88 EEPOET UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



Whether these springs are the ones indicated on the map or not I 

 am unable to decide. My impression was that they were somewhat 

 farther north. They are, I think, without doubt, the springs described 

 by Lieutenant Doane* in his report, and by Dr. Hayden in the report 

 of the survey for 1871.t 



Captain Barlow also probably saw some of them, for he says :| 



While in the forest I came upon a valley of chalk-wliite rock, evidently an old sys- 

 tem of warm springs; several small ones were still in operation, giving a j)erceptil)le 

 warmth to a small stream flowing through the valley and filling the atmosphere with 

 an intense odor of sulphur. 



SPKLNGS OP THE GRAND CAKON. 



It is scarcely to be doubted that the coloring which is so vividly dis- 

 played in the walls and slopes of the Grand Canon of the Yellowstone 

 is due to the presence of hot-spriug deposits, as I indicated in my re- 

 ports for 1871 and 1872.§ The yellows, which are so brilliant and wide- 

 spread, are due to sulphur, and the reds to the oxidation of iron. The 

 extent of these argues a greater prevalence of springs in the past. At 

 l)reseut the springs are confined mainly to the bottom of the chasm, be- 

 ing found near the river's edge. The difficulty of reaching the bottom 

 of the canon has prevented their investigation except in a few instances. 



Lieutenant Doane descended to the bank of the river, about 3 miles 

 below the falls, in 1870. He says : 



Selecting the channel of a small creek, and leaving the horses, I followed it down 

 on foot, wading in the bed of the stream, || which fell off at an angle of about 30°, 

 between walls of gypsum [?] * * * Qn entering the ravine we came at once to 

 hot springs of sulphur, sulphate of copper, [f ] alum, stream jets, &c., in endless va- 

 riety; some of them of very peculiar form. One of tliem in particular, of sulphur, 

 had built up a tall spire from the slope of the wall, standing out like an enormous 

 horn, with hot water trickling down its sides. * * * After descending for 3 [?] 

 miles in the channel we came to a sort of bench or terrace. * * * From here the 

 creek channel was more precipitous, and for a mile -ve climbed downward over masses 

 of rock and fallen trees, splashing in warm water, ducking under cascades, and skirt- 

 ing close against sideling places to keep from falling into boiling caldrons in the chan- 

 nel. After four hour^ of hard labor since leaving the horses, we finally reached the 

 bottom of the gulf and the margin of the Yellowstone, famished with thirst, wet and 

 exhausted. The river water here is quite warm, and of a villainously alum and sul- 

 phurous taste. Its margin is lined with all kinds of chemical springs, some deposit- 

 ing craters of Calcareous rock, others muddy, black, blue, slaty, or reddish water. 

 The internal heat renders the atmosphere oppressive, though a strong breeze draws 

 through the canon. A frying sound comes constantly to the ear, mingled with the 

 rush of the current. The place abounds with sickening and purgatorial smells. IT 



Professor Bradley, in 1872, descended to the river level on the west 

 side of the caiion over the sloi)es near the " Fall." 



These slopes descend directly into the river, so that, even at the bottom, the utmost 

 care must be used in walking. Along the edge of the river several small hot springs 

 occur, which steam moderately, but rarely to such an extent as to be visible from the 

 top of the caiion. I was able to reach but one of these, which had a temperature of 

 150°. On the opposite bank a miniature geyser was in operation ; from the top of a 

 steep cone, about a foot high, a half-inch stream was constantly spurting about a foot 

 from the orifice.** 



* Yellowstone Expedition of 1870, p. 11. 

 t Report U. S. Geol. Survey for 1871, 1872, p. 86. 

 t Reconnaissance of Yellowstone River, p. 15. 



§ Report U. S. Geol. Survey for 1871, p. 179. Report for 1872, p. 132. 

 II This is probably either Sulphur Creek of the map of the Park, or the small one 

 south of it. 



1[ Yellowstone Expedition of 1870, pp. 13,14. 



** Report U. S. Geol. Survey of the Terr., 1872, p. 233. 



