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your own bedding； sheets； that is； and blankets。 The bed itself
Yejiro easily improvised out of innumerable futons； as the quilts
used at night by the Japanese are called。 A single one is enough for
a native； but Yejiro； with praiseworthy zeal； made a practice of
asking for half…a…dozen； which he piled one upon the other in the
middle of the room。 Each had a perceptible thickness and a rounded
loglike edge； and when the time came for turning in on top of the
lot； I was always reminded of the latter end of a Grecian hero；
the structure looked so like a funeral pyre。 When to the above
indispensables were added clothes； camera； dry plates； books；
and sundries； it made a collection of household gods quite appalling
to consider on the march。 I had no idea I owned half so much in the
world from which it would pain me to be parted。 As my property lay
spread out for packing； I stared at it aghast。
To transport all these belongings； native ingenuity suggested a thing
called a yanagigori； several of them； in fact。 Now the construction
of a kori is elementally ingenious。 It consists simply of two wicker
baskets； of the same shape； but of slightly different size； fitting
into each other upside down。 The two are then tied together with cord。
The beauty of the idea lies in its extension； for in proportion as
the two covers are pulled out or pushed home will the pair hold from
a maximum capacity of both to a minimum capacity of one。 It is
possible even to start with more than a maximum； if the contents be
such as are not given to falling out by the way。 The contrivance is
simply invaluable when it comes to transporting food； for then； as
you eat your way down； the obliging covers shrink to meet the vacuum。
If more than one kori be necessary； an easy step in devices leads to
a series of graded sizes。 Then all your baskets eventually collapse
into one。
The last but most important article of all was my passport； which
carefully described my proposed route； and which Yejiro at once took
charge of and carried about with him for immediate service； for a
wise paternal government insisted upon knowing my intentions before
permitting me to visit the object of my choice。
II。
Off and On。
It was on the day but one before the festival of the fifth moon that
we set out； or； in English； the third of May； and those emblems of
good luck； the festival fishes； were already swimming in the air
above the house eaves； as we scurried through the streets in
jinrikisha toward the Uyeno railway station。 We had been a little
behindhand in starting； but by extra exertions on the part of the
runners we succeeded in reaching the station just in time to be shut
out by the gatekeeper。 Time having been the one thing worthless in
old Japan； it was truly sarcastic of fate that we should reach our
first goal too late。 As if to point chagrin； the train still stood
in waiting。 Remonstrances with the wicket man about the imported
five…minute regulation； or whatever it was； proved of no avail。
Not one jot or tittle of the rule would he yield； which perhaps was
natural； inasmuch as； however we might have managed alone； our
companions the baskets never could have boarded the train without
offical help。 The intrinsic merits of the baggage failed； alas；
to affect its mobility。 Then the train slowly drew out。
To be stopped on the road is the common lot of travelers； but to be
stopped before one has fairly started is nothing less than to be
mocked at。 It is best； however； to take such gibes in good part。
Viewing the situation in this light； the ludicrousness of the
disconnection struck me so forcibly as very nearly to console me for
my loss； which was not trifling； since the next train did not leave
for above three hours； too late to push on beyond Takasaki that night；
a thing I had most firmly purposed to do。 Here I was； the miserable
victim of a punctuality my own people had foisted on a land only too
happy without it！ There was poetic justice in the situation； after all。
Besides； the course of one's true love should not run too smooth。
Judicious difficulty whets desire。
There was nothing to turn to on the spot； and I was ashamed to go home。
Then I opportunely remembered something。
I have always thought we limited our pharmacopoeia。 We prescribe
pills enough for the body； while we leave the mind to look after itself。
Why should not the spirit also have its draughts and mixtures；
properly labeled and dispensed！ For example； angling appears to be a
strong mental opiate。 I have seen otherwise normal people stupefied
beyond expression when at the butt of a rod and line。 Happening to
recall this effect； I instantly prescribed for my perturbed state of
mind a good dose of fishing； to be taken as suited the day。 So I
betook me down a by…street； where the aerial carp promised the
thickest； and； selecting a house well placed for a view； asked
permission to mount upon the roof。 It chanced to be a cast…off
clothing shop； along whose front some fine； if aged； garments were
hung to catch the public eye。 The camera and I were inducted up the
ascent by the owner； while my boots； of course； waited dog…like in
the porch below。
The city made a spectacle from above。 On all sides superb paper carp
floated to the breeze； tugging at the strings that held them to the
poles quite after the manner of the real fish。 One felt as though；
by accident； he had stepped into some mammoth globe of goldfish。
The whole sky was alive with them。 Eighty square miles of finny folk
inside the city； and an untold company without。 The counterfeit
presentments were from five to ten feet long； and painted to mimic
life。 The breeze entered at the mouth and passed out somewhat less
freely at the tail； thus keeping them well bellied and constantly in
motion。 The way they rose and dove and turned and wriggled was
worthy of free will。 Indeed； they had every look of spontaneity；
and lacked only the thing itself to turn the sky into an ocean；
and Tokyo into a sea bottom with a rockery of roof。 Each fish
commemorates the birth of a boy during the year。 It would thus be
possible to take a census of the increase of the male population
yearly； at the trifling cost of scaling a housetop；a set of
statistics not without an eventual value。
While we were strolling back； Yejiro and I； we came； in the way；
upon another species of fish。 The bait； which was well designed to
captivate； bade for the moment to exceed even the angler's
anticipations。 It was a sort of un…Christmas tree with fishing…pole
branches； from which dangled articulated figures； bodied like men；
but with heads of foxes； tortoises； and other less likelybeasts；
bewitching objects in impossible evolution to a bald…pated
urchin who stood gazing at it with all his soul。 The peddler sat with
his eyes riveted on the boy； visions of a possible catch chasing
themselves through his brain。 I watched him； while the crowd behind
stared at me。 We made quite a tail of curiosity。 The opiate was
having its effect； I began to feel soporifically calm。 Then I went
up to the restaurant in the park and had lunch as quietly as
possible； in fear of friendly discovery。
Sufficiently punctual passengers being now permitted to board the
next train； I ensconced myself in a kind of parlor compartment； which；
fortunately； I continued to have all to myself； and was soon being
rolled westward across the great Musashi plain； ruminating。 My chief
quarrel with railway rules is； I am inclined to think； that they
preach to the public what they fail to practice themselves。 After
having denied me a paltry five minutes' grace at the station； the
officials proceeded to lose half an hour on the road in a most
exasperating manner。 Of course the delay was quite exceptional。
Such a thing had never happened before； and would not happen
againtill the next time。 But the phenomenal character of the
occurrence failed to console me； as it should no doubt have done。
My delay； too； was exceptionalon this line。 Nor was I properly
mollified by repeated offers of hard…boiled eggs； cakes； and oranges；
which certain enterprising peddlers hawked up and down the platforms；
when we stopped； to a rhythmic chant of their own invention。
The only consolation lay in the memory of what travel over the
Musashi plain used to be before trains hurried one； or otherwise；
into the heart of the land。 In those days the journey was done in
jinrikisha； and a question of days； not hours； it was in the doing；
two days' worth of baby carriage； of which the tediousness lay
neither in the vehicles nor in the way； but in the amount of both。
Or； if one put comparative speed above comparative comfort； he rose
before the lark； to be tortured through a summer's day in a basha；
or horse vehicle； suitable only for disembodied spirits。 My joints
ached again at the