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　said　〃he　did　not　like　me　to　touch　his　foot；　it
  was　not　clean　enough；　my　hands　were　too　white；〃　etc。；　but　when　I
  had　dressed　it；　and　the　pain　was　much　relieved；　he　bowed　very　low
  and　then　kissed　my　hand！　　He　was　the　only　one　among　them　all　who
  showed　the　slightest　curiosity　regarding　my　things。　　He　looked　at
  my　scissors；　touched　my　boots；　and　watched　me；　as　I　wrote；　with　the
  simple　curiosity　of　a　child。　　He　could　speak　a　little　Japanese；　but
  he　said　he　was　〃too　young　to　tell　me　anything；　the　older　men　would
  know。〃　　He　is　a　〃total　abstainer〃　from　sake；　and　he　says　that　there
  are　four　such　besides　himself　among　the　large　number　of　Ainos　who
  are　just　now　at　the　fishing　at　Mombets；　and　that　the　others　keep
  separate　from　them；　because　they　think　that　the　gods　will　be　angry
  with　them　for　not　drinking。
  Several　〃patients；〃　mostly　children；　were　brought　in　during　the
  afternoon。　　Ito　was　much　disgusted　by　my　interest　in　these　people；
  who；　he　repeated；　〃are　just　dogs；〃　referring　to　their　legendary
  origin；　of　which　they　are　not　ashamed。　　His　assertion　that　they
  have　learned　politeness　from　the　Japanese　is　simply　baseless。
  Their　politeness；　though　of　quite　another　and　more　manly　stamp；　is
  savage；　not　civilised。　　The　men　came　back　at　dark；　the　meal　was
  prepared；　and　we　sat　round　the　fire　as　before；　but　there　was　no
  sake；　except　in　the　possession　of　the　old　woman；　and　again　the
  hearts　of　the　savages　were　sad。　　I　could　multiply　instances　of
  their　politeness。　　As　we　were　talking；　Pipichari；　who　is　a　very
  〃untutored〃　savage；　dropped　his　coat　from　one　shoulder；　and　at　once
  Shinondi　signed　to　him　to　put　it　on　again。　　Again；　a　woman　was　sent
  to　a　distant　village　for　some　oil　as　soon　as　they　heard　that　I
  usually　burned　a　light　all　night。　　Little　acts　of　courtesy　were
  constantly　being　performed；　but　I　really　appreciated　nothing　more
  than　the　quiet　way　in　which　they　went　on　with　the　routine　of　their
  ordinary　lives。
  During　the　evening　a　man　came　to　ask　if　I　woul