Gentola—I am greatly interested in this peculiar scene, and in what has been said concerning it. I cannot conceive of a more beautiful spectacle of its kind, and I can liken those volumes of heaving, swirling, tumultuous, iridescent vapor to nothing but an enormous fountain of all manner of jewels, tossed hither and thither in bewildering confusion.
George—Well said, well said, Gentola̤. Your simile is so well chosen, that not even my brilliant imagination is equal to conjuring up a fitter one. Beauteous wonder, may time touch thee so lightly that when centuries hence we again may gaze on thee not one of thy jewels shall be missing.
De L'Ester—Bravo, bravo, George. Now we all are convinced that the quality of your imagination and the quantity of your modesty are equally balanced, and altogether admirable. Our chaffing at an end we now will move southward, then eastward. Higher, George, still higher, so that we may obtain the widest view possible of the underlying regions and of Fondorûveh, which soon will come under our observation. Fondorûveh (named after its founder, Tamon Fondorûveh) contains about two hundred thousand inhabitants and possesses some of the largest chemical works on Ento in which are prepared great quantities of condensed foods, the product of grains, fruits, vegetables and atmospheric substances. That statement need not so surprise you, as some of your scientists are of the opinion that your atmosphere holds all the elements composing your varied food supply, and in time Earth's chemists will learn, as the Entoans have learned, how to utilize these elements, thus greatly simplifying domestic cares, and adding to the general welfare of the peoples. No, the Entoans do not adulterate their food supplies. They are not given to taking or administering poisons under another name.
Yes, these regions present a sameness of landscape, yet once the surface was as varied as is the larger portion of our Planet. The same forces that have levelled the surface of Ento gradually are levelling the great snow crowned mountain chains of Earth. The towering Alps, the vast mystery laden Himalayas, the tremendous Sierras, to mortal mind appear as indestructible as the globe itself, yet during every passing moment their disintegrated particles, through the agencies of melting snows, of rains, or of tempestuous winds are being borne to all parts of the ever changing surface of Earth. The existence of a Planet being of such inconceivable duration, the passing of a thousand years is as the passage of a fleecy cloud across the sky, leaving no traces of its vanished loveliness. Ten thousand years hence the appearance of Earth's great mountain chains will not have perceptibly changed, yet their disintegrated particles will have filled depressions, raised the beds of oceans and of lakes and changed the courses of all flowing waters, and inevitably a period will arrive when the surface of Earth will be as monotonously level as is the surface of the lands over which we now are passing. Ere the arrival of that distant period our globe will have lost much of its interior heat and the temperature of the atmosphere will have become perceptibly lowered, then our equatorial regions having lost their torrid heat will offer the highest conditions for the further progress of the already greatly evolved peoples and will become Centres of Civilization of which they now have but an indefinite conception. From these Centres will radiate the accumulated knowledge of ages, and as do the Entoans, the peoples will understand that though knowledge is power, it may be made to serve evil purposes, but that wisdom, the fadeless flower of Soul culture, ever is Divinely beneficent.
Gentola̤, we all are conscious that our reiterated instruction may, to you, become tiresome, but through this process you now possess a comprehensive idea of the social conditions of the Entoans, of their high ethical standards, of their universal prosperity, of their advanced knowledge concerning such sciences as their religion has permitted them to investigate, of their admirable proficiency in the various arts, and of their exceedingly lofty conception of the love principle which permeates their entire being, rendering them so unselfish, so ready to serve each other, so devoted to righteous deeds, that indeed they have entered the Kingdom of Good.
For the present we will turn our attention in another direction, for yonder is Fondorûveh, extending eastward to the boundary line between this province, Ha̤ Mûyen and that named Effondelusa̤. Fondorûveh is to Camarissa̤ nearly an antipodal city, for since we left Camarissa̤, though we have afforded you a comprehensive view of the Equatorial and the North and partly of the South Temperate zones, we constantly have been tending eastward a distance of more than five thousand miles, and now we are nearing the present terminus of the Irrigating and Waterways System. We do not consider it expedient to alight in Fondorûveh, but we will pass over it slowly so that you and our lad may perceive its extent, and most noticeable architectural and other features. Like those of most Ento cities its principal streets are provided with Waterways, on which we perceive numerous small passenger or ware laden boats passing to and fro, and, as is usual, on either side of the Waterways are wide, well paved streets for the accommodation of pedestrians and motor vehicles. Yes, the scene is animated and attractive and we regret that our time is too limited for the present to more than glance over the quite modern city. It now is high noon, and should we enter yonder beautiful Temple we would behold a multitude of worshippers engaged in adoration of Andûmana̤, the Supreme One. Yes, we have been in it and in all other fine structures of Ento.
I have mentioned that Fondorûveh is quite a modern city, but deep down under its foundation are the ruins of what in ancient times was a more extensive, populous and affluent Fondorûveh. Centuries antecedent to the inauguration of the Irrigating and Waterways System, the increasing aridity of this region obliged the rural, and in time the urban population to emigrate elsewhere, and finally the ancient Fondorûveh was abandoned and gradually felt into ruinous decay, and in time the annual floods and tempestuous winds buried its crumbling structures under masses of débris or shifting sands. From the inception of the great work the system has progressed without cessation and nearly half a century ago its beneficent arms bore to this then desert region abounding life expressions and prosperous conditions. This locality offering special advantages enterprising persons conceived the idea of using the site of the ancient buried city as a foundation for the new Fondorûveh, which is in evidence in all the glory of modern architecture and modern appliances. Could the ancient ruins exchange sentiments, what a shaking of heads and raising of eyebrows would ensue. Almost, one can fancy them sighing over the glories of the past, the degeneracy of the present, and the uncertain future of the presumptuous young upstart so serenely sitting on the ruins of its betters.
Now we will move on. Almost suddenly the scenery is changing. The country on our right and left grows a little more broken and away southward are some low hills, the vestiges of former mountainous elevations, curving in an eastward course until they are lost in the distance. The entire region wears an appearance of newness, and its many pretty towns, villages and country estates dotting its irrigated and now fertile fields renders it more picturesque and pleasing than the exceedingly level lands we recently have observed. A few more years will bring to greater maturity much that is in an incomplete state, and trees and shrubs and glowing blooms will make of this recently desert country a veritable paradise, populated by a happy and prosperous people.
Before reaching the eastern terminus of the System I will inform you that the Waterway to our left, having reached a certain locality its further progress was stayed by two peculiar barriers which have occasioned a prodigious outlay of time, energy and means. For a time engineers thought them nearly impregnable, but chemistry coming to their aid with explosives of tremendous energy, the work of demolition began, and so successfully has it proceeded that ere long through both barriers the Kemina̤ Loisa̤vaon (central waterway) will find passageway eastward. Now we will stay our flight and you will tell us what you see.
Gentola—I see quite an extensive oval lake inclosed by a great wall whose inner surface is so smooth as to present a peculiar appearance. At its southern extremity is a mountainous mass, and from there the height of the wall decreases until at its northern limit it is only slightly above the level of the water, which is as unruffled as the face of a mirror. On both the western and eastern sides of the lake many men are engaged in drilling and blasting wide passageways through the walls and the work appears to be nearing completion. Also I see trains of tramway cars bearing away the débris, which does not resemble ordinary stone. Nearby is quite a village of wooden structures and tents, which I presume are occupied by laborers and others engaged in the destruction of the wall. On the Irrigating Canals small boats are coming or going as silently as though steersmen and passengers may be deaf and dumb. These Entoans are such silent folk that they impress me with a sense of sadness. An Air Transport is coming from toward the east, and—see, see, its passengers are throwing flowers down to the workmen and are calling, "Loha̤û, loha̤û, ēmanos." What a strange, strange scene. I wish some of our Earth folk might witness it, for should I tell of it I fear that no one would credit my story.