J A P A N. 247 



In many places arc fprings of water mofl intenfcly hot; fome Hot Sprikgs. 

 boil up with luch violence as to fling iipthelargeft ftones which 

 are laid over them ; we are not told to what height. They are 

 faid to be periodical, fo I fufpeil; them to be of the fame nature 

 with the Geyfers of Iceland. Thofe of a gentler heat are ufed as 

 baths for feveral dilbrders. Thofe of the boiling heat were for- 

 merly applied (as 1 fliall have occafion to mention) for the mofl 

 cruel purpofes. 



The empire of Japan confifts of three greater iflands ; the Nipon, 

 largeft, Nipon, which gives name to the whole, is of a curvated 

 form, and approximates at the fouthern end to the fouth-weftern 

 extremity of Korea. Between both are the llreights of Korea, 

 and within is the great gulph of the fame name, bounded on 

 the eaftern fide by the concavity of Nipon. According to 

 M. D'Anvilles fcale, that iiland is above fix hundred miles in 

 length. 



The next ifland is that of Sikokf, or the country o? fotir, be- Sikokf, 

 caufe divided into four provinces. It is irregular in its form, and 

 lodged between two large projections of Nipon ; its length is two 

 hundred miles. 



Between its eaftern end and the weft of the falient part of Awao. 

 Nipon, is a fmaller ifland named Awad. 



The third, or more foutherly ifland, is feparated from the 

 weftern part of Sikoikf hy a narrow ftrait, and is named Saikokf, Saikokfcr 

 or the weftern country, ar.d Kiufiu, or the country of nine, be- Kiusiu, 

 caufe divided into nine provinces. 



Around moft of thefe greater iflands are innumerable fmall 

 ones, inhabited or uninhabited; among them Firando and GeJIma 



are 



