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Chapter 23 — An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor
”Andatlastfarbelowhimhesaw,asitwere,alakeofheatlessfire,thewatersoftheCentralSea,glowingandeddyinginstrangeperturbation,“likeluminousbluemilkthatisjustontheboil.”
“ThisLunarSea,”saysCavor,inalaterpassage,“isnotastagnantocean;asolartidesendsitinaperpetualflowaroundthelunaraxis,andstrangestormsandboilingsandrushingsofitswatersoccur,andattimescoldwindsandthunderingsthatascendoutofitintothebusywaysofthegreatant-hillabove.Itisonlywhenthewaterisinmotionthatitgivesoutlight;initsrareseasonsofcalmitisblack.Commonly,whenoneseesit,itswatersriseandfallinanoilyswell,andflakesandbigraftsofshining,bubblyfoamdriftwiththesluggish,faintlyglowingcurrent.TheSelenitesnavigateitscavernousstraitsandlagoonsinlittleshallowboatsofacanoe-likeshape;andevenbeforemyjourneytothegalleriesabouttheGrandLunar,whoisMasteroftheMoon,Iwaspermittedtomakeabriefexcursiononitswaters.
“Thecavernsandpassagesarenaturallyverytortuous.Alargeproportionofthesewaysareknownonlytoexpertpilotsamongthefishermen,andnotinfrequentlySelenitesarelostforeverintheirlabyrinths.Intheirremoterrecesses,Iamtold,strangecreatureslurk,someofthemterribleanddangerouscreaturesthatallthescienceofthemoonhasbeenunabletoexterminate.
