The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-20
VOLCANO ON AKuTAN 1s1AND.
In Erpution After Years of Inactivity
 Hand Rises From Sea.

Hand Rises From Sea
 According to advice received here yesterday the volcano on Akutan Is. land of the Aleutian archipelago, off the Alaskan Island peninsula, after several years of inactivity, is again in eruption. J. E. Thwaltes, mail clerk on the steamship Dora, running from Unalaska to Valdez, sends the Post Intelligencer brief but vivid descrip- tion of the eruption, re says:
 "As the Dora passed the island Feb ruary p the volcano presented mag nificent spectacle. The conditions for witnessing the awe inspiring sight were perfect. It was ? o'clock in the morn ing. Bering Sea was as smooth al glass and the night was inky black. Suddenly as the ship rounded a bold, high headland the beaGrIful sight burst into view.
 Although it was a. rn., all sleeping officers and passengers were awakened and crowded the deck, where they re- mained for hours The amount of flame visible was not constant, there seeming to be a maximum and mini mum stage, each occurring about every twelve minutes.
 Shortly before this occurance Una 1 laska, but few miles distant, was shaken by an earthquake of great in- tenslty. No damage of any account re- suited as all of the buildings are very low and strongly built.
 Mount Maguskln volcano, few miles to the westward of Unalaska, has been active of late, and it would surprise no one if on the next trip of the Dora it were learned that old Mount shishaldin, near Unamak, was in actly- ity"
 The Valdez correspondent of the Post t-Intelligencer, under the date of March z, writes of the volcanic dis turbance as follows:
 "The Dora brings news of an erup- ton of Mount Akutan, on the island of the same name, a few miles this side of Unalaska, on the morning of Feb ruary 22. This volcano has been active for several years and the recent vio- lent eruption has created consternation among the natives in that vicinity. They (the natives) say that every eruption, of this group of volcanoes means that some of the adjoining is- lands will sink from sight or that a new island will be thrown up. The eruption, which was brilliant one, throwing fire and lava to great heights, was accompanied by severe earthquake shocks at Unalaska. The residents of this place say that the shocks were the most severe and of longer duration than any ever experienced before on | the island"
 The fear of the natives that such dis turbances will cause some islands to appear is not unfounded. As early as May l, Baranoff records that, following a new island cone shaped, was eeen. rising between Unalaska and Uninak and the earth quaked great noises being heard. With the sunrise the noises ceased, the fire dimished and enw island, cone shaped was seen. It was named Johanna Mogoslova af- ter St. John, the theologan. As late as 1883 a new island arose in Boring Sea and it was called Grewingk, after a celebrated German geographer.
 These traditions live among the na- lives and they fear that with the ap- pearance of new island some II tne old ones will sink.
 Akutan is a small island. probably few miles wide and little gYoater n length. It is practically of no value. Its only inhabitants, according to Capt. H. N. Nice, who sailed the Boring Sea for many years and owns large inter- ests at Dutch Harbor. Island of IJn- alaska, are a few Aleuts, probably for | ty families. The Aleuts are not called Indians because they resent any such classification. These people fish and hunt. There is no port on the island and ships rarely stop there, The Ale uts market their fish and furs at some of the nearby ports, travelling to them in their badarkis. The nearest port bor, about forty miles away. The of any considerable size is Dutch Harb mountain of Akutan has an altitude of 4,10O feet.