s will await
our return, and at any rate we shall not be gone long."

As our car approached the ground we found ourselves near the tops of
some lofty trees.

"This will do," said Colonel Smith, to the electrical steersman. "Stay
right here."

He and I then lowered ourselves into the branches of the trees, each
carrying a small disintegrator, and cautiously clambered down to the
ground.

Landing On Mars.

We believed we were the first of the descendants of Adam to set foot on
the planet of Mars.

An Experience On Mars.

The Great Planet Exhibits Its Wonders to Our Warriors.

At first we suffered somewhat from the effects of the rare atmosphere. It
was so lacking in density that it resembled the air on the summits of
the loftiest terrestrial mountains.

Having reached the foot of the tree in safety, we lay down for a moment
on the ground to recover ourselves and to become accustomed to our new
surroundings.

A thrill, born half of wonder, half of incredulity, ran through me at the
touch of the soil of Mars. Here was I, actually on that planet, which
had seemed so far away, so inaccessible, and so full of mysteries when
viewed from the earth. And yet, surrounding me, were things--gigantic,
it is true--but still resembling and recalling the familiar sights of
my own world.

After a little while our lungs became accustomed to the rarity of the
atmosphere and we experienced a certain stimulation in breathing.

Starting on our Travels.

We then got upon our feet and stepped out from under the shadow of the
gigantic tree. High above we could faintly see our electrical ship,
gently swaying in the air close to the treetop.

There were no electric lights in our immediate neighborhood, but we
noticed that the whole surface of the planet around us was gleaming
with them, producing an effect like the glow of a great city seen from
a distance at night. The glare was faintly reflected from the vast dome
of clouds above, producing the general impression of a moonlight night
upon the earth.

It was a wonderfully quiet and beautiful spot where we had come down. The
air had a delicate feel and a bracing temperature, while a soft breeze
soughed through the leaves of the tree above our heads.

Not far away was the bank of a canal, bordered by a magnificent avenue
shaded by a double row of immense umbrageous trees.

We approached the canal, and, getting upon the road, turned to the left
to make an exploration in