Show SCIENTISTS TO VIEW DISAPPEARING ISLAND Natives and Bearing Sea Navigators Relate Weird Stories of Fire Tire Gods God's Home SEATTLE AP The AP-The The enigmas of disappearing volcanic Island feared by bj mariners in the Bering sea were being tackled today by scientists in the hope of learning why it supposedly vanishes moves about or changes shape This peculiar peak has been charted and given a 3 place on the map but seafaring men sometimes tell strange ales tales about it IL Occasionally mariners have reported report report- ed no island at all at the spot designated designated on the map At other it has been reported in other locations Still others have said it is in the spot indicated but that it changes its i shape Home of Fire God with its hidden volcanoes fuming and belching great plumes of or smoke and steam is the home of hundreds of sea ea lions and sea pigeons and the legendary domain of the Indian fire god To the people of the Aleutian is islands islands is is- lands however there is no mystery whatever about The fire god waves his wand they say and his island home dis dis- dis- dis appears It is not so easy eacy of at explanation to the scientists and sailors this disappearing disappearing disappearing act which perils navigation and leaves one of the most interesting volcanic actions in the north Scientists Investigate The scientists all from the University University sity of of Washington are James L. L Alexander Lyman D D. Phifer and and Clifford Cliford Barnes They are arc cruising the northern waters on the government government govern govern- ment cutter Chelan Commander R. R W Dempwolf chief of ot the Seattle division United States coast guard visited the island in 1931 is of ot a blackish volcanic formation and is the home of hundreds hundreds hun hun- of sea a lions and thousands of birds he said There is extremely deep water around the island which indicates that it must be bc the top of a mountain All mariners give it il a wide berth In Boiling Seas Other observers that I say when the fire god starts fuming the surrounding surround surround- ing water boils for fora a radius of ot two to four miles becomes discolored and smells smelts of sulphur was created by the fire god on May 13 18 1796 but the Russians Rus who then owned Alaska named it Joanna or John the Theologians Theologian's island because that was St. St Johns John's day Another explanation explanation is that a Russian admiral of that name watched the fiery island come up from the sea The Chelan is to take extensive soundings of the depth of the Aleutian Aleutian Aleu Aleu- tian waters Fogs Obscure Island One explanation of disappearances disappearances disappearances dis dis- dis- dis appearances given by the sailors is that the dense fogs of that region make the black island invisible so that if it one ship reports its disappearance disappear disappear- ance another is 5 likely to sight it a short time later Another is that since the island is composed largely of volcanic ash it is 5 easy for the terrific gales of the Bering sea sea The The Cradle of Storms to to wash away large portions of it The frequent storms and unceasing volcanic action would explain the is js lands land's frequent ch change of shape But any way you look at it said an an- Alaskan sailor now you ou see it and no now you dont t |