a princess of mars-第8章

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they　are　promptly　shot；　nor　do　they　see　a　tear　shed　for　a

single　one　of　the　many　cruel　hardships　they　pass　through　from

earliest　infancy。



I　do　not　mean　that　the　adult　Martians　are　unnecessarily　or

intentionally　cruel　to　the　young；　but　theirs　is　a　hard　and

pitiless　struggle　for　existence　upon　a　dying　planet；　the　natural

resources　of　which　have　dwindled　to　a　point　where　the　support

of　each　additional　life　means　an　added　tax　upon　the　community

into　which　it　is　thrown。



By　careful　selection　they　rear　only　the　hardiest　specimens

of　each　species；　and　with　almost　supernatural　foresight

they　regulate　the　birth　rate　to　merely　offset　the　loss　by　death。



Each　adult　Martian　female　brings　forth　about　thirteen　eggs

each　year；　and　those　which　meet　the　size；　weight；　and　specific

gravity　tests　are　hidden　in　the　recesses　of　some　subterranean

vault　where　the　temperature　is　too　low　for　incubation。　　Every

year　these　eggs　are　carefully　examined　by　a　council　of　twenty

chieftains；　and　all　but　about　one　hundred　of　the　most　perfect

are　destroyed　out　of　each　yearly　supply。　　At　the　end　of　five

years　about　five　hundred　almost　perfect　eggs　have　been　chosen

from　the　thousands　brought　forth。　　These　are　then　placed　in

the　almost　air…tight　incubators　to　be　hatched　by　the　sun's　rays

after　a　period　of　another　five　years。　　The　hatching　which　we

had　witnessed　today　was　a　fairly　representative　event　of　its

kind；　all　but　about　one　per　cent　of　the　eggs　hatching　in　two

days。　　If　the　remaining　eggs　ever　hatched　we　knew　nothing　of

the　fate　of　the　little　Martians。　　They　were　not　wanted；　as　their

offspring　might　inherit　and　transmit　the　tendency　to　prolonged

incubation；　and　thus　upset　the　system　which　has　maintained

for　ages　and　which　permits　the　adult　Martians　to　figure　the

proper　time　for　return　to　the　incubators；　almost　to　an　hour。



The　incubators　are　built　in　remote　fastnesses；　where　there

is　little　or　no　likelihood　of　their　being　discovered　by　other

tribes。　　The　result　of　such　a　catastrophe　would　mean　no　children

in　the　community　for　another　five　years。　　I　was　later　to　witness

the　results　of　the　discovery　of　an　alien　incubator。



The　community　of　which　the　green　Martians　with　whom

my　lot　was　cast　formed　a　part　was　composed　of　some　thirty

thousand　souls。　　They　roamed　an　enormous　tract　of　arid　and

semi…arid　land　between　forty　and　eighty　degrees　south　latitude；

and　bounded　on　the　east　and　west　by　two　large　fertile　tracts。

Their　headquarters　lay　in　the　southwest　corner　of　this　district；

near　the　crossing　of　two　of　the　so…called　Martian　canals。



As　the　incubator　had　been　placed　far　north　of　their　own

territory　in　a　supposedly　uninhabited　and　unfrequented　area；

we　had　before　us　a　tremendous　journey；　concerning　which　I；

of　course；　knew　nothing。



After　our　return　to　the　dead　city　I　passed　several　days　in

comparative　idleness。　　On　the　day　following　our　return　all　the

warriors　had　ridden　forth　early　in　the　morning　and　had　not

returned　until　just　before　darkness　fell。　　As　I　later　learned；

they　had　been　to　the　subterranean　vaults　in　which　the　eggs

were　kept　and　had　transported　them　to　the　incubator；　which

they　had　then　walled　up　for　another　five　years；　and　which；　in

all　probability；　would　not　be　visited　again　during　that　period。



The　vaults　which　hid　the　eggs　until　they　were　ready　for　the

incubator　were　located　many　miles　south　of　the　incubator；

and　would　be　visited　yearly　by　the　council　of　twenty　chieftains。

Why　they　did　not　arrange　to　build　their　vaults　and　incubators

nearer　home　has　always　been　a　mystery　to　me；　and；　like　many

other　Martian　mysteries；　unsolved　and　unsolvable　by　earthly

reasoning　and　customs。



Sola's　duties　were　now　doubled；　as　she　was　compelled　to

care　for　the　young　Martian　as　well　as　for　me；　but　neither　one

of　us　required　much　attention；　and　as　we　were　both　about

equally　advanced　in　Martian　education；　Sola　took　it　upon

herself　to　train　us　together。



Her　prize　consisted　in　a　male　about　four　feet　tall；　very

strong　and　physically　perfect；　also；　he　learned　quickly；　and　we

had　considerable　amusement；　at　least　I　did；　over　the　keen

rivalry　we　displayed。　　The　Martian　language；　as　I　have　said；

is　extremely　simple；　and　in　a　week　I　could　make　all　my

wants　known　and　understand　nearly　everything　that　was　said

to　me。　　Likewise；　under　Sola's　tutelage；　I　developed　my

telepathic　powers　so　that　I　shortly　could　sense　practically

everything　that　went　on　around　me。



What　surprised　Sola　most　in　me　was　that　while　I　could

catch　telepathic　messages　easily　from　others；　and　often　when

they　were　not　intended　for　me；　no　one　could　read　a　jot　from

my　mind　under　any　circumstances。　　At　first　this　vexed　me；　but

later　I　was　very　glad　of　it；　as　it　gave　me　an　undoubted

advantage　over　the　Martians。









CHAPTER　VIII





A　FAIR　CAPTIVE　FROM　THE　SKY





The　third　day　after　the　incubator　ceremony　we　set　forth

toward　home；　but　scarcely　had　the　head　of　the　procession

debouched　into　the　open　ground　before　the　city　than　orders

were　given　for　an　immediate　and　hasty　return。　　As　though

trained　for　years　in　this　particular　evolution；　the　green

Martians　melted　like　mist　into　the　spacious　doorways　of　the

nearby　buildings；　until；　in　less　than　three　minutes；　the　entire

cavalcade　of　chariots；　mastodons　and　mounted　warriors　was　nowhere

to　be　seen。



Sola　and　I　had　entered　a　building　upon　the　front　of　the　city；

in　fact；　the　same　one　in　which　I　had　had　my　encounter

with　the　apes；　and；　wishing　to　see　what　had　caused　the　sudden

retreat；　I　mounted　to　an　upper　floor　and　peered　from　the

window　out　over　the　valley　and　the　hills　beyond；　and　there

I　saw　the　cause　of　their　sudden　scurrying　to　cover。　　A　huge

craft；　long；　low；　and　gray…painted；　swung　slowly　over　the

crest　of　the　nearest　hill。　　Following　it　came　another；　and

another；　and　another；　until　twenty　of　them；　swinging　low

above　the　ground；　sailed　slowly　and　majestically　toward　us。



Each　carried　a　strange　banner　swung　from　stem　to　stern

above　the　upper　works；　and　upon　the　prow　of　each　was

painted　some　odd　device　that　gleamed　in　the　sunlight　and

showed　plainly　even　at　the　distance　at　which　we　were　from

the　vessels。　　I　could　see　figures　crowding　the　forward　decks

and　upper　works　of　the　air　craft。　　Whether　they　had　discovered

us　or　simply　were　looking　at　the　deserted　city　I　could　not　say；

but　in　any　event　they　received　a　rude　reception；　for　suddenly

and　without　warning　the　green　Martian　warriors　fired　a　terrific

volley　from　the　windows　of　the　buildings　facing　the　little

valley　across　which　the　great　ships　were　so　peacefully　advancing。



Instantly　the　scene　changed　as　by　magic；　the　foremost

vessel　swung　broadside　toward　us；　and　bringing　her　guns　into

play　returned　our　fire；　at　the　same　time　moving　parallel　to

our　front　for　a　short　distance　and　then　turning　back　with　the

evident　intention　of　completing　a　great　circle　which　would

bring　her　up　to　position　once　more　opposite　our　firing　line；

the　other　vessels　followed　in　her　wake；　each　one　opening　upon

us　as　she　swung　into　position。　　Our　own　fire　never　diminished；

and　I　doubt　if　twenty…five　per　cent　of　our　shots　went　wild。　　It

had　never　been　given　me　to　see　such　deadly　accuracy　of　aim；

and　it　seemed　as　though　a　little　figure　on　one　of　the　craft

dropped　at　the　explosion　of　each　bullet；　while　the　banners　and

upper　works　dissolved　in　spurts　of　flame　as　the　irresistible

projectiles　of　our　warriors　mowed　through　them。



The　fire　from　the　vessels　was　most　ineffectual；　owing；　as　I

afterward　learned；　to　the　unexpected　suddenness　of　the　first

volley；　which　caught　the　ship's　crews　entirely　unprepared　and

the　sighting　apparatus　of　the　guns　unprotected　from　the

deadly　aim　of　our　warriors。



It　seems　that　each　green　warrior　has　certain　objective　points

for　his　fire　under　relatively　identical　circumstances　of　warfare。

For　example；　a　proportion　of　them；　always　the　best　marksmen；

direct　their　fire　entirely　upon　the　wireless　finding　and

sighting　apparatus　of　the　big　guns　of　an　attacking　naval

force；　another　detail　attends　to　the　smaller　guns　in　the　same

way；　others　pick　off　the　gunners；　still　others　the　officers；

while　certain　other　quotas　concentrate　their　attention　upon　the

other　members　of　the　crew；　upon　the　upper　works；　and　upon　the

steering　gear　and　propellers。



Twenty　minutes　after　the　first　volley　the　great　fleet　swung

trailing　off　in　the　direction　from　which　it　had　first　appeared。

Several　of　the　craft　were　limping　perceptibly；　and　seemed

but　barely　under　the　control　of　their　depleted　crews。　　Their　fire

had　ceased　entirely　and　all　their　energies　seemed　focused

upon　escape。　　Our　warriors　then　rushed　up　to　the　roofs　of　the

buildings　which　we　occupied　and　followed　the　retreating　armada

with　a　continuous　fusillade　of　deadly　fire。



One　by　one；　however；　the　ships　managed　to　dip　below　the

crests　of　the　outlying　hills　until　only　one　barely　moving　craft

was　in　sight。　　This　had　received　the　brunt　of　our　fire　and

seemed　to　be　entirely　unmanned；　as　not　a　moving　figure　was

visible　upon　her　decks。　　Slowly　she　swung　from　her　course；

circling　back　toward　us　in　an　erratic　and　pitiful　manner。

Instantly　the　warriors　ceased　firing；　for　it　was　quite　apparent

that　the　vessel　was　entirely　helpless；　and；　far　from　being　in　a

position　to　inflict　harm　upon　us；　she　could　not　even　control

herself　sufficiently　to　escape。



As　she　neared　the　city　the　warriors　rushed　out　upon　the

plain　to　meet　her；　but　it　was　evident　that　she　still　was　too　high

for　them　to　hope　to　reach　her　decks。　　From　my　vantage　point　in

the　window　I　could　see　the　bodies　of　her　crew　strewn　about；

although　I　could　not　make　out　what　manner　of　creatures　they

might　be。　　Not　a　sign　of　life　was　manifest　upon　her　as　she

drifted　slowly　with　the　light　breeze　in　a　southeasterly

direction。



She　was　drifting　some　fifty　feet　above　the　ground；　followed

by　all　but　some　hundred　of　the　warriors　who　had　been　ordered

back　to　the　roofs　to　cover　the　possibility　of　a　return　of　the

fleet；　or　of　reinforcements。　　It　soon　became　evident　that　she

would　strike　the　face　of　the　buildings　about　a　mile　south　of

our　position；　and　as　I　watched　the　progress　of　the　chase　I

saw　a　number　of　warriors　gallop　ahead；　dismount　and　enter

the　building　she　seemed　destined　to　touch。



As　the　craft　neared　the　building；　and　just　before　she　struck；

the　Martian　warriors　swarmed　upon　her　from　the　windows；

and　with　their　great　spears　eased　the　shock　of　the　collision；

and　in　a　few　moments　they　had　thrown　out　grappling　hooks

and　the　big　boat　was　being　hauled　to　ground　by　their　fellows

below。



After　making　her　fast；　they　swarmed　the　sides　and　searched

the　vessel　from　stem　to　stern。　　I　could　see　them　examining　the

dead　sailors；　evidently　for　signs　of　life；　and　presently　a　party

of　them　appeared　from　below　dragging　a　little　figure　among

them。　　Th