Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

第30章

waswelldisposedtobecontentwhentheproductionofsomehandsomefusumacreateddaimiyo’sroomsoutofthefarthestpartofthedimandwanderingspace,openinguponadampgarden,intowhichtherainsplashedallnight。

Thesolitaryspoiloftheday’sjourneywasagloriouslily,whichIpresentedtothehouse-master,andinthemorningitwasbloomingonthekami-danainasmallvaseofpricelessoldSatsumachina。I

wasawokeoutofasoundsleepbyItocominginwitharumour,broughtbysometravellers,thatthePrimeMinisterhadbeenassassinated,andfiftypolicemenkilled![ThiswasprobablyadistortedversionofthepartialmutinyoftheImperialGuard,whichIlearnedonlandinginYezo。]Verywildpoliticalrumoursareintheairintheseoutlandishregions,anditisnotverywonderfulthatthepeasantrylackconfidenceintheexistingorderofthingsafterthechangesofthelasttenyears,andtherecentassassinationoftheHomeMinister。Ididnotbelievetherumour,forfanaticism,eveninitswildestmoods,usuallyowessomeallegiancetocommonsense;butitwasdisturbing,asIhavenaturallycometofeeladeepinterestinJapaneseaffairs。AfewhourslaterItoagainpresentedhimselfwithableedingcutonhistemple。Inlightinghispipe——anodiousnocturnalpracticeoftheJapanese——hehadfallenovertheedgeofthefire-pot。IalwayssleepinaJapanesekimonatobereadyforemergencies,andsoonbounduphishead,andsleptagain,tobeawokeearlybyanotherdeluge。

Wemadeanearlystart,butgotoververylittleground,owingtobadroadsandlongdelays。Alldaytheraincamedownineventorrents,thetrackswerenearlyimpassable,myhorsefellfivetimes,Isufferedseverelyfrompainandexhaustion,andalmostfellintodespairabouteverreachingthesea。Inthesewildregionstherearenokagoornorimonstobehad,andapack-horseistheonlyconveyance,andyesterday,havingabandonedmyownsaddle,Ihadthebadlucktogetapack-saddlewithspeciallyangularanduncompromisingpeaks,withasoakedandextremelyunwashedfutononthetop,spars,tackle,ridges,andfurrowsofthemostexasperatingdescription,andtwonoosesofropetoholdonbyastheanimalsliddownhillonhishaunches,orletmealmostslideoverhistailashescrambledandplungeduphill。

Itwasprettycountry,eveninthedownpour,whenwhitemistspartedandfir-crownedheightslookedoutforamoment,orwesliddownintoadeepglenwithmossyboulders,lichen-coveredstumps,fernycarpet,anddamp,balsamysmellofpyramidalcryptomeria,andatawnytorrentdashingthroughitingustsofpassion。Thentherewerelowhills,muchscrub,immenserice-fields,andviolentinundations。Butitisnotpleasant,evenintheprettiestcountry,toclingontoapack-saddlewithasaturatedquiltbelowyouandthewaterslowlysoakingdownthroughyourwetclothesintoyourboots,knowingallthetimethatwhenyouhaltyoumustsleeponawetbed,andchangeintodampclothes,andputonthewetonesagainthenextmorning。Thevillageswerepoor,andmostofthehouseswereofboardsrudelynailedtogetherforends,andforsidesstrawrudelytiedon;theyhadnowindows,andsmokecameoutofeverycrack。TheywereasunlikethehouseswhichtravellersseeinsouthernJapanasa“blackhut“inUistislikeacottageinatrimvillageinKent。Thesepeasantproprietorshavemuchtolearnoftheartofliving。AtTsuguriko,thenextstage,wheretheTransportOfficewassodirtythatIwasobligedtositinthestreetintherain,theytoldusthatwecouldonlygetonarifarther,becausethebridgeswereallcarriedawayandthefordswereimpassable;butIengagedhorses,and,bydintofBritishdoggednessandthewillingnessofthemago,IgotthehorsessinglyandwithouttheirloadsinsmallpuntsacrosstheswollenwatersoftheHayakuchi,theYuwase,andtheMochida,andfinallyfordedthreebranchesofmyoldfriendtheYonetsurugawa,withthefoamofitshurryingwaterswhiteningthemen’sshoulde

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