noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第9章

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jinrikisha　to　see；　if　not　to　do　something　myself；　when　I　was　stopped

by　the　jinrikisha　men；　who　coolly　informed　me　that　the　houses　were

lime…kilns。　



It　appeared　that　lime…making　was　a　specialty　of　these　parts；　being；

in　fact；　the　alternative　industry　to　fishing；　with　the　littoral

population；　the　farming　of　its　strip　of　ricefields　hardly　counting　as

a　profession；　since　such　culture　is　second　nature　with　the　Far　Oriental。

Lime…making　may　labor　under　objections；　considered　generically；　but

this　method　of　conducting　the　business　is　susceptible　of　advantageous

imitation。　　It　should　commend　itself　at　once　to　theatrical　managers

for　a　bit　of　stage　effect。　　Evidently　it　is　harmless。　　No　less

evidently　it　is　cheap；　and　in　some　cases　it　might　work　a　double

benefit。　　Impresarios　might　thus　consume　all　the　public　statuary

about　the　town　to　the　artistic　education　of　the　community；　besides

producing　most　realistic　results　in　the　theatre。　



Through　the　courtesy　of　some　of　the　laborers　I　was　permitted　to　enter

a　small　kiln　in　which　they　were　then　at　work。　　I　went　in　cautiously；

and　came　out　with　some　haste；　for　the　fumes　of　the　burning；　which

quite　filled　the　place；　made　me　feel　my　intrusion　too　poignantly。

I　am　willing　to　believe　the　work　thoroughly　enjoyable　when　once　you

become　used　to　it。　　In　the　meantime；　I　should　choose　its　alternative；

the　pleasures　of　a　dirty　fishing　boat　in　a　nasty　seaway；if　I　were

unfortunate　enough　to　make　one　of　the　population。　　I　like　to　breathe

without　thinking　of　it。　



The　charcoal　used　in　the　process　came；　they　told　me；　from　Noto。

I　felt　a　thrill　of　pride　in　hearing　the　land　of　my　courting　thus

distinctively　spoken　of；　although　the　mention　were　not　by　way　of　any

remarkable　merit。　　At　least　the　place　was　honorably　known　beyond　its

own　borders；　had　in　fact　a　certain　prestige。　　For　they　admitted　there

was　charcoal　in　their　own　province；　but　the　best；　they　all　agreed；

came　from　their　neighbor　over　the　sea。　　They　spoke　to　appreciative

ears。　　I　was　only　too　ready　to　believe　that　the　best　of　anything　came

from　Noto。　　Did　they　lay　my　interest　to　the　score　of　lime…making；

I　wonder；　or　were　they　in　part　undeceived　when　I　asked　if　Noto　were

visible　from　where　we　were？



〃It　was；〃　they　said；　〃on　very　clear　days。〃　〃Did　I　know　Noto？〃　What

shall　a　man　say　when　questioned　thus　concerning　that　on　which　he　has

set　his　heart？　　He　cannot　say　yes；　shall　he　say　no　and　put　himself

without　the　pale　of　mere　acquaintance？　　There　is　a　sense　of　nearness

not　to　be　justified　to　another；　and　the　one　to　whom　a　man　may　feel

most　kin　is　not　always　she　of　whom　he　knows　the　most。　



〃I　am　by　way　of　knowing　it；〃　I　said；　as　my　eyes　followed　my　thoughts

horizonward。　　Was　it　all　mirage　they　saw　or　thought　to　see；　that

faint　coastline　washed　a　little　deeper　blue　against　the　sky？　　I　fear

me　so；　for　the　lime…burners　failed　to　make　it　out。　　The　day　was　not

clear　enough；　they　said。　



But　the　little　heap　of　charcoal　at　least　was　real；　and　it　had　once

been　a　tree　on　that　farther　shore。　　Charcoal　to　them；　it　was　no

longer　common　charcoal　to　me；　for；　looking　at　it；　was　I　not　face　to

face　with　something　that　had　once　formed　part　of　Noto；　the　unknown！







VII。



Oya　Shiradzu；　Ko　Shiradzu。　



Toward　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we　reached　a　part　of　the　coast

locally　famous　or　infamous；　for　the　two　were　one；　a　stretch　of　some

miles　where　the　mountains　made　no　apology　for　falling　abruptly　into

the　sea。　　Sheer　for　several　hundred　feet；　the　shore　is　here　unscalable。

Nor　did　it　use　to　be　possible　to　go　round　by　land；　for　the　cliffs　are

merely　the　ends　of　mountain…chains；　themselves　utterly　wild　and

tractless。　　A　narrow　strip　of　sand　was　the　sole　link　between　Etchiu

on　the　one　hand　and　Echigo　on　the　other。　　The　natives　call　the　place

Oya　shiradzu；　ko　shiradzu；　that　is；　a　spot　where　the　father　no　longer

knows　the　child；　nor　the　child　the　father；　so　obliterating　to　sense

of　all　beside　is　the　personal　danger。　　Refuge　there　is　none　of　any

kind。　　To　have　been　caught　here　in　a　storm　on　the　making　tide；　must

indeed　have　been　to　look　death　in　the　face。　



Between　the　devil　of　a　precipice　and　the　deep　sea；　he　who　ventured　on

the　passage　must　have　hurried　anxiously　along　the　thread　of　sand；

hoping　to　reach　the　last　bend　in　time。　　As　he　rounds　the　ill…omened

corner　he　sees　he　is　too　late；　already　the　surf　is　breaking　against

the　cliff。　　He　turns　back　only　to　find　retreat　barred　behind　by

rollers　that　have　crept　in　since　he　passed。　　His　very　footprints　have

all　been　washed　away。　　Caged！　　Like　the　walls　of　a　deep…down　dungeon

the　perpendicular　cliff　towers　at　his　side；　and　in　the　pit　they　rim；

he　and　the　angry　ocean　are　left　alone　together。　　Then　the　sea　begins

to　play　with　him；　creeping　catlike　up。　　Her　huge　paws；　the　breakers；

buffet　his　face。　　The　water　is　already　about　his　feet；　as　he　backs

desperately　up　against　the　rock。　　And　each　wave　comes　crushing　in

with　a　cruel　growl　to　strikeshort　this　time。　　But　the　next　breaks

closer；　and　the　next　closer　still。　　He　climbs　a　boulder。　　The　spray

blinds　him。　　He　hears　a　deafening　roar；　feels　a　shock　that　hurls　him

into　space；　and　he　knows　no　more。　



Now　the　place　is　fearful　only　to　fancy。　　For　a　road　has　been　built；

belting　the　cliffs　hundreds　of　feet　above　the　tide。　　It　is　a　part　of

what　is　known　as　the　new　road；　a　name　it　is　likely　long　to　keep。

Its　sides　are　in　places　so　steep　that　it　fails　of　its　footing　and　is

constantly　slipping　off　into　the　sea。　　Such　sad　missteps　are　the

occasion　for　bands　of　convicts　to　appear　on　the　scene　under　the

marshaling　of　a　police　officer　and　be　set　to　work　to　repair　the　slide

by　digging　a　little　deeper　into　the　mountain…side。　　The　convicts　wear

clothes　of　a　light　brick…color　which　at　a　distance　looks　a　little

like　couleur　de　rose；　while　the　police　are　dressed　in　sombre

blue。　　It　would　seem　somewhat　of　a　satire　on　the　facts！



The　new　road　is　not　without　its　sensation　to　such　as　dislike　looking

down。　　Fortunately；　the　jinrikisha　men　have　not　the　instinct　of

packmules　to　be　persistently　trifling　with　its　outer　edge。

In　addition　to　the　void　at　the　side；　another　showed　every　now　and　then

in　front；　where　a　dip　and　a　turn　completely　hid　the　road　beyond。

The　veritable　end　of　the　world　seemed　to　be　there　just　ahead；　close

against　the　vacancy　of　space。　　A　couple　of　rods　more　and　we　must　step

offindeed　the　end　of　the　world　for　us　if　we　had。　



When　the　road　came　to　face　the　Oya　shiradzu；　ko　shiradzu；　it　attacked

the　rise　by　first　running　away　from　it　up　a　stream　into　the　mountains；

a　bit　of　the　wisdom　of　the　serpent　that　enabled　it　to　gain　much

height　on　the　bend　back。　　Trees　vaulted　the　way　tapestrying　it　with

their　leaves；　between　which　one　caught　peeps　at　the　sea；　a　shimmer　of

blue　through　a　shimmer　of　green。　　The　path　was　strung　with　pedlars

and　pilgrims；　the　latter　of　both　sexes　and　all　ages；　under　mushroom

hats　with　their　skirts　neatly　tucked　in　at　the　waist；　showing　their

leggings；　the　former　doing　fulcrum　duty　to　a　couple　of　baskets　swung

on　a　pole　over　their　shoulders。　　The　pilgrims　were　on　their　way　back

from　Zenkoji。　　Some　of　them　would　have　tramped　over　two　hundred　miles

on　foot　before　they　reached　home　again。　　A　rich　harvest　they　brought

back；　religion；　travel；　and　exercise　all　in　one；　enough　to　keep　them

happy　long。　　I　know　of　nothing　which　would　more　persuade　me　to　be　a

Buddhist　than　these　same　delightful　pilgrimages。　　Fresh　air；　fresh

scenes　on　the　road；　and　fresh　faith　at　the　end　of　it。　　No　desert

caravan　of　penance　to　these　Meccas；　but　a　summer's　stroll　under　a

summer's　sky。　　An　end　that　sanctifies　the　means　and　a　means　that　no

less　justifies　its　end。　



While　we　were　still　in　the　way　with　these　pious　folk　we　touched　our

midday　halt；　a　wayside　teahouse　notched　in　a　corner　of　the　road

commanding　a　panoramic　view　over　the　sea。　　The　place　was　kept　by　a

deaf　old　lady　and　her　tailless　cat。　　The　old　lady's　p