Bii BwgMEgBBBEr WM 9KH mm rinted in the United State!, San Jo«e, California, fl Trip to mars ^Bg ^arctatms $~ ^osst 7$4 COPYRIGHT 1920 BY MARCIANUS F. ROSSI S)C!,A601850 eec- s »» INDEX CHAPTER I Page The Encounter 5 CHAPTER II First Trip 16 CHAPTER III Trip to Mars - 17 CHAPTER IV The Battle with Winged Men 23 CHAPTER V The King's Guest 24 CHAPTER VI Trip to South Continent 30 CHAPTER VII The Aeriolus deystroys porcupines with its Concave Glass 32 CHAPTER VIII The Terrestrian Travelers are Invited to the Observation Tower 39 CHAPTER IX Hunting Trip — Emerald Grotto — Artificial Rain Luminus Flowers 55 CHAPTER X Radio Telephony to the Antipodes of Mars 62 CHAPTER XI The Sibyl Interpretates the Answer from Jupiter 66 CHAPTER XII Captain Marchy's New Projectile to Return to Mother Earth .... 71 CHAPTER XIII 25,000 Miles in 24 Hours by Traveling in the Air Current .... 72 CHAPTER XIV Radio Telegraphy and Telephony Encircle the Globe 74 CHAPTER XV Captain Marchy Melts, Turkish Warships and a German Submarine 81 CHAPTER XVI The Martians shoot a shell to the Earth 84 CHAPTER XVII Gold Fish skin, azur eyes, green hair, Martian maid is reflected from the Martian shell thru the stream of light .... 87 CHAPTER XVIII Return to Miars , 92 ILLUSTRATIONS 1. The First eruption of Mount Vesuvius. 2. The Aerilous. 3. The Earth, the Moon and its inhabitants. 4. A Martian girl at the fountain of youth. A 3np tfl iMans. PREFACE In tracing the source of Natural Motive Power, Bal- listic and electric magnetic energy, Etheric waves and Aerial currents, Volcanic force and Zoatical solar air electricity, I have been finally led to the recognition of) the sublime plans adopted by an Infinitely Intelligent Creator for perfecting the operation of the mechanism of his universe. The beautifully arranged scheme off the uni- verse, is readily discovered to be working with such order- ly and divine machine-like regularity that the descriptive appellation of "Mechanism of Heavens, " has been applied to them by Philosophers. No portion o§ matter of the universe is in an absolute state of rest. All the planets of the solar system are urged with a velocity similar to that of the Earth in -their respective orbits. Zodiacal light, which can be seen after sunset extend- ing from the Earth's horizon obliquely upwards, rising beyond the limits of the atmosphere of our earth and through the depths of space into the heavens as a nebulous cone of a dense atmosphere of electricity, excites our admir- ation. It is manifest, that no two planets encountered can cume into touch at the same time in connection with this beam of dense atmostjphere of electricity without causing a reciprocal influence causing mechanical action; and re- action; a flux and reflux penetrable between the earth and worlds like ours. The encounter of the two worlds in direct line of oiur Zodiacal light constitutes the most positive^ test* that can be adduced to prove that communications from our world and a world inhabited like ours has existed at all time. Marcus Aurelius says that Pharaoh, King of Egypt, communicated with his generals hundreds of miles off by despatching written letters to the disk of the Moon. Perhaps " people like us in worlds like ours have never ceased to try to communicate with us" although infinite intelligences are incapable ofj comprehending our world's messages or transmitting messages to them. Yet it affords an interesting view of the sublime Zodiacal nebula of dense atmosphere of electricity with the immediate scope to at- tempt to transmit messages through this electric current to 'people like us in worlds like ours at the same time and moment when the worlds like ours are in straight line with our Zodiacal beam of light, electricity and air. By following the guidance of this Zodiacal beam ex- tending from the earth upwards in the depths of space in the heavens, on the 15th of November 1918, Planet Mars appeared in conduction with our Zodiacal beam, which pro- pagated mechanical action through the medium of electric matter. It was then that Captain Marchy, in pursuing this electric current, startling as it may seem, and absolutely beyond the range of past human experience was guided to fly from the earth to the planet Mars, ac- complishing the trip of 45,000,000 miles in 4 minutes and 21 seconds. Again Scientists appear to have lost sight of the part that volcanic eruptions have played in dealing with the ori- gin of Meteors, which fly at high velocity through space, and can be shown to be huge rocks blown out by dreadful eruptions of the volcanos of worlds like ours. But the fact is most significant, and must be considered that out of The huge rocks blown out by the now extinct volcano of Roccamonfina, in Italy the Collosseum was built, which is the largest edifice on earth. AVith the rocks blown out by Vesuvius the Appian Way, 150 miles long, was built. This fact establishes that rocks blown out by Vesuvius in the year 79 A. D. in falling 150 miles distant from Naples to Rome, had been blown on trajectory. Evidently those rocks, which were blown straight up, had passed the orbit of the earth into space and never came back. On the summit of Mount Vesuvius, previous to the eruption, as the Antiquitate Italianorum says, there existed a swet-bath grotto like the famous one of Monsulmano (Toscany), Iron anforacunicas were used by the Romans to take sweat-baths.) Many surnamed it baby chicken in its shell. The burst- ing of the volcano threw high above the earth's surface the iron shells with the bathers. One of the shells was picked up up in the sea, but the others were blown so high that they never came back. The Sibyl of Cumae, who was sup- posed to have lived 1,000 years, was locked in one of these shells and never returned to earth. The terrific eruptions of the volcanos of Roccamonfina, Vesuvius. Strompoli and Etna, establish that Italy is the mother of many meteors, which fly, through space, and that some of the shells, as stated, may have landed in a world like ours. Historians appear to have lost sight of the Sibyl, a young woman of supernatural knowledge, whose temples are found throughout Italy. With the departure of the Sibyl, it is sad to note, angelic purity and true miracles died, Pulibus tells us that in this Prophetess' books the facts are cited to show that the frozen terrestrial region was caused by the dislocation of the terrestrial pole, and that the earth had inclined on one side with it. It was the Sibyl who, sold to Tarquin, the Proud, the Sibylline books. Her books were entrusted to a college of 15 men, who pre- served them and consulted them on occasions of national danger. The books were kept in the Temple of Jupiter at the Capitol. As no one lived on earth to the age of 1000 years sinde Adam and Eve, it is manifest that the Sibyl was a pre-Christian messenger of the Creator, who depart- ed fr f om this world to dwell in a world like ours for thous- ands of years longer. A TRIP TO MARS A TRIP TO MARS CHAPTER I. The Encounter On the fifteenth of November 1918, Rubeus, re- sponded to the invitation of his friend, Marchy, at the log cottage near the Hindu village. It was just when the clock struck nine at Mount Hamilton Observatory that Marchy raised the curtain of his window and on sighting Rubeus opened the door and saluted him as follows. "My brave friend, Rubeus, J am very happy to see that you kept your promise." Very fortunate am I to be able to attend, worthy col- league. Too long the curator of the hindu village enter- tained me and let me assure you that I am very desirous of hearing the practicability of your plans." "Have you faith in my genius, my good friend Rubeus?" "I am almost ignored by the scientific world." continued Marchy. "Yes, worthy friend, answered Rubeus, that is the world's way for you know that from the time arts have beeq revolutionized by the efforts of individual men. Often men not brought up to the art, but practicing in a very different occupation have done the trick. Arkright, a barber, revolutionized the art. of; spinning. Cartwright, a clergyman, revolutionized the art of weaving. Watt, a maker of mathematical instruments, revolutionized every industry. Roland Hill, a schoolmaster, revolutionized our A TRIP TO MARS communications by devising the penny post, and I am con- vinced that though you confine yourself to your particular lines, you could enter upon some grand experiment worthy of the nineteenth century.' ' A profound silence ensued, and Marchy, in an emphatic tone, continued as follows: "Man seems to be the supreme, mentally elastic organism. He develops by trying novel- ties and by taking new paths. No one knows to what extent he may develop, but everyone knows that through acquisition of knowledge, or production of it, he may transcend any physical limits. We ought to see that every- thing distinguishing our lives from those of savages has come firom studying something new. Now my good friend, Rubeus, before we enter upon theobject, let me read to you an editorial item by Mr. H. Gernsback published by the Electrical Experimenter. Now listen, A few weeks ago Macaroni startled the world by stating that he had often received strong wireless signals which seemed to come from beyond the earth. This was concerning a recent interview published in the New York "Evening Post." Even today announcements such as the above are made light of by editorial writers and others of limited scientific preception, for the earthbound layman still persists that intelligence can only exist on earth. Such childish reasoning shows what sort of intelligence blossoms on this planet. It never occurs to these writers to question why Nature in her wisdom should have singled out the little speck called Earth on which to plant beings endowed with reason. Why should there be such an exception? Life in some form or other is certain of being found on myriads A TRIP TO MARS of worlds throughout the Universe, and if one world dies, all life does not die with it. Savant Arrhenius shows us how life-bearing spores are carried l)y the pressure of light through interstellar space, notwithstanding the absolute zero which prevails there. Conditions on Mars we know by direct observation as well as deduction are favorable for life, and we may be certain that it exists there, and if we once grant this, we must also grant that it must have ex- isted for hundreds of thousands of years prior to that on Earth, Consequently Martian civilization must be thou- sands of years ahead of ours. Suppose the Martians had sent us radio messages only thirty years ago we would have had no means of recording them, as at that time de- tectors and audions were undreampt ofi. "That is very logical, my worthy friend, answered Rubeus with enthusiasm. "Don't you think it possible, worthy Rubeus?" "The word imjpossible has long been cancelled from the vocabulary, " replied Rubeus. I have the honor, my worthy friend, to reveal to you my project to establish a communication and take a trip to this sidereal world, "Mars we call it." "Go ahead, worthy colleague, I am here to listen to you with ardent desire of accompanying you to the limit." "Your proposition," continued Rubeus, reminds me of a story often heard at Rome by old people, and was ofi the following nature Sweat baths were largely used by the old Romans and they had established a bathing of this sort in a grotto at Pompeii on the summit of a nearby mountain. They indulged in the heat by descending into 8 A TRIP TO MARS the grotto in huge hollow shell of sheet iron locked air- tight, called anphora cunica and fixed on an arch and pulley. In the year 79 A. D. dreadful volcanic eruption took place suddenly, and the nt burst threw up great quantities of rocks to a heig. such that the moon's and sun's light was totally obscured for two days throughout Naples, and the huge shell and its bathers were carried so high that they disappeared into space and never- returned. The occupant was Attilius Marte, a Roman Patrican. Rocks ashes and smoke were carried not only to Rome, but also beyond the Mediterranean into Africa. The one thousand asteroids, that have been discovered up to the present day, might account iior their journeys in the infinite, some of them grouped so closely together that they appeared to have just been blown up by that dreadful eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Asteroids are discovered to be simply japped rocks, hurtling through space, whirling round and round I am of the opinion that the origin of their departure is from Mount Vesuvius and that the iron bathing case, with man inside, must have been attracted by magnetic pull from Planet Mars, Moon, Jupiter or other planets. This might account for the knowledge of these peopleup there of our existance on this earth. Why do we receive wireless sig- nals firom them? "Nothing could be more proper/ ' ex- claimed Marchy. "It took Barbicane 1'600 ? 000 lbs. of pow- der to fire its 30,000 lbs., weight projectile to the Moon, the bursting of Mount Vesuvio quadrupled'it in force, blowing- up an iron case weighing only about 500 lbs., man and all. "Perfectly correct/' said Rubeus, but you are not to fire a huge cannon to reach Planet Mars, are you worthy EC z* c — . *^ 73 A TRIP TO MARS colleague? " Certainly not," repied Marchy. The bombardment of Paris, during the recent world war, at a distance of 120 kilometers, has put into activity the inventive qualities of the students of the ballistics. Here revives another dream ofj Jules Verne, showing what he developed when making his trip to the moon. A French scientist, M. Moreax, Director of the Bougas Observatory, examined the question under various points of view. In harmony with the laws of Newton, a (projectile fired on the summit of a high mountain with a velocity of 7900 meters per second, the projectile would pass the center of our globe and return to the point of departure after one hour, twenty- four minutes and forty-two seconds. Hudson Maxim has said that it is possible to build a gun that could shoot a projectile so high that it would act- ually pass beyond the limit of the earth's attraction. In other words, the shell might get so far away that no longer affected by gravity it would pass out into the void of space and never return. In a detailed scientific discussion of the German long range gun, which bombarded Paris, Major J. Matland Addison, writing in the Journal of the Royal Artillery, takes a peep into the future and considers the possibility of a gun capable of shooting projectiles entirely off the earth into space. When we are able to increase five miles per second, the projectiles will travel around the earth, as a grazing satellite, completing its orbit between 17 and 18 times daily, with a velocity of about seven miles a second and will move off into space, never to return . The calculations of these eminent authorities on bal- 10 A TRIP TO MARS listics show that by this method of velocity and altitude a projectile would surpass the rotation of the earth. In harmony with these authorities I am convinced that it is an adequate method to produce luminous projectiles, which if fired every minute for 48 hours would naturally form a circle around the earth like the rainbow shining bril- liantly and under the rays of the moon and the sun, when the horizon sinks below the sun, they would move with us with the rotation of the earth ; travelling one after another in an endless chain. This phosphorescent arc, would show sufficient spark to guide sailors at sea and men on land to travel more safely. I have designed a shell that can be loaded with a thick crystal ball, about the size of a street electric globe charged with phosphorus. The shell, on reaching the limit of its trajectory, w^ouldact like a shrapnell, forcing the crystal ball out by a powerfjul spring, the shell dropping after having given the crystal ball a blowout. The latter hahdng been directed to its pathway, free from external casing, would travel, showing all its brilliancy in darkness and the rays of the moon ; and the sun, when falling upon it, would be refracted into a partly colored arc. A high trajectory projectile, mentioned by Maxim and Maitland, that would move off into space, never to return, could be utilized by another invention of mine, consisting of a shell loaded with a magnetized stell ball, actioned similarly to the crystal one described above. This second ball, is designed to conceal written messages addressed to the inhabitants of the Planet Mars. This projectile, on reaching the height of 45 miles, being beyond the earth's A TRIP TO MARS 11 attraction, would be attracted by Planet Mars. The inhab- itants of that Planet could open the ball and find our message. The possibility of firing a magnetized projectile into space and receive a powerfjul attraction by other Planets is demonstrated by the fact that every fragment of load- stone, when broken from its natural bed, exhibits a north and south pole, having all the characteristic properties of develqping mechanical action, just the same as the poles exhibit their attraction on magnets on the earth. Obser- vation on magnetic needles show that they are subject to sudden starts from their usual north and south positions. This fact shows that there exists a general cause of mag% netic force affecting, simultaneously, all parts oft the earth, and that magnetic impluse of mechanical force, in relation both to direction and intensity, are in a state of continual fluctuation, being scarcely stationary from one minute to another. The natural power of magnetic attraction be- tween other Planets and the earth are discussed in treat- ises on natural motion. In Captains Scoresby's account of remarkable ethereal phenomena accompanying a hail-storm, experienced by the packet ship New York, he states that the sea was in con- tinual boiling agitation, as if acted upon by numerous submarine volcanoes. All knives and fprks on shipboard were rendered strongly magnetic;, one of them being rend- ered capable of lifting a piece of iron, weighing 228 grains. The magnetizing of steel being familiar effect producible by electric action. This remarkable phenomena appears 12 A TRIP TO MARS to be ascribable to the excitation of electro-dynamic impul- ses.. Experimenters in Physics have found that the velocity of magnetic attraction is about 250,000 miles per second. La Tribuna, a leading paper in Rome, illustrates methods of natural attraction between Planet Mars and a ;mag* netized steel torpedo placed in a well 16 yards deep, walled with a magnetized steel tube. This magnetized torpedo would be attracted by natural magnetic force, and without changing its course the torpedo would reach Mars in 4 minutes and 21 seconds. Suppose four men would take a trip into the torpedo, they could return to the earth, at the place of departure, by digging another well in Mars and putting the torpedo 16 yards deep, when the earth in turn would draw the torpedo back with, similar force and velocity. Natural motive power of attraction between the other planets and the earth remain so yet imperfectly understood that human intellect is involved in a labyrinth of difficul- ties similar to those in the time of Seneca and his theory concerning another continent of the globe, and the pos- sibility of| approaching it ; possibilities involved in intricate difficulties until Columbus, who proved that Seneca's theory was a truthful doctrine. The moon's attraction in drawing the ocean waves, moving masses of water, dislocat- ing rock weighing hundreds of tons, directing its march toward shore, and the open area of the bay, proves that the law of attraction is not mistaking. Drawing of light foliage of trees and other terrestrial objects while it is found to be restless, gravitation ofi the earth draw them all back A TRIP TO MARS 13 within its atmosphere which is found to be 45 miles high surrounding it, consequently the earth is found to be a huge magnet. The masses of the other planets, such as Mars and the Moon, are greater consequently an object of the earth as- cending beyond its attraction, say 45 miles high, the at- traction power of the other planets will draw the object with more force, therefore, making it move with greater speed toward them. The atmosphere is found to be dense near the surface of the earth and rarer in high zone, so much that at a height of 10,000 yards the rarefaction is such that man would be asphyxiated. If there was no air we would be blinded by the sun. In fact, before the light and heat of the sun reaches us it has to illuminate and heat the air. Suppose a concave glass of an enormous size could be brought at the height of 45 miles. It would collect the rays of the sun so hot that it could render the frozen water in the Hudson Bay in steam boiling water and change winter into summer in that region. This theory is sub- stantiated by the fact that M. de Villette's burning g 4 lass was only three feet in diameter and it burned at low ground. B y it were melted silver and copper pennies in a few minutes and that of Buffon, with the faint rays of the sun in the month of March, he set on fire boards of wood at 150 feet distance. It is self-evident that a concave glass brought to such a height would render future wars impossible, because shells would burst before they were loaded into guns.For such service, burning glass of a few feet in diameter well- directed on an enemy's front would affect his destruction, 14 A TRIP TO MARS What would render this concave glass more advantageous than this would be on night service ; suppose the glass could be made to travel 45 miles high, beyond the earth's orbit. The concave glass would collect the bright rays of the sun and direct a beam of light so clear that it would change night into day on a good tract of the earth. In treating the possibility of a flight ofi this glass, 45 miles high, we will return to obey the law of physics and see whether physics will obey the will or power of human mind. Areoplanes have proven so effective in the past years that they have won world-wide recognition, but adverse conditions of all kinds of weather, the areoplane, after all, is nothing more than a bird in the air, flying by the use of its wings. It is self-evident that if an areoplane can fly in the air by the use of propellers as rapidly as 150 miles an hour, not reaching an altitude of 21,000 feet, a new method should be adopted to run thousands of miles per hour at an altitude of many miles, beyond the earth's attraction, which is about 45 miles high. In ascending to an altitude of 40 miles, the motor could be stopped and a new device could be exposed for planetary attraction, and this attract- ion would produce a natural motion known under the laws of physics as natural magnetic power. This natural power, according to philosophers of physics, has a velocity of 250,000 miles per second. "Do you see," my friend Rubeus . — there is my ariplane ! "yes! but how does it run?" The principle ofi this airplane is the drawing of heat from the sun's rays into a thick crystal covered tank. The A TRIP TO MARS 15 water when once heated, passes into a sulphur dioxid boiler, and eventually this water returns to the glass heating tanks exposed to the sun's rays. The scheme of this solar jpower is that I w T ill be able to run my engine and dynamo without storage batteries. When the glass revolves towards the sun by a regulating device, the heated water runs from these storage tanks into the sulphur dioxid engine and boiler system. Sulphur dioxid, as is well known, has a low boiling point, so that it can be placed in the boiler and heated up, allow- ing the hot water to come into contact with the boiler tubes containing the sulphur dioxid. When the sul|phur dioxid in the boiler commences to boil, then the necessary sulphur dioxid steam is obtained wherewith to run the engine. So you see, insted of using the fire to make steam in the boiler, hot water is used instead, which originally obtained its heat from the sun directly. As the sulphur dioxid steam leaves the engine cylinder it is repumped back again into the boiler to be heated all over again by the hot water coming from the sun tank. Free energy power plants in the south- ern part of the United States and the sun power plant of M r.H. E, Willsie proves that the water will remain hot from four to ten days when stored in the tanks by insulat- ed layers of dry sand an engine and dynamo will run at night. Mr. Willsie 's solar plant in Arizona has produced electric light at night, which was actually made by the rays of the sun shining during the preceding day. "Yes, I believe you" — the aeriolus could not be more perfect Captain! it reminds me of the nautilus of Jules Vera and a German submarine ! Yes Rubens— this areiolua 16 A TRIP TO MARS is a locked hull similar to a submarine — the oxygen tanks are fitted within the aeriolus for the purpose of supplying us with oxygen during the time that we are confined there- in. The helicopter, the prow and the side propellers have a larger volume of air to work upon and are capable of lifting their full load without wings. Do you see the units of short little guns under the prow? "Yes." Well — by firing them continually, the aeriolus would as'cend in a vacum for the same reason that a gun would kick if fired in ;a vacuum and that the propelling force would be a continued kick. The hull is fitted with binoculars, electric heater, cold gelatine, electric lights, and is housed with all modern comforts. ' ' Captain I am anxious to fly with you to Europe, Asia and back. ' ' Well will you take a seat." "Sure I will" Are you seated "Yes Captain, I am. CHAPTER II. First Trip Captain Marchy steered the aeriolus straight ahead. San Jose, then Palo Alto, and next San Mateo is observed. Their attention is drawn to a bay, ending with the Pacific Ocean. This, they are phoned, is San Francisco Bay, and that landing is to be made. Suddenly the water becomes steaming hot. A large crowd of people is heard to make the remark that they are feeling warm, saying that winter has been turned into summer. Many prespiring in this sweltering heat jump into the bay to take a swim. When the aeriolus apperas, in descending direction, a cover is A TRIP TO MARS 17 turned over the concave glass and the burning sun is nul- led. Descending on the bay, they are overwhelmed by the crowd oft curious people, who were swimming toward the floating Aeriolus. The people were skeptical, for whoever heard of summer heat in the winter season, [produced by an areoplane, but being Americans, in view of what happens every day, they are naturally convinced. "All aboard for Planet Mars", exclaims the command- er. "What is wrong with you fellows?" One remarks, "this confounded trip to the Moon and Mars is an old dream, and a great joke perpetrated on the public. "Are you an astronomer, Sir?" "Yes, you bet I am." Would you like .to ride with us to Mars ? ' ' "Yes, I'll go with you fellows." CHAPTER III Trip to Mars The aeriolus rapidly starts to rise into the air. Tlhe travelers, full of hope, gaze peacefully through the crystal windows, whilst the aeriolus, under an uniformly speed, crosses the sky. Out into vacuum. "Bam , Bam , Bam ! Volley of the muskettery went on, and on kicking its way through space tremendously. During which time the Professor looked over the compasses and found them to mark the velocity running at 186,324 miles per second. -He then began to work out figures with unparral- led dexterity, looking seriously at the captain, and remark- ed. 18 A TRIP TO MARS ' 'Why, Captain, the Aeriolus, is simply falling upon Mother Earth, caused by your stopping the ringer and the speed at which it. is falling is enough to punch a well large enough so it would sink into the bowels of the earth. The Captain and Rubeus could not help laughing. "Do voxjl know what I am doing. " "No, I do not," answered the Professor quite seri- ously. "I am using the magnetized globe for planetary at- traction. The Professor then looked at the glasses and discovered the disc of a strange world appearing at a dis- tance of 40 miles. "We are falling," said the Professor, quite frightened. "Very well, old Professor, I shall now make use of the engine. The propellers will row in the air, surrounding Mars, and we will descend gracefully on to the new world. "Nothing could be easier", replied Rubeus, "but be- fore we descend I am curious to know how our aeriolus will act in a parabola, travelling as grazing satellite round this new planet." "No" answered the Professor, in a serious tone. "This is a good opportunity to observe the other side of Mars," answered Rubeus. It was then ten minutes past two in the afternoon. The Aeriolus was fol- lowing its curvation round Mars. The Captain requested his colleagues to observe two chains of mountains striped along plains enclosing two channels, wonderfully extending over immense large plains covered with ever-green vegeta- tion. These mountains formed an orography similar to Italy, thereby making it a world fit to live in. The trav- ellers could see two craters on the summit of two mountains, A TRIP TO MARS 19 one ending at the north and the other at the South of the channel, emanating a column of vapor similar to a flush of cyclonic air current at an interval of) 6 hours, similar to the ocean tide flowing high and low. The Professor said that the blowing of the air proved that such air tide was formed by means' of a current, which ceaselessly flowed from north to south through the canyon between the two chains of mountains, the velocity of which surpassed several miles per second, running through sub- terranean channels, and when it rises in one mountain ciat.er its flux forms a reflux in the other crater Captain observed that the thermometer marked intensive heat over this hot air vapor. "Ah", exclaimed Rubeus, "nature has provided this world with natural heat. Mars the center of his orbit is no less than 13,000,000 miles from the sun. The! light and heat received from that luminary vary to an important extent. In fact, Mars gets about half as much heat and light as the earth. The fact that hot vapors are flushed in many mountains, valleys and craters on land w;ould indicate the process of the formation of hot clouds, a process by which Nature arranges and modifies the tem- perature similar to the best climatic regions on the earth. Surely, this charming planet must be tenanted by living creatures and beings belonging to the highest order of an- imated existence. Professor Emanuel, look over your Chart of Mars and try to locate the continents, oceans and chan- nels designed by our Astronomers. 1 ' Captain, we are flying over the so-called long Maraldi Sea. Maraldi Sea runs into Hooke Sea, trending dn a 20 A TRIP TO MARS northwesterly direction, and so running into Dawes Ocean. Farther west are two vast islands, which are called Jacob Island and Phillips Island, between which runs Ar^ago Strait.. Beyond these islands lies la Rue Ocean, commun- icating by narrow straits with two strikingly similar seas. Here* the zone of water ends, and we have only to note further respecting it that in De la Rue Ocean there is a large island, which presents such a brillant aspect that it seems to be covered with Radiosand. This is called Dawes' Island.. There is Herschel I. Continent. Next is Dawes Continent, separated from that long sea called Kaiser Sea. Don't get too close to the planet, Captain, spin of ft" "Why, Professor?" "There is a shower of meteorites, by Jove I caught one, gee, it burned my glove." "Behave Professor, do not thrust your hand out." "You see, Cap- tain this meteor is composed of alloys of nickel, iron and chiefly of white and black diamonds." "Yes, Professor, I have been on Coon Mountain Crater in Northern Arizona and I saw the same meteorites strewn concentrically around the crater, covering about five miles of the mountain and they are composed of the same chemical elements." "Yes, I saw that my friends, said Rubeus. Coon Mountain, or Meteor Crater itself is a round hole about six hundred feet deep and about four thousand feet in diameter and was formed, it is believed, by the impact of a huge meteorite, which has never been found. It is believed that the Canyon Diablo Meteorites, of which there are found hundred in- dividuals in the U. S. National Museum, were members of this same flail. It is possible that these meteorites that pro- duced the crater itself fell from Mars and struck the earth A TRIP TO MARS 21 thousands of years ago." "Yes, Rubens, weak acid shows the polished section to contain iron sulphide, phosphide, graphide, but more abundantly white and black diamonds. ' ' "If that is the case, I will not be surprised if we shall find a deposit of diamonds as abundantly as mercury on the mountains of Almaden in California," said the Captain with a smile. Further West lies Madler Continent, separat- ed ftrom Dawes Continent by a long strait, which runs north and south. There is Secchi Continent, separated from Mad- ler Continent by Bessel Inlet and from Herschel Continent by Huggins Inlet. Now, before we return to the Southern Hemisphere, past the equatorial zone of continents, ther^ appears a zone of water, expanding at one point into Beer Sea, and at the other into Tycho Sea. There also appears a zone of land, called Laplace Land, with its large lake called Delambre Sea. That narrow zone of water is called Schroter Sea. Captain, I have heard the names of nearly all the Astro- nomers on Mother Earth with the exception of Schiappa- relli, Lowell and Pickering. What is the matter with that map anyhow? Wait until we get down there. I'm going to give those channels real names,. Do you know what I am going to name that sand down there, Rubeus? "No. I do not, Professor." "I am going to name it Radium." "What good is it to you anyhow?" "Why, radium gives ofif heat at the rate of 133 gram colories per hour, and you know, fjive ounces of that precious stuff, which you can hold in a thimble, would propel a passenger train of 10 cars from one city to another, a distance of 900 miles by railroad. How many tons of coal do you think it takes to 22 A TRIP TO MARS operate such a train 900 miles, making a 22-hour journey ? It requires 60 tons of coal to make one trip of 900 miles. What good is it to the Martians if they do not make use of passenger trains?" "Well, Rubeus, nature uses it. The effect, resulting from an increased heat of the sun's rays, produced by the calories of the radium-sand, is sufficient to retain the requisite excess of heat. The aerial currents uniform motion suffices to adjust conditions which the ex- cess of heat at the radium desert would otherwise tend to disturb. The propagation over a wide area of this planet \s surface of cyclonic or whirling winds serves as a rule to adjust the conditions, and in a thousand ways Nature's busy forces may be at work, providing there is a due sup- ply of wind and rain, distributing heat and cold, which acts in precisely the same manner as on Mother Earth, making this planet a world fit to live in. It was five minutes past nine. The Captain started the engine. "What, we are descending?" exclaimed Rubeus. "We are 20 miles from the surface," replied the Cap- tain. "Ah," exclaimed Rubeus, enthusiastically upon seeing a city, resembling that of Necropolis of Tarquinio. This city, built by the western shore of the channel, was constructed of diamond rocks, roofed with ruby tiles. The narrow streets were paved with green sapphire, the squares Avere adorned with myrtle and laurel trees and the low hills were covered with eternal vegetation. The load-stone rocky mountains constituted a barrier against the canals. Swift torrents, sweeping down the slopes of the mountain A TRIP TO MARS 23 range, exhibited denuted extensive deposits of diamonds. The canyons cut into the solid ruby rocks to a depth of many yards, and were shadowed by vineyards. Along the valley of the channels the fertilities viewed by the travel- lers were very vast and produced fruit, resembling pine- apples and strawberries, the latter being as large as pump= kins. CHAPTER IV The Battle with Winged Men While the occupants of the Aeriolus were making ob- servations of the new world and the Captain was search- ing for a landing place, the Aeriolus was suddenly attacked by a flock of winged men, about the size of five year old boys, who began shooting at the Aeriolus with their arrows. Rubeus aimed the Brown's machine gun of 30,000 shots a minute, and a few hundred blanks were fjired toward them, which quickly disbanded the Martian warriors, but they soon returned in a storm by the hundreds, howling, "fugit, mortem, noli (prosequi in urbe, sine mora, fugit, fugit." "Let me use that machine gun with real stuff. By Jove, those lads are looking for trouble." "Do not excite yourelf, my dear colleague, replied the Captain, they are a Latin race of little fellows. Can't you understand Latin ?" "Go away, Captain," answered the Professor. "Tui generis, tui generis, ave generis bonum, " howls the Captain. "Ave ave," howls Rubeus. "Ave ave" howls the Professor. "Ave ave," answered all the little winged men in chorus, at the same time approaching the Aeriolus, amiable and happy. Then they formed a proces- sion and started to fly toward their City singing, their 24 A TRIP TO MARS voices being so harmonious and sweet that the occupants of the Aeriolus looked at one another in astonishment and over joyment. CHAPTER V The King's Guest The Professor exclaimed. "Are those little fellows angels?" Is this world a [paradise? God be lauded," answered the Captain. Grateful, God, said Rubeus, what a fortune ! The Captain landed the Aeriolus on the largest square, then opened the door and the occupants stepped out and began looking round and round, admiring the sublimity of the City and its enchant- ing surroundings. Several thousands of) winged men from a blue sapphire rock house, roofed with purple diamond tiles, formed a line. The travelers were invited to pay a visit to their King and the strangers marched along the line of armed warriors and entered the house. "What" captain, the King is a regular sized man with- out wings? "Man from Mother Earth," said Rubeus. "Good God, he is," answered the Captain. The king on sighting the visitors diligently stepped toward them, grasping their hands and pronouncing an oratory worthy of Cicero. The king made a narrative story, telling them how he was blown up by a subterranean force in the year 79 A. D. while he was bathing in a grotto on Mount Vesuvius; also how he had instructed his little pecjple in the new world to speak the Latin language. The Captain inquired as to the length of time the people on Planet Mars lived. The king said. "The people on Mars live longer than A TRIP TO MARS 25 the eagle on Earth, which is 5000 years and sometimes longer. Your Majesty, said the Captain, I beg to ask why Nature has made your people so beautiful. Their hair is bright like the fur on a seal; their wings are as pretty as the feathers on the paradise bird; their eyes are so lumin- ous that when they bath they give the surrounding waters vari-colored scintillating lights, producing a phos - phoroscent effect on the water. Why, they are equipped with feathers on their wings, but the rest of their bodies consists of skin similar to ours. Why they all look young and their teeth shine like diamonds. "God's gift, nature's gift." Answered the King. Look up in the sky, Captain, and tell me how large your Mother Earth appears, continued the King. The Captain looked up through the blue sapphire roof and said. "Mother Earth appears to be as large as a pea." "Very well, now ask one of my men to look at the Earth and tell you how large it appears to him." A close-by Martian was asked to look at the Earth, and he replied. "Planet Earth looks to me to be as large as this house. "Wonderful long eye-sight," answered the Captain. "Not only can my people see at an extreme long dis- tance, but they can see through your body," exclaimed the King. "They have x-ray eyes," said Rubeus. "Wonderful gift, said the Professor. The birds in the air, the animals in the forest and the fish in the water also have strong eye-sight and luminous 26 A TRIP TO MARS at night/' continued the King. "By Jove, Captain our fire-flys on Mother Earth must have strong eye-sight, " said the Professor. "Keep silent," they are too small answered the Cap- tain. "Yes, but" grumbled the Professor. "Now take a look through the window, my dear ter- restrian friends and you shall see our nymphs," continued the King. "Those creatures are our inferior race, the same as your terrestrian negroes. Nature has not given them feathers on their wings and the fingers on their hands and the toes on their feet are webbed together just the same as your terrestrian bats. They can talk, sing swim and fly, and when they go on a high journey they make use of a large dry fish, resembling a bladder and anti gravi- tation shoes soon disappearing from sight. At times they 'return, after having been gone months and relate to us strange things which they have seen in other worlds." "By Jove, Captain, said the Professor, I once saw one of thesie creatures in the Museum of Nevada. I believe that, answered Rubeus, very enthusiatically. I saw a document in the Museum of the Geographical Socitey of Paris and also read about it in the Bulletin of the Geographical Society ofl Milan, such creatures were seen by Duminicus Ducier, a French Monk of the Abbey of Besancon, in the Fourteenth Century, and this fact was printed in provent- ial dialect. I have a copy in my note book; let me read it to you. "Dominicus Docier, monaco, di Domremy, stud- ioso di antiche scripture di soa collectione disegnoe un mappamundu coa parte rotta dile acqua dil diluviu et termoti, dicta ( parte rotta trovoe logo a molta distanza nil A TRIP TO MARS 27 m#re oceanus predieto da ilia insula Tullia Major et da dicta et insula Tullia minor. Havi foresta di erbe marem habitata da uceelli con cocuzzo come homo, capeli, ohi, horechi, naso, bucca co denti, co ali come scorpion et gambe come rane, no corpu. Dicto parla, canta, vola et nota, dicto va in delirio nil vidi marinai co nere vesti. ect ; Vidi cronaca di Besancon di Sancta madre chiexia ; dil, 20 majo. 1439. Published, Milan, September 1st 1907. I wonder if they were these same creatures," exclaimed the Captain. These Martian aborigins have another way of reaching the other worlds, continued the King. All our drinking pit- chers are made by them. They also make things for their own use. They make a load-stone mud shell, which is dried hard. The shell is made with a door. The aborigin locks himself up in this shell and is carried by his compan- ions to the summit of a mountain, where there is a crater. They then fit the shell over the crater and wait for the current ofi air to blow it up. When the current reaches the crater the shell is blown up with such force that it passes into space, and as loadstone is a strong magnet the shell is pulled by magnetic attraction of some other Planet, and then our Martian aborigin travels over land and sea hunting for his preferred birds and fish and especially iittle grapes that grow on fugus natans (sea-weed,) of which he is very fond. The fish-skin bag is always car- ried by him and he makes use of it whenever he wishes to return to Mother Mars. "Now my dear terrestrian friends" continued the King, "step back into my dining room and have supper with me.Be seated on those red diamond long benches, as the ruby tables have been prepared with our 28 A TRIP TO MARS food, I hope you will like it, said the King, smiling. "Very delicious, very delicious, very delicious," answer- ed the terrestrians. God, tliis is a paradise of food, ex- claimed the Professor. Some flavor, said Rubeus. "Extra good," answered the Captain. The Martian servants then served wine in large diamond mugs. "Salute," said the King. "Viva," answered the terrestrians. "Very delicious," said the Captain. "Some wine," answered Rubeus and the Professor. "Say, Captain, suppose we tell the King about pro- hibition on Mother Earth." "Keep silent, Professor, you always with your Amer- icanate. "Do you want to be thrown out of this Planet?" said the Captain seriously. "No wonder that these people live to be thousands of years old," exclaimed Rubeus. "This food is extremely nourishing and immensely agreeable. Talk about our pine- apples, our strawberries and our figs. Why, there is no comparison to this food, on Mother Earth," exclaimed the Captain. "Talk about our olives-these are most delicious," said Rubeus. This is our ground meat." "Eat some of* these mushrooms, my terrestrian friends. "God, but these are excellent," answered the Captain. You >see all these things grow natural and in large abundance," repeated the King. "Now my terrestrian friends, over there is your rest- ing room, sleep well." A TRIP TO MARS 29 "Feather beds!" exclaimed the Professor. Good night all. The Captain is soon sound asleep. He dreams and imagines he is having a wireless communication with Mother Earth. He first starts by picturing in his mind how to send} a shell to the Earth, forcing it, to travel round and round in a dense stratus of etheric field in a grazing satel- lite. Then he would visualize systems comprising wireless c f $>paratus and transmit the message on the antennas on land. The images he sees are perfectly real and tangible t Rubeus is dreaming of the Adam of the Earth paradise. The Professor dreams of the Angels flying with him to heaven. The Professor awakes, raises his head, and says. "Cap=* tain, those little rascals are blowing the trumpet in the Aeriolus. Let us get up my worthy colleagues. It is day light, said the Captain. The Professor opens the door, runs out to the square and cries. ""What's all this noise, eh?" The Martian's fly away laughing. "You little rascals, you „," continued the Pro- fessor, clapping his hands loudly. "Professor don't howl at those boys," said the Captain seriously. Rubeus examines the Aeriolus and says. "Nothing wrong with the Aeriolus." The Captain grasps the hand of his colleague and re. -marks. "My dear friends, nothing will give us greater pleasure than to try to telegraph to our people on Mother Earth," 30 A TRIP TO MARS "Why should we not," answered the colleagues." Mars Radio Station, go away, Captain, what Mars? Mars of Egypt?" "Oh, yes. How did you get up there? Bravo, Captain Inhabited? Men with wings? Bravo. Indeed Good God—— is that a fiact? Diamond Cities? What? Pos- sible?. Wonderful Veryplain, Captain. Yes. Go ahead," God be with you. Good-bye. When the Captain was busy telegraphing to Mother Earth a young prince arrived flying, carrying a note from the King. The Captain read it and said. "I should consid- er myself very fortunate to have thepleasure of taking his Majesty for a flight to the Ministry of Public Works out to Terra laboris." CHAPTER VI Trip to South Continent The prince then flew back to the royalpalace. Ten minutes later the King arrived, being carried in a wicker basket by twelve dignitaries, who were walking suspended in the air towards the Aeriolus. "Your Majesty, it gives me great pleasure to be able to take a flight with you." Well, dear Captain, It will be necessary for one of my men to go along, as we will travel though foggy regions and my man can see many miles ahead through the fog." "Yes, your Majesty, your man shall be our pilot." The Aeriolus is started to run at at a speed of 100 miles per hour. It was two hours since it left Alba, the capitol. At eight o 'clock a fogy region was reached, above a large lake. A TRIP TO MARS 31 The pilot pointed to the Southeast, where there was a large sea, connecting with the lake by several channels. The Professor promptly pointed the binocular towards the sea ? but after a search, he grumbled. "That bird has x-ray eyes for sure. Half an hour later, when the Professor was still gazing into the distance with his glass in his hand, he remarked in a ringing voice! "Forest, forest! Flocks of curious monkeys, carrying small shovels, were seen work- ing the ground of the marvelous fields of cultivated land near the forest. Innumerable flocks of birds were flying over these fields. Some of them had such beautiful feathers that the travelers exclaimed. "Nature loves this world better than ours !" The monkeys walked on their hind legs, and had wings like the terrestrian seal. Their fur was green and their heads were like our terrestrian cats, with long beards under their chins. The travelers were aston-^ ished when they looked at the fields and saw that the monkeys were cultivating the land. The Captain exclaims, "Your Majesty, kindly tell us why those monkeys work the land? "Ah, those monkeys are our slaves. They work for us. Look in the forest, there you will see my men in the tall trees, armed with bows and arrows, watching these mon- keys.' ' "Yes, indeeed," answered the Captain. Then your men do not work. "Yes, Captain, they work one hour each day with the exception of Sundays. Let us go direct to their factories, and I shall show you how they operate their machinieries. ' ' The Aeriolus was running fast, As the water in the A TRIP TO MARS lake was cradling on the diamond gravels, the Professor takes a peep with the binocular and exclaimed. "Oh, you kid!" Rubeus answered. "What is wrong with you, Profes- sor Emmanuel? Ah, you see I thought I saw Professor Campbell, of Lick Observatory, grazing his fiorty inch tel- escope. No, by Jove, it is the Moon of Mars reflecting in the w^ater. There are the other ones, Deimos and Phobos, just as our terrestrian Astronomers call them. They ap- pear larger than the Moon that shines on Mother Earth." "Perhaps the diamond gravel bed of the lake enlarges the Moons," answered Rubeus, "Must be so," said the Professor. "Lightning! light- ning ! ' ' exclaimed the Captain excitedly. CHAPTER VII The Aeriolus Deystroys porcupines with its Concave Glass "No Captain. We are tormented by an invasion from the north of many thousands of toad porcupines. Their skin is hard, similar to that of the terrestrial crocodile. These swine chew up everything. My men are using a gun, shooting lightning on trajectory, but you know trajectory is a difficult {problem, it kills but is very slow." I ask your Majesty ifj the swine join in flocks." "Yes, Captain, they usually flock by the thousands." Will your Majesty allow me to destroy them?" "How can you worth, Captain?" "Your Majesty will show me where the swine are and I will show you how quickly I can destroy them," A TRIP TO MARS Very well Captain. Let us go direct to that large field. There they are, see, near that river. Oh, yes. Let us fly up forty- five miles and I will fix them. ' ' After twenty minutes the Aeriolus reached the desired altitude. The sun was extremely hot. "Now, your Majesty, look through the telescope." Do you see the swine? Yes, Captain, I see them jumping and struggling. I see them in spasms ! I see them roasting ! they are dying ! they are dying by the thousands' Well we will keep on spinning. After ten minutes ! the King exclaimed. "There isn't one pig left, they are all dead!" The King grasped the hand of Captain Marchy and said. "I must praise you, worthy Captain, for having destroyed the enemy ofs my people. This was the proper altitude for the Aeriolus to collect the rays of the sun in order to burn anything disturbing human generation on Mars. Directly North East lay the Campanian desert, resembling the western zone of the United States of America, covered with red sand. Every- where on its surface showed ample oasis of cultivated land under eternal vegetation. A little to the East rose the Ausania, the highest mountain in Terra Laboris, which re- vealed itself as a plain [projecting eastward from the diamond coast enveloping the Marian Sea. Suddenly while the travelers were admiring the brilliancy ofi the mountain, which was sparkling its diamonds and rubies in the' full blaze of the morning sun over the plain, an ex- plosion attracted the immediate attention of the travelers. They instantly looked down and saw to their suprise that 34 A TRIP TO MARS hundred of cannons, in formed batteries, many miles apart, were firing. "There is war!" cried the Captain. ' ' The enemy is marching toward the South ! ' ' cried the King. My armies are breaking up, no hope ! no hope ! They are moving their batteries toward the South, the ground is lost. I hope they will hold out until we get there!" answered the Captain. The Aeriolus began spin- ning directly for the battle-ground. The enemy had thou- sands of cannons. "No hope!" cried the King. "Never despair! Majesty," cried the Captain solemnly directing the spinning glass of the Aeriolus down towards the enemy's batteries. A terrible explosion threw up an immense portion of ground and rocks into the air. "The cannons are melting!" cried the King. The enemies are running ! running ! running ! My victorious enemies are running, running, running ! My victorious armies are celebrating the victory." "Hurrah f s or the King," cheered the travelers. The sensation of the occupants of the Aeriolus had now reached the highest pitch of exaltation. They felt like the old Romans conquering Gallia, for which they had been fighting for years. The king ordered them to fly toward the south for a resting jpiace. Suddenly the Aer- iolus in flying straight through the indicated place met some obstacles. "Strange," exclaimed the Captain. "Turn north, Captain," answered the King. "We A TRIP TO MARS 35 have reached 2000 miles from the war region. Here is the South Sea. There beneath us is constructed a ring around the equator, which floats freely in spinning motion by re- actionary force, running our transportation and working machineries at the rate of one thousand miles an hour. You see the Aeriolus is effected by magnetic force of that enormous ring." "This is a miracle of a discovery/' answered the tra- velers, in astonishment. The Aeriolus then begins to fjy in a northerly di- rection. At last the King orders them to stop and descend, A large City, consisting of low and long-narrow diamond rock houses, is pointed out by the King. The Aeriolus landed on a large round square, twelve winged Martians approached the Aeriolus, carrying a chair. The King is seated and carried to the Ministry of Public Works. Two Martins approached the Aeriolus with a note from the King. The ocqpants of the Aeriolus march toward the hall of the Ministry and are met by the King and twenty wing- ed men, who were from the Ministry of Public "Works. "Ave, ave, " cheered all the Martians. "Ave viva!" answered the Captain and his colleagues. The King made a long commendation, which was answered by the Martians with an ovation and sympathetic admiration for the terrestrian visitors. A most delicious dinner was served, which consisted of oysters, frogs, mush- rooms, olives, pineapples, like fjruit, figs and other species of grapes and old wines. It was about one o' clock P. M. when the terrestrians had finished dinner and were taken to see the works. Suddenlv the bell of the Aeriolus start- 36 A TRIP TO MARS ^d to sound dreeeeeeee, Ah, ha ! exclaimed the Captain re- joiced. He walked toward the Aeriolus, with telephone in his hand and opened the door. "Yes, yes," Captain Marchy. Yes, where are you? Planet Mars. This is the San Francisco Examiner. Yes. The Presidents of the Aviation Clubs of London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Jajpan, Australia, Bonsaries, Mexico' Mon- treal and New York. The Directors of the Observatories of Florence, Paris, Bourgas, London, Japan, Mount "Wilson, Mount Lowell and Mount Hamilton (Lick) are already with telephones in their hands, waiting to hear you talk about your discovery on Mars. Will you kindly tell us something about it? All the newspaper Editors of the globe are ready to listen. The Editor of La Tribuna, il Mattino, il Corriere, il Messaggiero, Le Petit Parisian, Je so tut. Saint Paul Gazet, Berlin Zetung, New York Amer- ican, the World, St. Louis Globe, Star, San Francisco Chronicle, Call, Tribune, San Jose Mercury and every other paper on Mother Earth. Captain Marchy answered. "Gentlemen," the Aeriolus reached Planet Mars in 4 minutes and 21 seconds, travelling at the electric rate of 186,324 miles a second. This planet is an extremely beau- tifiul world. Its mountains are composed of soft diamonds and its plains are fertile and cultivated. Its inhabitants are of supernatural beauty, resembling angels having wings. They live in small round tojpped diamond and ruby houses. The streets are paved with sapphire stones. The mountains are rocky diamonds and some of their slopes are rocky rubies, covered with eternal vegetation. The Praries are like our Western American deserts, resembling A TRIP TO MARS 37 California, but the oasis is often thousands of miles in ex- tent, making fine natural pasture for great herds of dome- j tic ox, resembling buffalo. The barrens are over- grown with forests of olives, chestnuts, very large oranges, figs and pineapples. The same pine and numerous growth of laurel, myrtle, pine and unknow T n plants. The plains are pineapples, overgrown with cypress, and many unknown plants. The region of the eastern continent consists of brillant red clay, mixed with diamond sand. Connected with the same diamond rock formation is the bursting forth of numerous channels, appearing like eruptions of subter- raneous streams, suddenly emerging firom red labyrinthhs underneath, through which they have long crept. There are many cypress barrens, but among them are gentle emin- ences of fertility, supporting a vigorous growth of hickories and pine, while numerous streams flow through the country or expand into beautiful lakes. My colleagues have des- cribed the water in these canals and lakes as pellucid, that the nympths seem swimming in the air and the stars in heaven shine with brilliancy greatly enlarged. Groves of very large roses cover immense tracts, bending beneath the weigt of their vivid yellow flowers, filling the air with per- fume. All the fruits known and strange to us flourish here and their flavors are extremely excellent. All the animals have wings like terrestrian seals, but they do not fly. Birds are mostly similar to terrestrian pheasant. The aborigin people of the country are beautiful creatures, hav- ing wings like terrestrian bats, capable of invincible swift flight. The climate is similar to that of California and Italy. Cold at the poles. The Martians run their fiact- 38 A TRIP TO MARS ories by prepetual motion, but work only one hour each day with the exception of Sundays. They speak a univer- sal language and are very friendly. The Martians had a w r ar, but I settled it. They live to a great age, 5000 years and sometimes longer. I will return to Mother Earth with- in a few day, making the trip in 4 minutes and 21 seconds. ' ' "Bravo, viva, hurrah," answered they, Professor Emanuel and Rubeus approached the Aeriolus with some anxiety. Captain Marchy promptly saluted his colleagues, announc- ing to them that radio telegraphy had encircled Mother Earth and that w T ireless communications had been received at the Aeriolus from all parts of the terrestrian globe, from Italy, Japan, Australia, Argentine, Brazil, the United States Canada, Russia, Norway, England, Germany, Austria, Prance, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Persia, India and China. Viva, viva ! the Aeriolus, ' ' answered the Professor and Rubeus enthusiastically, being elated over the fact that news had been received from all over Mother Earth. "Captain Marchy," continued the Professor, let us fly upwards about one mile. I am anxious to view the physical transportation of magnetized barrels, carrying the products of the country from north to south 2000 miles on the ca- nal's current, and the products of south to north on the other canal's stream. The Captain started spinning. Ah! exclaimed Rubeus, there the are ! A chain o£ barrels, 2000 miles long, is seen going forward and back in a never end- ing line. "What," those birds have utilized the canal's cur- rent as conductor of food stuff, said the Professor, looking down attently. "Why," that magnetic transportation scheme of carrying products from New Orleans to Cadiz in A TRIP TO MARS Spain could be accomplished on the Gulf Stream, answered Rubeus. ' ' "Yes," grumbled the Captain. You talk to those people down there." "Look, look, exclaimed the Professor, (pointing to the summit of a hill. Do you see the diamond shower blowing out from that volcano? "Ah ha! exclaimed Rubeus. "Captain Marchy we shall get up as high as the jet." Very well, my good col- leagues, hold on to your telescopes. One hundred miles, one thousand miles, ten thousand miles. Let us fly back, my good colleagues, as there is no end to the jet. The shower is striking Mother Earth. Captain, don't you see it? CHAPTER VIII The Terrestrian Travelers are Invited to the Observation Tower. Yes, my worthy colleagues, they fall in South Africa on the same spot. There seems to be a strong pull for the diamonds. Must be so. Terra firma, my good colleagues. let us go to the Ministry of Public Works. I have an idea. I shall see if I can work it out here. The Chief Engineer is then approached by the Captain and the drawings are showed. He simply states. "I will get these things out in five days." However, he appears to be very much surprised. On the following night, after the usual banquet, the State's famous Astronomer invited the guests to the Observatory. 40 A TRIP TO MARS The party walked through a-earern at the foot of a moun- tain. A soft, purple light mysteriously envelops the visitors, coloring the walls with a magic purple from which thousands of ruby stalactities hang from its vaults. A square then appears, imprisoned by a circle of walls, mea- suring 20 feet in circumference and 1000 feet high. The tower, elevating horizontally grew into a black diamond, vaulted smoothly, having the shape of an immense telescope. At the summit was a white diamond disc. The heavens appeared to the visitors beautiful beyond description as viewed through the huge telescope. The mighty Planet Jupiter came into view in the di- rection of the telescope, presenting a spectacle such as the eyes of the observers had never been privileged to behold. The huge globe, ninety thousand miles in equatorial diam- eter, was equal in mass to three hundred (planets such as our own globe. The huge ball glided rapidly but majest- ically onward through the sky, showing beautiful red, brown and yellow shades of color. Jupiter presented it- self and was a wqrld as different from our own as it is possible to imagine. Surface crust appeared with an im- mense flattened region. Then mountains of considerable elevation came into view, extending as rings round and round the planet, enclosing large canals of crystallized water, forming currents of incredible speed. All in con- stant flux changed color under the silvery radiance and surpassing brilliancy of the sun's rays. From the Obser- vatory, Jupiter, at first glance, strongly reminded the observers of streams of Norway on Mother Earth. A second glance, however, showed Jupiter had cultivated land, and on A TRIP TO MARS 41 a third glance Jupiter was seen to have large cities built of Gothic architecture. Every house appeared to be con- structed with several towers, adorned with innumerable statues. The observers gave a sigh of regret, mixed with a generous amount of surprise. Too bad those mountains, streams and beautiful cities were not distinguishable from Mother Earth, they complained. It reminded the Professor of the cathedral of Milan. "If I did not know where I was," he declared, "I would be endeavoring to locate Milan right there." Rubeus smiled tolerantly. He had spent his young days in Rome and he felt sure, he obligingly told his col- leagues, that this large city was more like Rome than Milan owing to the number of statues adorning the building. This he said frankly, which made the Captain laugh loudly. He pointed toward a region west of that which they were observing and gave an exclamation of surprise. "It is just like the hills in Latium, the valley of the Sacco River, surrounded by low hills." "Do you see any- thing like people?" Good colleagues, asked the Captain. Rubeus inquired : "Where are they." The Captain pointed to that part of the valley, which laid at the foot of the hills. "By Jove," answered the Professor, "that is a pro- cession of giant people." Rubeus strained his eyes to see. ""Well, declared he, that is a procession and a long one too. Talk about our giants on Mother Earth, they seem to be about 14 feet by 200 inches abreast." "Exactly," answered the Professor. Our Astronomers 42 A TRIP TO MARS on the Earth have gone into Geology business with their prehistoric animals and I haven't seen a thern' snake or Brontasaurus to fear in this and the other world. Darwin surely had a picnic when he claimed the derivation of man from monkey. Boys and girls there, boys and girls here and boys and girls over on Jupiter, that is all. Professor, let us take a ride vp to Jupiter/' "Why, Rubeus, those people are too big for us, we would get licked. Do you know how we would look when we reached there? We would look like five year old boys. You don't want those people to play foot ball with us, do you?" "No, sure not," "Well then keep silent." "Well don't get excited, Professor, you see that girl looking at you? Let her look, perhaps she loves me." "Love you, you bald-head." I told you to keep silent, didn't!? "Yes." Well, hush, then!" "Oh you kid!" "What's going on boys?" "Oh, nothing, Captain, we are just joking!" "Well, my terrestrial visitors, how does this giant globe appear on your planet?" asked the Astronomer. "Answer that, Professor," whispered Rubeus with a smile. "Yes, I shall answer that pretty quick. "Worthy Doctor, said the Professor, it is believed that the density of Jupiter aver- ages about the same as the density of the sun. It is as- sumed from these facts that Jupiter is largely in a gaseous condition; but it is known that it possesses dense atmos- A TRIP TO MARS 43 phere and in spite of its huge size rotates on its axes with great rapidity. On account of this gaseous condition, life on this planet is believed to be impossible. "Why gaseous condition? asked the Astronomer. It is an illusion of the {planet s four moons, shining powerfully on the planet that gives you such an appearance. Well then, how does Planet Venus appear on your globe? Planet Venus is more vis- ible. It shows mountains, oceans and rivers. It is believed from these facts that vegetation and life is possible. Look, look, Jupiter is gone — there are two moons, exclaimed Rub- eus. AVell my worthy terrestrian visitors we shall take a glance at Venus at one o'clock. Six hours were spent in walking along the luminous and enchanting grotto, admiring the wonders of nature. Sud- denly the Astronomer announced that Planet, Venus, was in a position of observation. The party were seated. Venus Venus, exclaimed the Captain. Magnificent, great, answer- ed the colleagues. A most striking structure of columnar shining rocks was seen, crystallized into prisms several hundred feet in height, standing perpendicularly and presenting a pictur- esque appearance such as castles bathed by the flux of the waves of the sea upon the flanks of this sharp ascent and abrupt precipice. Elevated moutain ranges were seen, while a large river appeared snugly locked in the valley, formed by other mountains. A second valley, at the foot of a lofty mountain is seen, which is covered with eternal veg- etation. Suddenly herds of thousands of Rangifer Tarantus are seen running toward a lake. Look, look, exclaimed Rubeus, A TRIP TO MARS herds of cariboos. By Jove, said the Professer, men are running after them on camelopard's backs! Gee! those giraffes can run, can't they, answered Rubeus. Men! men like us ! exclaimed the Captain. Yes, they are dressed in nice fur armed with spears. One of the best gateways to another valley is seen, which greets the observers as with a smile, peacefully rest- ing by its lovely lake. There appears a curious city. From the roof of the houses rise many beautiful towers ofi differ- ent forms, crowned with cupolas, resembling the turbans of terrestrial Oriental giants. The effect of its coloring could hardly be exaggerated. It is painted in all the colors of the rainbow, and its cupolas either sparkle with gold or shine with brightly tinted tiles. Thus purple, orange, red, violet, green, blue, gold and silver are strangely blended here in one picturesque mass, like fantastic castles made of jprisms. Its pretty river is crossed by arch-bridges, adorned with numerous statues One ofi the mountains, which almost casts its shadow on the town itself, is about 5,000 feet in height, appearing very harsh, cold and univiting, yet in reality containing ten hills, or mountain meadows, upon which graze several thhou- sand head of blue fured sheep. The valley showed a natural and wonderfully fertile productive plain, blessed with charming climate and delightful scenery. Another ridge of mountains encircles another valley. This is the rainy season in the southern country. The dense forests in this valley are in a mass of vapor, which envelopes people in suffocating warmth, rivalling a Turkish bath as a prespiration producer. A TRIP TO MARS 45 Under the thick foliage of this wood, a world of giant birds are seen flying from branch to branch, being mag- nificent birds of all colors, brillant azure, green, black, purple and the finest of red colors. The disposition of their long feathers obliged them to fly at a height of thou- sands of feet against the wind. "Look, look," exclaimed Rubens, with a surprised emotion. Those ostrich birds are carrying young Yenisans for a flight. What is wrong with your eyes. Rubens, "X-ray/' answered the Professor. "Can't you see them," Professor? Look at the top of those tall pines over there. By Jove, those lads surely hold on to their bridles. Those birds are domestic fowls, said the Professor. Their undulating flight, graceful aerial curves and the shading of* their colors attracted and charmed the observers, and their obedience to their young Yenian Masters produced a great impression on them, and they exclaimed. "This is the most magnificent spectacle." The birds, carrying these young Yenians on their backs, at a height of thousands of feet, bring in view distinctly the the features of the Yenians. which were stricking similar to our boys on our Earth. In this southern region they were nude, showing a genteel white skin, perfect form, beau- tiful features, with long wavy black hair and brillant black eyes. Suddenly the Professor gave an exclamation of wonder, looking toward a position west of the valley. At first it was hard to see. Then, little by little, there unfolded before their eyes a balloon in a very high latitude, in an almost direct line with their giant telescope. The balloon proved to be a huge hide bag, adjusted with two lon» cylinders, 46 A TRIP TO MARS lateral-positioned, two miner ones connecting and a larger central one with a strange motor. The whole thing proved to be either, or aerial electricity, sucked by the side cyl- inders feeding the motor. The central one serving to suck the air and the minor ones carrying compressed air, there- by enabling the occupants to steer the machine. Captain Marchy said the other day that the air, surrounding a planet, is chuck full of electricity, which Marconi uses for bis wireless telegraphy and the Venians have adopted it to run their dirigibles. "Viva the Venians! by Jove!" ex- claimed the Professor, immensely surprised. I wonder if the Venians are taking a trip to Mars like we did, said Kubeus. They are not, answered the Captain. They can- not get higher than 45 miles, because the sun would burn the balloon, Perhaps they have a metallic torpedo like nreoplanes for that purpose, adjusted with cooling gelatine like our Aeriolus. "Well, they have not yet reached Mars or Mother Earth," answered the Professor. "Viva the Aeriolus then! " said the Captain. Viva, viva, cried the colleagues. Venus beneath them begins to show dense clouds, and further vision is then cut off. In one hour the satellite of the earth will be in view also your planet earth. You will be able to see people in both planet and satellite. What! people in the moon? Dont you think so Proffessor? "No I do not Doctor," the sun does not heat the moon like the earth, there is no air. "There is not such extinction of light, the whole heavens ]>s one blaze of solar light, the universe is infinite there i§ no direction in space in which the visual ray does not A TRIP TO MARS 47 encounter a star, light is material, sunlight exerts a pres- sure of many thousand tons upon the surface of the planets, this is termed the pressure of light, light ray is deflected in a gravitational field, it is material, it reaches with the same heat and light as on this planet everywhere/' "How and thru which agency does the sun derive all this heat Doctor?" Why, Professor, the sun is a radium planet. It may be, but radium is disproved by the spec- troscope. It may be disproved by your spectroscope for the reason that other chemical elements contained in the sun absorbs the radium. That settles the whole question Doctor, I believe with you, the instruments we have up there in the earth are inadequate, they do not detect things like your instruments. That vegetation and life exist on the moon is impossible Why, Professor? Why, Doctor, no heavy gases can be detected in the moon. Gases exist in considerable quantities in the moon, carbon dioxide and water vapor so essential to the growth of organism exist in deep land and the people there have built ring-plains and profit by this system. Have built ring-plains? Yes, ring-plains. "Listen, Captain, ant-hills." What kind of people are there? Why, Professor, have you not seen the walls of China? Yes. Well, who built them? People on the earth. Well, people in the moon built ring-plains, that settles it. Captain, if active volcanic vents do exist on the moon as Maggini observed in 1916, there is a source of supply of carbon dioxide and water vapor for the growth of lunar organism in low-lying regions. Certainly, Rubeus, the walled plains, serve to mitigate the extremes cf heat and cold at closed levels, The blanketing effect of th> 48 A TRIP TO MARS carbon dioxide and vapor in our own atmosphere is well known as agency to modify extremes ofi temperature, the prepetual mantle of snow of the high plateaus of the moon like on the Alps of the earth is modified by the walls, some 65 miles wide and some as wide as 100 miles. Why then, Jule Verne thought that the moon w&s a death world? My good friend Rubeus, that great french novelist was a student of Flamarion's popular astronomy, Telescopes at that time were of limited sizes but, at the present time we possess telescopes as large as 100 inches and our American popular Astronomer Isabel Lewis points out modern dis- coveries. "Yes, Captain, I have often read her popular Astronomy on the Science and Inventions, "you read them often do you?" "I read them over and over again, too bad that Magazine does not come out weekly, I prefer to read that paper than to eat, "So do I!,' "Good for you Professor ! ' ' The Satellite of planet Earth is now in view, "my good visitors, look in the reflector, as your satellite always pre- sent the same side to Mars as our Earth, our telescope is now adjusted to invert the disc of the moon, "you can see it upside down. There is a landscape at the base of the mountain ranges. "Desolated valley, "Captain, desolated valley! "No vegetation whatever!" So it appears to you Rubeus. "Rubeus is telling the truth Captain that is the valley of death! "Cold Planet," death world! "What a terrible scene those rugged mountains!" Mercy, Domines, Domine! "You seem to be terrorized Professor." Am I not Doctor? "Be calm my dear Earth visitors," look down deep in that walled plain, you will see something, "What A TRIP TO MARS 49 walled plain, that is a great crater! "Good God!" I see cultivated land in that crater, "no it is not a crater, it is a walled plain. "How wide is that iplain Doctor?" 65 miles wide Captain, " oh, yes, that is the Albategnius. ' ' Look the caverns in side of the wall. "Where Captain?" Look way down deep. "By Jove," I see little men sliding up and down the walls, side way, head down feet upward any ways. "Yes, Professor I. can see them even raise big rockes way up to the top of the ream of the wall with a small instrument. "Well Rubeus you have gained martian X ray eye-sight. ' ' You can 't see him eh ? " Go way Rubens "Why, Professor," can't you see that man raising that mass up on that wall?" Well the little rascal! If that don't beat anything I ever saw! "That's suspended gravi- tation for you Professor!" Is'nt though? "They wear fur clothes don't they?" Yes, lion hairy clothes. "They are a sort of beautiful creatures are they not Ca(ptain? Yes Rubeus, "they look like our terrestian youths." Look the whitish skin! "Doctor, how old you think that boy is?" Boy? "Why Captain, he is one thousand years old." How do you know Doctor? "By telepathy." How do they live such a long life?" There is more carbon dioxide irf|£he air and water in the moon, the effect of such chem- ical substances prolong human life, don't you know?" Do they feel by telepathy as you do?" Certainly they do." now, smoke that in your pipe Professor. "Silence you, you devil! "What's going on, boys? "Oh, this devil here! "Rubeus, can't you behave? "Excues me Captain." "I" What is it? "I am joking, that's all. "Doctor, do you think that the people in the moon can produce sufficient 50 A TRIP TO MARS crop in that round valley for yearly food?" Certainly Captain. "Besides the enourmous crop, there are fish in abundance in the oceans and water birds to supply your planet earth." Now look at that adjoining walled plain, "Yes that's Hiparchus," well, that is 100 miles wide. "Do you see the people come out of their caverns? "Yes, by the hundreds. "See how busy they go about their affair ?" "By Jove the rascals walk suspended in the air. "Sure, they wear anti-graitation shoes like us here in Mars." "Doctor, who makes anti-gravitation shoes here in Mars." There is the shoemaker. "Who that big monkey over there?" "Yes." "Well, boss,, will you make me a pair of anti-gravitation shoes, so when I return to mother earth, my wife can see me walk suspended in the air and think I have turned into a devil. Warrow , rooowa. "What devil of talk do you call that?" "Domine Emanuel," he is asking you who makes shoes in your planet. Why, Lyvia, do you understand the language of that monkey? "Yes Domine, I can feel it." Feel it? How? "By tele- pathy, well, I'll be switched." Rubeus, what do you think of that? "Ifi I stay in this planet a little longer I will be able to feel it too." Next is another walled valley 115 miles w^de. "That must be Ptolemaeus, the great walled plain." Look at all the people down in that round valley, "they are having a pinic, are they not Doctor? "It seems that way." "Gee, Iwish I could fly down there." You don't think you are growing wings, do you professor? "Well, are you Rubeus?" "No," silence then. See, to the northwest of this ring plain is a deep lunar A TRIP TO MARS valley about 80 miles long, and in places 10 miles wide South from Ptolemaeus extends a long chain of great walled plains reaching to the southern border. There are ring plains and craters. " Where is the 50 mlies walled plain Doctor?" There it is .wait I will adjust the reflector Captain, " there it is now, how does it appear to you?" "Wonderful," that's what we call Copernicus 50 miles of ring plains." Look at the fertility oj that round valley, there must be all kinds of fruit and gardens. Look at the water fountains. By Jove. Rubeus there is a martian girl flying around the ream of that wall, "what an angel!" Here, Professor, this is Syrena reflecting in the glass, "where is your head?" Why, is that you Syrena, God bless you. how happy I am that you have not departed from my side. I thank you Domine, I shall remain with you. "Isn't she the most graceful creature Rubeus?" Do you like her? "Do I?" Too bad she is so young. Young yes. she only made 500 nests. "Is that all?" That's all." Why how old do you think she is? Oh, about 3000 years old. Why. my wife in mother earth in only forty, and is full of wrinkles. "My wife lost all her teeth." Is she getting gray to? I hate to tell you. Ha, ha, ha ha — "What's the matter Captain, you seem to be somewhat disturbed." "Oh! my collegues are acting foolish." "Why, Captain, they are getting younger," naturally, the effect of younger age makes them feel extremely happy." "What!" Your Majesty telling me they are getting younger!" "Certainly so, Captain." "Why, what makes that?" "The the difference in the atmostphere, don't you know there is more Carbon dioxide in Mars than there is A TRIP TO MARS in your planet earth." "The air we breathe, the water we drink here renew and prolong life." "What!" Is that why your Majesty is keeping young? How old do I ap- pear to you Captain?" "Oh, about twenty." Well, I was forty when I departed from planet earth 1846 years ago. Has your Majesty ever been married 1 "Not yet Cap- tain, but I am engaged to Vergil's old girl from Cumae." The Captain did not want to be inquisitive but did not comprehend the meaning for a Virgil who lived on mother earth some 2000 years ago and whose girl, according with the Historian Freccia, was the Sibil of Cumae who had been dead nearly 2000 years. As Roman names were comon throught Mars, the Captain passed over the subject but was quite unsatisfied. "Your Majesty can tell me the names of the two prin- cipal channels running through this beautiful planet?" "Captain, my people give them many names, but I would be glad to give them some good terrestrian names if you will propose them and my order shall remain." "How would it be to call them Schiapparelli?" "Who is he, an Italian?" "Yes, your Majesty." "Very well Captain, Schiapparelli Channels shall remain." Captain, the small Island on the shore of this Observatory Hill is furrowed by three small rivers have you any good names for them? "Yes, I have your Majesty, Flamarion is one." Who is he a Gallian? "Yes, your Majesty he is a French Astronomer." "Very well, Captain. Flamarion shall remain, and the second and third are Pickering and Lowell." "Who are they Captain?" Your Majesty they are two American Astronomers. "Is America a new A TRIP TO MARS 53 country;" "Yes your Majesty, it was discovered by an Italian after you departed, it is situated on the western hemisphere." "Oh, yes. the land of my friend Seneca, a big continent on the western part of the earth, there was an Egyptian and Etruscan emigration to that country, in early times, but they must have perished because it was extremely hot on the southern part and cold on the northern part of that gold country." Is it not Captain? "Not as bad as you Romans thought at that time your Majesty." "Why, Captain, Seneca thought it was a good temperature there, very fertile and rich in gold. ' ' So, you wish to name the other two rivers Pickering and Lowell, do you Captain? "Yes your Majesty, very well then,Pickering and Lowell shall remain." Now, your Majesty will you let me name the Island? "Sure Captain. Isabel Lewis. Who is she, an American Astronomer? "Good, Lewis shall remain. "Say boss, do you wish to know who makes shoes in our planet," "Men like us." You know why? "Because according with Darwin's doctrine, the monkey is the an- cestor of man, consequently man does the work and monkey's stay at rest," "He is respected there, don't you see." "Monkey's admirers over there, place us in prison if we make a monkey do the work." Isn't that the fact Rubeus? "Yes, you bet, ha, ha, ha — All off for the Moon." The Earth is now visible my good terrestrian visitors. look at the earth. "Africa! cried Rubeus. " "South America ! cried the Professor." "North America ! cried the Captain." Hurrah, for them all. Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah. 54 A TRIP TO MARS as they looked at the different countries, there was Africa, south and north America, undulated by the ocean. The substratum oi] the countries showed mountains and plains with numerous streams emerging from dark labyrinths flowing into beautiful lakes which appeared so pellucid that the boats seemed floating in the air. Like children dance looking at a flying balloon, their enthusiam had now reached the highest joy "Mother, sister, brother, friends, hurrah for you all. ' ' Good God, Rubeus ! 45,000,000 miles off! "Bless me mother!" "Forgive me sister!" You are crying, Processor! "Why should 'nt 1, Rebeus. " Captain is crying too ! ' ' You too. ' ' Forgive me wife ! Ha ! ha ! ha — "What devil you call that?" Syrena heard you ask- ing pardon from your wife — ha ! ha ! ha — the devil she did. "Sure, don't you know that she can feel your language." "Didn't I make a fool of myself well enough — ha! ha! ha — "That's enough now Rubeus." "All off for the Earth." It is late, let us go to rest, said the Astronomer. The Captain and his collegues took oif\ their caps and bowed their heads in silent gratitude to the Astronomer ,the King and his escort for their wonderful Astronomical observation. The shoemaker that had gone to the shop returned with three pair of shoes, and the ter- restrian visitors were able to walk home suspended up in the air through the streets adorned with luminous flowering trees. A TRIP TO MARS 55 CHAPTER IX Hunting Trip — Emerald Grotto — Artificial Rain Luminus Flowers It was ten o'clock that morning when the Captain, rubbing his eyes exclaimed. Let us get up, my good colleagues. All right Captain, they answered. I see the lovely plain of the forest, covered with fig trees, crops of various kinds, flocks ofj birds, etc. Let us go hunting for a change. Yes Captain, the King is desirous of seeing us joyful. On their way toward the Aeriolus, they were met by two escorts, carrying bows and arrows. In less than half an hour they reached the forest, Birds were seen Hying all around. The King's servants arrived, loaded with provisions and twelve maidens, fire-keepers of the forest chapel, welcomed the terrestrials with the most enthusiastic cheers. The grotto of the Nymphs was en- tered. This great cave consisted oi a lava-like mass at the base, with two ranges of red emerald columns resting upon it, which presented to the eye an appearance of regularity almost architectural, supporting an irregular ceiling of diamond rocks. This grotto was accessible by a narrow entance but the landing was level. Aftes a series of cur- vations, the travelers arrived at the Great Hall, the sides and roof of which were covered with immense incrustations of precious stones. The purity of the surrounding stone, and the thickness of the floor of the water stream, called by the terrestrian visitors la Seine, could deposit all mix- tures, and gave to its stalactites a beautiful splendor. Tall 56 A TRIP TO MARS pillars stood in many places free, near each other, and single groups of stalagmites endeavored to prove from them the petrification nature in diamonds. Along the hallways and around the great hall were luminous plants, so called on account of the brillancy of their leaves. They had all the singular properties that their leaves recede from shadow of human figure, human voice and human footstep. The humble sensitives instantly fell downward, as fastened by hinges. These plants all had winged leaves, each wing con- sisting of many small pinnae. The grotto was always il- luminated by these beautiful plants, and the various colors produced by the hanging stalagmites of emerald is beyond imagination. It was in this 5 mile wide grotto that the terrestrian travelers first observed there existed, in great abundance, on Mars a genus of fossils, emenating from the ground a vapor that becomes on JfHre in the air, burning with a red- ish flame in great splendor, but not burning one 's skin. Be not surprised, said a beautiful Nympth, to Captain Marchy, if in our planet you should find trees producing luminous fruit. Examine this nut. Light is shut up in this shell, it will shine at night-time. The trees, which adorn our city squares, produce such luminous fruit in every season. Be not surprised, Captain, if in our planet you should find a way of boiling the water without fire, said another Nymph, with a graceful smile. What ! exclaimed the terrestrian astonished." Yes yes, my terrestrian visitors, you know that there is an immense ring around the Equator. Well that same ring actionates on the metallic rings or fan-like circles adjusted in the wells of our houses and in the lakes A TRIP TO MARS 57 and everywhere. The water has all the singular properties to develop heat when it is put under an energic and con- tinuous mechanical action. Whenever hot water is desired a valve is pressed. The ring strongly and uniformly agitates the water, which soon becomes tepid and gradually comes to boiling point. This is a systematic means of reg- ulating temperature, besides what Nature adjusts itself. Wonderful planet, wonderful creatures, exclaimed the ter- restrians. Worthy Prophetess,your knowledge is so in teresting that one would believe in a paradise if you could locate it in some star in the infinite. "Well Captain, said the Nymph, with a smile." When you direct your prayers to the Creator, how long does it take you to get a reply? Thirty-five minutes, Nymph. Very well, human mind is electricity, is it not? Yes, Nymph. How long does it take £or electricity to travel from your planet to another. From Earth to Jupiter, 35 minutes. There is Paradise Captain, in Jupiter. I believe with you worthy Prophetess. Jupiter has no seasons in our sense of the word, since his equator is inclined but little more than three degreese to his orbit. Thus a prepetual spring reigns all over his surface. A planet under the condition of perpetual spring, which is usually the most pleasant portion of our year, leads to a state of things such as we may find so agreeable to eternal rest. What, Jupiter, a Paradise planet? Asked Rubens with a sigh. Possible, said Professor Emanuel. Jupiter exceeds our earth 1,230 times in volume, and more than 300 times in mass. This magnificent orb was rightly se- lected by Astronomers as the crowning proof of the relative insignificance of the earth in the scale of creation. 58 A TRIP TO MARS Captain, they say on Mother Earth that a terrestrian on Mars could run faster than the best of our terrestrial athletes. "Well, Rubeus, try to leap over that 12-foot emerald wall/' "By Jove Captain, it is not easy." Now run. How is this for speed? "Slow." "Captain, here is the Nymph with some strange fruit." What kind is this, Professor? "Captain, this fruit has butter enclosed in its shell." This is a very large nut, Nymph, as large as an orange on our Earth. Try the juice on the bread. Where is the bread. Why no, this is a melon. Taste it. Good God, this has the real taste oil our terrestrial read, and has the flavor of our best butter. The light, emanating from the plams growing along ihe river Seine, produced a thousand charming varieties, playing in the joists of fantastic architecture of the grotto 1b at were so vididly colored. At last, after walking four hours, the terrestrial visitors entered into the forest that was enlivened by the songs and flight of a large number of pheasants ; and under the thick foliage of this wood a world of those magnificent birds appeared. The travelers were attracted and charmed by the flight and graceful aerial curves and shad- ing of colors of their feathers. Under the numerous shrubs A TRIP TO MARS and trees that grew on the earth, and under their shadows, were massed real bushes of blossomed flowers, from which red and green little birds flew from branch to branch like a swarm of butterflies. It was an immense forest of en- ormous trees, united by garlands of elegant foliage, all adorned with red veil crape and luminous fruit. They passed freely under the high branches of the trees, lost in the shade of the crapes, while at their feet, jessamines, liles and violets formed a carpet ol5 flowers of an indescrib- able beauty. They occupied, in this place , an emerald house surrounded by the lofty foliage of the forest. The little luminous fruit of the ferns threw over this trans- parent house little sparks, reflected by the emerald walls in violet, red, opaque, green and yellow tints. Under the transparent floor gold fish fled on all sides, while their retreat was thus being disturbed by the foot-steps. "Look! look! exclaimed the Professor, that artesian well furnishes warm water." "Yes Signor, said the Nymph, every large house in this planet and the big grotto is heated by water from artesian wells." "Most of the wells are 2000 feet deep." "They furnish a steady temperature, fountains of boiling water are found everywhere." "There is an immense spring in the North that is so hot that people cook their provisions in it." Look ! look ! that well out there throws up a column of white powder, there is another one throwing up a mingled white and redish powder to a height of 1000 feet. That is an indication of fog and rain. Do you see the mass of clouds. Soon thev will become condensed into GO A TRIP TO MARS water and will fall in rain. Yes, Nymph, but that powder cannot be magnesia. By Jove, I have a pocket Spectroscope. I shall detect the elements. Ah, those substances form magnesia. Citric acid, bicarbonate of soda. The elements dissolved into humidity of dense fiog forms clouds of steamy vapor and soon fall in rain-drops. "You see," Signor, said the Nymph, whenever rain is desired, a valve is pressed, uncovering the metallic lid over the powder wells, and a tube, actioned by the equator- ial motion, blows out the powder with more force and rain is so obtained. This means is adopted when fog is float- ing near the surface of the land. Ah, exclaimed the col- leagues. That could be accomplished on the earth by disseminating magnesia powder on the fog with our aero- planes. About ten minutes later a torrent of rain fell, and began violently beating like melodious music on the walls of the house. The sunlight produced a thousand charming varieties, shining through the transparent walls. The horizon grew lighter and lighter. After two hours of violent rain the terrestrian colleagues followed the Nymph into the forest. A carpet of flowers, emanating odors delicious and restoring, offered a journey in its blossoming meadows and bushes, which seemed to say "come along, come farther." Birds got up from the bushes like butter- flies. Charmed by the immensity of beautiful birds, five days passed rapidly away. On their departure, a world of pheasants, flying from branch to branch, under the thick foliage of the bushes, seemed to say. "Farewell, forget- me-not." A TRIP TO MARS 61 About one mile off this charming wood an arch of huge rock, with its fantastic sha^pe pillared, excited the imagination of the visitors. The formation of this huge rock is known as chondrules, oval-shaped, about the size of an orange, appearing in many varieties of stone, which are abundantly found in terrestrial rocks. The chondrules were so loosely embedded in the rock that they would fall away when scraped with a knife. According to Pro- fessor Emanuel's opinion the chondrules were originally molted drops, like fiery rain, and their internal structure depends on the conditions of cooling of the huge meteorite. There were white and red round marble stones, which are usually found in terrestrian soil. Rubeus was seen scrap- ing, with unceasing activity, something resembling a bionze case. After half an hour of hard labor the case fell, the cap fell off and number of little silver coins were strewn on the ground. The presence of these coins strengthened the belief that the huge meteorite was a fragment of other worlds and such a world must have been the Earth at the time of the catastrophe. A Nymph, who was claimed to be 5000 years of age, was questioned on the subject. She stated that one day, when she was anly a child, during a tempest, the rock fell, which produced a noise like the rattle of artillery and similar to the rumbling of thunder. One thousand years later, a dagger, bearing the Latin name of Caprys, was scraped out of the rock, bearing the effigy of a human head and a cross. Such is the effigy on these coins, exclaimed the terrestrians with enthusiasm. " Etruscan coin," cried the Captain. This meteorite was blown out by the volcano of Roecamonfina, howled «2 A TRIP TO MARS the companions with astonishment. The party returned, safe and joyful. In the engineer's office the Captain found two huge shells. "Ah," cried the Captain, jumping up at the sight of his shells. The chief engineer approached the Captain with a smile. ' ' There are your shells, ' ' Captain, The Captain warm- ly grasped his hands. Conversation soon became interest- ing, principally to the interrogations, which the Captain and the engineer answered with great readiness. Give us a