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showed the just perceptible cone of Fuji。
The Shiwojiri toge is not a high pass； and yet it does duty as part
of a great divide。 A drop of water； falling on the Shiwojiri side；
if it chance to meet with other drops before it be snatched up again
into the sky； wanders into the sea of Japan； while its fellow； coming
to earth not a yard away； ends at last in the Pacific ocean。 Our way
now lay with the latter。 For the Tenriugawa； or River of the
Heavenly Dragon； takes its rise in the lake of Suwa； a bowl of water
a couple of miles or more across。 It trickles out insignificantly
enough at one end； gathers strength for fifty miles of flow； and then
for another hundred cuts its way clean across a range of mountains。
How it ever got through originally； and why； are interesting
mysteries。 Its gorge is now from one to two thousand feet deep；
cleft； not through a plateau； but through the axis of a mountain
chain。 In most places there is not a yard to spare。
We were still a doubtful day off from where it is customary to take a
boat。 We had started somewhat late； stopped for the lack of umbrella；
and now were committed to a digression for letters I expected at
Shimonosuwa。 I never order my letters to meet me on the line of
march but I bitterly repent having chosen that special spot。
There is always some excellent reason why it turns out most
inconvenient。 But as yet I was hopeful； for I thought I knew the
speed of the basha； and the day was still young。
The day had grown older and I wiser by the time my letters were read；
with their strange perfume from outre…mer； the horses harnessed
afresh； and we under way once more； clattering down the main street
of the village。 It was not only in the village that we made a stir。
A basha is equal to the occasion anywhere。 The whole countryside
stopped in its tracks to turn and stare as we passed； and at one
point we came in for a perfect ovation； for our passage and the
noonday recess of a school happening to coincide； the children；
at that moment let loose； instantly dashed after us pell…mell； in a
mass； shouting。 One or two of them were so eager in the chase that
they minded not where they went； and； tripping over stones or ruts；
fell headlong in the mud。 The rest pursued us panting； each
according to his legs； and gave over at last only for want of wind。
The guard was supremely happy。 What time the upper half of him was
too tired to toot the lower half spent in hopping off his seat and on
again upon imaginary duty。 Meanwhile； in spite of enlivenments not
included in the bill； my old dislike was slowly but surely coming
back。 I began to be uneasy on the score of time。 The speed was not
what hope and the company had led me to expect。 I went through some
elaborate rule…of…three calculation between the distance； the speed；
and the time； and； as far as I could make out； it began to look
questionable whether we should arrive that night at all。 I had
already played the part of goad out of precaution； I now had to take
to it in good earnest；futiley； to boot。 Meanwhile my body was as
uneasy as my mind。 In the first place； the seats faced sideways； so
that we progressed after the fashion of crabs。 Secondly； the vehicle
hardly made apologies for springs。 We were rattled about like
parched corn in a hopper。
What a blessed trick of memory that； of winnowing the joys of travel
from its discomforts； and letting the latter slip unconsciously away！
The dust and the heat and the thousand petty annoyances pass with the
fact to be forgotten； while the snow…hooded mountains and the deep
blue sky and the smiling fields stay with us； a part of ourselves。
That drive seems golden as I look back upon it； yet how sadly
discomforting it was at the time！
Toward afternoon a rumor became current that the road had been washed
away ahead； and that the basha would have to stop some miles short of
where we had hoped to be that night。 This was disheartening。
For with all its shortcomings the basha was undeniably faster than
perambulators。 The rumor gathered substance as we advanced； until in
consequence we ceased to advance at all。 At a certain village；
called Miyada； the basha drew up； and we were informed that it was
impossible to proceed further。
There was nothing for it but to hire kuruma。 The men were a rascally
lot； and made gain of our necessity。 But we were not as sorry to
leave the basha as we might have been； and the reports of
impassability substantiated themselves before we had got a mile out。
In further consolation； the kuruma men turned out well on the road；
and bowled us along right merrily。 The road ran along the skirts of
the mountains on the right； which fell in one long sweep to the
river； a breadth of plain unexpectedly gored by streams。 The canons
were startlingly abrupt； and the darkness which now came on took
nothing from the effect。 A sudden zigzag down to a depth of a
hundred feet； a careful hitching over a decrepit bridge； and a zigzag
up the other side； and we were off at a good trot again。 This
dispatch on the part of the men brought us in much…improved spirits
and in very good time into Iijima； our hoped…for goal。
XX。
Down the Tenriugawa。
We had made arrangements overnight for a boat； not without difficulty；
and in the morning we started in kuruma for the point of embarkation。
We were eager to be off upon our voyage； else we should have strolled
afoot down the long meadow slope； such invitation lay in it； the dew
sparkling on the grass blades； the freshly tilled earth scenting the
air； and the larks rising like rockets up into the sky and bursting
into song as they went。 It seemed the essence of spring； and we had
a mile or more of it all before we reached the brink of the canon。
For even here the river had begun a gorge for itself through the
plain。 We left our jinrikisha at the top and zigzagged on foot down
the steep descent； and straightway departed the upper life of fields
and larks and sunshine for a new and semi…subterranean one。 It was
not simply a change of scene； it was a complete change of sphere。
The world with its face open to the day in a twinkling had ceased to
be； and another world； a world of dark water girt by shadowed walls
of rock and trees； had taken its place。
Amid farewell wavings from the jinrikisha men we pushed off into the
stream。 In spite of the rush of the water and the creaking of the
oars； a strange stillness had fallen on everything。 The swirling；
inky flood swept us on past the hushed banks； heights of motionless
leaves nearly hiding the gray old rock。 Occasionally some puff of
wind more adventurous than its fellows swooped down to make the
leaves quiver a moment； and then died away in awe； while here and
there a bird flew in and out among the branches with strangely
subdued twitter。
Although this part of the river could show its gorge and its rapids；
it made only the preface to that chapter of its biography we had come
to read。 At Tokimata； some hours further down； begins the voyage
proper。 But even the preface was imposing。 The black water glided
sinuous along； its stealthy course every now and again interrupted by
rapids； where the sullen flood lashed itself to a passion of whitecaps
with a kind of hissing roar。 Down these we shot； the boat bowing
first in acquiescence； and then plunging as madly as the water
itself。 It was hard to believe that both boat and river were not
sentient things。
At intervals we met other boats toiling slowly up stream； pulled
laboriously by men who strained along the bank at the ends of
hundreds of feet of tow…rope； the ropes themselves invisible at first
for distance； so that we were aware only of men walking along the
shore in attitudes of impossible equilibrium； and of boats that
followed them doglike from pure affection。 It would seem weary work
even for canal…boating。 It takes weeks to toil up what it once took
only hours to float down。 As we sped past the return convoys；
we seemed sad profligates； thus wantonly to be squandering such
dearly…won vantage of position。 The stream which meant money to them
was； like money； hard come and easy go。
Still the stream hurried us on。 We hugged the cliffs； now on one
side； now on the other； only to have them slip by us the quicker。
Bend after bend opened； spread out； and closed。 The scene changed
every minute； and yet was always the same。 Then at times we were
vouchsafed openings in the surrounding hills； narrow bits of
foreground； hints of a something that existed beyond。
For three hours and more we kept on in our serpentine course； for the
river meandered as whimsically as if it still had a choice of its own
in the matter。 Then gradually the land about began to make overtures
toward sociability。 The trees on the banks disappeared； the banks
themselves decreased