a journey in other worlds-第26章

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〃It　is　a　thousand　pities；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　this　cataract
has　got　so　near　its　source；　for；　at　the　rate　these　streams　must
cut；　this　one　in　a　few　hundred　years；　unless　something　is　done　to
prevent　it；　will　have　worn　back　to　the　lake；　and　then　good…bye　to
the　falls；　which　will　become　a　series　of　rapids。　　Perhaps　the
first　effect　will　be　merely　to　reduce　by　a　few　feet　the　height　of
the　falls；　in　which　case　they　will　remain　in　practically　the　same
place。〃
　　　
About　the　shores　of　this　lake　they　saw　rhinoceroses　with　long
thick　wool；　and　herds　of　creatures　that　much　resembled　buffaloes。
　　　
〃I　do　not　see；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃why　the　identical　species
should　not　exist　here　that　till　recently；　in　a　geological　sense；
inhabited　the　earth。　　The　climate　and　all　other　conditions　are
practically　the　same　on　both　planets；　except　a　trifling
difference　in　weight；　to　which　terrestrials　would　soon　adapt
themselves。　　　We　know　by　spectroscopic　analysis　that　hydrogen；
iron；　magnesium；　and　all　our　best…known　substances　exist　in　the
sun；　and　even　the　stars；　while　the　earth　contains　everything　we
have　found　in　meteorites。　　Then　why　make　an　exception　of　life；
instead　of　supposing　that　at　corresponding　periods　of　development
the　same　living　forms　inhabit　all？　　It　would　be　assuming　the
eternal　sterilization　of　the　functions　of　Nature　to　suppose　that
our　earth　is　the　only　body　that　can　produce　them。〃
　　　
〃The　world　of　organic　life　is　so　much　more　complex；〃　replied
Cortlandt；　〃than　that　of　the　crystal；　that　it　requires　great
continuity。　　So　far　we　certainly　have　seen　no　men；　or　anything
like　them；　not　even　so　much　as　a　monkey；　though　I　suppose；
according　to　your　reasoning；　Jupiter　has　not　advanced　far　enough
to　produce　even　that。〃
　　　
〃Exactly；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃for　it　will　require　vast　periods；
and；　according　to　my　belief；　at　least　half　the　earth's　time　of
habitability　had　passed　before　man　appeared。　　But　we　see　Jupiter
is　admirably　suited　for　those　who　have　been　developed　somewhere
else；　and　it　would　be　an　awful　shame　if　we　allowed　it　to　lie
unimproved　till　it　produces　appreciative　inhabitants　of　its　own；
for　we　find　more　to　admire　in　one　half…hour　than　its　entire
present　population　during　its　lifetime。　　Yet；　how　magnificent
this　world　is；　and　how　superior　in　its　natural　state　to　ours！　
The　mountainous　horns　of　these　crescent…shaped　continents　protect
them　and　the　ocean　they　enclose　from　the　cold　polar　marine
currents；　and　in　a　measure　from　the　icy　winds；　while　the　elevated
country　on　the　horns　near　the　equator　might　be　a　Garden　of　Eden；
or　ideal　resort。　　To　be　sure；　the　continents　might　support　a
larger　population；　if　more　broken　up；　notwithstanding　the
advantage　resulting　from　the　comparatively　low　mountains　along
the　coasts；　and　the　useful　winds。　　A　greater　subdivision　of　land
and　water；　more　great　islands　connected　by　isthmuses；　and　more
mediterraneans　joined　by　straits；　would　be　a　further　advantage　to
commerce；　but　with　the　sources　of　power　at　hand；　the　resistless
winds　and　water…power；　much　increased　in　effectiveness　by　their
weight；　the　great　tides　when　several　moons　are　on　the　same　side；
or　opposite　the　sun；　internal　heat　near　the　surface；　and　abundant
coal…supply　doubtless　already　formed　and　also　near　the　surface；
such　small　alterations　could　be　made　very　easily；　and　would　serve
merely　to　prevent　our　becoming　rusty。
　　　
〃As　Jupiter's　distance　from　the　sun　varies　from　506；563；000　miles
at　aphelion　to　only　460；013；000　at　perihelion；　this　difference；
in　connection　with　even　the　slight　inclination　of　the　axis；　must
make　a　slight　change　in　seasons；　but　as　the　inclination　is
practically　nothing；　almost　the　entire　change　results　from　the
difference　in　distance。　　This　means　that　the　rise　or　fall　in
temperature　is　general　on　every　degree　of　latitude；　all　being
warmed　simultaneously；　more　or　less；　as　the　planet　approaches　or
departs　from　the　sun。　　It　means　also　that　about　the　same
conditions　that　Secretary　Deepwaters　suggested　as　desirable　for
the　earth；　prevail　here；　and　that　Jupiter　represents；　therefore；
about　the　acme　of　climate　naturally　provided。　　On　account　of　its
rapid　rotation　and　vast　size；　the　winds　have　a　tornado's
strength；　but　they　are　nothing　at　this　distance　from　the　sun　to
what　they　would　be　if　a　planet　with　its　present　rate　of　rotation
and　size　were　where　Venus　or　even　the　earth　is。　　In　either　of
these　positions　no　land　life　with　which　we　are　acquainted　could
live　on　the　surface；　for　the　slope　of　the　atmospheric　isobarsi。
e。；　the　lines　of　equal　barometric　pressure　that　produce　wind　by
becoming　tilted　through　unequal　expansion；　after　which　the　air；
as　it　were；　flows　down…hillwould　be　too　great。　　The　ascending
currents　about　the　equator　would　also；　of　course；　be　vastly
strengthened；　so　that　we　see　a　wise　dispensation　of　Providence　in
placing　the　large　planets；　which　also　rotate　so　rapidly；　at　a
great　distance　from　the　sun；　which　is　the　father　of　all　winds；
rotation　alone；　however　rapid；　being　unable　to　produce　them。〃
　　　
They　found　this　lake　was　about　six　times　the　size　of　Lake
Superior；　and　that　several　large　and　small　streams　ran　into　its
upper　end。　　These　had　their　sources　in　smaller　lakes　that　were　at
slightly　higher　elevations。　　Though　the　air　was　cool；　the　sun
shone　brightly；　while　the　ground　was　covered　with　flowers
resembling　those　of　the　northern　climes　on　earth；　of　all　shapes
and　lines。　　Twice　a　day　these　sent　up　their　song；　and　trees　were
covered　with　buds；　and　the　birds　twittered　gaily。　　The　streams
murmured　and　bubbled；　and　all　things　reminded　the　travellers　of
early　morning　in　spring。
　　　
〃If　anything　could　reconcile　me；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃to　exchange
my　active　utilitarian　life　for　a　rustic　poetical　existence；　it
would　be　this　place；　for　it　is　far　more　beautiful　than　anything　I
have　seen　on　earth。　　It　needs　but　a　Maud　Muller　and　a　few　cows　to
complete　the　picture；　since　Nature　gives　us　a　vision　of　eternal
peace　and　repose。〃
　　　
Somehow　the　mention　of　Maud　Muller；　and　the　delicate　and　refined
flowers；　whose　perfume　he　inhaled；　brought　up　thoughts　that　were
never　far　below　the　surface　in　Ayrault's　mind。　　〃The　place　is
heavenly　enough；〃　said　he；　〃to　make　one　wish　to　live　and　remain
here　forever；　but　to　me　it　would　be　Hamlet　with　Hamlet　left　out。〃
　　　
〃Ah！　poor　chap；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃you　are　in　love；　but　you　are
not　to　be　pitied；　for　though　the　thrusts　at　the　heart　are　sharp；
they　may　be　the　sweetest　that　mortals　know。〃
　　　
The　following　morning　they　reluctantly　left　the　picturesque
shores　of　Lake　Serenity；　with　their　beautiful　tints　and　foliage；
and　resumed　the　journey；　to　explore　a　number　of　islands　in　the
ocean　in　the　west；　which　were　recorded　on　their　negatives。　
Ascending　to　rarefied　air；　they　saw　great　chains　of　mountains；
which　they　imagined　ran　parallel　to　the　coast；　rising　to
considerable　altitudes　in　the　east。　　The　tops　of　all　glistened
with　a　mantle　of　snow　in　the　sunlight；　while　between　the　ridges
they　saw　darker　and　evidently　fertile　valleys。　　They　passed；
moving　northwest；　over　large　and　small　lakes；　all　evidently　part
of　the　same　great　system；　and　continued　to　sweep　along　for
several　days　with　a　beautiful　panorama；　as　varying　as　a
kaleidoscope；　spread　beneath　their　eyes。　　They　observed　that　the
character　of　the　country　gradually　changed。　　The　symmetrically
rounded　mountains　and　hills　began　to　show　angles；　while　great
slabs　of　rock　were　split　from　the　faces。　　The　sides　also　became
less　vertical；　and　there　was　an　accumulation　of　detrital
fragments　about　their　bases。　　These　heaps　of　fractured　stone　had
in　some　cases　begun　to　disintegrate　and　form　soil；　on　which　there
was　a　scant　growth　of　vegetation；　but　the　sides　and　summits；
whose　jaggedness　increased　with　their　height；　were　absolutely
bare。
　　　
〃Here；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃we　have　unmistakable　evidence　of　frost
and　ice　action。　　The　next　interesting　question　is；　How　recently
has　denudation　occurred？　　The　absence　of　plant　life　at　the
exposed　places；〃　he　continued；　as　if　lecturing　to　a　class；　〃can
be　accounted　for　here；　as　nearer　the　equator；　by　the　violence　of
the　wind；　but　I　greatly　doubt　whether　water　will　now　freeze　in
this　latitude　at　any　season　of　the　year；　for；　even　should　the
Northern　hemisphere's　very　insignificant　winter　coincide　with　the
planet's　aphelion；　the　necessary　drop　from　the　present
temperature　would　be　too　great　to　be　at　all　probable。　　If；　then；
it　is　granted　that　ice　does　not　form　here　now；　notwithstanding
the　fact　that　it　has　done　so；　the　most　plausible　conclusion　is
that　the　inclination　of　Jupiter's　axis　is　automatically　changing；
as　we　know　the　earth's　has　often　done。　　There　being　nothing
incompatible　in　this　view　with　the　evidence　at　hand；　we　can
safely　assume　it　correct　for　the　time　being　at　least。　　When
farther　south；　you　remember；　we　found　no　trace　of　ice　action；
notwithstanding　the　comparative　slowness　with　which　we　decided
that　the　ridges　in　the　crust　had　been　upheaved　on　account　of　the
resisting　power　of　gravity；　and；　as　I　see　now；　also　on　account　of
Jupiter's　great　mass；　which　must　prevent　its　losing　its　heat
anything　like　as　fast　as　the　earth　has；　in　which　I　think　also　we
have　the　explanation　of　the　comparatively　low　elevation　of　the
mountains　that　we　found　we　could　not　account　for　by　the　power　of
gravitation　alone。＇2＇　　From　the　fact　that　the　exposed　surface
farther　south　must　be　old；　on　account　of　the　slow　upheaval　and
the　slight　wear　to　which　it　is　exposed；　about　the　only　wearing
agent　being　the　wind；　which　would　be　powerless　to　erase
ice…scratches；　especially　since；　on　account　of　gravity's　power；
it　cannot；　like　our　desert　winds；　carry　much　sandwhich；　as　we
know；　has　cut　away　the　base　of　the　SphinxI　think　it　is　logical
to　conclude　that；　though　Jupiter's　axis　is　changing　naturally　as
the　earth's　has　been；　it　has　never　varied　as　much　as　twenty…three
and　a　half　degrees；　and　certainly　to　nothing　like　the　extent　to
which　we　see　Venus　and　Uranus　tilted　to…day。〃

＇2＇　　It　is　well　known　that　mountain　chains　are　but　ridges　or
foldings　in　the　crust　upheaved　as　the　interior　cools　and　shrinks。　
This　is　proved　by　reason　and　by　experiments　with　viscous　clay　or
other　material　placed　upon　a　sheet　of　stretched　rubber；　which　is
afterwards　allowed　to　contract；　whereupon　the　analogues　of
mountain　ridges　are　thrown　up。


〃I　follow　you；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃and　do　not　see　how　we　could
arrive　at　anything　else。　　From　Jupiter's　low　specific　gravity；
weighing　but　little　more　than　an　equal　bulk　of　water；　I　should
say　the　interior　must　be　very　hot；　or　else　is　composed　of　light
material；　for　the　crust's　surface；　or　the　part　we　see；　is
evidently　about　as　dense　as　what　we　have　on　earth。　　These　things
have　puzzled　me　a　good　deal；　and　I　have　been　wondering　if　Jupiter
may　not　have　been　formed　before　the　earth　and　the　smaller
planets。〃
　　　
〃The　discrepancies　between　even　the　best　authorities；〃　replied
Cortlandt；　〃show　that　as　yet　but　little　has　been　discovered　from
the　earth　concerning　Jupiter's　real　condition。　　The　two　theories
that　try　to　account　for　its　genesis　are　the　ring　theory　and　the
nebulous。　　We　know　that　the　sun　is　constantly　emitting　vast
volumes　of　heat　and　light；　and　that；　wi