unbeaten tracks in japan- 第38部分

The　day　before　yesterday；　in　spite　of　severe　pain；　was　one　of　the
most　interesting　of　my　journey。　　As　I　learned　something　of　the
force　of　fire　in　Hawaii；　I　am　learning　not　a　little　of　the　force　of
water　in　Japan。　　We　left　Shirasawa　at　noon；　as　it　looked　likely　to
clear；　taking　two　horses　and　three　men。　　It　is　beautiful　scenerya
wild　valley；　upon　which　a　number　of　lateral　ridges　descend；
rendered　strikingly　picturesque　by　the　dark　pyramidal　cryptomeria；
which　are　truly　the　glory　of　Japan。　　Five　of　the　fords　were　deep
and　rapid；　and　the　entrance　on　them　difficult；　as　the　sloping
descents　were　all　carried　away；　leaving　steep　banks；　which　had　to
be　levelled　by　the　mattocks　of　the　mago。　　Then　the　fords　themselves
were　gone；　there　were　shallows　where　there　had　been　depths；　and
depths　where　there　had　been　shallows；　new　channels　were　carved；　and
great　beds　of　shingle　had　been　thrown　up。　　Much　wreckage　lay　about。
The　road　and　its　small　bridges　were　all　gone；　trees　torn　up　by　the
roots　or　snapped　short　off　by　being　struck　by　heavy　logs　were
heaped　together　like　barricades；　leaves　and　even　bark　being　in　many
cases　stripped　completely　off；　great　logs　floated　down　the　river　in
such　numbers　and　with　such　force　that　we　had　to　wait　half　an　hour
in　one　place　to　secure　a　safe　crossing；　hollows　were　filled　with
liquid　mud；　boulders　of　great　size　were　piled　into　embankments；
causing　perilous　alterations　in　the　course　of　the　river；　a　fertile
valley　had　been　utterly　destroyed；　and　the　men　said　they　could
hardly　find　their　way。

At　the　end　of　five　miles　it　became　impassable　for　horses；　and；　with
two　of　the　mago　carrying　the　baggage；　we　set　off；　wading　through
water　and　climbing　along　the　side　of　a　hill；　up　to　our　knees　in
soft　wet　soil。　　The　hillside　and　the　road　were　both　gone；　and　there
were　heavy　landslips　along　the　whole　valley。　　Happily　there　was　not
much　of　this　exhausting　work；　for；　just　as　higher　and　darker
ranges；　densely　wooded　with　cryptomeria；　began　to　close　us　in；　we
emerged　upon　a　fine　new　road；　broad　enough　for　a　carriage；　which；
after　crossing　two　ravines　on　fine　bridges；　plunges　into　the　depths
of　a　magnificent　forest；　and　then　by　a　long　series　of　fine　zigzags
of　easy　gradients　ascends　the　pass　of　Yadate；　on　the　top　of　which；
in　a　deep　sandstone　cutting；　is　a　handsome　obelisk　marking　the
boundary　between　Akita　and　Aomori　ken。　　This　is　a　marvellous　road
for　Japan；　it　is　so　well　graded　and　built　up；　and　logs　for
travellers'　rests　are　placed　at　convenient　distances。　　Some　very
heavy　work　in　grading　and　blasting　has　been　done　upon　it；　but　there
are　only　four　miles　of　it；　with　wretched　bridle　tracks　at　each　end。
I　left　the　others　behind；　and　strolled　on　alone　over　the　top　of　the
pass　and　down　the　other　side；　where　the　road　is　blasted　out　of　rock
of　a　vivid　pink　and　green　colour；　looking　brilliant　under　the
trickle　of　water。　　I　admire　this　pass　more　than　anything　I　have
seen　in　Japan；　I　even　long　to　see　it　again；　but　under　a　bright　blue
sky。　　It　reminds　me　much　of　the　finest　part　of　the　Brunig　Pass；　and
something　of　some　of　the　passes　in　the　Rocky　Mountains；　but　the
trees　are　far　finer　than　in　either。　　It　was　lonely；　stately；　dark；
solemn；　its　huge　cryptomeria；　straight　as　masts；　sent　their　tall
spires　far　aloft　in　search　of　light；　the　ferns；　which　love　damp　and
shady　places；　were　the　only　undergrowth；　the　trees　flung　their
balsamy；　aromatic　scent　liberally　upon　the　air；　and；　in　the
unlighted　depths　of　many　a　ravine　and　hollow；　clear　bright　torrents
leapt　and　tumbled；　drowning　with　their　thundering　bass　the　musical
treble　of　the　lighter　streams。　　Not　a　traveller　disturbed　the
solitude　with　his　sandalled　footfall；　there　was　neither　song　of
bird　nor　hum　of　insect。

In　the　midst　of　this　sublime　scenery；　and　at　the　very　top　of　the
pass；　the　rain；　which　had　been　light　but　steady　during　the　whole
day；　began　to　come　down　in　streams　and　then　in　sheets。　　I　have　been
so　rained　upon　for　weeks　that　at　first　I　took　little　notice　of　it；
but　very　soon　changes　occurred　before　my　eyes　which　concentrated　my
attention　upon　it。　　The　rush　of　waters　was　heard　everywhere；　trees
of　great　size　slid　down；　breaking　others　in　their　fall；　rocks　were
rent　and　carried　away　trees　in　their　descent；　the　waters　rose
before　our　eyes；　with　a　boom　and　roar　as　of　an　earthquake　a
hillside　burst；　and　half　the　hill；　with　a　noble　forest　of
cryptomeria；　was　projected　outwards；　and　the　trees；　with　the　land
on　which　they　grew；　went　down　heads　foremost；　diverting　a　river
from　its　course；　and　where　the　forest…covered　hillside　had　been
there　was　a　great　scar；　out　of　which　a　torrent　burst　at　high
pressure；　which　in　half　an　hour　carved　for　itself　a　deep　ravine；
and　carried　into　the　valley　below　an　avalanche　of　stones　and　sand。
Another　hillside　descended　less　abruptly；　and　its　noble　groves
found　themselves　at　the　bottom　in　a　perpendicular　position；　and
will　doubtless　survive　their　transplantation。　　Actually；　before　my
eyes；　this　fine　new　road　was　torn　away　by　hastily　improvised
torrents；　or　blocked　by　landslips　in　several　places；　and　a　little
lower；　in　one　moment；　a　hundred　yards　of　it　disappeared；　and　with
them　a　fine　bridge；　which　was　deposited　aslant　across　the　torrent
lower　down。

On　the　descent；　when　things　began　to　look　very　bad；　and　the
mountain…sides　had　become　cascades　bringing　trees；　logs；　and　rocks
down　with　them；　we　were　fortunate　enough　to　meet　with　two　pack…
horses　whose　leaders　were　ignorant　of　the　impassability　of　the　road
to　Odate；　and　they　and　my　coolies　exchanged　loads。　　These　were
strong　horses；　and　the　mago　were　skilful　and　courageous。　　They　said
if　we　hurried　we　could　just　get　to　the　hamlet　they　had　left；　they
thought；　but　while　they　spoke　the　road　and　the　bridge　below　were
carried　away。　　They　insisted　on　lashing　me　to　the　pack…saddle。　　The
great　stream；　whose　beauty　I　had　formerly　admired；　was　now　a　thing
of　dread；　and　had　to　be　forded　four　times　without　fords。　　It
crashed　and　thundered；　drowning　the　feeble　sound　of　human　voices；
the　torrents　from　the　heavens　hissed　through　the　forest；　trees　and
logs　came　crashing　down　the　hillsides；　a　thousand　cascades　added　to
the　din；　and　in　the　bewilderment　produced　by　such　an　unusual
concatenation　of　sights　and　sounds　we　stumbled　through　the　river；
the　men　up　to　their　shoulders；　the　horses　up　to　their　backs。　　Again
and　again　we　crossed。　　The　banks　being　carried　away；　it　was　very
hard　to　get　either　into　or　out　of　the　water；　the　horses　had　to
scramble　or　jump　up　places　as　high　as　their　shoulders；　all　slippery
and　crumbling；　and　twice　the　men　cut　steps　for　them　with　axes。　　The
rush　of　the　torrent　at　the　last　crossing　taxed　the　strength　of　both
men　and　horses；　and；　as　I　was　helpless　from　being　tied　on；　I
confess　that　I　shut　my　eyes！　　After　getting　through；　we　came　upon
the　lands　belonging　to　this　villagerice…fields　with　the　dykes
burst；　and　all　the　beautiful　ridge　and　furrow　cultivation　of　the
other　crops　carried　away。　　The　waters　were　rising　fast；　the　men
said　we　must　hurry；　they　unbound　me；　so　that　I　might　ride　more
comfortably；　spoke　to　the　horses；　and　went　on　at　a　run。　　My　horse；
which　had　nearly　worn　out　his　shoes　in　the　fords；　stumbled　at　every
step；　the　mago　gave　me　a　noose　of　rope　to　clutch；　the　rain　fell　in
such　torrents　that　I　speculated　on　the　chance　of　being　washed　off
my　saddle；　when　suddenly　I　saw　a　shower　of　sparks；　I　felt
unutterable　things；　I　was　choked；　bruised；　stifled；　and　presently
found　myself　being　hauled　out　of　a　ditch　by　three　men；　and　realised
that　the　horse　had　tumbled　down　in　going　down　a　steepish　hill；　and
that　I　had　gone　over　his　head。　　To　climb　again　on　the　soaked　futon
was　the　work　of　a　moment；　and；　with　men　running　and　horses
stumbling　and　splashing；　we　crossed　the　Hirakawa　by　one　fine
bridge；　and　half　a　mile　farther　re…crossed　it　on　another；　wishing
as　we　did　so　that　all　Japanese　bridges　were　as　substantial；　for
they　were　both　100　feet　long；　and　had　central　piers。

We　entered　Ikarigaseki　from　the　last　bridge；　a　village　of　800
people；　on　a　narrow　ledge　between　an　abrupt　hill　and　the　Hirakawa；
a　most　forlorn　and　tumble…down　place；　given　up　to　felling　timber
and　making　shingles；　and　timber　in　all　its　formslogs；　planks；
faggots；　and　shinglesis　heaped　and　stalked　about。　　It　looks　more
like　a　lumberer's　encampment　than　a　permanent　village；　but　it　is
beautifully　situated；　and　unlike　any　of　the　innumerable　villages
that　I　have　ever　seen。

The　street　is　long　and　narrow；　with　streams　in　stone　channels　on
either　side；　but　these　had　overflowed；　and　men；　women；　and　children
were　constructing　square　dams　to　keep　the　water；　which　had　already
reached　the　doma；　from　rising　over　the　tatami。　　Hardly　any　house
has　paper　windows；　and　in　the　few　which　have；　they　are　so　black
with　smoke　as　to　look　worse　than　none。　　The　roofs　are　nearly　flat；
and　are　covered　with　shingles　held　on　by　laths　and　weighted　with
large　stones。　　Nearly　all　the　houses　look　like　temporary　sheds；　and
most　are　as　black　inside　as　a　Barra　hut。　　The　walls　of　many　are
nothing　but　rough　boards　tied　to　the　uprights　by　straw　ropes。

In　the　drowning　torrent；　sitting　in　puddles　of　water；　and　drenched
to　the　skin　hours　before；　we　reached　this　very　primitive　yadoya；
the　lower　part　of　which　is　occupied　by　the　daidokoro；　a　party　of
storm…bound　students；　horses；　fowls；　and　dogs。　　My　room　is　a
wretched　loft；　reached　by　a　ladder；　with　such　a　quagmire　at　its
foot　that　I　have　to　descend　into　it　in　Wellington　boots。　　It　was
dismally　grotesque　at　first。　　The　torrent　on　the　unceiled　roof
prevented　Ito　from　hearing　what　I　said；　the　bed　was　soaked；　and　the
water；　having　got　into　my　box；　had　dissolved　the　remains　of　the
condensed　milk；　and　had　reduced　clothes；　books；　and　paper　into　a
condition　of　universal　stickiness。　　My　kimono　was　less　wet　than
anything　else；　and；　borrowing　a　sheet　of　oiled　paper；　I　lay　down　in
it；　till　roused　up　in　half　an　hour　by　Ito　shrieking　above　the　din
on　the　roof　that　the　people　thought　that　the　bridge　by　which　we　had
just　entered　would　give　way；　and；　running　to　the　river　bank；　we
joined　a　large　crowd；　far　too　intensely　occupied　by　the　coming
disaster　to　take　any　notice　of　the　first　foreign　lady　they