AINU HOUSES AND THEIR FURNISHING. 



505 



not say, and I finally concluded that he conld not. All of the 

 men and some of the women wore large brass ear-rings. There 

 was one woman with a roguish, gypsy face, that strongly con- 

 firmed Miss Bird's comparison of these people to the inhabitants 

 of southern Spain. Her peculiarity of speech in the matter of 

 final a and e was so marked as to induce a smile, and, as soon as 

 she detected it, she was so much disconcerted that she would say 



Fig. 4.— Aintt Storehouse. 



nothing more. I was sorry for this, as her voice was truly musi- 

 cal, and I know she was sorry also, because, being the mistress of 

 the house, she was itching to have a word in the bargaining that 

 ensued. This house was comparatively clean, and, when mats had 

 been spread for us at the eastern end, we were quite contented to 

 remain for a long time. 



At first, the master of the house pretended to be very reluctant 

 to sell any of his possessions, but, after much persuasion, he at 

 last consented to let us have a sword, a bow and arrows, and a lot 

 of small things which we still keep as souvenirs. Then, when the 

 others found that trading for money had commenced, they went 

 off for things, and soon we were overwhelmed with bargains. 

 Evidently the Ainu have advanced in foreign civilization, in one 

 respect at any rate ; for, instead of evincing any disinclination to 

 take money for the articles we wanted, they at first asked exorbi- 

 tant prices, over which we did considerable haggling before agree- 



