The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-04-23
THE YELLOWSTONE GEY-
SERS.

All geysers have not the same ac-
ton, and most of them in style of
action, in the duration OF their erup-
tons, and in the intervals that elApse
between them are apt individually 70
vary. Some play with labored pump
ing, others throw a continuous
stream, some wear themselves out in
a single effort, others subside ONLY to
recommence again repeatedly. Thus
an eruption may extend from two to
twenty minutes-the approximate
time occupied by the Grand; or even
to one hour and twenty minutes-a
period that the Giant has been timed
to play.
The colors thai tinge ths edges Of
some of the crsters, and stain the
course of the streams that they send
forth, are indescribablY beautiful.
The snowy Wilderness OF the ground
ing is relieved by dainty bufs, pale
pinks, and softest ecr0s, deep yellow
shot with brown, orange streaked
with yermiiion or strsyinG into GRIM
son, chocolate merging into black,
and inteTliCed with lemon-by colors,
in fact. run riot, and siI glistening
vet beneath tue clesrsst crystal water
that in the centre of the crater deep
ems into the besvehliest blue. From
such brillisncy it is relief to turn
toward the sullen hills of purple
Zines.
Extinct domes and oraters, over
grown with hourishing tree, or
mounds still bare, and even steam
ing. with otherwise only their i'm.
mense size to indicate the mighty
bower that formed them, are found
here and there, among those we'll
known to be still active. Many
craters are surrounded by the skele-
ton trunks OF tress that they have
killed, and which under the action
OF their mineral waters, are rapidly
becoming petrifed; while in the
conflict between desolstion and verdi
ure, which, owing to the frequent
variation OF the centers of action is
constantly ia progress, the lOwly
bunch grass steals around wherever
it dare draw blade.
OF all the geysers whose e:uptions we
witnessed, the Grand was, l think.
the most interesting. It played each
evening at regular hour. We were
thus enabled to get comfortably into
front seats, focus our glasses, and dis
cuss the programme, as il we're,
before the performance commenced.
This it did very abruptly, although
the activity displayed by q small vent
hole, and the furious bubbling in an
other orifice connected with it, might
be accepted as premonitory symp-
toms. Suddenly, With a single prefa.
tory squirt, the Grand shst a vast
stream of water over 200 feet in the
air. For few minutes this pressure
was maintained with undated vigor,
then it suddenly ceased, and the
waters shrank back out of sight in
the csvernous hollow of the crater.
Meanwhile the vent and cauldron
were still furioHsly iaboring, and
subterranean thunder struck the
ground on which We stood. After q
minutes cessation the geyser again
burst forth without warning, and
with even greater violence. This
continued until nine successive pulse
tions had occurred. The latter efforts,
however, perceptibly diminished 10
grandeur.
It is impossible to coniure up in
words any idea Of the msjsstic fury
OF the scene. The maddened rush of
scalding water bursting for q mo-
ment's freedom from its mysterious
captivity, tbs gigantic columns OF
dense vapor, the clouds of lace-like
falling spray or diamond showers,
the lace-tipped water jets, pennoned
with puffs of steam, the subGerranesn
reports, the Wondrous effects of the
evening sun on the silvery sheaf of
water.spears that with lightning
rapidity flashed forth and vanished,
broke and reformed, and the rainbow
that shone through the drifting
masses of gsuzy mist, battle en-.
tirely my powers OF description. l
could only gaze and maryel.-Nlne-
tenth Centuru.