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150 My guide led me to a place, and here we sat down ready for a meal.

The loud blare of a trumpet sounded, and then a report as of a cannon. Then all stood as in an attitude of adoration, and there swelled a strange and mighty hymn of praise to God, the giver of all good. Then all reposed again, and the meals were laid before each—messes of food such as you have not on the earth, and as I cannot well describe. The very elements were somewhat different from those which men require in food. One thing was peculiar. With the meals was served out in cups a ruddy fluid of fragrant odour but metallic taste. I asked my guide what it was.

"It is a blood mixture, made by science to represent the elements of our blood. In our early and defective state, when war existed in our world, we used to kill animals, and even drink their blood. We were to a great extent carnivora. Now this is changed. Science provides us the same elements as flesh, and we can live on mere fruits with the aid of this metallic compound, which is more grateful, and I think more suitable, than the flesh or the blood of dead animals. It does just as well."

After the feast, we went forth into the next hall, and I saw many strange sights not easy to