Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-13

and will laugh in your face If you talk to
them about it. They exhibit some of the
other traits Of high civilization, such az
drinking whiskey (which they make oi
rice), keeping mIstresses, and allow mos,
of their children to die in infancy. In.
deed, their numbers are fast decreasing
from this cause, and from the
prevalence Of smallpox and varioloid,
against which they seem to be as
/ incapable of protecting their people as
the city authorities of Springfield are.
They have no horse races, and do not
deal much in ready-made clothing, unless
the hair on their bodies may be so called.
A child's wardrobe consists of this alone,
but, as they grow older, they twist and
spin garments out of the inner bark of q
tree. The threads used are about the
size of a cod-line, and the women are all
engaged in these domestic manufactures
Wives are not bought, as in New York,
but the old folks, instead of giving bridal
presents, expect them from the BRIDE
groom. One of the wedding ceremonies
is tatteoing the brides lips; this does
not prevent her from having the last
word, but serves to distinguish the ma
trons from the maids, and also gives
warning to the men not to propose, for
no woman is allowed to marry more than
oace. The superior sex, however, may
marry twice, and their houses are not
burned down when they die, as those of
the married women are. This seems to be
a mark of respect toward the women, for
fire is the chief god Of the Amos. They
bury their dead with their head toward the
east, robed in white, but they have no
burying grounds, and omit all mention
of the late Mr.. and Mrs Hsirymsn, after
burial. Their houses are built Of straw,
or of the bark of the same tree which
clothes them; they contain generally but
one room, sometimes two, however,
divided by straw mat They are built
in villages, and each has porch and a
front yard, surrounded by straw fence.
All the ornaments and objects of art in
these huts are the skulls OF bears, which
are hang around the room with fine effect.
Phey are considered more ornamental
when they are killed by the owner of the
hut, for the killing of bear is the great
achievement of An Aino. Their villages
sometimes contain thirty houses, built on
the sand, which serves for floor at one
end is raised platform, where they
sleep; the FIRE is in the center of the
tweaty by twelve sitting room, and
around it, from the rafters hung the
salmon which they are drying for food.
Each hut has fish house close by, eight
feet square, where they pack the dried
fish. They have no literature, and no
written characters, the old people, who
monopolizs learning there, can commu-
nicate with each other at distance by a
kind of tally which they cut on sticks.
But the young people are never allowed
to communicate in this way, and ban
ished lover or captive maid among the
Amos cannot open a correspondence by
mutually "outting stick"
The origin and history of this people
is not the least curious thing about them.
Mr.. Bickmore thinks they are of the
Aryan or Indo-European race, and that
they emigrated from Central Asia to
these islands at some very remote period.
They are mentioned in ancient Japanese
records hundred years before Christ, as
the hairy people over the east sea,
brave and ferocious, and when wounded,
"worse than q bear" Their LAM
guage 10 wholly distinct from that Of
Japan, and they are as unlike the
Mongolians in their minds as in their
bodies, Prof. W. P. Blake, who has
spent some time among them in geologi-
cal explorations, did not believe that
they were Indo-Europesns, but thought
them aborigines of the region. He
praised their skill in carving, weaving,
etc, explained their cranisl development,
which be thought very good, and ex-
pressed the opinion that under less
oppressive government than that Of the
Japanese, they would become superior
people. As it is they seem to be perish
ing, and few centuries hence may be
known only TO tradition in the country
they inhabit. Prof. Bickmore informed
me that be has Published nothing con-
ceruing his visit among them, except an
article in Silliman's Journal. he was
there in 1867. II is to be hoped he will
enlarge and publish his observations.
He has lately become Professor of Ma
tural History in Madison College, at
Hamilton, n. Y +, and has much extended
his fame by his papers at Salem