unbeaten tracks in japan-第50部分

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breaks　in　the　dense　greenery　are　glints　of　the　shining　waters　of
the　Sarufutogawa；　and　the　tawny　roofs　of　the　Aino　lodges。　　It　is　a
lonely　and　a　silent　land；　fitter　for　the　HIDING　place　than　the
DWELLING　place　of　men。

When　the　splendid　young　savage；　Pipichari；　saw　that　I　found　it
difficult　to　get　up；　he　took　my　hand　and　helped　me　up；　as　gently　as
an　English　gentleman　would　have　done；　and　when　he　saw　that　I　had
greater　difficulty　in　getting　down；　he　all　but　insisted　on　my
riding　down　on　his　back；　and　certainly　would　have　carried　me　had
not　Benri；　the　chief；　who　arrived　while　we　were　at　the　shrine；　made
an　end　of　it　by　taking　my　hand　and　helping　me　down　himself。　　Their
instinct　of　helpfulness　to　a　foreign　woman　strikes　me　as　so　odd；
because　they　never　show　any　courtesy　to　their　own　women；　whom　they
treat　（though　to　a　less　extent　than　is　usual　among　savages）　as
inferior　beings。

On　the　very　edge　of　the　cliff；　at　the　top　of　the　zigzag；　stands　a
wooden　temple　or　shrine；　such　as　one　sees　in　any　grove；　or　on　any
high　place　on　the　main　island；　obviously　of　Japanese　construction；
but　concerning　which　Aino　tradition　is　silent。　　No　European　had
ever　stood　where　I　stood；　and　there　was　a　solemnity　in　the
knowledge。　　The　sub…chief　drew　back　the　sliding　doors；　and　all
bowed　with　much　reverence；　It　was　a　simple　shrine　of　unlacquered
wood；　with　a　broad　shelf　at　the　back；　on　which　there　was　a　small
shrine　containing　a　figure　of　the　historical　hero　Yoshitsune；　in　a
suit　of　inlaid　brass　armour；　some　metal　gohei；　a　pair　of　tarnished
brass　candle…sticks；　and　a　coloured　Chinese　picture　representing　a
junk。　　Here；　then；　I　was　introduced　to　the　great　god　of　the
mountain　Ainos。　　There　is　something　very　pathetic　in　these　people
keeping　alive　the　memory　of　Yoshitsune；　not　on　account　of　his
martial　exploits；　but　simply　because　their　tradition　tells　them
that　he　was　kind　to　them。　　They　pulled　the　bell　three　times　to
attract　his　attention；　bowed　three　times；　and　made　six　libations　of
sake；　without　which　ceremony　he　cannot　be　approached。　　They　asked
me　to　worship　their　god；　but　when　I　declined　on　the　ground　that　I
could　only　worship　my　own　God；　the　Lord　of　Earth　and　Heaven；　of　the
dead　and　of　the　living；　they　were　too　courteous　to　press　their
request。　　As　to　Ito；　it　did　not　signify　to　him　whether　or　not　he
added　another　god　to　his　already　crowded　Pantheon；　and　he
〃worshipped；〃　i。e。　bowed　down；　most　willingly　before　the　great　hero
of　his　own；　the　conquering　race。

While　we　were　crowded　there　on　the　narrow　ledge　of　the　cliff；
Benri；　the　chief；　arriveda　square…built；　broad…shouldered；
elderly　man；　strong　as　an　ox；　and　very　handsome；　but　his　expression
is　not　pleasing；　and　his　eyes　are　bloodshot　with　drinking。　　The
others　saluted　him　very　respectfully；　but　I　noticed　then　and　since
that　his　manner　is　very　arbitrary；　and　that　a　blow　not　infrequently
follows　a　word。　　He　had　sent　a　message　to　his　people　by　Ito　that
they　were　not　to　answer　any　questions　till　he　returned；　but　Ito
very　tactfully　neither　gave　it　nor　told　me　of　it；　and　he　was
displeased　with　the　young　men　for　having　talked　to　me　so　much。　　His
mother　had　evidently　〃peached。〃　　I　like　him　less　than　any　of　his
tribe。　　He　has　some　fine　qualities；　truthfulness　among　others；　but
he　has　been　contaminated　by　the　four　or　five　foreigners　that　he　has
seen；　and　is　a　brute　and　a　sot。　　The　hearts　of　his　people　are　no
longer　sad；　for　there　is　sake　in　every　house　to…night。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXXVII



Barrenness　of　Savage　LifeIrreclaimable　SavagesThe　Aino
PhysiqueFemale　Comeliness…　Torture　and　OrnamentChild　Life
Docility　and　Obedience。

BIRATORI；　YEZO；　August　24。

I　expected　to　have　written　out　my　notes　on　the　Ainos　in　the
comparative　quiet　and　comfort　of　Sarufuto；　but　the　delay　in　Benri's
return；　and　the　non…arrival　of　the　horses；　have　compelled　me　to
accept　Aino　hospitality　for　another　night；　which　involves　living　on
tea　and　potatoes；　for　my　stock　of　food　is　exhausted。　　In　some
respects　I　am　glad　to　remain　longer；　as　it　enables　me　to　go　over　my
stock　of　words；　as　well　as　my　notes；　with　the　chief；　who　is
intelligent　and　it　is　a　pleasure　to　find　that　his　statements
confirm　those　which　have　been　made　by　the　young　men。　　The　glamour
which　at　first　disguises　the　inherent　barrenness　of　savage　life　has
had　time　to　pass　away；　and　I　see　it　in　all　its　nakedness　as　a　life
not　much　raised　above　the　necessities　of　animal　existence；　timid；
monotonous；　barren　of　good；　dark；　dull；　〃without　hope；　and　without
God　in　the　world；〃　though　at　its　lowest　and　worst　considerably
higher　and　better　than　that　of　many　other　aboriginal　races；　and
must　I　say　it？considerably　higher　and　better　than　that　of
thousands　of　the　lapsed　masses　of　our　own　great　cities　who　are
baptized　into　Christ's　name；　and　are　laid　at　last　in　holy　ground；
inasmuch　as　the　Ainos　are　truthful；　and；　on　the　whole；　chaste；
hospitable；　honest；　reverent；　and　kind　to　the　aged。　　Drinking；
their　great　vice；　is　not；　as　among　us；　in　antagonism　to　their
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