Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-03-09
The 1rJt Springs of the Yellow.
Stone.

Stone.
From the river our path led up
tho steep sides of the hill for about
one mile, when we came suddenly
and unexpectedly in full view of
the springs This wonder alone,
our whole company agreed sur
passed all the descriptions which
had been given by former travel
lcrs. Indeed, tho I>angford party
saw nothing of this. Before. us
arose high white mountain, look
ing precisely like frozen cascade.
1t is formed by the calcarcous sedi-
ment OF the hot springs, precipita-
ted FROM the water as it flows down
the steep dcclivities of the noun
tain side. The upper portion is
about one thousand feet above the
waters of Gardeners River The
surface covered with the deposit
comprises from three to fodr square
miles. The springs now in active
operation cover an area of l square
mile, while the rest Of the territory
is occupied by the remains Of
springs which have long since
ceased to flow. We pitched our
camp upon grass terrace at the
base of tho principal group ID ac
tive springs. Just in the rear of us
were II series ofresorvoirs or bath
Ing g-pools, rising one above the 9TH
ef, semi circular in form, with most
elegantly scalloped margins com
posed of calcarcous matter, the sed-
lihcnt prccipitatcd from the water
OF the spring. The hill, which is
about two hundred feet high, pre-
sents, tho appearance of water CON
gealed by frost rs itQpickly flows
down rocky declivity. The de-
pYsit is as white ms snow, except
hben tihged here and there with
iron or sulphur. Small streams
flow down the sides of the snowy
mountains, in channels lined with
oxide of iron colorcd with the most
delicate tints of red. Others pro-
sent tho most exquisite shades of
yellow, from a deep bright sulphur
to dainty cream color. In the
springs and in the little channels is
a material like tho finest cashmere
wool, with its slender fibcrs float
ing in the water, vibrating with the
movement of the current, and ting
cd with various shades of red and
yellow, as. bright as those of our
aniline days. These delicate wool
like masses are undoubtedly plants.
which seem to be abundant in all
the hot springs of the West, and
are familiar to the microscopist as
Upon q kind Of terrace
an area oftwo hundred
yards IN length and fifteen in width
are several large springs in a con
slant state of agitation, but with a
lower temperature than
the boiling point. The hottest
springis 162 deg others are 143
do, 1856, aud 1856 deg respectively.
Some ofthem give off the odor of
sulphuretted hydrogen Quite per
ceptibly. A qualitative analysis
shows the water to contain sulphu-
retted hydrogen, lime, soda, alum
MIA. and a small amount of magne-
sIa. 1t is beautifully clear, and
alkaline to the taste. had
The water after rising from the
sbfihR basins flows down the sides
of The .declivity, step by step
from one reservoir to the other, al
each one of them losing alportion
of its heat, until it becomes lis cool
as spring water. Within FIVE hun
dred feet Of its source our large par
ty camped for two days by the side
of The little stream by the aggrega-
ted waters Of these hot springs, aud
We found The water most exceilen.
for drinking as well as cooking
purposes. 1t was perfectly clear
and tasteless, and harmless IN its ei-
fects., Durng our stay here all The
members of Our paEly- as vel az
the soldiers COMPRISING eur escort.
enjoyed the lnxnrf bf bathing in
these fI6ssti fI6si ere siss sii,iis.yT sii,iis.T iatyer natbfff
baJhing- pools, and Il vas easy 10
select, from The hundreds Of reser;,
soffs, water Of every variety Of