Part 1 - Dropped from the Clouds: Chapter 14

by Jules Verne

　　The next day, the 16th of April, and Easter Sunday, the settlers issuedfrom the Chimneys at daybreak, and proceeded to wash their linen. Theengineer intended to manufacture soap as soon as he could procure thenecessary materials--soda or potash, fat or oil. The important question ofrenewing their wardrobe would be treated of in the proper time and place.At any rate their clothes would last at least six months longer, for theywere strong, and could resist the wear of manual labor. But all woulddepend on the situation of the island with regard to inhabited land. Thiswould be settled to-day if the weather permitted.

　　The sun rising above a clear horizon, announced a magnificent day, one ofthose beautiful autumn days which are like the last farewells of the warmseason.

　　It was now necessary to complete the observations of the evening beforeby measuring the height of the cliff above the level of the sea.

　　"Shall you not need an instrument similar to the one which you usedyesterday?" said Herbert to the engineer.

　　"No, my boy," replied the latter, "we are going to proceed differently,but in as precise a way."

　　Herbert, wishing to learn everything he could, followed the engineer tothe beach. Pencroft, Neb, and the reporter remained behind and occupiedthemselves in different ways.

　　Cyrus Harding had provided himself with a straight stick, twelve feetlong, which he had measured as exactly as possible by comparing it with hisown height, which he knew to a hair. Herbert carried a plumb-line whichHarding had given him, that is to say, a simple stone fastened to the endof a flexible fiber. Having reached a spot about twenty feet from the edgeof the beach, and nearly five hundred feet from the cliff, which roseperpendicularly, Harding thrust the pole two feet into the sand, andwedging it up carefully, he managed, by means of the plumb-line, to erectit perpendicularly with the plane of the horizon.

　　That done, he retired the necessary distance, when, lying on the sand,his eye glanced at the same time at the top of the pole and the crest ofthe cliff. He carefully marked the place with a little stick.

　　Then addressing Herbert--"Do you know the first principles of geometry?"he asked.

　　"Slightly, captain," replied Herbert, who did not wish to put himselfforward.

　　"You remember what are the properties of two similar triangles?"

　　"Yes," replied Herbert; "their homologous sides are proportional."

　　"Well, my boy, I have just constructed two similar right-angledtriangles; the first, the smallest, has for its sides the perpendicularpole, the distance which separates the little stick from the foot of thepole and my visual ray for hypothenuse; the second has for its sides theperpendicular cliff, the height of which we wish to measure, the distancewhich separates the little stick from the bottom of the cliff, and myvisual ray also forms its hypothenuse, which proves to be prolongation ofthat of the first triangle."

　　"Ah, captain, I understand!" cried Herbert. "As the distance from thestick to the pole is to the distance from the stick to the base of thecliff, so is the height of the pole to the height of the cliff."

　　"Just so, Herbert," replied the engineer; "and when we have measured thetwo first distances, knowing the height of the pole, we shall only have asum in proportion to do, which will give us the height of the cliff, andwill save us the trouble of measuring it directly."

　　The two horizontal distances were found out by means of the pole, whoselength above the sand was exactly ten feet.

　　The first distance was fifteen feet between the stick and the place wherethe pole was thrust into the sand.

　　The second distance between the stick and the bottom of the cliff wasfive hundred feet.

　　These measurements finished, Cyrus Harding and the lad returned to theChimneys.

　　The engineer then took a flat stone which he had brought back from one ofhis previous excursions, a sort of slate, on which it was easy to tracefigures with a sharp shell. He then proved the following proportions:--

　　15:500::10:x 500 x 10= 5000 5000 15=333.3From which it was proved that the granite cliff measured 333 feet inheight.

　　Cyrus Harding then took the instrument which he had made the eveningbefore, the space between its two legs giving the angular distance betweenthe star Alpha and the horizon. He measured, very exactly, the opening ofthis angle on a circumference which he divided into 360 equal parts. Now,this angle by adding to it the twenty-seven degrees which separated Alphafrom the antarctic pole, and by reducing to the level of the sea the heightof the cliff on which the observation had been made, was found to be fifty-three degrees. These fifty-three degrees being subtracted from ninetydegrees--the distance from the pole to the equator--there remained thirty-seven degrees. Cyrus Harding concluded, therefore, that Lincoln Island wassituated on the thirty-seventh degree of the southern latitude, or takinginto consideration through the imperfection of the performance, an error offive degrees, that it must be situated between the thirty-fifth and thefortieth parallel.

　　There was only the longitude to be obtained, and the position of theisland would be determined, The engineer hoped to attempt this the sameday, at twelve o'clock, at which moment the sun would pass the meridian.

　　It was decided that Sunday should be spent in a walk, or rather anexploring expedition, to that side of the island between the north of thelake and Shark Gulf, and if there was time they would push theirdiscoveries to the northern side of Cape South Mandible. They wouldbreakfast on the downs, and not return till evening.

　　At half-past eight the little band was following the edge of the channel.On the other side, on Safety Islet, numerous birds were gravely strutting.They were divers, easily recognized by their cry, which much resembles thebraying of a donkey. Pencroft only considered them in an eatable point ofview, and learnt with some satisfaction that their flesh, though blackish,is not bad food.

　　Great amphibious creatures could also be seen crawling on the sand;seals, doubtless, who appeared to have chosen the islet for a place ofrefuge. It was impossible to think of those animals in an alimentary pointof view, for their oily flesh is detestable; however, Cyrus Hardingobserved them attentively, and without making known his idea, he announcedto his companions that very soon they would pay a visit to the islet. Thebeach was strewn with innumerable shells, some of which would have rejoicedthe heart of a conchologist; there were, among others, the phasianella, theterebratual, etc. But what would be of more use, was the discovery, by Neb,at low tide, of a large oysterbed among the rocks, nearly five miles fromthe Chimneys.

　　"Neb will not have lost his day," cried Pencroft, looking at the spaciousoyster-bed.

　　"It is really a fortunate discovery," said the reporter, "and as it issaid that each oyster produces yearly from fifty to sixty thousand eggs, weshall have an inexhaustible supply there."

　　"Only I believe that the oyster is not very nourishing," said Herbert.

　　"No," replied Harding. "The oyster contains very little nitrogen, and ifa man lived exclusively on them, he would have to eat not less than fifteento sixteen dozen a day."

　　"Capital!" replied Pencroft. "We might swallow dozens and dozens withoutexhausting the bed. Shall we take some for breakfast?"

　　And without waiting for a reply to this proposal, knowing that it wouldbe approved of, the sailor and Neb detached a quantity of the molluscs.They put them in a sort of net of hibiscus fiber, which Neb hadmanufactured, and which already contained food; they then continued toclimb the coast between the downs and the sea.

　　From time to time Harding consulted his watch, so as to be prepared intime for the solar observation, which had to be made exactly at midday.

　　All that part of the island was very barren as far as the point whichclosed Union Bay, and which had received the name of Cape South Mandible.Nothing could be seen there but sand and shells, mingled with debris oflava. A few sea-birds frequented this desolate coast, gulls, greatalbatrosses, as well as wild duck, for which Pencroft had a great fancy. Hetried to knock some over with an arrow, but without result, for they seldomperched, and he could not hit them on the wing.

　　This led the sailor to repeat to the engineer,--

　　"You see, captain, so long as we have not one or two fowling-pieces, weshall never get anything!"

　　"Doubtless, Pencroft," replied the reporter, "but it depends on you.Procure us some iron for the barrels, steel for the hammers, saltpeter.coal and sulphur for powder, mercury and nitric acid for the fulminate, andlead for the shot, and the captain will make us first-rate guns."

　　"Oh!" replied the engineer, "we might, no doubt, find all thesesubstances on the island, but a gun is a delicate instrument, and needsvery particular tools. However, we shall see later!"

　　"Why," cried Pencroft, "were we obliged to throw overboard all theweapons we had with us in the car, all our implements, even our pocket-knives?"

　　"But if we had not thrown them away, Pencroft, the balloon would havethrown us to the bottom of the sea!" said Herbert.

　　"What you say is true, my boy," replied the sailor.

　　Then passing to another idea,--"Think," said he, "how astounded JonathanForster and his companions must have been when, next morning, they foundthe place empty, and the machine flown away!"

　　"I am utterly indifferent about knowing what they may have thought," saidthe reporter.

　　"It was all my idea, that!" said Pencroft, with a satisfied air.

　　"A splendid idea, Pencroft!" replied Gideon Spilett, laughing, "and whichhas placed us where we are."

　　"I would rather be here than in the hands of the Southerners," cried thesailor, "especially since the captain has been kind enough to come and joinus again."

　　"So would I, truly!" replied the reporter. "Besides, what do we want?Nothing."

　　"If that is not--everything!" replied Pencroft, laughing and shrugginghis shoulders. "But, some day or other, we shall find means of going away!"

　　"Sooner, perhaps, than you imagine, my friends," remarked the engineer,"if Lincoln Island is but a medium distance from an inhabited island, orfrom a continent. We shall know in an hour. I have not a map of thePacific, but my memory has preserved a very clear recollection of itssouthern part. The latitude which I obtained yesterday placed New Zealandto the west of Lincoln Island, and the coast of Chile to the east. Butbetween these two countries, there is a distance of at least six thousandmiles. It has, therefore, to be determined what point in this great spacethe island occupies, and this the longitude will give us presently, with asufficient approximation, I hope."

　　"Is not the archipelago of the Pomoutous the nearest point to us inlatitude?" asked Herbert.

　　"Yes," replied the engineer, "but the distance which separates us from itis more than twelve hundred miles."

　　"And that way?" asked Neb, who followed the conversation with extremeinterest, pointing to the south.

　　"That way, nothing," replied Pencroft.

　　"Nothing, indeed," added the engineer.

　　"Well, Cyrus," asked the reporter, "if Lincoln Island is not more thantwo or three thousand miles from New Zealand or Chile?"

　　"Well," replied the engineer, "instead of building a house we will builda boat, and Master Pencroft shall be put in command--"

　　"Well then," cried the sailor, "I am quite ready to be captain--as soonas you can make a craft that's able to keep at sea!"

　　"We shall do it, if it is necessary," replied Cyrus Harding.

　　But while these men, who really hesitated at nothing, were talking, thehour approached at which the observation was to be made. What Cyrus Hardingwas to do to ascertain the passage of the sun at the meridian of theisland, without an instrument of any sort, Herbert could not guess.

　　The observers were then about six miles from the Chimneys, not far fromthat part of the downs in which the engineer had been found after hisenigmatical preservation. They halted at this place and prepared forbreakfast, for it was half-past eleven. Herbert went for some fresh waterfrom a stream which ran near, and brought it back in a jug, which Neb hadprovided.

　　During these preparations Harding arranged everything for hisastronomical observation. He chose a clear place on the shore, which theebbing tide had left perfectly level. This bed of fine sand was as smoothas ice, not a grain out of place. It was of little importance whether itwas horizontal or not, and it did not matter much whether the stick sixfeet high, which was planted there, rose perpendicularly. On the contrary,the engineer inclined it towards the south, that is to say, in thedirection of the coast opposite to the sun, for it must not be forgottenthat the settlers in Lincoln Island, as the island was situated in theSouthern Hemisphere, saw the radiant planet describe its diurnal arc abovethe northern, and not above the southern horizon.

　　Herbert now understood how the engineer was going to proceed to ascertainthe culmination of the sun, that is to say its passing the meridian of theisland or, in other words, determine due south. It was by means of theshadow cast on the sand by the stick, a way which, for want of aninstrument, would give him a suitable approach to the result which hewished to obtain.

　　In fact, the moment when this shadow would reach its minimum of lengthwould be exactly twelve o'clock, and it would be enough to watch theextremity of the shadow, so as to ascertain the instant when, alter havingsuccessively diminished, it began to lengthen. By inclining his stick tothe side opposite to the sun, Cyrus Harding made the shadow longer, andconsequently its modifications would be more easily ascertained. In fact,the longer the needle of a dial is, the more easily can the movement of itspoint be followed. The shadow of the stick was nothing but the needle of adial. The moment had come, and Cyrus Harding knelt on the sand, and withlittle wooden pegs, which he stuck into the sand, he began to mark thesuccessive diminutions of the stick's shadow. His companions, bending overhim, watched the operation with extreme interest. The reporter held hischronometer in his hand, ready to tell the hour which it marked when theshadow would be at its shortest. Moreover, as Cyrus Harding was working onthe 16th of April, the day on which the true and the average time areidentical, the hour given by Gideon Spilett would be the true hour then atWashington, which would simplify the calculation. Meanwhile as the sunslowly advanced, the shadow slowly diminished, and when it appeared toCyrus Harding that it was beginning to increase, he asked, "What o'clock isit?"

　　"One minute past five," replied Gideon Spilett directly. They had nowonly to calculate the operation. Nothing could be easier. It could be seenthat there existed, in round numbers, a difference of five hours betweenthe meridian of Washington and that of Lincoln Island, that is to say, itwas midday in Lincoln Island when it was already five o'clock in theevening in Washington. Now the sun, in its apparent movement round theearth, traverses one degree in four minutes, or fifteen degrees an hour.Fifteen degrees multiplied by five hours give seventy-five degrees.

　　Then, since Washington is 770 3' 11" as much as to say seventy-sevendegrees counted from the meridian of Greenwich which the Americans take fortheir starting-point for longitudes concurrently with the English--itfollowed that the island must be situated seventy-seven and seventy-fivedegrees west of the meridian of Greenwich, that is to say, on the hundredand fifty-second degree of west longitude.

　　Cyrus Harding announced this result to his companions, and taking intoconsideration errors of observation, as he had done for the latitude, hebelieved he could positively affirm that the position of Lincoln Island wasbetween the thirty-fifth and the thirty-seventh parallel, and between thehundred and fiftieth and the hundred and fifty-fifth meridian to the westof the meridian of Greenwich.

　　The possible fault which he attributed to errors in the observation was,it may be seen, of five degrees on both sides, which, at sixty miles to adegree, would give an error of three hundred miles in latitude andlongitude for the exact position.

　　But this error would not influence the determination which it wasnecessary to take. It was very evident that Lincoln Island was at such adistance from every country or island that it would be too hazardous toattempt to reach one in a frail boat.

　　In fact, this calculation placed it at least twelve hundred miles fromTahiti and the islands of the archipelago of the Pomoutous, more thaneighteen hundred miles from New Zealand, and more than four thousand fivehundred miles from the American coast!

　　And when Cyrus Harding consulted his memory, he could not remember in anyway that such an island occupied, in that part of the Pacific, thesituation assigned to Lincoln Island.