In no other way could the even rows and uniform
growth be explained; even though Van Emmon could not say whether the
vegetation were tree, shrub, or plant, it was certainly the work of man
--or something mightily like man.
Shortly he experienced an abrupt downward dive, such as upset his senses
somewhat. When he recovered, he had time for only the swiftest glance at
what, he thought rather vaguely, was a great green-clad mountain. Then
his agent brought the craft to one of those nerve-racking stops; once
more came a swimming of the brain, and then the geologist saw something
that challenged his understanding.
The craft had landed on the rim of a deep pit, or what would have been
called a pit if it had not been so extraordinary. Mainly the strangeness
was a matter of color; the slope was of a brilliant orange, and
seemingly covered with frost, for it sparkled so brightly in the sun as
to actually hurt the eyes. In fact, the geologist's first thought was "A
glacier," although he could not conceive of ice or snow of that tint.
Running down the sides of the pit were a number of dark-brown streaks,
about a yard wide; Van Emmon could make them out, more or less clearly,
on the other side of the pit as well.
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