Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

第48章

wouldtake,——Ishouldliketohavehadthemallshot。Theyarecheapandabundant,andareofnoaccount。Theydroveanumbermoredownfromthehills,andIchosethelargestandfinesthorseIhaveseeninJapan,withsomespiritandaction,butIsoonfoundthathehadtenderfeet。Weshortlyleftthehigh-road,andintorrentsofrainturnedoffon“unbeatentracks,“whichledusthroughaverybadswampandsomemuchswollenandveryroughriversintothemountains,wherewefollowedaworn-outtrackforeightmiles。Itwasliterally“FOULweather,“darkandstill,withabrownmist,andrainfallinginsheets。Ithrewmypaperwaterproofawayasuseless,myclotheswereofcoursesoaked,anditwaswithmuchdifficultythatIkeptmyshomonandpapermoneyfrombeingreducedtopulp。TyphoonsarenotknownsofarnorthasYezo,butitwaswhattheycalla“typhoonrain“withoutthetyphoon,andinnotimeitturnedthestreamsintotorrentsbarelyfordable,andtoreupsuchofaroadasthereis,whichatitsbestisamerewater-channel。Torrents,bringingtolerable-sizedstones,toredownthetrack,andwhenthehorseshadbeenstrucktwoorthreetimesbythese,itwaswithdifficultythattheycouldbeinducedtofacetherushingwater。Constantlyinapass,thewaterhadgraduallycutatrackseveralfeetdeepbetweensteepbanks,andtheonlypossiblewalkingplacewasastonygashnotwideenoughforthetwofeetofahorsealongsideofeachother,downwhichwaterandstoneswererushingfrombehind,withallmanneroftrailersmattedoverhead,andbetweenavoidingbeingstrangledandattemptingtokeepatender-footedhorseonhislegs,theridewasaverysevereone。Thepooranimalfellfivetimesfromsteppingonstones,andinoneofhisfallstwistedmyleftwristbadly。IthoughtofthemanypeoplewhoenviedmemytourinJapan,andwonderedwhethertheywouldenvymethatride!

Afterthishadgoneonforfourhours,thetrack,withasuddendipoverahillside,camedownonOldMororan,avillageofthirtyAinoandnineJapanesehouses,veryunpromising-looking,althoughexquisitelysituatedontherimofalovelycove。TheAinohutsweresmallandpoor,withanunusualnumberofbearskullsonpoles,andthevillageconsistedmainlyoftwolongdilapidatedbuildings,inwhichanumberofmenweremendingnets。Itlookedadecayingplace,oflow,meanlives。Butata“merchant’s“therewasonedelightfulroomwithtwotranslucentsides——oneopeningonthevillage,theotherlookingtotheseadownashort,steepslope,onwhichisaquaintlittlegarden,withdwarfedfir-treesinpots,afewbalsams,andaredcabbagegrownwithmuchprideasa“foliageplant。“

Itisnearlymidnight,butmybedandbeddingaresowetthatIamstillsittingupanddryingthem,patchbypatch,withtediousslowness,onawoodenframeplacedoveracharcoalbrazier,whichhasgivenmyroomthedrynessandwarmthwhichareneededwhenapersonhasbeenformanyhoursinsoakedclothing,andhasnothingreallydrytoputon。Itoboughtachickenformysupper,butwhenhewasgoingtokillitanhourlateritsownerinmuchgriefreturnedthemoney,sayingshehadbroughtitupandcouldnotbeartoseeitkilled。Thisisawild,outlandishplace,butanintuitiontellsmethatitisbeautiful。Theoceanatpresentisthunderingupthebeachwiththesullenforceofaheavyground-

swell,andtherainisstillfallingintorrents。

“MorethanPeace“——GeographicalDifficulties——Usu-taki——SwimmingtheOsharu——ADreamofBeauty——ASunsetEffect——ANocturnalAlarm——

TheCoastAinos。

“WearywaveanddyingblastSobandmoanalongtheshore,Allispeaceatlast。“

Andmorethanpeace。Itwasaheavenlymorning。Thedeepblueskywasperfectlyunclouded,ablueseawithdiamondflashanda“many-

twinklingsmile“rippledgentlyonthegoldensandsofthelovelylittlebay,andopposite,fortymilesaway,thepinksummitofthevolcanoofKomono-taki,formingthesouth-westernpointofVolcanoBay,roseint

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