236 
BORAX  IN  CALIFORNIA. 
have  been  one  of  the  vents  from  which  the  eruptive  matter, 
obsidian,  ashes  and  pumice,  so  abundant  in  this  region,  were 
ejected.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  narrow  arm  of  Clear  Lake, 
nearly  opposite  to,  and  about  four  miles  distant  from,  Thurston's 
Lake,  is  a  large  accumulation  of  volcanic  materials,  with  much 
obsidian  and  pumice.  In  fact,  all  through  the  Chain  of  the 
Coast  Ranges  in  this  direction,  down  Grizzly  Canon  to  Bear 
Valley,  on  the  trail  to  Colusi,  there  are  hot  springs  and  the 
remains  of  Solfatara  action,  indicating  strongly  a  cross-fracture 
in  this  region,  through  which  the  volcanic  agencies  have  made 
themselves  perceptible,  and  which  probably  connects  on  the 
south-west  with  the  Geysers,  thus  forming  a  line  of  volcanic 
action  nearly  if  not  quite  across  the  chain. 
Among  the  evidences  of  the  former  working  of  volcanic  forces 
in  this  region,  there  is  nothing  more  interesting  and  remarkable 
than  the  so-called  "  Borax  Lake  "  and  its  vicinity.  This  lake 
occupies  a  depression  on  the  east  side  of  the  narrow  arm  of  Clear 
Lake,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  a  low  ridge  of  volcanic 
materials,  lying  loosely  heaped  together,  and  consisting  of 
scoriae,  obsidian  and  pumice.  The  Borax  -Lake  is  of  variable 
dimensions,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year  and  the  com- 
parative dryness  of  the  season.  When  examined,  (September, 
1863,)  the  water  occupied  an  area  about  4,000  feet  long,  and 
1,800  feet  wide  in  the  widest  place,  and  its  shape  was  irregularly 
oval,  its  longer  axis  being  turned  in  the  direction  of  east  and 
west,  magnetic ;  it  has  once  extended  nearly  twice  as  far  to  the 
south-east,  as  the  ground  is  hardly  raised  above  its  present  level 
in  that  direction  for  nearly  a  mile.  The  lake  is  said  to  have 
been  entirely  dry  during  the  summer  before  the  great  rains  of 
1861-62.    In  1863,  the  water  was  about  three  feet  deep. 
The  existence  of  this  lake  was  first  made  known  to  the  world 
by  Dr.  J.  A.  Veatch,  who  examined  it  in  September,  1856,  and 
detected  the  presence  of  borax  in  its  waters  ;  but  it  was  not  until 
some  months  afterwards  that  the  existence  of  a  large  bed  of 
crystals  of  this  valuable  material  in  the  bottom  of  the  lake  was 
discovered.  The  land  about  here  has  been  located  by  the 
"  California  Borax  Company,"  the  agents  of  which  have  caused 
explorations  to  be  made,  have  had  the  waters  carefully  analyzed, 
m 
