The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-08-12

Finally, hunger suggested Q cAangD
Of occupation and as luck would have
1t the lwamoto inn was close ct hand.
We found that they serve three grades
OF meals at so sen, one yen and $50
yen. We ordered the medium grade
and were taken at once through q long
descending passage to a pretty room,
probably the lowest in the building,
nestled In an open space upon the
rocky shore, from which one looked
out upon the sea. A lovely cliff with
pines rose on our left; before us and
to the right the bay lay In sunlight;
the waves rippled and dashed upon
the rocky beach only few feet below
us. The surface of the bay was dotted
with fishing-boats, many of which had
their square sails raised; the distant
breaking of the surf upon the shelly
beach was clearly audible. But every
paradise has its discord; here, multi.
tude of ffies-the first we have seen
since coming-troubled us. The meal
Itself was fine, and made Of course of
marine food. There was fish soup.
roast fish, raw fish-in beautiful thin
slicos-clams. The piece de resistance,
however, both theoretically and prac.
ticaliy, was one of the great spiny
shelled snails. Plainly 1t had been
roasted in the oven fire, as the she'll
was hot and blackened on the lower
side; the great operculum fitted the
opening and we expected on lifting It..
to find the solid mass of flesh within;
to our surprise, however.~we discov.
cred that the animal itself had been
taken out, cut to pieces and boiled, re.
placed in the shell and covered over.
But We had still the exploration Of
the island before us. The steep road
soon brought us to a sort of shrine
where an old man forced himself upon
us as our guide. We climbed up
flights of steps and rocky trails. We
saw the temple sacred to Benten with
ancient curios recalling past wars.
Finally, we reached the summit and
followed the crest for some distance
There were still shell-shops, and at
points of outlook, teahouses. From
the first of these we looked down over
fine cliff with pines upon whirling
water. We passed shell-worker
where heaps of shells were being
worked up into trumpets. Resisting
all allurement of shell-shops and tea
houses alike, we finally reached the
very edge of the rocky mass and
started down the steep descent, partly
by steps and in part over the rocky
footpath. We were soon near the
waters edge. The tide was coming in
and the current whirled and swirled
In every direction, striking in fine
foam upon the half covered reefs of
rock. Here and there under rough
shelters were men dressed in coolie
garb, who seemed to have nothing
particular to occupy them. We as.
sumed that they were pilgrims from
the country who had come to visit the
sacred cave. The foothpath passed
from the rocky lodges on to a foot.
bridge, which brought up after turns
and curves into view of the famous
sacred cave. 1t makes fine impress
sion from the slight bridge trail, with
Its altar at the very back of the great
grotto. When we were we'll within
and had taken drink of Benten's
sacred water, we were supplied with
candles and made our way through the
long tunnel-cavern which extended far
into the rock mass. Here in the dark
ness are little shrines to many differ.
ent gods.
On our way back an old man per.
sistently begged to do something for
ten sen. Finally we yielded to his
solicitation and the ten sen were pro.
duced. To our surprise. he proceed.
ed at once to climb down the rocky
slope to the very edge of the still
rising water. In a shallow grctto he
threw off his clothing and prepared
to dive. It really looked perilous
thing to do, as the current was very
strong and constantly dashing over a
jagged ledge of rock. The old rascal,
however, did the feat neatly, and re-.
appearing in moment, with every
evidence of expecting appreciation,
handed us one of the spiny shells with
the living snail within. The suppo.
sition was that he had brought it from
the sea-bottom for our benefit. Cham.
berlain suggests in the hand book
which of course gives us all our in.
formation, that he took 1t with him
when he dived, which seems quite
likely.
1t was getting late; we hastcned to
climb the cliff and the great stairway,
and soon were standing against the
summit of the island. This time we
stopped at the tea house OH the cliff.
1t is well worth while. The preci.
pice is almost vertical ct Its margin.
The rugged mass of rocks over which
the trail passes lies at its foot, and
the little bridge trail clings to the
cliff; at every point where there is a
scant foothold there is q pine tree and
pines browning the edge; the dash.
ing water on the broken rocks far be.
low swirls and whirls as finely as the
whirlpool rapids at Niagara. The sun
/ sti11 chono rpov, tho J,lno .oo -jr,+oh