下载辰思小说免费APP
TheNecessityofFirmness——PerplexingMisrepresentations——GlidingwiththeStream——SuburbanResidences——TheKubotaHospital——AFormalReception——TheNormalSchool。
IarrivedhereonMondayafternoonbytheriverOmono，whatwouldhavebeentwolongdays’journeybylandhavingbeeneasilyaccomplishedinninehoursbywater。Thiswasaninstanceofformingaplanwisely，andadheringtoitresolutely！FirmnessintravellingisnowheremorenecessarythaninJapan。Idecidedsometimeago，fromMr。Brunton’smap，thattheOmonomustbenavigablefromShingoji，andaweekagotoldItotoinquireaboutit，butateachplacedifficultieshavebeenstarted。Therewastoomuchwater，therewastoolittle；therewerebadrapids，therewereshallows；itwastoolateintheyear；alltheboatswhichhadstartedlatelywerelyingaground；butatoneoftheferriesIsawinthedistanceamerchandiseboatgoingdown，andtoldItoI
shouldgothatwayandnoother。OnarrivingatShingojitheysaiditwasnotontheOmonoatall，butonastreamwithsomeverybadrapids，inwhichboatsarebrokentopieces。Lastly，theysaidtherewasnoboat，butonmysayingthatIwouldsendtenmilesforone，asmall，flat-bottomedscowwasproducedbytheTransportAgent，intowhichIto，theluggage，andmyselfaccuratelyfitted。
Itosententiouslyobserved，“Notonethinghasbeentoldusonourjourneywhichhasturnedouttrue！“Thisisnotanexaggeration。
Theusualcrowddidnotassembleroundthedoor，butprecededmetotheriver，whereitcoveredthebanksandclusteredinthetrees。
Fourpolicemenescortedmedown。Thevoyageofforty-twomileswasdelightful。Therapidswereamereripple，thecurrentwasstrong，oneboatmanalmostsleptuponhispaddle，theotheronlywoketobaletheboatwhenitwashalf-fullofwater，theshoresweresilentandpretty，andalmostwithoutpopulationtillwereachedthelargetownofAraya，whichstragglesalongahighbankforaconsiderabledistance，andafterninepeacefulhoursweturnedofffromthemainstreamoftheOmonojustattheoutskirtsofKubota，andpoledupanarrow，greenriver，fringedbydilapidatedbacksofhouses，boat-buildingyards，andraftsoftimberononeside，anddwelling-houses，gardens，anddampgreeneryontheother。Thisstreamiscrossedbyverynumerousbridges。
Igotacheerfulupstairsroomatamostfriendlyyadoya，andmythreedaysherehavebeenfullyoccupiedandverypleasant。
“Foreignfood“——agoodbeef-steak，anexcellentcurry，cucumbers，andforeignsaltandmustard，wereatonceobtained，andIfeltmy“eyeslightened“afterpartakingofthem。
KubotaisaveryattractiveandpurelyJapanesetownof36，000
people，thecapitalofAkitaken。Afinemountain，calledTaiheisan，risesaboveitsfertilevalley，andtheOmonofallsintotheSeaofJapanclosetoit。Ithasanumberofkurumas，but，owingtoheavysandandthebadnessoftheroads，theycanonlygothreemilesinanydirection。Itisatownofactivityandbrisktrade，andmanufacturesasilkfabricinstripesofblueandblack，andyellowandblack，muchusedformakinghakamaandkimonos，aspeciesofwhitesilkcrepewitharaisedwoof，whichbringsahighpriceinTokiyoshops，fusuma，andclogs。Thoughitisacastletown，itisfreefromtheusual“deadly-lively“look，andhasanairofprosperityandcomfort。Thoughithasfewstreetsofshops，itcoversagreatextentofgroundwithstreetsandlanesofpretty，isolateddwelling-houses，surroundedbytrees，gardens，andwell-trimmedhedges，eachgardenenteredbyasubstantialgateway。
Theexistenceofsomethinglikeamiddleclasswithhomeprivacyandhomelifeissuggestedbythesemilesofcomfortable“suburbanresidences。“Foreigninfluenceishardlyatallfelt，thereisnotasingleforeignerinGovernmentoranyotheremployment，andeventhehospitalwasorganisedfromthebeginnin
