Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/32



over the  seething  uncertain  ground,  your  blistering feet perhaps  ankle  deep  in  mineral  deposits,  and  lift- ing themselves spasmodically  from  the  heated  earth, 3^ou may  see  pools  of  slaty  swash  exhaling  a  dock- mud stench,  steam  whizzins;  thro'uo'h  fissures,  and black compounds  belching  from  slag  and  clinker- rimmed holes  ;  at  which  strange  doino;s  Helena  ixroans afresh, and  fallen  forest  trees  ten  miles  distant  shudder and turn  to  stone.

Here, as  everywhere  in  dealing  with  the  unknown, men speculate  upon  the  causes  of  these  phenomena, some holding  that  they  are  produced  by  volcanic  action, others by  purely  chemical  forces. Side by  side,  only  a few  inches  apart,  are  hot  springs  and  cold  springs,  boil- ing springs and  springs  whose  waters  are  undisturbed. An iron  pipe  terminating  in  a  whistle  inserted  in  one of these  steam  orifices,  sends  forth  a  shrill  shriek. On the  Pluton  is  the  Indian  spring,  whither  the  na- tives, who feared  to  enter  the  Devil's  canon,  have  re- sorted from time  immemorial  to  bathe  in  its  healing waters. There they  erected  a  sweating-house,  and thither they  carried  their  sick. Near the  hot  black sulphur bath,  which  they  have  made,  flows  a  stream of clear  cold  water,  into  which,  after  their  fashion, they plunge  alternately. On one  side  of  the  Devil's canon  is  the  Mountain  of  Fire,  honey-combed  with dead geysers,  and  stratified  with  sulphur,  epsom  salts, copperas, nitre,  ammonia,  tartaric  acid,  cinnabar, magnesia, and  yellow  ochre. Near by  are  the  vent holes of  a  crater  from  which  the  steam  whistles  with great force. In early  morning,  before  the  overhang- ing vapors are  dissipated  by  the  rising  sun,  the  gorge is filled  with  steam,  which  rolls  ofl"  in  huge  banks  be- fore the  wind.  Above  and  beyond  the  edges  of  this Tartarean  pool,  round  which  struggle  pale  sickly trees,  in  the  valley  of  the  Pluton,  and  sometimes  ap- proaching coyishly  to  the  very  verge  of  the  heated waters,  mountains,  hills,  and  ravines  are  overspread with  a  covering  of  fresh  verdure  and  wild   flowers.