I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XXVII
  Good…tempered　IntoxicationThe　Effect　of　SunshineA　tedious
  AltercationEvening　OccupationsNoisy　TalkSocial　Gathering
  Unfair　Comparisons。
  SHIRASAWA；　July　29。
  Early　this　morning　the　rain…clouds　rolled　themselves　up　and
  disappeared；　and　the　bright　blue　sky　looked　as　if　it　had　been　well
  washed。　　I　had　to　wait　till　noon　before　the　rivers　became　fordable；
  and　my　day's　journey　is　only　seven　miles；　as　it　is　not　possible　to
  go　farther　till　more　of　the　water　runs　off。　　We　had　very　limp；
  melancholy　horses；　and　my　mago　was　half…tipsy；　and　sang；　talked；
  and　jumped　the　whole　way。　　Sake　is　frequently　taken　warm；　and　in
  that　state　produces　a　very　noisy　but　good…tempered　intoxication。　　I
  have　seen　a　good　many　intoxicated　persons；　but　never　one　in　the
  least　degree　quarrelsome；　and　the　effect　very　soon　passes　off；
  leaving；　however；　an　unpleasant　nausea　for　two　or　three　days　as　a
  warning　against　excess。　　The　abominable　concoctions　known　under　the
  names　of　beer；　wine；　and　brandy；　produce　a　bad…tempered　and
  prolonged　intoxication；　and　delirium　tremens；　rarely　known　as　a
  result　of　sake　drinking；　is　being　introduced　under　their　baleful
  influence。
  The　sun　shone　gloriously　and　brightened　the　hill…girdled　valley　in
  which　Odate　stands　into　positive　beauty；　with　the　narrow　river
  flinging　its　bright　waters　over　green　and　red　shingle；　lighting　it
  up　in　glints　among　the　conical　hills；　some　richly　wooded　with
  coniferae；　and　others　merely　covered　with　scrub；　which　were　tumbled
  about　in　picturesque　confusion。　　When　Japan　gets　the　sunshine；　its
  forest…covered　hills　and　garden…like　valleys　are　turned　into
  paradise。　　In　a　journey　of　600　miles　there　has　hardly　been　a　patch
  of　country　which　would　not　have　been　beautiful　in　sunlight。
  We　crossed　five　severe　fords　with　the　water　half…way　up　the　horses'
  bodies；　in　one　of　which　the　strong　current　carried　my　mago　off　his
  feet；　and　the　horse　towed　him　ashore；　singing　and　capering；　his
  drunken　glee　nothing　abated　by　his　cold　bath。　　Everything　is　in　a
  state　of　wreck。　　Several　river　channels　have　been　formed　in　places
  where　there　was　only　one；　there　is　not　a　trace　of　the　road　for　a
  considerable　distance；　not　a　bridge　exists　for　ten　miles；　and　a
  great　tract　of　country　is　covered　with　boulders；　uprooted　trees；
  and　logs　floated　from　the　mountain　sides。　　Already；　however；　these
  industrious　peasants　are　driving　piles；　carrying　soil　for
  embankments　in　creels　on　horses'　backs；　and　making　ropes　of　stones
  to　prevent　a　recurrence　of　the　calamity。　　About　here　the　female
  peasants　wear　for　field…work　a　dress　which　pleases　me　much　by　its
  suitabilitylight　blue　trousers；　with　a　loose　sack　over　them；
  confined　at　the　waist　by　a　girdle。
  On　arriving　here　in　much　pain；　and　knowing　that　the　road　was　not
  open　any　farther；　I　was　annoyed　by　a　long　and　angry　conversation
  between　the　house…master　and　Ito；　during　which　the　horses　were　not
  unloaded；　and　the　upshot　of　it　was　that　the　man　declined　to　give　me
  shelter；　saying　that　the　police　had　been　round　the　week　before
  giving　notice　that　no　foreigner　was　to　be　received　without　first
  communicating　with　the　nearest　police　station；　which；　in　this
  instance；　is　three　hours　off。　　I　said　that　the　authorities　of　Akita
  ken　could　not　by　any　local　regulations　override　the　Imperial　edict
  under　which　passports　are　issued；　but　he　said　he　should　be　liable
  to　a　fine　and　the　withdrawal　of　his　license　if　he　violated　the
  rule。　　No　foreigner；　he　said；　had　ever　lodged　in　Shirasawa；　and　I
  have　no　doubt　that　he　added　that　he　hoped　no　foreigner　would　ever
  seek　lodgings　again。　　My　passport　was　copied　and　sent　off　by
  special　runner；　as　I　should　have　deeply　regretted　bringing　trouble
  on　the　poor　man　by　insisting　on　my　rights；　and　in　much　trepidation
  he　gave　me　a　room　open　on　one　side　to　the　village；　and　on　another
  to　a　pond；　over　which；　as　if　to　court　mosquitoes；　it　is　partially
  built。　　I　cannot　think　how　the　Japanese　can　regard　a　hole　full　of
  dirty　water　as　an　ornamental　appendage　to　a　house。
  My　hotel　expenses　（including　Ito's）　are　less　than　3s。　a…day；　and　in
  nearly　every　place　there　has　been　a　cordial　desire　that　I　should　be
  comfortable；　and；　considering　that　I　have　often　put　up　in　small；
  rough　hamlets　off　the　great　routes　even　of　Japanese　travel；　the
  accommodation；　minus　the　fleas　and　the　odours；　has　been
  surprisingly　excellent；　not　to　be　equalled；　I　should　think；　in
  equally　remote　regions　in　any　country　in　the　world。
  This　evening；　here；　as　in　thousands　of　other　villages；　the　men　came
  home　from　their　work；　ate　their　food；　took　their　smoke；　enjoyed
  their　children；　carried　them　about；　watched　their　games；　twisted
  straw　ropes；　made　straw　sandals；　split　bamboo；　wove　straw　rain…
  coats；　and　spent　the　time　universally　in　those　little　economical
  ingenuities　and　skilful　adaptations　which　our　people　（the　worse　for
  them）　practise　perhaps　less　than　any　other。　　There　was　no
  assembling　at　the　sake　shop。　　Poor　though　the　homes　are；　the　men
  enjoy　them；　the　children　are　an　attraction　at　any　rate；　and　the
  brawling　and　disobedience　which　often　turn　our　working…class　homes
  into　bear…gardens　are　unknown　here；　where　docility　and　obedience
  are　inculcated　from　the　cradle　as　a　matter　of　course。　　The　signs　of
  religion　become　fewer　as　I　travel　north；　and　it　appears　that　the
  little　faith　which　exists　consists　mainly　in　a　belief　in　certain
  charms　and　superstitions；　which　the　priests　industriously　foster。
  A　low　voice　is　not　regarded　as　〃a　most　excellent　thing；〃　in　man　at
  least；　among　the　lower　classes　in　Japan。　　The　people　speak　at　the
  top　of　their　voices；　and；　though　most　words　and　syllables　end　in
  vowels；　the　general　effect　of　a　conversation　is　like　the　discordant
  gabble　of　a　farm…yard。　　The　next　room　to　mine　is　full　of　stormbound
  travellers；　and　they　and　the　house…master　kept　up　what　I　thought
  was　a　most　important　argument　for　four　hours　at　the　top　of　their
  voices。　　I　supposed　it　must　be　on　the　new　and　important　ordinance
  granting　local　elective　assemblies；　of　which　I　heard　at　Odate；　but
  on　inquiry　found　that　it　was　possible　to　spend　four　mortal　hours　in
  discussing　whether　the　day's　journey　from　Odate　to　Noshiro　could　be
  made　best　by　road　or　river。
  Japanese　women　have　their　own　gatherings；　where　gossip　and　chit…
  chat；　marked　by　a　truly　Oriental　indecorum　of　speech；　are　the
  staple　of　talk。　　I　think　that　in　many　things；　specially　in　some
  which　lie　on　the　surface；　the　Japanese　are　greatly　our　superiors；
  but　that　in　many　others　they　are　immeasurably　behind　us。　　In　living
  altogether　among　this　courteous；　industrious；　and　civilised　people；
  one　comes　to　forget　that　one　is　doing　them　a　gross　injustice　in
  comparing　their　manners　and　ways　with　those　of　a　people　moulded　by
  many　centuries　of　Christianity。　　Would　to　God　that　we　were　so
  Christianised　that　the　comparison　might　always　be　favourable　to　us；
  which　it　is　not！
  July　30。In　the　room　on　the　other　side　of　mine　were　two　men　with
  severe　eye…disease；　with　shaven　heads　and　long　and　curious
  rosaries；　who　beat　small　drums　as　they　walked；　and　were　on
  pilgrimage　to　the　shrine　of　Fudo　at　Megura；　near　Yedo；　a　seated；
  flame…surrounded　idol；　with　a　naked　sword　in　one　hand　and　a　coil　of
  rope　in　the　other；　who　has　the　reputation　of　giving　sight　to　the
  blind。　　At　five　this　morning　they　began　their　devotions；　which
  consisted　in　repeating　with　great　rapidity；　and　in　a　high
  monotonous　key　for　two　hours；　the　invocation　of　the　Nichiren　sect
  of　Buddhists；　Namu　miyo　ho　ren　ge　Kiyo；　which　certainly　no　Japanese
  understands；　and　on　the　meaning　of　which　even　the　best　scholars　are
  divided；　one　having　given　me；　〃Glory　to　the　salvation…bringing
  Scriptures；〃　another；　〃Hail；　precious　law　and　gospel　of　the　lotus
  flower；〃　and　a　third；　〃Heaven　and　earth！　　The　teachings　of　the
  wonderful　lotus　flower　sect。〃　　Namu　amidu　Butsu　occurred　at
  intervals；　and　two　drums　were　beaten　the　whole　time！
  The　rain；　which　began　again　at　eleven　last　night；　fell　from　five
  till　eight　this　morning；　not　in　drops；　but　in　streams；　and　in　the
  middle　of　it　a　heavy　pall　of　blackness　（said　to　be　a　total　eclipse）
  enfolded　all　things　in　a　lurid　gloom。　　Any　detention　is
  exasperating　within　one　day　of　my　journey's　end；　and　I　hear　without
  equanimity　that　there　are　great　difficulties　ahead；　and　that　our
  getting　through　in　three　or　even　four　days　is　doubtful。　　I　hope　you
  will　not　be　tired　of　the　monotony　of　my　letters。　　Such　as　they　are；
  they　represent　the　scenes　which　a　traveller　would　see　throughout
  much　of　northern　Japan；　and　whatever　interest　they　have　consists　in
  the　fact　that　they　are　a　faithful　representation；　made　upon　the
  spot；　of　what　a　foreigner　sees　and　hears　in　travelling　through　a
  large　but　unfrequented　region。　　I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XXVIII
  Torrents　of　RainAn　unpleasant　DetentionDevastations　produced　by
  FloodsThe　Yadate　PassThe　Force　of　WaterDifficulties　thicken
  A　Primitive　YadoyaThe　Water　rises。
  IKARIGASEKI；　AOMORI　KEN；　August　2。
  The　prophecies　concerning　difficulties　are　fulfilled。　　For　six　days
  and　five　nights　the　rain　has　never　ceased；　except　for　a　few　hours
  at　a　time；　and　for　the　last　thirteen　hours；　as　during　the　eclipse
  at　Shirasawa；　it　has　been　falling　in　such　sheets