No. 2. Solfataras in the Vicinity of Santa Barbara. 55 



ty feet the roof and sides were thickly covered with at- 

 tenuated colorless crystals of epsomite hanging in tufts 

 and 'masses. 



During- the cooler months, as at the Santa Ynez lo- 

 cality, the gases arising from the principal orifices are 

 seen from distant points and the issue of so much 

 smoke and accompanying heat has given rise to a pop- 

 ular idea that it is due to volcanic action. The local 

 journals have from time to time given voice to this 

 idea, and the frequency of earthquake shocks in the 

 neighborhood has been attributed to the struggling ef- 

 forts of the "Rincon Volcano." When the excavations 

 of the Southern Pacific Railway were made at a point 

 a mile farther west from the locality just described, a 

 similar issue was discovered,and upon touching a match 

 to the gas, combustion ensued and continued, notwith- 

 standing vigorous efforts were made to extinguish it. 

 The fumes caused much annoyance to-the laborers, and 

 not until masses of earth were dumped over the orifice 

 did it cease to burn. 



The conditions at all the described localities appear 

 to be identical. The geological formation is the same, 

 and the same odors and depositions characterize each. 

 It may be hardly proper to apply the name Solfatara 

 to these gaseous issues, yet they have many character- 

 istics of those outlets of internal action situated near 

 active volcanoes. If not rightly coming under that 

 head, they may belong to the class of gas-springs 

 known as fire-wells, so called from the emanations of car- 

 buretted hydrogen, occasionally taking fire at the issue. 

 These phenomenon can undoubtedly be traced to deep- 

 seated chemical changes. Dr. Dauberry attributed 

 them in Sicily to the slow combustion of beds of sul- 

 phur. Another authority states that the frequent oc- 

 currence of naptha and inflamable gas points to the 

 disengagement of hydro-carbons from subterranean 

 strata. 



The recent discovery of natural gas by boring at 

 Summerland, a few miles west of the Rincon issues, 

 where it has no doubt been escaping from the surface 



