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drink to the gods； or we shall die；〃 but Pipichari said； 〃You say
that which is good； let us give sake to the gods； but not drink
it；〃 for which bold speech he was severely rebuked by Benri。
Mombets is a stormily…situated and most wretched cluster of twenty…
seven decayed houses； some of them Aino； and some Japanese。 The
fish…oil and seaweed fishing trades are in brisk operation there
now for a short time； and a number of Aino and Japanese strangers
are employed。 The boats could not get out because of the surf； and
there was a drunken debauch。 The whole place smelt of sake。 Tipsy
men were staggering about and falling flat on their backs； to lie
there like dogs till they were sober；Aino women were vainly
endeavouring to drag their drunken lords home； and men of both
races were reduced to a beastly equality。 I went to the yadoya
where I intended to spend Sunday； but； besides being very dirty and
forlorn； it was the very centre of the sake traffic； and in its
open space there were men in all stages of riotous and stupid
intoxication。 It was a sad scene； yet one to be matched in a
hundred places in Scotland every Saturday afternoon。 I am told by
the Kocho here that an Aino can drink four or five times as much as
a Japanese without being tipsy； so for each tipsy Aino there had
been an outlay of 6s。 or 7s。； for sake is 8d。 a cup here！
I had some tea and eggs in the daidokoro； and altered my plans
altogether on finding that if I proceeded farther round the east
coast； as I intended； I should run the risk of several days'
detention on the banks of numerous 〃bad rivers〃 if rain came on； by
which I should run the risk of breaking my promise to deliver Ito
to Mr。 Maries by a given day。 I do not surrender this project；
however； without an equivalent； for I intend to add 100 miles to my
journey； by taking an almost disused track round Volcano Bay； and
visiting the coast Ainos of a very primitive region。 Ito is very
much opposed to this； thinking that he has made a sufficient
sacrifice of personal comfort at Biratori； and plies me with
stories； such as that there are 〃many bad rivers to cross；〃 that
the track is so worn as to be impassable； that there are no
yadoyas； and that at the Government offices we shall neither get
rice nor eggs！ An old man who has turned back unable to get horses
is made responsible for these stories。 The machinations are very
amusing。 Ito was much smitten with the daughter of the house…
master at Mororan； and left some things in her keeping； and the
desire to see her again is at the bottom of his opposition to the
other route。
Monday。The horse could not or would not carry me farther than
Mombets； so； sending the baggage on； I walked through the oak wood；
and enjoyed its silent solitude； in spite of the sad reflections
upon the enslavement of the Ainos to sake。 I spent yesterday
quietly in my old quarters； with a fearful storm of wind and rain
outside。 Pipichari appeared at noon； nominally to bring news of
the sick woman； who is recovering； and to have his nearly healed
foot bandaged again； but really to bring me a knife sheath which he
has carved for me。 He lay on the mat in the corner of my room most
of the afternoon； and I got a great many more words from him。 The
house…master； who is the Kocho of Sarufuto； paid me a courteous
visit； and in the evening sent to say that he would be very glad of
some medicine； for he was 〃very ill and going to have fever。〃 He
had caught a bad cold and sore throat； had bad pains in his limbs；
and was bemoaning himself ruefully。 To pacify his wife； who was
very sorry for him； I gave him some 〃Cockle's Pills〃 and the
trapper's remedy of 〃a pint of hot water with a pinch of cayenne
pepper；〃 and left him moaning and bundled up under a pile of
futons； in a nearly hermetically sealed room； with a hibachi of
charcoal vitiating the air。 This morning when I went and inquired
after him in a properly concerned tone； his wife told me very
gleefully that he was quite well and had gone out； and had left 25
sen for some more of the medicines that I had given him； so with
great gravity I put up some of Duncan and Flockhart's most pungent
cayenne pepper； and showed her how much to use。 She was not
content； however； without some of the 〃Cockles；〃 a single box of
which has performed six of those 〃miraculous cures〃 which rejoice
the hearts and fill the pockets of patent medicine makers！
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XXXIX
A Welcome GiftRecent ChangesVolcanic PhenomenaInteresting
Tufa ConesSemi…strangulationA Fall into a Bear…trapThe
Shiraoi AinosHorsebreaking and Cruelty。
OLD MORORAN； VOLCANO BAY； YEZO；
September 2。
After the storm of Sunday； Monday was a grey； still； tender day；
and the ranges of wooded hills were bathed in the richest indigo
colouring。 A canter of seventeen miles among the damask roses on a
very rough horse only took me to Yubets； whose indescribable
loneliness fascinated me into spending a night there again； and
encountering a wild clatter of wind and rain； and another canter of
seven miles the next morning took me to Tomakomai； where I rejoined
my kuruma； and after a long delay； three trotting Ainos took me to
Shiraoi； where the 〃clear shining after rain；〃 and the mountains
against a lemon…coloured sky； were extremely beautiful； but the
Pacific was as unrestful as a guilty thing； and its crash and
clamour and the severe cold fatigued me so much that I did not
pursue my journey the next day； and had the pleasure of a flying
visit from Mr。 Von Siebold and Count Diesbach； who bestowed a
chicken upon me。
I like Shiraoi very much； and if I were stronger would certainly
make it a basis for exploring a part of the interior； in which
there is much to reward the explorer。 Obviously the changes in
this part of Yezo have been comparatively recent； and the energy of
the force which has produced them is not yet extinct。 The land has
gained from the sea along the whole of this part of the coast to
the extent of two or three miles； the old beach with its bays and
headlands being a marked feature of the landscape。 This new
formation appears to be a vast bed of pumice； covered by a thin
layer of vegetable mould； which cannot be more than fifty years
old。 This pumice fell during the eruption of the volcano of
Tarumai； which is very near Shiraoi； and is also brought down in
large quantities from the interior hills and valleys by the
numerous rivers； besides being washed up by the sea。 At the last
eruption pumice fell over this region of Yezo to a medium depth of
3 feet 6 inches。 In nearly all the rivers good sections of the
formation may be seen in their deeply…cleft banks； broad； light…
coloured bands of pumice； with a few inches of rich； black；
vegetable soil above； and several feet of black sea…sand below。
During a freshet which occurred the first night I was at Shiraoi； a
single stream covered a piece of land with pumice to the depth of
nine inches； being the wash from the hills of the interior； in a
course of less than fifteen miles。
Looking inland； the volcano of Tarumai； with a bare grey top and a
blasted forest on its sides； occupies the right