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ahead； increasing steadily until there could not be any doubt the journey
was nearly over and we were approaching those great falls An had told me
of； over which the dead tumble to perpetual oblivion。 There was no op…
portunity for action； and； luckily； little time for thought。 I remember
clapping my hand to my heart as I muttered an im… perfect prayer； and
laughing a little as I felt in my pocket； between it and that organ； an
envelope containing some corn…plaster and a packet of unpaid tailors' bills。
Then I pulled out that locket with poor forgotten Polly's photo… graph； and
while I was still kissing it fervently； and the dead girl on my right was
jealously nudging my canoe with the corner of her raft； we plunged into a
narrow gully as black as hell； shot round a sharp corner at a tremendous
pace； and the moment afterwards entered a lake in the midst of an
unbroken amphitheatre of cliffs gleaming in soft light all round。
Even to this moment I can recall the blue shine of those terrible ice
crags framing the weird picture in on every hand； and the strange effect
upon my mind as we passed out of the darkness of the gully down which
we had come into the sepulchral radiance of that place。 But though it
fixed with one instantaneous flash its impression on my mind forever；
there was no time to admire it。 As we swept on to the lake's surface； and
a glance of light coming over a dip in the ice walls to the left lit up the
dead faces and half… withered flowers of my fellow…travellers with
startling dis… tinctness； I noticed with a new terror at the lower end of the
lake towards which we were hurrying the water suddenly disappeared in a
cloud of frosty spray； and it was from thence came the low； ominous
rumble which had sounded up the ravine as we approached。 It was the
fall； and beyond the stream dropped down glassy step after step； in wild
pools and rapids； through which no boat could live for a moment； to a
black cavern entrance； where it was swal… lowed up in eternal night。
I WOULD not go that way！ With a yell such as those solitudes had
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probably never heard since the planet was fashioned out of the void； I
seized the paddle again and struck out furiously from the main current；
with the result of post… poning the crisis for a time； and finding myself
bobbing round towards the northern amphitheatre； where the light fell
clearest from planets overhead。 It was like a great ball… room with those
constellations for tapers； and a ghastly crowd of Martians were doing
cotillions and waltzes all about me on their rafts as the troubled water； icy
cold and clear as glass； eddied us here and there in solemn con… fusion。
On the narrow beaches at the cliff foot were hundreds of wrecked
voyagersthe wall…flowers of that ghostly as… sembly…roomand I went
jostling and twirling round the circle as though looking for a likely partner；
until my brain spun and my heart was sick。
For twenty minutes Fate played with me； and then the deadly suck of
the stream got me down again close to where the water began to race for
the falls。 I vowed sav… agely I would not go over them if it could be
helped； and struggled furiously。
On the left； in shadow； a narrow beach seemed to lie between the water
and the cliff foot； towards it I fought。 At the very first stroke I fouled a
raft； the occupant thereof came tumbling aboard and nearly swamped me。
But now it was a fight for life； so him I seized without ceremony by
clammy neck and leg and threw back into the water。 Then another playful
Martian butted the behind part of my canoe and set it spinning； so that all
the stars seemed to be dancing giddily in the sky。 With a yell I shoved
him off； but only to find his comrades were closing round me in a solid
ring as we sucked down to the abyss at ever… increasing speed。
Then I fought like a fury； hacking； pushing； and paddling shorewards；
crying out in my excitement； and spinning and bumping and twisting ever
downwards。 For every foot I gained they pushed me on a yard； as though
determined their fate should be mine also。
They crowded round me in a compact circle； their poor flower…girt
heads nodding as the swift current curtsied their crafts。 They hemmed
me in with desperate persistency as we spun through the ghostly starlight
in a swirling mass down to destruction！ And in a minute we were so
close to the edge of the fall I could see the water break into ridges as it felt
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the solid bottom give way under it。 We were so close that already the
foremost rafts； ten yards ahead； were tipping and their occupants one by
one waving their arms about and tumbling from their funeral chairs as they
shot into the spray veil and went out of sight under a faint rainbow that
was arched over there； the symbol of peace and the only lovely thing in
that gruesome region。 Another minute and I must have gone with them。
It was too late to think of getting out of the tangle then； the water behind
was heavy with trailing silks and flowers。 We were jammed together
almost like one huge float and in that latter fact lay my one chance。
On the left was a low ledge of rocks leading back to the narrow beach
already mentioned； and the ledge came out to within a few feet of where
the outmost boat on that side would pass it。 It was the only chance and a
poor one； but already the first rank of my fleet was trembling on the brink；
and without stopping to weigh matters I bounded off my own canoe on to
the raft alongside； which rocked with my weight like a tea…tray。 From
that I leapt； with such hearty good…will as I had never had before； on to a
second and third。 I jumped from the footstool of one Martian to the knee
of another； steadying myself by a free use of their nodding heads as I
passed。 And every time I jumped a ship collapsed behind me。 As I
staggered with my spring into the last and outermost boat the ledge was
still six feet away； half hidden in a smother of foam； and the rim of the
great fall just under it。 Then I drew all my sailor agility together and just
as the little vessel was going bow up over the edge I leapt from hercame
down blinded with spray on the ledge； rolled over and over； clutched
frantically at the frozen soil； and was safe for the moment； but only a few
inches from the vortex below！
As soon as I picked myself up and got breath； I walked shorewards
and found； with great satisfaction； that the ledge joined the shelving beach；
and so walked on in the blue obscurity of the cliff shadow back from the
falls in the bare hope that the beach might lead by some way into the gully
through which we had come and open country beyond。 But after a couple
of hundred yards this hope ended as abruptly as the spit itself in deep
water； and there I was； as far as the darkness would allow me to ascertain；
as utterly trapped as any mortal could be。
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I will not dwell on the next few minutes； for no one likes to
acknowledge that he has been unmanned even for a space。 When those
minutes were over calmness and con… sideration returned； and I was able
to look about。
All the opposite cliffs； rising sheer from the water； were in light； their
cold blue and white surfaces rising far up into the black starfields
overhead。 Looking at them intently from this vantage…point I saw
without at first understanding that along them horizontally； tier above tier；
were rows of objects； likelikewhy； good Heavens； they were like men
and women in all sorts of st