OUR GREATEST NATIONAL MONUMENT 



251 





t: 



Photograph by R. F. Griggs 



the wreck of baked mountain camp 



Nearly a thousand feet of cordage had been used in lashing the poles together to resist 

 the weather. The wreck was so heavily drifted over by flying pumice that it took the 

 combined strength of two of us to peel back the fallen roof and get at the duffle on the floor. 



therefore, the very curious sensation of 

 kindling a fire by plunging a stick into 

 water (see page 237). 



A RED-HOT FUMAROEE 



All of the high temperatures measured 

 were found in such relatively small and 

 inconspicuous fumaroles as these, rather 

 than in the big vents, which would at first 

 impress any one with their tremendous 

 heat. The real temperature of the gas in 

 the big vents when it first emerges is 

 probably quite as high as in the little ones, 

 but the wide-open throats which the force 

 of the escaping gases has blasted out per- 

 mit the emanations to cool down consid- 

 erably before reaching the surface. 



On this account the biggest and most 

 impressive vents, those which are actually 

 delivering by far the greatest quantities 

 of heat, are seldom more than two or 

 three times as hot as ordinary steam. 

 Their temperature, although far beyond 

 that ever found in a steam-boiler, and so 

 high that the steam is perfectly dry and 

 transparent as it comes forth, is yet far 

 below the kindling point of wood. 



In the hottest vent the steam is not only 



so dry as to show no signs of condensing 

 for a long distance, but is so highly 

 heated that in the dark the orifice from 

 which it comes must glow with a faint 

 redness. Indeed, one could almost call 

 it "red-hot steam" ; but by reason of its 

 transparency no glow would be visible in 

 a small body of it. 



All of us would have liked to see a 

 red-hot fumarole, and there was much 

 talk of going down to the vent to observe 

 it at night ; but when it came to making 

 the trip no one was exactly ready to 

 undertake the job, for none cared to try 

 to pick his way among the fumaroles in 

 the dark ! (see page 237). 



BEARS INVESTIGATE THE FUMAROEES 



In the seven years since the formation 

 of the fumaroles, the country round about 

 has gradually become populated by a new 

 generation of bears, which, having grown 

 up in the vicinity of the valley, have come 

 to regard it as one of the normal elements 

 of their world. 



When first discovered, the active area 

 was as absolutely devoid of living crea- 

 tures as can be imagined. The next year 



