104 GEOLOaiCAL SURVEY OF THE TEEEITORIES. 



With a funnel 2J feet in diameter, circular, tapering down to four inches 

 in diameter, with the sides lined with a delicate white enamel, like por- 

 celain, a most beautiful spring, 170°. 3. Oblong basin 5 by 15 feet, 158°, 

 clear water, unknown depth. 4. Mud-spring, 12 inches in diameter, 

 bubbling like mush, 190°. (Fig. 36.) There are many more which lie 

 along the margin of the stream, the raised craters dotting the surface in 

 many places. Some of them have a temperature as low as 112°, 116°, 

 125°, and yet are constantly but slightly agitated by the bubbles rising 

 to the surface, so that they might be classed as bubbling springs. Our 

 second camp, on the East Fork, August 2 and 3, comes within the 

 limit of the chart of the Lower Geyser Basin, just below the thickest 

 group on the south side of the same stream. 



Early in the morning of the 3d, we commenced the survey of the group 

 of springs near our camp. In the description of the springs of this 

 entire basin, I will refer to the chart, and the course of our examina- 

 tions may be traced with great ease. We described briefly each spring, 

 ascertained its temperature, and located it topographically. In the 

 morning the steam ascends from over a hundred orifices, reminding one 

 at once of Mr. Langford's comparison of a factory village. 



I will here give short specific descriptions of the most important and 

 characteristic springs of this group, and then pass on to the Fire- Hole 

 Valley. 1. Clear water, bubbling, basin 8 feet in diameter, 4 feet 

 deep, silica, iron, and some sulphur, 125°. 2. Bubbling up slightly, 4 

 feet in diameter, 6 feet deep, no rim, 112°. 3. Silica and iron very 

 abundant, 189°. 4. Bubbling most beautifallj'-, basin 2 by 3 feet, with 

 small steam orifices all around, extensive overflow of water, 17G°. 5. 

 Small but elegantly ornamented, 12 by 18 inches, silica and iron, 

 with green vegetable matt^. 6. Beautifully scalloped orifice or funnel, 

 2 by 3 feet, the thin siliceous shell or crust projects over the funnel 

 all around. 7. A large and beautiful spring, circular, 15 feet in diame- 

 ter, 5 feet deep, with a thick deposit of iron all around the sides of the 

 basin and on the surface where the surplus water flows, 1 25°. 8. Two 

 springs near together, 142° and 134°, with much iron, with beautiful 

 rim, 6 feet in diameter, with funnel-shaped orifices ; second one with 

 basin 10 by 15 feet, 10 feet deep, water clear as crystal. 9. Orifice 

 runs straight down to an unknown depth, 4 feet in diameter, 169°. 

 Leaves of trees in the basin are frosted ail over with silica as white as 

 snow. The delicate bead-like embroidery over the inner surface of the 

 basin, as seen through the clear waters, is a marvel of beauty. 10. A 

 scolloped rim, much ornamented, 197°, a kind of spouting geyser 5 the 

 water rises up in the orifice, boils violently for a few moments, and then 

 sinks down again. 11. Continually throws up its contents 6 to 12 inches, 

 192°. 12. Boils with a supijressed gurgle, boiling up about 4 inches, 

 shoots up at times 6 to 10 inches, a small locomotive spring. 13. The 

 most beautiful of all in this group, 128°, main basin 10 by 15 feet, water 

 marvelously transparent, of a most delicate blue. As the surface is 

 stirred by the passing brecLe, all the colors of the prism are shown, 

 literally a series of rainbows. We called the most delicately colored 

 springs. Prismatic Springs. In the basin yet to be described, are several 

 of these prismatic springs of marvelous beauty, and the striking vivid- 

 ness of the colors. Lieutenant Doane has aptly likened to the stage 

 representations of " AUadin's Cave," and the " House of the Dragon Fly." 

 I was at once reminded of the wonderful coloring produced on the stage 

 at one of the modern spectacular exhibitions, but nothing ever con- 

 ceived by human art could equal the peculiar vividness and delicacy 

 of coloring of these remarkable prismatic springs. The inner sides are 



