unbeaten tracks in japan-第54部分

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The　peculiarity　which　distinguishes　this　rude　mythology　is　the
〃worship〃　of　the　bear；　the　Yezo　bear　being　one　of　the　finest　of　his
species；　but　it　is　impossible　to　understand　the　feelings　by　which
it　is　prompted；　for　they　worship　it　after　their　fashion；　and　set　up
its　head　in　their　villages；　yet　they　trap　it；　kill　it；　eat　it；　and
sell　its　skin。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　this　wild　beast　inspires
more　of　the　feeling　which　prompts　worship　than　the　inanimate　forces
of　nature；　and　the　Ainos　may　be　distinguished　as　bear…worshippers；
and　their　greatest　religious　festival　or　Saturnalia　as　the　Festival
of　the　Bear。　　Gentle　and　peaceable　as　they　are；　they　have　a　great
admiration　for　fierceness　and　courage；　and　the　bear；　which　is　the
strongest；　fiercest；　and　most　courageous　animal　known　to　them；　has
probably　in　all　ages　inspired　them　with　veneration。　　Some　of　their
rude　chants　are　in　praise　of　the　bear；　and　their　highest　eulogy　on
a　man　is　to　compare　him　to　a　bear。　　Thus　Shinondi　said　of　Benri；
the　chief；　〃He　is　as　strong　as　a　bear；〃　and　the　old　Fate　praising
Pipichari　called　him　〃The　young　bear。〃

In　all　Aino　villages；　specially　near　the　chief's　house；　there　are
several　tall　poles　with　the　fleshless　skull　of　a　bear　on　the　top　of
each；　and　in　most　there　is　also　a　large　cage；　made　grid…iron
fashion；　of　stout　timbers；　and　raised　two　or　three　feet　from　the
ground。　　At　the　present　time　such　cages　contain　young　but　well…
grown　bears；　captured　when　quite　small　in　the　early　spring。　　After
the　capture　the　bear　cub　is　introduced　into　a　dwelling…house；
generally　that　of　the　chief；　or　sub…chief；　where　it　is　suckled　by　a
woman；　and　played　with　by　the　children；　till　it　grows　too　big　and
rough　for　domestic　ways；　and　is　placed　in　a　strong　cage；　in　which
it　is　fed　and　cared　for；　as　I　understand；　till　the　autumn　of　the
following　year；　when；　being　strong　and　well…grown；　the　Festival　of
the　Bear　is　celebrated。　　The　customs　of　this　festival　vary
considerably；　and　the　manner　of　the　bear's　death　differs　among　the
mountain　and　coast　Ainos；　but　everywhere　there　is　a　general
gathering　of　the　people；　and　it　is　the　occasion　of　a　great　feast；
accompanied　with　much　sake　and　a　curious　dance；　in　which　men　alone
take　part。

Yells　and　shouts　are　used　to　excite　the　bear；　and　when　he　becomes
much　agitated　a　chief　shoots　him　with　an　arrow；　inflicting　a　slight
wound　which　maddens　him；　on　which　the　bars　of　the　cage　are　raised；
and　he　springs　forth；　very　furious。　　At　this　stage　the　Ainos　run
upon　him　with　various　weapons；　each　one　striving　to　inflict　a
wound；　as　it　brings　good　luck　to　draw　his　blood。　　As　soon　as　he
falls　down　exhausted；　his　head　is　cut　off；　and　the　weapons　with
which　he　has　been　wounded　are　offered　to　it；　and　he　is　asked　to
avenge　himself　upon　them。　　Afterwards　the　carcass；　amidst　a
frenzied　uproar；　is　distributed　among　the　people；　and　amidst
feasting　and　riot　the　head；　placed　upon　a　pole；　is　worshipped；　i。e。
it　receives　libations　of　sake；　and　the　festival　closes　with　general
intoxication。　　In　some　villages　it　is　customary　for　the　foster…
mother　of　the　bear　to　utter　piercing　wails　while　he　is　delivered　to
his　murderers；　and　after　he　is　slain　to　beat　each　one　of　them　with
a　branch　of　a　tree。　　＇Afterwards　at　Usu；　on　Volcano　Bay；　the　old
men　told　me　that　at　their　festival　they　despatch　the　bear　after　a
different　manner。　　On　letting　it　loose　from　the　cage　two　men　seize
it　by　the　ears；　and　others　simultaneously　place　a　long；　stout　pole
across　the　nape　of　its　neck；　upon　which　a　number　of　Ainos　mount；
and　after　a　prolonged　struggle　the　neck　is　broken。　　As　the　bear　is
seen　to　approach　his　end；　they　shout　in　chorus；　〃We　kill　you；　O
bear！　come　back　soon　into　an　Aino。〃＇　　When　a　bear　is　trapped　or
wounded　by　an　arrow；　the　hunters　go　through　an　apologetic　or
propitiatory　ceremony。　　They　appear　to　have　certain　rude　ideas　of
metempsychosis；　as　is　evidenced　by　the　Usu　prayer　to　the　bear　and
certain　rude　traditions；　but　whether　these　are　indigenous；　or　have
arisen　by　contact　with　Buddhism　at　a　later　period；　it　is　impossible
to　say。

They　have　no　definite　ideas　concerning　a　future　state；　and　the
subject　is　evidently　not　a　pleasing　one　to　them。　　Such　notions　as
they　have　are　few　and　confused。　　Some　think　that　the　spirits　of
their　friends　go　into　wolves　and　snakes；　others；　that　they　wander
about　the　forests；　and　they　are　much　afraid　of　ghosts。　　A　few　think
that　they　go　to　〃a　good　or　bad　place；〃　according　to　their　deeds；
but　Shinondi　said；　and　there　was　an　infinite　pathos　in　his　words；
〃How　can　we　know？　　No　one　ever　came　back　to　tell　us！〃　　On　asking
him　what　were　bad　deeds；　he　said；　〃Being　bad　to　parents；　stealing；
and　telling　lies。〃　　The　future；　however；　does　not　occupy　any　place
in　their　thoughts；　and　they　can　hardly　be　said　to　believe　in　the
immortality　of　the　soul；　though　their　fear　of　ghosts　shows　that
they　recognise　a　distinction　between　body　and　spirit。

Their　social　customs　are　very　simple。　　Girls　never　marry　before　the
age　of　seventeen；　or　men　before　twenty…one。　　When　a　man　wishes　to
marry　he　thinks　of　some　particular　girl；　and　asks　the　chief　if　he
may　ask　for　her。　　If　leave　is　given；　either　through　a　〃go…between〃
or　personally；　he　asks　her　father　for　her；　and　if　he　consents　the
bridegroom　gives　him　a　present；　usually　a　Japanese　〃curio。〃　　This
constitutes　betrothal；　and　the　marriage；　which　immediately　follows；
is　celebrated　by　carousals　and　the　drinking　of　much　sake。　　The
bride　receives　as　her　dowry　her　earrings　and　a　highly　ornamented
kimono。　　It　is　an　essential　that　the　husband　provides　a　house　to
which　to　take　his　wife。　　Each　couple　lives　separately；　and　even　the
eldest　son　does　not　take　his　bride　to　his　father's　house。　　Polygamy
is　only　allowed　in　two　cases。　　The　chief　may　have　three　wives；　but
each　must　have　her　separate　house。　　Benri　has　two　wives；　but　it
appears　that　he　took　the　second　because　the　first　was　childless。
＇The　Usu　Ainos　told　me　that　among　the　tribes　of　Volcano　Bay
polygamy　is　not　practised；　even　by　the　chiefs。＇　　It　is　also
permitted　in　the　case　of　a　childless　wife；　but　there　is　no　instance
of　it　in　Biratori；　and　the　men　say　that　they　prefer　to　have　one
wife；　as　two　quarrel。

Widows　are　allowed　to　marry　again　with　the　chief's　consent；　but
among　these　mountain　Ainos　a　woman　must　remain　absolutely　secluded
within　the　house　of　her　late　husband　for　a　period　varying　from　six
to　twelve　months；　only　going　to　the　door　at　intervals　to　throw　sake
to　the　right　and　left。　　A　man　secludes　himself　similarly　for　thirty
days。　　＇So　greatly　do　the　customs　vary；　that　round　Volcano　Bay　I
found　that　the　period　of　seclusion　for　a　widow　is　only　thirty　days；
and　for　a　man　twenty…five；　but　that　after　a　father's　death　the
house　in　which　he　has　lived　is　burned　down　after　the　thirty　days　of
seclusion；　and　the　widow　and　her　children　go　to　a　friend's　house
for　three　years；　after　which　the　house　is　rebuilt　on　its　former
site。＇

If　a　man　does　not　like　his　wife；　by　obtaining　the　chief's　consent
he　can　divorce　her；　but　he　must　send　her　back　to　her　parents　with
plenty　of　good　clothes；　but　divorce　is　impracticable　where　there
are　children；　and　is　rarely　if　ever　practised。　　Conjugal　fidelity
is　a　virtue　among　Aino　women；　but　〃custom〃　provides　that；　in　case
of　unfaithfulness；　the　injured　husband　may　bestow　his　wife　upon　her
paramour；　if　he　be　an　unmarried　man；　in　which　case　the　chief　fixes
the　amount　of　damages　which　the　paramour　must　pay；　and　these　are
usually　valuable　Japanese　curios。

The　old　and　blind　people　are　entirely　supported　by　their　children；
and　receive　until　their　dying　day　filial　reverence　and　obedience。

If　one　man　steals　from　another　he　must　return　what　he　has　taken；
and　give　the　injured　man　a　present　besides；　the　value　of　which　is
fixed　by　the　chief。

Their　mode　of　living　you　already　know；　as　I　have　shared　it；　and　am
still　receiving　their　hospitality。　　〃Custom〃　enjoins　the　exercise
of　hospitality　on　every　Aino。　　They　receive　all　strangers　as　they
received　me；　giving　them　of　their　best；　placing　them　in　the　most
honourable　place；　bestowing　gifts　upon　them；　and；　when　they　depart；
furnishing　them　with　cakes　of　boiled　millet。

They　have　few　amusements；　except　certain　feasts。　　Their　dance；
which　they　have　just　given　in　my　honour；　is　slow　and　mournful；　and
their　songs　are　chants　or　recitative。　　They　have　a　musical
instrument；　something　like　a　guitar；　with　three；　five；　or　six
strings；　which　are　made　from　sinews　of　whales　cast　up　on　the　shore。
They　have　another；　which　is　believed　to　be　peculiar　to　themselves；
consisting　of　a　thin　piece　of　wood；　about　five　inches　long　and　two
and　a　half　inches　broad；　with　a　pointed　wooden　tongue；　about　two
lines　in　breadth　and　sixteen　in　length；　fixed　in　the　middle；　and
grooved　on　three　sides。　　The　wood　is　held　before　the　mouth；　and　the
tongue　is　set　in　motion　by　the　vibration　of　the　breath　in　singing。
Its　sound；　though　less　penetrating；　is　as　discordant　as　that　of　a
Jew's　harp；　which　it　somewhat　resembles。　　One　of　the　men　used　it　as
an　accompaniment　of　a　song；　but　they　are　unwilling　to　part　with
them；　as　they　say　that　it　is　very　seldom　that　they　can　find　a　piece
of　wood　which　will　bear　the　fine　splitting　necessary　for　the
tongue。

They　are　a　most　courteous　people　among　each　other。　　The　salutations
are　frequenton　entering　a　house；　on　leaving　it；　on　meeting　on　the
road；　on　receiving　anything　from　the　hand　of　another；　and　on
receiving　a　kind　or　complimentary　speech。　　They　do　not　make　any
acknowledgments　of　this　kind　to　the　women；　however。　　The　common
salutation　consists　in　extending　the　hands　and　waving　them　inwards；
once　or　oftener；　and　stroking　the　beard；　the　formal　one　in　raising
the　hands　with　an　inward　curve　to　the　level　of　the　head　two　or
three　times；　lowering　them；　and　rubbing　them　together；　the　ceremony
concluding　with　stroking　the　beard　several　times。　　The　latter　and
more　formal　mode　of　salutation　is　offered　to　the　chief；　and　by　the
young　to　the　old　men。　　The　women　have　no　〃manners！〃

They　have　no　〃medicine　men；〃　and；　though　they　are　aware　of　the
existence　of　healing　herbs；　they　do　not　know　their　special　virtues
or　the　manner　of　using　them。　　Dried　and　pounded　bear's　liver　is
their　specific