Rusticating in Japan.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 135, 21 January 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

Rusticating in Japan.

Last night I screwed my courage up to the sticking point and tackled what is, I think, one of the most tiresome of all businesses—l set myself to put into something approaching order the accumulated papers of years. On turning over the p:les of dusty Utters and MS.S., I came across a grubby old exercise book, and, on opening it, found myself translated, as if by the magic of the old "Arabian Nights" carpet, into the far-off Japan of twenty years ago. As 1 turned over the pages of that old diary, two decades of time appeared to be bridged over, twenty years seemed to have slipped from my shoulders, and I was back again on the verandah of that little bungalow, the murmuring stream rippling past the bottom of the tiny garden with its absurd baby rockeries and dwarf-like trees, and' the sCent of the cherry blossom hanging heavily on the languid heat-laden air. And as I read I marvelled at the Vi'stncss of the changes that have come over the life of that wonderful little country. Under the beneficent rule of the late Mikado. Nippon had just shaken off the yoke of the Sho-guns, with all their military despotism and feudalism; and, •under the naval and military tutelage of British and German officers, had administered a crushing defeat to her ancient enemy China, assisted by a navy that consisted almost entirely of subsidised merchant steamers belonging to the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line. Now, after but twenty years, she has taken her place amongst the greatest of the world's Powers, with a magnificent army and navy; and, having emerged victorious in her struggle with the Russian giant—such is the strange whirligig of time —has joined hands with her late enemy as one of our most trusted Allies in the great world-war that is raging against the Central European Powers. Surely a record unsurpassed in the history oP nations! And as T read the last page of this old idle fragment, it seemed to me that I was not such a bad amateur proph#t after all! But let the sender be the judge. THE DIARY. All around from the garden and tiees come the chirruping of crickets and the hum of the myriads of insects of all shapes and forms. As I look up from a paper, a beautifully coloured butterfly settles on the window sill for a moment, and is on again like a meteor into space. Away, across the miles of fertile land, towers —blue in the distance —the giant form of Fuji, the sacred mountain of Japan, and all around in the paddy fields arc the quaint-looking coolies, in their burlesque straw hats (and no other clothing to speak of. except a strip of cloth round their loins), working at the rice. Such is the view I see from the open window of my little Japanese bungalow, which stands in its own tiny grounds, sloping down to the river bank, thirtyfive miles from the nearest treaty port, Yokohama, and twenty miles from any

European residence. With the excepton of my two fellowtourists—a married couple—l enjoy the proud distinction of being the only European who hats ever passed a night .11 the district, and if anything was want. mg to increase the interest, the Chino- ■ Japanese War has just concluded, and the victorious troops are returning daily to their native shores Needless to say, we are objects of the holiest interest to the natives. Whenever we go out through the village, the entire population turns out and follows us in proce-son all the way along. Sanger's Circus in England does not command half the attention in its .street parade that we three tourirt-; do while we take our "constitutional.'' There appears to be a vein oi hitherto unsuspected and intense humour in our persons which we never noticed until now. for, do we but open our mouths to say. "It's confoundedly hot!" or to make any other ordinary remark, it is received with shouts of honest laughter and applause from the admiring multitude. They seem to be saying with excitement to each other, "See! the monstrosities speak! How lunnv their talk is! Thev are actually alive'!!" If we try to make them understand what we want by means of frenzied signs and absurdly mutilated English, they simply double up and scream with mirth. In consequence, our shopping takes the form of simply walking behind into the r sanctum, where they keep their stores, bagging what we want, and then holding out a handful of silver and letting them help themselves to the equivalent of our purchases.

A JAPANESE HOME. I

To return to a description of our Japanese home, with its moveahle Jiding sides and paper walls. We have a fitting-room—the only one with any apology for European fittings—two bedrooms, and the kitchen in which the native housekeeper and her family do all their living. The bedrooms are raised about a foot from the floor, as is usual in all Japanese houses, and if we j were .laps it would he im]K>rat.vo for ns to take off our shoe,-; every time we went inside them. No chairs there, only mats, whereon you sit on your haunches:, if you feel so inclined. Our meals are moveahle as to the hours, but we always go to bed about iI.IM) p.m., as wo lind it very wearing work killing beetles, inohcpihos, moths, fireflies, gnats, w tv.ied ants, and dragon flics after the lamp is lit. They swarm j in from the river when they hear that j dinner is ready, their dinner-bell being the lighting up of the lamp—and ■ then we fight for the mastery until Nature asserts herself, and we, confessing ourselves beaten, retire gracefully from the unequal contest, and attempt tn n'eep the sleep of the just. Hut I can vouch from sad exper once j that, with the thermometer at almost 100 in the shade, and the insidiou* and bloodthirsty mosquitoes, not to speak of the scampering of rats and the whizzing wings of the aforesaid huge beetles and flying cockroaches, sleep is by no means eas'ly obtained !

A MEMORY OF TWENTY YEARS AGO

THE MOSQUITO. The mosquito is a blood-sucking in-«K-t—-a terrible vampire—and abnormally tunning. He lays his plans with devilish ingenuity, clinging to the net in the morn'ng, ;md, hiding in out-of-the-way corners when it i-> set for night, lie lies in wait for you! The mosquito's avpetite lor blood i- ; insatiable, and lie lias his particular fancies— anklet* and the .sole* of the feet seem to bo the delicac:c« in Japan, if one may judge from the mess they make of t!io<e parts of my carcase. Young and inexperienced mosquitos announce their approach by a quaint and horror-inspiring humming noise. Thi« is an advantage, a.s you are thus prepared for the attack. Not so the older and mere accomplished monster. He. approaches yon, so to fipenk, oh tiptoes and with the utmost delicacy inserts his fangs without hurting you. and feeds en your unconscious carcase, lingering lovingly over the succulent repast, his body gradually assuming decidedly corpulent proportions. But in the morning you become fully aware of his late presence, as you lie and vie ously tear the swollen flesh with your linger nails, and use language totally unfit for publication. Profiting by experience, we now meet them on their own ground, and once undressed, the battle re-opens in a sort of guerilla warfare. My friend (being the most skilled in this) gets under th"mosquitoe nest, and lies in ambush on the bed. Then his wife and I, with lighted candles, I should say lantqms, slowly walk ronnd it. lighting up the curtains and incidentally singing ''Trio Dead March in Saul."' The executioner, on h's knees, inside, follows with his eyes the course of the Jight, and snap* down on the pestilential insects, as they come in sight, clinging on to the inside of the net. In tlrs way we generally massacro about thirty in each led before turning in ! Such are among the delights'of a Japanese reposeful retreat. THE EVENING HATH. But before that performance takes place, there happens one of the very pleasanto-t parts of the day's routinewhen you get used to ir. I refer to the evening bath. And it was here that we fir.st came across that national institution the common bath! It, the bath, stands just inside the entrance of the house, and. by way of seclusion, is covered w th clear glass windows! In appearance it is like a large wooden box, and is filled with water at nearly boiling point. The unwary noophiu, eager for a dip, usually on hi.s suddenentry emulates the experience of lobsters ill their last moments, and speed- . ily acqu ns the porforvii! hue of those unlucky but succulent idiell-fMi a.s they are seen at supper ! What an abnormally clean nice the Japanese are! They are always washing themselves. Certain!} from the colour of their skins one ni'ght doubt it, but they take infinite pains to prove to all the world that they are. Go out here at sundown and stroll through the village street. If you are tumbled with a super-abundant amount of modesty it will perhaps be inadvisable for you to do youi walk accompanied by one of the opposite sex. That is, until you have profited by experience, and become bold and case-harden-ed.

On both sides of the street you will see, tiio pretty daughters f>i' the house enjoying their evening tub! Nor is this tub calculated to hide nvcr mucii of the r plump and comely forms! They squeeze their logs into a Mtting position, and there they bask oi.t.sido the. house, in the light of the netting sun, looking like so many Eves before the Fall! Truly the audacity of innocence 1 Yesterday the village «a< en fete—banners and flags galore, and quaint images oil wheels. The crowd gradually collected towards the station, whither w(> also wended our nay. Intense excitement seemed to prevail. At last the ridiculous little tram came up, and, amidst tremendous shouis oi " Banzai!"' hanging of gongs and waving of flags there stepped out two little Japanese soldiers, one with his arm in a sling. It was a loving welcome home to then native village on their return from the war. INTENSE PATHIOTJS-U. There ie one tiling that it is impossible to help admiring the Japanese for —the r intense patriotism. Jt did one's heart good to sic those poor, uncouth—to European eye?—nat yes, bowing down to the very ground nefore, not an officer or superior in rank, but two simple village folk, two of theniiai'lvt*. who had fought a> privati s for their country and th • .Mikado.

Tin 1 procession formed, tlie two soldiers, with bowed Ik-.mN. and hearts evidently bursting with emotion, walked in the centre —not to the r home*, not to tin' halcon.v i»t tin' village teahouse to drink "sake," hut straight away to the temple ol Uuddha. the Great, the Omniscient One, where, half mii hour later. \u >;ih rhem standing on the topmost -p ol the altar, while the' aged and brin "hi prie-t, with -baking tingei.s. gave them tho lighted "ions-sticks" to oll'i r tip as thanks to ( the Buddha. And all tho while the crowd is kneeling, the drun> hentng, and the temple boll elanging i.iit deep and som>!oiis monotone. Certainly an impn"i.ive siyht, he it lit a then or not, and one which goes .1. long \\,\y towards allaying the surprise that one h e!s that so small a nation should conquer a giant like China! Ah. there stuff, and genuine good' stuff, too, in a country whoso must ignorant peasantry can iluir. do honour to its own. Here in Japan evidently a prophet is not without honour 111 hi-; own country! I wonder what the ftftuiv has in store for Nippon. Someihing great, or 1 am vast I v mistaken ! Well. 11 '1 live I -hail sec. I wonder if I shall. I wonder! Twenty years have elapsed diner* tluve ivords were writte:<. I have lived! And the whole world lino wondered and mai veiled! K. Ho-an-Arina-dale, in the ''Scotsman.''