unbeaten tracks in japan-第4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！


thick　trees；　and　its　ordinary　houses　seldom　reach　a　height　of　20
feet。　　On　the　right　a　blue　sea　with　fortified　islands　upon　it；
wooded　gardens　with　massive　retaining　walls；　hundreds　of　fishing…
boats　lying　in　creeks　or　drawn　up　on　the　beach；　on　the　left　a　broad
road　on　which　kurumas　are　hurrying　both　ways；　rows　of　low；　grey
houses；　mostly　tea…houses　and　shops；　and　as　I　was　asking　〃Where　is
Yedo？〃　the　train　came　to　rest　in　the　terminus；　the　Shinbashi
railroad　station；　and　disgorged　its　200　Japanese　passengers　with　a
combined　clatter　of　400　clogsa　new　sound　to　me。　　These　clogs　add
three　inches　to　their　height；　but　even　with　them　few　of　the　men
attained　5　feet　7　inches；　and　few　of　the　women　5　feet　2　inches；　but
they　look　far　broader　in　the　national　costume；　which　also　conceals
the　defects　of　their　figures。　　So　lean；　so　yellow；　so　ugly；　yet　so
pleasant…looking；　so　wanting　in　colour　and　effectiveness；　the　women
so　very　small　and　tottering　in　their　walk；　the　children　so　formal…
looking　and　such　dignified　burlesques　on　the　adults；　I　feel　as　if　I
had　seen　them　all　before；　so　like　are　they　to　their　pictures　on
trays；　fans；　and　tea…pots。　　The　hair　of　the　women　is　all　drawn　away
from　their　faces；　and　is　worn　in　chignons；　and　the　men；　when　they
don't　shave　the　front　of　their　heads　and　gather　their　back　hair
into　a　quaint　queue　drawn　forward　over　the　shaven　patch；　wear　their
coarse　hair　about　three　inches　long　in　a　refractory　undivided　mop。

Davies；　an　orderly　from　the　Legation；　met　me；one　of　the　escort
cut　down　and　severely　wounded　when　Sir　H。　Parkes　was　attacked　in
the　street　of　Kiyoto　in　March　1868　on　his　way　to　his　first　audience
of　the　Mikado。　　Hundreds　of　kurumas；　and　covered　carts　with　four
wheels　drawn　by　one　miserable　horse；　which　are　the　omnibuses　of
certain　districts　of　Tokiyo；　were　waiting　outside　the　station；　and
an　English　brougham　for　me；　with　a　running　betto。　　The　Legation
stands　in　Kojimachi　on　very　elevated　ground　above　the　inner　moat　of
the　historic　〃Castle　of　Yedo；〃　but　I　cannot　tell　you　anything　of
what　I　saw　on　my　way　thither；　except　that　there　were　miles　of　dark；
silent；　barrack…like　buildings；　with　highly　ornamental　gateways；
and　long　rows　of　projecting　windows　with　screens　made　of　reedsthe
feudal　mansions　of　Yedoand　miles　of　moats　with　lofty　grass
embankments　or　walls　of　massive　masonry　50　feet　high；　with　kiosk…
like　towers　at　the　corners；　and　curious；　roofed　gateways；　and　many
bridges；　and　acres　of　lotus　leaves。　　Turning　along　the　inner　moat；
up　a　steep　slope；　there　are；　on　the　right；　its　deep　green　waters；
the　great　grass　embankment　surmounted　by　a　dismal　wall　overhung　by
the　branches　of　coniferous　trees　which　surrounded　the　palace　of　the
Shogun；　and　on　the　left　sundry　yashikis；　as　the　mansions　of　the
daimiyo　were　called；　now　in　this　quarter　mostly　turned　into
hospitals；　barracks；　and　Government　offices。　　On　a　height；　the　most
conspicuous　of　them　all；　is　the　great　red　gateway　of　the　yashiki；
now　occupied　by　the　French　Military　Mission；　formerly　the　residence
of　Ii　Kamon　no　Kami；　one　of　the　great　actors　in　recent　historic
events；　who　was　assassinated　not　far　off；　outside　the　Sakaruda　gate
of　the　castle。　　Besides　these；　barracks；　parade…grounds；　policemen；
kurumas；　carts　pulled　and　pushed　by　coolies；　pack…horses　in　straw
sandals；　and　dwarfish；　slatternly…looking　soldiers　in　European
dress；　made　up　the　Tokiyo　that　I　saw　between　Shinbashi　and　the
Legation。

H。B。M。's　Legation　has　a　good　situation　near　the　Foreign　Office；
several　of　the　Government　departments；　and　the　residences　of　the
ministers；　which　are　chiefly　of　brick　in　the　English　suburban　villa
style。　　Within　the　compound；　with　a　brick　archway　with　the　Royal
Arms　upon　it　for　an　entrance；　are　the　Minister's　residence；　the
Chancery；　two　houses　for　the　two　English　Secretaries　of　Legation；
and　quarters　for　the　escort。

It　is　an　English　house　and　an　English　home；　though；　with　the
exception　of　a　venerable　nurse；　there　are　no　English　servants。　　The
butler　and　footman　are　tall　Chinamen；　with　long　pig…tails；　black
satin　caps；　and　long　blue　robes；　the　cook　is　a　Chinaman；　and　the
other　servants　are　all　Japanese；　including　one　female　servant；　a
sweet；　gentle；　kindly　girl　about　4　feet　5　in　height；　the　wife　of
the　head　〃housemaid。〃　　None　of　the　servants　speak　anything　but　the
most　aggravating　〃pidgun〃　English；　but　their　deficient　speech　is
more　than　made　up　for　by　the　intelligence　and　service　of　the
orderly　in　waiting；　who　is　rarely　absent　from　the　neighbourhood　of
the　hall　door；　and　attends　to　the　visitors'　book　and　to　all
messages　and　notes。　　There　are　two　real　English　children　of　six　and
seven；　with　great　capacities　for　such　innocent　enjoyments　as　can　be
found　within　the　limits　of　the　nursery　and　garden。　　The　other
inmate　of　the　house　is　a　beautiful　and　attractive　terrier　called
〃Rags；〃　a　Skye　dog；　who　unbends　〃in　the　bosom　of　his　family；〃　but
ordinarily　is　as　imposing　in　his　demeanour　as　if　he；　and　not　his
master；　represented　the　dignity　of　the　British　Empire。

The　Japanese　Secretary　of　Legation　is　Mr。　Ernest　Satow；　whose
reputation　for　scholarship；　especially　in　the　department　of
history；　is　said　by　the　Japanese　themselves　to　be　the　highest　in
Japan　｛3｝an　honourable　distinction　for　an　Englishman；　and　won　by
the　persevering　industry　of　fifteen　years。　　The　scholarship
connected　with　the　British　Civil　Service　is　not；　however；
monopolised　by　Mr。　Satow；　for　several　gentlemen　in　the　consular
service；　who　are　passing　through　the　various　grades　of　student
interpreters；　are　distinguishing　themselves　not　alone　by　their
facility　in　colloquial　Japanese；　but　by　their　researches　in　various
departments　of　Japanese　history；　mythology；　archaeology；　and
literature。　　Indeed　it　is　to　their　labours；　and　to　those　of　a　few
other　Englishmen　and　Germans；　that　the　Japanese　of　the　rising
generation　will　be　indebted　for　keeping　alive　not　only　the
knowledge　of　their　archaic　literature；　but　even　of　the　manners　and
customs　of　the　first　half　of　this　century。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IV



〃John　Chinaman〃Engaging　a　ServantFirst　Impressions　of　ItoA
Solemn　ContractThe　Food　Question。

H。B。M。's　LEGATION；　YEDO；
June　7。

I　went　to　Yokohama　for　a　week　to　visit　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Hepburn　on　the
Bluff。　　Bishop　and　Mrs。　Burdon　of　Hong　Kong　were　also　guests；　and
it　was　very　pleasant。

One　cannot　be　a　day　in　Yokohama　without　seeing　quite　a　different
class　of　orientals　from　the　small；　thinly…dressed；　and　usually
poor…looking　Japanese。　　Of　the　2500　Chinamen　who　reside　in　Japan；
over　1100　are　in　Yokohama；　and　if　they　were　suddenly　removed；
business　would　come　to　an　abrupt　halt。　　Here；　as　everywhere；　the
Chinese　immigrant　is　making　himself　indispensable。　　He　walks
through　the　streets　with　his　swinging　gait　and　air　of　complete
self…complacency；　as　though　he　belonged　to　the　ruling　race。　　He　is
tall　and　big；　and　his　many　garments；　with　a　handsome　brocaded　robe
over　all；　his　satin　pantaloons；　of　which　not　much　is　seen；　tight　at
the　ankles；　and　his　high　shoes；　whose　black　satin　tops　are　slightly
turned　up　at　the　toes；　make　him　look　even　taller　and　bigger　than　he
is。　　His　head　is　mostly　shaven；　but　the　hair　at　the　back　is　plaited
with　a　quantity　of　black　purse　twist　into　a　queue　which　reaches　to
his　knees；　above　which；　set　well　back；　he　wears　a　stiff；　black
satin　skull…cap；　without　which　he　is　never　seen。　　His　face　is　very
yellow；　his　long　dark　eyes　and　eyebrows　slope　upwards　towards　his
temples；　he　has　not　the　vestige　of　a　beard；　and　his　skin　is　shiny。
He　looks　thoroughly　〃well…to…do。〃　　He　is　not　unpleasing…looking；
but　you　feel　that　as　a　Celestial　he　looks　down　upon　you。　　If　you
ask　a　question　in　a　merchant's　office；　or　change　your　gold　into
satsu；　or　take　your　railroad　or　steamer　ticket；　or　get　change　in　a
shop；　the　inevitable　Chinaman　appears。　　In　the　street　he　swings
past　you　with　a　purpose　in　his　face；　as　he　flies　past　you　in　a
kuruma　he　is　bent　on　business；　he　is　sober　and　reliable；　and　is
content　to　〃squeeze〃　his　employer　rather　than　to　rob　himhis　one
aim　in　life　is　money。　　For　this　he　is　industrious；　faithful；　self…
denying；　and　he　has　his　reward。

Several　of　my　kind　new　acquaintances　inter