Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-07-20

feet across, bordered by the polishe,
eaicito already mentioned, the waite
boils mp furiously at several places
This water is, however, very cold
and the ''boiling" is caused by the very
eoPious emissions of gas, mainly, n,
doubt. earbonic acid. though contain.
ing some sulphuretted hydrogen, since
its smell is quite noticeable, and the
wafer is slightly turbid with particles
Oh sulphur, which also coat the sides
and bottom of the pool. Rising
through the water of the creek, the
great amount Of gas given off at his
place is easily appreciated, but equally
eopious emanations may occur from
the deposits and old vents near by.
which being invisible. remain un.
Roticed.
Above these deposits of altered and
| crystalline travertine the creek cuts
into hank of sulphur and gravel
ceEnente6 by this material, and few
| yards beyond is the debouchure of a
small natural gulley coming down
from tho mountain side. In its bottom
/ is n small stream of clear and cold
water, sour with sulphuric acid, and
] q
| SUI in beds of dark gray volcanic tufIa.
i Ascending this gulch. the sides. closing
together, become very steep slopes of
white decomposed rock, the silicious
residne formed by the decomposition
Of rocks by acid yapors or waters.
The only springs now flowing are
small oo2es OF water issuing from the
base of these slopes, or from the
channel bed and forming a thick.
creamy, white deposit about the vents,
and covering the stream-bed This
deposit consists largely of sulphate OF
aumina-- The slopes show local areas
where sulphur has been deposited by
the oxidation of sulphurous vapors, but
no extinct hot spring vents We're found.
About l5O feet above the main stream
these ooziug springs of acid water cease;
but The character of the gulch remains
The same, The odor of sulphur now be-
comes. stronger, though producing no
other effect than slight irritation of
the lungs. The gulch ends. or rather
begins, in. q scoop" or basin about 250
feet above Cache creek; and just below
this We found the fresh body OF large
bear. q silyer-tip grizzly, with the re-
mains OF a. companion in an advanced
state OF decomposition above him.
Near by were the skeletons Of four more
bears, with the bones of an elk yard
or two above, while in the bottom of
the pocket were the fresh remains OF
several squirrels, rocks hares and other
small animals, besides numerous dead
butterflies and insects. The body OF
ths grizzly was carefully examined for
bullet holes. or other marks Of injury,
but showed no traces of violence,
tho only Indication being a few
drops of blood under the nose. IL was
evident That he had met his death but
a short time before, as the carcass was
still perfectly fresh, though offensive
enough at the time OF a later visit.
Inc remains OF cinnamon bear Just
above and alongside of this were in an
advanced state OF decomposition,
while the other skeletons were almost
donuded OF flesh, though the claws and
much OF the hair remained. 1t was
apparent that these animals, as well as
Ehe squirrels and insects, had not met
their death by violence, but had been
asphyXiated by the irrespirable gas
gwen off in the gulch. The holloWs
we're tested for carbonic acid gas with
lighted tapers without proving its
presence, but the strong smell Of sui
Phur and choking sensation 81 the
lungs indicated the presence OF noxious
gases, while the strong wind prevail
ing at the time, together with the
open nature OF the ravine, must have
ea1sed rapid diffusion OF the yapora.
This place differs, therefore. mater-
ially from the famous Death valley OF
Java and similar places in being Sim.
ply a shaped trench, not over
seTenty-tiye feet deep, cut ia the
mountain slope, and not n hollow or
cave That the gas at times aceumu.
tases in the pocket at the head of this
guleh Is, however, proven by the dead
squirrels, &c, found on its bottom.
IL Is not probable, however, thai thu
gas ever accumulates here to consid
cradle depth owing to the open naturo
Of the place and the fact thar thu
gulch draining it would carry off the,
gas, which would from its density tent
10 How down the ravine. This offers an
explanation of the death Of the bear,
whose remains occur, not in this basin, |
0uB where IL narrows to form the |
fayine; for it is here that the layer oil
gas would be deepest, and has proven |
sufficient To suffocate the first bear.
Who was probably attracted by the re- |
mains OF the elk, or perhaps Of the (
smaller victims Of the invisible gas: I
and he, in turn, has doubtless served A.
as bait for others who have in turn
5nccumbed. Though the gulch has
doubtless served as death-traD for
very long period of time, these skele- I
Tons and bodies must be the remains of I
Only the most recent victims; for the
raVIne is 80 narrow and the fall so
great, that the channel must be cleared
1It every few years, il not annually.
The change wrought by the water
Surfing single rain storm, which &C.
curred IN the interval between nv
1Tst and second visits, was SO consider
sb'e that 1t seems probable that the
ioods OF early spring, when the sno ws
arc melting under the hot sun of this
region, must be powerful enough to
wash everything down to the cone of
icbr1s at the mouth Of the gulch.
GASEOUS, emanations are very fire.
Iuent in volcanic countries, and NAV
% either temporary or permanent
! ne former are, as is we'll known, par.