“I saw a regiment of the six legged men drilling once. They were marshaled on a large plain in two ranks, and rolled backward and forward fast or slow according to command with great precision. They then were commanded to load and advance. Around the body in the spaces between the limbs they had artificial leathern pouches in which they carried their ammunition. When they received the command to load they took out of these pouches six stones one for each hand, and they advanced with them clasped between their stumpy fingers. Then they were commanded to double quick and discharge, upon which they advanced at terrific speed and at a given signal let fly the stones one after another as the hand containing it came to the proper position for the most effective throw. The centrifugal force they acquired from the long revolving arms sent them with tremendous force, some going at least a mile. In real war they used cast iron bullets. They have plenty of iron on Mars and our folks taught them how to smelt and work it. The regiment then charged up to a hand to hand encounter with an imaginary enemy. In this charge they were armed with a heavy circular iron disc in each hand, the disc having a handle on the back side by which it was held. Then they charged with terrific fury the discs flying around like lightning, chopping into mince meat, (in imagination) any enemy that dared stand before them. “The government is a despotism, the king having about the same authority as the emperor of Russia, although he has a council of state whose advice he listens to, and then does as he pleases. Since the subjugation of the five legged race this king is the supreme ruler of the whole planet. In some districts the people have made considerable advances in civilization, confining themselves to the use of two legs, and walking sidewise instead of rolling edgewise. But the king does not want all his subjects to adopt these innovations, for he is very proud of his soldiers and thinks them more efficient on six legs then two. Besides, for certain kinds of labor, especially drawing wagons and carriages, the old way is the best.” “Why don’t they use horses,” I inquired, “or haven’t they any?” “There are no such animals on Mars, nor in fact any other sort of animals except radiates. There are many genera of these, mostly living in the water and all small, except the dominant race, which I call the Martians.