have been described as
illusions. I only wish we had a plentiful supply of such illusions in
our own old country!

One of the oases we visited was the Lucus Ascraeus, in the northern
hemisphere. A large number of canals converge from all directions on to
this spot--seventeen of them are marked on our maps--so I expected to
find it a place of considerable importance. It is, in fact, a very
thriving business and manufacturing place--the Birmingham of Mars,
besides being also one of the many centres of government. Like most of
the manufacturing towns, it is near the tropical region--because the
Martians derive most of their heat and power from solar emanations which
they have discovered, and these they store up and transmit to very
distant places for use when required. Nearly all the places on Mars to
which several canals converge are busy centres of trade and contain
large populations.

There are numerous large towns near the canals on all the dark areas,
differing only in detail from those on the oases, the general plan being
the same.

I remarked to John that "I thought the towns on the dark areas ought to
show as rounded spots slightly darker in tint than the surrounding dark
areas. Where several towns were close together they would probably be
seen as a single spot, large in area and irregular in shape. It seems
strange that, except for a few shown on Professor Lowell's charts, they
have not been seen by our astronomers; but perhaps during the present
near approach of Mars to the earth some of our keen-sighted observers
who possess large instruments may see and take note of many more of
these dark rounded spots, as they are very numerous, and new towns are
in course of development."

During the spring and summer a large number of the people find
employment in the regions near the poles, especially those whose work is
connected with the canal system and who have to see that the water from
the melting snow-caps is turned into the proper channels and everything
connected therewith kept in good working condition. All these workers,
however, migrate to warmer latitudes as the very long and dreary winter
approaches.

* * * * *

I have just received some interesting and very unexpected news which, as
some writer says, "gives me furiously to think."

John and M'Allister came to me asking anxiously whether I had fixed the
date for our departure.

I replied that we should probably keep