按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
religion； but is actually a part of it； and as such would be
exceptionally difficult to eradicate。
The early darkness has once again come on； and once again the
elders have assembled round the fire in two long lines； with the
younger men at the ends； Pipichari； who yesterday sat in the place
of honour and was helped to food first as the newest arrival；
taking his place as the youngest at the end of the right…hand row。
The birch…bark chips beam with fitful glare； the evening sake bowls
are filled； the fire…god and the garlanded god receive their
libations； the ancient woman； still sitting like a Fate； splits
bark； and the younger women knot it； and the log…fire lights up as
magnificent a set of venerable heads as painter or sculptor would
desire to see；heads； full ofwhat？ They have no history； their
traditions are scarcely worthy the name； they claim descent from a
dog； their houses and persons swarm with vermin； they are sunk in
the grossest ignorance； they have no letters or any numbers above a
thousand； they are clothed in the bark of trees and the untanned
skins of beasts； they worship the bear； the sun； moon； fire； water；
and I know not what； they are uncivilisable and altogether
irreclaimable savages； yet they are attractive； and in some ways
fascinating； and I hope I shall never forget the music of their
low； sweet voices； the soft light of their mild； brown eyes； and
the wonderful sweetness of their smile。
After the yellow skins； the stiff horse hair； the feeble eyelids；
the elongated eyes； the sloping eyebrows； the flat noses； the
sunken chests； the Mongolian features； the puny physique； the shaky
walk of the men； the restricted totter of the women； and the
general impression of degeneracy conveyed by the appearance of the
Japanese； the Ainos make a very singular impression。 All but two
or three that I have seen are the most ferocious…looking of
savages； with a physique vigorous enough for carrying out the most
ferocious intentions； but as soon as they speak the countenance
brightens into a smile as gentle as that of a woman； something
which can never be forgotten。
The men are about the middle height； broad…chested； broad…
shouldered； 〃thick set；〃 very strongly built； the arms and legs
short； thick； and muscular； the hands and feet large。 The bodies；
and specially the limbs； of many are covered with short bristly
hair。 I have seen two boys whose backs are covered with fur as
fine and soft as that of a cat。 The heads and faces are very
striking。 The foreheads are very high； broad； and prominent； and
at first sight give one the impression of an unusual capacity for
intellectual development； the ears are small and set low； the noses
are straight but short； and broad at the nostrils； the mouths are
wide but well formed； and the lips rarely show a tendency to
fulness。 The neck is short； the cranium rounded； the cheek…bones
low； and the lower part of the face is small as compared with the
upper； the peculiarity called a 〃jowl〃 being unknown。 The eyebrows
are full； and form a straight line nearly across the face。 The
eyes are large； tolerably deeply set； and very beautiful； the
colour a rich liquid brown； the expression singularly soft； and the
eyelashes long； silky； and abundant。 The skin has the Italian
olive tint； but in most cases is thin； and light enough to show the
changes of colour in the cheek。 The teeth are small； regular； and
very white； the incisors and 〃eye teeth〃 are not disproportionately
large； as is usually the case among the Japanese； there is no
tendency towards prognathism； and the fold of integument which
conceals the upper eyelids of the Japanese is never to be met with。
The features； expression； and aspect； are European rather than
Asiatic。
The 〃ferocious savagery〃 of the appearance of the men is produced
by a profusion of thick； soft； black hair； divided in the middle；
and falling in heavy masses nearly to the shoulders。 Out of doors
it is kept from falling over the face by a fillet round the brow。
The beards are equally profuse； quite magnificent； and generally
wavy； and in the case of the old men they give a truly patriarchal
and venerable aspect； in spite of the yellow tinge produced by
smoke and want of cleanliness。 The savage look produced by the
masses of hair and beard； and the thick eyebrows； is mitigated by
the softness in the dreamy brown eyes； and is altogether
obliterated by the exceeding sweetness of the smile； which belongs
in greater or less degree to all the rougher sex。
I have measured the height of thirty of the adult men of this
village； and it ranges from 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6。5 inches。
The circumference of the heads averages 22。1 inches； and the arc；
from ear to ear； 13 inches。 According to Mr。 Davies； the average
weight of the Aino adult masculine brain； ascertained by
measurement of Aino skulls； is 45。90 ounces avoirdupois； a brain
weight said to exceed that of all the races； Hindoo and Mussulman；
on the Indian plains； and that of the aboriginal races of India and
Ceylon； and is only paralleled by that of the races of the
Himalayas； the Siamese； and the Chinese Burmese。 Mr。 Davies says；
further； that it exceeds the mean brain weight of Asiatic races in
general。 Yet with all this the Ainos are a stupid people！
Passing travellers who have seen a few of the Aino women on the
road to Satsuporo speak of them as very ugly； but as making amends
for their ugliness by their industry and conjugal fidelity。 Of the
latter there is no doubt； but I am not disposed to admit the
former。 The ugliness is certainly due to art and dirt。 The Aino
women seldom exceed five feet and half an inch in height； but they
are beautifully formed； straight； lithe； and well…developed； with
small feet and hands； well…arched insteps； rounded limbs； well…
developed busts； and a firm； elastic gait。 Their heads and faces
are small； but the hair； which falls in masses on each side of the
face like that of the men； is equally redundant。 They have superb
teeth； and display them liberally in smiling。 Their mouths are
somewhat wide； but well formed； and they have a ruddy comeliness
about them which is pleasing； in spite of the disfigurement of the
band which is tattooed both above and below the mouth； and which；
by being united at the corners； enlarges its apparent size and
width。 A girl at Shiraoi； who； for some reason； has not been
subjected to this process； is the most beautiful creature in
features； colouring； and natural grace of form； that I have seen
for a long time。 Their complexions are lighter than those of the
men。 There are not many here even as dark as our European
brunettes。 A few unite the eyebrows by a streak of tattooing； so
as to produce a straight line。 Like the men； they cut their hair
short for two or three inches above the nape of the neck； but
instead of using a fillet they take two locks from the front and
tie them at the back。
They are universally tattooed； not only with the broad band above
and below the mouth； but with a band across the knuckles； succeeded
by an elaborate pattern on the back of the hand； and a series of
bracelets extending to the elbow。 The process of disfigurement
begins at the age of five； when some of the sufferers are yet
unweaned。 I saw the operation performed on a dear little bright
girl this morning。 A woman took a large knife with a sharp edge；
and rapidly cut several horizontal lines on the upper lip；
following closely the curve of the very pretty mouth； and before
the slight bleeding had ceased carefully rubbed in some of the
shiny soot which collects on the mat above the fire。 In two or
three days the scarred lip will be washed with the decoction of the
bark of a tree to fix the pattern； and give it that blue look which
makes many people mistake it for a daub of paint。 A child who had
this second process performed yesterday has her lip fearfully
swollen and inflamed。 The latest victim held her hands clasped
tightly together while the cuts were inflicted； but never cried。
The pattern on the lips is deepened and widened every year up to
the time of marriage； and the circles on the arm are extended in a
similar way。 The men cannot give any reason for the universality
of this custom。 It is an old custom； they say； and part of their
religion； and no woman could marry without it。 Benri fancies that
the Japanese custom of blackening the teeth is equivalent to it；
but he is mistaken； as that ceremony usually succeeds marriage。
They begin to tattoo the arms when a girl is five or six； and work
from the elbow downwards。 They expressed themselves as very much
grieved and tormented by the recent prohibition of tattooing。 They
say the gods will be angry； and that the women can't marry unless
they are tattooed； and they implored both Mr。 Von Siebold and me to
intercede with the Japanese Government on their behalf in this
respect。 They are less apathetic on this than on any subject； and
repeat frequently； 〃It's a part of our religion。〃
The children are very pretty and attractive； and their faces give
promise of an intelligence which is lacking in those of the adults。
They are much loved； and ar