148 An ACCOUNT of 
a flight inclination as they burft from the bafon, were project- 
ed.in beautiful curves, and the fpray which fell from them, 
caught by a fucceeding jet, was hurried away ftill higher than. 
it had been perhaps before. 
THE jets were made with inconceivable velocity, al ‘thofe. 
-which efcaped uninterrupted terminated in fharp points, and’ 
loft themfelves in the air. The eruption, changing its form at 
every inftant, and blending varioufly with the clouds of fteam. 
that furrounded it, continued for ten or twelve minutes; the 
water then fubfided through the pipe, and difappeared. 
Tue eruptions of the Geyzer fucceed each other with fome - 
degree of regularity, but they are not equally violent, or of 
equal duration. Some lafted fcarcely eight or ten, while others. 
continued, with unabated violence, fifteen or eighteen minutes.. 
Between the great eruptions, while the pipe and. bafon were: 
filling, the water burft feveral times into the air to a confider- 
able height. Thefe partial jets, however, feldom exceeded a. 
minute, and fometimes not a few feconds, in duration. 
Arter the eruption of it had been violent, the water fank. 
into fubterraneous caverns, and left the pipe quite empty. If 
the eruption had been moderate, the fubfidence of the water 
was proportionably lefs. The firft time the pipe was perfectly. 
emptied, we founded its. depth, and found the bottom very. 
rough and irregular. The pipe remains but a fhort time empty.. 
After a few feconds, the water rufhes into it again with a 
bubbling noife, and during the time that it is rifing in the 
pipe, it is frequently darted fuddenly into the air to different. 
heights, fometimes to two or three, fometimes fixty feet above- 
the fides of the bafon. By a furprife of this kind, while we- 
were engaged meafuring the diameter of the well, we had 
nearly been fealded; and although we were able to withdraw 
ourfelves from the great body of water as it afcended, yet 
we remained expofed to the falling fpray, which fortunately. 
was fo much cooled in the air as to do us no mifchief. 
OF 
