142 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XIX, No. 2, 



Thousand Smokes. Nor have I any hypothesis to suggest to 

 account for the mechanism of its formation. This has long held 

 me back from reporting its occurrence. But the evidence that 

 it actually did occur seems perfectly clear and conclusive. 

 Under the circum-stances, therefore, there was nothing to do 

 but to report the facts as they were found in the field. 



It is proper to add, however, that a reading of the descrip- 

 tions of other eruptions, in the light of what we have found in 

 the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, indicates that the 

 extrusion of such masses of hot mud may not be so much a 

 unique as a neglected aspect of volcanism. But a discussion 

 of such phenomena lies beyond the scope of the present paper, 

 which is concerned merely with recording the phenomena of 

 the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. 



In the discussion of this remarkable terrane we have set 

 down numerous considerations which would be quite super- 

 fluous if it were located in a district more accessible to geologists, 

 so absolutely clear are its major relations. But, recognizing 

 that under present circumstances it would not be practicable 

 for all geologists who might be skeptical to go and see it for 

 themselves, we have tried to supply the answers to all the 

 questions likely to arise in the minds of such skeptics. Since 

 the district has been set aside as a National Monument, how- 

 ever, it is to be hoped that it will not for long remain so inaccess- 

 ible, but that its remarkable features may be seen and studied 

 by many other observers within a very few 3^ears. 



