202 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Tlieir number can not be given with the least degree of satis- 

 faction. The Japanese Government census is not correct, nor is it 

 claimed to be. Individual estimates range from 15,000 to as high 

 as 50,000, but I fancy 16,000 or 18,000 would be about the number 

 of Ainu in the empire of Japan. It is rather satisfactory to learn, 

 from those who have been among the Ainu of late years, that 

 they are holding their own, if not actually increasing in popula- 

 tion. They may have survived their usefulness, though it is not 

 easy to say just what that usefulness has been; but the same 

 reason for alleging that they now but cumber the earth can not 

 be advanced in their case that has been charged against the 

 North American Indians (with whom the Ainu have been com- 

 pared, though upon what grounds I can not see). The Indian is 

 naturally a bloodthirsty savage, while a more peaceful, law-abid- 

 ing race than the Ainu can not be imagined. In my general 

 opinion of the Ainu I hold a middle ground between Miss Bird's 

 enthusiasm, which makes him a gracious courtier, and the con- 

 tempt of most Japanese who say, " The Ainu are just dogs, and 

 have no souls." 



The people know themselves as Ainu — Ainu utara. Ainu is 

 singular, and utara is a plural suffix,: Ainu, however, is often 

 used when speaking of them collectively. Inasmuch as the Jap- 

 anese word for dog is inu, there is some. ground for supposing 

 that the tradition concerning the Ainu descent from a "large 

 white dog " was invented by the Japanese after they became ac- 

 quainted with the Ainu name for themselves, and was intended 

 to show the contempt of the conquerors for the " vile and igno- 

 minious Aino." I do not venture to express any opinion as to 

 the origin of this race of people, since it is a subject about which 

 they themselves know nothing for certain. Batchelor says : " The 

 older Ainu have a tradition to the effect that a person named 

 Okilcurumi " (who is strongly suspected to have been none other 

 than the Japanese hero Yoshitsune — J. K. G.) " was the true 

 Ainu ancestor. He descended from heaven to a mountain in 

 Piratoru many years before the Japanese knew or were known 

 by the Ainu. Okikurumi had a wife who was called Tiiresh, 

 and who is always known by name — Okikurumi Turesh Machi. 

 Okikurumi Turesh Machi bore a son, whom they called Wari- 

 unekuru, and from Wariunekuru the Ainu are said to be de- 

 scended. Some of the Sara Ainu say that their forefathers came 

 from the islands which lie to the northeast of Karaf uto, or Sag- 

 halien, meaning thereby the Kurile Islands. The Kurile-Island- 

 ers are said to be ' quite as hairy as the bear,' and this accounts 

 for the hairiness of the Ainu." 



I think that the character of the Ainu house would seem to 

 indicate that the people are of southern origin, and have been 



