The Holes Around Mars

In Short

This story follows the crew of the first expedition to Mars as they encounter a bizarre geological mystery: perfect four-inch holes bored with impossible precision through rocks, cacti, and entire mountain ranges. As the crew tracks the line of these tunnels, they discover the phenomenon is not a relic of the past, but an active, ongoing danger. The narrative is a sharp blend of planetary exploration and scientific puzzle-solving, earning its place in the science fiction canon for its clever, unsettling premise and its lighthearted, conversational tone.

The Story

The story opens on the Martian surface, where mission commander Hugh Allenby trips over a rock and discovers a perfectly round, four-inch-wide hole carved through it. The crew, initially skeptical, soon finds a matching hole in a nearby cactus. Mineralogist Peters and the rest of the team observe that the holes are not drilled or melted but appear to be the result of a high-speed, repetitive impact. As they follow the trajectory across the desert, they find the line continues through boulders and hills for miles. The crew experiences a moment of genuine terror when they realize their own ship is parked directly in the path of this mystery.

Relocating to a “canal” area, the crew continues their investigation. Peters eventually discovers a fresh, shallow groove in the dirt that widens and deepens until it becomes a perfect tunnel. Realizing the holes form a massive, straight-line orbit spanning at least half the planet, they decide to investigate a nearby Martian village, hoping the inhabitants might shed light on the phenomenon.

They find a community of small, spindly Martians who live in dome-shaped houses with external ramps. The crew observes the villagers behaving with extreme caution, carefully crawling or avoiding the center of their main street at specific times. When the crew attempts to cross the area, a Martian chief desperately tries to stop them. Suddenly, a blast of displaced air and sand erupts through the street with a deafening “whoosh,” confirming the existence of a high-velocity object traveling through the path.

Back in the safety of their ship, Allenby communicates their findings to Earth. He explains that the "object" is a small, four-inch-wide body moving at a velocity that allows it to punch through matter, though it has slowed over time. The "holes" are essentially the orbital track of a third moon of Mars. The story concludes with Allenby, ever the joker, officially naming this celestial body "Bottomos," a characteristic pun that leaves his weary crew shuddering at the absurdity of their discovery.

How It Unfolds

The discovery of the anomaly Allenby trips during the initial landing and discovers a perfectly bored hole in a rock. The crew debates whether the feature is religious or utilitarian, but they cannot ignore the geometric perfection of the tunnel.

Tracking the path The team identifies a series of holes in cacti and boulders that align with a mathematical precision that defies natural geology. They realize the holes are not isolated incidents but a continuous line stretching across the desert.

The hazard revealed While exploring a distant canal, the team discovers a groove in the sand that evolves into a tunnel, proving the process is still ongoing. They follow the line until it spans halfway across the planet, confirming it is an orbital phenomenon.

Contact with the Martians The crew discovers a village where the inhabitants have built their lives around this invisible path. After being warned away by a chief using a sundial, the crew witnesses a massive eruption of sand that reveals the high-speed object.

Naming the moon Allenby reports the reality of the discovery to Earth: the hole-maker is a tiny, high-velocity third moon of Mars. He concludes his report with a final, groan-worthy pun by naming the celestial body "Bottomos."

The People

Hugh Allenby serves as the expedition commander. Though he is an astronomer by trade, he is defined by his incessant, "irritating" puns, which the crew attempts to ignore. He remains the steady hand during crises, ultimately using his scientific background to interpret the data.

Peters, the narrator and mineralogist, acts as the primary observer. He is the one who discovers the "groove" that explains how the holes are formed, serving as the crew's eyes when the others are distracted by their own specialties.

Burton, the pilot, is a man of "long bones and caution." He is vital for the survival of the crew, particularly when he maneuvers the ship to safety. Janus, the photographer, is the most jumpy of the group, often defaulting to the belief that the mystery is of a "religious" or "sacred" nature, reflecting the crew’s human need to find meaning in the inexplicable.

Randolph, the biologist, and Gonzales, the botanist, provide the scientific backbone of the team. They are often the most frustrated by the mystery, as it defies every biological and geological rule they know. They represent the rational mind struggling to comprehend a "mathematical monstrosity."

In Its Own Voice

The narrator reflects on the initial confusion of the crew when faced with the first hole:

"Well, I'll be damned," said Janus, our photographer. "A hole."

Allenby attempts to explain the impossible nature of the phenomenon to a skeptical Earth command:

"Evidently," he said, "when the body was formed, it traveled at such fantastic velocity as to enable it to ... punch holes in things."

Allenby finally settles on his irreverent name for the newly discovered third moon:

"Inasmuch as Mars' outermost moon is called Deimos, and the next Phobos," he said, "I think I shall name the third moon of Mars--Bottomos."

What It's Really About

The central theme is the confrontation between human reason and a reality that is fundamentally alien. The crew spends the entire story trying to categorize the holes as religious, military, or geological, only to find that the truth—a tiny, invisible moon acting as a planetary drill—is far more bizarre than any of their theories. It explores the idea that nature is not always intuitive; sometimes, the universe operates on physical laws that are "mathematical monstrosities" that defy human categorization. The story challenges the reader to accept that scientific discovery can be both groundbreaking and fundamentally absurd, suggesting that the universe is under no obligation to be sensible or tidy for our benefit.

Why Read It Today

This story is a rewarding read for those who enjoy "Golden Age" science fiction—a genre that prioritizes the logic of a puzzle over intricate character development. It captures the specific, mid-century thrill of imagining Mars as a place of wonder, filled with strange canals and alien secrets. The prose is brisk and conversational, making it an excellent choice for a reader who wants a complete, thought-provoking narrative in a single sitting.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-typical, "all-male" expedition dynamic. The characters fit into the "expert" archetypes common to 1950s science fiction, and the dialogue is heavily reliant on the banter of the era. The humor, specifically Allenby’s relentless punning, is a deliberate, central character trait that is meant to be annoying; whether you find it endearing or grating will likely define your experience. If you appreciate a story that treats the "impossible" with a mix of rigorous, step-by-step investigation and dry wit, this will stay with you long after the final page. It is a quintessential example of how the best science fiction often succeeds by asking a single, brilliant "what if" and refusing to blink until the answer—no matter how strange—is revealed.