serving Earth except through the telescope, which showed us the
mountains, seas, and continents, much the same as your telescope must
reveal the physical features of Mars. On the question of whether Earth
is inhabited the author says:

"'That this planet is inhabited we have no reason to doubt, as it is
known to be enveloped in an atmosphere, and it is now a generally
accepted theory that the changes noticed in its color throughout the
year are the seasonal effects on vegetable matter existing on its
surface.... What the inhabitants are like, however, we can only
surmise, but a study of the conditions under which they live will help
us to picture the wild amphibious creatures they must be. Their planet,
more than half covered with water, and being so many millions of miles
nearer the sun than we are, is almost continually enveloped in heavy
clouds of vapor, which, unless they were half fish, must surely
suffocate them. They doubtless seek the depths of water when these
clouds of thick vapor arise. Upon emerging, however, they have to face
such intense heat as none of us could tolerate a minute and live....
They are no doubt provided with steel-like skin to resist this
temperature.... That they are of a fierce temperament there can be
little doubt, as their atmosphere, which is twice the weight of ours, is
so overcharged with electricity, owing to the heat and clouds of vapor,
that violent storms are constantly breaking over them, doubtless killing
thousands of them at a time and tending to make the natures of the
survivors as fierce as the elements which surround them.... Their year
is but half as long as ours, and this--impeding the laws of propagation,
thus making impossible the higher order of mankind--would naturally
have the effect of rendering their lives a short, reckless, and
ferocious existence, full of unrestrained cruelty and passions....'

"And now," continued Almos, with a smile, after closing the volume, "you
see there is no occasion for apologies from you."

"No," I answered, somewhat dryly.

"The fact is, my dear fellow," said Almos, laughing and seeming to enjoy
the situation immensely, "the entire solar system is pursuing the same
path; what A thinks of B, B has already thought of A."

The failing light on my instrument at this moment gave warning of the
passing of Mars out of wave contact, and we were obliged to bid each
other good-bye, Almos promising important revelations on the morrow.

As I