noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第11章

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！



held　in　clutch　a　large　wicker　basket　like　the　car　of　a　balloon。　

Peering　above　the　car　was　a　man's　head。　　As　the　occupant　below　slowly

turned　the　head　to　keep　an　eye　on　us；　it　suggested；　amid　its　web　of

poles；　some　mammoth　spider　lying　in　wait　for　its　prey。　



It　was　a　matter　of　some　wonder　at　first　how　the　man　got　there；　until

the　motion　of　the　steamer　turned　the　side　and　disclosed　a　set　of

cross　poles　lashed　between　two　of　the　uprights；　forming　a　rude　sort

of　ladder。　　Curiosity；　satisfied　on　this　primary　point；　next　asked

why　he　got　there。　　As　this　was　a　riddle　to　me；　I　propounded　it　to

Yejiro；　who　only　shook　his　head　and　propounded　it　to　somebody　else；

a　compliment　to　the　inquiry　certainly；　if　not　to　my　choice　of　informant。

This　somebody　else　told　him　the　man　was　fishing。　　Except　for　the

immobility　of　the　figure；　I　never　saw　a　man　look　less　like　it　in　my

life。　



Such；　however；　was　the　fact。　　The　wigwam　was　connected　by　strings　to

the　entrance　of　a　sort　of　weir；　and　the　man　who　crouched　in　the　basket

was　on　the　lookout　for　large　fish；　of　a　kind　called　bora。　　As　soon　as

one　of　them　strayed　into　the　mouth　of　the　net；　the　man　pulled　the

string　which　closed　the　opening。　　The　height　of　his　observatory　above

the　level　of　the　water　enabled　him　to　see　through　it　to　the　necessary

depth。　　I　am　a　trifle　hazy　over　the　exact　details　of　the　apparatus；

as　I　never　saw　a　fish　inquisitive　enough　to　go　in；　but　I　submit　the

existence　of　the　fishermen　in　proof　that　it　works。　



Having　deposited　such　wights　as　wished　to　go　ashorefor　the　place

was　of　no　pretensionour　steam　fish　once　more　turned　its　tail　and

darted　us　through　some　narrows　into　another　bay。　　It　must　have　been　a

favorite　one　with　bora；　as　its　shores　were　dotted　with　fish…lookouts。　

The　observatories　stood　a　few　stone…throws　out　in　deepish　water；　at

presumably　favorable　points；　and　never　very　near　one　another；　lest

they　should　interfere　with　a　possible　catch。　　Some　were　inhabited；

some　not。　



This　bay　was　further　remarkable　for　a　solar　halo　which　I　chanced　to

see　on　glancing　up　at　the　sun。　　I　suppose　it　was　the　singular　quality

of　the　light　that　first　caused　me　to　look　overhead。　　For　a　thin　veil

of　cloud　had　drawn　over　the　blue　and　tempered　the　sunshine　peculiarly。

Of　course　one　is　familiar　with　caricatures　of　the　thing　in

meteorological　books；　but　the　phenomenon　itself　is　not　so　common；

and　the　effect　was　uncanny。　　At　the　first　glance　it　seemed　a　bit　of

Noto　witchery；　that　strangely　luminous　circle　around　the　sun。

To　admire　the　moon　thus　bonneted；　as　the　Japanese　say；　is　common　enough；

and　befits　the　hour。　　But　to　have　the　halo　of　the　night　hung　aloft　in

broad　day　is　to　crown　sober　noon　with　enchantment。　



The　sheet　of　water　was　sparsely　dotted　with　sail。　　One　little　craft

in　particular　I　remember；　whose　course　bore　her　straight　down　upon　us。

She　dilated　slowly　out　of　the　distance；　and　then　passed　so　close　I

might　have　tossed　a　flower　aboard　of　her。　　So　steady　her　motion　she

seemed　oblivious　to　our　presence；　as　she　glided　demurely　by　at

relatively　doubled　speed。　



Only　after　we　had　passed　did　she　show　signs　of　noticing　us　at　all。　

For；　meeting　our　wake；　the　coquette；　she　suddenly　began　dropping　us

curtseys　in　good…by。　







XI。　



Anamidzu。　



We　seemed　bound　that　day　to　meet　freaks　in　fishing…tackle。　　The　next

one　to　turn　up　was　a　kind　of　crinoline。　　This　strange　thing　confronted

us　as　we　disembarked　at　Anamidzu。　　Anamidzu　was　the　last　port　in　the

inland　sea。　　After　touching　here　the　steamer　passed　out　into　the　sea

of　Japan　and　tied　up　for　the　night　at　a　small　port　on　the　eastern

side　of　the　nose　of　the　peninsula。　



As　the　town　lay　away　from　the　shore　up　what　looked　like　a　canal；　we

were　transferred　to　a　small　boat　to　be　rowed　in。　　Just　as　we　reached

the　beginnings　of　the　canal　we　saw　squatting　on　the　bank　an　old　crone

contemplating；　it　seemed；　the　forlorn　remains　of　a　hoopskirt　which

dangled　from　a　pole　before　her；　half　in　and　half　out　of　water。　　The

chief　difference　between　this　and　the　more　common　article　of　commerce

was　merely　one　of　degree；　since　here　the　ribs　by　quite　meeting　at　the

top　entirely　suppressed　the　waist。　　Their　lower　extremities　were　hid

in　the　water　and　were；　I　was　informed；　baited　with　hooks。　



The　old　lady's　attitude　was　one　of　inimitable　apathy；　nor　did　she　so

much　as　blink　at　us；　as　we　passed。　　A　little　farther　up；　on　the

opposite　bank；　sat　a　similar　bit　of　still　life。　　A　third　beyond

completed　the　picture。　　These　good　dames　bordered　the　brink　like　so

many　meditative　frogs。　　Though　I　saw　them　for　the　first　time　in　the

flesh；　I　recognized　them　at　once。　　Here　were　the　identical　fisherfolk

who　have　sat　for　centuries　in　the　paintings　of　Tsunenobu；　not　a　whit

more　immovable　in　kakemono　than　in　real　life。　　I　almost　looked　to

find　the　master's　seal　somewhere　in　the　corner　of　the　landscape。　



The　worthy　souls　were；　I　was　told；　inkyos；　a　social；　or　rather

unsocial　state；　which　in　their　case　may　be　rendered　unwidowed

dowagers；　since；　in　company　with　their　husbands；　they　had　renounced

all　their　social　titles　and　estates。　　Their　daughters…in…law　now　did

the　domestic　drudgery；　while　they　devoted　their　days　thus　to　sport。　



Whether　it　were　the　dames；　or　the　canal；　or　more　likely　still；　some

touch　of　atmosphere；　but　I　was　reminded　of　Holland。　　Indeed；　I　know

not　what　the　special　occasion　was。　　It　is　a　strange　fabric　we　are　so

busy　weaving　out　of　sensations。　　Let　something　accidentally　pick　up

an　old　thread；　and　behold；　without　rhyme　or　reason；　we　are　treated　to

a　whole　piece　of　past　experience。　　Stranger　yet　when　but　the

background　is　brought　back。　　For　we　were　unconscious　of　the　warp

while　the　details　were　weaving　in。　　Yet　reproduce　it　and　all　the　woof

starts　suddenly　to　sight。　　For　atmosphere；　like　a　perfume；　does

ghostly　service　to　the　past。　



There　is　something　less　mediate　in　my　remembrance　of　Anamidzu。　　The

place　has　to　me　a　memory　of　its　own　that　hangs　about　the　room　they

made　mine　for　an　hour。　　It　was　certainly　a　pretty　room；　surprisingly

so；　for　such　an　out…of…the…way　spot。　　I　dare　say　it　was　only　that　to

my　fellow…voyager　of　the　steamer；　hurrying　homeward　to　Wakamatsu。

I　could　hear　him　in　the　next　apartment　making　merry　over　his　midday

meal。　　To　him　the　place　stood　for　the　last　stage　on　the　journey　home。　

But　to　me；　it　meant　more。　　It　marked　both　the　end　of　the　beginning；

and　the　beginning　of　the　end。　　For　I　had　fixed　upon　this　spot　for　my

turning　point。　



It　was　high　noon　in　my　day　of　travel；　like　the　high　noon　there

outside　the　open　shoji。　　The　siesta　of　sensation　had　come。　　Thus　far；

the　coming　events　had　cast　their　shadows　before　and　I　had　followed；

now　they　had　touched　their　zenith　here　in　mid…Noto。　　Henceforth　I

should　see　them　moving　back　again　toward　the　east。　　The　dazzling

sunshine　without　pointed　the　shade　within；　making　even　the　room　seem

more　shadowy　than　it　was。　　I　began　to　feel　creeping　over　me　that

strange　touch　of　sadness　that　attends　the　supreme　moment　of　success；

though　fulfillment　be　so　trifling　a　thing　as　a　journey's　bourne。　

Great　or　little；　real　or　fancied；　the　feeling　is　the　same　in　kind。　

The　mind　seems　strangely　like　the　eye。　　Satisfy　some　emotion　it　has

been　dwelling　on；　and　the　relaxed　nerves　at　once　make　you　conscious

of　the　complementary　tint。　



Then　other　inns　in　Japan　came　up　regretfully　across　the　blue　distance

of　the　intervening　years；　midday　halts；　where　an　hour　of　daydream　lay

sandwiched　in　between　two　half　days　of　tramp。　　And　I　thought　of　the

companions　now　so　far　away。　　Having　heard　the　tune　in　a　minor　key；

these　came　in　as　chords　of　some　ampler　variation；　making　a　kind　of

symphony　of　sentiment；　where　I　was　brought　back　ever　and　anon　to　the

simple　motif。　　And　the　teahouse　maidens　entered　and　went　out　again

like　mutes　in　my　mind's　scene。　



I　doubt　not　the　country　beyond　is　all　very　commonplace；　but　it　might

be　an　Eldorado　from　the　gilding　fancy　gave　it　then。　　I　was　told　the

hills　were　not　high；　and　that　eighteen　miles　on　foot　would　land　the

traveler　at　Wakamatsu　on　the　sea　of　Japan；　fronting　Korea；　but　seeing

only　the　sea；　and　I　feel　tolerably　sure　there　is　nothing　there　to

repay　the　tramp。　　When　a　back　has　bewitched　you　in　the　street；　it　is

a　fatal　folly　to　try　to　see　the　face。　　You　will　only　be　disillusioned

if　you　do。　







XII。　



At　Sea　Again。　



I　was　roused　from　my　mid…Noto　reverie　by　tidings　that　our　boat　was

ready　and　waiting　just　below　the　bridge。　　This　was　not　the　steamer

which　had　long　since　gone　on　its　way；　but　a　small　boat　of　the　country

we　had　succeeded　in　chartering　for　the　return　voyage。　　The　good

inn…folk；　who　had　helped　in　the　hiring；　hospitably　came　down　to　the

landing　to　see　us　off。　



The　boat；　like　all　Japanese　small　boats；　was　in　build　between　a

gondola　and　a　dory；　and　dated　from　a　stage　in　the　art　of　rowing　prior

to　the　discovery　that　to　sit　is　better　than　to　stand　even　at　work。　

Ours　was　a　small　specimen　of　its　class；　that　we　might　the　quicker

compass　the　voyage　to　Nanao；　which　the　boatmen　averred　to　be　six　ri

（fifteen　miles）。　　My　estimate；　prompted　perhaps　by　interest；　and

certainly　abetted　by　ignorance；　made　it　about　half　that　distance。

My　argument；　conclusive　enough　to　myself；　proved　singularly　unshaking

to　the　boatmen；　who　would　neither　abate　the　price　in　consequence　nor

diminish　their　own　allowance　of　the　time　to　be　taken。　



The　boat　had　sweeps　both　fore　and　aft；　each　let　in　by　a　hole　in　the

handle　to　a　pin　on　the　gunwale。　　She　was　also　provided　with　a　sail

hoisting　on　a　spar　that　fitted　in　amidships。　　The　sail　was　laced

vertically：　a　point；　by　the　way；　for　telling　a　Japanese　junk　from　a

Chinese　one　at　sea；　for　Cathay　always　laces　horizontally。　



Whatever　our　private　beliefs　on　the　probable　length　of　the　voyage；

both　crew　and　passengers　agreed　charmingly　in　one　hope；　namely；　that

there　might　be　as　little　rowing　about　it　as　possible。　　Our　reasons

for　this　differed；　it　is　true；　but　as　neither　side　volunteered

theirs；　the　difference　mattered　not。　　So　we　slipped　down　the　canal。　



The　hoopskirt　fisher…dames　were　just　where　we　had　left　them　some

hours　before；　and　were　still　too　much　absorbed　in　doing　nothing　to

waste　time　looking　at　us。　　I　would　gladly　have　bothered　them　for　a

peep　at　their　traps；　but　that　it　seemed　a　pity　to　intrude　upon　so

engrossing　a　pursuit。　　Besides；　I　feared　their　apathy　might　infect

the　crew。　　Our　mariners；　though　hired　only　for　the　voyage；　did　not

seem　averse　to　making　a　day　of　it；　as　it　was。　



One　thing；　however；　I　was　bent　on　stopping　to　inspect；　cost　what　it

might　in　delay　or　discipline；　and　that　was　a　fish…lookout。　　To　have

seen　the　thing　from　a　steamer's　deck　merely　whetted　desire　for　nearer

acquaintance。　　To　gratify　the　wish　was　not　difficult；　for　the　shore

was　dotted　with　them　like　blind　light…houses　off　the　points