Путешествие на Луну
Stones Hill
"Pooh!"criedJ.T.Maston,mountinghissteed.
"Allright,"saidtheFloridan;"butitistrueenough,nevertheless."
"Gentlemen,"answeredBarbicane,"Ithankyouforyourkindattention;butitistimetobeoff."
ItwasfiveA.M.whenBarbicaneandhisparty,quittingTampaTown,madetheirwayalongthecoastinthedirectionofAlifiaCreek.ThislittleriverfallsintoHillisboroughBaytwelvemilesaboveTampaTown.Barbicaneandhisescortcoastedalongitsrightbanktotheeastward.Soonthewavesofthebaydisappearedbehindabendofrisingground,andtheFloridan"champagne"aloneoffereditselftoview.
Florida,discoveredonPalmSunday,in1512,byJuanPoncedeLeon,wasoriginallynamedPaschaFlorida.Itlittledeservedthatdesignation,withitsdryandparchedcoasts.Butaftersomefewmilesoftractthenatureofthesoilgraduallychangesandthecountryshowsitselfworthyofthename.Cultivatedplainssoonappear,whereareunitedalltheproductionsofthenorthernandtropicalfloras,terminatinginprairiesaboundingwithpineapplesandyams,tobacco,rice,cotton-plants,andsugar-canes,whichextendbeyondreachofsight,flingingtheirrichesbroadcastwithcarelessprodigality.
Barbicaneappearedhighlypleasedonobservingtheprogressiveelevationoftheland;andinanswertoaquestionofJ.T.Maston,replied:
"Myworthyfriend,wecannotdobetterthansinkourColumbiadinthesehighgrounds."
"Togetnearerthemoon,perhaps?"saidthesecretaryoftheGunClub.
