traps；　and　other　primitive　property。　　The　roof　and　rafters　are
  black　and　shiny　from　wood　smoke。　　Immediately　under　them；　at　one
  end　and　one　side；　are　small；　square　windows；　which　are　closed　at
  night　by　wooden　shutters；　which　during　the　day…time　hang　by　ropes。
  Nothing　is　a　greater　insult　to　an　Aino　than　to　look　in　at　his
  window。
  On　the　left　of　the　doorway　is　invariably　a　fixed　wooden　platform；
  eighteen　inches　high；　and　covered　with　a　single　mat；　which　is　the
  sleeping…place。　　The　pillows　are　small　stiff　bolsters；　covered　with
  ornamental　matting。　　If　the　family　be　large　there　are　several　of
  these　sleeping　platforms。　　A　pole　runs　horizontally　at　a　fitting
  distance　above　the　outside　edge　of　each；　over　which　mats　are　thrown
  to　conceal　the　sleepers　from　the　rest　of　the　room。　　The　inside　half
  of　these　mats　is　plain；　but　the　outside；　which　is　seen　from　the
  room；　has　a　diamond　pattern　woven　into　it　in　dull　reds　and　browns。
  The　whole　floor　is　covered　with　a　very　coarse　reed…mat；　with
  interstices　half　an　inch　wide。　　The　fireplace；　which　is　six　feet
  long；　is　oblong。　　Above　it；　on　a　very　black　and　elaborate
  framework；　hangs　a　very　black　and　shiny　mat；　whose　superfluous　soot
  forms　the　basis　of　the　stain　used　in　tattooing；　and　whose　apparent
  purpose　is　to　prevent　the　smoke　ascending；　and　to　diffuse　it
  equally　throughout　the　room。　　From　this　framework　depends　the　great
  cooking…pot；　which　plays　a　most　important　part　in　Aino　economy。
  Household　gods　form　an　essential　part　of　the　furnishing　of　every
  house。　　In　this　one；　at　the　left　of　the　entrance；　there　are　ten
  white　wands；　with　shavings　depending　from　the　upper　end；　stuck　in
  the　wall；　another　projects　from　the　window　which　faces　the　sunrise；
  and　the　great　goda　white　post；　two　feet　high；　with　spirals　of
  shavings　depending　from　the　topis　always　planted　in　the　floor；
  near　the　wall；　on　the　left　side；　opposite　the　fire；　between　the
  platform　bed　of　the　householder　and　the　low；　broad　shelf　placed
  invariably　on　the　same　side；　and　which　is　a　singular　feature　of　all
  Aino　houses；　coast　and　mountain；　down　to　the　poorest；　containing；
  as　it　does；　Japanese　curios；　many　of　them　very　valuable　objects　of
  antique　art；　though　much　destroyed　by　damp　and　dust。　　They　are　true
  curiosities　in　the　dwellings　of　these　northern　aborigines；　and　look
  almost　solemn　ranged　against　the　wall。　　In　this　house　there　are
  twenty…four　lacquered　urns；　or　tea…chests；　or　seats；　each　standing
  two　feet　high　on　four　small　legs；　shod　with　engraved　or　filigree
  brass。　　Behind　these　are　eight　lacquered　tubs；　and　a　number　of
  bowls　and　lacquer　trays；　and　above　are　spears　with　inlaid　handles；
  and　fine　Kaga　and　Awata　bowls。　　The　lacquer　is　good；　and　several　of
  the　urns　have　daimiyo's　crests　in　gold　upon　them。　　One　urn　and　a
  large　covered　bowl　are　beautifully　inlaid　with　Venus'　ear。　　The
  great　urns　are　to　be　seen　in　every　house；　and　in　addition　there　are
  suits　of　inlaid　armour；　and　swords　with　inlaid　hilts；　engraved
  blades；　and　repousse　scabbards；　for　which　a　collector　would　give
  almost　anything。　　No　offers；　however　liberal；　can　tempt　them　to
  sell　any　of　these　antique　possessions。　　〃They　were　presents；〃　they
  say　in　their　low；　musical　voices；　〃they　were　presents　from　those
  who　were　kind　to　our　fathers；　no；　we　cannot　sell　them；　they　were
  presents。〃　　And　so　gold　lacquer；　and　pearl　inlaying；　and　gold
  niello…work；　and　daimiyo's　crests　in　gold；　continue　to　gleam　in　the
  smoky　darkness　of　their　huts。　　Some　of　these　things　were　doubtless
  gifts　to　their　fathers　when　they　went　to　pay　tribute　to　the
  representative　of　the　Shogun　and　the　Prince　of　Matsumae；　soon　after
  the　conquest　of　Yezo。　　Others　were　probably　gifts　from　samurai；　who
  took　refuge　here　during　the　rebellion；　and　some　must　have　been
  obtained　by　barter。　　They　are　the　one　possession　which　they　will
  not　barter　for　sake；　and　are　only　parted　with　in　payment　of　fines
  at　the　command　of　a　chief；　or　as　the　dower　of　a　girl。
  Except　in　the　poorest　houses；　where　the　people　can　only　afford　to
  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