174 F. V. Hayden—Hot Springs and Geysers 
crust, and completely riddled with springs of every variety. 
Quiet springs, with basins varying from a few inches toa hun- 
dred feet in diameter, are distributed everywhere. Some high 
pyramidal cones, with steam issuing from the summits, indicate 
the last stages of what were once important geyse 
Near the center of the basin, which is about two miles long 
and half a mile in width, there is one of the most poweriu 
geysers of the basin. During our short visit of two days it 
operated twice. Our camp was pitched within a few yards of it 
The preliminary warning was indicated by a tremendous rum- 
bling, which shook the ground all around us with a sound like 
distant thunder. Then an immense mass of steam burst out of 
the crater as from an escape pipe, followed by a column of 
water eight feet in diameter, and rising by steady impulses to 
the height of two hundred feet; I can compare the noise and 
excitement which it produced only to that of a charge m bat- 
le. This wonderful fountain continued to play for the space 
of fifteen minutes, when the water gradually subsided and set- 
tled down in the crater, about two feet, and the temperature 
slowly diminished to 150°. There are here two separate basins, 
one of which is in a constant state of violent agitation, while 
the other plays only at intervals of about thirty-two hours; 
and although, so far as the eye could detect, there was a partl- 
tion of not more than two feet in thickness between them, 
neither of them seemed to be affected by the operation of the 
other. The decorations about these springs were beautifi 
beyond anything I had ever seen in nature. ‘The most delicate 
embroidery could not rival them in their wonderful variety and 
complexity. The surface within and without was covered ovel 
with little tubercles of silica, which had a smooth enameled 
appearance like the most delicate pearls; down on the sides a 
the basin were large rounded masses like corals, formed entirely 
of silica. There was one spring with a small elevated crater 
about two feet high, which threw up a small column of water, 
about twelve feet high, by continued impulses, like the move 
ments of a saw, and thus it received the name of the Sawmill 
Geyser. There were probably from twenty to fifty geysers of 
greater or less —- in this valley ; and it is quite poss! 
ble that some of the s rip gs placed in t iet class operated 
at times as first ec : ra The Sars he Grotto 
Geyser and Castle Geyser. The crater of the latter is er re 
ndred feet 1 
diameter at its base; it was built up of thin layers of the silica, 
which mise, much like steps, to the chimney on the summit, 
which is about ten feet high. Clouds of steam issue constantly 
from this chimney, and every few moments a column of heat 
water is thrown up fifteen to twenty-five feet. 
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