CH.VII. Excursion, Shimose and Hitachi.

  In our subject of engineering it of great importance that we should combine our theoretical knowledge with practice. The theory and practice are like the wings of a bird, however perfect the one may be it cannot be well made use of as both combined.

  It will be rather too expensive and waste of time to do every practical work and experiments for ourselves, in a large scale to see what result we may have, and if we have done them, they will not be so perfect as they have been done by the respective professional men have donw.

  So, we applied and got permission to go out for a short excursion of about three weeks to the country where we may be able to see most interesting works which are existing or which are carried or, or proposed.

  In this expedition we not only to look at the engineering works, but can find the nature of country, the production and the prices of them to help us in getting materials when we come to practise ourselves and may suggest some importants upon the manner of water supply, road-making etc, etc. Consequently we 5th and 4th year civil engineering students with Prof. John Perry started for Shimosa and Hitachi on 2nd July.

  The first thing we have noticed was the water supplu of the rice fields between Nagagawa and Yedogawa (Four rivers). These two rivers are crossed by ferry boats. The latter river is of much importance to inland navigation an the improvement of the river is going on under the direction of Dutch engineer and with the expense of Naimu-sho (Home Office). I shall describe this further on.

  The country round here is flat, almost level withour any hills or elevated ground near about. The water to the rice field is supplied with our common wheel method (called Mizuguruma). The weather this year being very dry, the wate drawn from the rivers are not in many cases sufficiently high for one wheel to lift the water so that two wheels are set at two different levels and the water carried up in the two steps. This requires great deal of labour for the wide trach of country like this and often the water thus got insuficient for the purpose so the rice plants die out.

  if an engine be designed to lift water 5 or 6 feet with efficiency, it will be not only the saving of labour, but will save great deal of rice which is lost from dryness.

  At noon, we arrived at Giutoku. This is one of largest village on the baks of Yedo-gawa about 25 chio from the ferry of Imai and one ri from the mouth of the river, with population of about 20,000. The occupation of the people are farming, fishing, transporting goods in boats, salt manufacturing etc., and frinap of productions are salt and Koniac-dama (root of plant from which article of food obtained).

  The founder or time of establishment of this salt manufactury here is not known. the records of this town were burnt down in the year of Genroku (about 200 years ago).

  When Iyeyasu the first Shogun of Tokugawa traveled here, after he determined his residence who in Yedo, he saw a small establishment of salt manufacturer, he thought he must have salt manufactury near his resident castle town and written his dominion, as the salt come from distant part of country generally (most from Akashi province about 50 Ri west of Ohsaka).

  He laid fut sum of money for the improvement of manugactry, and since he and his descendants gave out, money every year for keeping manufactry, manudacturer gave in salt to the Tokugawa family in return.

  The manufacturer got money until about 20 years ago when the SHogun gave up his offices to Mikado. the process of salt making is that the hama (the ground in which salt is collected) is made quite slat with rakes on this walt water which is drwan through the hama by ditches aprincled over. This is very well dryed by the sun, the sand is collected into baskets, these baskets are put over caks, water is thrown over them the water disolve salt and pase down into the casks below. The solution is taken up to small tower made in the centre of each hama, at the top of the tower, there is a box, from the bottom of the box a pipe leads to the tunk in the house of manufactuere.

  Near the tank here is boiler made of lime from oyster sgell and suspended at many points to the cross beam over it with straw ropes. To this boiler the solution in the tank is put in through a pipe, and boiled with twigs of maty the cristalized part, formed by the evaporation of water, at the top raked out and new solution added until the boiler breaks down.

  The crystalized part after taken out of boiler the Nigari (liguid part of which was taken out along crystalized part) is drawn by keeping of in basket. Then the salt is ready for use.

  The salt is worth 65 sen per Koku (in Tokei it worth 1.5 sen per sho, 1 sho = Koku).

  The are of one division of hama is 12 tan (Tan = 300 tubos sq. ken). At present, the cost of making of new hama of 15 divisions cost about 5000 yen.

  After about 50 years salt ceases to come as the parts become higher and then the hama are turned into rice field and new hama must be made.

  The collecting of salt in this manner depend upon weather for if it rains the salt which is sprincled over the sand washer away as the collection is done in dry hot summer day mostly. This sult manufacury here was very important for Tokugawa family in old days for if the weather rough the Junks can not bring salt from west and will be same in the time of war.

  At present days strong ships and steam navigation introduced there is no fear of our getting out of reach of salt in Tokei.

  We arrived at Funabashi in the evening taking plane table with us from Giotoku.

  This is a town on the way to the temple of Fudo at Narita. The population is about 10,000. The hotel nortes of passagers amounts to 7000 per month. There are nearly all to Narita, a few to Chioshi etc. From Tokei to Narita are made by the expence of parties for Narita.

 The land of these parts must be rising as the number of houses on the sea side increases. Up to here we found as stones, no tile making.

  The water here are generally of common wells of 5 or 6 Ken deep. Artisian well use for the water supply of rice fields. The depth of them are from 12 to 13 ken. In sinking of pillars of Kawasaki bridge they found the water to spring out when they reached the depth of 60 feet. From the artisian wells of other parts, and condition of the sea is appears to one that the bay of Yedo is just a piece of salt water above the basin of fresh water only separated by a sheet of clay. No particular production. Herring fishery carried out to some extent.

Flood observations of Yedo-gawa at Minato-Shinden by officers of Engineering Department of Naimusho commended on 19/6/1872.

Table showing Maximum and Minimum Height of Water at Flood Gauge during each month.

  On every alternate days officers come from Chiba and examined the gauge. In flood seasons which is 8th and 9th month of the years, officers come from Naimusho to observe gauge etc.

  On the morning of 3rd, we all have started together taking plane table with us the production on parts round here is sweet potatoes and wheet etc.

  We passed Narashini-no-Hara where sham fight going on. On the way we have met great number of horses carrying twigs of maty for tile manufactures of Honjo, Fukagawa and Imado, and salt manufacturers of Giotoku from this district. In Ohwada at noon, we have got some imformations about the canal which was tried in the years of Tenmei and Tempo. The first time by Mr. Tanuma and the second time by Mr. Mizuno. They did not scceed though the levels of numa (lake) and Bay of Yedo do not differ much and the height to be cut is not great anywhere, but the ground is very soft and mudy in some places water spring out and destroy the banks.

  At Takadai about the middle part of proposed canal fosail shell are found. At present a Dutchman and surveyors of Chiba ken are taking up the work again as it is of great importance for if this work be finished, every thing from Kasumiga-ura, Kitaura, Chioshi and north which at present send by rough seas roout SHimosa, Kazusa, Awa and then through Kuwanon-zaki to Tokei or through Tonegawa up to Seiyado and down again through Yedo-gawa by small boats can be sent by this short canal. The sea is very rough and distance great, many juks wricked by these H seas and quantity of property destroyed every year.

  We were to pass the canal at about the middle part and then to proceed to Sakura this afternoon. Mr Ishibashi subjected at plan that we should divide ourselves into three parties. Mr Minami in one, and himself in the second and Mr Shibuya, Mr Idzuka, Mr Saiki and I in the third and these three parties to go to Sakura by different ways so that we may see wider part of the country.

  Prof. Perry with Mr Minami's party went to Kencho at Chiba. Second party went directly to the north and of the canal and from there they are to take plane table along the north side of the lake. The third party in which I was took plane table from here, Ohwada, along the proposed canal down to the lake where second party is to begin their survey.

  In these parts along the canal, mud like mass called Keto is found. This Keto can be burnt as a fuel, though the people say it is not good. I think that if the fire place is improved so that air can pass freely the Keto can be used as fuel and be very good.

  The thickness of Keto bed round here 53 shaku. At Hanashima, about 1 ri from Ohwada to South, the thickness of bed inderinable. We, the third party arrived at Hirado-bashi (a bridge at the top of Lake where the canal fo into lake) by the evening. The information we got was that if the canal be cut the water of Naka-Tone (middle part of Tonegawa) and this canal, taken out to Bay of Yedo, the rice fieldby the sides of Tone-gawa where 40,000 Koku of rice produced every year and the lake side will be saved from destructive flood. lake in the evening we went to Sayama, and stayed in the same in with Mr Ishibashi's party at Kanzaki, the distance is 8 chio from Hirado-bashi.

  On 4th, Mr Ishibashi's party went to the north side of the lake. We came back taking plane table with us to Hirado-bashi. This time, we got the table of flood gauge observation and level book of proposed canal along centre lines.

Table of Flood Guage Observation Showing the Maximun and Minimum Hight of Water During each month of the year at Hirado-bashi at the top of Lake Inba.

Heavy north wind water increasing from June & on 1/10/76 Hr was 7.29 at 6 P.M. on same day hight was 7.40 & Ht was constant till 6 P.M. 3/10/76. On Winadashi water level was more than 10 shaku high.

Levelling Book of Proposed Canal Inba Longitudinal Section Through Centre Line.

  The depth to which the sea at the entrance is to be dredged is 5-4 shaku and the uper headth is to be 69 shaku the length 300 ken. The bottom width is to be 10 shaku.

  In these parts there is no stone, they are bright from Chioshi, Iioshoo and Tokei, when wanted. Tiles and bricks can be made as there is good clay in every where. Boats from Shoshi can came very easily all the time except in winter when the level of water in the lake become very low, but the level is very low at this time as it is only 8 sun in two places the total length of that is about one ri and these are soft mud  and it will be very easy to dredge it by machine, but the keeping of the sides will be of some difficulty. The boats is generally 25 shaku long 6 shaku wide and 2 shaku deep. (100 Hio loading).

  In these parts, there are many artesian wells for the water supply of rice fields, the occupation of people rice and sweet potato cultivation, fishing in the lake etc. In sinking wells here the first layer is the bed of common earth about 7 ken thick, then bed of sand about 1 jo thick then sand get courser [coarser] until the depth of 14 ken then the bed of 2 1/2 or 3 shaku thick comes the mixture of gravel and sand, in sinking down about 10 shaku more water will come over sufficiently for the purpose. These wells are pusher down with iron rods and the gravel in sand is taken over with bamboo pole as shown in the sketch.

  While the process is going on water poured into the hole constantly and so the mud or sand come into pipe through the valve and come out from the hole in upper part of the pipe when drawn out of the well and shaken.

  When water begun to come out in sufficient quantity long pipe of bamboo in put in to keep the side of well the well is fit for use. (Where ground soft bamboo is put in while the process is going on).

Rod made of Kashi

From this hole, sand or mud comes out when drown up and skaken.

  In Hoshina-mura, the south side of the lake where there is ferry of Yoshida leads the way to north side of the lake and about 1 ri from Hirado, we found a very old man ( Ito Kieuyemon of Hoshina) who says that the house which is on the ground 7 or 8 shaku above the level of the lake 4 in which he lives was washed up to floor by the flood of Tonegawa, and boards come into his gardens in the front.

  Such flood was four times within last 62 years. This happens when S.E. wind brings heavy rain. Then the mouth of Tonegawa at Choshi choked up by the swell of Pacific Ocean.

  This man says that the working of the canal was taken up by Mr. kajino Tosanokami 35 years ago with the estimation of 340,000 rio but he or rather his officers made some miss in payment, so he was told by shogun's officers to abandon the work. Mr. Suzuki take up the work next year with some estimation but he left off his work as the shoguns resident castle of Yedo burnt down. If this undertaking be successful, Mr. Date (late Daimio of Sendai) was to present sum of 10,000 rio to the officers for the seas of which he sent the production of his dominion to Yedo is so very rough and then were so many wrecks that the said the sea round area Kazusa, Shimosa, and Hitachi must be filled up with my rice by this time.

  This man says also that the land about the lake must be rising for we can see a atone in Hanareshima (meaning of which is isolated island) of Hiraga (the village on the north side of the lake and most projecting part on that side about the middle of the lake). There is an orde cut saying that the storm coming on the sailors are hurying to the harbour of Iba. This harbours Iba is present lake of Inba and the island is a portion of main land at present (In a map not very old there is an island in the lake at Hiraga). This orde is by priest Riogen who lined about 1000 years ago and at that time this lake was one of the three harbours of the east. The lake level become 2 1/2 shaku lower within last 50 years.

  This man's friend Ara-Katy of Usui know lot of thing we may consult him for further information.

  Before entering Usui we find a large dead tree (kusunoki) on the old castle hill of which story told and that story described in Tonegawa Jushi by Akamaty Satow of Fukawa and it is not much use to us so I shall imit.

  In the evening we arrived at Usui. This is a town on Narita Kaido with population over 2000. It is like Funabashi the passagers are all to Narita. This town is on the south side of lake Inba so any thing can be brought by boats.

  No stones in this part of country, they are brought from Tokei (Idzu stones generally), 70 percent of the tiles used here brought from Tokei, though some made here. They are all brought by boats by Yedo-gawa upto Seki-yado and down again by Tonegawa to Kioroshi then through Yedo-Tone to the lake.

  The people of this district want canal very much as they want to send their products to yedo cheeply and get materials they want to in return.

  The water supply of the town is nearly all artesian wells. In the sinking of wells first come a bed of common earth about 6 shaku thick, then 6 or 7 ken of kets.

  Then the misture of earth sand and gravel as the depth gets greater the gravel gets coarser and at 14 Ken's depth there is clay bed under which water comes.

  Farming and fishing are the principal occupations. Tea plantation progressing rapidly some exporter from this town.

  We stopped here Usio this night.

  On the morning of 5th, we went up to the district office of the village, and got the list of export and import and a map of this part of the country.

Exports

12,000 Soku of wook for fuels to Tokei and other parts 12 soku = 1 da = 30 ken me weight.

120 Soku of Matz

24 Soku of Kashi

7,000 Hio of charcoal  5 sen per hio for Matz, 8 sen per hio for others.

500 packs of Kunji to Ohmori 20 sen per pack

5,000 hio of sweet potetoes  11

Imports are sugar, Katzobushi (dried fish very commonly used for food), paper laquar, wares, earthern wares, etc.

  After leaving the office we went upto Ioza (a village about 1 ri south west from this village), where we found fossil shell in compact mass, in some parts shell beds are 4 1/2 feet thick and extend widely. The shells are of salt water onles of very recent period. They are like those Ive see in the Bay of Yedo.

  We come back to Usui again and from where we have stopped last evening we took plane talk along the side of the lake.

  In the lake side there is narrow strip of rice fields by the bottom of low flat hill some parts of the hills are made into corn filed but the greater part is wood land.

  They is a river flowing into the lake at Rakurai. There is no ferry, no bridge, we took plane talk along the river till we came to a bridge in Tamachi where main road to Sakura crosses the river. Along this river by the bottom of castle hill of Sakura a canal may be conviniently cut to Chiba-gawa instead the canal through Hirado and Kenigawa. The people of this district are of oppinion that this canal will be very much better as it is nearer to the end of the lake on Tonegawa side from where the destractive flood come so often.

  By the canal here, the water is drawn to the Bay of Yedo and all the lake side will be saved fromflood, as well as we have convenient communication between Tokei and the North, where as if the canal be made at Hirado, the water must flow al through the lake before it can fo into canal and can flow into the Bay.

  We can not say whether this is right or not until we make our own observations and estimations etc. as the people of this part may reason in that way just for their own convenience. (This is better seen from the new map of 8 provinces of Kuwanto).

  We arrived at Sakura by half past one. We found Prof. Perry's cook there. He says that Prof and Mr. Terauchi had arrived last night, but went out this morning where he does not knows. Some after we have arrived Minami and Sugiyama came in.

  We took luncheon together. In the afternoon, we all except Mr. Sugiyama who stayed behind went to Narita, having nothing to do and not knowing where to find Mr. Perry. On the road to Narita, we found some part of the road graveled and that gravel was brought from Shioshi by land and water a distance more than 20 ri. In the other parts, road in planked. Forests of Fudo's at Narita are well taken cared of. There are large artesian wells and charcoal furnace on the road side. The parts of earth road where Matz trees are on both sides are always good, and where other trees are on both sides are always bad whether the weather be dry or not. No stones as gravel found near here the improvement is inly planking the road. We can get timber sufficiently in this part of country. We may also use shells from the hills where they are found in thick beds, as there are no heavy vihicales on the road. In the evening, we came back to Sakura and found all the parties arrived at. The evening, Prof. Perry gave us Sake and Dinner, we told each other what we have down and heared on the way up to Sakura after we have separated at Ohwada, and discussed what shall we do the next day.

  6th From the disccussion of last evening, we concluded that one party will go on the north side fo the lade and other the south side. The third party is to go in the lake by boat. The weather dampy and few drops of rain begun to fall before we have left the inn. However, our party (Messers Minami, Ishibashi, Fujimura and myself) which is to go by boat in the lake, started. The rain getting heavier the other two parties determined to go all together on the north side of the lake. (This north side is the continuation of the south side which my party took for the first two days, in here the lake bends so that in going along the south side we suddenly turn to the north side of the lake. While we were going to the place where we are to get boat, the rain got heavier and heavier. At Ohsakura, we took luncheon though it were too early while we are waiting for rain to clear up and the boat to get ready. Here wer found shell beds in two thick layers separated by a bed of sand and the upper and lower beds are also sands.

  The shell are just like those at tIoza but the mass is not so compact. At about 11 o'clock, the rain cleared up a little, not able to find a boat for Aziki, we took boat to Kashiwagi where we may find a boat. At Kashiwagi, we found with some difficulties a small boat with two small boys in it. They were to young to work at boat, but we could not get any other boat as we have engaged it. They were trying to amuse themselves all the time, tried to catch fishes in the lake and jumped into the lake three or four times leaving the boat alone.

  We stopped and landed at Hanare -shima of Hirago, which is a hill by the side of the lake at present, to find the stone, on which the Orde of Priest Riogen, is cut. On the hill, the former island trees and bushes grew so thickly that we could scareely penetrate, and the bushes were so wet by the rain that

 (Omitted)

  This is a short account of our expedition to Shimosa and Hitachi. Much better iinformations may be collected from books but the natures of country could not be so well seen and understood on books and maps as we have seen them actually. The practical experience and looking at the fine land left untouched encourages us to improve the country and I think that is really important part of our expedition. We have seen several districts particularly in the north where ground is more hilly, where there are great deal of waste ground which can be converted into excelent farm land or forest. At other places fine trees are left themselves to decay and beautiful stones that may be used for engineering purposes and other through the difficulty of transportation, though in these comparatively flat countries good roads could be made easily.

  The people of these parts neglect to make any improvement upon any thing for they can just get their living and do not see other part of country and people in better conditions them theymselves.

  If good roads are made, and they can come out to principal towns easilt in short time, transportation facilitated their production sold in good profit in towns, then the waste land made useful the people will know how to emply their time and make themselves useful, and the whole nation lead to civilization in that manner, so I hope that our expedition of his will turn out to be of great use for us and the nation in future though it does not look to be much at present.

H.M. Kobayashi.

Kobu Daigakko

Tokei