Page:The Strange Voyage and Adventures of Domingo Gonsales, to the World in the Moon.djvu/32

26 me, and continually approaching nearer, which at last I perceived was nothing but a huge Swarm of Locusts. He that reads the Discourses of learned Men concerning them, as John Leo of Africa, and others who relate that they are seen in the Air several Days before they fall on the Earth, and adds thereto this Experience of mine, will easily conclude, that they can come from no other Place than the Globe of the Moon. But now give me leave to go on quietly in my Journey for eleven or twelve Days, during all which Time I was carried directly toward the Globe or Body of the Moon, with such a violent Whirling as is inexpressible, for I cannot imagine a Bullet out of a Cannon could make Way through the vaporous and muddy Air near the Earth with half that Celerity; which is the more strange, since my Gansas moved their Wings but now and then, and sometimes for a quarter of an Hour not at all, only holding them stretched out, as we see Kites, and Eagles sometimes do for a short Space; during which Pauses, I suppose they took their Naps, and Times of Sleeping, for other Times I could perceive they never had any; for myself I was so fastened to mine Engine, that I durst slumber enough to serve my Turn, which I took with as great Ease, as if I had lain on the bed Down-bed in Spain.

After eleven Days Passage in this violent Flight, I perceived we began to approach to another Earth (if I may so call it) being the Globe or very Body of that Star which we call the Moon. The first Difference I found between this and our Earth was, that it appeared in its natural Colours, as soon as ever I was free from the Attraction of the Earth; whereas with us, a Thing a League or two from us, puts on that deadly Colour of Blue. I then Rh