waswelldisposedtobecontentwhentheproductionofsomehandsomefusumacreateddaimiyo’sroomsoutofthefarthestpartofthedimandwanderingspace，openinguponadampgarden，intowhichtherainsplashedallnight。
Thesolitaryspoiloftheday’sjourneywasagloriouslily，whichIpresentedtothehouse-master，andinthemorningitwasbloomingonthekami-danainasmallvaseofpricelessoldSatsumachina。I
wasawokeoutofasoundsleepbyItocominginwitharumour，broughtbysometravellers，thatthePrimeMinisterhadbeenassassinated，andfiftypolicemenkilled！[ThiswasprobablyadistortedversionofthepartialmutinyoftheImperialGuard，whichIlearnedonlandinginYezo。]Verywildpoliticalrumoursareintheairintheseoutlandishregions，anditisnotverywonderfulthatthepeasantrylackconfidenceintheexistingorderofthingsafterthechangesofthelasttenyears，andtherecentassassinationoftheHomeMinister。Ididnotbelievetherumour，forfanaticism，eveninitswildestmoods，usuallyowessomeallegiancetocommonsense；butitwasdisturbing，asIhavenaturallycometofeeladeepinterestinJapaneseaffairs。AfewhourslaterItoagainpresentedhimselfwithableedingcutonhistemple。Inlightinghispipe——anodiousnocturnalpracticeoftheJapanese——hehadfallenovertheedgeofthefire-pot。IalwayssleepinaJapanesekimonatobereadyforemergencies，andsoonbounduphishead，andsleptagain，tobeawokeearlybyanotherdeluge。
Wemadeanearlystart，butgotoververylittleground，owingtobadroadsandlongdelays。Alldaytheraincamedownineventorrents，thetrackswerenearlyimpassable，myhorsefellfivetimes，Isufferedseverelyfrompainandexhaustion，andalmostfellintodespairabouteverreachingthesea。Inthesewildregionstherearenokagoornorimonstobehad，andapack-horseistheonlyconveyance，andyesterday，havingabandonedmyownsaddle，Ihadthebadlucktogetapack-saddlewithspeciallyangularanduncompromisingpeaks，withasoakedandextremelyunwashedfutononthetop，spars，tackle，ridges，andfurrowsofthemostexasperatingdescription，andtwonoosesofropetoholdonbyastheanimalsliddownhillonhishaunches，orletmealmostslideoverhistailashescrambledandplungeduphill。
Itwasprettycountry，eveninthedownpour，whenwhitemistspartedandfir-crownedheightslookedoutforamoment，orwesliddownintoadeepglenwithmossyboulders，lichen-coveredstumps，fernycarpet，anddamp，balsamysmellofpyramidalcryptomeria，andatawnytorrentdashingthroughitingustsofpassion。Thentherewerelowhills，muchscrub，immenserice-fields，andviolentinundations。Butitisnotpleasant，evenintheprettiestcountry，toclingontoapack-saddlewithasaturatedquiltbelowyouandthewaterslowlysoakingdownthroughyourwetclothesintoyourboots，knowingallthetimethatwhenyouhaltyoumustsleeponawetbed，andchangeintodampclothes，andputonthewetonesagainthenextmorning。Thevillageswerepoor，andmostofthehouseswereofboardsrudelynailedtogetherforends，andforsidesstrawrudelytiedon；theyhadnowindows，andsmokecameoutofeverycrack。TheywereasunlikethehouseswhichtravellersseeinsouthernJapanasa“blackhut“inUistislikeacottageinatrimvillageinKent。Thesepeasantproprietorshavemuchtolearnoftheartofliving。AtTsuguriko，thenextstage，wheretheTransportOfficewassodirtythatIwasobligedtositinthestreetintherain，theytoldusthatwecouldonlygetonarifarther，becausethebridgeswereallcarriedawayandthefordswereimpassable；butIengagedhorses，and，bydintofBritishdoggednessandthewillingnessofthemago，IgotthehorsessinglyandwithouttheirloadsinsmallpuntsacrosstheswollenwatersoftheHayakuchi，theYuwase，andtheMochida，andfinallyfordedthreebranchesofmyoldfriendtheYonetsurugawa，withthefoamofitshurryingwaterswhiteningthemen’sshouldersandthehorses’