Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-03
AN ALASKAN WONDER.
Eruption of a Volcano That Was
Long Considered Extinct.
A REEF THAT NEVER WAS FOUND.
The Captain of Schooner Discovers the
Revival of the Fires
SOME VERY ADVENTUROUS EXPLORERS

Just north of Unimak Island, one of the
Aleutian chain and situated about 40 miles
from land, there lies in Bering Sea small
isolated islet which has been during the last
five or six years an object of great interest
10 the scientific world and one of awe to the
casual navigator OF these remote waters, says
a writer in the San Francisco Chronide The
name of this little island has been known to
gecgraphers for upward of 100 years as Bog
aslcf, which translated from the Russian
signifies Gods word. When the gallant
Russian Commander Bering first visited the
sea which afterward bore mis- name he de-
scribed the island as being an isolated fiery
mountain belching forth volumes of smoke
and fame. and he was careful to give it a
wide berth
Later voyages commented in various
ways upon the volcano. some authorities
going so far as to state that the sea for
miles around was heated by the subter-
ranean fires and that the ebullition of
stones and lava had been so great as to
cause extensive reefs 90 be formed, thereby
making navigation in the vicinity exceed
inglv DANGEROUS Even at this day there
are charts of the locality which show a
reef extending from the southern side of
Boeaslof toward Cmuak island, distance
OF five or six miles
Apparently Extinct 40 Years Ax,.
Now. in the course of time the smoke and
fires of Bogaslof gradually decreased in
volume until some 20 years ago they ceased
to be noticed. and the volcano became moth
ing more terrifying than huge gravish
cluster of rugged rocks, which rose to q
height of some $50 fee. above the sea, ard,
beyond h2ing a danger TO navigation to be
avoided in thick or toggy weather, it was of
II" more interest than hundreds of other
islands in this region, which by their forma-
lion show a similar origin.
With the cession of Alaska to the United
States by Russia and the establishment of a
number of trading stations at various points
along the Aleutian archipelago, the island
occupying such a conspicuous place right in
the track Of vessels plying between the diff
ierent stations once more became an object
of interest to the fresh lot of navigators who
came in with the new order of things. Not
satisfied at distan: view, some OF these
bold mariners sailed up within hailing dis
tance of tine old terror of the seas. and one
master of schooner skepticai of the exist
ence Of the reef as charted bv the Russians,
finding himself one day hard pressed by
u
chance TO make port very much quicker by
shaping a course between the volcano and
Umuak Island, resolutely sailed through
the passage directly over the supposed reef;
nnr could he get bottom anywhere al
Trough he diligently sought for it with a
4n-fathom line The fact is there was no
reef, and the captain had made discovery.
Exploration of the Island.
The report of this feat was soon noised
abroad, and soon several adventurous spirits
had landed on the island and thoroughly
explored il. Quantities of sea lions were
io'.nd breeding ir a sand and gravel pit
which projecte from the south face of the
yolcano, and the crevices ir the rocky cliff
fanking the crater were filled with myriads
of sea birds which had chosen this lonely
spot to rear their young.
In the course of time the natives of the
adjacent islands formed parties and made
periodical hunting trips to Bogsslof for the
double purpose of procuring the skins of
the sea lion for covering their bidarrahs, or
large boats, and for bringing back boat
Loads OF eggs, some of which it must be con-
fessed were nearer maturity than would
suit our civilized tastes. This state of af-
fairs continued until some time in the sum
mer or autumn of 1882, when the native
hunters reported having seen smoke issuing
from the volcano, and with characteristic
pradence at once and unanimously agreed
TO fo-ego the pleasure and profit of their
annual visit TO the island.
La September, 1883, Captain Anderson,
at that time master of the schooner Matthew
Turner, was bound from Oonalaska to some
trading pest in one of the islands TO the
westward, and his route took him close to
Bogaslof. When yet some 20 or 30 miles
from the island he was astonished to see
vast clouds of smoke pouring upward and
from the sea in the vicinity of the old vol
cano, and, fortunately, being a man of un-
usual courage as well as being of an inquir-
ing mind, he steered course which brought
his vessel directly toward the island. In
short while he was close enough o see that
instead of the smoke issuing from the old
volcano q new mountain had arisen from the
sea about a half mile north of the old forma-
tion, and was connected with it by a narrow
beach or isthmus. The new volcano was
pouring forth dense clouds of smoke,
and at intervals the sky was darkened bv a
shower of fine volcanic dust and ashes. Sui
phurous flames leaped out of huge crevices
in the fianks of the crater, and the sea for
couple Of miles was discoiored by the erup-
tion.
The Ancient Fires Burst Forth
After remaining in the vicinity long
enough to make these notes Captain An
derson bore away. and in due season re-
turned to Oonalaska, where the existence of
the new volcano was reported. Early in
the spring Of the year following the writer,
accompanied by DR.. II. w. Yemans, was
landed on the island from the United States
steamer Corwin, Captain NJ. A. Healy,
commanding, Tor the purpose of obtaining
as much information as possible in regard to
what was at the time probably the youngest
volcano in existence. The vessel steamed
carefully around the island, sounding at
frequent intervals, and gradually drew
nearer and nearer, until within less than
half mile from the shore she came to
anchor in Is fathoms of water. The new
formation was in an active state of erup-
tion, hut after carefully observing it from a
safe distance and seeing nothing more dan
gerous than steam and sulphurous flames
issuing from numberless vents in the sides
OF the crater, boat was lowered and a
party made up for a closer inspection OF the |
island and new volcano.
Fortunately for our purpose, the day was
fine and the sen sc smooth that we landed |
without difficulty at point on the narrow,
beach, about midway between |
the old and new formations. The beach was |
found to consist of a mixture of sand and |
small oolitic stones and was readily /
seen to be OF much greater age than the new |
formation, and was evidently, previous to |
the recent eruption, partially submerged |
spit. jutting out from the northeast face of !
Old Bogaslof. An isolated pinnace of rock |
81 feet high probably formed the termina- |
ton of this split and had been elevated |
some Is or 20 feet by the recent upheaval. |
The fact was shown by the position of water |
marks, barnacles, etc, on the side of the |
rock.
Difficulties of the Ascent.