THE ERUPTION OF BAXDAI-SAX. 



113 



sucji (Cryptomeria japonica), presented a very curious appearance, the 



leaves, branches, &e, being 

 clothed with a thick, pasty 

 and highly tenacious de- 

 posit" resulting from a mix- 

 ture of dust with conden- 

 sing vapour. A bunch of 

 sugi(a), and a branch of Pine 

 (Piims massoniana),(b), thus 

 covered are shown in the 

 annexed illustration. In 

 Shibutani and its neigfh- 

 bourhoud, which experi- 

 enced the full effect of the 

 dust-fall, not a green thing 

 could afterwards be seen. 

 Houses, paths, trees, fields, 

 in fact all visible ob- 

 jects — wore a greyish hue. 

 At Miharu a town 38 kilo- 

 metres (24 miles) east of the 

 volcano, the dust began to 

 fall at about 9 a.m. and 

 lasted till 2 p.m. During 

 this period the sky had a dim and cloudy appearance, as on a misty 

 day. The ashes hardly covered the ground, but all the leaves of trees 

 and vegetables were tinted erey. At the coast a very slight film only 

 was perceivable on the house-roofs and foliage. Damage to plants 

 and crops by the fall of dust extended as far as 10 kilometres from 

 Bandai sa li. 



