As it is, the
most fertile sections of the earth are not the most populous; there
are four hundred millions in Asia, sixty millions in Africa, forty in
America, two hundred and thirty in Europe, and only seventy millions
in the islands and continent of Oceanica!"
"To which," remarked Fritz, "you may add the eleven inhabitants of New
Switzerland."
"Assuming, then, this calculation to be nearly accurate, though
authorities vary materially in their computations of the earth's
inhabitants, and regarding it in connexion with the average duration
of human life, a thousand millions of mortals must perish in
thirty-three years; to descend to detail, thirty millions every year,
three thousand four hundred every hour, sixty every minute, or ONE
EVERY SECOND."
"Aye," remarked Willis, "we are here to-day and gone to-morrow."
"Suppose, then, that the population of the earth were twice as great,
cultivation would be extended, territories that are now lying waste
would be teeming with life and covered with fertile fields, but the
same beautiful equilibrium would be maintained."
"And the inhabitants of the planets," said Fritz, "what are they
about?"
"What planets do you mean?" inquired Willis.
"Well, all in general; the moon, for example, in particular."
"The moon," replied Jack, "has, in the first place, no atmosphere.
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