The rock through which it is forced is
slightly raised in a convex manner,
and gathered at the opening into an
urn-mouthed form, and is e.idenlly
formed bv continued deposition from
the water and colored bright red by
the oxide of iron. It is a hot spring,
and the water has a pungent and disa
greeable metallic taste, leaving a burn
ing effect on the tongue.
“Within perhaps two ytird* of the
jet d* eau is n email hole of about an
inch in diameter, through which, at
regular interval*, escape* a blu-t of hot
air, with a light wreath of smoke, ac
companied by a regular noise. The
hole had been noticed by Doctcr Wis
liners i-,a gentleman w ho, several years
since, passed by this place, and who
remarked, with very nice observation,
that smelling the gas which issued
from the oritice, produced a sensation
of giddiness and nausea. Mr. I'rettss
and myself repeated the observation,
and were so well satisfied w ith its cor
redness that we did not find it pleas
ant to continue the experiment, as the
sensation of giddiness which it pro
duced was certainly strong and deci
ded. A huge emigrant wagon, with a
large and diversified family, had over
taken us and halted to noon at ouren
jesmpanent; and while we were s-itting
iat the spring, a hand of boys and girl-,
with two or three young rm n, came up,
one of whom 1 asked to stoop down to
smell the gas,desirous to satisfy myself
further of its effects. Hut his natural
Caution had been awakened by the: sin
gular and suspicious features of the
place, and he declined my proposal
; decidedly, and with a few indistinct
remarks about the devil, whom he
seemed to consider tire genius loci.
