THE ERUPTION OF BANDAI-SAX. 105 



about 10 o'clock in the morning of this date the flow of the spring 

 beo-an to diminish. But the fact that the amount of discharge is 

 smaller in tine weather and larger in cloudy days is well-known 

 anion a- bathers, so that we gave no heed to it. The morning of the 

 15th, which was the fatal day, dawned with a bright and pleasant 

 sky, and the flow of the spring was as usual. At about 8 o'clock, 

 however, there was a fierce convulsion of the ground, and we all 

 rushed out of the house. In about 10 minutes (seconds?), while we 

 were fearfully wondering what was the matter, a terrible explosion 

 suddenly burst out from the slope of Kobandai, about one did * 

 above a place at which steam has been issuing from time unknown. 

 This was followed by a dense mass of black smoke, which ascended 

 into the air and immediately covered the sky. At this time, showers 

 of large and small stones were falling all about us. To these horrors 

 were added thundering sounds, and the tearing of mountains and 

 forests presented a most unearthly sight, which I shall never forget 

 while I live. We fled in all directions, but before we had gone many 

 metres we were all thrown prostrate on the ground. It was pitchy 

 dark; the earth was still heaving beneath us; our mouths, noses, eyes 

 and ears were all stuffed with mud and ashes. We could neither cry 

 out nor move. I hardly knew whether I was dead or in a dream. 

 Presently a stone fell on my hand, and I knew I was wounded. Ima- 

 gining, however, that death was at hand, I prayed to Buddha. Later, 

 I received wounds on my loin, right foot, and back. After the lapse of 

 an hour the stones ceased to rain and the atmosphere had cleared 

 from darkness to a light like moonlight. Thinking this a fine op- 

 portunity to escape, I got up and cried, 'Friends, follow me ! '; but 

 nobody was there. When I had descended about two did, there 

 was a second, and after another did, a third explosion. In these sand 



* One ehö is nearly equal to 109 metres. 



