

47 



liable observations were made at different points, from the Hot Springs 

 on Gardiner's River to the Shoshone basin, by Frank H. Bradley, Dr. 

 Peale, and others in 1871 and 1872, and it was proposed to repeat 

 these at the same points, for comparison, after the lapse of ten years, 

 but as opportunity failed this interesting task must be postponed or 

 bequeathed to others. Some facts were noted, however, which would 

 seem to indicate that the geysers are not dying out by a progress suift- 

 ciently rapid to produce any marked difference in that short space of 

 time. The very careful observations of Dr. Peale in 1872 on the fre- 

 quency, height, duration, &c, of the principal geysers in the upper, 

 basin, show no perceptible diminution of their power, as compared 

 with the performances of these geysers at our visits in 1881 and L882. 

 The Castle, Bee-Hive, Old Faithful, Saw-Mill, and Turban Geysers ap- 

 pear to perform just as they did ten years ago. The Grotto Geyser 



may have increased a little in frequency and diminished induration, 

 and the Grand aud Giantess have changed somewhat in character and 

 for the better, as will be seen by the following notes. 



Grand Geyser. — Dr. Peale records the following observations in 1872: 

 August 18. — One continuous eruption, lasting 15 minutes. 



August 19. — One continuous eruption, lasting 37 minutes. 



August 20. — A succession of three eruptions, with intervals as follows : 

 First eruption, 3 minutes; interval, 6 minutes. Second eruption, 4 

 minutes; interval, 10 minutes. Third eruption, minutes. Total 

 time, 32. 



Messrs 



> J T 



fi 



August 25, 1881. — There was a succession of seven eruptions, with 

 short intervals, 1 to 3 minutes ; total time estimated, 30 to 40 minutes j 

 and on the same day, two hours later, the same performance was re- 

 peated. 



August 20. — A succession of seven eruptions, as before j not repeated 



that day. 



August 19 ? 1882.— (Reported by eye-witnesses.) Geyser played at 

 p. m., and again an hour later, giving a line display of seven eruptions 

 each time. 



August 20.— A succession of seven eruptions, with intervals substan- 

 tially same as last year, but not repeated. 



August 21. — Same as yesterday. 

 . It appears, then, that in 1872, the geyser often discharged at a single 

 eruption, with occasional successions of as many as three. In 1875 

 there were a succession of live eruptions, and in 1SS1 and 1882 there 

 were never less than seven observed, and these were not unfrequently 



repeated an hour or two later. 



Giantess Geyser.— In 1872, as recorded by Dr. Peale (Hayden's report, 

 p. 149), there were three eruptions of about 1 7 minutes each, at intervals 

 of three-quarters of an hour. 



