YESSO. 23 



and break up into small bands until it is over 

 and past. Fish is their chief food; rice and saki 

 (spirits) have both been introduced by the Japanese. 

 During summer and spring a bulbous grass is col- 

 lected and eaten. I believe this to be the only 

 native plant so used; it shows however that, like 

 other races low in the scale of humanity, they are 

 not indifferent to the benefit derived from esculent 

 plants. 



During winter, when fishing is interrupted, or wholly 

 at a stand-still, deer's flesh is resorted to for food. 

 Quantities of these animals are also killed, when the 

 snow lies thick on the ground, merely for their horns. 

 In spring the hinds are persecuted for the unborn 

 fawn, which is considered a dainty dish by Japanese 

 epicures. The price of deers' horns a few years ago at 

 Hakodadi was three dollars for 133 lbs., the same 

 quantity or weight selling for forty dollars at Shanghai. 

 Now the 133 lbs. is bought for six dollars and sold 

 for nine. 



The Ainos' original weapon was the bow and arrow ; 

 at the present day, with few exceptions, it remains the 

 same. The bow is about three feet long, the arrow 

 tvrenty inches ; they are tipped with a poisoned, hard, 

 spoon-shaped piece of bamboo, bone, or iron. The poison 



