Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

第51章

Thelevelwaspleasantafterthemountains,andacantertookuspleasantlytoOshamambe,wherewestrucktheoldroadfromMoritoSatsuporo,andwhereIhaltedforadaytorestmyspine,fromwhichIwassufferingmuch。Oshamambelooksdismaleveninthesunshine,decayedanddissipated,withmanypeopleloungingaboutinitdoingnothing,withthedazedlookwhichover-indulgenceinsakegivestotheeyes。Thesunwasscorchinghot,andIwasgladtofindrefugefromitinacrowdedanddilapidatedyadoya,wheretherewerenoblackbeans,andtheuseofeggsdidnotappeartoberecognised。Myroomwasonlyenclosedbyshoji,andtherewerescarcelyfiveminutesofthedayinwhicheyeswerenotappliedtothefinger-holeswithwhichtheywereliberallyriddled;andduringthenightoneofthemfelldown,revealingsixJapanesesleepinginarow,eachheadonawoodenpillow。

Thegrandeuroftherouteceasedwiththemountain-passes,butinthebrilliantsunshinetheridefromOshamambetoMori,whichtookmetwodays,wasasprettyandpleasantasitcouldbe。Atfirstwegotonveryslowly,asbesidesmyfourhorsestherewerefourledonesgoinghome,whichgotupfightsandentangledtheirropes,andoccasionallylaydownandrolled;andbesidesthesetherewerethreefoalsfollowingtheirmothers,andiftheystayedbehindthemareshungbackneighing,andiftheyfrolickedaheadthemareswantedtolookafterthem,andthewholestringshowedacombinedinclinationtodispensewiththeirridersandjointhemanyherdsofhorseswhichwepassed。Itwassotediousthat,afterenduringitforsometimeIgotIto’shorseandmineintoascowatariverofsomesize,andleftthedisorderlydrovetofollowatleisure。

AtYurapu,wherethereisanAinovillageofthirtyhouses,wesawthelastoftheaborigines,andtheinterestofthejourneyended。

Stripsofhardsandbelowhigh-watermark,stripsofredroses,rangesofwoodedmountains,riversdeepandshallow,afewvillagesofoldgreyhousesamidstgreysandandbleachingdriftwood,andthencametheriverYurapu,abroad,deepstream,navigableinacanoeforfourteenmiles。Thescenerytherewastrulybeautifulinthelateandsplendidafternoon。Thelongbluewavesrolledonshore,eachonecrestedwithlightasitcurledbeforeitbroke,andhurleditssnowydriftformilesalongthecoastwithadeepboomingmusic。Thegloriousinlandviewwascomposedofsixrangesofforest-coveredmountains,broken,chasmed,caverned,anddarkwithtimber,andabovethembald,greypeaksroseagainstagreenskyofsingularpurity。IlongedtotakeaboatuptheYurapu,whichpenetratesbymanyagorgeintotheirsolemnrecesses,buthadnotstrengthtocarrymywish。

AfterthisIexchangedthesilenceorlowmusicalspeechofAinoguidesfortheharshandceaselessclatterofJapanese。AtYamakushinoi,asmallhamletonthesea-shore,whereIslept,therewasasweet,quietyadoya,delightfullysituated,withawoodedcliffattheback,overwhichacrescenthungoutofapuresky;

andbesides,therewerethemoresolidpleasuresoffish,eggs,andblackbeans。Thus,insteadofbeingstarvedandfindingwretchedaccommodation,theweekIspentonVolcanoBayhasbeenthebestfed,asitwascertainlythemostcomfortable,weekofmytravelsinnorthernJapan。

AnothergloriousdayfavouredmyridetoMori,butIwasunfortunateinmyhorseateachstage,andtheJapaneseguidewasgrumpyandill-natured——amostunusualthing。Otoshibeandafewothersmallvillagesofgreyhouses,with“anancientandfish-likesmell,“liealongthecoast,busyenoughdoubtlessintheseason,butnowlookingdesertedanddecayed,andhousesareratherplentifullysprinkledalongmanypartsoftheshore,withawonderfulprofusionofvegetablesandflowersaboutthem,raisedfromseedsliberallysuppliedbytheKaitakushiDepartmentfromitsNanaiexperimentalfarmandnurseries。ForaconsiderablepartofthewaytoMorithereisnotrackatall,thoughthereisagooddealoftravel。Onemakesone’swayfatiguinglyalongsoftseasandorcoarseshingleclosetothesea,orabsolutelyinit,undercliffsofhardenedclayoryellowconglomerate,fordingmanysmallstreams,severalofwhichhavecuttheirwaydeeplythroughastratumofblackvolcanicsand。Ihavecrossedabout100riversandstreamsontheYezocoast,andallthelargeronesaremarkedbyamostnoticeablepeculiarity,i。e。thatonnearin

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