The San Francisco call., 1897-10-05
ALASKAN VOLCANO
SEEN IN ERUPTION
Seen by the North Fork Expedi-
tion While Waiting for the
Mare Island,

ST. MICHAEL, ALASKA, Sept. 15-The
expedition which sailed hIther on the
North Fork is now camped here awaiting
the departure of the little steamer Mare
Island up the Yukon. This Is not an in
viting place of residence. The only trees
or shrubs seem TO be growing on the roofs
of houses. Al the lower end of the viii
lage are camped the 200 passengers of the
Hum boIdt, and the port has never known
such a degree of life and activity.
Few Incidents worthy of mention oc-
CURED on our voyage. One sail only was
seen on the entire trip-a bark, proba bl y
bound for San Francisco, was sighted on
August 80, about ten miles to the east of
our course. Occasionally whale was seen
at a distance, but practically we had the
ocean to ourselves. About A. M. on Sep
tember 4 the first land was sighted.
Everyb body was soon on deck. From the
chart We learned that it was Shishaldin
volcano. 5000 feet high, located on the
eastern end of Oonimak Island.
As We gradually drew nearer the island
Que mountain peak after smother arose 10
view and grew TO grand towering proper
tions as we approached TO within fifteen
or twenty miles OF the shore. The day
voyage, not breath of wind, and the sea
like a mill pond. The atmosphere was
beautifully clear, nothing to obscure or
limit the vision. Soon after sighting
ShishaIdin. Mount Pogrumnoi, at the
west end of the island, came in view.
The mountains were lovely, covered by
snow. except in places where their sides
seemed too abrupt for it to find lodging
place. A school of whales furnished
amusement for such of the passengers as
had ammunition to shoot at them, and at
times the whole surface of the water as
far as the eye could reach seemed alive
with waterfowl.
In the afternoon we observed heavy
volume Of smoke issuing from the crater
of Shishaldin volcano, and as darkness
descended We were thrilled by the sublime
picture OF volcanic fire belching forth into
tie night. The eruptions occurred at quite
regular intervals of from two 10 five min
utes. The second engineer of the North
Fork stated that he had made fourteen
previous trips through Oonimak Pass, and
tnat this was the first time he had seen
this volcano in action.
AS a magnificent sunset had preceded
our display of fireworks, we felt that we
had been to some extent compensated for
at least a portion of the discomforts en-
dured on the journey. The remainder of
the trip was dreary monotone and we
were reioiced to De again on terra firma, I"
even in so bleak place as this.
No information approaching accuracy
can be secured here regarding the amount
OF money brought down by the latest
steamers from the Klondike, but from the
most authentic sources we gather that it
may be safely placed at couple of mill
ions. Equally unsatisfactory are all at
tempts to learn about the probabilities of
getting to Dawson this winter. A Oatho-
lie priest l met on the island yesterday
said that he had been in Alaska eleven
years and gave it as his opinion that
unless the present season should be like
the exceptional one of last year no
boat leaving here after this time could
hope TO get even hall way up. Last year
snow fell very early and ice formed in The
river, but the weather afterward turned
warm the ice broke up and the river re-
niained navigable till the last OF October
The likelihood of being frozen up this
side of their destination has impelled
some of the goldseekers belonging to
other expeditions TO turn back.
The latest reports brought down by the
steamer c. II. Hamilton, commanded by
Captain Hill, which arrived yesterday, is
that rich strikes have been made at Mi
nook Creek. about 1000 miles up the
Yukon. 1t is also claimed (but we are
not able to verify the rumors1 that Daw-
son is almost without food and that peo-
pie are speeding down the river to Circle
City and Minook to escape threatened
famine. All this, however, is predicated
on the assum mptiou that several thou
sand people have got into Dawson by
way of the Chilcoot and White passes, as
it'll known that there has been plenty