unbeaten tracks in japan- 第32部分

The　odour　of　carbolic　acid　pervaded　the　whole　hospital；　and　there
were　spray　producers　enough　to　satisfy　Mr。　Lister！　　At　the　request
of　Dr。　K。　I　saw　the　dressing　of　some　very　severe　wounds　carefully
performed　with　carbolised　gauze；　under　spray　of　carbolic　acid；　the
fingers　of　the　surgeon　and　the　instruments　used　being　all　carefully
bathed　in　the　disinfectant。　　Dr。　K。　said　it　was　difficult　to　teach
the　students　the　extreme　carefulness　with　regard　to　minor　details
which　is　required　in　the　antiseptic　treatment；　which　he　regards　as
one　of　the　greatest　discoveries　of　this　century。　　I　was　very　much
impressed　with　the　fortitude　shown　by　the　surgical　patients；　who
went　through　very　severe　pain　without　a　wince　or　a　moan。　　Eye　cases
are　unfortunately　very　numerous。　　Dr。　K。　attributes　their　extreme
prevalence　to　overcrowding；　defective　ventilation；　poor　living；　and
bad　light。

After　our　round　we　returned　to　the　management　room　to　find　a　meal
laid　out　in　English　stylecoffee　in　cups　with　handles　and　saucers；
and　plates　with　spoons。　　After　this　pipes　were　again　produced；　and
the　Director　and　medical　staff　escorted　me　to　the　entrance；　where
we　all　bowed　profoundly。　　I　was　delighted　to　see　that　Dr。
Kayabashi；　a　man　under　thirty；　and　fresh　from　Tokiyo；　and　all　the
staff　and　students　were　in　the　national　dress；　with　the　hakama　of
rich　silk。　　It　is　a　beautiful　dress；　and　assists　dignity　as　much　as
the　ill…fitting　European　costume　detracts　from　it。　　This　was　a　very
interesting　visit；　in　spite　of　the　difficulty　of　communication
through　an　interpreter。

The　public　buildings；　with　their　fine　gardens；　and　the　broad　road
near　which　they　stand；　with　its　stone…faced　embankments；　are　very
striking　in　such　a　far…off　ken。　　Among　the　finest　of　the　buildings
is　the　Normal　School；　where　I　shortly　afterwards　presented　myself；
but　I　was　not　admitted　till　I　had　shown　my　passport　and　explained
my　objects　in　travelling。　　These　preliminaries　being　settled；　Mr。
Tomatsu　Aoki；　the　Chief　Director；　and　Mr。　Shude　Kane　Nigishi；　the
principal　teacher；　both　looking　more　like　monkeys　than　men　in　their
European　clothes；　lionised　me。

The　first　was　most　trying；　for　he　persisted　in　attempting　to　speak
English；　of　which　he　knows　about　as　much　as　I　know　of　Japanese；　but
the　last；　after　some　grotesque　attempts；　accepted　Ito's　services。
The　school　is　a　commodious　Europeanised　building；　three　stories
high；　and　from　its　upper　balcony　the　view　of　the　city；　with　its
gray　roofs　and　abundant　greenery；　and　surrounding　mountains　and
valleys；　is　very　fine。　　The　equipments　of　the　different　class…rooms
surprised　me；　especially　the　laboratory　of　the　chemical　class…room；
and　the　truly　magnificent　illustrative　apparatus　in　the　natural
science　class…room。　　Ganot's　〃Physics〃　is　the　text　book　of　that
department。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXII



A　Silk　FactoryEmployment　for　WomenA　Police　EscortThe　Japanese
Police　Force。

KUBOTA；　July　23。

My　next　visit　was　to　a　factory　of　handloom　silk…weavers；　where　180
hands；　half　of　them　women；　are　employed。　　These　new　industrial
openings　for　respectable　employment　for　women　and　girls　are　very
important；　and　tend　in　the　direction　of　a　much…needed　social
reform。　　The　striped　silk　fabrics　produced　are　entirely　for　home
consumption。

Afterwards　I　went　into　the　principal　street；　and；　after　a　long
search　through　the　shops；　bought　some　condensed　milk　with　the
〃Eagle〃　brand　and　the　label　all　right；　but；　on　opening　it；　found　it
to　contain　small　pellets　of　a　brownish；　dried　curd；　with　an
unpleasant　taste！　　As　I　was　sitting　in　the　shop；　half　stifled　by
the　crowd；　the　people　suddenly　fell　back　to　a　respectful　distance；
leaving　me　breathing　space；　and　a　message　came　from　the　chief　of
police　to　say　that　he　was　very　sorry　for　the　crowding；　and　had
ordered　two　policemen　to　attend　upon　me　for　the　remainder　of　my
visit。　　The　black　and　yellow　uniforms　were　most　truly　welcome；　and
since　then　I　have　escaped　all　annoyance。　　On　my　return　I　found　the
card　of　the　chief　of　police；　who　had　left　a　message　with　the　house…
master　apologising　for　the　crowd　by　saying　that　foreigners　very
rarely　visited　Kubota；　and　he　thought　that　the　people　had　never
seen　a　foreign　woman。

I　went　afterwards　to　the　central　police　station　to　inquire　about　an
inland　route　to　Aomori；　and　received　much　courtesy；　but　no
information。　　The　police　everywhere　are　very　gentle　to　the　people；…
…a　few　quiet　words　or　a　wave　of　the　hand　are　sufficient；　when　they
do　not　resist　them。　　They　belong　to　the　samurai　class；　and；
doubtless；　their　naturally　superior　position　weighs　with　the
heimin。　　Their　faces　and　a　certain　hauteur　of　manner　show　the
indelible　class　distinction。　　The　entire　police　force　of　Japan
numbers　23；300　educated　men　in　the　prime　of　life；　and　if　30　per
cent　of　them　do　wear　spectacles；　it　does　not　detract　from　their
usefulness。　　5600　of　them　are　stationed　at　Yedo；　as　from　thence
they　can　be　easily　sent　wherever　they　are　wanted；　1004　at　Kiyoto；
and　815　at　Osaka；　and　the　remaining　10；000　are　spread　over　the
country。　　The　police　force　costs　something　over　400；000　pounds
annually；　and　certainly　is　very　efficient　in　preserving　good　order。
The　pay　of　ordinary　constables　ranges　from　6　to　10　yen　a　month。　　An
enormous　quantity　of　superfluous　writing　is　done　by　all　officialdom
in　Japan；　and　one　usually　sees　policemen　writing。　　What　comes　of　it
I　don't　know。　　They　are　mostly　intelligent　and　gentlemanly…looking
young　men；　and　foreigners　in　the　interior　are　really　much　indebted
to　them。　　If　I　am　at　any　time　in　difficulties　I　apply　to　them；　and；
though　they　are　disposed　to　be　somewhat　de　haut　en　bas；　they　are
sure　to　help　one；　except　about　routes；　of　which　they　always　profess
ignorance。

On　the　whole；　I　like　Kubota　better　than　any　other　Japanese　town；
perhaps　because　it　is　so　completely　Japanese　and　has　no　air　of
having　seen　better　days。　　I　no　longer　care　to　meet　Europeans
indeed　I　should　go　far　out　of　my　way　to　avoid　them。　　I　have　become
quite　used　to　Japanese　life；　and　think　that　I　learn　more　about　it
in　travelling　in　this　solitary　way　than　I　should　otherwise。　　I。　L。
B。



LETTER　XXIII



〃A　Plague　of　Immoderate　Rain〃A　Confidential　ServantIto's　Diary…
…Ito's　ExcellencesIto's　FaultsProphecy　of　the　Future　of　Japan
Curious　QueriesSuperfine　EnglishEconomical　TravellingThe
Japanese　Pack…horse　again。

KUBOTA；　July　24。

I　am　here　still；　not　altogether　because　the　town　is　fascinating；
but　because　the　rain　is　so　ceaseless　as　to　be　truly　〃a　plague　of
immoderate　rain　and　waters。〃　　Travellers　keep　coming　in　with
stories　of　the　impassability　of　the　roads　and　the　carrying　away　of
bridges。　　Ito　amuses　me　very　much　by　his　remarks。　　He　thinks　that
my　visit　to　the　school　and　hospital　must　have　raised　Japan　in　my
estimation；　and　he　is　talking　rather　big。　　He　asked　me　if　I　noticed
that　all　the　students　kept　their　mouths　shut　like　educated　men　and
residents　of　Tokiyo；　and　that　all　country　people　keep　theirs　open。
I　have　said　little　about　him　for　some　time；　but　I　daily　feel　more
dependent　on　him；　not　only　for　all　information；　but　actually　for
getting　on。　　At　night　he　has　my　watch；　passport；　and　half　my　money；
and　I　often　wonder　what　would　become　of　me　if　he　absconded　before
morning。　　He　is　not　a　good　boy。　　He　has　no　moral　sense；　according
to　our　notions；　he　dislikes　foreigners；　his　manner　is　often　very
disagreeable；　and　yet　I　doubt　whether　I　could　have　obtained　a　more
valuable　servant　and　interpreter。　　When　we　left　Tokiyo　he　spoke
fairly　good　English；　but　by　practice　and　industrious　study　he　now
speaks　better　than　any　official　interpreter　that　I　have　seen；　and
his　vocabulary　is　daily　increasing。　　He　never　uses　a　word
inaccurately　when　he　has　once　got　hold　of　its　meaning；　and　his
memory　never　fails。　　He　keeps　a　diary　both　in　English　and　Japanese；
and　it　shows　much　painstaking　observation。　　He　reads　it　to　me
sometimes；　and　it　is　interesting　to　hear　what　a　young　man　who　has
travelled　as　much　as　he　has　regards　as　novel　in　this　northern
region。　　He　has　made　a　hotel　book　and　a　transport　book；　in　which
all　the　bills　and　receipts　are　written；　and　he　daily　transliterates
the　names　of　all　places　into　English　letters；　and　puts　down　the
distances　and　the　sums　paid　for　transport　and　hotels　on　each　bill。

He　inquires　the　number　of　houses　in　each　place　from　the　police　or
Transport　Agent；　and　the　special　trade　of　each　town；　and　notes　them
down　for　me。　　He　takes　great　pains　to　be　accurate；　and　occasionally
remarks　about　some　piece　of　information　that　he　is　not　quite
certain　about；　〃If　it's　not　true；　it's　not　worth　having。〃　　He　is
never　late；　never　dawdles；　never　goes　out　in　the　evening　except　on
errands　for　me；　never　touches　sake；　is　never　disobedient；　never
requires　to　be　told　the　same　thing　twice；　is　always　within　hearing；
has　a　good　deal　of　tact　as　to　what　he　repeats；　and　all　with　an
undisguised　view　to　his　own　interest。　　He　sends　most　of　his　wages
to　his　mother；　who　is　a　widow〃It's　the　custom　of　the　country〃
and　seems　to　spend　the　remainder　on　sweetmeats；　tobacco；　and　the
luxury　of　frequent　shampooing。

That　he　would　tell　a　lie　if　it　served　his　purpose；　and　would
〃squeeze〃　up　to　the　limits　of　extortion；　if　he　could　do　it
unobserved；　I　have　not　the　slightest　doubt。　　He　seems　to　have　but
little　heart；　or　any　idea　of　any　but　vicious　pleasures。　　He　has　no
religion　of　any　kind；　he　has　been　too　much　with　foreigners　for
that。　　His　frankness　is　something　startling。　　He　has　no　idea　of
reticence　on　any　subject；　but　probably　I　learn　more　about　things　as
they　really　are　from　this　very　defect。　　In　virtue　in　man　or　woman；
except　in　that　of　his　former　master；　he　has　little；　if　any　belief。
He　thinks　that　Japan　is　right　in　availing　herself　of　the
discoveries　made　by　foreigners；　that　they　have　as　much　to　learn
from　her；　and　that　she　will　outstrip　them　in　the　race；　because　she
takes　all　that　is　worth　having；　and　rejects　the　incubus　of
Christianity。　　Patriotism　is；　I　think；　his　strongest　feeling；　and　I
never　met　with　such　a　boastful　display　of　it；　except　in　a　Scotchman
or　an　American。　　He　despises　the　uneducated；　as　he　can　read　and
write　both　the　syllabaries。　　For　foreign　rank　or　position　he　has
not　an　atom　o