Путешествие на Луну

           Itwantedscarcefortysecondstothemomentofdeparture,buteachsecondseemedtolastanage!Atthetwentieththerewasageneralshudder,asitoccurredtothemindsofthatvastassemblagethattheboldtravelersshutupwithintheprojectilewerealsocountingthoseterribleseconds.Somefewcrieshereandthereescapedthecrowd.

           "Thirty-five!—thirty-six!—thirty-seven!—thirty-eight!—thirty-nine!—forty!Fire!!!"

           InstantlyMurchisonpressedwithhisfingerthekeyoftheelectricbattery,restoredthecurrentofthefluid,anddischargedthesparkintothebreechoftheColumbiad.

           Anappallingunearthlyreportfollowedinstantly,suchascanbecomparedtonothingwhateverknown,noteventotheroarofthunder,ortheblastofvolcanicexplosions!Nowordscanconveytheslightestideaoftheterrificsound!Animmensespoutoffireshotupfromthebowelsoftheearthasfromacrater.Theearthheavedup,andwithgreatdifficultysomefewspectatorsobtainedamomentaryglimpseoftheprojectilevictoriouslycleavingtheairinthemidstofthefieryvapors!