Page:A thousand years hence. Being personal experiences (IA thousandyearshen00gree).djvu/290



In our first comparatively rude efforts, many of our bolts, as we had to reckon, must whirr helplessly past the planet, while others would strike the seas or unpeopled spaces, and thus be quite unnoticed, even granting that the people had, in science progress, attained to the duplication. We had therefore to involve ourselves in a very considerable energy expenditure, in these our opening exercises, and we had by no means then that prompt and cheap energy-supply which we can so well boast of now. It was whilst we were all busy over these first efforts with Mars, all of them, of course, quite futile as to results, that, upon one memorable day, a cry was raised, and at once reverberated over the world, of a message to the earth from outside space. The fact is, that, in recollection of those previously inexplicable cross-electrical phenomena I have alluded to, which were now more strongly than ever suspected to have been such outside communication, the strictest watch had been everywhere set for them, we being now perfectly assured of our ability to deal with them. The electrical connections were therefore everywhere in readiness, and all the precise forms of procedure made generally known for all observers, volunteers and professionals.

The missive bolt, in this case, as soon as seen, was happily at once secured in electric connection; and now, in presence of countless observers, its behaviour was watched with breathless interest. Almost on the instant of the connection being linked, there appeared a play of bright light at the extremity of the