unbeaten tracks in japan-第57章

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if　loneliness　and　desolation　could　go　no　farther。　　A　sandy　stretch
on　three　sides；　a　river　arrested　in　its　progress　to　the　sea；　and
compelled　to　wander　tediously　in　search　of　an　outlet　by　the　height
and　mass　of　the　beach　thrown　up　by　the　Pacific；　a　distant　forest…
belt　rising　into　featureless；　wooded　ranges　in　shades　of　indigo　and
grey；　and　a　never…absent　consciousness　of　a　vast　ocean　just　out　of
sight；　are　the　environments　of　two　high　look…outs；　some　sheds　for
fish…oil　purposes；　four　or　five　Japanese　houses；　four　Aino　huts　on
the　top　of　the　beach　across　the　river；　and　a　grey　barrack；
consisting　of　a　polished　passage　eighty　feet　long；　with　small　rooms
on　either　side；　at　one　end　a　gravelled　yard；　with　two　quiet　rooms
opening　upon　it；　and　at　the　other　an　immense　daidokoro；　with　dark
recesses　and　blackened　raftersa　haunted…looking　abode。　　One　would
suppose　that　there　had　been　a　special　object　in　setting　the　houses
down　at　weary　distances　from　each　other。　　Few　as　they　are；　they　are
not　all　inhabited　at　this　season；　and　all　that　can　be　seen　is　grey
sand；　sparse　grass；　and　a　few　savages　creeping　about。

Nothing　that　I　have　seen　has　made　such　an　impression　upon　me　as
that　ghostly；　ghastly　fishing…station。　　In　the　long　grey　wall　of
the　long　grey　barrack　there　were　many　dismal　windows；　and　when　we
hooted　for　admission　a　stupid　face　appeared　at　one　of　them　and
disappeared。　　Then　a　grey　gateway　opened；　and　we　rode　into　a　yard
of　grey　gravel；　with　some　silent　rooms　opening　upon　it。　　The
solitude　of　the　thirty　or　forty　rooms　which　lie　between　it　and　the
kitchen；　and　which　are　now　filled　with　nets　and　fishing…tackle；　was
something　awful；　and　as　the　wind　swept　along　the　polished　passage；
rattling　the　fusuma　and　lifting　the　shingles　on　the　roof；　and　the
rats　careered　from　end　to　end；　I　went　to　the　great　black　daidokoro
in　search　of　social　life；　and　found　a　few　embers　and　an　andon；　and
nothing　else　but　the　stupid…faced　man　deploring　his　fate；　and　two
orphan　boys　whose　lot　he　makes　more　wretched　than　his　own。　　In　the
fishing…season　this　barrack　accommodates　from　200　to　300　men。

I　started　to　the　sea…shore；　crossing　the　dreary　river；　and　found
open　sheds　much　blackened；　deserted　huts　of　reeds；　long　sheds　with
a　nearly　insufferable　odour　from　caldrons　in　which　oil　had　been
extracted　from　last　year's　fish；　two　or　three　Aino　huts；　and　two　or
three　grand…looking　Ainos；　clothed　in　skins；　striding　like　ghosts
over　the　sandbanks；　a　number　of　wolfish　dogs；　some　log　canoes　or
〃dug…outs；〃　the　bones　of　a　wrecked　junk；　a　quantity　of　bleached
drift…wood；　a　beach　of　dark…grey　sand；　and　a　tossing　expanse　of
dark…grey　ocean　under　a　dull　and　windy　sky。　　On　this　part　of　the
coast　the　Pacific　spends　its　fury；　and　has　raised　up　at　a　short
distance　above　high…water　mark　a　sandy　sweep　of　such　a　height　that
when　you　descend　its　seaward　slope　you　see　nothing　but　the　sea　and
the　sky；　and　a　grey；　curving　shore；　covered　thick　for　many　a　lonely
mile　with　fantastic　forms　of　whitened　drift…wood；　the　shattered
wrecks　of　forest…trees；　which　are　carried　down　by　the　innumerable
rivers；　till；　after　tossing　for　weeks　and　months　along　with


〃wrecks　of　ships；　and　drifting
spars　uplifting
On　the　desolate；　rainy　seas：
Ever　drifting；　drifting；　drifting；
On　the　shifting
Currents　of　the　restless　main；〃


the　〃toiling　surges〃　cast　them　on　Yubets　beach；　and


〃All　have　found　repose　again。〃


A　grim　repose！

The　deep　boom　of　the　surf　was　music；　and　the　strange　cries　of　sea…
birds；　and　the　hoarse　notes　of　the　audacious　black　crows；　were　all
harmonious；　for　nature；　when　left　to　herself；　never　produces
discords　either　in　sound　or　colour。



LETTER　XXXV（Continued）



The　Harmonies　of　NatureA　Good　HorseA　Single　DiscordA　Forest
Aino　Ferrymen〃Les　Puces！　　Les　Puces！〃Baffled　ExplorersIto's
Contempt　for　AinosAn　Aino　Introduction。

SARUFUTO。

No！　　Nature　has　no　discords。　　This　morning；　to　the　far　horizon；
diamond…flashing　blue　water　shimmered　in　perfect　peace；　outlined　by
a　line　of　surf　which　broke　lazily　on　a　beach　scarcely　less　snowy
than　itself。　　The　deep；　perfect　blue　of　the　sky　was　only　broken　by
a　few　radiant　white　clouds；　whose　shadows　trailed　slowly　over　the
plain　on　whose　broad　bosom　a　thousand　corollas；　in　the　glory　of
their　brief　but　passionate　life；　were　drinking　in　the　sunshine；
wavy　ranges　slept　in　depths　of　indigo；　and　higher　hills　beyond　were
painted　in　faint　blue　on　the　dreamy　sky。　　Even　the　few　grey　houses
of　Yubets　were　spiritualised　into　harmony　by　a　faint　blue　veil
which　was　not　a　mist；　and　the　loud　croak　of　the　loquacious　and
impertinent　crows　had　a　cheeriness　about　it；　a　hearty　mockery；
which　I　liked。

Above　all；　I　had　a　horse　so　good　that　he　was　always　trying　to　run
away；　and　galloped　so　lightly　over　the　flowery　grass　that　I　rode
the　seventeen　miles　here　with　great　enjoyment。　　Truly　a　good　horse；
good　ground　to　gallop　on；　and　sunshine；　make　up　the　sum　of
enjoyable　travelling。　　The　discord　in　the　general　harmony　was
produced　by　the　sight　of　the　Ainos；　a　harmless　people　without　the
instinct　of　progress；　descending　to　that　vast　tomb　of　conquered　and
unknown　races　which　has　opened　to　receive　so　many　before　them。　　A
mounted　policeman　started　with　us　from　Yubets；　and　rode　the　whole
way　here；　keeping　exactly　to　my　pace；　but　never　speaking　a　word。
We　forded　one　broad；　deep　river；　and　crossed　another；　partly　by
fording　and　partly　in　a　scow；　after　which　the　track　left　the　level；
and；　after　passing　through　reedy　grass　as　high　as　the　horse's　ears；
went　for　some　miles　up　and　down　hill；　through　woods　composed
entirely　of　the　Ailanthus　glandulosus；　with　leaves　much　riddled　by
the　mountain　silk…worm；　and　a　ferny　undergrowth　of　the　familiar
Pteris　aquilina。　　The　deep　shade　and　glancing　lights　of　this　open
copsewood　were　very　pleasant；　and　as　the　horse　tripped　gaily　up　and
down　the　little　hills；　and　the　sea　murmur　mingled　with　the　rustle
of　the　breeze；　and　a　glint　of　white　surf　sometimes　flashed　through
the　greenery；　and　dragonflies　and　butterflies　in　suits　of　crimson
and　black　velvet　crossed　the　path　continually　like　〃living　flashes〃
of　light；　I　was　reminded　somewhat；　though　faintly；　of　windward
Hawaii。　　We　emerged　upon　an　Aino　hut　and　a　beautiful　placid　river；
and　two　Ainos　ferried　the　four　people　and　horses　across　in　a　scow；
the　third　wading　to　guide　the　boat。　　They　wore　no　clothing；　but
only　one　was　hairy。　　They　were　superb…looking　men；　gentle；　and
extremely　courteous；　handing　me　in　and　out　of　the　boat；　and　holding
the　stirrup　while　I　mounted；　with　much　natural　grace。　　On　leaving
they　extended　their　arms　and　waved　their　hands　inwards　twice；
stroking　their　grand　beards　afterwards；　which　is　their　usual
salutation。　　A　short　distance　over　shingle　brought　us　to　this
Japanese　village　of　sixty…three　houses；　a　colonisation　settlement；
mainly　of　samurai　from　the　province　of　Sendai；　who　are　raising　very
fine　crops　on　the　sandy　soil。　　The　mountains；　twelve　miles　in　the
interior；　have　a　large　Aino　population；　and　a　few　Ainos　live　near
this　village　and　are　held　in　great　contempt　by　its　inhabitants。　　My
room　is　on　the　village　street；　and；　as　it　is　too　warm　to　close　the
shoji；　the　aborigines　stand　looking　in　at　the　lattice　hour　after
hour。

A　short　time　ago　Mr。　Von　Siebold　and　Count　Diesbach　galloped　up　on
their　return　from　Biratori；　the　Aino　village　to　which　I　am　going；
and　Count　D。；　throwing　himself　from　his　horse；　rushed　up　to　me　with
the　exclamation；　Les　puces！　les　puces！　　They　have　brought　down　with
them　the　chief；　Benri；　a　superb　but　dissipated…looking　savage。　　Mr。
Von　Siebold　called　on　me　this　evening；　and　I　envied　him　his　fresh；
clean　clothing　as　much　as　he　envied　me　my　stretcher　and　mosquito…
net。　　They　have　suffered　terribly　from　fleas；　mosquitoes；　and
general　discomfort；　and　are　much　exhausted；　but　Mr。　Von　S。　thinks
that；　in　spite　of　all；　a　visit　to　the　mountain　Ainos　is　worth　a
long　journey。　　As　I　expected；　they　have　completely　failed　in　their
explorations；　and　have　been　deserted　by　Lieutenant　Kreitner。　　I
asked　Mr。　Von　S。　to　speak　to　Ito　in　Japanese　about　the　importance
of　being　kind　and　courteous　to　the　Ainos　whose　hospitality　I　shall
receive；　and