Lebunge 1 27 5 22
Oshamambe 56 38 6 34
Yamakushinai 40 4 18
Otoshibe 40 2 3
Mori 105 3 29
Togenoshita 55 6 7
Hakodate 37；000 souls 3 29
About 358 English miles。
LETTER XLII
Pleasant Last ImpressionsThe Japanese JunkIto DisappearsMy
Letter of Thanks。
HAKODATE； YEZO； September 14； 1878。
This is my last day in Yezo； and the sun； shining brightly over the
grey and windy capital； is touching the pink peaks of Komono…taki
with a deeper red； and is brightening my last impressions； which；
like my first； are very pleasant。 The bay is deep blue； flecked
with violet shadows； and about sixty junks are floating upon it at
anchor。 There are vessels of foreign rig too； but the wan； pale
junks lying motionless； or rolling into the harbour under their
great white sails； fascinate me as when I first saw them in the
Gulf of Yedo。 They are antique…looking and picturesque； but are
fitter to give interest to a picture than to battle with stormy
seas。
Most of the junks in the bay are about 120 tons burthen； 100 feet
long； with an extreme beam； far aft； of twenty…five feet。 The bow
is long； and curves into a lofty stem； like that of a Roman galley；
finished with a beak head； to secure the forestay of the mast。
This beak is furnished with two large； goggle eyes。 The mast is a
ponderous spar； fifty feet high； composed of pieces of pine；
pegged； glued； and hooped together。 A heavy yard is hung
amidships。 The sail is an oblong of widths of strong； white cotton
artistically 〃PUCKERED；〃 not sewn together； but laced vertically；
leaving a decorative lacing six inches wide between each two
widths。 Instead of reefing in a strong wind； a width is unlaced；
so as to reduce the canvas vertically； not horizontally。 Two blue
spheres commonly adorn the sail。 The mast is placed well abaft；
and to tack or veer it is only necessary to reverse the sheet。
When on a wind the long bow and nose serve as a head…sail。 The
high； square； piled…up stern； with its antique carving； and the
sides with their lattice…work； are wonderful； together with the
extraordinary size and projection of the rudder； and the length of
the tiller。 The anchors are of grapnel shape； and the larger junks
have from six to eight arranged on the fore…end； giving one an idea
of bad holding…ground along the coast。 They really are much like
the shape of a Chinese 〃small…footed〃 woman's shoe； and look very
unmanageable。 They are of unpainted wood； and have a wintry；
ghastly look about them。 ｛22｝
I have parted with Ito finally to…day； with great regret。 He has
served me faithfully； and on most common topics I can get much more
information through him than from any foreigner。 I miss him
already； though he insisted on packing for me as usual； and put all
my things in order。 His cleverness is something surprising。 He
goes to a good； manly master； who will help him to be good and set
him a virtuous example； and that is a satisfaction。 Before he left
he wrote a letter for me to the Governor of Mororan； thanking him
on my behalf for the use of the kuruma and other courtesies。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XLIII
Pleasant ProspectsA Miserable DisappointmentCaught in a
TyphoonA Dense FogAlarmist RumoursA Welcome at TokiyoThe
Last of the Mutineers。
H。 B。 M。's LEGATION； YEDO； September 21。
A placid sea； which after much disturbance had sighed itself to
rest； and a high； steady barometer promised a fifty hours' passage
to Yokohama； and when Dr。 and Mrs。 Hepburn and I left Hakodate； by
moonlight； on the night of the 14th； as the only passengers in the
Hiogo Maru； Captain Moore； her genial； pleasant master；
congratulated us on the rapid and delightful passage before us； and
we separated at midnight with many projects for pleasant
intercourse and occupation。
But a more miserable voyage I never made； and it was not until the
afternoon of the 17th that we crawled forth from our cabins to
speak to each other。 On the second day out； great heat came on
with suffocating closeness； the mercury rose to 85 degrees； and in
lat。 38 degrees 0' N。 and long。 141 degrees 30' E。 we encountered
a 〃typhoon；〃 otherwise a 〃cyclone；〃 otherwise a 〃revolving
hurricane；〃 which lasted for twenty…five hours； and 〃jettisoned〃
the cargo。 Captain Moor has given me a very interesting diagram of
it； showing the attempts which he made to avoid its vortex； through
which our course would have taken us； and to keep as much outside
it as possible。 The typhoon was succeeded by a dense fog； so that
our fifty…hour passage became seventy…two hours； and we landed at
Yokohama near upon midnight of the 17th； to find traces of much
disaster； the whole low…lying country flooded； the railway between
Yokohama and the capital impassable； great anxiety about the rice
crop； the air full of alarmist rumours； and paper money； which was
about par when I arrived in May； at a discount of 13 per cent！ In
the early part of this year （1880） it has touched 42 per cent。
Late in the afternoon the railroad was re…opened； and I came here
with Mr。 Wilkinson； glad to settle down to a period of rest and
ease under this hospitable roof。 The afternoon was bright and
sunny； and Tokiyo was looking its best。 The long lines of yashikis
looked handsome； the castle moat was so full of the gigantic leaves
of the lotus； that the water was hardly visible； the grass
embankments of the upper moat were a brilliant green； the pines on
their summits stood out boldly against the clear sky； the hill on
which the Legation stands looked dry and cheerful； and； better than
all； I had a most kindly welcome from those who have made this
house my home in a strange land。
Tokiyo is tranquil； that is； it is disturbed only by fears for the
rice crop； and by the fall in satsu。 The military mutineers have
been tried； popular rumour says tortured； and fifty…two have been
shot。 The summer has been the worst for some years； and now dark
heat； moist heat； and nearly ceasless rain prevail。 People have
been 〃rained up〃 in their summer quarters。 〃Surely it will change
soon；〃 people say； and they have said the same thing for three
months。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XLIV
Fine WeatherCremation in JapanThe Governor of TokiyoAn
Awkward QuestionAn Insignificant BuildingEconomy in Funeral
ExpensesSimplicity of the Cremation ProcessThe Last of Japan。
H。 B。 M。's LEGATION； YEDO； December 18。
I have spent the last ten days here； in settled fine weather； such
as should have begun two months ago if the climate had behaved as
it ought。 The time has flown by in excursions； shopping； select
little dinner…parties； farewell calls； and visits made with Mr。
Chamberlain to the famous groves and temples of Ikegami； where the
Buddhist bishop and priests entertained us in one of the guest…
rooms； and to Enoshima and Kamakura； 〃vulgar〃 resorts which nothing
can vulgarise so long as Fujisan towers above them。
I will mention but one 〃sight；〃 which is so far out of the beaten
track that it was only after prolonged inquiry that its whereabouts
was ascertained。 Among Buddhists； specially of the Monto sect；
cremation was largely practised till it was forbidden five years
ago； as some suppose in deference to European prejudices。 Three
years ago； however； the prohibition was withdrawn； and in this
short space of time the number of bodies burned has reached nearly
nine thousand annually。 Sir H。 Parkes applied for permission for
me to visit the Kirigaya ground； one of five； and after a few
delays it was granted by the Governor of Tokiyo at Mr。 Mori's
request； so yesterday； attended by the Legation linguist； I
presented myself at the fine yashiki of the Tokiyo Fu； and quite
unexpectedly was admitted to an audience of the Governor。 Mr。
Kusamoto is a well…bred gentleman； and his face expresses the
energy and ability which he has given proof of possessing。 He
wears his European clothes becomingly； and in attitude； as well as
manner； is easy and dignified。 After asking me a great deal about
my northern tour and the Ainos； he expressed a wish for candid
criticism； but as this in the East must not be taken literally； I
merely ventured to say that the roads lag behind the progress made
in other directions； upon which he entered upon explanations which
doubtless apply to the past road…history of the country。 He spoke
of cremation and its 〃necessity〃 in large cities； and terminated
the interview by requesting me to dismiss my interpreter and
kuruma； as he was going to send me to Meguro in his own carriage
with one of the Government interpreters； adding very courteously
that it gave him pleasure to show this attention to a guest of the
British Minister； 〃for whose character and important services to
Japan he has a high value。〃
An hour's drive； with an extra amount of yelling from the bettos；
took us to a suburb of little hills and valleys； where red
camellias and feathery bamboo against backgrounds of cryptomeria
contrast with the grey monotone of Bri