unbeaten tracks in japan-第76章

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tremendous　gorges　between；　forest　filled；　where　wolf；　bear；　and
deer　make　their　nearly　inaccessible　lairs；　and　outlying
battlements；　and　ridges　of　grey　rock　with　hardly　six　feet　of　level
on　their　sinuous　tops；　and　cedars　in　masses　giving　deep　shadow；　and
sprays　of　scarlet　maple　or　festoons　of　a　crimson　vine　lighting　the
gloom。　　The　inland　view　suggested　infinity。　　There　seemed　no　limit
to　the　forest…covered　mountains　and　the　unlighted　ravines。　　The
wealth　of　vegetation　was　equal　in　luxuriance　and　entanglement　to
that　of　the　tropics；　primeval　vegetation；　on　which　the　lumberer's
axe　has　never　rung。　　Trees　of　immense　height　and　girth；　specially
the　beautiful　Salisburia　adiantifolia；　with　its　small　fan…shaped
leaves；　all　matted　together　by　riotous　lianas；　rise　out　of　an
impenetrable　undergrowth　of　the　dwarf；　dark…leaved　bamboo；　which；
dwarf　as　it　is；　attains　a　height　of　seven　feet；　and　all　is　dark；
solemn；　soundless；　the　haunt　of　wild　beasts；　and　of　butterflies　and
dragonflies　of　the　most　brilliant　colours。　　There　was　light　without
heat；　leaves　and　streams　sparkled；　and　there　was　nothing　of　the
half…smothered　sensation　which　is　often　produced　by　the　choking
greenery　of　the　main　island；　for　frequently；　far　below；　the　Pacific
flashed　in　all　its　sunlit　beauty；　and　occasionally　we　came　down
unexpectedly　on　a　little　cove　with　abrupt　cedar…crested　headlands
and　stacks；　and　a　heavy　surf　rolling　in　with　the　deep　thunder　music
which　alone　breaks　the　stillness　of　this　silent　land。

There　was　one　tremendous　declivity　where　I　got　off　to　walk；　but
found　it　too　steep　to　descend　on　foot　with　comfort。　　You　can
imagine　how　steep　it　was；　when　I　tell　you　that　the　deep　groove
being　too　narrow　for　me　to　get　to　the　side　of　my　horse；　I　dropped
down　upon　him　from　behind；　between　his　tail　and　the　saddle；　and　so
scrambled　on！

The　sun　had　set　and　the　dew　was　falling　heavily　when　the　track
dipped　over　the　brow　of　a　headland；　becoming　a　waterway　so　steep
and　rough　that　I　could　not　get　down　it　on　foot　without　the
assistance　of　my　hands；　and　terminating　on　a　lonely　little　bay　of
great　beauty；　walled　in　by　impracticable…looking　headlands；　which
was　the　entrance　to　an　equally　impracticable…looking；　densely…
wooded　valley　running　up　among　densely…wooded　mountains。　　There　was
a　margin　of　grey　sand　above　the　sea；　and　on　this　the　skeleton　of　an
enormous　whale　was　bleaching。　　Two　or　three　large　〃dug…outs；〃　with
planks　laced　with　stout　fibre　on　their　gunwales；　and　some　bleached
drift…wood　lay　on　the　beach；　the　foreground　of　a　solitary；
rambling；　dilapidated　grey　house；　bleached　like　all　else；　where
three　Japanese　men　with　an　old　Aino　servant　live　to　look　after
〃Government　interests；〃　whatever　these　may　be；　and　keep　rooms　and
horses　for　Government　officialsa　great　boon　to　travellers　who；
like　me；　are　belated　here。　　Only　one　person　has　passed　Lebunge　this
year；　except　two　officials　and　a　policeman。

There　was　still　a　red　glow　on　the　water；　and　one　horn　of　a　young
moon　appeared　above　the　wooded　headland；　but　the　loneliness　and
isolation　are　overpowering；　and　it　is　enough　to　produce　madness　to
be　shut　in　for　ever　with　the　thunder　of　the　everlasting　surf；　which
compels　one　to　raise　one's　voice　in　order　to　be　heard。　　In　the
wood；　half　a　mile　from　the　sea；　there　is　an　Aino　village　of　thirty
houses；　and　the　appearance　of　a　few　of　the　savages　gliding
noiselessly　over　the　beach　in　the　twilight　added　to　the　ghastliness
and　loneliness　of　the　scene。　　The　horses　were　unloaded　by　the　time
I　arrived；　and　several　courteous　Ainos　showed　me　to　my　room；
opening　on　a　small　courtyard　with　a　heavy　gate。　　The　room　was
musty；　and；　being　rarely　used；　swarmed　with　spiders。　　A　saucer　of
fish…oil　and　a　wick　rendered　darkness　visible；　and　showed　faintly
the　dark；　pathetic　faces　of　a　row　of　Ainos　in　the　verandah；　who
retired　noiselessly　with　their　graceful　salutation　when　I　bade　them
good…night。　　Food　was　hardly　to　be　expected；　yet　they　gave　me　rice；
potatoes；　and　black　beans　boiled　in　equal　parts　of　brine　and　syrup；
which　are　very　palatable。　　The　cuts　and　bruises　of　yesterday　became
so　very　painful　with　the　cold　of　the　early　morning　that　I　have　been
obliged　to　remain　here。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XLI



A　Group　of　FathersThe　Lebunge　AinosThe　Salisburia　adiantifolia…
…A　Family　GroupThe　Missing　LinkOshamambeDisorderly　Horses
The　River　YurapuThe　SeasideAino　CanoesThe　Last　Morning
Dodging　Europeans。

HAKODATE；　September　12。

Lebunge　is　a　most　fascinating　place　in　its　awful　isolation。　　The
house…master　was　a　friendly　man；　and　much　attached　to　the　Ainos。
If　other　officials　entrusted　with　Aino　concerns　treat　the　Ainos　as
fraternally　as　those　of　Usu　and　Lebunge；　there　is　not　much　to
lament。　　This　man　also　gave　them　a　high　character　for　honesty　and
harmlessness；　and　asked　if　they　might　come　and　see　me　before　I
left；　so　twenty　men；　mostly　carrying　very　pretty　children；　came
into　the　yard　with　the　horses。　　They　had　never　seen　a　foreigner；
but；　either　from　apathy　or　politeness；　they　neither　stare　nor　press
upon　one　as　the　Japanese　do；　and　always　make　a　courteous
recognition。　　The　bear…skin　housing　of　my　saddle　pleased　them　very
much；　and　my　boots　of　unblacked　leather；　which　they　compare　to　the
deer…hide　moccasins　which　they　wear　for　winter　hunting。　　Their
voices　were　the　lowest　and　most　musical　that　I　have　heard；
incongruous　sounds　to　proceed　from　such　hairy；　powerful…looking
men。　　Their　love　for　their　children　was　most　marked。　　They　caressed
them　tenderly；　and　held　them　aloft　for　notice；　and　when　the　house…
master　told　them　how　much　I　admired　the　brown；　dark…eyed；　winsome
creatures；　their　faces　lighted　with　pleasure；　and　they　saluted　me
over　and　over　again。　　These；　like　other　Ainos；　utter　a　short
screeching　sound　when　they　are　not　pleased；　and　then　one　recognises
the　savage。

These　Lebunge　Ainos　differ　considerably　from　those　of　the　eastern
villages；　and　I　have　again　to　notice　the　decided　sound　or　click　of
the　ts　at　the　beginning　of　many　words。　　Their　skins　are　as　swarthy
as　those　of　Bedaween；　their　foreheads　comparatively　low；　their　eyes
far　more　deeply　set　their　stature　lower；　their　hair　yet　more
abundant；　the　look　of　wistful　melancholy　more　marked；　and　two；　who
were　unclothed　for　hard　work　in　fashioning　a　canoe；　were　almost
entirely　covered　with　short；　black　hair；　specially　thick　on　the
shoulders　and　back；　and　so　completely　concealing　the　skin　as　to
reconcile　one　to　the　lack　of　clothing。　　I　noticed　an　enormous
breadth　of　chest；　and　a　great　development　of　the　muscles　of　the
arms　and　legs。　　All　these　Ainos　shave　their　hair　off　for　two　inches
above　their　brows；　only　allowing　it　there　to　attain　the　length　of
an　inch。　　Among　the　well…clothed　Ainos　in　the　yard　there　was　one
smooth…faced；　smooth…skinned；　concave…chested；　spindle…limbed；
yellow　Japanese；　with　no　other　clothing　than　the　decorated　bark…
cloth　apron　which　the　Ainos　wear　in　addition　to　their　coats　and
leggings。　　Escorted　by　these　gentle；　friendly　savages；　I　visited
their　lodges；　which　are　very　small　and　poor；　and　in　every　way
inferior　to　those　of　the　mountain　Ainos。　　The　women　are　short　and
thick…set；　and　most　uncomely。

From　their　village　I　started　for　the　longest；　and　by　reputation　the
worst；　stage　of　my　journey；　seventeen　miles；　the　first　ten　of　which
are　over　mountains。　　So　solitary　and　disused　is　this　track　that　on
a　four　days'　journey　we　have　not　met　a　human　being。　　In　the　Lebunge
valley；　which　is　densely　forested；　and　abounds　with　fordable
streams　and　treacherous　ground；　I　came　upon　a　grand　specimen　of　the
Salisburia　adiantifolia；　which；　at　a　height　of　three　feet　from　the
ground；　divides　into　eight　lofty　stems；　none　of　them　less　than　2
feet　5　inches　in　diameter。　　This　tree；　which　grows　rapidly；　is　so
well　adapted　to　our　climate　that　I　wonder　it　has　not　been
introduced　on　a　large　scale；　as　it　may　be　seen　by　everybody　in　Kew
Gardens。　　There　is　another　tree　with　orbicular　leaves　in　pairs；
which　grows　to　an　immense　size。

From　this　valley　a　worn…out；　stony　bridle…track　ascends　the　western
side　of　Lebungetoge；　climbing　through　a　dense　forest　of　trees　and
trailers　to　a　height　of　about　2000　feet；　where；　contented　with