AFantasticJumble——The“Quiver“ofPoverty——TheWater-shed——FromBadtoWorse——TheRicePlanter’sHoliday——ADiseasedCrowd——AmateurDoctoring——WantofCleanliness——RapidEating——PrematureOldAge。
AfterthehardtravellingofsixdaystherestofSundayinaquietplaceatahighelevationistrulydelightful！Mountainsandpasses，valleysandriceswamps，forestsandriceswamps，villagesandriceswamps；poverty，industry，dirt，ruinoustemples，prostrateBuddhas，stringsofstraw-shodpack-horses；long，grey，featurelessstreets，andquiet，staringcrowds，arealljumbledupfantasticallyinmymemory。FineweatheraccompaniedmethroughbeautifulsceneryfromIkaritoYokokawa，whereIatemylunchinthestreettoavoidtheinnumerablefleasofthetea-house，withacircleroundmeofnearlyalltheinhabitants。Atfirstthechildren，botholdandyoung，weresofrightenedthattheyranaway，butbydegreestheytimidlycameback，clingingtotheskirtsoftheirparents(skirts，inthiscase，beingametaphoricalexpression)，runningawayagainasoftenasIlookedatthem。Thecrowdwasfilthyandsqualidbeyonddescription。Whyshouldthe“quiver“ofpovertybesoveryfull？oneasksasonelooksattheswarmsofgentle，naked，old-fashionedchildren，borntoaheritageofhardtoil，tobe，liketheirparents，devouredbyvermin，andpressedhardfortaxes。Ahorsekickedoffmysaddlebeforeitwasgirthed，thecrowdscatteredrightandleft，andwork，whichhadbeensuspendedfortwohourstostareattheforeigner，beganagain。
Alongascenttookustothetopofapass2500feetinheight，aprojectingspurnot30feetwide，withagrandviewofmountainsandravines，andamazeofinvolvedstreams，whichuniteinavigoroustorrent，whosecoursewefollowedforsomehours，tillitexpandedintoaquietriver，lounginglazilythroughariceswampofconsiderableextent。Themapisblankinthisregion，butI
judged，asIafterwardsfoundrightly，thatatthatpasswehadcrossedthewater-shed，andthatthestreamsthenceforwardnolongerfallintothePacific，butintotheSeaofJapan。AtItosawathehorsesproducedstumbledsointolerablythatIwalkedthelaststage，andreachedKayashima，amiserablevillageoffifty-sevenhouses，soexhaustedthatIcouldnotgofarther，andwasobligedtoputupwithworseaccommodationeventhanatFujihara，withlessstrengthforitshardships。
Theyadoyawassimplyawful。Thedaidokorohadalargewoodfireburninginatrench，fillingthewholeplacewithstingingsmoke，fromwhichmyroom，whichwasmerelyscreenedoffbysomedilapidatedshoji，wasnotexempt。Therafterswereblackandshinywithsootandmoisture。Thehouse-master，whokneltpersistentlyonthefloorofmyroomtillhewasdislodgedbyIto，apologisedforthedirtofhishouse，aswellhemight。Stifling，dark，andsmoky，asmyroomwas，Ihadtoclosethepaperwindows，owingtothecrowdwhichassembledinthestreet。Therewasneitherricenorsoy，andIto，whovalueshisowncomfort，begantospeaktothehouse-masterandservantsloudlyandroughly，andtothrowmythingsabout——astyleofactingwhichIpromptlyterminated，fornothingcouldbemorehurtfultoaforeigner，ormoreunkindtothepeople，thanforaservanttoberudeandbullying；andthemanwasmostpolite，andneverapproachedmebutonbendedknees。WhenIgavehimmypassport，asthecustomis，hetouchedhisforeheadwithit，andthentouchedtheearthwithhisforehead。
IfoundnothingthatIcouldeatexceptblackbeansandboiledcucumbers。Theroomwasdark，dirty，vile，noisy，andpoisonedbysewageodours，asroomsunfortunatelyareveryapttobe。Attheendofthericeplantingthereisaholidayfortwodays，whenmanyofferingsaremadetoInari，thegodofricefarmers；andtheholiday-makerskeptuptheirrevelallnight，anddrums，stationaryandperipatetic，wereconstantlybeateninsuchawayastopreventsleep。
Alittleboy，thehouse-master’sson，wassufferingfromaverybadcough，andafewdropsofchlorodynewhichIgavehimallayeditsocompletelythatthecurewasnoisedabroadintheearliesthoursofthenextmorning，andbyfiveo’clocknearlythewholepopulationwasassembledoutsidemyroom，withmuchwhisperingandshufflingofshoelessfeet，andapplicationsofeyestothemanyholesinthepaperwindows。WhenIdrewasidetheshojiIwasdisconcertedbythepainfulsightwhichpresenteditself，forthepeoplewerepressingoneuponanother，fathersandmothersholdingnakedchildrencoveredwithskin-disease，orwithscald-head，orringworm，daughtersleadingmothersnearlyblind，menexhibitingpainfulsores，childrenblinkingwitheyesinfestedbyfliesandnearlyclosedwithophthalmia；andall，sickandwell，intruly“vileraiment，“lamentablydirtyandswarmingwithvermin，thesickaskingformedicine，andthewelleitherbringingthesickorgratifyinganapatheticcuriosity。SadlyItoldthemthatIdidnotunderstandtheirmanifold“diseasesandtorments，“andthat，ifIdid，Ihadnostockofmedicines，andthatinmyowncountrytheconstantwashingofclothes，andtheconstantapplicationofwatertotheskin，accompaniedbyfrictionwithcleancloths，wouldbemuchrelieduponbydoctorsforthecureandpreventionofsimilarcutaneousdiseases。TopacifythemImadesomeointmentofanimalfatandflowersofsulphur，extractedwithdifficultyfromsomeman’shoard，andtoldthemhowtoapplyittosomeoftheworstcases。Thehorse，beingunusedtoagirth，becamefidgetyasitwasbeingsaddled，creatingaSTAMPEDEamongthecrowd，andthemagowouldnottouchitagain。Theyareasmuchafraidoftheirgentlemaresasiftheywerepanthers。Allthechildrenfollowedmeforaconsiderabledistance，andagoodmanyoftheadultsmadeanexcuseforgoinginthesamedirection。
Thesepeoplewearnolinen，andtheirclothes，whichareseldomwashed，areconstantlyworn，nightandday，aslongastheywillholdtogether。Theysealuptheirhousesashermeticallyastheycanatnight，andherdtogetherinnumbersinonesleeping-room，withitsatmospherevitiated，tobeginwith，bycharcoalandtobaccofumes，huddledupintheirdirtygarmentsinwaddedquilts，whicharekeptduringthedayinclosecupboards，andareseldomwashedfromoneyear’sendtoanother。Thetatami，beneathatolerablyfairexterior，swarmwithinsectlife，andarereceptaclesofdust，organicmatters，etc。Thehair，whichisloadedwithoilandbandoline，isdressedonceaweek，orlessofteninthesedistricts，anditisunnecessarytoenterintoanydetailsregardingthedistressingresults，andmuchbesidesmaybelefttotheimagination。Thepersonsofthepeople，especiallyofthechildren，areinfestedwithvermin，andonefruitfulsourceofskinsoresistheirritationarisingfromthiscause。Thefloorsofhouses，beingconcealedbymats，arelaiddowncarelesslywithgapsbetweentheboards，and，asthedampearthisonly18inchesor2feetbelow，emanationsofallkindsenterthematsandpassintotherooms。
Thehousesinthisregion(andIbelieveeverywhere)arehermeticallysealedatnight，bothinsummerandwinter，theamado，whicharemadewithoutventilators，literallyboxingthemin，sothat，unlesstheyarefallingtopieces，whichisrarelythecase，noneoftheairvitiatedbythebreathingofmanypersons，bytheemanationsfromtheirbodiesandclothing，bythemiasmataproducedbydefectivedomesticarrangements，andbythefumesfromcharcoalhibachi，caneverberenewed。Exerciseisseldomtakenfromchoice，and，unlessthewomenworkinthefields，theyhangovercharcoalfumesthewholedayforfivemonthsoftheyear，engagedininterminableprocessesofcooking，orintheattempttogetwarm。Muchofthefoodofthepeasantryisraworhalf-rawsaltfish，andvegetablesrenderedindigestiblebybeingcoarselypickled，allboltedwiththemostmarvellousrapidity，asiftheoneobjectoflifeweretorushthroughamealintheshortestpossibletime。Themarriedwomenlookasiftheyhadneverknownyouth，andtheirskinisapttobeliketannedleather。AtKayashimaIaskedthehouse-master’swife，wholookedaboutfifty，howoldshewas(apolitequestioninJapan)，andsherepliedtwenty-two——oneofmanysimilarsurprises。Herboywasfiveyearsold，andwasstillunweaned。
Thisdigressiondisposesofoneaspectofthepopulation。{11}
AJapaneseFerry——ACorrugatedRoad——ThePassofSanno——VariousVegetation——AnUnattractiveUndergrowth——PreponderanceofMen。
WechangedhorsesatTajima，formerlyadaimiyo’sresidence，and，foraJapanesetown，ratherpicturesque。Itmakesandexportsclogs，coarsepottery，coarselacquer，andcoarsebaskets。
Aftertravellingthroughrice-fieldsvaryingfromthirtyyardssquaretoaquarterofanacre，withthetopsofthedykesutilisedbyplantingdwarfbeansalongthem，wecametoalargeriver，theArakai，alongwhoseaffluentswehadbeentrampingfortwodays，and，afterpassingthroughseveralfilthyvillages，throngedwithfilthyandindustriousinhabitants，crosseditinascow。Highforksplantedsecurelyinthebankoneithersidesustainedaropeformedofseveralstrandsofthewistariaknottedtogether。Onemanhauledonthishandoverhand，anotherpoledatthestern，andtherapidcurrentdidtherest。Inthisfashionwehavecrossedmanyriverssubsequently。Tariffsofchargesarepostedatallferries，aswellasatallbridgeswherechargesaremade，andamansitsinanofficetoreceivethemoney。
Thecountrywasreallyverybeautiful。Theviewswerewiderandfinerthanonthepreviousdays，takingingreatsweepsofpeakedmountains，woodedtotheirsummits，andfromthetopofthePassofSannotheclusteredpeakswereglorifiedintounearthlybeautyinagoldenmistofeveningsunshine。Isleptatahousecombiningsilkfarm，postoffice，expressoffice，anddaimiyo’srooms，atthehamletofOuchi，prettilysituatedinavalleywithmountainoussurroundings，and，leavingearlyonthefollowingmorning，hadaverygrandride，passinginacrateriformcavitytheprettylittlelakeofOyake，andthenascendingthemagnificentpassofIchikawa。
Weturnedoffwhat，byironicalcourtesy，iscalledthemainroad，uponavillainoustrack，consistingofaseriesoflateralcorrugations，aboutafootbroad，withdepressionsbetweenthemmorethanafootdeep，formedbytheinvariabletreadingofthepack-horsesineachother’sfootsteps。Eachholewasaquagmireoftenaciousmud，theascentof2400feetwasverysteep，andthemagoadjuredtheanimalsthewholetimewithHai！Hai！Hai！whichissupposedtosuggesttothemthatextremecautionisrequisite。
