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fordable； and tore up such of a road as there is； which at its best
is a mere water…channel。 Torrents； bringing tolerable…sized
stones； tore down the track； and when the horses had been struck
two or three times by these； it was with difficulty that they could
be induced to face the rushing water。 Constantly in a pass； the
water had gradually cut a track several feet deep between steep
banks； and the only possible walking place was a stony gash not
wide enough for the two feet of a horse alongside of each other；
down which water and stones were rushing from behind； with all
manner of trailers matted overhead； and between avoiding being
strangled and attempting to keep a tender…footed horse on his legs；
the ride was a very severe one。 The poor animal fell five times
from stepping on stones； and in one of his falls twisted my left
wrist badly。 I thought of the many people who envied me my tour in
Japan； and wondered whether they would envy me that ride！
After this had gone on for four hours； the track； with a sudden dip
over a hillside； came down on Old Mororan； a village of thirty Aino
and nine Japanese houses； very unpromising…looking； although
exquisitely situated on the rim of a lovely cove。 The Aino huts
were small and poor； with an unusual number of bear skulls on
poles； and the village consisted mainly of two long dilapidated
buildings； in which a number of men were mending nets。 It looked a
decaying place； of low； mean lives。 But at a 〃merchant's〃 there
was one delightful room with two translucent sidesone opening on
the village； the other looking to the sea down a short； steep
slope； on which is a quaint little garden； with dwarfed fir…trees
in pots； a few balsams； and a red cabbage grown with much pride as
a 〃foliage plant。〃
It is nearly midnight； but my bed and bedding are so wet that I am
still sitting up and drying them； patch by patch； with tedious
slowness； on a wooden frame placed over a charcoal brazier； which
has given my room the dryness and warmth which are needed when a
person has been for many hours in soaked clothing； and has nothing
really dry to put on。 Ito bought a chicken for my supper； but when
he was going to kill it an hour later its owner in much grief
returned the money； saying she had brought it up and could not bear
to see it killed。 This is a wild； outlandish place； but an
intuition tells me that it is beautiful。 The ocean at present is
thundering up the beach with the sullen force of a heavy ground…
swell； and the rain is still falling in torrents。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XL
〃More than Peace〃Geographical DifficultiesUsu…takiSwimming
the OsharuA Dream of BeautyA Sunset EffectA Nocturnal Alarm
The Coast Ainos。
LEBUNGE； VOLCANO BAY； YEZO；
September 6。
〃Weary wave and dying blast
Sob and moan along the shore；
All is peace at last。〃
And more than peace。 It was a heavenly morning。 The deep blue sky
was perfectly unclouded； a blue sea with diamond flash and a 〃many…
twinkling smile〃 rippled gently on the golden sands of the lovely
little bay； and opposite； forty miles away； the pink summit of the
volcano of Komono…taki； forming the south…western point of Volcano
Bay； rose into a softening veil of tender blue haze。 There was a
balmy breeziness in the air； and tawny tints upon the hill； patches
of gold in the woods； and a scarlet spray here and there heralded
the glories of the advancing autumn。 As the day began； so it
closed。 I should like to have detained each hour as it passed。 It
was thorough enjoyment。 I visited a good many of the Mororan
Ainos； saw their well…grown bear in its cage； and； tearing myself
away with difficulty at noon； crossed a steep hill and a wood of
scrub oak； and then followed a trail which runs on the amber sands
close to the sea； crosses several small streams； and passes the
lonely Aino village of Maripu； the ocean always on the left and
wooded ranges on the right； and in front an apparent bar to farther
progress in the volcano of Usu…taki； an imposing mountain； rising
abruptly to a height of nearly 3000 feet； I should think。
In Yezo； as on the main island； one can learn very little about any
prospective route。 Usually when one makes an inquiry a Japanese
puts on a stupid look； giggles； tucks his thumbs into his girdle；
hitches up his garments； and either professes perfect ignorance or
gives one some vague second…hand information； though it is quite
possible that he may have been over every foot of the ground
himself more than once。 Whether suspicion of your motives in
asking； or a fear of compromising himself by answering； is at the
bottom of this I don't know； but it is most exasperating to a
traveller。 In Hakodate I failed to see Captain Blakiston； who has
walked round the whole Yezo sea…board； and all I was able to learn
regarding this route was that the coast was thinly peopled by
Ainos； that there were Government horses which could be got； and
that one could sleep where one got them； that rice and salt fish
were the only food； that there were many 〃bad rivers；〃 and that the
road went over 〃bad mountains；〃 that the only people who went that
way were Government officials twice a year； that one could not get
on more than four miles a day； that the roads over the passes were
〃all big stones；〃 etc。 etc。 So this Usu…taki took me altogether by
surprise； and for a time confounded all my carefully…constructed
notions of locality。 I had been told that the one volcano in the
bay was Komono…taki； near Mori； and this I believed to be eighty
miles off； and there； confronting me； within a distance of two
miles； was this grand； splintered； vermilion…crested thing； with a
far nobler aspect than that of 〃THE〃 volcano； with a curtain range
in front； deeply scored； and slashed with ravines and abysses whose
purple gloom was unlighted even by the noon…day sun。 One of the
peaks was emitting black smoke from a deep crater； another steam
and white smoke from various rents and fissures in its side
vermilion peaks； smoke； and steam all rising into a sky of
brilliant blue； and the atmosphere was so clear that I saw
everything that was going on there quite distinctly； especially
when I attained an altitude exceeding that of the curtain range。
It was not for two days that I got a correct idea of its
geographical situation； but I was not long in finding out that it
was not Komono…taki！ There is much volcanic activity about it。 I
saw a glare from it last night thirty miles away。 The Ainos said
that it was 〃a god；〃 but did not know its name； nor did the
Japanese who were living under its shadow。 At some distance from
it in the interior rises a great dome…like mountain； Shiribetsan；
and the whole view is grand。
A little beyond Mombets flows the river Osharu； one of the largest
of the Yezo streams。 It was much swollen by the previous day's
rain； and as the ferry…boat was carried away we had to swim it； and
the swim seemed very long。 Of course； we and the baggage got very
wet。 The coolness with which the Aino guide took to the water
without giving us any notice that its broad； eddying flood was a
swim； and not a ford； was very amusing。
From the top of a steepish ascent beyond the Osharugawa there is a
view into what looks like a very lovely lake； with wooded
promontories； and little bays； and rocky capes in miniature； and
little heights； on which Aino houses； with tawny roofs； are
clustered； and then the track dips suddenly； and deposits one； not
by a lake at all； but on Usu Bay； an inlet of the Pacific； much
broken up into coves； and with a very narrow entrance； only obvious
from a few points。 Just as the track touches the bay there is a
road…post； with a prayer…wheel in it； and by the shore an upright
stone of very large size； inscribed with Sanskrit characters； near
to a stone staircase and a gateway in a massive stone…faced
embankment； which looked much out of keeping with the general
wildness of the place。 On a rocky promontory in a wooded cove
there is a large； rambling house； greatly out of repair； inhabited
by a Japanese man and his son； who are placed there to look after
Government interests； exiles among 500 Ainos。 From among the
number of rat…haunted； rambling rooms which had once been handsome；
I chose one opening on a yard or garden with some distorted yews in
it； but found that the great gateway and the amado had no bolts；
and that anything might be appropriated by any one with dishonest
intentions； but the house…master and his son； who have lived for
ten years among the Ainos； and speak their language； say that
nothing is ever taken； and that the Ainos are thoroughly honest and
harmless。 Without this assurance I should have been distrustful of
the number of wide…mouthed youths who hung about； in the
listlessness and vacuity of savagery； if not of the bearded men who
sat or stood about the gateway with children in their arms。
Usu is a dream of beauty and peace。 There is not much difference
between the height of high and low water on this coast； and the
lake…like illusion would have been perfect had it not been that the
rocks were tinged with gold for a foot or so above the sea by a
delicate species o