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not a whit lessened by its looks。
To begin with； the cars were fairly natural。 This was a masterly
stroke in caricature； since it furnished the necessary foil to all
that followed。 They were not； to my eye； of any known species； but；
with the exception of being evidently used to hard lines； they looked
enough like trams to pass as such。 Inside sat； in all seriousness；
a wonderful cageful of Japanese。 To say that they were not to the
horse…car born conveys but a feeble notion of their unnaturalness。
They were propped； rather than seated； bolt upright； with a decorum
which would have done more than credit to a funeral。 They did not
smile； they did not even stir； except to screw their heads round to
stare at me。 They were dummies pure and simple； and may pass for the
second item in the properties。
The real personnel began with the horses。 These were very sorry…looking
animals； but tough enough admirably to pull through the performance。
Managing them with some difficulty stood the driver on the front
platform； arrayed in a bottle…green livery； with a stiff military cap
which gave him the combined look of a German officer and of a
musician from a street band。 His energy was spent in making about
three times as much work for himself as was needed。 On the tail of
the car rode the guard； also notably appareled； whose importance
outdid even his uniform。 He had the advantage of the driver in the
matter of a second…class fish…horn； upon which he tooted vigorously
whenever he thought of it； and he was not a forgetful man。
Comedie Francaise； indeed！ Why； here it all was in Japanese farce！
From the passivity of the passengers to the pantomime of the driver
and guard； it could hardly have been done better； and the actors all
kept their countenances； too； in such a surprising manner。
A captious critic might have suggested that they looked a thought too
much at the audience； but； on the whole； I think that rather added to
the effect。 At all events； they were excellently good； especially
the guard； whose consequential airs could not have been happier if
they had been studied for years。
There was no end of red tape about the company。 Though the cars were
some time in starting； so that I got well ahead of them； they could
not admit me on the road； when my baggage kuruma turned out to be too
slow； because I had not bought a ticket at the office。 So I was
obliged to continue to tramp afoot； solacing myself with short cuts；
by which I gained on them； to my satisfaction； and by which I gained
still more on my own baggage； to my disgust； in that I ceased to be
near enough to hasten it。
I had to wait for the latter at the parting of the ways； for the tram
had a brand…new serpentine track laid out for it； while the old trail
at this point struck up to the right； coming out eventually at a
shrine that crowned the summit of the pass。 Horse…railroads not
being as new to me as to the Japanese； I piously chose the narrow way
leading to the temple； to the lingering regret of the baggage
trundlers； who turned sorry eyes down upon the easier secular road at
every bend in our own。
A Japanese pass has one feature which is invariable： it is always
longer than you think it is going to be。 I can； of my own
experience； recall but two exceptions to this distressing family
likeness； both of which were occasions of company which no doubt
forbade proper appreciation of their length； and vitiates them as
scientific observations。 When toiling up a toge I have been tempted
to impute acute ascentomania to the Japanese mind； but sober second
thought has attributed this inference to an overheated imagination。
It seems necessary； therefore； to lay the blame on the land； which；
like some people； is deceptive from very excess of uprightness。
There is so much more soil than can possibly be got in by simple
directness of purpose； or even by one； more or less respectable；
slope。
It was cold enough at the summit to cool anything； imaginary or
otherwise。 Even devotion shivered； as； in duty bound； it admired the
venerable temple and its yet more venerable tree。 The roofs of the
chalets stood weighted with rocks to keep them there； and the tree；
raised aloft on its stone…girded parapet； stretched bare branches
imploringly toward the sky。 So much for being a mile or so nearer
heaven； while still of the earth and earthy。
Half…way down the descent； Asamayama came out from behind the brow of
a hill； sending his whiffs of smoke dreamily into the air； and a
little lower still； beyond a projecting spur on the opposite side；
the train appeared； waiting in the plain； with its engine puffing a
sort of antiphonal response。 The station stood at the foot of the
tramway； which tumbled to it after the manner of a cascade over what
looked to be a much lower pass； thus apparently supporting the theory
of 〃supererogatory climb。〃 The baggage passed on； and Yejiro and I
followed leisurely； admiring the view。
Either the old trail failed to connect with the railway terminus；
which I suspect； or else we missed the path； for we had to supply a
link ourselves。 This resulted in a woefully bad cut across a
something between a moor and a bog； supposed to be drained by
ditches； most of which lay at right angles to our course。 We were
not much helped； half…way over； by a kindly intentioned porter； who
dawned upon us suddenly in the distance； rushing excitedly out from
behind the platform； gesticulating in a startling way and shouting
that time was up。 We made what sorry speed was possible under the
circumstances； getting very hot from exertion； and hotter still from
anxiety； and then waited impatiently ten good minutes in our seats in
the railway carriage for the train to start。 I forget whether I
tipped that well…meaning but misguided man。
The tram contingent had already arrived；had in fact finished
feeding at the many mushroom teahouses gathered about the station；
and were now busy finding themselves seats。 Their bustle was most
pleasing to witness； till suddenly I discovered that there were no
first…class carriages； that it was my seat； so to speak； for which
they were scrambling。 The choice； it appeared； began with
second…class coaches； doomed therefore to be doubly popular。
Second…class accommodation； by no means merely nominal； was evidently
the height of luxury to the patrons of the country half of this
disjointed line； which starts so seductively from Tokyo。 Greater
comfort is strictly confined to the more metropolitan portion。
The second…class coaches had of course the merit of being cheaper；
but this was more than offset by the fact that in place of panes of
glass their windows had slats of wood with white cotton stretched
over them；an ingenious contrivance for shutting out the view and a
good bit of the light； both of which are pleasing； and for letting in
the cold； which is not。
〃If you go with the crowd； you will be taken care of；〃 as a shrewd
financier of my acquaintance used to say about stocks。 This occurred
to me by way of consolation； as the guard locked us into the carriage；
in the approved paternal government style。 Fortunately the
locking…in was more apparent than real； for it consisted solely in
the turning of a bar； which it was quite possible to unturn； as all
travelers in railway coaches are aware； by dropping the window into
its oubliette and stretching the arm well down outside；a trick of
which I did not scruple to avail myself。 My fellow…passengers the
Japanese were far too decorous to attempt anything of the kind； which
compelled me to do so surreptitiously； like one who committeth a crime。
These fellow…passengers fully made up for the room they took by their
value as scientific specimens。 I would willingly have chloroformed
them all； and presented them on pins to some sartorial museum；
for each typified a stage in a certain unique process of evolution；
at present the Japanese craze。 They were just so many samples of
unnatural development in dress； from the native Japanese to the
imitated European。 The costume usually began with a pot…hat and
ended in extreme cases with congress boots。 But each man exhibited a
various phase of it according to his self…emancipation from former
etiquette。 Sometimes a most disreputable Derby； painfully
reminiscent of better bygone days； found itself in company with a
refined kimono and a spotless cloven sock。 Sometimes the metamorphosis
embraced the body； and even extended down the legs； but had not yet
attacked the feet； in its creeping paralysis of imitation。 In another
corner； a collarless； cravatless semiflannel shirt had taken the
place of the under tunic； to the worse than loss of looks of its
wearer。 Opposite this type sat the supreme variety which evidently
prided itself upon its height of fashion。 In him the change had gone
so far as to recall the