40 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



The temperature of the nir at the base was 44° aud at the highest jioint reached 60°. A ther- 

 luometfT buried in the sand at the foot of the cone registered 4i°, lialf way to tlie top, 191°, and 

 in a rrevice of the ramparts of the crater the mercury rapidly expanibnl and filled the tube, when 

 the bulb burst, aud shortly afterwards the solder used in attaching the sus])ension ring to the 

 instrument was fused. We estimated the temperature at this point to be oOQo Fahreuheit. The 

 tcm])erature of the water around the island was the same as that of the sea, as observed on board 

 the Convin at the time, was ii)°. 



On all sides of the cone there are perforations through which the steam escaped with more or 

 less energy. I observed from some vents the steam was emitted at regular intervals, while from 

 othej-s it issued with no i)erceptible iiiterinission. Around each vent there was formed a thick 

 dej)0sit of sulphur, the vapor arising from which was sullbcatiug aud uiuiseatiug iu the extreme. 



An examination of the interior of the crater was not satisfactory on account of the clouds of 

 smoke and steam arising and obscuring the view. On the northwest side the surface of the cone 

 is broken into a thousand irregularities by nuisses of volcanic and metamorphic rock. On all 

 other sides, however, the accumulatiou of ash and dust has almost entirely covered the rocks and 

 the sides appear more even and less i)recii)itous. 



A curious fact to be noted in regard to this volcano is the entire abseuce, apparently, of lava 

 and cinder. Nowhere could I find the slightest evidence of either of these characteristics of other 

 volcanoes hitherto examined in the Aleutian Islands. Small quantities of rock-froth consisting 

 of un fused particles in a semi-fused mass were seen, but the heat of discharge has evidently never 

 been sufQcieut to produce tirm fusion. Specimens of dust collected from one of the vents was 

 (■omi>ared with volcanic dust which fell in the village of Onualaska October 20, 1883, and found 

 to l)e identical iu character. 



Descending to the beacli ou the east side I found it to be much the same formation as on the 

 west side, with iierhaps the exception that the line of sand here approaches ueiirer the water-line. 

 The pebbles seen on the island are universally of a dark-gray color, with small black spots and 

 worn surface by attrition. 



I saw no shells and but little sea-weed. Kelp in considerable quantities, however, was observed 

 close inshore. 



A walk of a third of ii mile brought me to old Bogoslov, where the beach abruptly termi- 

 nates. The northern end of this rock rises almost perpendicularly to a distance of some 325 feet. 

 Its face is deeply indented at the base, forming a cave-like recess which gives the rock the appear- 

 ance of leiining toward the north. 



I'robably 7iowhere can there be found a better example of the disintegration of stoue into 

 soil by the action of the atmosphere. The composition of the islet was originally of slate or shale. 

 It is now breaking down on all sides and crumbling to dust. The central jiortion seemed to be 

 comjiosed of a more enduring substance, but a close examination was impossible on account of the 

 loose, crumbling nature of the rock forming the sides and the precipitous ascent. I fired a rifle-shot 

 into a tlock of i)uffin, myriads of which were perched in the clefts and niches of the rock, and when 

 they lose small pieces of stoue were detached and in turn dis])liK',ed hirger jjicces of stone until a 

 perfect avalanche of stone came down the declivity, scoring great ruts in the hillside and tearing 

 up great masses of stone, which were dashed to pieces on the shore below. 



Speiiinifiis of outer rock were found at the ba.se of the old Bogoslov, on the southern side, 

 which, being struck with a hammer, crumbled to dust, in some cases deeply tinted with red, show- 

 ing the presence of iron. 



Hard bowlders of some hard, smooth stone fringe the bases of both the old aud newBogoslofi, 

 but a careful cxaiiiinatiou of the surrounding waters, both in small boats and on tioard the Conciti, 

 failed to sliDW any outlying dangers. A sjwt of sand and pebble Idriiiaiioii extends from the south- 

 ern end of old Bogoslov four-tenths of a mile in a southeasterly diieetion, and, like the isthmus 

 <H)niiectiiig the two islands, is probably subin(>rged at times of highest (ides or during severe 

 storms. The depth of water around the island is shown upon the chart act;ompaiiyiiig the report. 



PufBii in great numbers were seen on old Bogoslov, and it is jnobable they make this isolated 

 si)ot a breeding ])lace. 1 also saw iiiinibers of liarltMjuiii-diicks, gulls, and kittivvakes. A dead 

 albatross was picked up on the beach, but it is lu-obable it was washed ashore, as its presence iu 



