unbeaten tracks in japan-第32章

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and　asked　if　this　were　the　Japan　of　which　I　had　read。　　Yet　a　woman
in　this　unseemly　costume　firmly　refused　to　take　the　2　or　3　sen
which　it　is　usual　to　leave　at　a　place　where　you　rest；　because　she
said　that　I　had　had　water　and　not　tea；　and　after　I　had　forced　it　on
her；　she　returned　it　to　Ito；　and　this　redeeming　incident　sent　me
away　much　comforted。

From　Numa　the　distance　here　is　only　1。5　ri；　but　it　is　over　the
steep　pass　of　Honoki；　which　is　ascended　and　descended　by　hundreds
of　rude　stone　steps；　not　pleasant　in　the　dark。　　On　this　pass　I　saw
birches　for　the　first　time；　at　its　foot　we　entered　Yamagata　ken　by
a　good　bridge；　and　shortly　reached　this　village；　in　which　an
unpromising…looking　farm…house　is　the　only　accommodation；　but
though　all　the　rooms　but　two　are　taken　up　with　silk…worms；　those
two　are　very　good　and　look　upon　a　miniature　lake　and　rockery。　　The
one　objection　to　my　room　is　that　to　get　either　in　or　out　of　it　I
must　pass　through　the　other；　which　is　occupied　by　five　tobacco
merchants　who　are　waiting　for　transport；　and　who　while　away　the
time　by　strumming　on　that　instrument　of　dismay；　the　samisen。　　No
horses　or　cows　can　be　got　for　me；　so　I　am　spending　the　day　quietly
here；　rather　glad　to　rest；　for　I　am　much　exhausted。　　When　I　am
suffering　much　from　my　spine　Ito　always　gets　into　a　fright　and
thinks　I　am　going　to　die；　as　he　tells　me　when　I　am　better；　but
shows　his　anxiety　by　a　short；　surly　manner；　which　is　most
disagreeable。　　He　thinks　we　shall　never　get　through　the　interior！
Mr。　Brunton's　excellent　map　fails　in　this　region；　so　it　is　only　by
fixing　on　the　well…known　city　of　Yamagata　and　devising　routes　to　it
that　we　get　on。　　Half　the　evening　is　spent　in　consulting　Japanese
maps；　if　we　can　get　them；　and　in　questioning　the　house…master　and
Transport　Agent；　and　any　chance　travellers；　but　the　people　know
nothing　beyond　the　distance　of　a　few　ri；　and　the　agents　seldom　tell
one　anything　beyond　the　next　stage。　　When　I　inquire　about　the
〃unbeaten　tracks〃　that　I　wish　to　take；　the　answers　are；　〃It's　an
awful　road　through　mountains；〃　or　〃There　are　many　bad　rivers　to
cross；〃　or　〃There　are　none　but　farmers'　houses　to　stop　at。〃　　No
encouragement　is　ever　given；　but　we　get　on；　and　shall　get　on；　I
doubt　not；　though　the　hardships　are　not　what　I　would　desire　in　my
present　state　of　health。

Very　few　horses　are　kept　here。　　Cows　and　coolies　carry　much　of　the
merchandise；　and　women　as　well　as　men　carry　heavy　loads。　　A　baggage
coolie　carries　about　50　lbs。；　but　here　merchants　carrying　their　own
goods　from　Yamagata　actually　carry　from　90　to　140　lbs。；　and　even
more。　　It　is　sickening　to　meet　these　poor　fellows　struggling　over
the　mountain…passes　in　evident　distress。　　Last　night　five　of　them
were　resting　on　the　summit　ridge　of　a　pass　gasping　violently。
Their　eyes　were　starting　out；　all　their　muscles；　rendered　painfully
visible　by　their　leanness；　were　quivering；　rills　of　blood　from　the
bite　of　insects；　which　they　cannot　drive　away；　were　literally
running　all　over　their　naked　bodies；　washed　away　here　and　there　by
copious　perspiration。　　Truly　〃in　the　sweat　of　their　brows〃　they
were　eating　bread　and　earning　an　honest　living　for　their　families！
Suffering　and　hard…worked　as　they　were；　they　were　quite
independent。　　I　have　not　seen　a　beggar　or　beggary　in　this　strange
country。　　The　women　were　carrying　70　lbs。　　These　burden…bearers
have　their　backs　covered　by　a　thick　pad　of　plaited　straw。　　On　this
rests　a　ladder；　curved　up　at　the　lower　end　like　the　runners　of　a
sleigh。　　On　this　the　load　is　carefully　packed　till　it　extends　from
below　the　man's　waist　to　a　considerable　height　above　his　head。　　It
is　covered　with　waterproof　paper；　securely　roped；　and　thatched　with
straw；　and　is　supported　by　a　broad　padded　band　just　below　the
collar　bones。　　Of　course；　as　the　man　walks　nearly　bent　double；　and
the　position　is　a　very　painful　one；　he　requires　to　stop　and
straighten　himself　frequently；　and　unless　he　meets　with　a　bank　of
convenient　height；　he　rests　the　bottom　of　his　burden　on　a　short；
stout　pole　with　an　L…shaped　top；　carried　for　this　purpose。　　The
carrying　of　enormous　loads　is　quite　a　feature　of　this　region；　and
so；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　are　red　stinging　ants　and　the　small　gadflies
which　molest　the　coolies。

Yesterday's　journey　was　18　miles　in　twelve　hours！　　Ichinono　is　a
nice；　industrious　hamlet；　given　up；　like　all　others；　to　rearing
silk…worms；　and　the　pure　white　and　sulphur　yellow　cocoons　are
drying　on　mats　in　the　sun　everywhere。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XVIII



Comely　KineJapanese　Criticism　on　a　Foreign　UsageA　Pleasant
HaltRenewed　CourtesiesThe　Plain　of　YonezawaA　Curious　Mistake…
…The　Mother's　MemorialArrival　at　KomatsuStately　Accommodation
A　Vicious　HorseAn　Asiatic　ArcadiaA　Fashionable　Watering…place
A　Belle〃Godowns。〃

KAMINOYAMA。

A　severe　day　of　mountain　travelling　brought　us　into　another　region。
We　left　Ichinono　early　on　a　fine　morning；　with　three　pack…cows；　one
of　which　I　rode　＇and　their　calves＇；　very　comely　kine；　with　small
noses；　short　horns；　straight　spines；　and　deep　bodies。　　I　thought
that　I　might　get　some　fresh　milk；　but　the　idea　of　anything　but　a
calf　milking　a　cow　was　so　new　to　the　people　that　there　was　a
universal　laugh；　and　Ito　told　me　that　they　thought　it　〃most
disgusting；〃　and　that　the　Japanese　think　it　〃most　disgusting〃　in
foreigners　to　put　anything　〃with　such　a　strong　smell　and　taste〃
into　their　tea！　　All　the　cows　had　cotton　cloths；　printed　with　blue
dragons；　suspended　under　their　bodies　to　keep　them　from　mud　and
insects；　and　they　wear　straw　shoes　and　cords　through　the　cartilages
of　their　noses。　　The　day　being　fine；　a　great　deal　of　rice　and　sake
was　on　the　move；　and　we　met　hundreds　of　pack…cows；　all　of　the　same
comely　breed；　in　strings　of　four。

We　crossed　the　Sakuratoge；　from　which　the　view　is　beautiful；　got
horses　at　the　mountain　village　of　Shirakasawa；　crossed　more　passes；
and　in　the　afternoon　reached　the　village　of　Tenoko。　　There；　as
usual；　I　sat　under　the　verandah　of　the　Transport　Office；　and　waited
for　the　one　horse　which　was　available。　　It　was　a　large　shop；　but
contained　not　a　single　article　of　European　make。　　In　the　one　room　a
group　of　women　and　children　sat　round　the　fire；　and　the　agent　sat
as　usual　with　a　number　of　ledgers　at　a　table　a　foot　high；　on　which
his　grandchild　was　lying　on　a　cushion。　　Here　Ito　dined　on　seven
dishes　of　horrors；　and　they　brought　me　sake；　tea；　rice；　and　black
beans。　　The　last　are　very　good。　　We　had　some　talk　about　the
country；　and　the　man　asked　me　to　write　his　name　in　English
characters；　and　to　write　my　own　in　a　book。　　Meanwhile　a　crowd
assembled；　and　the　front　row　sat　on　the　ground　that　the　others
might　see　over　their　heads。　　They　were　dirty　and　pressed　very
close；　and　when　the　women　of　the　house　saw　that　I　felt　the　heat
they　gracefully　produced　fans　and　fanned　me　for　a　whole　hour。　　On
asking　the　charge　they　refused　to　make　any；　and　would　not　receive
anything。　　They　had　not　seen　a　foreigner　before；　they　said；　they
would　despise　themselves　for　taking　anything；　they　had　my
〃honourable　name〃　in　their　book。　　Not　only　that；　but　they　put　up　a
parcel　of　sweetmeats；　and　the　man　wrote　his　name　on　a　fan　and
insisted　on　my　accepting　it。　　I　was　grieved　to　have　nothing　to　give
them　but　some　English　pins；　but　they　had　never　seen　such　before；
and　soon　circulated　them　among　the　crowd。　　I　told　them　truly　that　I
should　remember　them　as　long　as　I　remember　Japan；　and　went　on；　much
touched　by　their　kindness。

The　lofty　pass　of　Utsu；　which　is　ascended　and　descended　by　a　number
of　stone　slabs；　is　the　last　of　the　passes　of　these　choked…up
ranges。　　From　its　summit　in　the　welcome　sunlight　I　joyfully　looked
down　upon　the　noble　plain　of　Yonezawa；　about　30　miles　long　and　from
10　to　18　broad；　one　of　the　gardens　of　Japan；　wooded　and　watered；
covered　with　prosperous　towns　and　villages；　surrounded　by
magnificent　mountains　not　altogether　timbered；　and　bounded　at　its
southern　extremity　by　ranges　white　with　snow　even　in　the　middle　of
July。

In　the　long　street　of　the　farming　village　of　Matsuhara　a　man　amazed
me　by　running　in　front　of　me　and　speaking　to　me；　and　on　Ito　coming
up；　he　assailed　him　vociferously；　and　it　turned　ou