Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/359

100 "However,” he said, “all is not lost yet.It is only a‘cast’ lost. We will recoup ourselves another time, and this evening——”

“ How is the ship’s head?” I asked.

“T do not know,” he replied.

“Well, to-morrow at noon we shall see the observations.”

The Canadian returned to Conseil. So soon as I was dressed entered the saloon. The compass did not give us any hope, the course was S.S.E. We were turning our backs on Europe.

I waited with some impatience till the bearings were taken. About half-past eleven the reservoirs were emptied, and we mounted to the surface of the ocean.

I hastened up to the platform, Ned Land had anticipated me. Land was no longer in-vitw. Nothing was to be seen but the expanse of ocean. There were a few sails on the horizon seeking at Cape St. Roque favourable winds to double the cape. The weather was overcast, a storm was brewing.

Ned, in rage, attempted to pierce the misty horizon. He was in hopes still that behind all this cloud there might be some land for which he was so anxious.

At mid-day the sun showed himself for an instant. The mate profited by this burst to take the elevation. Then the sea got up again, we descended accordingly, and the panels were closed.

An hour afterwards, when I was looking at the chart, I saw that the position of the Vautilus was 16° 17’ long. and 33° 22’ lat., about 150 leagues from the nearest shore. There was no chance even to think of escape, and I may