, place sentinels round
the outskirts of their encampment. After examining this city of
morses, I began to think of returning. It was eleven o'clock, and, if
Captain Nemo found the conditions favourable for observations, I wished
to be present at the operation. We followed a narrow pathway running
along the summit of the steep shore. At half-past eleven we had
reached the place where we landed. The boat had run aground, bringing
the Captain. I saw him standing on a block of basalt, his instruments
near him, his eyes fixed on the northern horizon, near which the sun
was then describing a lengthened curve. I took my place beside him,
and waited without speaking. Noon arrived, and, as before, the sun did
not appear. It was a fatality. Observations were still wanting. If
not accomplished to-morrow, we must give up all idea of taking any. We
were indeed exactly at the 20th of March. To-morrow, the 21st, would
be the equinox; the sun would disappear behind the horizon for six
months, and with its disappearance the long polar night would begin.
Since the September equinox it had emerged from the northern horizon,
rising by lengthened spirals up to the 21st of December. At this
period, the summer solstice of the northern regions, it had begun to
descend; and to-morrow was to shed its last rays upon them. I
communicated my fears and observations to Captain Nemo.

"You are right, M. Aronnax," said he; "if to-morrow I cannot take the
altitude of the sun, I shall not be able to do it for six months. But
precisely because chance has led me into these seas on the 21st of
March, my bearings will be easy to take, if at twelve we can see the
sun."

"Why, Captain?"

"Because then the orb of day described such lengthened curves that it
is difficult to measure exactly its height above the horizon, and grave
errors may be made with instruments."

"What will you do then?"

"I shall only use my chronometer," replied Captain Nemo. "If
to-morrow, the 21st of March, the disc of the sun, allowing for
refraction, is exactly cut by the northern horizon, it will show that I
am at the South Pole."

"Just so," said I. "But this statement is not mathematically correct,
because the equinox does not necessarily begin at noon."

"Very likely, sir; but the error will not be a hundred yards and we do
not want more. Till to-morrow, then!"

Captain Nemo returned on board. Conseil and I remained to survey the
shore, observing and