The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-02-17

the summit OF the pass, the coNllerS have re-
appeared in the form OF hardy scrubbins OF a
species which does not grow Upon the ow-
lands.
The fora of the middle hills is strongly
Himalayan in I'M Of its characteristics and
the same fact reveals itself in connection Will,
the phenomena Of insect and bud life, a num-
Der of species found here being found no
where else until the Himalayas of India are
reached. Here and there close a~finities to
the fora and fauna Of the Atlantic states OF
America also present themselves, and it was
with Q rare feeling of pleasure that l recos-
missed in some of the plants familiar friends of
my boyhood days, I'M I Involuntary tool
oR my hat more than once and saluted q way
side weed which brought memories of ''honne,
sweet home"
CHORES OF THE FIELDS.
sides is found in the lilies, of which I havo
collected no less than six species here, among
them Lilium Auratum, the emperor Of this
race Of regal flowers. Think, my flower low
ing friend, OF walking over q meadow starred
On every hand with yellow and rcd lilies, en-
hroidered with great blooming beds of funkia,
and enameled in spos with sheeted growths
Of iris, and then as You approach the thicket
at the foot Of . rising hill discovering a huge
ma8 Of the Lilium Aura&um standing with
pink and yellow lined bells, seven and eight
inches across, exhaling the odors Of Eden
upoo the airl
We left the native inn where I am staying
a& 6 O'Clock yesterday morning for the ascent
Of Aama-Yaua the days passed here since
my arrival having been spent i botanixingg,
collecting insects and sketching.
The Dirt part Of the ascent from Oiwake il
over . gently rising slope composed Of lava
and volcanic ashes, upon which . luxuriant
growth Of tall grasses and Towering plants
have taken root. Herr and there arc scattered
huge angular blocks Of stone, some of them,
u doubt, weighing hundreds Of tons apiece,
which bear witness to the immense force Of
the volcanic energy stored In the mountain
which towers up grandly before us in the
blue air, with it, great cloud Of smoke and
steam rolling away westward before the
morning breeze.
Asama-Y ama has been . great destroyer in
the past, and gives every evideoce Of full
capacity to repeat in the near future the
horrors which have been wrought in former
days Only q recently q 1870 . considerable
eruption occurred, scattering a cloud OF ashes
hall m inch in depth over . vast surrounding
areA- In 178, however, occurred an eruption
which spread desolation for many leagues
around the mountain. Oiwake was blotted
out. The country round about, which was q
verdant expanss Of cornfields, was turned into
adesert, and no les than forty eight villages
in the vicinity and in the Agatsuma depart
ment Of the province Of Kodxuke were de-
stroysd, with many of their inhabitants.
Monkeys, deer, dogs and other animals were
killed by the showers Of red hot stones and
ashes, and those which bad found shelter
from the missiles hurled forth by the noun
tain died Of hunger, because the ashes and
stones covered the ground for miles t0 tho
depth Of from two to five feet aud destroyed
all vegetation. A river Of lava poured forth
on the northern side Of the crater towards
Rodxuke, aud lies today . black monument
Of the awful event. Still older hows Of lava
underlying this moro recent one, upon which
Vegetation has as yet only taken partial hold,
can be traced to . distance Of thirty miles
from the crater.
rHE BLOODY FALLS. .@m~
After walking about an hour and a half at
arapid pace, we stopped to rest at q curious
water, strongly i~mpregnated with sulphur
and iron, is Of . rusty yellow color, and Las
dyed the rocks with the same hue. The cas-
cade Is known by the natives as the "Dloody
Falls" . very appropriate name. The water
b cold and not unpleasant to the taste, aud,
I imagine, not unhealthful. At all events, I
INDUCED in deep potations, being red hot
from my walk in the scorching sunshine. Tho
ascent from the waterfall becomes sleeper
and lies along q ridge covered with scattered
pine trees and overErown with bamboo grass.
Hero and there a white birch appears and
beautiful h~ydrangeas grow i'll great mass in
damp spots. Thirty minutes Of quick walk
ing brought rs to . cOol spring, iowin. IN
der luxuriant heritage, where we stopped to
al our water bottles and then renewed the
onward march. Ny coat I found q burden,
% I left it behind, hidden under q spreading
yew tree, the branches Of which pressed Close
70 the ground.
Grasping my bamboo stick, which has been
my faithful companion upon many an excur-
sion and hiss grated upon tho rocks of Mt
Washington and Mt Mitchell, had helped me
in the tang!es Of the swamps Of Florida. as
well as upon the slopes Of the Rocky noun
tains, I addressed myself to the last part Of
our ascent, over the cone Of loose ashes aud
stones, which for 1000 feet lowered above us
The clouds came up from tho valley below
and shrouded w in their cold, misty folds,
and again they parted and we looked forth
upon . magnificent mountain panorama, with
Fuji-no- Yama-she peerless mountaineering
purple and grand upon the southern horizon
We met q company Of pilgrims q white gar
ments, each having q tinkliag bell at his
girdle, returning from the summit. Religious
pilgrimage are undertaken to the mountain
tops Of Japan every year by the multi,udes,
and on all high places are oratories and
shrines. The goddess resident i'll Asama-
Yamai is, according to Shinto mythology, the
elder sister Of the goddess resident i'll Full,
and her favor is much sought by the devout
-Oiwake Japan Cor. Philadelphia Press