unbeaten tracks in japan-第77章

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trailers　to　a　height　of　about　2000　feet；　where；　contented　with　its
efforts；　it　reposes；　and；　with　only　slight　ups　and　downs；　continues
along　the　top　of　a　narrow　ridge　within　the　seaward　mountains；
between　high　walls　of　dense　bamboo；　which；　for　much　of　that　day's
journey；　is　the　undergrowth　alike　of　mountain　and　valley；　ragged
peak；　and　rugged　ravine。　　The　scenery　was　as　magnificent　as　on　the
previous　day。　　A　guide　was　absolutely　needed；　as　the　track　ceased
altogether　in　one　place；　and　for　some　time　the　horses　had　to
blunder　their　way　along　a　bright；　rushing　river；　swirling　rapidly
downwards；　heavily　bordered　with　bamboo；　full　of　deep　holes；　and
made　difficult　by　trees　which　have　fallen　across　it。　　There　Ito；
whose　horse　could　not　keep　up　with　the　others；　was　lost；　or　rather
lost　himself；　which　led　to　a　delay　of　two　hours。　　I　have　never　seen
grander　forest　than　on　that　two　days'　ride。

At　last　the　track；　barely　passable　after　its　recovery；　dips　over　a
precipitous　bluff；　and　descends　close　to　the　sea；　which　has
evidently　receded　considerably。　　Thence　it　runs　for　six　miles　on　a
level；　sandy　strip；　covered　near　the　sea　with　a　dwarf　bamboo　about
five　inches　high；　and　farther　inland　with　red　roses　and　blue
campanula。

At　the　foot　of　the　bluff　there　is　a　ruinous　Japanese　house；　where
an　Aino　family　has　been　placed　to　give　shelter　and　rest　to　any　who
may　be　crossing　the　pass。　　I　opened　my　bento　bako　of　red　lacquer；
and　found　that　it　contained　some　cold；　waxy　potatoes；　on　which　I
dined；　with　the　addition　of　some　tea；　and　then　waited　wearily　for
Ito；　for　whom　the　guide　went　in　search。　　The　house　and　its　inmates
were　a　study。　　The　ceiling　was　gone；　and　all　kinds　of　things；　for
which　I　could　not　imagine　any　possible　use；　hung　from　the　blackened
rafters。　　Everything　was　broken　and　decayed；　and　the　dirt　was
appalling。　　A　very　ugly　Aino　woman；　hardly　human　in　her　ugliness；
was　splitting　bark　fibre。　　There　were　several　irori；　Japanese
fashion；　and　at　one　of　them　a　grand…looking　old　man　was　seated
apathetically　contemplating　the　boiling　of　a　pot。　　Old；　and　sitting
among　ruins；　he　represented　the　fate　of　a　race　which；　living；　has
no　history；　and　perishing　leaves　no　monument。　　By　the　other　irori
sat；　or　rather　crouched；　the　〃MISSING　LINK。〃　　I　was　startled　when　I
first　saw　it。　　It　wasshall　I　say？a　man；　and　the　mate；　I　cannot
write　the　husband；　of　the　ugly　woman。　　It　was　about　fifty。　　The
lofty　Aino　brow　had　been　made　still　loftier　by　shaving　the　head　for
three　inches　above　it。　　The　hair　hung；　not　in　shocks；　but　in　snaky
wisps；　mingling　with　a　beard　which　was　grey　and　matted。　　The　eyes
were　dark　but　vacant；　and　the　face　had　no　other　expression　than
that　look　of　apathetic　melancholy　which　one　sometimes　sees　on　the
faces　of　captive　beasts。　　The　arms　and　legs　were　unnaturally　long
and　thin；　and　the　creature　sat　with　the　knees　tucked　into　the
armpits。　　The　limbs　and　body；　with　the　exception　of　a　patch　on　each
side；　were　thinly　covered　with　fine　black　hair；　more　than　an　inch
long；　which　was　slightly　curly　on　the　shoulders。　　It　showed　no
other　sign　of　intelligence　than　that　evidenced　by　boiling　water　for
my　tea。　　When　Ito　arrived　he　looked　at　it　with　disgust；　exclaiming；
〃The　Ainos　are　just　dogs；　they　had　a　dog　for　their　father；〃　in
allusion　to　their　own　legend　of　their　origin。

The　level　was　pleasant　after　the　mountains；　and　a　canter　took　us
pleasantly　to　Oshamambe；　where　we　struck　the　old　road　from　Mori　to
Satsuporo；　and　where　I　halted　for　a　day　to　rest　my　spine；　from
which　I　was　suffering　much。　　Oshamambe　looks　dismal　even　in　the
sunshine；　decayed　and　dissipated；　with　many　people　lounging　about
in　it　doing　nothing；　with　the　dazed　look　which　over…indulgence　in
sake　gives　to　the　eyes。　　The　sun　was　scorching　hot；　and　I　was　glad
to　find　refuge　from　it　in　a　crowded　and　dilapidated　yadoya；　where
there　were　no　black　beans；　and　the　use　of　eggs　did　not　appear　to　be
recognised。　　My　room　was　only　enclosed　by　shoji；　and　there　were
scarcely　five　minutes　of　the　day　in　which　eyes　were　not　applied　to
the　finger…holes　with　which　they　were　liberally　riddled；　and　during
the　night　one　of　them　fell　down；　revealing　six　Japanese　sleeping　in
a　row；　each　head　on　a　wooden　pillow。

The　grandeur　of　the　route　ceased　with　the　mountain…passes；　but　in
the　brilliant　sunshine　the　ride　from　Oshamambe　to　Mori；　which　took
me　two　days；　was　as　pretty　and　pleasant　as　it　could　be。　　At　first
we　got　on　very　slowly；　as　besides　my　four　horses　there　were　four
led　ones　going　home；　which　got　up　fights　and　entangled　their　ropes；
and　occasionally　lay　down　and　rolled；　and　besides　these　there　were
three　foals　following　their　mothers；　and　if　they　stayed　behind　the
mares　hung　back　neighing；　and　if　they　frolicked　ahead　the　mares
wanted　to　look　after　them；　and　the　whole　string　showed　a　combined
inclination　to　dispense　with　their　riders　and　join　the　many　herds
of　horses　which　we　passed。　　It　was　so　tedious　that；　after　enduring
it　for　some　time　I　got　Ito's　horse　and　mine　into　a　scow　at　a　river
of　some　size；　and　left　the　disorderly　drove　to　follow　at　leisure。

At　Yurapu；　where　there　is　an　Aino　village　of　thirty　houses；　we　saw
the　last　of　the　aborigines；　and　the　interest　of　the　journey　ended。
Strips　of　hard　sand　below　high…water　mark；　strips　of　red　roses；
ranges　of　wooded　mountains；　rivers　deep　and　shallow；　a　few　villages
of　old　grey　houses　amidst　grey　sand　and　bleaching　driftwood；　and
then　came　the　river　Yurapu；　a　broad；　deep　stream；　navigable　in　a
canoe　for　fourteen　miles。　　The　scenery　there　was　truly　beautiful　in
the　late　and　splendid　afternoon。　　The　long　blue　waves　rolled　on
shore；　each　one　crested　with　light　as　it　curled　before　it　broke；
and　hurled　its　snowy　drift　for　miles　along　the　coast　with　a　deep
booming　music。　　The　glorious　inland　view　was　composed　of　six　ranges
of　forest…covered　mountains；　broken；　chasmed；　caverned；　and　dark
with　timber；　and　above　them　bald；　grey　peaks　rose　against　a　green
sky　of　singular　purity。　　I　longed　to　take　a　boat　up　the　Yurapu；
which　penetrates　by　many　a　gorge　into　their　solemn　recesses；　but
had　not　strength　to　carry　my　wish。

After　this　I　exchanged　the　silence　or　low　musical　speech　of　Aino
guides　for　the　harsh　and　ceaseless　clatter　of　Japanese。　　At
Yamakushinoi；　a　small　hamlet　on　the　sea…shore；　where　I　slept；　there
was　a　sweet；　quiet　yadoya；　delightfully　situated；　with　a　wooded
cliff　at　the　back；　over　which　a　crescent　hung　out　of　a　pure　sky；
and　besides；　there　were　the　more　solid　pleasures　of　fish；　eggs；　and
black　beans。　　Thus；　instead　of　being　starved　and　finding　wretched
accommodation；　the　week　I　spent　on　Volcano　Bay　has　been　the　best
fed；　as　it　was　certainly　the　most　comfortable；　week　of　my　travels
in　northern　Japan。

Another　glorious　day　favoured　my　ride　to　Mori；　but　I　was
unfortunate　in　my　horse　at　each　stage；　and　the　Japanese　guide　was
grumpy　and　ill…natureda　most　unusual　thing。　　Otoshibe　and　a　few
other　small　villages　of　grey　houses；　with　〃an　ancient　and　fish…like
smell；〃　lie　along　the　coast；　busy　enough　doubtless　in　the　season；
but　now　looking　deserted　and　decayed；　and　houses　are　rather
plentifully　sprinkled　along　many　parts　of　the　shore；　with　a
wonderful　profusion　of　vegetables　and　flowers　about　them；　raised
from　seeds　liberally　supplied　by　the　Kaitakushi　Department　from　its
Nanai　experimental　farm　and　nurseries。　　For　a　considerable　part　of
the　way　to　Mori　there　is　no　track　at　all；　though　there　is　a　good
deal　of　travel。　　One　makes　one's　way　fatiguingly　along　soft　sea
sand　or　coarse　shingle　close　to　the　sea；　or　absolutely　in　it；　under
cliffs　of　hardened　clay　or　yellow　conglomerate；　fording　many　small
streams；　several　of　which　have　cut　their　way　deeply　through　a
stratum　of　black　volcanic　sand。　　I　have　crossed　about　100　rivers
and　streams　on　the　Yezo　coast；　and　all　the　larger　ones　are　marked
by　a　most　noticeable　peculiarity；　i。e。　that　on　nearing　the　sea　they
turn　south；　and　run　for　some　distance　parallel　with　it；　before　they
succeed　in　finding　an　exit　through　the　bank　of　sand　and　shingle
which　forms　the　beach　and　blocks　their　progress。

On　the　way　I　saw　two　Ainos　land　through　the　surf　in　a　canoe；　in
which　they　had　paddled　for　nearly　100　miles