To Mars via The Moon

by Mark Wicks

  CHAPTER XXV

  MANY THINGS SEEN UPON MARS--I RECEIVE SOME NEWS

  During the remainder of our stay upon Mars we visited almost everyimportant place upon the planet, either by means of air-ships, motors,or by travelling along the main canals in splendidly equipped electricboats.

  We passed through the whole length of the Eumenides-Orcus, from itsstarting-point on the Phoeniceus Lacus, in the southern hemisphere, tothe Trivium Charontis, in the northern hemisphere--a distance of 3540miles, this being the longest canal on the planet. We visited the SolisLacus, or "Lake of the Sun" (an area larger than England), situated inthe southern hemisphere, which has usually been seen by our observers asa large dark patch, oval in shape. Indications of changes in this areawere, however, noted at the time of the opposition in 1907; and it isnot improbable that further alterations will be seen shortly.

  Numerous important towns exist upon this area, and several canalsconnect it with surrounding areas.

  We visited the north pole in our air-ship, and saw the snow fallingthickly, and rapidly adding to the size and thickness of the snow-cap,it being winter time. We visited the south pole and watched thefast-melting snow (the cap being almost at its minimum size) and thedistribution of the resultant water down the various broad channelswhich conduct it to the canals, from whence it is carried all over theplanet.

  When it is spring in the northern hemisphere the winter snow-cap at thenorth pole will begin to melt in like manner, and the water bedistributed in a similar way. The melting begins about the 1st April andlasts till July, and sometimes considerably later in the year.

  Thus, during the Martian year there are two distributions of water--onefrom the north pole and one from the south pole; and the growth ofvegetation follows the passage of the water as it flows downwards fromthe poles to the equator.

  On our earth vegetation progresses in an exactly opposite direction.Beginning near the tropics, where it is always summer, as the sun passesnorthward of the equator so vegetation gradually appears and developsonwards towards the north pole. It is exactly the same in the southernhemisphere; after the sun crosses the equator into the south thevegetation grows and spreads towards the south pole.

  The reason of this is that on the earth the supply of water by rainfalland snows is abundant, and it only requires the warmth of the sun tocause vegetation to spring up again at the proper season when the winterhas passed.

  On Mars the sun has the same action, but until the water comes down fromthe poles and furnishes the necessary moisture, the sun can produce noeffect and there can be no fresh vegetation. Thus, on Mars, the flow ofwater is the determining factor, and vegetation follows its course fromthe poles towards the equator.

  Observation shows that this is the case, and it has formed one of thestrongest arguments in support of the idea of water conveyance by meansof artificial canals. The opponents of the canal theory seem carefullyto avoid any mention of this argument.

  While we were watching the melting of the snow at the south pole, Imentioned to Merna and Tellurio, who accompanied me, that one of ourscientific men, relying for support on a speculation by a lady writer,had arrived at the conclusion that the snow-caps could not possiblysupply anything like the amount of water required. The writer inquestion had stated that the maximum area of the southern snow-cap was2,400,000 square miles; and, assuming it was composed of snow of anaverage depth of twenty feet, this would only give an average depth ofabout one foot of water over its whole area.

  The whole of the dark areas on the planet covered at least 17,000,000square miles, and as this was seven times the area of the snow-cap, itfollowed that the dark areas could not be covered with more than twoinches of water. From this scanty and inadequate supply of two inches ofwater allowance must be made for an enormous loss by evaporation; so, asthe writer said, "the polar reservoirs are despoiled in the act of beingopened."

  Tellurio at once settled the matter by saying, "Mr. Poynders, it is avery pretty theory, but, unfortunately for its supporters, it isentirely wrong, the figures being inaccurate, and the estimate of theextent of the area to be supplied, as well as the amount of wateravailable, is made under a complete misapprehension of the facts."

  _From a Globe made by M. Wicks_ Plate XIV

  MARS. MAP VII

  The white area at the top of this map is the south polar snow-cap, atabout its usual maximum size. In some hard winters it attains a diameterof considerably over 100 degrees.]

  "The maximum area of the south polar snow-cap is usually more than10,000,000 square miles instead of less than 2,500,000 as stated, but itis sometimes still greater during a hard winter. Then, where did thewriter acquire the notion that the whole of the dark areas had to becovered with water? Only the canals and trenches have to be filled, and,at the highest computation, these would cover only 2,250,000 squaremiles! So even accepting her average of twenty feet depth of the snow(which would give about one foot of water over the whole area of thesnow-cap), there would still be sufficient water to fill every canal andtrench upon our planet to a depth of nearly four feet six inches.

  "Let us suppose we have 700 series of canals, each averaging 1400 milesin length, and each series having an aggregate width (including the areaof the irrigation trenches) of 2-1/4 miles. You will see that givesabout 2,250,000 square miles to be covered with water. My estimate ofthe area to be covered is, however, much in excess of the real amount,as the average aggregate width of the series of canals would be lessthan I have assumed, and the trenches are shallow.

  "I must also point out that only a small proportion of the whole numberof canals would be in use at any given time, and the depth of the polarsnows averages considerably more than twenty feet; so a very muchgreater depth of water can be secured in those canals which are in use.The main canals which are used for navigation purposes are, of course,much wider and deeper than the irrigation canals. In the hotter regionsmany covered compensation reservoirs are provided, and these make goodthe wastage caused by excessive evaporation where pipes cannot be used."

  "Thank you, sir," I said; "the information you have now given meentirely confirms the figures as to the area of the snow-cap, &c.,mentioned by Professor Lowell, but as regards the depth of the snow andthe size of the area to be covered, he has with scientific cautionrefrained from estimating to the full extent which the facts you mentionseem to warrant. In addition to this, no allowance has been made for thewater derived from the northern snow-cap."

  Thus vanished the theory which was supposed to support the view that thecanals must be hopelessly unworkable, and could never be of any use forirrigation purposes.

  It had also been argued that no intelligent beings would constructcanals if the planet were generally flat, as it would only be necessaryto let the water flow over the surface as far as it would go, and thusirrigate the parts reached by the water; whilst if it were not flat, thecanals could not be constructed at all.

  I asked Tellurio "What he thought of this suggestion?"

  He replied, "Well, sir--here we have a planet believed to possess only avery scanty supply of water, which must require the most carefulhusbanding and economy in distribution; yet it seems to have been calmlysuggested that we would deliberately waste the precious fluid byallowing it to flow at random over the small portion of our land whichit would reach, where it might or might not be required! Our engineers,I may say, are quite capable of overcoming any difficulties arisingfrom inequalities of the ground.

  "If, as has been contended, the loss by evaporation would be so great incanals where the water is fairly deep as to result in depletion of thesupply, it is clear there must be a hundred times greater loss from thesame cause if the water is allowed to spread in a very shallow pool overa large area where it would be totally unprotected from the sun! Then,again, every part of our planet not reached by the water would becomedesert.

  "No, sir," Tellurio added, "the Martians are far too intelligent towaste the water in this fashion: hence their canal system by which t
hewater is economically distributed where required, and also protectedfrom undue evaporation. It must not be forgotten that our canals arealso means of communication across the deserts, and without them distantparts of the planet would be entirely isolated from the rest of ourworld, except for our air-ships.

  "Our canal system has been a matter of slow growth and development.Beginning with the straightening of the beds of old rivers and narrowchannels connecting seas, the canals were then constructed where theywere most needed; but as time passed on, and our water supply fromrainfall became less and less, we were convinced of the necessity ofadopting a complete system of canalisation in anticipation of the timewhen our polar snows would be our only source of supply. This wasgradually carried into effect, and even now additional canals are beingconstructed to meet the requirements of places not reached by existingcanals.

  "In order to secure the return of the water to the poles, and so ensurea future supply, it is absolutely necessary that, wherever possible, thewater should be conveyed in open channels so as to allow evaporation totake place, otherwise much would be lost by soakage into the soil."

  "Thank you, sir," I said; "those statements meet another objection whichhas been urged against the possibility of the canals existing; itapparently being assumed that the whole system must have been carriedout simultaneously, and that the population of Mars would have been muchtoo small to admit of that being done."

  "Our population is by no means small, sir, having regard to the size ofour planet; and the Martians, as intelligent beings, have always been inthe habit of looking well ahead to ascertain what provision would berequired to satisfy our prospective needs. Your people take far toonarrow a view of these matters."

  Thus many controversial matters were satisfactorily cleared up bystatements of actual facts.

  During our journeys over the planet we came across a large number ofcanals in different parts which have apparently not yet been discoveredby our observers. These were not all narrow lines of canals, and many ofthem were double ones, so our observers have more work yet before themin finding out these lines and recording them on their charts.

  Professor Lowell, who has made many experiments in order to determinehow distant a fine line of known thickness (such as a telegraph wire)may be situated and yet remain visible to the sight under ordinaryatmospheric conditions for clear seeing, has come to the conclusion thatwhen Mars arrives at its most favourable position for observation, andother conditions are satisfactory, it will be possible to see lines onthe planet which are not more than one mile in width.

  As regards the surface characteristics of Mars, we found that it isgenerally very flat, and that only here and there one comes acrossslight undulations, whilst hills and mountains are very few indeed.There are, in fact, no high mountains anywhere; the highest altitudesrarely approach 2000 feet, and such heights as these are quiteexceptional.

  This was quite in accordance with our expectations, because no mountainshave ever been seen upon Mars, though they have been carefully searchedfor by our observers. If there were any elevations much exceeding 2000feet in height they would have been visible sometimes when the planetwas passing under the careful scrutiny of our observers, and they couldnot have entirely escaped observation.

  In all probability Mars never at any time possessed mountains whoseheight would be at all comparable with that of our mountains; for,according to scientific calculation and reasoning, the planet's internalheat was never sufficient to have caused the formation of such highelevations on its crust.

  As the planet advanced stage after stage in its development it becamecolder and colder; all upheavals ceased, and the height of any elevatedparts upon its surface would thenceforward be gradually and continuouslyreduced by weathering and erosion in the same way as has happened inmany places on our own world. We have no very high mountains in theBritish Isles at the present time, but geology and physical geographyteach us that many of the low elevations now existing are merely thebasic wrecks and remains of mountains which, in ages past, must havebeen of considerable altitude. As the world ages and becomes colder itssurface will tend to become more and more level, and the rivers willbecome straighter in consequence.

  As regards animals, we discovered that the larger varieties have becomeextinct, and that there are at present no animals which can properly betermed wild or fierce, for they cannot exist in the deserts withoutwater or vegetation. Numerous animals, however, frequent the irrigatedparts where there is vegetation, and, though in a complete state offreedom, have for such an extremely long period been in constant contactwith the people that they have become quite tame. The people alwaystreat animals with kindness, and these free creatures are entirelywithout fear of them.

  Most of the animals are different from any we have upon the earth, butsome bear a general resemblance to ours of the same species, though theyare all of larger size, and differ considerably in details. Like thepeople, they have developed through the long ages, and have reached ahigher point than our animals, and a few have even developed the powerof speech.

  This may sound exaggerated--but just think! Many of our birds have beentaught to speak the human language, and a few have even acquired thispower by imitativeness. Who that has kept dogs, cats, monkeys, andhorses has not observed the desperate efforts of some of them to makethemselves understood. All are not alike, but we often come across ananimal which seems to understand almost everything we say, but none hasyet developed the power of making an intelligible communication to us,although some try hard to do so. It does not seem beyond the bounds ofpossibility that a few thousand years hence some animals, especially themonkey species, may be able to speak a little.

  The Martians do not use any of their animals as beasts of burden, and itwould be contrary to all their ideas to do so. On Mars nearly all heavylabour is performed by means of electrical machines, thus both thepeople and the animals are spared much heavy work.

  Our animals are often greatly overloaded, but we have a salutary law toprotect them from this, as well as from other forms of cruelty; and thepersons responsible for the ill-treatment may be punished.

  Human beings, however, may be overloaded and, in many cases, overworkedwith impunity, for there is no law to protect the unorganised workers.Is there not something wrong about this?

  It may be argued that whilst animals cannot protect themselves humanbeings can; but, alas, only too often the force of circumstances compelsworkers to endure anything so long as they can earn a little to keepbody and soul together.

  * * * * *

  Flowers seem to be very plentiful here, and grow very tall and large.Many varieties bear a strong resemblance to our variegated lilies, theflowers being brilliantly tinted, and often measuring twelve to fifteeninches across. But, as upon the earth, flowers are found in all coloursand sizes, and in infinite variety.

  Trees also grow very tall, many varieties resembling our palms,especially in and near the tropics, where there are also many varietiesof cactus. In the temperate and cooler zones trees resembling our firsand pines are plentiful; whilst fruits, vegetables, and nuts, as well ascereals, are grown in enormous quantities on the irrigated areas, asthese products form the chief articles of food amongst the Martians.

  Insects are numerous on Mars, the conditions being very favourable toinsect life; and they are all on a very much larger scale than ourinsects, especially those which fly.

  Everywhere we go we are received by the people with the utmost courtesyand kindness, and have become much attached to those with whom we havebeen more closely associated. They are indeed a most amiable,intelligent, and lovable people--always good tempered--dignified, yetready to display great enthusiasm when occasion requires.

  The marriage tie is sacred and indissoluble on Mars, and divorce istherefore unknown; but it is also quite unnecessary, for no cause everarises for a dissolution of marriage.

  When Merna was telling me about this, I asked him whether any attempthad been made to d
ispense with marriage in any Martian community,stating that some of our advanced people were disposed to do so.

  He answered that "Some such ideas had been in vogue amongst certain oftheir nations about two thousand years ago, and attempts were also madeto abolish religious observances, but they proved complete failures, andengendered strife. No nation adopting these views ever progressed orprospered; the people were soon clamouring for the revival of their oldinstitutions, and since then no one had ever desired to dispense withthem. Both religion and marriage are essential to the stability andwell-being of all nations, and the people are soon lost without them.You may be assured," added Merna, "that those on your earth who favoursuch a change are quite mistaken in thinking it would be an advance incivilisation, for, on the contrary, it would result in a reversion tobarbarism."

  The Martian educational system is very thorough. In their earlier yearsthe children all receive a good education in general and scientificknowledge, then they pass into the technical, trade, and businessschools. Every kind of business and trade is thoroughly taught byteachers who are not mere doctrinaire professors, but persons who havemade their mark as good, capable, and practical workers in theparticular trade or business which they are required to teach.

  We went over several of the ordinary and trade schools, and found themfully equipped with everything likely to be required for a thorougheducational course of training.

  In the warmer zones we found several large open-air amphitheatrescapable of accommodating from 10,000 to 100,000 persons. All around thecentral arenas of these were rings of beautiful scented flowers andshrubs. Both children and adults spend much of their leisure time inopen-air recreation and athletic games, and I was therefore notsurprised to find them all so bright and happy, as well as robustlyhealthy in appearance.

  As a result of our visit, the Martians now enjoy a new out-doorrecreation; for M'Allister, pressing John into his service, hasinitiated them into all the mysteries of golf, for which pastime theirlevel country is well suited. I have been much amused to note that,whilst M'Allister has always expressed great admiration of themechanical skill of the Martians, they have risen in his estimation atleast 100 per cent. since they have taken so enthusiastically to hisnational game, and he is never tired of telling us what a "sensible"people they are!

  He has taken up their training with all his Scottish vim andthoroughness, and has insisted upon the full rigour of the game. Allattempts to Martianise its various technical terms he has courteously,but firmly, suppressed; the Martian vocabulary has, therefore, beenconsiderably extended by the addition of the numerous fearsometechnicalities which sound so strange, even to an Englishman who is notfamiliar with the game. Whatever may be the ultimate result to theMartians, there is no doubt but that M'Allister is most thoroughlyenjoying himself.

  Tellurio informed me that their medical men have very little to do inthe way of curing ailments, their studies and efforts being mainlydirected to the prevention of disease; consequently disease and illnessare very rare, and many of the diseases which afflicted the people inpast ages have been entirely eradicated.

  The use of radium as a medical accessory has been known to them for avery long period, and they are able to prepare and utilise it withoutthe slightest risk of any untoward results.

  Another large factor in ensuring a strong and healthy population is themethodical system they adopt in planning all their towns. We in Englandhave only recently realised the necessity of town-planning and theadvantages of garden cities. On Mars, however, town-planning has beenmost systematically carried out for centuries; all their towns areglorified garden cities, presenting a happy combination of beauty,utility, and healthfulness.

  The general arrangement is as follows: On a circular area, varying fromone to five or more miles in diameter, according to circumstances, isthe central portion of the town, containing the splendid administrativeand business buildings, museums, winter-gardens, educationalestablishments, and places of amusement, as well as many fineresidences. Surrounding this area is a wide ring-canal, on the fartherside of which is the outer zone of the town, united to the centralportion by many wide and handsome bridges. On the outer zone areextensive residential areas, then a zone of factories and workshops, andbeyond that an area often extending for miles, which is covered withcereals and vegetables, fruit trees and nut trees. Outside all is a zoneof timber trees. The town and its surroundings, therefore, cover a vastarea.

  The canals radiate in all directions from the outer edge of the widering-canal, and all quays, wharves, and warehouses are alongside ofthese canals. Thus the ring-canal is kept quite clear of all suchbuildings, but all round both sides of it are beautiful terraces ofwhite stone, with numerous pavilions, broad boulevards, winter-gardens,and promenades.

  All the buildings have open spaces or gardens around them, thus securingample allowance of light and air. Smoke is quite unknown; no noxiousgases or vapours are discharged into the atmosphere from any of thefactories, but all such emanations which cannot be absolutely destroyedare purified, condensed, or otherwise dealt with within the buildings.Thus the air is always kept pure and wholesome.

  From this description it will be seen that the planning of a town isvery systematic, and that it much resembles a wheel. The hub is thecentral part of the town; the spokes are represented by the bridges; andthe outer rim--a very wide one--contains the outer zones.

  Besides the gardens there are large open spaces where air-ships havetheir stations, from whence they can start, or on to which they candescend. The air-ships, also, are usually constructed so that they candescend into the canals, on which they can not only float but bepropelled.

  Many of these town areas are the oases, about which so much has beensaid, and which, like many other Martian details, have been described asillusions. I only wish we had a plentiful supply of such illusions inour own old country!

  One of the oases we visited was the Lucus Ascraeus, in the northernhemisphere. A large number of canals converge from all directions on tothis spot--seventeen of them are marked on our maps--so I expected tofind it a place of considerable importance. It is, in fact, a verythriving business and manufacturing place--the Birmingham of Mars,besides being also one of the many centres of government. Like most ofthe manufacturing towns, it is near the tropical region--because theMartians derive most of their heat and power from solar emanations whichthey have discovered, and these they store up and transmit to verydistant places for use when required. Nearly all the places on Mars towhich several canals converge are busy centres of trade and containlarge populations.

  There are numerous large towns near the canals on all the dark areas,differing only in detail from those on the oases, the general plan beingthe same.

  I remarked to John that "I thought the towns on the dark areas ought toshow as rounded spots slightly darker in tint than the surrounding darkareas. Where several towns were close together they would probably beseen as a single spot, large in area and irregular in shape. It seemsstrange that, except for a few shown on Professor Lowell's charts, theyhave not been seen by our astronomers; but perhaps during the presentnear approach of Mars to the earth some of our keen-sighted observerswho possess large instruments may see and take note of many more ofthese dark rounded spots, as they are very numerous, and new towns arein course of development."

  During the spring and summer a large number of the people findemployment in the regions near the poles, especially those whose work isconnected with the canal system and who have to see that the water fromthe melting snow-caps is turned into the proper channels and everythingconnected therewith kept in good working condition. All these workers,however, migrate to warmer latitudes as the very long and dreary winterapproaches.

  * * * * *

  I have just received some interesting and very unexpected news which, assome writer says, "gives me furiously to think."

  John and M'Allister came to me asking anxiously whether I had fixed thedate for our departure
.

  I replied that we should probably keep to our original programme andleave about the beginning of December, but asked John why he was soanxious to know?

  "Well, Professor," he answered, "there is more than one reason for myquestion. I do not think our stay should be prolonged. Haven't younoticed any change in us?"

  I replied that "I had not seen any particular change or alteration inthem, except that in build and general appearance they were becomingmore like the Martians."

  "Yes, Professor," exclaimed John, "that's just it. I don't know whetherit is the Martian air or the Martian food, or the combination of both,but we certainly are becoming more like Martians every day. Our eyes arebecoming luminous, our complexions and features are changing, and, byJove! if I haven't grown nearly two inches since we came here! If I goon like this I shall soon be such a giant that I shall not care to goback at all."

  "Really, John," I said, "is it so bad as that? Now I come to look at youcritically you certainly do look taller; and I can see a littleluminosity in M'Allister's eyes, and rather more in yours. I suppose,being the youngest, you are more susceptible than M'Allister or myself."

  "Yes, I think that must be the case, Professor," remarked John.

  "However," I added, looking at him and smiling, "you told me there weremore reasons than one, so I suppose you have kept the weightiest reasonto the last."

  "Well, I don't know about its being the weightiest reason," heanswered, "but we shall require nearly four months to accomplish ourjourney to England after we leave here, and I reckon that by that timemy stock of tobacco will be pretty nearly used up. I have given a lotaway to our Martian friends, and I've tried some of the native growth;it's rather decent stuff, but not a patch upon my mixture."

  I burst out laughing in such a hearty fashion that it set them off too,as I remarked, "Ah, John, I had a shrewd idea that there was somethingmore behind your anxiety than the fact that you were becomingMartianised."

  "Heh, John," exclaimed M'Allister, touching him playfully on theshoulder, "the Professor had you all right that time, I'm thinking!"John blushed up to the eyes, and said no more.

  Ultimately it was agreed that it would be well to leave Mars on the 1stDecember, according to terrestrial reckoning.

  So that matter was settled; but, just after they had left, Merna andEleeta came in, both looking very glowing and happy.

  After the usual greetings and a few casual remarks, Merna announced thathe and Eleeta were to be united in the coming autumn.

  I was a little surprised at the suddenness of the announcement, but atthe same time exceedingly pleased; so, embracing them, I congratulatedthem heartily and wished them every happiness; then they left to tellsome one else the news.

  But, as I have said, these things "gave me to think."