A Visit to Mars.
I need not describe the manner of my flight. It is enough to say that,
to my delight, I reached our neighbor planet called Mars, and at once
proceeded to study its physical features and its human life.
Everything was vastly different from what I had been long accustomed to
see and to imagine, and I felt quite assured that I was living in a
dream. But I knew of no way to convince myself as to my bearings, so I
concluded to make the best use of my time and opportunities, and leave
questionings to the future.
As a physical world Mars bears a most striking resemblance to our Earth.
The length of its year is six hundred and eighty-seven of our days, and
the length of its day is twenty-four hours and thirty-seven minutes. Its
diameter is about one-half that of the Earth and its distance from the
Sun is 142,000,000 miles. Even from our own world we can discern
through a good telescope the changing colors of the planet, due to the
recurring seasons, each one of which is almost twice the length of ours.
There is relatively much less water on Mars than is found on our Earth,
and gravity on its surface is only thirty-eight per cent. of terrestrial
gravity. Imagine, then, how light everything must be. This may account
somewhat for the physical proportions of its inhabitants, for they are
over twice our size, and in appearance resemble us but little. They have
four arms, two extra ones extending from a point just above the knees.
The two lower arms act as servants to the two higher. Thus are the four
used at one time in harmony.
Mars is an older world than ours, and although it receives only one-half
as much heat from the sun yet it is almost of the same temperature,
owing to a peculiar condition of the atmosphere which we would call
"heat retentivity."
Some scientists and philosophers will at once say that such atmospheric
conditions are contrary to reason and natural law, but they must be
informed that on Mars there are chemical elements and affinities not
known in our world. It requires but little change in the elementary
construction of the atmosphere to render it capable of strong
heat-retaining properties.
Standing on the surface of this planet, my attention was easily
attracted by the two frisky moons called Deimos and Phobos, at the small
distance of 14,600 and 12,500 miles respectively. These two moons are
constantly flying around the planet, one in about thirty hours and the
other in seven and one-half hours.
The astronomers of Mars have discovered unmistakable signs of human life
on the farthest of these two moons. They are hoping to be able some day
to cover the intervening distance and for the first time see their old
neighbors face to face.
Before I had traveled over one-half the surface of this planet I was
thoroughly convinced that it was a rough, jagged world without lofty
mountain ranges or peaks. The many long and narrow fertile valleys, much
resembling the canons of our own Earth, absorbed my mind with more than
passing interest. Looking carefully into one of these canon depressions,
I saw a class of human beings in a low state of civilization;
nevertheless, they were expert in agriculture and seemed to labor
contentedly with a dull, plodding vigor beyond all reason.
According to appearances there seemed to be no social relation or
connection between the inhabitants of one valley and those of another.
At first I was greatly puzzled at these peculiar conditions.
Next I gave my attention to the highlands or wide barren ridges between
the valleys. On these elevations I saw a highly civilized race of people
living in great splendor. They enjoyed the privilege of traveling from
one highland to another and of exchanging courtesies. Their interests
were common, and their joys and sorrows were mutual.
At once I became interested in these extremes of life as exhibited in
the valleys and on the highlands, and resolved that I would find the
cause for these differences.
The authentic history of these Marsmen runs back through thousands of
years. I learned with interest the wonderful past life on this world.
There was once a time when people all mingled together and cultivated
the valleys. Each one by doing his part made it lighter for all. But
after many years a few schemers combined and by their inventive genius
succeeded in erecting vast sliding curtains over the valleys. These
curtains were supported from the tops of the ridges on each side and, by
their manipulation, the operators could keep the sunlight from any
particular part of the valley.
Then these shrewd Marsmen exacted tribute from the valley-toilers,
saying to them: "Give us a fifth part of your products, and we will give
you sunlight."
So the toilers gave them tribute willingly, knowing that they could not
live without sunlight. Then it came to pass that these toilers were
burdened by reason of their taxes and they prayed to the rich that they
might have sunlight at a lower price, but the rich replied:
"We cannot give you sunlight for less because it costs us much to keep
in repair our immense curtain systems across the valley." So the poor
toilers labored more and slept less, while the few rich on the
elevations built unto themselves more spacious homes and lived in
greater luxury all their days.
In process of time some of the shrewdest highlanders devised an
attachment to the curtain system by which the rainfall could also be
distributed at the will of the operators. Then the rich Marsmen on the
elevations said to the toilers: "Give us one-fifth more of your
products, and we will give you your share of the rainfall."
The poor laborers had no alternative; so they labored still more
diligently to pay their taxes for light and rain, and the burden became
so heavy that they could no longer bear it. So they sent up a petition
praying for sunlight and rain for a one-fifth instead of a two-fifths
tribute. The rich refused to listen to this prayer, whereat the toilers
refused to comply with these intolerable demands.
Then did the rich magnates of the elevations draw their curtains to
keep both sunshine and rain from the valley. The laborers consumed all
they had until, in desperation, they asked again for sunlight and rain,
but the rich refused to give either unless the toilers would promise to
give a two-fifths tribute; to do this the toilers at length agreed. Then
the curtains were withdrawn, the sunlight once more kissed the valley,
the rain again fell upon the fields, and some of the poor, ignorant
people devoutly thanked their God for these gifts.
[Illustration: Monopolizing Light and Rain on Mars.]
It occurred later that one of the many toilers, whom his Creator had
endowed with unusual wisdom, became the leader of the masses in
struggling for their rights. He traveled the whole length of the valley
and advocated that the people should unite, march to the summit of the
hill, destroy the fastenings that held these curtains and, as the
coverings would fall, destroy them with fire. This leader declared that
they were entitled to sunlight and rain without paying tribute to man.
Gradually the workers were won to his views. The rich, seeing that their
investments were threatened, hired a few brilliant orators and sent
them to the people to persuade them not to give heed to a man of one
idea. These orators argued that it would be a great crime to destroy the
property of others, and that their only way of securing happiness was to
toil on with patience and keep looking for brighter days. The people
listened to the specious sophistries and thus pushed aside their
redeemer, putting off forever the day of their deliverance.
Similar troubles continued to arise in the valley, but the rich always
succeeded in quieting the people before they rose to determined action.
Then the rich decided to put an end to these agitations among the
toilers. Accordingly they cut off all communication from valley to
valley, either by epistle or person, and refused longer to permit any
poor toiler, or his children, to pursue any study whatever. By this
method, in the course of a few hundred years, the valley dwellers lapsed
into ignorant slaves, not knowing, except by tradition, that there were
other people in other parts of Mars. Thus the rich continued to
flourish on all the highlands, for they had extended this same policy
until the toilers of the whole planet were practically galley slaves,
each consigned to his own narrow canon.
After witnessing the wide extent of this slavery system, I appeared in
visible form to a rich dignitary on one of the most refined highlands.
He was alone and, upon raising his eyes and seeing me before him, he was
greatly amazed. To see a little man with a hairy face and with the kind
of clothing I wore, was all too odd for him to take in at once. He acted
as if I were some unheard-of animal, but when I addressed him in his own
tongue and manifested a becomingly meek disposition, he accepted me as a
deformed creature afflicted with a mild form of lunacy. Then he
proceeded to examine my clothing and especially my knees, trying to
solve by what freak of nature I was cursed since I had no lower arms
such as he had. My small face, smooth forehead, and the short straight
hair on my head aroused in him no little wonder and merriment, so that,
all in all, I was the oddest freak he had ever seen. He soon showed by
his manner how thankful he was that gracious nature had formed him so
much more kindly than me.
His questions soon poured out upon me and I answered as briefly and
intelligently as I could. He pressed me so hard as to the place of my
birth that I finally informed him that I came from another world,
whereat he was assured of my insanity and proceeded to fasten me by
force until he might summon certain of his friends. Knowing that all the
people of Mars could do me no ultimate harm and wishing to see what
might be their intentions, I offered very feeble resistance to his
course.
In a very short time there was grouped around me a curious set of
people, all of whom seemed to me so horribly ugly that I felt well
satisfied that I had been born on the Earth. Among the company were some
eminent scholars who did no more than peer at one another and walk about
me, while they were waiting for some learned professors to arrive from a
distance. A long, tedious period ensued ere the company of judges or
examiners were gathered from several adjoining highlands.
They took me into a large room where followed an indescribable
examination during which I purposely remained silent.
The button and button holes of my clothing attracted as much attention
as my unnaturally shaped head. My collar and necktie were conundrums.
Not one of the learned scholars was able to advance a theory as to the
probable use of such a stiff piece under my head. I could not conceal my
smiles as I heard the flying theories as to the use of my cuffs. One
specialist decided that inasmuch as I had only two arms, I wore these to
make them appear larger. This was accepted as the most plausible
explanation.
Several times they urged me to speak. The man to whom I had first
appeared had told them that I was expert in their language. But I would
not utter a word, being anxious to learn all I could by listening to
their conjectures.
Some of my examiners were sure I belonged to a species of their animal
creation, who, in some unaccountable manner, had received the gift of
intelligence. But this opinion did not gain ground, as no one could
account for the manner of my clothing and especially for my pocket knife
and other accompaniments. No one believed that I came from another
world, and yet no one could see how or where I had originated on Mars.
Finally one of the company struck upon a popular theory. He argued that
I belonged to a tribe of creatures that had developed far away in one of
their almost unending forests, and that I was the first of my kind that
had ever ventured so far from home.
"But how did he learn our language?" queried one.
"Any intelligent creature would by nature alone come to our language,"
was the conceited explanation of another.
Another gave a better theory which was at length accepted. He said that
no doubt I belonged to a company that had emigrated long, long ago from
one of the valleys.
After all their pains I satisfied their ruling desire by speaking. They
knew not what to say as I gave them a general description of the world
from which I came.
Purposely I used their most cultured forms of expression. At once I rose
to a high level in their estimation and they gradually accepted my words
as true. With absorbing interest they listened to every syllable and,
when I paused, their questions fell upon me in wild profusion. On my
account the schools were abandoned, all the leading teachers of five
elevations became my astonished auditors, and after every period of
sleep I was confronted by still other classes of specialists, some from
more distant elevations.
Finally, feigning ignorance, I asked where they obtained their
sustenance, as I had not seen one field in cultivation. They told me the
whole history of the toilers in the valley as already recounted, and how
the curtain magnates received their tributes which were sufficient to
feed all the people of the elevations.
"What right," I asked, "has any one to form a monopoly on sunlight or
rain which are free bounties from above?"
"There can be nothing wrong about that," came the positive answer. "Any
man who was wise enough to think of such a splendid system of
valley-covers surely deserves all the benefit that can be secured from
it."
"How did you succeed in getting the people to submit to such a system?"
"It all came by force. At first they were unwilling enough, but we
withdrew their education and kept them isolated. With ignorance you can
conquer any people. Now they are our perfect servants, and in a short
time we need not use the curtains any more. A few masters can control
the whole valley. All we need to give them will be enough to eat, and
the remainder of their products we can send to the elevations."
I was struck with horror at this revolting scheme, and expressed myself
in strong terms. I thought of the conditions of our world and felt
thankful that it had not gone so far that the laboring classes were
galley slaves to the rich; and I breathed my prayer that it might never
be so.
My investigations on this planet were long extended. The educated
people gave me many new ideas, although they are ignorant of many
advantages which we enjoy. Their means of transportation are miserable
compared with ours, and when I was explaining to the Marsmen our methods
of travel they were surprised beyond measure. However their knowledge of
nature and forms of animal life is far superior to ours. There I solved
some of the complex questions of Biology which had long puzzled my mind
during my stay on the Earth.
In their religion they worship the Source of Life, and look upon the Sun
as the place to which the spirit goes at death. In brief, the Sun is
their Heaven. They believe that the Sun's heat will be no barrier to the
spirit's complete happiness when liberated from the body. Phonetically
pronounced, they call the Sun Then-ka.
I was indeed surprised at the simplicity of their devotions to their
unseen God. Even the untutored toilers of the valleys talk to the Source
of Life and are constantly looking forward to the time when their hard
lot will be over that they may enter the Then-ka life. I could not help
but think that their chances of Heaven were better than those of the
highland caste; but I will not judge lest I might err. Who can
understand the universal plans of Jehovah?
Before I left the Marsmen I informed them that certain enthusiasts of my
world had been signaling to them for some time, and urged them to
improve their astronomical apparatus so that they might be able to
discern these signals and reply to them.
On account of my thoughtlessness I made an error, for I failed, while I
was yet on Mars, to arrange a code of signals; hence I fear that there
will be considerable experimenting before we can hope to establish
communication with our neighbor world.