Inspiteofthedesperateandalmostoverwhelmingfatigue，Ihaveenjoyedfewthingsmorethanthat“exploringexpedition。“IftheJapanesehavenoonetotalktotheycroonhideousdiscordstothemselves，anditwasarelieftoleaveItobehindandgetawaywithanAino，whowasatoncesilent，trustworthy，andfaithful。
TwobrightriversbubblingoverbedsofredpebblesrundowntoShiraoioutofthebackcountry，andmydirections，whichweretranslatedtotheAino，weretofollowuponeoftheseandgointothemountainsinthedirectionofoneIpointedouttillIsaid“Shiraoi。“ItwasoneofthoseexquisitemorningswhichareseensometimesintheScotchHighlandsbeforerain，withintenseclearnessandvisibility，ablueatmosphere，acloudlesssky，bluesummits，heavydew，andglorioussunshine，andunderthesecircumstancesscenerybeautifulinitselfbecameentrancing。
Thetrailersaresoformidablethatwehadtostoopoverourhorses’necksatalltimes，andwithpushingbackbranchesandguardingmyfacefromslapsandscratches，mythickdogskingloveswereliterallyfrayedoff，andsomeoftheskinofmyhandsandfaceinaddition，sothatIreturnedwithbothbleedingandswelled。Itwasonthereturnride，fortunately，thatinstoopingtoescapeonegreatlianatheloopofanothergrazedmynose，and，beingunabletocheckmyunbrokenhorseinstantaneously，theloopcaughtmebythethroat，nearlystrangledme，andinlesstimethanittakestotellitIwasdrawnoverthebackofthesaddle，andfoundmyselflyingontheground，jammedbetweenatreeandthehindlegofthehorse，whichwasquietlyfeeding。TheAino，whosefacewasverybadlyscratched，missingme，cameback，saidneveraword，helpedmeup，broughtmesomewaterinaleaf，broughtmyhat，andwerodeonagain。Iwaslittletheworseforthefall，butonborrowingalooking-glassIseenotonlyscratchesandabrasionsallovermyface，butalividmarkroundmythroatasifIhadbeenhung！TheAinoleftportionsofhisbushylocksonmanyofthebranches。Youwouldhavebeenamusedtoseemeinthisforest，precededbythishairyandformidable-lookingsavage，whowasdressedinacoatofskinswiththefuroutside，seatedonthetopofapack-saddlecoveredwithadeerhide，andwithhishairylegscrossedoverthehorse’sneck——afashioninwhichtheAinosrideanyhorsesoveranygroundwiththeutmostserenity。
Itwasawonderfulregionforbeauty。IhavenotseensobeautifulaviewinJapanasfromtheriver-bedfromwhichIhadthefirstnearviewofthegrandassemblageoftufacones，coveredwithanancientvegetation，backedbyhighmountainsofvolcanicorigin，onwhoseraggedcreststheredashwasblazingvermilionagainstthebluesky，withaforegroundofbrightwatersflashingthroughaprimevalforest。Thebanksofthesestreamsweredeeplyexcavatedbytheheavyrains，andsometimeswehadtojumpthreeandevenfourfeetoutoftheforestintotheriver，andasmuchupagain，fordingtheShiraoiriveronlymorethantwentytimes，andoftenmakingapathwayofitstreacherousbedandrushingwaters，becausetheforestwasimpassablefromthegreatsizeoftheprostratetrees。Thehorseslookatthesejumps，holdback，trytoturn，andthen，makinguptheirminds，suddenlyplungedownorup。Whenthelastvestigeofatraildisappeared，IsignedtotheAinotogoon，andoursubsequent“exploration“wasalldoneattherateofaboutamileanhour。Ontheopeningsthegrassgrowsstiffandstrongtotheheightofeightfeet，withitssoftreddishplumeswavinginthebreeze。TheAinofirstforcedhishorsethroughit，butofcourseitclosedagain，sothatconstantlywhenhewascloseinfrontIwasonlyawareofhisproximitybythetinklingofhishorse’sbells，forIsawnothingofhimorofmyownhorseexceptthehornofmysaddle。Wetumbledintoholesoften，andaseasilytumbledoutofthem；butoncewebothwentdowninthemostunexpectedmannerintowhatmusthavebeenanoldbear-trap，bothgoingoverourhorses’heads，thehorsesandourselvesstrugglingtogetherinanarrowspaceinamistofgrassyplumes，and，beingunabletocommunicatewithmyguide，thesenseoftheridiculoussituationwassooverpoweringthat，eveninthemidstofthemishap，Iwasexhaustedwithlaughter，thoughnotalittlebruised。
Itwasveryhardtogetoutofthatpitfall，andIhopeIshallnevergetintooneagain。ItisnotthefirstoccasiononwhichI