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The eye could
then bury itself deep in the yawning chasms of the craters, and easily
follow the cracks, streaks, and ridges which stripe, flecker, and bar
the immensity of her plains. But for the present all relief was lost in
the dazzling glare. The Captain could hardly distinguish even those dark
spots that impart to the full Moon some resemblance to the human face.
"Face!" cried Ardan: "well, a very fanciful eye may detect a face,
though, for the sake of Apollo's beauteous sister, I regret to say, a
terribly pockmarked one!"
The travellers, now evidently approaching the end of their journey,
observed the rapidly increasing world above them with newer and greater
curiosity every moment. Their fancies enkindled at the sight of the new
and strange scenes dimly presented to their view. In imagination they
climbed to the summit of this lofty peak. They let themselves down to
the abyss of that yawning crater. Here they imagined they saw vast seas
hardly kept in their basins by a rarefied atmosphere; there they thought
they could trace mighty rivers bearing to vast oceans the tribute of the
snowy mountains. In the first promptings of their eager curiosity, they
peered greedily into her cavernous depths, and almost expected, amidst
the deathlike hush of inaudible nature, to surprise some sound from the
mystic orb floating up there in eternal silence through a boundless
ocean of never ending vacuum.
This last day of their journey left their memories stored with thrilling
recollections. They took careful note of the slightest details. As they
neared their destination, they felt themselves invaded by a vague,
undefined restlessness. But this restlessness would have given way to
decided uneasiness, if they had known at what a slow rate they were
travelling. They would have surely concluded that their present velocity
would never be able to take them as far as the neutral point, not to
talk of passing it. The reason of such considerable retardation was,
that by this time the Projectile had reached such a great distance from
the Earth that it had hardly any weight. But even this weight, such as
it was, was to be diminished still further, and finally, to vanish
altogether as soon as the bullet reached the neutral point, where the
two attractions, terrestrial and lunar, should counteract each other
with new and surprising effects.
Notwithstanding the absorbing nature of his observations, Ardan never
forgot to prepare breakfast with his usual punctuality. It was eaten
readily and relished heartily. Nothing could be more exquisite than his
calf's foot jelly liquefied and prepared by gas heat, except perhaps his
meat biscuits of preserved Texas beef and Southdown mutton. A bottle of
Chβteau Yquem and another of Clos de Vougeot, both of superlative
excellence in quality and flavor, crowned the repast. Their vicinity to
the Moon and their incessant glancing at her surface did not prevent the
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