Description

Steamship Asirpa gets information from a local man that a strange tattooed peddler was seen at the Utashinai coal mines, selling candy, but after investigating him and another stranger, they decide leave by paddle boat for Sapporo. The boat is attacked and captured by a former prisoner, Fusataro Osawa known as Botaro the pirate, who is also searching for the Ainu gold. He and Sugimoto fight to a standstill while Mister Hood's trailing boat carrying the horses becomes separated. Botaro explains how Wakayama, an escaped convict and former yakuza boss, said the skins were worthless and did not bother to copy or take Botaro's skin. As the boat reaches Ebetsu, Botaro decides to just take the money from the postman's registered mail, but he is taken aback when he sees Heita's carved Ainu tobacco case with the bear motif in Asirpa's belongings.