Bad Weather

At the moment when that pyramid of fire rose to a prodigious height into the air, the glare of flame lit up the whole of Florida; and for a moment day superseded night over a considerable extent of the country. This immense canopy of fire was perceived at a distance of one hundred miles out at sea, and more than one ship’s captain entered in his log the appearance of this gigantic meteor.

As the pyramid of fire rose high into the air, its glare lit up all of Florida. For a moment, night turned to day over a large part of the country. This immense canopy of fire could be seen from ships a hundred miles out at sea. More than one ship’s captain recorded the appearance of this gigantic meteor in his log.

The discharge of the Columbiad was accompanied by a perfect earthquake. Florida was shaken to its very depths. The gases of the powder, expanded by heat, forced back the atmospheric strata with tremendous violence, and this artificial hurricane rushed like a water-spout through the air.

The firing of the Columbiad caused what felt like an earthquake. Florida was shaken to its very depths. Heat expanded the gases from the gunpowder, forcing back the layers of air with tremendous violence. This artificial hurricane rushed through the air like a waterspout.

Not a single spectator remained on his feet! Men, women children, all lay prostrate like ears of corn under a tempest. There ensued a terrible tumult; a large number of persons were seriously injured. J. T. Maston, who, despite all dictates of prudence, had kept in advance of the mass, was pitched back 120 feet, shooting like a projectile over the heads of his fellow-citizens. Three hundred thousand persons remained deaf for a time, and as though struck stupefied.

Not a single spectator was left standing! Men, women, and children all lay on the ground like stalks of grain flattened by a storm. Terrible chaos followed, and many people were seriously injured. J. T. Maston had ignored all warnings to be careful and stood ahead of the crowd. He was thrown back 120 feet, flying like a projectile over the heads of his fellow citizens. Three hundred thousand people were deaf for a time and seemed stunned.

As soon as the first effects were over, the injured, the deaf, and lastly, the crowd in general, woke up with frenzied cries. “Hurrah for Ardan! Hurrah for Barbicane! Hurrah for Nicholl!” rose to the skies. Thousands of persons, noses in air, armed with telescopes and race-glasses, were questioning space, forgetting all contusions and emotions in the one idea of watching for the projectile. They looked in vain! It was no longer to be seen, and they were obliged to wait for telegrams from Long’s Peak. The director of the Cambridge Observatory was at his post on the Rocky Mountains; and to him, as a skillful and persevering astronomer, all observations had been confided.

As soon as the first effects had passed, the injured, the deaf, and finally the whole crowd came to life, shouting wildly. “Hurrah for Ardan! Hurrah for Barbicane! Hurrah for Nicholl!” Their cheers rose to the skies. Thousands of people looked up through telescopes and binoculars, searching the sky. They forgot all their bruises and excitement in their eagerness to watch for the projectile. But they looked in vain! The projectile was no longer visible, and they had to wait for telegrams from Long’s Peak. The director of the Cambridge Observatory was at his post in the Rocky Mountains. As a skilled and persistent astronomer, he had been entrusted with all the observations.

But an unforeseen phenomenon came in to subject the public impatience to a severe trial.

But an unexpected phenomenon severely tested the public's patience.

The weather, hitherto so fine, suddenly changed; the sky became heavy with clouds. It could not have been otherwise after the terrible derangement of the atmospheric strata, and the dispersion of the enormous quantity of vapor arising from the combustion of 200,000 pounds of pyroxyle!

The weather had been fine until then, but it suddenly changed. Clouds filled the sky. This was bound to happen after the violent disruption of the atmosphere and the spread of so much vapor. The vapor came from burning 200,000 pounds of pyroxyle!

On the morrow the horizon was covered with clouds—a thick and impenetrable curtain between earth and sky, which unhappily extended as far as the Rocky Mountains. It was a fatality! But since man had chosen so to disturb the atmosphere, he was bound to accept the consequences of his experiment.

The next day, clouds covered the horizon, forming a thick curtain between earth and sky. Unfortunately, the curtain stretched as far as the Rocky Mountains. What a disaster! But since man had chosen to disturb the atmosphere, he had to accept the consequences of his experiment.

Supposing, now, that the experiment had succeeded, the travelers having started on the 1st of December, at 10h. 46m. 40s. P.M., were due on the 4th at 0h. P.M. at their destination. So that up to that time it would have been very difficult after all to have observed, under such conditions, a body so small as the shell. Therefore they waited with what patience they might.

If the experiment had succeeded, the travelers were due to reach their destination at noon on December 4. They had set out on December 1 at 10:46:40 p.m. So until they arrived, it would have been very difficult to observe a body as small as the shell under those conditions. Therefore, everyone waited as patiently as they could.

From the 4th to the 6th of December inclusive, the weather remaining much the same in America, the great European instruments of Herschel, Rosse, and Foucault, were constantly directed toward the moon, for the weather was then magnificent; but the comparative weakness of their glasses prevented any trustworthy observations being made.

From December 4 through December 6, the weather in America stayed much the same. But the weather in Europe was magnificent, so the great instruments of Herschel, Rosse, and Foucault were constantly aimed at the moon. Their lenses were comparatively weak, however, preventing any reliable observations.

On the 7th the sky seemed to lighten. They were in hopes now, but their hope was of but short duration, and at night again thick clouds hid the starry vault from all eyes.

On the 7th, the sky seemed to brighten. They felt hopeful, but their hope did not last long. That night, thick clouds again hid the stars from everyone.

Matters were now becoming serious, when on the 9th the sun reappeared for an instant, as if for the purpose of teasing the Americans. It was received with hisses; and wounded, no doubt, by such a reception, showed itself very sparing of its rays.

Things were getting serious when, on the 9th, the sun appeared for a moment, as if to tease the Americans. They greeted it with hisses. No doubt hurt by this reception, the sun gave them very little light.

On the 10th, no change! J. T. Maston went nearly mad, and great fears were entertained regarding the brain of this worthy individual, which had hitherto been so well preserved within his gutta-percha cranium.

On the 10th, no change! J. T. Maston nearly went mad. People feared greatly for this worthy man's brain, which had until then been so well preserved inside his gutta-percha skull.

But on the 11th one of those inexplicable tempests peculiar to those intertropical regions was let loose in the atmosphere. A terrific east wind swept away the groups of clouds which had been so long gathering, and at night the semi-disc of the orb of night rode majestically amid the soft constellations of the sky.

But on the 11th, one of the inexplicable storms common to the tropics broke out. A fierce east wind swept away the clouds that had been gathering for so long. That night, the half moon sailed majestically among the gentle constellations.