198 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
‘‘The spring, distant from Cawker City about two and one- 
half miles, in a southeasterly direction, is just within the 
lower bottom of the Solomon river, being perhaps 300 feet from 
the first terrace, and about sixty rods from the present bed of 
the river. It flows, not after the manner of most springs, from 
some hidden nook or cavern, but from the summit of a nearly 
symmetrical mound, shaped like a low-statured sugar-loaf, or, 
to be more mathematical, like a truncated cone. This mound is 
forty-two feet high (see frontispiece), nearly as level on the top 
as a floor, and in the center of this small table-land is found the 
spring itself, which is quite as remarkable as are its surround- 
ings. Instead of a gurgling rivulet, trickling away among the 
rocks, the visitor sees before him a smooth, almost motionless 
body of water, more than fifty feet across, and filling its basin 
to overflowing ; or, if not to actual overflowing, so near it that 
its surface appears to be upon a level with the top of the 
mound, and in imminent danger of flowing over at any and all 
points. The only reason why such overflow does not occur is, 
that the rock forming the mound is very porous, and affords in- 
numerable minute outlets, just equaling in combined capacity 
the subterranean inlet. 
‘“The dimensions of the mound and basin are as follows, from 
actual measurements: Height of mound, 42 feet; diameter at 
base, 300 feet; diameter at top, 150 feet. The basin, shaped 
like a funnel, or better, like an inverted cone, is 35 feet deep at 
the center; its diameter at top, from ‘water’s edge to water’s 
edge,’ is, north to south, 52 feet 4 inches; east to west, 56 feet 
8 inches. These figures show the surface of the pool to be very 
nearly circular. The limestone stratum enclosing it like a ring, 
of almost uniform width, makes a fine driveway for carriages, 
which find an easy ascent at one especially favorable point. 
‘“The reverence with which the Indians have always regarded 
the ‘Waconda’ spring is worthy of notice, as exhibiting in a 
marked degreee some mental traits of a race destined soon to 
pass away. Upon this subject my knowledge is all at second- 
hand, but I am fortunate in having the following statement 
from one of the earliest settlers of Mitchell county, now a resi- 
