“Nothing can be more easily and quickly done,” replied Paganel; “for countries are not very numerous in this latitude, happily.”
“Well, look,” said the Major, displaying an English planisphere on the plan of Mercator’s Chart, and presenting the appearance of a terrestrial globe.
He placed it before Lady Helena, and then they all stood round, so as to be able to follow the argument of Paganel.
“As I have said already,” resumed the learned geographer, “after having crossed South America, the 37th degree of latitude cuts the islands of Tristan d’Acunha. Now I maintain that none of the words of the document could relate to these islands.”
The documents were examined with the most minute care, and the conclusion unanimously reached was that these islands were entirely out of the question.
