The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-07-24


The Aleutians were born of vol
canic action, and the activity is not
yet spent. Bogoslof island, some 80
miles from Dutch HarbOr, is cOntinu-
ally changing its form, rearing one
smoking promontory after another
above the waves and Withdrawing
others 1t is in truth a submerged
active volcano.
Volcanoes are to be found in the
Aleutians in every stage OF develop
ment: young and aged volcanoes,
active and dormant, not only cones
whose symmetry rivals that OF Full
yama, but also the jagged stumps OF
mountains that have been blown 10
bits by recent volcanic explosions.
Vulcanologists consider it one of the
best known fields for the study Of the
problems of vulcanism.
Attu is the easternmost Of the Aleu-
tian islands, 200 miles from the coast
Of Washington state. Because the In
ternational Date Line lies just beyond
Attu, an airman, rising from the island
to continue his fight. plunges directly
into another day without the lapse
of any time. Thus, If he starts from
this westernmost American station
Monday morning, he will be flying a
few moments later in the morning OF
the day that to the Eastern hemis-
phere is Tuesday.
Travelling In kamchatka-
The Aleutian route strikes the main
land Of Asia at the coast of Kamchatka,
$50 miles east of Attn. This peninsula
and the country north of it to the Boring
strait contains a large area of tundra
or Arctic plains; soft spongy morasses
during the few months Of summer;
frozen, snow-covered wastes in winter.
In the higher land impenetrable under
brush springs up in summer. What
little travel is possible at this season
is done on the backs Of sturdy ponies
who must wade up the shallow streams
or plod through the sticky swamps-
In winter travel is easy. Teams OF
dogs and reindeer whisk laden sledges
over the frozen surface of the streams
a rate, under favorable circumstances.
Of 70 miles or more a day.
In the summer the curse OF the
moist regions Of the north strikes the
Kamchatkan country; swarms OF mos
quitoes and flies thicken the air and
make life miserable for all living
things. The nomadic fee with their
herds Of reindeer 70 the sea coast,
where the breezes give some relief
The Kamchatkan peninsula proper
is about $50 miles in length. and the
distance from its roots TO Boring
strait is an equal distance. Kan
chatka lies in the same latitude as
the British Isles. while the country
north to the Arctic ocean is in the lati-
tude of Norway. The Kamchatkan re-
gion is bathed by cold Arctic currents
instead of the warm Gulf stream, and
its climate is therefore much colder
than that of Britain or Scandinavia
From the southern tip Of Kamchat-
ka the Kurile islands sweep south
ward to the major islands of Japan
This distant string Of fog enshrOuded.
storm-lashed islands is the most west
erly group of the north Pacific's bridge
of islands. Like the Aleutians the
Kuriles are string of volcanic peaks.
dead and alive, whose smoking heads
protrude above the cold and stormy
waters of the North Pacific and stake
out the Sea of Okhotsk. Thus, they form
g. h. Ff-Ln
who swarm over this island-girt sea
in summer. Stretching between KAN
chatka and the Japanese island OF
Yezo, they have long been known 10
the Russians who exploited their valu-
able furs. Not until recent years
have the Japanese become interested
in these next door neighbOrs.
Plenty of Billiards.
The desolate islands are "a cradle
of billiards." hazards to the mariner
and aviator alike. Storms and squalls
spring up from nowhere. lew-lying
fogs hug the waters surface in spring
and summer, hidden rocks lie in wait
for the unwary navigator and swift
currents race through narrow straits.
However, the lost sailor may tell when
he is close by the vast fields Of brown
seaweed or kelp which float on the
water. Old salts who can smell the
beach" when near land are not alOna
in this useful ability when sailing
these foggy waters. Even landlubbers
know when the Kuriles are near BY
49, N arid S,,lpbur funnaS x-hyoh n-,.a,
from many Of the smoking volcanoes
The roar of sea lions fighting for their
harems, land birds flying over the sea.
and the increasing coldness OK the
temperature are other signs OF danger.
Many of the islands are not so in
hospitable. Yetorofu, the largest, has
japanese settlement In addition 10
the Anus. There children I'm uni
form go to school daily. are taught
jujutsu and wrestling, and learn To
fence and to swim.
Nevertheless, life Is not much more
advanced in this distant colony than
it was in the days when Perry Wis
tied Japan. The natives still cling
to ancient customs as the army flyers
soon found out when they swooped
down from the northern skies. Re-
moving the hat and keeping on dirty
shoes when entering a spotless home
seemed strange to the islanders. who
did the opposite and the more sensi-
BILE things. Compared to the little ns-
tives, the flyers were giants. In fact.
everything was small. The h,usas
were tiny. horses dwarfed. and trees
stunted.