[Geysers] Kipling's trip 1889

[Lee_Whittlesey at nps.gov]

Actually, Rudyard Kipling's trip to Yellowstone occurred in 1889, not 1899.
It was published first in his rare little book AMERICAN NOTES and then
later in his two-volume FROM SEA TO SEA.

Thus this was only six years after Krakatoa. As for his tale about a
relationship between Castle and Giantess, it wasn't true then and it's not
true now. Throughout Yellowstone's history there have been numerous such
claims of geyser relationships, most of them spurious.

There are hundreds of fun Yellowstone trip accounts like this Kipling one.
I've spent many years trying to find and read them all, and even today they
keep turning up at the rate of about one per month. I hope those of you who
have an interest in such things can attend the opening of the new park
library and archives building on May 18, 3pm-8pm. We'll give you a grand
tour of the place!

Lee Whittlesey
Park Historian, NPS
Yellowstone National Park




                                                                                                                                   
                      Karen Low                                                                                                    
                      <yellowstonekaren        To:       geysers at wwc.edu                                                           
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                      03/30/2005 02:45                                                                                             
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I was re-reading Rudyard Kipling's "From Sea to Sea" and have a couple
questions for the geyser gurus.

Kipling claims that "After the Krakatoa eruption all the geysers went mad
together, spouting, spurting, and bellowing till men feared that they would
rip up the whole field. Mysterious sympathies exist among them, and when
the Giantess speaks (of her more anon) they all hold their peace."  Anybody
know of any documented evidence of this?  Kipling's visit was in 1899, so
it was nearly 16 years after Krakatoa erupted.

Kipling also says he was told that " If the Castle went off first, they
said the Giantess would be quiet, and vice versa;"    Was there really ever
a belief that the two were that closely related?  (Or were the soldiers
just telling tall tales?)

Here is the link to "From Sea to Sea", for anyone who wants to enjoy a
really well great trip report.
http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/prose/FromSeaToSea/seatosea_XXXI.html

And another quote just for fun: "Would you believe that even these terrible
creatures have to be guarded by the troopers to prevent the irreverent
American from chipping the cones to pieces, or worse still, making the
geysers sick?"

Karen Low


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