noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第20章

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with　the　extortionate　prices　of　fresh　kuruma。　　It　was　inconsiderate

of　them；　to　say　the　least；　for　the　attack　naturally　threw　us　into　a

certain　disrepute　not　calculated　to　cheapen　fares。　　Then；　too；　our

obvious　haste　helped　furnish　circumstantial　evidence　of　crime。　



Nevertheless；　in　the　very　midst　of　these　difficult　negotiations　at

Matsumoto；　evil　fate　presented　itself；　clothed　as　a　policeman；　and

demanded　our　papers。　　Luckily　they　were　not　at　the　very　bottom　of　the

baggage；　but　in　Yejiro's　bosom；　for　otherwise　our　effects　would　have

become　a　public　show；　and　collected　an　even　greater　crowd　than

actually　gathered。　　The　arm　of　the　law　took　the　passport；　fell　at

once　on　the　indefensible　date；　and　pointed　it　out　to　us。　　There　we

were；　caught　in　the　act。　　We　sank　several　degrees　instantly　in

everybody's　estimation。　



How　we　escaped　is　a　secret　of　the　Japanese　force；　for　escape　we　did。　

We　admitted　our　misfortune　to　the　policeman；　and　expressed　ourselves

as　even　more　desirous　of　getting　back　to　Tokyo　than　he　could　be　to

have　us　there。　　But　we　pointed　out　that　now　the　Tenriugawa　was　to　all

intents　as　short　a　way　as　any；　and　furthermore　that　it　was　the　one

expressly　nominated　in　the　bond。　　The　policeman　stood　perplexed。

Out　of　doubt　or　courtesy；　or　both；　he　hesitated　for　some　moments；

and　then　reluctantly　handed　the　passport　back。　　We　stood　acquitted。　

Indeed　we　were　not　only　suffered　to　proceed；　and　that　in　our　own　way；

but　he　actually　accelerated　matters　himself；　for　he　turned　to　against

the　kuruma；　to　their　instant　discomfiture。　　Indeed；　this　was　quite　as

it　should　be；　for　he　was　as　anxious　to　be　rid　of　us　as　we　were　to　be

quit　of　him。　



On　the　road　the　kuruma　proved　unruly。　　The　exposure　we　had　sustained

may　have　helped　to　this；　or　the　coercion　of　the　policeman　may　have

worked　revolt。　　They　jogged　along　more　and　more　reluctantly；　till；

at　last；　the　worst　of　them　refused　to　go　on　at　all。　　After　some　quite

useless　altercation；　we　made　what　shift　we　might　with　the　remainder；

but　had　not　got　far　when　we　heard　the　toot　of　a　fish…horn　behind；

and　the　sound　gradually　overhauled　us。　　Now；　a　fish…horn　on　a　country

road　in　Japan　means　a　basha；　and　a　basha　means　the　embodiment　of　the

objectionable。　　It　is　a　vehicle　to　be　avoided；　both　externally　like　a

fire…engine；　and　internally　like　an　ambulance　or　a　hearse。　　Indeed；

so　far　as　its　victim　is　concerned；　it　usually　ends　by　becoming　a

cross　between　the　latter　two。　　It　is　a　machine　absolutely　devoid　of

recommendations。　　I　speak　from　experience；　for　in　a　moment　of

adventure　I　once　took　passage　in　one；　some　years　ago；　and　I　never

mean　to　do　so　again。　　Even　the　sound　of　its　fish…horn　now　provokes　me

to　evil　thoughts。　　But　we　were　in　a　bad　way；　and；　to　my　wonder；

I　found　my　sentiments　perceptibly　softening。　　Before　the　thing　caught

up　with　us；　I　had　actually　resolved　to　take　it。　



We　made　signals　of　distress；　and；　rather　contrary　to　my　expectation；

the　machine　stopped。　　The　driver　pulled　up；　and　the　guard；　a

half…grown　boy；　who　sat　next　him　on　the　seat　in　front；　making　melody

on　the　horn；　jumped　down；　a　strange　bundle　of　consequence　and

courtesy；　and　helped　us　and　our　belongings　in。　　He　then　swung　himself

into　his　seat；　as　the　basha　set　off　again；　and　fell　to　tooting

vociferously。　　We　had　scarce　got　settled　before　the　vehicle　was

dashing　along　at　what　seemed；　to　our　late　perambulator　experience；

a　perfectly　breakneck　speed。　　The　pace　and　the　enthusiasm　of　the　boy

infected　us。　　Yejiro　and　I　fell　to　congratulating　each　other；　with

some　fervor；　on　our　change　of　conveyance；　and　each　time　we　spoke；

the　boy　whisked　round　in　his　seat　and　cried　out；　with　a　knowing　wag　of

his　head；　〃I　tell　you；　it's　fast；　a　basha！　He！〃　and　then　as　suddenly

whisked　back　again；　and　fell　to　tooting　with　renewed　vigor；　like　one

who　had　been　momentarily　derelict　in　duty。　　The　road　was　quite　deserted；

so　that　so　much　noise　would　have　seemed　unnecessary。　　The　boy　thought

otherwise。　　Meanwhile；　we　were　being　frightfully　jolted；　and

occasionally　slung　round　corners　in　a　way　to　make　holding　on　a

painful　labor。　



I　suppose　the　unwonted　speed　must　have　intoxicated　us。　　There　is

nothing　else　that　will　account　for　our　loss　of　head。　　For；　before　we

were　well　out　of　the　machine；　we　had　begun　negotiations　for　its

exclusive　possession　on　the　morrow；　and　by　the　time　we　were　fairly

installed　in　the　inn　at　Shiwojiri；　the　bargain　stood　complete。

In　consideration　of　no　exorbitant　sum；　the　vehicle；　with　all

appertaining　thereto；　was　to　be　taken　off　its　regular　route　and

wander；　like　any　tramp；　at　our　sweet　will；　in　quite　a　contrary

direction。　　The　boy　with　the　horn　was　expressly　included　in　the

lease。　　By　this　arrangement　we　hoped　to　compass　two　days'　journey　in

one；　and　reach　by　the　morrow's　night　the　point　where　boats　are　taken

for　the　descent　of　the　Tenriugawa　rapids。　　We　knew　the　drive　would　be

painful；　but　we　had　every　promise　that　it　would　be　fast。　



The　inn　at　Shiwojiri　possessed　a　foreign　table　and　chairs；　a　bit　of

furnishing　from　which　the　freshness　of　surprise　never　wore　off。　　What

was　even　less　to　be　looked　for；　the　son　of　the　house　was　proficient

in　English；　having　studied　with　a　missionary　in　Tokyo。　　I　had　some

talk　with　him　later；　and　lent　him　an　English　classic　which　he　showed

great　desire　to　see。　



Betimes　the　next　morning　the　basha　appeared；　both　driver　and　guard

got　up　in　a　fine　dark…green　uniform；　a　spruceness　it　much　tickled　our

vanity　to　mark。　　With　a　feeling　akin　to　princely　pride　we　stepped　in；

the　driver　cracked　his　whip；　and；　amid　the　bows　of　the　inn　household；

we　went　off　up　the　street。　　Barring　the　loss　of　an　umbrella；　which

had　happened　somewhere　between　the　time　we　boarded　the　basha　on　the

yestereen　and　the　hour　of　departure　that　morning；　and　an　exhaustive

but　vain　hunt　for　the　same；　first　in　the　vehicle　and　then　at　the

stables；　nothing　marred　the　serenity　of　our　first　half　hour。　　The　sky

was　dreamy；　a　delicate　blue　seen　through　a　golden　gauze。　　I　fancy　it

was　such　a　sky　with　which　Danae　fell　in　love。　　We　rose　slowly　up　the

Shiwojiri　pass；　which　a　new　road　enabled　even　the　basha　to　do　quite

comfortably；　and　the　southern　peaks　of　the　Hida…Shinshiu　range　rose

to　correspond　across　the　valley；　the　snow　line　distinctly　visible；

though　the　nearer　ranges　did　their　best　to　cut　it　off。　　Norikura；　the

Saddle；　especially；　showed　a　fine　bit　of　its　ten　thousand　feet；

wrapped　in　the　indistinctness　of　the　spring　haze。　　The　heavy　air　gave

a　look　of　slumber　to　the　peaks；　as　if　those　summits；　waked　before　the

rest　of　the　world；　had　already　grown　drowsy。　　We　had　not　yet　ceased

gazing　at　them　when　a　turn　of　the　road　shut　them　out。　　A　rise　of　a

few　feet；　a　dip；　a　turn；　and　the　lake　of　Suwa　lay　below　us　on　the

other　side；　flanked　by　its　own　mountains；　through　a　gap　in　which

showed　the　just　perceptible　cone　of　Fuji。　



The　Shiwojiri　toge　is　not　a　high　pass；　and　yet　it　does　duty　as　part

of　a　great　divide。　　A　drop　of　water；　falling　on　the　Shiwojiri　side；

if　it　chance　to　meet　with　other　drops　before　it　be　snatched　up　again

into　the　sky；　wanders　into　the　sea　of　Japan；　while　its　fellow；　coming

to　earth　not　a　yard　away；　ends　at　last　in　the　Pacific　ocean。　　Our　way

now　lay　with　the　latter。　　For　the　Tenriugawa；　or　River　of　the

Heavenly　Dragon；　takes　its　rise　in　the　lake　of　Suwa；　a　bowl　of　water

a　couple　of　miles　or　more　across。　　It　trickles　out　insignificantly

enough　at　one　end；　gathers　strength　for　fifty　miles　of　flow；　and　then

for　another　hundred　cuts　its　way　clean　across　a　range　of　mountains。　

How　it　ever　got　through　originally；　and　why；　are　interesting

mysteries。　　Its　gorge　is　now　from　one　to　two　thousand　feet　deep；

cleft；　not　through　a　plateau；　but　through　the　axis　of　a　mountain

chain。　　In　most　places　there　is　not　a　yard　to　spare。　



We　were　still　a　doubtful　day　off　from　where　it　is　customary　to　take　a

boat。　　We　had　started　somewhat　late；　stopped　for　the　lack　of　umbrella；

and　now　were　committed　to　a　digression　for　letters　I　expected　at

Shimonosuwa。　　I　never　order　my　letters　to　meet　me　on　the　line　of

march　but　I　bitterly　repent　having　chosen　that　special　spot。

There　is　always　some　excellent　reason　why　it　turns　out　most

inconvenient。　　But　as　yet　I　was　hopeful；　for　I　thought　I　knew　the

speed　of　the　basha；　and　the　day　was　still　young。　



The　day　had　grown　older　and　I　wiser　by　the　time　my　letters　were　read；

with　their　strange　perfume　from　outre…mer；　the　horses　harnessed

afresh；　and　we　under　way　once　more；　clattering　down　the　main　street

of　the　village。　　It　was　not　only　in　the　village　that　we　made　a　stir。　

A　basha　is　equal　to　the　occasion　anywhere。　　The　whole　countryside

stopped　in　its　tracks　to　turn　and　stare　as　we　passed；　and　at　one

point　we　came　in　for　a　perfect　ovation；　for　our　passage　and　the

noonday　recess　of　a　school　happening　to　coincide；　the　children；

at　that　moment　let　loose；　instantly　dashed　after　us　pell…mell；　in　a

mass；　shouting。　　One　or　two　of　them　were　so　eager　in　the　chase　that

they　minded　not　where　they　went；　and；　tripping　over　stones　or　ruts；

fell　headlong　in　the　mud。　　The　rest　pursued　us　panting；　each

according　to　his　legs；　and　gave　over　at　last　only　for　want　of　wind。　



The　guard　was　supremely　happy。　　What　time　the　upper　half　of　him　was

too　tired　to　toot　the　lower　half　spent　in　hopping　off　his　seat　and　on

again　upon　imaginary　duty。　　Meanwhile；　in　spite　of　enlivenments　not

included　in　the　bill；　my　old　dislike　was　slowly　but　surely　coming

back。　　I　began　to　be　uneasy　on　the　score　of　time。　　The　speed　was　not

what　hope　and　the　company　had　led　me　to　expect。　　I　went　through　some

elaborate　rule…of…three　calculation　between　the　distance；　the　speed；

and　the　time；　and；　as　far　as　I　could　make　out；　it　began　to　look

questionable　whether　we　should　arrive　that　night　at　all。　　I　had

already　played　the　part　of　goad　out　of　precaution；　I　now　had　to　take

to　it　in　good　earnest；futiley；　to　boot。　　Meanwhile　my　body　was　as

uneasy　as　my　mind。　　In　the　first　place；　the　seats　faced　sideways；　so

that　we　progressed　after　the　fashion　of　crabs。　　Secondly；　the　vehicle

hardly　made　apologies　for　springs。　　We　were　rattled　about　like

parched　corn　in　a　hopper。　



What　a　blessed　trick　of　memory　that；　of　winnowing　the　joys　of　travel

from　its　discomforts；　and　letting　the　latter　slip　unconsciously　away！

The　dust　and　the　heat　and　the　thousand　petty　annoyances　pass　with　the

fact　to　be　forgotten；　while　the　snow…hooded　mountains　and　the　deep

blue　sky　and　the　smiling　fields　stay　with　us；　a　part　of　ourselves。　

That　drive　seems　golden　as　I　look　back　upon　it；　yet　how　sadly

discomforting　it　was　at　the　time！



Toward　afternoon　a　rumor　became　current　that　the　road　had　been　washed

away　ahead；　and　that　the　basha　would　have　to　stop　some　miles　short　of

where　we　had　hoped　to　be　that　night。　　This　was　disheartening。

For　with　all　its　shortcomings　the　basha　was　undeniably　faster　than

peram