UPPER GEYSER BASIN (CONT.)
Shortly after dinner the news was circulated that a religious service
was to be held in the office of the camp, where the guests assembled
around the large fireplace. I learned from some friends that our party
was expected to conduct the meeting. Later, the manager asked me to
take charge of the service. She said that it would be impossible to
get the people in until after 8:30 o'clock, as Old Faithful would be
due to make a display about that time, and that the great searchlight
from the hotel would be turned on the geyser when the water reached
its maximum height. This caused much excitement among the guests, and
every person sought the best position to get a view of the display.
Immediately afterward the people gathered in for the service. Song
books were passed around and a lively interest was taken in the
singing, in which nearly every one joined. My brother and his wife
sang a number of pieces together which greatly pleased the audience.
My brother then preached a short sermon and I followed, giving them
some interesting history concerning the Pillar of Fire church. This
seemed to be the subject in which most of them were interested, and I
was glad to be able to give them the information they desired. There
is so much akin to the supernatural in the Yellowstone it made the
preaching of the Gospel easy on this occasion.
The day, after having been full of interest and inspiration, closed
with a message of salvation for the people, which was best of all.
Many gathered around us to express their appreciation of the service.
The next morning I arose refreshed and ready to finish the tour of the
Upper Geyser Basin, which contains twenty-six geysers and more than
four hundred hot pools and springs. A party of "hikers," with a guide,
started out about nine o'clock to make the rounds before luncheon. I
was not quite sure that I could keep up with them, but as many of the
places are not accessible to vehicles I had to make the attempt or
miss my opportunity.
The basin is drained in the center by the Firehole River. Everywhere
steaming hot springs are seen, also mounds and cones of geyserite. In
this basin, within a square mile, are the grandest and mightiest
geysers in the world. There are pools of scalding water whose
marvelous beauty and delicacy of coloring cannot be described.
Everywhere are undulations crowned with geyser cones, or hot spring
vents of a grayish white appearance. In places, the earth trembles,
strange rumblings are heard, and the air is heavy with sulphurous
fumes. How could it be otherwise but that a person should feel that he
is in close proximity to the Inferno which Dante so vividly described!
The RIVERSIDE GEYSER, on the banks of the Firehole River, plays, we
were told, "Over the River" at intervals of six or seven hours.
Sometimes eruptions occur more frequently for a period of several
days.
GROTTO GEYSER has the most attractive formation of any geyser in the
park. The Washburn party named it in 1870. Its eruptions are
irregular, occurring at intervals of two to eight hours and lasting
from fifteen minutes to eight hours. Sometimes the Grotto ceases and
the ROCKET plays to a height of fifty feet. After it has ceased, the
Grotto resumes action.
[Illustration: RIVERSIDE GEYSER © _Haynes, St. Paul_]
The GIANT GEYSER, south of the Grotto, is the highest in the world. We
found a person near it in soldier's uniform who said he had been
waiting there a week to see it play. Its maximum height is 250 feet,
which is reached during the first twenty minutes of its eruption. Its
cone is ten feet high with one side partly broken off. Eruptions occur
every seven to twelve days.
Near the Giant are three "boiling caldrons," CATFISH, BIJOU, and
MASTIFF. These are supposed to be indicators, but it is uncertain
whether the eruptions of the Giant are foretold by them.
The DAISY is a very beautiful and reliable geyser, erupting every one
and a half to two hours. Seventy-five feet is its maximum height.
The BONITA POOL, across the road, acts as an indicator.
The BRILLIANT is a beautiful blue hot spring and near to it is the
COMET, which has built up a small cone of geyserite.
When our party reached Castle Geyser on a hill opposite the Giantess,
our guide called attention to the fact that the Giantess was in
action. Our time was limited, but every member of the party wanted to
cross the bridge and go to Geyser Hill and get as near to its crater
as possible. We did so, and it was at this time, during the steam
period, when the water had receded, that I got a glimpse into its
awful depths; and trembled at the yawning chasm which threatened to
engulf us. It looked as if it might be connected with the place where
the king of darkness dwells and his organized forces operate. We had
only a few minutes to tarry, and hastened back to the vicinity of
Castle Geyser to renew the journey.
[Illustration: GIANT GEYSER © _Haynes, St. Paul_]
I was grateful for this little diversion, which broke in on the
regular program of the tour, feeling that I had been fortunate to see
at least one eruption from the crater of the Giantess.
MORNING-GLORY SPRING, or GEYSER, as it is sometimes called, was to me
the climax in beauty of all the springs in the geyser basins. It
looked as if it might be a gem of Paradise that had survived the
curse. It appears to be a mass of many-colored liquids, resembling a
giant morning-glory, hence its name.