The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-02-07
The Alaska Volcanoes.

1nrOugn the KINDNESS OF the Alaska
Commercial Company, Professor Da-
wilson has received Alaskan informa-
ton of much interest, and has verbally
heard from Captain c. I. Sands full
account of the volcanic activity display
ed in October, near the entrance of
Cook Inlet, in Alaska.
In the Bay of Kamischak lies the Is
land of Chernaboura, seven or eight
miles in diameter, and rising to high
peak near the northeastern part, that
is called Mount Augustin. The north
shores are high, rocky, and bordered
by numerous rocks and hidden dan
gers. The south shore is low. The
peak is distant forty-nine miles nearly
west from the settlement at the south
point of English Harbor.
When the heavy report was heard
vast volumes of smoke were seen roll
ing out of the summit of Mount Angus
tin and moving to the northeast under
the influence of the lower stratum of
wind. Then they had gradually risen.
and were spreading over the visible
heaven and obscuring the sky overhead,
under the influence of higher and
probably northeast current. Fine pu-
mice dust soon began to fall; some of
it very fine, but gritty, and some with
out any grit.
At S:15 q great earthquake wave, es-
timated from twenty-five to thirty feet
in height, came upon the point where
the settlement is carrying away all the
fishing boats and deluging the hous es.
The tide being fortunately low saved the
whole settlement from 6e;ngswept away.
This was followed by two other waves,
fifteen to eighteen feet high, and during
the day several large and irregular
waves came into the harbor These
earthquakes were felt at St. Paul-Kodi-
ah. The pumice ashes fell to the depth
of four or FIVE inches in the vicinity of
English Harbor, and the day became
so dark that lamps had to be lighted.
At night the flames can be seen issuing
from the summit of Mount Augustin,
and during the day vast volumes of
smoke roll from it. Ordinarily it is
covered with snow, but at this time it
is completely bare.
When the schooner nadiak, Captain
Guile, approached the island from En-
glish Harbor on the 10th of November.
it was found that the mountain had
been split in two from summit to water
by q great rupture extending across it
from east to west, and that the north
ern slope OF the mountain had appar-
emily sunk away to the level of the old
cliffs. Smoke was issuing from the
peak a short distance 10 the south of
the great rupture.
But another extraordinary discovery
was made IN seeing new island about
seventy-tive feet elevation and one and
half miles in extent lying in the ten
fathom passage between the island and
the main shore to the west. This pas
sage is six to eight miles wide, and was
sailed through by Vancouver, who de-
scribes the mainland and mountain.
This new islet has therefore arisen dur
ing this cataclysmic action. This new
island lies to the northwest of Cherna-
bcurn, and was distinctly seen as the
vessel lay ten miles to the northeast of
Augustin.
To show the violence of the volcanic
action, two extinct volcanoes on the
peninsula of Alaska, and about west
from the active volcano Illiamna-12,-
600 feet elavation-have burst into ac-
tiyity, and during the day the volumes
of smoke are distictly seen and columns
of flames at night
This season party of seven or eight
Alentes had settled on Chernabourn
island to pursue otter hunting this
Winter. Two of the wives refused to
stay on account of the violent noises in
the mountain, Augustin, and they were
carried to st. Paul, on Kadiah island.
Since the eruption none of this party
has been seen, nor any signs of their
bidarkas, although rescuing. party of
natives had gone along the coast to
learn of their whereabouts. 1t is feared
they are lost.
Vancouver placed Mount Augustin in
latitude SO degrees % minutes, and
Whenkoff places it in 80 degrees "a
minutes and longitude 153 degrees 80
minutes west. .-San Francisco Bulletin.