by Mark Wicks
CHAPTER II
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES--WHY WE DECIDED ON THE VOYAGE
My name is Wilfrid Poynders, and during the greater part of my lifetimeof more than sixty-three years astronomy has been my favourite study.For the last thirty years the planet Mars has been an object of specialinterest to me, and I have devoted much time to observation of theplanet and have endeavoured to make myself fully acquainted with allthat has been discovered or surmised respecting it.
My dear wife had died when I was thirty-six years of age, leaving mewith one child, my son Mark, then about fifteen years old. In my intensesorrow at my bereavement I should probably have become almost a hermithad it not been for my boy who, having been carefully educated, was abright and intelligent lad. I now took him under my special care andmade it my constant endeavour to impart to him such of my own knowledgeas seemed likely to be useful or interesting, hoping to keep him with mefor many years as a companion. He soon became imbued with my love ofmechanical pursuits and also with my passion for astronomy and alliedsciences, developing an interest in Mars equal to if not surpassing myown.
His most intimate schoolfellow was John Claxton, and, as there was avery strong friendship between them, we were so much together that Icame to regard him almost as a second son.
When my boy was in his twentieth year I noticed that a great change cameover him, for instead of being cheerful and high-spirited he became veryquiet and self-absorbed, and there was often a faraway look in his eyeswhich puzzled me very much. One morning I went to call him at his usualtime for rising and found him in a deep sleep from which I was unable torouse him. After trying some time without effect his stupor so alarmedme that I immediately sent off for a doctor, who advised that it wouldbe best to let him lie and he would probably awaken naturally in a fewhours' time. This indeed proved to be the case; and, as soon as heawoke, the doctor carefully examined him, but could find nothing wrongto account for what had happened. A month later he had a similarseizure, with the same result, but this time his sleep lasted nearlythirty hours. On the doctor's advice I then took him to the seaside forseveral weeks' stay, and there he soon regained his usual buoyancy ofspirits.
Shortly after our return home, however, he had a third seizure fromwhich he never awoke, but, to my profound sorrow, passed quietly away.Just before the end came I noticed his lips move slightly as though hewere trying to speak, and on bending down to listen I thought I caughtfaintly what sounded like the words, "I am coming," but whether thisreally were so I could not be sure.
I will not dwell upon the pain and sorrow of that dark and drearyportion of my life when I was left quite alone, without a singlerelative to cheer me, but merely say that my grief at his loss was sooverwhelming that it was long before my former mode of living could beresumed. John Claxton was almost as deeply affected as myself, for poorMark was a most affectionate lad, and had greatly endeared himself toboth of us. John also had his own troubles, having lost his fatherduring the previous year, and was then living with an aunt and twocousins, but had never been comfortable with them, as both the boys wererather wild, and of anything but good dispositions. He had inherited asubstantial income from his father, but this piece of good fortune onlyaroused the jealousy and envy of his cousins, who only seemed totolerate his presence in their home because of what they could obtainfrom him by their sponging propensities.
Although I was not rich, my income was amply sufficient to render mequite independent of work, and as I felt most lonely and desolate sinceMark's death, I at length begged John to come and live with me. Hejoyfully agreed, and from that time our relations have practically beenthose of father and son. As our dispositions and likings are verysimilar, we are as happy together as past sorrows will permit.
John always had a great fancy for engineering and electrical work, inwhich, after some years of training, he became an expert. Being wellendowed with the faculty of invention, he devised and constructed manynew kinds of electric and magnetic machines, and as my tastes also runin the direction of mechanical work, I have also done a great deal inconnection with such matters.
About six years ago, when the problem of aerial navigation began to bestudied in earnest, John became greatly interested in the matter,devoting all his time and energies to designing and constructing workingmodels of air-ships, aeroplanes, and other flying machines.
At that period I was very keen on Martian matters, to such an extentindeed that my mind was always occupied with the various problems theypresented. One day, in the course of conversation, I suggested that itwould be a splendid thing if we could construct a vessel which wouldenable us to visit Mars and see it for ourselves, and thus settle allour doubts and speculations on the various controversial points whichwere so much discussed.
The idea soon had him in its grip, and he then immediately commenced aseries of experiments with a view to designing machinery capable ofcarrying a vessel through space. After many failures he thought out aplan for utilising the earth's gravitation and magnetism as a means ofobtaining the requisite power and storing it up for future use. Thisscheme was thoroughly tested and proved to have solved the problem, forthe machinery could transform the power from either positive or negativeto neutral.
The task of making the vessel and machinery was of course too great fortwo pairs of hands to undertake, and we were therefore under thenecessity of obtaining a third man to help us. John had known M'Allisterwhen he was studying electrical work, and suggested that, if available,he would be just the man to suit us. We at once communicated with him,making a liberal offer for his assistance in our scheme, and as it was aquestion of dealing with an entirely new kind of machinery it appealedto his professional pride, so, being out of an engagement, he gladlyaccepted our offer. He came over to my house and has lived with us eversince, apparently quite in his element. M'Allister was about fifty yearsof age when he joined us, married, but without children. His wife's homewas at Glasgow, and owing to his so often being away at sea for longperiods, she had become so accustomed to the separation that shedeclined our offer to find a home for herself and her husband near us.She paid him a visit occasionally, or he went to spend a few days withher, but as a permanent arrangement she preferred staying with herrelatives in Glasgow. It was not exactly my ideal of married life, butas the couple always seemed happy enough when together, and thearrangement appeared to suit them both, it was not my place to make anycomment.
My house on the outskirts of Norbury was well situated for securing theprivacy we required in carrying on our work and experiments, lying as itdid in the valley on the westward side of a small eminence known asPollard's Hill, which effectually screened us from observation by theinhabitants of the houses in the London Road. Thus we enjoyed completeseclusion, although not more than a quarter of a mile from that busythoroughfare.
Notwithstanding that Pollard's Hill is only a small elevation, and itsrise scarcely noticed when approached from the London Road, when itssummit is gained one is astonished by the extensive and splendid view itcommands over hills and valleys, town and country; and it breaks uponone almost as a startling surprise when its beauties are seen for thefirst time. It is, indeed, so very unexpected to come upon such a fineand far-spreading view so suddenly and so close to bricks and mortar.Alas! the latter are fast encroaching upon this delightful but somewhatneglected spot, and unless the Croydonians are wise enough to secure theacquirement of the summit of the hill as a public open space, thissplendid view will be entirely lost to future generations.
A further advantage of our situation was its nearness to Croydon andWallington, where there were engineering and electrical machinery works;besides which we also had convenient and easy means of reaching themetropolis, from whence we could travel to any other town to purchase ororder anything we might require.
Once we had fairly set to work our progress was rapid and our vessel hadpractically been complete nearly a year, since when we have undertakenmany voyages at night in order to test its powers and to ascertain whereim
provements were needed.
We were much amused to find in the newspapers of this period, especiallyin the London Press, numerous letters from various parts of Englanddescribing the appearance of a strange and very brilliant star in thesky, either at night or in the morning hours before sunrise. Somedescribed the star as moving in one direction, others stated that itpassed in quite another direction; though it does not appear to haveoccurred to any one that stars do not move in this eccentric fashion,nor at the rapid rate at which this peculiar star was stated to travel.No one guessed that it was the light of our air-ship which they saw aswe flitted about the country in the dark hours, and often at extremelyhigh altitudes.
Three extensive fields were occupied by me in connection with myresidence, and these afforded plenty of room for our large shed andworkshops; whilst as north, south, and west of us there was a largestretch of open country, extending in some directions for miles, therewas little risk of our operations attracting attention. Moreover, wewere always careful not to prepare for any ascent until it was fairlydark.
Our establishment was a small one, Mrs. Challen being our only indoorservant. She came to me as a young widow after my wife's death, and hasproved an excellent manager and a most trustworthy servant. I havetherefore left my house in her charge with a feeling of entire certaintythat it will be well looked after in my absence. My solicitors have asealed packet containing full instructions as to what is to be done inthe event of my not returning home or communicating with them withinfifteen months from the date of our departure.
Altogether, our little party of three has been a very agreeable one upto the present. John Claxton is a splendid fellow--a good talker when inthe humour, and an excellent listener when either myself or M'Allisterare in the vein for airing our own particular views. He is rather fondof chaffing M'Allister, who has a quiet humour of his own, and takes itall in good part. John has only one weakness--he has become a mostinveterate smoker, and we have learned by experience that in this matterhis wishes must never be opposed. Both M'Allister and myself are alsosmokers, though to a much less extent; the former, indeed, more oftenprefers to chew navy plug-tobacco--a habit which I am glad to say Inever acquired, but it is a pretty general one amongst those who havebeen employed on sea-going vessels. In these matters it is an understoodthing that each is to do as he pleases, without let or hindrance.
One more point and then I will finish this rather long but verynecessary digression. In conversation I am generally addressed by mycolleagues as "Professor." Not that I ever occupied a Professorial Chairat a university or elsewhere, but it arose in this way: When John firstcame to live with me he felt a diffidence, owing to the disparitybetween our ages, in addressing me by my Christian name; on the otherhand, to call me by my surname seemed to him far too cold and formal. Soon one occasion, when I had been holding forth on my favourite science,he remarked, "I think, sir, if you will allow me, I shall call you'Professor' in future; the title seems most appropriate for one who hasthe power of conveying information on scientific subjects in so clearand interesting a manner."
I was much amused at this proposal, but fully appreciating thedifficulty he felt in the matter, replied, "John, you really flatter metoo much; but as you seem to think the title fits, you may call me by itif you like." So from that time forth John always addressed me as"Professor," and from hearing him constantly using the term, M'Allistersoon acquired the same habit. I am afraid they both credited me withrather more erudition than I really possessed; but although I shouldnever attempt to talk at large on matters with which I was not fullyacquainted, I have lived long enough to know that it is not always wiseto go very far in disillusioning others of the favourable opinions theymay have formed respecting one's own abilities. It is, perhaps, one ofthose matters in which "a still tongue makes a wise head"; and, if dealtwith in a tactful way, may be of real advantage to both persons. The onewill continue to be receptive of the ideas of the person whom he esteemsas well qualified to impart sound and reliable information, whilst theother will honestly endeavour to live up to his reputation, and be mostscrupulously careful to make sure of the accuracy of the informationwhich he desires to impart.
