FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR _Edited by_ CHARLES DIXON. _Illustrated by Captain ARTHUR LAYARD, late R.E._ _LONDON_ BLISS, SANDS AND FOSTER CRAVEN STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1895 [Illustration: "OUR VOYAGE BEGINS AT LAST."] CONTENTS CHAPTER I. WE PREPARE FOR OUR JOURNEY CHAPTER II. WE LEAVE EARTH IN THE "SIRIUS" CHAPTER III. OUR VOYAGE BEYOND THE CLOUDS CHAPTER IV. AWFUL MOMENTS CHAPTER V. THE GLORIES OF THE HEAVENS CHAPTER VI. WE NEAR MARS CHAPTER VII. OUR ARRIVAL AND SAFE DESCENT CHAPTER VIII. A STRANGE WORLD CHAPTER IX. THE MORROW--AND WHAT CAME OF IT CHAPTER X. CAPTIVITY CHAPTER XI. LOVE AND JEALOUSY CHAPTER XII. CONDEMNED TO DIE CHAPTER XIII. THE CRAG REMAGALOTH CHAPTER XIV. ACROSS THE DESERT CHADOS CHAPTER XV. RIVALS MEET AGAIN CHAPTER XVI. VOLINÈ CHAPTER XVII. AT THE TEMPLE ON THE HILL VEROSI CHAPTER XVIII. THE FIGHT FOR VOLINÈ CHAPTER XIX. WEDDED CHAPTER XX. THE LAST WORDS FROM YONDER LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "OUR VOYAGE BEGINS AT LAST" _Frontispiece_ "ALONE IN SPACE" "ITS HUGE SCALY CARCASE" "VOLINÈ" "... THE 'SIRIUS' ... BOLDLY OUTLINED AGAINST THE SKY" "SCORES OF STRANGE BEASTS HURRIED OUT FROM UNDER THEM" INTRODUCTION The narrative contained in the papers which are given to the world in this book, is of so marvellous a character as to have made me long hesitate before venturing on their publication. Even now I do so in the full expectation of scorn and unbelief. I owe it to the world to state exactly how these papers came into my hands. That done, I must leave it to their own appearance of truth to command belief. The year before last, I was travelling through Northern Africa on a scientific expedition. It was early in the month of May that I reached the northern confines of the Great Desert, amongst the feathery palm-groves in the delicious oasis of Biskra. I had started one day, with the first streak of dawn, upon a short expedition into the desert. My two Arab followers were anxious to cover as much distance as possible before the heat of the sun became oppressive. It was about ten o'clock before we halted for breakfast, and the oasis of Biskra looked but a black spot on the northern horizon. The heavens up to now were an intensely brilliant blue, but a dark cloud far away over the distant desert could be seen rapidly increasing in size.