Besidesthese，sevenwomensatinarowinthebackgroundsplittingbark。Alargeironpanhungoverthefirefromablackenedarrangementabove，andBenri’sprincipalwifecutwildroots，greenbeans，andseaweed，andshreddriedfishandvenisonamongthem，addingmillet，water，andsomestrong-smellingfish-oil，andsetthewholeontostewforthreehours，stirringthe“mess“nowandthenwithawoodenspoon。
Severaloftheolderpeoplesmoke，andIhandedroundsomemildtobacco，whichtheyreceivedwithwavinghands。ItoldthemthatI
camefromalandinthesea，veryfaraway，wheretheysawthesungodown——soveryfarawaythatahorsewouldhavetogallopdayandnightforfiveweekstoreachit——andthatIhadcomealongjourneytoseethem，andthatIwantedtoaskthemmanyquestions，sothatwhenIwenthomeImighttellmyownpeoplesomethingaboutthem。Shinondiandanotherman，whounderstoodJapanese，bowed，andasoneveryoccasiontranslatedwhatIsaidintoAinoforthevenerablegroupopposite。Shinondithensaid“thatheandShinrichi，theotherJapanesespeaker，wouldtellmealltheyknew，buttheywerebutyoungmen，andonlyknewwhatwastoldtothem。
Theywouldspeakwhattheybelievedtobetrue，butthechiefknewmorethanthey，andwhenhecamebackhemighttellmedifferently，andthenIshouldthinkthattheyhadspokenlies。“Isaidthatnoonewholookedintotheirfacescouldthinkthattheyevertoldlies。Theywereverymuchpleased，andwavedtheirhandsandstrokedtheirbeardsrepeatedly。BeforetheytoldmeanythingtheybeggedandprayedthatIwouldnotinformtheJapaneseGovernmentthattheyhadtoldmeoftheircustoms，orharmmightcometothem！
Forthenexttwohours，andfortwomoreaftersupper，Iaskedthemquestionsconcerningtheirreligionandcustoms，andagainyesterdayforaconsiderabletime，andthismorning，afterBenri’sreturn，Iwentoverthesamesubjectswithhim，andhavealsoemployedaconsiderabletimeingettingabout300wordsfromthem，whichIhavespeltphoneticallyofcourse，andintendtogooveragainwhenIvisitthecoastAinos。{19}