d the volume of
water had become reduced to the merest fraction of their former
greatness, they continued their accustomed work here in the depth of the
earth long after the once grand old geyser had ceased to show an outward
sign of life. When the water finally became so reduced even here that
the steam could no longer force it through, or to these latest vents,
the last rising vapors fringed their edges with a beautiful snow-white
border of crystallized carbonate of lime as fine and soft as a band of
swan's down, which it resembles. In the pure, still atmosphere of the
eighth level, almost five hundred feet beneath the entrance, this silent
proof of ancient action will endure for the admiration and instruction
of many generations yet to come. Few mortals will ever be honored with
memorials so lasting or so convincing of vanished power.

Proceeding on the journey the next chamber is the A.O.U.W. Hall, a
large, irregular room, by the rise of which a return to the seventh
level is accomplished; and the next entered is the Tabernacle, not at
all resembling the last, although a similar description would be
correct.

Now is reached what many consider the cave's greatest charm, The Pearly
Gates. And marvelously beautiful it certainly is.

Approaching by a slightly lower level, we see a gateway opening between
large rocks that light up with the soft lustre and varied tints of
mammoth pearls. A wonderful effect is produced by the white calcite
crystal spread in unequal thickness over the dark surface of the
encrusted rocks. Just without the gate is a short but not golden
stairway leading to it, and immediately within is the Saint's Rest, a
chamber of moderate size beautified by another great rock on which are
combined the warm, pearly glow of calcite and the cold glitter of frost
by the later addition of lime carbonate vapor-crystals to the calcium
carbonate aragonite.

Next beyond is the chamber containing the Standing Rock behind which Mr.
Johnstone made his famous discovery of the concealed pin-head. It is an
immense great fallen rock on whose dark surface are scattered
transparent flake-like crystals of satin spar, resembling the congealed
drops of a summer shower. The mind-reader entered the chamber by the way
we shall leave it.

Returning to the spot from which the Pearly Gates were first viewed, we
stand facing the most beautiful of this imposing group of brilliant
scenes, The Mermaid's Resort. This is a small cov