unbeaten tracks in japan-第69章

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Benri　appears　to　exercise　the　authority　of　a　very　strict　father。
His　manner　to　all　the　men　is　like　that　of　a　master　to　slaves；　and
they　bow　when　they　speak　to　him。　　No　one　can　marry　without　his
approval。　　If　any　one　builds　a　house　he　chooses　the　site。　　He　has
absolute　jurisdiction　in　civil　and　criminal　cases；　unless　（which　is
very　rare）　the　latter　should　be　of　sufficient　magnitude　to　be
reported　to　the　Imperial　officials。　　He　compels　restitution　of
stolen　property；　and　in　all　cases　fixes　the　fines　which　are　to　be
paid　by　delinquents。　　He　also　fixes　the　hunting　arrangements　and
the　festivals。　　The　younger　men　were　obviously　much　afraid　of
incurring　his　anger　in　his　absence。

An　eldest　son　does　not　appear　to　be；　as　among　the　Japanese；　a
privileged　person。　　He　does　not　necessarily　inherit　the　house　and
curios。　　The　latter　are　not　divided；　but　go　with　the　house　to　the
son　whom　the　father　regards　as　being　the　〃smartest。〃　　Formal
adoption　is　practised。　　Pipichari　is　an　adopted　son；　and　is　likely
to　succeed　to　Benri's　property　to　the　exclusion　of　his　own
children。　　I　cannot　get　at　the　word　which　is　translated
〃smartness；〃　but　I　understand　it　as　meaning　general　capacity。　　The
chief；　as　I　have　mentioned　before；　is　allowed　three　wives　among　the
mountain　Ainos；　otherwise　authority　seems　to　be　his　only　privilege。

The　Ainos　have　a　singular　dread　of　snakes。　　Even　their　bravest　fly
from　them。　　One　man　says　that　it　is　because　they　know　of　no　cure
for　their　bite；　but　there　is　something　more　than　this；　for　they
flee　from　snakes　which　they　know　to　be　harmless。

They　have　an　equal　dread　of　their　dead。　　Death　seems　to　them　very
specially　〃the　shadow　fear'd　of　man。〃　　When　it　comes；　which　it
usually　does　from　bronchitis　in　old　age；　the　corpse　is　dressed　in
its　best　clothing；　and　laid　upon　a　shelf　for　from　one　to　three
days。　　In　the　case　of　a　woman　her　ornaments　are　buried　with　her；
and　in　that　of　a　man　his　knife　and　sake…stick；　and；　if　he　were　a
smoker；　his　smoking　apparatus。　　The　corpse　is　sewn　up　with　these
things　in　a　mat；　and；　being　slung　on　poles；　is　carried　to　a
solitary　grave；　where　it　is　laid　in　a　recumbent　position。　　Nothing
will　induce　an　Aino　to　go　near　a　grave。　　Even　if　a　valuable　bird　or
animal　falls　near　one；　he　will　not　go　to　pick　it　up。　　A　vague　dread
is　for　ever　associated　with　the　departed；　and　no　dream　of　Paradise
ever　lights　for　the　Aino　the　〃Stygian　shades。〃

Benri　is；　for　an　Aino；　intelligent。　　Two　years　ago　Mr。　Dening　of
Hakodate　came　up　here　and　told　him　that　there　was　but　one　God　who
made　us　all；　to　which　the　shrewd　old　man　replied；　〃If　the　God　who
made　you　made　us；　how　is　it　that　you　are　so　differentyou　so　rich；
we　so　poor？〃　　On　asking　him　about　the　magnificent　pieces　of　lacquer
and　inlaying　which　adorn　his　curio　shelf；　he　said　that　they　were
his　father's；　grandfather's；　and　great…grandfather's　at　least；　and
he　thinks　they　were　gifts　from　the　daimiyo　of　Matsumae　soon　after
the　conquest　of　Yezo。　　He　is　a　grand…looking　man；　in　spite　of　the
havoc　wrought　by　his　intemperate　habits。　　There　is　plenty　of　room
in　the　house；　and　this　morning；　when　I　asked　him　to　show　me　the　use
of　the　spear；　he　looked　a　truly　magnificent　savage；　stepping　well
back　with　the　spear　in　rest；　and　then　springing　forward　for　the
attack；　his　arms　and　legs　turning　into　iron；　the　big　muscles
standing　out　in　knots；　his　frame　quivering　with　excitement；　the
thick　hair　falling　back　in　masses　from　his　brow；　and　the　fire　of
the　chase　in　his　eye。　　I　trembled　for　my　boy；　who　was　the　object　of
the　imaginary　onslaught；　the　passion　of　sport　was　so　admirably
acted。

As　I　write；　seven　of　the　older　men　are　sitting　by　the　fire。　　Their
grey　beards　fall　to　their　waists　in　rippled　masses；　and　the　slight
baldness　of　age　not　only　gives　them　a　singularly　venerable
appearance；　but　enhances　the　beauty　of　their　lofty　brows。　　I　took　a
rough　sketch　of　one　of　the　handsomest；　and；　showing　it　to　him；
asked　if　he　would　have　it；　but　instead　of　being　amused　or　pleased
he　showed　symptoms　of　fear；　and　asked　me　to　burn　it；　saying　it
would　bring　him　bad　luck　and　he　should　die。　　However；　Ito　pacified
him；　and　he　accepted　it；　after　a　Chinese　character；　which　is
understood　to　mean　good　luck；　had　been　written　upon　it；　but　all　the
others　begged　me　not　to　〃make　pictures〃　of　them；　except　Pipichari；
who　lies　at　my　feet　like　a　staghound。

The　profusion　of　black　hair；　and　a　curious　intensity　about　their
eyes；　coupled　with　the　hairy　limbs　and　singularly　vigorous
physique；　give　them　a　formidably　savage　appearance；　but　the　smile；
full　of　〃sweetness　and　light；〃　in　which　both　eyes　and　mouth　bear
part；　and　the　low；　musical　voice；　softer　and　sweeter　than　anything
I　have　previously　heard；　make　me　at　times　forget　that　they　are
savages　at　all。　　The　venerable　look　of　these　old　men　harmonises
with　the　singular　dignity　and　courtesy　of　their　manners；　but　as　I
look　at　the　grand　heads；　and　reflect　that　the　Ainos　have　never
shown　any　capacity；　and　are　merely　adult　children；　they　seem　to
suggest　water　on　the　brain　rather　than　intellect。　　I　am　more　and
more　convinced　that　the　expression　of　their　faces　is　European。　　It
is　truthful；　straightforward；　manly；　but　both　it　and　the　tone　of
voice　are　strongly　tinged　with　pathos。

Before　these　elders　Benri　asked　me；　in　a　severe　tone；　if　I　had　been
annoyed　in　any　way　during　his　absence。　　He　feared；　he　said；　that
the　young　men　and　the　women　would　crowd　about　me　rudely。　　I　made　a
complimentary　speech　in　return；　and　all　the　ancient　hands　were
waved；　and　the　venerable　beards　were　stroked　in　acknowledgment。

These　Ainos；　doubtless；　stand　high　among　uncivilised　peoples。　　They
are；　however；　as　completely　irreclaimable　as　the　wildest　of　nomad
tribes；　and　contact　with　civilisation；　where　it　exists；　only
debases　them。　　Several　young　Ainos　were　sent　to　Tokiyo；　and
educated　and　trained　in　various　ways；　but　as　soon　as　they　returned
to　Yezo　they　relapsed　into　savagery；　retaining　nothing　but　a
knowledge　of　Japanese。　　They　are　charming　in　many　ways；　but　make
one　sad；　too；　by　their　stupidity；　apathy；　and　hopelessness；　and　all
the　sadder　that　their　numbers　appear　to　be　again　increasing；　and　as
their　physique　is　very　fine；　there　does　not　appear　to　be　a　prospect
of　the　race　dying　out　at　present。

They　are　certainly　superior　to　many　aborigines；　as　they　have　an
approach　to　domestic　life。　　They　have　one　word　for　HOUSE；　and
another　for　HOME；　and　one　word　for　husband　approaches　very　nearly
to　house…band。　　Truth　is　of　value　in　their　eyes；　and　this　in　itself
raises　them　above　some　peoples。　　Infanticide　is　unknown；　and　aged
parents　receive　filial　reverence；　kindness；　and　support；　while　in
their　social　and　domestic　relations　there　is　much　that　is
praiseworthy。

I　must　conclude　this　letter　abruptly；　as　the　horses　are　waiting；
and　I　must　cross　the　rivers；　if　possible；　before　the　bursting　of　an
impending　storm。　　I。　L。　B。



LETTER　XXXVIII



A　Parting　GiftA　DelicacyGenerosityA　Seaside　Village
Pipichari's　AdviceA　Drunken　RevelIto's　PropheciesThe　Kocho's
IllnessPatent　Medicines。

SARUFUTO；　YEZO；　August　27。

I　left　the　Ainos　yesterday　with　real　regret；　though　I　must　confess
that　sleeping　in　one's　clothes　and　the　lack　of　ablutions　are　very
fatiguing。　　Benri's　two　wives　spent　the　early　morning　in　the
laborious　operation　of　grinding　millet　into　coarse　flour；　and
before　I　departed；　as　their　custom　is；　they　made　a　paste　of　it；
rolled　it　with　their　unclean　fingers　into　well…shaped　cakes；　boiled
them　in　the　unwashed　pot　in　which　they　make　their　stew　of
〃abominable　things；〃　and　presented　them　to　me　on　a　lacquer　tray。
They　were　distressed　that　I　did　not　eat　their　food；　and　a　woman
went　to　a　village　at　some　distance　and　brought　me　some　venison　fat
as　a　delicacy。　　All　those　of　whom　I　had　seen　much　came　to　wish　me
good…bye；　and　they　brought　so　many　presents　（including　a　fine
bearskin）　that　I　should　have　needed　an　additional　horse　to　carry
them　had　I　accepted　but　one…half。

I　rode　twelve　miles　through　the　forest　to　Mombets；　where　I　intended
to　spend　Sunday；　but　I　had　the　worst　horse　I　ever　rode；　and　we　took
five　hours。　　The　day　was　dull　and　sad；　threatening　a　storm；　and
when　we　got　out　o