Thetempleisveryhandsome，thebaldachinoissuperb，andthebronzesandbrassesonthealtararespeciallyfine。Abroadrayofsunlightstreamedin，crossedthemattedfloor，andfellfulluponthefigureofSakya-muniinhisgoldenshrine；andjustatthatmomentashavenpriest，insilk-brocadedvestmentsoffadedgreen，silentlypasseddownthestreamoflight，andlitthecandlesonthealtar，andfreshincensefilledthetemplewithadrowsyfragrance。Itwasamostimpressivepicture。Hiscuriosityevidentlyshortenedhisdevotions，andhecameandaskedmewhereI
hadbeenandwhereIwasgoing，towhich，ofcourse，IrepliedinexcellentJapanese，andthenstuckfast。
Alongthepavedavenue，besidestheusualstonetroughforholywater，thereareononesidethethousand-armedKwan-non，averyfinerelief，andontheotheraBuddha，thronedontheeternallotusblossom，withanironstaff，muchresemblingacrozier，inhishand，andthateternalapathyonhisfacewhichisthehighesthopeofthosewhohopeatall。Iwentthroughawood，wheretherearesomemournfulgroupsofgravesonthehillside，andfromthetemplecamethesweetsoundofthegreatbronzebellandthebeatofthebigdrum，andthen，morefaintly，thesoundofthelittlebellanddrum，withwhichthepriestaccompanieshisceaselessrepetitionofaphraseinthedeadtongueofadistantland。Thereisaninfinitepathosaboutthelonelytempleinitssplendour，theabsenceofevenpossibleworshippers，andthelargepopulationofAinos，sunkinyetdeepersuperstitionsthanthosewhichgotomakeuppopularBuddhism。IsatonarockbythebaytillthelastpinkglowfadedfromUsu-takiandthelastlemonstainfromthestillwater；andabeautifulcrescent，whichhungoverthewoodedhill，hadset，andtheheavensblazedwithstars:
“Tenthousandstarswereinthesky，Tenthousandinthesea，Andeverywavewithdimpledface，Thatleaptupontheair，Hadcaughtastarinitsembrace，Andheldittremblingthere。“
ThelonelinessofUsuBayissomethingwonderful——ahousefullofemptyroomsfallingtodecay，withonlytwomeninit——oneJapanesehouseamong500savages，yetitwastheonlyoneinwhichIhavesleptinwhichtheyboltedneithertheamadonorthegate。Duringthenighttheamadofelloutoftheworn-outgrooveswithacrash，knockingdowntheshoji，whichfellonme，androusingIto，whorushedintomyroomhalf-asleep，withavaguevisionofblood-
thirstyAinosinhismind。IthenlearnedwhatIhavebeenverystupidnottohavelearnedbefore，thatintheseslidingwoodenshuttersthereisasmalldoorthroughwhichonepersoncancreepatatimecalledthejishindo，or“earthquakedoor，“becauseitprovidesanexitduringthealarmofanearthquake，incaseoftheamadostickingintheirgrooves，ortheirboltsgoingwrong。I
believethatsuchadoorexistsinallJapanesehouses。
Thenextmorningwasasbeautifulasthepreviousevening，roseandgoldinsteadofgoldandpink。BeforethesunwaswellupI
visitedanumberoftheAinolodges，sawthebear，andthechief，who，likealltherest，isamonogamist，and，afterbreakfast，atmyrequest，someoftheoldmencametogivemesuchinformationastheyhad。Thesevenerableelderssatcross-leggedintheverandah，thehouse-master’sson，whokindlyactedasinterpreter，squatting，Japanesefashion，attheside，andaboutthirtyAinos，mostlywomen，withinfants，sittingbehind。IspentabouttwohoursingoingoverthesamegroundasatBiratori，andalsowentoverthewords，andgotsomemore，includingsomesynonyms。TheclickofthetsbeforethechatthebeginningofawordisstronglymarkedamongtheseAinos。Someoftheircustomsdifferslightlyfromthoseoftheirbrethrenoftheinterior，speciallyastotheperiodofseclusionafteradeath，thenon-allowanceofpolygamytothechief，andthemannerofkillingthebearattheannualfestival。
Theirideasofmetempsychosisaremoredefinite，butthis，Ithink，istobeaccountedforbytheinfluenceandproximityofBuddhism。
Theyspokeofthebearastheirchiefgod，andnextthesunandfire。Theysaidthattheynolongerworshipthewolf，andthatthoughtheycallthevolcanoandmanyotherthingskamoi，orgod，theydonotworshipthem。Iascertainedbeyonddoubtthatworshipwiththemmeanssimplymakinglibationsofsakeand“drinkingtothegod，“andthatitisunaccompaniedbypetitions，oranyvocalormentalact。
TheseAinosareasdarkasthepeopleofsouthernSpain，andveryhairy。Theirexpressionisearnestandpathetic，andwhentheysmiled，astheydidwhenIcouldnotpronouncetheirwords，theirfaceshadatouchingsweetnesswhichwasquitebeautiful，andEuropean，notAsiatic。Theirownimpressionisthattheyarenowincreasinginnumbersafterdiminishingformanyyears。IleftUsusleepinginthelovelinessofanautumnnoonwithgreatregret。NoplacethatIhaveseenhasfascinatedmesomuch。
LETTERXL——Continued
TheSea-shore——A“HairyAino“——AHorseFight——TheHorsesofYezo——
“BadMountains“——ASlightAccident——MagnificentScenery——ABleachedHalting-Place——AMustyRoom——Aino“Good-breeding。“
Achargeof3senperrimoreforthehorsesforthenextstage，becausethereweresuch“badmountainstocross，“preparedmeforwhatfollowed——manymilesoftheworstroadforhorsesIeversaw。
Ishouldnothavecomplainediftheyhadchargeddoubletheprice。
Asanalmostcertainconsequence，itwasoneofthemostpicturesqueroutesIhaveevertravelled。Forsomedistance，however，itrunsplacidlyalongbythesea-shore，onwhichbig，blue，foam-crestedrollersweredisportingthemselvesnoisily，andpassesthroughseveralAinohamlets，andtheAinovillageofAbuta，withsixtyhouses，ratheraprosperous-lookingplace，wherethecultivationwasconsiderablymorecareful，andthepeoplepossessedanumberofhorses。Severalofthehousesweresurroundedbybears’skullsgrinningfrombetweentheforkedtopsofhighpoles，andtherewasawell-grownbearreadyforhisdoomandapotheosis。
Innearlyallthehousesawomanwasweavingbark-cloth，withthehookwhichholdsthewebfixedintothegroundseveralfeetoutsidethehouse。AtadeeprivercalledtheNopkobets，whichemergesfromthemountainsclosetothesea，wewereferriedbyanAinocompletelycoveredwithhair，whichonhisshoulderswaswavylikethatofaretriever，andrenderedclothingquiteneedlesseitherforcoveringorwarmth。Awavy，blackbeardripplednearlytohiswaistoverhisfurrychest，and，withhisblacklockshanginginmassesoverhisshoulders，hewouldhavelookedathoroughsavagehaditnotbeenfortheexceedingsweetnessofhissmileandeyes。
TheVolcanoBayAinosarefarmorehairythanthemountainAinos，butevenamongthemitisquitecommontoseemennotmoresothanvigorousEuropeans，andIthinkthatthehairinessoftheraceasadistinctivefeaturehasbeenmuchexaggerated，partlybythesmooth-skinnedJapanese。
Theferryscowwasnearlyupsetbyourfourhorsesbeginningtofight。Atfirstonebittheshouldersofanother；thentheoneattackedutteredshort，sharpsqueals，andreturnedtheattackbystrikingwithhisforefeet，andthentherewasageneralmeleeofstrikingandbiting，tillsomeuglywoundswereinflicted。Ihavewatchedfightsofthiskindonalargescaleeverydayinthecorral。ThemiseriesoftheYezohorsesarethegreatdrawbackofYezotravelling。Theyarebrutallyused，andarecoveredwithawfulwoundsfrombeingdrivenatafast“scramble“withtherude，ungirthedpack-saddleanditsheavyloadrollingaboutontheirbacks，andtheyarebeatenunmercifullyovertheireyesandearswithheavysticks。Itohasbeenbarbaroustothesegentle，little-
prizedanimalseversincewecametoYezo；hehasvexedmemorebythisthanbyanythingelse，especiallyasheneverdaredeventocarryaswitchonthemainisland，eitherfromfearofthehorsesortheirowners。To-dayhewasbeatingthebaggagehorseunmercifully，whenIrodebackandinterferedwithsomeverystronglanguage，saying，“Youareabully，and，likeallbullies，acoward。“Imaginemyaggravationwhen，atourfirsthalt，hebroughtouthisnote-book，asusual，andquietlyaskedmethemeaningofthewords“bully“and“coward。“Itwasperfectlyimpossibletoexplainthem，soIsaidabullywastheworstnameI
couldcallhim，andthatacowardwasthemeanestthingamancouldbe。Thentheprovokingboysaid，“Isbullyaworsenamethandevil？““Yes，farworse，“Isaid，onwhichheseemedrathercrestfallen，andhehasnotbeatenhishorsesince，inmysightatleastThebreaking-inprocessissimplybreakingthespiritbyanhourortwoofsuchatrociouscrueltyasIsawatShiraoi，attheendofwhichthehorse，coveredwithfoamandblood，andbleedingfrommouthandnose，fallsdownexhausted。Beingsoillusedtheyhaveallkindsoftricks，suchaslyingdowninfords，throwingthemselvesdownheadforemostandrollingoverpackandrider，bucking，andresistingattemptstomakethemgootherwisethaninsinglefile。Insteadofbitstheyhavebarsofwoodoneachsideofthemouth，securedbyaroperoundthenoseandchin。Whenhorseswhichhavebeenbrokenwithbitsgalloptheyputuptheirheadstillthenoseislevelwiththeears，anditisuselesstotryeithertoguideorcheckthem。Theyarealwayswantingtojointhegreatherdsonthehillsideorsea-shore，fromwhichtheyareonlydrivendownastheyareneeded。IneveryYezovillagethefirstsoundthatonehearsatbreakofdayisthegallopoffortyorfiftyhorses，pursuedbyanAino，whohashuntedthemfromthehills。Ahorseisworthfromtwenty-eightshillingsupwards。Theyareverysure-footedwhentheirfeetarenotsore，andcrossastreamorchasmonasinglericketyplank，orwalkonanarrowledgeaboveariverorgulchwithoutfear。Theyarebarefooted，theirhoofsareveryhard，andIamgladtoberidoftheperpetualtyinganduntyingandreplacingofthestrawshoesofthewell-
cared-forhorsesofthemainisland。Amanrideswiththem，andforamanandthreehorsesthechargeisonlysixpenceforeach2。5
miles。IamnowmakingItorideinfrontofme，tomakesurethathedoesnotbeatorotherwisemisusehisbeast。
AftercrossingtheNopkobets，fromwhichthefightinghorseshaveledmetomakesolongadigression，wewentrightupintothe“badmountains，“andcrossedthethreetremendouspassesofLebungetoge。
Exceptbysayingthatthisdisusedbridle-trackisimpassable，peoplehavescarcelyexaggerateditsdifficulties。Onehorsebrokedownonthefirstpass，andwewerelongdelayedbysendingtheAinobackforanother。Possiblytheseextraordinarypassesdonotexceed1500feetinheight，butthetrackascendsthemthroughadenseforestwithmostextraordinaryabruptness，todescendasabruptly，toriseagainsometimesbyaseriesofnearlywashed-awayzigzags，atothersbyastraight，ladder-likeascentdeeplychannelled，thebottomofthetroughbeingfilledwithroughstones，largeandsmall，orwithledgesofrockwithanentangledmassofbranchesandtrailersoverhead，whichrenderitnecessarytostoopoverthehorse’sheadwhileheiseitherfumbling，stumbling，ortumblingamongthestonesinagashafootwide，orelseisawkwardlyleapingupbrokenrockstepsnearlytheheightofhischest，thewholeperformanceconsistingofaseriesofscramblingjerksattherateofamileanhour。