250 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



The accompanying panoramic view, (Fig. 49,) taken from Mr. Bechler's 

 field-notes, will give a general idea of the rehitive positions of the Tctons, 

 the hike, and the slopes of the lied Mountain group, of which Mount 

 Slieridau is the culminating point. 



On the west shore of the lake, near its northern end, numerous hot 

 springs occur, over a considerable area, a few being seen far uj) on tlie 

 western ridge. Those near the lake were examined by Mr. Ttiggart, 

 who reports as follows: 



The hot spriugs found on the ■west bank of Lewis's Lake occur mostly in t\vo groups, 

 ecpiirnted by a low ridge. In the iir.st group examined, all of the springs issued fruui 

 the sides of a marsh, and were mostly covered either with masses of leafy vegetation 

 or with the soft, thick, pulpy masses of fungoid growth so eomnioii about the hot 

 springs of the Fire-Hole basins. Some of the sjjriugs were constantly bubbling with 

 an escaping gas, whose character was not ascertained. The temi>eratnrcs of all tho 

 springs are low. A few of them are as follows: 112°, 122P, 124^ ]26c, 12d'-\ 130°, 138^, 

 140^^, 148°. As an interesting f;ict, I noted that all Ihe springs whose temperatures 

 r(;ached or exceeded 120-^ hail the growth of fungoid pulp or a deposit of gray gey- 

 serite, while those cooler than 120^" were covered ^^ ith lealty vegetation. This cluster 

 of spiings is evidently the last remnant of a much more active- group, since, all along 

 the shore of tho lake at this point, there are largo deposits of old geyserite. At some 

 points, this extends far out into the lake. 



The second group of springs differs from the one just described, in that its vents are 

 larger and tho water hotter. The springs are surrounded by solid grouiul, and, in 

 their general features, resemble the hot springs of the Fire-Hole basins, so that they 

 need no general description. The following arc the temperatures and sizes of a few of 

 tho ])rincipal ones : 1, 152°, 2 feet iu diameter; 2, 156'-'', 10 feet by 0; 3, 176°, elliptical, 

 about 40 feet by 20. 



Both Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Taggart brought specimens of the gey- 

 serite, including many vegetable ifagments, apparently some of the 

 coarse sedges common along the lake-shore. 



CHAPTER IV. 



MOUNT SnErJDAN — HEADS OF SXAKE RIYEE— FALLS 

 laVER PASS— JACKSON LxlKE— GLACIER LAKES— GRAND 

 CANON OF SNAKE RIVER— FORT HALL. 



Leaving the main train to find its way southward to the stream which 

 flows from Heart Lake, a small party of us started, on the morning of 

 the 11th, for Mount Sheridan and the country beyond. At the north end 

 of the lake, there is a considerable marsh and a lagoon, which, when 

 full, throws good streams into the lake ; but its outlets were now choked 

 np with bea{;h-sand. Its water comes from the drainage of the broad, 

 fiat area, i)artly in meadow, partly in timber, which stretches across to 

 Yellowstone Lake. Our course, holding to the left of the main peak, 

 led us over moderate slopes, tor some miles, until, ]iassing one or two 

 small ponds, with no outlets, we struck the foot of the si)ur which, run- 

 ning out from the second crest of the Red Mountain ratige, counting 

 from the north end, forms the divide between Lewis's and Yellowstone 

 Lakes. U})on that divide lies the small lake, without outlet, called Lake 

 Riddle,* visited by Dr. Hayden's party on their return from the Fire- 



* "Lake Riddle" is a fugitive name, which has been located at several places, but 

 nowhere ]>ermanently. It is sujiijosed to have been used originally to designate the 

 mythical lake, among the mountains, whenco, according to the hunters, water llowed 

 to both oceans. I have agreed to Mr. Ilering's proposal to attach the name to this 

 lake, which is directly ui)on the divi(Ui at a point whi^i'o tiie waters of the two oceans 

 start so nearly together, and thus to solve the insolvable "riddle" of the " two-oceau 

 ■water." 



