New-York tribune., 1910-11-06
ISLANDS OF MYSTERY
By F. V. Collins

that strange BOgOslOf group among the
Aleutlans of the western extremity OF
Alaska. This one suddenly rose through
seventy fathOnls OF water and far above on
September II Its rise was accompanied
by an earthquake that shook Unalaska and
Dutch HarbOr, the same disturbance as
occurred when Percy Peak suddenly popped
out OF the sea last year.
One Of the most remarkable events in the
history Of this mysterious cluster occurred
IN 1907 On Tuly of that year, officers OF
The revenue cutter A1cCulloch made a sur
vev Of q mountain. then smoking and tuning
as though from its eXeTtlOn IN rising vol
CanICally from the sea among the AIeutlan
Islands. Il was reported IN the survey that
the peak was two thousand feet through Its
base and four hundred and ninety-tlve feet
high One OF the surveying party, II IS SAID,
wanted the mountain to be named Inde-
pendence Mountain" IN honor OF the day
the survey was made; but 1t was chrstened
NcCulloch Peak" 4 little more than
three months later the NCCuuOCh again VS.
tied the place, and found that the peak OF
the same name had totally disappeared, and
where II had stood a large harbor had
formed, with an outlet 70 the sea near a
prOm0ntOry known as Castle Rock.
The region in which this remarkable event
occurred has long engaged the attention OF
scientists. and IS, IN fact, one OF the StrangeSt
localities on earth. There seems TO be going
on here sort of continuous performance OF
the character Of a geographical vaudeville
show IN which Nature assumes the role OF
quick change artist. These startling changes
are said TO be due TO the action OF the BOgos-
lOf volcano IN the AleutIan Islands. Ihls
volcano was discovered about 1870 by
Russian Admiral Of that name. and It then
i 11.4y@( oct 1.4
Island. During the winter Of lSS6-S1 a new
island appeared two and half miles west
northwest from Castle Island, which was
named Fire Island. 4 narrow neck OF land
connected the TWO islands; but gradual
subsistence took place, and by 1900 there was
Z passage between the two with not less
than seven fathOms Of water
Il IS now cOniectured that these Islands
were probably thrown up by a deep sea vol
canO. which NAV thus be regarded, both lit
erallv and hguratlvely, as at the bottom OF
all weird natural phenomena IN this region.
SURVEYS made by revenue vessels show that
the islands must have come from great
depths. the thousand-fathOm curve being
less than four miles TO the northwest.
During the winter Of l9O5-O6 there ap-
peared a new peak about halfway between
the old islands. When this peak developed
II formed connection with Fire Island. and
left q passage between it and Castle Rock IN
which the least depth Of water was five faith
ous. This peak was surveyed by officers OF
the revenue cutter Perry in June, 1906, and
was named Perry Peak. The mysterious
island surveyed on July !, 1907 by the
McCuIlOch's officers was then, as has been
said, giving forth sulphurous fumes, show
/ ing its recent volcanic origin. This peak had
absorbed in It's uplitt about half Of Perry
| Peak. and had filed IN the space 10 Castle
! Rock. thus making practically one island OF
the group. Il IS thought that this peak eX-
ploded On September /, 1907, as on that
day. at five o'clock P. NJ, dense black
cloud passed over Unalaska Island, covering
the land with ashes falling to depth ot
three-sixteenths Of an inch on the board
walks in Illuliuk, sixty miles from BogosIot.
In July, 1908, the revenue cutter Rush
visited the island, and found great changes.
| Perry Peak had disappeared; a high ridge OF
| land extended from Fire Island to Castle
Rock, having an elevation Of three hundred
| feet al its highest point; the entrance to
the harbor near Castle Rock had filled IN;
high land was formed TO the west; and an
entrance was opened to the West-noTthWest
near Fire Island. The navigator OF the Rush