a journey in other worlds-第22部分

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this　material　projectile　uncomfortably　warm；　though；　should　we
expose　a　thermometer　in　the　shade　in　front；　we　know　it　would　show
a　temperature　of　three　hundred　to　four　hundred　degrees　below
zerowere　the　instrument　capable　of　recording　it。〃
　　　
Artificial　darkness　having　been　obtained；　the　travellers　were
soon　asleep；　Bearwarden's　dreams　being　regaled　with　thoughts　of
his　company's　triumph；　Ayrault's；　naturally；　with　visions　of
Sylvia；　while　Cortlandt　frequently　started　up；　thinking　he　had
already　made　some　great　astronomical　discovery。
　　　
About　9　A。　M。；　according　to　seventy…fifth　meridian　time；　the
explorers　awoke　feeling　greatly　refreshed。　　The　tank　in　which　the
liquefied　oxygen　was　kept　automatically　gave　off　its　gas　so
evenly　that　the　air　remained　normal；　while　the　lime　contained　in
cups　absorbed　the　carbon　dioxide　as　fast　as　they　exhaled　it。　
They　had　darkened　those　windows　through　which　the　sun　was
actually　pouring；　for；　on　account　of　the　emptiness　of　the
surrounding　ether　and　consequent　absence　of　diffusion　of　light；
nothing　but　the　inky　blackness　of　space　and　the　bright　stars
looked　in　at　the　rest。　　On　raising　the　shades　they　got　an　idea　of
their　speed。　　A　small　crescent；　smaller　than　the　familiar　moon；
accompanied　by　one　still　tinier；　was　all　that　could　be　seen　of
the　earth　and　its　satellite。
　　　
〃We　must；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃be　moving　at　the　rate　of　nearly　a
million　miles　an　hour；　from　the　way　we　have　travelled。〃
　　　
〃We　must　be　doing　fully　a　million；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃for　by
this　time　we　are　pretty　well　in　motion；　having　got　a　tremendous
start　when　so　near　the　moon；　with　it　and　the　earth　in　line。〃
　　　
By　steering　straight　for　Jupiter；　instead　of　for　the　place　it
would　occupy　ten　days　later；　they　knew　they　would　swing　past；　for
the　giant　planet；　being　in　rapid　motion；　would　advance；　but　they
did　not　object　to　this；　since　it　would　give　them　a　chance　to
examine　their　new　world　in　case　they　wished　to　do　so　before
alighting；　while；　if　they　preferred　to　land　at　once；　they　could
easily　change　their　course　by　means　of　the　moons；　the　fourth；
from　which　their　car　was　named；　being　the　one　that　they　knew
would　be　of　most　use。　　Their　tremendous　speed　showed　them　they
should　have　time　for　exploration　on　their　arrival；　and　that　they
would　reach　their　destination　sooner　than　they　had　expected。　　The
apergetic　force　being　applied；　as　we　have　seen；　only　to　the
Callisto；　just　as　power　in　starting　is　exerted　on　a　carriage　or
railway　car　and　only　through　it　to　the　passengers；　Ayrault　and
his　companions　had　no　unusual　sensation　except　loss　of　weight；
for；　when　they　were　so　far　from　the　earth；　its　attraction　was
very　slight；　and　no　other　planet　was　near　enough　to　take　its
place。　　After　breakfast；　wishing　to　reach　the　dome；　and　realizing
that　it　would　be　unnecessary　to　climb；　each　in　turn　gave　a　slight
spring　and　was　obliged　to　put　up　his　hands　to　avoid　striking　the
roof。　　In　the　cool　quiet　of　the　dark　dome　it　was　difficult　to
believe　that　only　twenty　feet　away　the　sun　was　shining　with　such
intensity　upon　the　metal　base　as　to　make　it　too　hot　on　the　inside
to　touch　without　gloves。
　　　
The　first　thing　that　attracted　their　attention　was　the　size　and
brilliance　of　Mars。　　Although　this　red　planet　was　over　forty
million　miles　from　the　earth　when　they　started；　they　calculated
that　it　was　less　than　thirty　million　miles　from　them　now；　or　five
millions　nearer　than　it　had　ever　been　to　them　before。　　This
reduction　in　distance；　and　the　clearness　of　the　void　through
which　they　saw　it；　made　it　a　splendid　sight；　its　disk　showing
clearly。　　From　hour　to　hour　its　size　and　brightness　increased；
till　towards　evening　it　looked　like　a　small；　full　moon；　the　sun
shining　squarely　upon　it。　　They　calculated　that　on　the　course
they　were　moving　they　should　pass　about　nine　hundred　thousand
miles　to　the　right　or　behind　it；　since　it　was　moving　towards
their　left。　　They　were　interested　to　see　what　effect　the　mass　of
Mars　would　have　on　the　Callisto；　and　saw　here　a　chance　of　still
further　increasing　their　speed。　　Notwithstanding　its　tremendous
rate；　they　expected　to　see　the　Callisto　swerve　from　its　straight
line　and　move　towards　Mars；　whose　orbital　speed　of　nine　hundred
miles　a　minute　they　thought　would　take　it　out　of　the　Callisto's
way；　so　that　no　actual　collision　would　occur　even　if　their
air…ship　were　left　to　her　own　devices。
　　　
Towards　evening　they　noticed　through　their　glasses　that　several
apparently　island　peaks　in　the　southern　hemisphere；　which　was
turned　towards　them；　became　white；　from　which　they　concluded　that
a　snow…storm　was　in　progress。　　The　south　polar　region　was　also
markedly　glaciated；　though　the　icecap　was　not　as　extensive　as
either　of　those　at　the　poles　of　the　earth。
　　　
〃As　the　Martian　winters　must　be　fully　as　severe　as　ours；〃　said
Cortlandt；　〃on　account　of　their　length；　the　planet's　distance
from　the　sun；　and　the　twenty…seven　and　a　half　degrees　inclination
of　its　axis；　we　can　account　for　the　smallness　of　its　ice…caps
only　by　the　fact　that　its　oceans　cover　but　one　fourth　of　its
surface　instead　of　three　quarters；　as　on　the　earth；　and　there　is
consequently　a　smaller　evaporation　and　rain　and　snow…fall。〃
　　　
They　were　too　much　interested　to　think　of　sleeping　that　night；
and　so；　after　dining　comfortably　returned　to　their　observatory。　
When　within　four　million　miles　of　Mars　the　Callisto　began　to
swerve　perceptibly；　its　curve；　as　when　near　the　moon　beginning
with　a　spiral。　　They　swung　on　unconcernedly；　however；　knowing
they　could　check　their　approach　at　any　time。　　Soon　Mars　appeared
to　have　a　diameter　ten　times　as　great　as　that　of　the　moon；　and
promised　shortly　to　occupy　almost　one　side　of　their　sky。
　
〃We　must　be　on　the　lookout　for　the　satellites；〃　said　Cortlandt；
〃a　collision　with　either　would　be　worse　than　a　wreck　on　a　desert
island。〃
　　　
They　therefore　turned　their　glasses　in　the　direction　of　the
satellites。
　　　
〃Until　Prof。　Hall；　at　Washington；　discovered　the　two　satellites
in　1877；〃　he　continued；　〃Mars　was　supposed　to　be　without　moons。　
The　outer　one；　Deimos；　is　but　six　miles　in　diameter；　and　revolves
about　its　primary　in　thirty　hours　and　eighteen　minutes；　at　a
distance　of　fourteen　thousand　six　hundred　miles。　　As　it　takes　but
little　longer　to　complete　a　revolution　than　Mars　does　to　rotate
on　its　axis；　it　remains　in　the　Martial　sky　one　hundred　and
thirty…two　hours　between　rising　and　setting；　passing　through　all
the　phases　from　new　moon　to　full　and　back　again　four　times；　that
is；　it　swings　four　times　around　Mars　before　going　below　the
horizon。　　It　is　one　of　the　smallest　bodies　discovered　with　a
telescope。　　The　inner　one；　Phobos；　is　considerably　larger；　having
a　diameter　of　about　twenty　miles。　　It　is　but　twenty…seven　hundred
miles　from　Mars's　surface；　and　completes　its　revolution　in　seven
hours　and　thirty…eight　minutes；　which　is　shorter　than　any　other
known　period；　Jupiter's　nearest　moon　being　the　next；　with　eleven
hours　and　fifty…　nine　minutes。　　It　thus　revolves　in　less　than　a
third　of　the　time　Mars　takes　to　rotate；　and　must　consequently
rise　in　the　west　and　set　in　the　east；　as　it　is　continually
running　ahead　of　the　surface　of　the　plan