THE ERTTPTTOX OF BANDAI-SAX. 103 



about one-half of the inundated area was at length reclaimed. 



During the period Höreid (1751-1783), another convulsion took 

 place in Mount Hanzawa, and created the present lake of that name. 



The last recorded disturbance, although its particulars are not 

 known, is said to have taken place about 80 years ago, when several 

 lakes in Numano-taira were filled up, and great quantities of débris 

 descended by the Biwa-sawa. Traditions and tales relating to this 

 event were cherished with superstitious fear by the peasantry of the 

 region, and listened to with wondering awe by the children, until 

 there fell upon them the yet more terrible catastrophe of last Jul} T , 

 which we now proceed to describe. 



Eruption and Attendant Phenomena. 



On the morning of July 15th, 1888, the weather in the Bandai 

 district was fine, there being scarcely a cloud ; and a gentle breeze 

 was blowing from the W.N.W. Soon after 7 o'clock, curious 

 rumbling noises were heard, which the people thought to be the 

 sound of distant thunder, often heard among the mountain-tops. At 

 about half-past 7, there occurred a tolerably severe earthquake, which 

 lasted more than 20 seconds. This was followed soon after by a most 

 violent shaking of the ground. At 7.45, while the ground was still 

 heaving, the eruption of Kobandai-san took place. A dense column 

 of steam and dust shot into the air, making a tremendous noise. Ex- 

 plosions followed one after another, in all to the number of 15 or 20, 

 the steam on each occasion except the last being described as having 

 attained a height above the peaks about equivalent to that of Obandai 

 as seen from Inawashiro, that is to say, some 1,280 m, or 4,200 feet. 



The last explosion, however, is said to have projected its dis- 

 charge almost horizontally, towards the valley on the north. And, con- 

 sidering the topography of the mountain and the form of the crater, 



