seven　miles　the　next　morning　took　me　to　Tomakomai；　where　I　rejoined
  my　kuruma；　and　after　a　long　delay；　three　trotting　Ainos　took　me　to
  Shiraoi；　where　the　〃clear　shining　after　rain；〃　and　the　mountains
  against　a　lemon…coloured　sky；　were　extremely　beautiful；　but　the
  Pacific　was　as　unrestful　as　a　guilty　thing；　and　its　crash　and
  clamour　and　the　severe　cold　fatigued　me　so　much　that　I　did　not
  pursue　my　journey　the　next　day；　and　had　the　pleasure　of　a　flying
  visit　from　Mr。　Von　Siebold　and　Count　Diesbach；　who　bestowed　a
  chicken　upon　me。
  I　like　Shiraoi　very　much；　and　if　I　were　stronger　would　certainly
  make　it　a　basis　for　exploring　a　part　of　the　interior；　in　which
  there　is　much　to　reward　the　explorer。　　Obviously　the　changes　in
  this　part　of　Yezo　have　been　comparatively　recent；　and　the　energy　of
  the　force　which　has　produced　them　is　not　yet　extinct。　　The　land　has
  gained　from　the　sea　along　the　whole　of　this　part　of　the　coast　to
  the　extent　of　two　or　three　miles；　the　old　beach　with　its　bays　and
  headlands　being　a　marked　feature　of　the　landscape。　　This　new
  formation　appears　to　be　a　vast　bed　of　pumice；　covered　by　a　thin
  layer　of　vegetable　mould；　which　cannot　be　more　than　fifty　years
  old。　　This　pumice　fell　during　the　eruption　of　the　volcano　of
  Tarumai；　which　is　very　near　Shiraoi；　and　is　also　brought　down　in
  large　quantities　from　the　interior　hills　and　valleys　by　the
  numerous　rivers；　besides　being　washed　up　by　the　sea。　　At　the　last
  eruption　pumice　fell　over　this　region　of　Yezo　to　a　medium　depth　of
  3　feet　6　inches。　　In　nearly　all　the　rivers　good　sections　of　the
  formation　may　be　seen　in　their　deeply…cleft　banks；　broad；　light…
  coloured　bands　of　pumice；　with　a　few　inches　of　rich；　black；
  vegetable　soil　above；　and　several　feet　of　black　sea…sand　below。
  During　a　freshet　which　occurred　the　first　night　I　was　at　Shiraoi；　a
  single　stream　covered　a　piece　of　land　with　pumice　to　the　depth　of
  nine　inches；　being　the　wash　from　the　hills　of　the　interior；　in　a
  course　of　less　than　fifteen　miles。
  Looking　inland；　the　volcano　of　Tarumai；　with　a　bare　grey　top　and　a
  blasted　forest　on　its　sides；　occupies　the　right　of　the　picture。　　To
  the　left　and　inland　are　mountains　within　mountains；　tumbled
  together　in　most　picturesque　confusion；　densely　covered　with　forest
  and　cleft　by　magnificent　ravines；　here　and　there　opening　out　into
  narrow　valleys。　　The　whole　of　the　interior　is　jungle　penetrable　for
  a　few　miles　by　shallow　and　rapid　rivers；　and　by　nearly　smothered
  trails　made　by　the　Ainos　in　search　of　game。　　The　general　lie　of　the
  country　made　me　very　anxious　to　find　out　whether　a　much…broken
  ridge　lying　among　the　mountains　is　or　is　not　a　series　of　tufa　cones
  of　ancient　date；　and；　applying　for　a　good　horse　and　Aino　guide　on
  horseback；　I　left　Ito　to　amuse　himself；　and　spent　much　of　a　most
  splendid　day　in　investigations　and　in　attempting　to　get　round　the
  back　of　the　volcano　and　up　its　inland　side。　　There　is　a　great　deal
  to　see　and　learn　there。　　Oh　that　I　had　strength！　　After　hours　of
  most　tedious　and　exhausting　work　I　reached　a　point　where　there　were
  several　great　fissures　emitting　smoke　and　steam；　with　occasional
  subterranean　detonations。　　These　were　on　the　side　of　a　small；　flank
  crack　which　was　smoking　heavily。　　There　was　light　pumice
  everywhere；　but　nothing　like　recent　lava　or　scoriae。　　One　fissure
  was　completely　lined　with　exquisite；　acicular　crystals　of　sulphur；
  which　perished　with　a　touch。　　Lower　down　there　were　two　hot　springs
  with　a　deposit　of　sulphur　round　their　margins；　and　bubbles　of　gas；
  which；　from　its　strong；　garlicky　smell；　I　suppose　to　be
  sulphuretted　hydrogen。　　Farther　progress　in　that　direction　was
  impossible　without　a　force　of　pioneers。　　I　put　my　arm　down　several
  deep　crevices　which　were　at　an　altitude　of　only　about　500　feet；　and
  had　to　withdraw　it　at　once；　owing　to　the　great　heat；　in　which　some
  beautiful　specimens　of　tropical　ferns　were　growing。　　At　the　same
  height　I　came　to　a　hot　springhot　enough　to　burst　one　of　my
  thermometers；　which　was　graduated　above　the　boiling　point　of
  Fahrenheit；　and　tying　up　an　egg　in　a　pocket…handkerchief　and
  holding　it　by　a　stick　in　the　water；　it　was　hard　boiled　in　8。5
  minutes。　　The　water　evaporated　without　leaving　a　trace　of　deposit
  on　the　handkerchief；　and　there　was　no　crust　round　its　margin。　　It
  boiled　and　bubbled　with　great　force。
  Three　hours　more　of　exhausting　toil；　which　almost　knocked　up　the
  horses；　brought　us　to　the　apparent　ridge；　and　I　was　delighted　to
  find　that　it　consisted　of　a　lateral　range　of　tufa　cones；　which　I
  estimate　as　being　from　200　to　350；　or　even　400　feet　high。　　They　are
  densely　covered　with　trees　of　considerable　age；　and　a　rich　deposit
  of　mould；　but　their　conical　form　is　still　admirably　defined。　　An
  hour　of　very　severe　work；　and　energetic　use　of　the　knife　on　the
  part　of　the　Aino；　took　me　to　the　top　of　one　of　these　through　a　mass
  of　entangled　and　gigantic　vegetation；　and　I　was　amply　repaid　by
  finding　a　deep；　well…defined　crateriform　cavity　of　great　depth；
  with　its　sides　richly　clothed　with　vegetation；　closely　resembling
  some　of　the　old　cones　in　the　island　of　Kauai。　　This　cone　is
  partially　girdled　by　a　stream；　which　in　one　place　has　cut　through　a
  bank　of　both　red　and　black　volcanic　ash。　　All　the　usual　phenomena
  of　volcanic　regions　are　probably　to　be　met　with　north　of　Shiraoi；
  and　I　hope　they　will　at　some　future　time　be　made　the　object　of
  careful　investigation。
  In　spite　of　the　desperate　and　almost　overwhelming　fatigue；　I　have
  enjoyed　few　things　more　than　that　〃exploring　expedition。〃　　If　the
  Japanese　have　no　one　to　talk　to　they　croon　hideous　discords　to
  themselves；　and　it　was　a　relief　to　leave　Ito　behind　and　get　away
  with　an　Aino；　who　was　at　once　silent；　trustworthy；　and　faithful。
  Two　bright　rivers　bubbling　over　beds　of　red　pebbles　run　down　to
  Shiraoi　out　of　the　back　country；　and　my　directions；　which　were
  translated　to　the　Aino；　were　to　follow　up　one　of　these　and　go　into
  the　mountains　in　the　direction　of　one　I　pointed　out　till　I　said
  〃Shiraoi。〃　　It　was　one　of　those　exquisite　mornings　which　are　seen
  sometimes　in　the　Scotch　Highlands　before　rain；　with　intense
  clearness　and　visibility；　a　blue　atmosphere；　a　cloudless　sky；　blue
  summits；　heavy　dew；　and　glorious　sunshine；　and　under　these
  circumstances　scenery　beautiful　in　itself　became　entrancing。
  The　trailers　are　so　formidable　that　we　had　to　stoop　over　our
  horses'　necks　at　all　times；　and　with　pushing　back　branches　and
  guarding　my　face　from　slaps　and　scratches；　my　thick　dogskin　gloves
  were　literally　frayed　off；　and　some　of　the　skin　of　my　hands　and
  face　in　addition；　so　that　I　returned　with　both　bleeding　and
  swelled。　　It　was　on　the　return　ride；　fortunately；　that　in　stooping
  to　escape　one　great　liana　the　loop　of　another　grazed　my　nose；　and；
  being　unable　to　check　my　unbroken　horse　instantaneously；　the　loop
  caught　me　by　the　throat；　nearly　strangled　me；　and　in　less　time　than
  it　takes　to　tell　it　I　was　drawn　over　the　back　of　the　saddle；　and
  found　myself　lying　on　the　ground；　jammed　between　a　tree　and　the
  hind　leg　of　the　horse；　which　was　quietly　feeding。　　The　Aino；　whose
  face　was　very　badly　scratched；　missing　me；　came　back；　said　never　a
  word；　helped　me　up；　brought　me　some　water　in　a　leaf；　brought　my
  hat；　and　we　rode　on　again。　　I　was　little　the　worse　for　the　fall；
  but　on　borrowing　a　looking…glass　I　see　not　only　scratches　and
  abrasions　all　over　my　face；　but　a　livid　mark　round　my　throat　as　if
  I　had　been　hung！　　The　Aino　left　portions　of　his　bushy　locks　on　many
  of　the　branches。　　You　would　have　been　amused　to　see　me　in　this
  forest；　preceded　by　this　hairy　and　formidable…looking　savage；　who
  was　dressed　in　a　coat　of　skins　with　the　fur　outside；　seated　on　the
  top　of　a　pack…saddle　covered　with　a　deer　hide；　and　with　his　hairy
  legs　crossed　over　the　horse's　necka　fashion　in　which　the　Ainos
  ride　any　horses　over　any　ground　with　the　utmost　serenity。
  It　was　a　wonderful　region　for　beauty。　　I　have　not　seen　so　beautiful
  a　view　in　Japan　as　from　the　river…bed　from　which　I　had　the　first
  near　view　of　the　grand　assemblage　of　tufa　cones；　covered　with　an
  ancient　vegetation；　backed　by　high　mountains　of　volcanic　origin；　on
  whose　ragged　crests　the　red　ash　was　blazing　vermilion　against　the
  blue　sky；　with　a　foreground　of　bright　waters　flashing　through　a
  primeval　forest。　　The　banks　of　these　streams　were　deeply　excavated
  by　the　heavy　rains；　and　sometimes　we　had　to　jump　three　and　even
  four　feet　out　of　the　forest　into　the　river；　and　as　much　up　again；
  fording　the　Shiraoi　river　only　more　than　twenty　times；　and　often
  making　a　pathway　of　its　treacherous　bed　and　rushing　waters；　because
  the　forest　was　impassable　from　the　great　size　of　the　prostrate
  trees。　　The　horses　look　at　these　jumps；　hold　back；　try　to　turn；　and
  then；　making　up　their　minds；　suddenly　plunge　down　or　up。　　When　the
  last　vestige　of　a　trail　disappeared；　I　signed　to　the　Aino　to　go　on；
  and　our　subsequent　〃exploration〃　was　all　done　at　the　rate　of　about
  a　mile　an　hour。　　On　the　openings　the　grass　grows　stiff　and　strong
  to　the　height　of　eight　feet；　with　its　soft　reddish　plumes　waving　in
  the　breeze。　　The　Aino　first　forced　his　horse　through　it；　but　of
  course　it　closed　again；　so　that　constantly　when　he　was　close　in
  front　I　was　only　awar