CHAPTER VII.

CARING FOR THE SICK--NEW METHODS OF TREATMENT--NOT PHYSICIANS BUT NURSES--NO MEDICINES--A RAPID RECOVERY--A VOYAGE THROUGH THE AIR--WONDERFUL OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS WHICH REVEAL A PANORAMA OF THE WORLD--ARRIVAL IN ALTRURIA--MARVELOUS IMPROVEMENTS--DRUDGERY AND POVERTY BOTH ABOLISHED.

CAPTAIN Ganoe and myself took passage with MacNair and Iola. For the first time, we had embarked upon an airship. I had witnessed many balloon ascensions and had read much in regard to various contrivances for navigating the air, all of which had been failures. But here was a success, and I was on the alert to learn everything possible, in regard to the mechanical principles involved.

We found ourselves in an elegantly furnished cabin, but we saw no signs of machinery. Everything in sight seemed to be arranged for the especial comfort and convenience of the passengers. The view in all directions, through transparent sections, was unobstructed, but the sections could be readily shaded, or the light shut out entirely as the occupants might desire.

In the center was a table of exquisite design and workmanship, on which were various optical instruments for the use of the occupants, and also an electric keyboard connected with the hull which was elevated about thirty inches above the floor upon which it rested.

The shape of the hull in which I concluded that the motor power was placed seemed to be adapted to the navigation of the water as well as the air and in answer to our inquiries MacNair informed us that it could readily be converted into either a water craft or land carriage. The ordinary propelling power consisted of an ingenious combination of wings shaped like those of an insect, but when extraordinary speed was required there was a rudder-like appendage, similar to the tail of a fish, that was shot out from the hull. These were operated by electricity and appropriate mechanical contrivances. He further explained that the power of levitation, or rising in the air, did not depend entirely upon the wings, but, that by a discovery in magnetism, the vessel was rendered positive to the earth so that they mutually repelled each other.

When all was ready, MacNair touched a button on the keyboard, and at once our aerial conveyance became instinct with life. Its broad wings that had been neatly folded, as it alighted upon the deck, now extended out like the pinions of some mighty bird, there was a slight whirring noise beneath our feet, and we began to ascend, moving as it were forward, around a spiral incline.

As we circled around and arose to a place among the fleet which had hovered over us, we had a full view of the ample preparations which our deliverers had made for our rescue. On some of the ships we noticed cables and powerful dynamos. These vessels were as unlike the light and airy passenger boat on which we were embarked, as the ponderous freight train is unlike the lightning express. They had evidently come prepared to take charge of the Ice King as well as the crew.

Polaris, Dione, Battell and Huston had embarked, and ascended a short distance, as if to be in a good position to give directions. The hospital attendants were carrying the afflicted sailors on board the Relief ship, on stretchers, with the exception of Pat O'Brien, who was getting around as lively as if there never had been anything the matter with him, and Mike seemed to be trying to keep him still. We were surprised at what seemed to be such a wonderful recovery, and MacNair, noticing the intense interest we were taking in what was transpiring on the Ice King, asked:

"What is the matter? Anything going wrong?"

"Nothing wrong," replied Captain Ganoe, "but something strange. Do you see that herculean sailor rushing around down there and evidently making himself useful in caring for his comrades?"

"Well, what of that?" asked MacNair.

"Only this," said the Captain, "a few hours ago he was confined to his bed with a severe attack of rheumatism and now he seems the personification of health and vigor. Can you explain the change in his case while the others are still helpless?"

"Perhaps his rheumatic attack had actually run its course, but still remained to trouble him as the result of the impression that had been made upon his mind. If that is the case, then he only needed a mental suggestion, to remove the rheumatic impression which had fastened itself upon him."

"That is a queer view to take of the matter," said the Captain, "yet there may be something in it. But why are the others still helpless? Why would not mental suggestion have the same effect on them?"

"I do not understand the particulars in regard to their condition, and hence, am not qualified to offer an opinion. It may be that the disease in them had worked some organic change that was not so easy to overcome, or, it may be that the suggestion that removed the pain put them to sleep. I see they are apparently sleeping soundly."

"I hope their sleep may be a favorable indication," said the Captain. "I do not," he continued, "understand this strange disease which seems to single out the most robust and powerful. Can you explain it to me?"

"The atmosphere of this inner world," interposed Iola, "is highly stimulating, and it requires much active exercise to provide an outlet for the surplus energy that is generated. You were becalmed. Your sailors had nothing to do but to rest when they were not tired. The energy was created and it must be expended. Mental activity would have accomplished this, and their health would have been improved. But failing in this, it took the form of fever and acute pains. The best, in fact, the only efficient safeguard from disease, situated as you were, is to be found in mental activity."

"You certainly do not mean to say that mentally active people are not liable to get sick in this inner world?" remarked the Captain.

"Nothing of the kind," said Iola. "But I will say this, that all other conditions being equal, mentally active people are not in as much danger, provided they think healthy thoughts. If they think disease and fear the worst, they will be even more liable than others to get just what they think. But if the active mind is trained to exercise its power to preserve the health of the body, there is no danger from disease."

"This is a strange doctrine," said the Captain, "and one that I am anxious to know more about, but that must be learned further on, I suppose, as MacNair says."

We had been rising slowly until we had now attained a great height and MacNair interrupted the discussion of mental suggestion by saying:

"We have designedly ascended to a greater height than usual, so as to be above the more humid atmosphere. This will give you a better opportunity to make observations."

"But what observations can we make," I asked, "that could not be made from the surface? When I became satisfied from seeing the sun shining through the southern verge, that we had passed into an inner world, I expected with the telescope, to be able to scan every part of the surface, but I found that I was seemingly as far from being able to do so, as when I was in the outer world. Can you explain to me why I cannot turn my glass to the zenith and see the opposite side of the concave?"

"There can be but one reason," said MacNair, with a merry twinkle in his eyes. "The gaseous contents of the concave must be opaque to your vision."

"Well, well," I said laughing, "I found that out without your assistance, and I am not going to let you dodge the question by a play on words. What I want to know is, why these gaseous contents at the center, are opaque while the air at the surface is not?"

"Well I see," said MacNair, "that you are determined to compel me to reveal how little I know. The scientists of the early ages evolved the theory that the center of the concave is a gaseous globe composed of the very lightest materials which they knew by actual experience to be opaque to their vision."

"But why," I asked, "is it that this concave sphere does not shut off the light from the sun?"

"Because," said MacNair, "this opaque sphere is above our line of vision,--our position on the surface, being twelve degrees below the verges. Besides this, the central opaque sphere is conceived to be flattened at the poles and bulged at the equator, and some have contended that it is also hollow like the earth. But for this opaque sphere our nights would be as light as day by the reflection from the hemisphere above."

"I have thought of that," I replied, "and still I have so much wished that the opposite hemisphere could be seen with the telescope."

"Well, that is precisely what you will be able to do from this airship," said MacNair.

"How so?" I asked. "We certainly cannot rise above the opaque sphere, and if we could, and got a clear view of the opposite hemisphere, that would not be seeing from one side of the concave to the other."

"Not that surely," said MacNair, "but scientists knowing that magnetic currents often pass more readily through opaque than transparent substances, began to search for rays of this kind that would pass through dark bodies and be reflected by substances beyond. At last they succeeded in securing a photograph through wood and metal, and then, all that was required in order to enable us to see through opaque matter, was an optical instrument that would cast the reflection on the retina of the eye. This, in the course of time, was accomplished. And now, these wonderful discoveries are used by the medical profession, in order to enable them to look into the bodies of their patients and examine the internal organs. And, these electro-magnetic optical instruments have been so improved that they are in general use, in observations where opaque bodies obstruct the view."

"And do you tell me this as sober truth?" I asked.

"Certainly," responded MacNair, "I propose to give you a practical demonstration. You discovered that the space between us and the zenith was opaque to your vision. Now, take these glasses and adjust them to your eyes and look through those semi-transparent sections, which are like a lace-work of tubes. The penetrating power of these glasses, you see, can be increased or decreased by moving this slide. They enable you to use the magnetic rays which pass through all substances for the purpose of vision."

We followed his directions and the first glance gave us an ocular demonstration that the surface was concave. "Now," continued MacNair, "in order to get the best idea of the leading geographical outlines of this inner world, I want you to examine with your glasses a zone from the horizon in front of us, through the zenith to the horizon behind us. We are now moving on an airline for your future home in Altruria. Our course is a little south of west and the distance about one thousand miles. We are now very near the center of the Oscan ocean. East of us is the continent of Atlan. So, a zone, extending through the zenith along the line on which we are moving will pass through the equatorial belt, and give you a clear concept of the great centers of population and material improvement. This is the most important part of the world for you to study for the present, and until you learn the language and mingle with the people, you must depend upon your eyes as the chief source of information."

We were now moving at great speed and the sensations were most exhilarating. Looking out over the bow we beheld the horizon of water and raising our glasses as we had been directed, at an elevation of about twenty degrees, the coast line of a continent came into view. And still elevating our glasses, we rapidly passed in review a wonderful panorama of flowing rivers, cultivated fields, tangled wildwood, and lofty mountain chains until at an elevation of about forty-five degrees, we beheld the western coast line of the Altrurian continent. At the zenith, we saw the Umbrian ocean, and further down, and directly opposite to Altruria, the continent of Atlan, suspended, as it were, in the eastern sky like a map. Looking toward the north, and some ten or twelve degrees above the horizon, was the barren island on which we had landed.

We were so engrossed with our observations in a world where we could take a bird's eye view of any part of it, that we did not care to continue the conversation in which we had become so intensely interested. The continent which we were approaching, looked through our glasses like a vast concave picture of a most lovely country suspended above the horizon, and covering almost the entire western sky. But when we looked through our ordinary glasses, the general appearance was not materially different from what it would have been in the outer world. I could but wonder at this marvelous discovery, which had enabled the inventor to construct instruments that converted opaque rays into rays of light, and I could not help thinking, what a restraint the general use of such wonderful optical instruments would be upon evil doers. Nothing could be hidden from those who cared to investigate.

While my thoughts wandered into other channels, my gaze was riveted upon the wonderful panorama presented to our view. I noted that the divisions between land and water were strikingly similar to the physical geography of the outer world, except in this, that the land surface of the inner world on the line of the equator seemed to correspond very closely with the water surface of the outer world, though on a much smaller scale. The clear weather prevailing in the western hemisphere gave us a splendid view of the continent of Altruria. In a few localities dense masses of clouds obscured, but did not entirely shut out the view; and on the whole we got a clear concept of the topography of the country.

A lofty mountain chain extended from the north to the south, and many long rivers flowed from the mountains into the ocean on either side. Large areas of the surface seemed to be highly cultivated, and even in the mountains, palatial buildings were brought into view by the higher powers of our telescopes. Boats plowed along the rivers and on the lakes, and the entire country seemed to be a network of railroads, while airships appeared like specks in the field of our vision, flitting here and there and speeding in every direction.

But the most singular feature which attracted our attention, was, that notwithstanding all the evidences of a highly cultivated country and the most active traffic and trade between the different sections, we nowhere discovered any indications of great cities; and while what appeared to be extensive manufacturing establishments existed in numerous localities, and the harbors along the shore lines were filled with shipping, nowhere did we see vast clouds of smoke such as vitiate the atmosphere in the large cities and manufacturing districts of the outer world.

We were so taken up with what we could see, that we had no inclination to withdraw our attention from this wonderful panorama, to ask for many explanations of minor details. We now had a view of an entire continent and were disposed to make the most of the opportunity. It was doubtless highly civilized, and had its libraries filled with historical, scientific, sociological and ethical works that would, in time, reveal to us all that was worth knowing. As MacNair had said, we must use our eyes as our chief source of information, until we had acquired the language and familiarized ourselves with the daily life and usages of the people.

We were now nearing the continent and MacNair reduced our speed so as to give us time to make our observations more in detail. The general direction of the coast was north and south for some hundreds of miles. Along the mainland, capes and promontories were numerous, while running parallel therewith was a chain of islands, forming a continuous series of bays which in the outer world would have been of inestimable value as harbors.

One long island, lying parallel with the coast immediately before us, particularly attracted our attention. It seemed to be some twenty-five or thirty miles in length, and lay like an elevated ridge, between two promontories which extended out from the mainland at either extremity, from which it was separated by narrow channels. This formed a magnificent bay which contained a number of smaller islands that divided the bay into a series of land-locked harbors.

The Cocytas river, to which our attention had been called, flowing from the mountains in the northwest, entered this bay at its northern extremity, through two outlets about five miles apart. Between these outlets was a triangular island about fifteen miles in length. The north bank of the northern outlet was a promontory which extended out from the mainland, to within a few hundred feet of the northern extremity of the island which separated the waters of the bay from the ocean.

As we neared the coast, what had seemed to be a huge smokestack on the point of the promontory that constituted the southern shore-line of the bay, was revealed to our vision as a colossal tower, that in its general appearance, was an exact duplicate of the strange tower we had passed at the northern verge, at the point where we had escaped from the ice. The material used, the style of architecture, and everything about it indicated that it was erected by the same people and for the same purpose.

We had now been speeding forward in a straight line for five hours. We had covered fully 1,000 miles, and MacNair assured us that we had been traveling slowly, in order to give us an opportunity to study the topography of the country, as a whole, from an advantageous position, at an average height of about four miles, though at times we had ascended to higher altitudes, as Iola suggested, to so train our lungs to an attenuated atmosphere, that we would experience less discomfort from the lofty aerial flights we were destined to make.

MacNair now called our especial attention to the region of country we were approaching. It was an agricultural district, and, evidently, in a high state of cultivation. It looked like a vast prairie farm, regularly laid out, in the shape of a parallelogram, extending from east to west about thirty miles, and from south to north about fifteen miles. Magnificent buildings appeared at regular intervals, surrounded by beautiful grounds, and connected by broad boulevards, reaching from one end to the other, and crossed by elevated roads at regular intervals. On these magnificent highways, splendid carriages were rolling, but no horses were in sight. Electric cars were continuously moving both ways between these houses, the north and south lines being elevated.

Airships of all sizes and designs, seemed to be ubiquitous, and were moving in every direction. Children amused themselves on the shaded lawns that bordered the boulevards, and in the flower gardens of the highly ornamented grounds around the palatial buildings which appeared in every direction. While this district seemed to be distinctively agricultural, much of the surface was given up to parks, shaded driveways, miniature rivers, artificial lakes, fountains, ornamental gardens and orchards.

The lands devoted to cultivation, were laid off into rectilinear fields running the entire length of the district, thus securing a saving of labor that could not have been accomplished in any other manner. From one end to the other of these long fields, monster machines were moving, operated by electricity, and completing their work as they went. One machine to which MacNair directed our especial attention, was a combined breaking plow, seeder and roller. It was moving at a rapid rate, and leaving behind it a strip, fifty feet in width, thoroughly pulverized, seeded and rolled. The operator occupied a comfortably furnished cab, and directed the progress of the machine by what we were told was a delicately arranged electric keyboard on a table before him.

Everywhere within the range of our vision was presented a scene of industrial activity, and yet comparatively few appeared to be engaged in actual labor. The major portion of the population seemed to be out enjoying a holiday. So impressed was Captain Ganoe with this appearance, that he asked if it was some special festival occasion.

"Not at all," said MacNair. "This scene of recreation and enjoyment is of every day occurrence. The people of this inner world have learned that it takes very little physical labor to provide an abundance of every article of necessity, comfort and luxury for the whole people. They have discovered how to control the great forces of nature and the machine has taken the place of human muscle."

"But," said the Captain, "does not that throw the great masses of the people out of employment, and place them at the mercy of the people who own the machines and the land?"

"It certainly does," answered MacNair. "It deprives all persons of toilsome drudgery, and places them absolutely at the mercy of the people who own the machines and the land. But this is just what they want, because these same people who are deprived of employment, own both the land and the machinery of production and distribution. Hence, they are enabled to enjoy a perpetual holiday. The amount of work to be done, is a much coveted task, as it provides necessary exercise, and from the fact that it is useful and contributes to the commonweal, it is ennobling. The people of this country are too wise to permit the private ownership of land and the means of production, and thus deprive themselves of the abundance, that can be provided for all by the intelligent application of human labor to those natural resources which exceed in productiveness all the demand that can be made upon them.

"But here we are," continued MacNair, "over the land, and now we will loiter along, so you can study the immediate neighborhood in which you will have your home until you want to make a change. These magnificent buildings are communal homes, and this is a communal agricultural district. I am engaged here as a teacher of English, and it has been thought best to bring you here, because quite a number of people are learning to speak our language. It will therefore be more agreeable to you until you have learned to speak the language of Altruria, which has long been universal throughout the inner world. But this will not take you long, and then your services will be in demand as a teacher. The people are anxious to learn all that can be discovered concerning the outer world."

This country is divided into numerous districts which are numbered from north to south. This is District No. 1, Range No. 1, west. This range line corresponds with longitude 180°. These longitudinal lines are numbered east and west just as they are in the outer world, but as the circle is smaller, the distance between the lines is proportionally less.

"The tower which you were examining so closely as we came to land, is the point from which longitude is calculated. It stands on the equator, and the north and south verges are said to have been marked on the same longitude by similar towers, in ancient times, before communication between the inner and outer worlds was closed by the great ice age, and floods which are said to have submerged all the lower lands. Some regard these traditions as mythical, but many of the ablest scholars accept them as the fragments of authentic history which were saved from some great cataclysm."

"Then," said Captain Ganoe, "it will doubtless be interesting to these people to learn, that our log book confirms the truth of these traditions. At the point where we escaped from the ice was a stupendous tower situated on a point of land, and it was in latitude 85° north, longitude 180° west. So from this it seems that we are now situated directly under the Pacific Ocean."

"This indeed will be welcome news to the people of the inner world," said MacNair. "Numerous expeditions have been sent to discover these towers, but thus far, they have either perished, or have been driven back by the cold and storms of the icy verges. Our ancient histories record, that, from the top of these towers, the philosophers made note of some wonderful appearances in the heavens which threatened the race with destruction. Oqua, who is at the head of our district schools will indeed be glad to converse with you on this subject. She has been an enthusiastic patron of polar expeditions, believing that the discovery of these towers would confirm much in the history of the world that has been regarded as mythical. It was the first of these expeditions to use the airship, that rescued me. The only important discovery made was that while the airships are all the most enthusiastic expected in these medial latitudes where storms are unknown, they are not equal to the task of penetrating the icy verges."