i'lioto bi ii. C iicniiaiiu 

 ON BOARD THE "MANNING" AT KODIAK, JUNE 8, I9I2 



continued in great severity throughout 

 the rain of volcanic material, but dimin- 

 ished in intensity after midnight of the 

 6th. 



The lightning was described by one 

 observer as traveling like a snake and in 

 some cases as going up from the earth 

 in round balls. Electrical conditions 

 were such that wireless apparatus could 

 not be used. A number of severe earth- 

 quakes were felt during the night. 



Ash fell continuously until 9.10 a. m., 

 June 7, but in decreasing volume after 

 3 a. m. The total fall of ash up to this 

 time was originally about 5 inches, but 

 packed down afterward to 4 inches, form- 

 ing the lower and coarse gray stratum 

 now on the ground (see page 166). 



THICK DARKNESS AND A RAIN OE ASHES 

 EOR OVER 25 HOURS 



At noon, June 7, the fall of ash was 

 renewed. At i p. m. darkness came 

 again, not to be dispelled until after 2.30 



p. m. of the following day. During all 

 this time the fall of ash was continuous 

 and was accompanied at times by sul- 

 phurous fumes. The darkness was in- 

 tense, and the ash so thick in the air that 

 bright lights failed to penetrate it for 

 more than a fezv feet. It is said that a 

 lighted lantern held at arms length could 

 barely be seen, and that the searchlight 

 of the Manning failed to penetrate far- 

 ther than the bow of the ship. By the 

 morning of the 8th the ash had accumu- 

 lated in sufficient bulk on the steep hill- 

 sides to begin sliding in great volumes. 



The buildings of the Navy wireless 

 station on Wood Island were struck by 

 lightning and burned on the evening of 

 the 7th or the morning of the 8th. The 

 darkness at the time was so intense that 

 the flames could not be seen from the 

 mission, less than 54 n^i^e away. Late 

 in the afternoon of June 8 partial day- 

 light appeared and the fall of ash almost 

 ceased. The ash which fell during this 



156 



