and　（as　on　every　occasion）　translated　what　I　said　into　Aino　for　the
  venerable　group　opposite。　　Shinondi　then　said　〃that　he　and
  Shinrichi；　the　other　Japanese　speaker；　would　tell　me　all　they　knew；
  but　they　were　but　young　men；　and　only　knew　what　was　told　to　them。
  They　would　speak　what　they　believed　to　be　true；　but　the　chief　knew
  more　than　they；　and　when　he　came　back　he　might　tell　me　differently；
  and　then　I　should　think　that　they　had　spoken　lies。〃　　I　said　that　no
  one　who　looked　into　their　faces　could　think　that　they　ever　told
  lies。　　They　were　very　much　pleased；　and　waved　their　hands　and
  stroked　their　beards　repeatedly。　　Before　they　told　me　anything　they
  begged　and　prayed　that　I　would　not　inform　the　Japanese　Government
  that　they　had　told　me　of　their　customs；　or　harm　might　come　to　them！
  For　the　next　two　hours；　and　for　two　more　after　supper；　I　asked　them
  questions　concerning　their　religion　and　customs；　and　again
  yesterday　for　a　considerable　time；　and　this　morning；　after　Benri's
  return；　I　went　over　the　same　subjects　with　him；　and　have　also
  employed　a　considerable　time　in　getting　about　300　words　from　them；
  which　I　have　spelt　phonetically　of　course；　and　intend　to　go　over
  again　when　I　visit　the　coast　Ainos。　｛19｝
  The　process　was　slow；　as　both　question　and　answer　had　to　pass
  through　three　languages。　　There　was　a　very　manifest　desire　to　tell
  the　truth；　and　I　think　that　their　statements　concerning　their　few
  and　simple　customs　may　be　relied　upon。　　I　shall　give　what　they　told
  me　separately　when　I　have　time　to　write　out　my　notes　in　an　orderly
  manner。　　I　can　only　say　that　I　have　seldom　spent　a　more　interesting
  evening。
  About　nine　the　stew　was　ready；　and　the　women　ladled　it　into　lacquer
  bowls　with　wooden　spoons。　　The　men　were　served　first；　but　all　ate
  together。　　Afterwards　sake；　their　curse；　was　poured　into　lacquer
  bowls；　and　across　each　bowl　a　finely…carved　〃sake…stick〃　was　laid。
  These　sticks　are　very　highly　prized。　　The　bowls　were　waved　several
  times　with　an　inward　motion；　then　each　man　took　his　stick　and；
  dipping　it　into　the　sake；　made　six　libations　to　the　fire　and
  several　to　the　〃god〃a　wooden　post；　with　a　quantity　of　spiral
  white　shavings　falling　from　near　the　top。　　The　Ainos　are　not
  affected　by　sake　nearly　so　easily　as　the　Japanese。　　They　took　it
  cold；　it　is　true；　but　each　drank　about　three　times　as　much　as　would
  have　made　a　Japanese　foolish；　and　it　had　no　effect　upon　them。
  After　two　hours　more　talk　one　after　another　got　up　and　went　out；
  making　profuse　salutations　to　me　and　to　the　others。　　My　candles　had
  been　forgotten；　and　our　seance　was　held　by　the　fitful　light　of　the
  big　logs　on　the　fire；　aided　by　a　succession　of　chips　of　birch　bark；
  with　which　a　woman　replenished　a　cleft　stick　that　was　stuck　into
  the　fire…hole。　　I　never　saw　such　a　strangely　picturesque　sight　as
  that　group　of　magnificent　savages　with　the　fitful　firelight　on
  their　faces；　and　for　adjuncts　the　flare　of　the　torch；　the　strong
  lights；　the　blackness　of　the　recesses　of　the　room　and　of　the　roof；
  at　one　end　of　which　the　stars　looked　in；　and　the　row　of　savage
  women　in　the　backgroundeastern　savagery　and　western　civilisation
  met　in　this　hut；　savagery　giving　and　civilisation　receiving；　the
  yellow…skinned　Ito　the　connecting…link　between　the　two；　and　the
  representative　of　a　civilisation　to　which　our　own　is　but　an　〃infant
  of　days。〃
  I　found　it　very　exciting；　and　when　all　had　left　crept　out　into　the
  starlight。　　The　lodges　were　all　dark　and　silent；　and　the　dogs；　mild
  like　their　masters；　took　no　notice　of　me。　　The　only　sound　was　the
  rustle　of　a　light　breeze　through　the　surrounding　forest。　　The　verse
  came　into　my　mind；　〃It　is　not　the　will　of　your　Father　which　is　in
  heaven　that　one　of　these　little　ones　should　perish。〃　　Surely　these
  simple　savages　are　children；　as　children　to　be　judged；　may　we　not
  hope　as　children　to　be　saved　through　Him　who　came　〃not　to　judge　the
  world；　but　to　save　the　world〃？
  I　crept　back　again　and　into　my　mosquito　net；　and　suffered　not　from
  fleas　or　mosquitoes；　but　from　severe　cold。　　Shinondi　conversed　with
  Ito　for　some　time　in　a　low　musical　voice；　having　previously　asked
  if　it　would　keep　me　from　sleeping。　　No　Japanese　ever　intermitted
  his　ceaseless　chatter　at　any　hour　of　the　night　for　a　similar
  reason。　　Later；　the　chief's　principal　wife；　Noma；　stuck　a　triply…
  cleft　stick　in　the　fire…hole；　put　a　potsherd　with　a　wick　and　some
  fish…oil　upon　it；　and　by　the　dim　light　of　this　rude　lamp　sewed
  until　midnight　at　a　garment　of　bark　cloth　which　she　was　ornamenting
  for　her　lord　with　strips　of　blue　cloth；　and　when　I　opened　my　eyes
  the　next　morning　she　was　at　the　window　sewing　by　the　earliest
  daylight。　　She　is　the　most　intelligent…looking　of　all　the　women；
  but　looks　sad　and　almost　stern；　and　speaks　seldom。　　Although　she　is
  the　principal　wife　of　the　chief　she　is　not　happy；　for　she　is
  childless；　and　I　thought　that　her　sad　look　darkened　into　something
  evil　as　the　other　wife　caressed　a　fine　baby　boy。　　Benri　seems　to　me
  something　of　a　brute；　and　the　mother…in…law　obviously　holds　the
  reins　of　government　pretty　tight。　　After　sewing　till　midnight　she
  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