Description: From Kisslinger (1983), translating Doroshin (1870): "The mountain burst with a loud 'cannonade' at this site [eastern slope of the mountain, where a pre-existing lava flow was] in August, 1846. Smoke poured out in clouds from a fissure, ash fell, and flames appeared. Flames also shot up from the summit. A northwest wind dispersed both the smoke and the ash that obscured from the inhabitants of Pavlof the islands at the mouth of the bay. The ash was carried to the village of Pavlof, where it was necessary to place a covering over the fish that were hung up. Smoke and ash were carried to Unga Island (about 85 kilometers to the east), where people also protected drying fish from ash by covering it with matting. The eruption continued for only one day. At night, flames were visible along the western slope as well. There were no flames anywhere the following day, but vapor rose from the mountain; soon this also ceased. At present only smoke rises from the northern side of the summit.
"That is how the inhabitants of the village of Pavlof describe the last eruption. They remember the date because it coincided with the construction of a chapel. * * * The inhabitants of Unga Island describe the 1846 eruption as follows: 'The sun was low and the western horizon clear, when we espied in that direction a black cloud, which rose like smoke from a pipe. The day grew darker and darker. Finally it became so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, and something as fine as powder fell down on us. However, a wind quickly carried the cloud past; the morning was bright.'"