On letting the air escape from our machine,
it did not now rush out with the same violence as before, which showed
that we were within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding
ourselves of the metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and
by we were within a few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw
down so much of our ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary.
The Brahmin remarked, that he should avail himself of the currents of
air we might meet with, to select a favourable place for landing,
though we were necessarily attracted towards the same region, in
consequence of the same half of the moon's surface being always turned
towards the earth."
The Brahmin now pointed out the necessity of looking out for some
cultivated field, in one of the valleys they were approaching, where
they might rely on being not far distant from some human habitation,
and on escaping the perils necessarily attendant on a descent amongst
rocks, trees, and buildings. A gentle breeze now arising, as appeared
by their horizontal motion, which wafted them at the rate of about ten
miles an hour, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, &c.
they at length reached a cultivated region, which the Brahmin
recognised as the country of the Morosofs, the place they were anxious
to visit. By now letting off two balls of lead to the _Earth_,
they descended rapidly; and when they were sufficiently near the
ground to observe that it was a fit place for landing, opened the door
of their Balloon, and found the air of the moon inconceivably sweet
and refreshing.
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