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breaking off and slowly floating。 Finding a small island on
which the coating was thin； they grounded the Callisto； and
stepped out for the first time in several days。 The air was so
still that a small piece of paper released at a height of six
feet sank slowly and went as straight as the string of a
plumb…line。 The sun was bisected by the line of the horizon； and
appeared to be moving about them in a circle； with only its upper
half visible。 As Jupiter's northern hemisphere was passing
through its autumnal equinox； they concluded they had landed
exactly at the pole。
〃Now to work on our experiment；〃 said Cortlandt。 〃I wonder how we
may best get below the frozen surface？〃
〃We can explode a small quantity of dynamite；〃 replied
Bearwarden； 〃after which the digging will be comparatively easy。〃
While Cortlandt and Bearwarden prepared the mine； Ayrault brought
out a pickaxe； two shovels； and the battery and wires with which
to ignite the explosive。 They made their preparations within one
hundred feet of the Callisto； or much nearer than an equivalent
amount of gunpowder could have been discharged。
〃This recalls an old laboratory experiment； or rather lecture；〃
said Cortlandt； as they completed the arrangements； 〃for the
illustration is not as a rule carried out。 Explode two pounds of
powder on an iron safe in a room with the windows closed； and the
windows will be blown out； while the safe remains uninjured。
Explode an equivalent amount of dynamite on top of the safe； and
it will be destroyed； while the glass panes are not even cracked。
This illustrates the difference in rapidity with which the
explosions take place。 To the intensely rapid action of dynamite
the air affords as much resistance as a solid substance； while
the explosion of the powder is so slow that the air has time to
move away； hence the destruction of the windows in the first
case； and the safe in the second。〃
When they had moved beyond the danger line； Bearwarden； as the
party's practising engineer； pressed the button； and the
explosion did the rest。 They found that the ground was frozen to
a depth of but little more than a foot； below which it became
perceptibly warm。 Plying their shovels vigorously； they had soon
dug the hole so deep that its edges were above their heads。 When
the floor was ten feet below the surrounding level the
thermometer registered sixty。
〃This is scarcely a fair test；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃since the heat
rises and is lost as fast as given off。 Let us therefore close
the opening and see in what time it will melt a number of cubic
feet of ice。〃
Accordingly they climbed out； threw in about a cart…load of ice；
and covered the opening with two of the Callisto's thick rugs。
In half an hour all the ice had melted； and in another half hour
the water was hot。
〃No arctic expedition need freeze to death here；〃 said
Bearwarden； 〃since all a man would have to do would be to burrow
a few feet to be as warm as toast。〃
As the island on which they had landed was at one side of the
archipelago； but was itself at the exact pole； it followed that
the centre of the archipelago was not the part farthest north。
This in a measure accounted for the slight thickness of ice and
snow； for the isobaric lines would slope； and consequently what
wind there was would flow towards the interior of the
archipelago； whose surface was colder than the surrounding ocean。
The moist air； however； coming almost entirely from the south；
would lose most of its moisture by condensation in passing over
the ice…laden land； and so； like the clouds over the region east
of the Andes； would have but little left to let fall on this
extreme northern part。 The blanketing effect of a great
thickness of snow would also cause； the lower strata of ice to
melt； by keeping in the heat constantly given off by the warm
planet。
〃I think there can be no question；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃that； as a
result of Jupiter's great flattening at the poles and the drawing
of the crust； which moves faster in Jupiter's rotation than any
other part； towards the equator； the crust must be particularly
thin here； for； were it as thin all over； there would be no space
for the coal…beds； which； judging from the purity of the
atmosphere； must be very extensive。 Further； we can recall that
the water in the hot spring near which we alighted； which
evidently came from a far greater depth than we have here； was
not as hot as this。 The conclusion is clear that elsewhere the
internal heat is not as near the surface as here。〃
〃The more I see of Jupiter；〃 exclaimed Bearwarden
enthusiastically； 〃the more charmed I become。 It almost exactly
supplies what I have been conjuring up as my idea of a perfect
planet。 Its compensations of high land near the equator； and low
with effective internal heat at the poles； are ideal。 The gradual
slope of its continental elevations； on account of their extent；
will ease the work of operating railways； and the atmosphere's
density will be just the thing for our flying machines； while
Nature has supplied all sources of power so lavishly that no
undertaking will be too great。 Though land as yet； to judge by
our photographs； occupies only about one eighth of the surface；
we know； from the experience of the other planets； that this is
bound to increase； so that； if the human race can perpetuate
itself on Jupiter long enough； it will undoubtedly have one
fourth or a larger proportion for occupation； though the land
already upheaved comprises fully forty times the area of our
entire globe； which； as we know； is still three…fourths water。〃
〃Since we have reached what we might call the end of Jupiter； and
still have time； continued Ayrault； 〃let us proceed to Saturn；
where we may find even stranger things than here。 I hoped we
could investigate the great red spot； but am convinced we have
seen the beginning of one in Twentieth Century Archipelago； and
what； under favourable conditions； will be recognized as such on
earth。〃
It was just six terrestrial weeks since they had set out； and
therefore February 2d on earth。
〃It would be best； in any case； to start from Jupiter's equator；〃
said Cortlandt； 〃for the straight line we should make from the
surface here would be at right angles to Saturn。 We shall
probably； in spite of ourselves； swing a few degrees beyond the
line； and so can get a bird's…eye view of some portion of the
southern hemisphere。〃
〃All aboard for Saturn！〃 cried Bearwarden enthusiastically； in
his jovial way。 〃This will be a journey。〃
CHAPTER XIV。
THE SCENE SHIFTS。
Having returned the rugs to the Callisto； they applied the
maximum power of the batteries to rising； closed all openings
when the barometer registered thirty； and moved off into space。
When Several thousand miles above the pole； they diverted part of
the power to attracting the nearest moon that was in the plane of
Jupiter's equator； and by the time their upward motion had ceased
were moving well in its direction。 Their rapid motion aided the
work of resisting gravity； since their car had in fact become a
small moon； revolving； like those of Uranus or that of Neptune；
in an orbit varying greatly from the plane of the ecliptic。 As
they flew south at a height ranging from two thousand to three
thousand miles； the planet revolved before them； and they had a
chance of obtaining a thorough view。 There were but a few
scattered islands on the side of the Northern hemisphere opposite
to that over which they had reached the pole； and in the varying
colours of the water； which they attributed to temperature or to
some substance in solution； they recognized what they had always
heard described on earth as the bands of Jupiter； encircling the
planet with great belts； the colour varying with the latitude。
At about latitude forty…five these bands were purple； farther
south light olive green； and at the equator a brown orange。
Shortly after they swung across the equator the ocean again
became purple； and at the same time a well…defined and very
brilliant white spot came into view。 Its brightness showed
slight variations in intensity； though its general shape remained
unchanged。 It had another peculiarity； in that it possessed a
fairly rapid motion of its own； as it moved eastward across the
surface of the ocean。 It exhibited all the phenomena of the
storm they had watched in crossing Secretary Deepwaters Bay； but
covered a larger area； and was far more violent。 Their glasses
showed them vast sheets of spray driven along at tremendous
speed； while the surface was milky white。
〃This；〃 said Bearwarden； picking up a book； 〃solves to my mind
the mystery of the white spot described by the English writer
Chambers； in 1889； as follows：
〃'During the last few years a brilliant white spot has been
visible on the equatorial border of the great southern belt。 A
curious fact in connection with this spot is； that it moves with
a velocity of some two hundred and sixty miles per hour greater
than the red spot。 Denning obtained one hundred and sixty…nine
observations of thi