"I shall now speak of the principal and constituent Parts of this Planet; to wit, the Sea, the firm Land; its Extrinsicks, as Meteors, Seasons, and Inhabitants."
"I find, said his Excellency, you have forgot what you promised, the being concise; you have already couch'd what you are going to repeat, in Writing. I am satisfied that you have in your Memorial demonstrated, that the Moon is like ours, a World, and this Earth, like that, a Planet; I would willingly hear if Probusomo can bring any Objection of Weight to the undertaking the Journey; for I look upon the Distance which you have computed to be about 179712 Lapidians (answerable to so many English Miles) to be none at all, since we have Cacklogallinians, who, with Provisions for a Week, will fly 480 Lapidians a Day, and hold it for many Days. But this Swiftness, as you have made appear, is not requisite, since you judge, that in ascending some five Lapidians, you will have reach'd the Atmosphere, and the rest will be attended by no other Fatigue, than that of preventing too swift a Descent. Propose what you have to object, Probusomo, for I will provide you able Bearers, who shall carry you, and with the Strength of theirs, supply your Defect of Wings."
I answer'd, That since his Excellency commanded, I would give in those Objections which occurr'd: The first was the extream Coldness of the Air; the second its great Subtlety, which to me made this Undertaking impracticable; besides, the Distance is such, by the learned Gentleman's Calculation, that could the Cacklogallinians, without resting, fly at the rate of 1500 Lapidians a Day, the Journey could not be ended in less than six Moons: That there were no Inns in the Way, nor Places to rest in; and supposing we could carry Provisions for that Length of Time, I could not perceive how they could be always on Wing, and subsist without Sleep.
His Excellency seem'd to think the Difficulties I rais'd merited Consideration, and after some Pause, asked the Projector, if he could solve them.
"As to the first Objection, my Lord, said he, I answer, that altho' the second Region may be endow'd with Coldness proper for the Production of Meteors, yet may it not be unsupportable; neither can we suppose, that the Air above, which if not destin'd to the same End, is of the same Nature, but on the contrary, we may rather suppose it exempt from all Extremes, consequently our Passage thro' this cold Region being performed, which we have Reason to conclude but short, for this condens'd Air which encompasses the Earth on every Part, weighs about 108 Liparia's on a Square Inch (Liparia is near a Sixth of our Pound) and we may very easily compute from thence, what Space of this Air we have to pass, by computing what is necessary to support this Globe of Earth, we shall find the Ætherial altogether temperate.
"As to the second Objection, I anwer, that the Subtlety of the Air I look upon no Obstacle; for the Air near the Earth, especially in dry Places, where there are no impure Exhalations, by the intense Heat of the Sun, it is perhaps as thin, and as much rarified, as the Ætherial. This I suppose from the Tenuity of the Air on the top of the Mountain Tenera, where 'tis said none can inhabit on that account. But I have my self flown to the top of this Mountain, and carry'd with me a wet Spunge, thro' which I drew my Breath for some time, but by Degrees I became habituated to this Tenuity, and respired with Ease; nay, after staying there some few Days, I found the denser Air, on my Descent, caus'd a Difficulty in my Respiration: From whence I concluded, that, by Degrees, the thinnest Air may become Natural; and as I felt no Hunger while on the Mountain, I may suppose the same Air we breathe may also nourish us. And this is no vain Imagination, for the Aker (that is, Viper) we see live by the Spirit included in the Air, which is the Principle of Life in all; but in case I am out in this Conjecture, we may carry Provisions with us.
"As to the resting our selves, I affirm from the Principles of sound Philosophy, that when once out of the Reach of the magnetick Power of the Earth, we shall no longer gravitate, for what we call Gravity, is no other than Attraction, consequently we may repose our selves in the Air, if there is Occasion, which I believe there will not; for as we shall then have no Weight to exhaust the Spirits, there can be no Need of refreshing them either with Meat or Sleep."
The Minister rose up, and said he was fully satisfied with his Answers; the only Thing gave him Uneasiness, was the Length of Time I said was requisite to make this Journey.
"My Lord, replied the Projector, I can't agree that such a Time is necessary; for being above the Attraction of the Earth, which is the only laborious Part of our Passage, we may go with an inconceivable Swiftness, especially when we come within the Attraction of the Moon, which will certainly be encreas'd by the Weight of Provisions, which we shall by way of Precaution carry with us, and which will be no Burthen after we have pass'd the Atmosphere; so that what Weight a Thousand Cacklogallinians can hardly raise to that Heighth, one might support, the rest of the Journey."
His Excellency perceiv'd by my Countenance I was not satisfied, and therefore bid me take Heart, he wou'd send a Number of Palanquins with us, and if we found the second Region impervious by Reason of the Cold, we shou'd have the Liberty to return.