c life and
beauty in a blaze of metals and jewels worthy the praise of the
priests, in itself a royal palace.

This automobile car in shape seemed a compound of the back of a turtle
and a Siamese temple, and was of extraordinary magnificence. Both
front and rear tapered down to the solid platinum framework of the
wheels, that extended beyond the car at both ends, the projections
simulating the heads of monsters that held each between their jaws one
hundred cells of triple metal, which developed a tremendous force.

The priests chanted the following ode to the sacred locomotive:

"Glorious annihilator of time and space, lord of distance, imperial
courier.

"Hail, swift and sublime man-created god, hail colossal and bright
wheel!

"Thy wheels adamant, thy frame platinum, thy cells terrelium,
aquelium!

"Thou art lightning shivering on the metals, thy breathless flights
affright Atvatabar!

"The affluence of life animates thy form, that flashes through valleys
and on mountains high!

"The forests roar as thou goest past, the gorge echoes thy thunder!

[Illustration: THE SACRED LOCOMOTIVE STORMED THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS WITH
ITS AUDACIOUS TREAD.]

"Thy savage wheels ravage space. Convulsed with life, thy tireless
form devours the heights of heaven!

"Labor and glory and terror leap as thy thundering feet go by; thy
axles burn with the steady sweep, till on wings of fire they fly!"

The four-and-twenty priests formed a guard of honor as we
reverentially entered the car. On our side of the god were seated
Governor Ladalmir, Admiral Jolar and staff, myself and officers of the
_Polar King_, including the scientific staff. The other side contained
the sailors under command of Flathootly, master-at-arms, escorted by
Captains Pra and Nototherboc.

The priests were distributed around the outside of the car, holding on
to golden hand-rails. A priest seated on a throne in front moved a
switch, and, with a roar of music, the god leaped upon the metals. The
wonderful lightness of the car allowed us to attain a tremendous
speed. The mightiest curves were taken at a single breath. The silken
robes of the priests flashed in the wind.

The car vibrated with a thousand tremors. In the wide windows of thick
glass were framed rapid phantasmagoria of landscapes, as the flying
panorama unrolled itself. There were visions of interminable prairies,
over which we swept, a blinding flash, leaving a low, spreading cloud
of dust on t