round the moon-第21章

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annular　mountains；　of　which　the　earth　possesses　no　sample。
They　prove　that　the　moon's　formation；　by　means　of　cooling；　is
due　to　violent　causes；　for　while；　under　the　pressure　of　internal
fires　the　reliefs　rise　to　considerable　height；　the　depths　withdraw
far　below　the　lunar　level。〃

〃I　do　not　dispute　the　fact；〃　replied　Michel　Ardan。

Some　minutes　after　passing　Newton；　the　projectile　directly
overlooked　the　annular　mountains　of　Moret。　　It　skirted　at　some
distance　the　summits　of　Blancanus；　and　at　about　half…past　seven
in　the　evening　reached　the　circle　of　Clavius。

This　circle；　one　of　the　most　remarkable　of　the　disc；　is　situated
in　58@　south　latitude；　and　15@　east　longitude。　　Its　height　is
estimated　at　22；950　feet。　　The　travelers；　at　a　distance　of
twenty…four　miles　（reduced　to　four　by　their　glasses）　could
admire　this　vast　crater　in　its　entirety。

〃Terrestrial　volcanoes；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃are　but　mole…hills
compared　with　those　of　the　moon。　　Measuring　the　old　craters
formed　by　the　first　eruptions　of　Vesuvius　and　Etna；　we　find　them
little　more　than　three　miles　in　breadth。　　In　France　the　circle
of　Cantal　measures　six　miles　across；　at　Ceyland　the　circle　of
the　island　is　forty　miles；　which　is　considered　the　largest　on
the　globe。　　What　are　these　diameters　against　that　of　Clavius；
which　we　overlook　at　this　moment？〃

〃What　is　its　breadth？〃　asked　Nicholl。

〃It　is　150　miles；〃　replied　Barbicane。　　〃This　circle　is　certainly
the　most　important　on　the　moon；　but　many　others　measure　150；
100；　or　75　miles。〃

〃Ah！　my　friends；〃　exclaimed　Michel；　〃can　you　picture　to
yourselves　what　this　now　peaceful　orb　of　night　must　have　been
when　its　craters；　filled　with　thunderings；　vomited　at　the　same
time　smoke　and　tongues　of　flame。　　What　a　wonderful　spectacle
then；　and　now　what　decay！　　This　moon　is　nothing　more　than　a　thin
carcase　of　fireworks；　whose　squibs；　rockets；　serpents；　and　suns；
after　a　superb　brilliancy；　have　left　but　sadly　broken　cases。
Who　can　say　the　cause；　the　reason；　the　motive　force　of
these　cataclysms？〃

Barbicane　was　not　listening　to　Michel　Ardan；　he　was
contemplating　these　ramparts　of　Clavius；　formed　by　large
mountains　spread　over　several　miles。　　At　the　bottom　of　the
immense　cavity　burrowed　hundreds　of　small　extinguished　craters；
riddling　the　soil　like　a　colander；　and　overlooked　by　a　peak
15；000　feet　high。

Around　the　plain　appeared　desolate。　　Nothing　so　arid　as　these
reliefs；　nothing　so　sad　as　these　ruins　of　mountains；　and　（if　we
may　so　express　ourselves）　these　fragments　of　peaks　and　mountains
which　strewed　the　soil。　　The　satellite　seemed　to　have　burst　at
this　spot。

The　projectile　was　still　advancing；　and　this　movement　did
not　subside。　　Circles；　craters；　and　uprooted　mountains　succeeded
each　other　incessantly。　　No　more　plains；　no　more　seas。　　A　never
ending　Switzerland　and　Norway。　　And　lastly；　in　the　canter　of
this　region　of　crevasses；　the　most　splendid　mountain　on　the
lunar　disc；　the　dazzling　Tycho；　in　which　posterity　will　ever
preserve　the　name　of　the　illustrious　Danish　astronomer。

In　observing　the　full　moon　in　a　cloudless　sky　no　one　has　failed
to　remark　this　brilliant　point　of　the　southern　hemisphere。
Michel　Ardan　used　every　metaphor　that　his　imagination　could
supply　to　designate　it　by。　　To　him　this　Tycho　was　a　focus　of
light；　a　center　of　irradiation；　a　crater　vomiting　rays。　　It　was
the　tire　of　a　brilliant　wheel；　an　_asteria_　enclosing　the　disc
with　its　silver　tentacles；　an　enormous　eye　filled　with　flames；
a　glory　carved　for　Pluto's　head；　a　star　launched　by　the
Creator's　hand；　and　crushed　against　the　face　of　the　moon！

Tycho　forms　such　a　concentration　of　light　that　the　inhabitants
of　the　earth　can　see　it　without　glasses；　though　at　a　distance
of　240；000　miles！　　Imagine；　then；　its　intensity　to　the　eye　of
observers　placed　at　a　distance　of　only　fifty　miles！　　Seen　through
this　pure　ether；　its　brilliancy　was　so　intolerable　that　Barbicane
and　his　friends　were　obliged　to　blacken　their　glasses　with　the　gas
smoke　before　they　could　bear　the　splendor。　　Then　silent；　scarcely
uttering　an　interjection　of　admiration；　they　gazed；　they　contemplated。
All　their　feelings；　all　their　impressions；　were　concentrated　in　that
look；　as　under　any　violent　emotion　all　life　is　concentrated　at　the　heart。

Tycho　belongs　to　the　system　of　radiating　mountains；　like
Aristarchus　and　Copernicus；　but　it　is　of　all　the　most　complete
and　decided；　showing　unquestionably　the　frightful　volcanic
action　to　which　the　formation　of　the　moon　is　due。　　Tycho　is
situated　in　43@　south　latitude；　and　12@　east　longitude。　　Its　center
is　occupied　by　a　crater　fifty　miles　broad。　　It　assumes　a　slightly
elliptical　form；　and　is　surrounded　by　an　enclosure　of　annular
ramparts；　which　on　the　east　and　west　overlook　the　outer　plain　from
a　height　of　15；000　feet。　　It　is　a　group　of　Mont　Blancs；　placed
round　one　common　center　and　crowned　by　radiating　beams。

What　this　incomparable　mountain　really　is；　with　all　the
projections　converging　toward　it；　and　the　interior　excrescences
of　its　crater；　photography　itself　could　never　represent。
Indeed；　it　is　during　the　full　moon　that　Tycho　is　seen　in　all
its　splendor。　　Then　all　shadows　disappear；　the　foreshortening
of　perspective　disappears；　and　all　proofs　become　white　a
disagreeable　fact：　　for　this　strange　region　would　have　been
marvelous　if　reproduced　with　photographic　exactness。　　It　is
but　a　group　of　hollows；　craters；　circles；　a　network　of　crests；
then；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　a　whole　volcanic　network
cast　upon　this　encrusted　soil。　　One　can　then　understand　that
the　bubbles　of　this　central　eruption　have　kept　their　first　form。
Crystallized　by　cooling；　they　have　stereotyped　that　aspect
which　the　moon　formerly　presented　when　under　the　Plutonian　forces。

The　distance　which　separated　the　travelers　from　the　annular
summits　of　Tycho　was　not　so　great　but　that　they　could　catch
the　principal　details。　　Even　on　the　causeway　forming　the
fortifications　of　Tycho；　the　mountains　hanging　on　to　the
interior　and　exterior　sloping　flanks　rose　in　stories　like
gigantic　terraces。　　They　appeared　to　be　higher　by　300　or　400
feet　to　the　west　than　to　the　east。　　No　system　of　terrestrial
encampment　could　equal　these　natural　fortifications。　　A　town
built　at　the　bottom　of　this　circular　cavity　would　have　been
utterly　inaccessible。

Inaccessible　and　wonderfully　extended　over　this　soil　covered
with　picturesque　projections！　　Indeed；　nature　had　not　left　the
bottom　of　this　crater　flat　and　empty。　　It　possessed　its　own
peculiar　orography；　a　mountainous　system；　making　it　a　world
in　itself。　　The　travelers　could　distinguish　clearly　cones；
central　hills；　remarkable　positions　of　the　soil；　naturally
placed　to　receive　the　_chefs…d'oeuvre_　of　Selenite　architecture。
There　was　marked　out　the　place　for　a　temple；　here　the　ground　of　a
forum；　on　this　spot　the　plan　of　a　palace；　in　another　the　plateau
for　a　citadel；　the　whole　overlooked　by　a　central　mountain　of
1；500　feet。　　A　vast　circle；　in　which　ancient　Rome　could　have
been　held　in　its　entirety　ten　times　over。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　enthusiastic　at　the　sight；　〃what
a　grand　town　might　be　constructed　within　that　ring　of　mountains！
A　quiet　city；　a　peaceful　refuge；　beyond　all　human　misery。　　How　calm
and　isolated　those　misanthropes；　those　haters　of　humanity　might
live　there；　and　all　who　have　a　distaste　for　social　life！〃

〃All！　　It　would　be　too　small　for　them；〃　replied　Barbicane　simply。





CHAPTER　XVIII


GRAVE　QUESTIONS


But　the　projectile　had　passed　the　_enceinte_　of　Tycho；　and
Barbicane　and　his　two　companions　watched　with　scrupulous
attention　the　brilliant　rays　which　the　celebrated　mountain　shed
so　curiously　over　the　horizon。

What　was　this　radiant　glory？　　What　geological　phenomenon　had
designed　these　ardent　beams？　　This　question　occupied　Barbicane's　mind。

Under　his　eyes　ran　in　all　directions　luminous　furrows；　raised　at
the　edges　and　concave　in　the　center；　some　twelve　miles；　others
thirty　miles　broad。　　These　brilliant　trains　extended　in　some
places　to　within　600　miles　of　Tycho；　and　seemed　to　cover；
particularly　toward　the　east；　the　northeast　and　the　north；　the
half　of　the　southern　hemisphere。　　One　of　these　jets　extended　as
far　as　the　circle　of　Neander；　situated　on　the　40th　meridian。
Another；　by　a　slight　curve；　furrowed　the　〃Sea　of　Nectar；〃　breaking
against　the　chain　of　Pyrenees；　after　a　circuit　of　800　miles。
Others；　toward　the　west；　covered　the　〃Sea　of　Clouds〃　and
the　〃Sea　of　Humors〃　with　a　luminous　network。　　What　was　the
origin　of　these　sparkling　rays；　which　shone　on　the　plains　as
well　as　on　the　reliefs；　at　whatever　height　they　might　be？
All　started　from　a　common　center；　the　crater　of　Tycho。
They　sprang　from　him。　　Herschel　attributed　their　brilliancy　to
currents　of　lava　congealed　by　the　cold；　an　opinion；　however；
which　has　not　been　generally　adopted。　　Other　astronomers　have
seen　in　these　inexplicable　rays　a　kind　of　moraines；　rows　of
erratic　blocks；　which　had　been　thrown　up　at　the　period　of
Tycho's　formation。

〃And　why　not？〃　asked　Nicholl　of　Barbicane；　who　was　relating　and
rejecting　these　different　opinions。

〃Because　the　regularity　of　these　luminous　lines；　and　the
violence　necessary　to　carry　volcanic　matter　to　such　distances；
is　inexplicable。〃

〃Eh！　by　Jove！〃　replied　Michel　Ardan；　〃it　seems　easy　enough　to　me
to　explain　the　origin　of　these　rays。〃

〃Indeed？〃　said　Barbicane。

〃Indeed；〃　continued　Michel。　　〃It　is　enough　to　say　that　it　is　a
vast　star；　similar　to　that　produced　by　a　ball　or　a　stone　thrown
at　a　square　of　glass！〃

〃Well！〃　replied　Barbicane；　smiling。　　〃And　what　hand　would　be
powerful　enough　to　throw　a　ball　to　give　such　a　shock　as　that？〃

〃The　hand　is　not　necessary；〃　answered　Nicholl；　not　at　all
confounded；　〃and　as　to　the　stone；　let　us　suppose　it　to　be　a　comet。〃

〃Ah！　those　much…abused　comets！〃　exclaimed　Barbicane。　　〃My　brave
Michel；　your　explanation　is　not　bad；　but　your　comet　is　useless。
The　shock　which　produced　that　rent　must　have　some　from　the
inside　of　the　star。　　A　violent　contraction　of　the　lunar　crust；
while　cooling；　might　suffice　to　imprint　this　gigantic　star。〃

〃A　contraction！　something　like　a　lunar　stomach…ache。〃　said
Michel　Ardan。

〃Besides；〃　added　Barbicane；　〃this　opinion　is　that　of　an　English
savant；　Nasmyth；　and　it　seems　to　me　to　sufficiently　explain　the
radiation　of　these　mountains。〃

〃That　Nasmyth　was　no　fool！〃　replied　Michel。

Long　did　the　travelers；　whom　such　a　sight　could　never　weary；
admire　the　splendors　of　Tycho。　　Their　projectile；　saturated　with
luminous　gleams　in　the　double　irradiation　of　sun　and　moon；　must
have　appeared　like　an　incandescent　globe。　　They　had　passed
suddenly　from　excessive　cold　to　intense　heat。　　Nature　was　thus
preparing　them　to　become　Selenites。　　Become　Selenites！　　That　idea
brought　up　once　more　the　question　of　the　habitability　of　the　moon。
After　what　they　had　seen；　could　the　travelers　solve　it？　　Would　they
decide　for　or　against　it？　　Michel　Ardan　persuaded　his　two　friends
to　form　an　opinion；　and　asked　them　directly　if　they　thought　that
men　and　animals　were　represented　in　the　lunar　world。

〃I　think　that　we　can　answer；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃but　according　to
my　idea　the　question　ought　not　to　be　put　in　that　form。　　I　ask　it