Slumbering there rested me greatly, I think, and the sun was setting and

the violence of the heat abating, through all the time I slumbered. When

at last I was roused from my slumbers by a remote clamour, I felt active

and capable again. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my arms. I rose to my

feet--I was a little stiff--and at once prepared to resume my search. I

shouldered my golden clubs, one on each shoulder, and went on out of the

ravine of the gold-veined rocks.

The sun was certainly lower, much lower than it had been; the air was very

much cooler. I perceived I must have slept some time. It seemed to me that

a faint touch of misty blueness hung about the western cliff I leapt to a

little boss of rock and surveyed the crater. I could see no signs of

mooncalves or Selenites, nor could I see Cavor, but I could see my

handkerchief far off, spread out on its thicket of thorns. I looked bout

me, and then leapt forward to the next convenient view-point.

I beat my round in a semicircle, and back again in a still remoter

crescent. It was very fatiguing and hopeless. The air was really very much

cooler, and it seemed to me that the shadow under the westward cliff was

growing broad. Ever and again I stopped and reconnoitred, but there was no

sign of Cavor, no sign of Selenites; and it seemed to me the mooncalves

must have been driven into the interior again--I could see none of them.

I became more and more desirous of seeing Cavor. The winged outline of the

sun had sunk now, until it was scarcely the distance of its diameter from

the rim of the sky. I was oppressed by the idea that the Selenites would

presently close their lids and valves, and shut us out under the

205

The First Men In The Moon