t as to the existence of the
strange lines which bear that designation. The suggestion has been
offered that their builders may no longer be in existence, Mars having
already passed the point in its history where life must cease upon its
surface. This brings us to consider again the statement, made near the
beginning of this chapter, that Mars is, perhaps, at a more advanced
stage of development than the earth. If we accept this view, then,
provided there was originally some resemblance between Mars's life forms
and those of the earth, the inhabitants of that planet would, at every
step, probably be in front of their terrestrial rivals, so that at the
present time they should stand well in advance. Mr. Lowell has, perhaps,
put this view of the relative advancement in evolution of Mars and its
inhabitants as picturesquely as anybody.

"In Mars," he says, "we have before us the spectacle of a world
relatively well on in years, a world much older than the earth. To so
much about his age Mars bears witness on his face. He shows unmistakable
signs of being old. Advancing planetary years have left their mark
legible there. His continents are all smoothed down; his oceans have all
dried up.... Mars being thus old himself, we know that evolution on his
surface must be similarly advanced. This only informs us of its
condition relative to the planet's capabilities. Of its actual state our
data are not definite enough to furnish much deduction. But from the
fact that our own development has been comparatively a recent thing, and
that a long time would be needed to bring even Mars to his present
geological condition, we may judge any life he may support to be not
only relatively, but really older than our own. From the little we can
see such appears to be the case. The evidence of handicraft, if such it
be, points to a highly intelligent mind behind it. Irrigation,
unscientifically conducted, would not give us such truly wonderful
mathematical fitness in the several parts to the whole as we there
behold.... Quite possibly such Martian folk are possessed of inventions
of which we have not dreamed, and with them electrophones and
kinetoscopes are things of a bygone past, preserved with veneration in
museums as relics of the clumsy contrivances of the simple childhood of
the race. Certainly what we see hints at the existence of beings who are
in advance of, not behind us, in the journey of life."[3]

[Footnote 3: Mars, by Percival Lo