144 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



During our somewhat protracted stay in the lower basin, I found time to observe 

 pretty carefully all the geysers of any considerable importance. Among the six or 

 eight which throw columns of water to the height, say, of 30 feet, there is only one that 

 possesses the dignity and grandeur of the great geysers of the upper basin. Although, 

 in some respects, it is much inferior to its more popular rivals, in others it is cer- 

 tainlj' superior. In approaching the crater of this geyser the observer is not at first 

 impressed with its importance, as the outer rim of the basin or rather table — in the 

 center of which the fissure is situated — is raised but two or three feet above the gene- 

 ral level. This elevated i^art I should estimate to be upwards of 120 feet in diameter, 

 and, with the exception of the crater, it is built up nearly to a level with the border. 

 The surface, formed entirely of siliceous deposit, is diversified by an infinite number of 

 forms and colors. The depressed parts in some places are so level and white and hard 

 that a name could be engraved as easily and as well as upon the bark of a beech-tree. 

 In others there are most exquisitely modeled basins and pockets, with ornamented rims 

 and filled with perfectly transparent water, through which thousands of white pebbles 

 of geyserite could be seen lying in the white, velvety bottoms. Rising above the gen- 

 eral level are innumerable little masses and nodes of cauliflower-like and beaded silica, 

 standing out of the shallow water like so many islands. Those near the crater swell 

 into very large rounded masses. The whole surface is so solid that I walked, by step- 

 ping from one elevation to another, up to the very brink of the fissure, where I looked 

 down with no little apprehension into the seething caldron, where, 12 or 15 feet below, 

 was a mass of dark-green water in a state of constant agitatioUj threatening an erup- 

 tion. The crater is about 10 feet in diameter, lined with an irregular coating of beaded 

 silica. The water soon began to rise, plunging from side to side in great surges, send- 

 ing up masses of steam and emitting angry, rumbling sounds. This demonstration 

 caused a precipitate retreat, on my part, to the border of the basin, thinking that I 

 could appreciate the beauties of a scalding shower-bath better from that point of view. 



An irregular mass of water was thrown into the air in the utmost confusion, spread- 

 ing out at every angle and whirling in every direction, some jets rising vertically to the 

 height of 60 or 80 feet, then separating into large glistening drops and falling back into 

 the whirling mass of water and steam ; others shooting at an angle of 45° and falling 

 upon the islands and pools 30 or 40 feet from the base. The eruptive force, for a mo- 

 ment, dies away and the water sinks back into the tube. Then, with another tremen- 

 dous effort, a second body of water is driven into the air, but with a motion so much 

 more simple than before that the whole mass assumes a more regular form and is like 

 a great fountain with a thousand jets, describing curves almost equal on all sides and 

 forming a symmetrical whole more varied and more grand than any similar work 

 by man. The intermittent action continues for nearly an hour, but is sb constantly 

 changing that at no two moments during that time are the forma or movements 

 the same. The eruptions are- repeated at irregular intervals of a few hours and 

 are not known to vary essentially from the manner of action here described ; yet 

 I have good reason to believe that at certain times there is a much greater exhi- 

 bition of x^ower. It must be borne in mind that all the elevations, such as the 

 tubes, rims, and mounds about the crater of a geyser, are built by the evaporation of 

 the water, and the portion of surface covered by the beaded silica indicates precisely 

 the area over which the erupted water falls. In no case did I observe the water fall out- 

 side.of a circle of 60 feet in diameter, and the additional force necessary to scatter it over 

 twice that amount of surface must produce a display truly magnificent. That this 

 display actuallj^ occurs is attested by one of our mountaineers and almost demon- 

 strated by the extent of the beaded surface. During the earlier part of the eruption 

 a considerable quantity of water flows«over the rim and down the sides, where it has 

 formed a series of basins somewhat similar in form and color to those at the springs on 

 Gardiner's River. Falling from one to another of these it passes off down the slope 

 and joins a large stream of hot water which issues from a steady spring not far away. 



A few hundred yards farther up the ravine, and on the opposite side of the creek, I 

 discovered a small spring that deserves in a quiet way to be one of the great attrac- 

 tions of this attractive region. It is isolated from the neighboring springs and nestled 

 in against an abrupt bank, so obscured by tall pines that the visitor is liable to pass it 

 by unnoticed. lo approaching from the creek I passed up a gradually ascending slope 

 down which the water flows, covering in its meanderiugs more than an acre of' ground 

 and leaving, wherever it touches, brilliant streams of color. About a hundred yards 

 from the creek I came upon the spring, the waters of which stand nearly on a level 

 with the surrounding surface. Approaching the border I looked down into the blue, 

 mysterious depth and watched the large bubbles of steam slowly rising to the surface 

 and passing off into the air. The larger of these bubbles would lift u}) a considerable 

 quantity of water sometimes to the height of 3 or 4 feet, producing a kind of spas- 

 modic boiling and dashing a succession of waves against the rim. The spring is sur- 

 rounded by an irregular rim which stands a few inches above the general level of the 

 water. The basin is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide, one end being narrower and par- 

 tially separated from the main basin by an irregular row of beaded islands and pro- 

 jections. 



