Barbican could even convince himself by sighting several points on the lunar surface, by this time hardly more than fifteen or eighteen thousand miles distant, that the velocity of the Projectile instead of accelerating was becoming more and more uniform.

This was another proof that there was no perpendicular fall.

However, though the original impulsive force was still superior to the Moon's attraction, the travellers were evidently approaching the lunar disc, and there was every reason to hope that they would at last reach a point where, the lunar attraction at last having the best of it, a decided fall should be the result.
The three friends, it need hardly be said, continued to make their observations with redoubled interest, if redoubled interest were possible.

But with all their care they could as yet determine nothing regarding the topographical details of our radiant satellite.

Her surface still reflected the solar rays too dazzlingly to show the relief necessary for satisfactory observation.
Our travellers kept steadily on the watch looking out of the side lights, till eight o'clock in the evening, by which time the Moon had grown so large in their eyes that she covered up fully half the sky.