We seemed to make such an impression on the party that we were
given specially into the charge of one of the men, Jules Galdea,
and his wife, for the purpose of being educated in their
language; and we, on our part, were just as eager to learn as
they were to instruct.

At the captain's command, the vessel was swung cleverly about,
and began retracing its course up the river. The machinery, while
noiseless, was very powerful.

The banks and trees on either side seemed to rush by. The ship's
speed, at times, surpassed that of any railroad train on which I
have ever ridden, even here in America. It was wonderful.

In the meantime we had lost sight of the sun's rays, but we found
a radiance "within" emanating from the dull-red sun which had
already attracted our attention, now giving out a white light
seemingly from a cloud-bank far away in front of us. It dispensed
a greater light, I should say, than two full moons on the
clearest night.

In twelve hours this cloud of whiteness would pass out of sight
as if eclipsed, and the twelve hours following corresponded with
our night. We early learned that these strange people were
worshipers of this great cloud of night. It was "The Smoky
God" of the "Inner World."

The ship was equipped with a mode of illumination which I now
presume was electricity, but neither my father nor myself were