Crater of Old Faithful Geyser, In Upper Geyser Basin, on the Fire Hole Fork of Madison Branch of the Missouri River.

William I. Marshall,

Publication

Crater of Old Faithful Geyser, In Upper Geyser Basin, on the Fire Hole Fork of Madison Branch of the Missouri River.

William I. Marshall,

Description

THE NATIONAL PARK. This Park, the largest in the workd, area 3578 sq, miles, elevation above the sea from 6000 to 14,000 ft., is on both sides (but mainly on E. side) of the main range of the Rocky Mts., in N. W. corner of Wyoming Territory, U.S. of A. It was made a National Park by Act of Congress, approved March 1, 1872, and contains a far greater number and variety of natural wonders lakes, cataracts, canons, mud volcanos, solfataras, fumaroles, ornamental hot springs, spouting geysers, etc., than any other equal area on the globe. The mound which has been built up by the silica deposited from the water spouted by the geyser in its eruptions, is mainly of a brilliant white, but part of the incrustations around the orifice, which look much like fine brain coral, are of a pale pink; while the shallow pools in the foreground (which are filled constantly with hot water) have bottoms and insides colored in the most lovely tints of salmon, pink, cream, lavender, lemon, and brown, making charming contrasts with the white of their rims, and with the white, smooth pebbles of geyserite which can be seen through the limpid waters, many of the smaller ones looking almost exactly like sugared almonds. Every 65 min. it spouts a column of clear, boiling hot water, 7 X 2 ft., to a height varying from 125 to 175 ft., while vast volumes of steam rise 500 ft. or more. The eruption lasts from 4 to 6 min., and is accompanied by a great noise of escaping steam, a roar like distant artillery firing, and a trembling of the ground for several rods around. It is the only large geyser in the world which has eruptions so frequently and regularly, whence its name (see Nos. 10, 11, 12, & 13 for eruptions). The Fire Hole (see Nos. 5, 6, & 45 to 50 inclusive) flows in the depression behind the thin line of trees; and across the stream is another mound on which the Giantess Geyser can be seen steaming. See Nos. 51 to 78, & 117 to 121, for Yellowstone Lake, River, Falls, & Canon, & Tower Creek & Falls; Nos. 79 to 116 for Gardiner's River & Mammoth Hot Springs, and Nos. 1 to 6, & 45 to 50, for Fire Hole, Gibbon's Fork, & Madison River.