YESSO. 1 9 



of oak, are prominent ; and regarding pines, the Pinus 

 j'essoniensis, which I have mentioned elsewhere, is cer- 

 tainly a prince of trees. 



I must now say something more about the Ainos, 

 the aborigines of Yesso. In days gone by they in- 

 habited the north part of Nipon, as well as Yesso; 

 possibly, going still further back, the whole of Japan. 

 At what date they were driven out of Nipon across 

 the Tsuga Straits I know not. Now at any rate they 

 are only found in Yesso, Saghalien, and the Kuril 

 Islands. I much doubt whether there are any in the 

 interior of Yesso. The Japanese settlements round the 

 coast have pretty well drawn them to these centres, 

 where, although worked and treated much as slaves, 

 they are partially clothed and fed, and not unkindly or 

 harshly dealt with. The race is, I believe, decreasing, 

 and will in all probability become extinct before many 

 generations pass. 



In the settlements they live quite distinct from the 

 Japanese. Money they never receive, and a strong 

 objection was always shown to our giving them any 

 thing, even in exchange for deers' heads, etc., and 

 particularly so regarding money. In height, the men 

 average from five feet two to five feet four inches, the 

 women under five feet. Both sexes are spare, light and 



