the works of edgar allan poe-1-第15节

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given　time。　Having　arranged　all　this；　the　rest　of　the　plan　is　
obvious。　My　bed　was　so　contrived　upon　the　floor　of　the　car；　as　to　
bring　my　head；　in　lying　down；　immediately　below　the　mouth　of　the　
pitcher。　It　was　evident；　that；　at　the　expiration　of　an　hour；　the　
pitcher；　getting　full；　would　be　forced　to　run　over；　and　to　run　over　
at　the　mouth；　which　was　somewhat　lower　than　the　rim。　It　was　also　
evident；　that　the　water　thus　falling　from　a　height　of　more　than　four　
feet；　could　not　do　otherwise　than　fall　upon　my　face；　and　that　the　
sure　consequences　would　be；　to　waken　me　up　instantaneously；　even　from　
the　soundest　slumber　in　the　world。

〃It　was　fully　eleven　by　the　time　I　had　completed　these　arrangements；　
and　I　immediately　betook　myself　to　bed；　with　full　confidence　in　the　
efficiency　of　my　invention。　Nor　in　this　matter　was　I　disappointed。　
Punctually　every　sixty　minutes　was　I　aroused　by　my　trusty　
chronometer；　when；　having　emptied　the　pitcher　into　the　bung…hole　of　
the　keg；　and　performed　the　duties　of　the　condenser；　I　retired　again　
to　bed。　These　regular　interruptions　to　my　slumber　caused　me　even　less　
discomfort　than　I　had　anticipated；　and　when　I　finally　arose　for　the　
day；　it　was　seven　o'clock；　and　the　sun　had　attained　many　degrees　
above　the　line　of　my　horizon。

〃April　3d。　I　found　the　balloon　at　an　immense　height　indeed；　and　the　
earth's　apparent　convexity　increased　in　a　material　degree。　Below　me　
in　the　ocean　lay　a　cluster　of　black　specks；　which　undoubtedly　were　
islands。　Far　away　to　the　northward　I　perceived　a　thin；　white；　and　
exceedingly　brilliant　line；　or　streak；　on　the　edge　of　the　horizon；　
and　I　had　no　hesitation　in　supposing　it　to　be　the　southern　disk　of　
the　ices　of　the　Polar　Sea。　My　curiosity　was　greatly　excited；　for　I　
had　hopes　of　passing　on　much　farther　to　the　north；　and　might　
possibly；　at　some　period；　find　myself　placed　directly　above　the　Pole　
itself。　I　now　lamented　that　my　great　elevation　would；　in　this　case；　
prevent　my　taking　as　accurate　a　survey　as　I　could　wish。　Much；　
however；　might　be　ascertained。　Nothing　else　of　an　extraordinary　
nature　occurred　during　the　day。　My　apparatus　all　continued　in　good　
order；　and　the　balloon　still　ascended　without　any　perceptible　
vacillation。　The　cold　was　intense；　and　obliged　me　to　wrap　up　closely　
in　an　overcoat。　When　darkness　came　over　the　earth；　I　betook　myself　to　
bed；　although　it　was　for　many　hours　afterward　broad　daylight　all　
around　my　immediate　situation。　The　water…clock　was　punctual　in　its　
duty；　and　I　slept　until　next　morning　soundly；　with　the　exception　of　
the　periodical　interruption。

〃April　4th。　Arose　in　good　health　and　spirits；　and　was　astonished　at　
the　singular　change　which　had　taken　place　in　the　appearance　of　the　
sea。　It　had　lost；　in　a　great　measure；　the　deep　tint　of　blue　it　had　
hitherto　worn；　being　now　of　a　grayish…white；　and　of　a　lustre　dazzling　
to　the　eye。　The　islands　were　no　longer　visible；　whether　they　had　
passed　down　the　horizon　to　the　southeast；　or　whether　my　increasing　
elevation　had　left　them　out　of　sight；　it　is　impossible　to　say。　I　was　
inclined；　however；　to　the　latter　opinion。　The　rim　of　ice　to　the　
northward　was　growing　more　and　more　apparent。　Cold　by　no　means　so　
intense。　Nothing　of　importance　occurred；　and　I　passed　the　day　in　
reading；　having　taken　care　to　supply　myself　with　books。

〃April　5th。　Beheld　the　singular　phenomenon　of　the　sun　rising　while　
nearly　the　whole　visible　surface　of　the　earth　continued　to　be　
involved　in　darkness。　In　time；　however；　the　light　spread　itself　over　
all；　and　I　again　saw　the　line　of　ice　to　the　northward。　It　was　now　
very　distinct；　and　appeared　of　a　much　darker　hue　than　the　waters　of　
the　ocean。　I　was　evidently　approaching　it；　and　with　great　rapidity。　
Fancied　I　could　again　distinguish　a　strip　of　land　to　the　eastward；　
and　one　also　to　the　westward；　but　could　not　be　certain。　Weather　
moderate。　Nothing　of　any　consequence　happened　during　the　day。　Went　
early　to　bed。

〃April　6th。　Was　surprised　at　finding　the　rim　of　ice　at　a　very　
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