A fishing trip on the planet Mars

In Short

This narrative follows an unnamed narrator who, while fishing on Earth, is suddenly transported to Mars by a magnetic telescope operated by a missing townsman named John Hopkins. On this idyllic, technologically advanced planet, the two men spend their days hunting giant trout with electric rifles and touring a lush, harmonious landscape. Part science-fiction fantasy and part pastoral reverie, the work serves as a gentle critique of Earth’s environmental depletion and social discord, ultimately suggesting that humanity’s greatest hopes for progress are often found in our dreams of unreachable, pristine horizons.

The Story

The story begins on a lazy summer afternoon, with the narrator fishing in a stream on Earth. After a fruitless morning, he sits under a tree and notices a strange flower, which turns out to be a projection from a Martian telescope. As he examines it, he is pulled into the sky and transported to a laboratory on Mars. There, he meets John Hopkins, a former neighbor who vanished from town five years earlier. Hopkins explains that the Martians, eager for news from Earth, use a powerful "telescope and magnet" device to pull people up for brief visits.

Having integrated into Martian society, Hopkins is a former president of the planet and lives a life of domestic bliss with his wife and daughters. He shows the narrator a world where advanced wireless electricity and scientific breeding have eliminated pests, predators, and social inequality—including the successful implementation of equal suffrage. The two men embark on an excursion through the Martian canal system in a motor canoe, armed with "radio rifles" that use electric currents to stun and harvest large fish. Throughout the trip, Hopkins points out the abundance of nature, contrasting the thriving Martian fauna with the extinct passenger pigeons and other species lost on Earth due to human greed.

The narrator is treated to a banquet of local game, including massive trout and tiny bison, and experiences the beauty of a planet where technology and nature exist in perfect balance. After two days, Hopkins prepares to send him back. The narrator returns to Earth, only to discover that his entire adventure was a dream. He wakes as the sun sets, empty-handed and alone by the river. Though he remains in his own world, the experience leaves a lasting impression; as he walks home, he finds himself comparing the beauty of the Earthly sunset to the memories of the Martian skies he saw in his slumber.

How It Unfolds

The sudden departure While fishing on a quiet afternoon, the narrator investigates a peculiar flower that turns out to be a light-based illusion. He is instantly lifted into the sky, losing sight of the Earth as he hurtles toward a distant, mysterious speck.

The Martian welcome The narrator lands in a laboratory on Mars and reunites with a missing neighbor, John Hopkins. Hopkins introduces him to the Martian inventor Astrol and explains the sophisticated magnetic technology used to traverse the vacuum of space.

A utopian tour The men travel to the countryside by airplane to visit Hopkins’ family, where they discuss the planet's social progress and the success of equal suffrage. They enjoy a lavish banquet and plan a fishing expedition for the following morning.

The hunt on the canals Using advanced electric rifles, the two men cruise the crystalline canal system to fish and observe tiny, shaggy bison and dwarf moose. They marvel at the ecological health of the planet, which has successfully preserved species that were long ago destroyed on Earth.

The return to reality The narrator says his goodbyes and is sent back to Earth through the same magnetic process. He awakens by the stream to find he has slept through the afternoon, realizing his journey was a dream, though one that lingers in his mind as he walks home.

The People

The narrator is a humble, everyday person whose curiosity leads him to a profound experience. He serves as a bridge for the reader, reacting with awe to the technological marvels of Mars while grounding the story in his own mundane life on Earth.

John Hopkins is the primary architect of the narrator's experience. Once a missing man from Earth, he has embraced his life on Mars, becoming a former president of the planet. He is a guide, a host, and a proponent of the Martian way of life, which he considers superior to the "game hog" mentality he left behind. He is portrayed as content and purposeful, having found a society that values scientific achievement and ecological responsibility.

Astrol, the "Martian Edison," acts as the silent, brilliant force behind the narrative's central conceit. He remains largely in the background, providing the technical means for the travel between planets, representing the intellect and inventive spirit that sustains the Martian paradise. Together, these figures represent a vision of human potential—one that values harmony, innovation, and a profound respect for the natural world.

In Its Own Voice

“I noticed a strange looking flower about ten feet away from where I was sitting, and I walked over to examine it.”

This moment of discovery marks the narrator’s transition from the familiar riverbank to the unknown.

“The Martians were hungry for news from ‘Mother Earth.’”

Hopkins explains the motivation behind the Martian government’s decision to pluck an unsuspecting human from his fishing trip.

“That’s something that the game hogs killed off on ‘Mother Earth’ long ago.”

Hopkins gestures toward a flock of birds, highlighting the environmental tragedy that the narrator’s home planet has failed to prevent.

What It's Really About

At its core, this story is a lament for the lost natural heritage of Earth. By contrasting the abundance of Mars with the narrator’s empty fishing basket, the book suggests that human shortsightedness—referred to as "game hog" behavior—has permanently damaged our world. The narrative contrasts the "barbarism" of Earthly hunting and ecological destruction with the scientific, sustainable stewardship found on Mars. The planet serves as a mirror, reflecting what humanity could achieve if it prioritized collective welfare, gender equality, and technological integration with nature. It is a quiet plea for preservation, framed within a dream of a world where birds still sing in abundance and the water remains pure.

Why Read It Today

This story is ideal for readers who enjoy early twentieth-century speculative fiction and the "lost" charm of turn-of-the-century dreams. It offers a concise, atmospheric experience that feels like a brief escape into a gentler, more optimistic vision of the future. The tone is warm and conversational, making it easy to digest in a single sitting.

However, readers should be prepared for the specific conventions of the era. The prose reflects the straightforward, somewhat naive style of 1919 magazine fiction, and the dialogue can lean toward the didactic, particularly when Hopkins is explaining Martian societal improvements. While the "equal suffrage" mentioned is a progressive nod for its time, the story’s worldview is firmly rooted in the period’s attitudes. The charm lies not in complex character development or high-stakes drama, but in the vivid, almost hazy imagery of the Martian canals and the narrator’s wistful awakening. It stays with you not because of its scientific accuracy—which is nonexistent—but because of its gentle, lingering melancholy. It is a portrait of a man who, for a few hours, lived in a world where everything was right, only to wake up in a world that is clearly struggling to preserve its own beauty.