152 EEPOET UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



The following are the observations of Professor Comstock and myself: 



Obserror. 



Date. 



1 



Comstock . 



Aug. 23, 1873 

 Aug. 24, 1873 

 Aug. 24, 1873 

 Oct. 1, 1878 

 Oct 2, 1878 

 Oct 5, 1878 



h. 7n. 

 4.40 p. m. 

 7.30 a.m. 

 l.'iO p.m. 

 3.50 p.m. 

 13. Hi p.m. 

 3.20 p.m. 



Minutes. 

 60 



Do 



60 



Do 



Pealc 



17 



Do 



19 



Do 









These obeservations are of course too limited to base any law upon 

 them but they may be of use in the future, and they are therefore re- 

 corded. 



It appears probable that there are about six eruptions in the twenty- 

 four hours, although the geyser has not been studied constantly nor 

 closely enough yet to determine this fact. In 1871 we were of the opinion 

 that they occurred every twelve hours, but even in that year we were 

 not sure that we saw all the consecutive eruptions. The duration ap- 

 l>ears to be very variable. In 1871 it is was noted as 45 minutes ; in 1872, 

 30 minutes ; in 1872, 60 minutes ; in 1875, over an hour ; and in my obser- 

 vations of 1878 only 17 to 19 minutes. In 1871 the lowered state of the 

 water, until just before the eruption, was also noticed, and the time of 

 the preparatory bubbling was noted as about an hour. We could not 

 devote time enough to determine this in 1878. The following note is 

 from Col. P. W. Norris's report for 1881, page 57 : t 



Fountain. — Unaually had an eruption each forenoon, those observed being of from 10 

 to 15 minutes' duration, with water column from 60 to 90 feet high, and very spreading. 



No. 11. Jet Geyser. — This geyser was named in 1872, but not described, 

 and in 1873 Professor Comstock called it Impulsive Geyser. It is a short 

 distance south of the Fountain, and has a beaded basin 20 feet in diam- 

 eter, which slopes to a funnel which has an orifice at the bottom only 

 about a foot wide. When in action the basin fills, and the water is 

 thrown out in all directions, with every now and then a perpendicular jet 

 which reaches 10 or 15 feet above the basin. The water is fearfully 

 agitated, and there is a throbbing noise under the surface. The wind 

 blows the column sideways, but at intervals a jet appears to be pro- 

 jected with extreme violence. After the eruption is over, the water 

 sinks out of sight. Professor Comstock describes the eruj)tion witnessed 

 by him as follows : 



At lirst it sputtered sullenly, and the water was thrown upward but a little dis- 

 tance, but gradually the action became more rapid and violent, a small jet occasion- 

 ally rising with considerable force to a height of 15 feet. The contents of the bowl 

 were thoroughly agitated, but the greatest activity occurred in the center, the jet 

 being thrown, as it were, through the middle of the main mass ejected, which may 

 be likened to a fountain.* 



The data obtained are not sufficient to determine the period of this 

 geyser, but it is probably frequent in its action. On October 1 I saw 

 one eruption that lasted 25 minutes. On the 2d an eruption lasting 19 

 minutes was observed, and after it ended the water was sucked into the 



* Report of Eeconnaissance of Northwestern Wyoming in 1873, by Capt. W. A. Jones, 

 p.244- 



t In Colonel Gregory's report to General Sheridan (in Report of Expedition through 

 the Big Horn Mountains, Yellowstone National Park, etc., in 1881; Washington, 1882) 

 the Fountain is said to have played August 24, 1881, the action lasting 45 minutes. 



