the　breeze。　　The　Aino　first　forced　his　horse　through　it；　but　of
  course　it　closed　again；　so　that　constantly　when　he　was　close　in
  front　I　was　only　aware　of　his　proximity　by　the　tinkling　of　his
  horse's　bells；　for　I　saw　nothing　of　him　or　of　my　own　horse　except
  the　horn　of　my　saddle。　　We　tumbled　into　holes　often；　and　as　easily
  tumbled　out　of　them；　but　once　we　both　went　down　in　the　most
  unexpected　manner　into　what　must　have　been　an　old　bear…trap；　both
  going　over　our　horses'　heads；　the　horses　and　ourselves　struggling
  together　in　a　narrow　space　in　a　mist　of　grassy　plumes；　and；　being
  unable　to　communicate　with　my　guide；　the　sense　of　the　ridiculous
  situation　was　so　overpowering　that；　even　in　the　midst　of　the
  mishap；　I　was　exhausted　with　laughter；　though　not　a　little　bruised。
  It　was　very　hard　to　get　out　of　that　pitfall；　and　I　hope　I　shall
  never　get　into　one　again。　　It　is　not　the　first　occasion　on　which　I
  have　been　glad　that　the　Yezo　horses　are　shoeless。　　It　was　through
  this　long　grass　that　we　fought　our　way　to　the　tufa　cones；　with　the
  red　ragged　crests　against　the　blue　sky。
  The　scenery　was　magnificent；　and　after　getting　so　far　I　longed　to
  explore　the　sources　of　the　rivers；　but　besides　the　many
  difficulties　the　day　was　far　spent。　　I　was　also　too　weak　for　any
  energetic　undertaking；　yet　I　felt　an　intuitive　perception　of　the
  passion　and　fascination　of　exploring；　and　understood　how　people
  could　give　up　their　lives　to　it。　　I　turned　away　from　the　tufa　cones
  and　the　glory　of　the　ragged　crests　very　sadly；　to　ride　a　tired
  horse　through　great　difficulties；　and　the　animal　was　so　thoroughly
  done　up　that　I　had　to　walk；　or　rather　wade；　for　the　last　hour；　and
  it　was　nightfall　when　I　returned；　to　find　that　Ito　had　packed　up
  all　my　things；　had　been　waiting　ever　since　noon　to　start　for
  Horobets；　was　very　grumpy　at　having　to　unpack；　and　thoroughly
  disgusted　when　I　told　him　that　I　was　so　tired　and　bruised　that　I
  should　have　to　remain　the　next　day　to　rest。　　He　said　indignantly；
  〃I　never　thought　that　when　you'd　got　the　Kaitakushi　kuruma　you'd　go
  off　the　road　into　those　woods！〃　　We　had　seen　some　deer　and　many
  pheasants；　and　a　successful　hunter　brought　in　a　fine　stag；　so　that
  I　had　venison　steak　for　supper；　and　was　much　comforted；　though　Ito
  seasoned　the　meal　with　well…got…up　stories　of　the　impracticability
  of　the　Volcano　Bay　route。
  Shiraoi　consists　of　a　large　old　Honjin；　or　yadoya；　where　the
  daimiyo　and　his　train　used　to　lodge　in　the　old　days；　and　about
  eleven　Japanese　houses；　most　of　which　are　sake　shopsa　fact　which
  supplies　an　explanation　of　the　squalor　of　the　Aino　village　of
  fifty…two　houses；　which　is　on　the　shore　at　a　respectful　distance。
  There　is　no　cultivation；　in　which　it　is　like　all　the　fishing
  villages　on　this　part　of　the　coast；　but　fish…oil　and　fish…manure
  are　made　in　immense　quantities；　and；　though　it　is　not　the　season
  here；　the　place　is　pervaded　by　〃an　ancient　and　fish…like　smell。〃
  The　Aino　houses　are　much　smaller；　poorer；　and　dirtier　than　those　of
  Biratori。　　I　went　into　a　number　of　them；　and　conversed　with　the
  people；　many　of　whom　understand　Japanese。　　Some　of　the　houses
  looked　like　dens；　and；　as　it　was　raining；　husband；　wife；　and　five
  or　six　naked　children；　all　as　dirty　as　they　could　be；　with　unkempt；
  elf…like　locks；　were　huddled　round　the　fires。　　Still；　bad　as　it
  looked　and　smelt；　the　fire　was　the　hearth；　and　the　hearth　was
  inviolate；　and　each　smoked　and　dirt…stained　group　was　a　family；　and
  it　was　an　advance　upon　the　social　life　of；　for　instance；　Salt　Lake
  City。　　The　roofs　are　much　flatter　than　those　of　the　mountain　Ainos；
  and；　as　there　are　few　store…houses；　quantities　of　fish；　〃green〃
  skins；　and　venison；　hang　from　the　rafters；　and　the　smell　of　these
  and　the　stinging　of　the　smoke　were　most　trying。　　Few　of　the　houses
  had　any　guest…seats；　but　in　the　very　poorest；　when　I　asked　shelter
  from　the　rain；　they　put　their　best　mat　upon　the　ground；　and
  insisted；　much　to　my　distress；　on　my　walking　over　it　in　muddy
  boots；　saying；　〃It　is　Aino　custom。〃　　Ever；　in　those　squalid　homes
  the　broad　shelf；　with　its　rows　of　Japanese　curios；　always　has　a
  place。　　I　mentioned　that　it　is　customary　for　a　chief　to　appoint　a
  successor　when　he　becomes　infirm；　and　I　came　upon　a　case　in　point；
  through　a　mistaken　direction；　which　took　us　to　the　house　of　the
  former　chief；　with　a　great　empty　bear　cage　at　its　door。　　On
  addressing　him　as　the　chief；　he　said；　〃I　am　old　and　blind；　I　cannot
  go　out；　I　am　of　no　more　good；〃　and　directed　us　to　the　house　of　his
  successor。　　Altogether　it　is　obvious；　from　many　evidences　in　this
  village；　that　Japanese　contiguity　is　hurtful；　and　that　the　Ainos
  have　reaped　abundantly　of　the　disadvantages　without　the　advantages
  of　contact　with　Japanese　civilisation。
  That　night　I　saw　a　specimen　of　Japanese　horse…breaking　as　practised
  in　Yezo。　　A　Japanese　brought　into　the　village　street　a　handsome；
  spirited　young　horse；　equipped　with　a　Japanese　demi…pique　saddle；
  and　a　most　cruel　gag　bit。　　The　man　wore　very　cruel　spurs；　and　was
  armed　with　a　bit　of　stout　board　two　feet　long　by　six　inches　broad。
  The　horse　had　not　been　mounted　before；　and　was　frightened；　but　not
  the　least　vicious。　　He　was　spurred　into　a　gallop；　and　ridden　at
  full　speed　up　and　down　the　street；　turned　by　main　force；　thrown　on
  his　haunches；　goaded　with　the　spurs；　and　cowed　by　being　mercilessly
  thrashed　over　the　ears　and　eyes　with　the　piece　of　board　till　he　was
  blinded　with　blood。　　Whenever　he　tried　to　stop　from　exhaustion　he
  was　spurred；　jerked；　and　flogged；　till　at　last；　covered　with　sweat；
  foam；　and　blood；　and　with　blood　running　from　his　mouth　and
  splashing　the　road；　he　reeled；　staggered；　and　fell；　the　rider
  dexterously　disengaging　himself。　　As　soon　as　he　was　able　to　stand；
  he　was　allowed　to　crawl　into　a　shed；　where　he　was　kept　without　food
  till　morning；　when　a　child　could　do　anything　with　him。　　He　was
  〃broken；〃　effectually　spirit…broken；　useless　for　the　rest　of　his
  life。　　It　was　a　brutal　and　brutalising　exhibition；　as　triumphs　of
  brute　force　always　are。
  LETTER　XXXIX（Continued）
  The　Universal　LanguageThe　Yezo　CorralsA　〃Typhoon　Rain〃
  Difficult　TracksAn　Unenviable　RideDrying　ClothesA　Woman's
  Remorse。
  This　morning　I　left　early　in　the　kuruma　with　two　kind　and
  delightful　savages。　　The　road　being　much　broken　by　the　rains　I　had
  to　get　out　frequently；　and　every　time　I　got　in　again　they　put　my
  air…pillow　behind　me；　and　covered　me　up　in　a　blanket；　and　when　we
  got　to　a　rough　river；　one　made　a　step　of　his　back　by　which　I
  mounted　their　horse；　and　gave　me　nooses　of　rope　to　hold　on　by；　and
  the　other　held　my　arm　to　keep　me　steady；　and　they　would　not　let　me
  walk　up　or　down　any　of　the　hills。　　What　a　blessing　it　is　that；
  amidst　the　confusion　of　tongues；　the　language　of　kindness　and
  courtesy　is　universally　understood；　and　that　a　kindly　smile　on　a
  savage　face　is　as　intelligible　as　on　that　of　one's　own　countryman！
  They　had　never　drawn　a　kuruma；　and　were　as　pleased　as　children　when
  I　showed　them　how　to　balance　the　shafts。　　They　were　not　without　the
  capacity　to　originate　ideas；　for；　when　they　were　tired　of　the
  frolic　of　pulling；　they　attached　the　kuruma　by　ropes　to　the　horse；
  which　one　of　them　rode　at　a　〃scramble；〃　while　the　other　merely　ran
  in　the　shafts　to　keep　them　level。　　This　is　an　excellent　plan。
  Horobets　is　a　fishing　station　of　antique　and　decayed　aspect；　with
  eighteen　Japanese　and　forty…seven　Aino　houses。　　The　latter　are　much
  larger　than　at　Shiraoi；　and　their　very　steep　roofs　are　beautifully
  constructed。　　It　was　a　miserable　day；　with　fog　concealing　the
  mountains　and　lying　heavily　on　the　sea；　but　as　no　one　expected　rain
  I　sent　the　kuruma　back　to　Mororan　and　secured　horses。　　On　principle
  I　always　go　to　the　corral　myself　to　choose　animals；　if　possible；
  without　sore　backs；　but　the　choice　is　often　between　one　with　a　mere
  raw　and　others　which　have　holes　in　their　backs　into　which　I　could
  put　my　hand；　or　altogether　uncovered　spines。　　The　practice　does　no
  immediate　good；　but　by　showing　the　Japanese　that　foreign　opinion
  condemns　these　cruelties　an　amendment　may　eventually　be　brought
  about。　　At　Horobets；　among　twenty　horses；　there　was　not　one　that　I
  would　take；I　should　like　to　have　had　them　all　shot。　　They　are
  cheap　and　abundant；　and　are　of　no　account。　　They　drove　a　number
  more　down　from　the　hills；　and　I　chose　the　largest　and　finest　horse
  I　have　seen　in　Japan；　with　some　spirit　and　action；　but　I　soon　found
  that　he　had　tender　feet。　　We　shortly　left　the　high…road；　and　in
  torrents　of　rain　turned　off　on　〃unbeaten　tracks；〃　which　led　us
  through　a　very　bad　swamp　and　some　much　swollen　and　very　rough
  rivers　into　the　mountains；　where　we　followed　a　worn…out　track　for
  eight　miles。　　It　was　literally　〃FOUL　weather；〃　dark　and　still；　with
  a　brown　mist；　and　rain　falling　in　sheets。　　I　threw　my　paper
  waterproof　away　as　useless；　my　clothes　were　of　course　soaked；　and
  it　was　with　much　difficulty　that　I　kept　my　shomon　and　paper　money
  from　being　reduced　to　pulp。　　Typhoons　are　not　known　so　far　north　as
  Yezo；　but　it　was　what　they　call　a　〃typhoon　rain〃　without　the
  typhoon；　and　in　no　time　it　turned　the　streams　into　torrents　barely
  fordable；　and　tore　up　such　of　a　road　as　there　is；　which　at　its　best
  is　a　mere　w