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About dusk my canoe； flying swiftly forward at its own sweet will；
brought me into a bight； a bare； desolate…looking country with no
vegetation save grass and sedge on the near marshes and stony hills rising
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up beyond； with others beyond them mounting step by step to a long line
of ridges and peaks still covered in winter snow。
The outlook was anything but cheering。 Not a trace of habitation had
been seen for a long time； not a single living being in whose
neighbourhood I could land and ask the way； nothing living anywhere but
a monstrous kind of sea… slug； as big as a dog； battening on the waterside
garbage； and gaunt birds like vultures who croaked on the mud…flats； and
half…spread wings of funereal blackness as they gam… bolled here and there。
Where was poor Heru？ Where pink… shouldered An？ Where those wild
men who had taken the princess from us？ Lastly； but not least； where
was I？
All the first stars of the Martian sky were strange to me； and my boat
whirling round and round on the current con… fused what little geography I
might otherwise have retained。 It was a cheerless look out； and again and
again I cursed my folly for coming on such a fool's errand as I sat； chin in
hand； staring at a landscape that grew more and more de… pressing every
mile。 To go on looked like destruction； to go back was almost impossible
without a guide； and while I was still wondering which of the two might
be the lesser evil； the stream I was on turned a corner； and in a moment we
were upon water which ran with swift； oily smoothness straight for the
snow…ranges now beginning to loom un… pleasantly close ahead。
By this time the night was coming on apace； the last of the evil…
looking birds had winged its way across the red sunset glare； and though it
was clear enough in mid…river under the banks； now steep and unclimbable；
it was already evening。
And with the darkness came a wondrous cold breath from off the ice…
fields； blowing through my lowland wrap… pings as though they were but
tissue。 I munched a bit of honey…cake； took a cautious sip of wine； and
though I will not own I was frightened； yet no one will deny that the cir…
cumstances were discouraging。
Standing up in the frail canoe and looking around； at the second glance
an object caught my eye coming with the stream； and rapidly overtaking
me on a strong sluice of water。 It was a raft of some sort； and something
extra… ordinarily like a sitting Martian on it！ Nearer and nearer it came；
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bobbing to the rise and fall of each wavelet with the last icy sunlight
touching it up with reds and golds； nearer and nearer in the deadly hush of
that forsaken region； and then at last so near it showed quite plainly on the
purple water； a raft with some one sitting under a canopy。
With a thrill of delight I waved my cap aloft and shouted
〃Ship…ahoy！ Hullo； messmate； where are we bound to？〃
But never an answer came from that swiftly…passing stranger； so again
I hailed
〃Put up your helm； Mr。 Skipper； I have lost my bearings； and the
chronometer has run down；〃 but without a pause or sound that strange
craft went slipping by。
That silence was more than I could stand。 It was against all sea
courtesies； and the last chance of learning where I was passing away。 So；
angrily the paddle was snatched from the canoe bottom； and roaring out
again
〃Stop； I say； you d… lubber； stop； or by all the gods I will make
you！〃 I plunged the paddle into the water and shot my little craft
slantingly across the stream to inter… cept the newcomer。 A single stroke
sent me into mid…stream； a second brought me within touch of that strange
craft。 It was a flat raft； undoubtedly； though so disguised by flowers and
silk trailers that its shape was difficult to make out。 In the centre was a
chair of ceremony bedecked with greenery and great pale buds； hardly yet
witheredoh； where had I seen such a chair and such a raft before？
And the riddle did not long remain unanswered。 Upon that seat； as I
swept up alongside and laid a sunburnt hand upon its edge； was a girl； and
another look told me she was dead！
Such a sweet； pallid； Martian maid； her fair head lolling back against
the rear of the chair and gently moving to and fro with the rise and fall of
her craft。 Her face in the pale light of the evening like carved ivory； and
not less passion… less and still； her arms bare； and her poor fingers still
closed in her lap upon the beautiful buds they had put into them。 I fairly
gasped with amazement at the dreadful sweetness of that solitary lady； and
could hardly believe she was really a corpse！ But； alas！ there was no
doubt of it； and I stared at her； half in admiration and half in fear； noting
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how the last sunset flush lent a hectic beauty to her face for a moment； and
then how fair and ghostly she stood out against the purpling sky； how her
light drapery lifted to the icy wind； and how dreadfully strange all those
soft… scented flowers and trappings seemed as we sped along side by side
into the country of night and snow。
Then all of a sudden the true meaning of her being there burst upon me；
and with a start and a cry I looked around。 WE WERE FLYING
SWIFTLY DOWN THAT RIVER OF THE DEAD THEY HAD TOLD
ME OF THAT HAS NO OUTLET AND NO RETURNING！
With frantic haste I snatched up a paddle again and tried to paddle
against the great black current sweeping us for… ward。 I worked until the
perspiration stood in beads on my forehead； and all the time I worked the
river； like some black snake； hissed and twined； and that pretty lady rode
cheerily along at my side。 Overhead stars of unearthly bril… liancy were
coming out in the frosty sky； while on either hand the banks were high and
the shadows under them black as ink。 In those shadows now and then I
noticed with a horrible indifference other rafts were travelling； and
presently； as the stream narrowed； they came out and joined us； dead
Martians； budding boys and girls； older voyagers with their age
quickening upon them in the Martian manner； just as some fruit only
ripens after it falls； yellow…girt slaves staring into the night in front； quite a
merry crew all clustered about I and that gentle lady； and more far ahead
and more behind； all bobbing and jostling forward as we hurried to the
dreadful graveyard in the Martian re… gions of eternal winter none had ever
seen and no one came to！ I cried aloud in my desolation and fear and hid
my face in my hands； while the icy cliffs mocked my cry and the dead
maid； tripping alongside； rolled her head over； and stared at me with stony；
unseeing eyes。
Well； I am no fine writer。 I sat down to tell a plain； un… varnished tale；
and I will not let the weird horror of that ride get into my pen。 We
careened forward； I and those lost Martians； until pretty near on midnight；
by which time the great light…giving planets were up； and never a chance
did Fate give me all that time of parting company with them。 About
midnight we were right into the region of snow and ice； not the actual
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polar region of the planet； as I afterwards guessed； but one of those long
outliers which follow the course of the broad waterways almost into fertile
regions； and the cold； though intense； was somewhat modified by the
complete stillness of the air。
It was just then that I began to be aware of a low； rum… bling sound
ahead； increasing steadily until there could not be any doubt