round the moon-第33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！


last　second。

But　to　give　some　figures　of　comparison；　it　has　been　reckoned
that　an　object　thrown　from　the　top　of　the　towers　of　Notre　Dame；
the　height　of　which　is　only　200　feet；　will　arrive　on　the
pavement　at　a　speed　of　240　miles　per　hour。　　Here　the　projectile
must　strike　the　earth　with　a　speed　of　115；200　miles　per　hour。

〃We　are　lost！〃　said　Michel　coolly。

〃Very　well！　if　we　die；〃　answered　Barbicane；　with　a　sort　of
religious　enthusiasm；　〃the　results　of　our　travels　will　be
magnificently　spread。　It　is　His　own　secret　that　God　will
tell　us！　　In　the　other　life　the　soul　will　want　to　know　nothing；
either　of　machines　or　engines！　　It　will　be　identified　with
eternal　wisdom！〃

〃In　fact；〃　interrupted　Michel　Ardan；　〃the　whole　of　the　other
world　may　well　console　us　for　the　loss　of　that　inferior　orb
called　the　moon！〃

Barbicane　crossed　his　arms　on　his　breast；　with　a　motion　of
sublime　resignation；　saying　at　the　same　time：

〃The　will　of　heaven　be　done！〃





CHAPTER　XX


THE　SOUNDINGS　OF　THE　SUSQUEHANNA


Well；　lieutenant；　and　our　soundings？〃

〃I　think；　sir；　that　the　operation　is　nearing　its　completion；〃
replied　Lieutenant　Bronsfield。　　〃But　who　would　have　thought　of
finding　such　a　depth　so　near　in　shore；　and　only　200　miles　from
the　American　coast？〃

〃Certainly；　Bronsfield；　there　is　a　great　depression；〃　said
Captain　Blomsberry。　　〃In　this　spot　there　is　a　submarine　valley
worn　by　Humboldt's　current；　which　skirts　the　coast　of　America　as
far　as　the　Straits　of　Magellan。〃

〃These　great　depths；〃　continued　the　lieutenant；　〃are　not
favorable　for　laying　telegraphic　cables。　　A　level　bottom；　like
that　supporting　the　American　cable　between　Valentia　and
Newfoundland；　is　much　better。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Bronsfield。　　With　your　permission；
lieutenant；　where　are　we　now？〃

〃Sir；　at　this　moment　we　have　3；508　fathoms　of　line　out；　and　the
ball　which　draws　the　sounding　lead　has　not　yet　touched　the
bottom；　for　if　so；　it　would　have　come　up　of　itself。〃

〃Brook's　apparatus　is　very　ingenious；〃　said　Captain　Blomsberry；
〃it　gives　us　very　exact　soundings。〃

〃Touch！〃　cried　at　this　moment　one　of　the　men　at　the　forewheel；
who　was　superintending　the　operation。

The　captain　and　the　lieutenant　mounted　the　quarterdeck。

〃What　depth　have　we？〃　asked　the　captain。

〃Three　thousand　six　hundred　and　twenty…seven　fathoms；〃　replied
the　lieutenant；　entering　it　in　his　notebook。

〃Well；　Bronsfield；〃　said　the　captain；　〃I　will　take　down
the　result。　　Now　haul　in　the　sounding　line。　　It　will　be　the
work　of　some　hours。　　In　that　time　the　engineer　can　light　the
furnaces；　and　we　shall　be　ready　to　start　as　soon　as　you
have　finished。　　It　is　ten　o'clock；　and　with　your　permission；
lieutenant；　I　will　turn　in。〃

〃Do　so；　sir；　do　so！〃　replied　the　lieutenant　obligingly。

The　captain　of　the　Susquehanna；　as　brave　a　man　as　need　be；　and
the　humble　servant　of　his　officers；　returned　to　his　cabin；　took
a　brandy…grog；　which　earned　for　the　steward　no　end　of　praise；
and　turned　in；　not　without　having　complimented　his　servant　upon
his　making　beds；　and　slept　a　peaceful　sleep。

It　was　then　ten　at　night。　　The　eleventh　day　of　the　month　of
December　was　drawing　to　a　close　in　a　magnificent　night。

The　Susquehanna；　a　corvette　of　500　horse…power；　of　the　United
States　navy；　was　occupied　in　taking　soundings　in　the　Pacific
Ocean　about　200　miles　off　the　American　coast；　following　that
long　peninsula　which　stretches　down　the　coast　of　Mexico。

The　wind　had　dropped　by　degrees。　　There　was　no　disturbance　in
the　air。　　The　pennant　hung　motionless　from　the　maintop…gallant…
mast　truck。

Captain　Jonathan　Blomsberry　（cousin…german　of　Colonel
Blomsberry；　one　of　the　most　ardent　supporters　of　the　Gun　Club；
who　had　married　an　aunt　of　the　captain　and　daughter　of　an
honorable　Kentucky　merchant）　Captain　Blomsberry　could　not　have
wished　for　finer　weather　in　which　to　bring　to　a　close　his
delicate　operations　of　sounding。　　His　corvette　had　not　even　felt
the　great　tempest；　which　by　sweeping　away　the　groups　of　clouds
on　the　Rocky　Mountains；　had　allowed　them　to　observe　the　course
of　the　famous　projectile。

Everything　went　well；　and　with　all　the　fervor　of　a　Presbyterian；
he　did　not　forget　to　thank　heaven　for　it。　　The　series　of
soundings　taken　by　the　Susquehanna；　had　for　its　aim　the　finding
of　a　favorable　spot　for　the　laying　of　a　submarine　cable　to
connect　the　Hawaiian　Islands　with　the　coast　of　America。

It　was　a　great　undertaking；　due　to　the　instigation　of　a
powerful　company。　　Its　managing　director；　the　intelligent　Cyrus
Field；　purposed　even　covering　all　the　islands　of　Oceanica　with
a　vast　electrical　network；　an　immense　enterprise；　and　one　worthy
of　American　genius。

To　the　corvette　Susquehanna　had　been　confided　the　first
operations　of　sounding。　　It　was　on　the　night　of　the　11th…12th　of
December；　she　was　in　exactly　27@　7'　north　latitude；　and　41@　37'
west　longitude；　on　the　meridian　of　Washington。

The　moon；　then　in　her　last　quarter；　was　beginning　to　rise　above
the　horizon。

After　the　departure　of　Captain　Blomsberry；　the　lieutenant　and
some　officers　were　standing　together　on　the　poop。　　On　the
appearance　of　the　moon；　their　thoughts　turned　to　that　orb　which
the　eyes　of　a　whole　hemisphere　were　contemplating。　　The　best
naval　glasses　could　not　have　discovered　the　projectile　wandering
around　its　hemisphere；　and　yet　all　were　pointed　toward　that
brilliant　disc　which　millions　of　eyes　were　looking　at　at　the
same　moment。

〃They　have　been　gone　ten　days；〃　said　Lieutenant　Bronsfield
at　last。　　〃What　has　become　of　them？〃

〃They　have　arrived；　lieutenant；〃　exclaimed　a　young　midshipman；
〃and　they　are　doing　what　all　travelers　do　when　they　arrive　in　a
new　country；　taking　a　walk！〃

〃Oh！　　I　am　sure　of　that；　if　you　tell　me　so；　my　young　friend；〃
said　Lieutenant　Bronsfield；　smiling。

〃But；〃　continued　another　officer；　〃their　arrival　cannot
be　doubted。　　The　projectile　was　to　reach　the　moon　when　full
on　the　5th　at　midnight。　　We　are　now　at　the　11th　of　December；　which
makes　six　days。　　And　in　six　times　twenty…four　hours；　without
darkness；　one　would　have　time　to　settle　comfortably。　　I　fancy　I
see　my　brave　countrymen　encamped　at　the　bottom　of　some　valley；
on　the　borders　of　a　Selenite　stream；　near　a　projectile　half…buried
by　its　fall　amid　volcanic　rubbish；　Captain　Nicholl　beginning　his
leveling　operations；　President　Barbicane　writing　out　his　notes；
and　Michel　Ardan　embalming　the　lunar　solitudes　with　the　perfume
of　his〃

〃Yes！　it　must　be　so；　it　is　so！〃　exclaimed　the　young　midshipman；
worked　up　to　a　pitch　of　enthusiasm　by　this　ideal　description　of
his　superior　officer。

〃I　should　like　to　believe　it；〃　replied　the　lieutenant；　who　was
quite　unmoved。　　〃Unfortunately　direct　news　from　the　lunar　world
is　still　wanting。〃

〃Beg　pardon；　lieutenant；〃　said　the　midshipman；　〃but　cannot
President　Barbicane　write？〃

A　burst　of　laughter　greeted　this　answer。

〃No　letters！〃　continued　the　young　man　quickly。　　〃The　postal
administration　has　something　to　see　to　there。〃

〃Might　it　not　be　the　telegraphic　service　that　is　at　fault？〃
asked　one　of　the　officers　ironically。

〃Not　necessarily；〃　replied　the　midshipman；　not　at　all　confused。
〃But　it　is　very　easy　to　set　up　a　graphic　communication　with
the　earth。〃

〃And　how？〃

〃By　means　of　the　telescope　at　Long's　Peak。　　You　know　it　brings
the　moon　to　within　four　miles　of　the　Rocky　Mountains；　and　that
it　shows　objects　on　its　surface　of　only　nine　feet　in　diameter。
Very　well；　let　our　industrious　friends　construct　a　giant
alphabet；　let　them　write　words　three　fathoms　long；　and　sentences
three　miles　long；　and　then　they　can　send　us　news　of　themselves。〃

The　young　midshipman；　who　had　a　certain　amount　of　imagination；
was　loudly　applauded；　Lieutenant　Bronsfield　allowing　that　the
idea　was　possible；　but　observing　that　if　by　these　means　they
could　receive　news　from　the　lunar　world　they　could　not　send　any
from　the　terrestrial；　unless　the　Selenites　had　instruments　fit
for　taking　distant　observations　at　their　disposal。

〃Evidently；〃　said　one　of　the　officers；　〃but　what　has　become　of
the　travelers？　what　they　have　done；　what　they　have　seen；　that
above　all　must　interest　us。　　Besides；　if　the　experiment　has
succeeded