We entered, and I found it to be a splendidly upholstered car, about six feet wide by sixteen in length, coming to a sharp point at the bow, while the stern was oval. I could see by a glance at its proportions, that it was designed to dart through the air at a great speed. But I had no time to take many notes of this small, but elaborately finished vessel. The proprietor, so to speak, at once opened a little bookcase, and handed me a small volume with a knowing smile on her face. To my surprise, I found it to be a school history of the United States in English, with a translation, presumably into her own language, printed in parallel columns. She handed me several other volumes printed in the same manner in both languages. Among these I noticed a grammar, dictionary, small geography, a New Testament, hymn book and several introductory works on the natural sciences.
She showed me a card on which was printed the English alphabet, that had evidently never been used, and opposite each letter, a varying number of characters, corresponding with the number of sounds which we assign to each. I understood from this, that the people of this country used phonetic characters.
I at once realized that she had the means of acquiring a knowledge of our language, history, geography and science as taught in our common schools. I surmised that this collection of school books, had been brought to this country on the vessel that was lost near the barren island on which we had stopped. It was just such a collection as might be expected among sailors who were trying to obtain the rudiments of an education, while employed on a whaler.
She had doubtless shown me these books as a means of letting me know that our country and its language were not entirely unknown in her country, and that she had contemplated making a study of these things.
We were soon joined by her comrade, Battell and Huston, and this unique library of outer world school books was again exhibited, and while we could not exchange a word, we soon felt that we were old acquaintances.
Our visitors were evidently highly cultured people, and while not speaking our language, they certainly knew considerable about our country, while we knew nothing about theirs.
I was a little surprised at the active interest taken in our guests by Captain Battell, who was usually so reticent and retiring, and this interest was plainly mutual. Although they were not able to converse, they could understand each other, and spent their time strolling about the ship and peering out over the calm waters of the ocean.
After the airship had been gone about eight hours, our guests began to consult their watches and look intently toward the west. Soon a whole fleet of airships came into view. In a few minutes the foremost one separated from the others, circled around, and alighted upon our deck, and one of the occupants stepped out, and as he did so exclaimed in good English:
"Thank God, you are safe! How happy I am to welcome so many of my countrymen into this world of Truth, Justice and Fraternity."