F. GEOGKAPIIY. 137 



of water about 8 feet in diameter to a height of over 200 

 feet. Hundreds were met with having columns of from 10 

 to 50 feet high, some playing all the time, and others only at 

 intervals. The hottest springs were found to vary in tem- 

 perature from 188 to 198; the boiling point at that altitude 

 amounting to about 195. Most of the springs were ascer- 

 tained to be divisible into two principal classes, one class con- 

 taining silica, sulphur, and iron, and the other silica and iron 

 only. 



The elevation of the lake was determined to be about 8500 

 feet ; the altitude of the surrounding peaks being, of course, 

 very much greater. An abundance of trout was found in the 

 waters, of excellent flavor, although much infected with in- 

 testinal worms. Game was scarce immediately around the 

 lake, but at a short distance it was said to be very abundant. 

 In addition to the topographical and geological collections, 

 others were being made in all branches of natural history, for 

 a full account of which, as well as a description of the phe- 

 nomena in general, we shall look with interest to the forth- 

 coming report of the expedition. Letter. 



COMPARATIVE HEIGHT OF MOUNTAINS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. 



An animated discussion is at present being carried on by 

 the newspapers on the Pacific coast as to which state pos- 

 sesses the highest mountains ; Mount Shasta, in California, 

 with an altitude of 14,440 feet, as determined by Mr. Clar- 

 ence King, finding it necessary, according to the Olympia 

 papers, to yield the pre-eminence to Mount Rainier, in Wash- 

 ington Territory, which Professor Davidson, of the Coast Sur- 

 vey, decides to be 14,444 feet high, or four feet more than the 

 other. 



SUCCESSFUL ASCENT OF MOUNT WniTNEY BY MR. KING. 



Some of our readers are familiar with a series of thrilling 

 articles now in the course of publication by Mr. Clarence 

 King, entitled " Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada," and 

 have doubtless sympathized with him in his efforts to deter- 

 mine the altitude and physical character of the loftiest peaks 

 of the West. 



The scene of his adventures is laid in that portion of the 

 Sierra Nevada near the sources of the Kern and King rivers, 



