The herald., 1898-03-13

'Let us circumvsnt thsm.'' he said.
I'VE can do II In this way. The chances
are that all Of the available fighting
force Of the planet Mars II now concen-
trated on this side and In the neigh
bcrhood Of the Lake of the Sun.
Possibly, by some kind Of x-ray
business, they can only see us dimly
through the clouds, and II we get q lit
tie farther away they will not be able
to see us at all.
Now. I suggest that a certain num-
per OF the electrical ships be with
orawn from the squadron to q great
distance. while the remainder stay
nerei or. better still, approach to Z
point just beyond the reach Of those
streak or lightning and began q bonn
bardnent Of the clouds without paying
any attention to whether the strokes
reach through the clouds and do any
damage or not.
This will induce the Martians to
believe that We are determined to press
our attack at this point.
IN the meantime. while these ships
are raising q hula baloo on this sI6e
or the planet. and drawing their Are
as much as possible. without running
into any actual danger, let the Others
which have been selected for the pur-
pose, sail rapidly around to the other
side OF Mars and take them in the
rear"
1t was not perfectly clear what Colo
mel Smith intended to do after the
landing had been effected In the rear
Of the Martians, but still there seemed
a good deal to be said for his sugres.
tion, and 1t would. at any rate, II car.
ried out, enable us to learn somethinr
about the condition Of things on the
planet, ana perhaps furnish us with
a hint as to how we could best prn
ceed in the further prosecution Of the
siege.
Accordingly It was resolved that
about twenty ships should be told
on for this movement, and Colonel
Smith himself was placed in COM
mamd.
At my desire accompanied the new
commander in his flagship.
Rising to a considerable elevation In
order that there might be no risk Of
being seen, we began our flank move
ment while the remaining ships in ac-
cordance with the understanding,
dropped nearer the curtain .of cloud
and commenced q bombardment with
the disintegrators, which caused q ire.
mendous commotion in the clouds,
opening vast gaps in them, and occa-
sionally revealing glimpse of the elec-
trio lights on the planet, although It
was evident that the vibratory cur
rents did not reach the ground. The
Martians Immediately replied to this
renewed attack, and again the cloud
covered globe bristled with lightning,
which flashed SO fiercely out Of the
blackness below that the stoutest
hearts among US Quailed. although we
were situated we'll beyond the danger.
But this sublime spectacle rapidly
vanished from our eyes when, having
attained q proper elevation, we began
our course toward the opposite hemi.
sphere Of the planet.
We guided our flight by the stars,
and from our knowledge of the rotation
period OF Mars, and the position which
the principal points on its surface must
occupy at certain hours. We were able
to tell what part of the planet lay be-
meath US.
Having completed our semi-circuit
we found ourselves on the night side
of Mars, and determined to lose no
eihiC iA cAcCutiu6 OuT COup. out II
was deemed best that an exploration
should first be made by a single elec-
trical ship. and Colonel Smith naturally
wished to undertake the adventure
with his own vessel.
We dropped rapidly through the
black cloud curtain. which proved to be
at least half q mile in thickness, and
then suddenly emerged. as II suspended
nt hA 81 nN
arching above the surface of the planet
a mile beneath us, which sparkled on
all sides with innumerable lights.
These lights were so numerous and so
brilliant as to produce a faint imitation
Of daylight, even at our immense
height above the ground, and the dome
of cloud out Of which we had emerged
assumed q soft fawn color that pro-
duced an indescribably beautiful ef-
feet
For a moment we recoiled from our
undertaking, and arrested the motion
of the electric ship.
For on closely examining the surface
beneath us we found that there was a
broad region, where comparatively few
bright lights were to be seen. From
my knowledge of the geography OF
Mars, I knew that this was a part of
the Land Of Ausonia, situated q few
hundred miles northeast Of Hellasu
where we had first seen the planet.
Evidently 1t was not SO thickly popu-
lated as some of the other parts OF
Mars, and it's comparative darkness
was an attraction to us. We determined
to approach within q rev hundred feet
of the ground with the electric ship,
and then, in case no enemies appeared.
to visit the soil itself.
Perhaps we shall see or hear some-
thing that will be of use to u.s." SAID
Colonel Smith, land for the purposes
of this first reconnaissance 1t is better
that we should be few in number. The
other ships will await our return
and at any rate we shall not De gone
long"
AS our car approached the ground
we found ourselves near the tops OF
some lofty trees.
"This will do," seid Colonel Smith,
to the electrical steersman. Stay
right here"
He ana I then lowered ourselves into
the branches Of the trees, each carry
ing q. small disintegrator, and cau-
tiouslv clambered down to the ground.
we believed we were the first Of the
descendants Of Adam to set foot on
the planet Of Mars.
TO BE CONTINUED.
How to Light a Pipe.