Thisevening，here，asinthousandsofothervillages，themencamehomefromtheirwork，atetheirfood，tooktheirsmoke，enjoyedtheirchildren，carriedthemabout，watchedtheirgames，twistedstrawropes，madestrawsandals，splitbamboo，wovestrawrain-
coats，andspentthetimeuniversallyinthoselittleeconomicalingenuitiesandskilfuladaptationswhichourpeopletheworseforthempractiseperhapslessthananyother。Therewasnoassemblingatthesakeshop。Poorthoughthehomesare，themenenjoythem；thechildrenareanattractionatanyrate，andthebrawlinganddisobediencewhichoftenturnourworking-classhomesintobear-gardensareunknownhere，wheredocilityandobedienceareinculcatedfromthecradleasamatterofcourse。ThesignsofreligionbecomefewerasItravelnorth，anditappearsthatthelittlefaithwhichexistsconsistsmainlyinabeliefincertaincharmsandsuperstitions，whichthepriestsindustriouslyfoster。
Alowvoiceisnotregardedas“amostexcellentthing，“inmanatleast，amongthelowerclassesinJapan。Thepeoplespeakatthetopoftheirvoices，and，thoughmostwordsandsyllablesendinvowels，thegeneraleffectofaconversationislikethediscordantgabbleofafarm-yard。Thenextroomtomineisfullofstormboundtravellers，andtheyandthehouse-masterkeptupwhatIthoughtwasamostimportantargumentforfourhoursatthetopoftheirvoices。Isupposeditmustbeonthenewandimportantordinancegrantinglocalelectiveassemblies，ofwhichIheardatOdate，butoninquiryfoundthatitwaspossibletospendfourmortalhoursindiscussingwhethertheday’sjourneyfromOdatetoNoshirocouldbemadebestbyroadorriver。
Japanesewomenhavetheirowngatherings，wheregossipandchit-
chat，markedbyatrulyOrientalindecorumofspeech，arethestapleoftalk。Ithinkthatinmanythings，speciallyinsomewhichlieonthesurface，theJapanesearegreatlyoursuperiors，butthatinmanyotherstheyareimmeasurablybehindus。Inlivingaltogetheramongthiscourteous，industrious，andcivilisedpeople，onecomestoforgetthatoneisdoingthemagrossinjusticeincomparingtheirmannersandwayswiththoseofapeoplemouldedbymanycenturiesofChristianity。WouldtoGodthatweweresoChristianisedthatthecomparisonmightalwaysbefavourabletous，whichitisnot！
July30——Intheroomontheothersideofmineweretwomenwithsevereeye-disease，withshavenheadsandlongandcuriousrosaries，whobeatsmalldrumsastheywalked，andwereonpilgrimagetotheshrineofFudoatMegura，nearYedo，aseated，flame-surroundedidol，withanakedswordinonehandandacoilofropeintheother，whohasthereputationofgivingsighttotheblind。Atfivethismorningtheybegantheirdevotions，whichconsistedinrepeatingwithgreatrapidity，andinahighmonotonouskeyfortwohours，theinvocationoftheNichirensectofBuddhists，NamumiyohorengeKiyo，whichcertainlynoJapaneseunderstands，andonthemeaningofwhicheventhebestscholarsaredivided；onehavinggivenme，“Glorytothesalvation-bringingScriptures；“another，“Hail，preciouslawandgospelofthelotusflower；“andathird，“Heavenandearth！Theteachingsofthewonderfullotusflowersect。“NamuamiduButsuoccurredatintervals，andtwodrumswerebeatenthewholetime！
Therain，whichbeganagainatelevenlastnight，fellfromfivetilleightthismorning，notindrops，butinstreams，andinthemiddleofitaheavypallofblacknesssaidtobeatotaleclipse
enfoldedallthingsinaluridgloom。Anydetentionisexasperatingwithinonedayofmyjourney’send，andIhearwithoutequanimitythattherearegreatdifficultiesahead，andthatourgettingthroughinthreeorevenfourdaysisdoubtful。Ihopeyouwillnotbetiredofthemonotonyofmyletters。Suchastheyare，theyrepresentthesceneswhichatravellerwouldseethroughoutmuchofnorthernJapan，andwhateverinteresttheyhaveconsistsinthefactthattheyareafaithfulrepresentation，madeuponthespot，ofwhataforeignerseesandhearsintravellingthroughalargebutunfrequentedregion。I。L。B。
TorrentsofRain——AnunpleasantDetention——DevastationsproducedbyFloods——TheYadatePass——TheForceofWater——Difficultiesthicken——
APrimitiveYadoya——TheWaterrises。
Thepropheciesconcerningdifficultiesarefulfilled。Forsixdaysandfivenightstherainhasneverceased，exceptforafewhoursatatime，andforthelastthirteenhours，asduringtheeclipseatShirasawa，ithasbeenfallinginsuchsheetsasIhaveonlyseenforafewminutesatatimeontheequator。Ihavebeenherestorm-staidfortwodays，withdampbed，dampclothes，dampeverything，andboots，bag，books，areallgreenwithmildew。Andstilltherainfalls，androads，bridges，rice-fields，trees，andhillsidesarebeingsweptinacommonruintowardstheTsugaruStrait，sotantalisinglynear；andthesimplepeoplearecallingontheforgottengodsoftheriversandthehills，onthesunandmoon，andallthehostofheaven，tosavethemfromthis“plagueofimmoderaterainandwaters。“Formyself，tobeabletoliedownalldayissomething，andas“themind，wheninahealthystate，reposesasquietlybeforeaninsurmountabledifficultyasbeforeanascertainedtruth，“so，asIcannotgeton，Ihaveceasedtochafe，andamratherinclinedtomagnifytheadvantagesofthedetention，anecessaryprocess，asyouwouldthinkifyousawmysurroundings！
Thedaybeforeyesterday，inspiteofseverepain，wasoneofthemostinterestingofmyjourney。AsIlearnedsomethingoftheforceoffireinHawaii，IamlearningnotalittleoftheforceofwaterinJapan。WeleftShirasawaatnoon，asitlookedlikelytoclear，takingtwohorsesandthreemen。Itisbeautifulscenery——awildvalley，uponwhichanumberoflateralridgesdescend，renderedstrikinglypicturesquebythedarkpyramidalcryptomeria，whicharetrulythegloryofJapan。Fiveofthefordsweredeepandrapid，andtheentranceonthemdifficult，astheslopingdescentswereallcarriedaway，leavingsteepbanks，whichhadtobelevelledbythemattocksofthemago。Thenthefordsthemselvesweregone；therewereshallowswheretherehadbeendepths，anddepthswheretherehadbeenshallows；newchannelswerecarved，andgreatbedsofshinglehadbeenthrownup。Muchwreckagelayabout。
Theroadanditssmallbridgeswereallgone，treestornupbytherootsorsnappedshortoffbybeingstruckbyheavylogswereheapedtogetherlikebarricades，leavesandevenbarkbeinginmanycasesstrippedcompletelyoff；greatlogsfloateddowntheriverinsuchnumbersandwithsuchforcethatwehadtowaithalfanhourinoneplacetosecureasafecrossing；hollowswerefilledwithliquidmud，bouldersofgreatsizewerepiledintoembankments，causingperilousalterationsinthecourseoftheriver；afertilevalleyhadbeenutterlydestroyed，andthemensaidtheycouldhardlyfindtheirway。
Attheendoffivemilesitbecameimpassableforhorses，and，withtwoofthemagocarryingthebaggage，wesetoff，wadingthroughwaterandclimbingalongthesideofahill，uptoourkneesinsoftwetsoil。Thehillsideandtheroadwerebothgone，andtherewereheavylandslipsalongthewholevalley。Happilytherewasnotmuchofthisexhaustingwork，for，justashigheranddarkerranges，denselywoodedwithcryptomeria，begantocloseusin，weemergeduponafinenewroad，broadenoughforacarriage，which，aftercrossingtworavinesonfinebridges，plungesintothedepthsofamagnificentforest，andthenbyalongseriesoffinezigzagsofeasygradientsascendsthepassofYadate，onthetopofwhich，inadeepsandstonecutting，isahandsomeobeliskmarkingtheboundarybetweenAkitaandAomoriken。ThisisamarvellousroadforJapan，itissowellgradedandbuiltup，andlogsfortravellers’restsareplacedatconvenientdistances。Someveryheavyworkingradingandblastinghasbeendoneuponit，butthereareonlyfourmilesofit，withwretchedbridletracksateachend。
Ilefttheothersbehind，andstrolledonaloneoverthetopofthepassanddowntheotherside，wheretheroadisblastedoutofrockofavividpinkandgreencolour，lookingbrilliantunderthetrickleofwater。IadmirethispassmorethananythingIhaveseeninJapan；Ievenlongtoseeitagain，butunderabrightbluesky。ItremindsmemuchofthefinestpartoftheBrunigPass，andsomethingofsomeofthepassesintheRockyMountains，butthetreesarefarfinerthanineither。Itwaslonely，stately，dark，solemn；itshugecryptomeria，straightasmasts，senttheirtallspiresfaraloftinsearchoflight；theferns，whichlovedampandshadyplaces，weretheonlyundergrowth；thetreesflungtheirbalsamy，aromaticscentliberallyupontheair，and，intheunlighteddepthsofmanyaravineandhollow，clearbrighttorrentsleaptandtumbled，drowningwiththeirthunderingbassthemusicaltrebleofthelighterstreams。Notatravellerdisturbedthesolitudewithhissandalledfootfall；therewasneithersongofbirdnorhumofinsect。
Inthemidstofthissublimescenery，andattheverytopofthepass，therain，whichhadbeenlightbutsteadyduringthewholeday，begantocomedowninstreamsandtheninsheets。IhavebeensoraineduponforweeksthatatfirstItooklittlenoticeofit，butverysoonchangesoccurredbeforemyeyeswhichconcentratedmyattentionuponit。Therushofwaterswasheardeverywhere，treesofgreatsizesliddown，breakingothersintheirfall；rockswererentandcarriedawaytreesintheirdescent，thewatersrosebeforeoureyes；withaboomandroarasofanearthquakeahillsideburst，andhalfthehill，withanobleforestofcryptomeria，wasprojectedoutwards，andthetrees，withthelandonwhichtheygrew，wentdownheadsforemost，divertingariverfromitscourse，andwheretheforest-coveredhillsidehadbeentherewasagreatscar，outofwhichatorrentburstathighpressure，whichinhalfanhourcarvedforitselfadeepravine，andcarriedintothevalleybelowanavalancheofstonesandsand。
Anotherhillsidedescendedlessabruptly，anditsnoblegrovesfoundthemselvesatthebottominaperpendicularposition，andwilldoubtlesssurvivetheirtransplantation。Actually，beforemyeyes，thisfinenewroadwastornawaybyhastilyimprovisedtorrents，orblockedbylandslipsinseveralplaces，andalittlelower，inonemoment，ahundredyardsofitdisappeared，andwiththemafinebridge，whichwasdepositedaslantacrossthetorrentlowerdown。
Onthedescent，whenthingsbegantolookverybad，andthemountain-sideshadbecomecascadesbringingtrees，logs，androcksdownwiththem，wewerefortunateenoughtomeetwithtwopack-
horseswhoseleaderswereignorantoftheimpassabilityoftheroadtoOdate，andtheyandmycooliesexchangedloads。Thesewerestronghorses，andthemagowereskilfulandcourageous。Theysaidifwehurriedwecouldjustgettothehamlettheyhadleft，theythought；butwhiletheyspoketheroadandthebridgebelowwerecarriedaway。Theyinsistedonlashingmetothepack-saddle。Thegreatstream，whosebeautyIhadformerlyadmired，wasnowathingofdread，andhadtobefordedfourtimeswithoutfords。Itcrashedandthundered，drowningthefeeblesoundofhumanvoices，thetorrentsfromtheheavenshissedthroughtheforest，treesandlogscamecrashingdownthehillsides，athousandcascadesaddedtothedin，andinthebewildermentproducedbysuchanunusualconcatenationofsightsandsoundswestumbledthroughtheriver，themenuptotheirshoulders，thehorsesuptotheirbacks。Againandagainwecrossed。Thebanksbeingcarriedaway，itwasveryhardtogeteitherintooroutofthewater；thehorseshadtoscrambleorjumpupplacesashighastheirshoulders，allslipperyandcrumbling，andtwicethemencutstepsforthemwithaxes。Therushofthetorrentatthelastcrossingtaxedthestrengthofbothmenandhorses，and，asIwashelplessfrombeingtiedon，I