Not one hundred yards distant was the mighty gateway of a city. The towers upon either side rose to a height of fully one hundred feet. The wall was high, massive and thick. But it was time cracked and tumbling and decayed. It required but a glance, however, to detect the evidences of former magnificence and grandeur. ‪“Hurrah!” shouted young Buckden, completely beside himself. ‪“At last we have found the city of Mazendla.” All was excitement and our explorers could hardly contain themselves. Frank steered the Steam Man straight for the gateway and passed through it. Before them stretched the wide street of the city. It was fully two hundred feet wide. Upon either side rose high buildings and all in a state of decay. The wide street, which seemed to extend for miles through this mammoth city, was paved with blocks of a species of sandstone. Between the stones grass had grown up, and in places trees had attained a great height. Palms grew and flourished upon the roofs of many of the buildings, and everywhere clinging vines bedecked the ruins. It was a wonderful sight, and one which our adventurers never forgot. The sight of this wonderful city of ruins awoke many strange thoughts and sentiments in the breasts of all. The one question occurred to each: What manner of people had built this wonderful city, how many centuries ago, and what had become of them? How long had it been since the feet of human beings had trod these streets? It must have been many centuries previous, as the appearance of the buildings would proclaim that they had not been erected in very recent times. All this must remain a mystery. One day a powerful race had here flourished, enlightened, civilized, and certainly intellectual. Now nothing remained of them but a few crumbling palaces. It was a wonderful thing to ponder upon. Indeed, the more one studied upon it the more befogged one became. What had carried off this vast nation of people? Was it a pestilence, or a war of extermination, or had their seed by some strange fate exhausted itself and they became extinct as the dodo or the megatherium, or any other antediluvian animal? There was nothing at hand to answer this question, and there seemed no other way but to accept it as a mystery never to be solved. The Steam Man jogged leisurely along the broad street. The occupants of the wagon gazed with wonder upon the stupendous piles upon either side. Suddenly Barney gave an exclamation and picked up his rifle. From one of the buildings a spotted leopard had leaped. The pretty creature crouched for a moment in the Steam Man’s path, snarling and defiant. “Begorra, ain’t he a beauty?” cried Barney, eulogistically. “Shure, I’m goin’ to have the skin of the baste.” So without a moment’s hesitation the Celt drew aim and fired. The leopard gave a quick, sharp yelp of pain, leaped in the air and fell dead. The bullet had sped true to the mark. Barney was a dead shot.