noto, an unexplored corner of japan- 第7部分

needs　invent　some　jingle　to　wile　his　ears　withal。　



Once　past　the　houses　we　came　upon　a　strip　of　paddyfields　that　bordered

the　mountain　slope　to　the　very　verge　of　the　tide。　　Some　of　these

stood　in　spots　where　the　tilt　of　the　land　would　have　seemed　to　have

precluded　even　the　thought　of　such　cultivation。　　For　a　paddyfield

must　be　perfectly　level；　that　it　may　be　kept　under　water　at　certain

seasons　of　the　year。　　On　a　slope；　therefore；　a　thing　a　paddyfield

never　hesitates　to　scale；　they　rise　in　terraces；　skyward。　　Here　the

drop　was　so　great　that　the　terraces　made　bastions　that　towered

proudly　on　the　very　knife…edge　of　decision　between　the　seaweed　and

the　cliffs。　　A　runnel　tamed　to　a　bamboo　duct　did　them　Ganymede　service。

For　a　paddyfield　is　perpetually　thirsty。　



It　was　the　season　of　repairing　of　dykes　and　ditches　in　rice　chronology；

a　much　more　complicated　annal　than　might　be　thought。　　This　initial

stage　of　it　has　a　certain　architectural　interest。　　Every　year　before

planting　begins　the　dykes　have　all　to　be　re…made　strictly　in　place；

for　they　serve　for　both　dams　and　bounds　to　the　elaborately

partitioned　fields。　　Adjacent　mud　is　therefore　carefully　plastered

over　the　remains　of　the　old　dyke；　which；　to　the　credit　of　the　former

builders；　is　no　small　fraction　of　it；　and　the　work　then　finished　off

with　a　sculptor's　care。　　An　easier…going　peasantry　might　often　forego

renewal。　　Indeed；　I　cannot　but　think　the　farmers　take　a　natural

delight　in　this　exalted　form　of　mud　pies；　they　work　away　on　already

passable　specimens　with　such　a　will。　　But　who　does　quite　outgrow　his

childish　delights？　　And　to　make　of　the　play　of　childhood　the　work　of

middle　life；　must　be　to　foil　the　primal　curse　to　the　very　letter。　

What　more　enchanting　pastime　than　to　wade　all　day　in　viscous　mud；

hearing　your　feet　plash　when　you　put　them　in；　and　suck　as　you　draw

them　out；　while　the　higher　part　of　you　is　busied　building　a　parapet

of　gluey　soil；　smoothing　it　down　on　the　sides　and　top；　and　crowning

your　masterpiece　with　a　row　of　sprigs　along　the　crest？　　And　then　in

the　gloaming　to　trudge　homeward；　feeling　that　you　have　done　a

meritorious　deed　after　all！　　When　I　come　to　my　second　childhood；

I　mean　to　turn　paddyfield　farmer　myself。　



Though　the　fields　took　to　the　slopes　so　kindly；　they　had　a　preference

for　plains。　　In　the　deltas；　formed　by　the　bigger　streams；　they

expanded　till　they　made　chesswork　of　the　whole。　　Laborers　knee　deep

in　the　various　squares　did　very　well　for　pawns。　　The　fields　being

still　in　their　pre…natal　stage；　were　not　exactly　handsome。　　There　was

too　much　of　one　universal　brown。　　This　was　relieved　only　by　the

nurseries　of　young　plants；　small　fields　here　and　there　just　showing　a

delicate　downy　growth　of　green；　delightful　to　the　eye。　　They　were　not

long　sown。　　For　each　still　lay　cradled　under　its　scarecrow；　a　pole

planted　in　the　centre　of　the　rectangle　with　strings　stretched　to　the

four　corners；　and　a　bit　of　rag　fluttering　from　the　peak。　　The

scarecrows　are；　no　doubt；　useful；　since　they　are　in　general　use；　but

I　counted　seven　sparrows　feeding　in　reckless　disregard　of　danger

under　the　very　wings　of　one　of　the　contrivances。　



The　customs　of　the　country　seemed　doomed　that　day　to　misunderstanding；

whether　by　sparrows　or　by　bigger　birds　of　passage。　　Those　which

should　have　startled　failed　of　effect；　and　those　which　should　not

have　startled；　did。　　For；　on　turning　the　face　of　the　next　bluff；

we　came　upon　a　hamlet　apparently　in　the　high　tide　of　conflagration。　

From　every　roof　volumes　of　smoke　were　rolling　up　into　the　sky；　while

men　rushed　to　and　fro　excitedly　outside。　　I　was　stirred；　myself；　for

there　seemed　scant　hope　of　saving　the　place；　such　headway　had　the

fire；　as　evidenced　by　the　smoke；　already　acquired。　　The　houses　were

closed；　a　wise　move　certainly　on　the　score　of　draft；　but　one　that

precluded　a　fighting　of　the　fire。　　I　was　for　jumping　from　the

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；　th