The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-12-19

III u CeIy SlOII ttT!le ne HuU turned teQcfleT.
light. There was also an astonishing
variety in the colors of the broad ex-
panses beneath us. Activity, vivacity
and beauty, such as we were utterly I'M
prepared to behold, expressed their pres
ence on all sides.
The excitement on the flagship and
among the other embers of the squad
ron was immense. 1t was certainly
thrilling scene. Here, right under our
feet, lay the world we had come to do
battle with. Its appearances, while re-
calling in some of their broader aspects
those which it had presented when
viewed from our observatories, were far
more strange, complex and wonderful
than any astronomer had ever dreamed
Of Suppose all Of our anticipations
about Mars should prove to have been
wrong, after all?
There could be no longer any question
that it was a world which, if not abso-
lutely teeming with inhabitants, like q
gigantic anthill, at any rate bore on ev-
cry side the marks of their presence and
of their Incredible undertakings and
achievements.
Here and there clouds of smoke arose
and spread slowly through the atmos-
phere beneath US. Floating higher above
the surface of the planet were clouds Of
vapor, assuming the familiar forms Of
stratus and cumulus with which we
were acquainted upon the earth.
These clouds, however, seemed upon
the whole to be much less dense than
those to which we were accustomed at
home. They had, too, peculiar rides
cent beauty, as If there was something
in their composition or their texture
which split up the ohromatic elements
of the sunlight and thus produced in
ternal rainbow effects that caused some
of the heavier cloud masses to resemble
immense collections of opals, alive with
the play Of ever changing colors, and
magically suspended above the planet.
AS we continued to study the phenom-
ena that were gradually unfolded be-
meath us we thought that we could de-
tect in many places evidences Of the ex-
istence of strong Notifications. The
planet of war appeared to be prepared
for the attacks of enemies. Since, as our
own experience had shown, 1t some
times waged war with distant planets
it was but natural that 1t should be
found prepared to resist foes who might
be disposed to revenge themselves for
injuries suffered at its hands.
AS had been expected, our prisoner
now proved to be Of very great assist.
ance to US. Apparently he took certain
pride in exhibiting to strangers from .
distant world the beauties and the won
ders Of his own planet.
We could not understand by any
means all that he said, but we could
readily comprehend from his gestures
and from the manner in which his fea-
lures lighted up at the recognition Of
familiar scenes and objects what his
sentiments in regard to them were and
In general way what part they played
in the life of the planet.
He confirmed our opinion that certain
OF the works which we saw beneath us
were Notifications, intended for the
protection of the planet against invaders
from outer space. A cunning and al
most diabolioal look came into his eyes
90 he pointed to oneof these strongholds.
His confidence and his hooking looks
were not reassuring to us. He knew