Inspiteofthedesperateandalmostoverwhelmingfatigue，Ihaveenjoyedfewthingsmorethanthat“exploringexpedition。“IftheJapanesehavenoonetotalktotheycroonhideousdiscordstothemselves，anditwasarelieftoleaveItobehindandgetawaywithanAino，whowasatoncesilent，trustworthy，andfaithful。
TwobrightriversbubblingoverbedsofredpebblesrundowntoShiraoioutofthebackcountry，andmydirections，whichweretranslatedtotheAino，weretofollowuponeoftheseandgointothemountainsinthedirectionofoneIpointedouttillIsaid“Shiraoi。“ItwasoneofthoseexquisitemorningswhichareseensometimesintheScotchHighlandsbeforerain，withintenseclearnessandvisibility，ablueatmosphere，acloudlesssky，bluesummits，heavydew，andglorioussunshine，andunderthesecircumstancesscenerybeautifulinitselfbecameentrancing。
Thetrailersaresoformidablethatwehadtostoopoverourhorses’necksatalltimes，andwithpushingbackbranchesandguardingmyfacefromslapsandscratches，mythickdogskingloveswereliterallyfrayedoff，andsomeoftheskinofmyhandsandfaceinaddition，sothatIreturnedwithbothbleedingandswelled。Itwasonthereturnride，fortunately，thatinstoopingtoescapeonegreatlianatheloopofanothergrazedmynose，and，beingunabletocheckmyunbrokenhorseinstantaneously，theloopcaughtmebythethroat，nearlystrangledme，andinlesstimethanittakestotellitIwasdrawnoverthebackofthesaddle，andfoundmyselflyingontheground，jammedbetweenatreeandthehindlegofthehorse，whichwasquietlyfeeding。TheAino，whosefacewasverybadlyscratched，missingme，cameback，saidneveraword，helpedmeup，broughtmesomewaterinaleaf，broughtmyhat，andwerodeonagain。Iwaslittletheworseforthefall，butonborrowingalooking-glassIseenotonlyscratchesandabrasionsallovermyface，butalividmarkroundmythroatasifIhadbeenhung！TheAinoleftportionsofhisbushylocksonmanyofthebranches。Youwouldhavebeenamusedtoseemeinthisforest，precededbythishairyandformidable-lookingsavage，whowasdressedinacoatofskinswiththefuroutside，seatedonthetopofapack-saddlecoveredwithadeerhide，andwithhishairylegscrossedoverthehorse’sneck——afashioninwhichtheAinosrideanyhorsesoveranygroundwiththeutmostserenity。
Itwasawonderfulregionforbeauty。IhavenotseensobeautifulaviewinJapanasfromtheriver-bedfromwhichIhadthefirstnearviewofthegrandassemblageoftufacones，coveredwithanancientvegetation，backedbyhighmountainsofvolcanicorigin，onwhoseraggedcreststheredashwasblazingvermilionagainstthebluesky，withaforegroundofbrightwatersflashingthroughaprimevalforest。Thebanksofthesestreamsweredeeplyexcavatedbytheheavyrains，andsometimeswehadtojumpthreeandevenfourfeetoutoftheforestintotheriver，andasmuchupagain，fordingtheShiraoiriveronlymorethantwentytimes，andoftenmakingapathwayofitstreacherousbedandrushingwaters，becausetheforestwasimpassablefromthegreatsizeoftheprostratetrees。Thehorseslookatthesejumps，holdback，trytoturn，andthen，makinguptheirminds，suddenlyplungedownorup。Whenthelastvestigeofatraildisappeared，IsignedtotheAinotogoon，andoursubsequent“exploration“wasalldoneattherateofaboutamileanhour。Ontheopeningsthegrassgrowsstiffandstrongtotheheightofeightfeet，withitssoftreddishplumeswavinginthebreeze。TheAinofirstforcedhishorsethroughit，butofcourseitclosedagain，sothatconstantlywhenhewascloseinfrontIwasonlyawareofhisproximitybythetinklingofhishorse’sbells，forIsawnothingofhimorofmyownhorseexceptthehornofmysaddle。Wetumbledintoholesoften，andaseasilytumbledoutofthem；butoncewebothwentdowninthemostunexpectedmannerintowhatmusthavebeenanoldbear-trap，bothgoingoverourhorses’heads，thehorsesandourselvesstrugglingtogetherinanarrowspaceinamistofgrassyplumes，and，beingunabletocommunicatewithmyguide，thesenseoftheridiculoussituationwassooverpoweringthat，eveninthemidstofthemishap，Iwasexhaustedwithlaughter，thoughnotalittlebruised。
Itwasveryhardtogetoutofthatpitfall，andIhopeIshallnevergetintooneagain。ItisnotthefirstoccasiononwhichI
havebeengladthattheYezohorsesareshoeless。Itwasthroughthislonggrassthatwefoughtourwaytothetufacones，withtheredraggedcrestsagainstthebluesky。
Thescenerywasmagnificent，andaftergettingsofarIlongedtoexplorethesourcesoftherivers，butbesidesthemanydifficultiesthedaywasfarspent。Iwasalsotooweakforanyenergeticundertaking，yetIfeltanintuitiveperceptionofthepassionandfascinationofexploring，andunderstoodhowpeoplecouldgiveuptheirlivestoit。Iturnedawayfromthetufaconesandthegloryoftheraggedcrestsverysadly，torideatiredhorsethroughgreatdifficulties；andtheanimalwassothoroughlydoneupthatIhadtowalk，orratherwade，forthelasthour，anditwasnightfallwhenIreturned，tofindthatItohadpackedupallmythings，hadbeenwaitingeversincenoontostartforHorobets，wasverygrumpyathavingtounpack，andthoroughlydisgustedwhenItoldhimthatIwassotiredandbruisedthatI
shouldhavetoremainthenextdaytorest。Hesaidindignantly，“Ineverthoughtthatwhenyou’dgottheKaitakushikurumayou’dgoofftheroadintothosewoods！“Wehadseensomedeerandmanypheasants，andasuccessfulhunterbroughtinafinestag，sothatIhadvenisonsteakforsupper，andwasmuchcomforted，thoughItoseasonedthemealwithwell-got-upstoriesoftheimpracticabilityoftheVolcanoBayroute。
ShiraoiconsistsofalargeoldHonjin，oryadoya，wherethedaimiyoandhistrainusedtolodgeintheolddays，andaboutelevenJapanesehouses，mostofwhicharesakeshops——afactwhichsuppliesanexplanationofthesqualoroftheAinovillageoffifty-twohouses，whichisontheshoreatarespectfuldistance。
Thereisnocultivation，inwhichitislikeallthefishingvillagesonthispartofthecoast，butfish-oilandfish-manurearemadeinimmensequantities，and，thoughitisnottheseasonhere，theplaceispervadedby“anancientandfish-likesmell。“
TheAinohousesaremuchsmaller，poorer，anddirtierthanthoseofBiratori。Iwentintoanumberofthem，andconversedwiththepeople，manyofwhomunderstandJapanese。Someofthehouseslookedlikedens，and，asitwasraining，husband，wife，andfiveorsixnakedchildren，allasdirtyastheycouldbe，withunkempt，elf-likelocks，werehuddledroundthefires。Still，badasitlookedandsmelt，thefirewasthehearth，andthehearthwasinviolate，andeachsmokedanddirt-stainedgroupwasafamily，anditwasanadvanceuponthesociallifeof，forinstance，SaltLakeCity。TheroofsaremuchflatterthanthoseofthemountainAinos，and，astherearefewstore-houses，quantitiesoffish，“green“
skins，andvenison，hangfromtherafters，andthesmelloftheseandthestingingofthesmokeweremosttrying。Fewofthehouseshadanyguest-seats，butintheverypoorest，whenIaskedshelterfromtherain，theyputtheirbestmatupontheground，andinsisted，muchtomydistress，onmywalkingoveritinmuddyboots，saying，“ItisAinocustom。“Ever，inthosesqualidhomesthebroadshelf，withitsrowsofJapanesecurios，alwayshasaplace。Imentionedthatitiscustomaryforachieftoappointasuccessorwhenhebecomesinfirm，andIcameuponacaseinpoint，throughamistakendirection，whichtookustothehouseoftheformerchief，withagreatemptybearcageatitsdoor。Onaddressinghimasthechief，hesaid，“Iamoldandblind，Icannotgoout，Iamofnomoregood，“anddirectedustothehouseofhissuccessor。Altogetheritisobvious，frommanyevidencesinthisvillage，thatJapanesecontiguityishurtful，andthattheAinoshavereapedabundantlyofthedisadvantageswithouttheadvantagesofcontactwithJapanesecivilisation。
ThatnightIsawaspecimenofJapanesehorse-breakingaspractisedinYezo。AJapanesebroughtintothevillagestreetahandsome，spiritedyounghorse，equippedwithaJapanesedemi-piquesaddle，andamostcruelgagbit。Themanworeverycruelspurs，andwasarmedwithabitofstoutboardtwofeetlongbysixinchesbroad。
Thehorsehadnotbeenmountedbefore，andwasfrightened，butnottheleastvicious。Hewasspurredintoagallop，andriddenatfullspeedupanddownthestreet，turnedbymainforce，thrownonhishaunches，goadedwiththespurs，andcowedbybeingmercilesslythrashedovertheearsandeyeswiththepieceofboardtillhewasblindedwithblood。Wheneverhetriedtostopfromexhaustionhewasspurred，jerked，andflogged，tillatlast，coveredwithsweat，foam，andblood，andwithbloodrunningfromhismouthandsplashingtheroad，hereeled，staggered，andfell，theriderdexterouslydisengaginghimself。Assoonashewasabletostand，hewasallowedtocrawlintoashed，wherehewaskeptwithoutfoodtillmorning，whenachildcoulddoanythingwithhim。Hewas“broken，“effectuallyspirit-broken，uselessfortherestofhislife。Itwasabrutalandbrutalisingexhibition，astriumphsofbruteforcealwaysare。
TheUniversalLanguage——TheYezoCorrals——A“TyphoonRain“——
DifficultTracks——AnUnenviableRide——DryingClothes——AWoman’sRemorse。
ThismorningIleftearlyinthekurumawithtwokindanddelightfulsavages。TheroadbeingmuchbrokenbytherainsIhadtogetoutfrequently，andeverytimeIgotinagaintheyputmyair-pillowbehindme，andcoveredmeupinablanket；andwhenwegottoaroughriver，onemadeastepofhisbackbywhichI
mountedtheirhorse，andgavemenoosesofropetoholdonby，andtheotherheldmyarmtokeepmesteady，andtheywouldnotletmewalkupordownanyofthehills。Whatablessingitisthat，amidsttheconfusionoftongues，thelanguageofkindnessandcourtesyisuniversallyunderstood，andthatakindlysmileonasavagefaceisasintelligibleasonthatofone’sowncountryman！
Theyhadneverdrawnakuruma，andwereaspleasedaschildrenwhenIshowedthemhowtobalancetheshafts。Theywerenotwithoutthecapacitytooriginateideas，for，whentheyweretiredofthefrolicofpulling，theyattachedthekurumabyropestothehorse，whichoneofthemrodeata“scramble，“whiletheothermerelyranintheshaftstokeepthemlevel。Thisisanexcellentplan。
Horobetsisafishingstationofantiqueanddecayedaspect，witheighteenJapaneseandforty-sevenAinohouses。ThelatteraremuchlargerthanatShiraoi，andtheirverysteeproofsarebeautifullyconstructed。Itwasamiserableday，withfogconcealingthemountainsandlyingheavilyonthesea，butasnooneexpectedrainIsentthekurumabacktoMororanandsecuredhorses。OnprincipleIalwaysgotothecorralmyselftochooseanimals，ifpossible，withoutsorebacks，butthechoiceisoftenbetweenonewithamererawandotherswhichhaveholesintheirbacksintowhichIcouldputmyhand，oraltogetheruncoveredspines。Thepracticedoesnoimmediategood，butbyshowingtheJapanesethatforeignopinioncondemnsthesecrueltiesanamendmentmayeventuallybebroughtabout。AtHorobets，amongtwentyhorses，therewasnotonethatI