Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-09-01
VOLCANOES In JAPAN.
Six Burning Peaks Among the
Sacred Mountains"
The People Are Kept In a Constant Ter
ror for Fear of an Erup-
tion-A Gigantic
Crater.

A recent cable message from Shang-
hal informs US that the Japanese vol
cano Bandal-san is again active. This
is the mountain that was in n fierce
state of eruption in lSsS, when nearly
one-half Of the main peak split off and
fell over upon villages, arabic land and
forests, burying hundreds of hum1n
beings, damming up some streams and
changing the course of others, and so
altering the entire appearance of the
country that even at this day, accord
ing to the New York World, the ghast-
ly effects of the cataclysm are still
horribly apparent. To add to the ter
rors of the immediate explosion vast
streams of lava and volcanic mud
poured out over the land, carrying the
work of destruction far beyond the
limits Of the fallen mountain. Beyond
the range of these, again, huge masses
of rock were hurled by the force OF the
explosion, carrying death and destruc-
tion to hamlets and villages over a
mile from the peak.
Bandal-san is one of the six volca-
noes of Japan at present or quite re-
Gently In state of activity. The 9TH
ers are Asamayama, Shirane-san, Vries
island (Oshima), Asosan and Koma-ga-
take. The first two are in eastern Ja-
pan, in the geographical division known
as the Nall&sendo, and have been fire.
quently visited by foreigners. The
third is in the Pacific ocean, just south
of the entrance to Toxic bay and its
smoky cap, at times suggesting heavy
fog bank, will be distinctly remem-
bered by all who have been to or come
from Yokohama by steamer. This is
land is in plain sight from the famous
seaside resort and historical place,
Kamakura. Its smoke is looked upon
as an earthquake barometer, n sort of
vent for the hidden forces of nature.
When the smoke is visible the people
feel that there is no great danger of
earthquakes, but when the smoke dis
appears they think that the pent-up
steam must assert itself in some other
way. 1t is said that for some days
prior to the great earthquake of Oc-
tober, 1891, no smoke at all was seen
over Vries island and the fishermen
along shore were extremely nervous.
The fourth volcano is in the province
of Higo, southern island of Kyushiu.
1t is about eighty miles due east of the
port OF Nagasaki, but being separated
by Shimabara bay from the peninsula
on which that town is situated, is not
readily accessible. Still good many
foreigners, residents of Japan and
visitors from China principally, have
visited it and it well repays all effort,
for it has the largest crater in the
world. The fifth volcano is only few
miles east of the port of Halodate. 1t
is a singularly beautiful mountain and
as the road from Hakodate to Volcano
bay past the lakes Is good one many
people visit the mountain. The view
of it from the deck of a small steamer
which crosses Volcano bay is the most
beautiful of it's kind in all Japan.
Bandal-san is in the province of Iva
shiro, and is about one hundred and
seventy-five miles north of Toxic. 1t
is readily accessible, as the Northern
railway, now open, runs within a COM
paratively short distance of it, and this
is the line over which all who visit the
famous shrines of Nikko pass. The in
terest which was awakened in the
mountain in 1888 has made II one of the
''show" places of Japan, and tourists
often go there. In 1888 the relief COM
mittees and scientists who visited the
scence of destruction as soon as possi-
BILE had considerable difficulty In get
ting across country and had to put up
with many hardships.
All of these volcanoes are included in
the list of sacred mountains" of Japan
and are annually visited by large num-
bers of pilgrims during the summer
months. Wherever one travels at that
season bands of these interesting peo-
pie are met. They wear white clothing
of certain pattern, are equipped with
mat on which they sleep at night and
use as protection against the sun or
rain during the day, and a peculiar,
bowl-shaped hat of hugh dimensions
Although peerless Fuji-Yama is con-
sidered the most sacred of all the ia
nous mountains and Is undoubtedly of
volcanic origin, it is not active. There
is one place on the west side where the
ground is noticeably warm, and indi-
cations of seismic potentialities are not
wanting.