The Story Of The Peasant Boy Philosopher Or The Child Gathering Pebbles On The Sea Shore PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI. HOW PEOPLE TRAVEL WHERE THERE ARE NO ROADS, FIND THEIR WAY WHERE THERE ARE NO SIGNPOSTS, AND KNOW HOW FAR THEY HAVE JOURNEYED WHERE THERE ARE NO MILESTONES. Owen was with the Captain early the next morning, when as usual, he had to repeat to the sailor the greater part of their conversation of the previous day, before he could get his oblivious old tutor i.o remember the precise point where they had left off. This, however, was at length impressed upon the Captain's mind, when he proceeded to say, "Well, then, first we've found out, you know, that the latitude of a place is just the same number of degrees as the height of the pole of the earth is above the horizon; and secondly, that the poles of the earth are in a straight line with the poles of the world; we have settled also that a degree is the 360th part of a circle, whether the circle be large or small; consequently, the latitude of a place, north or south of the equator, must be the same number of degrees as the north or south pole of the heavens appears to be raised above the horizon. So, you see, we've only to measure how many degrees high the fixed point in the heavens, which the stars revolve about, seems to stand above the horizon, in order to know the latitude of any place we may be in upon the earth." Owen smiled as he said, "It's all very well, Captain Jones, to say we've only to measure this height, but how is that to be done, I should like to know? You can't climb up there and put a tape to it." And the little fellow laughed outright at the absurdity of the notion. "Why, no, lad," returned the old man, enjoying the apparent difficulty as much as the boy himself; "but there are other ways of measuring besides with a foot-rule, or tape, or yard-sticks. So our...