greater than our globe, yet its surface is sparsely settled.

The oceans of fire occupy the greater part of the surface of this
wonderful sphere. In these great red-hot seas live the monsters of the
deep, as well as a motley variety of other species, veritable
salamanders, some grotesquely hideous, others surpassingly beautiful in
form and hue.

On this sphere man is extraordinarily intelligent. He is almost totally
ignorant of anything akin to astronomy, although some of the greater
scholars have ventured the theory that there might be other worlds
containing human life, providing there be fire enough to sustain them.

In some other particulars, these star-creatures have made astonishing
progress. They believe that the time is coming when the fires of their
world will be blown out and all life become extinct. This they would
call, in our language, the coming Judgment when every human being that
ever lived will receive his just recompense of reward.

With interest I studied the manner of government, and the admirable
system of education which is the secret of their progress.

I made a special effort to ascertain whence this sun receives its
continued supply of fuel. The question had often perplexed my mind when
I gazed toward our Sun from the shores of our world. None of the
theories advanced by our scientists and astronomers fully satisfied my
mind. And now I looked and studied in vain. Although the awful burnings
had been in progress for thousands of years, I could see no fuel that
was added to the flames. Hence I was driven to believe that Alpha
Centaurus was on fire and was gradually being consumed; this must be