Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/210

 It was a land-locked sea, extending to a vast distance on either side of me, but its width was not great, and soon I had  left it behind and was passing above a densely wooded  country, more tropical in appearance than the land first  seen.

Here I perceived, scattered through the forest, small groupings of huts of conical shape, made of branches and  thatched, in and about which were people of widely different appearance from Mr. Mirrikh and his audience. They were small of stature and entirely naked; the color of their  skin was a dirty brown; their foreheads were low and retreating, exhibiting little more intelligence than the Bushmen of Africa—scarcely as much.

Passing beyond this vast forest I came to another sea, and beyond that again to a beautiful country of great extent  inhabited by a people similar to those whom I had seen at  first.

Floating upon the seas I saw ships innumerable; they were not large, without sails, and seemed to be propelled by  electricity. Animals of many kinds I saw also; nearly all differed from the animal forms of earth, and for me to attempt to describe them would only have the effect of adding to the ridicule which this part of my narrative is sure to  call down upon my unfortunate head.

Soon I had passed over this stretch of country and another narrow sea lay before me, beyond which I perceived  a more barren land; rather Arctic in appearance; this passed,  vegetation ceased, and I found myself floating above immense plains buried beneath ice and snow.

I knew that I must now be nearing the Martian poles and my curiosity had become intense, when suddenly I heard  that gentle voice again:

“Beware, George! You are going too far, your life cord is being strained beyond endurance. Fix your thoughts upon your body without delay!”

It was a bitter disappointment to me, but I could not disobey.

I closed my eyes and thought of that body which I had seen thrown into the shute with as little ceremony as if it  had been a meal sack.

Instantly the wondrous scene was obliterated and all consciousness left me.

The next I knew I was experiencing precisely the same