Among other acts, Mr. Hunt witnesses the performance of a citizen of the United States who lacked patriotism and who is compelled to wave a flag and hurrah lustily in favor of America for fifty years. He sees men bound to posts in the body of the theatre and others in cages at the sides. He learns that the former are those who on earth would disturb concert or theatre goers with incessant talking. The latter are the men who had the discourteous habit of going out between every act. [Illustration] [Illustration: A HELL THEATRE.] _CANTO LV._ After the theatre Mr. Hunt thanks Satan for his hospitality and continues his journey. He takes an incline car and arrives at the department where flatterers are punished. He studies the list of victims in his guide book. The most harmful kind, “those who attach themselves to a man the instant he makes a success in life and fill him with exaggerated notions of his greatness and importance,” are seen in stocks, and their bare feet are being tickled by delighted imps. He watches this mirth-provoking devilment for a while and then proceeds. [Illustration] [Illustration: THE FLATTERERS.] _CANTO LVI._ Picking his way down a deep ravine, with the shrill laughter of the tickling imps still in his ears, the course suddenly turns, and he finds himself shut off from all light and sound and groping in shadowy darkness. Advancing cautiously, he comes to a wide expanse where the ground is split with yawning fissures from which issues smoke mingled with the sound of doleful voices. “Let me out! I can’t make myself heard! Haven’t had my name in a newspaper for two hundred years! Help!” These are the wails of the notoriety seekers. [Illustration: _The end of notoriety seekers_] [Illustration: ARRIVAL OF A FOOT-BALL CHAMPION. “What’s the matter down here?” “O, this fool fiend tackled that half-back and tried to rush him into the Lake of Fire.”] _CANTO LVII._ Questioning an employee, Mr. Hunt learns that The Great Punisher employs five thousand overseers or district police captains. Each is assigned to a district, over which he has full charge and about which he reports regularly to his Chief. No law-breakers are rich enough to purchase protection from the Infernal Police Force. In a lengthy prose description of the Police Department of Hell, Mr. Hunt expresses his belief that on the whole it is better conducted than such departments in many American cities. [Illustration] [Illustration: A CAPTAIN OF THE POLICE FORCE.] _CANTO LVIII._ The sewers of Hell are flushed with patent medicines. Such medicines as were sold on earth to enrich the inventor, but were of no benefit whatever to the patient. Wallowing in this stream of mysterious decoction the explorer sees the souls of quack doctors. To add to the punishment of gulping their own poison, unceasing showers of large pills descend, the doctors frantically beating the air in their endeavors to ward off the bitter storm. [Illustration]