rocks　were　tinged　with　gold　for　a　foot　or　so　above　the　sea　by　a
  delicate　species　of　fucus。　　In　the　exquisite　inlet　where　I　spent
  the　night；　trees　and　trailers　drooped　into　the　water　and　were
  mirrored　in　it；　their　green；　heavy　shadows　lying　sharp　against　the
  sunset　gold　and　pink　of　the　rest　of　the　bay；　log　canoes；　with
  planks　laced　upon　their　gunwales　to　heighten　them；　were　drawn　upon
  a　tiny　beach　of　golden　sand；　and　in　the　shadiest　cove；　moored　to　a
  tree；　an　antique　and　much…carved　junk　was　〃floating　double。〃
  Wooded；　rocky　knolls；　with　Aino　huts；　the　vermilion　peaks　of　the
  volcano　of　Usu…taki　redder　than　ever　in　the　sinking　sun；　a　few
  Ainos　mending　their　nets；　a　few　more　spreading　edible　seaweed　out
  to　dry；　a　single　canoe　breaking　the　golden　mirror　of　the　cove　by
  its　noiseless　motion；　a　few　Aino　loungers；　with　their　〃mild…eyed；
  melancholy〃　faces　and　quiet　ways　suiting　the　quiet　evening　scene；
  the　unearthly　sweetness　of　a　temple　bellthis　was　all；　and　yet　it
  was　the　loveliest　picture　I　have　seen　in　Japan。
  In　spite　of　Ito's　remonstrances　and　his　protestations　that　an
  exceptionally　good　supper　would　be　spoiled；　I　left　my　rat…haunted
  room；　with　its　tarnished　gilding　and　precarious　fusuma；　to　get　the
  last　of　the　pink　and　lemon…coloured　glory；　going　up　the　staircase
  in　the　stone…faced　embankment；　and　up　a　broad；　well…paved　avenue；
  to　a　large　temple；　within　whose　open　door　I　sat　for　some　time
  absolutely　alone；　and　in　a　wonderful　stillness；　for　the　sweet…toned
  bell　which　vainly　chimes　for　vespers　amidst　this　bear…worshipping
  population　had　ceased。　　This　temple　was　the　first　symptom　of
  Japanese　religion　that　I　remember　to　have　seen　since　leaving
  Hakodate；　and　worshippers　have　long　since　ebbed　away　from　its　shady
  and　moss…grown　courts。　　Yet　it　stands　there　to　protest　for　the
  teaching　of　the　great　Hindu；　and　generations　of　Aino　heathen　pass
  away　one　after　another；　and　still　its　bronze　bell　tolls；　and　its
  altar　lamps　are　lit；　and　incense　burns　for　ever　before　Buddha。　　The
  characters　on　the　great　bell　of　this　temple　are　said　to　be　the　same
  lines　which　are　often　graven　on　temple　bells；　and　to　possess　the
  dignity　of　twenty…four　centuries：
  〃All　things　are　transient；
  They　being　born　must　die；
  And　being　born　are　dead；
  And　being　dead　are　glad
  To　be　at　rest。〃
  The　temple　is　very　handsome；　the　baldachino　is　superb；　and　the
  bronzes　and　brasses　on　the　altar　are　specially　fine。　　A　broad　ray
  of　sunlight　streamed　in；　crossed　the　matted　floor；　and　fell　full
  upon　the　figure　of　Sakya…muni　in　his　golden　shrine；　and　just　at
  that　moment　a　shaven　priest；　in　silk…brocaded　vestments　of　faded
  green；　silently　passed　down　the　stream　of　light；　and　lit　the
  candles　on　the　altar；　and　fresh　incense　filled　the　temple　with　a
  drowsy　fragrance。　　It　was　a　most　impressive　picture。　　His　curiosity
  evidently　shortened　his　devotions；　and　he　came　and　asked　me　where　I
  had　been　and　where　I　was　going；　to　which；　of　course；　I　replied　in
  excellent　Japanese；　and　then　stuck　fast。
  Along　the　paved　avenue；　besides　the　usual　stone　trough　for　holy
  water；　there　are　on　one　side　the　thousand…armed　Kwan…non；　a　very
  fine　relief；　and　on　the　other　a　Buddha；　throned　on　the　eternal
  lotus　blossom；　with　an　iron　staff；　much　resembling　a　crozier；　in
  his　hand；　and　that　eternal　apathy　on　his　face　which　is　the　highest
  hope　of　those　who　hope　at　all。　　I　went　through　a　wood；　where　there
  are　some　mournful　groups　of　graves　on　the　hillside；　and　from　the
  temple　came　the　sweet　sound　of　the　great　bronze　bell　and　the　beat
  of　the　big　drum；　and　then；　more　faintly；　the　sound　of　the　little
  bell　and　drum；　with　which　the　priest　accompanies　his　ceaseless
  repetition　of　a　phrase　in　the　dead　tongue　of　a　distant　land。　　There
  is　an　infinite　pathos　about　the　lonely　temple　in　its　splendour；　the
  absence　of　even　possible　worshippers；　and　the　large　population　of
  Ainos；　sunk　in　yet　deeper　superstitions　than　those　which　go　to　make
  up　popular　Buddhism。　　I　sat　on　a　rock　by　the　bay　till　the　last　pink
  glow　faded　from　Usu…taki　and　the　last　lemon　stain　from　the　still
  water；　and　a　beautiful　crescent；　which　hung　over　the　wooded　hill；
  had　set；　and　the　heavens　blazed　with　stars：
  〃Ten　thousand　stars　were　in　the　sky；
  Ten　thousand　in　the　sea；
  And　every　wave　with　dimpled　face；
  That　leapt　upon　the　air；
  Had　caught　a　star　in　its　embrace；
  And　held　it　trembling　there。〃
  The　loneliness　of　Usu　Bay　is　something　wonderfula　house　full　of
  empty　rooms　falling　to　decay；　with　only　two　men　in　itone　Japanese
  house　among　500　savages；　yet　it　was　the　only　one　in　which　I　have
  slept　in　which　they　bolted　neither　the　amado　nor　the　gate。　　During
  the　night　the　amado　fell　out　of　the　worn…out　grooves　with　a　crash；
  knocking　down　the　shoji；　which　fell　on　me；　and　rousing　Ito；　who
  rushed　into　my　room　half…asleep；　with　a　vague　vision　of　blood…
  thirsty　Ainos　in　his　mind。　　I　then　learned　what　I　have　been　very
  stupid　not　to　have　learned　before；　that　in　these　sliding　wooden
  shutters　there　is　a　small　door　through　which　one　person　can　creep
  at　a　time　called　the　jishindo；　or　〃earthquake　door；〃　because　it
  provides　an　exit　during　the　alarm　of　an　earthquake；　in　case　of　the
  amado　sticking　in　their　grooves；　or　their　bolts　going　wrong。　　I
  believe　that　such　a　door　exists　in　all　Japanese　houses。
  The　next　morning　was　as　beautiful　as　the　previous　evening；　rose　and
  gold　instead　of　gold　and　pink。　　Before　the　sun　was　well　up　I
  visited　a　number　of　the　Aino　lodges；　saw　the　bear；　and　the　chief；
  who；　like　all　the　rest；　is　a　monogamist；　and；　after　breakfast；　at
  my　request；　some　of　the　old　men　came　to　give　me　such　information　as
  they　had。　　These　venerable　elders　sat　cross…legged　in　the　verandah；
  the　house…master's　son；　who　kindly　acted　as　interpreter；　squatting；
  Japanese　fashion；　at　the　side；　and　about　thirty　Ainos；　mostly
  women；　with　infants；　sitting　behind。　　I　spent　about　two　hours　in
  going　over　the　same　ground　as　at　Biratori；　and　also　went　over　the
  words；　and　got　some　more；　including　some　synonyms。　　The　click　of
  the　ts　before　the　ch　at　the　beginning　of　a　word　is　strongly　marked
  among　these　Ainos。　　Some　of　their　customs　differ　slightly　from
  those　of　their　brethren　of　the　interior；　specially　as　to　the　period
  of　seclusion　after　a　death；　the　non…allowance　of　polygamy　to　the
  chief；　and　the　manner　of　killing　the　bear　at　the　annual　festival。
  Their　ideas　of　metempsychosis　are　more　definite；　but　this；　I　think；
  is　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　influence　and　proximity　of　Buddhism。
  They　spoke　of　the　bear　as　their　chief　god；　and　next　the　sun　and
  fire。　　They　said　that　they　no　longer　worship　the　wolf；　and　that
  though　they　call　the　volcano　and　many　other　things　kamoi；　or　god；
  they　do　not　worship　them。　　I　ascertained　beyond　doubt　that　worship
  with　them　means　simply　making　libations　of　sake　and　〃drinking　to
  the　god；〃　and　that　it　is　unaccompanied　by　petitions；　or　any　vocal
  or　mental　act。
  These　Ainos　are　as　dark　as　the　people　of　southern　Spain；　and　very
  hairy。　　Their　expression　is　earnest　and　pathetic；　and　when　they
  smiled；　as　they　did　when　I　could　not　pronounce　their　words；　their
  faces　had　a　touching　sweetness　which　was　quite　beautiful；　and
  European；　not　Asiatic。　　Their　own　impression　is　that　they　are　now
  increasing　in　numbers　after　diminishing　for　many　years。　　I　left　Usu
  sleeping　in　the　loveliness　of　an　autumn　noon　with　great　regret。　　No
  place　that　I　have　seen　has　fascinated　me　so　much。
  LETTER　XL（Continued）
  The　Sea…shoreA　〃Hairy　Aino〃A　Horse　FightThe　Horses　of　Yezo
  〃Bad　Mountains〃A　Slight　AccidentMagnificent　SceneryA　Bleached
  Halting…PlaceA　Musty　RoomAino　〃Good…breeding。〃
  A　charge　of　3　sen　per　ri　more　for　the　horses　for　the　next　stage；
  because　there　were　such　〃bad　mountains　to　cross；〃　prepared　me　for
  what　followedmany　miles　of　the　worst　road　for　horses　I　ever　saw。
  I　should　not　have　complained　if　they　had　charged　double　the　price。
  As　an　almost　certain　consequence；　it　was　one　of　the　most
  picturesque　routes　I　have　ever　travelled。　　For　some　distance；
  however；　it　runs　placidly　along　by　the　sea…shore；　on　which　big；
  blue；　foam…crested　rollers　were　disporting　themselves　noisily；　and
  passes　through　several　Aino　hamlets；　and　the　Aino　village　of　Abuta；
  with　sixty　houses；　rather　a　prosperous…looking　place；　where　the
  cultivation　was　considerably　more　careful；　and　the　people　possessed
  a　number　of　horses。　　Several　of　the　houses　were　surrounded　by
  bears'　skulls　grinning　from　between　the　forked　tops　of　high　poles；
  and　there　was　a　well…grown　bear　ready　for　his　doom　and　apotheosis。
  In　nearly　all　the　houses　a　woman　was　weaving　bark…cloth；　with　the
  hook　which　holds　the　web　fixed　into　the　ground　several　feet　outside
  the　house。　　At　a　deep　river　called　the　Nopkobets；　which　emerges
  from　the　mountains　close　to　the　sea；　we　were　ferried　by　an　Aino
  completely　covered　with　hair；　which　on　his　shoulders　was　wavy　like
  that　of　a　retriever；　and　rendered　clothing　quite　needless　either
  for　covering　or　warmth。　　A　wavy；　black　beard　rippled　nearly　to　his
  waist　over　his　furry　chest；　and；　with　his　black　locks　hanging　in
  masses　over　his　shoulders；　he　would　have　looked　a　thorough　savage
  had　it　not　been　for　the　exceeding　sweetness　of　his　smile　and　eyes。
  The　Volcano　Bay　Ainos　are　far　more　hairy　than　t