The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-04

Kioto. Japan. Oct. %.
As for the islands themselves, they
are largely of volcanic origin. and a
number of smoking peaks still give evil
dence Of the mighty commissions which
piled UP these masses OF masonry.
Asosan mountain, on the island of Kyu-
shu. has the largest crater in the
world.
japan Is the home OF the earthquake.
The japanese Year Book Of 1905 is au-
( thorfty FOR the statement that Japan
was visited by 1880 earthquakes dur
ing the thirteen years ending 1897-an
average Of more than 1850 year, or
three and one-ha1f each day. 1t is
needless TO say that a large majority Of
these were so trivial as TO be UnnOticed
except by those in. charge Of the deli
cate instrument which registered them.
If the average is as great at this time,
there have been more than seventy-fiVe
since we landed, but we have not been
aware Of them The severe shocks have
come at periods averaging tW and one
half years and the really disastrous
ones have been something like fifty
years apart. The country about Toxic
is most subject to earthquakes, the
number recorded there averaging nine
ty-six a year during the last twenty
six years. The last severe enc was in
1894 According to an ancient legend,
Japan rests upon the back of a large
fish. and the earthquakes are caused by
the moving Of the fish. There is a
chronological society in Japan which
has published a siXteen-volume work
giving all that Is scientifically known
of the cause and recurrence Of these
disturbances.
selves nothing certain is known. The
best authorities say that they came
from the continent in an early Mongol
invasion, while others believe that they
came from the islands which stretch to
e the south. One writer announces the
theory that they are the lost Israelites.
It is quite certain that when the first
japanese landed on the islands they
found an earlier race in possession.
Some 1900 Of there, called Amos, now
occupy the northern extremity Of the
6mpire-an indication that the n1igra-
ton was from the southwest. The
Amos have remained distinct; where
they have fnternarFied with the Japan
csc the half-breedS have died out IN the
second or third generation. They are
q hairy race and in physical character
istics quite different from the Japanese.
Their religion is a sort of nature wOr-
ship. and il is their custom TO say q
simple grace before eating.
The remoteness of the settlement Of
Japan is shown by the fact that the
reigning family, which claims descent
from the gods, has held undisputed
sway for $500 years, although the rec
ord OF the first 1000 years is GO depend
ent upon verbal tradition that the Of
fetal history cannot be verified. AS
cOncUbinage has been practiced from
time immemoTial. the heir, the Oldest
son, has not always been born of the
empress.
Soon after the, beginning of the
Christian era the influence of China and
Korea began to be felt in Japan, the
written characters Of the language be-
ing quite like the Chinese. Koreans
and Japanese do not agree as to the
influence which the former have had
upon the latter. A very intelligent Ko-
rean informs me that his is the mother
country, and that Japan was settled