Fig, 64, 
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Ideal Section, Upper Geyser Basin 
Fire-hole River. 
, 
THE GEYSERS OF MONTANA. 287 
ful eruptions occurred during the twenty- 
two hours we remained in the valley. This 
geyser we named “ The Giantess. 
Another fine geyser is “Old Faithful” 
(Fig. 63), as it was christened by Messrs. 
Langford and Doane.’ It shoots up a 
column of water about six feet in diam- 
eter to the height of 100 to 150 feet, ‘‘ and 
by a succession of impulses seemed to 
hold it up steadily for the space of fifteen 
minutes, the great mass of water falling 
directly back into the basin, and flowing 
over the edges and down the sides in large 
streams. When the action ceases, the 
water recedes beyond sight, and nothing © 
is heard but the occasional escape of 
steam until another exhibition occurs.” 
Fig. 64 is an ideal section of a portion 
of the Upper Geyser Valley sketched by 
Mr. Elliott for the purpose of conveying 
a “clearer conception of the way in which 
we may suppose the waters of many of 
the springs reach the surface. The lower 
portion of the section is basalt, then lake 
or local drift deposits, and thirdly the 
crust of silica, whic ms a floor of 
greater or less thickness for the entire 
valley. 
It is evident that the geysers of Iceland 
are tame in comparison with those of 
Montana, while the latter are similar to 
those of New Zealand. Concerning the 
origin of geysers, Hayden quotes as fol- 
lows from Hochstetter’s ‘‘ New Zealand :” 
“ Both kinds of springs owe tare origin 
to the water permeating t ‘face an 
apn ee = into “tha bowels 
of the re it becomes heated by 
the still "existing “yoleanic. fires. High- 
pressure steam s gen enerated, which, 
accompanied by volesaie gases, such as 
muriatic acid, sulphurous acid, ‘eulphu- 
retted hydrogen, and carbonic acid, rises 
* 
9 
