The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1872-04-03

From the river our path led up the steel
sides of the hill for about one mile, whei
we came Suddenly and unexpectedly il
full view of the springs. This wonde
alone, orr whole company agreed, sur
passed all the descriptions which had beer
given by former travellers. Indeed, tn,
Langford party saw nothing of this. Be
fore us arose a high white mountain, look
ing precisely like a frozen cascade. 1t i:
formed by the calcareous sediment of the
hot springs, precipitated from the water
as it flows down the steep declivities Of
the mountain side. The upper portion is
about one thousand feet above the waters
of Gardeners River. The surface cover.
ed with the deposit comprises from three
to four square miles. The springs now
in active operation cover an area of about
one square mile, while the rest ofthe terri
tory Is occupied by the remains of springs
which have long since ceased to flow. We
pitched our camp upon grassy terrace
at the base Of the principal group of ac-
tive springs. Just in the rear of us were
a series of reservoirs or bathing pools, ris-
ing one above the other, semi-circular in
form, with most elegantly scalloped mar
gins composed of calcareous matter, the
sediment precipitated from the water of
the spring. The hill, which is about two
hundred feet high, presents the appear
ance Of water CONCEALED by frost as it
quickly flows down a rocky declivity.
The deposit is as white as snow, except
when tinged here and there with iron or
sulphur Small streams flow down the
sides Of the snowy mountain, in channels
lined with oxide of iron, colored with the
most delicate tints Of red. Others present 1
the most exquisite shades Of yellow, from
a deep bright sulphur to dainty cream
color In the springs and in the little
channels is material like the finest Cash
mere wool, with its slender fibres floating
in the water, vibrating with the move
ment of the current, aud tinged with vari-
Gus shades of red and yellow, as bright as
those Of our aniline dyes These delicate
masses are undoubtedly plants,
which seem to be abundant in all the hot
springs of the West, and are familiar to
the microscopic as diatoms Upon kind
Of terrace covering an area of two hun
lred yards in length and fifteen in width,
are several large springs in a constant
state of agitation, but with a somewhat
over temperature than the boiling-point.
The hottest spring is I62 deg, Others are
- deg, l55 deg. and l56 deg. respec- ;
lively. Some of them give off the odor ;
f sulphuretted hydrogen quite percept-
bly,. A qualitative analysis shows the ;
water to contain sulphuretted hydrogen,
inc, soda, alumina, and a small amount of 5
nagnesia- 1t is beautifully clear, and t
lightly alkaline to the taste. 5
The water after rising from the spring 5
asins flows down the sides of the decliv- /
y, step by step, from one reservoir to the I
Their, at each one ofthem losing a portion II
f Its heat, until il becomes as cool as
Within five hundred feet j
fits source our large party camped for t
no DAYS by the side of the little stream ;
rmed by the aggregated waters of these n
1t springs, and we found the water most n
,cellent for drinking as well as cooking Il
lrposes. 1t was perfectly clear and n
steless, and harmless in its effects. Dur d
g our stay here all the members of our n
lrty, as well as the soldiers comprising o.
IT escort, enjoyed the luxury of bathing IN
these most elegantly carved natural m
and 1t was easy to select, Ii
ON the hundreds of reservoirs, water of pl
cry variety of temperature These ma
raj basins vary somewhat in size, but as
any of them are about four by six feet b.
diameter, and one to four feet in depth. W
it'll foresight worthy of commentator, at
o men have already pre-empted $50 be
res of land covering most of the surface tn
eupied by the active springs, with the m
pectation that upon the completion of en-
: Northern Pacific Railroad this will be- 81
me famous place of resort for invalids W
d pleasure-seekers. Indeed, no future til
lrists in travelling over the Far West sa
i think of neglecting this most wonder on
lofthe physical phenomena ofthat most tor
eresting region. me
rhe level or terrace upon which the ire
ncipal active springs are located is about pr
iway up the sides of the mountain COW tn'
d with the sediment. Still farther up as
the old ruins of what must have been lor
some period of the past, even more &C lea
e springs than any at present known. iar
e sides of the mountain for two or three PR
ldred feet in height, are covered with ma
hick crust of the calcareous deposit, AM
ich was originally ornamented with the i.
3 elegant sculpturing all over the sur b.t
e, like the bathing-pools below. But blar
nospheric agencies, which act readily you
the lime, have obliterated all their de- y
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