EvenGinsainomawasnotParadiseafterdark,andIwasactuallydriventobedearlybythenumberofmosquitoes。Itoisinanexcellenthumouronthistour。Likeme,helikesthefreedomoftheHokkaido。Heismuchmorepoliteandagreeablealso,andveryproudoftheGovernor’sshomon,withwhichheswaggersintohotelsandTransportOffices。Inevergetonsowellaswhenhearrangesforme。Saturdaywasgreyandlifeless,andtherideofsevenmilesherealongasandyroadthroughmonotonousforestandswamp,withthevolcanoononesideandlowwoodedhillsontheother,waswearisomeandfatiguing。Isawfivelargesnakesallinaheap,andanumbermoretwistingthroughthegrass。Therearenovillages,butseveralverypoortea-houses,andontheothersideoftheroadlongshedswithtroughshollowedlikecanoesoutofthetrunksoftrees,containinghorsefood。Herenobodywalks,andthemenrideataquickrun,sittingonthetopsoftheirpack-saddleswiththeirlegscrossedabovetheirhorses’necks,andwearinglargehatslikecoal-scuttlebonnets。Thehorsesareinfestedwithticks,hundredsupononeanimalsometimes,andoccasionallytheybecomesomadfromtheirritationthattheythrowthemselvessuddenlyontheground,androlloverloadandrider。Isawthisdonetwice。Theticksoftentransferthemselvestotheriders。
Moriisalarge,ramshacklevillage,nearthesouthernpointofVolcanoBay——awild,dreary-lookingplaceonasandyshore,withanumberofjoroyasanddisreputablecharacters。Severaloftheyadoyasarenotrespectable,butIratherlikethisone,andithasaveryfineviewofthevolcano,whichformsonepointofthebay。
Morihasnoanchorage,thoughithasanunfinishedpier345feetlong。Thesteamferryacrossthemouthofthebayishere,andthereisaverydifficultbridle-trackrunningfornearly100milesroundthebaybesides,andaroadintotheinterior。Butitisaforlorn,decayedplace。Lastnighttheinnwasverynoisy,assometravellersinthenextroomtominehiredgeishas,whoplayed,sang,anddancedtilltwointhemorning,andthewholepartyimbibedsakefreely。Inthiscomparativelynorthernlatitudethesummerisalreadywaning。TheseedsoftheblossomswhichwereintheirglorywhenIarrivedareripe,andhereandthereatingeofyellowonahillside,orascarletsprayofmaple,heraldsthegloriesandthecoolnessofautumn。
Aloudyellof“steamer,“coupledwiththeinformationthat“shecouldnotwaitoneminute,“brokeinupongoandeverythingelse,andinabroilingsunwehurrieddowntothepier,andwithaheapofJapanese,whofilledtwoscows,wereputonboardasteamernotbiggerthanalargedeckedsteamlaunch,wherethenativeswereallpackedintoacoveredhole,andIwasconductedwithmuchceremonytotheforecastle,aplaceatthebow5feetsquare,fullofcoilsofrope,shutin,andlefttosolitudeanddignity,andthestareofeighteyes,whichperseveringlygloweredthroughthewindows!
Thesteamerhadbeenkeptwaitingformeontheothersidefortwodays,totheinfinitedisgustoftwoforeigners,whowishedtoreturntoHakodate,andtomine。