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

June 2.

Long disappeared during the night. We all volunteered to go after him, but Garner ordered us to stay. It would be impossible to find a man on this dark lunar surface. The entire country is indescribably rough. Every ancient moonquake rift is as sharp as the day it was made. We are all hoping for Long, but as Rice said, "It ain't a Long hope and it's a hell of a Long chance." The great circle distance is 1100 miles, probably 1500 across country. It is not difficult to make 300 miles a day here, and under forced marches he will probably make 500 the first day. He took oxygen for seven days.

I wish I could foresee my entry for June 9.

Four new Mercury picks made. They work excellently, but blunt rapidly and have to be re-cast every day.

June 3.

Long evidently took six days' rations of powdered milk chocolate and water, as I miss them from my store. Curiously I thought they were there yesterday, and thought he had merely eaten a heavy meal. We do not begrudge him those supplies.

The men are greatly excited about Long, and have been trying continuously to reach him by radio, but he is already beyond range. A month's difference in the arrival of the rescue ship may well mean life to us.

June 4.

It is shortly after midnight, and Rice has reported to me privately that the batteries are failing badly. He says that if they are to last till sunrise, we must lower the temperature of the Dome. They are evidently going to pieces even more rapidly than he feared. Ironical, the beauty of our calculations in making the equipment. This was to have been our last Lunar night, and the failure of the batteries would have been a minor nuisance. As they certainly won't last another night, it's hard to know what it does mean now. As I have said, we brought no heavy clothing, the suits being sufficient in empty space. I have stopped working on the photo-cells, as the others are advancing nicely, and have started on a burner.

The men were told this evening of the probable failure of the batteries. Like good sports they agreed to the change. The Dome will be cold while the men are out working, kept just above the freezing point (we cannot let it fall lower) will be warmed at supper time, cold all night, and wanned in the morning. The saving will really be considerable.

June 5.

Long's birthday. He was 28 today, but not with us to celebrate. We hope he will be here to celebrate Tolman's, the 14th. It will be sunrise, then.

Burner worked successfully. Too bad we can't use it tonight. It will save us, probably.

June 6.

Last of canned milk issued. Last sugar gone, also. The supplies look amazingly low, now that we have cleaned out all the empty boxes which had been saved for possible future use.

I was again accused of favoritism in distribution of food by Bender, today. He is ill-fitted for mining work, and hunger adds to his distaste. I am only surprised none of the others have made accusations, though I deal with all possible fairness.

Very uncomfortable working in Dome with temperature low. Rice says he prefers the mine. We are using the heater at the laboratory end which makes it slightly better.

June 7.

Rice claimed he heard signals from Long. I doubt it, as but five days have passed, and he expected to be gone seven.

There is a great pile of gypsum outside now, and some of the men are saying they can take a rest, since we have enough for now.

It is very cold in the dome during the day, and it is almost impossible to work. But Rice says the batteries may last till the 14th, when the sun rises.

Two full banks of photocells completed, increasing our power generating equipment 50%.

June 8.

Today Rice had to cut out several of the worst cells and cut the heaters in half. They work very poorly, and we freeze all day and all night.

The round-robbin story, which was left off with Long^s disappearance was continued. The ship was hurled free by a volcano, and has landed on Mercury. Heat in abundance, and plenty of food, I noticed.