confessthatIshutmyeyes！Aftergettingthrough，wecameuponthelandsbelongingtothisvillage——rice-fieldswiththedykesburst，andallthebeautifulridgeandfurrowcultivationoftheothercropscarriedaway。Thewaterswererisingfast，themensaidwemusthurry；theyunboundme，sothatImightridemorecomfortably，spoketothehorses，andwentonatarun。Myhorse，whichhadnearlywornouthisshoesinthefords，stumbledateverystep，themagogavemeanooseofropetoclutch，therainfellinsuchtorrentsthatIspeculatedonthechanceofbeingwashedoffmysaddle，whensuddenlyIsawashowerofsparks；Ifeltunutterablethings；Iwaschoked，bruised，stifled，andpresentlyfoundmyselfbeinghauledoutofaditchbythreemen，andrealisedthatthehorsehadtumbleddowningoingdownasteepishhill，andthatIhadgoneoverhishead。Toclimbagainonthesoakedfutonwastheworkofamoment，and，withmenrunningandhorsesstumblingandsplashing，wecrossedtheHirakawabyonefinebridge，andhalfamilefartherre-crosseditonanother，wishingaswedidsothatallJapanesebridgeswereassubstantial，fortheywereboth100feetlong，andhadcentralpiers。
WeenteredIkarigasekifromthelastbridge，avillageof800
people，onanarrowledgebetweenanabrupthillandtheHirakawa，amostforlornandtumble-downplace，givenuptofellingtimberandmakingshingles；andtimberinallitsforms——logs，planks，faggots，andshingles——isheapedandstalkedabout。Itlooksmorelikealumberer’sencampmentthanapermanentvillage，butitisbeautifullysituated，andunlikeanyoftheinnumerablevillagesthatIhaveeverseen。
Thestreetislongandnarrow，withstreamsinstonechannelsoneitherside；butthesehadoverflowed，andmen，women，andchildrenwereconstructingsquaredamstokeepthewater，whichhadalreadyreachedthedoma，fromrisingoverthetatami。Hardlyanyhousehaspaperwindows，andinthefewwhichhave，theyaresoblackwithsmokeastolookworsethannone。Theroofsarenearlyflat，andarecoveredwithshinglesheldonbylathsandweightedwithlargestones。Nearlyallthehouseslookliketemporarysheds，andmostareasblackinsideasaBarrahut。Thewallsofmanyarenothingbutroughboardstiedtotheuprightsbystrawropes。
Inthedrowningtorrent，sittinginpuddlesofwater，anddrenchedtotheskinhoursbefore，wereachedthisveryprimitiveyadoya，thelowerpartofwhichisoccupiedbythedaidokoro，apartyofstorm-boundstudents，horses，fowls，anddogs。Myroomisawretchedloft，reachedbyaladder，withsuchaquagmireatitsfootthatIhavetodescendintoitinWellingtonboots。Itwasdismallygrotesqueatfirst。ThetorrentontheunceiledroofpreventedItofromhearingwhatIsaid，thebedwassoaked，andthewater，havinggotintomybox，haddissolvedtheremainsofthecondensedmilk，andhadreducedclothes，books，andpaperintoaconditionofuniversalstickiness。Mykimonowaslesswetthananythingelse，and，borrowingasheetofoiledpaper，Ilaydowninit，tillrousedupinhalfanhourbyItoshriekingabovethedinontheroofthatthepeoplethoughtthatthebridgebywhichwehadjustenteredwouldgiveway；and，runningtotheriverbank，wejoinedalargecrowd，fartoointenselyoccupiedbythecomingdisastertotakeanynoticeofthefirstforeignladytheyhadeverseen。
TheHirakawa，whichanhourbeforewasmerelyaclear，rapidmountainstream，aboutfourfeetdeep，wasthentenfeetdeep，theysaid，andtearingalong，thickandmuddy，andwithafearfulroar，“Andeachwavewascrestedwithtawnyfoam，Likethemaneofachestnutsteed。“
Immenselogsofhewntimber，trees，roots，branches，andfaggots，werecomingdowninnumbers。Theabutmentonthissidewasmuchundermined，but，exceptthatthecentralpiertrembledwheneveralogstruckit，thebridgeitselfstoodfirm——sofirm，indeed，thattwomen，anxioustosavesomepropertyontheotherside，crosseditafterIarrived。Thenlogsofplanedtimberoflargesize，andjoints，andmuchwreckage，camedown——fullyfortyfinetimbers，thirtyfeetlong，forthefinebridgeabovehadgivenway。MostoftheharvestoflogscutontheYadatePassmusthavebeenlost，forover300werecarrieddownintheshorttimeinwhichIwatchedtheriver。Thisisaveryheavylosstothisvillage，whichlivesbythetimbertrade。Effortsweremadeatabankhigheruptocatchthemastheydriftedby，buttheyonlysavedaboutoneintwenty。
Itwasmostexcitingtoseethegrandwayinwhichthesetimberscamedown；andthemomentinwhichtheyweretostrikeornottostrikethepierwasoneofintensesuspense。Afteranhourofthistwosuperblogs，fullythirtyfeetlong，camedownclosetogether，and，strikingthecentralpiernearlysimultaneously，itshudderedhorribly，thegreatbridgepartedinthemiddle，gaveanawfulgroanlikealivingthing，plungedintothetorrent，andre-
appearedinthefoambelowonlyasdisjointedtimbershurryingtothesea。Notavestigeremained。Thebridgebelowwascarriedawayinthemorning，so，tilltheriverbecomesfordable，thislittleplaceiscompletelyisolated。Onthirtymilesofroad，outofnineteenbridgesonlytworemain，andtheroaditselfisalmostwhollycarriedaway！
ScantyResources——JapaneseChildren——Children’sGames——ASagaciousExample——AKiteCompetition——PersonalPrivations。
Ihavewell-nighexhaustedtheresourcesofthisplace。Theyaretogooutthreetimesadaytoseehowmuchtheriverhasfallen；
totalkwiththehouse-masterandKocho；towatchthechildren’sgamesandthemakingofshingles；tobuytoysandsweetmeatsandgivethemaway；toapplyzinclotiontoanumberofsoreeyesthreetimesdaily，underwhichtreatment，duringthreedays，therehasbeenawonderfulamendment；towatchthecooking，spinning，andotherdomesticprocessesinthedaidokoro；toseethehorses，whicharealsoactuallyinit，makingmealsofgreenleavesoftreesinsteadofhay；toseethelepers，whoarehereforsomewaterswhicharesupposedtoarrest，ifnottocure，theirterriblemalady；tolieonmystretcherandsew，andreadthepapersoftheAsiaticSociety，andtogooverallpossibleroutestoAomori。Thepeoplehavebecomeveryfriendlyinconsequenceoftheeyelotion，andbringmanydiseasesformyinspection，mostofwhichwouldneverhavearisenhadcleanlinessofclothingandpersonbeenattendedto。Theabsenceofsoap，theinfrequencywithwhichclothingiswashed，andtheabsenceoflinennexttheskin，causevariouscutaneousdiseases，whichareaggravatedbythebitesandstingsofinsects。Scald-headaffectsnearlyhalfthechildrenhere。
IamveryfondofJapanesechildren。Ihaveneveryetheardababycry，andIhaveneverseenachildtroublesomeordisobedient。
FilialpietyistheleadingvirtueinJapan，andunquestioningobedienceisthehabitofcenturies。TheartsandthreatsbywhichEnglishmotherscajoleorfrightenchildrenintounwillingobedienceappearunknown。Iadmirethewayinwhichchildrenaretaughttobeindependentintheiramusements。Partofthehomeeducationisthelearningoftherulesofthedifferentgames，whichareabsolute，andwhenthereisadoubt，insteadofaquarrelsomesuspensionofthegame，thefiatofaseniorchilddecidesthematter。Theyplaybythemselves，anddon’tbotheradultsateveryturn。Iusuallycarrysweetieswithme，andgivethemtothechildren，butnotonehaseverreceivedthemwithoutfirstobtainingpermissionfromthefatherormother。Whenthatisgainedtheysmileandbowprofoundly，andhandthesweetiestothosepresentbeforeeatinganythemselves。Theyaregentlecreatures，buttooformalandprecocious。
Theyhavenospecialdress。ThisissoqueerthatIcannotrepeatittoooften。Atthreetheyputonthekimonoandgirdle，whichareasinconvenienttothemastotheirparents，andchildishplayinthisgarbisgrotesque。Ihave，however，neverseenwhatwecallchild’splay——thatgeneralabandonmenttomiscellaneousimpulses，whichconsistsinstruggling，slapping，rolling，jumping，kicking，shouting，laughing，andquarrelling！Twofineboysareverycleverinharnessingpapercartstothebacksofbeetleswithgummedtraces，sothateightofthemdrawaloadofriceupaninclinedplane。Youcanimaginewhatthefateofsuchaloadandteamwouldbeathomeamonganumberofsnatchinghands。Hereanumberofinfantswatchtheperformancewithmotionlessinterest，andneverneedtheadjuration，“Don’ttouch。“Inmostofthehousestherearebamboocagesfor“theshrill-voicedKatydid，“andthechildrenamusethemselveswithfeedingthesevociferousgrasshoppers。Thechannelsofswiftwaterinthestreetturnanumberoftoywater-wheels，whichsetinmotionmostingeniousmechanicaltoys，ofwhichamodeloftheautomaticrice-huskeristhecommonest，andtheboysspendmuchtimeindevisingandwatchingthese，whicharereallyveryfascinating。Itistheholidays，but“holidaytasks“aregiven，andintheeveningsyouhearthehumoflessonsallalongthestreetforaboutanhour。
Theschoolexaminationisatthere-openingoftheschoolaftertheholidays，insteadofattheendofthesession——anarrangementwhichshowsanhonestdesiretodiscernthepermanentgainmadebythescholars。
Thisafternoonhasbeenfineandwindy，andtheboyshavebeenflyingkites，madeoftoughpaperonabambooframe，allofarectangularshape，someofthemfivefeetsquare，andnearlyalldecoratedwithhugefacesofhistoricalheroes。Someofthemhaveahummingarrangementmadeofwhale-bone。Therewasaveryinterestingcontestbetweentwogreatkites，anditbroughtoutthewholepopulation。Thestringofeachkite，for30feetormorebelowtheframe，wascoveredwithpoundedglass，madetoadhereverycloselybymeansoftenaciousglue，andfortwohoursthekite-fighterstriedtogettheirkitesintoaproperpositionforsawingtheadversary’sstringintwo。Atlastonewassuccessful，andtheseveredkitebecamehisproperty，uponwhichvictorandvanquishedexchangedthreelowbows。Silentlyasthepeoplewatchedandreceivedthedestructionoftheirbridge，sosilentlytheywatchedthisexcitingcontest。Theboysalsoflewtheirkiteswhilewalkingonstilts——amostdexterousperformance，inwhichfewwereabletotakepart——andthenalargernumbergaveastiltrace。
Themoststrikingout-of-doorgamesareplayedatfixedseasonsoftheyear，andarenottobeseennow。
Therearetwelvechildreninthisyadoya，andafterdarktheyregularlyplayatagamewhichItosays“isplayedinthewinterineveryhouseinJapan。“Thechildrensitinacircle，andtheadultslookoneagerly，child-worshipbeingmorecommoninJapanthaninAmerica，and，tomythinking，theJapaneseformisthebest。
Fromproverbialphilosophytopersonalprivationisratheradescent，butowingtothemanydetentionsonthejourneymysmallstockofforeignfoodisexhausted，andIhavebeenlivinghereonrice，cucumbers，andsaltsalmon——sosaltthat，afterbeingboiledintwowaters，itproducesamostdistressingthirst。Eventhishasfailedto-day，ascommunicationwiththecoasthasbeenstoppedforsometime，andthevillageissufferingunderthecalamityofitsstockofsalt-fishbeingcompletelyexhausted。Therearenoeggs，andriceandcucumbersareverylikethe“lightfood“whichtheIsraelites“loathed。“Ihadanomeletteoneday，butitwasmuchlikemustyleather。TheItalianministersaidtomeinTokiyo，“NoquestioninJapanissosolemnasthatoffood，“andmanyothersechoedwhatIthoughtatthetimeamostunworthysentiment。Irecogniseditstruthto-daywhenIopenedmylastresort，aboxofBrand’smeatlozenges，andfoundthemamassofmouldiness。Onecanonlydryclothesherebyhangingtheminthewoodsmoke，soIprefertoletthemmildewonthewalls，andhaveboughtastrawrain-coat，whichismorereliablethanthepaperwaterproofs。Ihearthehumofthechildrenattheirlessonsforthelasttime，forthewatersarefallingfast，andweshallleaveinthemorning。
Hopedeferred——EffectsoftheFlood——ActivityofthePolice——A
RambleinDisguise——TheTanabataFestival——Mr。Satow’sReputation。
Afterallthewatersdidnotfallaswasexpected，andIhadtospendafourthdayatIkarigaseki。WeleftearlyonSaturday，aswehadtotravelfifteenmileswithouthalting。Thesunshoneonallthebeautifulcountry，andonallthewreckanddevastation，asitoftenshinesonthedimplingoceanthedayafterastorm。Wetookfourmen，crossedtwoseverefordswherebridgeshadbeencarriedaway，andwhereIandthebaggagegotverywet；sawgreatdevastationsandmuchlossofcropsandfelledtimber；passedunderacliff，whichfor200feetwascomposedoffinecolumnarbasaltinsix-sidedprisms，andquitesuddenlyemergedonagreatplain，onwhichgreenbillowsofricewererollingsunlitbeforeafreshnorthwind。Thisplainisliberallysprinkledwithwoodedvillagesandsurroundedbyhills；onelowrangeformingacurtainacrossthebaseofIwakisan，agreatsnow-streakeddome，whichrisestothewestoftheplaintoasupposedheightof5000feet。Thewaterhadriseninmostofthevillagestoaheightoffourfeet，andhadwashedthelowerpartofthemudwallsaway。Thepeoplewerebusydryingtheirtatami，futons，andclothing，reconstructingtheirdykesandsmallbridges，andfishingforthelogswhichwerestillcomingdowninlargequantities。