108 



REPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



some of the mud springs is an indurated clay that bas been deposited by tbe springs. 

 The first four springs given in the table have clear water, and the first one was in 

 violent ebullition, the water at times rising 4 feet above the ordiuary surface. In 

 No. 10 I found butterflies that had fallen into the water and been killed by the heat. 

 The odor of sulphureted hydrogen was not so strong at this locality as at the foot of 

 Mount Washburn. 



On the way back to camp we came across another group of springs, about a mile 

 southeast of the group given above, and haviug an elevation about 200 feet lower. 

 They are situated in a ravine bordering a small branch of Violet Creek. The following 

 table will show them all at a glance: 



Springs on hrancJi of Violet Creek. 

 August 10, 1872; time, 2 p. m. ; elevation above sea, 7,873 feet; boiling point, 198°. 5 F. 



No. 



Size. 



3 by 4 feet 



10 feet diameter. 

 5 feet diameter.. 



5 by 2 feet 



3 feet diameter.. 

 5 by 3 feet 



7 by 3 feet 



3 feet diameter. . 



8 by 1 feet 



Gas evolved. 



Carbonic acid and steam. 

 do 



-do 

 .do 

 -do 

 .do 

 -do 

 .do 

 -do 



Temperature 

 of air. 



68° r. 



68 

 68 

 68 

 68 

 68 

 68 

 68 

 68 



Temperature 

 of spring. 



160° F. 



184 



154 



188 



180 



191 



186 



192 



194 



The amount of carbonic acid given off from these springs is small, and although 

 there is considerable bubbling in some of the springs, it is caused mostly by tbe escape 

 of steam. This in some is enough to cause the ground to tremble beneath. All the 

 springs deposit iron. The first three springs given in the table are on the edge of a 

 pool of water having a diameter of 100 feet by 50 feet, in which the thermometer stood 

 at 120° F. There is also one spring in the midst of this pool which was beyond reach. 

 The bottom of the pool is lined with gelatinous silica, which is coated with oxide of 

 iron. The edge of the pool next the creek slopes to the level of the stream in a series 

 of small basins, over which the water flows. The creek itself is divided into a number 

 of basins formed of the deposits (mostly carbonates (?) ), and the water flows from one 

 basin to the other, they being at different levels. These basins are filled with a luxu- 

 riant growth of very bright confervoidea. The temperature of the water in the creek 

 a short distance below the springs is 140° F. 



■WARM SPRING CREEK OR PRAIKIE GROUP.* 



These springs are described by Professor Comstock, who passed them 

 on his waj'^ to the Geyser Basins of the Fire Hole. His trail led up 

 Alum Creek (Warm Spring Creek on his map). He says : 



The first collection of hot springs occurs about two miles above the mouth of the 

 creek. They are situated mostly upon the left bank, not far from the main stream, 

 with which they are connected by a small branch entirely supplied by their overflow. 

 The temperature of the water is sufficiently high to heat the contents of the creek to 

 a very perceptible amount above the previous temperature, and to make this influence 

 felt for some distance below. The springs themselves do not ditfer essentially from 

 others which have already been described not far distant ; but such differences as were 

 noted furnish a clew to the causes of observed dissimilarities in the members of a sin- 

 gle-group. In other words, we are here given a striking illustration of the principal 

 elsewhere enunciated, that variations in the character of different springs are depend- 

 ent not only upon dissimilar geological structure but also very largely upon variation 

 in the intensity of the subterranean forces. The structure at this point is almost 

 identical with that along the banks of the Yellowstone in the neighborhood of the 

 Salses ; but the deposition of sulphur is here more abundant in proportion to the size 

 of the springs. In general the bowls may be described as sputtering fumaroles, though 

 there are a few fair-sized pools from which little or no vapor escapes. The clearness 

 of the water, compared with that usually present in springs emerging from the old lake 

 deposits, and the marked absence of mud bowls, is a matter of some surprise to one who 

 has previously visited the groups which lie in similar relations to the lacustrine form- 



* See report of Prof. Theo. B. Comstock in Report of Reconnaissance of Northwest- 

 ern Wyoming, p. 216. 



