ns were never high in the sky, but vanished as they rose: that is,
every time they revolved they were eclipsed because they were so near
their primary planet. And all this answers quite completely, although
Mr. Cave did not know it, to what must be the condition of things on
Mars.

Indeed, it seems an exceedingly plausible conclusion that peering into
this crystal Mr. Cave did actually see the planet Mars and its
inhabitants. And, if that be the case, then the evening star that shone
so brilliantly in the sky of that distant vision, was neither more nor
less than our own familiar earth.

For a time the Martians--if they were Martians--do not seem to have
known of Mr. Cave's inspection. Once or twice one would come to peer,
and go away very shortly to some other mast, as though the vision was
unsatisfactory. During this time Mr. Cave was able to watch the
proceedings of these winged people without being disturbed by their
attentions, and, although his report is necessarily vague and
fragmentary, it is nevertheless very suggestive. Imagine the impression
of humanity a Martian observer would get who, after a difficult process
of preparation and with considerable fatigue to the eyes, was able to
peer at London from the steeple of St. Martin's Church for stretches, at
longest, of four minutes at a time. Mr. Cave was unable to ascertain if
the winged Martians were the same as the Martians who hopped about the
causeways and terraces, and if the latter could put on wings at will. He
several times saw certain clumsy bipeds, dimly suggestive of apes, white
and partially translucent, feeding among certain of the lichenous trees,
and once some of these fled before one of the hopping, round-headed
Martians. The latter caught one in its tentacles, and then the picture
faded suddenly and left Mr. Cave most tantalisingly in the dark. On
another occasion a vast thing, that Mr. Cave thought at first was some
gigantic insect, appeared advancing along the causeway beside the canal
with extraordinary rapidity. As this drew nearer Mr. Cave perceived that
it was a mechanism of shining metals and of extraordinary complexity.
And then, when he looked again, it had passed out of sight.

After a time Mr. Wace aspired to attract the attention of the Martians,
and the next time that the strange eyes of one of them appeared close to
the crystal Mr. Cave cried out and sprang away, and they immediately
turned on the light and began to gesticulate in