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

If the whole trip be made by daylight, no batteries need be carried, but a second trip to the first cache could put batteries there for emergencies.

The men have all volunteered, and even Garner approves of this plan. Long insists he should go, as he knows the way, and the easiest way. The group will carry more powerful apparatus, and have a far better chance of success.

The second thing of import in today's happenings was the discovery of a great outcropping ledge of crystal quartz. It was discovered by Melville--under the battery house! Rice threatened to tear his hair out by the roots as the Universe's prize ass.

Actually, the reason it had not been discovered was simple. Since we came, an accumulation of battery sludge had hidden it. Our power worries are ended.

Almost equally cheering was the discovery that we had forty pounds more protein flour than I had thought. That is three days added to our lives here.

June 19.

The plan Long outlined has been decided on. At his urgent request, he will guide the party. I have been I given command, so I will get my first glimpse of Mother Earth in two years, shortly. Rice will be the third member of the three who make the dash. As he is the radio expert, he is the logical choice. Since all the others want to accompany us, the others are to be chosen by lot. The start will be made the ninth of July, which will give us fourteen days of sunshine, a plentiful margin.

It was noon of the Lunar day, and terrifically hot today. The storage batteries will take no more charge, and have been disconnected. All new photocells were taken to the mine, along with the batteries and motors from the tractrucks, and several other electric motors taken from the rocket ship. The diamonds have proven useful after all. All the empty cans were collected, and the lead and tin melted off. A diamond toothed saw was achieved with the aid of the old tractor belts from the tractrucks. It cuts the soft gypsum with an enormous saving of labor. Carting it back is not easy, however.

The mine power station is not yet self-sufficient, and is drawing on the batteries. New photo-cells will help, however.

June 20.

The long afternoon has begun. Miners are gaining on the furnaces now, and Reed is making a new one, wants new photo-cells.

Work continued as usual.

June 21.

New furnace finished, and consuming more power than cells produce, but new cells coming. The complete heating system was tested, and found to function perfectly. So perfectly the Dome was unbearably hot in no time. Oxy-hydrogen flames are hot!

June 22.

More food stolen from supply house. I will be forced to rig a burglar alarm! It is exceedingly serious, for our supplies are rapidly diminishing, and we are all underweight. (A strong understatement. At the time he wrote this, Dr. Duncan had fallen from a normal 184 pounds of muscle and bone, to 155.) Moore is experimenting with what he calls ".edible" acids. Most of the men are claiming them "terrible acrid." I doubt that we could eat the substances, though undoubtedly they have food value. He has compounded them directly from water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. He claims they will save our lives.

June 23.

Afternoon is well advanced now. We have gained considerably over our uses of the last month, and the oxygen tanks are beginning to show pressure. Water has gained even faster, and a new electrolysis apparatus is being set up. Despite the short rations the men are feeling better as they see the power from the sun wresting atmosphere from this frozen, lifeless world.

June 24.

A two pound can of dried milk is missing today. I cannot understand how these bold thefts are carried out. Nor can I understand how any of the men do it; they are all pitching in and working without grousing. We are all tired though, when we turn in. There is a distinct rivalry now between the furnace gang, those extracting water from the gypsum, and the mine gang, those extracting gypsum from the mine. The mine gang is gaining now, thanks to hard, heavy labor, and the new machines. Reed demands more power, which we are trying to supply.

Long did the first heavy labor since his death! He went to the silver selenide mine with Rice, and brought back a supply.

Preparations going on now for the dash to the yisible area. Long insists the message will come at the psychological moment.

June 25.

The sun is very low now. Tomorrow it sets. Reed has had to close down the small furnace, as the. shadow of Garner Crater began to touch the new bank of photocells. We will have to move them "tomorrow," that is, next morning.

The miners will be sadly handicapped when their power tools fail them, with sunset. There is still a brisk demand for photo cells however, as both mine and furnaces consume power at a fearful rate. Certainly, on earth, with its clouding atmosphere such power would be almost impossible to maintain with so small a bank of cells.