The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

BEGINNING THE ASCENT. 209
Near the foot of tlie mountain there are several monasteries, where
the pilgrims are lodged and cared for when making their religious visits
to the God of Fusiyama. Some of these are of considerable importance,
and are far from uncomfortable as places of residence. Our party spent
the night at one of these monastic settlements, which was called Muri-
yama, and was the last inhabited spot on the road. And as they were
considerably fatigued l)y the ride, and a day more or less in their journey
would not make any material difEerence, they wisely concluded to halt
until the second morning, so as to have all their forces fully restored.
Frank said, "This day doesn't count, as we are to do nothing but rest;
and if we want to rest, we must not see anything." So they did not try
to see anything ; but the Doctor was careful to make sure tliat their con-
ductor made all the necessary preparations for the ascent.
Early on the second morning after their arrival, they started for the
final effort. Tlie}^ rode their horses as far as the way was practicable, and
then proceeded on foot. Their baggage was mostly left in charge of the
grooms to await their return, and such provisions and articles as they
needed were carried by " 3'amabooshees," or " men of the mountain," whose
special business it is to accompany travellers to the summit, and to aid
them where the way is bad, or in case they become weary. If a jDerson
chooses, he may be cai'ried all the way to the top of the mountain and back
again ;
but such an arrangement was not to the taste of our robust advent-
urers. They were determined to walk, and walk they did, in spite of the
entreaties of the coolies who wanted to earn sometliing by transporting
them. In addition to the yamabooshees, they had an escort of two "yoboos,"
or priests, from one of the tempiles. These men were not expected to carry
burdens, but simply to serve as guides, as they were thoroughly familiar
with the road and knew all its peculiarities.
The first part of their way was through a forest, but, as they ascended,
the trees became smaller and fewer, and their character changed. At the
base tliere were pines and oaks, but they gradually made way for beeches
and birches, the latter being the last because the hardiest. From the for-
est they emei'ged upon the region of barren rock and earth and the frag-
ments left by the eruptions of the volcano. The last eruption took place
in 1707, and there have been few signs of any intention of returning
activity since that date. But all ai'ound there are abundant traces of
what the mountain was when it poured out its floods of lava and cover-
ed large areas with desolation. In some places the heaps of scoriiv, appear
as though the eruption, whence they came, had been but a week ago, as
they are above tlie line of vegetation, and their character is such that
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