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were naturally not aged； and some had not yet lost all comeliness of
feature； this womanliness made the thing the more appealing。 Noto
was evidently no Eden； since the local Adam had thus contrived to
shift upon the local Eve so large a fraction of the primal curse。
It was as bad as the north of Germany。 The female porters we had been
offered on the threshold of the province were merely symptomatic of
the state of things within。 I wonder what my young Japanese friend；
the new light； to whom I listened once on board ship； while he launched
into a diatribe upon the jinrikisha question； the degrading practice；
as he termed it； of using men for horses；I wonder； I say； what he
would have said to this！ He was a quixotic youth； at the time
returning from abroad； where he had picked up many new ideas。
His proposed applications of them did him great credit； more than
they are likely to win among the class for whom they were designed。
A cent and two thirds a mile； to be had for the running for it； is as
yet too glittering a prize to be easily foregone。
Of the travel in question； we were treated to forty…three miles'
worth that day； by relays of runners。 The old men fell off
gradually； to be replaced by new ones； giving our advance the
character of a wave； where the particles merely oscillated； but the
motion went steadily on。 The oscillations； however； were not
insignificant in amount。 Some of the men must have run their
twenty…five miles or more； broken only by short halts； and this at a
dog…trot； changed of course to a slower pull on bad bits； and when
going up hill。 A fine show of endurance； with all allowances。
In this fashion we bowled along through a smiling agricultural
landscape； relieved by the hills upon the left； and with the faintest
suspicion； not amounting to a scent； of the sea out of sight on the
right。 The day grew more beautiful with every hour of its age。
The blue depths above； tenanted by castles of cloud； granted fancy
eminent domain to wander where she would。 Even the road below gave
free play to its caprice； and meandered like any stream inquisitively
through the valley； visiting all the villages within reach； after a
whimsical fashion of its own。 All about it； meadows were tilling；
and the whole landscape breathed an air of well…established age； amid
the lustiness of youth。 The very farmhouses looked to have grown
where they stood； as indeed the upper part of them had。 For from the
thatch of their roofs； deep bedded in mud； sprang all manner of
plants that made of the eaves gardens in the air。 The ridgepoles
stood transformed into beds of flowers； their long tufts of grass
waved in the wind； the blossoms nodding their heads amicably to the
passers…by。 What a contented folk this should be whose very homes
can so vegetate！ Surely a pretty conceit it is for a peasantry thus
to sleep every night under the sod； and yet awake each morning to
life again！
At the threshold of Kaga we turned abruptly to the left； and attacked
the pass leading over into Etchiu。 As we wound our way up the narrow
valley； day left the hollows to stand on rosy tiptoe on the sides of
the hills； the better to take flight into the clouds。 There it
lingered a little； folding the forests about with its roseate warmth。
Even the stern old pines flushed to the tips of their shaggy branches；
while here and there a bit of open turned a glowing cheek full to the
good…night kiss of the sun。 And over beyond it all rose the twilight
bow； in purplish insubstantiality creeping steadily higher and
higher； above the pine…clad heights。
I reached the top before the jinrikisha； and as a sort of reward of
merit scrambled a little farther up the steep slope to the left。
From here I commanded the pass； especially that side of it I had not
come up。 The corkscrew of the road carried the eye most pleasingly
down with it。 I could see a teahouse a few hundred feet below； and
beyond it； at a much lower level； a bridge。 Beyond this came a
comparatively flat stretch； and then the road disappeared into a
gorge。 Here and there it was pointed with people toiling slowly up。
Of the encircling hills the shoulders alone were visible。 While I
was still surveying the scene； the jinrikisha men； one after the
other； emerged from the gulf out of sight on the right and proceeded
to descend into the one on the left。 When the last had well passed；
and I had tickled myself with the sense of abandonment； I scrambled
back； took a jump into the road and slipped down after them。 The
last had waited for me at the teahouse； and stowing me in started to
rattle down the descent。 The road； unlike us； seemed afraid of its
own speed； and brought itself up every few hundred feet with a round
turn。 About each of these we swung； only to dash down the next bend；
and begin the oscillation over again。 The men were in fine excitement；
and kept up a shouting out of mere delight。 In truth we all enjoyed
the dissipated squandering in a few minutes of the energy of position
we had so laboriously gained by toiling up the other side。 Over the
bridge we rattled； bowled along the level stretch； and then into the
gorge and once more down； till in another ten minutes the last fall
had shot us out into the plain with mental momentum enough to carry
us hilariously into Imaisurugi； where we put up for the night。
At breakfast the next morning the son of the house； an engaging lad；
presented me with an unexpected dish； three fossil starfish on a
platter。 They were found； he said； in numbers； on the sides of the
hill hard by； a fact which would go to prove that this part of Japan
has been making in later geologic time。 Indeed； I take it the better
part of Etchiu has thus been cast up by the sea； and now lies between
its semicircle of peaks and its crescent of beach； like a young moon
in the western sky； a new bay of ricefield in the old bay's arms。
We had come by way of its ocean terminator along its fringe of sand；
we were now to cross its face。
As we pulled out from the town and entered the great plain of
paddyfields it was like adventuring ourselves in some vast expanse of
ocean； cut up only by islets of trees。 So level the plain and so
still the air on this warm May morning； the clumps shimmered in
mirage in the distance like things at sea。 Farmhouses and peasants
at work in the fields loomed up as ships； past which we slowly tacked
and then dropped them out of sight behind。 And still no end of the
same infinite level。 New clumps rose doubtfully afar； took on form
and vanished in their turn。 Our men rolled along at a good six…knot
gait； and mile went to join mile with little perceptible effect on
the surroundings。 Only the misty washes of the mountains； glistening
in spots with snow； came out to the south and then swung slowly round
like the sun himself。 Occasionally； we rolled into a village of
which I duly inquired the distance from the last known point。 One of
these； Takaoka； was a very large place and stretched a mile or more
along the road； with ramifications to the side。
At last we neared some foothills which we crossed by a baby pass； and
from the farther side looked off against the distant Tateyama range。
Descending again； another stretch of plain brought us to Toyama；
the old feudal capital of the province。 It is still a bustling town；
and does a brisk business； I was told； in patent medicine； which is
hawked over Japan generally and cures everything。 But the former
splendor of the place has left it forever。 The rooms in the inn；
where neighboring daimyos were wont to rest on their journeys
through； are still superb with carving； lacquer and paintings； but no
daimyo will ever again hold his traveling court before their tokonoma。
The man perchance may again tarry there； but the manner of it all has
gone to join the past。 Now he who wills may ensconce himself in the
daimyo's corner； and fancy himself a feudal lord； nor will the
breeding of those about him disillusion his midday dream。
The castle they have turned into a public school； and as I strolled
into its close I met bands of boys in foreign lycee…like uniform
trooping out； chubby…faced youngsters in stiff visored caps。 Girls
there were too； in knots of twos and threes； pretty little things in
semi…European dress； their hair done a la grecque； stuck with a
single flower； who stopped in their chatter to stare at me。 To think
that the feudal times are to them as much a tale as the making of the
plain itself where its ruins stand already mantled with green！
XIV。
The Harinoki Toge。
There now befell us a sad piece of experience； the result of misplaced
confidence in the guidebook。 Ours was the faith a simple public pins
upon print。 Le journal； c'est un jeune homme； as Balzac said； and
even the best of guidebooks； as this one really was； may turn outa
cover to many short