We could now approach it and the boiler without danger, and examine both at leisure.

There was now nothing to fear; the water had entirely disappeared from the outer basin.

We entered it and approached the inner basin, in which the water had sunk seven or eight feet, where it boiled and bubbled fiercely.
With a hammer I broke some crust out of the outer as well as out of the inner basin; the former was white, the latter brown.

I also tasted the water; it had not an unpleasant taste, and can only contain an inconsiderable proportion of sulphur, as the steam does not even smell of it.
I went to the basin of the Geyser every half hour to observe how much time was required to fill it again.

After an hour I could still descend into the outer basin; but half an hour later the inner basin was already full, and commenced to overflow.