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"The shipwreck occurred in the southern hemisphere." "That's a wide world," said the Major. "Well, we'll go on," resumed Glenarvan. "Here is the word ABOR; that is clearly the root of the verb ABORDER. The poor men have landed somewhere; but where? CONTIN does that mean continent? "CRUEL!" interrupted John Mangles. "I see now what GRAUS is part of in the second document.
"Your Lordship is right," said John Mangles, "and besides, we're all familiar with the language." "Very well, then, I'll set to work." In a few minutes he had written as follows: 7 Juin 1862 trois-mats Britannia Glasgow sombre gonie austral a terre deux matelots capitaine Gr abor contin pr cruel indi jete ce document de longitude et 37 degrees 11" de latitude Portez-leur secours perdus.
The names Patagonia, Australia, New Zealand, had appeared to him in turn with absolute certainty. CONTIN, at first CONTINENT, had gradually reached its true meaning, continuelle. Indi had successively signified indiens, indigenes, and at last the right word was found INDIGENCE. But one mutilated word, ABOR, had baffled the geographer's sagacity.
We have not the slightest indication of the place, meantime, nor of where the catastrophe happened." "Perhaps the French copy will be more explicit," suggested Lady Helena. "Here it is, then," said Lord Glenarvan, "and that is in a language we all know." The words it contained were these: troi ats tannia gonie austral abor contin pr cruel indi jete ongit et 37 degrees 11" LAT
Stephen's party was entirely broken by the captivity of their leader, and the barons came in daily from all quarters, and did homage to Matilda. Sax. p. 242. Contin. Flor.
The thing is too plain to need proof." The conclusion of Paganel met with unanimous approval; every probability was in his favor. "And where is the next point?" asked McNabbs. "That is easily answered. After leaving Twofold Bay, we cross an arm of the sea which extends to New Zealand. Here I must call your attention to the fact that the French word CONTIN means a continent, irrefragably.
"And CONTIN?" cried McNabbs. "Does that still mean CONTINENT?" "No; since New Zealand is only an island." "What then?" asked Glenarvan. "My dear lord," replied Paganel, "I am going to translate the document according to my third interpretation, and you shall judge. I only make two observations beforehand.
The two sailors and the captain LAND land where? CONTIN on a continent; on a continent, mark you, not an island. What becomes of them? There are two letters here providentially which give a clew to their fate PR, that must mean prisoners, and CRUEL INDIAN is evidently the meaning of the next two words. These unfortunate men are captives in the hands of cruel Indians. Don't you see it?
Paganel was always revolving the meaning of the document. He was possessed with the idea; it became his ruling thought. After Patagonia, after Australia, his imagination, allured by a name, flew to New Zealand. But in that direction, one point, and only one, stood in his way. "Contin contin," he repeated, "that must mean continent!"
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