It was eleven o'clock,and,if Captain Nemo found the conditions favourable for observations,Iwished 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.Isaw 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.Itook 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.Icommunicated my fears and observations to Captain Nemo.
"You are right,M.Aronnax,"said he;"if to-morrow Icannot take the altitude of the sun,Ishall 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?"
"Ishall 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 Iam 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 Iremained to survey the shore,observing and studying until five o'clock.Then Iwent to bed,not,however,without invoking,like the Indian,the favour of the radiant orb.The next day,the 21st of March,at five in the morning,Imounted the platform.
Ifound Captain Nemo there.
"The weather is lightening a little,"said he."Ihave some hope.
After breakfast we will go on shore and choose a post for observation."That point settled,Isought Ned Land.Iwanted to take him with me.
But the obstinate Canadian refused,and Isaw that his taciturnity and his bad humour grew day by day.After all,Iwas not sorry for his obstinacy under the circumstances.Indeed,there were too many seals on shore,and we ought not to lay such temptation in this unreflecting fisherman's way.
Breakfast over,we went on shore.The Nautilus had gone some miles further up in the night.It was a whole league from the coast,above which reared a sharp peak about five hundred yards high.
The boat took with me Captain Nemo,two men of the crew,and the instruments,which consisted of a chronometer,a telescope,and a barometer.