f
use to us in our subsequent proceedings.

"This spoils our plans," said the commander. "There is no use of
remaining here for the present; let us see how far this thing extends."

At first we rose straight away to a height of 200 or 300 miles, thus
passing entirely beyond the sensible limits of the atmosphere, and far
above the highest point that the smoke could reach.

From this commanding point of view our line of sight extended to an
immense distance over the surface of Mars in all directions. Everywhere
the same appearance; the whole planet was evidently covered with the
smoke.

A Wonderful System.

A complete telegraphic system evidently connected all the strategic points
upon Mars, so that, at a signal from the central station, the wonderful
curtain could be instantaneously drawn over the entire face of the planet.

In order to make certain that no part of Mars remained uncovered,
we dropped down again nearer to the upper level of the smoke clouds,
and then completely circumnavigated the planet. It was thought possible
that on the night side no smoke would be found and that it would be
practicable for us to make a descent there.

But when we had arrived on that side of Mars which was turned away from
the sun, we no longer saw beneath us, as we had done on our previous visit
to the night hemisphere of the planet, brilliant groups and clusters of
electric lights beneath us. All was dark.

In fact, so completely did the great shell of smoke conceal the planet
that the place occupied by the latter seemed to be simply a vast black
hole in the firmament.

The sun was hidden behind it, and so dense was the smoke that even the
solar rays were unable to penetrate it, and consequently there was no
atmospheric halo visible around the concealed planet.

All the sky around was filled with stars, but their countless host
suddenly disappeared when our eyes turned in the direction of Mars. The
great black globe blotted them out without being visible itself.

Attempts to Attack Baffled.

"Apparently we can do nothing here," said Mr. Edison. "Let us return to
the daylight side."

When we had arrived near the point where we had been when the wonderful
phenomenon first made its appearance, we paused, and then, at the
suggestion of one of the chemists, dropped close to the surface of the
smoke curtain which had now settled down into comparative quiescence,
in order that we might examine it a little more criticall