登陆注册
4716400000065

第65章

But Captain Nicholl hastened to remedy this state of things, by placing on the floor several receivers containing caustic potash, which he shook about for a time, and this substance, greedy of carbonic acid, soon completely absorbed it, thus purifying the air.

An inventory of instruments was then begun. The thermometers and barometers had resisted, all but one minimum thermometer, the glass of which was broken. An excellent aneroid was drawn from the wadded box which contained it and hung on the wall.

Of course it was only affected by and marked the pressure of the air inside the projectile, but it also showed the quantity of moisture which it contained. At that moment its needle oscillated between 25.24 and 25.08.

It was fine weather.

Barbicane had also brought several compasses, which he found intact.

One must understand that under present conditions their needles were acting _wildly_, that is without any _constant_ direction.

Indeed, at the distance they were from the earth, the magnetic pole could have no perceptible action upon the apparatus; but the box placed on the lunar disc might perhaps exhibit some strange phenomena. In any case it would be interesting to see whether the earth's satellite submitted like herself to its magnetic influence.

A hypsometer to measure the height of the lunar mountains, a sextant to take the height of the sun, glasses which would be useful as they neared the moon, all these instruments were carefully looked over, and pronounced good in spite of the violent shock.

As to the pickaxes and different tools which were Nicholl's especial choice; as to the sacks of different kinds of grain and shrubs which Michel Ardan hoped to transplant into Selenite ground, they were stowed away in the upper part of the projectile.

There was a sort of granary there, loaded with things which the extravagant Frenchman had heaped up. What they were no one knew, and the good-tempered fellow did not explain. Now and then he climbed up by cramp-irons riveted to the walls, but kept the inspection to himself. He arranged and rearranged, he plunged his hand rapidly into certain mysterious boxes, singing in one of the falsest of voices an old French refrain to enliven the situation.

Barbicane observed with some interest that his guns and other arms had not been damaged. These were important, because, heavily loaded, they were to help lessen the fall of the projectile, when drawn by the lunar attraction (after having passed the point of neutral attraction) on to the moon's surface; a fall which ought to be six times less rapid than it would have been on the earth's surface, thanks to the difference of bulk. The inspection ended with general satisfaction, when each returned to watch space through the side windows and the lower glass coverlid.

There was the same view. The whole extent of the celestial sphere swarmed with stars and constellations of wonderful purity, enough to drive an astronomer out of his mind! On one side the sun, like the mouth of a lighted oven, a dazzling disc without a halo, standing out on the dark background of the sky!

On the other, the moon returning its fire by reflection, and apparently motionless in the midst of the starry world. Then, a large spot seemingly nailed to the firmament, bordered by a silvery cord; it was the earth! Here and there nebulous masses like large flakes of starry snow; and from the zenith to the nadir, an immense ring formed by an impalpable dust of stars, the "Milky Way," in the midst of which the sun ranks only as a star of the fourth magnitude. The observers could not take their eyes from this novel spectacle, of which no description could give an adequate idea. What reflections it suggested! What emotions hitherto unknown awoke in their souls! Barbicane wished to begin the relation of his journey while under its first impressions, and hour after hour took notes of all facts happening in the beginning of the enterprise. He wrote quietly, with his large square writing, in a business-like style.

During this time Nicholl, the calculator, looked over the minutes of their passage, and worked out figures with unparalleled dexterity. Michel Ardan chatted first with Barbicane, who did not answer him, and then with Nicholl, who did not hear him, with Diana, who understood none of his theories, and lastly with himself, questioning and answering, going and coming, busy with a thousand details; at one time bent over the lower glass, at another roosting in the heights of the projectile, and always singing. In this microcosm he represented French loquacity and excitability, and we beg you to believe that they were well represented. The day, or rather (for the expression is not correct) the lapse of twelve hours, which forms a day upon the earth, closed with a plentiful supper carefully prepared. No accident of any nature had yet happened to shake the travelers' confidence; so, full of hope, already sure of success, they slept peacefully, while the projectile under an uniformly decreasing speed was crossing the sky.

同类推荐
  • 佛说弊魔试目连经

    佛说弊魔试目连经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 摩邓女经

    摩邓女经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 西山群仙会真记

    西山群仙会真记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大明皇陵碑

    大明皇陵碑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 复雅歌词

    复雅歌词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 这样的女人最幸福

    这样的女人最幸福

    感觉会让一个女人具有别样的风情,在女人的感觉世界里包含着善良、明智、浪漫以及对他人的喜厌。跟着感觉走的女人,就有如一缕淡淡的撩人心神的馨香,任谁从她身边走过,都忍不住驻足欣赏;女人的感觉也会让女人在幸福来临的时刻,紧紧抓住它的手,从而锻造出属于自己的幸福人生。做一个跟着感觉走的女人,幸福是那么伸手可及。
  • 孟子集注

    孟子集注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 云上法师

    云上法师

    两千年前,洪水肆虐,幸存下来的人们向神祈祷,神便将大陆的三分之一从海面升起,直达无尽云海之上……“正是那段失去施法能力的日子让我理解了法师的存在意义,”讲台上,约翰·歌特侃侃而谈,非常欣赏听众们全神贯注的表情,“对于一位真正的法师而言,丧失施法能力并不是生活的结束,而是一个新的开始。”一个发生在云上世界中的,少年与少女们的故事。欢迎阅读。提示:阅读请从第一卷《春日祭礼》开始。
  • 万僵之祖

    万僵之祖

    人有人祖,妖有妖祖!那么跳出三界外不在五行中的僵尸是否也有自己的祖先?天地混沌初开,有四大僵尸之始祖,称为天地殭尊。真正的僵尸所向无敌!披靡天下!且看一只小僵尸如何在修真界奋斗,最终成长为一代僵尸之祖!
  • 清乾隆嘉庆道光时期诗学

    清乾隆嘉庆道光时期诗学

    乾隆时期的诗学,主要围绕着对明代以来诗学的反思展开,那个时期国力强盛,士人心态比较平和,所以当时的诗学比较注重审美和艺术的方面,到嘉庆、道光时期,清朝走向衰败,士人心态,由平和转向焦躁愤激,许多诗歌反映了现实。本书就是对乾隆时期诗学、乾隆嘉庆之际诗学、嘉庆道光时期诗学的研究。
  • 系统之宠妃人生

    系统之宠妃人生

    殷如雪在系统君的鞭策下,稳步提升渣皇帝对自己的好感度和真情度,一步一步走上了当朝宠妃。
  • Sonnets from the Portuguese

    Sonnets from the Portuguese

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 我家少主又跑了

    我家少主又跑了

    本书又名《X一代的人生巅峰之路》,风格偏仙侠~女主……女主?本文没有女主,大家记得把少主当男人看!一睁眼成为云天界最大的纨绔子弟,云涟刚刚想靠山活……一眨眼,靠山倒了!!!传说中的X二代呢?!好吧,X二代没当成,圆润的滚去当X一代。走上人生巅峰的路上,云涟想顺便拐个伪谪仙回家。然而——云涟弹弹脖子上的利剑。本大佬想跟你过日子,你却想杀我?!
  • 驭鬼皇妃:黑道女皇霸业天下

    驭鬼皇妃:黑道女皇霸业天下

    她堂堂黑道女皇竟然穿越成了人前被人欺负,人后被鬼欺负的容家九小姐,于是人前治人,人后治鬼,于是挑战帝国,一统黑暗地带,收服四王,做那王上之王,霸业天下。他神秘莫测,于千年轮回之中遇见她,红衣妖冶,风华绝代。他们之间的相遇是注定还是偶然?被封印在禁地的卷轴,被隔绝的神秘三界,流淌着不祥之人血脉的少女。这是新的命运,还是旧的轮回?“以汝之血,唤吾之名。”梦中永不间断的呼唤,苍凉的声音,冰冷的目光,还有情不自禁的心痛。他是谁?她又到底是谁?纤手一指,百万鬼军,霸业天下,唯我无双。千年轮回,百年之约,生生世世,唯她无双。
  • 宫廷复仇虐爱 媚青丝

    宫廷复仇虐爱 媚青丝

    子曦,一个淡如轻烟、清水般澄澈剔透的绝色女子,敏感纤细;柔时若水、坚时如玉。出生之际,八月,却天降鹅毛大雪。大翌一智者预言说,她是天罹星转世,红颜祸水,祸及天地,注定孤苦一世。天命如此,不可逆也。七年后,她,一夕之间,家破人亡。人说这便是灾难的开始。为了摆脱这背负一生的荒谬命运,为了给至爱的亲人报仇血恨。不可回避的宿命将她推上风口浪尖。她步步为谋,却难免深陷囹圄。嫁给他是不得已,爱上他却也是不经意。她别无选择,只得循着命运的安排,一步步走下去,宫延斗争,江山社稷,惊世奇缘…错误的时光,错误的地点,错误地爱上那个她。他本不该爱上她的,错就错在江南那一场醉人的烟雨。家仇国恨,阴谋与爱情的纷繁纠葛…美人娇娆,权欲熏心,何者才是英雄冢?弑亲之仇,夺妻之恨;手足相残,天下大乱,他们争的是权倾天下,夺的是倾国红颜…红尘帝都,繁华富贵,留得住几缕青丝?浮世输赢,净心欲念,争得到几重宫阙?---------------------《宫廷复仇虐爱媚青丝》悠悠已经参加原创文比赛希望亲亲们多多支持……投票方法很简单,先去“会员中心”注册一个普通会员,然后按“内容简介”下方的“投票推荐”,就可以获得每天投三票的机会。如果你是会员,那么你就有九票可以投给同一作品。喜欢的话可以把作品放入“放入书架”,这样就可以随时找到,不用每次都问悠悠这么辛苦!-------------------------此文演绎的是古代君臣之间的阴谋与爱情……感觉不喜欢的亲亲们,这儿可就要止步了……悠然我思:《宫廷复仇虐爱媚青丝》群号:34779203(暗号:青丝)欢迎喜欢此文的亲亲们的加入……只要你们留下脚印,悠悠就一定会记住亲亲们!------------------------呵呵,悠悠偷偷打个小广告大姐:《皇后?我不稀罕》:三妹:袖白雪(倾城):好友文:草籽(乱红):《云隐传奇》<替身爱奴>------------------------谢谢雨亲给悠悠做的青丝主角视频图,大家有空就去踩踩,支持一下。?prand=1