Beetles，spiders，andwood-liceheldacarnivalinmyroomafterdark，andthepresenceofhorsesinthesamehousebroughtanumberofhorseflies。Isprinkledmystretcherwithinsectpowder，butmyblankethadbeenonthefloorforoneminute，andfleasrenderedsleepimpossible。Thenightwasverylong。Theandonwentout，leavingastrongsmellofrancidoil。TheprimitiveJapanesedog——
acream-colouredwolfish-lookinganimal，thesizeofacollie，verynoisyandaggressive，butascowardlyasbulliesusuallyare——wasingreatforceinFujihara，andthebarking，growling，andquarrellingoftheseuselesscurscontinuedatintervalsuntildaylight；andwhentheywerenotquarrelling，theywerehowling。
Torrentsofrainfell，obligingmetomovemybedfromplacetoplacetogetoutofthedrip。AtfiveItocameandentreatedmetoleave，whimpering，“I’vehadnosleep；therearethousandsandthousandsoffleas！“HehastravelledbyanotherroutetotheTsugaruStraitthroughtheinterior，andsaysthathewouldnothavebelievedthattherewassuchaplaceinJapan，andthatpeopleinYokohamawillnotbelieveitwhenhetellsthemofitandofthecostumeofthewomen。Heis“ashamedforaforeignertoseesuchaplace，“hesays。Hisclevernessintravellingandhissingularintelligencesurprisemedaily。HeisveryanxioustospeakGOOD
English，asdistinguishedfrom“common“English，andtogetnewwords，withtheircorrectpronunciationandspelling。Eachdayheputsdowninhisnote-bookallthewordsthatIusethathedoesnotquiteunderstand，andintheeveningbringsthemtomeandputsdowntheirmeaningandspellingwiththeirJapaneseequivalents。
HespeaksEnglishalreadyfarbetterthanmanyprofessionalinterpreters，butwouldbemorepleasingifhehadnotpickedupsomeAmericanvulgarismsandfree-and-easyways。Itissoimportanttometohaveagoodinterpreter，orIshouldnothaveengagedsoyoungandinexperiencedaservant；butheissocleverthatheisnowabletobecook，laundryman，andgeneralattendant，aswellascourierandinterpreter，andIthinkitisfareasierformethanifhewereanolderman。Iamtryingtomanagehim，becauseIsawthathemeanttomanageme，speciallyinthematterof“squeezes。“HeisintenselyJapanese，hispatriotismhasalltheweaknessandstrengthofpersonalvanity，andhethinkseverythinginferiorthatisforeign。Ourmanners，eyes，andmodesofeatingappearsimplyodioustohim。HedelightsinretailingstoriesofthebadmannersofEnglishmen，describesthemas“roaringoutohiotoeveryoneontheroad，“frighteningthetea-
housenymphs，kickingorslappingtheircoolies，stampingoverwhitematsinmuddyboots，actinggenerallylikeill-bredSatyrs，excitinganill-concealedhatredinsimplecountrydistricts，andbringingthemselvesandtheircountryintocontemptandridicule。
{10}Heisveryanxiousaboutmygoodbehaviour，andasIamequallyanxioustobecourteouseverywhereinJapanesefashion，andnottoviolatethegeneralrulesofJapaneseetiquette，ItakehissuggestionsastowhatIoughttodoandavoidinverygoodpart，andmybowsaregrowingmoreprofoundeveryday！Thepeoplearesokindandcourteous，thatitistrulybrutalinforeignersnottobekindandcourteoustothem。YouwillobservethatIamentirelydependentonIto，notonlyfortravellingarrangements，butformakinginquiries，gaininginformation，andevenforcompanionship，suchasitis；andourbeingmutuallyembarkedonahardandadventurousjourneywill，Ihope，makeusmutuallykindandconsiderate。Nominally，heisaShintoist，whichmeansnothing。
AtNikkoIreadtohimtheearlierchaptersofSt。Luke，andwhenI
cametothestoryoftheProdigalSonIwasinterruptedbyasomewhatscornfullaughandtheremark，“Why，allthisisourBuddhaoveragain！“
To-day’sjourney，thoughveryrough，hasbeenratherpleasant。Therainmoderatedatnoon，andIleftFujiharaonfoot，wearingmyAmerican“mountaindress“andWellingtonboots，——theonlycostumeinwhichladiescanenjoypedestrianorpack-horsetravellinginthiscountry，——withalightstrawmat——thewaterproofoftheregion——hangingovermyshoulders，andsoweploddedonwithtwobaggagehorsesthroughtheankle-deepmud，tilltherainclearedoff，themountainslookedthroughthemist，theaugmentedKinugawathunderedbelow，andenjoymentbecamepossible，eveninmyhalf-fedcondition。EventuallyImountedapack-saddle，andwecrossedaspurofTakadayamaataheightof2100feetonawell-devisedseriesofzigzags，eightofwhichinoneplacecouldbeseenonebelowanother。Theforestthereisnotsodenseasusual，andthelowermountainslopesaresprinkledwithnobleSpanishchestnuts。
Thedescentwassteepandslippery，thehorsehadtenderfeet，and，afterstumblingbadly，eventuallycamedown，andIwentoverhishead，tothegreatdistressofthekindlyfemalemago。Thestrawshoestiedwithwispsroundthepasternsareagreatnuisance。The“shoestrings“arealwayscominguntied，andtheshoesonlywearabouttworionsoftground，andlessthanoneonhard。Theykeepthefeetsosoftandspongythatthehorsescan’twalkwithoutthematall，andassoonastheygetthinyourhorsebeginstostumble，themagogetsuneasy，andpresentlyyoustop；fourshoes，whicharehangingfromthesaddle，aresoakedinwaterandaretiedonwithmuchcoaxing，raisingtheanimalfullyaninchabovetheground。
Anythingmoretemporaryandclumsycouldnotbedevised。Thebridlepathsarestrewnwiththem，andthechildrencollecttheminheapstodecayformanure。Theycost3or4sentheset，andineveryvillagemenspendtheirleisuretimeinmakingthem。
Atthenextstage，calledTakahara，wegotonehorseforthebaggage，crossedtheriverandtheravine，andbyasteepclimbreachedasolitaryyadoyawiththeusualopenfrontandirori，roundwhichanumberofpeople，oldandyoung，weresitting。WhenIarrivedawholebevyofnice-lookinggirlstooktoflight，butweresoonrecalledbyawordfromItototheirelders。LadyParkes，onaside-saddleandinariding-habit，hasbeentakenforamantillthepeoplesawherhair，andayoungfriendofmine，whoisveryprettyandhasabeautifulcomplexion，whentravellinglatelywithherhusband，wassupposedtobeamanwhohadshavenoffhisbeard。Iwearahat，whichisathingonlywornbywomeninthefieldsasaprotectionfromsunandrain，myeyebrowsareunshaven，andmyteethareunblackened，sothesegirlssupposedmetobeaforeignman。Itoinexplanationsaid，“Theyhaven’tseenany，buteverybodybringsthemtaleshowrudeforeignersaretogirls，andtheyareawfulscared。“Therewasnothingeatablebutriceandeggs，andIatethemundertheconcentratedstareofeighteenpairsofdarkeyes。Thehotsprings，towhichmanypeopleafflictedwithsoresresort，arebytheriver，atthebottomofarudeflightofsteps，inanopenshed，butIcouldnotascertaintheirtemperature，asanumberofmenandwomenweresittinginthewater。Theybathefourtimesaday，andremainforanhouratatime。
Weleftforthefivemiles’walktoIkariinatorrentofrainbyanewly-madepathcompletelyshutinwiththecascadingKinugawa，andcarriedalongsometimeslow，sometimeshigh，onpropsprojectingoveritfromthefaceoftherock。IdonotexpecttoseeanythinglovelierinJapan。
Theriver，alwayscrystal-blueorcrystal-green，largelyincreasedinvolumebytherains，forcesitselfthroughgatesofbrightly-
colouredrock，bywhichitsprogressisrepeatedlyarrested，andrarelylingersforrestinallitssparkling，rushingcourse。Itiswalledinbyhighmountains，gloriouslywoodedandcleftbydarkravines，downwhichtorrentsweretumblingingreatdriftsoffoam，crashingandbooming，boomandcrashmultipliedbymanyanecho，andeveryravineaffordedglimpsesfarbackofmoremountains，clefts，andwaterfalls，andsuchover-abundantvegetationthatI
welcomedthesightofagrayclifforbarefaceofrock。Alongthepaththerewerefascinatingdetails，composedofthemanifoldgreenerywhichrevelsindampheat，ferns，mosses，confervae，fungi，trailers，shadingtinyrillswhichdroppeddownintogrottoesfeatherywiththeexquisiteTrichomanesradicans，ordroopedovertherusticpathandhungintotheriver，andoverheadthefinelyincisedandalmostfeatheryfoliageofseveralvarietiesofmapleadmittedthelightonlyasagreenmist。Thespringtintshavenotyetdarkenedintothemonotoneofsummer，roseazaleasstilllightthehillsides，andmassesofcryptomeriagivedepthandshadow。Still，beautifulasitallis，onesighsforsomethingwhichshallsatisfyone’scravingforstartlingindividualityandgraceofform，asinthecoco-palmandbananaofthetropics。Thefeatherinessofthemaple，andthearrowystraightnessandpyramidalformofthecryptomeria，pleasemebetterthanallelse；
butwhycriticise？Tenminutesofsunshinewouldtransformthewholeintofairyland。
Therewerenohousesandnopeople。Leavingthisbeautifulriverwecrossedaspurofahill，whereallthetreesweremattedtogetherbyaveryfragrantwhitehoneysuckle，andcamedownuponanopenvalleywhereaquietstreamjoinstheloud-tonguedKinugawa，andanothermilebroughtustothisbeautifully-situatedhamletoftwenty-fivehouses，surroundedbymountains，andclosetoamountainstreamcalledtheOkawa。ThenamesofJapaneseriversgiveoneverylittlegeographicalinformationfromtheirwantofcontinuity。Ariverchangesitsnameseveraltimesinacourseofthirtyorfortymiles，accordingtothedistrictsthroughwhichitpasses。ThisismyoldfriendtheKinugawa，upwhichIhavebeentravellingfortwodays。Wantofspaceisagreataidtothepicturesque。Ikariiscrowdedtogetheronahillslope，anditsshort，primitive-lookingstreet，withitswarmbrownsandgreys，isquiteattractivein“theclearshiningafterrain。“Myhalting-
placeisattheexpressofficeatthetopofthehill——aplacelikeabigbarn，withhorsesatoneendandaliving-roomattheother，andinthecentremuchproduceawaitingtransport，andagroupofpeoplestrippingmulberrybranches。ThenearestdaimiyousedtohalthereonhiswaytoTokiyo，sotherearetworoomsfortravellers，calleddaimiyos’rooms，fifteenfeethigh，handsomelyceiledindarkwood，theshojiofsuchfineworkastomeritthenameoffret-work，thefusumaartisticallydecorated，thematscleanandfine，andinthealcoveasword-rackofoldgoldlacquer。
Mineistheinnerroom，andItoandfourtravellersoccupytheouterone。Thoughverydark，itisluxuryafterlastnight。Therestofthehouseisgivenuptotherearingofsilk-worms。Thehouse-mastershereandatFujiharaarenotusedtopassports，andIto，whoisposingasatown-bredyouth，hasexplainedandcopiedmine，allthevillagemenassemblingtohearitreadaloud。Hedoesnotknowthewordusedfor“scientificinvestigation，“but，intheideaofincreasinghisownimportancebyexaggeratingmine，I
hearhimtellingthepeoplethatIamgakusha，i。e。learned！Thereisnopolice-stationhere，buteverymonthpolicemenpaydomiciliaryvisitstotheseoutlyingyadoyasandexaminetheregisterofvisitors。
Thisisamuchneaterplacethanthelast，butthepeoplelookstupidandapathetic，andIwonderwhattheythinkofthemenwhohaveabolishedthedaimiyoandthefeudalregime，haveraisedtheetatocitizenship，andarehurryingtheempireforwardonthetracksofwesterncivilisation！
Sinceshinglehasgivenplacetothatchthereismuchtoadmireinthevillages，withtheirsteeproofs，deepeavesandbalconies，thewarmrussetofroofsandwalls，thequaintconfusionofthefarmhouses，thehedgesofcamelliaandpomegranate，thebambooclumpsandpersimmonorchards，and(inspiteofdirtandbadsmells)thegenerallysatisfiedlookofthepeasantproprietors。
Nofoodcanbegothereexceptriceandeggs，andIamhauntedbymemoriesofthefowlsandfishofNikko，tosaynothingofthe“fleshpots“oftheLegation，and“——asorrow’scrownofsorrowIsrememberinghappierthings！“
Themercuryfallsto70degreesatnight，andIgenerallyawakefromcoldat3a。m。，formyblanketsareonlysummerones，andI
darenotsupplementthemwithaquilt，eitherforsleepingonorunder，becauseofthefleaswhichitcontains。Iusuallyretireabout7。30，forthereisalmostnotwilight，andverylittleinducementforsittingupbythedimnessofcandleorandon，andI
havefoundthesedaysofridingonslow，rolling，stumblinghorsesverysevere，andifIwereanythingofawalker，shouldcertainlypreferpedestrianism。I。L。B。
