ll.

"Now, I suggest that a certain number of the electrical ships be
withdrawn from the squadron to a great distance, while the remainder
stay here; or, better still, approach to a point just beyond the reach
of those streaks of lightning, and begin a bombardment of the clouds
without paying any attention to whether the strokes reach through the
clouds and do any damage or not.

"This will induce the Martians to believe that we are determined to
press our attack at this point.

"In the meantime, while these ships are raising a hulabaloo on this side
of the planet, and drawing their fire, as much as possible, without
running into any actual danger, let the others which have been selected
for the purpose, sail rapidly around to the other side of Mars and take
them in the rear."

It was not perfectly clear what Colonel Smith intended to do after the
landing had been effected in the rear of the Martians, but still there
seemed a good deal to be said for his suggestion, and it would, at any
rate, if carried out, enable us to learn something about the condition
of things on the planet, and perhaps furnish us with a hint as to how we
could best proceed in the further prosecution of the siege.

Accordingly it was resolved that about twenty ships should be told off
for this movement, and Colonel Smith himself was placed in command.

At my desire I accompanied the new commander in his flagship.

Rising to a considerable elevation in order that there might be no risk
of being seen, we began our flank movement while the remaining ships, in
accordance with the understanding, dropped nearer the curtain of cloud
and commenced a bombardment with the disintegrators, which caused a
tremendous commotion in the clouds, opening vast gaps in them, and
occasionally revealing a glimpse of the electric lights on the planet,
although it was evident that the vibratory currents did not reach the
ground. The Martians immediately replied to this renewed attack, and
again the cloud covered globe bristled with lightning, which flashed so
fiercely out of the blackness below that the stoutest hearts among us
quailed, although we were situated well beyond the danger.

But this sublime spectacle rapidly vanished from our eyes when, having
attained a proper elevation, we began our course toward the opposite
hemisphere of the planet.

We guided our flight by the stars, and from our knowledge of the
rotation period of Mars, and the position which