Page:Occult Japan - Lovell.djvu/237

Rh God to protect her while she was asleep, but that she could look after herself in the daytime.

If the costume seem somewhat destitute of comfort, the mountain itself is not. The traditional ascetics are described, indeed, as having made the ascent on single-toothed clogs, which certainly sounds difficult, and was thought a particularly meritorious thing to do. Its merit lay in thus avoiding crushing stray beetles, it is said. But the mountain knows such rigorous single-mindedness no more. Nowadays the ascent is specially convenienced for the comfort of the pious climbers. Every sacred peak is well ribboned with paths which are all thoughtfully beaded with rest-houses at intervals suited to the weakness of the flesh. A caretaker inhabits each of these hostelries and dispenses tea, cakes, water, and other fare to the exhausted, besides providing futon and such-like necessaries for spending the night. In the season the huts are crowded with pilgrims. Nominally there are always ten of them on every path from base to summit; one at the end of each section into which the path is fictitiously divided. The parts go