round the moon-第21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！
〃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 establishment of this fact as an acquisition
to science。 Now； were these shades of green； belonging to
tropical vegetation； kept up by a low dense atmosphere？ He could
not yet say。
Farther on； he noticed a reddish tint； quite defined。 The same
shade had before been observed at the bottom of an isolated
enclosure； known by the name of Lichtenburg's circle； which is
situated near the Hercynian mountains； on the borders of the
moon； but they could not tell the nature of it。
They were not more fortunate with regard to another peculiarity
of the disc； for they could not decide upon the cause of it。
Michel Ardan was watching near the president； when he noticed
long white lines； vividly lighted up by the direct rays of the sun。
It was a succession of luminous furrows； very different from the
radiation of Copernicus not long before； they ran parallel with
each other。
Michel； with his usual readiness； hastened to exclaim：
〃Look there！ cultivated fields！〃
〃Cultivated fields！〃 replied Nicholl； shrugging his shoulders。
〃Plowed； at all events；〃 retorted Michel Ardan； 〃but what
laborers those Selenites must be； and what giant oxen they must
harness to their plow to cut such furrows！〃
〃They are not furrows；〃 said Barbicane； 〃they are _rifts_。〃
〃Rifts？ stuff！〃 replied Michel mildly； 〃but what do you mean by
‘rifts' in the scientific world？〃
Barbicane immediately enlightened his companion as to what he
knew about lunar rifts。 He knew that they were a kind of furrow
found on every part of the disc which was not mountainous； that
these furrows； generally isolated； measured from 400 to 500
leagues in length； that their breadth varied from 1；000 to 1；500
yards； and that their borders were strictly parallel； but he
knew nothing more either of their formation or their nature。
Barbicane； through his glasses； observed these rifts with
great attention。 He noticed that their borders were formed of
steep declivities； they were long parallel ramparts； and with some
small amount of imagination he might have admitted the existence
of long lines of fortifications； raised by Selenite engineers。
Of these different rifts some were perfectly straight； as if cut
by a line； others were slightly curved； though still keeping
their borders parallel； some crossed each other； some cut through
craters； here they wound through ordinary cavities； such as
Posidonius or Petavius； there they wound through the seas； such
as the 〃Sea of Serenity。〃
These natural accidents naturally excited the imaginations of
these terrestrial astronomers。 The first observations had not
discovered these rifts。 Neither Hevelius； Cassin； La Hire； nor
Herschel seemed to have known them。 It was Schroeter who in
1789 first drew attention to them。 Others followed who studied
them； as Pastorff； Gruithuysen； Boeer； and Moedler。 At this
time their number amounts to seventy； but； if they have been
counted； their nature has not yet been determined； they are
certainly _not_ fortifications； any more than they are the
ancient beds of dried…up river
