The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
INTO AN ALASKAN CRATER.
the view FROM NEAR THE SUMMIT
or ST AUGUSTINE


lntO lne peninsula bl western AI0Ska
The entire island consists OF volcano
whose slopes rise. at FIRST gradually. then
more stceply. with constantly in
creasing curve. until thew finally cul.
inmate in n peak more than four thousand feet
above tho sea. The shore OF the island il
nearly circular in form. and about twenty-five
miles in circumference Although Alaska Is
copiously supplied with volcanoes. Of which
not few are In activity. that OF st Augustine
Is perhaps tho most conspicuous in situation
the island. was given by that intrepid naviga-
tor and explorer, Capt .,ook. In May. lIls
IN IN" sTe 3 Of 2 II wni my pTSSge
petition. to visit ST. Augustine Island. and to
ascend the mountain TO It's summit. No record
to this date. and II Is probable that none was
ever made. AZ tho shoals about tho island
SEA otter. Doubtless many parties Of hunters
have landed on the shores; hut they would
slopes Of the mountain.
The first sight had OF the mountain was
n from oeEs RGisgIS ns tn, Tss,eTn promnontory
from, mi. point the steam from the crater
over the top. OF the mountain. Tho peak itself.
appearing from this distance MS Q perfectly
nss Gn.ssSS a op Ths AZ Gh1r
NIGH, "RS Re seen that the snow laY in taSisss
while the black lines between the snow streaks
were ridges of rock dividing the crevasses.
II was not until our steamer had approached
within twenty miles that the cone seemed TO
ose any OF the perfect SUMMARY with which
evident that the sum init was not a SHARP and
even point. ne II had looked from grenter dis.
been cut on near the top. and long ridges. Ike
miniature mountain rnnGeS. might be seen
H In rI Inn ssg + s na, we c ,
one place. but ro-" from several vents dsirib-
uted over the. top OF the peak Many OF these
were hidden from view. but we could see tho
location ot many on the southern slope.
=, r. steamer wa; mo1r"d as near as rrac-
intended the ascent were row"d ashore. Armsd
with mosquito nets. those weapons of defence
Tor. we stepped ashore on the pehhly beach.
rs is the case in other volcanic regions which
have seen. The ilrst thing that attracts atten.
L~inv washed about by tn" waves, They have
color. and float easily about on the water
The stones ot this Kind are much loss nu-
much heavier. aud or various colors Tho
land. for tho distance OF over n mile and 4
hat ~ from the shore. Is OF so gentle
Path toward the summit. which ~ NAV be
imagined. il ot one own choosing. lies over
-" ~"mhro- tinted pei heS, which gradually
Increase to the size ~ houl1-rs ~ The ascent
q made. The prevailing color j. u maroon
brilliant shades, yellow. brick red aud crimson
az vegetation W. found scarcely trace
them * .ccdime a loot and a haIi in height
while melancholy reminiscen"- 81 former
prosperity is Furnished ny tho presence u low
stuntrd tres. row dead and llearhol 10y the
showers ~ ushr- which were poured over the
l-.aui during the last erugtiou. IT," prospect
mails seen war. a lew ~ tho small AMI harry
marmots. which az" found everywhere in
Nn>ka. amt which aIpear 20 hs able ?" suhSi-t
" ~, advanced III" sloIc Of tn. mountain
"'lu" very u'rc"utihe. Ahead ~ MS and 20
ia" '"i. r'Hi6 j." '"cn lonG sM"png rl'g'.
hare ~ SHOW, and which seemed a. max" Town
from the very peak itself There WAS certainty
LITTLE Choir" uG"r' 4 n to rout" over such q uni
'urm -ur'nr" a. the mountain presented. but
III" rlg" seemed a." best pa'h. In our prog.
COUNTRY which hni appeared 80 even WAS In
realty Divers lie by mail guile. ani r'd.",.
str"aks II snow. who's" uppsr ends reached
nearly To- H." summit ~ tn" mountain. ] went
:, g.t a drink 81 water n the ond ~ one ~
thasc snow glaciers. ,urpus o. = that. H. Is usual
with such mass =, an abundant stream NJ water
cam" from beneath Il, / wa. d,sNpro nted.
however There appeared to no - water AZ
al. nor Ind seen any wat"r in crossing tho
rtNnes. n Administrations thr lmw"4o' amount
wore lUr,lsupd. Searching uuie carefully. !
discovered a mall stream coming rom h.nca'h
into III. ground This was hcnaus. the surface
on which ia" NOW lav was :" porous AMI Der
nsahlo that water could not h1 retained on n.
h""IihE to the RI iE~- n mn u a. possible, IA
order 10 avoid walking ou the snow. We ram"
Aitti many OF IN" small -llr-'tutSl-. ar Il.lt-
bubbles. which are ~ very common nnrurt"ur"
uu the slopes ~ most volcanoes. They w"r"
usually N,!"d IN" rir, within ut. nn"-grnin"i
mui ia" ur'ar" Of which Was a. Hat q II II
had been wa'ur. Onr IN'llry alternately over
rhses q, re- ,coI";r%i r'sS; and s,rr,c9eS q
mosquito nets wore no lunEer a Necessity. Lut
black eyc-g.h--"~ wrre great comfort. The
a-'"n, G"c"u," moe an, n9ro dlNiru,t, aud wo
u q yo"an" - on" which constantly increases
Tie sight u the hugo toulI"r- which sur.
rounded US ON ",ery hand wn- impressive IN
the highest degree PiIei in IA" gr"at.s' ron.
halanc"t. a. Il were. upon point, th"y were
uu,t- frightfnl to h"ho.l. and "" walked moro
I n" most iancitul shapes were assumed hy
these "nor,nou- nIanS. - iaEa, ana u ~.
had been fortn"iiy popped hy MONSTER, whose
hprrih forms had been caught and su.iIin"I in
the devastating iisrv torrents.
top Of the louE ridg" toward which "" Ia been
walking that 1t h"chmc nplar"nt that, thsw
the crnt-rk side. Nth astuui ,hmeut W" looked
upon IN" SCENE inside. Gins seven or -lght |
hundred feet IN height were dir"rtlv heneathus
crater. n vast suuw-"pv"rnd Ilain Beyond
r"s" thr Nh GIN. Of ,hG "nposs wall
Tho floor OF the great rent, IN the otherwise !
symmetrical crater merged int" the general
edge Of the crater At the point where the last
CONFUSION Of tho volcano had broken y pa'h |
I
n long fan shaped ridge, or delta. OF rock, sN-
tending down 80 the sea
To the east the walls on both sides rose 20 tho |
highest part Of tho Ri which We Judged 10 hs |
seven hundred feet above w.. In the centre OF |
tn" great theatre formed hY tho rim rose an |
innercouc ur, tower Of lava ~ the sane striking |
r"dd lsh brown color A. that Oh VIII Oh W. stood. |
II was from this inner como that m" grou'cr !
part ~ The stream which W" had observed |
from n distance. cape. In order To get the |
I"si sight IOssbl' AZ this wonderful place, |
! climbed along ia" rim Ol the crater until | |
was some tour huudrri feet higher On nc
count oi tho many side rnvnos which were !
cut into th" rim, Il was not possible to ascend |
to the highest point without making journey /
down ana M again. which would have con-
sum"d several hours, As this was not to be |
thought OF. crrpt cautiously to the edge Of !
! he rim at the pont where was and looked |
into tho crater hclow.
" IL impossible to attempt a dcsrripton
which " II in any sense portray the dgnIty Of !
IA" sccu". \ thousand feet below mo the
floor Of the crater, like the track Of some
gigantic hippolrom". "ucirclnd the has" Of no
inner cone. Tn" whltcneSs Ot the snow which
covered the floor vas ia places broken hr
brilliant yellow COHtings Of sulphur which
surrounded til" vent hO'os Of JetS Oi steam, A
novel sight this. steam issuing from u field Of
snow. From tho preciptous cliffs of the outer
rim rs well n, from the Sides ~ tho grcnt con-
trail tower. fragments Of rock were continually