"And is that what makes us move?" asked Jack. "Because we're so light?"
For they continued to advance toward the crowd, which seemed to be anxiously awaiting them.
"That's partly the reason, I guess," replied the professor. "The other part is that they are exerting some strange force upon us. We'll find out later what it is."
"I wish dey'd let me be!" exclaimed Washington, vainly struggling to hold himself back.
"What queer people!" exclaimed Jack. "Look at what large heads they have!"
"And what small bodies!" added Mark.
It was indeed so. They found Mars, at least the portion where they had landed, to be inhabited with a strange race of beings.
There were men and boys and a few women in the crowd, but they were unlike any men, boys or women they had ever seen. Their heads were about three times as large as those of the ordinary person, and the eyes, ears and nose were of extraordinary size. Indeed, the eyes bulged out in quite an unpleasant fashion, and the ears of the Martians were not unlike those of an elephant in proportion, though they were shaped more like those of a human being. As for a Martian nose, it was elongated, and capable of being moved in any direction, as were also the ears.
As the adventurers felt themselves being urged forward, by what means they knew not, they noted that the Martians were staring at them with their great, protruding eyes, that they were listening to their talk with their great ears thrust forward, and were lifting their flexible noses toward the travelers as if to get wind of them, as wild beasts do.
"They're certainly sizing us up in great shape," observed Jack. "But whatever kind of clothes have they got on?"