. Annual report. 1st-12th, 1867-1878. Geology. 92 GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TEREITOEIES. with considerable force, the temperature is only 96°, showing that the bubbling was due to the escape of gas. The bubbles stand all over the surface. About 20 feet from the last, is a small mud-spring, with an orifice 10 inches in diameter, with whitish-brown mud, 182°. Another basin near the last has two orifices, the one throwing out the mud with a dull thud about once in three seconds, spurting the mud out 3 or 4 feet; the other is content to boil up quite violently, occasionally throw- ing the mud 10 to
. Annual report. 1st-12th, 1867-1878. Geology. 92 GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TEREITOEIES. with considerable force, the temperature is only 96°, showing that the bubbling was due to the escape of gas. The bubbles stand all over the surface. About 20 feet from the last, is a small mud-spring, with an orifice 10 inches in diameter, with whitish-brown mud, 182°. Another basin near the last has two orifices, the one throwing out the mud with a dull thud about once in three seconds, spurting the mud out 3 or 4 feet; the other is content to boil up quite violently, occasionally throw- ing the mud 10 to 12 inches. This mud, which has been wrought in these caldrons for perhaps hundreds of years, is so fine and pure that the manufacturer of porcelain-ware would go into ecstacy at the sight. The contents of many of the springs are of such a snowy whiteness that, when dried in cakes in the sun or by a fire, they resemble the finest meerschaum. The color of the mud depends upon the superficial de- posits which cover the ground, through which the waters of the springs reach the surface. They were all clear hot springs originally, perhaps geysers even; but the continual caving in of the sides has produced a sort of mud-pot, exactly the same as the process of preparing a kettle of mush. The water is at first clear and hot; then it becomes turbid from the mingling of the loose earth around the sides of the orifice, until, by continued accessions of earth, the contents of the basin become of the consistency of thick mush, and, as the gas bursts up through it, the dull, thud-like noise is produced. Every possible variation of con- dition of the contents is found, from simple milky turbidness to a stiff mortar. On the east side of the Yellowstone, close to the margin of the river, are a few turbid and mud springs, strong!j^ impregnated with alum. The mud is quite yellow, and contains much sulphur. This we called a mud-sulphur spriug. The basin is 15 by 30 feet, and has three centers of
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