ACROSS THE CENTRAL OCEAN
Early the next day, after they had breakfasted, Abercromby having
assured them, with unnecessary vehemence, that he was as “fit as
a fiddle,” they decided to resume the direct exploration of the
planet. They did not doubt that the result of a twelve hours’ voyage
in the machine with the high rate of speed which they had at their
command would settle the question whether Venus was inhabited or not;
Carmichael himself thought so, as was natural, for he could not have
anticipated the setback which awaited them.
At nine o’clock they started. The Asteroid rose to a height of several
hundred feet, and, in a few minutes, it had crossed the fertile
valley and had begun to mount higher and higher so as to clear the
southern mountains. These were not of any considerable elevation,
indeed, from the contour of the land their real height was much less
than their apparent. But when the summit of the ridge had been gained
both Abercromby and Carysfort broke out into a simultaneous volley of
unclassical language.
The land came to an abrupt end, and before them stretched away a
shoreless ocean.
* * * * *
To say the party were surprised would be to employ too mild a term,
they were absolutely thunderstruck. They decided, however, to push on.
There was nothing to be gained by a return to the island. They had now
explored it sufficiently to be sure there were no human inhabitants.
“I cannot yet believe that this island is the only dry land upon the
whole surface of the planet,” said Radcliffe. “A world all ocean with
only one island seems unthinkable.”
“Yes! I expect there is more land,” replied the Professor, “but we
have yet to discover whether it is suited to human life. Every mile we
travel now is leading us on to the hotter regions of Venus, where that
terrible sun will of necessity climb higher and higher into the sky and
pour down more and more torrid rays. But we must face it.”
On they went at ever-increasing speed, for, over the level surface of
the sea, there was no need to slacken. The solitude was appalling, not
a sail anywhere, only a few flying-fishes, and, far up in the air, near
to the fleecy belts of clouds, whirling flights of birds too remote to
be properly studied. And still the sun rose higher and higher, till he
would soon be overhead, yet the heat did not increase to any degree
that might have been expected. But the clouds increased till they
formed a dazzling silvery canopy moderating rather than concealing the
light of the sun; moreover, as Carysfort pointed out, they were cutting
the air at such tremendous speed that the exhilarating contact with the
atmosphere would of itself render the increase of temperature bearable.
Several hours passed away amid strained attention and snatches of talk.
“Surely, Professor,” said Abercromby, “when we got our peep at
the lighted side of Venus we caught a glimpse of a large southern
continent, and also of a whitish-looking point at the southern pole.”
“Our glimpse was more tantalising than instructive,” he answered, “and
my mind was so taken up with the perils of the steering that I did not
use my telescope as frequently as I ought.”
“I read in a book which I brought with me,” said Radcliffe, “that the
southern horn of the crescent, that is, the south pole of Venus, is
constantly to be seen blunted, as though some lofty mountain existed
there which caught the solar rays, and it has been said that this may
be even twenty-seven earth miles in height.”
“I know to what you allude,” replied Carmichael. “As far back as 1643
irregularities on the planet’s surface (when it appeared as a crescent)
were noted by Fontana at Naples. Since then astronomers of several
European countries have seen the same thing. Van Ertborn, a Belgian,
in 1876, saw more than once a point of light in the neighbourhood of
the southern pole, which he thought to be the sunshine striking a high
peak, while the valleys around lay in shadow.”
“As to the enormous height ascribed to the mountain,” observed
Carysfort, “there is no doubt some error and perhaps a gross
exaggeration, but, if there be any corresponding reality at all, we
may look out for something inexpressibly grand when we approach the
southern pole. I see here an advantage and a drawback: it will be the
means of enabling us to behold our own earth, which, of course, is
perpetually hidden from the inner side of the planet; but on the other
hand, who but some Robinson Crusoe, monarch of all he surveys, could
live on the top of a mountain of such proportions? I fear this weighs
heavily in the scale against our finding human beings.”
“I never realised I was an ungrateful beggar till this moment,” said
Abercromby, “but I have positively forgotten that such a planet as
the earth exists. I wonder I did so, as my generous uncle is upon its
surface now, thinking me out in Australia, or else gone to the dogs;
anyway, he is blessing his stars that he got rid of me with so little
fuss. You managed it admirably, Professor. No luckless wastrel ever
dropped out more neatly than I did; I might have cheated even the
police.”
“We all got off with very little trouble,” said Carysfort. “Had we been
Frenchmen or Germans it would have been harder, but England permits any
of her sons to vanish quietly, except Tommy Atkins of course, and _him_
she usually allows to starve.”
“Well, well, we are in Venus now and we need not bother over our
poor stupid world,” said Abercromby; “besides, we are going back to
enlighten it, you know.”
“Land ahead, and not an island this time,” cried Radcliffe; and,
behold, a vast range of lofty mountains could be discerned, about fifty
miles away, showing clearly against a bank of clouds.
“Well done, old chap,” replied Abercromby. “While we were rating the
old world, you, like George Canning, have called into existence a new
world to redress its balance.”
“And what are we going to find upon yonder continent when we get
there?” asked the Professor.
“Women and men, angels and devils,” replied Frank in an elevated tone.
“Which are which you, Radcliffe, shall decide. I’m going below to fetch
a new telescope. That beast I had to fight has, I believe, swallowed my
old one. I forgot that when Carysfort slew him I might have recovered
the instrument, but it would take time to go back across the equator
and fetch it.”
The speed of the Asteroid had again to be greatly reduced, and a long
interval elapsed ere they reached the summits of the mountains, which
formed the outer edge of a vast and dreary plateau destitute of every
species of life, animal or vegetable.
As there was no need for them to make a home upon these bleak uplands,
they held on upon their southern track. For many miles they saw this
desert region beneath them, with its sombre-hued pinnacles and rock
masses and its dull red areas of comparatively level ground. But at
last their perseverance was to be rewarded. Gradually the nature of the
soil changed from utter barrenness to richness, though for a long while
the richness was but comparative rather than absolute. Trees began to
appear, at first singly, then in groups, and finally in dense masses
of brilliantly tinted woodland; the ground sloped downwards, though
by no such abrupt transition as had been the case in the northern
island. Presently the country began to open out, and, by degrees,
one of the grandest landscapes upon which mortal eyes had ever looked
became unveiled to view--a fertile and fruitful continent with majestic
streams and smaller lakes, grand waterfalls and undulating hills. One
thing alone was wanting--the presence of humanity. Another and a still
higher mountain-chain with serrated peaks rose to the south, but it
must have been at least two hundred miles distant. Beyond them, at all
events, the final problem lay, for the whole contour of the landscape
negatived the idea that mountains of such elevation could be instantly
succeeded by the ocean without any intervening belt of land.
“What do you think of it, Professor?” said the engineer.
“It is just the northern island over again, except on a grander scale,”
replied Carmichael. “I begin to realise that our stay in Venus will be
very short. When we have once reached the pole and proved whether the
high polar mountain is a myth or a reality the game will be up.”
“But surely,” interposed Radcliffe, “the question cannot be settled
by travelling in a straight line north to south. Ought we not to go
_round_ the lighted side of the planet as well as going _down_ it?”
“Certainly we ought,” answered Carmichael, “if this were only a vessel
or an airship; but with our resources at command it will be much
easier, and also safer, to rise to such a height as will embrace the
whole hemisphere, and then, when it lies as a model map beneath us,
to find out whether there is any further land, and drop down straight
towards it.”
“Pity, perhaps, we did not do this at the first,” said Abercromby. “We
should then have saved ourselves a few disappointments at least.”
“No,” answered the Professor. “I will put up with the disappointments.
It was very desirable to come to close quarters with the soil and the
products of Venus.”
“Well, here seems a suitable spot for an anchorage,” said Carysfort,
pointing to a sequestered glade near the banks of a large river;
“suppose we fix upon it and settle ourselves.”
The Asteroid glided down till it rested upon a grassy mound at an
elevation of about thirty feet above the river bank. The usual
precautions to ensure the safety of the machine were then taken, and
while Jackson prepared the tea, the rest stood watching the rapid
current as it sped past them in a south-westerly direction.
They were so dead-tired that tea and supper were blended into one, and
then Abercromby having undertaken to mount guard, the others gladly
succumbed to their drowsiness and fell asleep.