54 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



off this cape for a considerable distance in a north-easterly- 

 direction. 



The north-eastern portion of Kunashir is laid down on the 

 Admiralty charts 5 or 6 miles too far south. 



The chief feature of this island is its noble mountain, called on 

 charts St, Anthony's Peak, but known to the Japanese as Cha-cha- 

 nobori. This magnificent volcano is 7400 feet high, and is the 

 second highest mountain in the Kurils, Alaid Peak only exceeding 

 it in elevation. In form it is a truncated cone, with a second peak 

 rising out of the crater of the lower one. 



The outer crater of Cha-cha-nobori is said by the natives to be 

 filled with water, thus rendering the inner cone inaccessible. 

 That a considerable quantity of water from rain and melted snow 

 gets into the crater is certain, but that it remains there I very 

 much doubt, as the area from which the water can drain into it is 

 not large, and evaporation and the percolating of the water througli 

 the earth would soon cause it to disappear. A rugged ridge of 

 mountains to the north-west of Cha-cha-nobori extends out to 

 Cape Kewausi, the north extreme of the island. Besides the 

 mountains on the northern part of Kunashir, there are two other 

 conspicuous masses, the second being near the middle of the island. 

 The highest peak of this group is called Rouse-nobori, and is 3020 

 feet above sea-level. In the ruined crater of this there are hot- 

 springs, fumeroles, and the deposit of sulphur already mentioned. 

 The third mountain is at the south-west end, and is only 1611 feet 

 high. 



Between these three groups of mountains the land is com- 

 paratively low, with small hills and peaks, valleys and swamps, 

 which are covered with vegetation. 



Kunashir is fairly well timbered, firs predominating. The 

 lower lands are covered with forests and grasses, the sasa or 

 bamboo grass being very thick. The valleys are generally grass}^ 

 and swampy ; the spurs of the hills covered with groves of timber 

 and isolated trees. The general aspect of the surface of the island 

 is similar to the smaller one of Shikotan, lying 30 miles to the 

 eastward. The coarse, rank vegetation, such as prevails on ''some 

 of the islands further north, is of limited extent. 



Bears, wolves, foxes, land-otters, martens, and squirrels are 

 found on the island. The sea-otter is found about the reefs and 



