a journey in other worlds-第34章

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four　thousand　miles　across　by　twelve　thousand　miles　long；
Bearwarden　Peninsula。　　They　already　noticed　a　change　in　climate；
the　ferns　and　palms　became　fewer；　and　were　succeeded　by　pines；
while　the　air　was　also　a　good　deal　cooler；　which　was　easily
accounted　for　by　their　altitudethough　even　at　that　height　it
was　considerably　denser　than　at　sea…　level　on　earthand　by　the
fact　that　they　were　already　near　latitude　thirty。
　　　
The　exposed　points　on　the　plateau；　as　also　the　summits　of　the
first　mountains　they　had　seen　before　alighting；　were　devoid　of
vegetation；　scarcely　so　much　as　a　blade　of　grass　being　visible。　
Since　they　could　not　account　for　this　by　cold；　they　concluded
that　the　most　probable　explanation　lay　in　the　tremendous
hurricanes　that；　produced　by　the　planet's　rapid　rotation；
frequently　swept　along　its　surface；　like　the　earth's　trade…winds；
but　with　far　more　violence。　　　　On　reaching　the　northern　coast　of
the　peninsula　they　increased　their　elevation　and　changed　their
course　to　northeast；　not　caring　to　remain　long　over　the　great
body　of　water；　which　they　named　Cortlandt　Bay。　　The　thousands　of
miles　of　foam　fast　flew　beneath　them；　the　first　thing　attracting
their　attention　being　a　change　in　the　ocean's　colour。　　In　the
eastern　shore　of　Cortlandt　Bay　they　soon　observed　the　mouth　of　a
river；　ten　miles　across；　from　which　this　tinted　water　issued　in　a
flood。　　On　account　of　its　colour；　which　reminded　them　of　a　stream
they　knew　so　well；　they　christened　it　the　Harlem。
　　　
Believing　that　an　expedition　up　its　valley　might　reveal　something
of　interest；　they　began　the　ascent；　remaining　at　an　elevation　of
a　few　hundred　feet。　　For　about　three　hundred　miles　they　followed
this　river；　which　had　but　few　bends；　while　its　sides　became　more
and　more　precipitous；　till　it　flowed　through　a　canon　four　and　a
half　miles　across。　　Though　they　knew　from　the　wide　discoloration
of　Cortlandt　Bay　that　the　volume　of　water　discharged　was
tremendous；　the　stream　seldom　moved　at　a　rate　of　more　than　five
miles　an　hour；　and　for　a　time　was　free　from　rocks　and　rapids；
from　which　they　concluded　that　it　must　be　very　deep。　　Half　an
hour　later　they　saw　a　cloud　of　steam　or　mist；　which　expanded；　and
almost　obscured　the　sky　as　they　approached。　　Next　they　heard　a
sound　like　distant　thunder；　which　they　took　for　the　prolonged
eruption　of　some　giant　crater；　though　they　had　not　expected　to
find　one　so　far　towards　the　interior　of　the　continent。　　Presently
it　became　one　continuous　roar；　the　echo　in　the　canon；　whose　walls
were　at　this　place　over　six　hundred　feet　high；　being　simply
deafening；　so　that　the　near　discharge　of　the　heaviest　artillery
would　have　been　completely　drowned。
　　
〃One　would　think　the　end　of　the　world　was　approaching！〃　shouted
Cortlandt　through　his　hands。
　　　
〃Look！〃　Bearwarden　roared　back；　〃the　wind　is　scattering　the
mist。〃
　　　
As　he　spoke；　the　vapoury　curtain　was　drawn　aside；　revealing　a
waterfall　of　such　vast　proportions　as　to　dwarf　completely
anything　they　had　ever　seen　or　even　imagined。　　A　somewhat　open
horseshoe　lip；　three　and　a　half　miles　straight　across　and　over
four　miles　following　the　line　of　the　curve；　discharged　a　sheet　of
water　forty　feet　thick　at　the　edge　into　an　abyss　six　hundred　feet
below。　　Two　islands　on　the　brink　divided　this　sheet　of　liquid
into　three　nearly　equal　parts；　while　myriads　of　rainbows　hovered
in　the　clouds　of　spray。　　Two　things　especially　struck　the
observers：　the　water　made　but　little　curve　or　sweep　on　passing
over　the　edge；　and　then　rushed　down　to　the　abyss　at　almost
lightning　speed；　shivering　itself　to　infinitesimal　particles　on
striking　any　rock　or　projection　at　the　side。　　Its　behaviour　was；
of　course；　due　to　its　weight；　and　to　the　fact　that　on　Jupiter
bodies　fall　40。98　feet　the　first　second；　instead　of　sixteen　feet；
as　on　earth；　and　at　correspondingly　increasing　speed。
　　　
Finding　that　they　were　being　rapidly　dazed　and　stunned　by　the
noise；　the　travellers　caused　the　Callisto　to　rise　rapidly；　and
were　soon　surveying　the　superb　sight　from　a　considerable
elevation。　　Their　minds　could　grasp　but　slowly　the　full　meaning
and　titanic　power　of　what　they　saw；　and　not　even　the　vast　falls
in　their　nearness　could　make　their　significance　clear。　　Here　was
a　sheet　of　water　three　and　a　half　miles　wide；　averaging　forty
feet　in　depth；　moving　at　a　rapid　rate　towards　a　sheer　fall　of　six
hundred　feet。　　They　felt；　as　they　gazed　at　it；　that　the　power　of
that　waterfall　would　turn　backward　every　engine　and　dynamo　on　the
earth；　and　it　seemed　as　if　it　might　almost　put　out　the　fires　of
the　sun。　　Yet　it　was　but　an　illustration　of　the　action　of　the
solar　orb　exerted　on　a　vast　area　of　ocean；　the　vapour　in　the　form
of　rain　being　afterwards　turned　into　these　comparatively　narrow
limits　by　the　topography　of　the　continent。　　Compared　with　this；
Niagara；　with　its　descent　of　less　than　two　hundred　feet；　and　its
relatively　small　flow　of　water；　would　be　but　a　rivulet；　or　at
best　a　rapid　stream。　　　　Reluctantly　leaving　the　fascinating
spectacle；　they　pursued　their　exploration　along　the　river　above
the　falls。　　For　the　first　few　miles　the　surface　of　the　water　was
near　that　of　the　land；　there　were　occasional　rapids；　but　few
rocks；　and　the　foaming　torrent　moved　at　great　speed；　the　red
sandstone　banks　of　the　river　being　as　polished　as　though　they　had
been　waxed。　　After　a　while　the　obstructions　disappeared；　but　the
water　continued　to　rush　and　surge　along　at　a　speed　of　ten　or
twelve　miles　an　hour；　so　that　it　would　be　easily　navigable　only
for　logs　or　objects　moving　in　one　direction。　　The　surface　of　the
river　was　soon　on　an　average　fifty　feet　below　the　edge　of　the
banks；　this　depression　being　one　result　of　the　water's　rapid
motion　and　weight；　which　facilitated　the　carving　of　its　channel。
　　　
When　they　had　followed　up　the　river　about　sixty　miles　towards　its
source　they　came　upon　what　at　first　had　the　appearance　of　an
ocean。　　They　knew；　however；　from　its　elevation；　and　the　flood
coming　from　it；　that　the　water　must　be　fresh；　as　they　soon　found
it　was。　　This　lake　was　about　three　hundred　miles　wide；　and
stretched　from　northeast　to　southwest。　　There　was　rolling　land
with　hills　about　its　shores；　and　the　foliage　on　the　banks　was　a
beautiful　shade　of　bluish　purple　instead　of　the　terrestrial
ubiquitous　green。
　　　
When　near　the　great　lake's　upper　end；　they　passed　the　mouth　of　a
river　on　their　left　side；　which；　from　its　volume；　they　concluded
must　be　the　principal　source；　and　therefore　they　determined　to
trace　it。　　They　found　it　to　be　a　most　beautiful　stream；　averaging
two　and　a　half　miles　in　width；　evidently　very　deep；　and　with　a
full；　steady　current。　　After　proceeding　for　several　hours；　they
found　that　the　general　placidity　grew　less；　the　smooth　surface
occasionally　became　ruffled　by　projecting　rocks　and　rapids；　and
the　banks　rose　till　the　voyagers　again　found　themselves　in　a
ravine　or　canon。
　　　
During　their　sojourn　on　Jupiter　they　had　had　but　little
experience　with　the　tremendous　winds　that　they　knew；　from　reason
and　observation；　must　rage　in　its　atmosphere。　　They　now　heard
them　whistling　over　their　heads；　and；　notwithstanding　the
protection　afforded　by　the　sides　of　the　canon；　occasionally
received　a　gust　that　made　the　Callisto　swerve。　　They　kept　on
steadily；　however；　till　sunset；　at　which　time　it　became　very　dark
on　account　of　the　high　banks；　which　rose　as　steeply　as　the
Palisades　on　the　Hudson　to　a　height　of　nearly　a　thousand　feet。　
Finding　a　small　island　near　the　eastern　bank；　they　were　glad　to
secure　the　Callisto　there　for　the　night；　below　the　reach　of　the
winds；　which　they；　still　heard　singing　loudly　but　with　a　musical
note　in　what　seemed　to　them　like　the　sky。
　　　
〃It　is　incomprehensible　to　me。〃　said　Ayrault；　as　they　sat　at
dinner；　〃how　the　sun；　at　a　distance　of　four　hundred　and
eighty…three　million　miles；　can　raise　the　amount　of　water　we　have
here　passing　us；　and　compared　with　which　the　discharge　of　the
greatest　river　on　earth　would　be　insignificant；　to　say　nothing　of
the　stream　we　ascended　before　reaching　this。〃
　　　
〃We　must　remember；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃that　many　of　the
conditions　are　different　here　from　those　that　exist　on　earth。　　We
know　that　s