noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第16章

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Whatever　our　private　beliefs　on　the　probable　length　of　the　voyage；

both　crew　and　passengers　agreed　charmingly　in　one　hope；　namely；　that

there　might　be　as　little　rowing　about　it　as　possible。　　Our　reasons

for　this　differed；　it　is　true；　but　as　neither　side　volunteered

theirs；　the　difference　mattered　not。　　So　we　slipped　down　the　canal。　



The　hoopskirt　fisher…dames　were　just　where　we　had　left　them　some

hours　before；　and　were　still　too　much　absorbed　in　doing　nothing　to

waste　time　looking　at　us。　　I　would　gladly　have　bothered　them　for　a

peep　at　their　traps；　but　that　it　seemed　a　pity　to　intrude　upon　so

engrossing　a　pursuit。　　Besides；　I　feared　their　apathy　might　infect

the　crew。　　Our　mariners；　though　hired　only　for　the　voyage；　did　not

seem　averse　to　making　a　day　of　it；　as　it　was。　



One　thing；　however；　I　was　bent　on　stopping　to　inspect；　cost　what　it

might　in　delay　or　discipline；　and　that　was　a　fish…lookout。　　To　have

seen　the　thing　from　a　steamer's　deck　merely　whetted　desire　for　nearer

acquaintance。　　To　gratify　the　wish　was　not　difficult；　for　the　shore

was　dotted　with　them　like　blind　light…houses　off　the　points。　　I　was

for　making　for　the　first　visible；　but　the　boatmen；　with　an　eye　to

economy　of　labor；　pointed　out　that　there　was　one　directly　in　our　path

round　the　next　headland。　　So　I　curbed　my　curiosity　till　on　turning

the　corner　it　came　into　view。　　As　good　luck　would　have　it；　it　was

inhabited。　



We　pulled　up　alongside；　gave　its　occupants　good…day；　and　asked　leave

to　mount。　　The　fishermen；　hospitable　souls；　offered　no　objection。　

This　seemed　to　me　the　more　courteous　on　their　part；　after　I　had　made

the　ascent；　for　there　were　two　of　them　in　the　basket；　and　a　visitor

materially　added　to　the　already　uneasy　weight。　　But　then　they　were

used　to　it。　　The　rungs　of　what　did　for　ladder　were　so　far　apart　as　to

necessitate　making　very　long　legs　of　it　in　places；　which　must　have

been　colossal　strides　for　the　owners。　　The　higher　I　clambered；　the

flimsier　the　structure　got。　　However；　I　arrived；　not　without

unnecessary　trepidation；　wormed　my　way　into　the　basket　and　crouched

down　in　some　uneasiness　of　mind。　　The　way　the　thing　swayed　and

wriggled　gave　me　to　believe　that　the　next　moment　we　should　all　be

shot　catapultwise　into　the　sea。　　To　call　it　topheavy　will　do　for　a

word；　but　nothing　but　experience　will　do　for　the　sensation。　　This

oscillation；　strangely　enough；　was　not　apparent　from　the　sea；　which

reminds　me　to　have　noticed　differences　due　the　point　of　view　before。　



I　was　greeted　by　an　extensive　outlook。　　The　shore；　perhaps　a　hundred

yards　away；　ran　shortly　into　a　fisher　hamlet；　and　then　into　a　long

line　of　half　submerged　rocks；　like　successive　touches　of　a　skipping

stone。　　Beyond　the　end　of　this　indefinite　point；　and　a　little　to　the

right　of　it；　stood　another　lookout。　　This　was　our　only　near　neighbor；

though　others　could　be　seen　in　miniature　in　the　distance；　faint

cobwebs　against　the　coast。　　The　bay　stretched　away　on　all　sides；

landlocked　at　last；　except　where　to　the　east　an　opening　gave　into　the

sea　of　Japan。　



To　a　dispassionate　observer　the　basket　may　have　been　twenty　feet

above　the　water。　　To　one　in　the　basket；　it　was　considerably　higher

and　its　height　was　emphasized　by　its　seeming　insecurity。

The　fishermen　were　very　much　at　home　in　it；　but　to　me　the　sensation

was　such　as　to　cause　strained　relations　between　my　will　to　stay　and

my　wish　to　be　gone。　



But　strong　feelings　are　so　easily　changed　into　their　opposites！　　I　can

imagine　one　of　these　eyries　a　delightful　setting　to　certain　moods。

A　deserted　one　should　be　the　place　of　places　for　reading　a　romance。　

The　solitude；　the　strangeness；　and　the　cradle…like　swing；　would　all

compose　to　shutting　out　the　world。　　To　paddle　there　some　May　morning；

tie　one's　boat　out　of　sight　beneath；　and　climb　up　into　the　nest　to

sit　alone　half　poised　in　the　sky　in　the　midst　of　the　sea；　should

savor　of　a　new　sensation。　　After　a　little　acclimatization　it　would

probably　become　a　passion。　　Certainly；　with　a　pipe；　it　should　induce

a　most　happy　frame　of　mind　for　a　French　novel。　　The　seeming　risk　of

the　one　situation　would　serve　to　point　those　of　the　other。　



The　fishermen　received　my　thanks　with　amiability；　watched　us　with

stolid　curiosity　as　we　pulled　off；　and　then　relapsed　into　their

former　semi…comatose　condition。　　Their　eyrie　slipped　perspectively

astern；　sank　lower　and　lower；　and　suddenly　was　lost　against　the

background　of　the　coast。　



The　favoring　breeze　we　were　always　hoping　for　never　came。　　This　was　a

bitter　disappointment　to　the　boatmen；　who　thus　found　themselves

prevented　from　more　than　occasional　whiffs　of　smoking。　　Once　we　had

out　the　spar　and　actually　hoisted　the　sail；　a　godsend　of　an　excuse　to

them　for　doing　nothing　for　the　next　few　minutes；　but　it　shortly　had

to　come　down　again　and　on　we　rowed。　



Our　surroundings　made　a　pretty　sight。　　A　foreground　of　water；　smooth

as　one　could　wish　had　he　nowhere　to　go；　with　illusive　cat's…paws　of

wind　playing　coyly　all　around；　marking　the　great　shield　with　dark

scratches；　and　never　coming　near　enough　to　be　caught　except　when　the

sail　was　down。　　Fold　upon　fold　of　low　hills　in　the　distance；　with

hamlets　showing　here　and　there　at　their　bases　by　the　sea。　　And　then；

almost　like　a　part　of　the　picture；　so　subtly　did　the　sensations

blend；　the　slow　cadenced　creak　of　the　sweeps　on　the　gunwale；　a

rhythmic　undercurrent　of　sound。　



At　intervals；　a　wayfarer　under　sail；　bound　the　other　way；　crept

slowly　by；　carrying；　as　it　seemed　to　our　envious　eyes；　his　own　capful

of　wind　with　him；　and　once　a　boat；　bound　our　way　and　not　under　sail；

passed　us　not　far　off。　　Our　boatmen　were　beautifully　blind　to　this

defeat　till　their　attention　had　been　specifically　called　to　it　for　an

explanation。　　They　then　declared　the　victor　to　be　lighter　than　we；

and　this　in　face　of　our　having　chosen　their　craft　for　just　that

quality。　　What　per　cent　of　such　statements；　I　wonder；　do　the　makers

expect　to　have　credited？　　And　if　any　appreciable　amount；　which　is　the

more　sold；　the　artless　deceiver　or　his　less　simple　victim？



But　we　always　headed　in　the　direction　of　Nanao；　and　the　shores

floated　by　through　the　long　spring　afternoon。　　At　last　they　began　to

contract　upon　us　till；　by　virtue　of　narrowing；　they　shot　us　through

the　straits　in　water　clear　as　crystal；　and　then　widening　again；

dropped　us　adrift　in　Wakura　bay。　　Though　not　so　beloved　of　bora；　the

bay　was　most　popular　with　other　fish。　　Schools　of　porpoises　turned

cart…wheels　for　our　amusement；　and　in　spots　the　water　was　fairly

alive　with　baby　jelly…fish。　　On　the　left　lay　Monkey　island；　so　called

from　a　certain　old　gentleman　who　had　had　a　peculiar　fondness　for

those　animals。　　His　family　of　poor　relations　had　disappeared　at　his

death；　and　the　island　was　now　chiefly　remarkable　for　a　curious　clay

formation；　which　time　had　chiseled　into　cliffs　so　mimicking　a　folding

screen　that　they　were　known　by　the　name。　　They　were　perfectly　level

on　top　and　perpendicular　on　the　sides；　and　as　double…faced　as　the

most　matter…of…fact　nicknamer　could　desire。　Sunset　came；　found　us

still　in　the　bay　and　left　us　there。　　Then　the　dusk　crept　up　from　the

black　water　beneath；　like　an　exhalation。　　It　grew　chilly。　



Just　as　we　were　turning　the　face　of　Screen　cliff　a　sound　of　singing

reached　us；　ricochetting　over　the　water。　　It　had　a　plaintive　ring

such　as　peasant　songs　are　wont　to　have；　and　came；　as　we　at　length

made　out；　from　a　boat　homeward　bound　from　the　island；　steering　a

course　at　right　angles　to　our　own。　　The　voices　were　those　of　women；

and　as　our　courses　swept　us　nearer　each　other；　we　saw　that　women

alone　composed　the　crew。　　They　had　been　faggot…cutting；　and　the

bunches　lay　piled　amidships；　while　fore　and　aft　they　plied　their

oars；　and　sang。　　The　gloaming　hid　all　but　sound　and　sex；　and　threw

its　veil　of　romance　over　the　trollers；　who　sent　their　hearts　out　thus

across　the　twilight　sea。　　The　song；　no　doubt　some　common　di