Путешествие на Луну
Stones Hill
"Notexactly,"repliedBarbicane,smiling;"doyounotseethatamongtheseelevatedplateausweshallhaveamucheasierworkofit?Nostruggleswiththewater-springs,whichwillsaveuslongexpensivetubings;andweshallbeworkingindaylightinsteadofdownadeepandnarrowwell.Ourbusiness,then,istoopenourtrenchesupongroundsomehundredsofyardsabovethelevelofthesea."
"Youareright,sir,"struckinMurchison,theengineer;"and,ifImistakenot,weshallerelongfindasuitablespotforourpurpose."
"Iwishwewereatthefirststrokeofthepickaxe,"saidthepresident.
"AndIwishwewereatthelast,"criedJ.T.Maston.
AbouttenA.M.thelittlebandhadcrossedadozenmiles.Tofertileplainssucceededaregionofforests.Thereperfumesofthemostvariedkindsmingledtogetherintropicalprofusion.Thesealmostimpenetrableforestswerecomposedofpomegranates,orange-trees,citrons,figs,olives,apricots,bananas,hugevines,whoseblossomsandfruitsrivaledeachotherincolorandperfume.Beneaththeodorousshadeofthesemagnificenttreesflutteredandwarbledalittleworldofbrilliantlyplumagedbirds.
J.T.Mastonandthemajorcouldnotrepresstheiradmirationonfindingthemselvesinthepresenceofthegloriousbeautiesofthiswealthofnature.PresidentBarbicane,however,lesssensitivetothesewonders,wasinhastetopressforward;theveryluxurianceofthecountrywasdispleasingtohim.
