148 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAXAG1NE 





Photograph by Robert F. Griggs 

 A "BUTTE" IN THE VALLEY 01? TEN THOUSAND SMOKES, FORMED OE SOLIDIFIED MUD 



Paul R. Hagelbarger, Assistant Bota- 

 nist. — "Bright sunshine bathed the valley 

 when I first saw it. Even though several 

 miles away, I was awe-struck by the sur- 

 prisingly large size and striking beauty of 

 the spectacle. There were so many more 

 steam jets than I had even hoped to see 

 that I could only gaze in silent admira- 

 tion. 



"After living in the valley and work- 

 ing among the f umaroles, my impressions 

 began to change. My amazement at the 

 great area was intensified by the knowl- 



edge gained on many trips across the val- 

 ley floor. The beauty of each individual 

 vent was even more than that of the val- 

 ley as a whole. 



"The thing that stupefied me, however, 

 was the ever-present proof that some ter- 

 rific energy or force had only recently ex- 

 erted itself. Everything seemed on such 

 a huge scale. Our tents looked insignifi- 

 cant, pitched among the gaping fissures 

 and the roaring volcanic vents. 



"As I came daily to know the area bet- 

 ter, I was more and more impressed by 



