Excavations have been conducted with great difficulty, since the Roman
remains lie directly under an important part of the city covered with
valuable buildings. Nearly all of the baths in the vicinity of the
springs have been uncovered and found in a surprising state of
perfection. In many places the tiling with its mosaic is intact, and
parts of the system of piping laid to conduct the water still may be
traced. Over the springs has been erected the modern pump-house and many
of the Roman baths have been restored to nearly their original state. In
the pump-house is a museum with hundreds of relics discovered in course
of excavation--sculpture, pottery, jewelry, coin and many other articles
that indicate a high degree of civilization. Outside of the Roman
remains the most notable thing in Bath is its abbey church, which, in
impressive architecture and size, will compare favorably with many of
the cathedrals. In fact, it originally was a cathedral, but in an early
day the bishopric was transferred to Wells. There is no ruined fortress
or castle in Bath, with its regulation lot of legends. Possibly in an
effort to remedy the defect, there has been erected on one of the hills
that overlook the town a structure which goes by the epithet of the Sham
Castle.

On leaving Bath, we followed the fine London road as far as Chippenham,
a prosperous agricultural town celebrated for its wool market. To the
north of this is Malmesbury, with an abbey church whose history goes
back to the Ninth Century. A portion of the nave is still used for
services and is remarkable for its massive pillars and Norman doorway,
the great arch of which has perhaps a hundred rude carvings illustrating
scenes from scripture history. The strong walls of the church caused it
to be used at times as a fortress, and it underwent sieges in the
different wars that raged over the Kingdom. The verger pointed out to us
deep indentations made by Cromwell's cannon and told us that one of the