Перші люди на Місяці
Chapter 9 — Prospecting Begins
ItsuddenlyoccurredtoCavorthatthecoldairinthegully,afterthebrightnessofthesun,mightgivemeafever.Soweclamberedbackintothesunlight.WefoundthatbeyondafewabrasionsIhadreceivednoseriousinjuriesfrommytumble,andatCavor’ssuggestionwewerepresentlylookingroundforsomesafeandeasylanding-placeformynextleap.Wechosearockyslabsometenyardsoff,separatedfromusbyalittlethicketofolive-greenspikes.
“Imagineitthere!”saidCavor,whowasassumingtheairsofatrainer,andhepointedtoaspotaboutfourfeetfrommytoes.ThisleapImanagedwithoutdifficulty,andImustconfessIfoundacertainsatisfactioninCavor’sfallingshortbyafootorsoandtastingthespikesofthescrub.“Onehastobecareful,yousee,”hesaid,pullingouthisthorns,andwiththatheceasedtobemymentorandbecamemyfellow-learnerintheartoflunarlocomotion.
Wechoseastilleasierjumpanddiditwithoutdifficulty,andthenleaptbackagain,andtoandfroseveraltimes,accustomingourmusclestothenewstandard.IcouldneverhavebelievedhadInotexperiencedit,howrapidthatadaptationwouldbe.Inaverylittletimeindeed,certainlyafterfewerthanthirtyleaps,wecouldjudgetheeffortnecessaryforadistancewithalmostterrestrialassurance.
Andallthistimethelunarplantsweregrowingaroundus,higheranddenserandmoreentangled,everymomentthickerandtaller,spikedplants,greencactusmasses,fungi,fleshyandlichenousthings,strangestradiateandsinuousshapes.
