The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-04-03

full. The surrounding country was ir-
rigated until it fairly bloomed with gil
gantic vegetation and fiowers: the
canals were carefully regulated with
locks so that the supply of water was
under complete control; the display of
magnificent metallic buildings of all
kinds and sizes produced most daz-
zling effect, and the protection against
enemies afforded by the innumerable
Notifications surrounding the ringed
city, and guarding the neighboring
lands, seemed complete.
Suspended at height of perhaps two
miles from the surface, near the south
ern edge of the lake, we waited for the
oncoming flood. With the dawn of day
we began to perceive more clearly the
effect which the news of the drowning
of the planet had produced. 1t was evil
dent that many of the inhabitants Of
the cities had already fed. Airships
on which the fugitives hung as thick
as swarms of bees were seen. elevated
but short distance above the ground,
and making their way rapidly toward
the south.
The Martians knew that their only
hope of escape lay in reaching the high
southern border of the land before the
floods were upon them. But they must
have known also that that narrow
beach would not suffice to contain one
in ten of those who sought refuge
there. The density of the population
around the Lake of the Sun seemed to
us incredible. Again our hearts sank
within US at the fearful destruction of
life for which we were responsible. Yet
we comforted ourselves with the re-
Election that it was unavoidable. AS
Colonel Smith put it:
You couldn't trust these coyotes.
The only thing to do was to drown
them out 1 am sorry for them, but 1
guess there will be as many left as will
be good for us, anyhow"
We had not long to wait for the flood.
AS the dawn began to streak the east
we saw its awful crest moving out Of
the darkness, bursting across the
canals and blowing it's way in the di-
rection of the crowded shores of the
Lake of the Sun. The supply of water
behind that great wave seemed mex
haustible. Five thousand miles it had
Travelled, and yet it's power was as
great as when it started from the Syrtis
Major.
We caught sight of the oncoming wa
ter before it was visible to the Mar
tians beneath us. But while it was yet
many miles away, the roar of it reached
them, and then arose a chorus of ter
rife cries, the effect of which, coming
to our ears out of the half gloom of the
morning was most uncanny and hor-
rible. Thousands upon thousands Of
the Martians still remained here to be-
come the victims of the deluge. Some,
perhaps, doubted the truth of the re-
port that the banks were down and
the floods were out; others, for one rea-
; son or another, had been unable to get
away; others, like the inhabitants Of
, Pompeii, had fingered too long, or had
returned after beginning the flight, to
secure abandoned treasures, and now it
was too late to get away.
, With roar that shook the planet
the white wall rushed upon the great
city beneath our feet, and in an in
| slant it had been engulfed. On went
! the flood, swallowing up the Lake of
the Sun itself, and in little while, as
| far as our eyes could range, the land
of Thaumasia had been turned into a
{ raging sea.
, TO BE CONCLUDED,