Eruption in Aleutian Islands

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 22, 21 October 1907, Page 5

Eruption in Aleutian Islands

NATIVES PANIC-STRICKEN. ■' ■ : Yolcauic eruptions, accompanied by a te:» rificVelcctric storm and slight seismic disturbances, occurring on September 1, throw the entire population of" tho Aleutian islands, Alaska, consisting of whites and natives living among tho islands) into a state of terror for several hours while tpns of gray:-blaok-sand ahd ashes foil upon the land as tar as the oyo could reach. A difference of opinion prevails in tho islands as to which volcano was in eruption. Somo of the inhabitants of- tho rillagoi are of tlio opinion that tho.eruption was froni Alt. ■• -Makushin, situated" Rome twenty mjles to the south-west of Butch Harbour. Others believe , that it was irolu one of the volcanoes situated on Umnak Island) still further to , ■ the . 60iith-wost. ■■ - Tho first word of the -eruption , reached '•'■ Seattle'from Dutch. Harbour dn Sootoinbcr--10, by .the steamship Victoria. "When tho hail of ashos descended upon Dutch Harbour tho inhabitant fled from' tncir.homes: in ' terror. Many of tho natives ran through tho village streets ..screaming, that the world was about'to como to- an end. "The first intimation of the , eruption came shortly alter■•; 4 o'clock, when a slight' quivering- of the • earth was, followed by heavy detonations.Shortly afterward • noavy black clouds were ; ■ seeir far , southward,, and it '" w'as thought at first by tho.'inhabitants of Dutch'"'" Harbour that : it an electrical ' storm approaching. .. ' , .Gradually the black '-'vail' crept up oi'or'' tlio .surrounding mountains,; and then tho peopleworei first, .mystified, then- terrorised , ,., to ,discover' .tiny,..particles i of. sand, .falling..'' about tho'houses, and .upon the streets.. No deserts mark the waster.': of the islands, .-ynd 'the ipcoplb. familiar with '.the ; surrounding country know not die source of tho sand., Uy s'o'clock • the Village,'was in darkness. ■ ■ Caught .under.'tho brow,, of Mount Maku- ■ . shin, tho United States, revenue cutter Rush,, ;• Captain A. Ainsworth, which was returning ,: from tbo Pribiloff Islands, .was buried abovo decks with the,sand .and. ashes.. The vessel was, anchored, off,. Cape! Makushm at 4.30, . where tho men, were allowed to fish for cod for, fresh food.',, .Tho* vessel ran under the lco of, Capo Makushin and dropped her kedgo , ; anchor. iW'itlun;, a. few moments a great . • cloud,, inky black, \belched. forth from the mountain,, spreading over, the , .sea for miles, Although, but a .brief tim'o ,bcforo r broad daylight reigned over the sea, it \yas-nccos-... sary to turn on tho electric lights aboard tho vessel in order to ,seo, properly. ~ ~ . Officers of the Rush surmised that a vol- >. canic eruption, had taken 'place, but coultl ■ givo'.uo definite information as to tho exact • location owing to tho fact that it was im- -.. possible to'penetrate; the gloom. A suffocat- . ' in<i odour of sulphur fumes-indicated that the vessel was not far from the source, of the, : volcano, and it was this fact which led many aboard her to believe that tho disturbanco . came from Jlouiit Makushiri. This theory/ ', was bo'rno out by ofiicers of the cutter Perry, who stated that smoke could bo seen issuing from Makushin when tho Perry was approaching tho entrance to Dutch Harbour. . From officers of tho Rush it was alsolearned that Mount Akutoli, situated,ou tho north side of Unimak pass, was also in erup- '.- tioii. Flames and smoke could bo seen''issuing from that peak as the vessel came into. : .the harbour. ' . . ". ~- ..-•■.