houses are alive with vermin； and if the word squalor can be
applied to independent and industrious people； they were squalid。
Beetles； spiders； and wood…lice held a carnival in my room after
dark； and the presence of horses in the same house brought a number
of horseflies。 I sprinkled my stretcher with insect powder； but my
blanket had been on the floor for one minute； and fleas rendered
sleep impossible。 The night was very long。 The andon went out；
leaving a strong smell of rancid oil。 The primitive Japanese dog
a cream…coloured wolfish…looking animal； the size of a collie； very
noisy and aggressive； but as cowardly as bullies usually arewas
in great force in Fujihara； and the barking； growling； and
quarrelling of these useless curs continued at intervals until
daylight； and when they were not quarrelling； they were howling。
Torrents of rain fell； obliging me to move my bed from place to
place to get out of the drip。 At five Ito came and entreated me to
leave； whimpering； 〃I've had no sleep； there are thousands and
thousands of fleas！〃 He has travelled by another route to the
Tsugaru Strait through the interior； and says that he would not
have believed that there was such a place in Japan； and that people
in Yokohama will not believe it when he tells them of it and of the
costume of the women。 He is 〃ashamed for a foreigner to see such a
place；〃 he says。 His cleverness in travelling and his singular
intelligence surprise me daily。 He is very anxious to speak GOOD
English； as distinguished from 〃common〃 English； and to get new
words； with their correct pronunciation and spelling。 Each day he
puts down in his note…book all the words that I use that he does
not quite understand； and in the evening brings them to me and puts
down their meaning and spelling with their Japanese equivalents。
He speaks English already far better than many professional
interpreters； but would be more pleasing if he had not picked up
some American vulgarisms and free…and…easy ways。 It is so
important to me to have a good interpreter； or I should not have
engaged so young and inexperienced a servant； but he is so clever
that he is now able to be cook； laundryman； and general attendant；
as well as courier and interpreter； and I think it is far easier
for me than if he were an older man。 I am trying to manage him；
because I saw that he meant to manage me； specially in the matter
of 〃squeezes。〃 He is intensely Japanese； his patriotism has all
the weakness and strength of personal vanity； and he thinks
everything inferior that is foreign。 Our manners； eyes； and modes
of eating appear simply odious to him。 He delights in retailing
stories of the bad manners of Englishmen； describes them as
〃roaring out ohio to every one on the road；〃 frightening the tea…
house nymphs； kicking or slapping their coolies； stamping over
white mats in muddy boots； acting generally like ill…bred Satyrs；
exciting an ill…concealed hatred in simple country districts； and
bringing themselves and their country into contempt and ridicule。
｛10｝ He is very anxious about my good behaviour； and as I am
equally anxious to be courteous everywhere in Japanese fashion； and
not to violate the general rules of Japanese etiquette； I take his
suggestions as to what I ought to do and avoid in very good part；
and my bows are growing more profound every day！ The people are so
kind and courteous； that it is truly brutal in foreigners not to be
kind and courteous to them。 You will observe that I am entirely
dependent on Ito； not only for travelling arrangements； but for
making inquiries； gaining information； and even for companionship；
such as it is； and our being mutually embarked on a hard and
adventurous journey will； I hope； make us mutually kind and
considerate。 Nominally； he is a Shintoist； which means nothing。
At Nikko I read to him the earlier chapters of St。 Luke； and when I
came to the story of the Prodigal Son I was interrupted by a
somewhat scornful laugh and the remark； 〃Why； all this is our
Buddha over again！〃
To…day's journey； though very rough； has been rather pleasant。 The
rain moderated at noon； and I left Fujihara on foot； wearing my
American 〃mountain dress〃 and Wellington boots；the only costume
in which ladies can enjoy pedestrian or pack…horse travelling in
this country；with a light straw matthe waterproof of the
regionhanging over my shoulders； and so we plodded on with two
baggage horses through the ankle…deep mud； till the rain cleared
off； the mountains looked through the mist； the augmented Kinugawa
thundered below； and enjoyment became possible； even in my half…fed
condition。 Eventually I mounted a pack…saddle； and we crossed a
spur of Takadayama at a height of 2100 feet on a well…devised
series of zigzags； eight of which in one place could be seen one
below another。 The forest there is not so dense as usual； and the
lower mountain slopes are sprinkled with noble Spanish chestnuts。
The descent was steep and slippery； the horse had tender feet； and；
after stumbling badly； eventually came down； and I went over his
head； to the great distress of the kindly female mago。 The straw
shoes tied with wisps round the pasterns are a great nuisance。 The
〃shoe strings〃 are always coming untied； and the shoes only wear
about two ri on soft ground； and less than one on hard。 They keep
the feet so soft and spongy that the horses can't walk without them
at all； and as soon as they get thin your horse begins to stumble；
the mago gets uneasy； and presently you stop； four shoes； which are
hanging from the saddle； are soaked in water and are tied on with
much coaxing； raising the animal fully an inch above the ground。
Anything more temporary and clumsy could not be devised。 The
bridle paths are strewn with them； and the children collect them in
heaps to decay for manure。 They cost 3 or 4 sen the set； and in
every village men spend their leisure time in making them。
At the next stage； called Takahara； we got one horse for the
baggage； crossed the river and the ravine； and by a steep climb
reached a solitary yadoya with the usual open front and irori；
round which a number of people； old and young； were sitting。 When
I arrived a whole bevy of nice…looking girls took to flight； but
were soon recalled by a word from Ito to their elders。 Lady
Parkes； on a side…saddle and in a riding…habit； has been taken for
a man till the people saw her hair； and a young friend of mine； who
is very pretty and has a beautiful complexion； when travelling
lately with her husband； was supposed to be a man who had shaven
off his beard。 I wear a hat； which is a thing only worn by women
in the fields as a protection from sun and rain； my eyebrows are
unshaven； and my teeth are unblackened； so these girls supposed me
to be a foreign man。 Ito in explanation said； 〃They haven't seen
any； but everybody brings them tales how rude foreigners are to
girls； and they are awful scared。〃 There was nothing eatable but
rice and eggs； and I ate them under the concentrated stare of
eighteen pairs of dark eyes。 The hot springs； to which many people
afflicted with sores resort； are by the river； at the bottom of a
rude flight of steps； in an open shed； but I could not ascertain
their temperature； as a number of men and women were sitting in the
water。 They bathe four times a day； and remain for an hour at a
time。
We left for the five miles' walk to Ikari in a torrent of rain by a
newly…made path completely shut in with the cascading Kinugawa； and
carried along sometimes low； sometimes high； on props projecting
over it from the face of the rock。 I do not expect to see anything
lovelier in Japan。
The river； always crystal…blue or crystal…green； largely increased
in volume by the rains； forces itself through gates of brightly…
coloured rock； by which its progress is repeatedly arrested； and
rarely lingers for rest in all its sparkling； rushing course。 It
is walled in by high mountains； gloriously wooded and cleft by dark
ravines； down which torrents were tumbling in great drifts of foam；
crashing and booming； boom and crash multiplied by many an echo；
and every ravine afforded glimpses far back of more mountains；
clefts； and waterfalls； and such over…abundant vegetation that I
welcomed the sight of a gray cliff or bare face of rock。 Along the
path there were fascinating details； composed of the manifold
greenery which revels in damp heat； ferns； mosses； confervae；
fungi； trailers； shading tiny rills which dropped down into
grottoes feathery with the exquisite Trichomanes radicans； or
drooped over the rustic path and hung into the river； and overhead
the finely incised and almost feathery foliage of several varieties
of maple admitted the light only as a green mist。 The spring tints
have not yet darkened into the monotone of summer； rose azaleas
still light the hillsides； and masses of cryptomeria give depth and
shadow。 Still； beautiful as it all is； one sighs for something
which shall satisfy one's craving for startling individuality and
grace of form； as in the coco…palm and banana of the tropics。 The
featheriness of the maple； and the arrowy straightness and
pyramidal form of the cryptomeria； please me better than all else；
but why criticise？ Ten minutes of sunshine would transform the
whole into fairyland。
There were no houses and no people。 Leaving this beautiful river
we crossed a spur of a hill； where all the trees were matted
together by a very fragrant white honeysuckle； and came down upon
an open valley where a quiet stream joins the loud…tongued
Kinugawa； and another mile brought us to this beautifully…situated
hamlet of twenty…five houses； surrounded by mountains； and close to
a mountain stream called the Okawa。 The names of Japanese rivers
give one very little geographical information from their want of
continuity。 A river changes its name several times in a course of
thirty or forty miles； according to the districts through which it
passes。 This is my old friend the Kinugawa； up which I have been
travelling for two days。 Want of space is a great aid to the
picturesque。 Ikari is crowded together on a hill slope； and its
short； primitiv