18963 Volcanic Islands 



tended from St. Paul southward to the Bogoslof Deep-sea 

 Islands, where at a depth of 664 fathoms (3984 feet) i"'^" 

 we obtained many interesting fishes; among them 

 were two new species of ''grenadiers" — Alha- 

 trossia pectoralis and Bogoslovius clarki. Another 

 species of this type, the "Popeye" — Macrourus 

 cinereus — • literally swarms on the bottom at that 

 depth in Bering Sea. 



The two islands named for Su Ivan Bogoslof (St. 

 John the Revelator) are among the most remarkable 

 volcanic dykes in the world. The first arose hot The first 

 from a depth of over 600 fathoms in 1795; beside it ^°^°M 

 for nearly a century stood Sail Rock, a lone shaft 

 of lava. But in 1883 the Rock disappeared, while 

 at a distance of nearly a mile a red-hot mountain 

 burst from the depths to the accompaniment of 

 "earthquake shocks and subterranean thunders." 

 For years the second mass steamed and sputtered, 

 and even yet it is said to be not quite cold. 



There was, however, more to come. The Bogoslof 

 group lies on the line of the great earthquake rift 

 of California, and the temblor of April 18, 1906, 

 threw up another steaming island. This was dis- 

 covered the following June by Dr. Gilbert, then in 

 charge of the Albatross on its way to make a survey 

 of the deep waters about Japan. The third mass The lasi 

 was not quite as large as the others, and apparently 

 less compact. By 1909 it had entirely disappeared, 

 leaving "in its place a lake of boiling water arising 

 in the icy sea." Meanwhile the first and second 

 islands still remain practically intact, although 

 much eroded by the waves. 



Upon our return from the Bogoslofs, the Albatross, 

 under Stejneger's direction, went to the Commander 



c 561 n 



