er than those of Pisa
or Siena. Their edges seem to be of purest jasper. They are upheld by
tapering shafts resembling richly decorated organ-pipes. From
parapets of porphyry hang gold stalactites, side by side with
icicles of silver. Moreover, all its marvelous fretwork is
distinctly visible, for the light film of water pulsates over it so
delicately that it can no more hide the filigree beneath than a thin
veil conceals a face.

It is a melancholy fact that were it not for United States troops,
these beautiful objects would be mutilated by relic-hunters. Hence,
another duty of our soldiers is to watch the formations constantly,
lest tourists should break off specimens, and ruin them forever, and
lest still more ignoble vandals, whose fingers itch for notoriety,
should write upon these glorious works of nature their worthless
names, and those of the towns unfortunate enough to have produced
them. All possible measures are taken to prevent this vandalism.
Thus, every tourist entering the Park must register his name. Most
travelers do so, as a matter of course, at the hotels, but even the
arrivals of those who come here to camp must be duly recorded at
the Superintendent's office, If a soldier sees a name, or even
initials, written on the stone, he telephones the fact to the
Military Governor. At once the lists are scanned for such a name. If
found, the Superintendent wires an order to have the man arrested,
and so careful is the search for all defacers, that the offending
party is, usually, found before he leaves the Park. Then the
Superintendent, like the Mikado, makes the punishment fit the crime.
A scrubbing brush and laundry soap are given to the desecrator, and
he is made to go back, perhaps forty miles or more, and with his own
hands wash away the proofs of his disgraceful vanity. Not long ago a
young man was arrested at six o'clock in the morning, made to leave
his bed, and march without his breakfast several miles, to prove that
he could be as skillful with a brush as with a pencil.

[Illustration: "SEPULCHRES OF VANISHED SPLENDOR."]

[Illustration: MAN AND NATURE.]

[Illustration: THE PULPIT TERRACE.]

[Illustration: A CAMPING-PARTY.]

After spending several days at the Mammoth Hot Springs, we started
out to explore the greater marvels that awaited us in the interior.
The mode of travel through the Park is a succession of coaching-parties
over a distance of one hundred and eighty miles. The larger vehic