unbeaten tracks in japan-第4章

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Hepburn　compassionately　stepped　in　as　interpreter；　for　their　stock
of　English　was　exhausted。　　Three　were　regarded　as　promising。　　One
was　a　sprightly　youth　who　came　in　a　well…made　European　suit　of
light…coloured　tweed；　a　laid…down　collar；　a　tie　with　a　diamond　（？）
pin；　and　a　white　shirt；　so　stiffly　starched；　that　he　could　hardly
bend　low　enough　for　a　bow　even　of　European　profundity。　　He　wore　a
gilt　watch…chain　with　a　locket；　the　corner　of　a　very　white　cambric
pocket…handkerchief　dangled　from　his　breast　pocket；　and　he　held　a
cane　and　a　felt　hat　in　his　hand。　　He　was　a　Japanese　dandy　of　the
first　water。　　I　looked　at　him　ruefully。　　To　me　starched　collars　are
to　be　an　unknown　luxury　for　the　next　three　months。　　His　fine
foreign　clothes　would　enhance　prices　everywhere　in　the　interior；
and　besides　that；　I　should　feel　a　perpetual　difficulty　in　asking
menial　services　from　an　exquisite。　　I　was　therefore　quite　relieved
when　his　English　broke　down　at　the　second　question。

The　second　was　a　most　respectable…looking　man　of　thirty…five　in　a
good　Japanese　dress。　　He　was　highly　recommended；　and　his　first
English　words　were　promising；　but　he　had　been　cook　in　the　service
of　a　wealthy　English　official　who　travelled　with　a　large　retinue；
and　sent　servants　on　ahead　to　prepare　the　way。　　He　knew　really　only
a　few　words　of　English；　and　his　horror　at　finding　that　there　was
〃no　master；〃　and　that　there　would　be　no　woman…servant；　was　so
great；　that　I　hardly　know　whether　he　rejected　me　or　I　him。

The　third；　sent　by　Mr。　Wilkinson；　wore　a　plain　Japanese　dress；　and
had　a　frank；　intelligent　face。　　Though　Dr。　Hepburn　spoke　with　him
in　Japanese；　he　thought　that　he　knew　more　English　than　the　others；
and　that　what　he　knew　would　come　out　when　he　was　less　agitated。　　He
evidently　understood　what　I　said；　and；　though　I　had　a　suspicion
that　he　would　turn　out　to　be　the　〃master；〃　I　thought　him　so
prepossessing　that　I　nearly　engaged　him　on　the　spot。　　None　of　the
others　merit　any　remark。

However；　when　I　had　nearly　made　up　my　mind　in　his　favour；　a
creature　appeared　without　any　recommendation　at　all；　except　that
one　of　Dr。　Hepburn's　servants　was　acquainted　with　him。　　He　is　only
eighteen；　but　this　is　equivalent　to　twenty…three　or　twenty…four
with　us；　and　only　4　feet　10　inches　in　height；　but；　though　bandy…
legged；　is　well　proportioned　and　strong…looking。　　He　has　a　round
and　singularly　plain　face；　good　teeth；　much　elongated　eyes；　and　the
heavy　droop　of　his　eyelids　almost　caricatures　the　usual　Japanese
peculiarity。　　He　is　the　most　stupid…looking　Japanese　that　I　have
seen；　but；　from　a　rapid；　furtive　glance　in　his　eyes　now　and　then；　I
think　that　the　stolidity　is　partly　assumed。　　He　said　that　he　had
lived　at　the　American　Legation；　that　he　had　been　a　clerk　on　the
Osaka　railroad；　that　he　had　travelled　through　northern　Japan　by　the
eastern　route；　and　in　Yezo　with　Mr。　Maries；　a　botanical　collector；
that　he　understood　drying　plants；　that　he　could　cook　a　little；　that
he　could　write　English；　that　he　could　walk　twenty…five　miles　a　day；
and　that　he　thoroughly　understood　getting　through　the　interior！
This　would…be　paragon　had　no　recommendations；　and　accounted　for
this　by　saying　that　they　had　been　burned　in　a　recent　fire　in　his
father's　house。　　Mr。　Maries　was　not　forthcoming；　and　more　than
this；　I　suspected　and　disliked　the　boy。　　However；　he　understood　my
English　and　I　his；　and；　being　very　anxious　to　begin　my　travels；　I
engaged　him　for　twelve　dollars　a　month；　and　soon　afterwards　he　came
back　with　a　contract；　in　which　he　declares　by　all　that　he　holds
most　sacred　that　he　will　serve　me　faithfully　for　the　wages　agreed
upon；　and　to　this　document　he　affixed　his　seal　and　I　my　name。　　The
next　day　he　asked　me　for　a　month's　wages　in　advance；　which　I　gave
him；　but　Dr。　H。　consolingly　suggested　that　I　should　never　see　him
again！

Ever　since　the　solemn　night　when　the　contract　was　signed　I　have
felt　under　an　incubus；　and　since　he　appeared　here　yesterday；
punctual　to　the　appointed　hour；　I　have　felt　as　if　I　had　a　veritable
〃old　man　of　the　sea〃　upon　my　shoulders。　　He　flies　up　stairs　and
along　the　corridors　as　noiselessly　as　a　cat；　and　already　knows
where　I　keep　all　my　things。　　Nothing　surprises　or　abashes　him；　he
bows　profoundly　to　Sir　Harry　and　Lady　Parkes　when　he　encounters
them；　but　is　obviously　〃quite　at　home〃　in　a　Legation；　and　only
allowed　one　of　the　orderlies　to　show　him　how　to　put　on　a　Mexican
saddle　and　English　bridle　out　of　condescension　to　my　wishes。　　He
seems　as　sharp　or　〃smart〃　as　can　be；　and　has　already　arranged　for
the　first　three　days　of　my　journey。　　His　name　is　Ito；　and　you　will
doubtless　hear　much　more　of　him；　as　he　will　be　my　good　or　evil
genius　for　the　next　three　months。

As　no　English　lady　has　yet　travelled　alone　through　the　interior；　my
project　excites　a　very　friendly　interest　among　my　friends；　and　I
receive　much　warning　and　dissuasion；　and　a　little　encouragement。
The　strongest；　because　the　most　intelligent；　dissuasion　comes　from
Dr。　Hepburn；　who　thinks　that　I　ought　not　to　undertake　the　journey；
and　that　I　shall　never　get　through　to　the　Tsugaru　Strait。　　If　I
accepted　much　of　the　advice　given　to　me；　as　to　taking　tinned　meats
and　soups；　claret；　and　a　Japanese　maid；　I　should　need　a　train　of　at
least　six　pack…horses！　　As　to　fleas；　there　is　a　lamentable
concensus　of　opinion　that　they　are　the　curse　of　Japanese　travelling
during　the　summer；　and　some　people　recommend　me　to　sleep　in　a　bag
drawn　tightly　round　the　throat；　others　to　sprinkle　my　bedding
freely　with　insect　powder；　others　to　smear　the　skin　all　over　with
carbolic　oil；　and　some　to　make　a　plentiful　use　of　dried　and
powdered　flea…bane。　　All　admit；　however；　that　these　are　but　feeble
palliatives。　　Hammocks　unfortunately　cannot　be　used　in　Japanese
houses。

The　〃Food　Question〃　is　said　to　be　the　most　important　one　for　all
travellers；　and　it　is　discussed　continually　with　startling
earnestness；　not　alone　as　regards　my　tour。　　However　apathetic
people　are　on　other　subjects；　the　mere　mention　of　this　one　rouses
them　into　interest。　　All　have　suffered　or　may　suffer；　and　every　one
wishes　to　impart　his　own　experience　or　to　learn　from　that　of
others。　　Foreign　ministers；　professors；　missionaries；　merchants
all　discuss　it　with　becoming　gravity　as　a　question　of　life　and
death；　which　by　many　it　is　supposed　to　be。　　The　fact　is　that；
except　at　a　few　hotels　in　popular　resorts　which　are　got　up　for
foreigners；　bread；　butter；　milk；　meat；　poultry；　coffee；　wine；　and
beer；　are　unattainable；　that　fresh　fish　is　rare；　and　that　unless
one　can　live　on　rice；　tea；　and　eggs；　with　the　addition　now　and　then
of　some　tasteless　fresh　vegetables；　food　must　be　taken；　as　the
fishy　and　vegetable　abominations　known　as　〃Japanese　food〃　can　only
be　swallowed　and　digested　by　a　few；　and　that　after　long　practice。
｛4｝

Another；　but　far　inferior；　difficulty　on　which　much　stress　is　laid
is　the　practice　common　among　native　servants　of　getting　a　〃squeeze〃
out　of　every　money　transaction　on　the　road；　so　that　the　cost　of
travelling　is　often　doubled；　and　sometimes　trebled；　according　to
the　skill　and　capacity　of　the　servant。　　Three　gentlemen　who　have
travelled　extensively　have　given　me　lists　of　the　prices　which　I
ought　to　pay；　varying　in　different　districts；　and　largely　increased
on　the　beaten　track　of　tourists；　and　Mr。　Wilkinson　has　read　these
to　Ito；　who　offered　an　occasional　remonstrance。　　Mr。　W。　remarked
after　the　conversation；　which　was　in　Japanese；　that　he　thought　I
should　have　to　〃look　sharp　after　money　matters〃a　painful
prospect；　as　I　have　never　been　able　to　manage　anybody　in　my　life；
and　shall　surely　have　no　control　over　this　clever；　cunning　Japanese
youth；　who　on　most　points　will　be　able　to　deceive　me　as　he　pleases。

On　returning　here　I　found　that　Lady　Parkes　had　made　most　of　the
necessary　preparations　for　me；　and　that　they　include　two　light
baskets　with　covers　of　oiled　paper；　a　travelling　bed　or　stretcher；
a　folding…chair；　and　an　india…rubber　bath；　all　which　she　considers
as　necessaries　for　a　person　in　feeble　health　on　a　journey　of　such
long　duration。　　This　week　has　been　spent　in　making　acquaintances　in
Tokiyo；　seeing　some　characteristic　sights；　and　in　trying　to　get
light　on　my　tour；　but　little　seems　known　by　foreigners　of　northern
Japan；　and　a　Government　department；　on　being　applied　to；　returned
an　itinerary；　leaving　out　140　miles　of　the　route　that　I　dream　of
taking；　on　the　ground　of　〃insufficient　information；〃　on　which　Sir
Harry　cheerily　remarked；　〃You　will　have　to　get　your　information　as
you　go　along；　and　that　will　be　all　the　more　interesting。〃　　Ah！　but
how？　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　V



Kwan…non　TempleUniformity　of　Temple　ArchitectureA　Kuruma
ExpeditionA　Perpetual　FestivalThe　Ni…oThe　Limbo　of　Vanity
Heathen　PrayersBinzuruA　Group　of　DevilsArchery　GalleriesNew
JapanAn　Elegante。

H。B。M。's　LEGATION；　YEDO；
June　9。

Once　for　all　I　will　describe　a　Buddhist　temple；　and　it　shall　be　the
popular　temple　of　Asakusa；　which　keeps　fair　and　festival　the　whole
year　round；　and　is　dedicated　to　the　〃thousand…armed〃　Kwan…non；　the
goddess　of　mercy。　　Writing　generally；　it　may　be　said　that　in
design；　roof；　and　general　aspect；　Japanese　Buddhist　temples　are　all
alike。　　The　sacred　architectural　idea　expresses　itself　in　nearly
the　same　form　always。　　There　is　a　single　or　double…roofed　gateway；
with　highly…coloured　figures　in　niches　on　either　side；　the　paved
temple…court；　with　more　or　fewer　stone　or　bronze　lanterns；　amainu；
or　heavenly　dogs；　in　stone　on　stone　pedestals；　stone　sarcophagi；
roofed　over　or　not；　for　holy　water；　a　flight　of　steps；　a　portico；
continued　as　a　verandah　all　round　the　temple；　a　roof　of
tremendously　disproportionate　size　and　weight；　with　a　peculiar
curve；　a　square　or　oblong　hall　divided　by　a　railing　from　a
〃chancel〃　with　a　high　and　low　altar；　and　a　shrine　containing
Buddha；　or　the　divinity　to　whom　the　chapel　is　dedicated；　an
incense…burner；　and　a　few　ecclesiastical　ornaments。　　The　symbols；
idols；　and　adornments　depend　upon　the　sect　to　which　the　temple
belongs；　or　the　wealth　of　its　votaries；　or　the　fancy　of　the
priests。　　Some　temples　are　packed　full　of　gods；　shrines；　banners；
bronzes；　brasses；　tablets；　and　ornaments；　and　others；　like　those　of
the　Monto　sect；　are　so　severely　simple；　that　with　scarcely　an
alteration　they　might　be　used　for　Christian　worship　to…morrow。

The　foundations　consist　of　square　stones　on　which　the　uprights
rest。　　These　are　of　elm；　and　are　united　at　intervals　by
longitudinal　pieces。　　The　great　size　and　enormous　weight　of　the
roofs　arise　from　the　trusses　being　formed　of　one　heavy　frame　being
built　upon　another　in　diminishing　squares　till　the　top　is　reached；
the　main　beams　being　formed　of　very　large　timbers　put　on　in　their
natural　state。　　They　are　either　very　heavily　and　ornamentally
tiled；　or　covered　with　sheet　copper　ornamented　with　gold；　or
thatched　to　a　depth　of　from　one　to　three　feet；　with　fine　shingles
or　bark。　　The　casing　of　the　walls　on　the　outside　is　usually　thick
elm　planking　either　lacquered　or　unpainted；　and　that　of　the　inside
is　of　thin；　finely…planed　and　bevelled　planking　of　the　beautiful
wood　of　the　Retinospora　obtusa。　　The　lining　of　the　roof　is　in　flat
panels；　and　where　it　is　supported　by　pillars　the