The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-09-27
THE DEVILS CANON.

IN THE CALIFORNIA GEYsER REGION.
There are no spouting fountains in the
canon, but numerous bubbling springs,
that sink and rise with spasmodic action.
These numbers hundred or two and are of
varying temperature and constituents. A
few are quite cold, closely adjoining hot
springs; while others have a temperature
of 100 to 2O7 degrees Some appear to be
composed of alum and iron, others of sui
phur and magnesia, while few are strong
ly acidulous. Here the water is pale yell
low, like that of ordinary white-sulphur
springs; there it is black as ink The
mingling of these different currents, with
the aid of frequent steam injections, inten-
SITES the chemical action, the sputter and
Tuning, that are necessarily going on.
These phenomena are not confined to the
narrow bed of the gorge, but extend for a
hundred or two feet in places up its sizes,
which slope at pretty steep angle
These slopes are soft masses of rock de-
composed or Stacked by chemical action,
and colored brilliantly with crystallzed
sulphur, and sulphates of iron, alum, lime
and magnesia, deposited from the springs
and jets of steam, which are highly charged
with them. AS the rocks decompose and
leach under the chemical action to which
they are subjected. tie soft silicious mass
remaining, of a putty-like consistence,
mixes with these salts. Some of the heaps
thus formed assume conical shapes. They
have an apparently firm crust, but are
really treacherous stepping places. One of
canon is in the top of such pile, fifty feet
up the steep slope. 1t blows like the
escape-pipe of a large engine. The beau
tiful masses Of crystallized sulphur which
form about it, as about the innumerable
small fumeroles that occur along both
banks, tempt one to dare to climb, and
face the hot steam. The mass shakes be-
meath the tread, and is probably soft to a
great depth. Wherever in these soft heaps
stick is thrust in, the escaping warm air
soon deposits various salts. OF course a
walk over such material is ruinous to boot
and shoe leather, while the splash of acid
waters often Injuries the clothing. Every
body stops to gather specimens Of the var
ious salts and rocks. The guide presents
to be tasted pure Epsom-salts (sulphate of
magnesia), and salts of iron and alum, of
soda, and ammonia. Few care to taste
the waters, however, which rival in their
chemical and sanitary qualities all the
springs of all the German spas together.
Perhaps the most remarkable of the Geyser
springs is that called, happily enough, the
Witches Caldron. This is a black cavern-
GUS opening in the solid rock, about seven
feet across, and of unknown depth, filled
with thick inky liquid, boiling hot, that
tumbles and roars under the pressure of
escaping steam, emitting a smell like that
of bilge-water, and seems to proceed from
Plutonic reservoir. One irresistibly thinks
of the hellbroth in Macbeth, so "thick and
slab,' and repeats the words of the weird
sisters:
"Double, double, toll and trouble,
Fire burn and caldron bubble.'
A clever photographer, Mr.. Muybridge,
conceived the idea of grouping three lady
visitors about this caldren with hands
linked, and alpenstocks held like magic
wands, in which position he photographed
them amid the vaporous scene with telling
effect. Another notable spot is the DEVILS
Gristmill, where large column of steam
escapes from hole in the rock with so
much force that stones and sticks laid at
the aperture are blown away like bits of
paper. The internal noises at this vent
trul h1a tho xyprk Of rriStp,l