noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第29章
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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 in height； then the river took to a more genial
flow； and presently we were ware of the whole countryside to the
right coming down in one long sweep to the water's edge。
The preface was over。 The stream was to have a breathing spell of
air and sunlight before its great plunge into sixty miles of twilight
canon。 With a quick turn of his rudder oar the boatman in the stern
brought the flat…bottomed craft round； and in a jiffy she lay beached
on the shingle at Tokimata。 It was now high noon。
The greater part of the village kindly superintended the operation of
disembarking； and then the more active of its inhabitants trotted
before as guides to the inn。 For our boat would go no further； and
therefore all our belongings had to come out。 It was only when we
inquired for further conveyance that the crowd showed signs of
satiety and edged off。 To our importunities on this head the
populace were statuesque or worse。 A Japanese assent is not always
the most encouraging of replies； and a Japanese 〃No〃 touches in you a
depth not unlike despair。 They have a way of hinting the utter
hopelessness of your wish； past； present； and to come； an eternity of
impossibility to make you regret that you ever were born。 After we
had reached the inn； and had stated our wants to a more informed
audience； we were told that the nautical part of the inhabitants were
in the fields； gathering mulberry leaves for the silkworms。 From the
bribe we offered to induce a change in pursuit； we judged money to be
no object to them。 There remained nothing； therefore； but the police。
It is good policy never to invoke the law except in the last
extremity； for you are pretty safe to have some flaw shown up in
you before you are through with it。 The law in this case was
represented； Yejiro found； by a person still yellow with the
jaundice。 He met the demand for boatmen with the counter demand for
the passport； and when this was produced his official eye at once
detected its anachronism。
〃This；〃 said he； 〃is not in order。 I do not see how you can go on at
all。〃
To add artificial impossibility to natural； was too much。 Yejiro
answered that he had better come to the inn； which he accordingly
did。 Poor man！ I pitied him。 For； in the first place； he was still
jaundiced； and； in the second； although conscious of guilt as I was；
I was much the less disturbed of the two。 I was getting used to
being a self…smuggler； while he； as the Japanese say； was 〃taihen
komarimasu〃 （exceedingly 〃know not what to do〃）； a phrase which is a
national complaint。 In this instance he had cause。 What to do with
so hardened a sinner was a problem passing his powers。 Here was a
law…breaker who by rights should at once be bundled back to Tokyo
under police surveillance。 But he could not go himself； he had no
one to send； and furthermore the delinquent seemed only too willing
to escort himself there； free of government expense； as speedily as
possible。 All I had to do was to whet his perception that the sooner
boatmen were got the sooner I should be on the right side of the law
again。 After some conflict with himself he went in search of men。
I was left to study the carp…pond； with its gold and silver fish；
the pivot of attention of the pretty little garden court which stood
handy to the kitchen。 This juxtaposition was no accident； for such
ponds are landscape and larder in one。 Between meals the fish are
scenery； at the approach of the dinner hour they turn into game。
The inn guest having sufficiently enjoyed the gambols of future repasts；
picks out his dish to suit his taste or capacity； and the fish is
instantly netted and translated to the gridiron。 The survivors； none
the wiser； continue to steamboat about； intent on their own dinners；
flashing their colors as they turn their armored sides in and out of
the light。 Eccentric nature has fitted these prototypes of navigation
with all the modern improvements。 Double and even triple sets of
screws are common things in tails； and sometimes the fins； too； are
duplex。 As for me； I had neither the heart nor the stomach to help
depopulate the pond。 But I took much mechanical delight in their
motions； so I fed them instead of they me。
I had my choice between doing this and watching the late boatmen at
their dinner in the distance。 No doubt moods have an aesthetic
conscience of their own；they demand appropriate setting； for I was
annoyed at the hilarity of these men over their midday meal。 I bore
them no malice； but I own I should have preferred not to have seen
them thus making free with time they had declared themselves unable
to sell to me。
Thanks in part to my quality of outlaw； and in part to four hours'
propitiation of the gods of delay； the jaundiced policeman finally
succeeded in beating up a crew。 There were four conscripts in all；
kerchiefed； not to say petticoated； in the native nautical costume；
a costume not due to being fresh…water sailors； since their salt…water
cousins are given to a like disguise of sex。 These mariners made us
wait while they finished their preparations。 It meant a long voyage
to them；a facilis descensus Averni； sed revocare gradum；a very
long pull。 Then the bow was poled off； the current took us in its
arms and swung us out into the stream； and the crowd on the shingle
dropped perspectively astern。
While I was still standing gazing at lessening Tokimata； I heard a
cry from behind me； and； turning； ducked just in time to escape being
unceremoniously somersaulted into the water by a hawser stretched
from bank to bank at a level singularly suited to such a trick。
The rope was the stationary half of a ferry to which I had neglected
to make timely obeisance。 It marked； indeed； an incipient stage in
the art of suspension bridges； the ferryboat itself supporting a part
of the weight； while the ferryman pulled it and himself across。
We met several more in the course of the next few minutes； before
which we all bowed down into the bottom of the boat； while the hawser
scraped； grumbling impotently； overhead。
Our boat was of adaptive build。 It was forty…five feet long； not quite
four feet wide； and somewhat over two feet deep。 These proportions
and the character of the wood made it exceeding lithe； so that it
bent like a willow before necessity。 In the stern stood the head
man； wielding for rudder an oar half as long again as those the
others used。 There was very little rowing done； nor was there need；
the current itself took us along at racing speed。
Shortly after ducking under the last ferry rope we reached the
gateway to the canon。 Some rapids made an introduction； rocks in
places jutting out of the foam； and while we were still curveting to
the waves the hills suddenly closed in upon the stream in two
beetling cliffs； spanned surprisingly by a
