Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 5 — The Journey to the Moon
Wewerestillverynear—Cavortoldmethedistancewasperhapseighthundredmilesandthehugeterrestrialdiscfilledallheaven.Butalreadyitwasplaintoseethattheworldwasaglobe.Thelandbelowuswasintwilightandvague,butwestwardthevastgreystretchesoftheAtlanticshonelikemoltensilverundertherecedingday.IthinkIrecognisedthecloud-dimmedcoast-linesofFranceandSpainandthesouthofEngland,andthen,withaclick,theshutterclosedagain,andIfoundmyselfinastateofextraordinaryconfusionslidingslowlyoverthesmoothglass.
Whenatlastthingssettledthemselvesinmymindagain,itseemedquitebeyondquestionthatthemoonwas“down”andundermyfeet,andthattheearthwassomewhereawayonthelevelofthehorizon—theearththathadbeen“down”tomeandmykindredsincethebeginningofthings.
Soslightweretheexertionsrequiredofus,soeasydidthepracticalannihilationofourweightmakeallwehadtodo,thatthenecessityfortakingrefreshmentdidnotoccurtousfornearlysixhours(byCavor’schronometer)afterourstart.Iwasamazedatthatlapseoftime.EventhenIwassatisfiedwithverylittle.Cavorexaminedtheapparatusforabsorbingcarbonicacidandwater,andpronouncedittobeinsatisfactoryorder,ourconsumptionofoxygenhavingbeenextraordinarilyslight
