50 OUR NATIONAL PARKS 



vegetation in different countries may change, 

 Mother Earth is ever familiar and the same. 

 But here the very ground is changed, as if be- 

 longing to some other world. The walls of the 

 canon from top to bottom burn in a perfect 

 glory of color, confounding and dazzling when 

 the sun is shining, — white, yellow, green, blue, 

 vermilion, and various other shades of red indefi- 

 nitely blending. All the earth hereabouts 

 seems to be paint. Millions of tons of it lie in 

 sight, exposed to wind and weather as if of no 

 account, yet marvelously fresh and bright, fast 

 colors not to be washed out or bleached out by 

 either sunshine or storms. The effect is so novel 

 and awful, we imagine that even a river might 

 be afraid to enter such a place. But the rich 

 and gentle beauty of the vegetation is reassur- 

 ing. The lovely Linnsea borealis hangs her 

 twin bells over the brink of the cliffs, forests 

 and gardens extend their treasures in smiling 

 confidence on either side, nuts and berries ripen 

 well whatever may be going on below ; blind 

 fears vanish, and the grand gorge seems a kindly, 

 beautiful part of the general harmony, full of 

 peace and joy and good will. 



The park is easy of access. Locomotives drag 

 you to its northern boundary at Cinnabar, and 

 horses and guides do the rest. From Cinnabar 

 you will be whirled in coaches along the foam- 

 ing Gardiner Biver to Mammoth Hot Springs ; 



