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THE NEW CREW. 99 CHAPTER X. THE NEW CREW. DiCK Sands, captain of the " Pilgrim," would not lose a moment in gettîng hîs ship under sail. His prime object was to land his passengers safely at Valparaiso or some other American port, and to accomplish his purpose it was in the first place necessary that he should ascertain the schooner s rate of speed and the direction that she was taking. This information was to be obtained readily enough by means of the log and compass, and the resuit of each day's observations would be entered regularly on the chart. The log on board was a patent log, with a dial-plate and screw, by means of which the distance that is travelled can be measured accurately for any definite time ; it was an instrument so simple that the negroes were very soon taught its use. The slight error in the reckoning caused by the action of the currents could only be rectified by astronomical observations, which, as already has been stated, were beyond Dick*s attainments to make. The idea more than once crossed Dick's mind whether he would not take the " Pilgrim *' back again to New Zealand ; the distance was considerably less than it was to America, and had the wind remained in the quarter whence it had been blowing so long, it is more than likely he would hâve determined to retrace his course. But as the wind had now veered to the north-west, and there was every probability that it was settled for a time, he came to the conclusion that he had better take advantage of it and H 2