The St. Johns herald., 1894-01-04
VOLCANOES IN JAPAN.
Six Burning Peaks Among the
 Sacred Mountains
The People Are Kept in a Constant Ter for Fear of an Erup- tion-A Gigantic
 Crater.

Crater.
 4 recent cable message from Shang- hai informs us that the Japanese vol cano Bandal-san is again active. This is the mountain that was in a fierce state of eruption il 1888. when nearly cne-half of the main peak split off and fell over upon villages, arabIe land and forests, burying hundreds of hum1n beings, darming up some streams and changing the corr5e 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- F effects of the cataclysn are still llcr--5ly apparent. To ada to the ter TOTS 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 a state of activity. The oth- CTS are Asanayama, 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 Nakasendo, and have been ire quently visited by foreigners. The third is in the Pacific ocean, just south of the entrance to Toilio 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, Kamal1ura. It's smoke is looked upon as an earthquake barometer, 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. It is said that for some days prior to the great earthquake of Oc- tober, 1891, no smoke at all was seen OFCI W I1CS lSll41h AlIs1 b4lC 1IoAACLlilC1 along shore were extremely nervous.
 The fourth volcano is in the province of Eigo, southern island of Kyushiu. It is about eighty miles due east of the port of Nagasal1i, bat being separated by ShiEabara 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 IIakodate. It is singuiarly 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 small steamer which crosses Volcano bay i5 the most beautiful of it's kind in all Japan. Bandaf-san is in the province of Iva shiro, and is about one hundred and seventy-fve miles north of Tollio. It is readily accessible, as tho 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 Nilll1o pass. The in- terest which was awakened in the mountain in 1888 has made it 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- ble had considerable difficulty in get ting across country and had to put up with many hardship5
 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 orc travels at that season bands of these interesting peo- pie are met. They wear white clothing of a certain pattern, are equipped with a 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 fa- nous mountains and is undoubtedly of volca aic origin, it is not active. There is one place on the west side where the ground is noticeably warm, and indi- cations ofseismic potentialities are not wanting.
 
 Turkish Superstitions.
 If a pair of scissors are left on a