unbeaten tracks in japan-第44章

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swept　the　mats　with　a　bunch　of　twigs；　and　then　crept　into　her　bed
behind　a　hanging　mat。　　For　a　moment　in　the　stillness　I　felt　a
feeling　of　panic；　as　if　I　were　incurring　a　risk　by　being　alone
among　savages；　but　I　conquered　it；　and；　after　watching　the　fire
till　it　went　out；　fell　asleep　till　I　was　awoke　by　the　severe　cold
of　the　next　day's　dawn。



LETTER　XXXVI（Continued）



A　Supposed　Act　of　WorshipParental　TendernessMorning　Visits
Wretched　CultivationHonesty　and　GenerosityA　〃Dug…out〃Female
OccupationsThe　Ancient　FateA　New　ArrivalA　Perilous
PrescriptionThe　Shrine　of　YoshitsuneThe　Chief's　Return。

When　I　crept　from　under　my　net　much　benumbed　with　cold；　there　were
about　eleven　people　in　the　room；　who　all　made　their　graceful
salutation。　　It　did　not　seem　as　if　they　had　ever　heard　of　washing；
for；　when　water　was　asked　for；　Shinondi　brought　a　little　in　a
lacquer　bowl；　and　held　it　while　I　bathed　my　face　and　hands；
supposing　the　performance　to　be　an　act　of　worship！　　I　was　about　to
throw　some　cold　tea　out　of　the　window　by　my　bed　when　he　arrested　me
with　an　anxious　face；　and　I　saw；　what　I　had　not　observed　before；
that　there　was　a　god　at　that　windowa　stick　with　festoons　of
shavings　hanging　from　it；　and　beside　it　a　dead　bird。　　The　Ainos
have　two　meals　a　day；　and　their　breakfast　was　a　repetition　of　the
previous　night's　supper。　　We　all　ate　together；　and　I　gave　the
children　the　remains　of　my　rice；　and　it　was　most　amusing　to　see
little　creatures　of　three；　four；　and　five　years　old；　with　no　other
clothing　than　a　piece　of　pewter　hanging　round　their　necks；　first
formally　asking　leave　of　the　parents　before　taking　the　rice；　and
then　waving　their　hands。　　The　obedience　of　the　children　is
instantaneous。　　Their　parents　are　more　demonstrative　in　their
affection　than　the　Japanese　are；　caressing　them　a　good　deal；　and
two　of　the　men　are　devoted　to　children　who　are　not　their　own。
These　little　ones　are　as　grave　and　dignified　as　Japanese　children；
and　are　very　gentle。

I　went　out　soon　after　five；　when　the　dew　was　glittering　in　the
sunshine；　and　the　mountain　hollow　in　which　Biratori　stands　was
looking　its　very　best；　and　the　silence　of　the　place；　even　though
the　people　were　all　astir；　was　as　impressive　as　that　of　the　night
before。　　What　a　strange　life！　knowing　nothing；　hoping　nothing；
fearing　a　little；　the　need　for　clothes　and　food　the　one　motive
principle；　sake　in　abundance　the　one　good！　　How　very　few　points　of
contact　it　is　possible　to　have！　　I　was　just　thinking　so　when
Shinondi　met　me；　and　took　me　to　his　house　to　see　if　I　could　do
anything　for　a　child　sorely　afflicted　with　skin　disease；　and　his
extreme　tenderness　for　this　very　loathsome　object　made　me　feel　that
human　affections　were　the　same　among　them　as　with　us。　　He　had
carried　it　on　his　back　from　a　village；　five　miles　distant；　that
morning；　in　the　hope　that　it　might　be　cured。　　As　soon　as　I　entered
he　laid　a　fine　mat　on　the　floor；　and　covered　the　guest…seat　with　a
bearskin。　　After　breakfast　he　took　me　to　the　lodge　of　the　sub…
chief；　the　largest　in　the　village；　45　feet　square；　and　into　about
twenty　others　all　constructed　in　the　same　way；　but　some　of　them
were　not　more　than　20　feet　square。　　In　all　I　was　received　with　the
same　courtesy；　but　a　few　of　the　people　asked　Shinondi　not　to　take
me　into　their　houses；　as　they　did　not　want　me　to　see　how　poor　they
are。　　In　every　house　there　was　the　low　shelf　with　more　or　fewer
curios　upon　it；　but；　besides　these；　none　but　the　barest　necessaries
of　life；　though　the　skins　which　they　sell　or　barter　every　year
would　enable　them　to　surround　themselves　with　comforts；　were　it　not
that　their　gains　represent　to　them　sake；　and　nothing　else。　　They
are　not　nomads。　　On　the　contrary；　they　cling　tenaciously　to　the
sites　on　which　their　fathers　have　lived　and　died。　　But　anything
more　deplorable　than　the　attempts　at　cultivation　which　surround
their　lodges　could　not　be　seen。　　The　soil　is　little　better　than
white　sand；　on　which　without　manure　they　attempt　to　grow　millet；
which　is　to　them　in　the　place　of　rice；　pumpkins；　onions；　and
tobacco；　but　the　look　of　their　plots　is　as　if　they　had　been
cultivated　ten　years　ago；　and　some　chance…sown　grain　and　vegetables
had　come　up　among　the　weeds。　　When　nothing　more　will　grow；　they
partially　clear　another　bit　of　forest；　and　exhaust　that　in　its
turn。

In　every　house　the　same　honour　was　paid　to　a　guest。　　This　seems　a
savage　virtue　which　is　not　strong　enough　to　survive　much　contact
with　civilisation。　　Before　I　entered　one　lodge　the　woman　brought
several　of　the　finer　mats；　and　arranged　them　as　a　pathway　for　me　to
walk　to　the　fire　upon。　　They　will　not　accept　anything　for　lodging；
or　for　anything　that　they　give；　so　I　was　anxious　to　help　them　by
buying　some　of　their　handiwork；　but　found　even　this　a　difficult
matter。　　They　were　very　anxious　to　give；　but　when　I　desired　to　buy
they　said　they　did　not　wish　to　part　with　their　things。　　I　wanted
what　they　had　in　actual　use；　such　as　a　tobacco…box　and　pipe…sheath；
and　knives　with　carved　handles　and　scabbards；　and　for　three　of
these　I　offered　2。5　dollars。　　They　said　they　did　not　care　to　sell
them；　but　in　the　evening　they　came　saying　they　were　not　worth　more
than　1　dollar　10　cents；　and　they　would　sell　them　for　that；　and　I
could　not　get　them　to　take　more。　　They　said　it　was　〃not　their
custom。〃　　I　bought　a　bow　and　three　poisoned　arrows；　two　reed…mats；
with　a　diamond　pattern　on　them　in　reeds　stained　red；　some　knives
with　sheaths；　and　a　bark　cloth　dress。　　I　tried　to　buy　the　sake…
sticks　with　which　they　make　libations　to　their　gods；　but　they　said
it　was　〃not　their　custom〃　to　part　with　the　sake…stick　of　any　living
man；　however；　this　morning　Shinondi　has　brought　me；　as　a　very
valuable　present；　the　stick　of　a　dead　man！　　This　morning　the　man
who　sold　the　arrows　brought　two　new　ones；　to　replace　two　which　were
imperfect。　　I　found　them；　as　Mr。　Von　Siebold　had　done；
punctiliously　honest　in　all　their　transactions。　　They　wear　very
large　earrings　with　hoops　an　inch　and　a　half　in　diameter；　a　pair
constituting　the　dowry　of　an　Aino　bride；　but　they　would　not　part
with　these。

A　house　was　burned　down　two　nights　ago；　and　〃custom〃　in　such　a　case
requires　that　all　the　men　should　work　at　rebuilding　it；　so　in　their
absence　I　got　two　boys　to　take　me　in　a　〃dug…out〃　as　far　as　we　could
go　up　the　Sarufutogawaa　lovely　river；　which　winds　tortuously
through　the　forests　and　mountains　in　unspeakable　loveliness。　　I　had
much　of　the　feeling　of　the　ancient　mariner　…


〃We　were　the　first
Who　ever　burst
Into　that　silent　sea。〃


For　certainly　no　European　had　ever　previously　floated　on　the　dark
and　forest…shrouded　waters。　　I　enjoyed　those　hours　thoroughly；　for
the　silence　was　profound；　and　the　faint　blue　of　the　autumn　sky；　and
the　soft　blue　veil　which　〃spiritualised〃　the　distances；　were　so
exquisitely　like　the　Indian　summer。

The　evening　was　spent　like　the　previous　one；　but　the　hearts　of　the
savages　were　sad；　for　there　was　no　more　sake　in　Biratori；　so　they
could　not　〃drink　to　the　god；〃　and　the　fire　and　the　post　with　the
shavings　had　to　go　without　libations。　　There　was　no　more　oil；　so
after　the　strangers　retired　the　hut　was　in　complete　darkness。

Yesterday　morning　we　all　breakfasted　soon　after　daylight；　and　the
able…bodied　men　went　away　to　hunt。　　Hunting　and　fishing　are　their
occupations；　and　for　〃indoor　recreation〃　they　carve　tobacco…boxes；
knife…sheaths；　sake…sticks；　and　shuttles。　　It　is　quite　unnecessary
for　them　to　do　anything；　they　are　quite　contented　to　sit　by　the
fire；　and　smoke　occasionally；　and　eat　and　sleep；　this　apathy　being
varied　by　spasms　of　activity　when　there　is　no　more　dried　flesh　in
the　kuras；　and　when　skins　must　be　taken　to　Sarufuto　to　pay　for
sake。　　The　women　seem　never　to　have　an　idle　moment。　　They　rise
early　to　sew；　weave；　and　split　bark；　for　they　not　only　clothe
themselves　and　their　husbands　in　this　nearly　indestructible　cloth；
but　weave　it　for　barter；　and　the　lower　class　of　Japanese　are
constantly　to　be　seen　wearing　the　product　of　Aino　industry。　　They
do　all　the　hard　work；　such　as　drawing　water；　chopping　wood；
grinding　millet；　and　cultivating　the　soil；　after　their　fashion；
but；　to　do　the　men　justice；　I　often　see　them　trudging　along
carrying　one　and　even　two　children。　　The　women　take　the　exclusive
charge　of　the　kuras；　which　are　never　entered　by　men。

I　was　left　for　some　hours　alone　with　the　women；　of　whom　there　were
seven　in　the　hut；　with　a　few　children。　　On　the　one　side　of　the　fire
the　chief's　mother　sat　like　a　Fate；　for　ever　splitting　and　knotting
bark；　and　petrifying　me　by　her　cold；　fateful　eyes。　　Her　thick；　grey
hair　hangs　in　shocks；　the　tattooing　round　her　mouth　has　nearly
faded；　and　no　longer　disguises　her　really　handsome　features。　　She
is　dressed　in　a　much　ornamented　bark…cloth　dress；　and　wears　two
silver　beads　tied　round　her　neck　by　a　piece　of　blue　cotton；　in
addition　to　very　large　earrings。　　She　has　much　sway　in　the　house；
sitting　on　the　men's　side　of　the　fire；　drinking　plenty　of　sake；　and
occasionally　chiding　her　grandson　Shinondi　for　telling　me　too　much；
saying　that　it　will　bring　harm　to　her　people。　　Though　her
expression　is　so　severe　and　forbidding；　she　is　certainly　very
handsome；　and　it　is　a　European；　not　an　Asiatic；　beauty。

The　younger　women　were　all　at　work；　two　were　seated　on　the　floor
weaving　without　a　loom；　and　the　others　were　making　and　mending　the
bark　coats　which　are　worn　by　both　sexes。　　Noma；　the　chief's
principal　wife；　sat　apart；　seldom　speaking。　　Two　of　the　youngest
women　are　very　prettyas　fair　as　ourselves；　and　their　comeliness
is　of　the　rosy；　peasant　kind。　　It　turns　out　that　two　of　them；
though　they　would　not　divulge　it　before　men；　speak　Japanese；　and
they　prattled　to　Ito　with　great　vivacity　and　merriment；　the　ancient
Fate　scowling　at　them　the　while　from　under　her　shaggy　eyebrows。　　I
got　a　number　of　words　from　them；　and　they　laughed　heartily　at　my
erroneous　pronunciation。　　They　even　asked　me　a　number　of　questions
regarding　their　own　sex　among　ourselves；　but　few　of　these　would
bear　repetition；　and　they　answered　a　number　of　mine。　　As　the
merriment　increased　the　old　woman　looked　increasingly　angry　and
restless；　and　at　last　rated　them　sharply；　as　I　have　heard　since；
telling　them　that　if　they　spoke　another　word　she　should　tell　their
husbands　that　they　had　been　talking　to　strangers。　　After　this　not
another　word　was　spoken；　and　Noma；　who　is　an　industrious　housewife；
boiled　some　millet　into　a　mash　for　a　mid…day　lunch。　　During　the
afternoon　a　very　handsome　young　Aino；　with　a　washed；　richly…
coloured　skin　and　fine　clear　eyes；　came　up　from　the　coast；　where　he
had　been　working　at　the　fishing。　　He　saluted　the　old　woman　and
Benri's　wife　on　entering；　and　presented　the　former　with　a　gourd　of
sake；　bringing　a　greedy　light　into　her　eyes　as　she　took　a　long
draught；　after　which；　saluting　me；　he　threw　himself　down　in　the
place　of　honour　by　the　fire；　with　the　easy　grace　of　a　staghound；　a
savage　all　over。　　His　name　is　Pipichari；　and　he　is　the　chief's
adopted　son。　　He　had　cut　his　foot　badly　with　a　root；　and　asked　me
to　cure　it；　and　I　stipulated　that　it　should　be　bathed　for　some　time
in　warm　water　before　anything　more　was　done；　after　which　I　bandaged
it　with　lint。　　He　sai