[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
thanks to you for good news about earth, and to Secretary
Deepwaters for lending us the navy. Result of work most glorious. Remember us
to everybody. Shadow's edge approaching."
This was read by the men in the great observatories, who evidently telephoned
to the arctic Signal
Light immediately, for it flashed back: "Got your message perfectly. Wish you
greatest luck. The
-129-
T. A. S. Co. has decked the Callisto's pedestal with flowers, and has ordered
a tablet set up on the site to commemorate your celestial journey."
At that moment the shadow swept by, and they were in the full blaze of
cloudless day. The change was so great that for a moment they were obliged to
close their eyes. The polished sides of the Callisto shone so brightly that
they knew they were easily seen. The power temporarily diverted in sending
them the message then returned to the work of draining the Arctic Ocean,
which, as the north pole was now returning to the sun, was the thing to do,
and the travellers resumed their study of the heavenly bodies.
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...20in%20Other%20Worlds%20-%20JJ%20
Astor.htm (62 of 221) [12/28/2004 12:32:22 AM]
A Journey in Other Worlds
-130-
Page 46
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Chapter 2.2
SPACE AND MARS.
Never before had the travellers observed the stars and planets under such
favourable conditions. No air or clouds intervened, and as the Callisto did
not revolve on its axis there was no necessity for changing the direction of
the glasses. After an hour of this interesting work, however, as it was
already late at the longitude they had left on earth, and as they knew they
had many days in space before them, they prepared to go to bed. When ready,
they had only to pull down the shades; for, as apergy was not applied to them,
but only to the Callisto, they still looked upon the floor as down, and closed
the heavy curtains to have night or darkness. They found that the side of the
Callisto turned constantly towards the sun was becoming very warm, the
double-toughened glass windows making it like a greenhouse; but
-131-
they consoled themselves with the thought that the sun's power on them was
hourly becoming less, and they felt sure the double walls and thick upholstery
would protect them almost anywhere within the solar system from the intense
cold of space.
"We could easily have arranged," said Ayrault, for night and day on alternate
sides of the Callisto by having strips of metal arranged spirally on the
outside as on the end of an arrow. These would have started us turning as
slowly as we like, since we passed through the atmosphere at a comparatively
low rate of speed."
"I am afraid," said Cortlandt, "the motion, however slow, would have made us
dizzy. It would be confusing to see the heavens turning about us, and it would
interfere with using the glasses."
The base and one side of the Callisto had constant sunshine, while the other
side and the dome were in the blackest night. This dome, on account of its
shape, sky windows, and the completeness with which it could be isolated, was
an ideal observatory, and there was seldom a time during their waking hours
for the rest of the journey when it was not occupied by one, two, or all the
observers.
-132-
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...20in%20Other%20Worlds%20-%20JJ%20
Astor.htm (63 of 221) [12/28/2004 12:32:22 AM]
A Journey in Other Worlds
"There is something marvellous," said Cortlandt, "about the condition of
space. Its absolute cold is appalling, apparently because there is nothing to
absorb heat; yet we find the base of 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 zero
-- were 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
-133-
absence of diffusion of light, nothing but the inky blackness of space and the
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]