The First Men in the Moon

ding on

that I need not describe the broader features of that landscape, those spacious ring-like ranges vaster than any terrestrial mountains, their summits shining in the day, their shadows harsh and deep, the gray disordered plains, the ridges, hills, and craterlets, all passing at last from a blazing illumination into a common mystery of black. Athwart this world we were flying scarcely a hundred miles above its cr

our journey. We had to drop ever closer to the moon as we spun about it, to slacken

int to point with an agility that would have been impossible on earth. He was perpetually opening and closing the Cavorite windows, making calculations, consulting his

and scorched and blinded by the unaccustomed splendour of the sun beneath my feet. Then again the shutters snapped, leav

ange business; we two men floating loose in that spherical space, and packing and pulling ropes. Imagine it if you can! No up nor down, and every effort resulting in unexpected movements. Now I would be pressed against the glass with the full force of Cavor's thrust, now I would be kicking helplessly in a void

s grouped in a sort of cross about it. And then again Cavor flung our little sphere open to the scorching, blinding sun. I think he was using

ed it, then suddenly began snapping them all open, each safely into its steel roller. There came a jar, and then we were rolling over and over, bumping against the

bump, clutch,

uld hear Cavor puffing and grunting, and the snapping of a shutter in its sash. I made an effort, thrust back our bla

the darkness of the shadow of the wall of

had a very clear expectation of such rough handling as we had received. I struggled painfully to my

t it with my blanket. "We're half an hour or

and as fast as I wiped it, it became opaque again with freshly condensed moisture mixed with an increasing quantity of blanket hairs. Of course I ought not to have

upon the moon, amidst we knew not what wonders, and all we could see

have stopped at home;" and I squatted on the bale

of frost. "Can you reach the electric heater," sai

d twice. "And now," said

," he

ai

his glass will clear. We can't do anything till then. It's night here yet;

d puzzle of the glass and stared at his face. "Yes," I said, "I am hungry. I feel someho

the moon. I don't think I finished it-I forget. Presently, first in patches, then running rapidly together into wi

pon the landsca