unbeaten tracks in japan-第34章

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giving　notice　that　no　foreigner　was　to　be　received　without　first
communicating　with　the　nearest　police　station；　which；　in　this
instance；　is　three　hours　off。　　I　said　that　the　authorities　of　Akita
ken　could　not　by　any　local　regulations　override　the　Imperial　edict
under　which　passports　are　issued；　but　he　said　he　should　be　liable
to　a　fine　and　the　withdrawal　of　his　license　if　he　violated　the
rule。　　No　foreigner；　he　said；　had　ever　lodged　in　Shirasawa；　and　I
have　no　doubt　that　he　added　that　he　hoped　no　foreigner　would　ever
seek　lodgings　again。　　My　passport　was　copied　and　sent　off　by
special　runner；　as　I　should　have　deeply　regretted　bringing　trouble
on　the　poor　man　by　insisting　on　my　rights；　and　in　much　trepidation
he　gave　me　a　room　open　on　one　side　to　the　village；　and　on　another
to　a　pond；　over　which；　as　if　to　court　mosquitoes；　it　is　partially
built。　　I　cannot　think　how　the　Japanese　can　regard　a　hole　full　of
dirty　water　as　an　ornamental　appendage　to　a　house。

My　hotel　expenses　（including　Ito's）　are　less　than　3s。　a…day；　and　in
nearly　every　place　there　has　been　a　cordial　desire　that　I　should　be
comfortable；　and；　considering　that　I　have　often　put　up　in　small；
rough　hamlets　off　the　great　routes　even　of　Japanese　travel；　the
accommodation；　minus　the　fleas　and　the　odours；　has　been
surprisingly　excellent；　not　to　be　equalled；　I　should　think；　in
equally　remote　regions　in　any　country　in　the　world。

This　evening；　here；　as　in　thousands　of　other　villages；　the　men　came
home　from　their　work；　ate　their　food；　took　their　smoke；　enjoyed
their　children；　carried　them　about；　watched　their　games；　twisted
straw　ropes；　made　straw　sandals；　split　bamboo；　wove　straw　rain…
coats；　and　spent　the　time　universally　in　those　little　economical
ingenuities　and　skilful　adaptations　which　our　people　（the　worse　for
them）　practise　perhaps　less　than　any　other。　　There　was　no
assembling　at　the　sake　shop。　　Poor　though　the　homes　are；　the　men
enjoy　them；　the　children　are　an　attraction　at　any　rate；　and　the
brawling　and　disobedience　which　often　turn　our　working…class　homes
into　bear…gardens　are　unknown　here；　where　docility　and　obedience
are　inculcated　from　the　cradle　as　a　matter　of　course。　　The　signs　of
religion　become　fewer　as　I　travel　north；　and　it　appears　that　the
little　faith　which　exists　consists　mainly　in　a　belief　in　certain
charms　and　superstitions；　which　the　priests　industriously　foster。

A　low　voice　is　not　regarded　as　〃a　most　excellent　thing；〃　in　man　at
least；　among　the　lower　classes　in　Japan。　　The　people　speak　at　the
top　of　their　voices；　and；　though　most　words　and　syllables　end　in
vowels；　the　general　effect　of　a　conversation　is　like　the　discordant
gabble　of　a　farm…yard。　　The　next　room　to　mine　is　full　of　stormbound
travellers；　and　they　and　the　house…master　kept　up　what　I　thought
was　a　most　important　argument　for　four　hours　at　the　top　of　their
voices。　　I　supposed　it　must　be　on　the　new　and　important　ordinance
granting　local　elective　assemblies；　of　which　I　heard　at　Odate；　but
on　inquiry　found　that　it　was　possible　to　spend　four　mortal　hours　in
discussing　whether　the　day's　journey　from　Odate　to　Noshiro　could　be
made　best　by　road　or　river。

Japanese　women　have　their　own　gatherings；　where　gossip　and　chit…
chat；　marked　by　a　truly　Oriental　indecorum　of　speech；　are　the
staple　of　talk。　　I　think　that　in　many　things；　specially　in　some
which　lie　on　the　surface；　the　Japanese　are　greatly　our　superiors；
but　that　in　many　others　they　are　immeasurably　behind　us。　　In　living
altogether　among　this　courteous；　industrious；　and　civilised　people；
one　comes　to　forget　that　one　is　doing　them　a　gross　injustice　in
comparing　their　manners　and　ways　with　those　of　a　people　moulded　by
many　centuries　of　Christianity。　　Would　to　God　that　we　were　so
Christianised　that　the　comparison　might　always　be　favourable　to　us；
which　it　is　not！

July　30。In　the　room　on　the　other　side　of　mine　were　two　men　with
severe　eye…disease；　with　shaven　heads　and　long　and　curious
rosaries；　who　beat　small　drums　as　they　walked；　and　were　on
pilgrimage　to　the　shrine　of　Fudo　at　Megura；　near　Yedo；　a　seated；
flame…surrounded　idol；　with　a　naked　sword　in　one　hand　and　a　coil　of
rope　in　the　other；　who　has　the　reputation　of　giving　sight　to　the
blind。　　At　five　this　morning　they　began　their　devotions；　which
consisted　in　repeating　with　great　rapidity；　and　in　a　high
monotonous　key　for　two　hours；　the　invocation　of　the　Nichiren　sect
of　Buddhists；　Namu　miyo　ho　ren　ge　Kiyo；　which　certainly　no　Japanese
understands；　and　on　the　meaning　of　which　even　the　best　scholars　are
divided；　one　having　given　me；　〃Glory　to　the　salvation…bringing
Scriptures；〃　another；　〃Hail；　precious　law　and　gospel　of　the　lotus
flower；〃　and　a　third；　〃Heaven　and　earth！　　The　teachings　of　the
wonderful　lotus　flower　sect。〃　　Namu　amidu　Butsu　occurred　at
intervals；　and　two　drums　were　beaten　the　whole　time！

The　rain；　which　began　again　at　eleven　last　night；　fell　from　five
till　eight　this　morning；　not　in　drops；　but　in　streams；　and　in　the
middle　of　it　a　heavy　pall　of　blackness　（said　to　be　a　total　eclipse）
enfolded　all　things　in　a　lurid　gloom。　　Any　detention　is
exasperating　within　one　day　of　my　journey's　end；　and　I　hear　without
equanimity　that　there　are　great　difficulties　ahead；　and　that　our
getting　through　in　three　or　even　four　days　is　doubtful。　　I　hope　you
will　not　be　tired　of　the　monotony　of　my　letters。　　Such　as　they　are；
they　represent　the　scenes　which　a　traveller　would　see　throughout
much　of　northern　Japan；　and　whatever　interest　they　have　consists　in
the　fact　that　they　are　a　faithful　representation；　made　upon　the
spot；　of　what　a　foreigner　sees　and　hears　in　travelling　through　a
large　but　unfrequented　region。　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXVIII



Torrents　of　RainAn　unpleasant　DetentionDevastations　produced　by
FloodsThe　Yadate　PassThe　Force　of　WaterDifficulties　thicken
A　Primitive　YadoyaThe　Water　rises。

IKARIGASEKI；　AOMORI　KEN；　August　2。

The　prophecies　concerning　difficulties　are　fulfilled。　　For　six　days
and　five　nights　the　rain　has　never　ceased；　except　for　a　few　hours
at　a　time；　and　for　the　last　thirteen　hours；　as　during　the　eclipse
at　Shirasawa；　it　has　been　falling　in　such　sheets　as　I　have　only
seen　for　a　few　minutes　at　a　time　on　the　equator。　　I　have　been　here
storm…staid　for　two　days；　with　damp　bed；　damp　clothes；　damp
everything；　and　boots；　bag；　books；　are　all　green　with　mildew。　　And
still　the　rain　falls；　and　roads；　bridges；　rice…fields；　trees；　and
hillsides　are　being　swept　in　a　common　ruin　towards　the　Tsugaru
Strait；　so　tantalisingly　near；　and　the　simple　people　are　calling　on
the　forgotten　gods　of　the　rivers　and　the　hills；　on　the　sun　and
moon；　and　all　the　host　of　heaven；　to　save　them　from　this　〃plague　of
immoderate　rain　and　waters。〃　　For　myself；　to　be　able　to　lie　down
all　day　is　something；　and　as　〃the　mind；　when　in　a　healthy　state；
reposes　as　quietly　before　an　insurmountable　difficulty　as　before　an
ascertained　truth；〃　so；　as　I　cannot　get　on；　I　have　ceased　to　chafe；
and　am　rather　inclined　to　magnify　the　advantages　of　the　detention；
a　necessary　process；　as　you　would　think　if　you　saw　my　surroundings！

The　day　before　yesterday；　in　spite　of　severe　pain；　was　one　of　the
most　interesting　of　my　journey。　　As　I　learned　something　of　the
force　of　fire　in　Hawaii；　I　am　learning　not　a　little　of　the　force　of
water　in　Japan。　　We　left　Shirasawa　at　noon；　as　it　looked　likely　to
clear；　taking　two　horses　and　three　men。　　It　is　beautiful　scenerya
wild　valley；　upon　which　a　number　of　lateral　ridges　descend；
rendered　strikingly　picturesque　by　the　dark　pyramidal　cryptomeria；
which　are　truly　the　glory　of　Japan。　　Five　of　the　fords　were　deep
and　rapid；　and　the　entrance　on　them　difficult；　as　the　sloping
descents　were　all　carried　away；　leaving　steep　banks；　which　had　to
be　levelled　by　the　mattocks　of　the　mago。　　Then　the　fords　themselves
were　gone；　there　were　shallows　where　there　had　been　depths；　and
depths　where　there　had　been　shallows；　new　channels　were　carved；　and
great　beds　of　shingle　had　been　thrown　up。　　Much　wreckage　lay　about。
The　road　and　its　small　bridges　were　all　gone；　trees　torn　up　by　the
roots　or　snapped　short　off　by　being　struck　by　heavy　logs　were
heaped　together　like　barricades；　leaves　and　even　bark　being　in　many
cases　stripped　completely　off；　great　logs　floated　down　the　river　in
such　numbers　and　with　such　force　that　we　had　to　wait　half　an　hour
in　one　place　to　secure　a　safe　crossing；　hollows　were　filled　with
liquid　mud；　boulders　of　great　size　were　piled　into　embankments；
causing　perilous　alterations　in　the　course　of　the　river；　a　fertile
valley　had　been　utterly　destroyed；　and　the　men　said　they　could
hardly　find　their　way。

At　the　end　of　five　miles　it　became　impassable　for　horses；　and；　with
two　of　the　mago　carrying　the　baggage；　we　set　off；　wading　through
water　and　climbing　along　the　side　of　a　hill；　up　to　our　knees　in
soft　wet　soil。　　The　hillside　and　the　road　were　both　gone；　and　there
were　heavy　landslips　along　the　whole　valley。　　Happily　there　was　not
much　of　this　exhausting　work；　for；　just　as　higher　and　darker
ranges；　densely　wooded　with　cryptomeria；　began　to　close　us　in；　we
emerged　upon　a　fine　new　road；　broad　enough　for　a　carriage；　which；
after　crossing　two　ravines　on　fine　bridges；　plunges　into　the　depths
of　a　magnificent　forest；　and　then　by　a　long　series　of　fine　zigzags
of　easy　gradients　ascends　the　pass　of　Yadate；　on　the　top　of　which；
in　a　deep　sandstone　cutting；　is　a　handsome　obelisk　marking　the
boundary　between　Akita　and　Aomori　ken。　　This　is　a　marvellous　road
for　Japan；　it　is　so　well　graded　and　built　up；　and　logs　for
travellers'　rests　are　placed　at　convenient　distances。　　Some　very
heavy　work　in　grading　and　blasting　has　been　done　upon　it；　but　there
are　only　four　miles　of　it；　with　wretched　bridle　tracks　at　each　end。
I　left　the　others　behind；　and　strolled　on　alone　over　the　top　of　the
pass　and　down　the　other　side；　where　the　road　is　blasted　out　of　rock
of　a　vivid　pink　and　green　colour；　looking　brilliant　under　the
trickle　of　water。　　I　admire　this　pass　more　than　anything　I　have
seen　in　Japan；　I　even　long　to　see　it　again；　but　under　a　bright　blue
sky。　　It　reminds　me　much　of　the　finest　part　of　the　Brunig　Pass；　and
something　of　some　of　the　passes　in　the　Rocky　Mountains；　but　the
trees　are　far　finer　than　in　either。　　It　was　lonely；　stately；　dark；
solemn；　its　huge　cryptomeria；　straight　as　masts；　sent　their　tall
spires　far　aloft　in　search　of　light；　the　ferns；　which　love　damp　and
shady　places；　were　the　only　undergrowth；　the　trees　flung　their
balsamy；　aromatic　scent　liberally　upon　the　air；　and；　in　the
unlighted　depths　of　many　a　ravine　and　hollow；　clear　bright　torrents
leapt　and　tumbled；　drowning　with　their　thundering　bass　the　musical
treble　of　the　lighter　streams。　　Not　a　traveller　disturbed　the
solitude　with　his　sandalled　footfall；　there　was　neither　song　of
bird　nor　hum　of　insect。

In　the　midst　of　this　sublime　scenery；　and　at　the　very　top　of　the
pass；　the　rain；　which　had　been　light　but　steady　during　the　whole
day；　began　to　come　down　in　streams　and　then　in　sheets。　　I　have　been
so　rained　upon　for　weeks　that　at　first　I　took　little　notice　of　it；
but　very　soon　changes　occurred　before　my　eyes　which　concentrated　my
attention　upon　it。　　The　rush　of　waters　was　heard　everywhere；　t