“And in the sun?”

“In the sun, though its density is four times less than that of the earth, its volume is thirteen hundred and twenty-four thousand times greater, and gravitation there is twenty-seven times greater than upon the surface of our globe.  Every proportion kept, the inhabitants ought on an average to be two hundred feet high.”

“The devil!” exclaimed Michel.  “I should only be a pigmy!”

“Gulliver amongst the giants,” said Nicholl.

“Just so,” answered Barbicane.

“It would not have been a bad thing to carry some pieces of artillery to defend oneself with.”

“Good,” replied Barbicane; “your bullets would have no effect on the sun, and they would fall to the ground in a few minutes.”

“That’s saying a great deal!”

“It is a fact,” answered Barbicane.  “Gravitation is so great on that enormous planet that an object weighing 70 lbs. on the earth would weigh 1,930 lbs. on the surface of the sun.  Your hat would weigh 20 lbs.! your cigar 1/2 lb.!  Lastly, if you fell on the solar continent your weight would be so great—­about 5,000 lbs.—­that you could not get up again.”

“The devil!” said Michel, “I should have to carry about a portable crane!  Well, my friends, let us be content with the moon for to-day.  There, at least, we shall cut a great figure!  Later on we shall see if we will go to the sun, where you can’t drink without a crane to lift the glass to your mouth.”

CHAPTER IX.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEVIATION.

Barbicane had now no fear, if not about the issue of the journey, at least about the projectile’s force of impulsion.  Its own speed would carry it beyond the neutral line.  Therefore it would not return to the earth nor remain motionless upon the point of attraction.  One hypothesis only remained to be realised, the arrival of the bullet at its goal under the action of lunar attraction.

In reality it was a fall of 8,296 leagues upon a planet, it is true, where the gravity is six times less than upon the earth.  Nevertheless it would be a terrible fall, and one against which all precautions ought to be taken without delay.

These precautions were of two sorts; some were for the purpose of deadening the shock at the moment the projectile would touch lunar ground; others were to retard the shock, and so make it less violent.

In order to deaden the shock, it was a pity that Barbicane was no longer able to employ the means that had so usefully weakened the shock at departure—­that is to say, the water used as a spring and the movable partitions.  The partitions still existed, but water was wanting, for they could not use the reserve for this purpose—­that would be precious in case the liquid element should fail on the lunar soil.

Besides, this reserve would not have been sufficient for a spring.  The layer of water stored in the projectile at their departure, and on which lay the waterproof disc, occupied no less than three feet in depth, and spread over a surface of not less than fifty-four feet square.  Now the receptacles did not contain the fifth part of that.  They were therefore obliged to give up this effectual means of deadening the shock.