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.


INTO inc peninsula Ol western Alaska.
The entire island consists OF volcano
whose slopes rise. at first gradually. then
more stcepy with II constantly in
creasing curve. until thew finally Gull
inmate in a 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 IL
copiously supplied with volcanoes. Of which
not few are In activity. that OF 81. Augustine
Is perhaps tho most conspicuous In situation
and arpeqrance. Tho name: npnlying also to
the island. was given by that intrepid naviRa-
tor and nd explorer, C9nt ta H9ok. In Way LIZ
petition. to visit 81. Xnsnstine Island. and TO
ascend the mountain 70 It's summit M record
to this date. and II Is probable that none was
ever made. AZ tho shoals about tho island
SEA otter doubtless many parties 81 hunters
have landed on the shores, hut they would
have M, occasion 70 ascend tho inhospitable
The first sight I had OF the mountain was
from Care p3uglas.. tn. western promontory
81 the yolcano 4. III. day was clear ar Sven even
from. this point the steam from the crater
could be seer, lying. in a nno, white ribbon,
symmetrical cone. was most beautiful. Snow
G ss GInSi 81 G' 0P & Ss G.9fs s0T
while the black lines betwecn the IS snow streak:
were ridges Of rock. dividing the crevasses.
was not until our steamer had arproached
within twenty miles that the cone seemed to
lose any OF the perfect summary with which
it had frat appeared. Gradually II became
even point. ne II had looked from grenter lls-
lance The cone now appeared as II II hnd
been cut ON near the top. and long ridges. ike
miniature mountain ranges. might he seen
extending from base e. summit We could
now see that tho steam dd not all ascend from
al n N al oil,
uted over the top Of the peak. Many of these
we're hidden from view. but we could see tho
location oi manr on the southern SLOPE.
The steamer wa. moorcd as near as prac-
ticnbl. to The island. and a rarty Of three who
with mosquito nets. those wraponS of defence
which AT" Indispensable to IN" Alaskan travel
,"r, we STEPPED ashore on the pehhly beach
have seen. Ia first thing that attracts btten-
tion on tho shore Of - Augustine ia the great
being washed about by the waves. They have
nc liHh'ness ~ corr. ar" nt whit" or gray
The stones ot this Kind are much loss nu-
mrruus than the lava pebbles. which are
much heavier, aud Of various colors Tho
halt IN from the shore. II Of so gentle
Store that ! nrrear. liSe level plain. The
imagined. il NJ ones own choosing. lies over
the ~"mhrc-tiuted elhlss. which gradually
Increase 10 the size ~ toul1.rs ~ he ascent
= made, The prevailing color Is u maroon
brown. although the lava fro luoutly assumes
tfilidnt shades. yellow. brl'k red ana Crttntp
or Negctadpu We found scarcely trace.
Tho living shrubs are very small. non" IL
them * 'ecdne a loot and Il half IN height.
while mnlaurholy remtnlscenc~ Of former
prosperity is furnished 10y tho presence - lou-
stnnt"i tre"-, row dead md hlearh"d 10y the
showers of ashes which were poured ovCr the
i-.aud ,turins IL. last ERUPTION. lilo prnspn"t
was d"snlate IN Ia" extreme. The ONLY ami
mails sen were lew " the small aul harry
marmpt-. which ar" found everywhere IN
Nn~kn, hnh which aTpear 20 10 able 20 Suh~i-t
~ ". tdvanc,l. the slorc Of tho mountain
le'lu" very u'rr"utlhis. Ahead o' MS and 20
ia" '"i' could 10 soon u long, sweeping rIlEN.
bare ~ snow. aud which seemed t. max" Town
from the very peak itself There WAS certainly
lite rhula,, offered n to ROUTE over such uni
IN" rr1g" seemed the best path In our prog.
rv-s toward II II became evident that the
r'urtry winch hai appeared 80 even was In
and in the ravire- lay III" tails ~ the long
sir"1ks ~ snow. who's" nppsr ends cached
- g-t a drink u. water n the ond ~ one ~
lh'Se snow glaciers. .Vrr".,us that, n-ts usual
"piu" from beneath II. wa. disnppo ntei.
hpwevs, There arr"ar"d 10 10 - water at
I,n %r nI rTeg n"y w1 ih M ""s me
II snow with which III" slopes 81 ia" volcano
""'- lUrdsurd Searching m"le carefully. !
discovered ~inaIl stream coming rom beneath
ih- show. Uut within tho -par" ~ "a foot II sank
into tn" ground This was h"rans" IA" surface
eaho that water could not he retained on H.
keeping to the riig-- a. ml n ~ possible, ~
W. uNb'l WANING t'l ia" SHOW. We came
iiou many Of h" small -ld--'fhi"r-. ar mud
bubbles. which are "i very c"iutu"u m.rurr"ur"
usually filed " m" rim within N. In" grained
mud. TIA" sur'ag" ui whici was ~ Hat ~ II II
had been water Onr rHtllny atrrnat"ly "'"r
hardened SNOW Auov" aneen hundred feet
III pS,IultO nets were no longer Necessity. hut
black eye-gn-s wnre a great comfort. Tho
ware fully convinced of Tho fact that tho slope
Il volcano - on" which constantly increases
Tie SIGHT u the huge boulIor- which sur.
rounded US on ",eryT band Va. ,mrre-s,v" IN
fu4ion. on" Upon another. many Of them
aIanc"t. a. i were upon no'mt: thy w"ro
gucky when under their t"wcrluG forms.
/ n" most iaucitul shapes were assumed by
possible to imagine that the silent mountain
Iorr,,.l forms hn1 been caught aud soidIn"i in
II was MOI unit W" had como fairly over tho !
tor Of the ouE ridg" toward which "" hnl been
the crnt-r'S side. Withastuui .hmeut W" looked |
,nnon IN" seem in.it": GINS sven or "lsht
At the has" Ot thrs" lay the wild" floor at IN" |
crater. vast snow-"py"r"d iIaln. Beyond !
gradually descending toward the east until |
Tho floor OF the great rent in the otherwise |
s!ops Of tho mountain, "" were thus on t6s |
-dge OF the crater nt the point whore tn" last |
Oi tho volcano hiI broken u pan |
for tho lava How. whose remnants now formed |
4 long fan shaped ridge, or delta. OF rock, OK
tending down 80 tho sea.
To the east III" walls on both sides rose 10 tho |
h highest part ~ tho rim. which "" Judged 10 hs |
seven hundred feet HhoV" W.. In the c"ntre OF |
tn" great theatre formed hy the rim roso an |
ur. tower flaya. OF the same strlk ing
reddish brown color n that Oh VIII ch We stood.
II was from This inner conc that III" greater ,
part ~ the stream, which W" had observed |
rom u distance. cape, In order 10 get the |
best sight IOssibln AZ this wonderful placr,
climbed along IA" rim Ol the crater until | |
was somo tour hundred feet higher. ON aC-
cunt Of the many side rnyin"s which were
'ut into III" rim, II was not possible TO ascend
- tho highest point without making n journey
Town and IN again, which would have com
-um"d several hours As this was not to bo
thought Of. ! crrpt rHutiou~y 10 the edge Of
h" RIM nt he polnt where was and looked
mi o the crater hollow,
" ~ impossible to attempt a dcscription
which vii In any sense portray the dignity Of
IA" scene. \ thousand feet below mo the
Moor II the crater, like the track Of some
gigantic h!ppOdromr, "ncirc!rd the base Of tho
inner cone. The whitcness Ot the snow which
covered III, floor was in places broken hv
brilliant yellow COatlhgs Of sulphur which
surrounded the vcnt-hOoS Of Iets Of steam. |
novel sight this, team issuing from u field Of
now From the precipitous cliffs of the outer
i'm. ms well n from the sides ~ the grcnt con-
raj tower. fragments OF rock wer" continually