Chapter 7 — Sunrise on the Moon

           Aswesawitfirstitwasthewildestandmostdesolateofscenes.Wewereinanenormousamphitheatre,avastcircularplain,thefloorofthegiantcrater.Itscliff-likewallsclosedusinoneveryside.Fromthewestwardthelightoftheunseensunfelluponthem,reachingtotheveryfootofthecliff,andshowedadisorderedescarpmentofdrabandgreyishrock,linedhereandtherewithbanksandcrevicesofsnow.Thiswasperhapsadozenmilesaway,butatfirstnointerveningatmospherediminishedintheslightesttheminutelydetailedbrilliancywithwhichthesethingsglaredatus.Theystoodoutclearanddazzlingagainstabackgroundofstarryblacknessthatseemedtoourearthlyeyesratheragloriouslyspangledvelvetcurtainthanthespaciousnessofthesky.

           Theeastwardcliffwasatfirstmerelyastarlessselvedgetothestarrydome.Norosyflush,nocreepingpallor,announcedthecommencingday.OnlytheCorona,theZodiacallight,ahugecone-shaped,luminoushaze,pointinguptowardsthesplendourofthemorningstar,warnedusoftheimminentnearnessofthesun.

           Whateverlightwasaboutuswasreflectedbythewestwardcliffs.Itshowedahugeundulatingplain,coldandgrey,agreythatdeepenedeastwardintotheabsoluteravendarknessofthecliffshadow.Innumerableroundedgreysummits,ghostlyhummocks,billowsofsnowysubstance,stretchingcrestbeyondcrestintotheremoteobscurity,gaveusourfirstinklingofthedistanceofthecraterwall.Thesehummockslookedlikesnow.AtthetimeIthoughttheyweresnow.Buttheywerenot—theyweremoundsandmassesoffrozenair.