unbeaten tracks in japan-第38章
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and by dragging； pushing； and lifting； they got me into Aomori； a
town of grey houses； grey roofs； and grey stones on roofs； built on
a beach of grey sand； round a grey baya miserable…looking place；
though the capital of the ken。
It has a great export trade in cattle and rice to Yezo； besides
being the outlet of an immense annual emigration from northern
Japan to the Yezo fishery； and imports from Hakodate large
quantities of fish； skins； and foreign merchandise。 It has some
trade in a pretty but not valuable 〃seaweed；〃 or variegated
lacquer； called Aomori lacquer； but not actually made there； its
own speciality being a sweetmeat made of beans and sugar。 It has a
deep and well…protected harbour； but no piers or conveniences for
trade。 It has barracks and the usual Government buildings； but
there was no time to learn anything about it；only a short half…
hour for getting my ticket at the Mitsu Bishi office； where they
demanded and copied my passport； for snatching a morsel of fish at
a restaurant where 〃foreign food〃 was represented by a very dirty
table…cloth； and for running down to the grey beach； where I was
carried into a large sampan crowded with Japanese steerage
passengers。
The wind was rising； a considerable surf was running； the spray was
flying over the boat； the steamer had her steam up； and was ringing
and whistling impatiently； there was a scud of rain； and I was
standing trying to keep my paper waterproof from being blown off；
when three inopportune policemen jumped into the boat and demanded
my passport。 For a moment I wished them and the passport under the
waves！ The steamer is a little old paddle…boat of about 70 tons；
with no accommodation but a single cabin on deck。 She was as clean
and trim as a yacht； and； like a yacht； totally unfit for bad
weather。 Her captain； engineers； and crew were all Japanese； and
not a word of English was spoken。 My clothes were very wet； and
the night was colder than the day had been； but the captain kindly
covered me up with several blankets on the floor； so I did not
suffer。 We sailed early in the evening； with a brisk northerly
breeze； which chopped round to the south…east； and by eleven blew a
gale； the sea ran high； the steamer laboured and shipped several
heavy seas； much water entered the cabin； the captain came below
every half…hour； tapped the barometer； sipped some tea； offered me
a lump of sugar； and made a face and gesture indicative of bad
weather； and we were buffeted about mercilessly till 4 a。m。； when
heavy rain came on； and the gale fell temporarily with it。 The
boat is not fit for a night passage； and always lies in port when
bad weather is expected； and as this was said to be the severest
gale which has swept the Tsugaru Strait since January； the captain
was uneasy about her； but being so； showed as much calmness as if
he had been a Briton！
The gale rose again after sunrise； and when； after doing sixty
miles in fourteen hours； we reached the heads of Hakodate Harbour；
it was blowing and pouring like a bad day in Argyllshire； the spin…
drift was driving over the bay； the Yezo mountains loomed darkly
and loftily through rain and mist； and wind and thunder； and
〃noises of the northern sea；〃 gave me a wild welcome to these
northern shores。 A rocky head like Gibraltar； a cold…blooded…
looking grey town； straggling up a steep hillside； a few coniferae；
a great many grey junks； a few steamers and vessels of foreign rig
at anchor； a number of sampans riding the rough water easily； seen
in flashes between gusts of rain and spin…drift； were all I saw；
but somehow it all pleased me from its breezy； northern look。
The steamer was not expected in the gale； so no one met me； and I
went ashore with fifty Japanese clustered on the top of a decked
sampan in such a storm of wind and rain that it took us 1。5 hours
to go half a mile； then I waited shelterless on the windy beach
till the Customs' Officers were roused from their late slumbers；
and then battled with the storm for a mile up a steep hill。 I was
expected at the hospitable Consulate； but did not know it； and came
here to the Church Mission House； to which Mr。 and Mrs。 Dening
kindly invited me when I met them in Tokiyo。 I was unfit to enter
a civilised dwelling； my clothes； besides being soaked； were coated
and splashed with mud up to the top of my hat； my gloves and boots
were finished； my mud…splashed baggage was soaked with salt water；
but I feel a somewhat legitimate triumph at having conquered all
obstacles； and having accomplished more than I intended to
accomplish when I left Yedo。
How musical the clamour of the northern ocean is！ How inspiriting
the shrieking and howling of the boisterous wind！ Even the fierce
pelting of the rain is home…like； and the cold in which one shivers
is stimulating！ You cannot imagine the delight of being in a room
with a door that will lock； to be in a bed instead of on a
stretcher； of finding twenty…three letters containing good news；
and of being able to read them in warmth and quietness under the
roof of an English home！
I。 L。 B。
ITINERARY OF ROUTE FROM NIIGATA TO AOMORI
No。 of Houses。 Ri。 Cho。
Kisaki 56 4
Tsuiji 209 6
Kurokawa 215 2 12
Hanadati 2O 2
Kawaguchi 27 3
Numa 24 1 18
Tamagawa 40 3
Okuni 210 2 11
Kurosawa 17 1 18
Ichinono 2O 1 18
Shirokasawa 42 1 21
Tenoko 120 3 11
Komatsu 513 2 13
Akayu 350 4
Kaminoyama 650 5
Yamagata 21；O00 souls 3 19
Tendo 1；040 3 8
Tateoka 307 3 21
Tochiida 217 1 33
Obanasawa 506 1 21
Ashizawa 70 1 21
Shinjo 1；060 4 6
Kanayama 165 3 27
Nosoki 37 3 9
Innai 257 3 12
Yusawa 1；506 3 35
Yokote 2；070 4 27
Rokugo 1；062 6
Shingoji 209 1 28
Kubota 36；587 souls 16
Minato 2；108 1 28
Carry forward 107 21
No。 of Houses Ri。 Cho。
Brought forward 107 21
Abukawa 163 3 33
Ichi Nichi Ichi 306 1 34
Kado 151 2 9
Hinikoyama 396 2 9
Tsugurata 186 1 14
Tubine 153 1 18
Kiriishi 31 1 14
Kotsunagi 47 1 16
Tsuguriko 136 3 5
Odate 1；673 4 23
Shirasawa 71 2 19
Ikarigaseki 175 4 18
Kuroishi 1；176 6 19
Daishaka 43 4
Shinjo 51 2 21
Aomori 1 24
Ri 153 9
About 368 miles。
This is considerably under the actual distance； as on several of
the mountain routes the ri is 56 cho； but in the lack of accurate
information the ri has been taken at its ordinary standard of 36
cho throughout。
LETTER XXXIII
Form and ColourA Windy CapitalEccentricities in House Roofs。
HAKODATE； YEZO； August 13； 1878
After a tremendous bluster for two days the weather has become
beautifully fine； and I find the climate here more invigorating
than that of the main island。 It is Japan； but yet there is a
difference somehow。 When the mists lift they reveal not mountains
smothered in greenery； but naked peaks； volcanoes only recently
burnt out； with the red ash flaming under the noonday sun； and
passing through shades of pink into violet at sundown。 Strips of
sand border the bay； ranges of hills； with here and there a patch
of pine or scrub； fade into the far…off blue； and the great cloud
shadows lie upon their scored sides in indigo and purple。 Blue as
the Adriatic are the waters of the land…locked bay； and the snowy
sails of pale junks look whiter than snow against its intense
azure。 The abruptness of the double peaks behind the town is
softened by a belt of cryptomeria； the sandy strip which connects
the headland with the mainland heightens the general resemblance of
the contour of the ground to Gibraltar； but while one dreams of the
western world a kuruma passes one at a trot； temple drums are
beaten in a manner which does not recall 〃the roll of the British
drum；〃 a Buddhist funeral passes down the street； or a man…cart
pulled and pushed by four yellow…skinned； little…clothed mannikins；
creaks by； with the monotonous grunt of Ha huida。
A single look at Hakodate itself makes one feel that it is Japan
all over。 The streets are very wide and clean； but the houses are
mean and low。 The city looks as if it had just recovered from a
conflagration。 The houses are nothing but tinder。 The grand tile
roofs of some other cities are not to be seen。 There is not an
element of permanence in the wide； and windy streets。 It is an
increasing and busy place； it lies for two miles along the shore；
and has climbed the hill till it can go no higher； but still houses
and people look poor。 It has a skeleton aspect too； which is
partially due to the number of permanent 〃clothes…horses〃 on the
roofs。 Stones； however； are its prominent feature。 Looking down
upon it from above you see miles of grey boulders； and realise that
every roof in the windy capital is 〃hodden doun〃 by a weight of
paving stones。 Nor is this all。 Some of the flatter roofs are
pebbled all over like a courtyard； and others； such as the roof of
this house； for instance； are covered with sod and crops of grass；
the two latter arrangements being precautions against risks from
sparks during fires。 These paving stones are certainly the
cheapest possible mode of keeping the roofs on the houses in such a
windy region； but they look odd。
None of the streets； except one high up the hill； with a row of
fine temples and temple grounds； call for any notice。 Nearly every
house is a shop； most of the shops supply only the ordinary
articles consumed by a large and poor population； either real or
imitated foreign goods abound in Main Street； and the only
novelties are the furs； skins； and horns； which abound in shops
devoted to their sale。 I covet the great bear furs and the deep
cream…coloured furs of Aino dogs； which are cheap as well as
handsome。 There are many second…hand； or； as they are called；
〃curio〃 shops； and the cheap lacquer from Aomori is also tempting
to a stranger。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XXXIV
Ito's Delinquency〃Missionary Manners〃A Predicted Failure。
HAKODATE； YEZO。
I a
