The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-05-14

e story, Of course, must be taken cum gra,
7 SAILS.
t Along the course Of its stream have bee
i found different objects, perfectly silicitie'
t such as handkerchiefs, fir cones, leave
: pieces of paper and wood, a mouse, a pos
$ age stamp, 4 rabbits ear, and llumerol
t other articles seen on the spot by a numbt
/ Of Montanians. On the east side Of til
t river, and short distance below "Ol
i Faithful is the ssGiantess, :. having a
oval aperture with a mean diameter of
: feet. The eruptions of this, the large:
. geyser i'll the collection, are very irregular
, But few of the many who have visited tn
, Park had the good fortune to witness th
: magnifcencc of this geyser while in &c
) ton, and itwould amply repay one to ex
J crcise some patience while awaiting th
! grand eruption, if he be DESTROYS of wit
Messing the most magnificent sight Of tht
kind to be found on the face Of the globe
1t was the good fortune of the writer t
gaze with awe and wonder upon this sub
lime spectacle by moonlight, when ii ap
4 peared as wierd and solemn as the darE
background of forest and mountain, the
fantastic surroundings, the cleaning gearth
the innumcrable jets of steam in every di-
rection, and the immense body Of water
boiling, Kissing and roaring, projected into
the air-all slyered over by the pale moon
4 orJ,t
mass is often projected to nearly 300 feet
into the air, very often so suddenly as to
seem utterly impossible that those millions
of gallons ever formed a placid, tranquil
little sheet of water. Preceding the egup-
tions for hours an ominous roaring can be
plainly heard deep down i'll the bowels OF
the earth, sounding like distant thunder,
and during the eruption the earth, or rath-
er formation for fifty yards or more, around
the crater, visibly trembles from the force
of the projected water and escaping steam.
| 4 lew yards from the Giantess, and be-
tween that and the river, is the Beehive y
1t has Il cone-shaped crater, about four
| feet high and about six feet in diameter
The oriticc is adorned with beautifully
scolloped edges, while the outside is COW
cred with a delicate, grayish-blue bead
work. This geyser throws a steady stream
Of water to the height Of over 200 feet.
The eruptions continue ut times for half
an hour. Farther down, and on the same
side Of the river, is the busy "Saw Mill"
geyser. It's eruptions arc frequent, but the
water is not projected to a great height.
1t is chiefly admired for the noises pro-
ceeding, bearing a close resemblance to
those produced by a steam saw mill. In
the immediate vicinity is a geyser, well
deserving its name, the ''Grand." When
not il action one can scarcely realize that
this tranquil little pool is one Of the lead
ing geysers. 1t has an oriticc 3xi and the
water is, on an average, once every twelve
hours projected to the height OF 200 feet.
Witnessed on q clear day when the sun is
shining brightly, the effect produced is a
magical one. The rainbows arching the
aqueous column, the water towering 200
feet above, and the steam visible Il thou
sand feet higher, makes the scene Il most
magnificent one. This geyser is distin
guished beyond all others by this charac-
teristic that its eruptions consist of Il series
of from three to eight distinct and SEEM
ingly independent ''spoutings,h following
each other at intervals of a few minutes,
the whole display lasting sometimes from
forty min:1tes to one hour. Below and on
the same side are the "Riverside" and
''Fan' geyscrs, both attractive, though not
so demonstratiye AS their more vigorous
ncighbors. The water from the former,
forced from the orifice, describes curve
and falls into the river, that from the latter
rceoaahlosz rvhilo in action. a lady's fan
partially opened. and really consists Of five
small gcyscrs i'll close proximity.
Crossing the river, Which is easily ford
ed, the tourist passes up on the, Grotto,"
''Giant'' and EfCastle' gcysers. The crater
of the Grotto is by far the most beautiful
of any in either basin. It is 20 feet high,
and the water is projected from several or
ifices in different directions. When not i'll
action, this beautiful formation is eagerly
visited by the photographer and artist.
The giants crater has been compared with
the trunk or an immense hollow tree, brok-
en- of about 20 feet from the ground. The
comparison is a good one. Its diameter is
feet on the inside. When in action it
projects solid stream of boiling water to
a hight Of $50 feet, lasting frou 80 to 40
minutes. Lieut.. Doane Of the ID. Calyalry,
states that at the time of his first visit in
1870 itplayed 81 : hours, throwing a column
of water 80 to 200 feet. The next one of
prominence derives its name from the re-
sembIance it bears to the ruins of a castle.
The mount formed by constant deposits is
40 feet in hight, while the crater is 20 feet.
The eruptions seldom exceed 80 to 40 feetin
hight, but the immense columns of steam
attain to prodigious dimensions. One of
the attractions of this geyser lies in the
beautiful pool Of placid hot water wherein
all the tints ofthe rainbow clothe the walls
and fathomless depth.
There are numerous geysers and springs
in this basin, possessing rare attractions, but
for the sake of brevity only those most
prominent are noted.
It.wollld be advisable for those contem-
plating Il tour to the Parl, to remain at
least 3 or 4 days in the Upper basin, and
make due and suitable provisions against
the heavy night-mists which ever recur,
from the immense quantities OF steam being
condensed, and falling in the form of misty
after sunset, thus rendering the nights
quite cool and moist.
Beyond Spring creek, Il teW hundred
wards west of the s'Grotto" there are to be
found several extinct geysers and large ac-
tive springs, which sllouldno be overlook
ed after the ssbasiu' is thoroughly
Passing doWnthe . Fire Hole River, and
midway between the Upper and Low er
basins are some Of the largest springs in
the Park. One is nearly circular, having q
diameter Of 150 feet. Thelaagestiss surround
by walls varying from 25to}0 feet in height,
and llayinga diameter Of 25o feet. On both
sides of the stream, in this vecinity are many
other exceedingly beautiful springs. One
of fthen1is thus referred to by Prof. Hayden
As the water pouls over the marginal
slope it descends by numerous small cham
nels with large number Of smaller ones
spreading over;l broad surface. and the
marvellous beauty Of the stIikingIY vivid
coloring far surpasses anything Of the kind
we have seen in this land Of wondrons
beauty every possible Shade ofeolor. from
ii vivid scarlet to loright#rose, and every
shade of yellow to delicate cream, mingled