ks
streamed cataracts of saffron fire. The lightning, like streaks of
molten gold, hurled its burning darts into the sea. Everything bore
the glow of amber-colored fire. The sailors congratulated themselves
on the shelter provided by the deck overhead. The motion of the ship
exceeded all former experiences, for it leaped and plunged in a
terrific manner. It was a question whether we would survive the storm
or not, so violent was the shaking up both ship and men received.
Fortunately, the loss of weight in everything, which was the cause of
the rapid motion, permitted no more damage than would be caused by a
lesser storm on heavier objects.

The professor stated that he believed the tempest was occasioned by a
polar tidal wave of air rushing into the interior sphere, to supply
the exhaustion caused by outgoing warm currents, owing perhaps to a
periodical overheating of the air by the internal sun. When a certain
volume of the air was expelled, so that it could no longer resist
external pressure, then the external air rushed down the polar gulf,
creating by meeting warm outward-flowing currents cyclones such as we
were then experiencing.

By degrees the storm abated, the sea grew calm, the heavens above us
became clearer, and the sun assumed the rose-color he first presented
to our gaze, standing right in the zenith.

The only damage done to the crew was a few broken limbs and some
severe bruises. The ship had lost several spars, and one of her boats
was blown out of its lashings on deck and was lost.

It was a week since we had left the outer world, and what a change had
occurred in that short space of time! The excitement had been so
intense that not a man of us had slept during that period, and as for
meals, we had forgotten about them altogether.

A general order was given the cooks to prepare a banquet to duly
inaugurate our discovery of the new world. Both officers and men,
including myself, sat down at the same table, where we satisfied the
cravings of a week's hunger.

I expressed my heartfelt pleasure in the safety of the crew and ship
so far in making so tremendous a discovery. I relied on the courage
and loyalty of the crew for still further explorations in the strange
and mysterious planet we had discovered. I declared that those who
shared the dangers of the expedition would also share in whatever
reward fortune might bestow upon us.

It is needless to say such sentiments were enthusiastically applau