Theyareamostcourteouspeopleamongeachother。Thesalutationsarefrequent——onenteringahouse，onleavingit，onmeetingontheroad，onreceivinganythingfromthehandofanother，andonreceivingakindorcomplimentaryspeech。Theydonotmakeanyacknowledgmentsofthiskindtothewomen，however。Thecommonsalutationconsistsinextendingthehandsandwavingtheminwards，onceoroftener，andstrokingthebeard；theformaloneinraisingthehandswithaninwardcurvetotheleveloftheheadtwoorthreetimes，loweringthem，andrubbingthemtogether；theceremonyconcludingwithstrokingthebeardseveraltimes。Thelatterandmoreformalmodeofsalutationisofferedtothechief，andbytheyoungtotheoldmen。Thewomenhaveno“manners！“
Theyhaveno“medicinemen，“and，thoughtheyareawareoftheexistenceofhealingherbs，theydonotknowtheirspecialvirtuesorthemannerofusingthem。Driedandpoundedbear’sliveristheirspecific，andtheyplacemuchrelianceonitincolicandotherpains。Theyareahealthyrace。Inthisvillageof300
souls，therearenochronicallyailingpeople；nothingbutonecaseofbronchitis，andsomecutaneousmaladiesamongchildren。NeitheristhereanycaseofdeformityinthisandfiveotherlargevillageswhichIhavevisited，exceptthatofagirl，whohasonelegslightlyshorterthantheother。
Theyfermentakindofintoxicatingliquorfromtherootofatree，andalsofromtheirownmilletandJapaneserice，butJapanesesakeistheonethingthattheycareabout。Theyspendalltheirgainsuponit，anddrinkitinenormousquantities。Itrepresentstothemallthegoodofwhichtheyknow，orcanconceive。Beastlyintoxicationisthehighesthappinesstowhichthesepoorsavagesaspire，andtheconditionissanctifiedtothemunderthefictionof“drinkingtothegods。“Menandwomenalikeindulgeinthisvice。Afew，however，likePipichari，abstainfromittotally，takingthebowlintheirhands，makingthelibationstothegods，andthenpassingiton。IaskedPipichariwhyhedidnottakesake，andherepliedwithatruthfulterseness，“Becauseitmakesmenlikedogs。“
Exceptthechief，whohastwohorses，theyhavenodomesticanimalsexceptverylarge，yellowdogs，whichareusedinhunting，butareneveradmittedwithinthehouses。
Thehabitsofthepeople，thoughbynomeansdestituteofdecencyandpropriety，arenotcleanly。Thewomenbathetheirhandsonceaday，butanyotherwashingisunknown。Theyneverwashtheirclothes，andwearthesamebydayandnight。Iamafraidtospeculateontheconditionoftheirwealthofcoal-blackhair。
Theymaybesaidtobeverydirty——asdirtyfullyasmassesofourpeopleathome。Theirhousesswarmwithfleas，buttheyarenotworseinthisrespectthantheJapaneseyadoyas。Themountainvillageshave，however，theappearanceofextremecleanliness，beingdevoidoflitter，heaps，puddles，anduntidinessofallkinds，andtherearenounpleasantodoursinsideoroutsidethehouses，astheyarewellventilatedandsmoked，andthesaltfishandmeatarekeptinthegodowns。Thehairandbeardsoftheoldmen，insteadofbeingsnowyastheyoughttobe，areyellowfromsmokeanddirt。
Theyhavenomodeofcomputingtime，anddonotknowtheirownages。Tothemthepastisdead，yet，likeotherconqueredanddespisedraces，theyclingtotheideathatinsomefar-offagetheywereagreatnation。Theyhavenotraditionsofinternecinestrife，andtheartofwarseemstohavebeenlostlongago。I
askedBenriaboutthismatter，andhesaysthatformerlyAinosfoughtwithspearsandknivesaswellaswithbowsandarrows，butthatYoshitsune，theirherogod，forbadewarforever，andsincethenthetwo-edgedspear，withashaftninefeetlong，hasonlybeenusedinhuntingbears。
TheJapaneseGovernment，ofcourse，exercisesthesameauthorityovertheAinosasoveritsothersubjects，butprobablyitdoesnotcaretointerfereindomesticortribalmatters，andwithinthisoutsidelimitdespoticauthorityisvestedinthechiefs。TheAinosliveinvillagecommunities，andeachcommunityhasitsownchief，whoisitslordparamount。Itappearstomethatthischieftainshipisbutanexpansionofthepaternalrelation，andthatallthevillagefamiliesareruledasaunit。Benri，inwhosehouseIam，isthechiefofBiratori，andistreatedbyallwithverygreatdeferenceofmanner。Theofficeisnominallyforlife；
butifachiefbecomesblind，ortooinfirmtogoabout，heappointsasuccessor。Ifhehasa“smart“son，whohethinkswillcommandtherespectofthepeople，heappointshim；butifnot，hechoosesthemostsuitablemaninthevillage。Thepeoplearecalledupontoapprovethechoice，buttheirratificationisneverrefused。Theofficeisnothereditaryanywhere。
Benriappearstoexercisetheauthorityofaverystrictfather。
Hismannertoallthemenislikethatofamastertoslaves，andtheybowwhentheyspeaktohim。Noonecanmarrywithouthisapproval。Ifanyonebuildsahousehechoosesthesite。Hehasabsolutejurisdictionincivilandcriminalcases，unless(whichisveryrare)thelattershouldbeofsufficientmagnitudetobereportedtotheImperialofficials。Hecompelsrestitutionofstolenproperty，andinallcasesfixesthefineswhicharetobepaidbydelinquents。Healsofixesthehuntingarrangementsandthefestivals。Theyoungermenwereobviouslymuchafraidofincurringhisangerinhisabsence。
Aneldestsondoesnotappeartobe，asamongtheJapanese，aprivilegedperson。Hedoesnotnecessarilyinheritthehouseandcurios。Thelatterarenotdivided，butgowiththehousetothesonwhomthefatherregardsasbeingthe“smartest。“Formaladoptionispractised。Pipichariisanadoptedson，andislikelytosucceedtoBenri’spropertytotheexclusionofhisownchildren。Icannotgetatthewordwhichistranslated“smartness，“butIunderstanditasmeaninggeneralcapacity。Thechief，asIhavementionedbefore，isallowedthreewivesamongthemountainAinos，otherwiseauthorityseemstobehisonlyprivilege。
TheAinoshaveasingulardreadofsnakes。Eventheirbravestflyfromthem。Onemansaysthatitisbecausetheyknowofnocurefortheirbite；butthereissomethingmorethanthis，fortheyfleefromsnakeswhichtheyknowtobeharmless。
Theyhaveanequaldreadoftheirdead。Deathseemstothemveryspecially“theshadowfear’dofman。“Whenitcomes，whichitusuallydoesfrombronchitisinoldage，thecorpseisdressedinitsbestclothing，andlaiduponashelfforfromonetothreedays。Inthecaseofawomanherornamentsareburiedwithher，andinthatofamanhisknifeandsake-stick，and，ifhewereasmoker，hissmokingapparatus。Thecorpseissewnupwiththesethingsinamat，and，beingslungonpoles，iscarriedtoasolitarygrave，whereitislaidinarecumbentposition。NothingwillinduceanAinotogonearagrave。Evenifavaluablebirdoranimalfallsnearone，hewillnotgotopickitup。Avaguedreadisforeverassociatedwiththedeparted，andnodreamofParadiseeverlightsfortheAinothe“Stygianshades。“
Benriis，foranAino，intelligent。TwoyearsagoMr。DeningofHakodatecameuphereandtoldhimthattherewasbutoneGodwhomadeusall，towhichtheshrewdoldmanreplied，“IftheGodwhomadeyoumadeus，howisitthatyouaresodifferent——yousorich，wesopoor？“Onaskinghimaboutthemagnificentpiecesoflacquerandinlayingwhichadornhiscurioshelf，hesaidthattheywerehisfather’s，grandfather’s，andgreat-grandfather’satleast，andhethinkstheyweregiftsfromthedaimiyoofMatsumaesoonaftertheconquestofYezo。Heisagrand-lookingman，inspiteofthehavocwroughtbyhisintemperatehabits。Thereisplentyofroominthehouse，andthismorning，whenIaskedhimtoshowmetheuseofthespear，helookedatrulymagnificentsavage，steppingwellbackwiththespearinrest，andthenspringingforwardfortheattack，hisarmsandlegsturningintoiron，thebigmusclesstandingoutinknots，hisframequiveringwithexcitement，thethickhairfallingbackinmassesfromhisbrow，andthefireofthechaseinhiseye。Itrembledformyboy，whowastheobjectoftheimaginaryonslaught，thepassionofsportwassoadmirablyacted。
AsIwrite，sevenoftheoldermenaresittingbythefire。Theirgreybeardsfalltotheirwaistsinrippledmasses，andtheslightbaldnessofagenotonlygivesthemasingularlyvenerableappearance，butenhancesthebeautyoftheirloftybrows。Itookaroughsketchofoneofthehandsomest，and，showingittohim，askedifhewouldhaveit，butinsteadofbeingamusedorpleasedheshowedsymptomsoffear，andaskedmetoburnit，sayingitwouldbringhimbadluckandheshoulddie。However，Itopacifiedhim，andheacceptedit，afteraChinesecharacter，whichisunderstoodtomeangoodluck，hadbeenwrittenuponit；butalltheothersbeggedmenotto“makepictures“ofthem，exceptPipichari，wholiesatmyfeetlikeastaghound。
Theprofusionofblackhair，andacuriousintensityabouttheireyes，coupledwiththehairylimbsandsingularlyvigorousphysique，givethemaformidablysavageappearance；butthesmile，fullof“sweetnessandlight，“inwhichbotheyesandmouthbearpart，andthelow，musicalvoice，softerandsweeterthananythingIhavepreviouslyheard，makemeattimesforgetthattheyaresavagesatall。Thevenerablelookoftheseoldmenharmoniseswiththesingulardignityandcourtesyoftheirmanners，butasI
lookatthegrandheads，andreflectthattheAinoshavenevershownanycapacity，andaremerelyadultchildren，theyseemtosuggestwateronthebrainratherthanintellect。IammoreandmoreconvincedthattheexpressionoftheirfacesisEuropean。Itistruthful，straightforward，manly，butbothitandthetoneofvoicearestronglytingedwithpathos。
BeforetheseeldersBenriaskedme，inaseveretone，ifIhadbeenannoyedinanywayduringhisabsence。Hefeared，hesaid，thattheyoungmenandthewomenwouldcrowdaboutmerudely。Imadeacomplimentaryspeechinreturn，andalltheancienthandswerewaved，andthevenerablebeardswerestrokedinacknowledgment。
TheseAinos，doubtless，standhighamonguncivilisedpeoples。Theyare，however，ascompletelyirreclaimableasthewildestofnomadtribes，andcontactwithcivilisation，whereitexists，onlydebasesthem。SeveralyoungAinosweresenttoTokiyo，andeducatedandtrainedinvariousways，butassoonastheyreturnedtoYezotheyrelapsedintosavagery，retainingnothingbutaknowledgeofJapanese。Theyarecharminginmanyways，butmakeonesad，too，bytheirstupidity，apathy，andhopelessness，andallthesadderthattheirnumbersappeartobeagainincreasing；andastheirphysiqueisveryfine，theredoesnotappeartobeaprospectoftheracedyingoutatpresent。
Theyarecertainlysuperiortomanyaborigines，astheyhaveanapproachtodomesticlife。TheyhaveonewordforHOUSE，andanotherforHOME，andonewordforhusbandapproachesverynearlytohouse-band。Truthisofvalueintheireyes，andthisinitselfraisesthemabovesomepeoples。Infanticideisunknown，andagedparentsreceivefilialreverence，kindness，andsupport，whileintheirsocialanddomesticrelationsthereismuchthatispraiseworthy。
Imustconcludethisletterabruptly，asthehorsesarewaiting，andImustcrosstherivers，ifpossible，beforetheburstingofanimpendingstorm。I。L。B。
