unbeaten tracks in japan-第48部分

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！


dipping　it　into　the　sake；　made　six　libations　to　the　fire　and
several　to　the　〃god〃a　wooden　post；　with　a　quantity　of　spiral
white　shavings　falling　from　near　the　top。　　The　Ainos　are　not
affected　by　sake　nearly　so　easily　as　the　Japanese。　　They　took　it
cold；　it　is　true；　but　each　drank　about　three　times　as　much　as　would
have　made　a　Japanese　foolish；　and　it　had　no　effect　upon　them。
After　two　hours　more　talk　one　after　another　got　up　and　went　out；
making　profuse　salutations　to　me　and　to　the　others。　　My　candles　had
been　forgotten；　and　our　seance　was　held　by　the　fitful　light　of　the
big　logs　on　the　fire；　aided　by　a　succession　of　chips　of　birch　bark；
with　which　a　woman　replenished　a　cleft　stick　that　was　stuck　into
the　fire…hole。　　I　never　saw　such　a　strangely　picturesque　sight　as
that　group　of　magnificent　savages　with　the　fitful　firelight　on
their　faces；　and　for　adjuncts　the　flare　of　the　torch；　the　strong
lights；　the　blackness　of　the　recesses　of　the　room　and　of　the　roof；
at　one　end　of　which　the　stars　looked　in；　and　the　row　of　savage
women　in　the　backgroundeastern　savagery　and　western　civilisation
met　in　this　hut；　savagery　giving　and　civilisation　receiving；　the
yellow…skinned　Ito　the　connecting…link　between　the　two；　and　the
representative　of　a　civilisation　to　which　our　own　is　but　an　〃infant
of　days。〃

I　found　it　very　exciting；　and　when　all　had　left　crept　out　into　the
starlight。　　The　lodges　were　all　dark　and　silent；　and　the　dogs；　mild
like　their　masters；　took　no　notice　of　me。　　The　only　sound　was　the
rustle　of　a　light　breeze　through　the　surrounding　forest。　　The　verse
came　into　my　mind；　〃It　is　not　the　will　of　your　Father　which　is　in
heaven　that　one　of　these　little　ones　should　perish。〃　　Surely　these
simple　savages　are　children；　as　children　to　be　judged；　may　we　not
hope　as　children　to　be　saved　through　Him　who　came　〃not　to　judge　the
world；　but　to　save　the　world〃？

I　crept　back　again　and　into　my　mosquito　net；　and　suffered　not　from
fleas　or　mosquitoes；　but　from　severe　cold。　　Shinondi　conversed　with
Ito　for　some　time　in　a　low　musical　voice；　having　previously　asked
if　it　would　keep　me　from　sleeping。　　No　Japanese　ever　intermitted
his　ceaseless　chatter　at　any　hour　of　the　night　for　a　similar
reason。　　Later；　the　chief's　principal　wife；　Noma；　stuck　a　triply…
cleft　stick　in　the　fire…hole；　put　a　potsherd　with　a　wick　and　some
fish…oil　upon　it；　and　by　the　dim　light　of　this　rude　lamp　sewed
until　midnight　at　a　garment　of　bark　cloth　which　she　was　ornamenting
for　her　lord　with　strips　of　blue　cloth；　and　when　I　opened　my　eyes
the　next　morning　she　was　at　the　window　sewing　by　the　earliest
daylight。　　She　is　the　most　intelligent…looking　of　all　the　women；
but　looks　sad　and　almost　stern；　and　speaks　seldom。　　Although　she　is
the　principal　wife　of　the　chief　she　is　not　happy；　for　she　is
childless；　and　I　thought　that　her　sad　look　darkened　into　something
evil　as　the　other　wife　caressed　a　fine　baby　boy。　　Benri　seems　to　me
something　of　a　brute；　and　the　mother…in…law　obviously　holds　the
reins　of　government　pretty　tight。　　After　sewing　till　midnight　she
swept　the　mats　with　a　bunch　of　twigs；　and　then　crept　into　her　bed
behind　a　hanging　mat。　　For　a　moment　in　the　stillness　I　felt　a
feeling　of　panic；　as　if　I　were　incurring　a　risk　by　being　alone
among　savages；　but　I　conquered　it；　and；　after　watching　the　fire
till　it　went　out；　fell　asleep　till　I　was　awoke　by　the　severe　cold
of　the　next　day's　dawn。



LETTER　XXXVI（Continued）



A　Supposed　Act　of　WorshipParental　TendernessMorning　Visits
Wretched　CultivationHonesty　and　GenerosityA　〃Dug…out〃Female
OccupationsThe　Ancient　FateA　New　ArrivalA　Perilous
PrescriptionThe　Shrine　of　YoshitsuneThe　Chief's　Return。

When　I　crept　from　under　my　net　much　benumbed　with　cold；　there　were
about　eleven　people　in　the　room；　who　all　made　their　graceful
salutation。　　It　did　not　seem　as　if　they　had　ever　heard　of　washing；
for；　when　water　was　asked　for；　Shinondi　brought　a　little　in　a
lacquer　bowl；　and　held　it　while　I　bathed　my　face　and　hands；
supposing　the　performance　to　be　an　act　of　worship！　　I　was　about　to
throw　some　cold　tea　out　of　the　window　by　my　bed　when　he　arrested　me
with　an　anxious　face；　and　I　saw；　what　I　had　not　observed　before；
that　there　was　a　god　at　that　windowa　stick　with　festoons　of
shavings　hanging　from　it；　and　beside　it　a　dead　bird。　　The　Ainos
have　two　meals　a　day；　and　their　breakfast　was　a　repetition　of　the
previous　night's　supper。　　We　all　ate　together；　and　I　gave　the
children　the　remains　of　my　rice；　and　it　was　most　amusing　to　see
little　creatures　of　three；　four；　and　five　years　old；　with　no　other
clothing　than　a　piece　of　pewter　hanging　round　their　necks；　first
formally　asking　leave　of　the　parents　before　taking　the　rice；　and
then　waving　their　hands。　　The　obedience　of　the　children　is
instantaneous。　　Their　parents　are　more　demonstrative　in　their
affection　than　the　Japanese　are；　caressing　them　a　good　deal；　and
two　of　the　men　are　devoted　to　children　who　are　not　their　own。
These　little　ones　are　as　grave　and　dignified　as　Japanese　children；
and　are　very　gentle。

I　went　out　soon　after　five；　when　the　dew　was　glittering　in　the
sunshine；　and　the　mountain　hollow　in　which　Biratori　stands　was
looking　its　very　best；　and　the　silence　of　the　place；　even　though
the　people　were　all　astir；　was　as　impressive　as　that　of　the　night
before。　　What　a　strange　life！　knowing　nothing；　hoping　nothing；
fearing　a　little；　the　need　for　clothes　and　food　the　one　motive
principle；　sake　in　abundance　the　one　good！　　How　very　few　points　of
contact　it　is　possible　to　have！　　I　was　just　thinking　so　when
Shinondi　met　me；　and　took　me　to　his　house　to　see　if　I　could　do
anything　for　a　child　sorely　afflicted　with　skin　disease；　and　his
extreme　tenderness　for　this　very　loathsome　object　made　me　feel　that
human　affections　were　the　same　among　them　as　with　us。　　He　had
carried　it　on　his　back　from　a　village；　five　miles　distant；　that
morning；　in　the　hope　that　it　might　be　cured。　　As　soon　as　I　entered
he　laid　a　fine　mat　on　the　floor；　and　covered　the　guest…seat　with　a
bearskin。　　After　breakfast　he　took　me　to　the　lodge　of　the　sub…
chief；　the　largest　in　the　village；　45　feet　square；　and　into　about
twenty　others　all　constructed　in　the　same　way；　but　some　of　them
were　not　more　than　20　feet　square。　　In　all　I　was　received　with　the
same　courtesy；　but　a　few　of　the　people　asked　Shinondi　not　to　take
me　into　their　houses；　as　they　did　not　want　me　to　see　how　poor　they
are。　　In　every　house　there　was　the　low　shelf　with　more　or　fewer
curios　upon　it；　but；　besides　these；　none　but　the　barest　necessaries
of　life；　though　the　skins　which　they　sell　or　barter　every　year
would　enable　them　to　surround　themselves　with　comforts；　were　it　not
that　their　gains　represent　to　them　sake；　and　nothing　else。　　They
are　not　nomads。　　On　the　contrary；　they　cling　tenaciously　to　the
sites　on　which　their　fathers　have　lived　and　died。　　But　anything
more　deplorable　than　the　attempts　at　cultivation　which　surround
their　lodges　could　not　be　seen。　　The　soil　is　little　better　than
white　sand；　on　which　without　manure　they　attempt　to　grow　millet；
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　th