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Show 336 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. obstructs tin- view. Knmi Mount Pnrdy to Mud Volcanoes tbo direction is southeast, the distance alMiut 10 miles. Trail is good most of the way, the only difficult place lieing the rrowiing of a salt creek with marshy hanks. After crossing this creek the trail is on a hard, gravelly mesa until it nears the mnd volcanoes. The ground within an area of %.HH) by'&OU yards is coveml with large nnd wnall cratel> tormed from the mud which has Wen thrown up into conical mounds. These mounds vary in height from A to <> feet, and in diameter, at the base, from 5 to 20 feet. Some have large open craters, within which the hot mud can he seen constantly boiling and Itubbling. At short intervals columns of mud are thrown up to the height of 4 to «'» feet, but no regularity in the pulsations could be discovered, nor did they occur at the .same instant in the ditVcrcnt craters. The smaller cones had small openings at the apex, from which issued sulphurous vapor withahissiugnoi.se." Tbe center of this area wm*occupied l»y a lake of boiling Hind, all parts of whose surface were constantly agitated, and from which the mud was occasionally thrown up several feet in height. A small pond of clear water is situated within the area covered by tbe mud volcanoes. The temperature of the water is 100°. A small spring of clear water was found near the mini lake with a temperature of 11KK A large pond or lake of clear water is situated east of the mud lake and at a lower level. The water of this lake has a tcin)»crature of about 1H» , ami also has a strong taste of alum. Tbe temperature of the boiling mud was found to lie 210-, and that of tbe vapor issuing from the smaller orifices was about the same. A large mound situated some '200 yards to the southeast of the mud lake appears to have been thrown up by this volcanic action. The crust is commuted principally of sulphur, much of which occurs as pure crystals. It is not in action now. hut the hollow sound heard when walking over it seems to indicate that the mound is a hardened crust with a partly-filled interior which possibly communicates with the active volcanoes. Tho liquid mud is black, but on drying it becomes gray, and is very pungent to the taste. A quantity of this mud was collected for analysis, and ltottlcs of water from the lake, ]K>nd, and hot spring were obtained. The surface of the ground Itetwecn Mount Purdy and the mud volcanoes is dotted over with extinct solfataras, with here and there one from which hot vapor issues. A few were also observed east of Mount Purdy. Indians living in the vicinity and old white settlers say that at night flame is seen issuing from these volcanoes, and sometimes high columns of steam. This usually occurs during au overflow of the river. I rum Mud VoUaHo** to Indian ll'rll*.-After visiting tho volcanoes the side party returned to camp, and started the following day for New River station. The route follows closely one of the New Kiver channels. These channels can be detected by the rich growth of nwwfuite trees, which grow in the bed and along tho banks. The soil is very rich, and after an overflow the grass springs up and matures rapidly. When we passed these Hows were entirely dry and destitute of grass, there having been no overflow for several years. At New Kiver Station water is obtained from a well in the lied of Now River; water brackish and disagreeable to tbe taste. Itetween New River and Indian Wells Station we followed the stage-road, which here passes over an almost level plain, when we had the phenomena of miratje the whole day, the plain appearing as an immense lake of water. At Indian \\Ylis we were joined by the main itarty, who followed the road. Here also we cx|MTicnced one of the most disagreeable features of this desert country. Shortly after our arrival in camp it commenced to blow. The winds increased in force, and soon a hurricane wan blowing. This wind carried with it clouds of fine sand, which (H-netrated eyes, ears, and nostrils, as well as instruments and provisions. Traveling or work of any kind was out Of the question. There was nothing to do but to wait until tbe wind subsided. After three days of impatient waiting there was a lull in the storm, and during the night the clouds of sand settled so that we could see some distance in front of us. During this storm high mounds of sand had accumulated around the houses at the station whenever the smallest obstruction permitted a slight lodgment. The wood-pile, disappeared entirely, being covered over with some 3 feet of sami. The effect of these sand-storms seems to be to cover the plain to the west of Indian Wells with sand-dunes. A few years ago the sand had not reached Indian Wells, hut the station is now entirely surrounded with sand-hills of varying height. From Indian Wells Station I ascended Signal Mountain. Tbe aneroid indicated an altitude of -i,:vnt feet at the summit. Here an extensive and extended view was obtained of the greater portion of tbe Colorado Desert, Lake Maquata (Stretch,) a salt lake on the west side ef tbe Cocopah Range was seen to be almost dry. The water lines on ImiiIi sides of the range could be plainly discovered, and the cones of the mud volcanoes in the ('oahuila Valley were seen with the telescope. The northwestern end of the sand ridge lies nearly due north from this jiosition. The eastern end is near Algodon Station. The course of New River could 1m- traced, as it bends to the northwest of The station, and continues ou into the desert. There is no grass or other vegetation on the mountain except a few bunches of " palo verde" near the summit. No water .Note.-On approaching these cones tbe rumbling noise within could be distinctly heard. |