Таинственный остров

           ThelatitudewhichIobtainedyesterdayplacedNewZealandtothewestofLincolnIsland,andthecoastofChiletotheeast.Butbetweenthesetwocountries,thereisadistanceofatleastsixthousandmiles.Ithas,therefore,tobedeterminedwhatpointinthisgreatspacetheislandoccupies,andthisthelongitudewillgiveuspresently,withasufficientapproximation,Ihope."

           "IsnotthearchipelagoofthePomoutousthenearestpointtousinlatitude?"askedHerbert.

           "Yes,"repliedtheengineer,"butthedistancewhichseparatesusfromitismorethantwelvehundredmiles."

           "Andthatway?"askedNeb,whofollowedtheconversationwithextremeinterest,pointingtothesouth.

           "Thatway,nothing,"repliedPencroft.

           "Nothing,indeed,"addedtheengineer.

           "Well,Cyrus,"askedthereporter,"ifLincolnIslandisnotmorethantwoorthreethousandmilesfromNewZealandorChile?"

           "Well,"repliedtheengineer,"insteadofbuildingahousewewillbuildaboat,andMasterPencroftshallbeputincommand—"

           "Wellthen,"criedthesailor,"Iamquitereadytobecaptain—assoonasyoucanmakeacraftthat’sabletokeepatsea!"

           "Weshalldoit,ifitisnecessary,"repliedCyrusHarding.

           Butwhilethesemen,whoreallyhesitatedatnothing,weretalking,thehourapproachedatwhichtheobservationwastobemade.WhatCyrusHardingwastodotoascertainthepassageofthesunatthemeridianoftheisland,withoutaninstrumentofanysort,Herbertcouldnotguess.