudice　against　surgical　operations；
specially　amputations；　exists　throughout　Japan。　　With　regard　to　the
latter；　people　think　that；　as　they　came　into　the　world　complete；　so
they　are　bound　to　go　out　of　it；　and　in　many　places　a　surgeon　would
hardly　be　able　to　buy　at　any　price　the　privilege　of　cutting　off　an
arm。

Except　from　books　these　older　men　know　nothing　of　the　mechanism　of
the　human　body；　as　dissection　is　unknown　to　native　science。　　Dr。
Nosoki　told　me　that　he　relies　mainly　on　the　application　of　the　moxa
and　on　acupuncture　in　the　treatment　of　acute　diseases；　and　in
chronic　maladies　on　friction；　medicinal　baths；　certain　animal　and
vegetable　medicines；　and　certain　kinds　of　food。　　The　use　of　leeches
and　blisters　is　unknown　to　him；　and　he　regards　mineral　drugs　with
obvious　suspicion。　　He　has　heard　of　chloroform；　but　has　never　seen
it　used；　and　considers　that　in　maternity　it　must　necessarily　be
fatal　either　to　mother　or　child。　　He　asked　me　（and　I　have　twice
before　been　asked　the　same　question）　whether　it　is　not　by　its　use
that　we　endeavour　to　keep　down　our　redundant　population！　　He　has
great　faith　in　ginseng；　and　in　rhinoceros　horn；　and　in　the　powdered
liver　of　some　animal；　which；　from　the　description；　I　understood　to
be　a　tigerall　specifics　of　the　Chinese　school　of　medicines。　　Dr。
Nosoki　showed　me　a　small　box　of　〃unicorn's〃　horn；　which　he　said　was
worth　more　than　its　weight　in　gold！　　As　my　arm　improved
coincidently　with　the　application　of　his　lotion；　I　am　bound　to　give
him　the　credit　of　the　cure。

I　invited　him　to　dinner；　and　two　tables　were　produced　covered　with
different　dishes；　of　which　he　ate　heartily；　showing　most　singular
dexterity　with　his　chopsticks　in　removing　the　flesh　of　small；　bony
fish。　　It　is　proper　to　show　appreciation　of　a　repast　by　noisy
gulpings；　and　much　gurgling　and　drawing　in　of　the　breath。
Etiquette　rigidly　prescribes　these　performances；　which　are　most
distressing　to　a　European；　and　my　guest　nearly　upset　my　gravity　by
them。

The　host　and　the　kocho；　or　chief　man　of　the　village；　paid　me　a
formal　visit　in　the　evening；　and　Ito；　en　grande　tenue；　exerted
himself　immensely　on　the　occasion。　　They　were　much　surprised　at　my
not　smoking；　and　supposed　me　to　be　under　a　vow！　　They　asked　me　many
questions　about　our　customs　and　Government；　but　frequently　reverted
to　tobacco。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XX



The　Effect　of　a　ChickenPoor　FareSlow　TravellingObjects　of
InterestKak'keThe　Fatal　CloseA　Great　FireSecurity　of　the
Kuras。

SHINGOJI；　July　21。

Very　early　in　the　morning；　after　my　long　talk　with　the　Kocho　of
Kanayama；　Ito　wakened　me　by　saying；　〃You'll　be　able　for　a　long
day's　journey　to…day；　as　you　had　a　chicken　yesterday；〃　and　under
this　chicken's　marvellous　influence　we　got　away　at　6。45；　only　to
verify　the　proverb；　〃The　more　haste　the　worse　speed。〃　　Unsolicited
by　me　the　Kocho　sent　round　the　village　to　forbid　the　people　from
assembling；　so　I　got　away　in　peace　with　a　pack…horse　and　one
runner。　　It　was　a　terrible　road；　with　two　severe　mountain…passes　to
cross；　and　I　not　only　had　to　walk　nearly　the　whole　way；　but　to　help
the　man　with　the　kuruma　up　some　of　the　steepest　places。　　Halting　at
the　exquisitely　situated　village　of　Nosoki；　we　got　one　horse；　and
walked　by　a　mountain　road　along　the　head…waters　of　the　Omono　to
Innai。　　I　wish　I　could　convey　to　you　any　idea　of　the　beauty　and
wildness　of　that　mountain　route；　of　the　surprises　on　the　way；　of
views；　of　the　violent　deluges　of　rain　which　turned　rivulets　into
torrents；　and　of　the　hardships　and　difficulties　of　the　day；　the
scanty　fare　of　sun…dried　rice　dough　and　sour　yellow　rasps；　and　the
depth　of　the　mire　through　which　we　waded！　　We　crossed　the　Shione
and　Sakatsu　passes；　and　in　twelve　hours　accomplished　fifteen　miles！
Everywhere　we　were　told　that　we　should　never　get　through　the
country　by　the　way　we　are　going。

The　women　still　wear　trousers；　but　with　a　long　garment　tucked　into
them　instead　of　a　short　one；　and　the　men　wear　a　cotton　combination
of　breastplate　and　apron；　either　without　anything　else；　or　over
their　kimonos。　　The　descent　to　Innai　under　an　avenue　of
cryptomeria；　and　the　village　itself；　shut　in　with　the　rushing
Omono；　are　very　beautiful。

The　yadoya　at　Innai　was　a　remarkably　cheerful　one；　but　my　room　was
entirely　fusuma　and　shoji；　and　people　were　peeping　in　the　whole
time。　　It　is　not　only　a　foreigner　and　his　strange　ways　which
attract　attention　in　these　remote　districts；　but；　in　my　case；　my
india…rubber　bath；　air…pillow；　and；　above　all；　my　white　mosquito
net。　　Their　nets　are　all　of　a　heavy　green　canvas；　and　they　admire
mine　so　much；　that　I　can　give　no　more　acceptable　present　on　leaving
than　a　piece　of　it　to　twist　in　with　the　hair。　　There　were　six
engineers　in　the　next　room　who　are　surveying　the　passes　which　I　had
crossed；　in　order　to　see　if　they　could　be　tunnelled；　in　which　case
kurumas　might　go　all　the　way　from　Tokiyo　to　Kubota　on　the　Sea　of
Japan；　and；　with　a　small　additional　outlay；　carts　also。

In　the　two　villages　of　Upper　and　Lower　Innai　there　has　been　an
outbreak　of　a　malady　much　dreaded　by　the　Japanese；　called　kak'ke；
which；　in　the　last　seven　months；　has　carried　off　100　persons　out　of
a　population　of　about　1500；　and　the　local　doctors　have　been　aided
by　two　sent　from　the　Medical　School　at　Kubota。　　I　don't　know　a
European　name　for　it；　the　Japanese　name　signifies　an　affection　of
the　legs。　　Its　first　symptoms　are　a　loss　of　strength　in　the　legs；
〃looseness　in　the　knees；〃　cramps　in　the　calves；　swelling；　and
numbness。　　This；　Dr。　Anderson；　who　has　studied　kak'ke　in　more　than
1100　cases　in　Tokiyo；　calls　the　sub…acute　form。　　The　chronic　is　a
slow；　numbing；　and　wasting　malady；　which；　if　unchecked；　results　in
death　from　paralysis　and　exhaustion　in　from　six　months　to　three
years。　　The　third；　or　acute　form；　Dr。　Anderson　describes　thus。
After　remarking　that　the　grave　symptoms　set　in　quite　unexpectedly；
and　go　on　rapidly　increasing；　he　says：…　〃The　patient　now　can　lie
down　no　longer；　he　sits　up　in　bed　and　toss