A Sportsman 379 



distant, arrived at Deming that day to assist in pre- 

 serving order, at the request of the railroad people. 



In a few hours we arrived at the nearest settle- 

 ment from Deming, twenty-five miles distant, at 

 the celebrated Hot Spring, owned by one Hudson, 

 who conducted a moderate hotel for the conven- 

 ience of invalids and others. This spring was of a 

 remarkable character, and of ancient origin, having 

 been referred to by the earliest travellers in the region 

 between two and three hundred years ago. It has 

 formed a basin of fifty feet in width, and some fifteen 

 feet in depth above the surrounding level, formed 

 by the debris of overflowing water during past cen- 

 turies. The water was clear and greenish and bubbled 

 up plentifully from the bottom of the basin. Its 

 heat was almost up to a boiling temperature when 

 it escapes from the bottom, and about the banks 

 of the pool will pretty well cook eggs in twelve or 

 fifteen minutes. The water in the banks being higher 

 than the surrounding land is conveyed in a ditch 

 for irrigating a spacious garden, where vegetables, 

 flowers, and vines are grown, as well as fruit and 

 ornamental trees ; and, although the water is not pure, 

 is sufficiently free from impurities to answer for drink- 

 ing, and is accounted by some to have favorable 

 medicinal qualities, for which the spring is sought. 



It seems to be a universal habit with humanity, 

 when discovering any springs which are off the line 

 of purity, to ascribe curative qualities to them, 

 and no doubt many are highly beneficial. Those of 

 Saratoga, the Sulphur Springs of Virginia, the Hot 

 Springs of Arkansas, those of Carlsbad, Vichy, and 

 other localities are noted in this respect. Beneath 



