Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-05-01
THE AMOS.
A Curious Tribe of People Tnhabit-
ing a Japanese Island.

ing u Japanese Island.
While much has been spoken and
written of late years about Japan and
the Japanese, yet the general public,
which is so familiar with this subject,
seems to be entirely unaware that in that
empire there exists a race Of human be-
ings as distinct in their characteristics,
customs and language from the Japanese
as our American Indian is from his white
conquerors.
The Aino in the southern and middle
parts Of Japan is as rare a sight as an
Indian in the Eastern States. But while
our Indian still retains his fierce and
warlike disposition, full of revenge and
cunning, issuing forth at every oppor-
tunity to plunder and kill. uncowed by
years of unsuccessful warfare, the Aino
has been completely changed by centu-
ries of defeats until he has become mild
and peaceful in the extreme. One may
travel among them without the slightest
fear of bodily harm, sure of receiving
every courtesy and hospitality their rude
means and untutored minds can bestow.
In stature the Aino is under the aver
age height, but he is more compactly
and muscularly built than any of the
other races of Eastern Asia. He differs
from the Oriental type in several points,
the most noticeable Of which is that he
is very hairy, being almost as completely
covered with hair as an animal, and
having heavy mustache, long, bushy
beard, and thick growth of hair upon
the head, reaching generally to and be-
low the shoulder blades, the color being
invariably a jet black. At distance he
would be easily mistaken for an ape or a
chimpanzee; and had it ever been the
fortune of Darwin to have visited these
strange people, he would undoubtedly
have congratulated himself upon having
at last discovered his long sought-for
''mIssing lnkn
The features Of the Amos are of eau
casian rather than an Oriental cast, and
they have not the oblique eye which is
SO distinguishing characteristic of both
the japanese and Chinese, hut have
round, full optics set rather prominently.
They have fiat, thick noses, rather high
cheek bones and full, coarse lips, with
white, even, strengthening teeth.
They have no written language what
ever, and no knowledge of calculations
in figures. In fact, but few of them can
count as high as 1000, and the ability
to do that has only been acquired of late
years.
Their form of governments patriarchal,
and they have no fixed system Of laws.
ALI disputes are referred for settlement
to the patriarch, each hamlet having its
own head man, from whose decision
there is no appeal or redress.
The island of Yezo contains about
$4,000 square miles, and is of volcanic
formation, with numerous swift running
rivers. The Amos are to be found in set
Elements scattered along the coast, where
they earn their living principally by fish
inc, and in the interior near the river
banks, where they live by both fishing
and hunting. The principal fish caught
are the salmon and herring, and the
game bear and deer. Out of the skin of
the salmon they make their rude shoes,
and from the skins of the bear
and deer their garments. They also
wear a cloak made from the bark
of a tree, which in outward ap-
pearance strongly resembles our elm, but
in grain looks more like maple. This
bark, while very soft and pliable in its
natural state, is made even more so by
sort of curing process. The Amos then
weave or plat it as we do straw, and so
closely and finely do they work it that
the result is garment as completely i'm
pervious to water as is a rubber coat.
The flesh of the game they kill, with
fowls, roots and herbs, form their prin-
cipal articles of diet, but since the ad-
vent of the japanese on the island, they
have also taken rice. They, however, as
a rule, prefer their rice in liquid form,
for they have taken to drink, a vice
which was taught them by their more
highly civilized conquerors- rs-another
point of resemblance to the Indian. The
greater portion of the rice furnished
them by the Japanese government they
aistil into a liquor called sake-known
by the same name in Japan-of which
they drink large quantities.
Their religion is simple one, and con
sists in the worship of external objects
the sun, the moon, the mountains, GER
tain trees, etc. Chief among their gods
stands the bear, which they worship be-
cause he is the source of strength for the
inner and warmth for the outer man.
But, strange to say, while giving this
animal so high place among their OBJ
lecIS VI duolation, they wage RELENTLESS
warfare uyon him and do not hesitate to
torture him. They have curious Gus
tom pertaining to the bear which may be
of interest to your readers. When any
hunter kills dam with young cubs, he,
Of right, assumes full title Of ownership
In the cubs. He takes them to his home,
where they are given food by his wife,
until they have grown too large to be fed
in that way. They are then placed in
large bamboo cages and fattened until
they attain the age of six months. A day
is then set apart for the killing, which