26: October 28th, 1917 The Pilgrimage, En Route

Once again, with staff, scrip and palm, the Pilgrim is on: -

The long trail, the lone trail,

A trail that is always new.

The time, weather and circumstances all being propitious for setting out on the journey to the Mecca proper of this pilgrimage; a start was again made by the 7.40 train from Nagasaki.

Nagasaki Railway Station

The Pilgrim is beginning to entertain a proprietary interest in this particular conveyance, so much so indeed that ere long, when not requiring it, he may consider it necessary to send word along to the station to that effect, desiring them not to wait.

On arrival at the station, entry to the platform was delayed for some time in order that a number of convicts might take precedence. About 20 of these poor wretches, roped together in two files and guarded by armed police, marched across the platform and took their places in a reserved compartment of the waiting train.

In place of the zebra-like apparel, plentifully decorated with broad arrows in which His Majesty clothes his uninvited guests, each of these convicts wore a suit of coarse hempen cloth of a washed-out rusty colour, the suit consisting of a pair of shorts and a tunic, upon the lapel of which the man's number was stitched. A pair of straw waraji (sandals similar to those worn by the Chinese ricksha-man) and a straw hat completed the outfit.

The straw hat was of a peculiar shape, the brim being bent down on both sides, thus concealing the convict's face from the view of the passer by and acting as “blinkers,” as they prevented the wearer from seeing anywhere but right ahead. Each prisoner was his own Transport Department, as although securely roped together, each man's hands were free to carry a small bundle and a large blue and white porcelain jar, the latter, presumably, containing fluid refreshment.

Quite a number of intending passengers were at the wicket watching this saddening spectacle, children were held up by their parents and the event was made the occasion for inculcating moral lessons upon the youthful, it is to be hoped with permanent beneficial effect.

A polite enquiry on the part of the policeman at the wicket, as to the Pilgrim's destination was similarly replied to. Comment upon the prisoners followed and the remarkably sharp weather. Junsa-san, however, became too idiomatic and spoke so rapidly, that after several bad breaks, the Pilgrim could not follow him beyond a word or two here and there and, not wishing to commit himself, replied to a repeated query with the now classic: -

“Akasan wo dekite

Ahi doante know-te.”

which raised a general laugh in which junsa-san joined heartily.

"Ahi doante know-te"

A sharp, bracing morning with more than a suspicion of frost, a presage of the days to come. The intervening mountains to the eastward have the effect of making Old Sol a late riser, hence his warming beams, once he had topped the crest of Hinotoge-yama, were very welcome.

Although the third class was, as usual, a practical exposition of Japonaise a’ la sardine, there were but few passengers in the second class and, until the beautiful Vale of Nagoya was reached, these contented themselves with their newspapers or “sizing one another up”; hence, little was heard beyond the occasional rustle of a newspaper, or the thud of some parcel as it dropped from the rack overhead.

At Isahaya the prisoners left the train, they evidently being en route for the large penal establishment in this vicinity. More travellers enter the car, newspapers are carefully folded up, or tossed on the floor and conversation becomes more or less general. So far, however, no advances have been made to the alien occupying the corner seat, but from previous experience, the latter infers that in his particular case, the sizing up process is not yet completed and, most of the tunnels having been negotiated, he turns to the ever interesting landscape flitting past.

The Pilgrim notes the extensive schema of afforestation; seemingly every inch of ground not under actual cultivation for rice or other agricultural produce, is thickly studded with trees even the crests of the mountains being covered with arboreous verdure.

Another striking feature is the immense number of telegraph, ‘phone, or other wire-bearing poles. Wherever one goes in this land, one never seems to be able to be long out of view of some overhead wire. Japan, it is evident, is a firm believer in “communications” and if her myriad wires are not blocked with official chin-chins, ‘gup,’ the details of deals for the purchase of non-existent locomotives, or the boosting of “sovereign rights,” as prevails elsewhere, there seem to be ample facilities provided for more useful communications.

Naval Station Sasebo

Sasebo Nagasaki Ken

At Haiki, where a branch line leads to Sasebo, one of the most important Japanese naval stations; the main line diverges from the coast to strike off inland and at length Arita is reached, the home of the celebrated porcelain known as Aritayaki, the Koran-sha factory, a large and important factory situated there, being well worth a visit. This Aritayaki is commonly though erroneously known as “Imari,” which latter is really the name of the port from whence large quantities of this ware is shipped. Takeo is passed, with its beautiful mountain public park and its hot spring, beloved by the personnel of the S. M. P. (Shanghai Municipal Police) on vacation.

Porcelian Factory, Arita

(source of the so-called "Inari ware")

Further progress is enlivened with song, the vocalist being a chubby little youngster who relates the achievements of a certain Momo Taro in a metre which is an old-time Japanese classic. The railway now passes through an extensive coalfield and here agriculture plays second fiddle to commercial activity, but even amid smoking engines, derricks, light railways and piles of black diamonds, the rice fields cannot be entirely
suppressed.

Momo Taro

Near Hizen-Yamaguchi, some years ago a seam of smokeless coal was discovered and the Pilgrim witnessed some of the experimental borings. The appearance of the landscape has greatly changed since that day and extensive development is in full swing. The coal is said to be equal to the product of the famous Takashima colliery and a good second to that shipped from Cardiff. Most of the coal mined in this locality is shipped from Suminoye, a small port a few miles distant, a small river being the medium for conveyance from the dump to the port of shipment.

The Pilgrim's opinion of Suminoye is (among other attributes) that it is the worst place for mosquitoes in Japan. That opinion was formed some ten years ago, and nothing has occurred subsequently to alter it.

                                                    

At that salubrious spot the winged pests are most unsportsmanlike and do not play the game. Any well regulated mosquito is expected to conduct its - or rather hers, as science has it that it is only the female that goes out on the rampage - operations from sunset to sunrise, but at Suminoye overtime is in vogue and the pests work double tides - in fact, the Pilgrim found existence there unendurable; one continuous “swatting at the skeeter” that, Alas! wasn't there, hence during the five or six days it was his lot to tarry at Suminoye, every evening he tramped the few miles across the paddy fields to Ushidzu, in search of a night's rest and thereby hangs a tale, which if now related may explain the reason for the Pilgrim's stopping at Ushidzu on his return from the pilgrimage.

At Suminoye, the steamer loading is dependent upon small boats, which bring the coal down the river, the upper reaches being shallow, the larger boats are dependent upon the state of the tide. Hence it was, or at least it seemed to be, a simple matter to calculate the time when the cargo would be finished and the vessel ready to sail. The Pilgrim fixed this to be about midday, in which estimate he was corroborated by the charterer's agent and the stevedore and, thus assured, on the last evening he tramped to Ushidzu as usual and duly turned in for a good night's rest.

On the Bay

But “Man proposes &c. (although in the instance referred to, the disposing was also done by man) and about 2 a.m., while deep in slumber, there was a tremendous pounding on the amado, (the sliding wooden shutters with which all Japanese houses are fitted). Alarmed by the noise, Okamisan and her two servants went to see what all the row was about and on the amado being pushed aside, the charterer's agent and his stevedore were discovered outside, in a pitch dark night (there was no electric light at Ushidzu in those days) and pouring with rain. They were en route for Nagasaki and had stopped to enquire whether Okamisan had a foreign guest stopping at her hotel and if so, that she had better rouse him out, as the cargo being completed, the steamer was sailing at daybreak.

"Go-han"

Meanwhile he slumbered blissfully on, unconscious of the new developments, but the mute with the bowstring was already on the way and Okamisan, leaving one servant to close the amado, accompanied by the other, trotted upstairs to awaken and speed her parting guest, who learned these details while dressing with the aid of two valets.

Although it was a considerable time from daybreak, hustle seemed to be the order of the day and all hands, as by this time the other nesan had appeared upon the scene, combined in a practical process of speeding the parting guest. Thus, eight hands assisted (?) in dressing one mere man, still but half awake, with results that were comical. Even with the aid of three willing valets, dressing proved to be a somewhat protracted operation but eventually amid much laughter the Mistress of the Robes declared herself satisfied, as everything was on, and nothing left behind or missing, even if hardly so well turned out as Poole or Saville might do it, her guest was at least presentable and she departed out in the pouring rain and by her personal entreaties, induced a rickshaman to get out of bed to tramp the distance to Suminoye, running being out of the question in view of the darkness and the prevailing weather conditions.

As a slight return for this kindness, the Pligrim subsequently despatched by the Japanese Post, a package containing a small present for Okamisan and her two servants. Enclosed in the package was a short note asking that the recipients would let the sender know that the package had arrived safely but after waiting for nearly eleven years and no reply forthcoming, the writer is prone to conclude that subsequent to posting, the package vanished into the Ewikeit, a supposition which a recent trip to Ushidzu subsequently verified and it was to express his appreciation, though somewhat belated, of this kindness that the returned Pilgrim tarried at Ushidzu on his return.

Shitsukeigen

"Tickling the Dharuma"

Miyogisan, Gunma-ken