round the moon-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Purbach；　Arzachel。　　But　the　projectile　was　advancing；　and　sensibly
nearing　it。　　Soon　there　appeared　the　heights　which　bound　this　sea
at　this　northern　limit。　　Before　them　rose　a　mountain　radiant　with
beauty；　the　top　of　which　seemed　lost　in　an　eruption　of　solar　rays。

〃That　is？〃　asked　Michel。

〃Copernicus；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃Let　us　see　Copernicus。〃

This　mount；　situated　in　9@　north　latitude　and　20@　east
longitude；　rose　to　a　height　of　10；600　feet　above　the　surface　of
the　moon。　　It　is　quite　visible　from　the　earth；　and　astronomers
can　study　it　with　ease；　particularly　during　the　phase　between
the　last　quarter　and　the　new　moon；　because　then　the　shadows　are
thrown　lengthways　from　east　to　west；　allowing　them　to　measure
the　heights。

This　Copernicus　forms　the　most　important　of　the　radiating
system；　situated　in　the　southern　hemisphere；　according　to　Tycho
Brahe。　　It　rises　isolated　like　a　gigantic　lighthouse　on　that
portion　of　the　〃Sea　of　Clouds；〃　which　is　bounded　by　the　〃Sea　of
Tempests；〃　thus　lighting　by　its　splendid　rays　two　oceans　at
a　time。　　It　was　a　sight　without　an　equal；　those　long　luminous
trains；　so　dazzling　in　the　full　moon；　and　which；　passing　the
boundary　chain　on　the　north；　extends　to　the　〃Sea　of　Rains。〃
At　one　o'clock　of　the　terrestrial　morning；　the　projectile；
like　a　balloon　borne　into　space；　overlooked　the　top　of　this
superb　mount。　　Barbicane　could　recognize　perfectly　its
chief　features。　　Copernicus　is　comprised　in　the　series　of
ringed　mountains　of　the　first　order；　in　the　division　of
great　circles。　　Like　Kepler　and　Aristarchus；　which　overlook
the　〃Ocean　of　Tempests；〃　sometimes　it　appeared　like　a　brilliant
point　through　the　cloudy　light；　and　was　taken　for　a　volcano
in　activity。　　But　it　is　only　an　extinct　one　like　all　on　that
side　of　the　moon。　　Its　circumference　showed　a　diameter　of　about
twenty…two　leagues。　　The　glasses　discovered　traces　of
stratification　produced　by　successive　eruptions；　and　the
neighborhood　was　strewn　with　volcanic　remains　which　still　choked
some　of　the　craters。

〃There　exist；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃several　kinds　of　circles　on　the
surface　of　the　moon；　and　it　is　easy　to　see　that　Copernicus
belongs　to　the　radiating　class。　　If　we　were　nearer；　we　should
see　the　cones　bristling　on　the　inside；　which　in　former　times
were　so　many　fiery　mouths。　　A　curious　arrangement；　and　one
without　an　exception　on　the　lunar　disc；　is　that　the　interior
surface　of　these　circles　is　the　reverse　of　the　exterior；　and
contrary　to　the　form　taken　by　terrestrial　craters。　　It　follows；
then；　that　the　general　curve　of　the　bottom　of　these　circles
gives　a　sphere　of　a　smaller　diameter　than　that　of　the　moon。〃

〃And　why　this　peculiar　disposition？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃We　do　not　know；〃　replied　Barbicane。

〃What　splendid　radiation！〃　said　Michel。　　〃One　could　hardly　see
a　finer　spectacle；　I　think。〃

〃What　would　you　say；　then；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃if　chance　should
bear　us　toward　the　southern　hemisphere？〃

〃Well；　I　should　say　that　it　was　still　more　beautiful；〃　retorted
Michel　Ardan。

At　this　moment　the　projectile　hung　perpendicularly　over　the　circle。
The　circumference　of　Copernicus　formed　almost　a　perfect　circle；
and　its　steep　escarpments　were　clearly　defined。　　They　could　even
distinguish　a　second　ringed　enclosure。　　Around　spread　a　grayish
plain；　of　a　wild　aspect；　on　which　every　relief　was　marked　in　yellow。
At　the　bottom　of　the　circle；　as　if　enclosed　in　a　jewel　case；
sparkled　for　one　instant　two　or　three　eruptive　cones；　like　enormous
dazzling　gems。　　Toward　the　north　the　escarpments　were　lowered　by　a
depression　which　would　probably　have　given　access　to　the　interior
of　the　crater。

In　passing　over　the　surrounding　plains；　Barbicane　noticed　a
great　number　of　less　important　mountains；　and　among　others　a
little　ringed　one　called　Guy　Lussac；　the　breadth　of　which
measured　twelve　miles。

Toward　the　south；　the　plain　was　very　flat；　without　one
elevation；　without　one　projection。　　Toward　the　north；　on　the
contrary；　till　where　it　was　bounded　by　the　〃Sea　of　Storms；〃　it
resembled　a　liquid　surface　agitated　by　a　storm；　of　which　the
hills　and　hollows　formed　a　succession　of　waves　suddenly　congealed。
Over　the　whole　of　this；　and　in　all　directions；　lay　the　luminous
lines；　all　converging　to　the　summit　of　Copernicus。

The　travelers　discussed　the　origin　of　these　strange　rays；　but　they
could　not　determine　their　nature　any　more　than　terrestrial　observers。

〃But　why；〃　said　Nicholl；　〃should　not　these　rays　be　simply　spurs
of　mountains　which　reflect　more　vividly　the　light　of　the　sun？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃if　it　was　so；　under　certain　conditions
of　the　moon；　these　ridges　would　cast　shadows；　and　they　do　not
cast　any。〃

And　indeed；　these　rays　only　appeared　when　the　orb　of　day　was　in
opposition　to　the　moon；　and　disappeared　as　soon　as　its　rays
became　oblique。

〃But　how　have　they　endeavored　to　explain　these　lines　of　light？〃
asked　Michel；　〃for　I　cannot　believe　that　savants　would　ever　be
stranded　for　want　of　an　explanation。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃Herschel　has　put　forward　an　opinion；
but　he　did　not　venture　to　affirm　it。〃

〃Never　mind。　　What　was　the　opinion？〃

〃He　thought　that　these　rays　might　be　streams　of　cooled　lava
which　shone　when　the　sun　beat　straight　upon　them。　　It　may　be　so；
but　nothing　can　be　less　certain。　　Besides；　if　we　pass　nearer　to
Tycho；　we　shall　be　in　a　better　position　to　find　out　the　cause　of
this　radiation。〃

〃Do　you　know；　my　friends；　what　that　plain；　seen　from　the　height
we　are　at；　resembles？〃　said　Michel。

〃No；〃　replied　Nicholl。

〃Very　well；　with　all　those　pieces　of　lava　lengthened　like　rockets；
it　resembles　an　immense　game　of　spelikans　thrown　pellmell。
There　wants　but　the　hook　to　pull　them　out　one　by　one。〃

〃Do　be　serious；〃　said　Barbicane。

〃Well；　let　us　be　serious；〃　replied　Michel　quietly；　〃and　instead
of　spelikans；　let　us　put　bones。　　This　plain；　would　then　be
nothing　but　an　immense　cemetery；　on　which　would　repose　the
mortal　remains　of　thousands　of　extinct　generations。　　Do　you
prefer　that　high…flown　comparison？〃

〃One　is　as　good　as　the　other；〃　retorted　Barbicane。

〃My　word；　you　are　difficult　to　please；〃　answered　Michel。

〃My　worthy　friend；〃　continued　the　matter…of…fact　Barbicane；　〃it
matters　but　little　what　it　_resembles_；　when　we　do　not　know　what
it　_is_。〃

〃Well　answered；〃　exclaimed　Michel。　　〃That　will　teach　me　to
reason　with　savants。〃

But　the　projectile　continued　to　advance　with　almost　uniform
speed　around　the　lunar　disc。　　The　travelers；　we　may　easily
imagine；　did　not　dream　of　taking　a　moment's　rest。　　Every　minute
changed　the　landscape　which　fled　from　beneath　their　gaze。
About　half　past　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　they　caught　a　glimpse
of　the　tops　of　another　mountain。　　Barbicane；　consulting　his　map；
recognized　Eratosthenes。

It　was　a　ringed　mountain　nine　thousand　feet　high；　and　one　of
those　circles　so　numerous　on　this　satellite。　　With　regard　to
this；　Barbicane　related　Kepler's　singular　opinion　on　the
formation　of　circles。　　According　to　that　celebrated
mathematician；　these　crater…like　cavities　had　been　dug　by　the
hand　of　man。

〃For　what　purpose？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃For　a　very　natural　one；〃　replied　Barbicane。　　〃The　Selenites
might　have　undertaken　these　immense　works　and　dug　these　enormous
holes　for　a　refuge　and　shield　from　the　solar　rays　which　beat
upon　them　during　fifteen　consecutive　days。〃

〃The　Selenites　are　not　fools；〃　said　Michel。

〃A　singular　idea；〃　replied　Nicholl；　〃but　it　is　probable　that
Kepler　did　not　know　the　true　dimensions　of　these　circles；　for
the　digging　of　them　would　have　been　the　work　of　giants　quite
impossible　for　the　Selenites。〃

〃Why？　if　weight　on　the　moon's　surface　is　six　times　less　than　on
the　earth？〃　said　Michel。

〃But　if　the　Selenites　are　six　times　smaller？〃　retorted　Nicholl。

〃And　if　there　are　_no_　Selenites？〃　added　Barbicane。

This　put　an　end　to　the　discussion。

Soon　Eratosthenes　disappeared　under　the　horizon　without　the
projectile　being　sufficiently　near　to　allow　close　observation。
This　mountain　separated　the　Apennines　from　the　Carpathians。　In　the
lunar　orography　they　have　discerned　some　chains　of　mountains；　which
are　chiefly　distributed　over　the　northern　hemisphere。　　Some；　however；
occupy　certain　portions　of　the　southern　hemisphere　also。

About　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　Barbicane　found　that　they　were
above　the　twentieth　lunar　parallel。　　The　distance　of　the
projectile　from　the　moon　was　not　more　than　six　hundred　miles。
Barbicane；　now　perceiving　that　the　projectile　was　steadily
approaching　the　lunar　disc；　did　not　despair；　if　not　of　reaching
her；　at　least　of　discovering　the　secrets　of　her　configuration。





CHAPTER　XIII


LUNAR　LANDSCAPES


At　half…past　two　in　the　morning；　the　projectile　was　over　the
thirteenth　lunar　parallel　and　at　the　effective　distance　of　five
hundred　miles；　reduced　by　the　glasses　to　five。　　It　still　seemed
impossible；　however；　that　it　could　ever　touch　any　part　of　the　disc。
Its　motive　speed；　comparatively　so　moderate；　was　inexplicable　to
President　Barbicane。　　At　that　distance　from　the　moon　it　must　have
been　considerable；　to　enable　it　to　bear　up　against　her　attraction。
Here　was　a　phenomenon　the　cause　of　which　escaped　them　again。
Besides；　time　failed　them　to　investigate　the　cause。　　All　lunar
relief　was　defiling　under　the　eyes　of　the　travelers；　and　they
would　not　lose　a　single　detail。

Under　the　glasses　the　disc　appeared　at　the　distance　of　five
miles。　　What　would　an　aeronaut；　borne　to　this　distance　from　the
earth；　distinguish　on　its　surface？　　We　cannot　say；　since　the
greatest　ascension　has　not　been　more　than　25；000　feet。

This；　however；　is　an　exact　description　of　what　Barbicane　and　his
companions　saw　at　this　height。　　Large　patches　of　different
colors　appeared　on　the　disc。　　Selenographers　are　not　agreed　upon
the　nature　of　these　colors。　　There　are　several；　and　rather
vividly　marked。　　Julius　Schmidt　pretends　that；　if　the
terrestrial　oceans　were　dried　up；　a　Selenite　observer　could　not
distinguish　on　the　globe　a　greater　diversity　of　shades　between
the　oceans　and　the　continental　plains　than　those　on　the　moon
present　to　a　terrestrial　observer。　　According　to　him；　the　color
common　to　the　vast　plains　known　by　the　name　of　〃seas〃　is　a　dark
gray　mixed　with　green　and　brown。　　Some　of　the　large　craters
present　the　same　appearance。　　Barbicane　knew　this　opinion　of　the
German　selenographer；　an　opinion　shared　by　Boeer　and　Moedler。
Observation　has　proved　that　right　was　on　their　side；　and　not　on
that　of　some　astronomers　who　admit　the　existence　of　only　gray　on
the　moon's　surface。　　In　some　parts　green　was　very　distinct；　such
as　springs；　according　to　Julius　Schmidt；　from　the　seas　of
〃Serenity　and　Humors。〃　　Barbicane　also　noticed　large　craters；
without　any　interior　cones；　which　shed　a　bluish　tint　similar　to
the　reflection　of　a　sheet　of　steel　freshly　polished。　　These　colors
belonged　really　to　the　lunar　disc；　and　did　not　result；　as　some
astronomers　say；　either　from　the　imperfection　in　the　objective
of　the　glasses　or　from　the　interposition　of　the　terrestrial　atmosphere。

Not　a　doubt　existed　in　Barbicane's　mind　with　regard　to　it；　as　he
observed　it　through　space；　and　so　could　not　commit　any　optical　error。
He　considered　the　establi