l stronger."

"Oh, but wait, sir, till you see the Great Geyser; that's much better
than the Strokhr."

"Doubtless it is very fine, Zoega. Still I can't help but think our
California Geysers are in a superior condition of health. It is true
they smoke a good deal, but I don't think they impair their digestion
by such stimulating food as the Geysers of Iceland. Judging by the
eruptions of the Strokhr, I should say he feeds exclusively on fire
and water, which would ruin the best stomach in the world."

Zoega looked troubled. He evidently did not comprehend my figurative
style of speech. So the conversation dropped.

The column of water ejected from the Strokhr, unlike that of the Great
Geyser, is tall and slender, and of almost inky blackness. In the case
of the Great Geyser no artificial means interrupt its operations; in
that of the Strokhr the pressure of foreign substances produces
results not natural to it.

After the two eruptions which I have attempted to describe, the waters
of the Strokhr again subsided into sobs and convulsive throes. Some
half an hour now elapsed before any thing more took place. Then there
was another series of growls, and a terrible swashing about down in
the churn, as if all the demons under earth were trying to drown one
another, and up shot the murky flood for the third time. Thus it
continued at intervals more and more remote, till a late hour in the
night, making desperate efforts to disgorge the sods that were swept
back after every ejection, and to rid itself of the foul water that
remained. Those attempts gradually grow fainter and fainter, subsiding
at last into mere grumblings. I looked into the orifice the next
morning, and was surprised to find the water yet discolored. It was
evident, from the uneasy manner in which it surged about, that the
dose still produced unpleasant effects.

Having finished my sketch, I returned to the tent, in front of which
Zoega had meantime spread a cloth, with some bread and cheese on it,
and such other scraps of provisions as we had. A little boy from the
neighboring sheep-ranch brought us down some milk and cream, and I
thought if we only had a cup of tea on to warm us up after the chilly
wind our supper would be luxurious.

"Just in time, sir," said Zoega; "I'll make the tea in a minute."

"Where's your fire."

"Oh, we don't need fire here--the hot water is always ready. There's
the big boiler up yonder!"

I looked where Zoega pointed