The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-20
THE JAPANESE INFERNO.
A Curious Hot Spring on One Of
the Islands Of the
Orient
Expectations Men and Women
Torture Themselves in Water
Boiling Hot.
a CookinK Apparatus which Beats Nat
urai Gss-rsn story Told by
Traveller.


Traveller.
Gciny or: on the cost ~ Kores and ia
ran. looking for th.u-s CURIOUS, ! sec i,rd
nom the natives intelligence ~ a renirsS-
able plac, m lie remote uts-sor ct nc H.
land bclcngiag to japan caliSl Kiushia.
The place j. commonly cailei %~v-a liC@'s.
ard ON rccCuut % IL inaccessi b:t'ty and
rcnotensss has seldom been visited bT
Americans or so much rs referred 20 IN
print. determined o. visit this japanese
inferno. and having everything arranged
I SCI out with provisions FOR a two weeks
travel The first few days were spent in a
small Japanese steamer crossing three or
four inland seas and winding around at
least a thousand different islands 20 get in
reach Of the mainland that would lead me
70 the end % my journey. i may appear
10 he an eXaggeration % speak Of 50 many
islands and seas. but when IL is rcmem-
bered that Japan alone has 1000 islands
and at least 100 different seas 10 Will not
appear strange that l passed 900 islands
in search Of the one on which is the phe-
nonenon.
When had got as far IA / could go by
water. there was nothing left for me but
10 try the crude mode Of travel Of the is
landers for 100 miles OF more. hired a
iinriksha and two coolies 20 pull me and
at once proceeded. a whole day and night
were spent in this funny vehicle until l
came at last TO mountains so steep that it
was impossibls for me 90 ride farther.
Then another change ia my mode Of travel
was made. hired cody and pack horse
TO carry my baggage, while Il took my
foot in my hand and walked" for 20 miles
over that rugged mountain.
Once over the mountains was almost
in sight of the Seven Hells An arm of an
other sea dashed up in narrow neck. On
every side stood gigantic mountains capped
with snow. while below lay the beautiful
valley. IL seemed as if / might be enter
ing paradise ] walked a little farther
and in a moment the earth resounded as
II thousand caunous were exploded be
reath me. had reached the Seven Hells
and an that had been told Inc of the place
was fully demonstrated.
Just a few yards from where stood was
the Boiling sen. a great smoke and steam
arose like a cloud from the water, and
upon examination | found that the sen Of
water was boiling and bubbling ke pot
over n stove. The water was scalding hot
and would cook an egg in two minutes
This Boiling sea IS considered sacred by the
natives. and the government had ut one
time TO erect fence around il TO keep the
people from plunging I'm.
From the Boiling sen a continual stream
Of hot water runs down through n village
OF about 200 people. who are the most PEE
Culia- human beings outside Of China. In
the center Of the village g. a big round
hafh of hot water from the sea. In this
bath from 10 10 - are constantly to be
seen bathing. There gre no screens or Gov
prings. but men. women and children all
bathe together in Adamic simplicity. l
saw at one time nine women and ten men
in the bath
About 90 steps away from this place IS
q sweat bath, dedicated 10 one of their
gods. An open shelter is built tn the streets
over "A cavern in the earth which they say
Blddua bulf for them. The excavation
bias door 10 30 similar to an old fashion
ed sweet potato house that sOutherners
build Co keep their potatoes from freezing
in the winter The door is about 3 feet
square. aud there is 10 way for either a
person 0r the steam 20 escape except by
this door r. The front were priests selling
ticket. f0r half cent each, and SIX per
sons were admitted 80 the sweqf bath az
once just over the entrance stands an
imn-e of Egddha. with rice cakes, flowers
ard incense offerings. The people worship
/ "a as they went in, while an old priest
stood Boy telling me- people thar whosOever
{ bathed iu faith should be cured Of all NAL
/ adies. The lame and crippled fockei
/ around and listened with oagerness. The
priest said that Buddha sent down his am
/ GEL WHO met au ancient priest aud told
/ him tiat he would write the name of Bud
I ila on a stone and cover it with the earth
/ and cause the mountains 20 gush ont with
/ bot water and flow over the name Of Bud
/ dha for the healing ~ all diseased bcliev-
/ ers
"Tli- said the priest sis the place
prepared by the great gods, and If you
/ would Dee healed enter in aud hathe.h II
/ aas amazing Co notice tine deluded men
/ and women, iu companies Of six, 20 into
I tlc bath and stay until almost dead from
I liioaatiun aud come ont dripping with
/ .-r.p.utiou aud covered with straw. !;
/ ..or.s that stream from the Boiling sen
/ -rr- under tL. excavation. and inside Is
+ brown O. lot Of straw on which these mel
/ md women spread themselves and stay
/ until they fairly roast themselves alive
from ibis place they 20 90 hot shower
aath, which consists ~ several large BAN
.4D poles placed Do waterfall from thu
..t SEQ. which fr'l about 10 feet upon th'
-Ilc- of the saints just from the swea
/ BATH From uhr shower bath they go u
[ Iu- fountain bath. where the course j
rumplefod. The entire process often take
-.Verfl hours and is goue through with
9-t clothing or towels ~ any Kind. Thi
aecqs the streets alive with men and won
.n walking here and there as naked as the
were born into tLe world.
Another peculiarly ~ this strange pee
9lr j. the way they cook and ga Every
thing they do BIAS some RED gipus super-t|
fiou connected with 81. and their c0okiu
nd eating arc NOT au exception. lam -ai
JOB -Ayile chat Do people on earth COO
.Le tire people who lire az tho Seven lIG'
: on thD island of kiushIu. iu the marvel
al- itfl- nation of Japan. They have go
uL-sl 60 ruu the winter from thc Boiln
.,a .n small streams, shout font undo
the srrftrr ~ The earth. right in front t
{ ] overs mau's do1r. Over these sfraau.. ar
mud ovens built Ike n pot. with 30 l.i ..r
some of them. Ia their owens az, learI
! place whatever they want tu cnaA. and th
q steam from the bot water dor- thc work
THIS D. certainly better than natural pas
d Many % fhe people. and boo f.rt most o.
; them merely dig hole down f0 he Do
] steam. place some straw over the waite