THE MUSEUM. 



43 



The product of one sprinp; is called 

 "hot lemonade" and it flows forth in a 

 copious stream from the subterranean 

 mixing bowl. You acknowledge the 

 "hoi" but are inclined after a trial to 

 discredit the appropriateness of the 

 latter name. Vou prefer the some- 

 what more technical term "An acidu- 

 lated solution of the double sulphate 

 of aluminum arid potassium." How- 

 ever, some people love to drink it. 

 Hot springs and steaming banks 

 abound over cjuite a large region, but 

 the largest and most violent manifest- 

 ations are found in the bed of a side 

 canyon, which comes down from the 

 north to Pluton River. It is a deep 

 V shaped gorge almost devoid of veg- 

 tation, and its steep walls are covered 

 with masses of mineral matter, mostly 

 of brownish yellow color, though vary- 

 ing in hue from white to jet black. 

 Along the bottom tumbles a stream of 

 hot water, which receives accessions 

 from each new spring. Various small 

 hot springs attract your attention as 

 you enter the can\on, but your inter- 

 est centers in the "witches' caldrouii' 

 about half way up the gulch. This is 

 a basin about some 20 sect square, 

 partly filled with, rocks and showing 

 different degrees of activity on two of 

 its sides. Ne.\t to the path it is mod- 

 erately quiet, but near the bank it is 

 in most violent-commotion. A huge 

 column of steam continually ascends 

 from the surface somewhat obscuring 

 the view, but as the wind shifts it a 

 little, you get a view of the water, 

 jumping, boiling, foaming, lashing, 

 while from a cleft in the rocks, at brief 

 intervals spurts out a fountain of hot 

 spray, which sails into and is mi.xed 

 with the seething waters below. 



The points of interest are numer- 

 ous; one wishes to spend hours in ex- 

 amming these remarkable phenomena. 

 Here is a kind of oven opening into 

 the hill; you listen, and from within 

 you hear the hoarse gurgle and groan 

 of the iniprisoned steam. . Here it 

 comes whiz/ing out from beneath a 

 rock, reminding you of the safety 



valve of a locomotive; there on the 

 bank is a gentle steaming cleft, and 

 around the outlet are the most deli- 

 cate needle shaped crystals or sulphur 

 arranged like frost work on a cold 

 pane. In the water of one spring is a 

 black, inky mud; in another are layers 

 of rich brown, pink and purple, while 

 a bright green water moss seems to 

 thrive in the warm flow, and forms 

 another color in the mass, of brilliant 

 tints. Here are leave's of delicate, 

 showy crystals of Epsom salts, there 

 are coatings of green coppei-as, and 

 all about you are sug'fjestions "for a 

 wondrously beautiful and harmonious 

 carpet. ,,': 



Farther up the hilf you find cool, 

 shady trees, where you are glad to 

 stop and rest, and then if you are dis- 

 posed you can climb the mountains 

 and look ofT on the blue waters of 

 Clear Lake. On your return to Clov- 

 erdale, you pa.ss several bands of 

 campers, who have pitched their tents 

 near the river,' and you'.commend their 

 wisdom in selecting" so romantic and 

 attractive a spot. Deer are on the 

 hills, trout in the streams, cool wa- 

 ters, and shady streams abound, and 

 the peace of nature is over all. 



From a scientific point of view, the 

 (jeysers of California are of great in- 

 terest. To some they suggest the 

 heated condition of the interior of the 

 earth, but the irresistible conclusion 

 which comes to the mind of one who 

 studies all the phenomena, is that the 

 heat is caused by the decomposition of 

 immense quantities of sulpherets con- 

 tained in the surrounding and under- 

 lying rocks, and that the various min- 

 erals with which the waters are charg- 

 ed are the results of the varied and 

 extensive chemical changes which are 

 constantly taking place. 



Lafayette's Museum Burned. 



Pardee hall, erected for the scien- 

 tific department of Eafayette College, 

 Easton, Pa., was visited by a very 

 disastrous fire early on Saturday morn- 

 ing, Dec. 1 8th. 



