Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-05-01
THE MIKAD0'S LAND
TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST AMONG
THE WONDERS OF JAPAN.

Tt VOiNb1hS VT JAFAN.
nlories of Country which Abounds A.,
Middle Aititude--As a ma -Yama's Terri,
bic Record-"Bloody Falls"
Oiwake has the reputation of being the
coolest inhabited spot IN Japan. The ntmos.
phele certainly Is very refreshing and ,nyi.,.
Grating after the sultry heats of the great
plain of Toxic. lie profusion and magniii.
cence of the lora upon these mountains make
it appear trivial ana even sinful for IA man of
botanical tastes to ride, while by walking he
may be adding every minute to The stores of
bis knowledge AS well Us to the treasures in
his plant presses. Inc first thing which no.
ticed as we began the ascent of the Usui pass
was tile fact that the coniferous trees which,
are so abundant iii the great plain disan.
peared and gave way to trees of deci1uous
growth, naples, beeches, oaks, chestnuts
holsechestnuts and other peculiar Japnnese
trees This phenomenon is characteristic ~
the entire country. and would serve To indi-
cate that more equable climate prevails ot
the middle altitude. Hence at Owake ot
the summit Of the pass, tne conifels have r..
appeared in the form of hardy sciubbins of ;,
species which does not grow u!ion the low.
lands.
The flora of the middle hills is strouclv
Hinalayan III some of its characteristics and
tue same fact reveals itself in connection with
the phenomena of insect and bud life, n nm.
Der Of species found here being found no.
where else until the Hinlalayas of India ara
reached. Here and there close affiuitias r.,
the flora and falia Of the Atlantic states ot
America also present themselves, and il WAC
with a rare feeling of pleasure that I racoo
nzed in some of the plants familiar friends ~
my boyr'od days, and | involuntarilv tooL
Oil my hat more than once and saluted n way.
side weed which brought memories of .sbona
sweet honle.N
GLORIES OF THE FIELDS
The glory of these upland fields and hin.
sides is found III the lilies, of which I have
collected no less than six species here. AMONG
them Lllum Auratunl, the emperor of this
race OF regal ilowers. Think, my flower low.
ing friend, of walking over II meadow storred
on every hand with yellow and red lilies em.
broidered with great blooming beds of funkia
and enameled i'll spots with sheeted provtLs
Of iris, and then us you approach the tbic,et
at tue foot of n rising hill discovering a huoe
mass of the Lilium Auratum standing VIII
pink aud yellow lined bells, seven and a;obt
inches across, exhaling the odors of Eden
upon the air.
We left the native inn where am stoyiro
At o'clock yesterday morning for the ascent |
If Asania- Ganla, the days passed here since |
ny arrival having been spent in botauizino
'ollectmg insects and sketchinp.
The first purt of line oScapt f,.o,,
'ver gently rising slope composed of lava
mi volcanic ashes, upon which a luxuriant
,owth OF tall grasses and Towering plants
ave taken root. Here and there are sea tereJ
uge angular blocks of stone. some of them
70 doubt, weighing hundreds of tons apiece
fhlcii bear witness to the immense force If
he volcanic energy stored in the mountain
'hich towers up grandly before rs in the
lue AIR, with its great cloud of smoke and
team rolling away westward before the
Forming breeze.
Asana Iana has been great DESTROYER, in
le past ana gives every evidence of full
ipaclty to repeat III the near future tba
oliors Whlch nave been wrought III former
avs only as recently as 1870 considerable
upton occurred, scattering IA cloud OF ashes
III AN men III depth over vast surrounding
ed. III l'Sj, however, occurred an eruption ;
u'ch spread desoation for many leagues
ouhi the mountain. Oiwake was blotted $
IT, Inc country round about, which was a
,nlant expanoe of corntields, was turned into |
deseft, ana no less than forty-eight village, d
the vicinity and III the Agatsuma depart {
eht OF the province of kodzuke were de- @
'oyed, with many of their inhabitants l.
ohkeys, deer, dogs and other animals were
lled by the showers of red hot stones and y
hes, ami those which had found shelter q
1m tie missiles hurled forth by the noun f
IN died OF hunger because the ashes and I
mes covered the ground for miles to the i
pth OF from two to five feet and destroyed d
vegetation. A river of lava poured forth +
the northern side of the crater towards >
'dzuke, aud es today black monument t
the awful event. s i'll older flows of lava r
DERIVING this more recent one upon which il
getation has as yet only taken partial hold,
II be traced to Il distance of thirty miles d
I'M the crater
THE BLOODY FALLS. }
After walking about an hour and half at Il
'apid pace we stopped to rest at a curious {.
'terfall which lies i'll Il narrow gorge. Tie
'ter, strongly impregnatod with sulphur
tt IRON, Is of rusty yellow color, and las
Ell the rocks with the same hue. The cas-
lie Is known by the natives Us the Bloody d
lis, very appropriate name. The water
'old anu not unpleasant to the taste, and,
imagine, not unhealthful At all events |
urged III deep potations, being red hot
M my walk i'll the scorching sunshine The
ent from the waterfall becomes sleeper
u lies along ridge covered with scattered
le trees and oyergrown with bamboo grass
ne aud there white birch appears and
nitliul hydrangeaS grow in great mass in
mp spcts. Thirty minutes of quick walk
brought us to 4 cool spring, flowing I'M :
luXurlant heritage, where we stopped TO
our water bottles and then renewed the =
ward march. My coat l found a burden,
lett 1t behind, hidden under a spreading
" Tree, the branches of which pressed close
the ground .
iraspng my bamboo stick, which has been |
faithful companion upon many an excur- !
II and has grated upon the rocks of Mt. j
isnlhSton and Mt MITCHELL had helped me i
The tanSlei of the swamps of Florida, as
II as upon the slopes of the Rocky noun '
u.s. addressed myself to the last part of te
ascent, over the cone of loose ashes and il
hes, which for ., 900 feet lowered above us. d
{ clouds came up from the valley below SC
SUI Guided us in their cold, misty folds, 4
again they parted and we looked forth III
IN magnificent mountain panorama, with Oh
limo ama-the peerless mountaineering g
PIE AMI grand upon the southern horizon. u
met IA company of pilgrims in white gar
nus, each having tinkling bell at his rt
ne, returning from the summit. Religious u
srinages are undertaken to the mountain tt
OF Japan every year by the multitudes, III