Contributions in geographical exploration . Katmai Valley, and numbers of them may also befound in the upper valley close to the volcano. The survival of three dogs at Katmai V^illage, noted byMartin, also indicates the absence of poisonous gases in deadlyconcentration. For, while these animals could probably havesurvived hot blasts of considerable intensity by taking to thenative huts, which were half buried and covered with a thickroof of earth and sod, such places would not afford muchprotection against the penetration of poisonous gases. Theevidence, such as it is, seems therefore to favor
Contributions in geographical exploration . Katmai Valley, and numbers of them may also befound in the upper valley close to the volcano. The survival of three dogs at Katmai V^illage, noted byMartin, also indicates the absence of poisonous gases in deadlyconcentration. For, while these animals could probably havesurvived hot blasts of considerable intensity by taking to thenative huts, which were half buried and covered with a thickroof of earth and sod, such places would not afford muchprotection against the penetration of poisonous gases. Theevidence, such as it is, seems therefore to favor the hypothesisthatthe blasts from Katmai did not owe their destructivenessto their chemical composition but to other causes. If this iscorrect it would fall into line with the best testimony as to theblasts from Pelee and Taal. In the case of Taal, Worcester^ believes that the principalreason for the destructiveness was the heavy charge of small 5 National Geographic Mag. 23 : 1012. 182 The Ohio Journal of Sciefice [Vol. XTX, No. 3,. Photograph by R. F. GriggsA CLUMP OF HAREBELLS IN A CREVICE IN KATMAI VALLEY. Such crevice plants on exposed cliffs close up to the volcano indicate the absenceof any great concentration of poisonous gases in the fumes. 1019] Effecls of the Eniplioii on Vegetation 183 particles of ejecta carried by the blasts, which j<ave them theeffect of terrific sand blasts. This he inferred from the mannerin which the bark and trunks of trees were shredded whereexposed, and from the fact that even very thin fabrics sufficedto protect the flesh of victims which otherwise suffered severely. There is, however, little evidence that a sand blast accom-panied the eruption of Katmai. Near the volcano and inSoluka Creek, at a distance of about ten miles, the limbs of thetrees and bushes were damaged by the hail of falling ejectawhich must have been of considerable violence in areas whereso much ash and pumice fell. But no evidence of shredding bysand bl
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