unbeaten tracks in japan-第60部分

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at　a　time　called　the　jishindo；　or　〃earthquake　door；〃　because　it
provides　an　exit　during　the　alarm　of　an　earthquake；　in　case　of　the
amado　sticking　in　their　grooves；　or　their　bolts　going　wrong。　　I
believe　that　such　a　door　exists　in　all　Japanese　houses。

The　next　morning　was　as　beautiful　as　the　previous　evening；　rose　and
gold　instead　of　gold　and　pink。　　Before　the　sun　was　well　up　I
visited　a　number　of　the　Aino　lodges；　saw　the　bear；　and　the　chief；
who；　like　all　the　rest；　is　a　monogamist；　and；　after　breakfast；　at
my　request；　some　of　the　old　men　came　to　give　me　such　information　as
they　had。　　These　venerable　elders　sat　cross…legged　in　the　verandah；
the　house…master's　son；　who　kindly　acted　as　interpreter；　squatting；
Japanese　fashion；　at　the　side；　and　about　thirty　Ainos；　mostly
women；　with　infants；　sitting　behind。　　I　spent　about　two　hours　in
going　over　the　same　ground　as　at　Biratori；　and　also　went　over　the
words；　and　got　some　more；　including　some　synonyms。　　The　click　of
the　ts　before　the　ch　at　the　beginning　of　a　word　is　strongly　marked
among　these　Ainos。　　Some　of　their　customs　differ　slightly　from
those　of　their　brethren　of　the　interior；　specially　as　to　the　period
of　seclusion　after　a　death；　the　non…allowance　of　polygamy　to　the
chief；　and　the　manner　of　killing　the　bear　at　the　annual　festival。
Their　ideas　of　metempsychosis　are　more　definite；　but　this；　I　think；
is　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　influence　and　proximity　of　Buddhism。
They　spoke　of　the　bear　as　their　chief　god；　and　next　the　sun　and
fire。　　They　said　that　they　no　longer　worship　the　wolf；　and　that
though　they　call　the　volcano　and　many　other　things　kamoi；　or　god；
they　do　not　worship　them。　　I　ascertained　beyond　doubt　that　worship
with　them　means　simply　making　libations　of　sake　and　〃drinking　to
the　god；〃　and　that　it　is　unaccompanied　by　petitions；　or　any　vocal
or　mental　act。

These　Ainos　are　as　dark　as　the　people　of　southern　Spain；　and　very
hairy。　　Their　expression　is　earnest　and　pathetic；　and　when　they
smiled；　as　they　did　when　I　could　not　pronounce　their　words；　their
faces　had　a　touching　sweetness　which　was　quite　beautiful；　and
European；　not　Asiatic。　　Their　own　impression　is　that　they　are　now
increasing　in　numbers　after　diminishing　for　many　years。　　I　left　Usu
sleeping　in　the　loveliness　of　an　autumn　noon　with　great　regret。　　No
place　that　I　have　seen　has　fascinated　me　so　much。



LETTER　XL（Continued）



The　Sea…shoreA　〃Hairy　Aino〃A　Horse　FightThe　Horses　of　Yezo
〃Bad　Mountains〃A　Slight　AccidentMagnificent　SceneryA　Bleached
Halting…PlaceA　Musty　RoomAino　〃Good…breeding。〃

A　charge　of　3　sen　per　ri　more　for　the　horses　for　the　next　stage；
because　there　were　such　〃bad　mountains　to　cross；〃　prepared　me　for
what　followedmany　miles　of　the　worst　road　for　horses　I　ever　saw。
I　should　not　have　complained　if　they　had　charged　double　the　price。
As　an　almost　certain　consequence；　it　was　one　of　the　most
picturesque　routes　I　have　ever　travelled。　　For　some　distance；
however；　it　runs　placidly　along　by　the　sea…shore；　on　which　big；
blue；　foam…crested　rollers　were　disporting　themselves　noisily；　and
passes　through　several　Aino　hamlets；　and　the　Aino　village　of　Abuta；
with　sixty　houses；　rather　a　prosperous…looking　place；　where　the
cultivation　was　considerably　more　careful；　and　the　people　possessed
a　number　of　horses。　　Several　of　the　houses　were　surrounded　by
bears'　skulls　grinning　from　between　the　forked　tops　of　high　poles；
and　there　was　a　well…grown　bear　ready　for　his　doom　and　apotheosis。
In　nearly　all　the　houses　a　woman　was　weaving　bark…cloth；　with　the
hook　which　holds　the　web　fixed　into　the　ground　several　feet　outside
the　house。　　At　a　deep　river　called　the　Nopkobets；　which　emerges
from　the　mountains　close　to　the　sea；　we　were　ferried　by　an　Aino
completely　covered　with　hair；　which　on　his　shoulders　was　wavy　like
that　of　a　retriever；　and　rendered　clothing　quite　needless　either
for　covering　or　warmth。　　A　wavy；　black　beard　rippled　nearly　to　his
waist　over　his　furry　chest；　and；　with　his　black　locks　hanging　in
masses　over　his　shoulders；　he　would　have　looked　a　thorough　savage
had　it　not　been　for　the　exceeding　sweetness　of　his　smile　and　eyes。
The　Volcano　Bay　Ainos　are　far　more　hairy　than　the　mountain　Ainos；
but　even　among　them　it　is　quite　common　to　see　men　not　more　so　than
vigorous　Europeans；　and　I　think　that　the　hairiness　of　the　race　as　a
distinctive　feature　has　been　much　exaggerated；　partly　by　the
smooth…skinned　Japanese。

The　ferry　scow　was　nearly　upset　by　our　four　horses　beginning　to
fight。　　At　first　one　bit　the　shoulders　of　another；　then　the　one
attacked　uttered　short；　sharp　squeals；　and　returned　the　attack　by
striking　with　his　fore　feet；　and　then　there　was　a　general　melee　of
striking　and　biting；　till　some　ugly　wounds　were　inflicted。　　I　have
watched　fights　of　this　kind　on　a　large　scale　every　day　in　the
corral。　　The　miseries　of　the　Yezo　horses　are　the　great　drawback　of
Yezo　travelling。　　They　are　brutally　used；　and　are　covered　with
awful　wounds　from　being　driven　at　a　fast　〃scramble〃　with　the　rude；
ungirthed　pack…saddle　and　its　heavy　load　rolling　about　on　their
backs；　and　they　are　beaten　unmercifully　over　their　eyes　and　ears
with　heavy　sticks。　　Ito　has　been　barbarous　to　these　gentle；　little…
prized　animals　ever　since　we　came　to　Yezo；　he　has　vexed　me　more　by
this　than　by　anything　else；　especially　as　he　never　dared　even　to
carry　a　switch　on　the　main　island；　either　from　fear　of　the　horses
or　their　owners。　　To…day　he　was　beating　the　baggage　horse
unmercifully；　when　I　rode　back　and　interfered　with　some　very　strong
language；　saying；　〃You　are　a　bully；　and；　like　all　bullies；　a
coward。〃　　Imagine　my　aggravation　when；　at　our　first　halt；　he
brought　out　his　note…book；　as　usual；　and　quietly　asked　me　the
meaning　of　the　words　〃bully〃　and　〃coward。〃　　It　was　perfectly
impossible　to　explain　them；　so　I　said　a　bully　was　the　worst　name　I
could　call　him；　and　that　a　coward　was　the　meanest　thing　a　man　could
be。　　Then　the　provoking　boy　said；　〃Is　bully　a　worse　name　than
devil？〃　　〃Yes；　far　worse；〃　I　said；　on　which　he　seemed　rather
crestfallen；　and　he　has　not　beaten　his　horse　since；　in　my　sight　at
least

The　breaking…in　process　is　simply　breaking　the　spirit　by　an　hour　or
two　of　such　atrocious　cruelty　as　I　saw　at　Shiraoi；　at　the　end　of
which　the　horse；　covered　with　foam　and　blood；　and　bleeding　from
mouth　and　nose；　falls　down　exhausted。　　Being　so　ill　used　they　have
all　kinds　of　tricks；　such　as　lying　down　in　fords；　throwing
themselves　down　head　foremost　and　rolling　over　pack　and　rider；
bucking；　and　resisting　attempts　to　make　them　go　otherwise　than　in
single　file。　　Instead　of　bits　they　have　bars　of　wood　on　each　side
of　the　mouth；　secured　by　a　rope　round　the　nose　and　chin。　　When
horses　which　have　been　broken　with　bits　gallop　they　put　up　their
heads　till　the　nose　is　level　with　the　ears；　and　it　is　useless　to
try　either　to　guide　or　check　them。　　They　are　always　wanting　to　join
the　great　herds　on　the　hillside　or　sea…shore；　from　which　they　are
only　driven　down　as　they　are　needed。　　In　every　Yezo　village　the
first　sound　that　one　hears　at　break　of　day　is　the　gallop　of　forty
or　fifty　horses；　pursued　by　an　Aino；　who　has　hunted　them　from　the
hills。　　A　horse　is　worth　from　twenty…eight　shillings　upwards。　　They
are　very　sure…footed　when　their　feet　are　not　sore；　and　cross　a
stream　or　chasm　on　a　single　rickety　plank；　or　walk　on　a　narrow
ledge　above　a　river　or　gulch　without　fear。　　They　are　barefooted；
their　hoofs　are　very　hard；　and　I　am　glad　to　be　rid　of　the　perpetual
tying　and　untying　and　replacing　of　the　straw　shoes　of　the　well…
cared…for　horses　of　the　main　island。　　A　man　rides　with　them；　and
for　a　man　and　three　horses　the　charge　is　only　sixpence　for　each　2。5
miles。　　I　am　now　making　Ito　ride　in　front　of　me；　to　make　sure　that
he　does　not　beat　or　otherwise　misuse　his　beast。

After　crossing　the　Nopkobets；　from　which　the　fighting　horses　have
led　me　to　make　so　long　a　digression；　we　went　right　up　into　the　〃bad
mountains；〃　and　crossed　the　three　tremendous　passes　of　Lebungetoge。
Except　by　saying　that　this　disused　bridle…track　is　impassable；
people　have　scarcely　exaggerated　its　difficulties。　　One　horse　broke
down　on　the　first　pass；　and　we　were　long　delayed　by　sending　the
Aino　back　for　another。　　Possibly　these　extraordinary　passes　do　not
exceed　1500　feet　in　height；　but　the　track　ascends　them　through　a
dense　forest　with　most　extraordinary　abruptness；　to　descend　as
abruptly；　to　rise　again　sometimes　by　a　series　of　nearly　washed…away
zigzags；　at　others　by　a　straight；　ladder…like　ascent　deeply
channelled；　the　bottom　of　the　trough　being　filled　with　rough
stones；　large　and　small；　or　with　ledges　of　rock　with　an　entangled
mass　of　branches　and　trailers　overhead；　which　render　it　necessary
to　stoop　over　the　horse's　head　while　he　is　either　fumbling；
stumbling；　or　tumbling　among　the　stones　in　a　gash　a　foot　wide；　or
else　is　awkwardly　leaping　up　broken　rock　steps　nearly　the　height　of
his　chest；　the　whole　performance　consisting　of　a　series　of
scrambling　jerks　at　the　rate　of　a　mile　an　hour。

In　one　of　the　worst　places　the　Aino's　horse；　which　was　just　in
front　of　mine；　in　trying　to　scramble　up　a　nearly　breast…high　and
much…worn　ledge；　fell　backwards；　nearly　overturning　my　horse；　the
stretcher　poles；　which　formed　part　of　his　pack；　striking　me　so　hard
above　my　ankle　that　for　some　minutes　afterwards　I　thought　the　bone
was　broken。　　The　ankle　was　severely　cut　and　bruised；　and　bled　a
good　deal；　and　I　was　knocked　out　of　the　saddle。　　Ito's　horse　fell
three　times；　and　eventually　the　four　were　roped　together。　　Such　are
some　of　the　divertissements　of　Yezo　travel。

Ah；　but　it　was　glorious！　　The　views　are　most　magnificent。　　This　is
really　Paradise。　　Everything　is　herehuge　headlands　magnificently
timbered；　small；　deep　bays　into　which　the　great　green　waves　roll
majestically；　great；　grey　cliffs；　too　perpendicular　for　even　the
most　adventurous　trailer　to　find　root…hold；　bold　bluffs　and
outlying　stacks　cedar…crested；　glimpses　of　bright；　blue　ocean
dimpling　in　the　sunshine　or　tossing　up　wreaths　of　foam　among　ferns
and　trailers；　and　inland　ranges　of　mountains　forest…covered；　with
tremendous　gorges　between；　forest　filled；　where　wolf；　bear；　and
deer　make　their　nearly