THE GEYSERS. 
115 
distances, and on all sides of me, were the aper¬ 
tures of boiling springs, from some of which 
were issuing spouts of water, from one to four 
feet in height; while in others, the water rose 
no higher than the top of the basin, or gently 
flowed over the margin. The orifices were of va¬ 
rious dimensions, and either covered on their sides 
and edge with a brownish siliceous crust, or the 
water only boiled through a hole in the mound, 
and became turbid by admixture with the soil, 
which colored it either with red, dirty yellow, or 
grey. Upon the heated ground, in many places, 
were some extremely beautiful, though small, spe¬ 
cimens of sulphuric efflorescence, the friability of 
which was such, that, in spite of the utmost 
care, I was not capable of preserving any in a 
good state. I did not remain long in this spot, 
but directed my steps to the loftiest column of 
steam, which I naturally concluded arose from the 
fountain that is alone, by way of distinction, cal¬ 
led the Geyser . It lies at the opposite extremity 
of this collection of springs, and, I should think, 
full half a quarter of a mile distant from the outer¬ 
most ones which I first arrived at. Among nu¬ 
merous smaller ones, I passed three or four 
apertures of a considerable size, but all so much 
inferior to the one I was now approaching, that 
they scarcely need any farther notice. It was im- 
