Wonders of the YellowstoneRichardson, James (Geologist)
History
Wonders of the Yellowstone
Richardson, James (Geologist)
Yellowstone National Park
water most excellent for drinking as well as for cooking purposes. It
was perfectly clear and tasteless, and harmless in its effects. During
their stay here all the members of the party, as well as the soldiers
comprising their escort, enjoyed the luxury of bathing in these most
elegantly carved natural bathing-pools; and it was easy to select, from
the hundreds of reservoirs, water of any desired temperature. These
natural basins vary somewhat in size, but many of them are about four
by six feet in diameter, and one to four feet in depth. Their margins
are beautifully scalloped, and adorned with a natural beadwork of
exquisite beauty.
[Illustration: BATHING-POOLS (DIANA'S BATH.)]
The level or terrace upon which the principal active springs are
located, is about midway up the sides of the mountain, covered with the
sediment. Still farther up are the ruins of what must have been at
some period more active springs than any at present known. The sides
of the mountain for two or three hundred feet in height, are thickly
encrusted with calcareous deposit, originally ornamented with elegant
sculpturing, like the bathing pools below; but atmospheric agencies,
which act readily on the lime, have obliterated all their delicate
beauty.
The largest living spring is near the outer margin of the main
terrace. Its dimensions are twenty-five feet by forty, and its water
so perfectly transparent that one can look down into the beautiful
ultramarine depth to the very bottom of the basin. Its sides are
ornamented with coral-like forms of a great variety of shades, from
pure white to a bright cream yellow, while the blue sky reflected in
the transparent water gives an azure tint to the whole which surpasses
all art. From various portions of the rim, water flows out in moderate
quantities over the sides of the hill. Whenever it gathers into a
channel and flows quite swiftly, basins with sides from two to eight
feet high are formed with their ornamental designs proportionately
coarse; but when the water flows slowly, myriads of little basins
are formed, one below another, with a semblance of irregular system.
The water holds in solution a great amount of lime, with some soda,
alumina and magnesia, which are slowly deposited as the water flows
down the sides of the mountain. Underneath the sides of many of the
pools are rows of exquisitely-ornamented stalactites, formed by the
dripping of the water over the margins. All these springs have one or
more centres of ebullition which is constant, though seldom rising
more than four or five inches above the surface. The ebullition is due
mainly to the emission of carbonic acid gas. The springs in the centre
of the main basin are probably all at the boiling point--194° at this
elevation. Being inaccessible, however, it is impossible to determine
their actual temperature. The hottest that could be reached was 162°
Fah. The terrace immediately above the main basin is bordered by a long
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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