26 YESSO. 



distance from the huts. A shallow hole is dug, and 

 the body covered over, which very soon becomes 

 food for wolves, foxes, and I believe their own half- 

 wild, wolf-like species of dog. I brought home two 

 Aino skulls, which proved, on examination, very inter- 

 esting. 



Spirit-worship in the following way is observed by 

 them. There is the Spirit of the sky, of the river, 

 mountain, fire, and the fishing Spirit. These spirits 

 are represented by sticks peeled in different ways; 

 at one end of the stick the rind is left on in curls. 

 If the fishing spirit is to be propitiated, the sticks 

 are placed by the water's edge. ISTo shrine or temple, 

 either singly or collectively, is used. 



In spring, when they have bear-hunts, for the sake 

 of the skins, very young cubs are often caught ; these 

 are handed over to their wives to bring up, who, as a 

 matter of course, suckle them with their own children 

 until little Bruin's teeth get disagreeably long. As many 

 as five bears were in some of the settlements I visited, 

 kept in strong cages. They are kept until about a 

 year old, and then eaten, at the annual autumn feast 

 of bears, a sort of half spirit-worship, half custom 

 feast, held at that time. 



They have no written language. In connection with 



