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INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
It is proper that some explanation be made as to the position occupied by the following story in the realm of fiction, and that a brief estimate should be made of its literary value. Literature may be roughly classified under two heads—the creative and the critical. The former is characteristic of the imaginative temperament, while the latter is analytical in its nature, and does not rise above the level of the actual. Rightly pursued, these two ways of searching out truth should supplement each
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CHAPTER I. A POLAR CATASTROPHE.
CHAPTER I. A POLAR CATASTROPHE.
I had been asleep when a terrific noise awoke me. I rose up on my couch in the cabin and gazed wildly around, dazed with the feeling that something extraordinary had happened. By degrees becoming conscious of my surroundings, I saw Captain Wallace, Dr. Merryferry, Astronomer Starbottle, and Master-at-Arms Flathootly beside me. "Commander White," said the captain, "did you hear that roar?" "What roar?" I replied. "Where are we?" "Why, you must have been asleep," said he, "and yet the roar was eno
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CHAPTER II. THE CAUSE OF THE EXPEDITION.
CHAPTER II. THE CAUSE OF THE EXPEDITION.
The Polar King , in lat. 84', long. 151' 14", had entered an ocean covered with enormous ice-floes. What surprised us most was the fact that we could make any headway whatever, and that the ice wasn't frozen into one solid mass as every one expected. On the contrary, leads of open water reached in all directions, and up those leading nearest due north we joyfully sailed. May the 10th was a memorable day in our voyage. On that day we celebrated the double event of having reached the furthest nort
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CHAPTER III. BEGINNING THE VOYAGE.
CHAPTER III. BEGINNING THE VOYAGE.
I determined to build a vessel of such strength and equipment as could not fail, with ordinary good fortune, to carry us through the greatest dangers in Arctic navigation. Short of being absolutely frozen in the ice, I hoped to reach the pole itself, if there should be sufficient water to float us. The vessel, which I named the Polar King , although small in size was very strong and compact. Her length was 150 feet and her width amidships 50 feet. Her frames and planking were made of well-season
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CHAPTER IV. OUR ADVENTURES IN THE POLAR SEA.
CHAPTER IV. OUR ADVENTURES IN THE POLAR SEA.
The storm lasted four days. On its subsidence we discovered ourselves completely surrounded with ice. We were beset by a veritable polar pack, brought down by the violence of the gale. The ice was covered deeply with snow, which made a dazzling scene when lit by the brilliant sun. We seemed transported to a new world. Far as the eye could see huge masses of ice interposed with floe bergs of vast dimensions. The captain allowed the sailors to exercise themselves on the solidly frozen snow. It was
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CHAPTER V. WE ENTER THE POLAR GULF.
CHAPTER V. WE ENTER THE POLAR GULF.
How the Polar King penetrated what appeared an insurmountable obstacle, and the joyful proof that the hills did not belong to a polar continent, but were a continuous congregation of icebergs, frozen in one solid mass, are already known to the reader. The gallant ship continued to make rapid progress toward the open water lying ahead of us. Mid-day found us in 84' 10" north latitude and 150' west longitude. The sun remained in the sky as usual to add his splendor to our day of deliverance and ex
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CHAPTER VI. DAY BECOMES NIGHT AND NIGHT DAY.
CHAPTER VI. DAY BECOMES NIGHT AND NIGHT DAY.
"Commander," said Captain Wallace, "I beg to report that the pole star has suddenly fallen five degrees south from its position overhead, and the sun has risen to his mid-day position in the sky! I fear we are sailing into a vast polar depression something greater than the description given in our geographies, that the earth is flattened at the poles." "Do you really think, captain," I inquired, "that we are sailing into a hollow place around the pole?" "Why, I am sure of it," said he. "Nothing
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CHAPTER VII. WE DISCOVER THE INTERIOR WORLD.
CHAPTER VII. WE DISCOVER THE INTERIOR WORLD.
The officers and sailors responded to my speech with ringing cheers. Every man of them volunteered to stay by the ship and continue our voyage down the gulf. Whatever malcontents there may have been among the sailors, those, influenced by the prevailing enthusiasm, were afraid to exhibit any cowardice, and all were unanimous for further exploration. I signalled our resolution by a discharge of three guns, which created the most thrilling reverberations in the mysterious abyss. Starting the engin
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CHAPTER VIII. EXTRAORDINARY LOSS OF WEIGHT.
CHAPTER VIII. EXTRAORDINARY LOSS OF WEIGHT.
The first thought that occurred to us after the excitement of discovery had somewhat subsided was that the interior of the earth was in all probability a habitable planet, possessing as it did a life-giving luminary of its own, and our one object was to get into the planet as quickly as possible. A continual breeze from the interior ocean of air passed out of the gulf. Its temperature was much higher than that of the sea on which we sailed, and it was only now that we began to think of laying of
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CHAPTER IX. AFLOAT ON THE INTERIOR OCEAN.
CHAPTER IX. AFLOAT ON THE INTERIOR OCEAN.
As the Polar King sped southward over the interior sea the wonders of the strange world we had discovered began to dawn upon us. The colossal vault rose more and more above us and the sun threw his mild and vertical rays directly upon ship and sea, producing a most delightful climate. The ocean had a temperature of 75 degrees Fahr. and the air 85 degrees. We were absolutely sailing upside down to an inhabitant of the outer sphere, yet we seemed to ourselves to be sailing naturally erect on the s
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CHAPTER X. A VISIT FROM THE INHABITANTS OF PLUTUSIA.
CHAPTER X. A VISIT FROM THE INHABITANTS OF PLUTUSIA.
How long we slept it is impossible to say. We must have remained in slumber at least three days after the great excitement of our voyage so far. The direct cause of my awaking was a loud noise on deck, and on coming up to learn the cause, I saw Flathootly shaking his fist at two strange flying men who hovered over the ship. "Bad luck to ye," shouted Flathootly, "if iver I get a grip of ye again you won't sail away so swately after jabbin' me in the neck like that." "Flathootly!" I cried, "what's
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CHAPTER XI. WE LEARN ATVATABARESE.
CHAPTER XI. WE LEARN ATVATABARESE.
This exclamation was a very puzzling phrase to us. Professor Starbottle said: "It appears to me, gentlemen, before we can make any use of our prisoner we must first learn his language." Again the stranger smote his breast, exclaiming: "Plothoy, wayleal ar Atvatabar." "Well, of all the lingoes I iver heard," said Flathootly, "this is the worst case yet. It bates Irish, which is the toughest langwidge to larn undher the sun. What langwidge do you call that, sorr?" Professor Goldrock, besides being
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CHAPTER XII. WE ARRIVE AT KIORAM.
CHAPTER XII. WE ARRIVE AT KIORAM.
Between the time of departure of Lecholt and our arrival at Kioram we kept Plothoy as busy as possible answering our questions. We found that all the soldiers of the king were known as wayleals, and that all were equipped with magnetic wings. The wings were worked by a little dynamo supplied by magnicity. A single cell, six cubic inches in size, produced a current both enormously powerful and constant. I could recollect no cell in the outer world of the same size so powerful, hence here was an i
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CHAPTER XIII. MARCHING IN TRIUMPH.
CHAPTER XIII. MARCHING IN TRIUMPH.
There was a blaze of excitement in the streets of Kioram when our procession appeared on the grand boulevard leading from the harbor to the fortress, some four miles in length. We presented a strange appearance not only to the people of the city, but to ourselves as well. Prior to our appearance before the people we were obliged to adjust ourselves to the motion of an immense walking machine, the product of the inventive skill of Atvatabar. Governor Ladalmir explained that the cavalry of Atvatab
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CHAPTER XIV. THE JOURNEY TO CALNOGOR.
CHAPTER XIV. THE JOURNEY TO CALNOGOR.
There was in Kioram a temple dedicated to the god Rakamadeva, or Sacred Locomotive, which was one of the many gods worshipped by the Atvatabarese. It belonged to the gods embraced in the category of "gods of invention," and its motive power was magnicity, the same force that propelled the flying men. It was a powerful structure built of solid gold, platinum, terrelium, aquelium, and plutulium, and alloys of the most precious and heaviest of metals, and was both car and locomotive, and was hung o
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CHAPTER XV. OUR RECEPTION BY THE KING.
CHAPTER XV. OUR RECEPTION BY THE KING.
The sacred locomotive swept through a noble archway into a palace garden, a part of the king's palace in Calnogor. The railway terminal was a wide marble platform, or causeway, surrounded by a sea of tropical flowers. The priests had already alighted, and stood in double file to receive us. Through a sculptured archway a herald approached us, blowing a trumpet and announcing the coming of his royal majesty, King Aldemegry Bhoolmakar of Atvatabar. We alighted, and I had the sailors drawn up in an
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CHAPTER XVI. THE KING UNFOLDS THE GRANDEUR OF ATVATABAR.
CHAPTER XVI. THE KING UNFOLDS THE GRANDEUR OF ATVATABAR.
"Your majesty," I said, "informs us that Atvatabar possesses science and art, invention and poetry. These matters interest us quite as much as your civil and military constitution. We will feel grateful if your majesty will inform us more particularly regarding the condition of those great forces for the development of the soul." "You are right," said the king; "the government and the protection of society, although matters of the utmost importance, are always much inferior to the glory they def
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CHAPTER XVII. GNAPHISTHASIA.
CHAPTER XVII. GNAPHISTHASIA.
The day following our arrival in Calnogor his majesty the king had projected for us a journey to the palace of art at Gnaphisthasia, which stood on the slope of a mountain in a rich valley lying one hundred miles southwest of Calnogor. The palace itself was surrounded by high walls of massive porcelain, beautifully adorned with sculpture mouldings, and midway on each side massive gateways, each formed of rounded cones, rising to a great height and covered with sculptured forms, between which the
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CHAPTER XVIII. THE JOURNEY TO THE BORMIDOPHIA.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE JOURNEY TO THE BORMIDOPHIA.
The palace bell announced the beginning of a new day in Calnogor. I had not slept during the hours of rest, excited as I was by our visit to Gnaphisthasia and the strange customs of Atvatabar. Koshnili arrived soon after the bell had sounded to inform me that the king had commanded his royal army to be assembled in the great square beyond the palace walls to escort us to the Bormidophia, where a solemn act of worship would be performed before the throne of the gods. This was a most delightful me
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CHAPTER XIX. THE THRONE OF THE GODS, CALNOGOR.
CHAPTER XIX. THE THRONE OF THE GODS, CALNOGOR.
The throne of the gods was the most famous institution in Atvatabar. It was the cynosure of every eye, the object of all adoration, the tabernacle of all that was splendid in art, science and spiritual perfection. The great institutions of Egyplosis, the college of ten thousand soul-worshippers, the palace of Gnaphisthasia, with its five thousand poets, artists, musicians, dancers, architects, and weavers of glorious cloths, and the establishments for training the youth of the country in mechani
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CHAPTER XX. THE WORSHIP OF LYONE, SUPREME GODDESS.
CHAPTER XX. THE WORSHIP OF LYONE, SUPREME GODDESS.
The worship of the goddess began with the appearance on a revolving stage between the nearest worshippers and the base of the throne itself of a veritable forest of trees about one hundred feet in width. There were trees like magnolias, oaks, elms and others splendid in foliage, and amid these there was an undergrowth of beds of the most brilliant flowers. It was the work of the magicians and sorcerers! There were thickets of camellias and rhododendrons, amid which bloomed flowers like scarlet g
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CHAPTER XXI. AN AUDIENCE WITH THE SUPREME GODDESS.
CHAPTER XXI. AN AUDIENCE WITH THE SUPREME GODDESS.
The palace of Tanje, situated about fifty miles from Calnogor, was the metropolitan palace of the supreme goddess. It was sculptured out of a hill of white marble, as were also its walls, enclosing a garden a square mile in extent. In conformity with the programme prepared by his majesty, King Aldemegry Bhoolmakar, we were to be received by her holiness Lyone in her palace at Tanje. The thought of meeting the adorable figure that crowned the throne of the gods filled me with keenest delight. I s
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CHAPTER XXII. THE GODDESS LEARNS THE STORY OF THE OUTER WORLD.
CHAPTER XXII. THE GODDESS LEARNS THE STORY OF THE OUTER WORLD.
Her holiness was pleased to say how honored she was by receiving us. Our advent in Atvatabar had created a profound impression upon the people, and she was no less curious to see us and learn from our own lips the story of the outer world. She was greatly interested in comparing the stalwart figures of our sailors with the less vigorous frames of the Atvatabarese. It could not be expected that men who handled objects and carried themselves in a land where gravity was reduced to a minimum could b
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CHAPTER XXIII. THE GARDEN OF TANJE.
CHAPTER XXIII. THE GARDEN OF TANJE.
A series of banquets and other entertainments followed each other during our stay at the palace of Tanje. The goddess had held frequent interviews with the professors and myself regarding the external sphere, and had examined our maps and charts with the greatest curiosity. His majesty did not take nearly so much interest in our revelations as the goddess, being inert and prosaic in character. On the morning of the fourth day of our stay at the palace of Tanje I received a visit from the grand c
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CHAPTER XXIV. THE JOURNEY TO EGYPLOSIS.
CHAPTER XXIV. THE JOURNEY TO EGYPLOSIS.
Never did time pass so rapidly or so happily as the days spent in the palace of the goddess. Although I met Lyone at the daily banquets and at our scientific discussions with the astronomers, naturalists, chemists, geologists, physicians and philosophers of Atvatabar, yet neither by look nor gesture did she betray the slightest memory of that ravishing scene in her garden only a few days before. Again and again I asked myself, Was it possible that that calm and crowned goddess of the pantheon wa
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CHAPTER XXV. ESCAPING FROM THE CYCLONE.
CHAPTER XXV. ESCAPING FROM THE CYCLONE.
The ship, lifting her prow, would spring into the sky upon the bosom of the whirling waste of air. The sun was completely obscured by dense masses of flying clouds and we were deluged with torrents of water. The terror of the situation obliterated all thoughts of country or home or friends. All worldly consciousness had evaporated from the pale beings that in despair held on to the ship for life or death. The ravages of the storm on the earth beneath could be heard with startling distinctness. W
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CHAPTER XXVI. THE BANQUET ON THE AERIAL SHIP.
CHAPTER XXVI. THE BANQUET ON THE AERIAL SHIP.
The saloon, which was also the salle à manger , was situated in the centre of the ship. Thus the entire travellers could assemble together without disturbing the centre of gravity of the structure. The saloon was composed of woven cane, and ornamented with a dado of sage-green silk, on which were embroidered storks, pheasants and eagles flying through space. An elongated table, also of wicker work, contained a sumptuous repast. The goddess congratulated the guests on their safety, which proved t
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CHAPTER XXVII. WE REACH EGYPLOSIS.
CHAPTER XXVII. WE REACH EGYPLOSIS.
When I recovered my every-day senses the revolving motion of the Aeropher had ceased and our flight was confined to an undulating movement. I was holding the hand of the goddess, who had been in a hyperæsthetic condition herself during the gyrations of the ship, and when feeling her senses leaving her she had involuntarily grasped my hand. Our souls had been the recipients of the same rapturous joy. When we were once more ourselves, Lyone was anxious to know something of the character of the wom
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CHAPTER XXVIII. THE GRAND TEMPLE OF HARIKAR.
CHAPTER XXVIII. THE GRAND TEMPLE OF HARIKAR.
Twelve of the most handsome priests and priestesses constituted the guard of twin-souls in waiting to the goddess, and these escorted her into the grand court of the temple palace. Over a gigantic archway were sculptured the words "Dya Pateis omt Ami Cair," which meant "Two Bodies and One Soul." This was the motto of Egyplosis, the expression of ideal friendship and indicative of a system of life the reverse of that of the outer world of Atvatabar, which had for its motto, "One Body and Two Soul
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CHAPTER XXIX. THE INSTALLATION OF A TWIN-SOUL.
CHAPTER XXIX. THE INSTALLATION OF A TWIN-SOUL.
The sacred musicians of the temple surrounded the throne in solid circles each arrayed in lordly attire. They flourished instruments of gold, that rang out music of such depth and clearness of tone as to melt every soul in that vast audience into one thrilling whole. The sounding song was the incarnation of all things majestic and glorious. In its breathless measures were born the spirits of conquest, pride, inspiration, love and sympathy. The thrilling climax was wrought of passages eloquent of
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CHAPTER XXX. THE INSTALLATION OF A TWIN-SOUL (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER XXX. THE INSTALLATION OF A TWIN-SOUL (CONTINUED).
While priest and priestess were folded with mutual emotion two of the loveliest souls took the place of the high priest and priestess on the silver pavement. The girl was young and tender, golden white in complexion with crimson lips. Her figure was swathed in a vermilion robe, on the breast of which was embroidered in outline a sea-green sun whose swaying rays reached the furthest parts of her garment. Her pale blue hair was crowned with a chaplet of daffodils. The youth wore a robe of scarlet
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CHAPTER XXXI. THE MYSTERY OF EGYPLOSIS.
CHAPTER XXXI. THE MYSTERY OF EGYPLOSIS.
The palace of the goddess at Egyplosis was a component part of the vast quadrangle known as the supernal palace. The view therefrom embraced the wide inner garden of the entire palace of temples, discovering jungles of shrubs and flowers of all imaginable hues, interspersed with lakes sleeping in their marble basins like enormous jewels. Fountains of solid silver gushed forth a brilliant foam of waters amid the embowering foliage, and there glad priests, in the society of priestesses sweeter tha
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CHAPTER XXXII. THE SIN OF A TWIN-SOUL.
CHAPTER XXXII. THE SIN OF A TWIN-SOUL.
"Your holiness," said the captain of the sacred guard, as he entered the apartment, "the twin-soul Ardsolus and Merga has sinned against the laws and religion of Egyplosis. I crave permission to bring the guilty pair before the goddess with the evidence of their guilt." The goddess, answering quickly, ordered the priest and priestess to be produced. The captain thereupon commanded his wayleals to bring the prisoners into the audience chamber. Shrinking between her guards, the priestess Merga app
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CHAPTER XXXIII. THE DOCTOR'S OPINION OF EGYPLOSIS.
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE DOCTOR'S OPINION OF EGYPLOSIS.
My experiences in Egyplosis were teaching me that even the most perfect human organizations contain the elements of decay and death. The human soul at variance with its own physical condition was hardly the best ideal of a god. Here was happiness piled upon happiness, yet the recipients thereof were not happy. Disappointments and suffering are natural to man because life is supported on difficulty, and a long-continued happiness is the sure forerunner of disaster. The reaction of misery lies som
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CHAPTER XXXIV. LYONE'S CONFESSION.
CHAPTER XXXIV. LYONE'S CONFESSION.
The following day I again met the goddess in the same magnificent apartment in her palace. She was in a contemplative mood. A white robe of the finest silk enveloped her, showing to full advantage her superb figure. Her silky, shadowed eyes shone with a mild translucent light. The ripe beauty of her face was somewhat pale, for some tearful memory possessed her. Over her shoulders fell the torrent of her hair, while on her brow gleamed a diminutive diadem whose central part was fashioned like the
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CHAPTER XXXV. OUR VISIT TO THE INFERNAL PALACE.
CHAPTER XXXV. OUR VISIT TO THE INFERNAL PALACE.
The infernal palace was a congregation of subterranean rock-hewn temples under the spiritual control of the grand sorcerer Charka and the grand sorceress Zooly-Soase. The grand sorcerer's dominion was directly underneath the supernal palace of Egyplosis. An ornate pagoda of stone covered the entrance to the underground palace. The descent was by means of a wide gradient of polished marble, and there was also an elevator car, beautifully decorated with electro-plated sheets of gold and lit by ele
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CHAPTER XXXVI. ARJEELS.
CHAPTER XXXVI. ARJEELS.
I was full of impatience to witness the creation of the magical island, where with Lyone I might find ideal delight. It was necessary, however, for the grand sorcerer to make ample arrangements, not only for the generation of sufficient spirit force to create the island, but also a force sufficient for its continuance for an indefinite length of time. It was absolutely necessary that there should be a reserve force of ten thousand twin-souls to take the places of the original legion of souls, wh
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CHAPTER XXXVII. A REVELATION.
CHAPTER XXXVII. A REVELATION.
Alas for the brevity of earthly joys! The noble priests and priestesses had made a heroic effort to sustain Arjeels, but a month's incessant labors had quite exhausted their powers, and the glorious island vanished, with all its ideal sweetness. As if to intensify our sadness, when we reached Egyplosis again, we found the high priest Hushnoly, impatiently awaiting our return to secretly report the proceedings of a late council of the king and government, held in the council chamber of Egyplosis.
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CHAPTER XXXVIII. LYONE'S MANIFESTO TO KING AND PEOPLE.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. LYONE'S MANIFESTO TO KING AND PEOPLE.
"Might I ask your holiness," said the high priest, "if you will really take so determined a step as that indicated by the action of the royal council? The thought of such a thing strikes me dumb with fear." "Hushnoly," said Lyone, "I have ever found you faithful to my interests, and I will now confide in you my purposes. You are a man of wisdom, calm and conservative, and can rest happy in the possession of your counterpart soul. Your character has become moulded by your long novitiate until you
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CHAPTER XXXIX. THE CRISIS IN ATVATABAR.
CHAPTER XXXIX. THE CRISIS IN ATVATABAR.
The manifesto of Lyone had precipitated an historic crisis in Atvatabar. The king awaited my leaving the country with the utmost impatience. He made every effort to prevent the news from reaching the public, hoping that when I took my departure the goddess would be amenable to the laws of the realm, and the faith be thus preserved. The more that Lyone and myself discussed the situation, the more apparent it appeared that we could not now draw back from the position we had taken. It was absolutel
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CHAPTER XL. MY DEPARTURE FROM THE PALACE OF TANJE.
CHAPTER XL. MY DEPARTURE FROM THE PALACE OF TANJE.
The week of grace allowed me to leave Atvatabar had already expired ere it had seriously occurred to me to actually leave the palace. The commotion in the nation consequent on the publication of the manifesto of king and goddess was so great, and the necessity of advising Lyone in the crisis so urgent, that I did not take leave of her until the time for my departure was exhausted. One thing that made me somewhat careless of arousing the royal danger was that the Polar King with her terrorite gun
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CHAPTER XLI. WE ARE ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY.
CHAPTER XLI. WE ARE ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY.
Captain Wallace and the entire ship's company were overjoyed at my escape from the clutches of the enemy. The loss of six of our brave sailors was a terrible calamity in any case, but still more so in view of the impending attack by the enemy's navy. We had a good stock of gunpowder on board, and the ship's mechanics under Professor Rackiron began the construction of a series of machine guns, each weapon having one hundred rifled barrels arranged in circles around the central tube. Twenty-five o
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CHAPTER XLII. THE BATTLE CONTINUED.
CHAPTER XLII. THE BATTLE CONTINUED.
The royal fleet formed a wide semi-circle a mile off, and reopened its guns upon us. An unlucky shot struck one of our seamen and cut off his head. A perfect storm of shot rained upon us, so destroying our hurricane-deck that it was no longer of any protection to us. The enemy, encouraged by their success, closed in upon us. What we feared most of all was an attack by the wing-jackets, against whom neither our heavy guns nor superior speed would much avail. Professor Rackiron aimed the giant gun
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CHAPTER XLIII. VICTORY.
CHAPTER XLIII. VICTORY.
The enemy, finding we were not disposed to leave Atvatabar, began to move down upon us once more in battle array. The royal fleet consisted of seventy ships, the former thirty having been either sunk or disabled by us. As for ourselves, the hurricane-deck, masts and rigging had been hammered to pieces, but the hull was sound, the sailors enthusiastic, and the terrorite guns unharmed and our spears invincible. As the enemy approached us their ships began to move wider apart, with a view no doubt
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CHAPTER XLIV. THE NEWS OF ATVATABAR IN THE OUTER WORLD.
CHAPTER XLIV. THE NEWS OF ATVATABAR IN THE OUTER WORLD.
The kingdom of Atvatabar lay before us like a continent drawn upon a map, or, rather, upon the interior surface of a sphere or globe, everywhere visible to the naked eye. Its green forests, its impressive mountains, its rushing rivers, its white and many-colored cities, its wide-stretching shores, fringed with the foam of an azure sea, lay before the astonished eyes of our visitors. When within a few miles of the city, Governor Ladalmir, accompanied by Captains Pra and Nototherboc, advanced to m
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CHAPTER XLV. THE VOYAGES OF THE "MERCURY" AND THE "AURORA BOREALIS."
CHAPTER XLV. THE VOYAGES OF THE "MERCURY" AND THE "AURORA BOREALIS."
"It was a most fortunate thing that any of the men could live until they reached civilization," I said, when Captain Adams had finished his reading of Dunbar's story in the paper. "It was solely due to that fact that we are here at present, admiral," replied Captain Adams. "No sooner was the story published than the greatest possible excitement arose both in America and Europe. The United States and Britain felt chagrined that a private citizen had been able to achieve what the greatest nations
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CHAPTER XLVI. THE ARREST OF LYONE.
CHAPTER XLVI. THE ARREST OF LYONE.
While the entertainment was at its height, we were surprised by one of the guards informing us that a messenger had arrived at the fortress from Egyplosis, bearing for me a despatch of the utmost importance from the high priest Hushnoly. We were all excitement at the news, and on opening the despatch, I read as follows: " To His Excellency Lexington White , Lord Admiral of Atvatabar, Greeting : "Your glorious victory over the royal fleet has awakened popular excitement in favor of deposing His M
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CHAPTER XLVII. THE COUNCIL OF WAR IN KIORAM.
CHAPTER XLVII. THE COUNCIL OF WAR IN KIORAM.
The sensation produced by the defeat of the royal fleet, the destruction of forty of the ships, and the defection of the remaining sixty vessels to the cause of Queen Lyone, shook the nation from its centre to circumference. It appeared incredible that one ship could destroy so many well-armed vessels. Our terrorite guns were considered demon powers, and such was the consternation produced by their terrible energy that, were it possible for us to use such weapons in aerial battle, their appearan
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CHAPTER XLVIII. THE REPORT OF ASTRONOMER STARBOTTLE.
CHAPTER XLVIII. THE REPORT OF ASTRONOMER STARBOTTLE.
I congratulated our couriers upon their safe return from a successful expedition. The astronomer made the following report of his journey: "Following our instructions to bear despatches to Egyplosis and Gnaphisthasia, and at the same time make such astronomical and meteorological observations as might be valuable to military operations in Atvatabar, we rose to a considerable height in the air after leaving the Polar King . We were still under the influence of the earth's revolution, moving with
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CHAPTER XLIX. PREPARATION FOR WAR.
CHAPTER XLIX. PREPARATION FOR WAR.
In less than a week, as measured by the time bells of Kioram, the ships began to arrive with troops from various parts of the coast of Atvatabar, bringing volunteers for either branch of the service of her majesty. In ten days one hundred thousand volunteers had arrived, and these were quartered in the city, pending their equipment as wayleals and bockhockids. As might be expected, a great many were deserters from the royal army, and these were of great assistance in organizing the troops, being
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CHAPTER L. I VISIT LYONE IN CALNOGOR.
CHAPTER L. I VISIT LYONE IN CALNOGOR.
I hastily opened the despatch, which read as follows: "His Majesty King Aldemegry Bhoolmakar of Atvatabar wishes to inform His Excellency Lexington White, commander-in-chief of the insurrectionary army mobilized in Kioram, that Her Holiness Lyone, late Goddess of Atvatabar, has been tried before a full conclave of the Borodemy on the charge of sacrilege, apostasy, and insurrection. Her holiness has been found guilty and is now under sentence of death. His majesty, of merciful intent, wishes it t
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CHAPTER LI. THE DEATH OF LYONE.
CHAPTER LI. THE DEATH OF LYONE.
When the ecstasy of our meeting had somewhat subsided I informed Lyone of the dreadful crisis in our affairs. I pointed out that to save her life the king required her army to disband itself, and her leaders to deliver themselves up as rebels and insurrectionists, to receive punishment for their so-called offences. "Now," said I, "notwithstanding the fact that we can defeat the royal army in pitched battle, yet to save your precious life we are willing to surrender ourselves to his majesty." "An
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CHAPTER LII. THE BATTLE OF CALNOGOR.
CHAPTER LII. THE BATTLE OF CALNOGOR.
Long ere we reached Calnogor we discovered the royal army already marshalled to meet us. It lay above the city in globes of wayleals and bockhockids still more prodigious than ours. It was composed of three armies, ranged one above the other, and each army being equal in numbers to our own. Thus, forming a solid parallelogram of amazing magnificence, the royal army awaited our onset. Its bockhockids, formed in ten globes of ten thousand in each, and led by Grasnagallipas, the lord of invention,
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CHAPTER LIII. VICTORY.
CHAPTER LIII. VICTORY.
The wayleals rested and slept outstretched upon the air close to the scene of battle. Not having any weight as regarded external objects, they mutually attracted each other, and to obtain freedom and rest without being crushed together into suffocating masses of men, they were formed into companies of one hundred each, with their feet pressing against solid cylinders of spears. Mutual gravity was sufficient to hold them together, and each wayleal spread himself upon the air, as upon a bed of dow
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CHAPTER LIV. REINCARNATION.
CHAPTER LIV. REINCARNATION.
The grand sorcerer Charka and his guard had with reverend flight borne the body of their goddess Lyone to the palace of souls, mourning the death of their adored, who had been so precious, so beautiful, so holy. The high priestess and the grand sorceress, together with the priests and priestesses of Egyplosis, on hearing of the death of Lyone, departed at once for Egyplosis, to mourn the death of their goddess. Lyone was dead! Ah me! what was triumph then, without my soul of souls to share its d
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CHAPTER LV. LEXINGTON AND LYONE HAILED KING AND QUEEN OF ATVATABAR.
CHAPTER LV. LEXINGTON AND LYONE HAILED KING AND QUEEN OF ATVATABAR.
The extraordinary scenes attending the reincarnation of Lyone had left me, when I returned to my senses, exhausted with emotion. It was gloriously true that she who was the Supreme Goddess, she who had suffered death in the fortress of Calnogor, had been restored to life by the powerful necromancy of the sorcerer and his college of twin-souls. I rushed forward in presence of the entire congregation and embraced in turn the radiant Lyone and the beloved Charka. I took her living figure in my arms
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CHAPTER LVI. OUR RECEPTION IN CALNOGOR.
CHAPTER LVI. OUR RECEPTION IN CALNOGOR.
The royal city of Calnogor never contained such splendor, such importance of historic event, nor such a multitude of people, as on the occasion of the triple event of our marriage, our coronation, and the reception of the distinguished strangers from beyond the Polar Gulf. How shall the glory of that day be described? What occult power must animate the pen that must be at once the stylus of a poet, the brush of a painter, and the wand of a magician, to do justice to the splendid theme? The entir
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CHAPTER LVII. THE COMBINED CEREMONY OF MARRIAGE AND CORONATION.
CHAPTER LVII. THE COMBINED CEREMONY OF MARRIAGE AND CORONATION.
The day of our marriage and coronation as king and queen of Atvatabar at length arrived. The scene in the Bormidophia was of surpassing magnificence. For the first time in history Lyone sat before the throne of the gods not as goddess, but as queen; and I, her compeer, as king sat beside her. Lyone was attired in a loosely-fitting robe of old-ivory silk, over which was an outer network of lace formed of thread of gold, the design being a golden sun on the breast, which, with its long streaming r
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CHAPTER LVIII. THE DEATH OF BHOOLMAKAR.
CHAPTER LVIII. THE DEATH OF BHOOLMAKAR.
General Flathootly, with his command of 10,000 fletyemings, who was ordered to pursue and capture the ex-king Bhoolmakar, returned to Calnogor after a month's absence to report the death of King Bhoolmakar and Koshnili, together with several hundred of their followers, and the capture of several thousand wayleals as prisoners. At a special interview with the general I requested him to report the story of his defeat of the king's troops and the death of the king. "Well, yer majesty," said Flathoo
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