Part 1, Chapter 3

I have been thus explicit in detailing the circumstances of my entrance into the land of Mizora, or, in other words, the interior of the earth, lest some incredulous person might doubt the veracity of this narrative.

I have described in detail how I entered the land of Mizora, in the earth's interior. I did this so that skeptics would not doubt the truth of my account.

It does seem a little astonishing that a woman should have fallen by accident, and without intention or desire, upon a discovery that explorers and scientists had for years searched for in vain. But such was the fact, and, in generosity, I have endeavored to make my accident as serviceable to the world in general, and Science in particular, as I could, by taking observations of the country, its climate and products, and especially its people.

It does seem a little astonishing that a woman should have stumbled upon a discovery without intending or wishing to. Explorers and scientists had searched for it in vain for years. But that is what happened. In a spirit of generosity, I have tried to make my accidental discovery as useful as possible to the world, and especially to science. I did this by observing the country, its climate and products, and above all its people.

I met with the greatest difficulty in acquiring their language. Accustomed to the harsh dialect of the North, my voice was almost intractable in obtaining their melodious accentuation. It was, therefore, many months before I mastered the difficulty sufficiently to converse without embarrassment, or to make myself clearly understood. The construction of their language was simple and easily understood, and in a short time I was able to read it with ease, and to listen to it with enjoyment. Yet, before this was accomplished, I had mingled among them for months, listening to a musical jargon of conversation, that I could neither participate in, nor understand. All that I could therefore discover about them during this time, was by observation. This soon taught me that I was not in a seminary—in our acceptance of the term—but in a College of Experimental Science. The ladies—girls I had supposed them to be—were, in fact, women and mothers, and had reached an age that with us would be associated with decrepitude, wrinkles and imbecility. They were all practical chemists, and their work was the preparation of food from the elements. No wonder that they possessed the suppleness and bloom of eternal youth, when the earthy matter and impurities that are ever present in our food, were unknown to theirs.

I had great difficulty learning their language. I was used to the harsh dialect of the North, and my voice could hardly manage their melodious way of speaking. It took many months before I could speak without embarrassment or make myself clearly understood. The structure of their language was simple and easy to understand. Before long, I could read it easily and enjoy listening to it. Yet before I learned it, I had spent months among them, listening to musical chatter I could neither join in nor understand. During that time, I could learn about them only by observing them. I soon learned that I was not in a seminary, as we understand the word, but in a College of Experimental Science. The ladies, whom I had taken for girls, were in fact women and mothers. They had reached an age that, among us, would be associated with frailty, wrinkles, and mental weakness. They were all practicing chemists, and their work was to prepare food from the elements. No wonder they had the suppleness and bloom of eternal youth. Their food contained none of the earthy matter and impurities always present in ours.

I also discovered that they obtained rain artificially when needed, by discharging vast quantities of electricity in the air. I discovered that they kept no cattle, nor animals of any kind for food or labor. I observed a universal practice of outdoor exercising; the aim seeming to be to develop the greatest capacity of lung or muscle. It was astonishing the amount of air a Mizora lady could draw into her lungs. They called it their brain stimulant, and said that their faculties were more active after such exercise. In my country, a cup of strong coffee, or some other agreeable beverage, is usually taken into the stomach to invigorate or excite the mind.

I also discovered that they made rain when needed by discharging vast amounts of electricity into the air. They kept no cattle or other animals for food or labor. Everyone seemed to exercise outdoors to develop the greatest possible lung capacity or muscle strength. It was astonishing how much air a Mizora lady could draw into her lungs. They called this their brain stimulant and said their minds were more active after such exercise. In my country, people usually drink a cup of strong coffee or another pleasant beverage to stimulate the mind.

One thing I remarked as unusual among a people of such cultured taste, and that was the size of the ladies' waists. Of all that I measured not one was less than thirty inches in circumference, and it was rare to meet with one that small. At first I thought a waist that tapered from the arm pits would be an added beauty, if only these ladies would be taught how to acquire it. But I lived long enough among them to look upon a tapering waist as a disgusting deformity. They considered a large waist a mark of beauty, as it gave a greater capacity of lung power; and they laid the greatest stress upon the size and health of the lungs. One little lady, not above five feet in height, I saw draw into her lungs two hundred and twenty-five cubic inches of air, and smile proudly when she accomplished it. I measured five feet and five inches in height, and with the greatest effort I could not make my lungs receive more than two hundred cubic inches of air. In my own country I had been called an unusually robust girl, and knew, by comparison, that I had a much larger and fuller chest than the average among women.

One thing struck me as unusual among people with such refined taste: the size of the women’s waists. Of all those I measured, not one was less than thirty inches around, and even that size was rare. At first, I thought a waist that tapered from the armpits would make the women more beautiful. I thought they only needed to be taught how to achieve it. But I lived among them long enough to see a tapered waist as a disgusting deformity. They considered a large waist a mark of beauty because it allowed greater lung capacity. They placed the greatest importance on the size and health of the lungs. I saw one small woman, no more than five feet tall, draw 225 cubic inches of air into her lungs. She smiled proudly when she did it. I was five feet five inches tall, and with the greatest effort, I could take in no more than 200 cubic inches. In my own country, I had been called an unusually robust girl. From comparing myself with other women, I knew my chest was much larger and fuller than average.

I noticed with greater surprise than anything else had excited in me, the marked absence of men. I wandered about the magnificent building without hindrance or surveillance. There was not a lock or bolt on any door in it. I frequented a vast gallery filled with paintings and statues of women, noble looking, beautiful women, but still—nothing but women. The fact that they were all blondes, singular as it might appear, did not so much impress me. Strangers came and went, but among the multitude of faces I met, I never saw a man's.

More than anything else, I was surprised by the complete absence of men. I wandered around the magnificent building freely, without anyone watching me. None of its doors had a lock or bolt. I often visited a vast gallery filled with paintings and statues of noble-looking, beautiful women. But there were only women. Strange as it might seem that they were all blonde, that did not strike me as much. Strangers came and went, but among the many faces I saw, not one was a man's.

In my own country I had been accustomed to regard man as a vital necessity. He occupied all governmental offices, and was the arbitrator of domestic life. It seemed, therefore, impossible to me for a country or government to survive without his assistance and advice. Besides, it was a country over which the heart of any man must yearn, however insensible he might be to beauty or female loveliness. Wealth was everywhere and abundant. The climate as delightful as the most fastidious could desire. The products of the orchards and gardens surpassed description. Bread came from the laboratory, and not from the soil by the sweat of the brow. Toil was unknown; the toil that we know, menial, degrading and harassing. Science had been the magician that had done away all that. Science, so formidable and austere to our untutored minds, had been gracious to these fair beings and opened the door to nature's most occult secrets. The beauty of those women it is not in my power to describe. The Greeks, in their highest art, never rivalled it, for here was a beauty of mind that no art can represent. They enhanced their physical charms with attractive costumes, often of extreme elegance. They wore gems that flashed a fortune as they passed. The rarest was of a pale rose color, translucent as the clearest water, and of a brilliancy exceeding the finest diamond. Their voices, in song, could only be equaled by a celestial choir. No dryad queen ever floated through the leafy aisles of her forest with more grace than they displayed in every movement. And all this was for feminine eyes alone—and they of the most enchanting loveliness.

In my own country, I had always thought of men as essential. They held every government office and had the final say in family life. So it seemed impossible to me that a country or government could survive without their help and advice. Besides, any man would long for this country, however indifferent he might be to beauty or the loveliness of women. Wealth was everywhere and abundant. The climate was as delightful as even the most demanding person could wish. The fruits and vegetables from the orchards and gardens were beyond description. Bread came from the laboratory, not from the soil through the sweat of hard labor. Toil was unknown, at least the kind we know: menial, degrading, and exhausting. Science was the magician that had done away with all of it. Science seems so daunting and severe to our uneducated minds. Yet it had been kind to these fair beings and revealed nature’s most hidden secrets to them. I cannot describe the beauty of those women. The Greeks, even in their greatest art, never matched it. For here was a beauty of mind that no art can portray. The women enhanced their physical charms with attractive clothes, often of exceptional elegance. They wore gems that flashed with the value of a fortune as they passed. The rarest gem was pale rose, as clear as the purest water, and more brilliant than the finest diamond. Their singing voices could be matched only by a heavenly choir. No dryad queen ever floated through her forest’s leafy paths more gracefully than they moved. And all this was for women’s eyes alone, and those women were themselves enchantingly lovely.

Among all the women that I met during my stay in Mizora—comprising a period of fifteen years—I saw not one homely face or ungraceful form. In my own land the voice of flattery had whispered in my ear praises of face and figure, but I felt ill-formed and uncouth beside the perfect symmetry and grace of these lovely beings. Their chief beauty appeared in a mobility of expression. It was the divine fire of Thought that illumined every feature, which, while gazing upon the Aphrodite of Praxitiles, we must think was all that the matchless marble lacked. Emotion passed over their features like ripples over a stream. Their eyes were limpid wells of loveliness, where every impulse of their natures were betrayed without reserve.

During my fifteen years in Mizora, I met many women. Not one had a plain face or an ungraceful figure. In my own land, people had whispered flattering praise of my face and figure. But beside the perfect proportions and grace of these lovely women, I felt awkward and poorly formed. Their greatest beauty lay in their changing expressions. The divine fire of thought lit up every feature. Looking at the Aphrodite of Praxitiles, one must think that was all the matchless marble lacked. Emotion passed over their faces like ripples on a stream. Their eyes were clear wells of loveliness, revealing every impulse of their nature without reserve.

"It would be a paradise for man."

"It would be a paradise for people."

I made this observation to myself, and as secretly would I propound the question:

I made this observation to myself, and I would ask the question just as privately:

"Why is he not here in lordly possession?"

"Why isn't he here as its lord and owner?"

In my world man was regarded, or he had made himself regarded, as a superior being. He had constituted himself the Government, the Law, Judge, Jury and Executioner. He doled out reward or punishment as his conscience or judgment dictated. He was active and belligerent always in obtaining and keeping every good thing for himself. He was indispensable. Yet here was a nation of fair, exceedingly fair women doing without him, and practising the arts and sciences far beyond the imagined pale of human knowledge and skill.

In my world, man was regarded as a superior being, or he had made others regard him that way. He had made himself the government, the law, judge, jury, and executioner. He handed out rewards or punishments as his conscience or judgment told him to. He was always active and aggressive in getting and keeping every good thing for himself. He was indispensable. Yet here was a nation of fair, exceedingly fair women doing without him. They practiced the arts and sciences far beyond what anyone imagined human knowledge and skill could achieve.

Of their progress in science I will give some accounts hereafter.

I will give some accounts of their progress in science later.

It is impossible to describe the feeling that took possession of me as months rolled by, and I saw the active employments of a prosperous people move smoothly and quietly along in the absence of masculine intelligence and wisdom. Cut off from all inquiry by my ignorance of their language, the singular absence of the male sex began to prey upon my imagination as a mystery. The more so after visiting a town at some distance, composed exclusively of schools and colleges for the youth of the country. Here I saw hundreds of children—and all of them were girls. Is it to be wondered at that the first inquiry I made, was:

I cannot describe the feeling that came over me as the months passed. I watched a prosperous people go about their busy lives smoothly and quietly, without masculine intelligence or wisdom. Because I did not know their language, I could not ask any questions. The strange absence of men began to haunt my imagination as a mystery. It seemed even more mysterious after I visited a distant town made up entirely of schools and colleges for the country’s young people. There I saw hundreds of children, and all of them were girls. Is it any wonder that my first question was:

"Where are the men?"

"Where are the men?"