We Witness Some Wonderful Aerial Evolutions And Listen To Marvellous Music

: To Mars Via The Moon

Wherever we went we found new subjects for wonder and admiration, and

fresh proofs of the high state of civilisation and development attained

by the Martians. We had seen many evidences of their genius in

engineering and mechanical undertakings, but we found that they excelled

in every art and science, and their achievements made terrestrial

accomplishments appear poor and even paltry by comparison. Whether we

ex mined their sculpture, paintings, pictures, or photographs-which

latter they take direct and at one operation, with all the natural

tints-or whether we listened to music, our verdict was perforce the

same-"We had not previously known anything to equal it."



We have all become fairly accustomed to seeing numerous air-ships moving

in all directions across the sky in the daytime, but it still seems

strange to us to see the lights of the air-ships flitting about the

nocturnal sky.



I mentioned this to Merna, and he remarked that no doubt it did seem

rather strange to us, adding that my mention of air-ships was singularly

apropos of what was then in his mind, for he was just about to inform us

that an interesting aerial display had been arranged and was to take

place that evening, with the view of affording us some idea of Martian

out-door entertainments.



We all expressed our thanks, and our appreciation of the kindness we

were receiving from the Martian nation; and I ventured to suggest that

probably we were indebted to him for a considerable proportion of it.



He answered that it was true he had taken some share in this affair and

in a few of the arrangements for the functions we had already attended,

but that many others had done the same, for it was natural to the

Martians to do all in their power when any help was needed. As we were

strangers from another world they all vied with each other in making

suggestions and arrangements which would afford us pleasure, or help to

enable us to see all that was possible in their world.



We were fully aware that this was the case, for we were received with

kindness and welcome wherever we went.



Merna's affection for me seemed unbounded, and his love was shown in

every action. Yet, like all the other Martians, he was never obtrusively

demonstrative, everything being done in a quiet and natural manner. When

on the earth his disposition had been very pleasing, but now his Martian

nature seemed to have endowed him with a capacity for loving far

transcending that of his human nature.



He was the same towards John, and we often spoke about it in Merna's

absence, whilst M'Allister had become as much attached to him as we

were.



Just before sunset Merna rejoined us, and we passed out of the city into

the open country to a spot not far from the place where we had landed

from the Areonal. Here we found a large concourse of people assembled,

and their numbers were being added to by fresh arrivals every minute. On

looking upwards we saw air-ships speeding towards us from every quarter.

Some brought passengers and landed them, but it was evident that most of

the air-ships were about to take part in the display, as they remained

up in the air instead of coming down to the ground.



We met many Martians whom we knew, and were introduced to others, so the

time passed quickly in interesting conversation.



As soon as darkness fell Merna informed us that the display was about to

commence, adding that he had purposely refrained from giving us any

inkling of its nature, as he thought the unexpected would afford us

greater pleasure.



We were gazing upwards at the vast assemblage of air-ships, which were

lit up by the ordinary lamps used when travelling at night, when

suddenly the whole sky became brilliant with the glow of countless

thousands of coloured lights, and the air-ships began to move into their

allotted positions.



Every ship-and there was a very large number of them-was covered all

over with electric lamps. Some of the ships had all red lights, others

all blue, others yellow, and so on through the whole range of tints

known to us, besides many tints which we had never seen before.



The evolutions began with the formation of simple geometrical designs,

starting with a complete circle of immense diameter. Then, inside this

circle of many-coloured lights other ships took up their position, and,

before we were prepared for anything, a triangle of lights had been

formed. It was clear that even in their amusements the Martians were

scientific; for here outlined in glowing colours was the familiar

geometrical figure of an equilateral triangle inscribed within a circle,

perfectly worked out on a most gigantic scale, and very pretty it was.

Quickly, another triangle was formed across the first one, the result

being a six-pointed star; and so on with several other more elaborate

geometrical figures. The rapidity and certainty with which these

air-ships took up the requisite positions and showed their coloured

lights in the appropriate places was marvellous to see.



After about a dozen geometrical figures had been formed there ensued a

rapid and bewildering movement of the ships towards the southern vault

of the sky. Coloured lights flashed and whirled about in what, for a few

minutes, seemed chaotic confusion, then suddenly the chaos was

transformed into order. The vessels formed up in long rows one below the

other, each row having one distinctive colour: a little movement of the

ships from the centre to each end, in a downward direction, and the

straight rows were transformed into complete semicircles concentric with

each other, their bases seeming to reach the ground. Then they closed

together, and lo! right across the sky shone a perfect representation of

a rainbow (an extremely rare phenomenon upon Mars) glowing in brilliant

light, with every tint and nuance accurate, and a thousand times

brighter than any rainbow we had ever seen. It was magnificent!



Further rapid movements followed: the semicircles were broken up; the

large vessels now being arranged in a long straight line across the sky,

with the smaller vessels in another line just below and in front of

them. The electric lamps were then instantaneously extinguished, and all

was darkness. But only for a moment; then from the top of every vessel

numerous immense pillars of coloured lights shot upwards into the sky.



We gazed at this in some perplexity, wondering what it all meant, as the

design gradually developed to its completion. Then John touched my arm,

excitedly exclaiming, "Look, Professor; it is the spectrum of the sun!"

Yes, that it was, and never had we gazed upon such an immense and

glorious spectrum. We pointed out to each other the lines of hydrogen,

sodium, strontium, and many others, all of which were truly depicted,

both in colour and position. These lines were formed by the lights of

the smaller vessels shown against the background of the lights on the

large vessels, and we noticed that all the Martians around us quickly

recognised what the lights represented.



Next we had a representation of the spectrum of Sirius, then that of

Aldebaran, and after that a spectrum which we were unable to identify.

Merna explained that it was the spectrum of their south polar star. A

few others were shown, then the line arrangement of the ships was again

broken up, the search-lights extinguished, and the coloured lamps once

more shone out.



Many of the ships now rushed across the sky over our heads in all

directions, and, after a few evolutions, the whole were seen arranged so

as to form four immense concentric circles, with a considerable space

between each ship.



The ships in the two inner circles then began to move slowly, and

passed in two wavy lines alternately in front of one ship and behind the

next ship in the outer circles, the serpentine movement gradually

becoming more and more rapid; and most wonderful changes of colour were

produced by the passage of the vessels past those lighted with lamps of

another colour. Swifter and swifter became the speed until it seemed

utterly impossible that these intricate movements could go on without

resulting in a series of collisions and disasters. Yet, with all this

bewildering whirling, twisting, and intertwining, the ships were guided

on their courses with consummate skill and with an unerring accuracy

which was marvellous to behold.



Another shake of the aerial kaleidoscope and the vessels were seen drawn

up in three parallel lines on the east and three on the west. Then the

search-lights again flashed out, filling the whole intermediate area of

the sky with beams of brilliant coloured light, which were caused to

oscillate sideways and overlap, producing a most gorgeous intermingling

of glowing colours. The Martians certainly had a complete understanding

of all the peculiarities connected with mixtures of coloured lights.



Up to this time silence had reigned, for no sound came to us from this

vast aerial fleet; but now there burst forth from both ranks of vessels

strains of music of such ravishing sweetness that I and my two

colleagues were quite overwhelmed. It seemed as though our mortal bodies

were completely etherealised by the thrilling melodies which floated

down to us from the upper air.



This was not all. When on the earth we had read of attempts to connect

musical tones and chords with the chromatic scale of colour, it being

suggested that each musical sound had its own distinctive

tone-colouring. Now we saw it practically demonstrated, for each chord

of music was accompanied by changes in the colours of the search-light

beams; and on comparing notes afterwards John and I found ourselves

agreeing that the colours shown appeared exactly to interpret what our

inner consciousness seemed to evolve, but which we could not have

expressed in words. It was like a scene of enchantment as we watched

those immense bands of glowing colours changing so rapidly and

synchronising with the chords of music. Merna informed us that the

lights of each vessel were electrically controlled from the keyboard of

one of the musical instruments on the ship.



This was followed by a piece resembling a grand chorale: then an

intricate fugue was performed, the several movements being taken up in

succession by the ranks on each side alternately, and apparently flung

to and fro from one side to the other of that vast area in magnificent

sequences and variations until it seemed that our human nature was so

uplifted, and we were so filled with ecstasy, that we could bear no

more.



Many of the instruments were quite different from anything we had known

upon the earth, and when some of these were unaccompanied the music

sounded exactly like a grand choir of Martians singing in the heavens.

It really seemed to us quite impossible that this concord of sweet

sounds could be instrumental music, so perfect was the vocal effect.



Several other pieces were played, each having its own distinctive

character; then, after a short interval, the search-lights were

suddenly flashed on to the city of Sirapion; the beautiful buildings

with their domes, towers, and minarets looking exquisitely ethereal as

they were bathed in the beams of the glowing and ever-changing prismatic

light. The beams were next directed downwards upon the assembly, and we

gained a truer appreciation of the immense numbers that were gathered

together.



After this short interlude we were entranced by the opening bars of a

very grand and majestic composition. As the first strains reached us I

noticed that all the Martians who were seated at once rose erect; every

Martian bared his head, raised his right hand, and, with an expression

of rapt intensity and reverence, gazed towards the heavens. I and my

companions immediately adopted a similar attitude, for Merna explained

that this piece was the Martian Hymn of Praise to the Great Ruler of the

Universe; and that its performance was regarded as one of their most

solemn acts of public worship.



The grandeur and majesty of this music, its melodious themes and

thrilling harmonies, are utterly beyond my powers of description; the

air and sky seemed filled and pulsating with prayer and praise, then

resounding with grand crescendoes of triumphant shouts; each succeeding

movement of the music carrying it higher and ever higher in the scale,

until at last it seemed to soar and pierce the infinite, the final

cadences dying away in melodious strains of celestial beauty and

ineffable sweetness.



Finally the air-ships all circled round the sky, then took their

departure-darting off in all directions-the sound of their sweet music

becoming fainter and fainter in the distance until at last all was

solemn silence; then the great assembly slowly and quietly dispersed.



For some minutes none of us spoke, for each was in deep thought, so

impressive and exalting had been the effect of that wonderful and

majestic hymn. When at length Merna turned to us and asked if we were

pleased with what we had seen and heard, we found it very difficult to

give adequate expression to our feelings.



Then M'Allister said, "Mon, it was beautiful, most beautiful! and I

never felt so nigh to heaven as I have this night!"



I remarked to John that "I had never expected to hear any music that

would equal, much more excel, the incomparable 'Hallelujah Chorus' in

Handel's 'Messiah.' It had always seemed to me impossible that any music

could ever be composed which would even approach it in majesty and

power; but what we had heard that night certainly surpassed it."



On looking at my watch I found that the musical portion of this feast of

tone and colour had occupied nearly three hours; yet, as I remarked, it

had seemed to me only a few minutes!



"Yes," John replied, "to me it has been an experience like that of the

monk Felix in Longfellow's 'Golden Legend.' The monk went out into the

woods one day, where he saw a snow-white bird, and listened to its sweet

singing until the sound of the convent bell warned him that it was time

to return. When he reached the convent he was amazed to find the faces

of the monks were all strange to him; he knew no one, and no one knew

him, or had ever even heard of him. At last one very old monk, who had

been there over a hundred years, said he remembered seeing a monk Felix

when he first entered the convent. The records were searched, and it was

found that Brother Felix had left the convent a hundred years before,

and as he had never returned he had been entered in the list of the

dead. So then



'They knew, at last,

That such had been the power

Of that celestial and immortal song,

A hundred years had passed,

And had not seemed so long

As a single hour.'



"That has really been something like my own experience to-night,"

continued John; "for I have scarcely been conscious of the passage of

time, and hours have seemed only minutes! I trust, Merna, that you will

convey to your friends our most grateful thanks for all the pleasure we

have derived from this magnificent display of Martian attainments."



M'Allister and I joined in this request, and Merna promised to comply

with our wishes. He seemed very pleased at our appreciation; and he told

John that his quotation had recalled to his memory the beautiful poem by

Longfellow, which had been a favourite with him during his earthly

school-days, but had lain entirely dormant in his mind until now.



We all agreed that, however long we might live, the memory of that

evening's events-the magnificent display of aerial skill, the glorious

harmonies of colour, and, above all, the majestic and incomparable

music-could never be effaced from our minds. We wondered whether aerial

flight would ever be brought so completely under control as to permit of

a similar display in the skies of our own world.



Merna replied that he was sure it would be quite possible some day, but

it must be remembered that what we had been witnessing was the result of

centuries of Martian experience in aerial navigation.



Merna then gave us an account of the progress of Martian discovery in

regard to aeronautics, from which we gathered that the earlier

experiences of the Martians had been somewhat similar to those of our

own people. They began with bags of various shapes inflated with gas

lighter than air, similar to our balloons, then experimented with

aeroplanes of various designs, also bird-like wings, on a very large

scale, actuated by electric and other motors. As time went on, however,

their atmosphere became thinner and thinner, until at last all such

forms of apparatus became nearly, if not quite, useless as a means of

artificial flight.



After this they made use of numerous vertical screws of a spiral form,

which were caused to revolve with extreme rapidity by the aid of

electrical machinery; and a few of the vessels thus equipped are still

in use. But the discovery of natural forces emanating from the sun and

from their own planet soon led to the devising of means for utilising

this natural power, and this has practically superseded everything else.

Now all their air-ships and many of their machines are actuated by this

power, and are under the most perfect control. Air-ships are used for

all purposes of passenger traffic and freight carrying. So are vessels

on the canals and motor vehicles on the roads; and railways are,

therefore, unnecessary.