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sunshine without pointed the shade within； making even the room seem
more shadowy than it was。 I began to feel creeping over me that
strange touch of sadness that attends the supreme moment of success；
though fulfillment be so trifling a thing as a journey's bourne。
Great or little； real or fancied； the feeling is the same in kind。
The mind seems strangely like the eye。 Satisfy some emotion it has
been dwelling on； and the relaxed nerves at once make you conscious
of the complementary tint。
Then other inns in Japan came up regretfully across the blue distance
of the intervening years； midday halts； where an hour of daydream lay
sandwiched in between two half days of tramp。 And I thought of the
companions now so far away。 Having heard the tune in a minor key；
these came in as chords of some ampler variation； making a kind of
symphony of sentiment； where I was brought back ever and anon to the
simple motif。 And the teahouse maidens entered and went out again
like mutes in my mind's scene。
I doubt not the country beyond is all very commonplace； but it might
be an Eldorado from the gilding fancy gave it then。 I was told the
hills were not high； and that eighteen miles on foot would land the
traveler at Wakamatsu on the sea of Japan； fronting Korea； but seeing
only the sea； and I feel tolerably sure there is nothing there to
repay the tramp。 When a back has bewitched you in the street； it is
a fatal folly to try to see the face。 You will only be disillusioned
if you do。
XII。
At Sea Again。
I was roused from my mid…Noto reverie by tidings that our boat was
ready and waiting just below the bridge。 This was not the steamer
which had long since gone on its way； but a small boat of the country
we had succeeded in chartering for the return voyage。 The good
inn…folk； who had helped in the hiring； hospitably came down to the
landing to see us off。
The boat； like all Japanese small boats； was in build between a
gondola and a dory； and dated from a stage in the art of rowing prior
to the discovery that to sit is better than to stand even at work。
Ours was a small specimen of its class； that we might the quicker
compass the voyage to Nanao； which the boatmen averred to be six ri
（fifteen miles）。 My estimate； prompted perhaps by interest； and
certainly abetted by ignorance； made it about half that distance。
My argument； conclusive enough to myself； proved singularly unshaking
to the boatmen； who would neither abate the price in consequence nor
diminish their own allowance of the time to be taken。
The boat had sweeps both fore and aft； each let in by a hole in the
handle to a pin on the gunwale。 She was also provided with a sail
hoisting on a spar that fitted in amidships。 The sail was laced
vertically： a point； by the way； for telling a Japanese junk from a
Chinese one at sea； for Cathay always laces horizontally。
Whatever our private beliefs on the probable length of the voyage；
both crew and passengers agreed charmingly in one hope； namely； that
there might be as little rowing about it as possible。 Our reasons
for this differed； it is true； but as neither side volunteered
theirs； the difference mattered not。 So we slipped down the canal。
The hoopskirt fisher…dames were just where we had left them some
hours before； and were still too much absorbed in doing nothing to
waste time looking at us。 I would gladly have bothered them for a
peep at their traps； but that it seemed a pity to intrude upon so
engrossing a pursuit。 Besides； I feared their apathy might infect
the crew。 Our mariners； though hired only for the voyage； did not
seem averse to making a day of it； as it was。
One thing； however； I was bent on stopping to inspect； cost what it
might in delay or discipline； and that was a fish…lookout。 To have
seen the thing from a steamer's deck merely whetted desire for nearer
acquaintance。 To gratify the wish was not difficult； for the shore
was dotted with them like blind light…houses off the points。 I was
for making for the first visible； but the boatmen； with an eye to
economy of labor； pointed out that there was one directly in our path
round the next headland。 So I curbed my curiosity till on turning
the corner it came into view。 As good luck would have it； it was
inhabited。
We pulled up alongside； gave its occupants good…day； and asked leave
to mount。 The fishermen； hospitable souls； offered no objection。
This seemed to me the more courteous on their part； after I had made
the ascent； for there were two of them in the basket； and a visitor
materially added to the already uneasy weight。 But then they were
used to it。 The rungs of what did for ladder were so far apart as to
necessitate making very long legs of it in places； which must have
been colossal strides for the owners。 The higher I clambered； the
flimsier the structure got。 However； I arrived； not without
unnecessary trepidation； wormed my way into the basket and crouched
down in some uneasiness of mind。 The way the thing swayed and
wriggled gave me to believe that the next moment we should all be
shot catapultwise into the sea。 To call it topheavy will do for a
word； but nothing but experience will do for the sensation。 This
oscillation； strangely enough； was not apparent from the sea； which
reminds me to have noticed differences due the point of view before。
I was greeted by an extensive outlook。 The shore； perhaps a hundred
yards away； ran shortly into a fisher hamlet； and then into a long
line of half submerged rocks； like successive touches of a skipping
stone。 Beyond the end of this indefinite point； and a little to the
right of it； stood another lookout。 This was our only near neighbor；
though others could be seen in miniature in the distance； faint
cobwebs against the coast。 The bay stretched away on all sides；
landlocked at last； except where to the east an opening gave into the
sea of Japan。
To a dispassionate observer the basket may have been twenty feet
above the water。 To one in the basket； it was considerably higher
and its height was emphasized by its seeming insecurity。
The fishermen were very much at home in it； but to me the sensation
was such as to cause strained relations between my will to stay and
my wish to be gone。
But strong feelings are so easily changed into their opposites！ I can
imagine one of these eyries a delightful setting to certain moods。
A deserted one should be the place of places for reading a romance。
The solitude； the strangeness； and the cradle…like swing； would all
compose to shutting out the world。 To paddle there some May morning；
tie one's boat out of sight beneath； and climb up into the nest to
sit alone half poised in the sky in the midst of the sea； should
savor of a new sensation。 After a little acclimatization it would
probably become a passion。 Certainly； with a pipe； it should induce
a most happy frame of mind for a French novel。 The seeming risk of
the one situation would serve to point those of the other。
The fishermen received my thanks with amiability； watched us with
stolid curiosity as we pulled off； and then relapsed into their
former semi…comatose condition。 Their eyrie slipped perspectively
astern； sank lower and lower； and suddenly was lost against the
background of the coast。
The favoring breeze we were always hoping for never came。 This was a
bitter disappointment to the boatmen； who thus found themselves
prevented from more than occasional whiffs of smoking。 Once we had
out the spar and actually hoisted the sail； a godsend of an excuse to
them for doing nothing for the next few minutes； but it shortly had
to come down again and on we rowed。
Our surroundings made a pretty sight。 A foreground of water； smooth
as one could wish had he nowhere to go； with illusive cat's…paws of
wind playing coyly all around； marking the great shield with dark
scratches； and never coming near enough to be caught except when the
sail was down。 Fold upon fold of low hills in the distance； with
hamlets showing here and there at their bases by the sea。 And then；
almost like a part of the picture； so subtly did the sensations
blend； the slow cadenced creak of the sweeps on the gunwale； a
rhythmic undercurrent of sound。
At intervals； a wayfarer under sail； bound the other way； crept
slowly by； carrying； as it seemed to our envious eyes； his own capful
of wind with him； and once a boat； bound our way and not under sail；
passed us not far off。 Our boatmen were beautifully blind to this
defeat till their attention had been specifically called to it for an
explanation。 They then declared the victor to be lighter than we；
and this in face of our having chosen their craft for just that
quality。 What per cent of such statements； I wonder； do the makers
expect to have credited？ And if any appreciable amoun