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unbeaten tracks in japan-第26章

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mosquitoes; villains with spotted legs; which bite and poison one
without the warning hum。  The night mosquitoes are legion。  There
are no walks except in the streets and the public gardens; for
Niigata is built on a sand spit; hot and bare。  Neither can you get
a view of it without climbing to the top of a wooden look…out。

Niigata is a Treaty Port without foreign trade; and almost without
foreign residents。  Not a foreign ship visited the port either last
year or this。  There are only two foreign firms; and these are
German; and only eighteen foreigners; of which number; except the
missionaries; nearly all are in Government employment。  Its river;
the Shinano; is the largest in Japan; and it and its affluents
bring down a prodigious volume of water。  But Japanese rivers are
much choked with sand and shingle washed down from the mountains。
In all that I have seen; except those which are physically limited
by walls of hard rock; a river…bed is a waste of sand; boulders;
and shingle; through the middle of which; among sand…banks and
shallows; the river proper takes its devious course。  In the
freshets; which occur to a greater or less extent every year;
enormous volumes of water pour over these wastes; carrying sand and
detritus down to the mouths; which are all obstructed by bars。  Of
these rivers the Shinano; being the biggest; is the most
refractory; and has piled up a bar at its entrance through which
there is only a passage seven feet deep; which is perpetually
shallowing。  The minds of engineers are much exercised upon the
Shinano; and the Government is most anxious to deepen the channel
and give Western Japan what it has nota harbour; but the expense
of the necessary operation is enormous; and in the meantime a
limited ocean traffic is carried on by junks and by a few small
Japanese steamers which call outside。 {13}  There is a British
Vice…Consulate; but; except as a step; few would accept such a
dreary post or outpost。

But Niigata is a handsome; prosperous city of 50;000 inhabitants;
the capital of the wealthy province of Echigo; with a population of
one and a half millions; and is the seat of the Kenrei; or
provincial governor; of the chief law courts; of fine schools; a
hospital; and barracks。  It is curious to find in such an excluded
town a school deserving the designation of a college; as it
includes intermediate; primary; and normal schools; an English
school with 150 pupils; organised by English and American teachers;
an engineering school; a geological museum; splendidly equipped
laboratories; and the newest and most approved scientific and
educational apparatus。  The Government Buildings; which are grouped
near Mr。 Fyson's; are of painted white wood; and are imposing from
their size and their innumerable glass windows。  There is a large
hospital {14} arranged by a European doctor; with a medical school
attached; and it; the Kencho; the Saibancho; or Court House; the
schools; the barracks; and a large bank; which is rivalling them
all; have a go…ahead; Europeanised look; bold; staring; and
tasteless。  There are large public gardens; very well laid out; and
with finely gravelled walks。  There are 300 street lamps; which
burn the mineral oil of the district。

Yet; because the riotous Shinano persistently bars it out from the
sea; its natural highway; the capital of one of the richest
provinces of Japan is 〃left out in the cold;〃 and the province
itself; which yields not only rice; silk; tea; hemp; ninjin; and
indigo; in large quantities; but gold; copper; coal; and petroleum;
has to send most of its produce to Yedo across ranges of mountains;
on the backs of pack…horses; by roads scarcely less infamous than
the one by which I came。

The Niigata of the Government; with its signs of progress in a
western direction; is quite unattractive…looking as compared with
the genuine Japanese Niigata; which is the neatest; cleanest; and
most comfortable…looking town I have yet seen; and altogether free
from the jostlement of a foreign settlement。  It is renowned for
the beautiful tea…houses; which attract visitors from distant
places; and for the excellence of the theatres; and is the centre
of the recreation and pleasure of a large district。  It is so
beautifully clean that; as at Nikko; I should feel reluctant to
walk upon its well…swept streets in muddy boots。  It would afford a
good lesson to the Edinburgh authorities; for every vagrant bit of
straw; stick; or paper; is at once pounced upon and removed; and no
rubbish may stand for an instant in its streets except in a covered
box or bucket。  It is correctly laid out in square divisions;
formed by five streets over a mile long; crossed by very numerous
short ones; and is intersected by canals; which are its real
roadways。  I have not seen a pack…horse in the streets; everything
comes in by boat; and there are few houses in the city which cannot
have their goods delivered by canal very near to their doors。
These water…ways are busy all day; but in the early morning; when
the boats come in loaded with the vegetables; without which the
people could not exist for a day; the bustle is indescribable。  The
cucumber boats just now are the great sight。  The canals are
usually in the middle of the streets; and have fairly broad
roadways on both sides。  They are much below the street level; and
their nearly perpendicular banks are neatly faced with wood; broken
at intervals by flights of stairs。  They are bordered by trees;
among which are many weeping willows; and; as the river water runs
through them; keeping them quite sweet; and they are crossed at
short intervals by light bridges; they form a very attractive
feature of Niigata。

The houses have very steep roofs of shingle; weighted with stones;
and; as they are of very irregular heights; and all turn the steep
gables of the upper stories streetwards; the town has a
picturesqueness very unusual in Japan。  The deep verandahs are
connected all along the streets; so as to form a sheltered
promenade when the snow lies deep in winter。  With its canals with
their avenues of trees; its fine public gardens; and clean;
picturesque streets; it is a really attractive town; but its
improvements are recent; and were only lately completed by Mr。
Masakata Kusumoto; now Governor of Tokiyo。  There is no appearance
of poverty in any part of the town; but if there be wealth; it is
carefully concealed。  One marked feature of the city is the number
of streets of dwelling…houses with projecting windows of wooden
slats; through which the people can see without being seen; though
at night; when the andons are lit; we saw; as we walked from Dr。
Palm's; that in most cases families were sitting round the hibachi
in a deshabille of the scantiest kind。

The fronts are very narrow; and the houses extend backwards to an
amazing length; with gardens in which flowers; shrubs; and
mosquitoes are grown; and bridges are several times repeated; so as
to give the effect of fairyland as you look through from the
street。  The principal apartments in all Japanese houses are at the
back; looking out on these miniature landscapes; for a landscape is
skilfully dwarfed into a space often not more than 30 feet square。
A lake; a rock…work; a bridge; a stone lantern; and a deformed
pine; are indispensable; but whenever circumstances and means admit
of it; quaintnesses of all kinds are introduced。  Small pavilions;
retreats for tea…making; reading; sleeping in quiet and coolness;
fishing under cover; and drinking sake; bronze pagodas; cascades
falling from the mouths of bronze dragons; rock caves; with gold
and silver fish darting in and out; lakes with rocky islands;
streams crossed by green bridges; just high enough to allow a rat
or frog to pass under; lawns; and slabs of stone for crossing them
in wet weather; grottoes; hills; valleys; groves of miniature
palms; cycas; and bamboo; and dwarfed trees of many kinds; of
purplish and dull green hues; are cut into startling likenesses of
beasts and creeping things; or stretch distorted arms over tiny
lakes。

I have walked about a great deal in Niigata; and when with Mrs。
Fyson; who is the only European lady here at present; and her
little Ruth; a pretty Saxon child of three years old; we have been
followed by an immense crowd; as the sight of this fair creature;
with golden curls falling over her shoulders; is most fascinating。
Both men and women have gentle; winning ways with infants; and
Ruth; instead of being afraid of the crowds; smiles upon them; bows
in Japanese fashion; speaks to them in Japanese; and seems a little
disposed to leave her own people altogether。  It is most difficult
to make her keep with us; and two or three times; on missing her
and looking back; we have seen her seated; native fashion; in a
ring in a crowd of several hundred people; receiving a homage and
admiration from which she was most unwillingly torn。  The Japanese
have a perfect passion for children; but it is not good for
European children to be much with them; as they corrupt their
morals; and teach them to tell lies。

The climate of Niigata and of most of this great province contrasts
unpleasantly with th
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