So the travellers sailed round Luna and once for all set at rest all disputes by actual observation. It was proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the planet did possess an atmosphere of extreme variableness. On the bright side, towards the edges, or what would be the edges seen from Earth, this atmosphere was extremely transparent, but capable of supporting life as we know it. There were no mists, clouds, or vapour, consequently the sight penetrated through the atmosphere without the softening effect of that delicate and beautiful variety of colour of terrestrial scenery. On the shadow side, the atmosphere was much more dense, and this darker hemisphere was palled in a faint twilight, in which could be seen considerable stretches of morass, peopled by strange beings who became frantically aggressive when the _Regina_ swooped down amongst them in order to land. Gifts were let down from the ship, and every known effort was made to show the inhabitants the friendly spirit of their visitors, but without avail; the self-deluded Lunians worked themselves into rage so violent and impotent as to cause many to become cataleptic. This was repeated at all parts of the surface, so that in kindness to them the _Regina_ sailed round to the sunny side, where she was again seen by the astronomers on Earth, and noted on the bright disc of the full moon, not as a flashing shadow as at her first encircling of the satellite, but this time as a tiny, floating cloud of flittering light and shade and brilliant iridescence, as her bright sides alternately were shaded and then reflected the rays of the sun to Earth in dazzling spots. Having traversed the whole surface of the moon Luna, they then waved this message to Earth,— “We are investigating Luna, and while on the spot we can clear up all those points on which Earth information is at present uncertain. “That surface of Luna which is illumined by the sun is rock, sand, stone and earth, covered in places with rich and beautiful vegetation, both wild and cultivated, but all the trees are small and bush-like, the colour a peculiar russet-brown and gold, which on Earth seems like bare rock or ice; on a few of the highest peaks snow and ice are seen, though not in great quantity. The people on the two sides are entirely different races of beings, but all extremely unfriendly to us, so we are not landing. The atmosphere is exceedingly dry and clear, with no clouds and very little vapour. The ramparts and waterways which we see from Earth are not natural but made by the people, and the quays and locks are now almost generally being constructed and repaired. At present there is little water on the illumined portion, though it seems plentiful on the dark side; there are also many springs, and the people are certainly preparing for a rainy season, or some other source of irrigation; they seem intelligent, and all work proceeds on highly scientific lines.