unbeaten tracks in japan-第49部分

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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　would　go　and　see　a　woman
who　could　hardly　breathe；　and　I　found　her　very　ill　of　bronchitis；
accompanied　with　much　fever。　　She　was　lying　in　a　coat　of　skins；
tossing　on　the　hard　boards　of　her　bed；　with　a　matting…covered　roll
under　her　head；　and　her　husband　was　trying　to　make　her　swallow　some
salt…fish。　　I　took　her　dry；　hot　handsuch　a　small　hand；　tattooed
all　over　the　backand　it　gave　me　a　strange　thrill。　　The　room　was
full　of　people；　and　they　all　seemed　very　sorry。　　A　medical
missionary　would　be　of　little　use　here；　but　a　medically…trained
nurse；　who　would　give　medicines　and　proper　food；　with　proper
nursing；　would　save　many　lives　and　much　suffering。　　It　is　of　no　use
to　tell　these　people　to　do　anything　which　requires　to　be　done　more
than　once：　　they　are　just　like　children。　　I　gave　her　some
chlorodyne；　which　she　swallowed　with　difficulty；　and　left　another
dose　ready　mixed；　to　give　her　in　a　few　hours；　but　about　midnight
they　came　to　tell　me　that　she　was　worse；　and　on　going　I　found　her
very　cold　and　weak；　and　breathing　very　hard；　moving　her　head
wearily　from　side　to　side。　　I　thought　she　could　not　live　for　many
hours；　and　was　much　afraid　that　they　would　think　that　I　had　killed
her。　　I　told　them　that　I　thought　she　would　die；　but　they　urged　me
to　do　something　more　for　her；　and　as　a　last　hope　I　gave　her　some
brandy；　with　twenty…five　drops　of　chlorodyne；　and　a　few　spoonfuls
of　very　strong　beef…tea。　　She　was　unable；　or　more　probably
unwilling；　to　make　the　effort　to　swallow　it；　and　I　poured　it　down
her　throat　by　the　wild　glare　of　strips　of　birch　bark。　　An　hour
later　they　came　back　to　tell　me　that　she　felt　as　if　she　were　very
drunk；　but；　going　back　to　her　house；　I　found　that　she　was　sleeping
quietly；　and　breathing　more　easily；　and；　creeping　back　just　at
dawn；　I　found　her　still　sleeping；　and　with　her　pulse　stronger　and
calmer。　　She　is　now　decidedly　better　and　quite　sensible；　and　her
husband；　the　sub…chief；　is　much　delighted。　　It　seems　so　sad　that
they　have　nothing　fit　for　a　sick　person's　food；　and　though　I　have
made　a　bowl　of　beef…tea　with　the　remains　of　my　stock；　it　can　only
last　one　day。

I　was　so　tired　with　these　nocturnal　expeditions　and　anxieties　that
on　lying　down　I　fell　asleep；　and　on　waking　found　more　than　the
usual　assemblage　in　the　room；　and　the　men　were　obviously　agog　about
something。　　They　have　a　singular；　and　I　hope　an　unreasonable；　fear
of　the　Japanese　Government。　　Mr。　Von　Siebold　thinks　that　the
officials　threaten　and　knock　them　about；　and　this　is　possible；　but
I　really　think　that　the　Kaitaikushi　Department　means　well　by　them；
and；　besides　removing　the　oppressive　restrictions　by　which；　as　a
conquered　race；　they　were　fettered；　treats　them　far　more　humanely
and　equitably　than　the　U。S。　Government；　for　instance；　treats　the
North　American　Indians。　　However；　they　are　ignorant；　and　one　of　the
men；　who　had　been　most　grateful　because　I　said　I　would　get　Dr。
Hepburn　to　send　some　medicine　for　his　child；　came　this　morning　and
begged　me　not　to　do　so；　as；　he　said；　〃the　Japanese　Government　would
be　angry。〃　　After　this　they　again　prayed　me　not　to　tell　the
Japanese　Government　that　they　had　told　me　their　customs　and　then
they　began　to　talk　earnestly　together。

The　sub…chief　then　spoke；　and　said　that　I　had　been　kind　to　their
sick　people；　and　they　would　like　to　show　me　their　temple；　which　had
never　been　seen　by　any　foreigner；　but　they　were　very　much　afraid　of
doing　so；　and　they　asked　me　many　times　〃not　to　tell　the　Japanese
Government　that　they　showed　it　to　me；　lest　some　great　harm　should
happen　to　them。〃　　The　sub…chief　put　on　a　sleeveless　Japanese　war…
cloak　to　go　up；　and　he；　Shinondi；　Pipichari；　and　two　others
accompanied　me。　　It　was　a　beautiful　but　very　steep　walk；　or　rather
climb；　to　the　top　of　an　abrupt　acclivity　beyond　the　village；　on
which　the　temple　or　shrine　stands。　　It　would　be　impossible　to　get
up　were　it　not　for　the　remains　of　a　wooden　staircase；　not　of　Aino
construction。　　Forest　and　mountain　surround　Biratori；　and　the　only
breaks　in　the　dense　greenery　are　glints　of　the　shining　waters　of
the