noto, an unexplored corner of japan-第13节

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under　way；　I　clambered　over　the　other　passengers。　　I　was　just　sitting

down　there　to　enjoy　a　comfortable　pipe　when　I　was　startlingly

requested　by　a　voice　from　a　caboose　behind　to　move　off；　as　I　was

obscuring　the　view　of　the　man　at　the　wheel。　　After　that　I　perched　on

the　gunwale。　



We　steamed　merrily　out　into　the　middle　of　the　bay。　　The　water　was

slumberously　smooth；　and　under　the　tawny　haze　of　the　morning　it　shone

with　the　sheen　of　burnished　brass。　　From　the　gentle　plowing　of　our

bow　it　rolled　lazily　to　one　side；　as　if　in　truth　it　were　molten　metal。

Land；　at　varying　picturesque　distances；　lay　on　all　sides　of　us。

In　some　directions　the　shore　was　not　more　than　a　mile　and　a　half　off；

in　others；　the　eye　wandered　down　a　vista　of　water　framed　by　low

headlands　for　ten　miles　or　more。　　But　the　atmosphere　gave　the

dominant　thought；　a　strange　slumber…like　seclusion。　　So　rich　and

golden；　it　shut　this　little　corner　of　the　world　in　a　sort　of　happy

valley　of　its　own；　and　the　smoke　from　my　pipe　drifted　dreamily

astern；　a　natural　incense　to　the　spirits　of　the　spot。　



The　passengers　suggested　anything；　from　a　public　picnic　to　an　early

exploration　party。　　There　were　men；　women　and　children　of　all　ages

and　kinds；　some　stowed　away　in　the　cabin　behind；　some　gathered　in

groups　amidships；　and　those　in　the　cabin　thought　small　fry　of　those

on　deck。　　The　cabin　was　considered　the　place　of　honor　because　the

company　made　one　pay　a　higher　price　for　the　privilege　of　its

discomfort。　　Altogether　it　was　a　very　pretty　epitome　of　a　voyage。　



Just　as　the　steamer　people　were　preparing　for　their　first　landing；

there　detached　itself　from　the　background　of　trees　along　the　shore

the　most　singular　aquatic　structure　I　think　I　have　ever　seen。

It　looked　like　the　skeleton　of　some　antediluvian　wigwam　which　a

prehistoric　roc　had　subsequently　chosen　for　a　nest。　　Four　poles

planted　in　the　water　inclined　to　one　another　at　such　an　angle　that

they　crossed　three…quarters　of　the　way　up。　　The　projecting　quarters

held　in　clutch　a　large　wicker　basket　like　the　car　of　a　balloon。　

Peering　above　the　car　was　a　man's　head。　　As　the　occupant　below　slowly

turned　the　head　to　keep　an　eye　on　us；　it　suggested；　amid　its　web　of

poles；　some　mammoth　spider　lying　in　wait　for　its　prey。　



It　was　a　matter　of　some　wonder　at　first　how　the　man　got　there；　until

the　motion　of　the　steamer　turned　the　side　and　disclosed　a　set　of

cross　poles　lashed　between　two　of　the　uprights；　forming　a　rude　sort

of　ladder。　　Curiosity；　satisfied　on　this　primary　point；　next　asked

why　he　got　there。　　As　this　was　a　riddle　to　me；　I　propounded　it　to

Yejiro；　who　only　shook　his　head　and　propounded　it　to　somebody　else；

a　compliment　to　the　inquiry　certainly；　if　not　to　my　choice　of　informant。

This　somebody　else　told　him　the　man　was　fishing。　　Except　for　the

immobility　of　the　figure；　I　never　saw　a　man　look　less　like　it　in　my

life。　



Such；　however；　was　the　fact。　　The　wigwam　was　connected　by　strings　to

the　entrance　of　a　sort　of　weir；　and　the　man　who　crouched　in　the　basket

was　on　the　lookout　for　large　fish；　of　a　kind　called　bora。　　As　soon　as

one　of　them　strayed　into　the　mouth　of　the　net；　the　man　pulled　the

string　which　closed　the　opening。　　The　height　of　his　observatory　above

the　level　of　the　water　enabled　him　to　see　through　it　to　the　necessary

depth。　　I　am　a　trifle　hazy　over　the　exact　details　of　the　apparatus；

as　I　never　saw　a　fish　inquisitive　enough　to　go　in；　but　I　submit　the

existence　of　the　fishermen　in　proof　that　it　works。　



Having　deposited　such　wights　as　wished　to　go　ashorefor　the　place

was　of　no　pretensionour　steam　fish　once　more　turned　its　tail　and

darted　us　through　some　narrows　into　another　bay。　　It　must　have　been　a

favorite　one　with　bora；　as　its　shores　were　dotted　with　fish…lookouts。　

The　observatories　stood　a　few　stone…throws　out　in　deepish　water；　at

presumably　favorable　points；　and　never　very　near　one　another；　lest

they　should　interfere　with　a　possible　catch。　　Some　were　inhabited；

some　not。　



This　bay　was　further　remarkable　for　a　solar　halo　which　I　chanced　to

see　on　glancing　up　at　the　sun。　　I　suppose　it　was　the　singular　quality

of　the　light　that　first　caused　me　to　look　overhead。　　For　a　thin　veil

of　cloud　had　drawn　over　the　blue　and　tempered　the　sunshine　peculiarly。

Of　course　one　is　familiar　with　caricatures　of　the　thing　in

meteorological　books；　but　the　phenomenon　itself　is　not　so　common；

and　the　effect　was　uncanny。　　At　the　first　glance　it　seemed　a　bit　of

Noto　witchery；　that　strangely　luminous　circle　around　the　sun。

To　admire　the　moon　thus　bonneted；　as　the　Japanese　say；　is　common　enough；

and　befits　the　hour。　　But　to　have　the　halo　of　the　night　hung　aloft　in

broad　day　is　to　crown　sober　noon　with　enchantment。　



The　sheet　of　water　was　sparsely　dotted　with　sail。　　One　little　craft

in　particular　I　remember；　whose　course　bore　her　straight　down　upon　us。

She　dilated　slowly　out　of　the　distance；　and　then　passed　so　close　I

might　have　tossed　a　flower　aboard　of　her。　　So　steady　her　motion　she

seemed　oblivious　to　our　presence；　as　she　glided　demurely　by　at

relatively　doubled　speed。　



Only　after　we　had　passed　did　she　show　signs　of　noticing　us　at　all。　

For；　meeting　our　wake；　the　coquette；　she　suddenly　began　dropping　us

curtseys　in　good…by。　







XI。　



Anamidzu。　



We　seemed　bound　that　day　to　meet　freaks　in　fishing…tackle。　　The　next

one　to　turn　up　was　a　kind　of　crinoline。　　This　strange　thing　confronted

us　as　we　disembarked　at　Anamidzu。　　Anamidzu　was　the　last　port　in　the

inland　sea。　　After　touching　here　the　steamer　passed　out　into　the　sea

of　Japan　and　tied　up　for　the　night　at　a　small　port　on　the　eastern

side　of　the　nose　of　the　peninsula。　



As　the　town　lay　away　from　the　shore　up　what　looked　like　a　canal；　we

were　transferred　to　a　small　boat　to　be　rowed　in。　　Just　as　we　reached

the　beginnings　of　the　canal　we　saw　squatting　on　the　bank　an　old　crone

contemplating；　it　seemed；　the　forlorn　remains　of　a　hoopskirt　which

dangled　from　a　pole　before　her；　half　in　and　half　out　of　water。　　The

chief　difference　between　this　and　the　more　common　article　of　commerce

was　merely　one　of　degree；　since　here　the　ribs　by　quite　meeting　at　the

top　entirely　suppressed　the　waist。　　Their　lower　extremities　were　hid

in　the　water　and　were；　I　was　informed；　baited　with　hooks。　



The　old　lady's　attitude　was　one　of　inimitable　apathy；　nor　did　she　so

much　as　blink　at　us；　as　we　passed。　　A　little　farther　up；　on　the

opposite　bank；　sat　a　similar　bit　of　still　life。　　A　third　beyond

completed　the　picture。　　These　good　dames　bordered　the　brink　like　so

many　meditative　frogs。　　Though　I　saw　them　for　the　first　time　in　the

flesh；　I　recognized　them　at　once。　　Here　were　the　identical　fisherfolk

who　have　sat　for　centuries　in　the　paintings　of　Tsunenobu；　not　a　whit

more　immovable　in　kakemono　than　in　real　life。　　I　almost　looked　to

find　the　master's　seal　somewhere　in　the　corner　of　the　landscape。　



The　worthy　souls　were；　I　was　told；　inkyos；　a　social；　or　rather

unsocial　state；　which　in　their　case　may　be　rendered　unwidowed

dowagers；　since；　in　company　with　their　husbands；　they　had　renounced

all　their　social　titles　and　estates。　　Their　daughters…in…law　now　did

the　domestic　drudgery；　while　they　devoted　their　days　thus　to　sport。　



Whether　it　were　the　dames；　or　the　canal；　or　more　likely　still；　some

touch　of　atmosphere；　but　I　was　reminded　of　Holland。　　Indeed；　I　know

not　what　the　special　occasion　was。　　It　is　a　strange　fabric　we　are　so

busy　weaving　out　of　sensations。　　Let　something　accidentally　pick　up

an　old　thread；　and　behold；　without　rhyme　or　reason；　we　are　treated　to

a　whole　piece　of　past　experience。　　Stranger　yet　when　but　the

background　is　brought　back。　　For　we　were　unconscious　of　the　warp

while　the　details　were　weaving　in。　　Yet　reproduce　it　and　all　the　woof

starts　suddenly　to　sight。　　For　atmosphere；　like　a　perfume；　does

ghostly　service　to　the　past。　



There　is　something　less　mediate　in　my　remembrance　of　Anamidzu。　　The

place　has　to　me　a　memory　of　its　own　that　hangs　about　the　room　they

made　mine　for　an　hour。　　It　was　certainly　a　pretty　room；　surprisingly

so；　for　such　an　out…of…the…way　spot。　　I　dare　say　it　was　only　that　to

my　fellow…voyager　of　the　steamer；　hurrying　homeward　to　Wakamatsu。

I　could　hear　him　in　the　next　apartment　making　merry　over　his　midday

meal。　　To　him　the　place　stood　for　the　last　stage　on　the　journey　home。　

But　to　me；　it　meant　more。　　It　marked　both　the　end　of　the　beginning；

and　the　beginning　of　the　end。　　For　I　had　fixed　upon　this　spot　for　my

turning　point。　



It　was　high　noon　in　my　day　of　travel；　like　the　high　noon　there

outside　the　open　shoji。　　The　siesta　of　sensation　had　come。　　Thus　far；

the　coming　events　had　cast　their　shadows　before　and　I　had　followed；

now　they　had　touched　their　zenith　here　in　mid…Noto。　　Henceforth　I

should　see　them　moving　back　again　toward　the　east。　　The　dazzling

sunshine　without　pointed　the　shade　within；　making　even　the　room　seem

more　shadowy