unbeaten tracks in japan-第67章

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whose　evil　influences　may　be　averted；　by　libations　of　sake。

The　word　worship　is　in　itself　misleading。　　When　I　use　it　of　these
savages　it　simply　means　libations　of　sake；　waving　bowls　and　waving
hands；　without　any　spiritual　act　of　deprecation　or　supplication。
In　such　a　sense　and　such　alone　they　worship　the　sun　and　moon　（but
not　the　stars）；　the　forest；　and　the　sea。　　The　wolf；　the　black
snake；　the　owl；　and　several　other　beasts　and　birds　have　the　word
kamoi；　god；　attached　to　them；　as　the　wolf　is　the　〃howling　god；〃　the
owl　〃the　bird　of　the　gods；〃　a　black　snake　the　〃raven　god；〃　but　none
of　these　things　are　now　〃worshipped；〃　wolf…worship　having　quite
lately　died　out。　　Thunder；　〃the　voice　of　the　gods；〃　inspires　some
fear。　　The　sun；　they　say；　is　their　best　god；　and　the　fire　their
next　best；　obviously　the　divinities　from　whom　their　greatest
benefits　are　received。　　Some　idea　of　gratitude　pervades　their　rude
notions；　as　in　the　case　of　the　〃worship〃　paid　to　Yoshitsune；　and　it
appears　in　one　of　the　rude　recitations　chanted　at　the　Saturnalia
which　in　several　places　conclude　the　hunting　and　fishing　seasons：…

〃To　the　sea　which　nourishes　us；　to　the　forest　which　protects　us；　we
present　our　grateful　thanks。　　You　are　two　mothers　that　nourish　the
same　child；　do　not　be　angry　if　we　leave　one　to　go　to　the　other。

〃The　Ainos　will　always　be　the　pride　of　the　forest　and　of　the　sea。〃

The　solitary　act　of　sacrifice　which　they　perform　is　the　placing　of
a　worthless；　dead　bird；　something　like　a　sparrow；　near　one　of　their
peeled　wands；　where　it　is　left　till　it　reaches　an　advanced　stage　of
putrefaction。　　〃To　drink　for　the　god〃　is　the　chief　act　of
〃worship；〃　and　thus　drunkenness　and　religion　are　inseparably
connected；　as　the　more　sake　the　Ainos　drink　the　more　devout　they
are；　and　the　better　pleased　are　the　gods。　　It　does　not　appear　that
anything　but　sake　is　of　sufficient　value　to　please　the　gods。　　The
libations　to　the　fire　and　the　peeled　post　are　never　omitted；　and
are　always　accompanied　by　the　inward　waving　of　the　sake　bowls。

The　peculiarity　which　distinguishes　this　rude　mythology　is　the
〃worship〃　of　the　bear；　the　Yezo　bear　being　one　of　the　finest　of　his
species；　but　it　is　impossible　to　understand　the　feelings　by　which
it　is　prompted；　for　they　worship　it　after　their　fashion；　and　set　up
its　head　in　their　villages；　yet　they　trap　it；　kill　it；　eat　it；　and
sell　its　skin。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　this　wild　beast　inspires
more　of　the　feeling　which　prompts　worship　than　the　inanimate　forces
of　nature；　and　the　Ainos　may　be　distinguished　as　bear…worshippers；
and　their　greatest　religious　festival　or　Saturnalia　as　the　Festival
of　the　Bear。　　Gentle　and　peaceable　as　they　are；　they　have　a　great
admiration　for　fierceness　and　courage；　and　the　bear；　which　is　the
strongest；　fiercest；　and　most　courageous　animal　known　to　them；　has
probably　in　all　ages　inspired　them　with　veneration。　　Some　of　their
rude　chants　are　in　praise　of　the　bear；　and　their　highest　eulogy　on
a　man　is　to　compare　him　to　a　bear。　　Thus　Shinondi　said　of　Benri；
the　chief；　〃He　is　as　strong　as　a　bear；〃　and　the　old　Fate　praising
Pipichari　called　him　〃The　young　bear。〃

In　all　Aino　villages；　specially　near　the　chief's　house；　there　are
several　tall　poles　with　the　fleshless　skull　of　a　bear　on　the　top　of
each；　and　in　most　there　is　also　a　large　cage；　made　grid…iron
fashion；　of　stout　timbers；　and　raised　two　or　three　feet　from　the
ground。　　At　the　present　time　such　cages　contain　young　but　well…
grown　bears；　captured　when　quite　small　in　the　early　spring。　　After
the　capture　the　bear　cub　is　introduced　into　a　dwelling…house；
generally　that　of　the　chief；　or　sub…chief；　where　it　is　suckled　by　a
woman；　and　played　with　by　the　children；　till　it　grows　too　big　and
rough　for　domestic　ways；　and　is　placed　in　a　strong　cage；　in　which
it　is　fed　and　cared　for；　as　I　understand；　till　the　autumn　of　the
following　year；　when；　being　strong　and　well…grown；　the　Festival　of
the　Bear　is　celebrated。　　The　customs　of　this　festival　vary
considerably；　and　the　manner　of　the　bear's　death　differs　among　the
mountain　and　coast　Ainos；　but　everywhere　there　is　a　general
gathering　of　the　people；　and　it　is　the　occasion　of　a　great　feast；
accompanied　with　much　sake　and　a　curious　dance；　in　which　men　alone
take　part。

Yells　and　shouts　are　used　to　excite　the　bear；　and　when　he　becomes
much　agitated　a　chief　shoots　him　with　an　arrow；　inflicting　a　slight
wound　which　maddens　him；　on　which　the　bars　of　the　cage　are　raised；
and　he　springs　forth；　very　furious。　　At　this　stage　the　Ainos　run
upon　him　with　various　weapons；　each　one　striving　to　inflict　a
wound；　as　it　brings　good　luck　to　draw　his　blood。　　As　soon　as　he
falls　down　exhausted；　his　head　is　cut　off；　and　the　weapons　with
which　he　has　been　wounded　are　offered　to　it；　and　he　is　asked　to
avenge　himself　upon　them。　　Afterwards　the　carcass；　amidst　a
frenzied　uproar；　is　distributed　among　the　people；　and　amidst
feasting　and　riot　the　head；　placed　upon　a　pole；　is　worshipped；　i。e。
it　receives　libations　of　sake；　and　the　festival　closes　with　general
intoxication。　　In　some　villages　it　is　customary　for　the　foster…
mother　of　the　bear　to　utter　piercing　wails　while　he　is　delivered　to
his　murderers；　and　after　he　is　slain　to　beat　each　one　of　them　with
a　branch　of　a　tree。　　＇Afterwards　at　Usu；　on　Volcano　Bay；　the　old
men　told　me　that　at　their　festival　they　despatch　the　bear　after　a
different　manner。　　On　letting　it　loose　from　the　cage　two　men　seize
it　by　the　ears；　and　others　simultaneously　place　a　long；　stout　pole
across　the　nape　of　its　neck；　upon　which　a　number　of　Ainos　mount；
and　after　a　prolonged　struggle　the　neck　is　broken。　　As　the　bear　is
seen　to　approach　his　end；　they　shout　in　chorus；　〃We　kill　you；　O
bear！　come　back　soon　into　an　Aino。〃＇　　When　a　bear　is　trapped　or
wounded　by　an　arrow；　the　hunters　go　through　an　apologetic　or
propitiatory　ceremony。　　They　appear　to　have　certain　rude　ideas　of
metempsychosis；　as　is　evidenced　by　the　Usu　prayer　to　the　bear　and
certain　rude　traditions；　but　whether　these　are　indigenous；　or　have
arisen　by　contact　with　Buddhism　at　a　later　period；　it　is　impossible
to　say。

They　have　no　definite　ideas　concerning　a　future　state；　and　the
subject　is　evidently　not　a　pleasing　one　to　them。　　Such　notions　as
they　have　are　few　and　confused。　　Some　think　that　the　spirits　of
their　friends　go　into　wolves　and　snakes；　others；　that　they　wander
about　the　forests；　and　they　are　much　afraid　of　ghosts。　　A　few　think
that　they　go　to　〃a　good　or　bad　place；〃　according　to　their　deeds；
but　Shinondi　said；　and　there　was　an　infinite　pathos　in　his　words；
〃How　can　we　know？　　No　one　ever　came　back　to　tell　us！〃　　On　asking
him　what　were　bad　deeds；　he　said；　〃Being　bad　to　parents；　stealing；
and　telling　lies。〃　　The　future；　however；　does　not　occupy　any　place
in　their　thoughts；　and　they　can　hardly　be　said　to　believe　in　the
immortality　of　the　soul；　though　their　fear　of　ghosts　shows　that
they　recognise　a　distinction　between　body　and　spirit。

Their　social　customs　are　very　simple。　　Girls　never　marry　before　the
age　of　seventeen；　or　men　before　twenty…one。　　When　a　man　wishes　to
marry　he　thinks　of　some　particular　girl；　and　asks　the　chief　if　he
may　ask　for　her。　　If　leave　is　given；　either　through　a　〃go…between〃
or　personally；　he　asks　her　father　for　her；　and　if　he　consents　the
bridegroom　gives　him　a　present；　usually　a　Japanese　〃curio。〃　　This
constitutes　betrothal；　and　the　marriage；　which　immediately　follows；
is　celebrated　by　carousals　and　the　drinking　of　much　sake。　　The
bride　receives　as　her　dowry　her　earrings　and　a　highly　ornamented
kimono。　　It　is　an　essential　that　the　husband　provides　a　house　to
which　to　take　his　wife。　　Each　couple　lives　separately；　and　even　the
eldest　son　does　not　take　his　bride　to　his　father's　house。　　Polygamy
is　only　allowed　in　two　cases。　　The　chief　may　have　three　wives；　but
each　must　have　her　separate　house。　　Benri　has　two　wives；　but　it
appears　that　he　took　the　second　because　the　first　was　childless。
＇The　Usu　Ainos　told　me　that　among　the　tribes　of　Volcano　Bay
polygamy　is　not　practised；　even　by　the　chiefs。＇　　It　is　also
permitted　in　the　case　of　a　childless　wife；　but　there　is　no　instance
of　it　in　Biratori；　and　the　men　say　that　they　prefer