File:Personal narrative of explorations and incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua - connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, during the years 1850, '51, (14793750723).jpg

Identifier: personalnarrativ01bart (find matches)
Title: Personal narrative of explorations and incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua : connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, during the years 1850, '51, '52, and '53
Year: 1854 (1850s)
Authors: Bartlett, John Russell, 1805-1886
Subjects: Joint Boundary Commission (United States and Mexico) Indians of North America
Publisher: New York : D. Appleton & Company
Contributing Library: University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Digitizing Sponsor: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
sion of such a remarkable spotas this, the writer should be familiar with volcanic regionsand know something of similar phenomena. The actionhere was confined within a narrow ravine, in the moun-tain side, running nearly at right angles with PlutonRiver, which we had crossed. The banks were fromone hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fiftyfeet in height, breaking in from the mountain, whichrose up from ten to fifteen hundred feet above, andwere wholly composed of decomposed rocks. In thechasm beneath us, columns of steam were spouting outon every side; while deep at the bottom, ran a smallrivulet. Vegetation of luxuriant growth crowded closeupon the crumbling rocks, consisting of various kindsof shrubbery, pines, oaks, firs, &c. We clambered down to the spot where the scoriaor burnt rock first appeared, and seated ourselvessunder the shade of a pine tree. From this point Ittook a sketch looking down the gorge. On each sideof where we sat, some twenty or thirty feet below, a
Text Appearing After Image:
AND RETURN TO SAN FRANCISCO. 41 small stream came tumbling down, concealed from viewby dense foliage, and united at the base of a juttingmass of rocks, as seen in the sketch. I thrust a staff,which I carried with me, some three or four feet intothe crumbled granite beneath; which led us to thinkit not quite safe to remain where we were. From thisplace, we got down with some difficulty to the bottomof the gorge, where the main stream ran. The waterwas here cold and pure, exhibiting no unpleasant taste.A few yards further brought us into the midst of thepuffing geysers, or steam-jets ; for I knew not by whatother name to call them. Fumes of sulphur here metour nostrils at every step, while the rustling steam, asit spouted from a hundred cavities, completely envel-oped us. The latter did not issue in one continuouscolumn, but at short intervals, as from the pipe of ahigh pressure engine. It was with some difficulty thatwe could breathe here among the fumes of sulphur andthe steam; and we

Note About Images