On the summit are a number of beautiful little pools,
several feet deep, filled with water so clear that a name written in
pencil on a piece of stone and placed at the bottom of the deepest pool
is seen as clearly as if held in the hand. Another remarkable fact is,
that the water does not efface the name, even after months of
submersion.
Old Faithful begins with a few feeble jets. Soon every spasm becomes
more powerful, till with a mighty roar, up comes the water in a great
column. This rises to the height of one hundred and thirty feet for
the space of about five minutes. After the column of water sinks down
there is a discharge of steam.
The "Beehive Geyser" is named after the shape of its cone. The water
and steam issue from the opening in a steady stream, instead of in
successive impulses, as in the two mentioned above. No water falls
back from this geyser, but the whole mass appears to be driven up into
fine spray or steam, which is carried away as cloud, or diffused into
the atmosphere.
The names of some of the other well-known geysers are the "Giant,"
"Grotto," "Soda," "Turban," and "Young Faithful." The tremendous force
with which some of these hot springs even now act, and the
peculiarities of the earth's formation in this section of our country,
may give us some faint idea of the phenomena through which our little
world has passed until it became the dwelling-place of man.
LESSON LV
OUR COUNTRY TO-DAY
_PART I_
The United States is one of the youngest nations of the world.
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