98 IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
the brazier. I am glad to say he burnt his fingers 
considerably in doing so. The house was a very 
cold one ; on the front side of our room there was 
nothing between us and the elements but paper, and 
in this there were many holes. At night we used to 
pile up the brazier with charcoal, and turn into bed 
clad in our overcoats. In the morning congealed 
ice appeared on the blankets where we breathed. 
My moustache and beard stuck together, so that I 
could not open my mouth until I had crushed the ice 
with my fingers. However, we all enjoyed excellent 
health. What the temperature was I could not tell, * 
as our thermometer did not register lower than 
12° E., and the mercury disappeared within the 
bulb. 
On January 5 I started with seven sailors, Mr. 
Kono, and two of his men, to go to Onebetsu to 
bring over some rice and other stores from the 
supplies left there. The snow was so deep that it 
was necessary to don Ainu moccasins and snow- 
shoes. The moccasins are made of dried salmon- 
skin, with a narrow band of sealskin round the top ; 
they reach to just below the knee, where they are 
tied with strings ; a bunch of dried grass is placed 
inside the bottom for the foot to rest upon. They 
are comfortable, dry, and warm. The snow-shoes 
are made of two U-shaped pieces of wood, lashed 
firmly together. A strip of seal or sea-lion skin is 
crossed over four times for the ball of the foot 
to rest upon, the remaining parts of the lashing 
being crossed over the instep, round the back of 
the foot above the heel, and under the ankle- 
bones, and fastened in front. They are of con¬ 
siderable help where the snow is fairly firm or has 
