THE VOLCANOES OF JAPAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 15, 17 January 1914, Page 4

THE VOLCANOES OF JAPAN.

Japan is at the present moment undergoing the most terrible calamities that nature can inflict upon mankind — a failure of the crops in the North threatening millions with famine, and volcanic explosions, followed by earthquake and flood. The accounts of the explosions recall more than most similar events do the description of the destruction of Pompeii left, us by the Younger Pliny. The Islands of Japan resemble those of New Zealand in their volcanic conditions and formation, but volcanic activity has been much more marked there than in this country. A special Committee of the State, or rather of the Empire, takes note of their condition and doings—the Earthquake Investigation Committee. The iSeismological-Cftserv'atory of Tokyo Iras on its list 163 independent volcanoes, and a still larger number ranked as secondary or parasitic, besides innumerable stumps and basal wrecks. Mr. Bruce Mitford, who last year paid a visit to the mountains of Japan, informs us in an article in '• The .Nation " that of these independent cones about forty or fifty i •have their principal cones, that is those at the summit, still active; but he adds significantly, " Dead craters have a fashion of coming to life again unaccountably, and at short notice." Outside of Japan, the only mountain with which everyone is acquainted is Fujiyama, Temarfcable for the perfect cone which has become so familiar on pictures and postcards. Other peaks are found of the same .perfect form, but the majority are abrupt and irregular, and their activity varies from the incessant murmuring of one to the outburst of another, which blows a vast hole in its side and sinks into ominous silence again, Asama is said to be the most terrihie of all, and before the end of las* year a disastrous, eruption was threate led, and official .warnings were issued to the neighbouring- villages. But it is one of the extraordinary facts of history that people born and bred near these dangerous mountains become so habituated to the daily presence of danger that they cannot be roused from their insensibility hy any warning. There were then daily, and almost hourly, minor explosions from Asama, continual puffing and occa* sional detonations, like the sound of titanic cannon, the shock of which were felt at Tokyo, 90 miles away. The last cataclysmic outburst was. that of 1783, when the volcano set forests on fire, buried villages under showers of red-hot ashes, and poured down a stream of lava fifteen miles in length. At the tame of Mr. Mitford's ascent tliis crater discharge 1 a pillar of steam 2,000 feet in height. A party of tourists who ex- i 1 plored it in l&ll had to flee before a sudden explosion that hurled rocks into i ohe air and killed two of their number. | j The Island peak of Oshima, off the ! entrance to Tokyoßay. contains an inner cone surrounding a floor of lava wit3i a central aperture from which issues incessant gusts of steam. Jn 1870 there was an unusually violent explosion; the upper-part of the cone appeared red hot; there were earthquakes and subterranean .rumblings. Yakegatake (.Burning Mountain) bad been for generations quiescent .when, in 1908, it began discharging ashes and steam. The line of volcanic mountains is continued, across the Tsuguru Strait into Soutb-West Yezo, and includes amongst other remarkable formations in Uehi Ura (Volcano Bay), 6ome created by tbe recent eruptions of 190S and 1910. There is scarcely a feature of volcanic activity with which we are familiar in New Zealand that, does not appear in a more extreme form in Japan, giving the scenery sometimes appalling desolation and sometimes visions of loveliness. A large number of craters are extinct, and in their neighbourhood there is luxuriant verdure and foliage, beautiful lakes and rivers, as well as warm- springs and natural baths. These places- are the popular resort of the Japanese, who spend their holidays among tbe mountains instead of by tke seaside. Volcanoes are held in religious veneration, and annual pilgrimages- are made, to the mast famous, to Fujiyama, most sacred of all, Ontake, TahacMho, which bears on its summit the spear the god Ninigi left there when he descended from beaven to establish " for ages eternal "- the Imperial- line; Daisen, Nantaisan and Oywma—«JH extinct, and visited to-whom a mountain, cfcrxb is- -out ■ Tim nrjafa limn aitd^ojrradjgaja-

: regarded still by the Japanese, as they ' liave always been by primitive people, aa manifestations of the anger of the jgods, and Imperial decrees are issued, instructing the priest to propitiate them 'Jjy pray«r. At the base* of the most i active, temples have been built. Higher up are Shinto gateways. Mr. Mitford I conckKres his description of .what he saw i with words that take a new and pro.pbetie force at tbe hour of the present i catastrophe: "The consciousness of ! buman littleness came home to us. and theJPsahnist« pregnant qneTy: ' What is ■man that Thou art mindful of him ?"