On resting in its atmosphere, they obtained samples, to find it contained constituents unknown on Earth, and every sample analysed by Earth-methods exploded, and so seriously as to destroy much of the glass apparatus in the laboratory. Although it was evident human beings could not exist there, in response to the general desire to explore, the good ship sank through the atmosphere and hovered about one hundred feet over the ground, the occupants searching for signs of inhabitants. As far as their eyes could reach, to the distant horizon, the surface of the globe was covered with water, and numerous islands, on which were some fine animals not unlike the now almost extinct horses of Earth, but with the spreading, palmated antlers of the elk, or moose. After the first momentary start of surprise, the animals took no notice of the great ship overhead, but continued their playing in total unconcern. “If animals like these can breathe the atmosphere, we should be able to do so,” said Farrant. “I fear not,” said Gilbert, “the composition is such as we have no means of ascertaining without considerable research, but we can try it on the birds.” All watched as some of the air was collected and one of the sun-birds was about to be put in, when it was deemed to be too precious to experiment with, so Reeve called up his dog and tried to put his head in the receiver, but the dog only thought it a joke and barked furiously; however, when Reeve dropped a biscuit in the jar and suddenly released the cap, Dick fetched out his biscuit and ran off with it to one of the softest rugs, where he could get a good grip and make a litter of crumbs. Though much of the air in the receiver must have mixed with that in the ship, there could not have been anything harmful in it, or Dick would not have tried it, for he was very careful and left experimenting to other dogs, and then he would fight for the prize, or, more generally, cause others to do so, snatching it away while they were busy, for he was a terrier and a born diplomatist. The air doing Dick no harm, they concluded it would be breathable by them, though to guard against danger, the large door was thrown open and quickly closed, but they only felt a slight draught, the air itself being undistinguishable from that in the vessel. The doors were then flung wide open and the occupants stepped on the outer deck. “I should like a run on one of those things,” said Ingle. “Shall we get down? We can’t do wrong, because they are on that small island.”