sins, we were too eager to push forward, to examine
them minutely. One was from twelve to twenty feet in diameter, and had
a beautifully scalloped border. So perfect was the shading of the
scallops, that it looked like a most delicate work of art rather than
the production of nature. From the centre spouted up water to the
height of seven or eight feet. Farther on was another boiling spring,
of far greater dimensions,--a horrible-looking caldron, the water dark
and muddy, and in ceaseless agitation.

"Here is a pot suitable for the witches' caldron in Macbeth," cried out
Manley.

He was rather ahead of me, and on overtaking him I found him standing by
the side of a circular basin whose diameter we calculated to be fully
twenty feet. The contents consisted of what greatly resembled hasty
pudding, or, as Manley said, "a huge caldron of thick mash." The whole
surface was bubbling up every instant, and giving off a thud like the
noise produced by the escape of the gas below.

Curious as these sights were, we were still more astonished by the
appearance of the side of the mountain, the base of which we passed.
All up the slope was seen, as it were, one above another, a succession
of large basins or reservoirs. The margins were beautifully scalloped
and adorned with natural bead-work of exquisite beauty. In spite of our
hurry, we could not resist the temptation of making our way up to them.
One of the largest springs we calculated to be fully thirty feet in
diameter; and so perfectly transparent was the water, that, as we looked
down into it, we could see to the very bottom. Its sides were
ornamented with coral-like forms of various shades, from pure white to
bright cream-yellow, while the blue sky overhead gave an azure tint to
the whole surface which no art could imitate. Over several parts of the
rim the water was flowing down into other basins. I climbed up and
looked over into one of the pools, which was literally hanging on to the
one above it like a bird's nest to a wall; while beautiful stalactites
were suspended below it, caused by the water which flowed over the
sides. The temperature of the water when it came out of the side of the
mountain was high, but in the course of its passage from pool to pool it
became gradually cooler.

"I cannot resist the temptation of taking a bath in one of these
beautiful basins," exclaimed Manley.

Selecting one, I followed his example; and the sergeant was soon sitt