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Show 116 obstructs the view. From Mount Purdy to Mud Volcanoes the direction is southeast, the distance about 10 miles. Trail is good most of the way, the only difficult place being the crossing of a salt creek with marshy banks. After crossing this creek the trail is on a hard, gravelly mesa until it Dears the mud volcanoes. The ground within an area of 200 by 500 yards is covered with large and small craters formed from the mud which has been thrown up into conical mounds. These mounds vary in height from 3 to 6 feet, and in diameter, at the base, from 5 to 20 feet. Some have large open craters, within which the hot mud can be seen constantly boiling and bubbling. At short intervals columns of mud are thrown up to the height of 4 to 6 feet, but no regularity in the pulsations could be discovered, nor did they occur at the same instant in the different craters. The smaller cones had small openings at the apex, from which issued sulphurous vapor with a hissing noise.* The center of this area was occupied by a lake of boiling mud, 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 the mud volcanoes. The temperature of the water is 100°. A small spring of clear water was found near the mud lake with a temperature of 199°. 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 temperature of about 96°, and also has a strong taste of alum. The temperature of the boiling mud was found to be 210°, and that of the vapor issuing from the smaller orifices was about the same. A large tnonnd situated some 200 yards to the southeast of the mud lake appears to have been thrown up by this volcanic action. The crnst is composed principally of sulphur, much of which occurs as pure crystals. It is not in action now, but 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. The 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 bottles of water from the lake, pond, and hot spring were obtained. The surface of the ground between 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 an overflow of the river. From Mud Volcanoes to Indian Wells.- After visiting the volcanoes the side party returned to camp, and started the following day for New River station. The route follows closely one of the New River channels. These channels can* be detected by the rich growth of mesquite trees, which grow in the bed and along the banks. The soil is very rich, and after an overflow the grass springs up and matures rapidly. When we passed these flows were entirely dry and destitute of grass, there having been no overflow for several years. At New River Station water is obtained from a well in the bed of New River; water brackish and disagreeable to the taste. Between 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 mirage the whole day, the plain appearing as an immense lake of water. At Indian Wells we were joined by the main party, who followed the road. Here also we experienced 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 was blowing. This wind carried with it clouds of fine sand, which penetrated 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 the 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 sand. 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, but the station is now entirely surrounded with sand- hills of varying height. From Indian Wells Station I ascended Signal Mountain. The aneroid indicated an altitude of 2,300 feet at the summit. Here an extensive and extended view was obtained of the greater portion of the Colorado Desert, Lake Maqnata ( Stretch,) a salt lake on the west side ef the Cooopah Range was seen to be almost dry. The water lines on both sides of the range could be plainly discovered, and the cones of the mud volcanoes in the Coahuila Valley were seen with the telescope. The northwestern end of the sand ridge lies nearly due north from this position. The eastern end is near Algodon Station: The course of New River could be traced, as it bends to the northwest of the station, and continues on 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 the rumbling noise within could be distinctly heard. * |