two in the morning
Eric was sent with the _ Redondo _ on the rescue party that was headed for Afognak . There it was learned that the eruption had come from Mount Katmai , on the mainland of the Alaska Peninsula , opposite Kodiak Island , and that there were people in distress in the region of the volcano . Without an instant 's delay the _ Redondo _ was headed out of the harbor , and despite a dense fog , she was run through the Kupreanoff Straits and across Shelikoff Straits to Kaflia Bay . At half-past two in the morning , the _ Redondo _ dropped anchor near the volcano , and as soon as it grew light , Eric was sent to head a landing party . Every hut was covered with ashes , and a native , pointing to one of the drifts , said it was as high as `` five houses , '' or about fifty feet high . All the streams were buried ; there was not a drop of liquid of any kind , and the villagers had lived in the tortures of that ash-choked air for three days , waterless . Two were delirious from thirst , all were at the point of exhaustion when the Coast Guard men appeared to save them .