unbeaten tracks in japan-第55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！


or　the　manner　of　using　them。　　Dried　and　pounded　bear's　liver　is
their　specific；　and　they　place　much　reliance　on　it　in　colic　and
other　pains。　　They　are　a　healthy　race。　　In　this　village　of　300
souls；　there　are　no　chronically　ailing　people；　nothing　but　one　case
of　bronchitis；　and　some　cutaneous　maladies　among　children。　　Neither
is　there　any　case　of　deformity　in　this　and　five　other　large
villages　which　I　have　visited；　except　that　of　a　girl；　who　has　one
leg　slightly　shorter　than　the　other。

They　ferment　a　kind　of　intoxicating　liquor　from　the　root　of　a　tree；
and　also　from　their　own　millet　and　Japanese　rice；　but　Japanese　sake
is　the　one　thing　that　they　care　about。　　They　spend　all　their　gains
upon　it；　and　drink　it　in　enormous　quantities。　　It　represents　to
them　all　the　good　of　which　they　know；　or　can　conceive。　　Beastly
intoxication　is　the　highest　happiness　to　which　these　poor　savages
aspire；　and　the　condition　is　sanctified　to　them　under　the　fiction
of　〃drinking　to　the　gods。〃　　Men　and　women　alike　indulge　in　this
vice。　　A　few；　however；　like　Pipichari；　abstain　from　it　totally；
taking　the　bowl　in　their　hands；　making　the　libations　to　the　gods；
and　then　passing　it　on。　　I　asked　Pipichari　why　he　did　not　take
sake；　and　he　replied　with　a　truthful　terseness；　〃Because　it　makes
men　like　dogs。〃

Except　the　chief；　who　has　two　horses；　they　have　no　domestic　animals
except　very　large；　yellow　dogs；　which　are　used　in　hunting；　but　are
never　admitted　within　the　houses。

The　habits　of　the　people；　though　by　no　means　destitute　of　decency
and　propriety；　are　not　cleanly。　　The　women　bathe　their　hands　once　a
day；　but　any　other　washing　is　unknown。　　They　never　wash　their
clothes；　and　wear　the　same　by　day　and　night。　　I　am　afraid　to
speculate　on　the　condition　of　their　wealth　of　coal…black　hair。
They　may　be　said　to　be　very　dirtyas　dirty　fully　as　masses　of　our
people　at　home。　　Their　houses　swarm　with　fleas；　but　they　are　not
worse　in　this　respect　than　the　Japanese　yadoyas。　　The　mountain
villages　have；　however；　the　appearance　of　extreme　cleanliness；
being　devoid　of　litter；　heaps；　puddles；　and　untidiness　of　all
kinds；　and　there　are　no　unpleasant　odours　inside　or　outside　the
houses；　as　they　are　well　ventilated　and　smoked；　and　the　salt　fish
and　meat　are　kept　in　the　godowns。　　The　hair　and　beards　of　the　old
men；　instead　of　being　snowy　as　they　ought　to　be；　are　yellow　from
smoke　and　dirt。

They　have　no　mode　of　computing　time；　and　do　not　know　their　own
ages。　　To　them　the　past　is　dead；　yet；　like　other　conquered　and
despised　races；　they　cling　to　the　idea　that　in　some　far…off　age
they　were　a　great　nation。　　They　have　no　traditions　of　internecine
strife；　and　the　art　of　war　seems　to　have　been　lost　long　ago。　　I
asked　Benri　about　this　matter；　and　he　says　that　formerly　Ainos
fought　with　spears　and　knives　as　well　as　with　bows　and　arrows；　but
that　Yoshitsune；　their　hero　god；　forbade　war　for　ever；　and　since
then　the　two…edged　spear；　with　a　shaft　nine　feet　long；　has　only
been　used　in　hunting　bears。

The　Japanese　Government；　of　course；　exercises　the　same　authority
over　the　Ainos　as　over　its　other　subjects；　but　probably　it　does　not
care　to　interfere　in　domestic　or　tribal　matters；　and　within　this
outside　limit　despotic　authority　is　vested　in　the　chiefs。　　The
Ainos　live　in　village　communities；　and　each　community　has　its　own
chief；　who　is　its　lord　paramount。　　It　appears　to　me　that　this
chieftainship　is　but　an　expansion　of　the　paternal　relation；　and
that　all　the　village　families　are　ruled　as　a　unit。　　Benri；　in　whose
house　I　am；　is　the　chief　of　Biratori；　and　is　treated　by　all　with
very　great　deference　of　manner。　　The　office　is　nominally　for　life；
but　if　a　chief　becomes　blind；　or　too　infirm　to　go　about；　he
appoints　a　successor。　　If　he　has　a　〃smart〃　son；　who　he　thinks　will
command　the　respect　of　the　people；　he　appoints　him；　but　if　not；　he
chooses　the　most　suitable　man　in　the　village。　　The　people　are
called　upon　to　approve　the　choice；　but　their　ratification　is　never
refused。　　The　office　is　not　hereditary　anywhere。

Benri　appears　to　exercise　the　authority　of　a　very　strict　father。
His　manner　to　all　the　men　is　like　that　of　a　master　to　slaves；　and
they　bow　when　they　speak　to　him。　　No　one　can　marry　without　his
approval。　　If　any　one　builds　a　house　he　chooses　the　site。　　He　has
absolute　jurisdiction　in　civil　and　criminal　cases；　unless　（which　is
very　rare）　the　latter　should　be　of　sufficient　magnitude　to　be
reported　to　the　Imperial　officials。　　He　compels　restitution　of
stolen　property；　and　in　all　cases　fixes　the　fines　which　are　to　be
paid　by　delinquents。　　He　also　fixes　the　hunting　arrangements　and
the　festivals。　　The　younger　men　were　obviously　much　afraid　of
incurring　his　anger　in　his　absence。

An　eldest　son　does　not　appear　to　be；　as　among　the　Japanese；　a
privileged　person。　　He　does　not　necessarily　inherit　the　house　and
curios。　　The　latter　are　not　divided；　but　go　with　the　house　to　the
son　whom　the　father　regards　as　being　the　〃smartest。〃　　Formal
adoption　is　practised。　　Pipichari　is　an　adopted　son；　and　is　likely
to　succeed　to　Benri's　property　to　the　exclusion　of　his　own
children。　　I　cannot　get　at　the　word　which　is　translated
〃smartness；〃　but　I　understand　it　as　meaning　general　capacity。　　The
chief；　as　I　have　mentioned　before；　is　allowed　three　wives　among　the
mountain　Ainos；　otherwise　authority　seems　to　be　his　only　privilege。

The　Ainos　have　a　singular　dread　of　snakes。　　Even　their　bravest　fly
from　them。　　One　man　says　that　it　is　because　they　know　of　no　cure
for　their　bite；　but　there　is　something　more　than　this；　for　they
flee　from　snakes　which　they　know　to　be　harmless。

They　have　an　equal　dread　of　their　dead。　　Death　seems　to　them　very
specially　〃the　shadow　fear'd　of　man。〃　　When　it　comes；　which　it
usually　does　from　bronchitis　in　old　age；　the　corpse　is　dressed　in
its　best　clothing；　and　laid　upon　a　shelf　for　from　one　to　three
days。　　In　the　case　of　a　woman　her　ornaments　are　buried　with　her；
and　in　that　of　a　man　his　knife　and　sake…stick；　and；　if　he　were　a
smoker；　his　smoking　apparatus。　　The　corpse　is　sewn　up　with　these
things　in　a　mat；　and；　being　slung　on　poles；　is　carried　to　a
solitary　grave；　where　it　is　laid　in　a　recumbent　position。　　Nothing
will　induce　an　Aino　to　go　near　a　grave。　　Even　if　a　valuable　bird　or
animal　falls　near　one；　he　will　not　go　to　pick　it　up。　　A　vague　dread
is　for　ever　associated　with　the　departed；　and　no　dream　of　Paradise
ever　lights　for　the　Aino　the　〃Stygian　shades。〃

Benri　is；　for　an　Aino；　intelligent。　　Two　years　ago　Mr。　Dening　of
Hakodate　came　up　here　and　told　him　that　there　was　but　one　God　who
made　us　all；　to　which　the　shrewd　old　man　replied；　〃If　the　God　who
made　you　made　us；　how　is　it　that　you　are　so　differentyou　so　rich；
we　so　poor？〃　　On　asking　him　about　the　magnificent　pieces　of　lacquer
and　inlaying　which　adorn　his　curio　shelf；　he　said　that　they　were
his　father's；　grandfather's；　and　great…grandfather's　at　least；　and
he　thinks　they　were　gifts　from　the　daimiyo　of　Matsumae　soon　after
the　conquest　of　Yezo。　　He　is　a　grand…looking　man；　in　spite　of　the
havoc　wrought　by　his　intemperate　habits。　　There　is　plenty　of　room
in　the　house；　and　this　morning；　when　I　asked　him　to　show　me　the　use
of　the　spear；　he　looked　a　truly　magnificent　savage；　stepping　well
back　with　the　spear　in　rest；　and　then　springing　forward　for　the
attack；　his　arms　and　legs　turning　into　iron；　the　big　muscles
standing　out　in　knots；　his　frame　quivering　with　excitement；　the
thick　hair　falling　back　in　masses　from　his　brow；　and　the　fire　of
the　chase　in　his　eye。　　I　trembled　for　my　boy；　who　was　the　object　of
the　imaginary　onslaught；　the　passion　of　sport　was　so　admirably
acted。

As　I　write；　seven　of　the　older　men　are　sitting　by　the　fire。　　Their
grey　beards　fall　to　their　waists　in　rippled　masses；　and　the　slight
baldness　of　age　not　only　gives　them　a　singularly　venerable
appearance；　but　enhances　the　beauty　of　their　lofty　brows。　　I　took　a
rough　sketch　of　one　of　the　handsomest；　and；　showing　it　to　him；
asked　if　he　would　have　it；　but　instead　of　being　amused　or　pleased
he　showed　symptoms　of　fear；　and　asked　me　to　burn　it；　saying　it
would　bring　him　bad　luck　and　he　should　die。　　However；　Ito　pacified
him；　and　he　accepted　it；　after　a　Chinese　character；　which　is
understood　to　mean　good　luck；　had　been　written　upon　it；　but　all　the
others　begged　me　not　to　〃make　pictures〃　of　them；　except　Pipichari；
who　lies　at　my　feet　like　a　staghound。

The　profusion　of　black　hair；　and　a　curious　intensity　about　their
eyes；　coupled　with　the　hairy　limbs　and　singularly　vigorous
physique；　give　them　a　formidably　savage　appearance；　but　the　smile；
full　of　〃sweetness　and　light；〃　in　which　both　eyes　and　mouth　bear
part；　and　the　low；　musical　voice；　softer　and　sweeter　than　anything
I　have　previously　heard；　make　me　at　times　forget　that　they　are
savages　at　all。　　The　venerable　look　of　these　old　men　harmonises
with　the　singular　dignity　and　courtesy　of　their　manners；　but　as　I
look　at　the　grand　heads；　and　reflect　that　the　Ainos　have　never
shown　any　capacity；　and　are　merely　adult　children；　they　seem　to
suggest　water　on　the　brain　rather　than　intellect。　　I　am　more　and
more　convinced　that　the　expression　of　their　faces　is　European。　　It
is　truthful；　straightforward；　manly；　but　both　it　and　the　tone　of
voice　are　strongly　tinged　with　pathos。

Before　these　elders　Benri　asked　me；　in　a　severe　tone；　if　I　had　been
annoyed　in　any　way　during　his　absence。　　He　feared；　he　said；　that
the　young　men　and　the　women　would　crowd　about　me　rudely。　　I　made　a
complimentary　speech　in　return；　and　all　the　ancient　hands　were
waved；　and　the　venerable　beards　were　stroked　in　acknowledgment。

These　Ainos；　doubtless；　stand　high　among　uncivilised　peoples。　　They
are；　however；　as　completely　irreclaimable　as　the　wildest　of　nomad
tribes；　and　contact　with　civilisation；　where　it　exists；　only
debases　them。　　Several　young　Ainos　were　sent　to　Tokiyo；　and
educated　and　trained　in　various　ways；　but　as　soon　as　they　returned
to　Yezo　they　relapsed　into　savagery；　retaining　nothing　but　a
knowledge　of　Japanese。　　They　are　charming　in　many　ways；　but　make
one　sad；　too；　by　their　stupidity；　apathy；　and　hopelessness；　and　all
the　sadder　that　their　numbers　appear　to　be　again　increasing；　and　as
their　physique