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Europeans,
EAST ASIA.
which is the most active on tnis seaboard. It was in a state of
eruption when visited by Broughton in 1757, and broke out again in 1870, when
an islet was upheaved between 31 and 32 N. latitude.
South of the granitic
chain running north-west of Fuzi-san, Hondo is crossed
from sea to sea by a transverse depression, in which is situated the charming lake
Suva. Immediately beyond this depression the land again rises to a high range,
runnino- north-east and south-west between the basins of the Tenriu and Kiso
Rivers. Parallel to this is the Hida chain, which falls from the coast gradually
down to the valley of the Kiso-gava, and which is the most rugged and wildest
of all the Hondo mountains. Being snow-clad for a longer period than any other
in the island, Rein gives
it the name of the " Snowy Range," and it is crossed
from east to west by the Harinoki and Hida passes, both 8,000 feet high. It is
crowned by the Tate-yama, On-take, and Mi-take, attaining elevations of 9,500 and
10,000 feet, besides eight large craters, some now filled by highland lakelets.
Thousands of pilgrims yearly visit this romantic region, to worship the idols
of Isanagi and Isanami, divine ancestors of the Mikado's family. European
explorers describe in enthusiastic language the glorious prospect
commanded from
these volcanic heights, whence the eye sweeps over all the land and surrounding
seas. Although there has been no eruption during the histoi-ic period, sulphurous
while another chain of
vapours are still emitted from the ground in many places,
igneous crests runs north of the Snowy Range parallel with the coast. Here the
chief cone is the Yake-yama, which has been ascended by the geologist Von
Drasche.
The remarkable solfataras of Tate-yama have recently been visited and described
by Mr. W. G. Dixon. "Traversing through the mist one or two ridges, and
colour we
passing between two little tarns that on the left of an intensely green
descended into a wide bleak hollow with jagged sides, from which a thunderous
noise was arising. The air cleared of its vapours revealed a most striking scene
with extraordinary contrasts of colour : mounds of volcanic matter, white, yellow,
blue, purple, pink, crimson, black, as many shades as in a rainbow. Overhanging
these was the brilliant green of one of the spurs of Tate-yama, and above all a rich
cobalt sky.
" We descended into the hell-like valley with due caution, for great or small
springs were bubbling
on all sides. The loudest noise a noise as of a dozen
boilers letting off steam came from a bright yellow hole a few feet in circum-
ference, whence a thick cloud of steam mixed with sulphuretted hydrogen was
issuing with terrific force, ejecting lumps of the deposited sulphur to a distance of
10 or 15 feet. A few yards off a similar but smaller jet was vehemently hissing.
Across a sulphurous mound, about 50 yards distant, was a pool of some 6 feet in
diameter, consisting of green sulphur mud in a state of violent ebullition, the green
liquid in the centre at times leaping 8 or 10 feet into the air., Then about equally
distant from this and the roaring funnels another large pool was boiling, but "with
less sulphur in its water, which was of an ordinary brown muddy colour. Other
geysers were scattered around, most of them of pure hot water, and smaller