for　us　to　see　the　destination　we　wish　to　reach；　than　the　point
  of　departure。〃
  〃You　are　right；　Barbicane；〃　replied　Captain　Nicholl；　〃and；
  besides；　when　we　have　reached　the　moon；　we　shall　have　time
  during　the　long　lunar　nights　to　consider　at　our　leisure　the
  globe　on　which　our　likenesses　swarm。〃
  〃Our　likenesses！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan；　〃They　are　no　more　our
  likenesses　than　the　Selenites　are！　　We　inhabit　a　new　world；
  peopled　by　ourselves　the　projectile！　　I　am　Barbicane's
  likeness；　and　Barbicane　is　Nicholl's。　　Beyond　us；　around　us；
  human　nature　is　at　an　end；　and　we　are　the　only　population　of
  this　microcosm　until　we　become　pure　Selenites。〃
  〃In　about　eighty…eight　hours；〃　replied　the　captain。
  〃Which　means　to　say？〃　asked　Michel　Ardan。
  〃That　it　is　half…past　eight；〃　replied　Nicholl。
  〃Very　well；〃　retorted　Michel；　〃then　it　is　impossible　for　me　to
  find　even　the　shadow　of　a　reason　why　we　should　not　go　to　breakfast。〃
  Indeed　the　inhabitants　of　the　new　star　could　not　live　without
  eating；　and　their　stomachs　were　suffering　from　the　imperious
  laws　of　hunger。　　Michel　Ardan；　as　a　Frenchman；　was　declared
  chief　cook；　an　important　function；　which　raised　no　rival。
  The　gas　gave　sufficient　heat　for　the　culinary　apparatus；　and
  the　provision　box　furnished　the　elements　of　this　first　feast。
  The　breakfast　began　with　three　bowls　of　excellent　soup；　thanks　to
  the　liquefaction　in　hot　water　of　those　precious　cakes　of　Liebig；
  prepared　from　the　best　parts　of　the　ruminants　of　the　Pampas。
  To　the　soup　succeeded　some　beefsteaks；　compressed　by　an　hydraulic
  press；　as　tender　and　succulent　as　if　brought　straight　from　the
  kitchen　of　an　English　eating…house。　　Michel；　who　was　imaginative；
  maintained　that　they　were　even　〃red。〃
  Preserved　vegetables　（〃fresher　than　nature；〃　said　the　amiable
  Michel）　succeeded　the　dish　of　meat；　and　was　followed　by　some
  cups　of　tea　with　bread　and　butter；　after　the　American　fashion。
  The　beverage　was　declared　exquisite；　and　was　due　to　the
  infusion　of　the　choicest　leaves；　of　which　the　emperor　of　Russia
  had　given　some　chests　for　the　benefit　of　the　travelers。
  And　lastly；　to　crown　the　repast；　Ardan　had　brought　out　a　fine
  bottle　of　Nuits；　which　was　found　〃by　chance〃　in　the
  provision…box。　　The　three　friends　drank　to　the　union　of　the
  earth　and　her　satellite。
  And；　as　if　he　had　not　already　done　enough　for　the　generous　wine
  which　he　had　distilled　on　the　slopes　of　Burgundy；　the　sun　chose
  to　be　part　of　the　party。　　At　this　moment　the　projectile　emerged
  from　the　conical　shadow　cast　by　the　terrestrial　globe；　and　the
  rays　of　the　radiant　orb　struck　the　lower　disc　of　the　projectile
  direct　occasioned　by　the　angle　which　the　moon's　orbit　makes　with
  that　of　the　earth。
  〃The　sun！〃　exclaimed　Michel　Ardan。
  〃No　doubt；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃I　expected　it。〃
  〃But；〃　said　Michel；　〃the　conical　shadow　which　the　earth　leaves
  in　space　extends　beyond　the　moon？〃
  〃Far　beyond　it；　if　the　atmospheric　refraction　is　not　taken　into
  consideration；〃　said　Barbicane。　　〃But　when　the　moon　is　enveloped
  in　this　shadow；　it　is　because　the　centers　of　the　three　stars；
  the　sun；　the　earth；　and　the　moon；　are　all　in　one　and　the　same
  straight　line。　　Then　the　_nodes_　coincide　with　the　_phases_　of
  the　moon；　and　there　is　an　eclipse。　　If　we　had　started　when　there
  was　an　eclipse　of　the　moon；　all　our　passage　would　have　been　in
  the　shadow；　which　would　have　been　a　pity。〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃Because；　though　we　are　floating　in　space；　our　projectile；
  bathed　in　the　solar　rays；　will　receive　light　and　heat。
  It　economizes　the　gas；　which　is　in　every　respect　a　good　economy。〃
  Indeed；　under　these　rays　which　no　atmosphere　can　temper；　either
  in　temperature　or　brilliancy；　the　projectile　grew　warm　and
  bright；　as　if　it　had　passed　suddenly　from　winter　to　summer。
  The　moon　above；　the　sun　beneath；　were　inundating　it　with　their　fire。
  〃It　is　pleasant　here；〃　said　Nicholl。
  〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　Michel　Ardan。　　〃With　a　little　earth
  spread　on　our　aluminum　planet　we　should　have　green　peas　in
  twenty…four　hours。　　I　have　but　one　fear；　which　is　that　the
  walls　of　the　projectile　might　melt。〃
  〃Calm　yourself；　my　worthy　friend；〃　replied　Barbicane；　〃the
  projectile　withstood　a　very　much　higher　temperature　than　this　as
  it　slid　through　the　strata　of　the　atmosphere。　　I　should　not　be
  surprised　if　it　did　not　look　like　a　meteor　on　fire　to　the　eyes
  of　the　spectators　in　Florida。〃
  〃But　then　J。　T。　Maston　will　think　we　are　roasted！〃
  〃What　astonishes　me；〃　said　Barbicane；　〃is　that　we　have　not　been。
  That　was　a　danger　we　had　not　provided　for。〃
  〃I　feared　it；〃　said　Nicholl　simply。
  〃And　you　never　mentioned　it；　my　sublime　captain；〃　exclaimed
  Michel　Ardan；　clasping　his　friend's　hand。
  Barbicane　now　began　to　settle　himself　in　the　projectile　as　if　he
  was　never　to　leave　it。　　One　must　remember　that　this　aerial　car
  had　a　base　with　a　_superficies_　of　fifty…four　square　feet。
  Its　height　to　the　roof　was　twelve　feet。　　Carefully　laid　out　in
  the　inside；　and　little　encumbered　by　instruments　and　traveling
  utensils；　which　each　had　their　particular　place；　it　left　the
  three　travelers　a　certain　freedom　of　movement。　　The　thick　window
  inserted　in　the　bottom　could　bear　any　amount　of　weight；　and
  Barbicane　and　his　companions　walked　upon　it　as　if　it　were　solid
  plank；　but　the　sun　striking　it　directly　with　its　rays　lit　the
  interior　of　the　projectile　from　beneath；　thus　producing　singular
  effects　of　light。
  They　began　by　investigating　the　state　of　their　store　of　water
  and　provisions；　neither　of　which　had　suffered；　thanks　to　the
  care　taken　to　deaden　the　shock。　　Their　provisions　were　abundant；
  and　plentiful　enough　to　last　the　three　travelers　for　more　than
  a　year。　　Barbicane　wished　to　be　cautious；　in　case　the　projectile
  should　land　on　a　part　of　the　moon　which　was　utterly　barren。
  As　to　water　and　the　reserve　of　brandy；　which　consisted　of　fifty
  gallons；　there　was　only　enough　for　two　months；　but　according　to
  the　last　observations　of　astronomers；　the　moon　had　a　low；　dense；
  and　thick　atmosphere；　at　least　in　the　deep　valleys；　and　there
  springs　and　streams　could　not　fail。　　Thus；　during　their　passage；
  and　for　the　first　year　of　their　settlement　on　the　lunar
  continent；　these　adventurous　explorers　would　suffer　neither
  hunger　nor　thirst。
  Now　about　the　air　in　the　projectile。　　There；　too；　they　were　secure。
  Reiset　and　Regnaut's　apparatus；　intended　for　the　production　of
  oxygen；　was　supplied　with　chlorate　of　potassium　for　two　months。
  They　necessarily　consumed　a　certain　quantity　of　gas；　for　they
  were　obliged　to　keep　the　producing　substance　at　a　temperature
  of　above　400@。　　But　there　again　they　were　all　safe。　　The　apparatus
  only　wanted　a　little　care。　　But　it　was　not　enough　to　renew　the
  oxygen；　they　must　absorb　the　carbonic　acid　produced　by　expiration。
  During　the　last　twelve　hours　the　atmosphere　of　the　projectile　had
  become　charged　with　this　deleterious　gas。　　Nicholl　discovered
  the　state　of　the　air　by　observing　Diana　panting　painfully。
  The　carbonic　acid；　by　a　phenomenon　similar　to　that　produced　in
  the　famous　Grotto　del　Cane；　had　collected　at　the　bottom　of　the
  projectile　owing　to　its　weight。　　Poor　Diana；　with　her　head　low；
  would　suffer　before　her　masters　from　the　presence　of　this　gas。
  But　Captain　Nicholl　hastened　to　remedy　this　state　of　things；
  by　placing　on　the　floor　several　receivers　containing　caustic
  potash；　which　he　shook　about　for　a　time；　and　this　substance；
  greedy　of　carbonic　acid；　soon　completely　absorbed　it；　thus
  purifying　the　air。
  An　inventory　of　instruments　was　then　begun。　　The　thermometers
  and　barometers　had　resisted；　all　but　one　minimum　thermometer；
  the　glass　of　which　was　broken。　　An　excellent　aneroid　was　drawn
  from　the　wadded　box　which　contained　it　and　hung　on　the　wall。
  Of　course　it　was　only　affected　by　and　marked　the　pressure　of　the
  air　inside　the　projectile；　but　it　also　showed　the　quantity　of
  moisture　which　it　contained。　　At　that　moment　its　needle
  oscillated　between　25。24　and　25。08。
  It　was　fine　weather。
  Barbicane　had　also　brought　several　compasses；　which　he　found　intact。
  One　must　understand　that　under　present　conditions　their　needles
  were　acting　_wildly_；　that　is　without　any　_constant_　direction。
  Indeed；　at　the　distance　they　were　from　the　earth；　the　magnetic
  pole　could　have　no　perceptible　action　upon　the　apparatus；　but
  the　box　placed　on　the　lunar　disc　might　perhaps　exhibit　some
  strange　phenomena。　　In　any　case　it　would　be　interesting　to　see
  whether　the　earth's　satellite　submitted　like　herself　to　its
  magnetic　influence。
  A　hypsometer　to　measure　the　height　of　the　lunar　mountains；　a
  sextant　to　take　the　height　of　the　sun；　glasses　which　would　be
  useful　as　they　neared　the　moon；　all　these　instruments　were
  carefully　looked　over；　and　pronounced　good　in　spite　of　the
  violent　shock。
  As　to　the　pickaxes　and　different　tools　which　were　Nicholl's
  especial　choice；　as　to　the　sacks　of　different　kinds　of　grain　and
  shrubs　which　Michel　Ardan　hoped　to　transplant　into　Selenite
  ground；　they　were　stowed　away　in　the　upper　part　of　the　projectile。
  There　was　a　sort　of　granary　there；　loaded　with　things　which　the
  extravagant　Frenchman　had　heaped　up。　　What　they　were　no　one　knew；
  and　the　good…tempered　fellow　did　not　explain。　　Now　and　then　he
  climbed　up