ed to
endless chain-bands, which, as they are carried round by the machinery,
scoop up the water from the low-level canals and carry it up to the
requisite height, from whence it is automatically discharged into the
high-level canals. Of course it will be understood that the ends of the
latter canals are entirely closed by embankments so that no water can
pass that way.

The buckets are an enormous size, and the electric machinery by which
they are kept in motion is of the most ingenious description.

Besides this there is an immense amount of equally ingenious electrical
machinery for forcing the water along the canals.

Merna and Tellurio showed us all over the area, and carefully explained
the construction and working of the various machines. I do not think
M'Allister ever spent a more enjoyable time in his life, for he went
about amongst the different machines examining them with the keenest
interest and manifestations of delight; and his note-book was in
constant requisition for making sketches and notes of what he saw.

We noticed that he was frequently smiling and chuckling to himself as if
he were intensely pleased; and presently he came over to us, rubbing his
hands together in high glee, and said to John, "Heh, mon, I reckon I see
my way to making a fortune when we return home, out of the ideas and
wrinkles I'm getting here from the work of the Martian engineers!"

John laughed, and congratulated him heartily on his brilliant outlook
for the future, remarking that he did not appear to regret coming to
Mars.

"Indeed, I don't," M'Allister replied; "I'm thinking it will prove the
very best thing I've done in my life."

"Well, sir," said Merna, "I told you those machines would suit you as an
engineer; are you satisfied now you have seen them?"

"More than satisfied," answered M'Allister; "they are the most
extraordinary and most ingenious machines I ever saw, and I wouldn't
have missed them for anything!"

At the sides of each high-level canal we saw a series of locks and weirs
so constructed that vessels can pass on, in successive stages, from the
high-level to the low-level canals, and _vice versa_.

These locks and weirs are all within the area enclosed by the
embankments forming the carets, which accounts for the long and
extensive space the latter cover, as the locks are necessarily a
considerable distance apart from each other to allow for a length of
canal to be traversed before the next lock i