Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-17

mysterious lights continued to be visi-
bic, but that nothing indicating the
starting of another expedition for the
earth had been seen.
Within "a hours we were ready for
our second start.
The moon was now no longer in pc.
sition to help us on our way. 1t had
moved out Of the line between Mars
and the earth.
High above us, in the center of the
heavens, glowed the red planet which
was the goal of our journey.
Tho needed computations Of velocity
and direction of fight having been re-
peated and the ships being all in readi-
ness, we started direct for Mars.
An enormous charge of electricity was
impaired to each member of the squad
ron in order that as soon as we had
reached the upper limits of tho atmos-
phere, where the ships could move
swiftly without danger of being con-
samed by the heat developed by the fric-
ton of their passage through tho air, u
very great initial velocity could be i'm
parted.
Once started off by this tremendous
electrical kick and with no atmosphere
to resist cur motion, we should bo able
to retain the same velocity, barring in
cidental encounters, until we arrived
near the surface of Mars.
When we were free of the atmosphere
and the ships were moving away from
the earth with the highest velocity
which we were able to impart to them,
observations on the stars were made in
order to determine the rate of our speed.
This was found to DO ten miles in Il
second, or S6i, 900 miles in day, a
very much greater speed than that with
which we had travelled on starting to
touch the moon. Surprising this velocity
foreman unifurm-and, with no known
resistance, it might reasonably be ex-
pected To do su-we should arrive at
Mars in little less than ~ days, the
distance Of the planet from the earth
being ut this timo about 36, 900, 600
miles.
Nothing occurred for many days TO
interrupt our journey. We became ac-
customod 20 our strange surroundings,
and many entertainments were provided
to while away the time. The astrono-
mers in the expedition found plenty of
occupation i'll studying the aspects of the
stais and the other heavenly bodies from
their new point Of view.
At the expiration Of about 80 days we
had drawn SO near to Mars that with
our telescopes, which, though small,
were Of immense power, we could dis
Germ upon it's surface features and de-
tails which no one had been able TO
glimpse from the earth.
AS the surface of this world that we
were approaching as IA tiger hunter
draws near the jungle gradually I'M
folded itself to our inspection there
was hardly one of us willing to devote
to sleep or idleress the prescribed eight
hours that had been fixed as the time
during which each member of the expe-
dition must remain in the darkened
chamber. We were too eager to watch
for every new revelation upon Mars.
But something was in store that we
had not expected. We were to meet the
Martians before arriving at the world
they dwe,t i'll.
Among the stars which shonc in that
quarter OF the heavens where Mars APP
leared as the master orb there was one.
lying directly i'll our path, which, to
our astonishment. as we continued on,
altered from the aspect of star, under
went n gradually magniication and
coon presented itself in the form Of O
little planet.