The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-06

whilo the remainder stay here; or bsf-
ter still. approach to a point Just o>yono
the reach Of those strcaks OF lightning
and begin a bombardmcnt OF the clouds
without paying any attention TO whethsr
the strokes roach through the clouds ana
do any damage or not.
This will induce the Martians 20 BE-
lieve that We are determined TO press our
attack az this point.
In the meantime, while these ships
are raising a hulabaloo on this side OF
the planet. and drawing their FIRE. "a
much az possible. without running into
any actual danger. let tho others which
have been selected for the purpose, san
rapidly around 10 the other sido Of Mars
and take them I'm the rear"
il was not perfectly clear what Colo
mel Smith intended to do after the land
ing and had been effected in the rear
Of The Martians. but sun there seemed
a good deal 10 be- said FOR his sugges-
ton, and IL would. at any rate. n car
ried out, enable ms to learn something
about the condition Of things on tho
planet. and perhaps furnish US with .
hint as 20 how we could best proceed
IN the further prosecution Of the siege.
Accordingly IL was resolved that about
twenty ships should De told OF for this
movement, and Colonel Smith himself
was placed in command.
At my desire I accompanied the new
commander IN his flagship.
Rising 20 a consid r3ble elevation In
order that there might be no risk Of BE-
ING seen. we began our flank movement
while the remaining ships In accordance
with the understanding, dropped nearer
tho curtain OK cloud and commenced =
homblrdment with the disintegrators.
faHH. 10
in the clouds. opening vast gaps in them.
and occasionally revealing a glimpse ~
ths electric lights ON tho planet. al
though &C. was evident shat tho vlbratory
currents did nos reach the ground. The
M1r,ians Immediately replied TO this re
nowod attack. ana again the cloud-cOv-
cred globe hristied with lightning which
flashed so norcely out of the blackuess
below that tho stoutest hearts among ~
quailod, although We were situated we'll
beyond the danger
But this sublime spectacle rapidly van
ished from our eyes when. having at
tanned "a proper elevation. We began our
course toward the opposite homisphers
of the planet.
We guided our flight by the stars ard
from our knowledge of The rotation per
iod of Mars. and che position which th-
principal points ON Cos surface must oc-
cupy at certain hours wa were able -
Ten what part Of the planet lay beneath
as
Having completed our semi-circuit We
found ourselves on The night side OF
Mars. and determined 20 lose no tins
Boo executing our coup But a. was deem
od best that AN exploration should FIRST
De made by single electrical ship and
Colonel Smith naturally wished 90 I'M
dertlke the adventure with his own
vessel.
We dropped rapidly through the black
cloud curtain. which proved to hc az
least half 70 mile in thickness. and then
suddenly emerged. as BIZ suspended az the
apex of am enormous dome. archinE
above the surface OF tho planet a mila
beneath us. which spanked ON AN s.des
with innumerable lights.
These lights We're 80 numerous and 80
brilliant as 10 produce faint imitation
of daylight even at our immense height
above the ground. and the dome Of cloud
out Of which We had emerged assumed
"A soft fawn color that produced an IN
describably beautiful effect.
For a moment We recolled from our
undertaking. ana arrested the motion Of
the electric ship
For on closely examining the surfaces
beneath ms we found that there was a
broad region. where comparatively few
bright lights Were 90 Doc seen. From nv
knowledge of the geography OF Mars. (
knew that this was "a part Of The Land
of Ausonla, situated a few hundred miles
northeast of Hellls where We had first
seen the planet
Evidently DC was not $50 thickly popu-
lated as some of the other parts of Mars.
and IT'S comparative darkness was an
attraction 90 as We determined 10 ap-
proach within "a few hundred feet OF The
ground with the electric ship and then.
in case mo- enemies appeared. 10 visit tho
soil itself
perhaps We shall see or hear some
thing that viii bee of use 20 u.s. said
Colonel smith land Tor the purposes
OF this first reconnaissance IN is better
that we should be few in number. The
other ships will await our return and
at any rate We shall not b. gone long
As our car approached thu ground We
found ourselves near the tops Of sons
lofty trees.
This will do" said Colonel Smith. 70
the electrical steersman. stay right
herc."
tie and I then lowered ourselves into
the branches of the trees. each carry-
inc a. small disintegrator, and cautious
Is clamberod down 10 the ground.
We believed We were the first of tho
descendants OF Adam 90 set foot on the
planet Of Mars.
(TO BE CONTINUED