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　of　the　forest；　upon　a　sand…hill　covered　with　oak
  scrub；　we　encountered　a　most　furious　wind。　　Among　the　many　views
  which　I　have　seen；　that　is　one　to　be　remembered。　　Below　lay　a
  bleached　and　bare　sand…hill；　with　a　few　grey　houses　huddled　in　its
  miserable　shelter；　and　a　heaped…up　shore　of　grey　sand；　on　which　a
  brown…grey　sea　was　breaking　with　clash　and　boom　in　long；　white；
  ragged　lines；　with　all　beyond　a　confusion　of　surf；　surge；　and　mist；
  with　driving　brown　clouds　mingling　sea　and　sky；　and　all　between
  showing　only　in　glimpses　amidst　scuds　of　sand。
  At　a　house　in　the　scrub　a　number　of　men　were　drinking　sake　with
  much　uproar；　and　a　superb…looking　Aino　came　out；　staggered　a　few
  yards；　and　then　fell　backwards　among　the　weeds；　a　picture　of
  debasement。　　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　before　I　left　Biratori；　I
  inveighed　to　the　assembled　Ainos　against　the　practice　and
  consequences　of　sake…drinking；　and　was　met　with　the　reply；　〃We　must
  drink　to　the　gods；　or　we　shall　die；〃　but　Pipichari　said；　〃You　say
  that　which　is　good；　let　us　give　sake　to　the　gods；　but　not　drink
  it；〃　for　which　bold　speech　he　was　severely　rebuked　by　Benri。
  Mombets　is　a　stormily…situated　and　most　wretched　cluster　of　twenty…
  seven　decayed　houses；　some　of　them　Aino；　and　some　Japanese。　　The
  fish…oil　and　seaweed　fishing　trades　are　in　brisk　operation　there
  now　for　a　short　time；　and　a　number　of　Aino　and　Japanese　strangers
  are　employed。　　The　boats　could　not　get　out　because　of　the　surf；　and
  there　was　a　drunken　debauch。　　The　whole　place　smelt　of　sake。　　Tipsy
  men　were　staggering　about　and　falling　flat　on　their　backs；　to　lie
  there　like　dogs　till　they　were　sober；Aino　women　were　vainly
  endeavouring　to　drag　their　drunken　lords　home；　and　men　of　both
  races　were　reduced　to　a　beastly　equality。　　I　went　to　the　yadoya
  where　I　intended　to　spend　Sunday；　but；　besides　being　very　dirty　and
  forlorn；　it　was　the　very　centre　of　the　sake　traffic；　and　in　its
  open　space　there　were　men　in　all　stages　of　riotous　and　stupid
  intoxication。　　It　was　a　sad　scene；　yet　one　to　be　matched　in　a
  hundred　places　in　Scotland　every　Saturday　afternoon。　　I　am　told　by
  the　Kocho　here　that　an　Aino　can　drink　four　or　five　times　as　much　as
  a　Japanese　without　being　tipsy；　so　for　each　tipsy　Aino　there　had
  been　an　outlay　of　6s。　or　7s。；　for　sake　is　8d。　a　cup　here！
  I　had　some　tea　and　eggs　in　the　daidokoro；　and　altered　my　plans
  altogether　on　finding　that　if　I　proceeded　farther　round　the　east
  coast；　as　I　intended；　I　should　run　the　risk　of　several　days'
  detention　on　the　banks　of　numerous　〃bad　rivers〃　if　rain　came　on；　by
  which　I　should　run　the　risk　of　breaking　my　promise　to　deliver　Ito
  to　Mr。　Maries　by　a　given　day。　　I　do　not　surrender　this　project；
  however；　without　an　equivalent；　for　I　intend　to　add　100　miles　to　my
  journey；　by　taking　an　almost　disused　track　round　Volcano　Bay；　and
  visiting　the　coast　Ainos　of　a　very　primitive　region。　　Ito　is　very
  much　opposed　to　this；　thinking　that　he　has　made　a　sufficient
  sacrifice　of　personal　comfort　at　Biratori；　and　plies　me　with
  stories；　such　as　that　there　are　〃many　bad　rivers　to　cross；〃　that
  the　track　is　so　worn　as　to　be　impassable；　that　there　are　no
  yadoyas；　and　that　at　the　Government　offices　we　shall　neither　get
  rice　nor　eggs！　　An　old　man　who　has　turned　back　unable　to　get　horses
  is　made　responsible　for　these　stories。　　The　machinations　are　very
  amusing。　　Ito　was　much　smitten　with　the　daughter　of　the　house…
  master　at　Mororan；　and　left　some　things　in　her　keeping；　and　the
  desire　to　see　her　again　is　at　the　bottom　of　his　opposition　to　the
  other　route。
  Monday。The　horse　could　not　or　would　not　carry　me　farther　than
  Mombets；　so；　sending　the　baggage　on；　I　walked　through　the　oak　wood；
  and　enjoyed　its　silent　solitude；　in　spite　of　the　sad　reflections
  upon　the　enslavement　of　the　Ainos　to　sake。　　I　spent　yesterday
  quietly　in　my　old　quarters；　with　a　fearful　storm　of　wind　and　rain
  outside。　　Pipichari　appeared　at　noon；　nominally　to　bring　news　of
  the　sick　woman；　who　is　recovering；　and　to　have　his　nearly　healed
  foot　bandaged　again；　but　really　to　bring　me　a　knife　sheath　which　he
  has　carved　for　me。　　He　lay　on　the　mat　in　the　corner　of　my　room　most
  of　the　afternoon；　and　I　got　a　great　many　more　words　from　him。　　The
  house…master；　who　is　the　Kocho　of　Sarufuto；　paid　me　a　courteous
  visit；　and　in　the　evening　sent　to　say　that　he　would　be　very　glad　of
  some　medicine；　for　he　was　〃very　ill　and　going　to　have　fever。〃　　He
  had　caught　a　bad　cold　and　sore　throat；　had　bad　pains　in　his　limbs；
  and　was　bemoaning　himself　ruefully。　　To　pacify　his　wife；　who　was
  very　sorry　for　him；　I　gave　him　some　〃Cockle's　Pills〃　and　the
  trapper's　remedy　of　〃a　pint　of　hot　water　with　a　pinch　of　cayenne
  pepper；〃　and　left　him　moaning　and　bundled　up　under　a　pile　of
  futons；　in　a　nearly　hermetically　sealed　room；　with　a　hibachi　of
  charcoal　vitiating　the　air。　　This　morning　when　I　went　and　inquired
  after　him　in　a　properly　concerned　tone；　his　wife　told　me　very
  gleefully　that　he　was　quite　well　and　had　gone　out；　and　had　left　25
  sen　for　some　more　of　the　medicines　that　I　had　given　him；　so　with
  great　gravity　I　put　up　some　of　Duncan　and　Flockhart's　most　pungent
  cayenne　pepper；　and　showed　her　how　much　to　use。　　She　was　not
  content；　however；　without　some　of　the　〃Cockles；〃　a　single　box　of
  which　has　performed　six　of　those　〃miraculous　cures〃　which　rejoice
  the　hearts　and　fill　the　pockets　of　patent　medicine　makers！
  I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XXXIX
  A　Welcome　GiftRecent　ChangesVolcanic　PhenomenaInteresting
  Tufa　ConesSemi…strangulationA　Fall　into　a　Bear…trapThe
  Shiraoi　AinosHorsebreaking　and　Cruelty。
  OLD　MORORAN；　VOLCANO　BAY；　YEZO；
  September　2。
  After　the　storm　of　Sunday；　Monday　was　a　grey；　still；　tender　day；
  and　the　ranges　of　wooded　hills　were　bathed　in　the　richest　indigo
  colouring。　　A　canter　of　seventeen　miles　among　the　damask　roses　on　a
  very　rough　horse　only　took　me　to　Yubets；　whose　indescribable
  loneliness　fascinated　me　into　spending　a　night　there　again；　and
  encountering　a　wild　clatter　of　wind　and　rain；　and　another　canter　of
  seven　miles　the　next　morning　took　me　to　Tomakomai；　where　I　rejoined
  my　kuruma；　and　a