Without imparting his uneasiness to his companions,Barbicane contented himself with constantly observing the moon, in order to see whether the course of the projectile would not be altered; for the situation would have been terrible if it failed in its aim, and being carried beyond the disc should be launched into interplanetary space. At that moment,the moon, instead of appearing flat like a disc, showed its convexity. If the sun's rays had struck it obliquely,the shadow thrown would have brought out the high mountains, which would have been clearly detached.The eye might have gazed into the crater's gaping abysses, and followed the capricious fissures which wound through the immense plains. But all relief was as yet leveled in intense brilliancy. They could scarcely distinguish those large spots which give the moon the appearance of a human face.