The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-07-23

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Yezo has cities Of more than 100000
population. In these and a number Of
| other important towns the atmosphere
Of japan is dominant. In some rural
communities Of the island, however,
are considerable groups Of Anus. The
japanese have been indefatigable In
their efforts to hand on to these dis
tant cousins Of the European some
Of the modernism that has come to the
islands from the West. but their sue
cess has been slight Only some 10
600 Of these people-masters Of all the
islands before the Japanese came from
the mainland-remain. and their num-
bers are decreasing.
Saghalien, still further north than
Yezo, has had somewhat similar his
tory. 1t, too. was fishing station In
summer, deserted in winter; and to q
degree this situation still holds
The island Of Saghalien was politi-
cal perplexity both to Russia and ia
pan for many years. Soon after the
Pilgrim Fathers landed on the east
coast of America. a japanese feudal
baron dispatched an agent to this far
northern island. Within twenty years
after that the Russians had landed on
Saghalien. Until the Russian revolu-
ton the majority of the permanent In
habitants of Saghalien were Russian.
By a treaty of 1878 the sea-yoing
Japanese gave up all right in Sagha-
lion 70 hn pnccfon- ~, afr1r for ftIll
rights In the Kurile islands. This
condition Of affairs continued until, at
the end Of the Russo-Japanese war,
the treaty Of Portsmouth gave south
ern Saghalien, up to the fftieth paral-
lei. to Japan.
Japanese SAehalien has little agri- |
cultural land, but has large forests Of |
both deciduous and evergreen trees.
to more than 100000 |
acres. japanese paper mills are stu
ated In Otomari and elsewhere, and an
effort is being made to develop the
industry.
SaqhaIIen's Fish Industry.
But 1t is on fishing that the majority
Of the japanese inhabitants depend for
a living. AS soon as the summer sea-
son is over the fishermen migrate to
he southern islands Of Japan for the
winter. Mauka, on the west coast Of
Is the center Of the crab
fisheries and much of the crab flake
consumed in the Far East comes from
his little town. A post road connects
dauka with Toyohara, which Is the
.apital of Karafuto. the name which
he Japanese have given to the south
m part Of Saghalien.
The average annual temperature Of
;aghalien Is near the freezing point,
nd II the Japanese are ever to colon
re the island they will have to change
heir methods Of dressing and building.
In summer, the streets Of Slghalien's
apital swarm with Japanese; the
hinto shrine on the heights overlook
e the Toyohara plain is visited by
and numerous fishing boats
ly back and forth from the ports
lassing the catch which Is valued At
bout 100000 q year. But In win
r, the scene Is different Then the
japanese section of the city, with it,
ght frame houses with movable par.
tons, Is almost deserted, and only an !
,casienal Japanese woman in q pad
ID kimono, but with bare ankles, can I
} seen In the snowy streets. ]
The Kurile island group is unpleas {
It, on the whole. for mariners either 4
the water or the air. There are I
any half-sunken rocks OF shore, a
nile treacherous currents flow BE-
zen the islands with each flood and ,
b tide. Fogs are frequent and gales
~ blow at any season. .
The southernmost Kurile island,
lnashiri. Is just OF the coast of
20 and IL more nearly a part Of =
pan proper than the other islands
the chain. Gradually the develop II
mt that came to Yezo crept to the II
joining Kuriles. But 1t can hardly Il
,ep far, for the more northern Of the 4
cts are incapable Of producing crops q
any value and will probably never Il
vance beyond the fishing station ST
&c. g