MOUNT FUSI. 
27 
At daybreak on the 29th we were opposite a 
group of islands situated not very far from the 
entrance to the Bay of Yedo. One of them — 
Yries’s Island — rises to the height of 2530 feet 
above the sea, and has an active volcano on its 
summit. The smoke, which continuously rises 
from this mountain, forms an excellent landmark 
for mariners approaching this part of the coast. 
As we sailed past we observed that on the sides of 
the mountain, and particularly down near the 
shore, there were numerous villages and small 
towns. There were apparently some fertile valleys 
and hill-sides at a low elevation, but near the 
summit all appeared barren, while huge Volumes 
of smoke were seen following each other at short 
intervals. 
On our left, on that same morning, was spread 
out to our admiring gaze the fair land of Nipon ; 
and very beautiful it was to look upon. The land 
was hilly and mountainous as in China ; but there 
appeared, some fifty or sixty miles inland, Mount 
Fusi, or Fusi-yama, the “ Matchless,” or Holy 
Mountain of the Japanese. Its northern slopes 
were covered with snow, but on its southern sides 
green streaks of verdure were visible. This moun- 
tain is the highest in Japan. It was formerly 
supposed to be only 10,000 or 12,000 feet above 
the level of the sea, but later observations made 
by Mr. Alcock’s party in 1860 give it a height of 
14,177 feet. 
In the evening we passed Cape Sagami at the 
