Householdgodsformanessentialpartofthefurnishingofeveryhouse。Inthisone，attheleftoftheentrance，therearetenwhitewands，withshavingsdependingfromtheupperend，stuckinthewall；anotherprojectsfromthewindowwhichfacesthesunrise，andthegreatgod——awhitepost，twofeethigh，withspiralsofshavingsdependingfromthetop——isalwaysplantedinthefloor，nearthewall，ontheleftside，oppositethefire，betweentheplatformbedofthehouseholderandthelow，broadshelfplacedinvariablyonthesameside，andwhichisasingularfeatureofallAinohouses，coastandmountain，downtothepoorest，containing，asitdoes，Japanesecurios，manyofthemveryvaluableobjectsofantiqueart，thoughmuchdestroyedbydampanddust。Theyaretruecuriositiesinthedwellingsofthesenorthernaborigines，andlookalmostsolemnrangedagainstthewall。Inthishousetherearetwenty-fourlacqueredurns，ortea-chests，orseats，eachstandingtwofeethighonfoursmalllegs，shodwithengravedorfiligreebrass。Behindtheseareeightlacqueredtubs，andanumberofbowlsandlacquertrays，andabovearespearswithinlaidhandles，andfineKagaandAwatabowls。Thelacquerisgood，andseveraloftheurnshavedaimiyo’screstsingolduponthem。OneurnandalargecoveredbowlarebeautifullyinlaidwithVenus’ear。Thegreaturnsaretobeseenineveryhouse，andinadditiontherearesuitsofinlaidarmour，andswordswithinlaidhilts，engravedblades，andrepoussescabbards，forwhichacollectorwouldgivealmostanything。Nooffers，howeverliberal，cantemptthemtosellanyoftheseantiquepossessions。“Theywerepresents，“theysayintheirlow，musicalvoices；“theywerepresentsfromthosewhowerekindtoourfathers；no，wecannotsellthem；theywerepresents。“Andsogoldlacquer，andpearlinlaying，andgoldniello-work，anddaimiyo’screstsingold，continuetogleaminthesmokydarknessoftheirhuts。SomeofthesethingsweredoubtlessgiftstotheirfatherswhentheywenttopaytributetotherepresentativeoftheShogunandthePrinceofMatsumae，soonaftertheconquestofYezo。Otherswereprobablygiftsfromsamurai，whotookrefugehereduringtherebellion，andsomemusthavebeenobtainedbybarter。Theyaretheonepossessionwhichtheywillnotbarterforsake，andareonlypartedwithinpaymentoffinesatthecommandofachief，orasthedowerofagirl。
Exceptinthepooresthouses，wherethepeoplecanonlyaffordtolaydownamatforaguest，theycoverthecoarsematwithfineonesoneachsideofthefire。Thesematsandthebark-clotharereallytheironlymanufactures。Theyaremadeoffinereeds，withapatternindullredsorbrowns，andare14feetlongby3feet6
incheswide。Ittakesawomaneightdaystomakeoneofthem。Ineveryhousethereareoneortwomovableplatforms6feetby4and14incheshigh，whichareplacedattheheadofthefireplace，andonwhichguestssitandsleeponabearskinorafinemat。Inmanyhousestherearebroadseatsafewincheshigh，onwhichtheeldermensitcross-legged，astheircustomis，notsquattingJapanesefashionontheheels。Awater-tubalwaysrestsonastandbythedoor，andthedriedfishandvenisonorbearfordailyusehangfromtherafters，aswellasafewskins。Besidesthesethingsthereareafewabsolutenecessaries，——lacquerorwoodenbowlsforfoodandsake，achopping-boardandrudechopping-knife，acleft-
stickforburningstripsofbirch-bark，atriply-cleftstickforsupportingthepotsherdinwhich，onrareoccasions，theyburnawickwithoil，thecomponentpartsoftheirrudeloom，thebarkofwhichtheymaketheirclothes，thereedsofwhichtheymaketheirmats，——andtheinventoryoftheessentialsoftheirlifeisnearlycomplete。Noironentersintotheconstructionoftheirhouses，itsplacebeingsuppliedbyaremarkablytenaciousfibre。
Ihavebeforedescribedthepreparationoftheirfood，whichusuallyconsistsofastew“ofabominablethings。“Theyeatsaltandfreshfish，driedfish，seaweed，slugs，thevariousvegetableswhichgrowinthewildernessoftallweedswhichsurroundstheirvillages，wildrootsandberries，freshanddriedvenisonandbear；
theircarnivalconsistingoffreshbear’sfleshandsake，seaweed，mushrooms，andanythingtheycanget，infact，whichisnotpoisonous，mixingeverythinguptogether。Theyuseawoodenspoonforstirring，andeatwithchopsticks。Theyhaveonlytworegularmealsaday，buteatveryheartily。Inadditiontotheeatablesjustmentionedtheyhaveathicksoupmadefromaputty-likeclaywhichisfoundinoneortwoofthevalleys。Thisisboiledwiththebulbofawildlily，and，aftermuchoftheclayhasbeenallowedtosettle，theliquid，whichisverythick，ispouredoff。
Inthenorth，avalleywherethisearthisfoundiscalledTsie-
toi-nai，literally“eat-earth-valley。“
Themenspendtheautumn，winter，andspringinhuntingdeerandbears。Partoftheirtributeortaxesispaidinskins，andtheysubsistonthedriedmeat。UptoaboutthistimetheAinoshaveobtainedthesebeastsbymeansofpoisonedarrows，arrow-traps，andpitfalls，buttheJapaneseGovernmenthasprohibitedtheuseofpoisonandarrow-traps，andthesemensaythathuntingisbecomingextremelydifficult，asthewildanimalsaredrivenbackfartherandfartherintothemountainsbythesoundoftheguns。However，theyaddsignificantly，“theeyesoftheJapaneseGovernmentarenotineveryplace！“
Theirbowsareonlythreefeetlong，andaremadeofstoutsaplingswiththebarkon，andthereisnoattempttorenderthemlightorshapelyattheends。Thewoodissingularlyinelastic。ThearrowsofwhichIhaveobtainedanumberareverypeculiar，andaremadeinthreepieces，thepointconsistingofasharpenedpieceofbonewithanelongatedcavityononesideforthereceptionofthepoison。Thispointorheadisveryslightlyfastenedbyalashingofbarktoafusiformpieceofboneaboutfourincheslong，whichisinitsturnlashedtoashaftaboutfourteenincheslong，theotherendofwhichissometimesequippedwithatriplefeatherandsometimesisnot。
Thepoisonisplacedintheelongatedcavityintheheadinaverysoftstate，andhardensafterwards。Insomeofthearrow-headsfullyhalfateaspoonfulofthepasteisinserted。Fromthenatureoftheveryslightlashingswhichattachthearrow-headtotheshaft，itconstantlyremainsfixedintheslightwoundthatitmakes，whiletheshaftfallsoff。
Pipicharihasgivenmeasmallquantityofthepoisonouspaste，andhasalsotakenmetoseetheplantfromtherootofwhichitismade，theAconitumJaponicum，amonkshood，whosetallspikesofblueflowersarebrighteningthebrushwoodinalldirections。Therootispoundedintoapulp，mixedwithareddishearthlikeanironorepulverised，andagainwithanimalfat，beforebeingplacedinthearrow。Ithasbeensaidthatthepoisonispreparedforusebybeingburiedintheearth，butBenrisaysthatthisisneedless。
Theyclaimforitthatasinglewoundkillsabearintenminutes，butthatthefleshisnotrenderedunfitforeating，thoughtheytaketheprecautionofcuttingawayaconsiderablequantityofitroundthewound。
Dr。Eldridge，formerlyofHakodate，obtainedasmallquantityofthepoison，and，aftertryingsomeexperimentswithit，cametotheconclusionthatitislessvirulentthanotherpoisonsemployedforalikepurpose，asbythenativesofJava，theBushmen，andcertaintribesoftheAmazonandOrinoco。TheAinossaythatifamanisaccidentallywoundedbyapoisonedarrowtheonlycureisimmediateexcisionofthepart。
IdonotwonderthattheGovernmenthasprohibitedarrow-traps，fortheymadelocomotionunsafe，anditisstillunsafealittlefarthernorth，wherethehuntersaremoreoutofobservationthanhere。Thetrapsconsistofalargebowwithapoisonedarrow，fixedinsuchawaythatwhenthebearwalksoveracordwhichisattachedtoitheissimultaneouslytransfixed。Ihaveseenasmanyasfiftyinonehouse。Thesimplecontrivanceforinflictingthissilentdeathismostingenious。
Thewomenareoccupiedallday，asIhavebeforesaid。Theylookcheerful，andevenmerrywhentheysmile，andarenotliketheJapanese，prematurelyold，partlyperhapsbecausetheirhousesarewellventilated，andtheuseofcharcoalisunknown。Idonotthinkthattheyundergotheunmitigateddrudgerywhichfallstothelotofmostsavagewomen，thoughtheyworkhard。Themendonotlikethemtospeaktostrangers，however，andsaythattheirplaceistoworkandrearchildren。Theyeatofthesamefood，andatthesametimeasthemen，laughandtalkbeforethem，andreceiveequalsupportandrespectinoldage。Theysellmatsandbark-
clothinthepiece，andmadeup，whentheycan，andtheirhusbandsdonottaketheirearningsfromthem。AllAinowomenunderstandthemakingofbark-cloth。Themenbringinthebarkinstrips，fivefeetlong，havingremovedtheoutercoating。Thisinnerbarkiseasilyseparatedintoseveralthinlayers，whicharesplitintoverynarrowstripsbytheolderwomen，veryneatlyknotted，andwoundintoballsweighingaboutapoundeach。Nopreparationofeitherthebarkorthethreadisrequiredtofititforweaving，butIobservethatsomeofthewomensteepitinadecoctionofabarkwhichproducesabrowndyetodeepenthebufftint。
TheloomissosimplethatIalmostfeartorepresentitascomplicatedbydescription。Itconsistsofastouthookfixedinthefloor，towhichthethreadsofthefarendofthewebaresecured，acordfasteningthenearendtothewaistoftheworker，whosupplies，bydexterousrigidity，thenecessarytension；aframelikeacombrestingontheankles，throughwhichthethreadspass，ahollowrollforkeepingtheupperandunderthreadsseparate，aspatula-shapedshuttleofengravedwood，andarolleronwhichtheclothisrolledasitismade。Thelengthofthewebisfifteenfeet，andthewidthoftheclothfifteeninches。Itiswovenwithgreatregularity，andtheknotsinthethreadarecarefullykeptontheunderside。{20}Itisaveryslowandfatiguingprocess，andawomancannotdomuchmorethanafootaday。Theweaversitsonthefloorwiththewholearrangementattachedtoherwaist，andtheloom，ifsuchitmaybecalled，onherankles。Ittakeslongpracticebeforeshecansupplythenecessarytensionbyspinalrigidity。Astheworkproceedsshedragsherselfalmostimperceptiblynearerthehook。Inthishouseandotherlargeonestwoorthreewomenbringintheirwebsinthemorning，fixtheirhooks，andweaveallday，whileothers，whohavenotequaladvantages，puttheirhooksinthegroundandweaveinthesunshine。Thewebandloomcanbebundledupintwominutes，andcarriedawayquiteaseasilyasaknittedsoftblanket。Itisthesimplestandperhapsthemostprimitiveformofhand-loom，andcomb，shuttle，androll，arealleasilyfashionedwithanordinaryknife。
ASimpleNature-Worship——AinoGods——AFestivalSong——ReligiousIntoxication——Bear-Worship——TheAnnualSaturnalia——TheFutureState——MarriageandDivorce——MusicalInstruments——Etiquette——TheChieftainship——DeathandBurial——OldAge——MoralQualities。
TherecannotbeanythingmorevagueanddestituteofcohesionthanAinoreligiousnotions。WiththeexceptionofthehillshrinesofJapaneseconstructiondedicatedtoYoshitsune，theyhavenotemples，andtheyhaveneitherpriests，sacrifices，norworship。
Apparentlythroughalltraditionaltimetheircultushasbeentherudestandmostprimitiveformofnature-worship，theattachingofavaguesacrednesstotrees，rivers，rocks，andmountains，andofvaguenotionsofpowerforgoodoreviltothesea，theforest，thefire，andthesunandmoon。Icannotmakeoutthattheypossessatraceofthedeificationofancestors，thoughtheirrudenatureworshipmaywellhavebeentheprimitiveformofJapaneseShinto。
ThesolitaryexceptiontotheiradorationofanimateandinanimatenatureappearstobethereverencepaidtoYoshitsune，towhomtheybelievetheyaregreatlyindebted，andwho，itissupposedbysome，willyetinterfereontheirbehalf。{21}Theirgods——thatis，theoutwardsymbolsoftheirreligion，correspondingmostlikelywiththeShintogohei——arewandsandpostsofpeeledwood，whittlednearlytothetop，fromwhichthependentshavingsfalldowninwhitecurls。Thesearenotonlysetupintheirhouses，sometimestothenumberoftwenty，butonprecipices，banksofriversandstreams，andmountain-passes，andsuchwandsarethrownintotheriversastheboatmendescendrapidsanddangerousplaces。SincemybaggagehorsefelloveranacclivityonthetrailfromSarufuto，foursuchwandshavebeenplacedthere。Itisnonsensetowriteofthereligiousideasofapeoplewhohavenone，andofbeliefsamongpeoplewhoaremerelyadultchildren。ThetravellerwhoformulatesanAinocreedmust“evolveitfromhisinnerconsciousness。“I