Thelevelwaspleasantafterthemountains，andacantertookuspleasantlytoOshamambe，wherewestrucktheoldroadfromMoritoSatsuporo，andwhereIhaltedforadaytorestmyspine，fromwhichIwassufferingmuch。Oshamambelooksdismaleveninthesunshine，decayedanddissipated，withmanypeopleloungingaboutinitdoingnothing，withthedazedlookwhichover-indulgenceinsakegivestotheeyes。Thesunwasscorchinghot，andIwasgladtofindrefugefromitinacrowdedanddilapidatedyadoya，wheretherewerenoblackbeans，andtheuseofeggsdidnotappeartoberecognised。Myroomwasonlyenclosedbyshoji，andtherewerescarcelyfiveminutesofthedayinwhicheyeswerenotappliedtothefinger-holeswithwhichtheywereliberallyriddled；andduringthenightoneofthemfelldown，revealingsixJapanesesleepinginarow，eachheadonawoodenpillow。
Thegrandeuroftherouteceasedwiththemountain-passes，butinthebrilliantsunshinetheridefromOshamambetoMori，whichtookmetwodays，wasasprettyandpleasantasitcouldbe。Atfirstwegotonveryslowly，asbesidesmyfourhorsestherewerefourledonesgoinghome，whichgotupfightsandentangledtheirropes，andoccasionallylaydownandrolled；andbesidesthesetherewerethreefoalsfollowingtheirmothers，andiftheystayedbehindthemareshungbackneighing，andiftheyfrolickedaheadthemareswantedtolookafterthem，andthewholestringshowedacombinedinclinationtodispensewiththeirridersandjointhemanyherdsofhorseswhichwepassed。Itwassotediousthat，afterenduringitforsometimeIgotIto’shorseandmineintoascowatariverofsomesize，andleftthedisorderlydrovetofollowatleisure。
AtYurapu，wherethereisanAinovillageofthirtyhouses，wesawthelastoftheaborigines，andtheinterestofthejourneyended。
Stripsofhardsandbelowhigh-watermark，stripsofredroses，rangesofwoodedmountains，riversdeepandshallow，afewvillagesofoldgreyhousesamidstgreysandandbleachingdriftwood，andthencametheriverYurapu，abroad，deepstream，navigableinacanoeforfourteenmiles。Thescenerytherewastrulybeautifulinthelateandsplendidafternoon。Thelongbluewavesrolledonshore，eachonecrestedwithlightasitcurledbeforeitbroke，andhurleditssnowydriftformilesalongthecoastwithadeepboomingmusic。Thegloriousinlandviewwascomposedofsixrangesofforest-coveredmountains，broken，chasmed，caverned，anddarkwithtimber，andabovethembald，greypeaksroseagainstagreenskyofsingularpurity。IlongedtotakeaboatuptheYurapu，whichpenetratesbymanyagorgeintotheirsolemnrecesses，buthadnotstrengthtocarrymywish。
AfterthisIexchangedthesilenceorlowmusicalspeechofAinoguidesfortheharshandceaselessclatterofJapanese。AtYamakushinoi，asmallhamletonthesea-shore，whereIslept，therewasasweet，quietyadoya，delightfullysituated，withawoodedcliffattheback，overwhichacrescenthungoutofapuresky；
andbesides，therewerethemoresolidpleasuresoffish，eggs，andblackbeans。Thus，insteadofbeingstarvedandfindingwretchedaccommodation，theweekIspentonVolcanoBayhasbeenthebestfed，asitwascertainlythemostcomfortable，weekofmytravelsinnorthernJapan。
AnothergloriousdayfavouredmyridetoMori，butIwasunfortunateinmyhorseateachstage，andtheJapaneseguidewasgrumpyandill-natured——amostunusualthing。Otoshibeandafewothersmallvillagesofgreyhouses，with“anancientandfish-likesmell，“liealongthecoast，busyenoughdoubtlessintheseason，butnowlookingdesertedanddecayed，andhousesareratherplentifullysprinkledalongmanypartsoftheshore，withawonderfulprofusionofvegetablesandflowersaboutthem，raisedfromseedsliberallysuppliedbytheKaitakushiDepartmentfromitsNanaiexperimentalfarmandnurseries。ForaconsiderablepartofthewaytoMorithereisnotrackatall，thoughthereisagooddealoftravel。Onemakesone’swayfatiguinglyalongsoftseasandorcoarseshingleclosetothesea，orabsolutelyinit，undercliffsofhardenedclayoryellowconglomerate，fordingmanysmallstreams，severalofwhichhavecuttheirwaydeeplythroughastratumofblackvolcanicsand。Ihavecrossedabout100riversandstreamsontheYezocoast，andallthelargeronesaremarkedbyamostnoticeablepeculiarity，i。e。thatonnearingtheseatheyturnsouth，andrunforsomedistanceparallelwithit，beforetheysucceedinfindinganexitthroughthebankofsandandshinglewhichformsthebeachandblockstheirprogress。
OnthewayIsawtwoAinoslandthroughthesurfinacanoe，inwhichtheyhadpaddledfornearly100miles。Arivercanoeisdugoutofasinglelog，andtwomencanfashiononeinfivedays；butonexaminingthisone，whichwastwenty-fivefeetlong，Ifoundthatitconsistedoftwohalves，lacedtogetherwithverystrongbarkfibrefortheirwholelength，andwithhighsidesalsolacedon。Theyconsiderthattheyarestrongerforroughseaandsurfworkwhenmadeintwoparts。Theirbark-fibreropeisbeautifullymade，andtheytwistitofallsizes，fromtwineuptoanine-inchhawser。
Beautifulastheblueoceanwas，Ihadtoomuchofit，forthehorseswereeitherwalkinginalatherofseafoamorwerecrowdedbetweenthecliffandthesea，everylargerwavebreakingovermyfootandirreverentlysplashingmyface；andthesurgesweresoloud-tonguedandincessant，throwingthemselvesonthebeachwithatremendousboom，anddrawingtheshinglebackwiththemwithanequallytremendousrattle，soimpoliteandnoisy，bentonlyonshowingtheirstrength，reckless，rude，self-willed，andinconsiderate！Thispurposelessdisplayofforce，andthisincessantwasteofpower，andthenoisyself-assertioninboth，approachvulgarity！
Towardseveningwecrossedthelastofthebridgelessrivers，andputupatMori，whichIleftthreeweeksbefore，andIwasverythankfultohaveaccomplishedmyobjectwithoutdisappointment，disaster，oranyconsiderablediscomfort。HadInotpromisedtoreturnItotohismasterbyagivenday，IshouldliketospendthenextsixweeksintheYezowilds，fortheclimateisgood，thescenerybeautiful，andtheobjectsofinterestaremany。
AnothersplendiddayfavouredmyridefromMoritoTogenoshita，whereIremainedforthenight，andIhadexceptionallygoodhorsesforbothdays，thoughtheonewhichItorode，whilegoingatarapid“scramble，“threwhimselfdownthreetimesandrolledovertoridhimselffromflies。IhadnotadmiredthewoodbetweenMoriandGinsainoma(thelakes)onthesullen，greydayonwhichIsawitbefore，butthistimetherewasanabundanceoflightandshadowandsolarglitter，andmanyascarletsprayandcrimsontrailer，andmanyamapleflaminginthevalleys，gladdenedmewiththemusicofcolour。Fromthetopofthepassbeyondthelakesthereisagrandviewofthevolcanoinallitsnakedness，withitslavabedsandfieldsofpumice，withthelakesofOnuma，Konuma，andGinsainoma，lyingintheforestsatitsfeet，andfromthetopofanotherhillthereisaremarkableviewofwindyHakodate，withitsheadlandlookinglikeGibraltar。TheslopesofthishillarecoveredwiththeAconitumJaponicum，ofwhichtheAinosmaketheirarrowpoison。
TheyadoyaatTogenoshitawasaverypleasantandfriendlyone，andwhenItowokemeyesterdaymorning，saying，“Areyousorrythatit’sthelastmorning？Iam，“Ifeltwehadonesubjectincommon，forIwasverysorrytoendmypleasantYezotour，andverysorrytopartwiththeboywhohadmadehimselfmoreusefulandinvaluableeventhanbefore。ItwasmostwearisometohaveHakodateinsightfortwelvemiles，sonearacrossthebay，sofaracrossthelong，flat，stonystripwhichconnectstheheadlanduponwhichitisbuiltwiththemainland。Foraboutthreemilestheroadisrudelymacadamised，andassoonasthebare-footedhorsesgetuponittheyseemlameofalltheirlegs；theyhangback，stumbling，dragging，edgingtotheside，andtryingtorundowneveryopening，sothatwhenwegotintotheinterminablemainstreetIsentItoontotheConsulateformyletters，anddismounted，hopingthatasitwasrainingIshouldnotseeanyforeigners；butIwasnotsolucky，forfirstImetMr。Dening，andthen，seeingtheConsulandDr。Hepburncomingdowntheroad，evidentlydressedfordiningintheflag-ship，andlookingspruceandclean，Idodgedupanalleytoavoidthem；buttheysawme，anddidnotwonderthatIwishedtoescapenotice，formyoldbetto’shat，mytorngreenpaperwaterproof，andmyriding-skirtandboots，werenotonlysplashedbutCAKEDwithmud，andIhadthegenerallookofaperson“freshfromthewilds。“I。L。B。
PleasantLastImpressions——TheJapaneseJunk——ItoDisappears——MyLetterofThanks。
ThisismylastdayinYezo，andthesun，shiningbrightlyoverthegreyandwindycapital，istouchingthepinkpeaksofKomono-takiwithadeeperred，andisbrighteningmylastimpressions，which，likemyfirst，areverypleasant。Thebayisdeepblue，fleckedwithvioletshadows，andaboutsixtyjunksarefloatinguponitatanchor。Therearevesselsofforeignrigtoo，butthewan，palejunkslyingmotionless，orrollingintotheharbourundertheirgreatwhitesails，fascinatemeaswhenIfirstsawthemintheGulfofYedo。Theyareantique-lookingandpicturesque，butarefittertogiveinteresttoapicturethantobattlewithstormyseas。
Mostofthejunksinthebayareabout120tonsburthen，100feetlong，withanextremebeam，faraft，oftwenty-fivefeet。Thebowislong，andcurvesintoaloftystem，likethatofaRomangalley，finishedwithabeakhead，tosecuretheforestayofthemast。
Thisbeakisfurnishedwithtwolarge，goggleeyes。Themastisaponderousspar，fiftyfeethigh，composedofpiecesofpine，pegged，glued，andhoopedtogether。Aheavyyardishungamidships。Thesailisanoblongofwidthsofstrong，whitecottonartistically“PUCKERED，“notsewntogether，butlacedvertically，leavingadecorativelacingsixincheswidebetweeneachtwowidths。Insteadofreefinginastrongwind，awidthisunlaced，soastoreducethecanvasvertically，nothorizontally。Twobluespherescommonlyadornthesail。Themastisplacedwellabaft，andtotackorveeritisonlynecessarytoreversethesheet。
Whenonawindthelongbowandnoseserveasahead-sail。Thehigh，square，piled-upstern，withitsantiquecarving，andthesideswiththeirlattice-work，arewonderful，togetherwiththeextraordinarysizeandprojectionoftherudder，andthelengthofthetiller。Theanchorsareofgrapnelshape，andthelargerjunkshavefromsixtoeightarrangedonthefore-end，givingoneanideaofbadholding-groundalongthecoast。TheyreallyaremuchliketheshapeofaChinese“small-footed“woman’sshoe，andlookveryunmanageable。Theyareofunpaintedwood，andhaveawintry，ghastlylookaboutthem。{22}
IhavepartedwithItofinallyto-day，withgreatregret。Hehasservedmefaithfully，andonmostcommontopicsIcangetmuchmoreinformationthroughhimthanfromanyforeigner。Imisshimalready，thoughheinsistedonpackingformeasusual，andputallmythingsinorder。Hisclevernessissomethingsurprising。Hegoestoagood，manlymaster，whowillhelphimtobegoodandsethimavirtuousexample，andthatisasatisfaction。BeforehelefthewrotealetterformetotheGovernorofMororan，thankinghimonmybehalffortheuseofthekurumaandothercourtesies。
PleasantProspects——AMiserableDisappointment——CaughtinaTyphoon——ADenseFog——AlarmistRumours——AWelcomeatTokiyo——TheLastoftheMutineers。
Aplacidsea，whichaftermuchdisturbancehadsigheditselftorest，andahigh，steadybarometerpromisedafiftyhours’passagetoYokohama，andwhenDr。andMrs。HepburnandIleftHakodate，bymoonlight，onthenightofthe14th，astheonlypassengersintheHiogoMaru，CaptainMoore，hergenial，pleasantmaster，congratulatedusontherapidanddelightfulpassagebeforeus，andweseparatedatmidnightwithmanyprojectsforpleasantintercourseandoccupation。
ButamoremiserablevoyageInevermade，anditwasnotuntiltheafternoonofthe17ththatwecrawledforthfromourcabinstospeaktoeachother。Ontheseconddayout，greatheatcameonwithsuffocatingcloseness，themercuryroseto85degrees，andinlat。38degrees0’N。andlong。141degrees30’E。weencountereda“typhoon，“otherwisea“cyclone，“otherwisea“revolvinghurricane，“whichlastedfortwenty-fivehours，and“jettisoned“
thecargo。CaptainMoorhasgivenmeaveryinterestingdiagramofit，showingtheattemptswhichhemadetoavoiditsvortex，throughwhichourcoursewouldhavetakenus，andtokeepasmuchoutsideitaspossible。Thetyphoonwassucceededbyadensefog，sothatourfifty-hourpassagebecameseventy-twohours，andwelandedatYokohamanearuponmidnightofthe17th，tofindtracesofmuchdisaster，thewholelow-lyingcountryflooded，therailwaybetweenYokohamaandthecapitalimpassable，greatanxietyaboutthericecrop，theairfullofalarmistrumours，andpapermoney，whichwasaboutparwhenIarrivedinMay，atadiscountof13percent！Intheearlypartofthisyear(1880)ithastouched42percent。
