[102] ] Chōshi, a town of some importance, is situated at the mouth of the Tonégawa. It is celebrated for its iwashi-fishery. The iwashi is a fish about the size of the sardine, and is sought chiefly for the sake of its oil. Immense quantities of iwashi are taken off the coast. They are boiled to extract the oil; and the dried residue is sent inland to serve as manure.
Hitotsutosé,—
Ichiban buné é tsumi-kondé,
Kawaguchi oshikomu ō-yagoë.
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Futatsutosé,—
Futaba no oki kara Togawa madé
Tsuzuité oshikomu ō-yagoë.
Kono tai-ryō-buné
Mitsutosé,—
Mina ichidō-ni manéki wo agé,
Kayowasé-buné no nigiyakasa
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Yotsutosé,—
Yoru-hiru taitémo taki-amaru,
San-bai itchō no ō-iwashi!
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Itsutsutosé,—
Itsu kité mitémo hoshika-ba ni
Akima sukima wa sarani nai.
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Mutsutoyé,—
Mutsu kara mutsu madé kasu-wari ga
Ō-wari ko-wari dé té ni owaré.
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Nanatsutosé,—
Natakaki Tonégawa ichi-men ni
Kasu-ya abura wo tsumi-okuru
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Yatsutosé,—
Yatébuné no okiai wakashu ga,
Ban-shuku soroété miya-mairi.
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Kokonotsutosé,—
Kono ura mamoru kawa-guchi no
Myōjin riyaku wo arawasuru.
Kono tai-ryō-buné!
Firstly (or "Number One"),—
The first ship, filled up with fish, squeezes her way through the river-mouth, with a great shouting.[103]
[103] ] Ō-yagoë. The chorus-cry or chant of sailors, pulling all together, is called yagoë.
O this ship of great fishing![104]
[104] ] Tai-ryō buné, lit.:—"great-fishing," or "great-catching-ship." The adjective refers to the fishing, not to the ship. The real meaning of the refrain is, "this-most-successful-in-fishing of ships."
Secondly,—
From the offing of Futaba even to the Togawa,[105] the ships, fast following, press in, with a great shouting.
O this ship of great fishing!