and as they appeared quite orderly and peaceable, we determined to land.
While the car descended cautiously, Gazen and I kept a sharp watch on
the crowd, with our revolvers in our hands. Instead of anger and
resistance, however, the natives only manifested friendly signs of
welcome. They withdrew to a respectful distance, and, dropping on their
knees, burst into a song or hymn of wonderful sweetness as the car
touched the ground.




CHAPTER VIII.

THE CRATER LAND.


A man of dignified and venerable mien stepped from the crowd, and
followed by a train of youths and maidens, each bearing a vase or a tray
of fruit and flowers, came towards the car. While yet some ten or twelve
paces distant he stopped, and saluted Gazen and myself by lifting his
hands gracefully in the air, and bowing his head. After we had
acknowledged his greeting with due respect, he addressed us, speaking
fluently, and in a reverent, not to say a humble tone; but his words,
being entirely strange to our ears, we could only shake our heads with a
baffled smile, and reply in English that we did not understand. On this
a look of doubt and wonder passed over his face, and pointing, first to
the car, then to the sky, he seemed to enquire whether we had not
dropped from the clouds. We nodded our assent, and the astronomer,
indicating the Earth, which was now shining in the east as a beautiful
green star, endeavoured to let him know by signs that we had come from