ans.

The commander himself frequently went around the edge of the planet in
order to take a look at Mars, and I often accompanied him.

Marvellous Discoveries.

The Martians Were the Builders of the Great Sphinx and the
Pyramids.

I shall never forget one occasion, when, lying flat on the ground,
and cautiously worming our way around on the side toward Mars, we had
just begun to observe it with our telescopes, when I perceived, against
the vast curtain of smoke, a small, glinting object, which I instantly
suspected to be an airship.

I called Mr. Edison's attention to it, and we both agreed that it was,
undoubtedly, one of the Martians' aerial vessels, probably on the lookout
for us.

A short time afterward a large number of airships made their appearance
at the upper surface of the clouds, moving to and fro, and although,
with our glasses, we could only make out the general form of the ships,
without being able to discern the Martians upon them, yet we had not the
least doubt but they were sweeping the sky in every direction in order
to determine whether we had been completely destroyed or had retreated
to a distance from the planet.

Even when that side of Mars on which we were looking had passed into
night, we could still see the guardships circling above the clouds,
their presence being betrayed by the faint twinkling of the electric
lights that they bore.

Finally, after about a week had passed, the Martians evidently made up
their minds that they had annihiliated us, and that there was no longer
danger to be feared. Convincing evidence that they believed we should
not be heard from again was furnished when the withdrawal of the great
curtain of cloud began.

A Great Phenomenon.

This phenomenon first manifested itself by a gradual thinning of the
vaporous shield, until, at length, we began to perceive the red surface
of the planet dimly shining through it. Thinner and rarer it became, and,
after the lapse of about eighteen hours, it had completely disappeared,
and the huge globe shone out again, reflecting the light of the sun
from its continents and oceans with a brightness that, in contrast with
the all-enveloping night to which we had so long been subjected, seemed
unbearable to our eyes.

Indeed, so brilliant was the illumination which fell upon the surface of
Deimos that the number of persons who had been permitted to pass around
upon the exposed side of the satellite was carefully restric