The Washington times., 1903-03-22


shrubs; that of the slope was bright
green. interspersed with glistening
mauve and gray streaks OF color. with
out the least trace OF vegetation
There were thus two perfectly distinct
zones; the upper one. belonging 20 Teh-
bali; the other. that Of the lunar noun
tain. Beneath, again. IN a yet lower
region, was a series OF small craters.
forming. as it were, kind OF rugged
plateau.
Instead OF descending the slope. Nor
bert chose to skirt it horizontally for
two or three miles round the base OF
the peak. He made a discovery thereby.
mo doubt about it," he thought. 1T
is clear now that the whole mountain
Of Tehbali was taken up and thrown
on it's base. This seems rather odd at
first sight. But. given an explosion of
subterranean force. caused by the sud-
den backward recoil of the moon. il APP
pears only natural that the Peak should
have been uprooted, torn, like tooth.
from its socket, out OF the sandy soil
that had been its bed. Once launched
into space. the solid nature OF the rock
would keep It together. and by the force
OF the shock IL was brought near enough
to the moon to be attracted by her (which
Is ineligible. since our satellite almost
touched the earth).- The conical shape
OF the mountain made it inevitable that
Il should fall on its own base.
1T was. indeed. obliged TO fall on
laws OF gravity. The rule Is invariably
the same. whether 81 concerns a mag
netIc mountain weighing millions Of
tons. or only cogged dice. Tehbali re-
sembles the latter. inasmuch as. once
launched into space. Il was bound 20
fall on the heaviest side. that is. on its
base
Now. what was II that softened the
shock OF the fall to certain extent ?
Two causes are evident. One was the
slight Influence OF gravity on the moon;
hence our rock alighted as gently as a
bird. just as / leap now with such per
feet ease. The other softening element
was this very mountain that caught US
on our way
Thus did Norbert reason to himself.
There was one point stin to clear
up. Was the mountain a peak OF a
crater?
Every probability pointed TO its being
a crater. First OF all. there were only
craters 20 be, seen as far as the eye
could reach Then it was easy to see
that a crater could hold the magnetic
rock OF Tehbali; but there would have
been a difficulty In the rock settling
| down atop OF another peak
I Still skirting the base OF Tehbali. the
/ explorers arrived at length on a kind OF
/ terrace. whence they had a much moro
extended view than from the other side
OF the mountain.
They perceived that the lesser craters
/ OF the plain gradually diminished to-
ward the west and south. till they reach
ed sandy hollow region. while from
the north TO the east. on the contrary
! they rose In tiers till they reached M
/ elevated chain OF mountains running l.
together with the characteristic aspect
OF the chain. was like ray OF light tc
the young astronomer.
He turned round mechanically TO com
municate the result OF his observation,
TO Sir Bucephalus. but suddenly re
Numbering it was impossible to max,
himself heard. took out his memoran,
DUN book, and rapidly sketching IN,
I country. handed IT TO the baronet will
this explanatory note:
Il think We have aIighted on TIL
crater of Rheticus, and that this chair
OF mountains is that OF the Luna
Apenn;ues. These sandy plains must b.
the Sea OF vspors. the Sea OF Tran
quillity. and the Sea of Serenity
Having read this note. Sir BucephaIu
making vain efforts 10 speak Tn
young astronomer saw these attempts
and wrote again:
Il am obliged to use a pencil. 70
there is no-sound on the moon
T. lis that so?'' wrote the baronet in hi
turn II have spoken TO you severa
times without single word in reply"
The effect of the moon" replied Nor
bert. Another strange thing You sc
that block of stone near your right leg
1t measures at least two cubic yard:
Try 10 lift It, and you will see
Sir Busephalus looked incredulousl
at the enormous block. which two horse
could scarcely have moved on earth III
stopped down. however. TO please hi
companion. To his inexpressible surpris
the rock moved easily under the Sigh