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The Bayonnaise cast her anchor before Vanikoro some months after the departure of the Astrolabe, but found no new document; but stated that the savages had respected the monument to La Perouse. That is the substance of what I told Captain Nemo. "So," he said, "no one knows now where the third vessel perished that was constructed by the castaways on the island of Vanikoro?" "No one knows."
An astrolabe such as Martin Beheim had invented for the Portuguese, a clumsy astronomical ring of three feet in circumference was still the chief machine used for ascertaining the latitude, and on shipboard a most defective one.
The whole of this extent of coast appeared to be well peopled. On the western side of Mount Astrolabe, for instance, numerous villages and patches of cultivated land were seen from the Bramble. Both in Redscar Bay and for the first two or three days after leaving it numbers of sago palms, some quite recent, were observed on the water, occasionally with boobies and noddies perched upon them.
"And I'll be able to visit those famous islands where the Compass and the Astrolabe came to grief?" "If you like, professor." "When will we reach Vanikoro?" "We already have, professor." Followed by Captain Nemo, I climbed onto the platform, and from there my eyes eagerly scanned the horizon.
Also he knew that when the sun, in the course of its apparent passage round the earth, attained its highest point in the heavens, it was noon at that place, and his astrolabe afforded him the means of determining that moment.
Two days later he made out Eoa; but before reaching Tonga Tabou he encountered a terrible storm which all but proved fatal to the Astrolabe. At Tonga Tabou he found some Europeans, who had been for many years settled on the island; from them he received much help in getting to understand the character of the natives.
He troubled himself little about rank or position, making a companion of any one, high or low, from whom anything could be learned, while any mechanical curiosity particularly attracted him. A sextant and astrolabe were brought him from France, of whose use no one could inform him, though he asked all whom he met.
NEW CALEDONIA, in the western part of the Pacific; from Krusenstern's "Atlas," compiled from several surveys; I have slightly altered the northern point of the reef, in accordance with the "Atlas of the Voyage of the 'Astrolabe'." In Krusenstern's "Atlas," the reef is represented by a single line with crosses; I have for the sake of uniformity added an interior line. Maldiva Archipelago.
Upon its face was engraved the date 1603. Now, Champlain's first journey up the Ottawa was made in the summer of 1613, and he must have passed at or near the identical spot where the astrolabe was found. It is claimed that this instrument belonged to Champlain, and that it was lost by him in this place.
We saw no game of any kind, yet the cassowary must abound somewhere near, as every one of the natives wears great head-dresses and neck-ruffs made from the feathers. Our highest ascent to-day was to 2360 feet above the sea-level; we call it Mount Bellamy; it stands out alone, and from it we saw the Astrolabe, Vetura, and Munikahila. 2nd.
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