A STUDY OF THE AINU OF YEZO. 203 



pushed toward the north by the aggressive, disciplined Japanese, 

 Plainly they have not been very long inhabiting the island of 

 Yezo, for the traces of their predecessors are too clearly to be 

 seen ; and all signs seem to indicate that at a not very remote 

 period they were spread over the whole of Japan : it is certain 

 that within the Japanese historical period they were as far south 

 as the latitude of Nikko in sufficient numbers to be deemed dan- 

 gerous. Now, every feature of the Ainu hut points to a southern 

 — one might almost say tropical — origin. The frame is made suf- 

 ficiently strong to resist a heavy gale of wind, but not to carry a 

 stout weather-boarding or a light, substantial roof. It seems to 

 me that the original design of the thick, well-laid thatch was to 

 turn a tropical rain, and that the exigencies of environment 

 have produced a certain change and added strength to carry the 

 weight of snow. Had the Ainu come from the north or north- 

 west, it is probable that they would have brought with them a 

 style of architecture adapted to a rigorous climate ; that the roof 

 would have been light but strong, and the walls sufficiently thick 

 to break the force of the gales which are known to sweei) over 

 the regions of northern Asia. One of the strongest evidences 

 that the Ainu hut is of southern rather than northern origin is 

 the light, thin wall. In this res]3ect it closely resembles the habi- 

 tation of the East Indies. The low, overhanging eaves is another 

 indication which supports this opinion. The Ainu have never 

 displayed imitative powers, or even the faculty of adapting 

 themselves to their surroundings ; hence it is not surprising that 

 they have chosen to accustom themselves to mthstand the cold 

 instead of remodeling their habitations. 



Another argument to be adduced in support of the opinion 

 that the Ainu are of southern origin is the fact that the girls 

 mature early. I was unable to get any reliable statistics on this 

 point, and depended upon my own observation and that of others. 

 The climate of Yezo, and indeed of all of Japan — with the 

 possible exception of the southern part, the island of Shikoku, 

 for example — ^is not sufficiently hot to cause the early maturing 

 which is conspicuous among the Japanese, and noticeable among 

 the Ainu. In Japan, mothers of fourteen are by no means un- 

 common ; and, although the Ainu women do not usually marry 

 before they are probably sixteen or eighteen, they are fitted for 

 maternity long before that age. 



Warfare was most irregular with the Ainu. In the case of 

 internecine strife the village chief was the nominal commander, 

 but every person who took part in the engagement conducted his 

 battle after his own fashion. In fights between villages men 

 engaged against men, women contended with women, and even 

 children did battle with children. Internal warfare was not 



