the works of edgar allan poe-1-第14部分

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moderate　distance；　and　an　immense　field　of　the　same　material　
stretching　away　off　to　the　horizon　in　the　north。　It　was　evident　that　
if　the　balloon　held　its　present　course；　it　would　soon　arrive　above　
the　Frozen　Ocean；　and　I　had　now　little　doubt　of　ultimately　seeing　the　
Pole。　During　the　whole　of　the　day　I　continued　to　near　the　ice。　Toward　
night　the　limits　of　my　horizon　very　suddenly　and　materially　
increased；　owing　undoubtedly　to　the　earth's　form　being　that　of　an　
oblate　spheroid；　and　my　arriving　above　the　flattened　regions　in　the　
vicinity　of　the　Arctic　circle。　When　darkness　at　length　overtook　me；　I　
went　to　bed　in　great　anxiety；　fearing　to　pass　over　the　object　of　so　
much　curiosity　when　I　should　have　no　opportunity　of　observing　it。

〃April　7th。　Arose　early；　and；　to　my　great　joy；　at　length　beheld　what　
there　could　be　no　hesitation　in　supposing　the　northern　Pole　itself。　
It　was　there；　beyond　a　doubt；　and　immediately　beneath　my　feet；　but；　
alas！　I　had　now　ascended　to　so　vast　a　distance；　that　nothing　could　
with　accuracy　be　discerned。　Indeed；　to　judge　from　the　progression　of　
the　numbers　indicating　my　various　altitudes；　respectively；　at　
different　periods；　between　six　A。M。　on　the　second　of　April；　and　
twenty　minutes　before　nine　A。M。　of　the　same　day　（at　which　time　the　
barometer　ran　down）；　it　might　be　fairly　inferred　that　the　balloon　had　
now；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　April　the　seventh；　reached　a　
height　of　not　less；　certainly；　than　7；254　miles　above　the　surface　of　
the　sea。　This　elevation　may　appear　immense；　but　the　estimate　upon　
which　it　is　calculated　gave　a　result　in　all　probability　far　inferior　
to　the　truth。　At　all　events　I　undoubtedly　beheld　the　whole　of　the　
earth's　major　diameter；　the　entire　northern　hemisphere　lay　beneath　me　
like　a　chart　orthographically　projected：　and　the　great　circle　of　the　
equator　itself　formed　the　boundary　line　of　my　horizon。　Your　
Excellencies　may；　however；　readily　imagine　that　the　confined　regions　
hitherto　unexplored　within　the　limits　of　the　Arctic　circle；　although　
situated　directly　beneath　me；　and　therefore　seen　without　any　
appearance　of　being　foreshortened；　were　still；　in　themselves；　
comparatively　too　diminutive；　and　at　too　great　a　distance　from　the　
point　of　sight；　to　admit　of　any　very　accurate　examination。　
Nevertheless；　what　could　be　seen　was　of　a　nature　singular　and　
exciting。　Northwardly　from　that　huge　rim　before　mentioned；　and　which；　
with　slight　qualification；　may　be　called　the　limit　of　human　discovery　
in　these　regions；　one　unbroken；　or　nearly　unbroken；　sheet　of　ice　
continues　to　extend。　In　the　first　few　degrees　of　this　its　progress；　
its　surface　is　very　sensibly　flattened；　farther　on　depressed　into　a　
plane；　and　finally；　becoming　not　a　little　concave；　it　terminates；　at　
the　Pole　itself；　in　a　circular　centre；　sharply　defined；　wbose　
apparent　diameter　subtended　at　the　balloon　an　angle　of　about　
sixty…five　seconds；　and　whose　dusky　hue；　varying　in　intensity；　was；　
at　all　times；　darker　than　any　other　spot　upon　the　visible　hemisphere；　
and　occasionally　deepened　into　the　most　absolute　and　impenetrable　
blackness。　Farther　than　this；　little　could　be　ascertained。　By　twelve　
o'clock　the　circular　centre　had　materially　decreased　in　
circumference；　and　by　seven　P。M。　I　lost　sight　of　it　entirely；　the　
balloon　passing　over　the　western　limb　of　the　ice；　and　floating　away　
rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　equator。

〃April　8th。　Found　a　sensible　diminution　in　the　earth's　apparent　
diameter；　besides　a　material　alteration　in　its　general　color　and　
appearance。　The　whole　visible　area　partook　in　different　degrees　of　a　
tint　of　pale　yellow；　and　in　some　portions　had　acquired　a　brilliancy　
even　painful　to　the　eye。　My　view　downward　was　also　considerably　
impeded　by　the　dense　atmosphere　in　the　vicinity　of　the　surface　being　
loaded　with　clouds；　between　whose　masses　I　could　only　now　and　then　
obtain　a　glimpse　of　the　earth　itself。　This　difficulty　of　direct　
vision　had　troubled　me　more　or　less　for　the　last　forty…eight　hours；　
but　my　present　enormous　elevation　brought　closer　together；　as　it　
were；　the　floating　bodies　of　vapor；　and　the　inconvenience　became；　of　
course；　more　and　more　palpable　in　proportion　to　my　ascent。　
Nevertheless；　I　could　easily　perceive　that　the　balloon　now　hovered　
above　the　range　of　great　lakes　in　the　continent　of　North　America；　and　
was　holding　a　course；　due　south；　which　would　bring　me　to　the　tropics。　
This　circumstance　did　not　fail　to　give　me　the　most　heartful　
satisfaction；　and　I　hailed　it　as　a　happy　omen　of　ultimate　success。　
Indeed；　the　direction　I　had　hitherto　taken；　had　filled　me　with　
uneasiness；　for　it　was　evident　that；　had　I　continued　it　much　longer；　
there　would　have　been　no　possibility　of　my　arriving　at　the　moon　at　
all；　whose　orbit　is　inclined　to　the　ecliptic　at　only　the　small　angle　
of　5　degrees　8'　48〃。

〃April　9th。　To…day　the　earth's　diameter　was　greatly　diminished；　and　
the　color　of　the　surface　assumed　hourly　a　deeper　tint　of　yellow。　The　
balloon　kept　steadily　on　her　course　to　the　southward；　and　arrived；　at　
nine　P。M。；　over　the　northern　edge　of　the　Mexican　Gulf。

〃April　10th。　I　was　suddenly　aroused　from　slumber；　about　five　o'clock　
this　morning；　by　a　loud；　crackling；　and　terrific　sound；　for　which　I　
could　in　no　manner　account。　It　was　of　very　brief　duration；　but；　while　
it　lasted　resembled　nothing　in　the　world　of　which　I　had　any　previous　
experience。　It　is　needless　to　say　that　I　became　excessively　alarmed；　
having；　in　the　first　instance；　attributed　the　noise　to　the　bursting　
of　the　balloon。　I　examined　all　my　apparatus；　however；　with　great　
attention；　and　could　discover　nothing　out　of　order。　Spent　a　great　
part　of　the　day　in　meditating　upon　an　occurrence　so　extraordinary；　
but　could　find　no　means　whatever　of　accounting　for　it。　Went　to　bed　
dissatisfied；　and　in　a　state　of　great　anxiety　and　agitation。

〃April　11th。　Found　a　startling　diminution　in　the　apparent　diameter　of　
the　earth；　and　a　considerable　increase；　now　observable　for　the　first　
time；　in　that　of　the　moon　itself；　which　wanted　only　a　few　days　of　
being　full。　It　now　required　long　and　excessive　labor　to　condense　
within　the　chamber　sufficient　atmospheric　air　for　the　sustenance　of　
life。

〃April　12th。　A　singular　alteration　took　place　in　regard　to　the　
direction　of　the　balloon；　and　although　fully　anticipated；　afforded　me　
the　most　unequivocal　delight。　Having　reached；　in　its　former　course；　
about　the　twentieth　parallel　of　southern　latitude；　it　turned　off　
suddenly；　at　an　acute　angle；　to　the　eastward；　and　thus　proceeded　
throughout　the　day；　keeping　nearly；　if　not　altogether；　in　the　exact　
plane　of　the　lunar　elipse。　What　was　worthy　of　remark；　a　very　
perceptible　vacillation　in　the　car　was　a　consequence　of　this　change　
of　route　　a　vacillation　which　prevailed；　in　a　more　or　less　degree；　
for　a　period　of　many　hours。

〃April　13th。　Was　again　very　much　alarmed　by　a　repetition　of　the　loud；　
crackling　noise　which　terrified　me　on　the　tenth。　Thought　long　upon　
the　subject；　but　was　unable　to　form　any　satisfactory　conclusion。　
Great　decrease　in　the　earth's　apparent　diameter；　which　now　subtended　
from　the　balloon　an　angle　of　very　little　more　than　twenty…five　
degrees。　The　moon　could　not　be　seen　at　all；　being　nearly　in　my　
zenith。　I　still　continued　in　the　plane　of　the　elipse；　but　made　little　
progress　to　the　eastward。

〃April　14th。　Extremely　rapid　decrease　in　the　diameter　of　the　earth。　
To…day　I　became　strongly　impressed　with　the　idea；　that　the　balloon　
was　now　actually　running　up　the　line　of　apsides　to　the　point　of　
perigee…　in　other　words；　holding　the　direct　course　which　would　bring　
it　immediately　to　the　moon　in　that　part　of　its　orbit　the　nearest　to　
the　earth。　The　moon　iself　was　directly　overhead；　and　consequently　
hidden　from　my　view。　Great　and　long…continued　labor　necessary　for　the　
condensation　of　the　atmosphere。

〃April　15th。　Not　even　the　outlines　of　continents　and　seas　could　now　
be　traced　upon　the　earth　with　anything　approaching　distinctness。　
About　twelve　o'clock　I　became　aware；　for　the　third　time；　of　that　
appalling　sound　which　had　so　astonished　me　before。　It　now；　however；　
continued　for　some　moments；　and　gathered　intensity　as　it　continued。　
At　length；　while；　stupefied　and　terror…stricken；　I　stood　in　
expectation　of　I　knew　not　what　hideous　destruction；　the　car　vibrated　
with　excessive　violence；　and　a　gigantic　and　flaming　mass　of　some　
material　which　I　could　not　distinguish；　came　with　a　voice　of　a　
thousand　thunders；　roaring　and　booming　by　the　balloon。　When　my　fears　
and　astonishment　had　in　some　degree　subsided；　I　had　little　difficulty　
in　supposing　it　to　be　some　mighty　volcanic　fragment　ejected　from　that　
world　to　which　I　was　so　rapidly　approaching；　and；　in　all　probability；　
one　of　that　singular　class　of　substances　occasionally　picked　up　on　
the　earth；　and　termed　meteoric　stones　for　want　of　a　better　
appellation。

〃April　16th。　To…day；　looking　upward　as　well　as　I　could；　through　each　
of　the　side　windows　alternately；　I　beheld；　to　my　great　delight；　a　
very　small　portion　of　the　moon's　disk　protruding；　as　it　were；　on　all　
sides　beyond　the　huge　circumference　of　the　balloon。　My　agitation　was　
extreme；　for　I　had　now　little　doubt　of　soon　reaching　the　end　of　my　
perilous　voyage。　Indeed；　the　labor　now　required　by　the　condenser　had　
increased　to　a　most　oppressive　degree；　and　allowed　me　scarcely　any　
respite　from　exertion。　Sleep　was　a　matter　nearly　out　of　the　question。　
I　became　quite　ill；　and　my　frame　trembled　with　exhaustion。　It　was　
impossible　that　human　nature　could　endure　this　state　of　intense　
suffering　much　longer。　During　the　now　brief　interval　of　darkness　a　
meteoric　stone　again　passed　in　my　vicinity；　and　the　frequency　of　
these　phenomena　began　to　occasion　me　much　apprehension。

〃April　17th。　This　morning　proved　an　epoch　in　my　voyage。　It　will　be　
remembered　that；　on　the　thirteenth；　the　earth　subtended　an　angular　
breadth　of　twenty…five　degrees。　On　the　fourteenth　this　had　greatly　
diminished；　on　the　fifteenth　a　still　more　remarkable　decrease　was　
observable；　and；　on　retiring　on　the　night　of　the　sixteenth；　I　had　
noticed　an　angle　of　no　more　than　about　seven　degrees　and　fifteen　
minutes