Chapter IX: 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.