unbeaten tracks in japan-第51节

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fishing…season　this　barrack　accommodates　from　200　to　300　men。

I　started　to　the　sea…shore；　crossing　the　dreary　river；　and　found
open　sheds　much　blackened；　deserted　huts　of　reeds；　long　sheds　with
a　nearly　insufferable　odour　from　caldrons　in　which　oil　had　been
extracted　from　last　year's　fish；　two　or　three　Aino　huts；　and　two　or
three　grand…looking　Ainos；　clothed　in　skins；　striding　like　ghosts
over　the　sandbanks；　a　number　of　wolfish　dogs；　some　log　canoes　or
〃dug…outs；〃　the　bones　of　a　wrecked　junk；　a　quantity　of　bleached
drift…wood；　a　beach　of　dark…grey　sand；　and　a　tossing　expanse　of
dark…grey　ocean　under　a　dull　and　windy　sky。　　On　this　part　of　the
coast　the　Pacific　spends　its　fury；　and　has　raised　up　at　a　short
distance　above　high…water　mark　a　sandy　sweep　of　such　a　height　that
when　you　descend　its　seaward　slope　you　see　nothing　but　the　sea　and
the　sky；　and　a　grey；　curving　shore；　covered　thick　for　many　a　lonely
mile　with　fantastic　forms　of　whitened　drift…wood；　the　shattered
wrecks　of　forest…trees；　which　are　carried　down　by　the　innumerable
rivers；　till；　after　tossing　for　weeks　and　months　along　with


〃wrecks　of　ships；　and　drifting
spars　uplifting
On　the　desolate；　rainy　seas：
Ever　drifting；　drifting；　drifting；
On　the　shifting
Currents　of　the　restless　main；〃


the　〃toiling　surges〃　cast　them　on　Yubets　beach；　and


〃All　have　found　repose　again。〃


A　grim　repose！

The　deep　boom　of　the　surf　was　music；　and　the　strange　cries　of　sea…
birds；　and　the　hoarse　notes　of　the　audacious　black　crows；　were　all
harmonious；　for　nature；　when　left　to　herself；　never　produces
discords　either　in　sound　or　colour。



LETTER　XXXV（Continued）



The　Harmonies　of　NatureA　Good　HorseA　Single　DiscordA　Forest
Aino　Ferrymen〃Les　Puces！　　Les　Puces！〃Baffled　ExplorersIto's
Contempt　for　AinosAn　Aino　Introduction。

SARUFUTO。

No！　　Nature　has　no　discords。　　This　morning；　to　the　far　horizon；
diamond…flashing　blue　water　shimmered　in　perfect　peace；　outlined　by
a　line　of　surf　which　broke　lazily　on　a　beach　scarcely　less　snowy
than　itself。　　The　deep；　perfect　blue　of　the　sky　was　only　broken　by
a　few　radiant　white　clouds；　whose　shadows　trailed　slowly　over　the
plain　on　whose　broad　bosom　a　thousand　corollas；　in　the　glory　of
their　brief　but　passionate　life；　were　drinking　in　the　sunshine；
wavy　ranges　slept　in　depths　of　indigo；　and　higher　hills　beyond　were
painted　in　faint　blue　on　the　dreamy　sky。　　Even　the　few　grey　houses
of　Yubets　were　spiritualised　into　harmony　by　a　faint　blue　veil
which　was　not　a　mist；　and　the　loud　croak　of　the　loquacious　and
impertinent　crows　had　a　cheeriness　about　it；　a　hearty　mockery；
which　I　liked。

Above　all；　I　had　a　horse　so　good　that　he　was　always　trying　to　run
away；　and　galloped　so　lightly　over　the　flowery　grass　that　I　rode
the　seventeen　miles　here　with　great　enjoyment。　　Truly　a　good　horse；
good　ground　to　gallop　on；　and　sunshine；　make　up　the　sum　of
enjoyable　travelling。　　The　discord　in　the　general　harmony　was
produced　by　the　sight　of　the　Ainos；　a　harmless　people　without　the
instinct　of　progress；　descending　to　that　vast　tomb　of　conquered　and
unknown　races　which　has　opened　to　receive　so　many　before　them。　　A
mounted　policeman　started　with　us　from　Yubets；　and　rode　the　whole
way　here；　keeping　exactly　to　my　pace；　but　never　speaking　a　word。
We　forded　one　broad；　deep　river；　and　crossed　another；　partly　by
fording　and　partly　in　a　scow；　after　which　the　track　left　the　level；
and；　after　passing　through　reedy　grass　as　high　as　the　horse's　ears；
went　for　some　miles　up　and　down　hill；　through　woods　composed
entirely　of　the　Ailanthus　glandulosus；　with　leaves　much　riddled　by
the　mountain　silk…worm；　and　a　ferny　undergrowth　of　the　familiar
Pteris　aquilina。　　The　deep　shade　and　glancing　lights　of　this　open
copsewood　were　very　pleasant；　and　as　the　horse　tripped　gaily　up　and
down　the　little　hills；　and　the　sea　murmur　mingled　with　the　rustle
of　the　breeze；　and　a　glint　of　white　surf　sometimes　flashed　through
the　greenery；　and　dragonflies　and　butterflies　in　suits　of　crimson
and　black　velvet　crossed　the　path　continually　like　〃living　flashes〃
of　light；　I　was　reminded　somewhat；　though　faintly；　of　windward
Hawaii。　　We　emerged　upon　an　Aino　hut　and　a　beautiful　placid　river；
and　two　Ainos　ferried　the　four　people　and　horses　across　in　a　scow；
the　third　wading　to　guide　the　boat。　　They　wore　no　clothing；　but
only　one　was　hairy。　　They　were　superb…looking　men；　gentle；　and
extremely　courteous；　handing　me　in　and　out　of　the　boat；　and　holding
the　stirrup　while　I　mounted；　with　much　natural　grace。　　On　leaving
they　extended　their　arms　and　waved　their　hands　inwards　twice；
stroking　their　grand　beards　afterwards；　which　is　their　usual
salutation。　　A　short　distance　over　shingle　brought　us　to　this
Japanese　village　of　sixty…three　houses；　a　colonisation　settlement；
mainly　of　samurai　from　the　province　of　Sendai；　who　are　raising　very
fine　crops　on　the　sandy　soil。　　The　mountains；　twelve　miles　in　the
interior；　have　a　large　Aino　population；　and　a　few　Ainos　live　near
this　village　and　are　held　in　great　contempt　by　its　inhabitants。　　My
room　is　on　the　village　street；　and；　as　it　is　too　warm　to　close　the
shoji；　the　aborigines　stand　looking　in　at　the　lattice　hour　after
hour。

A　short　time　ago　Mr。　Von　Siebold　and　Count　Diesbach　galloped　up　on
their　return　from　Biratori；　the　Aino　village　to　which　I　am　going；
and　Count　D。；　throwing　himself　from　his　horse；　rushed　up　to　me　with
the　exclamation；　Les　puces！　les　puces！　　They　have　brought　down　with
them　the　chief；　Benri；　a　superb　but　dissipated…looking　savage。　　Mr。
Von　Siebold　called　on　me　this　evening；　and　I　envied　him　his　fresh；
clean　clothing　as　much　as　he　envied　me　my　stretcher　and　mosquito…
net。　　They　have　suffered　terribly　from　fleas；　mosquitoes；　and
general　discomfort；　and　are　much　exhausted；　but　Mr。　Von　S。　thinks
that；　in　spite　of　all；　a　visit　to　the　mountain　Ainos　is　worth　a
long　journey。　　As　I　expected；　they　have　completely　failed　in　their
explorations；　and　have　been　deserted　by　Lieutenant　Kreitner。　　I
asked　Mr。　Von　S。　to　speak　to　Ito　in　Japanese　about　the　importance
of　being　kind　and　courteous　to　the　Ainos　whose　hospitality　I　shall
receive；　and　Ito　is　very　indignant　at　this。　　〃Treat　Ainos
politely！〃　he　says；　〃they're　just　dogs；　not　men；〃　and　since　he　has
regaled　me　with　all　the　scandal　concerning　them　which　he　has　been
able　to　rake　together　in　the　village。

We　have　to　take　not　only　food　for　both　Ito　and　myself；　but　cooking
utensils。　　I　have　been　introduced　to　Benri；　the　chief；　and；　though
he　does　not　return　for　a　day　or　two；　he　will　send　a　message　along
with　us　which　will　ensure　me　hospitality。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXXVI



Savage　LifeA　Forest　TrackCleanly　VillagesA　Hospitable
ReceptionThe　Chief's　MotherThe　Evening　MealA　Savage　Seance
Libations　to　the　GodsNocturnal　SilenceAino　CourtesyThe
Chief's　Wife。

AINO　HUT；　BIRATORI；　August　23。

I　am　in　the　lonely　Aino　land；　and　I　think　that　the　most　interesting
of　my　travelling　experiences　has　been　the　living　for　three　days　and
two　nights　in　an　Aino　hut；　and　seeing　and　sharing　the　daily　life　of
complete　savages；　who　go　on　with　their　ordinary　occupations　just　as
if　I　were　not　among　them。　　I　found　yesterday　a　most　fatiguing　and
over…exciting　day；　as　everything　was　new　and　interesting；　even　the
extracting　from　men　who　have　few　if　any　ideas　in　common　with　me　all
I　could　extract　concerning　their　religion　and　customs；　and　that
through　an　interpreter。　　I　got　up　at　six　this　morning　to　write　out
my　notes；　and　have　been　writing　for　five　hours；　and　there　is
shortly　the　prospect　of　another　savage　seance。　　The　distractions；
as　you　can　imagine；　are　many。　　At　this　moment　a　savage　is　taking　a
cup　of　sake　by　the　fire　in　the　centre　of　the　floor。　　He　salutes　me
by　extending　his　hands　and　waving　them　towards　his　face；　and　then
dips　a　rod　in　the　sake；　and　makes　six　libations　to　the　godan
upright　piece　of　wood　with　a　fringe　of　shavings　planted　in　the
floor　of　the　room。　　Then　he　waves　the　cup　several　times　towards
himself；　makes　other　libations　to　the　fire；　and　drinks。　　Ten　other
men　and　women　are　sitting　along　each　side　of　the　fire…hole；　the
chief's　wife　is　cooking；　the　men　are　apathetically　contemplating
the　preparation　of　their　food；　and　the　other　women；　who　are　never
idle；　are　splitting　the　bark　of　which　they　make　their　clothes。　　I
occupy　the　guest　seata　raised　platform　at　one　end　of　the　fire；
with　the　skin　of　a　black　bear　thrown　over　it。

I　have　reserved　all　I　have　to　say　about　the　Ainos　till　I　had　been
actually　among　them；　and　I　hope　you　will　have　patience　to　read　to
the　end。　　Ito　is　very　greedy　and　self…indulgent；　and　whimpered　very
much　about　coming　to　Biratori　at　all；one　would　have　thought　he
was　going　to　the　stake。　　He　actually　borrowed　for　himself　a
sleeping　mat　and　futons；　and　has　brought　a　chicken；　onions；
potatoes；　French　beans；　Japanese　sauce；　tea；　rice；　a　kettle；　a
stew…pan；　and　a　rice…pan；　while　I　contented　myself　with　a　cold　fowl
and　potatoes。

We　took　three　horses　and　a　mounted　Aino　guide；　and　found　a　beaten
track　the　whole　way。　　It　turns　into　the　forest　at　once　on　leaving
Sarufuto；　and　goes　through　forest　the　entire　distance；　with　an
abundance　of　reedy　grass　higher　than　my　hat