《unbeaten tracks in japan》

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unbeaten tracks in japan- 第50部分


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impregnated with sulphur from some medicinal springs above; with a
steep bank of tangle on the opposite side。  This beautiful stream
was crossed by two round poles; a foot apart; on which I attempted
to walk with the help of an Aino hand; but the poles were very
unsteady; and I doubt whether any one; even with a strong head;
could walk on them in boots。  Then the beautiful Aino signed to me
to come back and mount on his shoulders; but when he had got a few
feet out the poles swayed and trembled so much that he was obliged
to retrace his way cautiously; during which process I endured
miseries from dizziness and fear; after which he carried me through
the rushing water; which was up to his shoulders; and through a bit
of swampy jungle; and up a steep bank; to the great fatigue both of
body and mind; hardly mitigated by the enjoyment of the ludicrous
in riding a savage through these Yezo waters。  They dexterously
carried the kuruma through; on the shoulders of four; and showed
extreme anxiety that neither it nor I should get wet。  After this
we crossed two deep; still rivers in scows; and far above the grey
level and the grey sea the sun was setting in gold and vermilion…
streaked green behind a glorified mountain of great height; at
whose feet the forest…covered hills lay in purple gloom。  At dark
we reached Shiraoi; a village of eleven Japanese houses; with a
village of fifty…one Aino houses; near the sea。  There is a large
yadoya of the old style there; but I found that Ito had chosen a
very pretty new one; with four stalls open to the road; in the
centre one of which I found him; with the welcome news that a steak
of fresh salmon was broiling on the coals; and; as the room was
clean and sweet and I was very hungry; I enjoyed my meal by the
light of a rush in a saucer of fish…oil as much as any part of the
day。

SARUFUTO。

The night was too cold for sleep; and at daybreak; hearing a great
din; I looked out; and saw a drove of fully a hundred horses all
galloping down the road; with two Ainos on horse…back; and a number
of big dogs after them。  Hundreds of horses run nearly wild on the
hills; and the Ainos; getting a large drove together; skilfully
head them for the entrance into the corral; in which a selection of
them is made for the day's needs; and the remainderthat is; those
with the deepest sores on their backsare turned loose。  This dull
rattle of shoeless feet is the first sound in the morning in these
Yezo villages。  I sent Ito on early; and followed at nine with
three Ainos。  The road is perfectly level for thirteen miles;
through gravel flats and swamps; very monotonous; but with a wild
charm of its own。  There were swampy lakes; with wild ducks and
small white water…lilies; and the surrounding levels were covered
with reedy grass; flowers; and weeds。  The early autumn has
withered a great many of the flowers; but enough remains to show
how beautiful the now russet plains must have been in the early
summer。  A dwarf rose; of a deep crimson colour; with orange;
medlar…shaped hips; as large as crabs; and corollas three inches
across; is one of the features of Yezo; and besides; there is a
large rose…red convolvulus; a blue campanula; with tiers of bells;
a blue monkshood; the Aconitum Japonicum; the flaunting Calystegia
soldanella; purple asters; grass of Parnassus; yellow lilies; and a
remarkable trailer; whose delicate leafage looked quite out of
place among its coarse surroundings; with a purplish…brown
campanulate blossom; only remarkable for a peculiar arrangement of
the pistil; green stamens; and a most offensive carrion…like odour;
which is probably to attract to it a very objectionable…looking
fly; for purposes of fertilisation。

We overtook four Aino women; young and comely; with bare feet;
striding firmly along; and after a good deal of laughing with the
men; they took hold of the kuruma; and the whole seven raced with
it at full speed for half a mile; shrieking with laughter。  Soon
after we came upon a little tea…house; and the Ainos showed me a
straw package; and pointed to their open mouths; by which I
understood that they wished to stop and eat。  Later we overtook
four Japanese on horseback; and the Ainos raced with them for a
considerable distance; the result of these spurts being that I
reached Tomakomai at noona wide; dreary place; with houses roofed
with sod; bearing luxuriant crops of weeds。  Near this place is the
volcano of Tarumai; a calm…looking; grey cone; whose skirts are
draped by tens of thousands of dead trees。  So calm and grey had it
looked for many a year that people supposed it had passed into
endless rest; when quite lately; on a sultry day; it blew off its
cap and covered the whole country for many a mile with cinders and
ashes; burning up the forest on its sides; adding a new covering to
the Tomakomai roofs; and depositing fine ash as far as Cape Erimo;
fifty miles off。

At this place the road and telegraph wires turn inland to
Satsuporo; and a track for horses only turns to the north…east; and
straggles round the island for about seven hundred miles。  From
Mororan to Sarufuto there are everywhere traces of new and old
volcanic actionpumice; tufas; conglomerates; and occasional beds
of hard basalt; all covered with recent pumice; which; from Shiraoi
eastwards; conceals everything。  At Tomakomai we took horses; and;
as I brought my own saddle; I have had the nearest approach to real
riding that I have enjoyed in Japan。  The wife of a Satsuporo
doctor was there; who was travelling for two hundred miles astride
on a pack…saddle; with rope…loops for stirrups。  She rode well; and
vaulted into my saddle with circus…like dexterity; and performed
many equestrian feats upon it; telling me that she should be quite
happy if she were possessed of it。

I was happy when I left the 〃beaten track〃 to Satsuporo; and saw
before me; stretching for I know not how far; rolling; sandy
machirs like those of the Outer Hebrides; desert…like and lonely;
covered almost altogether with dwarf roses and campanulas; a
prairie land on which you can make any tracks you please。  Sending
the others on; I followed them at the Yezo scramble; and soon
ventured on a long gallop; and revelled in the music of the thud of
shoeless feet over the elastic soil; but I had not realised the
peculiarities of Yezo steeds; and had forgotten to ask whether mine
was a 〃front horse;〃 and just as we were going at full speed we
came nearly up with the others; and my horse coming abruptly to a
full stop; I went six feet over his head among the rose…bushes。
Ito looking back saw me tightening the saddle…girths; and I never
divulged this escapade。

After riding eight miles along this breezy belt; with the sea on
one side and forests on the other; we came upon Yubets; a place
which has fascinated me so much that I intend to return to it; but
I must confess that its fascinations depend rather upon what it has
not than upon what it has; and Ito says that it would kill him to
spend even two days there。  It looks like the end of all things; as
if loneliness and desolation could go no farther。  A sandy stretch
on three sides; a river arrested in its progress to the sea; and
compelled to wander tediously in search of an outlet by the height
and mass of the beach thrown up by the Pacific; a distant forest…
belt rising into featureless; wooded ranges in shades of indigo and
grey; and a never…absent consciousness of a vast ocean just out of
sight; are the environments of two high look…outs; some sheds for
fish…oil purposes; four or five Japanese houses; four Aino huts on
the top of the beach across the river; and a grey barrack;
consisting of a polished passage eighty feet long; with small rooms
on either side; at one end a gravelled yard; with two quiet rooms
opening upon it; and at the other an immense daidokoro; with dark
recesses and blackened raftersa haunted…looking abode。  One would
suppose that there had been a special object in setting the houses
down at weary distances from each other。  Few as they are; they are
not all inhabited at this season; and all that can be seen is grey
sand; sparse grass; and a few savages creeping about。

Nothing that I have seen has made such an impression upon me as
that ghostly; ghastly fishing…station。  In the long grey wall of
the long grey barrack there were many dismal windows; and when we
hooted for admission a stupid face appeared at one of them and
disappeared。  Then a grey gateway opened; and we rode into a yard
of grey gravel; with some silent rooms opening upon it。  The
solitude of the thirty or forty rooms which lie between it and the
kitchen; and which are now filled with nets and fishing…tackle; was
something awful; and as the wind swept along the polished passage;
rattling the fusuma and lifting the shingles on the roof; and the
rats careered from end to end; I went to the great black daidokoro
in search of social life; and found a few embers and an andon; and
nothing else but the stupid…faced man deploring his fate; and two
orphan boys whose lot he makes more wretched than his own。  In the
fishing…season this barrack accommodates from 200 to 300 men。

I started 
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