THROUGH WONDERLAND. 
21 
Here one hardly knows whether to admire more the delicacy of the formation or 
that of the coloring, the former not being excelled by that of the finest lace, 
while the latter surpasses, both in brilliancy, harmony, and subtle gradations, 
any chromatic effects known to exist beyond the limits of this enchanted 
ground. 
The keenest interest of the newly arrived tourist, however, usually centres 
in those constantly recurring evidences of tremendous force, the geysers. 
With few and unimportant exceptions, these are found within the limits of 
certain distinctly marked areas, known as the upper, middle, lower and Norris 
basins, to which one or two days’ time is devoted, according to circumstances. 
The most celebrated of the geysers—those with whose names the world has 
been made familiar by the pen, brush or camera of author or artist—are in the 
upper basin. Here are found the Giant and Giantess, the Castle and Grotto, 
the Bee Hive, the Splendid and the Grand. Here, too, is Old Faithful, the con¬ 
stancy of whose hourly eruption makes it impossible for even the most hurried 
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS HOTEL—YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 
visitor to the upper basin to leave without witnessing at least one display of its 
tremendous energy. 
The reader, who, not having visited the National Park, has yet gazed into 
some of the profound gorges to be found in the great mountain ranges of the 
far West, will read with astonishment, if not with incredulity, that there is but 
one canon in the world,—the Grand Canon of the Yellowstone. Perhaps slightly 
exceeded in depth, as it certainly is in gloom, it is yet made to stand pre¬ 
eminent among the natural wonders of the world by the majesty of its cataract 
and the gorgeous blazonry of its walls. To say that the former—no mere 
silver ribbon of spray, but a fall of great volume—is a little more than twice the 
height of Niagara, would, by means of a familiar comparison, enable almost 
any one to form a not altogether inadequate conception of its grandeur. But 
for the matchless adornment of its walls, we have no available comparison ; 
naught but itself can be its parallel. One great writer describes it as being 
hung \yith rainbows, like glorious banners. Another, borrowing from Mr. 
