THE AINOS OF YEZO, JAPAN. 477 



3 "ri" from Osbamatnbe. The host, in whose house the bear feast was to 

 be celebrated, met us with friendly greetings. The people all wore their 

 best clothes which, indeed, when the unclean habits of the Ainos are 

 considered, is not saying much. On festive occasions they frequently 

 wear fine old Japanese garments. It is a comic picture to see a worthy 

 old Aiuo in a long silk gown, richly decorated with embroidery, which 

 may have served years before in the wardrobe of a Japanese singing or 

 dancing girl, now indeed, with its faded colors and spots of dirt, show- 

 ing but little of its original beauty. The older men wear a peculiar 

 head-dress (Fig. 87) named shaba umpe, a kind of crown, worn only on 



Fig. 87. 

 Ceremonial Bakk Headdress. 



great occasions. This is plaited of the bark of a wild vine and adorned 

 with spiral shavings, bear's claws, vine tendrils, etc. Its dark color is 

 due to the smoke, which fills every Aino hut at all times of day and 

 year, and which, apart from the different odors and insects, makes a 

 sojourn within very unpleasant. The women, also, among whom there 

 was not a pretty face, far less a beautiful one, had put on their best, 

 including necklaces and strings of beads. Some had silk dresses and 

 one had a velvet head-cloth, with which the hair was bound over the 

 forehead. The entire company, consisting of about thirty persons, was 

 already assembled. After looking about, meeting the principal person- 

 ages, and visiting the caged bear, we entered the hut, where the feast 

 began with a solemn offering of sake. 



The house was cleaner and more orderly than any I have seen in the 

 vicinity. The household treasures, principally old swords, sacred ob- 

 jects, ornaments, and drinking cups, were displayed along the north 

 side. In the northeast corner, which is sacred to the house god, new 

 inao were stuck upon the wall. 



The inao are sticks three-quarters of a metre in length, with spiral 

 shavings attached (Fig. SQ). 



The kind of wood of which these are made differs in different locali- 

 ties. In the country from Mori to Oshamambe a kind of cornelian 



