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from the Great Geyser, which had thrown up a jet,
of a vast body of water to the height of about forty
feet; and though this is not more than half the
height to which the column usually rises, satisfied
with this single exhibition, they were ju st on the
eve of taking their departure.
The Great Geyser, as I have said, is situated on
a mound which rises considerably above the general
surface of the plain, and slopes on all sides
to the distance of a hundred feet or thereabouts
from the borders of the large basin on its summit ;
and ,in the centre of this basin, forming as it w c t c
a gigantic funnel, there is a pipe or tube up which
the boiling water rises and the eruptions burst
forth. The basin or bowl of this funnel is from four
to five feet deep, sloping a little, like a saucer,
towards the central tube. Into this basin the
water had flowed to within a foot and a h alf of the
brim when we visited it ; and, as it was gradually
rising, we remained on the spot till it overflowed,
which we were told was a certain sign of an eruption
being about to take place ; the more certain, as
a bubbling or boiling up of the water was observed-
over the mouth of the tube at the same time.
The temperature of the water in the basin at this
period, as far as I could reach to plunge in the
thermometer, was from 180° to 190° of Fahrenheit.
After anxiously waiting a considerable time, instead
of that grand burst we had expected to take
place, to our great mortification the water began
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