BRUNO IN BELMONT 97 



World's Fair at St. Louis. While visiting the an- 

 thropological exhibition, where were gathered to- 

 gether people from all sections of the globe, I 

 came to the village of the Ainus, and knowing a 

 little of their history, I was much interested in 

 them. 



I soon became acquainted with the man who had 

 these people in charge, and learned from him more 

 of their unusual customs and beliefs. I had brought 

 with me to St. Louis some of my bear photographs, 

 and next day I again visited the Ainu village and 

 took my pictures with me. The simple people were 

 called together in one of their larger buildings, and 

 through an interpreter I told them the story of my 

 bear. They listened with the utmost attention and 

 respect, and plainly but quietly expressed great 

 interest and amazement. 



Afterward, when I passed around the pictures, 

 my audience became violently excited. They jab- 

 bered and gesticulated one to another, pointed to 

 the pictures and then to me. Some of them stepped 

 forward and gave me what I took to be a form of 

 salutation. The men went through a series of dig- 

 nified motions with their hands, slowly rubbing 

 them together, then waving them about, and con- 

 cluded this exercise by stroking their beards. The 

 women's method of expressing approval was more 

 simple. They placed their right hand held open 



