The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-26

of the volcano mountain being five or six
miles in circumference. The crater is per-
maps $50 yards wide. and the bottom is
now covered with sand
South of the Sierra Preta is the divid-
ing line of the watershed. The Colorado
overfiows below Yuma near Algodones.
the overflow being the subsistence of the
once great division of water. The water
flows first southwest to nearly the foot of
Black Butte ana there divides the New
river flowing north into American terri
tory, and the Hardy river south to the
Gulf of California. The division takes
place at Volcanic lake This volcanic lake
is five miles south of Sierra Prieta, and
group of mud volcanoes are on its edge,
Another group are near the south edge OF
the Salton sink.
These volcanoes were first heard of in
the early SOS. There were a number of
heavy earthquakes, so severe that Chin
ney peak, famous landmark near Yuma,
was shaken down. After the earthquakes,
the troops stationed at Fort Yuma motto
ed a cloud of smoke lowering over the
desert. Maj. Heintzelman, who was in
charge of the fort, started out with a par
ty to make an investigation. and they
discovered the mud volcanoes in active
eruption. They were what are called sal
ses, or eruptive mud springs caused by
an explosion of steam in the earth, which
throws up the mud to a considerable hieht
ana builds regular cones. Ever since this
discovery the volcanoes have continued
active. Shortly afterward DR. John lie
Comte made trip to this strange coun-
Try and published his Investigations He
was followed by DIR. John Veatch. who
visited the volcanoes south of Salton sink
and described them as being very active,
throwing mud to a hight of 60 feet or
mora.
Al the present time there are about Is
active volcanoes and twice that number
that are quiet having subsidized and left
their cones. A large cloud of smoke hangs
over the place, and there are great many
cracks and assures in the earth, from
which the steam escapes. The explosions
can be heard for many miles.
Prof. David P. Barrows of the San
Diego State Normal School visited these
volcanoes several months ago for the pur-
pose of investigating these strange freaks
of nature. The overflow was very high
at the time, and Prof. Barrows had to
strip and swim the Hardy river, about 100
yards wide to reach the volcanoes. He
found number submerged in Volcanic
lake, and the others were on the mud plan
just above the lake. 1t is the opinion of
Prof. Barrows that the ground is assured
to regions of heat and the water perco-
lating down becomes converted into steam
and is forced up again with an explosive
force, carrying mud with it. A number
of volcanic gases, sal ammoniac principal
ly, are thrown off with the steam One
volcano under the lake was very active,
throwing up big column of mud and wa
ter. On all sides was the sound of escap-
ing gas. The soil was hard and baked
and salt-incrusted.
The springs were full of boiling water
and pools of water which had run off reg
istered a temperature of from 115 to 1870
degrees. The water was very salty, and
where it leaked through the earth it left
an absolutely pure deposit of salt. Prof.
Barrows did not have his shoes with him.
and found it difficult to walk on the earth
because of the heat. This volcanic heat is
a crystal heat, and biologists are not
agreed as to what causes it. In nearly
every region where there is a big delta
this crystal heat occurs.
This mud plane is very desolate and is
surrounded by sand-hills. The only veg
citation is reed grass. A terrible pest,
known as the mosca fly, abounds in the
section. This fly will eat the skin from
mule or horse, and Prof. Barrows found
it necessary to plaster himself with mud
for protection He swan the Hardy six
times and on his second trip over he took
his camera along, placing it on a raft,
which he towed over by rope held in his
mouth The largest of these volcanoes is
about fifteen feet high, and in appearance
greatly resembles a South American ants
nest There are boiling springs and gey-
sers in the Yellowstone Park, but nothing
of this kind. 1t is rare to find springs in
a mud plain.
Beau Hooker of San Diego visited the
volcanoes three years ago, and found them
quite active at that time. He found that
the mud and water had great medical
value, which would render them equal to
any of the famous healing springs. The
volcanoes are rendered interesting by q
fund of Indian legends and myths. The
Cocopah tribe, who are the original in
habitants of this region, believe the vol
canoes to be the abode of the evil spirit
and, even to this day, they approach them
with mingled eve and terror. In earlier
times it was the custom of the Indians to
put their criminals or any white man who
CHANGED to stray within their confines to
death by throwing them into the volca-
noes. This served twofold purpose-it
appeased the wrath of the evil one and
rid the tribe of objectionable persons.
These ceremonies were performed at
Mi and the weird unaarfhlV nipturn