e contrary direction. This is the Little Bear, composed,
like its big brother, of seven stars; the one situated at the end of the
line by which we have found it is the Pole-Star.

Immovable in the region of the North Pole, the Pole-Star has captivated
all eyes by its position in the firmament. It is the providence of
mariners who have gone astray on the ocean, for it points them to the
North, while it is the pivot of the immense rotation accomplished round
it by all the stars in twenty-four hours. Hence it is a very important
factor, and we must hasten to find it, and render it due homage. It
should be added that its special immobility, in the prolongation of the
Earth's axis, is merely an effect caused by the diurnal movements of our
planet. Our readers are of course aware that it is the earth that turns
and not the sky. But evidence of this will be given later on. In looking
at the Pole-Star, the South is behind one, the East to the right, and
the West to the left.

Between the Great and the Little Bear, we can distinguish a winding
procession of smaller stars. These constitute the Dragon.

We will continue our journey by way of Cassiopeia, a fine constellation
placed on the opposite side of the Pole-Star in relation to the Great
Bear, and shaped somewhat like the open limbs of the letter W. It is
also called the Chair. And, in fact, when the figure is represented with
the line [alpha] [beta] below, the line [chi] [gamma] forms the seat,
and [gamma] [delta] [epsilon] its back.

If a straight line is drawn from [delta] of the Great Bear, and
prolonged beyond the Pole-Star in a quantity equal to the distance which
separates these two stars, it is easy to find this constellation (Fig.
5). This group, like the preceding, never sets, and is always visible,
opposite to the Great Bear. It revolves in twenty-four hours round the
Pole-Star, and is to be seen, now above, now below, now to the right,
now to the left.

[Illustration: FIG. 5.--To find Cassiopeia.]

[Illustration: FIG. 6.--To Find Pegasus and Andromeda.]

If in the next place, starting from the stars [alpha] and [delta] in the
Great Bear, we draw two lines which join at Polaris and are prolonged
beyond Cassiopeia, we arrive at the Square of Pegasus (Fig. 6), a vast
constellation that terminates on one side in a prolongation formed of
three stars.

These three last stars belong to Andromeda, and themselves abut on
Perseus. The last star in the Square of Peg