Goingupandthendownasteep，woodedhill，theroadappearedtoreturntoitsoriginalstateofbrushwood，andthemenstoppedatthebrokenedgeofadeclivitywhichleddowntoashinglebankandafoam-crestedriverofclear，blue-greenwater，stronglyimpregnatedwithsulphurfromsomemedicinalspringsabove，withasteepbankoftangleontheoppositeside。Thisbeautifulstreamwascrossedbytworoundpoles，afootapart，onwhichIattemptedtowalkwiththehelpofanAinohand；butthepoleswereveryunsteady，andIdoubtwhetheranyone，evenwithastronghead，couldwalkontheminboots。ThenthebeautifulAinosignedtometocomebackandmountonhisshoulders；butwhenhehadgotafewfeetoutthepolesswayedandtrembledsomuchthathewasobligedtoretracehiswaycautiously，duringwhichprocessIenduredmiseriesfromdizzinessandfear；afterwhichhecarriedmethroughtherushingwater，whichwasuptohisshoulders，andthroughabitofswampyjungle，andupasteepbank，tothegreatfatiguebothofbodyandmind，hardlymitigatedbytheenjoymentoftheludicrousinridingasavagethroughtheseYezowaters。Theydexterouslycarriedthekurumathrough，ontheshouldersoffour，andshowedextremeanxietythatneitheritnorIshouldgetwet。Afterthiswecrossedtwodeep，stillriversinscows，andfarabovethegreylevelandthegreyseathesunwassettingingoldandvermilion-
streakedgreenbehindaglorifiedmountainofgreatheight，atwhosefeettheforest-coveredhillslayinpurplegloom。AtdarkwereachedShiraoi，avillageofelevenJapanesehouses，withavillageoffifty-oneAinohouses，nearthesea。Thereisalargeyadoyaoftheoldstylethere；butIfoundthatItohadchosenaveryprettynewone，withfourstallsopentotheroad，inthecentreoneofwhichIfoundhim，withthewelcomenewsthatasteakoffreshsalmonwasbroilingonthecoals；and，astheroomwascleanandsweetandIwasveryhungry，Ienjoyedmymealbythelightofarushinasauceroffish-oilasmuchasanypartoftheday。
Thenightwastoocoldforsleep，andatdaybreak，hearingagreatdin，Ilookedout，andsawadroveoffullyahundredhorsesallgallopingdowntheroad，withtwoAinosonhorse-back，andanumberofbigdogsafterthem。Hundredsofhorsesrunnearlywildonthehills，andtheAinos，gettingalargedrovetogether，skilfullyheadthemfortheentranceintothecorral，inwhichaselectionofthemismadefortheday’sneeds，andtheremainder——thatis，thosewiththedeepestsoresontheirbacks——areturnedloose。ThisdullrattleofshoelessfeetisthefirstsoundinthemorningintheseYezovillages。IsentItoonearly，andfollowedatninewiththreeAinos。Theroadisperfectlylevelforthirteenmiles，throughgravelflatsandswamps，verymonotonous，butwithawildcharmofitsown。Therewereswampylakes，withwildducksandsmallwhitewater-lilies，andthesurroundinglevelswerecoveredwithreedygrass，flowers，andweeds。Theearlyautumnhaswitheredagreatmanyoftheflowers；butenoughremainstoshowhowbeautifulthenowrussetplainsmusthavebeenintheearlysummer。Adwarfrose，ofadeepcrimsoncolour，withorange，medlar-shapedhips，aslargeascrabs，andcorollasthreeinchesacross，isoneofthefeaturesofYezo；andbesides，thereisalargerose-redconvolvulus，abluecampanula，withtiersofbells，abluemonkshood，theAconitumJaponicum，theflauntingCalystegiasoldanella，purpleasters，grassofParnassus，yellowlilies，andaremarkabletrailer，whosedelicateleafagelookedquiteoutofplaceamongitscoarsesurroundings，withapurplish-browncampanulateblossom，onlyremarkableforapeculiararrangementofthepistil，greenstamens，andamostoffensivecarrion-likeodour，whichisprobablytoattracttoitaveryobjectionable-lookingfly，forpurposesoffertilisation。
WeovertookfourAinowomen，youngandcomely，withbarefeet，stridingfirmlyalong；andafteragooddealoflaughingwiththemen，theytookholdofthekuruma，andthewholesevenracedwithitatfullspeedforhalfamile，shriekingwithlaughter。Soonafterwecameuponalittletea-house，andtheAinosshowedmeastrawpackage，andpointedtotheiropenmouths，bywhichI
understoodthattheywishedtostopandeat。LaterweovertookfourJapaneseonhorseback，andtheAinosracedwiththemforaconsiderabledistance，theresultofthesespurtsbeingthatI
reachedTomakomaiatnoon——awide，drearyplace，withhousesroofedwithsod，bearingluxuriantcropsofweeds。NearthisplaceisthevolcanoofTarumai，acalm-looking，greycone，whoseskirtsaredrapedbytensofthousandsofdeadtrees。Socalmandgreyhaditlookedformanyayearthatpeoplesupposedithadpassedintoendlessrest，whenquitelately，onasultryday，itblewoffitscapandcoveredthewholecountryformanyamilewithcindersandashes，burninguptheforestonitssides，addinganewcoveringtotheTomakomairoofs，anddepositingfineashasfarasCapeErimo，fiftymilesoff。
AtthisplacetheroadandtelegraphwiresturninlandtoSatsuporo，andatrackforhorsesonlyturnstothenorth-east，andstragglesroundtheislandforaboutsevenhundredmiles。FromMororantoSarufutothereareeverywheretracesofnewandoldvolcanicaction——pumice，tufas，conglomerates，andoccasionalbedsofhardbasalt，allcoveredwithrecentpumice，which，fromShiraoieastwards，concealseverything。AtTomakomaiwetookhorses，and，asIbroughtmyownsaddle，IhavehadthenearestapproachtorealridingthatIhaveenjoyedinJapan。ThewifeofaSatsuporodoctorwasthere，whowastravellingfortwohundredmilesastrideonapack-saddle，withrope-loopsforstirrups。Sherodewell，andvaultedintomysaddlewithcircus-likedexterity，andperformedmanyequestrianfeatsuponit，tellingmethatsheshouldbequitehappyifshewerepossessedofit。
IwashappywhenIleftthe“beatentrack“toSatsuporo，andsawbeforeme，stretchingforIknownothowfar，rolling，sandymachirslikethoseoftheOuterHebrides，desert-likeandlonely，coveredalmostaltogetherwithdwarfrosesandcampanulas，aprairielandonwhichyoucanmakeanytracksyouplease。Sendingtheotherson，IfollowedthemattheYezoscramble，andsoonventuredonalonggallop，andrevelledinthemusicofthethudofshoelessfeetovertheelasticsoil；butIhadnotrealisedthepeculiaritiesofYezosteeds，andhadforgottentoaskwhetherminewasa“fronthorse，“andjustasweweregoingatfullspeedwecamenearlyupwiththeothers，andmyhorsecomingabruptlytoafullstop，Iwentsixfeetoverhisheadamongtherose-bushes。
Itolookingbacksawmetighteningthesaddle-girths，andIneverdivulgedthisescapade。
Afterridingeightmilesalongthisbreezybelt，withtheseaononesideandforestsontheother，wecameuponYubets，aplacewhichhasfascinatedmesomuchthatIintendtoreturntoit；butImustconfessthatitsfascinationsdependratheruponwhatithasnotthanuponwhatithas，andItosaysthatitwouldkillhimtospendeventwodaysthere。Itlooksliketheendofallthings，asiflonelinessanddesolationcouldgonofarther。Asandystretchonthreesides，ariverarrestedinitsprogresstothesea，andcompelledtowandertediouslyinsearchofanoutletbytheheightandmassofthebeachthrownupbythePacific，adistantforest-
beltrisingintofeatureless，woodedrangesinshadesofindigoandgrey，andanever-absentconsciousnessofavastoceanjustoutofsight，aretheenvironmentsoftwohighlook-outs，someshedsforfish-oilpurposes，fourorfiveJapanesehouses，fourAinohutsonthetopofthebeachacrosstheriver，andagreybarrack，consistingofapolishedpassageeightyfeetlong，withsmallroomsoneitherside，atoneendagravelledyard，withtwoquietroomsopeninguponit，andattheotheranimmensedaidokoro，withdarkrecessesandblackenedrafters——ahaunted-lookingabode。Onewouldsupposethattherehadbeenaspecialobjectinsettingthehousesdownatwearydistancesfromeachother。Fewastheyare，theyarenotallinhabitedatthisseason，andallthatcanbeseenisgreysand，sparsegrass，andafewsavagescreepingabout。
NothingthatIhaveseenhasmadesuchanimpressionuponmeasthatghostly，ghastlyfishing-station。Inthelonggreywallofthelonggreybarrackthereweremanydismalwindows，andwhenwehootedforadmissionastupidfaceappearedatoneofthemanddisappeared。Thenagreygatewayopened，andwerodeintoayardofgreygravel，withsomesilentroomsopeninguponit。Thesolitudeofthethirtyorfortyroomswhichliebetweenitandthekitchen，andwhicharenowfilledwithnetsandfishing-tackle，wassomethingawful；andasthewindsweptalongthepolishedpassage，rattlingthefusumaandliftingtheshinglesontheroof，andtheratscareeredfromendtoend，Iwenttothegreatblackdaidokoroinsearchofsociallife，andfoundafewembersandanandon，andnothingelsebutthestupid-facedmandeploringhisfate，andtwoorphanboyswhoselothemakesmorewretchedthanhisown。Inthefishing-seasonthisbarrackaccommodatesfrom200to300men。
Istartedtothesea-shore，crossingthedrearyriver，andfoundopenshedsmuchblackened，desertedhutsofreeds，longshedswithanearlyinsufferableodourfromcaldronsinwhichoilhadbeenextractedfromlastyear’sfish，twoorthreeAinohuts，andtwoorthreegrand-lookingAinos，clothedinskins，stridinglikeghostsoverthesandbanks，anumberofwolfishdogs，somelogcanoesor“dug-outs，“thebonesofawreckedjunk，aquantityofbleacheddrift-wood，abeachofdark-greysand，andatossingexpanseofdark-greyoceanunderadullandwindysky。OnthispartofthecoastthePacificspendsitsfury，andhasraisedupatashortdistanceabovehigh-watermarkasandysweepofsuchaheightthatwhenyoudescenditsseawardslopeyouseenothingbuttheseaandthesky，andagrey，curvingshore，coveredthickformanyalonelymilewithfantasticformsofwhiteneddrift-wood，theshatteredwrecksofforest-trees，whicharecarrieddownbytheinnumerablerivers，till，aftertossingforweeksandmonthsalongwith“——wrecksofships，anddriftingsparsupliftingOnthedesolate，rainyseas:
Everdrifting，drifting，drifting，OntheshiftingCurrentsoftherestlessmain；“
the“toilingsurges“castthemonYubetsbeach，and“Allhavefoundreposeagain。“
Agrimrepose！
Thedeepboomofthesurfwasmusic，andthestrangecriesofsea-
birds，andthehoarsenotesoftheaudaciousblackcrows，wereallharmonious，fornature，whenlefttoherself，neverproducesdiscordseitherinsoundorcolour。
TheHarmoniesofNature——AGoodHorse——ASingleDiscord——AForest——
AinoFerrymen——“LesPuces！LesPuces！“——BaffledExplorers——Ito’sContemptforAinos——AnAinoIntroduction。
No！Naturehasnodiscords。Thismorning，tothefarhorizon，diamond-flashingbluewatershimmeredinperfectpeace，outlinedbyalineofsurfwhichbrokelazilyonabeachscarcelylesssnowythanitself。Thedeep，perfectblueoftheskywasonlybrokenbyafewradiantwhiteclouds，whoseshadowstrailedslowlyovertheplainonwhosebroadbosomathousandcorollas，inthegloryoftheirbriefbutpassionatelife，weredrinkinginthesunshine，wavyrangessleptindepthsofindigo，andhigherhillsbeyondwerepaintedinfaintblueonthedreamysky。EventhefewgreyhousesofYubetswerespiritualisedintoharmonybyafaintblueveilwhichwasnotamist，andtheloudcroakoftheloquaciousandimpertinentcrowshadacheerinessaboutit，aheartymockery，whichIliked。
Aboveall，Ihadahorsesogoodthathewasalwaystryingtorunaway，andgallopedsolightlyovertheflowerygrassthatIrodetheseventeenmilesherewithgreatenjoyment。Trulyagoodhorse，goodgroundtogallopon，andsunshine，makeupthesumofenjoyabletravelling。ThediscordinthegeneralharmonywasproducedbythesightoftheAinos，aharmlesspeoplewithouttheinstinctofprogress，descendingtothatvasttombofconqueredandunknownraceswhichhasopenedtoreceivesomanybeforethem。A