TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 25 
of grass. Reaching the border of the valley of the Hast Fork of Madison River, the Bast Fork of Mad- 
trail winds along the foot-hills, to avoid an alkaline, boggy meadow, finally crosses 8° River. 
the meadow and two or three alkaline brooks, in which the animals mired badly, and follows down 
the bank of the East Fork, which was forded two or three times. The stream is 10 to 20 feet wide 
and 2 or 3 feet deep; a clear, swift current and gravelly bottom, the water tepid and alkaline from 
the numerous hot springs which discharge into it. Camp was made in a grove of Cin Pacunteay 
pine, after having traversed a pass between two hills which project into the Lower Geyser Basin. 
Geyser Basin. A small rill furnished a sufficient sapply of good water, but the grazing was infe- 
rior. Several hot springs had been passed before reaching camp, and to the south the geysers ap- 
peared covering a large area. The distance traveled during the day was about twenty-six miles. 
The upper valley of the Madison, including those of the forks, is quite barren and unattractive, 
owing probably to the action of the chemical hot springs which abound everywhere. The border- 
ing hills are stony and bare, and at the time of our visit were covered with dead and burned timber. 
The landscape in consequence is uninviting, the grass poor, and good camping-places, such as can 
be made at almost any point in the Yellowstone Basin, are not to be found. 
August 21.—The morningewas devoted to the examination of the springs and geysers of the 
Lower Basin, which are very numerous, and cover a large extent of ground, the Lower Geyser Ba: 
principal ones being about half a mile to the southward and eastward of camp. *" 
Minute descriptions of them have been published, and a detailed account is here unnecessary. Some 
are boiling, others spouting springs, the latter generally intermittent. On a high mound built by 
the geyser, we found a large pool about 25 by 15 feet, which was known to play, and the discharge 
of which we awaited. The water, of a deep azure hue and a surpassing clearness, was rising grad- 
ually but constantly to'the level of its scalloped and ornamented rim, constantly becoming hotter, 
with bubbles of steam escaping more and more rapidly. Ebullition began near the middle, and the 
geyser finally commenced to spout, throwing the water about in all directions and to heights vary- 
ing from 10 to 50 feet. The display continued for over an hour, and we left it playing, but with 
gradually-diminishing force. Meanwhile other smaller geysers in the vicinity played from time to 
time, all apparently independent of each other. The pools of all these, exhibiting every variety of 
form and ornamentation, possessed in common the beautiful azure tint and clearness of the water, 
contrasting finely with the light-gray hue of the silica deposited by them. The margins of all were 
incrusted with this in various forms of bead, coral, and sponge work, and wherever the geyser 
water flowed silicious shale was deposited. ; 
Passing over a low ridge, afew hundred yards to the southeast, we came upon the “ Paint Pots”. 
This singular phenomenon consists of a “ pool” some 60 by 40 feet, with a raised 
margin of dry and cracked mud, within which numerous mud puffs slowly rose and 
fell, some through the partially liquid mass, which again closed over them, others possessing a small 
crater of their own, to which additions were constantly making from the bursting of the sluggish 
bubbles. Tbe pool displayed various colors, white, yellow, and red predominating, but shading into 
each other very beautifully through all the intermediate and combined tints. Theclay was soft and 
smooth to the touch, with scarcely a trace of grit, and near where the bubbles emerged from below 
exceedingly hot. 
Leaving these, and passing by many other springs and small geysers, we went down to the Fire 
Hole River, crossed it, and pushed on up the west bank toward the Upper Basin, Botwesa the twé 
wherein are situated the Grand Geysers. After some two or three miles of travel **"* 
over fallen timber and through marsh and bog, we came upon some immense springs and pools, boil- 
ing violently and discharging a great amount of water into the river. These exhibited many hues 
of red, yellow, and green, from the presence of iron and vegetable growths; the pure geyser blue 
appearing where the spring was deepest and clearest. From the pools, we continued, passing many 
curious springs and small geysers, and then, crossing to the east bank, pushed rapidly on through 
a sort of cafion on the river, until at about seven miles from camp, in the Lower Basin, we reached 
the lower end of the Upper, and were at once hurried across to the west bank again to examine the 
“Grotto”, which began to play as we arrived. This geyser does not spout to any —-pne “Grotto” Gey- 
great height, 20 or 25 feet being the limit, but it is beautiful and interesting from °° 
the shape of its crater, which, some 12 or 14 feet in height, is curved and convoluted into massive 
4w 
The Paint Pots. 
