a journey in other worlds-第28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！


lead　when　stirred　on　earth；　by　the　rapidity　with　which　the　crests
dropped。　　Though　the　wind　was　blowing　an　on…shore　gale；　there　was
but　little　combing；　and　when　there　was　any　it　lasted　but　a
second。　　The　one　effort　of　the　crests　and　waves　seemed　to　be　to
remain　at　rest；　or；　if　stirred　in　spite　of　themselves；　to
subside。
　　　
When　over　the　surface　of　the　ocean；　the　voyagers　rose　to　a　height
of　thirty　thousand　metres；　and　after　twenty…　four　hours'
travelling　saw；　at　a　distance　of　about　two　hundred　miles；　what
looked　like　another　continent；　but　which　they　knew　must　be　an
island。　　On　finding　themselves　above　it；　they　rose　still　higher
to　obtain　a　view　of　its　outlines　and　compare　its　shape　with　that
of　the　islands　in　the　photographs　they　had　had　time　to　develop。　
The　length　ran　from　southeast　to　northwest。　　Though　crossed　by
latitude　forty；　and　notwithstanding　Jupiter's　distance　from　the
sun；　the　southern　side　had　a　very　luxuriant　vegetation　that　was
almost　semi…tropical。　　　　　　　This　they　accounted　for　by　its　total
immunity　from　cold；　the　density　of　the　air　at　sea…level；　and　the
warm　moist　breezes　it　received　from　the　tepid　ocean。　　The　climate
was　about　the　same　as　that　of　the　Riviera　or　of　Florida　in
winter；　and　there　was；　of　course；　no　parching　summer。
　　　
〃This　shows　me；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　a　country's　climate
depends　less　on　the　amount　of　heat　it　receives　from　the　sun　than
on　the　amount　it　retains；　proof　of　which　we　have　in　the　tops　of
the　Himalayas　perpetually　covered　with　snow；　and　snow…capped
mountains　on　the　very　equator；　where　they　get　the　most　direct
rays；　and　where　those　rays　have　but　little　air　to　penetrate。　　It
shows　that　the　presence　of　a　substantial　atmosphere　is　as
necessary　a　part　of　the　calculation　in　practice　as　the　sun
itself。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that；　with　the　constant　effect　of
the　internal　heat　on　its　oceans　and　atmosphere；　Jupiter　could　get
along　with　a　good　deal　less　solar　heat　than　it　receives；　in　proof
of　which　I　expect　to　find　the　poles　themselves　quite　comfortable。　
The　reason　the　internal　heat　is　so　little　taken　into　account　on
earth　is　because；　from　the　thickness　of　the　crust；　it　cannot　make
itself　felt；　for　if　the　earth　were　as　chilled　through　as　ice；　the
people　on　the　surface　would　not　feel　the　difference。〃
　　
A　Jovian　week's　explorations　disclosed　the　fact　that　though　the
island's　general　outlines　were　fairly　regular；　it　had　deep…water
harbours；　great　rivers；　and　land…locked　gulfs　and　bays；　some　of
which　penetrated　many　hundred　miles　into　the　interior。　　It　also
showed　that　the　island's　length　was　about　six　thousand　miles；　and
its　breadth　about　three　thousand；　and　that　it　had　therefore　about
the　superficial　area　of　Asia。　　They　found　no　trace　of　the　great
monsters　that　had　been　so　numerous　on　the　mainland；　though　there
were　plenty　of　smaller　and　gentle…looking　creatures；　among　them
animals　whose　build　was　much　like　that　of　the　prehistoric　horse；
with　undeveloped　toes　on　each　side　of　the　hoof；　which　in　the
modern　terrestrial　horse　have　disappeared；　the　hoof　being　in
reality　but　a　rounded…off　middle　finger。

　　　〃It　is　wonderful；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃how　comparatively　narrow
a　body　of　water　can　keep　different　species　entirely　separate。　
The　island　of　Sumatra；　for　instance；　is　inhabited　by　marsupials
belonging　to　the　distinct　Australian　type；　in　which　the　female；
as　in　the　kangaroo；　carries　the　slightly　developed　young　in　a
pouch；　while　the　Malay　peninsula；　joined　to　the　mainland；　has　all
the　highly　developed　animals　of　Asia　and　the　connected　land　of
the　Eastern　hemisphere；　the　narrow　Malacca　Strait　being　all　that
has　kept　marsupials　and　mammals　apart；　though　the　separating
power　has　been　increased　by　the　rapid　current　setting　through。　
This　has　decreased　the　chance　of　creatures　carried　to　sea　on
drift…wood　or　uprooted　trees　getting　safely　over　to　such　a　degree
that　apparently　none　have　survived；　for；　had　they　done　so；　we　may
be　certain　that　the　mammals；　with　the　advantage　their　young　have
over　the　marsupials；　would　soon　have　run　them　out；　the　marsupials
being　the　older　and　the　less　perfect　form　of　life　of　the　two。〃
　　　
Before　leaving　the　beautiful　sea…girt　region　beneath　them；
Cortlandt　proposed　that　it　be　named　after　their　host；　which
Bearwarden　seconded；　whereupon　they　entered　it　as　Ayrault　Island
on　the　charts。　　After　this　they　rose　to　a　great　height；　and　flew
swiftly　over　three　thousand　miles　of　ocean　till　they　came　to
another　island　not　quite　as　large　as　the　first。　　It　was　four
thousand　five　hundred　miles　long　by　something　less　than　three
thousand　wide；　and　was　therefore　about　the　size　of　Africa。　　It
had　several　high　ranges　of　mountains　and　a　number　of　great　rivers
and　fine　harbours；　while　murmuring；　bubbling　brooks　flowed
through　its　forest　glades。　　There　were　active　volcanoes　along　the
northern　coast；　and　the　blue；　crimson；　and　purple　lines　in　the
luxuriant　foliage　were　the　most　beautiful　they　had　ever　seen。
　　　
〃I　propose；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　we　christen　this　Sylvialand。〃　
This　Cortlandt　immediately　seconded；　and　it　was　so　entered　on　the
charts。
　　　
〃These　two　islands；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃may　become　the　centres　of
civilization。　　With　flying　machines　and　cables　to　carry
passengers　and　information；　and　ships　of　great　displacement　for
the　interchange　of　commodities；　there　is　no　limit　to　their
possible　development。　　The　absence　of　large　waves　will　also　be
very　favourable　to　sea…spiders；　which　will　be　able　to　run　at
tremendous　speeds。　　The　constancy　in　the　eruptions　of　the
volcanoes　will　offer　a　great　field　to　Jovian　inventors；　who　will
unquestionably　be　able　to　utilize　their　heat　for　the　production
of　steam　or　electricity；　to　say　nothing　of　an　inexhaustible
supply　of　valuable　chemicals。　　They　may　contain　the　means　of
producing　some　force　entirely　different　from　apergy；　and　as
superior　to　electricity　as　that　is　to　steam。　　Our　earthly
volcanoes　have　been　put　to　slight　account　because　of　the　long
intervals　between　eruptions。〃
　　　
After　leaving　Sylvialand　they　went　westward　to　the　eastern　of　the
two　crescent　continents。　　It　was　separated　from　the　island　by
about　six　thousand　miles　of　ocean；　and　had　less　width　than　the
western；　having　about　the　proportions　of　a　three…day　crescent；
while　the　western　had　the　shape　of　the　moon　when　four　or　five
days　old。　　They　found　the　height　of　the　mountains　and　plateaus
somewhat　less　than　on　the　eastern　continent；　but　no　great
difference　in　other　respects；　except　that；　as　they　went　towards
the　pole；　the　vegetation　became　more　like　that　of　Scotland　or　a
north　temperate　region　than　any　they　had　seen。　　On　reaching
latitude　fifty　they　again　came　out　over　the　ocean　to　investigate
the　speckled　condition　they　had　observed　there。　　They　found　a
vast　archipelago　covering　as　great　an　area　as　the　whole　Pacific
Ocean。　　The　islands　varied　from　the　size　of　Borneo　and　Madagascar
to　that　of　Sicily　and　Corsica；　while　some　contained　but　a　few
square　miles。　　The　surface　of　the　archipelago　was　about　equally
divided　between　land　and　water。
　　　
〃It　would　take　good　navigation　or　an　elaborate　system　of
light…houses；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃for　a　captain　to　find　the
shortest　course　through　these　groups。〃　　　　　

The　islands　were　covered　with　shade　trees　much　resembling　those
on　earth；　and　the　leaves　on　many　were　turning　yellow　and　red；　for
this　hemisphere's　autumn　had　already　begun。　　　　　

〃The　Jovian　trees；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃can　never　cease　to　bear；
though　the　change　of　seasons　is　evidently　able　to　turn　their
colour；　perhaps　by　merely　ripening　them。　　When　a　ripe　leaf　falls
off；　its　place　is　doubtless　soon　taken　by　a　bud；　for　germination
and　fructification　go　on　side　by　side。〃　　　　

Before　leaving；　they　decided　to　name　this　Twentieth　Century
Archipelago；　since　so　much　of　the　knowledge　appertaining　to　it
had　been　acquired　in　their　own　day。　　At　latitude　sixty　the
northern　arms　of　the　two　continents　came　within　fifteen　hundred
miles　of　each　other。　　The　eastern　extension　was　split　like　the
tail　of　a　fish；　the　great　bay　formed　thereby　being　filled　with
islands；　which　also　extended　about　half　of　the　distance　across。　
The　western　extremity　shelved　very　gradually；　the　sand…bars
running　out　for　miles　just　below　the　surface　of　the　water。
　　　
After　this　the　travellers　flew　northward　at　great　speed　in　the
upper　regions　of　the　air；　for　they　were　anxious　to　hasten　their
journey。　　They　found　nothing　but　unbroken　sea；　and　not　till　they
reached　latitude　eighty…seven　was　there　a　sign　of　ice。　　They　then
saw　some　small　bergs　and　field　ice；　but　in　no　great　quantities。　
As　their　outside　thermometer；　when　just　above　the　placid
waterfor　there　were　no　waves　hereregistered　twenty…　one
degrees　Fahrenheit；　they　accounted　for　this　scarcity　of　ice　by
the　absence　of　land　on　which　fresh　water　could　freeze；　and　by　the
fact　that　it　was　not　cold　enough　to　congeal　the　very　salt
sea…water。
　　　
Finally　they　reached　another　archipelago　a　few　hundred　miles　in
extent；　the　larger　islands　of　which　were　covered　with　a　sheet　of
ice；　at　the　edges　of　which　small　icebergs　were　being　formed　by
breaking　off　and　slowly　floating。　　Finding　a　small　island　on
which　the　coating　was　thin；　they　grounded　the　Callisto；　and
stepped　out　for　the　first　time　in　several　days。　　The　air　was　so
still　that　a　small　piece　of　paper　released　at　a　height　of　six
feet　sank　slowly　and　went　as　straight　as　the　string　of　a
plumb…line。　　The　sun　was　bisected　by　the　line　of　the　horizon；　and
appeared　to　be　moving　about　them　in　a　circle；　with　only　its　upper
half　visible。　　As　Jupiter's　northern　hemisphere　was　passing
through　its　autumnal　equinox；　they　concluded　they　had　landed
exactly　at　the　pole。

〃Now　to　work　on　our　experiment；〃　said　Cortlandt。　〃I　wonder　how　we
may　best　get　below　the　frozen　surface？〃
　　
〃We　can　explode　a　small　quantity　of　dynamite；〃　replied
Bearwarden；　〃after　which　the　digging　will　be　comparatively　easy。〃
　　　
While　Cortlandt　and　Bearwarden　prepared　the　mine；　Ayrault　brought
out　a　pickaxe；　two　shovels；　and　the　battery　and　wires　with　which
to　ignite　the　explosive。　　They　made　their　preparations　within　one
hundred　feet　of　the　Callisto；　or　much　nearer　than　an　equivalent
amount　of　gunpowder　could　have　been　discharged。
　　　
〃This　recalls　an　old　laboratory　experiment；　or　rather　lecture；〃
said　Cortlandt；　as　they　completed　the　arrangements；　〃for　the
illustration　is　not　as　a　rule　carried　out。　　Explode　two　pounds　of
powder　on　an　iron　safe　in　a　room　with　the　windows　closed；　and　the
windows　will　be　blown　out；　while　the　safe　remains　uninjured。　
Explode　an　equivalent　amount　of　dynamite　on　top　of　the　safe；　and
it　will　be　destroyed；　while　the　glass　panes　are　not　even　cracked。　
This　illustrates　the　difference　in　rapidity　with　which　the
explosions　take　place。　　To　the　intensely　rapid　action　of　dynamite
the　air　affords　as　much　resistance　as　a　solid　substance；　while
the　explosion　of　the　powder　is　so　slow　that　the　air　has　time　to
move　away；　hence　the　destruction　of　the　windows　in　the　first
case；　and　the　safe　in　the　second。〃

When　they　had　moved　beyond　the　danger　line；　Bearwarden；　as　the
party's　practising　engineer；　pressed　the　button；　and　the
explosion　did　the　rest。　　They　found　that　the　ground　was　frozen　to
a　d