It was the coast of South America, an immense barrier thrown between the Pacific and the Atlantic from Cape Horn to the shores of Columbia.

To consider it in that way, that chart, which, was then spread out under her eyes, on which was drawn a whole ocean, gave the impression that it would be easy to restore the "Pilgrim's" passengers to their country.

It is an illusion which is invariably produced on one who is not familiar with the scale on which marine charts are drawn.

And, in fact, it seemed to Mrs.Weldon that the land ought to be in sight, as it was on that piece of paper! And, meanwhile, on that white page, the "Pilgrim" drawn on an exact scale, would be smaller than the most microscopic of infusoria! That mathematical point, without appreciable dimensions, would appear lost, as it was in reality in the immensity of the Pacific! Dick Sand himself had not experienced the same impression as Mrs.
Weldon.

He knew how far off the land was, and that many hundreds of miles would not suffice to measure the distance from it.