Первые люди на Луне
Chapter 9 — Prospecting Begins
WithaguardedeffortIraisedmyselftothetop,andmovingascautiouslyasarheumaticpatient,stoodupbesidehimundertheblazeofthesun.Thespherelaybehindusonitsdwindlingsnowdriftthirtyfeetaway.
Asfarastheeyecouldseeovertheenormousdisorderofrocksthatformedthecraterfloor,thesamebristlingscrubthatsurroundeduswasstartingintolife,diversifiedhereandtherebybulgingmassesofacactusform,andscarletandpurplelichensthatgrewsofasttheyseemedtocrawlovertherocks.Thewholeareaofthecraterseemedtomethentobeonesimilarwildernessuptotheveryfootofthesurroundingcliff.
Thiscliffwasapparentlybareofvegetationsaveatitsbase,andwithbuttressesandterracesandplatformsthatdidnotverygreatlyattractourattentionatthetime.Itwasmanymilesawayfromusineverydirection;weseemedtobealmostatthecentreofthecrater,andwesawitthroughacertainhazinessthatdrovebeforethewind.Fortherewasevenawindnowinthethinair,aswiftyetweakwindthatchilledexceedinglybutexertedlittlepressure.Itwasblowingroundthecrater,asitseemed,tothehotilluminatedsidefromthefoggydarknessunderthesunwardwall.Itwasdifficulttolookintothiseastwardfog;wehadtopeerwithhalf-closedeyesbeneaththeshadeofourhands,becauseofthefierceintensityofthemotionlesssun.
“Itseemstobedeserted,”saidCavor,“absolutelydesolate.”
Ilookedaboutmeagain.
