There are three burning mountains of Kamtschatka, which for many years
have thrown out a considerable smoke, but do not often burst into a
flame. One of these is situated in the vicinity of Awatska; and another,
named the volcano of Tolbatchiek, on a neck of land between the river
Kamtschatka and the Tolbatchiek. In the beginning of the year 1739, the
flames issued with such violence from the crater, as to reduce to ashes
the forests on the neighboring mountains. This was succeeded by a cloud
of smoke, which overspread and darkened the whole country, until it was
dissipated by a shower of cinders, which covered the ground to the
distance of thirty miles. The third volcano is on the top of the
particular mountain of Kamtschatka, which is described as by far the
highest in the peninsula. It rises from two rows of hills, somewhat in
the form of a sugar-loaf, to a very great hight. It usually throws out
ashes twice or thrice a year, sometimes in such quantities, that for
three hundred versts, (one hundred and sixty-five English miles,) the
earth is covered with them. In the year 1737, at the latter end of
September, a conflagration, which lasted for a week, was so violent and
terrific, that the mountain appeared, to those who were fishing at sea,
like one red-hot rock; and the flames which burst through several
openings, with a dreadful noise, resembled rivers of fire. From the
inside of the mountains were heard thunderings, crackings, and blasts
like those of the strongest bellows, shaking all the neighboring
territory. During the night it was most terrible; but at length the
conflagration ended by the mountain’s casting forth a prodigious
quantity of cinders and ashes, among which were porous stones, and glass
of various colors. When Captain Clarke sailed out of the harbor of St.
Peter and St. Paul, in June, 1778, to the northward, an eruption of the
first of these volcanoes was observed. A rumbling noise, resembling
distant hollow thunder, was heard before daylight; and when the day
broke, the decks and sides of the ships were covered with a fine dust,
resembling emery, nearly an inch thick, the air at the same time being
charged with this substance to such a degree, that toward the mountain,
which is situated to the north of the harbor, the surrounding objects
were not to be distinguished. About twelve o’clock, and during the
afternoon, the explosions became louder, and were followed by showers of
cinders, which were in general about the size of peas, though many were
picked up on the deck larger than a hazel-nut. Along with the cinders
fell several small stones which had not undergone any change from the
action of fire.