At A Deep River Called The Nopkobets, Which Emerges
From The Mountains Close To The Sea, We Were Ferried By An Aino
Completely Covered With Hair, Which On His Shoulders Was Wavy Like
That Of A Retriever, And Rendered Clothing Quite Needless Either
For Covering Or Warmth.
A wavy, black beard rippled nearly to his
waist over his furry chest, and, with his black locks hanging
In
masses over his shoulders, he would have looked a thorough savage
had it not been for the exceeding sweetness of his smile and eyes.
The Volcano Bay Ainos are far more hairy than the mountain Ainos,
but even among them it is quite common to see men not more so than
vigorous Europeans, and I think that the hairiness of the race as a
distinctive feature has been much exaggerated, partly by the
smooth-skinned Japanese.
The ferry scow was nearly upset by our four horses beginning to
fight. At first one bit the shoulders of another; then the one
attacked uttered short, sharp squeals, and returned the attack by
striking with his fore feet, and then there was a general melee of
striking and biting, till some ugly wounds were inflicted. I have
watched fights of this kind on a large scale every day in the
corral. The miseries of the Yezo horses are the great drawback of
Yezo travelling. They are brutally used, and are covered with
awful wounds from being driven at a fast "scramble" with the rude,
ungirthed pack-saddle and its heavy load rolling about on their
backs, and they are beaten unmercifully over their eyes and ears
with heavy sticks.
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