But this was not all. We found that
in some of the winding passages connecting the caverns they cultivated
food. It consisted entirely of vegetables of various kinds, and all
unlike any that I ever saw on the earth. Water dripped from the roofs of
these particular passages, and the almost colorless vegetation thrived
there with astonishing luxuriance. They had many simple ways of cooking
their food, and it was evident that they possessed some form of salt,
though we did not discover the deposit from which they must have drawn
it. They collected water in cisterns hollowed in the rock.
Although we still had abundance of food in the car, Edmund insisted on
trying theirs, and it proved to be very palatable.
"This is fortunate, though hardly surprising," said Edmund. "If we had
found the food on Venus uneatable, we should indeed have been in a fine
fix. While we remain here we will eat as the natives eat, and save our
own supplies for future need."
The only brute animals that we saw in the caverns were some doglike
creatures, about as large as terriers, but very furry, which showed the
utmost terror whenever we appeared.
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