unbeaten tracks in japan-第28节

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the　wretched　bridle…tracks　are　blocked　by　snow　and　the　freezing
wind　blows　strong；　and　the　families　huddle　round　the　smoky　fire　by
the　doleful　glimmer　of　the　andon；　without　work；　books；　or　play；　to
shiver　through　the　long　evenings　in　chilly　dreariness；　and　herd
together　for　warmth　at　night　like　animals；　their　condition　must　be
as　miserable　as　anything　short　of　grinding　poverty　can　make　it。

I　saw　things　at　their　worst　that　night　as　I　tramped　into　the　hamlet
of　Numa；　down　whose　sloping　street　a　swollen　stream　was　running；
which　the　people　were　banking　out　of　their　houses。　　I　was　wet　and
tired；　and　the　woman　at　the　one　wretched　yadoya　met　me；　saying；
〃I'm　sorry　it's　very　dirty　and　quite　unfit　for　so　honourable　a
guest；〃　and　she　was　right；　for　the　one　room　was　up　a　ladder；　the
windows　were　in　tatters；　there　was　no　charcoal　for　a　hibachi；　no
eggs；　and　the　rice　was　so　dirty　and　so　full　of　a　small　black　seed
as　to　be　unfit　to　eat。　　Worse　than　all；　there　was　no　Transport
Office；　the　hamlet　did　not　possess　a　horse；　and　it　was　only　by
sending　to　a　farmer　five　miles　off；　and　by　much　bargaining；　that　I
got　on　the　next　morning。　　In　estimating　the　number　of　people　in　a
given　number　of　houses　in　Japan；　it　is　usual　to　multiply　the　houses
by　five；　but　I　had　the　curiosity　to　walk　through　Numa　and　get　Ito
to　translate　the　tallies　which　hang　outside　all　Japanese　houses
with　the　names；　number；　and　sexes　of　their　inmates；　and　in　twenty…
four　houses　there　were　307　people！　　In　some　there　were　four
familiesthe　grand…parents；　the　parents；　the　eldest　son　with　his
wife　and　family；　and　a　daughter　or　two　with　their　husbands　and
children。　　The　eldest　son；　who　inherits　the　house　and　land；　almost
invariably　brings　his　wife　to　his　father's　house；　where　she　often
becomes　little　better　than　a　slave　to　her　mother…in…law。　　By　rigid
custom　she　literally　forsakes　her　own　kindred；　and　her　〃filial
duty〃　is　transferred　to　her　husband's　mother；　who　often　takes　a
dislike　to　her；　and　instigates　her　son　to　divorce　her　if　she　has　no
children。　　My　hostess　had　induced　her　son　to　divorce　his　wife；　and
she　could　give　no　better　reason　for　it　than　that　she　was　lazy。

The　Numa　people；　she　said；　had　never　seen　a　foreigner；　so；　though
the　rain　still　fell　heavily；　they　were　astir　in　the　early　morning。
They　wanted　to　hear　me　speak；　so　I　gave　my　orders　to　Ito　in　public。
Yesterday　was　a　most　toilsome　day；　mainly　spent　in　stumbling　up　and
sliding　down　the　great　passes　of　Futai；　Takanasu；　and　Yenoiki；　all
among　forest…covered　mountains；　deeply　cleft　by　forest…choked
ravines；　with　now　and　then　one　of　the　snowy　peaks　of　Aidzu　breaking
the　monotony　of　the　ocean　of　green。　　The　horses'　shoes　were　tied
and　untied　every　few　minutes；　and　we　made　just　a　mile　an　hour！　　At
last　we　were　deposited　in　a　most　unpromising　place　in　the　hamlet　of
Tamagawa；　and　were　told　that　a　rice　merchant；　after　waiting　for
three　days；　had　got　every　horse　in　the　country。　　At　the　end　of　two
hours'　chaffering　one　baggage　coolie　was　produced；　some　of　the
things　were　put　on　the　rice　horses；　and　a　steed　with　a　pack…saddle
was　produced　for　me　in　the　shape　of　a　plump　and　pretty　little　cow；
which　carried　me　safely　over　the　magnificent　pass　of　Ori　and　down
to　the　town　of　Okimi；　among　rice…fields；　where；　in　a　drowning　rain；
I　was　glad　to　get　shelter　with　a　number　of　coolies　by　a　wood…fire
till　another　pack…cow　was　produced；　and　we　walked　on　through　the
rice…fields　and　up　into　the　hills　again　to　Kurosawa；　where　I　had
intended　to　remain；　but　there　was　no　inn；　and　the　farm…house　where
they　take　in　travellers；　besides　being　on　the　edge　of　a　malarious
pond；　and　being　dark　and　full　of　stinging　smoke；　was　so　awfully
dirty　and　full　of　living　creatures；　that；　exhausted　as　I　was；　I　was
obliged　to　go　on。　　But　it　was　growing　dark；　there　was　no　Transport
Office；　and　for　the　first　time　the　people　were　very　slightly
extortionate；　and　drove　Ito　nearly　to　his　wits'　end。　　The　peasants
do　not　like　to　be　out　after　dark；　for　they　are　afraid　of　ghosts　and
all　sorts　of　devilments；　and　it　was　difficult　to　induce　them　to
start　so　late　in　the　evening。

There　was　not　a　house　clean　enough　to　rest　in；　so　I　sat　on　a　stone
and　thought　about　the　people　for　over　an　hour。　　Children　with
scald…head；　scabies；　and　sore　eyes　swarmed。　　Every　woman　carried　a
baby　on　her　back；　and　every　child　who　could　stagger　under　one
carried　one　too。　　Not　one　woman　wore　anything　but　cotton　trousers。
One　woman　reeled　about　〃drunk　and　disorderly。〃　　Ito　sat　on　a　stone
hiding　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　when　I　asked　him　if　he　were　ill；
he　replied　in　a　most　lamentable　voice；　〃I　don't　know　what　I　am　to
do；　I'm　so　ashamed　for　you　to　see　such　things！〃　　The　boy　is　only
eighteen；　and　I　pitied　him。　　I　asked　him　if　women　were　often　drunk；
and　he　said　they　were　in　Yokohama；　but　they　usually　kept　in　their
houses。　　He　says　that　when　their　husbands　give　them　money　to　pay
bills　at　the　end　of　a　month；　they　often　spend　it　in　sake；　and　that
they　sometimes　get　sake　in　shops　and　have　it　put　down　as　rice　or
tea。　　〃The　old；　old　story！〃　　I　looked　at　the　dirt　and　barbarism；
and　asked　if　this　were　the　Japan　of　which　I　had　read。　　Yet　a　woman
in　this　unseemly　costume　firmly　refused　to　take　the　2　or　3　sen
which　it　is　usual　to　leave　at　a　place　where　you　rest；　because　she
said　that　I　had　had　water　and　not　tea；　and　after　I　had　forced　it　on
her；　she　returned　it　to　Ito；　and　this　redeeming　incident　sent　me
away　much　comforted。

From　Numa　the　distance　here　is　only　1。5　ri；　but　it　is　over　the
steep　pass　of　Honoki；　which　is　ascended　and　descended　by　hundreds
of　rude　stone　steps；　not　pleasant　in　the　dark。　　On　this　pass　I　saw
birches　for　the　first　time；　at　its　foot　we　entered　Yamagata　ken　by
a　good　bridge；　and　shortly　reached　this　village；　in　which　an
unpromising…looking　farm…house　is　the　only　accommodation；　but
though　all　the　rooms　but　two　are　taken　up　with　silk…worms；　those
two　are　very　good　and　look　upon　a　miniature　lake　and　rockery。　　The
one　objection　to　my　room　is　that　to　get　either　in　or　out　of　it　I
must　pass　through　the　other；　which　is　occupied　by　five　tobacco
merchants　who　are　waiting　for　transport；　and　who　while　away　the
time　by　strumming　on　that　instrument　of　dismay；　the　samisen。　　No
horses　or　cows　can　be　got　for　me；　so　I　am　spending　the　day　quietly
here；　rather　glad　to　rest；　for　I　am　much　exhausted。　　When　I　am
suffering　much　from　my　spine　Ito　always　gets　into　a　fright　and
thinks　I　am　going　to　die；　as　he　tells　me　when　I　am　better；　but
shows　his　anxiety　by　a　short；　surly　manner；　which　is　most
disagreeable。　　He　thinks　we　shall　never　get　through　the　interior！
Mr。　Brunton's　excellent　map　fails　in　this　region；　so　it　is　only　by
fixing　on　the　well…known　city　of　Yamagata　and　devising　routes　to　it
that　we　get　on。　　Half　the　evening　is　spent　in　consulting　Japanese
maps；　if　we　can　get　them；　and　in　questioning　the　house…master　and
Transport　Agent；　and　any　chance　travellers；　but　the　people　know
nothing　beyond　the　distance　of　a　few　ri；　and　the　agents　seldom　tell
one　anything　beyond　the　next　stage。　　When　I　inquire　about　the
〃unbeaten　tracks〃　that　I　wish　to　take；　the　answers　are；　〃It's　an
awful　road　through　mountains；〃　or　〃There　are　many　bad　rivers　to
cross；〃　or　〃There　are　none　but　farmers'　houses　to　stop　at。〃　　No
encouragement　is　ever　given；　but　we　get　on；　and　shall　get　on；　I
doubt　not；　though　the　hardships　are　not　what　I　would　desire　in　my
present　state　of　health。

Very　few　horses　are　kept　here。　　Cows　and　coolies　carry　much　of　the
merchandise；　and　women　as　well　as　men　carry　heavy　loads。　　A　baggage
coolie　carries　about　50　lbs。；　but　here　merchants　carrying　their　own
goods　from　Yamagata　actually　carry　from　90　to　140　lbs。；　and　even
more。　　It　is　sickening　to　meet　these　poor　fellows　struggling　over
the　mountain…passes　in　evident　distress。　　Last　night　five　of　them
were　resting　on　the　summit　ridge　of　a　pass　gasping　violently。
Their　eyes　were　starting　out；　all　their　muscles；　rendered　painfully
visible　by　their　leanness；　were　quivering；　rills　of　blood　from　the
bite　of　insects；　which　they　cannot　drive　away；　were　literally
running　all　over　their　naked　bodies；　washed　away　here　and　there　by
copious　perspiration。　　Truly　〃in　the　sweat　of　their　brows〃　they
were　eating　bread　and　earning　an　honest　living　for　their　families！
Suffering　and　hard…worked　as　they　were；　they　were　quite
independent。　　I　have　not　seen　a　beggar　or　beggary　in　this　strange
country。　　The　women　were　carrying　70　lbs。　　These　burden…bearers
have　their　backs　covered　by　a　thick　pad　of　plaited　straw。　　On　this
rests　a　ladder；　curved　up　at　the　lower　end　like　the　runners　of　a
sleigh。　　On　this　the　load　is　carefully　packed　till　it　extends　from
below　the　man's　waist　to　a　considerable　height　above　his　head。　　It
is　covered　with　waterproof　paper；　securely　roped；　and　thatched　with
straw；　and　is　supported　by　a　broad　padded　band　just　below　the
collar　bones。　　Of　course；　as　the　man　walks　nearly　bent　double；　and
the　position　is　a　very　painful　one；　he　requires　to　stop　and
straighten　himself　frequently；　and　unless　he　meets　with　a　bank　of
convenient　height；　he　rests　the　bottom　of　his　burden　on　a　short；
stout　pole　with　an　L…shaped　top；　carried　for　this　purpose。　　The
carryi