Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan/Series 1/Volume 2/A Journey in Yezo
A JOURNEY IN YEZO,
DURING THE MONTHS OF AUGUST, SEPTEMBER
AND OCTOBER 1873.
With a description of the old Western route to Satsporo,
the Ishikari river, and the new road from
Satsporo to Endermo Bay.
by
Captain BRIDGFORD, R.M.A.
Read before the Asiatic Society of Japan
on the 14th January, 1874.
———o———
The Island of Yezo now called Hokkaidô is divided into Ten Districts. They are named as follows:—Kitami, Teshiwo, Nemoro, Kushiro, Tokachi, Hitaka, Iburi, Oshima, Shiribeshi, Ishikari.
Ishikari district is the largest, and contains an area of about 3503 square miles, which is also the area of the watershed of the Ishikari river. For the sake of comparison I give the area of the watershed of the river Thames, viz : 3086 square miles.
Hakodate to Satsporo, viâ—
| Volcano Bay |  |
|
23 | Miles | |||
 |
|
7 | 12 | Miles„ | |||
 |
|
21 | 12 | Miles„ | |||
 |
|
15 | Miles„ | ||||
|
15 | Miles„ | |||||
| West Coast.. | |
|
10 | Miles„ | |||
 |
|
Miles„ | |||||
|
|
13 | 34 | Miles„ | |||
|
|
35 | Miles„ | ||||
|
|
15 | Miles„ | ||||
|
|
7 | 12 | Miles„ | |||
|
15 | 12 | Miles„ | ||||
| 18434 | Miles | ||||||
The road is 36 feet in width and unmetalled; for some distance past Kamida Bridge it runs over a large plain with a very gentle rise towards the hills, the soil a dark loam: much timber has been felled. The trees remaining are beech, birch, silver birch, maple, mulberry, chestnut, &c.
An experimental Farm is situated some 220 feet above sea level and close to the steep slope of the hills, here was growing some fine hemp, also a little corn. The plain is mostly uncultivated.
The road winds upwards through a pass in the hills, attaining at its highest point 970 feet above the sea level. Through a gap in the hills is seen Hakodate bearing almost due south.
Sawala or Komomo Také (Volcano) bears N. N. W. Two fine Lakes embosomed in Forest, are also visible. The largest some 7 miles in length is studded with a few islets well timbered.
The Volcano on its western slope is clothed with forest almost to its summit.
Descending, the road passes the small Lake (570 feet above sea level) and reaches the level of the Valley, at 520 feet above the sea, here there is one small Tea House backed by Forest: this is Sigonope. Temperature at noon on August 8th 1873, 99° in shade, 128° in sun (Fahrt).
Visit to the Volcano of Komomo Take distant from Sigonope 712 miles.
For the first two miles travelled along the new road to Mori, then turned sharp to the right through the woods. The trees were young, mostly of 25 to 30 years growth, with occasional gaunt trunks of trees of a much older date; after about 3 miles up hill the woods thin out into small birch clumps.
The ground is covered with pumice, amongst which lie the remains of the previous forest, destroyed by the last great volcanic out-burst. The prostrate trees on this (S) side of the mountain lie with their heads pointing North, the portions resting on the pumice are charred; nearly all were Silver Birch of about 25 years growth. In the last eruption a depth of two to three feet of pumice fell here.
Emerging from the woods on to the superior slope of the mountain, and tramping over the pumice, I observed much young birch springing up in many places, especially in the gullies or where the prostrate trunks of the former forest shew above ground. It is 24 miles over loose pumice to the top of the lip of the old crater (and 2800 feet above the sea). Two jagged peaks, connected by a curtain of ashes, rise some 500 feet higher on the western side. The section of these peaks as shewn on the inner wall exhibits many beds of compressed volcanic ash, and near the top, two partial layers of lava, capped by basaltic rock of eccentric form.
The side of the crater towards Volcano Bay is completely blown away and the pumice extends to the sea in that direction.
To the S. E. the pumice has blocked up the valley below, forming two very pretty lakes (mentioned before). The beds of these lakes contain remains of the old forest.
The land in the vicinity of the lakes is swampy and covered with dense wood consisting of oak, ash, birch and a large variety of the useless poplar. Wild swans inhabit the lakes and are said to be very shy.
Within the great basin or crater, (which is some 34 of a mile in diameter), are six distinct smaller craters, one of which was in activity two years ago. The bottom of this one is some 220 feet below the old upper lip and about 120 feet below the general level of the great basin.
Another of the six is about 100 feet deep. The rainfall in the basin drains into these smaller craters and volumes of steam escape from many apertures in their sides. Native sulphur and iron sand lie strewn about.
The view from the summit looking S. W. shews some fine ranges of hills, clothed in wood and without signs of cultivation.
In this district there is not sufficient soil at present formed over the last layer of pumice to permit of its being profitably tilled. It does well enough for growing timber, and in that way makes soil in the most rapid manner.
From Sigonope to Mori distance 912 miles.
The new road leads through young forest and is formed almost entirely of small pumice. The drains are revetted with hurdle work.
The road rounds the Volcano of Komomo Také on its western side, and there are some steep gradients upon it. Gaunt charred trunks of trees of great size shew high above the young woods and their roots are embedded in the layer of soil that lies beneath the pumice bed, conclusive proof that they are remnants of a forest that was destroyed by the eruption which is said to have occurred some twenty-five years ago.
As Volcano Bay is approached the forest dwindles into oak scrub and pasture; many ponies were grazing here.
The road terminates at Mori pier, a large wooden structure, which is projected into the Bay at right angles to the beach, it is at present in an unfinished state, some 350 feet only having been completed.
From Mori to Shin Mororan, where the road to Satsporo recommences, distance 25 miles, is done by steam or sailing ferry boats.
Mori is a straggling village; there are several tea houses with fair accommodation and seemingly a fair amount of business doing. Long strings of pack ponies, Jaden and unladen, were seen in most parts of the main street.
At sunset the view of the Volcano of Komomo Také from the main street of Mori is very fine.
From Mori to Yuropŭ, distance some 2112 miles by bridle path, mostly along the bench; low bluffs fringe the shore, wooded hills at back, passed two or three villages and fishing stations. Also saw a petroleum pit with about three-quarters of an inch of oil in it.
Urapú is an Aino village of some fifty houses, there is also a good Japanese Tea House with a very pretty garden. A pleasant contrast to the wilderness of sand hills and scrub that surround the village. Here there is a very good salmon river.
The Aino village consists of three lines of huts with each a store which is erected on stilts, each hut with its store being placed about thirty or forty yards from its neighbours.
The Government have given the Ainos equal rights with Japanese and have marked out the site for a regular village which the Ainos are expected to build, and then vacate their old huts and move into the village: there are no signs of commencing this work at present.
The interiors of the Aino huts were much more comfortable than was to be expected from their outside appearance. They are divided into two parts by a reed and wattle partition. The large room is occupied by the family; in it they eat, drink and sleep. In the centre is the hearth, pothooks, &c. depending from the roof; raised benches occupy two sides of the room affording sitting and sleeping accommodation. On the end wall are hung numerous fishing and hunting implements, and skulls of animals, &c. killed in the chase. The ground was floored with rough boards, and small pieces of matting were used when sitting à la Japonaise.
The women manufacture cloth from bark fibre. It is woven in a very primitive way, but is strong and lasting, and is very cheap.
Rope of all sizes is made of bark fibre, beautifully laid, a 9-inch hawser 42 fathoms in length costing equal to £3 sterling.
Each Aino canoe is fashioned out of one log of timber, generally elm; two men will fashion one out in five days: these are canoes for river work; those used on the sea coast have the bottom dug out, the sides laced on, and the prow and stern laced together with bark fibre.
The river canoes are most skilfully managed with either pole or puddle by the Ainos. The Japanese caunot manage a canoe properly.
Urap’ to Oshamambei, distance fifteen miles. Crossed the Urap’ river by ferry boat and followed the beach, observed an old embankment about three miles long and parallel to the sea, inside was a large, flat stretch of land intersected by several artificial drains; this place had the appearance of having been at one time under cultivation.
Five miles from Urap’ reached the Aino village of Kumai; here the bluffs retire from the beach, and the land seems to be gaining upon the sea, from this to Oshamambei the hills gradually become small and the plain is intersected by many small streams. Some small garden patches were under cultivation.
The sand hills that fringe the bay are covered with dwarf rose bushes, the flower, large single damask, and very highly scented. The natives eat the seeds of which they collect large quantities.
Near Oshamambei two or three Aino families were observed hauling a seine, men, women and children all assisted. The take consisted of young mackerel, sprats, halibut and plaice. Some of the latter bad orange colored bellies and dark rough backs. We took some of the fish and had great difficulty in inducing the Ainos to accept payment.
The boats employed in the herring fisheries are large and well built, some of them pull as many as twenty oars.
Oshamambei is a good-sized but straggling village. A lagoon divides it from the fishing station, where are situated the store houses, look out station and the Aino settlement. The lagoon is fordable and is formed by the bar of a river that here flows into the bay.
Oshamambei via Kura Matsunai to Ota-shutz situated on the west coast of Yeso, distance 25 miles.
A very bad bridle path leads in a N. W. direction through the forest with partial clearings, the path here winds up and down the sides of a succession of straggling hills. Seven miles from Oshamambei and at an elevation of 110 feet, crossed a rapid stream also a ridge (elevation 275 feet) and reached the top of the pass, (elevation 360 feet) from thence over very hilly country with a gradual descent to Kuro Matsunai, situated in a narrow valley through which flows a fine stream said to contain plenty of sea trout and salmon. This stream reaches the sea near Shutzu (west coast).
The bridle path up to this point is very bad, traversing much swamp, heavy forest and dense underwood; in places there are stretches of corduroy but in wretched condition. This path would be impassable in bad weather.
In this forest, the oak, beech and elm are very fine,—maple, ash, silver birch, and alder-fari; larkspur and large orange lilies were in blossom.
The soil is a dark loam in the bottoms and light reddish earth on the hills. Passed several huts surrounded by cultivated patches, the occupants of which did not appear to be very happy. They had planted daikon, buckwheat, Indian corn, potatoes, onions, runners and some flowers. The crows damage the crops very much unless they are protected by netting. The cultivators are Government settlers from Matsumai district.
From Kuro Matsunai the path followed the banks of the river, crossing fords in three places; finally the path keeps the right bank until it opens into a plain bordered by ranges of hills, spurs from which project into the sea and form a fine bay on the shores of which are situated the villages of Ota-Shutz and Shutz.
The bridle path across the plain to Ota-shutz is bordered by straggling huts and patch cultivation, mostly vegetables.
The forest on the plain and on some of the slopes had been recently fired, which gave the country rather an appearance of desolation.
Ota-Shutz contains about 600 houses, the population is entirely Japanese. There were anchored off the town one foreign-built barque and seventeen sea-going junks.
The population appeared to be all engaged in the cutting and preparation of seaweed for export.
A large colony of crows were seated on a sand bank taking the evening air. They looked very absurd as they kept their bills wide open and all faced head to wind.
Shutz, situated on the opposite side of the bay, appeared to be a long straggling village off which were anchored 25 Junks. Ota-Shutz to Isoya distance 6 miles.
The bridle-road leads along the beach which is thickly lined with cottages, fish houses, seaweed, sheds, &c., &c.
The coast is formed of conglomerate, scoria, and volvanic ash; a bold headland bears N. N. W.
A fork with long wooden prongs is used for catching or entangling the seaweed, boat loads of which were being landed and spread out on the beach to dry.
The weed here is said to be of finer quantity than that gathered in Volcano bay. It is certainly much smaller, as here it does not exceed four feet in length, while that in Volcano bay measures 18 or 20 feet.
Observed some women preparing wild hemp.
Sea slug is caught here, it is smoke-dried and exported.
At Isoya is a picturesque islet on which is built a small temple held in great veneration by the fishermen; the islet is connected with the shore by a long bridge of many spans, built in the usual Japanese fashion.
Three quarters of a mile further on, at village called Shima kotan, we embarked in a ferry boat for Iwanai, distant 15 miles, so as to avoid travelling by the road which leads over some very bad mountain passes.
Soon after starting in the boat we rounded a small headland and opened the mouth of a river in which lay 8 junks at anchor, and came in view of a small village on the left bank, then passed a long stretch of sandy beach, and a fine rugged headland, basaltic in character and interspersed with layers of scoria, the summit of which was thickly covered with wood. For the next 6 miles the cliffs presented the most picturesque outlines, and there was herbage and timber on every possible ledge. Some of the gorges opening towards the sea were lovely, and from them miniature cascades poured over the cliffs.
After passing an overhanging cliff named the “Cliff of the Falling Sword,” the coast changed in character, and a gradual slope extended from the shore to the foot of the hills, which gradually retreated from the sea. This slope was clear land and it was apparently covered with short grass; the roofs of Iwanai appeared, and the masts of some 29 large junks shewed over the low spit of land forming one side of the harbor. Soon after we entered the roadstead and moored.
The town is large and straggling and the population are all engaged in the fisheries. The bay is not well sheltered and is open to the N. and E.
Iwanai to Komomi coal mine, distance about 10 miles by bridle path along the beach for some distance, then across a ferry and over low hills dipping into a small valley where there is a very pretty junk harbour, which is sheltered by high rocks, also a few houses and patches of cultivation. The place is called Chatzu and is not far from Komomi which is situated at the foot of a large valley at the head of which are the coal mines.
Iwanai to Yoitchi, distance 35 miles by bridle road over several ranges of mountains. The highest point attained by the road is 1,100 feet above the sea. The country is entirely covered with forest, but the soil appeared to be very poor and rocky. There are magnificent walnut, oak, elm, Yodo (fir), ash and maple trees. Many streams intersect the ravines and valleys (several were forded) and the bottoms are full of swamps and very thick bamboo brush. The road was planked in parts, but in some parts was very bad indeed.
Only fourteen huts with small clearings were passed along the whole route.
Near Yoitchi and for a distance of some 312 miles, the whole forest had been fired, most probably by the wood-cutters so as to facilitate their proceedings. The soil on the hills is but five or six inches in depth and rested on coarse sandstone. Larkspur was in bloom and hart’s tongue ferns were seen in abundance.
Yoitchi is a town of considerable size and is situated on the shores of a very open bay. The honjin is separated from the town by a projecting spar of rock through which a passage is cut.
Yoitchi to Otaronai, distance 15 miles by bridle road.
The river is crossed outside the town by ferry boat. The road winds up to the summit of the sea bluffs some 200 feet in height. Soon after a curious pinnacle rock is observed called “Rosoku iwa” (candle rock) bearing about 14 miles N. of Yoitchi. Then is reached a very pretty junk harbour and village called O-shuro, slightly open to the W. N. W. 9 Junks were moored here and one that had been anchored off Yoitchi (an open anchorage) made sail and stood out into the offing, in consequence of a north-easter and a heavy sea setting in, and bore up for Oshuro. There are three pinnacle rocks, above water in the harbour, and none others. The depth of water at the entrance is 53 feet, inside 24 feet and 20 feet close to the end shore.
From Oshuro the road soon turns inland and crosses the headland which forms the south side of the bay of Ishikari where Otaronai is situated.
The road leads over hills, denuded of timber but covered with short grass. At the highest point there is a fine view of the bay with Otaronai nestling in the most southern corner of it. To the N. W. stretches the great plain of Satsporo. The mouth of the Ishikari river is also visible while on the northern side of the bay are the high mountain ranges above Atsta.
The hills in the vicinity of Otaronai are entirely denuded of timber, and it was said that the roots had been dug out and burnt so as to prevent regrowth.
Otaronai is a thriving town and much building is going on. A swift running stream is conducted through two of the principal streets that are at right angles to the beach. There are numerous large stores where are kept depots of fishing gear fur the Ishikari fisheries; and where fish-manure, oil, seaweed and sea-slug are prepared for export: the trade in these articles is said to be large.
There is a small Lighthouse from whence is exhibited a Harbour Light. The officials seemed numerous, and the Government buildings are large and comfortable in appearance.
A fair quantity of vegetables are grown on the lower slopes of the hills at the back of the town where also a few Ainos reside.
Otaronai to Satsporo viâ Zeni-baco, distance 23 miles.
The road runs along the shore, in some places overhung by high cliffs of basalt or conglomerate. In one place a short tunnel has been cut through a projecting rock.
The cliff scenery is very fine, bold and wild. Marks of blasting were visible on the huge masses of rock that had fallen from the cliffs above.
The village of Zenibaco is situated on the sea shore nestling under some fine steep hills that are well wooded.
From Zeni baco, the road soon reaches the edge of the great Satsporo plain, over which it winds; this is a dirt road some twenty feet in width, fairly made and well settled all the way to Satsporo.
The country here changes in character. The dense woods and scrub give way to the most lovely park like land, clumps of fine oak, elm, ash and walnut diversify the plain, which is covered with a luxuriant growth of pasture some four or five feet in height. This scenery extends for tens of miles over this lovely plain in the centre of which is situated the new capital Satsporo.
The Ishi-kari River, Yezo, 1873.
The Ishi-kari River rises amongst a range of mountains (the highest of which is called Ishi-kari yama and is situated in about 40° 40′ N. and 143° 20′ E.) and flowing through a fine plain called “Kami Kawa,” reaches the gorge of Kamoyé Kotan through which it rushes into a second plain on which Sapora (Satsporo) is situated; winding through this it finally reaches the sea in the Bay of Ishi-kari on the N. W. coast of Yeso.
The length of the river is about 112 ri=280 miles.
For the first 30 miles the river flows with great rapidity through a series of basaltic gorges, the walls of which are often perpendicular and sometimes of considerable altitude. The river bed consists of boulders of large size which, forming a succession of barriers, cause numerous rapids which render the river unnavigable even for Aino canoes. The Ru-bes-pie, a considerable stream, here joins the Ishi-kari and this increase of volume gives sufficient water to carry a canoe over the rapids which are very numerous and troublesome. The country is heavily timbered, oak, ash, birch, poplar, silver birch and alder abound: the river side is generally fringed with alder or silver birch. For the next fifteen miles the country becomes more open, the hill sides are in places covered with plume grass where not timbered, large patches of walnut appear, and small plains well grassed with good black soil having a subsoil of gravel. Wild grape, hops, asparagus, &c. abound.
The river winds very much and divides in places forming many islets, and shingle banks. The current is very rapid, varying from 12 to 18 miles an hour. There is a fine basaltic cliff on the right bank which shoots up some 300 feet, and is capped by forest, principally yodo or tondo, a sort of white fir; at the base there is much wood where the river does not sweep the rock. For the next twenty miles the width of the stream is about fifty feet, and seven feet deep; in the channel, on the left a fine basaltic hill turns the river at a right angle. This hill timbered at the base and shewing the columnar basalt above, capped as it is by fine yodo trees, presents a grand appearance. Another twenty miles and U-petsū is reached, the river is here very rapid and inclined to split up into several streams, and has much drift-wood of very large size, some of twenty feet girth and sixty feet in length, of the kind named sinkee. The large piles of drift-wood soon change the river bed. Sixty-three rapids are passed and the river has now fairly entered the plain of Kami-kawa through which it winds. This plain is some forty or fifty miles in length by twenty miles in breadth. Bounded on three sides by forest clad mountain ranges, and watered by many streams, this rich alluvial plain when viewed from the summit of the hills, presents a fine appearance. Long stretches of prairie grass relieved by clumps of walnut, oak, elm, &c., or dotted with single trees, and between these stretches of grass are fine belts of full grown hard-wood, free of underwood, and the resort of large herds of deer; whilst the banks of the streams, clothed as they are with willows, can be traced in their wanderings for many miles. In the autumn the golden yellow of the ripened grass, the varied tints of the foliage in the plain and the sparkle of the waters, all combine to produce a glowing picture which is framed in the russet and purple tints of the surrounding mountain ranges. Above is a sky of azure, the sun is brilliant and warm, and the stillness is only broken by the murmur of some distant rapid. 93 Ainos are the sole population of this plain, thousands of deer graze in its rich pastures, while bears and wolves, besides smaller game, prowl almost undisturbed. U-petzū is about 85 miles from the source of the river and consists of 4 Aino huts; 19 huts are scattered between this place and Kami kawa which is 15 miles distant, total 23 huts and 93 persons.
The Ainos have constructed fish traps which extend across the main river and also close the various tributaries. These traps are made of stakes and fascine work in the form of an arrowhead, the point up stream, and at the apex is a large cage with a platform on top. The fish enter the cage and are then speared by men stationed on the platform.
Fortunately for the salmon the freshets bring down driftwood which soon tears a passage through the barriers and puts a stop to the fishing for a day or two, and salmon in the upper waters move up mostly during freshets, as only then do they find water enough to take them over the difficult rapids.
Kami kawa consists of a godown 15ft. by 9, built 14 years ago by the Governor of Matsumai, one ruined Japanese hut and 3 or 4 Aino huts which are in the vicinity The godown originally stood on the bank of a river, but the river has made a new channel and the dry bed of the old one is now covered with a three years growth of osiers. In the godown, Government keeps a stock of tools and implements for trade purposes.
In the next 18 miles the river leaves the plain and enters the mountain gorge which terminates in Camoyi Gotan (or Cotan). Entering the gorge the stream increases in rapidity, and after traversing a distance of about four miles canoes are turned into a still pool situated above a fall about 412 feet high, here the canoes are unloaded and the ladings have to be carried a distance of 4 or 412 miles down the gorge to Camoyi Cotan (abode of the gods).
The path is wild and rugged, it is on the left bank of the river which foams amongst the rocks below. The canoes, now empty, are well manned and, after an offering to the river god they proceed to shoot the fall and then a wild and continuous rapid.
The distance, about 4 miles, is done in a few minutes and the canoes float on the still waters of gloomy Camoyi Cotan. The walls of rock and large boulders in the gorge are polished like marble, there is much serpentine, green stone, and schistose rock; above towers the oak ash, walnut, and todo, also the graceful silver birch and the maple.
The drift-wood in the gorge shewed that the spring floods reach a height of 27 or 30 feet.
Camoyi Cotan is a deep and sombre pool whose surface is only broken by eddies and swirls suggestive of a deep and rugged bottom. Walls of rock hem it in and these are of weird and fantastic form. The strata are in some places thrown up into a vertical position, in others they are wavy. Proceeding to the end of the pool the channel turns sharp to the right and, after descending two or three small rapids at 50 miles from Camoyi Cotan the river reaches the great Satspora plain and from thence it is navigable, by vessels of light draught, to the sea, distant about 100 miles (by water). At this point the Ishi-kari, much increased in volume, becomes a broad and placid stream which slowly meanders a very serpentine course, through the rich alluvium of the plain: many tributaries add their waters to it until at the mouth of the Shinoro river and 1212 miles from the sea, the Ishi-kari has attained a width of 250 yards and a depth of five fathoms, here the current does not exceed 212 miles per hour.
The total number of rapids on the upper waters is seventy-eight.
From Shinoro river to the mouth of the Ishi-kari is about 1212 miles. The river maintains a width of at least 250 yards and the depth in the channel is between three and seven fathoms. There is twelve feet on the bar and the result of 24 days observation shewed a mean of five inches rise and fall of tide. Ishi-kari town is situated at the mouth of the river on the left bank; here ships could load from stages erected on the bank as there is four or five fathoms of water close to the shore.
From Camoyi Cotan to the sea the river banks rarely exceed twenty feet in height, the general average being fifteen feet. The slopes are usually covered with short grass and on top is a continuous fringe of willows, rising in places to the dignity of trees in other places mere saplings.
The willows were very useful in estimating the age of the different portions of the banks, as no sooner does any change take place than up shoots a fresh crop of willows. The driftwood lodged in their branches gave the height of the river during floods. The timber varies very much both in size and quality, but large quantities of fine oak, ash, chestnut, walnut, elm and several other hard woods, exist in the vicinity of the river and its tributaries. The best timber is generally to be found in the narrow belts of wood that border the large stretches of prairie grass.
The climate of this portion of Yezo can compare favorably with some of the great grain producing states in America.
The Ishi-kari watershed is naturally divided into two portions by the range of mountains containing the gorge Camoyi Cotan. It is stated that in the upper portion the climate is colder in winter and warmer in summer than in the lower portion, and that this difference is due principally to the fact of the lower plain opening on to the sea coast, whereas the upper plain is surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides and it is more removed from the sea.
The spring generally commences early in April, and in some two or three weeks the winter snows have melted—the rivers are in high flood—and even some portion of the plains are under water.
The upper Ishi-kari when in flood rises some nine or ten feet, in the gorge some twenty-seven or thirty feet; below the gorge it drops down to a rise of nine or ten feet, which increases at the great bend forty-five miles above Shinoro to a height of eighteen or twenty feet; at Shinoro the drift shewed twelve or fourteen feet rise.
It takes about three weeks for the waters to drain off, May, June, July and August are fine months. In upper Ishi-kari, this year, the first snow appeared on the hills on the 1st September, but there was no frost until the 4th October. In lower Ishi-kari (Satsporo) the snow first appeared on the hills on the 3rd October, and the first frost on the 5th. Snow falls heavily in November and December, and remains during the winter months. From four to seven feet is the depth of the snow-fall.
The total number of Ainos on the Ishi-kari is 246.
Besides the vast quantity of timber, there are found wild hemp, hops, grapes, millet, asparagus, celery, mint, mushrooms, &c. Winter wheat has been grown with great success, as also have buck-wheat, millet, maize, potatoes, beans, peas and a large variety of vegetable and root crops. The finest and most valuable product is the Japanese hemp (asa). Its long staple, fine fibre and silken sheen, will always command attention if produced in large quantities.
There is every facility for the production of immense crops of this article, plenty of new clean land, of water for preparing, packing, &c., and for transport to the coast; little manual labour is required and very little machinery. Its cultivation on a small scale is already understood, and if developed with a view to foreign export it would bid fair to become as important a speciality as either tea, silk or silk-worms’ eggs; then, in the event of the land sickening the crop can be varied by sowing wheat or barley.
Wheaten flour similar to the sample produced this year in Satsporo would equal in value the best imported flour.
Hills containing large beds of coal approach within three miles of the left bank of the Ishikari where the Sora-choi or Soratz river flows into the former. The junction is about 91 miles above Shinoro by river, and by land 30 miles distant from Satsporo.
Hills (probably part of the same group) containing large beds of coal are traversed by the Horo-mai or “Ikusa-bets” which flows into the Ishi-kari about thirty miles above Shinoro and on the same side as the Soratz. The gullies in the hills, through which these streams flow, shew sections of coal beds many feet in thickness. The analysis attached, if correct, shows a valuable coal especially as surface coal was used by the analyst. During the floods the coal is washed down into the the Ishikari and can be picked up on any of the shingle banks below the mouth of the Soratz.
Syenite, slate, greenstone, coal, lignite, quartz, sandstone, limestone, schist, scoria, &c., were found amongst the shingle banks of the Ishi-kari. Of woods there are thirty-three kinds that are already known; the oak, walnut, ash and elm, are the most important.
Satsporo (or Saporo), the new capital of Yezo, is situated on the south side of the extensive plain from which it takes its name. The Ishi-kari bears North, distant 8 miles, but distant 12 miles by road and 15 miles by water. The Shinoro and Barato rivers afford water communication with the Ishi-kari, as also does the To-ho-bira.
Laid out on the plan of an American city, the wide streets are placed at right angles to each other, and when lined by the Japanese houses and shops, present a very meagre appearance; while the detached frame houses, painted in discordant colors, which dot another section of the plain, (the official quarter) show little taste on the part of the authorities. On the south side of the town is a large two storied building surmounted by a cupola and flag staff. This is called the Capitol or Government House, it is to cost when completed $100,000.
The painters were engaged in decorating the outside of this building with such a variety of colours that their former efforts on the frame houses were thrown quite into the shade.
Water has been diverted from the To-ho-bira river and led in a small canal down the centre of the main street, a portion of this water is taken to supply the large timber floats and the mill; these are situated on the North side of the town.
The mill is driven by a large turbine of 68 H.P. and contains machinery capable of turning out 10,000 feet of lumber and 40,000 shingles per day besides quartering, morticing, &c. There is also a one pair corn mill complete; near the mill is a portable steam engine employed to drive a circular saw. The principal wood used is the yodo or tondo (white fir) and the Yezo matsu (pine) but large quantities of hard wood logs were in the floats. The yodo or tondo grows on the adjacent hills.
Near the mill are long ranges of Government godowns and also many residences of officials.
On the South side near the Capitol is a pretty two-storied villa built in a semi-European style, this is intended for a Court of Justice.
It is stated that the present population of Satsporo is about 3,000 besides which there are many small villages scattered over the plain. The settlers are very clannish; there are “Sendai” villages, “Nambu” villages, &c.
The Satsporo market seems well supplied with fish, venison and vegetables. The shops are very poor; a large Yoshiwara exists at the East end of the town.
The Government model Farm has proved that the soil is highly productive, the climate favorable, and that Japanese hemp and cereals of fine quality can be grown in large quantities.
It is a pleayent change from Satsporo, with its army of officials to Ishi-kari town with its thriving, hard working population. Ishi-kari contains 374 houses and 1682 of population. It possesses a Hospital and owns 33 horses, 18 mares, one sea going junk, 72 launches and 83 sampans. In the year 1872 the salmon caught amounted to 37,481, sokus plus 8 fish; 1 soku=20 fish total fish 749,628, they average when cured 6 lbs. (Jap.) in weight equal to 8 lbs. English. 45 Ainos and 67 Japanese seines were used in the fisheries.
The Government tax is twenty-five per cent. paid in kind. The Ainos pay no tax. The owner of a river station is supposed to clear $300 to $500 in a saason.
The Japanese fishermen employed on the fisheries get $30 for the season which extends over the mouths of October, November and December; many Ainos are also employed.
In August and September the fish masters are employed in preparing for the coming season. The river is marked off into stations for both Japanese and Ainos. The Japanese then clear their stations of driftwood and with snag boats they raise the snags and tow them out of the way. The banks have to be cleared and prepared so as to facilitate the hauling of the seines. Ranges of sheds are put up and heavily thatched, stores of salt, rice, fishing gear, &c., are collected, and all these preparations are completed by the end of September. Soon after the arrival of the salmon is reported from the coast fishing stations, and in a few days they commence passing up the river on their way to the spawning beds in the upper waters. On the Ishi-kari, each station has two nets and two boats, and crews always at work from dawn until dark. A seine having been shot the upper end is made fast to a post in the bank and the lower end, or rather the rope attached to it, is passed around a capstan which is manned by the boat’s crew that have shot the seine; the current assists in setting the net into the bank, along which it lies forming a long trough which contains the fish taken, the men then leave the capstan and work the net by hand, turning the take into a fish-boat which carries them to the stage used for landing and cleaning the fish. As soon as the first seine is half hauled the second one is shot outside of the first one, and hauled in its turn. When the fish are secured the boat’s crew pick up the seine into the boat, and again shoot it; by this method of working there is no time lost, and a wholesome rivalry exists between the crews; in fact the scene is most exciting as the men sing in wild chorus, when shooting and also while they are running round the capstan. Then comes the leaping and plunging of the captive fish, the wild chorus is changed into yells and shouts, the fish master grows excited and objurgates freely, the culmination being when they dash in and seize the fish by their tails, slinging them into the fish boat where they flap and flop, dance and gape and make a pretty splashing. The man in charge of the boat now poles her to the landing stage, which projects over the river, is guarded by old pieces of net, and slopes in shore; he throws the fish on the stage, they flap down the slope and are seized by the cleaners—two dexterous cuts with a sharp knife and out drop the gills, a slit up the belly, two cuts inside, and out drop the whole of the contents, when behold the fish is cleaned and is ready for the curers.
The fish roe is now taken and placed in a bucket, which, when filled, will be carefully taken into the curing sheds, the roe placed in clean mats on wicker shelves and then well salted. Salmon roe is considered a great delicacy by Japanese epicures, and it accordingly fetches a high price.
The fish are carried from the stage into the shed; each fish is placed in the salter’s basket; he throws three handfuls of salt inside, then dusts the outside with salt and throws it on the stack where the fish are placed in layers, on the completion of each layer, it is heavily dredged with salt, one picul (13312 lbs.) of which is used for every 40 or 45 fish. A stack complete generally contains 10,000 fish. After some time, the fish having been sufficiently cured, the stacks are unpacked and the fish hung up to dry: when dry they are ready for export.
The livers contain much oil, but they are not utilised.
The estimated value of each fish cured is five cents, the cost of one picul of salt is two boos=50 cents, all the fishing gear &c. is brought up from the southern ports, mostly from Ôzaka and Yedo.
The fish merchants of these two cities have by their enterprise developed the fisheries of the Island of Yezo, and great rivalry exists between the fish merchants of each port.
The fish caught and cured in the Ishi-kari district are shipped direct from the Ishi-kari river.
At At-sta which is the next district, north of the Ishi-kari, the salmon fisheries are on the sea coast. Here they use very large seines, some of which are 4,000 feet in length. One pair of these each making three hauls will sometimes catch 20,000 salmon in one day.
All the fish taken on the coast are bright fish. Two or three days after they enter the river the scales commence to lose their metallic lustre. This is followed by large patches of discoloration, at the same time, the jaws become inflamed and teeth commence to grow. The hump also begins to form on the back of the male fish, in fact, after being some twenty days in fresh water they have very much changed in appearance, and also in value. The spent fish are almost bloodless, and when on their way down to the sea, they are utterly exhausted. Large numbers of dead spent fish are left on the shingle banks after every freshet to the manifest delight of myriads of crows who do the work of scavengers on the river’s bank.
| Analysis of | Ikusibets Coal. | Soratz Coal. | ||||
|
3.2. | 4.0 | 2.4. | 2.8 | ||
|
34.6. | 32.0 | 36.8. | 34.8 | ||
|
59.6. | 61.4 | 58.0. | 59.4 | ||
|
2.6. | 2.6 | 2.8. | 3.0 | ||
| 100.0. 100.0 | 100.0. 100.0 | |||||
I will now conclude this description of the Ishi-kari River and its resources, with a few observations on the large stretches of clear grass land that exist both in the upper and lower plains through which the river flows.
At present they are uncultivated and are consequently valueless to mankind. Hundreds of thousands of acres lying idle within five days steam of Yokohama!
Were but 30,000 acres cropped with Japanese hemp, (Asa) and the produce exported, how much it would be to the advantage of all concerned the following will shew;
30,000 acres of Hemp=8,533 tons net. Taken at same value as Manila laid down in London viz: £31 per ton represents the sum of £264,523. Sterling—with $ @ 4/ $1,322,615.
But I believe the Japanese hemp would command a far higher price as a material to be used in silk mixtures.
I will now quote the present market price of this commodity in Yokohama.
Muster No. 1 $38 per picul £137.5.6 per ton.
Muster No. 3 $23 per picul £83.1.9 per ton.
8533 tons at £137.5.6.=£1,171,367.11.6.
8533 tonsDo. at £83.1.9.=£708,239.0.0.
An absurdly high price.
Satsporo to Shin-Mororan via New Road.
The new road from Satsporo to Shin-Mororan viâ Chi-stosi, To-ma-co-my, Shiraoy and Horo-bets about 86 miles.
Soon after leaving Satsporo the road winds up some well timbered hills. The escarps have been cut into the underlying pumice, which material is used to cover the road, the drains and culverts are generally revetted with fascine or hurdle work and the bridges are constructed of rough timber.
The road is kept well on the crest of the hills so as to avoid bridge making, and at last dips into the valley in which Chi Stosi is situated, distance from Satsporo 25 miles.
There is a very large honjin at Chi Stosi, from thence to To-ma-co-my a distance of 17 miles, the road for one half the distance leads over a swampy plain; the subsoil is still pumice.
To-ma-co-my is situated on the sea shore on the Kast coast of Yeso. There is a large honjin, and close by is the fishing station. Here they catch fish something like a sardine and also herrings which are boiled down, the oil extracted and the residue, dried packed and exported for manure.
The fish are caught in the months of March and April and in October and November. In a good year they produce 7,000 kokus of manure and 150 large tubs of oil at this station.
The Government tax is ten per cent in money.
For the next seventeen miles the road runs parallel to coast line and on a dead level, here the coast has gained land to a great extent at some very recent period. The old beach, cliffs, headlands and bays are distinctly visible, in some places they are now two or three miles from the sea. This new formation appears to consist of an enormous bed of pumice, this is covered by a thin skin of vegetable mould the result I should think of about twenty-five years’ vegetation.
This deposit of pumice may be divided into three parts. 1st, that which fell in Situ during the eruption. 2nd, that washed off the hills and out of the valleys. 3rd, that carried thither by the waves of the sea. The maximum depth to which pumice fell during the last eruption in this section of the Island was about three feet 6 inches. A very good section of this fall may be seen on the banks of the river at Shira-oy which is a fishing station on the same coast as To-ma co-my from which it is 17 miles distant; the perpendicular bank of the river shews this white band of pumice with a few inches of black earth on top and several feet of black sea sand below. In the twilight it appeared as though the river bank was topped with a plastered yashiki fence.
Shira-oy is a large well to do station. The whole station is the property of a blooming widow of about 55 named Marumata. It was stated that there were besides the honjin and fish houses, 20 Japanese houses (7 of which were grog-shops) and 240 Aino dwellings, the latter were very neatly built and thatched.
The population is, Japanese 103, Ainos 260 men, 180 women. There is no cultivation whatever; fish oil and manure are produced in large quantities. Government tax is ten per cent., 8 large boats and 23 canoes belong to the station. Salt was valued at 114 rios per picul. Rice at 212 rios. Freight per junk to Yedo or vice versâ is paid in kind and amounts to one-fifth of the cargo.
From Shira-oy to Horo-bets, distance about 1334 miles. Just outside the station a long bridge spans the river. Further on forded two rivers where the bridges had been washed away, and ferried over another where they have not yet built a bridge. The bridges are a fair sample of Japanese Government contract work (i. e. bad work). The road leads over two hills and then down again into the level plain bordering on the sea. The escarpment down the last hill shews a layer of igneous rock overlying huge beds of pumice.
This portion of the road also shews that the Japanese have yet to learn how necessary it is to keep a road in repair. Here the drains were choked and the water had torn up the road in many places to such an extent as to render it impassable for wheeled vehicles.
Since reaching the coast I have observed that all the streams on nearing the beach turn south and run for some distance parallel to it before they discharge into the sea. This denotes that there prevails a current along this part of the coast setting to the southward. Passed several large fishing stations with Aino hunts contiguous. These appeared to be of a better class and more comfortable than those in the interior. The Aino children, also, were more numerous and well clad in bark cloth and skins.
At one station observed the process of launching the large boats used for shooting the seines in the sardine fishery. There was much surf on the beach. Twelve rowers sat in the boat which was placed on rollers on the crest of the beach, the nets stowed in the waist and aft. Some twenty men then caught hold of the boat and waiting for a favorable opportunity they launched her down the slope at a run, pushed her into the surf, the rowers immediately pulled hard and a few vigorous strokes took them outside the broken water.
In some places the beach was covered for long distances with thousands of mats on which the fish manure is spread to dry. Aino women armed with bows and blunted arrows kept watch and ward over the manure to prevent the dogs from purloining it.
There are forty Aino and fourteen Japanese houses in Horobets and the population is stated to be, Ainos about 300. Japanese about 100.
300 Kokus of salmon were caught here in 1872; also, 100 kokus of seaweed (kobu) wore exported.
Near here are two hot sulphur springs, and some eight miles distant amongst the hills much native sulphur of fair quality is found.
There are plenty of ponies. They are kept on the hills all through the winter; when wanted Ainos are sent out (mounted) to catch them. Ainos are very expert horsemen and soon turn sufficient to form a drove of some twenty or thirty into one of the mountain paths leading to the corral at the station: down the paths they gallop, and are skilfully headed for the entrance to the corral, into which they are driven. A selection is then made of the number required for work and the remainder are turned back to the hills from whence they came.
Horo-bets to Shin-Mororan, distance 1212 miles. The road leads along the plain parallel to the sea. The upper layer of pumice, before noticed at To-ma-co-my, &c. here thins out and almost ceases about five miles from Horobets.
The soil is light and the plain is covered with good pasture and some clumps of dwarf oak. The hills at back are well wooded. Having passed the plain the road winds up some hills of scoria and pumice, well grassed and timbered; further on is a fortified barrack situated at the junction of the old Mororan road with the new road leading to Shin-Mororan. Soon after the bay (Endermo) on the shores of which Shin-Mororan is built comes into view. The road here is most skilfully led through some very pretty well wooded hills. On the right is an extensive and swampy plain covered with plume grass. Well wooded hills of considerable altitude form the back ground: the road at last descends to the harbour beach and then is carried on the crest of a low range of bluffs on which is built the village of Shin-Mororan (i.e. new Mororan).
The inhabitants were brought over from the old village on the other side of the bay by Government order. 100 riôs was loaned to each head of a family, the Government sold them wood, shingles, &c., and the result is a village of some sixty Japanese houses, ten Aino huts and a gross population of 255 persons.
The new road ends here, distance from Satsporo 85 or 86 miles.
It is necessary to take ship for Mori, situated on the opposite side of volcano bay and distant some 25 miles. Having reached Mori (often a work of difficulty) another section of the roads extends from thence to Hakodate viâ Sigo-nope distance about 30 miles, which section has already been described.