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or old comers left。 The unavoidable preliminary exercise and the
crisp air whetted all our appetites。 So I doubt not she drove a
thriving trade； although to Western ideas of value her charges were
infinitesimally small。
Midday halts for lunch are godsends to tramps who travel with porters。
They compel the porters to catch up； and give the hirer opportunity
to say things which at least relieve him； if they do no good。 I had
begun to fear ours would deprive me of this pleasure； and indeed had
got so far on in my meal as to care little whether they did； when
automatically they appeared。 Fortunately they needed but a short rest；
and as the descent on the Noto side was much steeper than on the other；
half an hour's walk brought us to the level of kuruma once more。
A bit of lane almost English in look； bowered in trees and winding
delightfully like some human stream； led us to a teahouse。 While we
were ordering chaises a lot of children gathered to inspect us； thus
kindly giving us our first view of the natives。 They looked more
open…eyed than Japanese generally； but such effect may have been due
to wonder。 At all events； the stare； if it was a stare； seemed like
a silent sort of welcome。
Leaving the children still gazing after us we bowled away toward
Nanao； and in the course of time caught our first glimpse of it from
the upper end of a sweep of meadows。 It sat by the water's edge at
the head of a landlocked bay； the nearer arm of the inland sea； and
an apology for shipping rode in the offing。 It seemed a very
fair…sized town； and altogether a more lively place than I had
thought to find。 Clearly its life was as engrossing to it as if no
wall of hills notching the sky shut out the world beyond。 Having
heard； however； that a watering…place called Wakura was the sight of
the province； and learning now that it was but six miles further； we
decided； as it was yet early in the afternoon； to push on； and take
the capital later。 We did take it later； very much later the next
night； than was pleasing。
Wakura； indeed； was the one thing in Noto； except the charcoal； which
had an ultra…Noto…rious reputation。 Rumors of it had reached us as
far away as Shinshiu； and with every fresh inquiry we made as we
advanced the rumors had gathered strength。 Our informants spoke of
it with the vague respect accorded hearsay honor。 Clearly； it was no
place to pass by。
The road to it from Nanao was not noteworthy； but for two things； one
officially commended to sight…seers； the other not。 The first was a
curious water…worn rock upon the edge of the bay； some waif of a
boulder； doubtless； since it stuck up quite alone out of the sand。
A shrine perched atop； and a larger temple encircled it below； to which
its fantastic cuttings served as gateway and garden。 The uncommended
sight was a neighboring paddyfield； in which a company of frogs；
caught trespassing； stood impaled on sticks a foot high； as awful
warnings to their kind。 Beyond this the way passed through a string
of clay cuttings following the coast； and in good time rolled us into
the midst of a collection of barnlike buildings which it seemed was
Wakura。
The season for the baths had not yet begun； so that the number of
people at the hotels was still quite small。 Not so the catalogue of
complaints for which they were visited。 The list appalled me as I
sat on the threshold of my prospective lodging； listening to mine
host's encomiums on the virtues of the waters。 He expatiated
eloquently on both the quantity and quality of the cures； quite
unsuspicious that at each fresh recommendation he was in my eyes
depreciating his own wares。 Did he hope that among such a handsome
choice of diseases I might at least have one！ I was very near to
beating a hasty retreat on the spot。 For the accommodation in
Japanese inns is of a distressingly communistic character at best；
and although at present there were few patients in the place； the
germs were presumably still there on the lookout for a victim。
Immediate comfort； however； getting the better of problematical risk；
I went in。 The room allotted me lay on the ground floor just off the
garden； and I had not been there many minutes before I became aware；
as one does； that I was being stared at。 The culprit instantly
pretended； with a very sheepish air； to be only taking a walk。 He
was the vanguard of an army of the curious。 The people in the next
room were much exercised over the new arrival； and did all decency
allowed to catch a glimpse of me； for which in time they were
rewarded。 Visitors lodged farther off took aimless strolls to the
verandas； and looked at me when they thought I was not looking at
them。 All envied the servants； who out…did Abra by coming when I
called nobody； and then lingering to talk。 Altogether I was more of
a notoriety than I ever hope to be again； especially as any European
would have done them as well。 My public would have been greater； as
I afterwards learned； if Yejiro had not been holding rival court in
the kitchen。
Between us we were given a good deal of local information。 One bit
failed to cause me unmitigated delight。 We were not； it appeared；
the first foreigners to set foot in Wakura。 Two Europeans had； in a
quite uncalled…for way； descended upon the place the summer before；
up to which time； indeed； the spot had been virgin to Caucasians。
Lured by the fame of the springs； these men had come from Kanazawa in
Kaga； where they were engaged in teaching chemistry； to make a test
of the waters。 I believe they discovered nothing startling。 I could
have predicted as much had they consulted me beforehand。 They
neglected to do so； and the result was they came； saw and conquered
what little novelty the place had。 I was quite chagrined。 It simply
showed how betrodden in these latter days the world is。 There is not
so much as a remote corner of it but falls under one of two heads；
those places worth seeing which have already been seen； and those
that have not been seen but are not worth seeing。 Wakura Onsen
struck me as falling into the latter halves of both categories。
While discussing my solitary dinner I was informed by Yejiro that
some one wished to speak with me； and on admitting to be at home；
the local prefect was ushered in。 He came ostensibly to vise my
passport； a duty usually quite satisfactorily performed by any
policeman。 The excuse was transparent。 He really came that he might
see for himself the foreigner whom rumor had reported to have
arrived。 As a passport on his part he presented me with some pride
the bit of autobiography that he had himself once been in Tokyo；
a fact which in his mind instantly made us a kind of brothers；
and raised us both into a common region of superiority to our
surroundings。 He asked affectionately after the place； and I
answered as if it had been the one thought in both our hearts。
It was a pleasing little comedy； as each of us was conscious of
its consciousness by the other。 Altogether we were very friendly。
Between two such Tokyoites it was； of course； the merest formality to
vise a passport； but being one imposed by law he kindly ran his eye
over mine。 As it omitted to describe my personal appearance in the
usual carefully minute manner； as face oval； nose ordinary；
complexion medium； and so forth； identification from mere looks was
not striking。 So he had to take me on trust for what I purported to
be； an assumption which did not disconcert him in the least。 With
writing materials which he drew from his sleeve； he registered me
then and there； and； the demands of the law thus complied with to the
letter； left me amid renewed civilities to sleep the sleep of the
just。
X。
An Inland Sea。
They had told us overnight that a small steamer plied every other day
through Noto's unfamed inland sea； leaving the capital early in the
morning； and touching shortly after at Wakura。 As good luck would
have it； the morrow happened not to be any other day； so we embraced
the opportunity to embark in her ourselves。 On her； it would be more
accurate to say； for she proved such a mite that her cabin was barely
possible and anything but desirable。 By squatting down and craning
my neck I peered in at the entrance； a feat which was difficult
enough。 She was； in truth； not much bigger than a ship's gig； but
she had a soul out of all proportion to her size。 The way it
throbbed and strained and set her whole little frame quivering with
excitement； made me think every moment that she was about to explode。
The fact that she was manned exclusively by Japanese did not entirely
reassure me。
There was an apology for a deck forward； to which； when we were well
under way； I clambered over the other passengers。 I was just sitting
down there to enjoy a comfortable pipe when I was startlingly
requested by