stood　for　the　whole　evening　in　front　of　the　house　with　a　silent；
  open…mouthed　stare。
  Early　in　the　morning　the　same　melancholy　crowd　appeared　in　the
  dismal　drizzle；　which　turned　into　a　tremendous　torrent；　which　has
  lasted　for　sixteen　hours。　　Low　hills；　broad　rice　valleys　in　which
  people　are　puddling　the　rice　a　second　time　to　kill　the　weeds；　bad
  roads；　pretty　villages；　much　indigo；　few　passengers；　were　the
  features　of　the　day's　journey。　　At　Morioka　and　several　other
  villages　in　this　region　I　noticed　that　if　you　see　one　large；　high；
  well…built　house；　standing　in　enclosed　grounds；　with　a　look　of
  wealth　about　it；　it　is　always　that　of　the　sake　brewer。　　A　bush
  denotes　the　manufacture　as　well　as　the　sale　of　sake；　and　these　are
  of　all　sorts；　from　the　mangy　bit　of　fir　which　has　seen　long　service
  to　the　vigorous　truss　of　pine　constantly　renewed。　　It　is　curious
  that　this　should　formerly　have　been　the　sign　of　the　sale　of　wine　in
  England。
  The　wind　and　rain　were　something　fearful　all　that　afternoon。　　I
  could　not　ride；　so　I　tramped　on　foot　for　some　miles　under　an　avenue
  of　pines；　through　water　a　foot　deep；　and；　with　my　paper　waterproof
  soaked　through；　reached　Toyoka　half　drowned　and　very　cold；　to
  shiver　over　a　hibachi　in　a　clean　loft；　hung　with　my　dripping
  clothes；　which　had　to　be　put　on　wet　the　next　day。　　　By　5　a。m。　all
  Toyoka　assembled；　and　while　I　took　my　breakfast　I　was　not　only　the
  〃cynosure〃　of　the　eyes　of　all　the　people　outside；　but　of　those　of
  about　forty　more　who　were　standing　in　the　doma；　looking　up　the
  ladder。　　When　asked　to　depart　by　the　house…master；　they　said；　〃It's
  neither　fair　nor　neighbourly　in　you　to　keep　this　great　sight　to
  yourself；　seeing　that　our　lives　may　pass　without　again　looking　on　a
  foreign　woman；〃　so　they　were　allowed　to　remain！　　I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XXVI
  The　Fatigues　of　TravellingTorrents　and　MudIto's　SurlinessThe
  Blind　ShampooersA　Supposed　Monkey　TheatreA　Suspended　FerryA
  Difficult　TransitPerils　on　the　YonetsurugawaA　Boatman　Drowned
  Nocturnal　DisturbancesA　Noisy　YadoyaStorm…bound　Travellers
  Hai！　　Hai！More　Nocturnal　Disturbances
  ODATE；　July　29。
  I　have　been　suffering　so　much　from　my　spine　that　I　have　been　unable
  to　travel　more　than　seven　or　eight　miles　daily　for　several　days；
  and　even　that　with　great　difficulty。　　I　try　my　own　saddle；　then　a
  pack…saddle；　then　walk　through　the　mud；　but　I　only　get　on　because
  getting　on　is　a　necessity；　and　as　soon　as　I　reach　the　night's
  halting…place　I　am　obliged　to　lie　down　at　once。　　Only　strong　people
  should　travel　in　northern　Japan。　　The　inevitable　fatigue　is　much
  increased　by　the　state　of　the　weather；　and　doubtless　my　impressions
  of　the　country　are　affected　by　it　also；　as　a　hamlet　in　a　quagmire
  in　a　gray　mist　or　a　soaking　rain　is　a　far　less　delectable　object
  than　the　same　hamlet　under　bright　sunshine。　　There　has　not　been
  such　a　season　for　thirty　years。　　The　rains　have　been　tremendous。　　I
  have　lived　in　soaked　clothes；　in　spite　of　my　rain…cloak；　and　have
  slept　on　a　soaked　stretcher　in　spite　of　all　waterproof　wrappings
  for　several　days；　and　still　the　weather　shows　no　signs　of
  improvement；　and　the　rivers　are　so　high　on　the　northern　road　that　I
  am　storm…bound　as　well　as　pain…bound　here。　　Ito　shows　his　sympathy
  for　me　by　intense　surliness；　though　he　did　say　very　sensibly；　〃I'm
  very　sorry　for　you；　but　it's　no　use　saying　so　over　and　over　again；
  as　I　can　do　nothing　for　you；　you'd　better　send　for　the　blind　man！〃
  In　Japanese　towns　and　villages　you　hear　every　evening　a　man　（or
  men）　making　a　low　peculiar　whistle　as　he　walks　along；　and　in　large
  towns　the　noise　is　quite　a　nuisance。　　It　is　made　by　blind　men；　but
  a　blind　beggar　is　never　seen　throughout　Japan；　and　the　blind　are　an
  independent；　respected；　and　well…to…do　class；　carrying　on　the
  occupations　of　shampooing；　money…lending；　and　music。
  We　have　had　a　very　severe　journey　from　Toyoka。　　That　day　the　rain
  was　ceaseless；　and　in　the　driving　mists　one　could　see　little　but
  low　hills　looming　on　the　horizon；　pine　barrens；　scrub；　and　flooded
  rice…fields；　varied　by　villages　standing　along　roads　which　were
  quagmires　a　foot　deep；　and　where　the　clothing　was　specially　ragged
  and　dirty。　　Hinokiyama；　a　village　of　samurai；　on　a　beautiful　slope；
  was　an　exception；　with　its　fine　detached　houses；　pretty　gardens；
  deep…roofed　gateways；　grass　and　stone…faced　terraces；　and　look　of
  refined；　quiet　comfort。　　Everywhere　there　was　a　quantity　of　indigo；
  as　is　necessary；　for　nearly　all　the　clothing　of　the　lower　classes
  is　blue。　　Near　a　large　village　we　were　riding　on　a　causeway　through
  the　rice…fields；　Ito　on　the　pack…horse　in　front；　when　we　met　a
  number　of　children　returning　from　school；　who；　on　getting　near　us；
  turned；　ran　away；　and　even　jumped　into　the　ditches；　screaming　as
  they　ran。　　The　mago　ran　after　them；　caught　the　hindmost　boy；　and
  dragged　him　backthe　boy　scared　and　struggling；　the　man　laughing。
  The　boy　said　that　they　thought　that　Ito　was　a　monkey…player；　i。e。
  the　keeper　of　a　monkey　theatre；　I　a　big　ape；　and　the　poles　of　my
  bed　the　scaffolding　of　the　stage！
  Splashing　through　mire　and　water　we　found　that　the　people　of　Tubine
  wished　to　detain　us；　saying　that　all　the　ferries　were　stopped　in
  consequence　of　the　rise　in　the　rivers；　but　I　had　been　so　often
  misled　by　false　reports　that　I　took　fresh　horses　and　went　on　by　a
  track　along　a　very　pretty　hillside；　overlooking　the　Yonetsurugawa；
  a　large　and　swollen　river；　which　nearer　the　sea　had　spread　itself
  over　the　whole　country。　　Torrents　of　rain　were　still　falling；　and
  all　out…of…doors　industries　were　suspended。　　Straw　rain…cloaks
  hanging　to　dry　dripped　under　all　the　eaves；　our　paper　cloaks　were
  sodden；　our　dripping　horses　steamed；　and　thus　we　slid　down　a　steep
  descent　into　the　hamlet　of　Kiriishi；　thirty…one　houses　clustered
  under　persimmon　trees　under　a　wooded　hillside；　all　standing　in　a
  quagmire；　and　so　abject　and　filthy　that　one　could　not　ask　for　five
  minutes'　shelter　in　any　one　of　them。　　Sure　enough；　on　the　bank　of
  the　river；　which　was　fully　400　yards　wide；　and　swirling　like　a
  mill…stream　with　a　suppressed　roar；　there　was　an　official　order
  prohibiting　the　crossing　of　man　or　beast；　and　before　I　had　time　to
  think　the　mago　had　deposited　the　baggage　on　an　islet　in　the　mire
  and　was　over　the　crest　of　the　hill。　　I　wished　that　the　Government
  was　a　little　less　paternal。
  Just　in　the　nick　of　time　we　discerned　a　punt　drifting　down　the
  river　on　the　opposite　side；　where　it　brought　up；　and　landed　a　man；
  and　Ito　and　two　others　yelled；　howled；　and　waved　so　lustily　as　to
  attract　its　notice；　and　to　my　joy　an　answering　yell　came　across　the
  roar　and　rush　of　the　river。　　The　torrent　was　so　strong　that　the
  boatmen　had　to　pole　up　on　that　side　for　half　a　mile；　and　in　about
  three…quarters　of　an　hour　they　reached　our　side。　　They　were
  returning　to　Kotsunagithe　very　place　I　wished　to　reachbut；
  though　only　2。5　miles　off；　the　distance　took　nearly　four　hours　of
  the　hardest　work　I　ever　saw　done　by　men。　　Every　moment　I　expected
  to　see　them　rupture　blood…vessels　or　tendons。　　All　their　muscles
  quivered。　　It　is　a　mighty　river；　and　was　from　eight　to　twelve　feet
  deep；　and　whirling　down　in　muddy　eddies；　and　often　with　their
  utmost　efforts　in　poling；　when　it　seemed　as　if　poles　or　backs　must
  break；　the　boat　hung　trembling　and　stationary　for　three　or　four
  minutes　at　a　time。　　After　the　slow　and　eventless　tramp　of　the　last
  few　days　this　was　an　exciting　transit。　　Higher　up　there　was　a
  flooded　wood；　and；　getting　into　this；　the　men　aided　themselves
  considerably　by　hauling　by　the　trees；　but　when　we　got　out　of　this；
  another　river　joined　the　Yonetsurugawa；　which　with　added　strength
  rushed　and　roared　more　wildly。
  I　had　long　been　watching　a　large　house…boat　far　above　us　on　the
  other　side；　which　was　being　poled　by　desperate　efforts　by　ten　men。
  At　that　point　she　must　have　been　half　a　mile　off；　when　the　stream
  overpowered　the　crew　and　in　no　time　she　swung　round　and　came
  drifting　wildly　down　and　across　the　river；　broadside　on　to　us。　　We
  could　not　stir　against　the　current；　and　had　large　trees　on　our
  immediate　left；　and　for　a　moment　it　was　a　question　whether　she
  would　not　smash　us　to　atoms。　　Ito　was　livid　with　fear；　his　white；
  appalled　face　struck　me　as　ludicrous；　for　I　had　no　other　thought
  than　the　imminent　peril　of　the　large　boat　with　her　freight　of
  helpless　families；　when；　just　as　she　was　within　two　feet　of　us；　she
  struck　a　stem　and　glanced　off。　　Then　her　crew　grappled　a　headless
  trunk　and　got　their　hawser　round　it；　and　eight　of　them；　one　behind
  the　other；　hung　on　to　it；　when　it　suddenly　snapped；　seven　fell
  backwards；　and　the　forward　one　went　overboard　to　be　no　more　seen。
  Some　house　that　night　was　desolate。　　Reeling　downwards；　the　big
  mast　and　spar　of　the　ungainly　craft　caught　in　a　tree；　giving　her
  such　a　check　that　they　were　able　to　make　her　fast。　　It　was　a
  saddening　incident。　　I　asked　Ito　what　he　felt　when　we　seemed　in
  peril；　and　he　replied；　〃I　thought　I'd　been　good　to　my　mother；　and
  honest；　and　I　hoped　I　should　go　to　a　good　place。〃
  The　fashion　of　boats　varies　much　on　different　rivers。　　On　this　one
  there　are　two　sizes。　　Ours　was　a　small　one；　flat…bottomed；　25　feet
  long　by　2。5　broad；　drawing　6　inches；　very　low　in　the　wat