the　interior　except　that　it　is　covered　with　forest　matted　together
  by　lianas；　and　with　an　undergrowth　of　scrub　bamboo　impenetrable
  except　to　the　axe；　varied　by　swamps　equally　impassable；　which　give
  rise　to　hundreds　of　rivers　well　stocked　with　fish。　　The　glare　of
  volcanoes　is　seen　in　different　parts　of　the　island。　　The　forests
  are　the　hunting…grounds　of　the　Ainos；　who　are　complete　savages　in
  everything　but　their　disposition；　which　is　said　to　be　so　gentle　and
  harmless　that　I　may　go　among　them　with　perfect　safety。
  Kindly　interest　has　been　excited　by　the　first　foray　made　by　a　lady
  into　the　country　of　the　aborigines；　and　Mr。　Eusden；　the　Consul；　has
  worked　upon　the　powers　that　be　with　such　good　effect　that　the
  Governor　has　granted　me　a　shomon；　a　sort　of　official　letter　or
  certificate；　giving　me　a　right　to　obtain　horses　and　coolies
  everywhere　at　the　Government　rate　of　6　sen　a　ri；　with　a　prior　claim
  to　accommodation　at　the　houses　kept　up　for　officials　on　their
  circuits；　and　to　help　and　assistance　from　officials　generally；　and
  the　Governor　has　further　telegraphed　to　the　other　side　of　Volcano
  Bay　desiring　the　authorities　to　give　me　the　use　of　the　Government
  kuruma　as　long　as　I　need　it；　and　to　detain　the　steamer　to　suit　my
  convenience！　　With　this　document；　which　enables　me　to　dispense　with
  my　passport；　I　shall　find　travelling　very　easy；　and　I　am　very
  grateful　to　the　Consul　for　procuring　it　for　me。
  Here；　where　rice　and　tea　have　to　be　imported；　there　is　a　uniform
  charge　at　the　yadoyas　of　30　sen　a　day；　which　includes　three　meals；
  whether　you　eat　them　or　not。　　Horses　are　abundant；　but　are　small；
  and　are　not　up　to　heavy　weights。　　They　are　entirely　unshod；　and；
  though　their　hoofs　are　very　shallow　and　grow　into　turned…up　points
  and　other　singular　shapes；　they　go　over　rough　ground　with　facility
  at　a　scrambling　run　of　over　four　miles　an　hour　following　a　leader
  called　a　〃front　horse。〃　　If　you　don't　get　a　〃front　horse〃　and　try
  to　ride　in　front；　you　find　that　your　horse　will　not　stir　till　he
  has　another　before　him；　and　then　you　are　perfectly　helpless；　as　he
  follows　the　movements　of　his　leader　without　any　reference　to　your
  wishes。　　There　are　no　mago；　a　man　rides　the　〃front　horse〃　and　goes
  at　whatever　pace　you　please；　or；　if　you　get　a　〃front　horse；〃　you
  may　go　without　any　one。　　Horses　are　cheap　and　abundant。　　They　drive
  a　number　of　them　down　from　the　hills　every　morning　into　corrals　in
  the　villages；　and　keep　them　there　till　they　are　wanted。　　Because
  they　are　so　cheap　they　are　very　badly　used。　　I　have　not　seen　one
  yet　without　a　sore　back；　produced　by　the　harsh　pack…saddle　rubbing
  up　and　down　the　spine；　as　the　loaded　animals　are　driven　at　a　run。
  They　are　mostly　very　poor…looking。
  As　there　was　some　difficulty　about　getting　a　horse　for　me　the
  Consul　sent　one　of　the　Kaitakushi　saddle…horses；　a　handsome；　lazy
  animal；　which　I　rarely　succeeded　in　stimulating　into　a　heavy
  gallop。　　Leaving　Ito　to　follow　with　the　baggage；　I　enjoyed　my
  solitary　ride　and　the　possibility　of　choosing　my　own　pace　very
  much；　though　the　choice　was　only　between　a　slow　walk　and　the
  lumbering　gallop　aforesaid。
  I　met　strings　of　horses　loaded　with　deer　hides；　and　overtook　other
  strings　loaded　with　sake　and　manufactured　goods　and　in　each　case
  had　a　fight　with　my　sociably　inclined　animal。　　In　two　villages　I
  was　interested　to　see　that　the　small　shops　contained　lucifer
  matches；　cotton　umbrellas；　boots；　brushes；　clocks；　slates；　and
  pencils；　engravings　in　frames；　kerosene　lamps；　｛18｝　and　red　and
  green　blankets；　all　but　the　last；　which　are　unmistakable　British
  〃shoddy；〃　being　Japanese　imitations　of　foreign　manufactured　goods；
  more　or　less　cleverly　executed。　　The　road　goes　up　hill　for　fifteen
  miles；　and；　after　passing　Nanai；　a　trim　Europeanised　village　in　the
  midst　of　fine　crops；　one　of　the　places　at　which　the　Government　is
  making　acclimatisation　and　other　agricultural　experiments；　it
  fairly　enters　the　mountains；　and　from　the　top　of　a　steep　hill　there
  is　a　glorious　view　of　Hakodate　Head；　looking　like　an　island　in　the
  deep　blue　sea；　and　from　the　top　of　a　higher　hill；　looking
  northward；　a　magnificent　view　of　the　volcano　with　its　bare；　pink
  summit　rising　above　three　lovely　lakes　densely　wooded。　　These　are
  the　flushed　scaurs　and　outbreaks　of　bare　rock　for　which　I　sighed
  amidst　the　smothering　greenery　of　the　main　island；　and　the　silver
  gleam　of　the　lakes　takes　away　the　blindness　from　the　face　of
  nature。　　It　was　delicious　to　descend　to　the　water's　edge　in　the
  dewy　silence　amidst　balsamic　odours；　to　find　not　a　clattering　grey
  village　with　its　monotony；　but　a　single；　irregularly…built　house；
  with　lovely　surroundings。
  It　is　a　most　displeasing　road　for　most　of　the　way；　sides　with　deep
  corrugations；　and　in　the　middle　a　high　causeway　of　earth；　whose
  height　is　being　added　to　by　hundreds　of　creels　of　earth　brought　on
  ponies'　backs。　　It　is　supposed　that　carriages　and　waggons　will　use
  this　causeway；　but　a　shying　horse　or　a　bad　driver　would　overturn
  them。　　As　it　is　at　present　the　road　is　only　passable　for　pack…
  horses；　owing　to　the　number　of　broken　bridges。　　I　passed　strings　of
  horses　laden　with　sake　going　into　the　interior。　　The　people　of　Yezo
  drink　freely；　and　the　poor　Ainos　outrageously。　　On　the　road　I
  dismounted　to　rest　myself　by　walking　up　hill；　and；　the　saddle　being
  loosely　girthed；　the　gear　behind　it　dragged　it　round　and　under　the
  body　of　the　horse；　and　it　was　too　heavy　for　me　to　lift　on　his　back
  again。　　When　I　had　led　him　for　some　time　two　Japanese　with　a　string
  of　pack…horses　loaded　with　deer…hides　met　me；　and　not　only　put　the
  saddle　on　again；　but　held　the　stirrup　while　I　remounted；　and　bowed
  politely　when　I　went　away。　　Who　could　help　liking　such　a　courteous
  and　kindly　people？
  MORI；　VOLCANO　BAY；　Monday。
  Even　Ginsainoma　was　not　Paradise　after　dark；　and　I　was　actually
  driven　to　bed　early　by　the　number　of　mosquitoes。　　Ito　is　in　an
  excellent　humour　on　this　tour。　　Like　me；　he　likes　the　freedom　of
  the　Hokkaido。　　He　is　much　more　polite　and　agreeable　also；　and　very
  proud　of　the　Governor's　shomon；　with　which　he　swaggers　into　hotels
  and　Transport　Offices。　　I　never　get　on　so　well　as　when　he　arranges
  for　me。　　Saturday　was　grey　and　lifeless；　and　the　ride　of　seven
  miles　here　along　a　sandy　road　through　monotonous　forest　and　swamp；
  with　the　volcano　on　one　side　and　low　wooded　hills　on　the　other；　was
  wearisome　and　fatiguing。　　I　saw　five　large　snakes　all　in　a　heap；
  and　a　number　more　twisting　through　the　grass。　　There　are　no
  villages；　but　several　very　poor　tea…houses；　and　on　the　other　side
  of　the　road　long　sheds　with　troughs　hollowed　like　canoes　out　of　the
  trunks　of　trees；　containing　horse　food。　　Here　nobody　walks；　and　the
  men　ride　at　a　quick　run；　sitting　on　the　tops　of　their　pack…saddles
  with　their　legs　crossed　above　their　horses'　necks；　and　wearing
  large　hats　like　coal…scuttle　bonnets。　　The　horses　are　infested　with
  ticks；　hundreds　upon　one　animal　sometimes；　and　occasionally　they
  become　so　mad　from　the　irritation　that　they　throw　themselves
  suddenly　on　the　ground；　and　roll　over　load　and　rider。　　I　saw　this
  done　twice。　　The　ticks　often　transfer　themselves　to　the　riders。
  Mori　is　a　large；　ramshackle　village；　near　the　southern　point　of
  Volcano　Baya　wild；　dreary…looking　place　on　a　sandy　shore；　with　a
  number　of　joroyas　and　disreputable　characters。　　Several　of　the
  yadoyas　are　not　respectable；　but　I　rather　like　this　one；　and　it　has
  a　very　fine　view　of　the　volcano；　which　forms　one　point　of　the　bay。
  Mori　has　no　anchorage；　though　it　has　an　unfinished　pier　345　feet
  long。　　The　steam　ferry　across　the　mouth　of　the　bay　is　here；　and
  there　is　a　very　difficult　bridle…track　running　for　nearly　100　miles
  round　the　bay　besides；　and　a　road　into　the　interior。　　But　it　is　a
  forlorn；　decayed　place。　　Last　night　the　inn　was　very　noisy；　as　some
  travellers　in　the　next　room　to　mine　hired　geishas；　who　played；
  sang；　and　danced　till　two　in　the　morning；　and　the　whole　party
  imbibed　sake　freely。　　In　this　comparatively　northern　latitude　the
  summer　is　already　waning。　　The　seeds　of　the　blossoms　which　were　in
  their　glory　when　I　arrived　are　ripe；　and　here　and　there　a　tinge　of
  yellow　on　a　hillside；　or　a　scarlet　spray　of　maple；　heralds　the
  glories　and　the　coolness　of　autumn。
  YUBETS。　　YEZO。
  A　loud　yell　of　〃steamer；〃　coupled　with　the　information　that　〃she
  could　not　wait　one　minute；〃　broke　in　upon　go　and　everything　else；
  and　in　a　broiling　sun　we　hurried　down　to　the　pier；　and　with　a　heap
  of　Japanese；　who　filled　two　scows；　were　put　on　board　a　steamer　not
  bigger　than　a　large　decked　steam　launch；　where　the　natives　were　all
  packed　into　a　covered　hole；　and　I　was　conducted　with　much　ceremony
  to　the　forecastle；　a　place　at　the　bow　5　feet　square；　full　of　coils
  of　rope；　shut　in；　and　left　to　solitude　and　dignity；　and　the　stare
  of　eight　eyes；　which　perseveringly　glowered　through　the　windows！
  The　steamer　had　been　kept　waiting　for　me　on　the　other　side　for　two
  days；　to　the　infinite　disgust　of　two　foreigners；　who　wished　to
  return　to　Hakodate；　and　to　mine。
  It　was　a　splendid　day；　with　foam　crests　on　the　wonderfully　blue
  water；　and　the　red　ashes　of　the　volcano；　which　forms　the　south
  point　of　the　bay；　glowed　in　the　sunlight。　　This　wretched　stea