土佐中浜万次郎漂流記 - 翻刻

翻刻

　相替不申候由
一季候之事至而暑気強く六七月は凌兼候程有
　之候へとも高山故絶頂には雪相見得候不順之場所に
　而煩候もの多く有之候由
一産業は砂金掘出し候迄にて外に産業無之所々ゟ
　集り来り砂金勝手に堀取候得共一場所ツヽ請持
　に致候に付自分にて宜敷場所見出候得は余人へは猥
　に為掘不申掘道具之儀も此所に商ひ居無之外
　之私物を買取候へは高価に有之万次郎義はハア
　へいブンに罷在候内より掘道具買取置右は日本
　鶴之はしの様成品にて先は鉄柄は木にて拵鍬は
　四角にて木之柄を取付有之日本之鍬同様に有之手
　桶は彼国三升入と申鉄輪を入有之ブレツキ細工日
　本箕之様成品共都合代金銭十枚にてヌベツトホヲル
　にて買取持越候間川端に而掘出候砂金は直に川へ持
　参り右箕之様成品をいれ中にて砂をゆり落し
　幾度も撰洗ひ砂金を取候儀に有之候由山中にて湖
　水又は溜り池へ持参り右之通致し砂金有之所は
　大躰金也相なり居三尺より一謙間位迄掘候へは砂金
　出最初は掘出し候分北川宿に而其日々銀銭に引替

現代語訳

変わらなかったという。

一、季候について：非常に暑気が強く、六七月は凌ぎかねるほどであるけれども、高山故に絶頂には雪が見えるという、不順な場所で病気になる者も多くあったという。

一、産業は砂金掘り出しまでで、他に産業はなく、所々から集まって来て砂金を勝手に掘り取るけれども、一場所ずつ請け持ちにするので、自分で良い場所を見出せば他人には猥りに掘らせない。掘道具についても、この所に商いをしている者がおらず、外の私物を買い取れば高価である。万次郎は、ニューヘイブンに滞在している内から掘道具を買い取って置いた。それは日本の鶴の嘴のような品で、先は鉄、柄は木で作り、鍬は四角で木の柄を取り付けてあり、日本の鍬と同様である。手桶は彼国の三升入りというもので鉄輪を入れてあるブリキ細工、日本の箕のような品など、都合代金銭十枚でニューベッドフォードにて買い取って持参したので、川端で掘り出した砂金は直ちに川へ持参り、右の箕のような品を入れ、中で砂を揺り落し、幾度も選り洗いして砂金を取るのであった。山中で湖水又は溜池へ持参り、右の通りにして砂金のある所は大体金気が相成っており、三尺より一間位まで掘れば砂金が出る。最初は掘り出した分を北川宿にてその日々銀銭に引き替え

英語訳

remained unchanged.

1. Regarding the climate: The heat was extremely intense, and June and July were almost unbearable. However, because of the high mountains, snow could be seen on the peaks. It was an irregular place where many people became ill.

1. The only industry was gold mining; there were no other industries. People gathered from various places and freely dug for placer gold, but since each location was held by contract, if one found a good spot for oneself, others were not allowed to dig there carelessly. As for digging tools, there were no merchants in this place, so if one bought from private individuals, the prices were high. Manjiro had bought digging tools while staying in New Haven. They included items like Japanese crane beaks - the tip was iron and the handle was wood. The hoe was square with a wooden handle attached, similar to Japanese hoes. The hand bucket was what they called a three-sho capacity container with iron rings, made of tin work, and items like Japanese winnowing baskets - all together costing ten silver coins, which he bought and brought from New Bedford. The placer gold dug out at the riverside was immediately taken to the river, where the winnowing basket-like tool was used to shake off the sand inside, repeatedly sorting and washing to extract the gold. In the mountains, he would take it to lakes or ponds and do the same. Places with placer gold generally had a golden quality, and if one dug from three feet to about one ken deep, gold would appear. Initially, what was dug out was exchanged for silver coins daily at Kitagawa Inn.