Journeys to the Planet Mars; or, Our Mission to Ento

by Sara Weiss

Gentola—I fear that my ability is inadequate to a description of the creature. He is nearly twice as large as an ostrich and his legs are so long and stout that he appears to be walking on tall stilts. His feet are webbed and of surprising length and breadth, as well they need be to support such a huge body. In proportion to his size his head is rather small. It abruptly rounds up from his long and very broad bill, and is surmounted by a large tuft of beautiful, snowy, drooping feathers. His neck is extremely long, slender and very erect and, like his body, is covered with an iridescent admixture of black, green, purple and bronze plumage. His wing and tail feathers are long, abundant and, like his plumed crest, snow white. As for his large, staring eyes, they are the coldest, haughtiest, disdainfulest eyes I ever have beheld. As he majestically struts away he is the impersonation of an aristocratic, an ineffable swell. Really, his airs are most amusing, and certainly he is a very handsome bird.

Ha-Moufih—So he is, and, notwithstanding the cold, supercilious expression of his eyes, he has a not unamiable disposition, though I must say that his virtues are of a rather negative character.

I caught him in his very early youth and he is the sole survivor of four of his kind. When I brought him here from his semi-tropical home, I did not anticipate that he would outlive me, but he has and looks as though he may survive for years to come.

This species of bird is known as Vûlna̤-kymos (crowned majesty), and they are found in but two localities. Only when desired for some Rinvoh do the authorities now permit them to be disturbed. In habit they are semi-aquatic, and they build their nests on the margin of bodies of fresh water. Two years previous to my passing to our spirit world a strong desire for exploration overcame me and, with a scientific friend, some attendants and necessary supplies, we took passage on an air transport to a station on nearly the further side of Ento, but in a latitude approaching the Temperate zone. There we procured some burthen bearing animals and in an aimless fashion began a journey which would terminate when my appetite for wandering should become satiated. The charm of feeling myself free from cares, which never were to my liking, delighted me and for nearly two days we leisurely wandered along the shore of a considerable fresh water lake known as Loisa̤ a̤ lûtyēnos (lake of rushes), so shallow, so limpid, that when rowing in our portable boat, we plainly saw fishes, large and small, darting hither and thither through its greatest depths, which were thickly grown with rushes, rodels and other aquatic plants. Along the shore large trees and a close undergrowth of shrubs rendered our progress rather tedious, but as we were in no haste we and our animals enjoyed the shade and coolness of the forest, which like a wall of living verdure, encompassed the lake. Toward evening of the third day we came upon a small, cleared place on the margin of the lake and an unexpected scene which quite upset our gravity. In the shallow water of the shore line amid a luxuriant growth of grasses, rushes and weeds, was a huge nest built of sticks, stones, grasses and clay and, with a leg on either side, the body of a large and consequential looking bird rested on its summit. Evidently he was on guard duty and did not enjoy it. His attitude and preoccupied manner were sufficiently droll to cause us to burst into laughter. The unusual sound alarmed him, but courageous and faithful to his charge he stanchly remained on the nest, loudly calling to his mate who, at a distance, was feeding among the rank growths of the shallows. Instantly, with shrill cries and hisses, half flying, half running, she rushed to the defense of her possessions. Our attendants drew further away, but that we might observe the creatures, my friend and I secreted ourselves amid the underbrush. The two birds held a hurried consultation; then the female shaking her beautiful plumage dry, with one leg on either side of the nest brooded over its contents while the male bird in stately but watchful fashion promenaded in the margin of the lake, now and anon unbending his dignity that he might snatch from the water some unwary fish or other creature.

I was not unacquainted with this species of water fowl, but at that time our Rinvoh did not possess them, and as then there were no restrictions against our doing so we resolved to await the appearance of the young brood which we would transport to Camarissa̤. The brooding time being well advanced, on the morning of the third day of our waiting the birds exhibited much excitement, shaking themselves and uttering low cries, while, gazing into the nest from whence came a sound of continuous chirping. The parent birds were most devoted in their attention to their young; one or the other continually bringing them food and not for a moment were they left alone. On the morning of the third day of their advent, with her bill the mother lifted them one by one from the nest, dropping six downy little beauties into the shallow water, where they paddled about in apparent enjoyment. At sunset she carefully deposited them in the nest, hovering over them while her mate quietly, but alertly, watched by her side.

The young birds grew prodigiously and in a few days were able to care for themselves and were no longer returned to the nest, but, with the parent birds rested in the margin of the lake. When old enough to be removed with safety, at nightfall I cautiously approached them and with a large net captured the entire brood. The frightened parents fled away in the darkness but soon they returned and finding their young gone their cries of distress resounded through the night. Their grief so appealed to my sensibilities that in the morning I returned to them two of the captives, over whom there was great rejoicing. In a commodious water receptacle the four young birds were conveyed to Camarissa̤ and placed in this Rinvoh. Later on I gave to the Rinvoh of Dao a pair of them. The mate of this lonely widower lived until three years ago, and now her prepared body graces a space in the Syffondû.

The incidents I have been relating may appear to you somewhat trivial; they are intended to serve the purpose of acquainting you with certain life forms and conditions of Ento, thus enabling you to draw comparisons between what may come under your notice on this planet and such forms and conditions as you may have knowledge of on your own. After a glance at the creatures occupying compartments on the further side I shall regretfully leave you. Here are shell covered reptiles which Agassiz says are very like some of your salt water reptiles. This unhandsome creature, sluggishly lying in the shallow water of its capacious tank, is nearly one-third as broad as it is long, and its length is quite twenty feet. The large brown and white scales covering its body are erectile, as are the smaller ones on its long, slender neck to which its long, narrow head and vicious looking eyes give a serpentlike appearance. Now, as it moves into deeper water, one sees the dull orange color of its belly. Its tail, with which it partly propels itself through the water, opens and closes like a folding fan; see how it curves under, then is projected outward with much force, impelling the creature onward. You perceive that in swimming it also uses its short, sinewy legs and webbed feet. It is strictly a water reptile, never venturing into shallower water than that of the tank. It is known as Pylo-akēdon (scaly armored), and is a species of reptile nearly extinct.

Here are other water creatures which, in structure and form, are said to closely resemble life forms of Earth. On other planets I have seen very similar forms.

Of course only a limited number of Ento's various aquatic creatures find homes in the different compartments of this Rinvoh, but they represent both the rarest and the commonest species. The collections of the Acclinum and Syffondû? (museum) are very comprehensive, the latter containing a representation of life forms of the remote past and of more modern times. In the Acclinum the collection of fossils is very curious, but as you will be shown all that may be considered necessary for the purpose in view, I need not particularize.

Gentola̤, the moment has arrived when, for the present, I must leave you and these friends. It would delight me could I remain with you and them until the consummation of this mission, but it cannot be. May the Divine Spirit of all that is unfold in us a fuller consciousness that only through earnest endeavor can we attain to higher Spiritual planes of being. Emanos, Info oovistû.