The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-02
LETTER FROM JAPAN
Continued from page 8. J

And from the crater are rolling dense
volumes Of smoke and steam and sui.
phur fumes. This cent opened only
j a few years ago and has since de-
veloped into an irregular opening
some sixty feet in diameter. The
dense smoke allows no view within
One can approach very near on the
windward side but the least smell OF
the smoke is very offensive. About
a half-mile away is the old crater
composed of four irregular tunnels
the two largest of which are several
hundred feet deep and are still act,ue,
vapOr and gas escaping at the bottom
The summit proper Is a peak rising
considerably higher than the craters.
From this elevation of six thousand
feet there is great vista of noun
tain and plain and sea- But the pre-
eminent feature ia the distinct out
T line OF the ancient crater composed
Of an oval shaped mountain rim eight
by fourteen miles in diameter. Very
few craters in the world are so large.
The inner walls of this immense bas-
In are rather precipitous. There is
only the one outlet, the canyon by
which we entered. The question at
once arises, WAS the volcano once
higher and did the summit sink, or
was the whole crater once active and
has the present mountain been form
ed within it? Involuntarily one trem-
bles at the danger which may threat
en- the several villages situated within
this awful throat.
Just below the region of desola-
ton is a shrine dedicated to the spirit
OF the omuntain. A rest house has
been built for pilgrims and at this
place we rested and ate our lunch.
Here we were soon Joined by the two
older men. They had succeeded in
hiring beasts for a part of the trip
though in the little village only one
horse could be procured and one of
the men had been obliged to ride on
a cow Most missionaries are brave
men but this time he was cowed. And
to the annals of rapid Iocomotion is
added one more rate of speed, COW
pace"
The descent was made in about
two hours. We rested again at the |
inn where we had spent the night.
Then we said good bye to our worthy
hosts and the little canyon village.
The return ride in the basha was
like the former ride only more so, for |
1t was down grade. But | will for
bear **
At Kumomoto we looked in at the
district conference of the Y. M. C. !
A. which was being addressed by I
secretary from New York. The large
audiene of young men would be an
Inspiration to any speaker. The Bap-
list church in which the meeting was
leld is a fine building but the con-
sregation has already outgrown it.
Home, home again, where there is
table, and chairs, and bed. We
lave surely had the floor while on
'ur trip. We sat on the floor and
lept on the floor and ate on the
loor. And there are visions of sea-
weed soup, and mushroom stew, and
ice, rice, rice. And yet we have
AIRED well and have been treated mob ,
y. And so many things have happen
d in these few days it seems almost
Ike dream. But there's one thing 4
hats no dream, and that is our ap-
etltes. Surely a mountain climb is
ne Of the best of tonics.
And our lives are so much richer !
ecause of this experience. How ;
luch better we understand the Jap 4
nese people. And how near we have
cen to the heart of nature. Two }
Genes in my life will always remain I
ividly fixed in my memory. One
a glorious sunset, behind lone
,leutian island in mid-Pacific, the
Their is the moonlight view in the
anyon at the foot of Aso San. I
NECT a