Daybreak: A Romance of an Old World | Page 8

Another important
aid to science rendered by this air-condensing apparatus is that in the process of
condensation water is produced in sufficient quantities to drink. Our little car was tightly
inclosed, and we took enough surplus gas with us to keep it comfortably warm. So, with
plenty of food, air, water, and fuel, we were pretty well prepared for a long journey.
Our instruments, placed just outside the glass sides of the car, told us how fast we were
rising and what height we had reached from time to time, and as we left the denser
atmosphere of the earth we were gratified to find that we continued to rise rapidly. On
one side of us we could see the rugged surface of the moon, now, on account of its
rounded form, drawing nearer to us every hour as we approached the point where we
hoped to land. We thought it best to try to pass the center and land, if possible,
somewhere on the upper hemisphere, which was the part of the monstrous object that we
wanted to investigate. But when at length we thought we were about to fly past the
moon's equator successfully, an unexpected thing happened.
If we suppose the moon was resting, at the bottom of the ocean, on one of its poles, we
were going toward the equatorial line, and we thought we should not be able to retain a
foothold anywhere below that line certainly. But now, what was our surprise to find
ourselves under some mysterious influence. Our balloon refused to obey us as heretofore,
and in spite of rudder and sail we were drifting about, and appeared to be going toward
the moon's surface sooner than we had intended.
In scientific emergencies I deferred to my companion, and now asked for an explanation

of this erratic behavior of our balloon. Instead of replying at once, the doctor stooped and
cut a fine wire, which released one of the sand bags suspended for ballast from the
bottom of our car, and told me to watch it. We both watched it, and instead of starting
with rapidity for the center of the earth, as all well-conducted sand bags have done from
the beginning of the world, it seemed to hesitate and float around a minute, as though it
were no more than a handful of feathers. And then, slowly at first, but soon more and
more swiftly, forgetting its birthplace and its old mother earth, it fell unblushingly toward
the moon.
Intent on watching the fickle sand bag, we did not at first notice that our whole
conveyance was practicing the same unhandsome maneuver. But we soon became aware
that we had changed allegiance also. We had started with the earth at our feet and the
moon looming up on one side of us, but here we were now riding with the moon under us
and the earth away off at our side.
My fellow in this strange experience now found his voice.
"You doubtless realize," said he, "what has taken place. We are now so far from the earth
that its attraction is very weak and the nearer mass of the moon is drawing us."
"That is quite evident," I said, "but you seem as unconcerned about it as if such a trip as
this were an everyday affair with you."
"I am not at all indifferent to the wonderful character of this journey," he replied, "but its
scientific value swallows up all personal considerations."
I believed this to be true, and I will say right here that in all our future experiences the
doctor showed the same indifference to everything like fear, and seemed content to go to
any length in the interest of science.
We were now able to govern our movements by the ordinary methods of ballooning, and
after sailing over the surface of the moon a few hours, studying its rugged outlines, we
began to think of selecting a place for landing. There was no water to be seen and no
forests nor other vegetation, but everywhere were huge mountains and deep valleys, all as
bare and uninviting as it is possible to imagine.
But it would not do to turn a cold shoulder to her now, and so we descended gracefully to
make her close acquaintance, cast out our anchor, and were soon on the moon in reality.

CHAPTER III.
TWO MEN IN THE MOON.
"Well, Doctor," said I, as soon as our feet touched the ground, "the moon is inhabited
now if never before."

"Yes, yes," he answered, "and I am glad to find the inhabitants are of such a lively
disposition."
"Oh, who can help being light-hearted," I rejoined, "when one's body is so light?"
For as soon as we left our car we began to