The
town is then abandoned not only by the visitors to the baths, but
also by most of the other inhabitants. Already, at the time of our
visit, the number of bathers remaining was only inconsiderable. Even
these were preparing to depart. During the second night that we
passed at Kusatsu, our night's rest was disturbed by a loud noise
from the next room. It was a visitor who was to leave the place the
following morning, and who now celebrated his recovery with _saki_
(rice-brandy) and string music.

The environs of Kusatsu are nearly uncultivated, though the
vegetation is exceedingly luxuriant. It consists partly of bamboo
thickets, partly of a high rich grass, above which rise solitary
pines, mixed with a few oaks or chestnuts.

On the 3rd October we continued our journey to the foot of
Asamayama. The road was very bad, so that even the _kago_ bearers
had difficulty in getting along. It first ran across two valleys
more than 300 feet deep, occupied with close, luxuriant, bushy
thickets. We then came to an elevated plain of great extent covered
with unmown grass, studded with beautiful oaks and chestnuts. The
plain was not turned to any account, though thousands of the
industrious population could find an abundant living there by
tending cattle. Farther up the oaks and chestnuts were mixed with a
few birches, resembling those at home, and we came next to complete
deserts, where the ground consisted of lava blocks and lava gravel,
scarcely covered by any grass, and yielding nourishment only to
solitary pines. This continued to the place--Rokuriga-hara--where we
were to pass the night, and from which the next day we were to
ascend the summit of Asamayama.

Rokuriga-hara is situated at a height of 1270 metres above the sea.
There was no inn here, nor any place inhabited all the year round,
but only a large open shed. This was divided into two by a passage
in the middle. We settled on one side of this, making our bed as
well as we could on the raised floor, and protecting ourselves from
the night air with coverings which our thoughtful host at Kusatsu
had lent us. On the other side of the passage our _kago_ bearers and
guide passed the night crowding round a log fire made on a stone
foundation in the middle of the floor. The _kago_ bearers were
protected from the very perceptible night cold only by thin cotton
blouses. In order to warm them I ordered an abundant distribution of
_saki_, a piece of generosity that did not