a journey in other worlds-第2部分

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volcanoes；　while　toward　the　west　they　saw　forests；　gently　rolling
plains；　and　table…lands　that　would　have　satisfied　a　poet　or　set
an　agriculturist's　heart　at　rest。　　〃How　I　should　like　to　mine
those　hills　for　copper；　or　drain　the　swamps　to　the　south！〃
exclaimed　Col。　Bearwarden。　　〃The　Lake　Superior　mines　and　the
reclamation　of　the　Florida　Everglades　would　be　nothing　to　this。〃
　　　
〃Any　inhabitants　we　may　find　here　have　so　much　land　at　their
disposal　that　they　will　not　need　to　drain　swamps　on　account　of
pressure　of　population　for　some　time；〃　put　in　the　doctor。
　　　
〃I　hope　we　may　find　some　four…legged　inhabitants；〃　said　Ayrault；
thinking　of　their　explosive　magazine　rifles。　　〃If　Jupiter　is
passing　through　its　Jurassic　or　Mesozoic　period；　there　must　be
any　amount　of　some　kind　of　game。〃　　Just　then　a　quiver　shook　the
Callisto；　and　glancing　to　the　right　they　noticed　one　of　the
volcanoes　in　violent　eruption。　　Smoke　filled　the　air　in　clouds；
hot　stones　and　then　floods　of　lava　poured　from　the　crater；　while
even　the　walls　of　the　hermetically　sealed　Callisto　could　not
arrest　the　thunderous　crashes　that　made　the　interior　of　the　car
resound。
　　　
〃Had　we　not　better　move　on？〃　said　Bearwarden；　and　accordingly
they　went　toward　the　woods　they　had　first　seen。　　Finding　a　firm
strip　of　land　between　the　forest　and　an　arm　of　the　sea；　they
gently　grounded　the　Callisto；　and　not　being　altogether　sure　how
the　atmosphere　of　their　new　abode　would　suit　terrestrial　lungs；
or　what　its　pressure　to　the　square　inch　might　be；　they　cautiously
opened　a　port…hole　a　crack；　retaining　their　hold　upon　it　with　its
screw。　　Instantly　there　was　a　rush　and　a　whistling　sound　as　of
escaping　steam；　while　in　a　few　moments　their　barometer　stood　at
thirty…six　inches；　whereupon　they　closed　the　opening。
　　　
〃I　fancy；〃　said　Dr。　Cortlandt；　〃we　had　better　wait　now　till　we
become　accustomed　to　this　pressure。　　I　do　not　believe　it　will　go
much　higher；　for　the　window　made　but　little　resistance　when　we
shut　it。〃
　　　
Finding　they　were　not　inconvenienced　by　a　pressure　but　little
greater　than　that　of　a　deep　coal…mine；　they　again　opened　the
port；　whereupon　their　barometer　showed　a　further　rise　to
forty…two；　and　then　remained　stationary。　　Finding　also　that　the
chemical　composition　of　the　air　suited　them；　and　that　they　had　no
difficulty　in　breathing；　the　pressure　being　the　same　as　that
sustained　by　a　diver　in　fourteen　feet　of　water；　they　opened　a
door　and　emerged。　　They　knew　fairly　well　what　to　expect；　and　were
not　disturbed　by　their　new　conditions。　　Though　they　had
apparently　gained　a　good　deal　in　weight　as　a　result　of　their
ethereal　journey；　this　did　not　incommode　them；　for　though
Jupiter's　volume　is　thirteen　hundred　times　that　of　the　earth；　on
account　of　its　lesser　specific　gravity；　it　has　but　three　hundred
times　the　massi。　e。；　it　would　weigh　but　three　hundred　times　as
much。　　Further；　although　a　cubic　foot　of　water　or　anything　else
weighs　2。5　as　much　as　on　earth；　objects　near　the　equator；　on
account　of　Jupiter's　rapid　rotation；　weigh　one　fifth　less　than
they　do　at　the　poles；　by　reason　of　the　centrifugal　force。　
Influenced　by　this　fact；　and　also　because　they　were　483；000；000
miles　from　the　sun；　instead　of　92；000；000　as　on　earth；　they　had
steered　for　the　northern　limit　of　Jupiter's　tropics。　　And；　in
addition　to　this；　they　could　easily　apply　the　apergetic　power　in
any　degree　to　themselves　when　beyond　the　limits　of　the　Callisto；
and　so　be　attracted　to　any　extent；　from　twice　the　pull　they
receive　from　gravitation　on　earth　to　almost　nothing。
　　　
Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　shouldered　their　rifles；　while　Dr。
Cortlandt　took　a　repeating　shot…gun　with　No。　4　shot；　and；　having
also　some　hunting…knives　and　a　sextant；　all　three　set　out　in　a
northwesterly　direction。　　The　ground　was　rather　soft；　and　a　warm
vapor　seemed　to　rise　from　it。　　To　the　east　the　sky　was　veiled　by
dense　clouds　of　smoke　from　the　towering　volcanoes；　while　on　their
left　the　forest　seemed　to　extend　without　limit。　　Clumps　of　huge
ferns　were　scattered　about；　and　the　ground　was　covered　with
curious　tracks。
　　　
〃Jupiter　is　evidently　passing　through　a　Carboniferous　or　Devonian
period　such　as　existed　on　earth；　though；　if　consistent　with　its
size；　it　should　be　on　a　vastly　larger　scale；〃　said　the　doctor。　
〃I　never　believed　in　the　theory；〃　he　continued；　〃that　the　larger
the　planet　the　smaller　should　be　its　inhabitants；　and　always
considered　it　a　makeshift；　put　forward　in　the　absence　of　definite
knowledge；　the　idea　being　apparently　that　the　weight　of　very
large　creatures　would　be　too　great　for　their　strength。　　Of　the
fact　that　mastodons　and　creatures　far　larger　than　any　now　living
on　earth　existed　there；　we　have　absolute　proof；　though
gravitation　must　have　been　practically　the　same　then　as　now。〃
　　　
Just　here　they　came　upon　a　number　of　huge　bones；　evidently　the
remains　of　some　saurian；　and　many　times　the　size　of　a　grown
crocodile。　　On　passing　a　growth　of　most　luxuriant　vegetation；
they　saw　a　half…dozen　sacklike　objects；　and　drawing　nearer
noticed　that　the　tops　began　to　swell；　and　at　the　same　time　became
lighter　in　colour。　　Just　as　the　doctor　was　about　to　investigate
one　of　them　with　his　duck…shot；　the　enormously　inflated　tops　of
the　creatures　collapsed　with　a　loud　report；　and　the　entire　group
soared　away。　　When　about　to　alight；　forty　yards　off；　they
distended　membranous　folds　in　the　manner　of　wings；　which　checked
their　descent；　and　on　touching　the　ground　remained　where　they
were　without　rebound。
　　　
〃We　expected　to　find　all　kinds　of　reptiles　and　birds；〃　exclaimed
the　doctor。　　〃But　I　do　not　know　　how　we　should　class　those
creatures。　　They　seem　to　have　pneumatic　feet　and　legs；　for　their
motion　was　certainly　not　produced　like　that　of　frogs。〃
　　　
When　the　party　came　up　with　them　the　heads　again　began　to　swell。
　　　
〃I　will　perforate　the　air…chamber　of　one；〃　said　Col。　Bearwarden；
withdrawing　the　explosive　cartridge　from　the　barrel　of　his　rifle
and　substituting　one　with　a　solid　ball。　　〃This　will　doubtless
disable　one　so　that　we　can　examine　it。〃
　　　
Just　as　they　were　about　to　rise；　he　shot　the　largest　through　the
neck。　　All　but　the　wounded　one；　soared　off；　while　Bearwarden；
Ayrault；　and　Cortlandt　approached　to　examine　it　more　closely。
　　　
〃You　see；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃this　vertebratefor　that　is　as
definitely　as　we　can　yet　describe　itforces　a　great　pressure　of
air　into　its　head　and　neck；　which；　by　the　action　of　valves；　it
must　allow　to　rush　into　its　very　rudimentary　lower　extremities；
distending　them　with　such　violence　that　the　body　is　shot　upward
and　forward。　　You　may　have　noticed　the　tightly　inflated　portion
underneath　as　they　left　the　ground。〃
　　　
While　speaking　he　had　moved　rather　near；　when　suddenly　a
partially　concealed　mouth　opened；　showing　the　unmistakable　tongue
and　fangs　of　a　serpent。　　It　emitted　a　hissing　sound；　and　the
small　eyes　gleamed　maliciously。
　　　
〃Do　you　believe　it　is　a　poisonous　species？〃　asked　Ayrault。
　　　
〃I　suspect　it　is；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃for；　though　it　is
doubtless　able　to　leap　with　great　accuracy　upon　its　prey；　we　saw
it　took　some　time　to　recharge　the　upper　air…chamber；　so　that；
were　it　not　armed　with　poison　gla