round the moon-第25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！


the　travelers？　what　they　have　done；　what　they　have　seen；　that
above　all　must　interest　us。　　Besides；　if　the　experiment　has
succeeded　（which　I　do　not　doubt）；　they　will　try　it　again。
The　Columbiad　is　still　sunk　in　the　soil　of　Florida。　　It　is　now
only　a　question　of　powder　and　shot；　and　every　time　the　moon　is
at　her　zenith　a　cargo　of　visitors　may　be　sent　to　her。〃

〃It　is　clear；〃　replied　Lieutenant　Bronsfield；　〃that　J。　T。　Maston
will　one　day　join　his　friends。〃

〃If　he　will　have　me；〃　cried　the　midshipman；　〃I　am　ready！〃

〃Oh！　volunteers　will　not　be　wanting；〃　answered　Bronsfield；　〃and
if　it　were　allowed；　half　of　the　earth's　inhabitants　would
emigrate　to　the　moon！〃

This　conversation　between　the　officers　of　the　Susquehanna　was
kept　up　until　nearly　one　in　the　morning。　　We　cannot　say　what
blundering　systems　were　broached；　what　inconsistent　theories
advanced　by　these　bold　spirits。　　Since　Barbicane's　attempt；
nothing　seemed　impossible　to　the　Americans。　　They　had　already
designed　an　expedition；　not　only　of　savants；　but　of　a　whole
colony　toward　the　Selenite　borders；　and　a　complete　army；
consisting　of　infantry；　artillery；　and　cavalry；　to　conquer　the
lunar　world。

At　one　in　the　morning；　the　hauling　in　of　the　sounding…line　was
not　yet　completed；　1；670　fathoms　were　still　out；　which　would
entail　some　hours'　work。　　According　to　the　commander's　orders；
the　fires　had　been　lighted；　and　steam　was　being　got　up。
The　Susquehanna　could　have　started　that　very　instant。

At　that　moment　（it　was　seventeen　minutes　past　one　in　the
morning）　Lieutenant　Bronsfield　was　preparing　to　leave　the　watch
and　return　to　his　cabin；　when　his　attention　was　attracted　by　a
distant　hissing　noise。　　His　comrades　and　himself　first　thought
that　this　hissing　was　caused　by　the　letting　off　of　steam；　but
lifting　their　heads；　they　found　that　the　noise　was　produced　in
the　highest　regions　of　the　air。　　They　had　not　time　to　question
each　other　before　the　hissing　became　frightfully　intense；　and
suddenly　there　appeared　to　their　dazzled　eyes　an　enormous
meteor；　ignited　by　the　rapidity　of　its　course　and　its　friction
through　the　atmospheric　strata。

This　fiery　mass　grew　larger　to　their　eyes；　and　fell；　with
the　noise　of　thunder；　upon　the　bowsprit；　which　it　smashed　close
to　the　stem；　and　buried　itself　in　the　waves　with　a　deafening　roar！

A　few　feet　nearer；　and　the　Susquehanna　would　have　foundered　with
all　on　board！

At　this　instant　Captain　Blomsberry　appeared；　half…dressed；　and
rushing　on　to　the　forecastle…deck；　whither　all　the　officers　had
hurried；　exclaimed；　〃With　your　permission；　gentlemen；　what
has　happened？〃

And　the　midshipman；　making　himself　as　it　were　the　echo　of　the
body；　cried；　〃Commander；　it　is　‘they'　come　back　again！〃





CHAPTER　XXI


J。　T。　MASTON　RECALLED


〃It　is　‘they'　come　back　again！〃　the　young　midshipman　had　said；
and　every　one　had　understood　him。　　No　one　doubted　but　that　the
meteor　was　the　projectile　of　the　Gun　Club。　　As　to　the　travelers
which　it　enclosed；　opinions　were　divided　regarding　their　fate。

〃They　are　dead！〃　said　one。

〃They　are　alive！〃　said　another；　〃the　crater　is　deep；　and　the
shock　was　deadened。〃

〃But　they　must　have　wanted　air；〃　continued　a　third　speaker；
〃they　must　have　died　of　suffocation。〃

〃Burned！〃　replied　a　fourth；　〃the　projectile　was　nothing　but　an
incandescent　mass　as　it　crossed　the　atmosphere。〃

〃What　does　it　matter！〃　they　exclaimed　unanimously；　〃living　or
dead；　we　must　pull　them　out！〃

But　Captain　Blomsberry　had　assembled　his　officers；　and　〃with
their　permission；〃　was　holding　a　council。　　They　must　decide　upon
something　to　be　done　immediately。　　The　more　hasty　ones　were　for
fishing　up　the　projectile。　　A　difficult　operation；　though　not　an
impossible　one。　　But　the　corvette　had　no　proper　machinery；　which
must　be　both　fixed　and　powerful；　so　it　was　resolved　that　they
should　put　in　at　the　nearest　port；　and　give　information　to　the
Gun　Club　of　the　projectile's　fall。

This　determination　was　unanimous。　　The　choice　of　the　port　had
to　be　discussed。　　The　neighboring　coast　had　no　anchorage　on
27@　latitude。　　Higher　up；　above　the　peninsula　of　Monterey；　stands
the　important　town　from　which　it　takes　its　name；　but；　seated　on
the　borders　of　a　perfect　desert；　it　was　not　connected　with　the
interior　by　a　network　of　telegraphic　wires；　and　electricity
alone　could　spread　these　important　news　fast　enough。

Some　degrees　above　opened　the　bay　of　San　Francisco。　　Through　the
capital　of　the　gold　country　communication　would　be　easy　with　the
heart　of　the　Union。　　And　in　less　than　two　days　the　Susquehanna；
by　putting　on　high　pressure；　could　arrive　in　that　port。　　She　must
therefore　start　at　once。

The　fires　were　made　up；　they　could　set　off　immediately。
Two　thousand　fathoms　of　line　were　still　out；　which　Captain
Blomsberry；　not　wishing　to　lose　precious　time　in　hauling　in；
resolved　to　cut。

〃we　will　fasten　the　end　to　a　buoy；〃　said　he；　〃and　that　buoy　will
show　us　the　exact　spot　where　the　projectile　fell。〃

〃Besides；〃　replied　Lieutenant　Bronsfield；　〃we　have　our　situation
exact　27@　7'　north　latitude　and　41@　37'　west　longitude。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Bronsfield；〃　replied　the　captain；　〃now；　with　your
permission；　we　will　have　the　line　cut。〃

A　strong　buoy；　strengthened　by　a　couple　of　spars；　was　thrown
into　the　ocean。　　The　end　of　the　rope　was　carefully　lashed　to　it；
and；　left　solely　to　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　billows；　the　buoy
would　not　sensibly　deviate　from　the　spot。

At　this　moment　the　engineer　sent　to　inform　the　captain　that
steam　was　up　and　they　could　start；　for　which　agreeable
communication　the　captain　thanked　him。　　The　course　was　then
given　north…northeast；　and　the　corvette；　wearing；　steered　at
full　steam　direct　for　San　Francisco。　　It　was　three　in　the　morning。

Four　hundred　and　fifty　miles　to　cross；　it　was　nothing　for　a　good
vessel　like　the　Susquehanna。　　In　thirty…six　hours　she　had　covered
that　distance；　and　on　the　14th　of　December；　at　twenty…seven
minutes　past　one　at　night；　she　entered　the　bay　of　San　Francisco。

At　the　sight　of　a　ship　of　the　national　navy　arriving　at　full　speed；
with　her　bowsprit　broken；　public　curiosity　was　greatly　roused。
A　dense　crowd　soon　assembled　on　the　quay；　waiting　for　them
to　disembark。

After　casting　anchor；　Captain　Blomsberry　and　Lieutenant
Bronsfield　entered　an　eight…pared　cutter；　which　soon　brought
them　to　land。

They　jumped　on　to　the　quay。

〃The　telegraph？〃　they　asked；　without　answering　one　of　the
thousand　questions　addressed　to　them。

The　officer　of　the　port　conducted　them　to　the　telegraph　office
through　a　concourse　of　spectators。　　Blomsberry　and　Bronsfield
entered；　while　the　crowd　crushed　each　other　at　the　door。

Some　minutes　later　a　fourfold　telegram　was　sent　outthe　first
to　the　Naval　Secretary　at　Washington；　the　second　to　the
vice…president　of　the　Gun　Club；　Baltimore；　the　third　to　the　Hon。
J。　T。　Maston；　Long's　Peak；　Rocky　Mountains；　and　the　fourth　to
the　sub…director　of　the　Cambridge　Observatory；　Massachusetts。

It　was　worded　as　follows：


In　20@　7'　north　latitude；　and　41@　37'　west　longitude；　on　the
12th　of　December；　at　seventeen　minutes　past　one　in　the　morning；
the　projectile　of　the　Columbiad　fell　into　the　Pacific。
Send　instructions。　BLOMSBERRY；　Commander　Susquehanna。


Five　minutes　afterward　the　whole　town　of　San　Francisco　learned
the　news。　　Before　six　in　the　evening　the　different　States　of　the
Union　had　heard　the　great　catastrophe；　and　after　midnight；　by
the　cable；　the　whole　of　Europe　knew　the　result　of　the　great
American　experiment。　　We　will　not　attempt　to　picture　the　effect
produced　on　the　entire　world　by　that　unexpected　denouement。

On　receipt　of　the　telegram　the　Naval　Secretary　telegraphed　to
the　Susquehanna　to　wait　in　the　bay　of　San　Francisco　without
extinguishing　her　fires。　　Day　and　night　she　must　be　ready
to　put　to　sea。

The　Cambridge　observatory　called　a　special　meeting；　and；　with
that　composure　which　distinguishes　learned　bodies　in　general；
peacefully　discussed　the　scientific　bearings　of　the　question。
At　the　Gun　Club　there　was　an　explosion。　　All　the　gunners
were　assembled。　　Vice…President　the　Hon。　Wilcome　was　in　the
act　of　reading　the　premature　dispatch；　in　which　J。　T。　Maston
and　Belfast　announced　that　the　projectile　had　just　been　seen　in
the　gigantic　reflector　of　Long's　Peak；　and　also　that　it　was　held
by　lunar　attraction；　and　was　playing　the　part　of　under　satellite
to　the　lunar　world。

We　know　the　truth　on　that　point。

But　on　the　arrival　of　Blomsberry's　dispatch；　so　decidely
contradicting　J。　T。　Maston's　telegram；　two　parties　were　formed
in　the　bosom　of　the　Gun　Club。　　On　one　side　were　those　who
admitted　the　fall　of　the　projectile；　and　consequently　the　return
of　the　travelers；　on　the　other；　those　who　believed　in　the
observations　of　Long's　Peak；　concluded　that　the　commander　of　the
Susquehanna　had　made　a　mistake。　　To　the　latter　the　pretended
projectile　was　nothing　but　a　meteor！　nothing　but　a　meteor；　a
shooting　globe；　which　in　its　fall　had　smashed　the　bows　of
the　corvette。　　It　was　difficult　to　answer　this　argument；　for
the　speed　with　which　it　was　animated　must　have　made　observation
very　difficult。　　The　commander　of　the　Susquehanna　and　her
officers　might　have　made　a　mistake　in　all　good　faith；　one　argument
however；　was　in　their　favor；　namely；　that　if　the　projectile　had
fallen　on　the　earth；　its　place　of　meeting　with　the　terrestrial
globe　could　only　take　place　on　this　27@　north　latitude；　and
（taking　into　consideration　the　time　that　had　elapsed；　and　the
rotary　motion　of　the　earth）　between　the　41@　and　the　42@　of
west　longitude。　　In　any　case；　it　was　decided　in　the　Gun　Club
that　Blomsberry　brothers；　Bilsby；　and　Major　Elphinstone　should
go　straight　to　San　Francisco；　and　consult　as　to　the　means　of
raising　the　projectile　from　the　depths　of　the　ocean。

These　devoted　men　set　off　at　once；　and　the　railroad；　which　will
soon　cross　the　whole　of　Central　America；　took　them　as　far　as　St。
Louis；　where　the　swift　mail…coaches　awaited　them。　　Almost　at　the
same　moment　in　which　the　Secretary　of　Marine；　the　vice…president
of　the　Gun　Club；　and　the　sub…director　of　the　Observatory　received
the　dispatch　from　San　Francisco；　the　Honorable　J。　T。　Maston　was
undergoing　the　greatest　excitement　he　had　ever　experienced　in　his
life；　an　excitement　which　even　the　bursting　of　his　pet　gun；　which
had　more　than　once　nearly　cost　him　his　life；　had　not　caused　him。
We　may　remember　that　the　secretary　of　the　Gun　Club　had　started
soon　after　the　projectile　（and　almost　as　quickly）　for　the　station
on　Long's　Peak；　in　the　Rocky　Mountains；　J。　Belfast；　director　of　the
Cambridge　Observatory；　accompanying　him。　　Arrived　there；　the　two
friends　had　installed　themselves　at　once；　never　quitting　the
summit　of　their　enormous　telescope。　　We　know　that　this　gigantic
instrument　had　been　set　up　according　to　the　reflecting　system；
called　by　the　English　〃front　view。〃　　This　arrangement　subjected
all　objects　to　but　one　reflection；　making　the　view　consequently
much　clearer；　the　result　was　that；　when　they　were　taking
observation；　J。　T。　Maston　and　Belfast　were　placed　in　the　_upper_
part　of　the　instrument　and　not　in　the　lower；　which　they　reached
by　a　circular　staircase；　a　masterpiece　of　lightness；　while　below
them　opened　a　metal