THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 159 
as that mentioned by Doane, lasted only one hour and twenty 
minutes. This geyser was not observed in action by any of Dr. 
Hayden’s party of 1872, nor by the members of the northwestern 
Wyoming expedition in 1873.* 
If we are to reap the greatest benefit from the study of, these 
phenomena, it cannot be denied that “delay is dangerous.” 
Observation must be constant. —The closest attention to details 
will avail little, however early, unless ample provision be made for 
its continuance without interruption. Temporary exploring par- 
ties have done their work so far as these are concerned, in the dis- 
covery and mapping of their positions, and in gleaning sufficient 
evidence to show their importance. Every scrap of this evidence 
is valuable, to be sure, but the main questions at issue can be de- 
cided ‘only by the steady and laborious process of aceumulating 
rélated and’coincident facts. This necessity will be more appar- 
ent when we consider our ignorance of the phenomena. I can 
best illustrate this by a brief reference to the known history of 
- several of the most prominent of the craters of the Upper Geyser 
Basin of Fire Hole River. 
The eruption of the “ Giantess” so graphically described by Mr. 
Langford,+ who witnessed two violent eruptions within twenty-two 
hours in 1870, has since been observed only once, on the evening 
of August 18, 1872, by a portion of Dr. Hayden’s party.{ 
Another geyser a few rods distant from the “Giantess,” but 
across the river, on account of the approximate regularity of its 
action, has received the appropriate name of “Old Faithful.” I 
give on the following page a w of twenty-seven eruptions with 
particulars. § 
Ee f* Scribner's Monthly,” June, 1871. 
tMr. Langford reports the maximum height of the column of water projected from 
_ this geyser to have been 250 ft. Dr. Peale (loc. cit., p. 149) places the height, in 1872, 
oe 40 ft. 
-> §Th bs d in 1872 are taken from the Report. of Dr. Peale, 
PS pegabien The remainder ave rom my ovra notes. Lieut, S. E. Blunt rendered 
material assistance in instance. 
X 
