unbeaten tracks in japan-第43章

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shy　and　smiled；　and　the　men　made　their　graceful　salutation。　　We
stopped　at　the　chief's　house；　where；　of　course；　we　were　unexpected
guests；　but　Shinondi；　his　nephew；　and　two　other　men　came　out；
saluted　us；　and　with　most　hospitable　intent　helped　Ito　to　unload
the　horses。　　Indeed　their　eager　hospitality　created　quite　a
commotion；　one　running　hither　and　the　other　thither　in　their
anxiety　to　welcome　a　stranger。　　It　is　a　large　house；　the　room　being
35　by　25；　and　the　roof　20　feet　high；　but　you　enter　by　an　ante…
chamber；　in　which　are　kept　the　millet…mill　and　other　articles。
There　is　a　doorway　in　this；　but　the　inside　is　pretty　dark；　and
Shinondi；　taking　my　hand；　raised　the　reed　curtain　bound　with　hide；
which　concealed　the　entrance　into　the　actual　house；　and；　leading　me
into　it；　retired　a　footstep；　extended　his　arms；　waved　his　arms
inwards　three　times；　and　then　stroked　his　beard　several　times；
after　which　he　indicated　by　a　sweep　of　his　hand　and　a　beautiful
smile　that　the　house　and　all　it　contained　were　mine。　　An　aged
woman；　the　chief's　mother；　who　was　splitting　bark　by　the　fire；
waved　her　hands　also。　　She　is　the　queen…regnant　of　the　house。

Again　taking　my　hand；　Shinondi　led　me　to　the　place　of　honour　at　the
head　of　the　firea　rude；　movable　platform　six　feet　long　by　four
broad；　and　a　foot　high；　on　which　he　laid　an　ornamental　mat；
apologising　for　not　having　at　that　moment　a　bearskin　wherewith　to
cover　it。　　The　baggage　was　speedily　brought　in　by　several　willing
pairs　of　hands；　some　reed　mats　fifteen　feet　long　were　laid　down
upon　the　very　coarse　ones　which　covered　the　whole　floor；　and　when
they　saw　Ito　putting　up　my　stretcher　they　hung　a　fine　mat　along　the
rough　wall　to　conceal　it；　and　suspended　another　on　the　beams　of　the
roof　for　a　canopy。　　The　alacrity　and　instinctive　hospitality　with
which　these　men　rushed　about　to　make　things　comfortable　were　very
fascinating；　though　comfort　is　a　word　misapplied　in　an　Aino　hut。
The　women　only　did　what　the　men　told　them。

They　offered　food　at　once；　but　I　told　them　that　I　had　brought　my
own；　and　would　only　ask　leave　to　cook　it　on　their　fire。　　I　need　not
have　brought　any　cups；　for　they　have　many　lacquer　bowls；　and
Shinondi　brought　me　on　a　lacquer　tray　a　bowl　full　of　water　from　one
of　their　four　wells。　　They　said　that　Benri；　the　chief；　would　wish
me　to　make　his　house　my　own　for　as　long　as　I　cared　to　stay；　and　I
must　excuse　them　in　all　things　in　which　their　ways　were　different
from　my　own。　　Shinondi　and　four　others　in　the　village　speak
tolerable　Japanese；　and　this　of　course　is　the　medium　of
communication。　　Ito　has　exerted　himself　nobly　as　an　interpreter；
and　has　entered　into　my　wishes　with　a　cordiality　and　intelligence
which　have　been　perfectly　invaluable；　and；　though　he　did　growl　at
Mr。　Von　Siebold's　injunctions　regarding　politeness；　he　has　carried
them　out　to　my　satisfaction；　and　even　admits　that　the　mountain
Ainos　are　better　than　he　expected；　〃but；〃　he　added　〃they　have
learned　their　politeness　from　the　Japanese！〃　　They　have　never　seen
a　foreign　woman；　and　only　three　foreign　men；　but　there　is　neither
crowding　nor　staring　as　among　the　Japanese；　possibly　in　part　from
apathy　and　want　of　intelligence。　　For　three　days　they　have　kept　up
their　graceful　and　kindly　hospitality；　going　on　with　their　ordinary
life　and　occupations；　and；　though　I　have　lived　among　them　in　this
room　by　day　and　night；　there　has　been　nothing　which　in　any　way
could　offend　the　most　fastidious　sense　of　delicacy。

They　said　they　would　leave　me　to　eat　and　rest；　and　all　retired　but
the　chief's　mother；　a　weird；　witch…like　woman　of　eighty；　with
shocks　of　yellow…white　hair；　and　a　stern　suspiciousness　in　her
wrinkled　face。　　I　have　come　to　feel　as　if　she　had　the　evil　eye；　as
she　sits　there　watching；　watching　always；　and　for　ever　knotting　the
bark　thread　like　one　of　the　Fates；　keeping　a　jealous　watch　on　her
son's　two　wives；　and　on　other　young　women　who　come　in　to　weave
neither　the　dulness　nor　the　repose　of　old　age　about　her；　and　her
eyes　gleam　with　a　greedy　light　when　she　sees　sake；　of　which　she
drains　a　bowl　without　taking　breath。　　She　alone　is　suspicious　of
strangers；　and　she　thinks　that　my　visit　bodes　no　good　to　her　tribe。
I　see　her　eyes　fixed　upon　me　now；　and　they　make　me　shudder。

I　had　a　good　meal　seated　in　my　chair　on　the　top　of　the　guest…seat
to　avoid　the　fleas；　which　are　truly　legion。　　At　dusk　Shinondi
returned；　and　soon　people　began　to　drop　in；　till　eighteen　were
assembled；　including　the　sub…chief　and　several　very　grand…looking
old　men；　with　full；　grey；　wavy　beards。　　Age　is　held　in　much
reverence；　and　it　is　etiquette　for　these　old　men　to　do　honour　to　a
guest　in　the　chief's　absence。　　As　each　entered　he　saluted　me
several　times；　and　after　sitting　down　turned　towards　me　and　saluted
again；　going　through　the　same　ceremony　with　every　other　person。
They　said　they　had　come　〃to　bid　me　welcome。〃　　They　took　their
places　in　rigid　order　at　each　side　of　the　fireplace；　which　is　six
feet　long；　Benri's　mother　in　the　place　of　honour　at　the　right；　then
Shinondi；　then　the　sub…chief；　and　on　the　other　side　the　old　men。
Besides　these；　seven　women　sat　in　a　row　in　the　background　splitting
bark。　　A　large　iron　pan　hung　over　the　fire　from　a　blackened
arrangement　above；　and　Benri's　principal　wife　cut　wild　roots；　green
beans；　and　seaweed；　and　shred　dried　fish　and　venison　among　them；
adding　millet；　water；　and　some　strong…smelling　fish…oil；　and　set
the　whole　on　to　stew　for　three　hours；　stirring　the　〃mess〃　now　and
then　with　a　wooden　spoon。

Several　of　the　older　people　smoke；　and　I　handed　round　some　mild
tobacco；　which　they　received　with　waving　hands。　　I　told　them　that　I
came　from　a　land　in　the　sea；　very　far　away；　where　they　saw　the　sun
go　downso　very　far　away　that　a　horse　would　have　to　gallop　day　and
night　for　five　weeks　to　reach　itand　that　I　had　come　a　long
journey　to　see　them；　and　that　I　wanted　to　ask　them　many　questions；
so　that　when　I　went　home　I　might　tell　my　own　people　something　about
them。　　Shinondi　and　another　man；　who　understood　Japanese；　bowed；
and　（as　on　every　occasion）　translated　what　I　said　into　Aino　for　the
venerable　group　opposite。　　Shinondi　then　said　〃that　he　and
Shinrichi；　the　other　Japanese　speaker；　would　tell　me　all　they　knew；
but　they　were　but　young　men；　and　only　knew　what　was　told　to　them。
They　would　speak　what　they　believed　to　be　true；　but　the　chief　knew
more　than　they；　and　when　he　came　back　he　might　tell　me　differently；
and　then　I　should　think　that　they　had　spoken　lies。〃　　I　said　that　no
one　who　looked　into　their　faces　could　think　that　they　ever　told
lies。　　They　were　very　much　pleased；　and　waved　their　hands　and
stroked　their　beards　repeatedly。　　Before　they　told　me　anything　they
begged　and　prayed　that　I　would　not　inform　the　Japanese　Government
that　they　had　told　me　of　their　customs；　or　harm　might　come　to　them！

For　the　next　two　hours；　and　for　two　more　after　supper；　I　asked　them
questions　concerning　their　religion　and　customs；　and　again
yesterday　for　a　considerable　time；　and　this　morning；　after　Benri's
return；　I　went　over　the　same　subjects　with　him；　and　have　also
employed　a　considerable　time　in　getting　about　300　words　from　them；
which　I　have　spelt　phonetically　of　course；　and　intend　to　go　over
again　when　I　visit　the　coast　Ainos。　｛19｝

The　process　was　slow；　as　both　question　and　answer　had　to　pass
through　three　languages。　　There　was　a　very　manifest　desire　to　tell
the　truth；　and　I　think　that　their　statements　concerning　their　few
and　simple　customs　may　be　relied　upon。　　I　shall　give　what　they　told
me　separately　when　I　have　time　to　write　out　my　notes　in　an　orderly
manner。　　I　can　only　say　that　I　have　seldom　spent　a　more　interesting
evening。

About　nine　the　stew　was　ready；　and　the　women　ladled　it　into　lacquer
bowls　with　wooden　spoons。　　The　men　were　served　first；　but　all　ate
together。　　Afterwards　sake；　their　curse；　was　poured　into　lacquer
bowls；　and　across　each　bowl　a　finely…carved　〃sake…stick〃　was　laid。
These　sticks　are　very　highly　prized。　　The　bowls　were　waved　several
times　with　an　inward　motion；　then　each　man　took　his　stick　and；
dipping　it　into　the　sake；　made　six　libations　to　the　fire　and
several　to　the　〃god〃a　wooden　post；　with　a　quantity　of　spiral
white　shavings　falling　from　near　the　top。　　The　Ainos　are　not
affected　by　sake　nearly　so　easily　as　the　Japanese。　　They　took　it
cold；　it　is　true；　but　each　drank　about　three　times　as　much　as　would
have　made　a　Japanese　foolish；　and　it　had　no　effect　upon　them。
After　two　hours　more　talk　one　after　another　got　up　and　went　out；
making　profuse　salutations　to　me　and　to　the　others。　　My　candles　had
been　forgotten；　and　our　seance　was　held　by　the　fitful　light　of　the
big　logs　on　the　fire；　aided　by　a　succession　of　chips　of　birch　bark；
with　which　a　woman　replenished　a　cleft　stick　that　was　stuck　into
the　fire…hole。　　I　never　saw　such　a　strangely　picturesque　sight　as
that　group　of　magnificent　savages　with　the　fitful　firelight　on
their　faces；　and　for　adjuncts　the　flare　of　the　torch；　the　strong
lights；　the　blackness　of　the　recesses　of　the　room　and　of　the　roof；
at　one　end　of　which　the　stars　looked　in；　and　the　row　of　savage
women　in　the　backgroundeastern　savagery　and　western　civilisation
met　in　this　hut；　savagery　giving　and　civilisation　receiving；　the
yellow…skinned　Ito　the　connecting…link　between　the　two；　and　the
representative　of　a　civilisation　to　which　our　own　is　but　an　〃infant
of　days。〃

I　found　it　very　exciting；　and　when　all　had　left　crept　out　into　the
starlight。　　The　lodges　were　all　dark　and　silent；　and　the　dogs；　mild
like　their　masters；　took　no　notice　of　me。　　The　only　sound　was　the
rustle　of　a　light　breeze　through　the　surrounding　forest。　　The　verse
came　into　my　mind；　〃It　is　not　the　will　of　your　Father　which　is　in
heaven　that　one　of　these　little　ones　should　perish。〃　　Surely　these
simple　savages　are　children；　as　children　to　be　judged；　may　we　not
hope　as　children　to　be　saved　through　Him　who　came　〃not　to　judge　the
world；　but　to　save　the　world〃？

I　crept　back　again　and　into　my　mosquito　net；　and　suffered　not　from
fleas　or　mosquitoes；　but　from　severe　cold。　　Shinondi　conversed　with
Ito　for　some　time　in　a　low　musical　voice；　having　previously　asked
if　it　would　keep　me　from　sleeping。　　No　Japanese　ever　intermitted
his　ceaseless　chatter　at　any　hour　of　the　night　for　a　similar
reason。　　Later；　the　chief's　principal　wife；　Noma；　stuck　a　triply…
cleft　stick　in　the　fire…hole；　put　a　potsherd　with　a　wick　and　some
fish…oil　upon　it；　and　by　the　dim　light　of　this　rude　lamp　sewed
until　midnight　at　a　garment　of　bark　cloth　which　she　was　ornamenting
for　her　lord　with　strips　of　blue　cloth；　and　when　I　opened　my　eyes
the　next　morning　she　was　at　the　window　sewing　by　the　earliest
daylight。　　She　is　the　most　intelligent…looking　of　all　the　women；
but　looks　sad　and　almost　stern；　and　speaks　seldom。　　Although　she　is
the　principal　wife　of　the　chief　she　is　not　happy；　for　she　is
childless；　and　I　thought　that　her　sad　look　darkened　into　something
evil　as　the　other　wife　caressed　a　fine　baby　boy。　　Benri　seems　to　me
something　of　a　brute；　and　the　mother…in…law　obviously　holds　the
reins　of　government　pretty　tight。　　After　sewing　till　midnight　she
swept　the　mats　with　a　bunch　of　twigs；　and　then　crept　into　her　bed
behind　a　hang