THE ERUPTION OF BAXDAÏ-SAX. 



97 



ninth century. The districts known as Tsukinowa and Sarnshina, 

 consisting of 40 villages, are said to have been submerged on that 

 occasion. 



The name Bandai-san is usually given to a group of peaks, con- 

 sisting of Obandai. Kobandai (lately destroyed), Kushiga-mine, and 

 Akahani-yama, surrounding an elevated plain called Kumano-taira. 

 (PL XV). This group, standing on the northern side of Lake Ina- 

 washiro, forms a very conspicuous object in the landscape, and dis- 

 plays the characteristic outlines of a volcanic mountain. When seen 

 from the southwest side, from the town of Wakamatsu, it appears 

 as a single pointed peak. It has sometimes been called the "Fuji 

 of Aizu," from its resemblance to the well known Fuji-yama. 

 Obandai, or Great Bandai, is the most prominent of the peaks, its 

 summit being 1840 m. above the sea-level. It presents a highly 

 rugged and precipitous escarp toward the Numano-taira, exposing 

 volcanic strata which are the results of accumulations of augite-an- 

 desitic lava and scoriae during its period of activity. Viewed at a 

 distance from the east, Obandai has a highly characteristic appearance, 

 descending by a very steep slope toward the central plain and by a 

 gentle one in the opposite direction. Kobandai, or Little Bandai, 

 was less known, on account of its being situated far away from the 

 inhabited portions of the Aizu Plateau, and being also partly screened 

 by its more prominent sister peak. From the latter fact it appeared 

 to be lower than Obandai, and was therefore so regarded; and hence 

 its name. But careful examination lia. shown that they were pro- 

 bably of almost identical height, as will appear farther on. 



It is probable that the plain Numano-taira is the remains of 

 the original crater — Atrio — and that the several peaks above men- 

 tioned are [«arts of the Somma-wall which encircled it. But gradual 

 denudation during long periods of quiescence, together with occa- 



