下载辰思小说免费APP
Besidesthese，sevenwomensatinarowinthebackgroundsplittingbark。Alargeironpanhungoverthefirefromablackenedarrangementabove，andBenri’sprincipalwifecutwildroots，greenbeans，andseaweed，andshreddriedfishandvenisonamongthem，addingmillet，water，andsomestrong-smellingfish-oil，andsetthewholeontostewforthreehours，stirringthe“mess“nowandthenwithawoodenspoon。
Severaloftheolderpeoplesmoke，andIhandedroundsomemildtobacco，whichtheyreceivedwithwavinghands。ItoldthemthatI
camefromalandinthesea，veryfaraway，wheretheysawthesungodown——soveryfarawaythatahorsewouldhavetogallopdayandnightforfiveweekstoreachit——andthatIhadcomealongjourneytoseethem，andthatIwantedtoaskthemmanyquestions，sothatwhenIwenthomeImighttellmyownpeoplesomethingaboutthem。Shinondiandanotherman，whounderstoodJapanese，bowed，and(asoneveryoccasion)translatedwhatIsaidintoAinoforthevenerablegroupopposite。Shinondithensaid“thatheandShinrichi，theotherJapanesespeaker，wouldtellmealltheyknew，buttheywerebutyoungmen，andonlyknewwhatwastoldtothem。
Theywouldspeakwhattheybelievedtobetrue，butthechiefknewmorethanthey，andwhenhecamebackhemighttellmedifferently，andthenIshouldthinkthattheyhadspokenlies。“Isaidthatnoonewholookedintotheirfacescouldthinkthattheyevertoldlies。Theywereverymuchpleased，andwavedtheirhandsandstrokedtheirbeardsrepeatedly。BeforetheytoldmeanythingtheybeggedandprayedthatIwouldnotinformtheJapaneseGovernmentthattheyhadtoldmeoftheircustoms，orharmmightcometothem！
Forthenexttwohours，andfortwomoreaftersupper，Iaskedthemquestionsconcerningtheirreligionandcustoms，andagainyesterdayforaconsiderabletime，andthismorning，afterBenri’sreturn，Iwentoverthesamesubjectswithhim，andhavealsoemployedaconsiderabletimeingettingabout300wordsfromthem，whichIhavespeltphoneticallyofcourse，andintendtogooveragainwhenIvisitthecoastAinos。{19}
Theprocesswasslow，asbothquestionandanswerhadtopassthroughthreelanguages。Therewasaverymanifestdesiretotellthetruth，andIthinkthattheirstatementsconcerningtheirfewandsimplecustomsmaybereliedupon。IshallgivewhattheytoldmeseparatelywhenIhavetimetowriteoutmynotesinanorderlymanner。IcanonlysaythatIhaveseldomspentamoreinterestingevening。
Aboutninethestewwasready，andthewomenladleditintolacquerbowlswithwoodenspoons。Themenwereservedfirst，butallatetogether。Afterwardssake，theircurse，waspouredintolacquerbowls，andacrosseachbowlafinely-carved“sake-stick“waslaid。
Thesesticksareveryhighlyprized。Thebowlswerewavedseveraltimeswithaninwardmotion，theneachmantookhisstickand，dippingitintothesake，madesixlibationstothefireandseveraltothe“god“——awoodenpost，withaquantityofspiralwhiteshavingsfallingfromnearthetop。TheAinosarenotaffectedbysakenearlysoeasilyastheJapanese。Theytookitcold，itistrue，buteachdrankaboutthreetimesasmuchaswouldhavemadeaJapanesefoolish，andithadnoeffectuponthem。
Aftertwohoursmoretalkoneafteranothergotupandwentout，makingprofusesalutationstomeandtotheothers。Mycandleshadbeenforgotten，andourseancewasheldbythefitfullightofthebiglogsonthefire，aidedbyasuccessionofchipsofbirchbark，withwhichawomanreplenishedacleftstickthatwasstuckintothefire-hole。Ineversawsuchastrangelypicturesquesightasthatgroupofmagnificentsavageswiththefitfulfirelightontheirfaces，andforadjunctstheflareofthetorch，thestronglights，theblacknessoftherecessesoftheroomandoftheroof，atoneendofwhichthestarslookedin，andtherowofsavagewomeninthebackground——easternsavageryandwesterncivilisationmetinthishut，savagerygivingandcivilisationreceiving，theyellow-skinnedItoth
