“Geologists have partially examined the Marsian crust to a certain depth, the same as you have examined the earth’s crust, but more minutely and more thoroughly. Fossils (animal and vegetable remains imbedded in the rock formation of the earth’s crust) of various kinds are found in this rock formation composing the crust. Remains of the most lowly organized plants and animals are found in the lowest strata, and as we ascend the fossils become more and more complex. And the present generation of organic beings living on the surface of Mars, or on the surface of the earth, are more complex and more highly developed than any fossil remains that have ever been buried on the respective planets. “The preceding consideration shows that the fossils testify to the fact that there has been a slow, but gradual development during the almost immeasurable eons of time that were required for the formation of these sedimentary strata that contain the precious ‘Revolution written by the finger of Time on the Rock of Ages, and by the ink of Death.’” “What a long, long time must have been required to produce such changes as you speak of. Have you any idea, Mr. Midith, how long the Marsian crust was in forming?” asked Viola. “It is not finished yet,” said Mr. Midith. “It is still forming the same as ever. The crust is growing thicker every moment by internal cooling and by external accretion of meteoric dust, etc., and fossils of the present time are now being buried the same as they were during all preceding geologic ages. “Let us, in a few thoughts, endeavor to travel back from the present to that primitive time, when nature imbedded the first organic remains in the then forming strata. The proportion of water area to the land was much greater then than it is at present. There were no high mountains, because the solid crust was thin, and the doubling or folding up of a thin crust can not produce a high fold, or mountain, and, therefore, the Marsian crust, or surface, was at this primitive beginning not so much diversified by mountains and depressions as it is at present. It was more nearly spherical, and hence all, or nearly all, covered with water; and what applies to Mars’ crust undoubtedly applies, under similar conditions, equally to the surface of all other planets. “Igneous rocks, as you know, are produced by the gradual cooling of the heated matter of a planet, moon, or sun. They are formed next to the internal fire, and can, therefore, contain no fossils. Before fossils could be imbedded, igneous rocks had to be slowly disintegrated by the action of heat and cold, wind and wave, rain and drought, and other atmospheric phenomena. Clay, soil, sand, etc., is nothing but a pulverized igneous rock.