unbeaten tracks in japan-第39章

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mosquito　net；　from　which　he　hardly　took　his　eyes。　　Ito　says　he
could　make　a　yen　a　day　by　showing　them！　　The　policeman　said　that
the　people　had　never　seen　a　foreigner。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXI



The　Necessity　of　FirmnessPerplexing　MisrepresentationsGliding
with　the　StreamSuburban　ResidencesThe　Kubota　HospitalA　Formal
ReceptionThe　Normal　School。

KUBOTA；　July　23。

I　arrived　here　on　Monday　afternoon　by　the　river　Omono；　what　would
have　been　two　long　days'　journey　by　land　having　been　easily
accomplished　in　nine　hours　by　water。　　This　was　an　instance　of
forming　a　plan　wisely；　and　adhering　to　it　resolutely！　　Firmness　in
travelling　is　nowhere　more　necessary　than　in　Japan。　　I　decided　some
time　ago；　from　Mr。　Brunton's　map；　that　the　Omono　must　be　navigable
from　Shingoji；　and　a　week　ago　told　Ito　to　inquire　about　it；　but　at
each　place　difficulties　have　been　started。　　There　was　too　much
water；　there　was　too　little；　there　were　bad　rapids；　there　were
shallows；　it　was　too　late　in　the　year；　all　the　boats　which　had
started　lately　were　lying　aground；　but　at　one　of　the　ferries　I　saw
in　the　distance　a　merchandise　boat　going　down；　and　told　Ito　I
should　go　that　way　and　no　other。　　On　arriving　at　Shingoji　they　said
it　was　not　on　the　Omono　at　all；　but　on　a　stream　with　some　very　bad
rapids；　in　which　boats　are　broken　to　pieces。　　Lastly；　they　said
there　was　no　boat；　but　on　my　saying　that　I　would　send　ten　miles　for
one；　a　small；　flat…bottomed　scow　was　produced　by　the　Transport
Agent；　into　which　Ito；　the　luggage；　and　myself　accurately　fitted。
Ito　sententiously　observed；　〃Not　one　thing　has　been　told　us　on　our
journey　which　has　turned　out　true！〃　　This　is　not　an　exaggeration。
The　usual　crowd　did　not　assemble　round　the　door；　but　preceded　me　to
the　river；　where　it　covered　the　banks　and　clustered　in　the　trees。
Four　policemen　escorted　me　down。　　The　voyage　of　forty…two　miles　was
delightful。　　The　rapids　were　a　mere　ripple；　the　current　was　strong；
one　boatman　almost　slept　upon　his　paddle；　the　other　only　woke　to
bale　the　boat　when　it　was　half…full　of　water；　the　shores　were
silent　and　pretty；　and　almost　without　population　till　we　reached
the　large　town　of　Araya；　which　straggles　along　a　high　bank　for　a
considerable　distance；　and　after　nine　peaceful　hours　we　turned　off
from　the　main　stream　of　the　Omono　just　at　the　outskirts　of　Kubota；
and　poled　up　a　narrow；　green　river；　fringed　by　dilapidated　backs　of
houses；　boat…building　yards；　and　rafts　of　timber　on　one　side；　and
dwelling…houses；　gardens；　and　damp　greenery　on　the　other。　　This
stream　is　crossed　by　very　numerous　bridges。

I　got　a　cheerful　upstairs　room　at　a　most　friendly　yadoya；　and　my
three　days　here　have　been　fully　occupied　and　very　pleasant。
〃Foreign　food〃a　good　beef…steak；　an　excellent　curry；　cucumbers；
and　foreign　salt　and　mustard；　were　at　once　obtained；　and　I　felt　my
〃eyes　lightened〃　after　partaking　of　them。

Kubota　is　a　very　attractive　and　purely　Japanese　town　of　36；000
people；　the　capital　of　Akita　ken。　　A　fine　mountain；　called
Taiheisan；　rises　above　its　fertile　valley；　and　the　Omono　falls　into
the　Sea　of　Japan　close　to　it。　　It　has　a　number　of　kurumas；　but；
owing　to　heavy　sand　and　the　badness　of　the　roads；　they　can　only　go
three　miles　in　any　direction。　　It　is　a　town　of　activity　and　brisk
trade；　and　manufactures　a　silk　fabric　in　stripes　of　blue　and　black；
and　yellow　and　black；　much　used　for　making　hakama　and　kimonos；　a
species　of　white　silk　crepe　with　a　raised　woof；　which　brings　a　high
price　in　Tokiyo　shops；　fusuma；　and　clogs。　　Though　it　is　a　castle
town；　it　is　free　from　the　usual　〃deadly…lively〃　look；　and　has　an
air　of　prosperity　and　comfort。　　Though　it　has　few　streets　of　shops；
it　covers　a　great　extent　of　ground　with　streets　and　lanes　of
pretty；　isolated　dwelling…houses；　surrounded　by　trees；　gardens；　and
well…trimmed　hedges；　each　garden　entered　by　a　substantial　gateway。
The　existence　of　something　like　a　middle　class　with　home　privacy
and　home　life　is　suggested　by　these　miles　of　comfortable　〃suburban
residences。〃　　Foreign　influence　is　hardly　at　all　felt；　there　is　not
a　single　foreigner　in　Government　or　any　other　employment；　and　even
the　hospital　was　organised　from　the　beginning　by　Japanese　doctors。

This　fact　made　me　greatly　desire　to　see　it；　but；　on　going　there　at
the　proper　hour　for　visitors；　I　was　met　by　the　Director　with
courteous　but　vexatious　denial。　　No　foreigner　could　see　it；　he
said；　without　sending　his　passport　to　the　Governor　and　getting　a
written　order；　so　I　complied　with　these　preliminaries；　and　8　a。m。
of　the　next　day　was　fixed　for　my　visit　Ito；　who　is　lazy　about
interpreting　for　the　lower　orders；　but　exerts　himself　to　the　utmost
on　such　an　occasion　as　this；　went　with　me；　handsomely　clothed　in
silk；　as　befitted　an　〃Interpreter；〃　and　surpassed　all　his　former
efforts。

The　Director　and　the　staff　of　six　physicians；　all　handsomely
dressed　in　silk；　met　me　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　conducted　me
to　the　management　room；　where　six　clerks　were　writing。　　Here　there
was　a　table；　solemnly　covered　with　a　white　cloth；　and　four　chairs；
on　which　the　Director；　the　Chief　Physician；　Ito；　and　I　sat；　and
pipes；　tea；　and　sweetmeats；　were　produced。　　After　this；　accompanied
by　fifty　medical　students；　whose　intelligent　looks　promise　well　for
their　success；　we　went　round　the　hospital；　which　is　a　large　two…
storied　building　in　semi…European　style；　but　with　deep　verandahs
all　round。　　The　upper　floor　is　used　for　class…rooms；　and　the　lower
accommodates　100　patients；　besides　a　number　of　resident　students。
Ten　is　the　largest　number　treated　in　any　one　room；　and　severe　cases
are　treated　in　separate　rooms。　　Gangrene　has　prevailed；　and　the
Chief　Physician；　who　is　at　this　time　remodelling　the　hospital；　has
closed　some　of　the　wards　in　consequence。　　There　is　a　Lock　Hospital
under　the　same　roof。　　About　fifty　important　operations　are　annually
performed　under　chloroform；　but　the　people　of　Akita　ken　are　very
conservative；　and　object　to　part　with　their　limbs　and　to　foreign
drugs。　　This　conservatism　diminishes　the　number　of　patients。

The　odour　of　carbolic　acid　pervaded　the　whole　hospital；　and　there
were　spray　producers　enough　to　satisfy　Mr。　Lister！　　At　the　request
of　Dr。　K。　I　saw　the　dressing　of　some　very　severe　wounds　carefully
performed　with　carbolised　gauze；　under　spray　of　carbolic　acid；　the
fingers　of　the　surgeon　and　the　instruments　used　being　all　carefully
bathed　in　the　disinfectant。　　Dr。　K。　said　it　was　difficult　to　teach
the　students　the　extreme　carefulness　with　regard　to　minor　details
which　is　required　in　the　antiseptic　treatment；　which　he　regards　as
one　of　the　greatest　discoveries　of　this　century。　　I　was　very　much
impressed　with　the　fortitude　shown　by　the　surgical　patients；　who
went　through　very　severe　pain　without　a　wince　or　a　moan。　　Eye　cases
are　unfortunately　very　numerous。　　Dr。　K。　attributes　their　extreme
prevalence　to　overcrowding；　defective　ventilation；　poor　living；　and
bad　light。

After　our　round　we　returned　to　the　management　room　to　find　a　meal
laid　out　in　English　stylecoffee　in　cups　with　handles　and　saucers；
and　plates　with　spoons。　　After　this　pipes　were　again　produced；　and
the　Director　and　medical　staff　escorted　me　to　the　entrance；　where
we　all　bowed　profoundly。　　I　was　delighted　to　see　that　Dr。
Kayabashi；　a　man　under　thirty；　and　fresh　from　Tokiyo；　and　all　the
staff　and　students　were　in　the　national　dress；　with　the　hakama　of
rich　silk。　　It　is　a　beautiful　dress；　and　assists　dignity　as　much　as
the　ill…fitting　European　costume　detracts　from　it。　　This　was　a　very
interesting　visit；　in　spite　of　the　difficulty　of　communication
through　an　interpreter。

The　public　buildings；　with　their　fine　gardens；　and　the　broad　road
near　which　they　stand；　with　its　stone…faced　embankments；　are　very
striking　in　such　a　far…off　ken。　　Among　the　finest　of　the　buildings
is　the　Normal　School；　where　I　shortly　afterwards　presented　myself；
but　I　was　not　admitted　till　I　had　shown　my　passport　and　explained
my　objects　in　travelling。　　These　preliminaries　being　settled；　Mr。
Tomatsu　Aoki；　the　Chief　Director；　and　Mr。　Shude　Kane　Nigishi；　the
principal　teacher；　both　looking　more　like　monkeys　than　men　in　their
European　clothes；　lionis