"Campbell, John W. - The Moon is Hell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Campbell John W Jr)

The sun is approaching the horizon now, and Reed tried out his still today. The photo-cells would not carry the load, a*id the batteries had to be drawn on, against Rice's protests.

The mechanism is not satisfactory, for though the water comes off readily, it will not condense, surrounded as it is by a world all of which is above the boiling point of water, even under atmospheric pressure.

May 22.

The road has been finished, and late today the trac-truck broke down. There is so little fuel left it was decided not to repair it. Another cart was built, and the men are hauling the material. It is fortunate lunar gravity is so weak.

Reed has, improved his still, and it works. He was forced to build a shelter which cut off the sun's rays. He says it would be impossible to work at night anyway, to which Rice privately gave a sigh. He seems to love that battery set.

I paid another visit to Reed's silver deposit today, and returned with some samples on a small sledge. I will try to make some photo-cells * with Moore's aid.

Food has become a popular subject of conversation. Though they realize the necessity for drastic rationing, and take it in good spirit, all the men are hungry. The tobacco smokers are particularly unhappy. I have taken to chewing a crumb of tobacco occasionally, and find it far from satisfying.

When the call for meals is broadcast we all come promptly. Whisler is being unmercifully kidded, and tonight a mock trial was held in which he was accused of wasteful use of water. The soup tonight was rather thin.

May 23.

It is nearing sunset now, and during the sleep-period tonight the sun will probably set.

A considerable pile of gypsum has been hauled from the mine, and Reed has made a larger oven for use when the sun appears again. He found some large blocks of pumice rock, and has set these up as insulators for his furnace.

Moore and I have started work on the photo-cells. The silver was refined electrolytically, after we reduced it to a soluble compound. We made a crude, small cell, and were delighted--and, I admit, somewhat surprised--to find it worked. Kendall and Rice have .agreed to help us.

Pancakes for breakfast, washed down with coffee, at 7:15, and some twelve hours later dinner of vegetable steak and a watery soup. You feel satisfied for the next half hour, till the water is absorbed. There is some complaining from our stomachs, but there is surprisingly little grumbling, though the men are working hard all * The photo-cells were made of silver plates, a layer of silver selenide, and a transparent layer of a second metal. Sunlight falling on these generated a quite powerful current. These had been their source of power during all the past two years.

day, under difficult conditions. Luckily the mine is now under a ledge of rock that shades it, and makes the work endurable. It seems curious to dig ones air from the rocks.

May 24.

Dr. Garner has detailed Moore, Kendall and Rice to assist me in making the photo-cells. Rice however, spends half his time with his beloved batteries. I can understand his worries, after seeing the cells. They were made, I fear, for light weight, rather than long service. The material has been falling from the plates badly. Rice experimented today with the possibility of rebuilding the plates, and had to give it up.

We are not equipped to resist cold. We have only the thinnest of blankets, for it was not expected that it would ever be cold within the dome.

My stomach is constantly afflicted with an unpleasant burning feeling, and of course the others feel it too.

Temperature outside: --143.

May 25.

Ten large photo-cells completed, and the gypsum pile increased. At my strong recommendation the still will not be used until day. We hope to have a considerable battery of cells by then. Even Rice agrees that the current we are drawing for making the cells is drawn in a good cause.

Very difficult to work glass for cells without gas flame, but the oxygen cannot be spared.

Reed, King and Tolman are working on an electrolysis apparatus for use with the still. Some question as to disposition of hydrogen released. We have all too many empty tanks, and I suggested storing it for possible usefulness. Certainly as well as to release it.

Temperature: --147.

May 26.