i 4 8 An ACCOUNT of 



a flight inclination as they burft from the bafon, were project- 

 ed in beautiful curves, and the fpray which .fell from them, 

 caught by a fucceeding jet, was hurried away ftill higher than 

 it had been perhaps before. 



The jets were made with inconceivable velocity, and thofe 

 which efcaped uninterrupted terminated in fharp points, and' 

 loft themfelves in the air. The eruption, changing its format 

 every initant, and blending varioufly with the clouds of fleam 

 that furrounded it, continued for ten or twelve minutes ', the 

 water then fubfided through the pipe, and difappeared. 



The eruptions of the Gey zer fucceed each other with fome 

 degree of regularity, but they are not equally violent, or of 

 equal duration. Some lafted fcarcely eight or ten, while others 

 continued, with unabated violence, fifteen or eighteen minutes. 

 Between the great eruptions, while the pipe and bafon were 

 filling, the water burft feveral times into the air to a confider- 

 able height. Thefe partial jets, however, feldom exceeded a 

 minute, and fometimes not a few feconds, in duration. 



After the eruption of it had been violent, the water fank 

 into fubterraneous caverns, and left the pipe quite empty. If 

 the eruption had been moderate, the fubfidence of the water 

 was proportionably lefs. The firft time the pipe was perfectly 

 emptied, we founded its depth, and found the bottom very 

 rough and irregular. The pipe remains but a fhort time empty. 

 After a few feconds, the water rufhes into it again with a 

 bubbling noife, and during the time that it is rifing in the 

 pipe, it is frequently darted fuddenly into the air to different 

 heights, fometimes to two or three, fometimes fixty feet above 

 the fides of the bafon. By a furprife of this kind, while we 

 were engaged meafuring the diameter of the well, we had 

 nearly been fcalded ; and although we were able to withdraw 

 ourfelves from the great body of water as it afcended, yet 

 we remained expofed to the falling fpray, which fortunately 

 was fo much cooled in the air as to do us no mifchief. 



Of 



