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contrary they may be twice that depth. They are
separated only by a narrow ridge or arch of a whitish
stone resembling that deposited by the water or
steam of the Geyser; and this appeared to us to be
a bridge, under which the waters of the two pools
communicate. In many places it Avas dangerous
to approach Avithin several feet of the margin, as
the earth overhung the water and Avas holloAV underneath,
supported only by incrustations, which in
some places descended like a Avail doAvn to the
bottom as far as Ave could see into the pools : these
Avere likcAvise Avhite, and no doubt consisted of the
same kind of siliceous deposit as that near the
Geyser ; but on looking at them obliquely, they exhibited
beloAv the surface a beautiful azure blue
colour. Near to the margin of these clear springs
Avere some small ones of mud of a deep red colour,
Avhose temperature Avas a fcAV degrees lower than
the Avater of the clear pools*.
* Dr. Holland, in his MS. journal, which he has kindly lent
me, thus describes this " singularly curious and remarkable fountain.”
" A basin, not less than twenty-six feet in len g th , and
eight or ten in width, is filled almost to its brim with water, in a
state approaching to ebullition. T he appearances produced in the
inside o f this basin are h igh ly beautiful. T h e water is extremely
clear and transparent, and allows the eye to penetrate to a great
depth along the perpendicularly descending sides, which are
everywhere lined with an incrustation projecting outwards into
a variety of forms. The basin is traversed about its middle by a
narrow arch, appearing to be composed entirely o f incrustation,
hut so sligh t as to render it dangerous, if not impossible, to cross
it in this way. Neither description nor drawing are capable of
giving a sufficient idea o f the singularity and beauty of this spot.”
While looking around us at the various springs,
the fountains and fissures on this extraordinary piece
of ground, Ave watched Avith much anxiety for the
usual symptoms of an eruption from the Great
Geyser; but none took place during the remainder
of the day nor in the night. The basin again filled
and remained full, and several times overfloAved
the m a rg in : at such times a vehement ebullition
was observable directly over the shaft, and once
it rose with a jet to the height of three or four
feet.
Early the next morning I stripped off my clothes
to perform my ablutions and to shave myself by
the margin of the basin, but in the midst of the
operation I felt a sudden motion of the earth, and
a rumbling noise beneath resembling somewhat
the crashing noise of a large body of ice breaking
up in a thaw ; and the Avater at once overfloAved the
basin. I had a narrow escape from being drenched
Avith scalding watei* of the temperature of about
190° of Fahrenheit, but still no eruption took
place. I observed on this occasion, and afterAvards,
that four or five ravens came and perched themselves
on the rim of the basin on the leeward
side, evidently enjoying the steam as it rolled
over them.
The Avater having again subsided, 1 next visited
an aperture close to the hill, to which my attention
had been draAvn by the constant noise that was
made hy the steam it Avas emitting: it Avas quite
different from that of any other of the fountains.