A FLO A TING FOR T. 1/3 Cape Bathurst we took the latitude of our position together, — you with your instruments, I with mine. You cannot, then, make me responsible for a mistake you made yourself." At this reply the astronomer was taken aback, and in spite of his rage had not a word to say. What excuse was there for him ? If any one was in fault, it was he ! And what would tlie scientific men of Europe think of him ? What would they say at the Green- wich Observatory of an astronomer so awkward as to make a mistake in taking latitude 1 Thomas Black make an error of two or three degrees in taking the altitude of the sun ! and under what circum- stances ! When the result would be to make him lose the obser- vation of a total eclipse, under conditions which would not be reproduced for a very long time. Thomas Black was a dishonoured savant I " But how ?" he exclaimed, again tearing his hair — " how could I make such a mistake ? Am I no longer fit to handle a sextant ? Can I not calculate an angle ? I am blind ! and if so, nothing remains for me to do, but to fling myself head foremost from this cape ! " " Mr Black," said Hobson gravely, " do not reproach yourself — you have made no mistake — ^you have nothing to regret." " Then it 's only you ! " " I am no more guilty than you are. Listen to me, I beg of you, and you too," he added, turning to Mrs Barnett, " and you, and you, Madge, and Sergeant Long, but keep what I tell you a profound secret. There is no need to frighten and dishearten our comrades." The four drew near to the Lieutenant without a word, but there was a tacit agreement to keep the secret about to be revealed to them. " My friends," said Hobson, " a year ago, on our arrival at Cape Bathurst, we took our bearings, and found that we were on the seventieth degree of latitude, and if we are now beyond that degree it is because Cape Bathurst has drifted I " " Drifted ! " cried Thomas Black. " Tell that to those who will believe it ! When was ;i large cape known to drift before 1 " "It is true, though, Mr Black," replied Hobson gravely. "The whole of the peninsula of Victoria is nothing more than an island of ice. The earthquake separated it from the American continent, and now one of the great Arctic currents is bearing it along.** " Where 1 " asked Sergeant Long.
- Where it pleases God for it to go," replied the Lieutenant,
