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which is to them in the place of rice; pumpkins; onions; and
tobacco; but the look of their plots is as if they had been
cultivated ten years ago; and some chance…sown grain and vegetables
had come up among the weeds。 When nothing more will grow; they
partially clear another bit of forest; and exhaust that in its
turn。
In every house the same honour was paid to a guest。 This seems a
savage virtue which is not strong enough to survive much contact
with civilisation。 Before I entered one lodge the woman brought
several of the finer mats; and arranged them as a pathway for me to
walk to the fire upon。 They will not accept anything for lodging;
or for anything that they give; so I was anxious to help them by
buying some of their handiwork; but found even this a difficult
matter。 They were very anxious to give; but when I desired to buy
they said they did not wish to part with their things。 I wanted
what they had in actual use; such as a tobacco…box and pipe…sheath;
and knives with carved handles and scabbards; and for three of
these I offered 2。5 dollars。 They said they did not care to sell
them; but in the evening they came saying they were not worth more
than 1 dollar 10 cents; and they would sell them for that; and I
could not get them to take more。 They said it was 〃not their
custom。〃 I bought a bow and three poisoned arrows; two reed…mats;
with a diamond pattern on them in reeds stained red; some knives
with sheaths; and a bark cloth dress。 I tried to buy the sake…
sticks with which they make libations to their gods; but they said
it was 〃not their custom〃 to part with the sake…stick of any living
man; however; this morning Shinondi has brought me; as a very
valuable present; the stick of a dead man! This morning the man
who sold the arrows brought two new ones; to replace two which were
imperfect。 I found them; as Mr。 Von Siebold had done;
punctiliously honest in all their transactions。 They wear very
large earrings with hoops an inch and a half in diameter; a pair
constituting the dowry of an Aino bride; but they would not part
with these。
A house was burned down two nights ago; and 〃custom〃 in such a case
requires that all the men should work at rebuilding it; so in their
absence I got two boys to take me in a 〃dug…out〃 as far as we could
go up the Sarufutogawaa lovely river; which winds tortuously
through the forests and mountains in unspeakable loveliness。 I had
much of the feeling of the ancient mariner …
〃We were the first
Who ever burst
Into that silent sea。〃
For certainly no European had ever previously floated on the dark
and forest…shrouded waters。 I enjoyed those hours thoroughly; for
the silence was profound; and the faint blue of the autumn sky; and
the soft blue veil which 〃spiritualised〃 the distances; were so
exquisitely like the Indian summer。
The evening was spent like the previous one; but the hearts of the
savages were sad; for there was no more sake in Biratori; so they
could not 〃drink to the god;〃 and the fire and the post with the
shavings had to go without libations。 There was no more oil; so
after the strangers retired the hut was in complete darkness。
Yesterday morning we all breakfasted soon after daylight; and the
able…bodied men went away to hunt。 Hunting and fishing are their
occupations; and for 〃indoor recreation〃 they carve tobacco…boxes;
knife…sheaths; sake…sticks; and shuttles。 It is quite unnecessary
for them to do anything; they are quite contented to sit by the
fire; and smoke occasionally; and eat and sleep; this apathy being
varied by spasms of activity when there is no more dried flesh in
the kuras; and when skins must be taken to Sarufuto to pay for
sake。 The women seem never to have an idle moment。 They rise
early to sew; weave; and split bark; for they not only clothe
themselves and their husbands in this nearly indestructible cloth;
but weave it for barter; and the lower class of Japanese are
constantly to be seen wearing the product of Aino industry。 They
do all the hard work; such as drawing water; chopping wood;
grinding millet; and cultivating the soil; after their fashion;
but; to do the men justice; I often see them trudging along
carrying one and even two children。 The women take the exclusive
charge of the kuras; which are never entered by men。
I was left for some hours alone with the women; of whom there were
seven in the hut; with a few children。 On the one side of the fire
the chief's mother sat like a Fate; for ever splitting and knotting
bark; and petrifying me by her cold; fateful eyes。 Her thick; grey
hair hangs in shocks; the tattooing round her mouth has nearly
faded; and no longer disguises her really handsome features。 She
is dressed in a much ornamented bark…cloth dress; and wears two
silver beads tied round her neck by a piece of blue cotton; in
addition to very large earrings。 She has much sway in the house;
sitting on the men's side of the fire; drinking plenty of sake; and
occasionally chiding her grandson Shinondi for telling me too much;
saying that it will bring harm to her people。 Though her
expression is so severe and forbidding; she is certainly very
handsome; and it is a European; not an Asiatic; beauty。
The younger women were all at work; two were seated on the floor
weaving without a loom; and the others were making and mending the
bark coats which are worn by both sexes。 Noma; the chief's
principal wife; sat apart; seldom speaking。 Two of the youngest
women are very prettyas fair as ourselves; and their comeliness
is of the rosy; peasant kind。 It turns out that two of them;
though they would not divulge it before men; speak Japanese; and
they prattled to Ito with great vivacity and merriment; the ancient
Fate scowling at them the while from under her shaggy eyebrows。 I
got a number of words from them; and they laughed heartily at my
erroneous pronunciation。 They even asked me a number of questions
regarding their own sex among ourselves; but few of these would
bear repetition; and they answered a number of mine。 As the
merriment increased the old woman looked increasingly angry and
restless; and at last rated them sharply; as I have heard since;
telling them that if they spoke another word she should tell their
husbands that they had been talking to strangers。 After this not
another word was spoken; and Noma; who is an industrious housewife;
boiled some millet into a mash for a mid…day lunch。 During the
afternoon a very handsome young Aino; with a washed; richly…
coloured skin and fine clear eyes; came up from the coast; where he
had been working at the fishing。 He saluted the old woman and
Benri's wife on entering; and presented the former with a gourd of
sake; bringing a greedy light into her eyes as she took a long
draught; after which; saluting me; he threw himself down in the
place of honour by the fire; with the easy grace of a staghound; a
savage all over。 His name is Pipichari; and he is the chief's
adopted son。 He had cut his foot badly with a root; and asked me
to cure it; and I stipulated that it should be bathed for some time
in warm water before anything more was done; after which I bandaged
it with lint。 He said 〃he did not like me to touch his foot; it
was not clean enough; my hands were too white;〃 etc。; but when I
had dressed it; and the pain was much relieved; he bowed very low
and then kissed my hand! He was the only one among them all who
showed the slightest curiosity regarding my things。 He looked at
my scissors; touched my boots; and watched me; as I wrote; with the
simple curiosity of a child。 He could speak a little Japanese; but
he said he was 〃too young to tell me anything; the older men would
know。〃 He is a 〃total abstainer〃 from sake; and he says that there
are four such besides himself among the large number of Ainos who
are just now at the fishing at Mombets; and that the others keep
separate from them; because they think that the gods will be angry
with them for not drinking。
Several 〃patients;〃 mostly children; were brought in during the
afternoon。 Ito was much disgusted by my interest in these people;
who; he repeated; 〃are just dogs;〃 referring to their legendary
origin; of which they are not ashamed。 His assertion that they
have learned politeness from the Japanese is simply baseless。
Their politeness; though of quite another and more manly stamp; is
savage; not civilised。 The men came back at dark; the meal was
prepared; and we sat round the fire as before; but there was no
sake; except in the possession of the old woman; and again the
hearts of the savages were sad。 I could multiply instances of
their politeness。 As we were talking; Pipichari; who is a very
〃untutored〃 savage; dropped his coat from one shoulder; and at once
Shinondi signed to him to put it on again。 Again; a woman was sent
to a distant village for some oil as soon as they heard that I
usually burned a light all night。 Little acts of courtesy were
constantly being performed; but I really appreciated nothing more
than the quiet way in which they went on with the routine of their
ordinary lives。
During the evening a man came to ask if I woul