butthebathersweretoopolitetotakeanynoticeofmymostunwillingintrusion，andthekuruma-runnertookmeinwithouttheslightestsenseofimproprietyinsodoing。Inoticedthatformalpolitenessprevailedinthebath-houseaselsewhere，andthatdippersandtowelswerehandedfromonetoanotherwithprofoundbows。Thepublicbath-houseissaidtobetheplaceinwhichpublicopinionisformed，asitiswithusinclubsandpublic-
houses，andthatthepresenceofwomenpreventsanydangerousorseditiousconsequences；buttheGovernmentisdoingitsbesttopreventpromiscuousbathing；and，thoughthereformmaytravelslowlyintotheseremoteregions，itwilldoubtlessarrivesoonerorlater。Thepublicbath-houseisoneofthefeaturesofJapan。
AHardDay’sJourney——AnOverturn——NearingtheOcean——JoyfulExcitement——UniversalGreyness——InopportunePolicemen——AStormyVoyage——AWildWelcome——AWindyLanding——TheJourney’sEnd。
ThejourneyfromKuroishitoAomori，thoughonly22。5miles，wasatremendousone，owingtothestateoftheroads；formorerainhadfallen，andthepassageofhundredsofpack-horsesheavilyloadedwithsalt-fishhadturnedthetracksintoquagmires。AttheendofthefirststagetheTransportOfficedeclinedtofurnishakuruma，owingtothestateoftheroads；but，asIwasnotwellenoughtoridefarther，Ibribedtwomenforaverymoderatesumtotakemetothecoast；andbyaccommodatingeachotherwegotontolerably，thoughIhadtowalkupallthehillsanddownmany，togetoutateveryplacewherealittlebridgehadbeencarriedaway，thatthekurumamightbeliftedoverthegap，andoftentowalkfor200
yardsatatime，becauseitsankuptoitsaxlesinthequagmire。