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expect to have credited？ And if any appreciable amount； which is the
more sold； the artless deceiver or his less simple victim？
But we always headed in the direction of Nanao； and the shores
floated by through the long spring afternoon。 At last they began to
contract upon us till； by virtue of narrowing； they shot us through
the straits in water clear as crystal； and then widening again；
dropped us adrift in Wakura bay。 Though not so beloved of bora； the
bay was most popular with other fish。 Schools of porpoises turned
cart…wheels for our amusement； and in spots the water was fairly
alive with baby jelly…fish。 On the left lay Monkey island； so called
from a certain old gentleman who had had a peculiar fondness for
those animals。 His family of poor relations had disappeared at his
death； and the island was now chiefly remarkable for a curious clay
formation； which time had chiseled into cliffs so mimicking a folding
screen that they were known by the name。 They were perfectly level
on top and perpendicular on the sides； and as double…faced as the
most matter…of…fact nicknamer could desire。 Sunset came； found us
still in the bay and left us there。 Then the dusk crept up from the
black water beneath； like an exhalation。 It grew chilly。
Just as we were turning the face of Screen cliff a sound of singing
reached us； ricochetting over the water。 It had a plaintive ring
such as peasant songs are wont to have； and came； as we at length
made out； from a boat homeward bound from the island； steering a
course at right angles to our own。 The voices were those of women；
and as our courses swept us nearer each other； we saw that women
alone composed the crew。 They had been faggot…cutting； and the
bunches lay piled amidships； while fore and aft they plied their
oars； and sang。 The gloaming hid all but sound and sex； and threw
its veil of romance over the trollers； who sent their hearts out thus
across the twilight sea。 The song； no doubt some common ditty；
gathered a pathos over the water through the night。 It swept from
one side of us to the other； softened with distance； lingered in
detached strains； and then was hushed； leaving us once more alone
with the night。
Still we paddled on。 It was now become quite dark； quite cold； quite
calm； and we were still several good miles off from Nanao。 At length
on turning a headland the lights of the town and its shipping came
out one by one from behind a point； the advance guards first； then
the main body； and wheeling into line took up their post in a long
parade ahead。 We began to wonder which were the nearer。 There is a
touch of mystery in making a harbor at night。 In the daytime you see
it all well…ordered by perspective。 But as you creep slowly in
through the dark； the twinkles of the shipping only doubtfully point
their whereabouts。 The most brilliant may turn out the most remote；
and the faintest at first the nearest after all。 Your own motion
alone can sift them into place。 If we could voyage through the sea
of space； it would be thus we might come upon some star…cluster and
have the same delightful doubt which should become our sun the first。
In half an hour they were all about us； the nearer revealing by their
light the dark bodies connected with them； the farther still showing
only themselves。 The teahouses along the water…front made a
milky…way ahead。 We threaded our course between the outlying lights
while the milky…way resolved itself into star…pointed silhouettes。
Then skirting along it； we drew up at last at a darksome quay； and
landed Yejiro to hunt up an inn。 I looked at my watch； it was ten
o'clock。 We had not only passed my estimate of time somewhere in the
middle of the bay； we had exceeded even the boatmen's excessive
allowance。 Somehow we had put six hours to the voyage。 I began to
realize I had hired the wrong men。 Nor was the voyage yet over； if
remaining attached to the boat for fully an hour more be entitled to
count。 For Yejiro did not return； and the boatmen and I waited。
I was glad enough to make pretence at arrival by getting out of the
boat on to the quay。 The quay was a dismal place。 I walked out to
the farther end； where I found an individual haunting it with an idea
to suicide apparently。 His course struck me as so appropriate that I
felt it would be hollow mockery to argue the point with him。 He must
have become alarmed at the possibility； however； for he made off。
Heaven knows he had small cause to fear； I was certainly at that
moment no unsympathetic soul。
Having only come to grief on the quay； I next tried a landward stroll
with much the same effect。 The street or place that gave upon the
wharf was as deserted as the wharf itself。 Half the houses about it
were dark as tombs； the other half showed only glimmering shoji
taunting me by the sounds they suffered to escape； or by a chance
silhouette thrown for a moment upon the paper wall by some one
within。 And now and then； as if still further to enhance the
solitude； a pair passed me by in low self…suited talk。
Still no sign of the boy。 Every few minutes I would walk back to the
boat and linger beside it till I could no longer stand the mute
reproach of the baskets huddled in a little pile on the stones； poor；
houseless immigrants that they were。 And from time to time I made a
touching spectacle of myself； by pulling out my watch and peering； by
what feeble light I could find； anxiously at its face to make out the
hour。
At last Yejiro turned up in the company of a policeman。 This official；
however； proved to be accompanying him in a civil capacity； and；
changing into a guide； led the way through several dark alley…waysto
an inn of forbidding face； but better heart。 There did we eventually
dine； or breakfast； for by that time it was become the next day。
XIII。
On the Noto Highway。
On the morrow morning we took the road in kuruma； the road proper；
as Yejiro called it； for it was the main bond between Noto and the rest
of Japan。 This was the nearest approach it had to a proper name；
a circumstance which showed it not to be of the first importance。
For in Japan； all the old arteries of travel had distinctive names；
the Nakasendo or Mid…Mountain road； the Tokaido or Eastern Sea road；
and so forth。 Like certain other country relations； their importance
was due to their city connections； not to their own local magnitude。
For； when well out of sight of the town； they do not hesitate to
shrink to anything but imposing proportions。 In mid career you might
often doubt yourself to be on so celebrated a thoroughfare。 But they
are always delightful to the eye； as they wander through the country；
now bosomed in trees among the mountains； now stalking between their
own long files of pine； or cryptomeria； across the well…tilled plains。
This one had but few sentinels to line it in the open； but lost
little in picturesqueness for its lack of pomp。 It was pretty enough
to be very good company itself。
It was fairly patronized by wayfarers to delight the soul； cheerful
bodies； who； though journeying for business； had plenty of time to be
happy； and radiated content。 Take it as you please； the Japanese
people are among the very happiest on the face of the globe； which
makes them among the most charming to meet。
Nothing notable beyond such pleasing generalities of path and people
lay in our way； till we came to a place where a steep and perfectly
smooth clay bank shot from a spur of the hills directly into the
thoroughfare。 Three urchins were industriously putting this to its
proper use； coasting down it； that is； on the seats of what did them
for breeches。 An over…grown…up regard for my own trousers alone
deterred me from instantly following suit。 No such scruples
prevented my abetting them； however； to the extent of a trifling
bribe for a repetition。 For they had stopped abashed as soon as they
found they had a public。 Regardless of maternal consequences； I thus
encouraged the sport。 But after all； was it so much a bribe as an
entrance fee to the circus； or better yet； a sort of subsidy from an
ex…member of the fraternity？ Surely； if adverse physical circumstances
preclude profession in person； the next best thing is to become a
noble patron of art。
From this accidental instance； I judged that boys in Noto had about
as good a time of it as boys elsewhere； the next sight we chanced
upon made me think that possibly women did not。 We had hardly parted
from the coasters on dry ground when we met in the way with a lot of
women harnessed to carts filled with various merchandise； which they
were toilsomely dragging along towards Nanao。 It was not so
picturesque a sight as its sex might suggest。 For though the women
were naturally not aged； and some had not yet lost all comeliness of
feature； this womanliness made the th