unbeaten tracks in japan-第48章

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lay　down　a　mat　for　a　guest；　they　cover　the　coarse　mat　with　fine
ones　on　each　side　of　the　fire。　　These　mats　and　the　bark…cloth　are
really　their　only　manufactures。　　They　are　made　of　fine　reeds；　with
a　pattern　in　dull　reds　or　browns；　and　are　14　feet　long　by　3　feet　6
inches　wide。　　It　takes　a　woman　eight　days　to　make　one　of　them。　　In
every　house　there　are　one　or　two　movable　platforms　6　feet　by　4　and
14　inches　high；　which　are　placed　at　the　head　of　the　fireplace；　and
on　which　guests　sit　and　sleep　on　a　bearskin　or　a　fine　mat。　　In　many
houses　there　are　broad　seats　a　few　inches　high；　on　which　the　elder
men　sit　cross…legged；　as　their　custom　is；　not　squatting　Japanese
fashion　on　the　heels。　　A　water…tub　always　rests　on　a　stand　by　the
door；　and　the　dried　fish　and　venison　or　bear　for　daily　use　hang
from　the　rafters；　as　well　as　a　few　skins。　　Besides　these　things
there　are　a　few　absolute　necessaries；lacquer　or　wooden　bowls　for
food　and　sake；　a　chopping…board　and　rude　chopping…knife；　a　cleft…
stick　for　burning　strips　of　birch…bark；　a　triply…cleft　stick　for
supporting　the　potsherd　in　which；　on　rare　occasions；　they　burn　a
wick　with　oil；　the　component　parts　of　their　rude　loom；　the　bark　of
which　they　make　their　clothes；　the　reeds　of　which　they　make　their
mats；and　the　inventory　of　the　essentials　of　their　life　is　nearly
complete。　　No　iron　enters　into　the　construction　of　their　houses；
its　place　being　supplied　by　a　remarkably　tenacious　fibre。

I　have　before　described　the　preparation　of　their　food；　which
usually　consists　of　a　stew　〃of　abominable　things。〃　　They　eat　salt
and　fresh　fish；　dried　fish；　seaweed；　slugs；　the　various　vegetables
which　grow　in　the　wilderness　of　tall　weeds　which　surrounds　their
villages；　wild　roots　and　berries；　fresh　and　dried　venison　and　bear；
their　carnival　consisting　of　fresh　bear's　flesh　and　sake；　seaweed；
mushrooms；　and　anything　they　can　get；　in　fact；　which　is　not
poisonous；　mixing　everything　up　together。　　They　use　a　wooden　spoon
for　stirring；　and　eat　with　chopsticks。　　They　have　only　two　regular
meals　a　day；　but　eat　very　heartily。　　In　addition　to　the　eatables
just　mentioned　they　have　a　thick　soup　made　from　a　putty…like　clay
which　is　found　in　one　or　two　of　the　valleys。　　This　is　boiled　with
the　bulb　of　a　wild　lily；　and；　after　much　of　the　clay　has　been
allowed　to　settle；　the　liquid；　which　is　very　thick；　is　poured　off。
In　the　north；　a　valley　where　this　earth　is　found　is　called　Tsie…
toi…nai；　literally　〃eat…earth…valley。〃

The　men　spend　the　autumn；　winter；　and　spring　in　hunting　deer　and
bears。　　Part　of　their　tribute　or　taxes　is　paid　in　skins；　and　they
subsist　on　the　dried　meat。　　Up　to　about　this　time　the　Ainos　have
obtained　these　beasts　by　means　of　poisoned　arrows；　arrow…traps；　and
pitfalls；　but　the　Japanese　Government　has　prohibited　the　use　of
poison　and　arrow…traps；　and　these　men　say　that　hunting　is　becoming
extremely　difficult；　as　the　wild　animals　are　driven　back　farther
and　farther　into　the　mountains　by　the　sound　of　the　guns。　　However；
they　add　significantly；　〃the　eyes　of　the　Japanese　Government　are
not　in　every　place！〃

Their　bows　are　only　three　feet　long；　and　are　made　of　stout　saplings
with　the　bark　on；　and　there　is　no　attempt　to　render　them　light　or
shapely　at　the　ends。　　The　wood　is　singularly　inelastic。　　The　arrows
（of　which　I　have　obtained　a　number）　are　very　peculiar；　and　are　made
in　three　pieces；　the　point　consisting　of　a　sharpened　piece　of　bone
with　an　elongated　cavity　on　one　side　for　the　reception　of　the
poison。　　This　point　or　head　is　very　slightly　fastened　by　a　lashing
of　bark　to　a　fusiform　piece　of　bone　about　four　inches　long；　which
is　in　its　turn　lashed　to　a　shaft　about　fourteen　inches　long；　the
other　end　of　which　is　sometimes　equipped　with　a　triple　feather　and
sometimes　is　not。

The　poison　is　placed　in　the　elongated　cavity　in　the　head　in　a　very
soft　state；　and　hardens　afterwards。　　In　some　of　the　arrow…heads
fully　half　a　teaspoonful　of　the　paste　is　inserted。　　From　the　nature
of　the　very　slight　lashings　which　attach　the　arrow…head　to　the
shaft；　it　constantly　remains　fixed　in　the　slight　wound　that　it
makes；　while　the　shaft　falls　off。

Pipichari　has　given　me　a　small　quantity　of　the　poisonous　paste；　and
has　also　taken　me　to　see　the　plant　from　the　root　of　which　it　is
made；　the　Aconitum　Japonicum；　a　monkshood；　whose　tall　spikes　of
blue　flowers　are　brightening　the　brushwood　in　all　directions。　　The
root　is　pounded　into　a　pulp；　mixed　with　a　reddish　earth　like　an
iron　ore　pulverised；　and　again　with　animal　fat；　before　being　placed
in　the　arrow。　　It　has　been　said　that　the　poison　is　prepared　for　use
by　being　buried　in　the　earth；　but　Benri　says　that　this　is　needless。
They　claim　for　it　that　a　single　wound　kills　a　bear　in　ten　minutes；
but　that　the　flesh　is　not　rendered　unfit　for　eating；　though　they
take　the　precaution　of　cutting　away　a　considerable　quantity　of　it
round　the　wound。

Dr。　Eldridge；　formerly　of　Hakodate；　obtained　a　small　quantity　of
the　poison；　and；　after　trying　some　experiments　with　it；　came　to　the
conclusion　that　it　is　less　virulent　than　other　poisons　employed　for
a　like　purpose；　as　by　the　natives　of　Java；　the　Bushmen；　and　certain
tribes　of　the　Amazon　and　Orinoco。　　The　Ainos　say　that　if　a　man　is
accidentally　wounded　by　a　poisoned　arrow　the　only　cure　is　immediate
excision　of　the　part。

I　do　not　wonder　that　the　Government　has　prohibited　arrow…traps；　for
they　made　locomotion　unsafe；　and　it　is　still　unsafe　a　little
farther　north；　where　the　hunters　are　more　out　of　observation　than
here。　　The　traps　consist　of　a　large　bow　with　a　poisoned　arrow；
fixed　in　such　a　way　that　when　the　bear　walks　over　a　cord　which　is
attached　to　it　he　is　simultaneously　transfixed。　　I　have　seen　as
many　as　fifty　in　one　house。　　The　simple　contrivance　for　inflicting
this　silent　death　is　most　ingenious。

The　women　are　occupied　all　day；　as　I　have　before　said。　　They　look
cheerful；　and　even　merry　when　they　smile；　and　are　not　like　the
Japanese；　prematurely　old；　partly　perhaps　because　their　houses　are
well　ventilated；　and　the　use　of　charcoal　is　unknown。　　I　do　not
think　that　they　undergo　the　unmitigated　drudgery　which　falls　to　the
lot　of　most　savage　women；　though　they　work　hard。　　The　men　do　not
like　them　to　speak　to　strangers；　however；　and　say　that　their　place
is　to　work　and　rear　children。　　They　eat　of　the　same　food；　and　at
the　same　time　as　the　men；　laugh　and　talk　before　them；　and　receive
equal　support　and　respect　in　old　age。　　They　sell　mats　and　bark…
cloth　in　the　piece；　and　made　up；　when　they　can；　and　their　husbands
do　not　take　their　earnings　from　them。　　All　Aino　women　understand
the　making　of　bark…cloth。　　The　men　bring　in　the　bark　in　strips；
five　feet　long；　having　removed　the　outer　coating。　　This　inner　bark
is　easily　separated　into　several　thin　layers；　which　are　split　into
very　narrow　strips　by　the　older　women；　very　neatly　knotted；　and
wound　into　balls　weighing　about　a　pound　each。　　No　preparation　of
either　the　bark　or　the　thread　is　required　to　fit　it　for　weaving；
but　I　observe　that　some　of　the　women　steep　it　in　a　decoction　of　a
bark　which　produces　a　brown　dye　to　deepen　the　buff　tint。

The　loom　is　so　simple　that　I　almost　fear　to　represent　it　as
complicated　by　description。　　It　consists　of　a　stout　hook　fixed　in
the　floor；　to　which　the　threads　of　the　far　end　of　the　web　are
secured；　a　cord　fastening　the　near　end　to　the　waist　of　the　worker；
who　supplies；　by　dexterous　rigidity；　the　necessary　tension；　a　frame
like　a　comb　resting　on　the　ankles；　through　which　the　threads　pass；
a　hollow　roll　for　keeping　the　upper　and　under　threads　separate；　a
spatula…shaped　shuttle　of　engraved　wood；　and　a　roller　on　which　the
cloth　is　rolled　as　it　is　made。　　The　length　of　the　web　is　fifteen
feet；　and　the　width　of　the　cloth　fifteen　inches。　　It　is　woven　with
great　regularity；　and　the　knots　in　the　thread　are　carefully　kept　on
the　under　side。　｛20｝　　It　is　a　very　slow　and　fatiguing　process；　and
a　woman　cannot　do　much　more　than　a　foot　a　day。　　The　weaver　sits　on
the　floor　with　the　whole　arrangement　attached　to　her　waist；　and　the
loom；　if　such　it　may　be　called；　on　her　ankles。　　It　takes　long
practice　before　she　can　supply　the　necessary　tension　by　spinal
rigidity。　　As　the　work　proceeds　she　drags　herself　almost
imperceptibly　nearer　the　hook。　　In　this　house　and　other　large　ones
two　or　three　women　bring　in　their　webs　in　the　morning；　fix　their
hooks；　and　weave　all　day；　while　others；　who　have　not　equal
advantages；　put　their　hooks　in　the　ground　and　weave　in　the
sunshine。　　The　web　and　loom　can　be　bundled　up　in　two　minutes；　and
carried　away　quite　as　easily　as　a　knitted　soft　blanket。　　It　is　the
simplest　and　perhaps　the　most　primitive　form　of　hand…loom；　and
comb；　shuttle；　and　roll；　are　all　easily　fashioned　with　an　ordinary
knife。



LETTER　XXXVII（Continued）



A　Simple　Nature…WorshipAino　GodsA　Festival　SongReligious
IntoxicationBear…WorshipThe　Annual　SaturnaliaThe　Future
StateMarriage　and　DivorceMusical　InstrumentsEtiquetteThe
ChieftainshipDeath　and　BurialOld　AgeMoral　Qualities。

There　cannot　be　anything　more　vague　and　destitute　of　cohesion　than
Aino　religious　notions。　　With　the　exception　of　the　hill　shrines　of
Japanese　construction　dedicated　to　Yoshitsune；　they　have　no
temples；　and　they　have　neither　priests；　sacrifices；　nor　worship。
Apparently　through　all　traditional　time　their　cultus　has　been　the
rudest　and　most　primitive　form　of　nature…worship；　the　attaching　of
a　vague　sacredness　to　trees；　rivers；　rocks；　and　mountains；　and　of
vague　notions　of　power　for　good　or　evil　to　the　sea；　the　forest；　the
fire；　and　the　sun　and　moon。　　I　cannot　make　out　that　they　possess　a
trace　of　the　deification　of　ancestors；　though　their　rude　nature
worship　may　well　have　been　the　primitive　form　of　Japanese　Shinto。
The　solitary　exception　to　their　adoration　of　animate　and　inanimate
nature　appears　to　be　the　reverence　paid　to　Yoshitsune；　to　whom　they
believe　they　are　greatly　indebted；　and　who；　it　is　supposed　by　some；
will　yet　interfere　on　their　behalf。　｛21｝　　Their　godsthat　is；　the
outward　symbols　of　their　religion；　corresponding　most　likely　with
the　Shinto　goheiare　wands　and　posts　of　peeled　wood；　whittled
nearly　to　the　top；　from　which　the　pendent　shavings　fall　down　in
white　curls。　　These　are　not　only　set　up　in　their　houses；　sometimes
to　the　number　of　twenty；　but　on　precipices；　banks　of　rivers　and
streams；　and　mountain…passes；　and　such　wands　are　thrown　into　the
rivers　as　the　boatmen　descend　rapids　and　dangerous　places。　　Since
my　baggage　horse　fell　over　an　acclivity　on　the　trail　from　Sarufuto；
four　such　wands　have　been　placed　there。　　It　is　nonsense　to　write　of
the　religious　ideas　of　a　people　who　have　none；　and　of　beliefs　among
people　who　are　merely　adult　children。　　The　traveller　who　formulates
an　Aino　creed　must　〃evolve　it　from　his　inner　consciousness。〃　　I
have　taken　infinite　trouble　to　learn　from　themselves　what　their
religious　notions　are；　and　Shinondi　tells　me　that　they　have　told　me
all　they　know；　and　the　whole　sum　is　a　few　vague　fears　and　hopes；
and　a　suspicion　that　there　are　things　outside　themselves　more
powerful　than　themselves；　whose　good　influences　may　be　obtained；　or
whose　evil　influences　may　be　averted；　by　libations　of　sake。

The　word　worship　is　in　itself　misle