Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-02
The New Volcano.

News of q remarkable volcanic out.
burst in the Arctic regions has recently
been received in San Francisco. In @
letter from Mrs. Frederick Smith, to
her father, DR., J. FL. Hatch, OF San
Francisco, dated October 16, the writ
er says that on that day most unusual
sight was witnessed in the heavens to
the north of OunalasKa, ami that soon
afterwards the sky grew very dark. a
dense black cloud covering the whole
horizon and hanging so low as to permit
a close inspection of its composition,
though this could not be made out at
that time. This cloud and its general
color and outline were so unlike any
thing the writer had ever seen before
as to defy comparison. Tie light OF
the sun was completely excluded from
that section. many ascribing this to .
total eclipse, and others, seeing the
cloud and experiencing a peculiar and
very unusual heat In the atmosphere,
thought the world was approaching its
end. MIR. Applegate. of the signal
station, predicted heavy gale on the
appearance of this phenomenal cloud;
but it was not until it broke, which
occurred half an hour afterwards, that
its real nature was discovered. On col
lapsing, the entire mass fell to the
earth. enveloping everything 70 the
depth of four or five inches in a sheet
of dull, grey ashes. Its volcanic origin
was soon apparent; but there being no
active volcano on the island, and the
only mountain of any great extent,
Mokashin, o, 474 feet in height, being
close at hand, and showing no disturb
snce, the eruption was thought to have
taken place on the island of Bogoslov
GODS land), thirty miles northwest
from Ounalaska. Reports had been
brought In from time to time during the
summer by natives of the doings of tie
"angry mountain" of Bogoslov, a-d TO
this volcano the cloud OF ashes seems to
have been attributable.
In the San francisco Chronicle Of
November Is, in addition to the facts
above recited, Is the following inter-
view with Captain Hogue, of the steam
er Dora, which brought the letter of
Mrs. Smith from Ounalaska. Captain
Hogue said. in reply to an inquiry, that
he mad been at Bogoslov twice during
the past season, and added:
"'When l say that was at Bogoslov
you must not take 1t for granted land
ed there
els 1t not a habitable island?' we
asked.
At certain seasons, perhaps, but
at the time L saw 1t there was nothing
visible there but mass of flame and
smoke, with pieces OF red hot rock issu-
ing from the great cone in the centre Of
the mass and great quantities of lava
running down to the sea-
"'How near did You approach
| "I stood off about a mile and a half,
not daring to venture nearer. 1t was
the grandest scene lever Witnessed, and
l have been pretty nearly everywhere.
How long did the eruption last?
"I can't exactly say as to that, as /
found thu cone in disturbed condition,
and left it next day, still III state Of
eruption. : have learned that il nad
been throwing out lava for several
weeks, and that it had still continued
to do SO up to the date OF my depart
ure from Ounalasks. But what was
most remarkable and singular was a
new feature which was then visible on
the scene. A new island had sprung
up not far distant from Bogoslov since
my previous voyage to that spot AT
first could not believe my senses, anu
thought had made Q miscalculation IN
taking my surroundings, but there it
was, d new island, with q cone-shaped
peak in the centre, 500 to 500 feet hi gh'
and lying only a short distance from
where We stood, that portion o; its IT.
regular outline nearest to Bogesloy be-
ing but few miles away from the old
island.
"'What would you consider fair
estimats of its area?'
| "'Well, its irregular proportions
would hardly admit of ANYTHING but a
rough guess. should think 1t about
three-fourths of mile III length and
about the same in width
"'In what latitude and longitude was
it?'
"'Well, will tell you about that, ,
said the Captain. You see, / made
calculations, but not knowing what
might have happened there since, L
wouldn't like to publish them, as they
might mislesd other navigators.'
| ".D-d you meet any other sailors
who bad seen the land recently thro wn
up?
"'Captain Anderson of the Matthew
Turner said that he had also observed
1t, replied the captain. His observa-
ton was made about the same time,
1 IN,t tha feia Of
and smoke, and not yet in compact
state. He said that he had sailed over
the same spot now occupied by the
island two or three times buring the
previous season.
"'What do the natives have to say IL
regard to the pheaomenong
"'Their information cannot generally
be depended upon, and their knowledge
of time-days, weeks, and months es-
pecjally-seems TO be sadly deficient.
They say, though, that the eruptlons
began about halt a year ago and have
continued intermittentiy. This state
ment has been partly borne out by re-
ports of white men, but all Is generally
vague and unsatisfactory. One thing
il certain, new island has been ior med,
and nayigators sailing those seas cannot
be too particular about the manner in
which they approach Bogoslov.'
The Captain went on to say that
the island OF Bogoslov had been unn-
habIted by natives and was barren of
vegetation, the capture oil sea- lions be-
ing the only industry engaged in, and
that wholly by natives. A remarkable
assertion was made in repaid to the sea-
lions. Many Of them were repor ted as
having been killed by the volcanic
erupuons, and the sea was said to be
swarming with these animals, The
greater portion OF those still alive were
hairless, the heat to which they had
been subjected having removed their
outer fur, rendering those caught in
this vicinity of no value to the hunter.
"Some of the ashes which fell at
Ounalaska were examined by the re-
lorter. They were peculiar in their
lightness and cottony appearance, and
fha ST ,famant nf ihair having haen