400 



NATURE 



\Sept. 12, 1872 



from the boiling springs, great qunntitics of a fibrous, 

 silky substance, apparently vegetable, which vibrates at 

 the slightest movement of the water, and has the appear- 

 ance of the finest quality of cashmere wool. A qualita- 

 tive analysis made at the springs shows that the water 

 contains sulphuretted hydrogen, lime, soda, alumina, and 

 a slight amount of magnesia. Carbonate of lime pre- 

 dominates over all other elements in the deposits, and 

 they may therefore be called calcareous springs. 



There are two classes of springs in the S'cllowstone 

 valley, one in which lime predominates, in the other silica. 

 With the exception of the White Mountain Spring in 

 Gardiner's River, and one or two of not much importance, 

 the other springs of the Yellowstone and Firehole basins 

 are siliceous. They may be divided again into intermittent, 

 boiling and spouting, and quiet spiings. Those of the 

 first class are always above boiling point during the period 

 of action, but during the interval the temperature lowers 

 to 150°. Those of the second are always at the boiling 

 point, and some of them throw the water up two to six 

 feet by regular pulsations. The springs of the third class 

 may have once been geysers, but are now quiet, and have 

 a wide range of temperature, from 188° to 80°. Where the 

 temperature is reduced below 150° great quantities of the 

 sesquioxide of iron are deposited by the water, lining the 

 inside of the funnel, and covering the surface where the 

 water flows. Taken in the aggregate, these springs have 

 been in constant operation during our present period, and 



Fig. 4. — Hot Spring 



Mr. Haydcn estimates that under favour.iljIe ci rcum 

 stances, at least six feet of this deposit have been preci 

 pitated within the space of one century. 



We must omit an account of the basaltic columns 

 in the caiions of the Yellowstone and Gardiner's liver, 

 and of the great canons, falls, cascades, and other won- 

 ders of this unique region, and pass to (he hot springs of 

 the upper basin. A few springs are seen at the mouth of 

 Tower Creek, at the lower end of the Grand Canon ; but 

 it is not until we pass the range of mountains which forms 

 the north wall of the upper basin, about twenty miles 

 above the lake, that the great hot spring district of the 

 Yellowstone commences. There is here an area, within 

 the drainage of the Yellowstone, forty miles in length, 

 and on an average fifteen miles in width, that either is at 

 the present time, or has been in the past, occupied by hot 

 springs. The old deposits cover the region, and here 

 and there are groups of active springs — mere remnants of 

 what formerly existed. The Grand Cafion is a deep 

 channel 1,000 to 1,500 ft. in depth, carved out of the 

 basaltic rocks, and hot spring deposits, and on the sides 

 of the walls may be seen the irregular fissures which com- 

 municate from the surface with the heated interior. Rest- 

 ing upon an irregular surface of basalt are iminense 

 deposits of sihca of all colours, every shade of red, 

 yellow, and white. Much of the deposit is as white as 

 snow. 



On the west flank of Mount Washburne, in the north of 



the area, there is a remarkable group of springs, in a 

 constant state of action at the present time. Alum, sul- 

 phur, soda, and common salt, are found upon the surface 

 in considerable quantities. Sulphuretted hydrogen is 

 emitted from the spring in such quantities as to till the 

 air, rendering it oppressive with sulphurous odour. This 

 group extends acioss the Yellowstone to the eastward for 

 several miles. The springs, which are now in active 

 operation, are only a few _out of hundreds which once 

 covered the entire area, but which are now dead or dying 

 out. 



Two remarkable groups deseive particular mention, the 

 sulphur and muel springs, shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The 

 largest group (see Fig. 2) is found on the east side of the 

 Yellowstone, at Crater Hills, eight miles below the lake. 

 This district covers an area of about half a mile scjuare, 

 and is sometimes called the " Seven Hills," from the fact 

 that there are here several mounds of siliceous deposits 

 from extinct springs, vaiying in height from 50 ft. to 150 ft. 

 The old craters of dead and dying springs, and the im- 

 mense quantity of the siliceous deposits, show that the 

 present active springs represent only the last stages of 

 what must h.ave been at some period in the past a mag- 

 nificent group. There are still numerous steam-jets, one 

 of which, on the west side, produces a sound like that of 

 a locomotive, which can be heard for a long distance. 

 The surface is fairly rieldled with little steam vents, and 

 the crust sends forth a hollow sound beneath the tread ; 

 and on removing this shelly covering at any point, hot 

 vapours come forth, while its under surface is encrusted 

 with the most beautiful crystals of sulphur. 



The springs at this point are either boiling, mud, or 

 quiet springs. The principal boiling spring, which is in a 

 constant state of ebullition, sends up a column of w.iter 

 2ft. to 4ft.; has a basin about 15ft. in diameter; and 

 gives forth such a column of steam that it cannot be 

 approached except on the windward side. But perhaps 

 the most interesting objects here arc the mud spring?, 

 which are of every size, from an inch in d.ameter to 20 ft. 

 One of the largest is filled with fine light brown mud, 

 which is in a constant state of agitation, the sui face covered 

 all over with puffs like hasty pudding. Others send forth 

 a thud-like noise every second, with an impulse at long 

 intervals that throws the mud up several feet. The water 

 in the vicinity, as well as the mud, seems to be thoroughly 

 impregnated with alum. In an adjoining valley are little 

 mud or turbid water vents, which keep up a simmering 

 noise, showing the nature of the earth beneath the crust. 



Two miles above, on the same side of the Yellowstone, 

 is the other group of springs, similar to those just noticed, 

 liesides these are the geysers, to be alluded to presently. 

 One of these is a true intermittent spring, and throws up a 

 column of water 10 ft. in diameter, from 15 to 30 ft. high. 

 The craier becomes filled with boiling water ; suddenly im- 

 mense columns of steam shoot up with a rumbling noise, 

 the water overflows the basin, another column of water is 

 thrown up for the space of 10 or 15 minutes, when it 

 quiets down, and the basin is nearly empty. This opera- 

 tion seems to be performed about eight times in 26 

 hours. Upon the side of the hill bordering the river is 

 one of the most terrific mud-cauldrons seen by Mr. 

 Hayden during his visit. A large column of steam is 

 constantly ascending, 500 ft. or more, from a deep funnel- 

 shaped basin, 25 ft. in diameter ; when the wind carries 

 away the steam for a moment, the thin, black mud may 

 be seen 25 ft. below the rim in the most violent state of 

 agitation, with a noise like distant thunder. 



On the shore of the south-west arm of the lake is an 

 interesting group of hot springs, which extend along the 

 margin, covering a belt about three miles long and nearly 

 a mile in width. Many of these, which might be called 

 pulsatory springs, are in a constant state of quite violent 

 ebullition, but rise and fall every second or two, and with 

 each pulsation throw out a quantity of water, (juite a 



