The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-08


fine day, and California herself is
not so very far ahead as to this
beautiful sky, this rich verdure, this
amethystine sea, rolling in upon the
beach in soft, low swells, as we may
imagine it did in Tsnnyson's "Land
whsre it is always afternoon"
The Mountains.
And yonder purple mountains have
= strange CaliforniaAik look, even to
their very tops, covered with soil,
showing their comparatively late up
heaval, geologically speaking. In
deed, one who approaches the jap
anese coast from California must be
struck at once by the natural resem-
blance to each other of the two sides
of the Pacific Ocean. Japan might
almost be supposed piece of Cali
fornia which had broken loose and
foated across. But alas! she could
not bring her climate with her; only
some occasional bits of her weather.
And some of the trees resemble those
of California; also especially the sugi,
which is much like the giant red
woods, though Insignificant when
compared with them in size.
We pass throughinnumerable jap
anese villages with their quaint
houses with rustic roofs of thatch, or
nobler roofs of tile, but all unpainted
and of the soft gray tint which the
weather gives, unless cleaning in new
built freshness. Occasionally board
fence or house is painted black. Back
at one side of the village, among a
clump of trees, stands simple wood
on temple, almost out of sight, ap-
preached by steps of hewn or ele-
ment-worn stones.
Rice fields lie on every side, while
here and there also are wheat and
barley sowed in drills cross wise of
long narrow beds of soil such as we
used to raise in our New England
gardens. In this close, careful man
ner, in many parts of japan, every
available square yard of land seems
to be laboriously cultivated.
Mt. Full
Now we are approaching nearer
the base of Fuji San, the most sacred
and most beautiful as well as, be-
fore the annexation of Formosa, tie
highest mountain in the Empire of
Great japan. For these people love
to speak of their island empire
as Dai Nippon, or Nileon, as our
cousins of the tight little isle"
across the Atlantic love to speak
of theirs as "Great Britain" The
foothills begin to rise and swell from
the plain that borders on the sea, not
far from the shore, and rise, swell on
swell, until after little, with grace
full concave upsweeping lines Fuji
rises maiestically and vastly into the
azure sky and lays the sharp outlines
of its pure white snow-clad cone
against the tender blue of the upper
sky. No wonder Fuji San is regard
ed as sacred. 1t is 12,437 feet high
and is visible from thirteen provinces.
1t is the beacon last seen by the trav-
eler leaving his country; and the first
to welcome him on his return. It is
most remarkable for it's symmetry.
Viewed from any direction its shape
and almost the broken line that cuts
across the cone at its top, is always
the same. 1t is not now in a state of
activity, but was, not many years
back, and may be again. There are
still number of active volcanoes in
Japan, and after being dormant for
hundreds of years the old giant who
lives in the mountain may waken
from his sleep again and belch forth
death and destruction. Parties every
summer make the ascent of Full San,
and climb down inside it's crater. 1t
is still warm, and sulphurous vapors
rising through the crevices give a
hint of what lies deep beneath. I
have not yet made the ascent, but
hope the interesting, though toilsome
experience, may yet be mine. If l
were to become mountain worshiper
/ would rather Fuji San than any
other mountain l know should be-
come my divinity. 1t does not over
awe one like many mountains with its
terrible grandeur, but with all its sub
Unity conveys an impression of light
and gladness rather than of oppress-
iveness.
1t seems to stay with, us now ad-
vancing, now retreating all the day
long, and when the rising or setting
sun gilds its summit, it is a glorious
sight indeed.
Tea Plantations.
AS we round the base of Fuji small
plantations of tea appear, The tea.