A VOYAGE TO THE SUN. 35 



"before we had reached the limits of the terrestrial 

 atmosphere the stars began to shine at least as bril- 

 liantly as in ordinary moonlight; and when certain 

 signs recognized by X. showed that we were very near 

 the limits of the air, the stars were shining as splendidly 

 all around as on the darkest and clearest night. At 

 this time X. asked us to turn our attention to those 

 parts of the sky which were most remote from the sun, 

 in order that when we were actually beyond the 

 terrestrial atmosphere, we might see at once the full 

 : glory of a scene which he had been contemplating for 

 some time with unutterable wonder. I am, therefore, 

 unable from my own experience to describe how the 

 effects of atmospheric illumination in concealing the 

 real splendour of the regions closely surrounding the 

 sun had gradually diminished as we rose into rarer and 

 yet rarer strata. 



But while we were preparing for the surprise which 

 X. had promised, a surprise of another kind awaited 

 all of us. It had become clear that, although the 

 tenuity of the air through which we were now passing 

 was almost infinitely greater than the gaseous rarity 

 produced in any experimental researches undertaken by 

 men, we were yet approaching a definite boundary of 

 the terrestrial atmosphere. None of us were prepared 

 for the effects which were produced when that boundary 

 was crossed. On a sudden the darkness of the heavens 

 all round us increased a myriadfold, insomuch that the 

 darkness of the blackest night seemed like midday by 

 comparison. Yet I speak here only of the blackness 



D 2 



