unbeaten tracks in japan-第2章

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the　picturesque　grey　villages；　the　quiet　beach　life；　and　the　pale
blue　masses　of　the　mountains　of　the　interior；　became　more　visible。
Fuji　retired　into　the　mist　in　which　he　enfolds　his　grandeur　for
most　of　the　summer；　we　passed　Reception　Bay；　Perry　Island；　Webster
Island；　Cape　Saratoga；　and　Mississippi　BayAmerican　nomenclature
which　perpetuates　the　successes　of　American　diplomacyand　not　far
from　Treaty　Point　came　upon　a　red　lightship　with　the　words　〃Treaty
Point〃　in　large　letters　upon　her。　　Outside　of　this　no　foreign
vessel　may　anchor。

The　bustle　among　my　fellow…passengers；　many　of　whom　were　returning
home；　and　all　of　whom　expected　to　be　met　by　friends；　left　me　at
leisure；　as　I　looked　at　unattractive；　unfamiliar　Yokohama　and　the
pale　grey　land　stretched　out　before　me；　to　speculate　somewhat　sadly
on　my　destiny　on　these　strange　shores；　on　which　I　have　not　even　an
acquaintance。　　On　mooring　we　were　at　once　surrounded　by　crowds　of
native　boats　called　by　foreigners　sampans；　and　Dr。　Gulick；　a　near
relation　of　my　Hilo　friends；　came　on　board　to　meet　his　daughter；
welcomed　me　cordially；　and　relieved　me　of　all　the　trouble　of
disembarkation。　　These　sampans　are　very　clumsy…looking；　but　are
managed　with　great　dexterity　by　the　boatmen；　who　gave　and　received
any　number　of　bumps　with　much　good　nature；　and　without　any　of　the
shouting　and　swearing　in　which　competitive　boatmen　usually　indulge。

The　partially　triangular　shape　of　these　boats　approaches　that　of　a
salmon…fisher's　punt　used　on　certain　British　rivers。　　Being　floored
gives　them　the　appearance　of　being　absolutely　flat…bottomed；　but；
though　they　tilt　readily；　they　are　very　safe；　being　heavily　built
and　fitted　together　with　singular　precision　with　wooden　bolts　and　a
few　copper　cleets。　　They　are　SCULLED；　not　what　we　should　call
rowed；　by　two　or　four　men　with　very　heavy　oars　made　of　two　pieces
of　wood　working　on　pins　placed　on　outrigger　bars。　　The　men　scull
standing　and　use　the　thigh　as　a　rest　for　the　oar。　　They　all　wear　a
single；　wide…sleeved；　scanty；　blue　cotton　garment；　not　fastened　or
girdled　at　the　waist；　straw　sandals；　kept　on　by　a　thong　passing
between　the　great　toe　and　the　others；　and　if　they　wear　any　head…
gear；　it　is　only　a　wisp　of　blue　cotton　tied　round　the　forehead。
The　one　garment　is　only　an　apology　for　clothing；　and　displays　lean
concave　chests　and　lean　muscular　limbs。　　The　skin　is　very　yellow；
and　often　much　tattooed　with　mythical　beasts。　　The　charge　for
sampans　is　fixed　by　tariff；　so　the　traveller　lands　without　having
his　temper　ruffled　by　extortionate　demands。

The　first　thing　that　impressed　me　on　landing　was　that　there　were　no
loafers；　and　that　all　the　small；　ugly；　kindly…looking；　shrivelled；
bandy…legged；　round…shouldered；　concave…chested；　poor…looking
beings　in　the　streets　had　some　affairs　of　their　own　to　mind。　　At
the　top　of　the　landing…steps　there　was　a　portable　restaurant；　a
neat　and　most　compact　thing；　with　charcoal　stove；　cooking　and
eating　utensils　complete；　but　it　looked　as　if　it　were　made　by　and
for　dolls；　and　the　mannikin　who　kept　it　was　not　five　feet　high。　　At
the　custom…house　we　were　attended　to　by　minute　officials　in　blue
uniforms　of　European　pattern　and　leather　boots；　very　civil
creatures；　who　opened　and　examined　our　trunks　carefully；　and
strapped　them　up　again；　contrasting　pleasingly　with　the　insolent
and　rapacious　officials　who　perform　the　same　duties　at　New　York。

Outside　were　about　fifty　of　the　now　well…known　jin…ti…ki…shas；　and
the　air　was　full　of　a　buzz　produced　by　the　rapid　reiteration　of
this　uncouth　word　by　fifty　tongues。　　This　conveyance；　as　you　know；
is　a　feature　of　Japan；　growing　in　importance　every　day。　　It　was
only　invented　seven　years　ago；　and　already　there　are　nearly　23；000
in　one　city；　and　men　can　make　so　much　more　by　drawing　them　than　by
almost　any　kind　of　skilled　labour；　that　thousands　of　fine　young　men
desert　agricultural　pursuits　and　flock　into　the　towns　to　make
draught…animals　of　themselves；　though　it　is　said　that　the　average
duration　of　a　man's　life　after　he　takes　to　running　is　only　five
years；　and　that　the　runners　fall　victims　in　large　numbers　to
aggravated　forms　of　heart　and　lung　disease。　　Over　tolerably　level
ground　a　good　runner　can　trot　forty　miles　a　day；　at　a　rate　of　about
four　miles　an　hour。　　They　are　registered　and　taxed　at　8s。　a　year
for　one　carrying　two　persons；　and　4s。　for　one　which　carries　one
only；　and　there　is　a　regular　tariff　for　time　and　distance。

The　kuruma；　or　jin…ri…ki…sha；　｛2｝　consists　of　a　light　perambulator
body；　an　adjustable　hood　of　oiled　paper；　a　velvet　or　cloth　lining
and　cushion；　a　well　for　parcels　under　the　seat；　two　high　slim
wheels；　and　a　pair　of　shafts　connected　by　a　bar　at　the　ends。　　The
body　is　usually　lacquered　and　decorated　according　to　its　owner's
taste。　　Some　show　little　except　polished　brass；　others　are
altogether　inlaid　with　shells　known　as　Venus's　ear；　and　others　are
gaudily　painted　with　contorted　dragons；　or　groups　of　peonies；
hydrangeas；　chrysanthemums；　and　mythical　personages。　　They　cost
from　2　pounds　upwards。　　The　shafts　rest　on　the　ground　at　a　steep
incline　as　you　get　init　must　require　much　practice　to　enable　one
to　mount　with　ease　or　dignitythe　runner　lifts　them　up；　gets　into
them；　gives　the　body　a　good　tilt　backwards；　and　goes　off　at　a　smart
trot。　　They　are　drawn　by　one；　two；　or　three　men；　according　to　the
speed　desired　by　the　occupants。　　When　rain　comes　on；　the　man　puts
up　the　hood；　and　ties　you　and　it　closely　up　in　a　covering　of　oiled
paper；　in　which　you　are　invisible。　　At　night；　whether　running　or
standing　still；　they　carry　prettily…painted　circular　paper　lanterns
18　inches　long。　　It　is　most　comical　to　see　stout；　florid；　solid…
looking　merchants；　missionaries；　male　and　female；　fashionably…
dressed　ladies；　armed　with　card　cases；　Chinese　compradores；　and
Japanese　peasant　men　and　women　flying　along　Main　Street；　which　is
like　the　decent　respectable　High　Street　of　a　dozen　forgotten
country　towns　in　England；　in　happy　unconsciousness　of　the
ludicrousness　of　their　appearance；　racing；　chasing；　crossing　each
other；　their　lean；　polite；　pleasant　runners　in　their　great　hats
shaped　like　inverted　bowls；　their　incomprehensible　blue　tights；　and
their　short　blue　over…shirts　with　badges　or　characters　in　white
upon　them；　tearing　along；　their　yellow　faces　streaming　with
perspiration；　laughing；　shouting；　and　avoiding　collisions　by　a　mere
shave。

After　a　visit　to　the　Consulate　I　entered　a　kuruma　and；　with　two
ladies　in　two　more；　was　bowled　along　at　a　furious　pace　by　a
laughing　little　mannikin　down　Main　Streeta　narrow；　solid；　well…
paved　street　with　well…made　side　walks；　kerb…stones；　and　gutters；
with　iron　lamp…posts；　gas…lamps；　and　foreign　shops　all　along　its
lengthto　this　quiet　hotel　recommended　by　Sir　Wyville　Thomson；
which　offers　a　refuge　from　the　nasal　twang　of　my　fellow…voyagers；
who　have　all　gone　to　the　caravanserais　on　the　Bund。　　The　host　is　a
Frenchman；　but　he　relies　on　a　Chinaman；　the　servants　are　Japanese
〃boys〃　in　Japanese　clothes；　and　there　is　a　Japanese　〃groom　of　the
chambers〃　in　faultless　English　costume；　who　perfectly　appals　me　by
the　elaborate　politeness　of　his　manner。

Almost　as　soon　as　I　arrived　I　was　obliged　to　go　in　search　of　Mr。
Fraser's　office　in　the　settlement；　I　say　SEARCH；　for　there　are　no
names　on　the　streets；　where　there　are　numbers　they　have　no
sequence；　and　I　met　no　Europeans　on　foot　to　help　me　in　my
difficulty。　　Yokohama　does　not　improve　on　further　acquaintance。　　It
has　a　dead…alive　look。　　It　has　irregularity　without
picturesqueness；　and　the　grey　sky；　grey　sea；　grey　houses；　and　grey
roofs；　look　harmoniously　dull。　　No　foreign　money　except　the　Mexican
dollar　passes　in　Japan；　and　Mr。　Fraser's　compradore　soon
metamorphosed　my　English　gold　into　Japanese　satsu　or　paper　money；　a
bundle　of　yen　nearly　at　par　just　now　with　the　dollar；　packets　of
50；　20；　and　10　sen　notes；　and　some　rouleaux　of　very　neat　copper
coins。　　The　initiated　recognise　the　different　denominations　of
paper　money　at　a　glance　by　their　differing　colours　and　sizes；　but
at　present　they　are　a　distracting　mystery　to　me。　　The　notes　are
pieces　of　stiff　paper　with　Chinese　characters　at　the　corners；　near
w