194 
Prof. Milne — Visit to an active Volcano. 
is about fifteen metres or more in depth, and is surrounded by 
apparently alraost perpendicular clifts of stratified tracbytic and 
brecciated rocks. It is in fact the crater of an old volcano, and is 
stated by the people of the island to have been first occupied by the 
sea about 100 years ago. About two weeks previous to this time I 
liad been travelling round the province of Idzu, which is the nearest 
mainland to this island. "Whilst there, I and my companion made 
several unsuccessful attempts to cross the ten or fourteen miles of 
water which separated us from this then inactive volcano. Japanese 
boatmen and junk-owners, however, thinking the weatlier too un- 
certain, we had to content ourselves with remaining on the mainland, 
and sketching the island from a distance. Both it and its Southern 
neighbours showed many peaks, which, from their similarity to those 
in Japan, might be considered without much risk of error as being 
of volcanic origin. One thing which then particularly struck us was 
their harren appearance. In this I now found that we had been 
considerably mistaken, and that, at least at Oshima, there was a 
considerable amount of Vegetation. All the sides of the harbour in 
which we lay were thickly coverea with underwood and small trees, 
whilst in many places near the shore, some fair-sized pines rose to a 
considerable height. 
Excepting birds, the Fauna of the island is represented by rats, 
mice, weasels, and snakes. At oue time there was a large wild 
animal like a goat, but this has been exterminated by the Japanese 
natives. Foxes, and many other animals, which are so abundant on 
the mainland, do not exist. Frogs are also conspicuous by their 
absence, but this is probably owing to there being a scarcity of 
water on the island. In whatever way, however, this island may 
have been colonized since the time of its formation, both the Fauna 
and Flora are sufficiently large to guarantee the assumption that it 
is of a considerable age, which, as I have before stated, is probably 
that of the volcanic cones which so thickly cover the mainland. 
From the people on shore we learnt that the eruption had com- 
menced on the 4th of the month, and therefore it had been sixteen 
days in action. The only notice that they had of its outburst was a 
loud explosion, which was described as having produced a slight 
Vibration. This appears to have been all that was feit of the nature 
of an earthquake, and so far as the inhabitants of the island were 
concerned, all was going on quietly. They told us that cinders 
were being throvvn out of the crater, and that seven years previously, 
as I have before stated, there had been a similar eruption, which, 
however, only lasted two days. Twenty years before that they 
said it was always in eruption. Information, however, was difficult 
to obtain, and uncertain in its character. None of the inhabitants, 
although not more tlian four miles distant, had visited the crater, 
and, as we shortly afterwards found out, did not appear even to 
know the way to it. 
Securing the assistance of six men, we set out by a zigzag road 
towards the top of the old crater, in which the village is situated and 
wkere our vessel was lying at anclior. The sides of this crater had, 
