InoneoftheworstplacestheAino’shorse，whichwasjustinfrontofmine，intryingtoscrambleupanearlybreast-highandmuch-wornledge，fellbackwards，nearlyoverturningmyhorse，thestretcherpoles，whichformedpartofhispack，strikingmesohardabovemyanklethatforsomeminutesafterwardsIthoughtthebonewasbroken。Theanklewasseverelycutandbruised，andbledagooddeal，andIwasknockedoutofthesaddle。Ito’shorsefellthreetimes，andeventuallythefourwereropedtogether。SucharesomeofthedivertissementsofYezotravel。
Ah，butitwasglorious！Theviewsaremostmagnificent。ThisisreallyParadise。Everythingishere——hugeheadlandsmagnificentlytimbered，small，deepbaysintowhichthegreatgreenwavesrollmajestically，great，greycliffs，tooperpendicularforeventhemostadventuroustrailertofindroot-hold，boldbluffsandoutlyingstackscedar-crested，glimpsesofbright，blueoceandimplinginthesunshineortossingupwreathsoffoamamongfernsandtrailers，andinlandrangesofmountainsforest-covered，withtremendousgorgesbetween，forestfilled，wherewolf，bear，anddeermaketheirnearlyinaccessiblelairs，andoutlyingbattlements，andridgesofgreyrockwithhardlysixfeetoflevelontheirsinuoustops，andcedarsinmassesgivingdeepshadow，andspraysofscarletmapleorfestoonsofacrimsonvinelightingthegloom。Theinlandviewsuggestedinfinity。Thereseemednolimittotheforest-coveredmountainsandtheunlightedravines。Thewealthofvegetationwasequalinluxurianceandentanglementtothatofthetropics，primevalvegetation，onwhichthelumberer’saxehasneverrung。Treesofimmenseheightandgirth，speciallythebeautifulSalisburiaadiantifolia，withitssmallfan-shapedleaves，allmattedtogetherbyriotouslianas，riseoutofanimpenetrableundergrowthofthedwarf，dark-leavedbamboo，which，dwarfasitis，attainsaheightofsevenfeet，andallisdark，solemn，soundless，thehauntofwildbeasts，andofbutterfliesanddragonfliesofthemostbrilliantcolours。Therewaslightwithoutheat，leavesandstreamssparkled，andtherewasnothingofthehalf-smotheredsensationwhichisoftenproducedbythechokinggreeneryofthemainisland，forfrequently，farbelow，thePacificflashedinallitssunlitbeauty，andoccasionallywecamedownunexpectedlyonalittlecovewithabruptcedar-crestedheadlandsandstacks，andaheavysurfrollinginwiththedeepthundermusicwhichalonebreaksthestillnessofthissilentland。
TherewasonetremendousdeclivitywhereIgotofftowalk，butfoundittoosteeptodescendonfootwithcomfort。Youcanimaginehowsteepitwas，whenItellyouthatthedeepgroovebeingtoonarrowformetogettothesideofmyhorse，Idroppeddownuponhimfrombehind，betweenhistailandthesaddle，andsoscrambledon！
Thesunhadsetandthedewwasfallingheavilywhenthetrackdippedoverthebrowofaheadland，becomingawaterwaysosteepandroughthatIcouldnotgetdownitonfootwithouttheassistanceofmyhands，andterminatingonalonelylittlebayofgreatbeauty，walledinbyimpracticable-lookingheadlands，whichwastheentrancetoanequallyimpracticable-looking，densely-
woodedvalleyrunningupamongdensely-woodedmountains。Therewasamarginofgreysandabovethesea，andonthistheskeletonofanenormouswhalewasbleaching。Twoorthreelarge“dug-outs，“withplankslacedwithstoutfibreontheirgunwales，andsomebleacheddrift-woodlayonthebeach，theforegroundofasolitary，rambling，dilapidatedgreyhouse，bleachedlikeallelse，wherethreeJapanesemenwithanoldAinoservantlivetolookafter“Governmentinterests，“whateverthesemaybe，andkeeproomsandhorsesforGovernmentofficials——agreatboontotravellerswho，likeme，arebelatedhere。OnlyonepersonhaspassedLebungethisyear，excepttwoofficialsandapoliceman。
Therewasstillaredglowonthewater，andonehornofayoungmoonappearedabovethewoodedheadland；butthelonelinessandisolationareoverpowering，anditisenoughtoproducemadnesstobeshutinforeverwiththethunderoftheeverlastingsurf，whichcompelsonetoraiseone’svoiceinordertobeheard。Inthewood，halfamilefromthesea，thereisanAinovillageofthirtyhouses，andtheappearanceofafewofthesavagesglidingnoiselesslyoverthebeachinthetwilightaddedtotheghastlinessandlonelinessofthescene。ThehorseswereunloadedbythetimeIarrived，andseveralcourteousAinosshowedmetomyroom，openingonasmallcourtyardwithaheavygate。Theroomwasmusty，and，beingrarelyused，swarmedwithspiders。Asauceroffish-oilandawickrendereddarknessvisible，andshowedfaintlythedark，patheticfacesofarowofAinosintheverandah，whoretirednoiselesslywiththeirgracefulsalutationwhenIbadethemgood-night。Foodwashardlytobeexpected，yettheygavemerice，potatoes，andblackbeansboiledinequalpartsofbrineandsyrup，whichareverypalatable。ThecutsandbruisesofyesterdaybecamesoverypainfulwiththecoldoftheearlymorningthatIhavebeenobligedtoremainhere。
AGroupofFathers——TheLebungeAinos——TheSalisburiaadiantifolia——
AFamilyGroup——TheMissingLink——Oshamambe——DisorderlyHorses——
TheRiverYurapu——TheSeaside——AinoCanoes——TheLastMorning——
DodgingEuropeans。
Lebungeisamostfascinatingplaceinitsawfulisolation。Thehouse-masterwasafriendlyman，andmuchattachedtotheAinos。
IfotherofficialsentrustedwithAinoconcernstreattheAinosasfraternallyasthoseofUsuandLebunge，thereisnotmuchtolament。Thismanalsogavethemahighcharacterforhonestyandharmlessness，andaskediftheymightcomeandseemebeforeI
left；sotwentymen，mostlycarryingveryprettychildren，cameintotheyardwiththehorses。Theyhadneverseenaforeigner，but，eitherfromapathyorpoliteness，theyneitherstarenorpressupononeastheJapanesedo，andalwaysmakeacourteousrecognition。Thebear-skinhousingofmysaddlepleasedthemverymuch，andmybootsofunblackedleather，whichtheycomparetothedeer-hidemoccasinswhichtheywearforwinterhunting。TheirvoiceswerethelowestandmostmusicalthatIhaveheard，incongruoussoundstoproceedfromsuchhairy，powerful-lookingmen。Theirlovefortheirchildrenwasmostmarked。Theycaressedthemtenderly，andheldthemaloftfornotice，andwhenthehouse-
mastertoldthemhowmuchIadmiredthebrown，dark-eyed，winsomecreatures，theirfaceslightedwithpleasure，andtheysalutedmeoverandoveragain。These，likeotherAinos，utterashortscreechingsoundwhentheyarenotpleased，andthenonerecognisesthesavage。
TheseLebungeAinosdifferconsiderablyfromthoseoftheeasternvillages，andIhaveagaintonoticethedecidedsoundorclickofthetsatthebeginningofmanywords。TheirskinsareasswarthyasthoseofBedaween，theirforeheadscomparativelylow，theireyesfarmoredeeplysettheirstaturelower，theirhairyetmoreabundant，thelookofwistfulmelancholymoremarked，andtwo，whowereunclothedforhardworkinfashioningacanoe，werealmostentirelycoveredwithshort，blackhair，speciallythickontheshouldersandback，andsocompletelyconcealingtheskinastoreconcileonetothelackofclothing。Inoticedanenormousbreadthofchest，andagreatdevelopmentofthemusclesofthearmsandlegs。AlltheseAinosshavetheirhairofffortwoinchesabovetheirbrows，onlyallowingittheretoattainthelengthofaninch。Amongthewell-clothedAinosintheyardtherewasonesmooth-faced，smooth-skinned，concave-chested，spindle-limbed，yellowJapanese，withnootherclothingthanthedecoratedbark-
clothapronwhichtheAinoswearinadditiontotheircoatsandleggings。Escortedbythesegentle，friendlysavages，Ivisitedtheirlodges，whichareverysmallandpoor，andineverywayinferiortothoseofthemountainAinos。Thewomenareshortandthick-set，andmostuncomely。
FromtheirvillageIstartedforthelongest，andbyreputationtheworst，stageofmyjourney，seventeenmiles，thefirsttenofwhichareovermountains。Sosolitaryanddisusedisthistrackthatonafourdays’journeywehavenotmetahumanbeing。IntheLebungevalley，whichisdenselyforested，andaboundswithfordablestreamsandtreacherousground，IcameuponagrandspecimenoftheSalisburiaadiantifolia，which，ataheightofthreefeetfromtheground，dividesintoeightloftystems，noneofthemlessthan2
feet5inchesindiameter。Thistree，whichgrowsrapidly，issowelladaptedtoourclimatethatIwonderithasnotbeenintroducedonalargescale，asitmaybeseenbyeverybodyinKewGardens。Thereisanothertreewithorbicularleavesinpairs，whichgrowstoanimmensesize。
Fromthisvalleyaworn-out，stonybridle-trackascendsthewesternsideofLebungetoge，climbingthroughadenseforestoftreesandtrailerstoaheightofabout2000feet，where，contentedwithitsefforts，itreposes，and，withonlyslightupsanddowns，continuesalongthetopofanarrowridgewithintheseawardmountains，betweenhighwallsofdensebamboo，which，formuchofthatday’sjourney，istheundergrowthalikeofmountainandvalley，raggedpeak，andruggedravine。Thescenerywasasmagnificentasonthepreviousday。Aguidewasabsolutelyneeded，asthetrackceasedaltogetherinoneplace，andforsometimethehorseshadtoblundertheirwayalongabright，rushingriver，swirlingrapidlydownwards，heavilyborderedwithbamboo，fullofdeepholes，andmadedifficultbytreeswhichhavefallenacrossit。ThereIto，whosehorsecouldnotkeepupwiththeothers，waslost，orratherlosthimself，whichledtoadelayoftwohours。Ihaveneverseengranderforestthanonthattwodays’ride。
Atlastthetrack，barelypassableafteritsrecovery，dipsoveraprecipitousbluff，anddescendsclosetothesea，whichhasevidentlyrecededconsiderably。Thenceitrunsforsixmilesonalevel，sandystrip，coveredneartheseawithadwarfbambooaboutfiveincheshigh，andfartherinlandwithredrosesandbluecampanula。
AtthefootofthebluffthereisaruinousJapanesehouse，whereanAinofamilyhasbeenplacedtogiveshelterandresttoanywhomaybecrossingthepass。Iopenedmybentobakoofredlacquer，andfoundthatitcontainedsomecold，waxypotatoes，onwhichI
dined，withtheadditionofsometea，andthenwaitedwearilyforIto，forwhomtheguidewentinsearch。Thehouseanditsinmateswereastudy。Theceilingwasgone，andallkindsofthings，forwhichIcouldnotimagineanypossibleuse，hungfromtheblackenedrafters。Everythingwasbrokenanddecayed，andthedirtwasappalling。AveryuglyAinowoman，hardlyhumaninherugliness，wassplittingbarkfibre。Therewereseveralirori，Japanesefashion，andatoneofthemagrand-lookingoldmanwasseatedapatheticallycontemplatingtheboilingofapot。Old，andsittingamongruins，herepresentedthefateofaracewhich，living，hasnohistory，andperishingleavesnomonument。Bytheotherirorisat，orrathercrouched，the“MISSINGLINK。“IwasstartledwhenI
firstsawit。Itwas——shallIsay？——aman，andthemate，Icannotwritethehusband，oftheuglywoman。Itwasaboutfifty。TheloftyAinobrowhadbeenmadestillloftierbyshavingtheheadforthreeinchesaboveit。Thehairhung，notinshocks，butinsnakywisps，minglingwithabeardwhichwasgreyandmatted。Theeyesweredarkbutvacant，andthefacehadnootherexpressionthanthatlookofapatheticmelancholywhichonesometimesseesonthefacesofcaptivebeasts。Thearmsandlegswereunnaturallylongandthin，andthecreaturesatwiththekneestuckedintothearmpits。Thelimbsandbody，withtheexceptionofapatchoneachside，werethinlycoveredwithfineblackhair，morethananinchlong，whichwasslightlycurlyontheshoulders。Itshowednoothersignofintelligencethanthatevidencedbyboilingwaterformytea。WhenItoarrivedhelookedatitwithdisgust，exclaiming，“TheAinosarejustdogs；theyhadadogfortheirfather，“inallusiontotheirownlegendoftheirorigin。
