The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1871-06-14


OF action. Columns of steam rise up before
him; dull roaring sound strikes the ear, while
the sense Of smell is greeted with a strong sui
phurous odor. The sides Of the ravine are white
with incrustatiOns. and the water of the little
stream that flows through it is found increasingly
warm as it is ascended. Soon the first of the
little springs appears, Kissing, bubbling and sput-
terlng from under rocks. Nothing is more sur
prisiug than the variety of springs found in close
proximity to one another. yet each constantly
maintaining its peculiar character For example.
there is the " Devils Inkstand," pool in which
there is boiling up hot liquid black enough TO
be used for ink. aud within two or three feet is
spring of clear water. said to have valuable
curative properties for diseased eyes. There are
springs impregnated with alum, sulphur. mag
nesia. Epson salts, ntre, and soda, and the earth
Is inerusted with crystals of the solid substances
The Witches Caudron" is a cavern in the
rocky side, perhaps eight feet in diameter. and
of unknown depth, where water is boiling vio-
lently, and sending up clouds of steam. The
temperature, by the thermometer is one hundred
and ninety-fve degrees. A person who should
fall into it would soon be in fit condition for a
cannibal banquet. Beyond this, the banks of
the ravine grow sleeper and hotter Steam is
issuing from hundred orifces From one. a
foot in diameter, it is sent out with lond sound
as when escaping from boiler This is appro-
priately named Steamboat Geyser" II isa
place much like the sulphur banks of Kilauea
1t would be wearisome to describe in detail
all the features Of this strange place. From a
projecting point Of rock marked with red flag,
and called the Devils Pulpit" general view
of the ravine is gained.
But the peculiar action taking place here is
not confined to the canon. AT distance on
one side, is the Indian Steam Bath" an orifce
where the steam, rushing violently out, blows al
iron whistle, producing a sound like the screech
of a locomotive In another direction is the
Acid Spring, natural fountain of lemonade,
wanting tine sugar. The fountain of syrup that
should accompany it has not yet been discovered,
but the want is easily supplied from the hotel
There are said to be nearly two hundred
springs in the neighborhood Of various tempera-
lures, from extreme cold to boiling heat, and Of
every variety of chemical composition. The
place is a favOrite haunt Of snakes,-a very ap-
propriate circumstance, since the serpent is the
classical symbol of medicine, and this seems to
be one of the great drug repositories of nature.
As to the cause Of the phenomena here exhibited,
opinion is divided. The first impression is that
the heat proceeds from the central fires of the
earth, and the visitor to whom such experiences
are new, thrills with excitement as he imagines
himself walking in close proximity to the great
interior furnace of the globe. But the more
probable theory is that the phenomena are due
to chemical action. The acids and minerals
thrown together in such variety at this spot may
be brought in contact by the action of water
below the surface, thus giving rise to all the heat
here manifested in boiling springs and steam
vents.
1t is said that more than five hundred persons
have already visited the Geysers this year.
although the season has been open but a few /
weeks. Every visitor must have taken back
new impressions of the exhaustess variety of
nature. DELTA.