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under power; as it was we had to buck the combined forces in order to hold our
position at all. We came up to within twenty-five feet of the sheer wall, which
loomed high above us. There was no break in its forbidding face. As we watched
the face of the waters and searched the cliff's high face, Olson suggested that the
fresh water might come from a submarine geyser. This, he said, would account
for its heat; but even as he spoke a bush, covered thickly with leaves and flowers,
bubbled to the surface and floated off astern.
"
Flowering shrubs don't thrive in the subterranean caverns from which geysers
spring," suggested Bradley.
Olson shook his head. "It beats me," he said.
"I've got it!" I exclaimed suddenly. "Look there!" And I pointed at the base of the
cliff ahead of us, which the receding tide was gradually exposing to our view.
They all looked, and all saw what I had seen--the top of a dark opening in the
rock, through which water was pouring out into the sea. "It's the subterranean
channel of an inland river," I cried. "It flows through a land covered with
vegetation--and therefore a land upon which the sun shines. No subterranean
caverns produce any order of plant life even remotely resembling what we have
seen disgorged by this river. Beyond those cliffs lie fertile lands and fresh water--
perhaps, game!"
"Yis, sir," said Olson, "behoind the cliffs! Ye spoke a true word, sir--behoind!"
Bradley laughed--a rather sorry laugh, though. "You might as well call our
attention to the fact, sir," he said, "that science has indicated that there is fresh
water and vegetation on Mars."
"Not at all," I rejoined. "A U-boat isn't constructed to navigate space, but it is
designed to travel below the surface of the water."
"You'd be after sailin' into that blank pocket?" asked Olson.
"
I would, Olson," I replied. "We haven't one chance for life in a hundred thousand
if we don't find food and water upon Caprona. This water coming out of the cliff is
not salt; but neither is it fit to drink, though each of us has drunk. It is fair to
assume that inland the river is fed by pure streams, that there are fruits and
herbs and game. Shall we lie out here and die of thirst and starvation with a land
of plenty possibly only a few hundred yards away? We have the means for
navigating a subterranean river. Are we too cowardly to utilize this means?"
"Be afther goin' to it," said Olson.
"I'm willing to see it through," agreed Bradley.
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