BOGOSLOF ISLAIJD . 



« 

 Bogoslof Island, the mystery island of the Bering Sea has long been 

 the center of interest for the vessels of the Coast Guard v/hile on Seal 

 Patrol. Altho many positions have been reported its location was defi- 

 nitely ascertained by a survey party of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey in 1935, Through the courtesy of that service the latest chart 

 is included with other running surveys made previously by Coast Guard 

 Officers, Bogoslof has never been inhabited by man but has always been 

 a hauling out place for herds of sea lions and a nesting place for 

 millions of sea birds principally murres and sea gulls. 



Generally speaking the island is about 60 miles vrost of Unalaska 

 and about 25 miles north of the Aleutian Islands, It is thus far off the 

 usual trade routes and is seldom seen by the merchant fleet but it is 

 visited each year by the cutters. It is for that reason many of tho 

 changes of the volcano reported have boon observed by the Coast Guard, 



This island was shown on the charts of Kronitzon and Levoshof in 

 1769, Captain James Cook on his third voyage, sighted an island on , 

 October 29, 1778 describing it as an "elevated rock vfhich appeared as a 

 tower". The rock, v/as no doubt the remains of an ancient island which 

 was shown as "Sail Rock" on many of the early charts, 



Tho first recordod eruption of Bogoslof or Joanna Bogoslof (St, John 

 the Theologian) so called by tho Russians, occured in 1796 when a largo 

 peak rose out of tho soa close to "Sail Rocki" 



Father Veniaminoff the Russian Missionary to the Aleutians writes 

 the following accounts 



The new island, Bogoslof, in latitude 53° 58' north and 

 longitude 168° 05* west, rose from tho sea in the early- 

 part of May, 1796, Before the island appeared above the 

 sea, there had been witnessed for a long time in that 

 spot, a colvimn of smoke. On the 8th of May, after a strong 

 subterranean noise, v/ith the wind fresh from tho northwest, \ 

 the now '^mall black islet became visible through the fog; -■ , 

 and from the summit great flames shot forth. At the same 

 time there was a great earthquake in the mountains of the 

 northwest part of Unmak Island; accompaniod by a great noise 

 like the cannonading of heavy guns; and the next day the flames 

 and oarthquako continued, Tho flamos and smoke Y;ore seen for 

 a long time. Many masses of pumice stono were ejected on tie 

 first appearance of the island. 



In 1806 Langsdorf passed the island and said that the center point 

 looked liko a pillar. At that timo thore wore four rounded summits which 

 roso over above the other like steps, Tlie new island apparently continued 

 to grow and in 1817 its circumference was estimated at 2'k milos. At that 

 time its height was estimated at 350 feet. From reports, in 1823 tho 

 island cooled sufficiently for it to become a rookery for soa-lions and 

 a bird sanctuary. 



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