ISO FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS 



from the sea, and of which e\^nt he was himself an 

 eye-witness. 



In the year 1796, on the 7th of May, M. 

 Kriukof had arrived on the northern point of the 

 island of Oomnack, at a small distance to the east 

 of Oonalashka, with several hunters, who had 

 selected it as a retreat after a fatiguing excur- 

 sion. They intended to continue their voyage 

 to Oonalashka in their large baydares the next 

 day, but were prevented by a violent storm 

 from the N. W., accompanied with rain. This 

 storm lasted till the 8th ; upon which the weather 

 became fine, and they saw, to the N., several miles 

 from land, a column of smoke ascending from the 

 sea; towards evening they observed under the 

 smoke something black, which rose but a little 

 above the surface of the water. During the night, 

 fire ascended into the air near the spot, and some- 

 times so violent, and to such a height, that on their 

 island, which was ten miles distant, every thing 

 could be distinctly seen by its light. An earth- 

 quake shook their island, and a frightful noise 

 echoed from the mountains in the S. * The poor 

 hunters were in deadly anxiety; the rising island 

 threw stones towards them, and they every moment 

 expected to perish. At the rising of the sun 



* All the Aleutian islands are of volcanic origin, and seem 

 to be the production of a dreadful revolution; nothing is seen 

 but high conical mountains, of which many exceed the Pico of 

 Teneriffe in height: formerly they threw out fire, and some of 

 them still continue to do so. 



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