The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-10-05

morning of July 10, the Wiley party was
on the way to HelIs Half Acre. They
stopped at the Marshall House at Fire
Hole where they met friends and en-
joyed the conversation. A side trip
was taken to Queens Laundry, three
miles away. STARTED at 4 and went
to Lower Geyser Basin. This basin
contains thousands of acres and many
deep boiling springs and many small
ones. Passed over a hill which is in
general shape a segment of a sphere,
crossing small streams Of hot water
running off its summit, the overflow
from the last eruption of the Fountain
geyser, the crater of which we Jaw.
It is Of great depth and some Is feet
i diameter. Its water looks deep en-
erald green and is forever boiling and
steaming. Passed over the hill to the
paint pots These are very numerous;
some a foot across, and one of white
paint Of SO feet diameter. The paint
bubbles slowly on account of its great
density; it is boiling hot and looks Just
like paint. Some of the pots are stone
color, some red, some salmon and some
white. There will be a white one and a
salmon not over three feet apart. While
looking at these we heard a big rush.
ing sound and knew that the 'Foun-
tain was in eruption. We a over to it
and recrossed the round hill but this
was now covered with streams of boil
ing, steaming water through which we
had to pass, jumping where we could
In the water when too wide to jump. It
was hot work"
They passed the streams and reached
the windward side of the geyser. Water
thrown up some 20 or 30 feet in
immense quantities, boiling hot. THE
whole hill was steaming 20 that it was,
to us. a hot vapor bath. The ground
rumbled and shook beneath our feet in
a terrible manner I would not advise
a timid person ever to try to witness
this sight. I was neve so deeply i'm
pressed by anything I have ever seen
yet. The littleness and f%eebleness of
man Is forced home upon one in the
most impressive manner. I do not envy
that mar who can stand unmoved in
this terrible presence. I could not re-
sist the feeling that the whole hill
might burst asunder and engulf us all.
We came away. I did not wish to see
anything more today"
Camped on the shore of the Madi-
Mr. Wiley notes in his diary that
IN the other side is Hell's Half Acre,
"a desolate, barren pile of the deposit
from geysers. The whole country for
miles has been built up by geyser de-
posits. The road is through the white
dust of it,"
Crossing the ford of the Madison.
Inc Wiley party arrived about noon,
July II, at Upper Geyser basin, "the
of our journeying south in this
section," and "encamped in a small
pine grove just on the edge of the bas-
What was left Of the goose was eaten
or dinner. A fine bed of pine boughs
was made and a good nights rest en-
!oyed. In rather a happy mood, MI.
Wiley records a summary. I'VE have
seen in eruption, Old Faithful, Grotto,
Riverside, Castle, Splendid, and in a
partial state, The Grand. We have seen
he craters of the Beehive, Bear and
Cubs, Giantess, Giant, Saw-mill, and
hundreds Of smaller ones which are
between boiling springs and geysers.
Faithful erupts every hour with perfect
regularity. It shoots to some extent all
time, but as its hour approaches the
volume Of steam increases, until it Is