CHAPTER V
I ELUDE MY WATCH DOG
Sola stared into the brute's wicked-looking eyes, muttered a word ortwo of command, pointed to me, and left the chamber. I could not butwonder what this ferocious-looking monstrosity might do when left alonein such close proximity to such a relatively tender morsel of meat; butmy fears were groundless, as the beast, after surveying me intently fora moment, crossed the room to the only exit which led to the street,and lay down full length across the threshold.
This was my first experience with a Martian watch dog, but it wasdestined not to be my last, for this fellow guarded me carefully duringthe time I remained a captive among these green men; twice saving mylife, and never voluntarily being away from me a moment.
While Sola was away I took occasion to examine more minutely the roomin which I found myself captive. The mural painting depicted scenes ofrare and wonderful beauty; mountains, rivers, lake, ocean, meadow,trees and flowers, winding roadways, sun-kissed gardens--scenes whichmight have portrayed earthly views but for the different colorings ofthe vegetation. The work had evidently been wrought by a master hand,so subtle the atmosphere, so perfect the technique; yet nowhere wasthere a representation of a living animal, either human or brute, bywhich I could guess at the likeness of these other and perhaps extinctdenizens of Mars.
While I was allowing my fancy to run riot in wild conjecture on thepossible explanation of the strange anomalies which I had so far metwith on Mars, Sola returned bearing both food and drink. These sheplaced on the floor beside me, and seating herself a short ways offregarded me intently. The food consisted of about a pound of somesolid substance of the consistency of cheese and almost tasteless,while the liquid was apparently milk from some animal. It was notunpleasant to the taste, though slightly acid, and I learned in a shorttime to prize it very highly. It came, as I later discovered, not froman animal, as there is only one mammal on Mars and that one very rareindeed, but from a large plant which grows practically without water,but seems to distill its plentiful supply of milk from the products ofthe soil, the moisture of the air, and the rays of the sun. A singleplant of this species will give eight or ten quarts of milk per day.
After I had eaten I was greatly invigorated, but feeling the need ofrest I stretched out upon the silks and was soon asleep. I must haveslept several hours, as it was dark when I awoke, and I was very cold.I noticed that someone had thrown a fur over me, but it had becomepartially dislodged and in the darkness I could not see to replace it.Suddenly a hand reached out and pulled the fur over me, shortlyafterwards adding another to my covering.
I presumed that my watchful guardian was Sola, nor was I wrong. Thisgirl alone, among all the green Martians with whom I came in contact,disclosed characteristics of sympathy, kindliness, and affection; herministrations to my bodily wants were unfailing, and her solicitouscare saved me from much suffering and many hardships.
As I was to learn, the Martian nights are extremely cold, and as thereis practically no twilight or dawn, the changes in temperature aresudden and most uncomfortable, as are the transitions from brilliantdaylight to darkness. The nights are either brilliantly illumined orvery dark, for if neither of the two moons of Mars happen to be in thesky almost total darkness results, since the lack of atmosphere, or,rather, the very thin atmosphere, fails to diffuse the starlight to anygreat extent; on the other hand, if both of the moons are in theheavens at night the surface of the ground is brightly illuminated.
Both of Mars' moons are vastly nearer her than is our moon to Earth;the nearer moon being but about five thousand miles distant, while thefurther is but little more than fourteen thousand miles away, againstthe nearly one-quarter million miles which separate us from our moon.The nearer moon of Mars makes a complete revolution around the planetin a little over seven and one-half hours, so that she may be seenhurtling through the sky like some huge meteor two or three times eachnight, revealing all her phases during each transit of the heavens.
The further moon revolves about Mars in something over thirty andone-quarter hours, and with her sister satellite makes a nocturnalMartian scene one of splendid and weird grandeur. And it is well thatnature has so graciously and abundantly lighted the Martian night, forthe green men of Mars, being a nomadic race without high intellectualdevelopment, have but crude means for artificial lighting; dependingprincipally upon torches, a kind of candle, and a peculiar oil lampwhich generates a gas and burns without a wick.
This last device produces an intensely brilliant far-reaching whitelight, but as the natural oil which it requires can only be obtained bymining in one of several widely separated and remote localities it isseldom used by these creatures whose only thought is for today, andwhose hatred for manual labor has kept them in a semi-barbaric statefor countless ages.
After Sola had replenished my coverings I again slept, nor did I awakenuntil daylight. The other occupants of the room, five in number, wereall females, and they were still sleeping, piled high with a motleyarray of silks and furs. Across the threshold lay stretched thesleepless guardian brute, just as I had last seen him on the precedingday; apparently he had not moved a muscle; his eyes were fairly gluedupon me, and I fell to wondering just what might befall me should Iendeavor to escape.
I have ever been prone to seek adventure and to investigate andexperiment where wiser men would have left well enough alone. Ittherefore now occurred to me that the surest way of learning the exactattitude of this beast toward me would be to attempt to leave the room.I felt fairly secure in my belief that I could escape him should hepursue me once I was outside the building, for I had begun to takegreat pride in my ability as a jumper. Furthermore, I could see fromthe shortness of his legs that the brute himself was no jumper andprobably no runner.
Slowly and carefully, therefore, I gained my feet, only to see that mywatcher did the same; cautiously I advanced toward him, finding that bymoving with a shuffling gait I could retain my balance as well as makereasonably rapid progress. As I neared the brute he backed cautiouslyaway from me, and when I had reached the open he moved to one side tolet me pass. He then fell in behind me and followed about ten paces inmy rear as I made my way along the deserted street.
Evidently his mission was to protect me only, I thought, but when wereached the edge of the city he suddenly sprang before me, utteringstrange sounds and baring his ugly and ferocious tusks. Thinking tohave some amusement at his expense, I rushed toward him, and whenalmost upon him sprang into the air, alighting far beyond him and awayfrom the city. He wheeled instantly and charged me with the mostappalling speed I had ever beheld. I had thought his short legs a barto swiftness, but had he been coursing with greyhounds the latter wouldhave appeared as though asleep on a door mat. As I was to learn, thisis the fleetest animal on Mars, and owing to its intelligence, loyalty,and ferocity is used in hunting, in war, and as the protector of theMartian man.
I quickly saw that I would have difficulty in escaping the fangs of thebeast on a straightaway course, and so I met his charge by doubling inmy tracks and leaping over him as he was almost upon me. This maneuvergave me a considerable advantage, and I was able to reach the cityquite a bit ahead of him, and as he came tearing after me I jumped fora window about thirty feet from the ground in the face of one of thebuildings overlooking the valley.
Grasping the sill I pulled myself up to a sitting posture withoutlooking into the building, and gazed down at the baffled animal beneathme. My exultation was short-lived, however, for scarcely had I gaineda secure seat upon the sill than a huge hand grasped me by the neckfrom behind and dragged me violently into the room. Here I was thrownupon my back, and beheld standing over me a colossal ape-like creature,white and hairless except for an enormous shock of bristly hair uponits head.
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