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 80 THE FUR COUNTRY, " Ah, Mr Black ! " cried Hobson, " the finest countries in the world are to be found here, and I am impatient to ascertain our latitude and longitude." " Especially the latitude," said the astronomer, whose eclipse was never out of his thoughts ; " and I expect your brave companions are as eager as yourself. Double pay beyond the seventieth parallel ! " " But, Mr Black," said Mrs Barnett, " do you not yourself take an interest, a purely scientific interest, in getting beyond that parallel 1 " " Of course, madam, of course I am anxious to get beyond it, but not so terribly eager. According to our calculations, however, made with absolute accuracy, the solar eclipse which I am ordered to watch will only be total to an observer placed beyond the seventieth degree, and on this account I share the Lieutenant's impatience to determine the position of Cape Bathurst." " But I understand, Mr Black," said Mrs Barnett, " that this solar eclipse will not take place until the 18th July I860]" "Yes, madam, on the 18th July 1860." "And it is now only the 15th June 1859 ! So that the pheno- menon will not be visible for more than a year ! " " I am quite aware of it, Mrs Barnett," replied the astronomer ; " but if I had not started till next year I should have run a risk of being too late." " You would, Mr Black," said Hobson, " and you did well to start a year beforehand. You are now quite sure not to miss y.our eclipse. I own that our journey from Fort Reliance has been accom- plished under exceptionally favourable circumstances. We have had little fatigue and few delays. To tell you the truth, I did not expect to get to this part of the coast until the middle of August ; and if the eclipse had been expected this year, instead of next, you really might have been too late. Moreover, we do not yet know if we are beyond the seventieth parallel." " I do not in the least regret the journey I have taken in your company. Lieutenant, and I shall patiently wait until next year for my eclipse The fair Phoebe, I fancy, is a suflSciently grand lady to be waited for." The next day, July 6th, a little after noon, Hobson and the astro- nomer made their preparations for taking the exact bearings of Cai^e Bathurst. The sun shone clearly enough for them to take the out- lines exactly. At this season of the year, too, it had reached its maximum height above the horizon ; and consequently its culmina-