426 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



on tbe same chain of islands who build houses over pits, and the find- 

 ing of still others on Shikotan, may be fairly taken to indicate a con- 

 nection between the people who dug- the ancient pits and those who 

 live in such dwellings at the present time. 



There was very little to collect in the way of specimens to represent 

 the people. M. Leroux was so fortunate as to tiud a single musical 

 instrument of the form represented in Fig. 66. Not another could be 



Fig. 66. 

 Musical Instrument, Shikotan. 



found of the same shape, which will be recognized as of Russian design. 

 The people were making others of different shape, evidently in imitation 

 of the Japanese samisen. 

 Fig. 67 represents a carrying band used by women to carry their chil- 



Fig. 67. 

 Carrying Band, Shikotan. 



dren on the back. The child sits in a curved wooden seat, and the band 

 is passed over the chest of the bearer. 



We left Shikotan towards evening, bound for Yeterof. The rocky 

 bluffs rose clear and sharp behind us, soon to be shrouded in a veil of 



