228 GEOGRAPHY AND ASTRONOMY. II. The tropic of capricorn just touches the south part of the ecliptic, and describes the sun's path for the shortest day in the winter : It is drawn at 231degrees distance from the equator toward the south. And it is call the tropic of capricorn, because the sun enters into that sign the 21st of December, the shortest day in the year. Note, What I speak of the shortest and longest days, relates only to us who dwell on the north side of the globe Those who dwell on the south side have their longest day when the sun is in capricorn, and their shortest in cancer. III. and VI. The north and southpolar circles are drawn at 231 degrees of distance from each pole, or which is all one, at 90 degrees distance from the contrary tropic ; because the inhabitants under the polarcircles just lose the sun under the hori- zon one whole day at their midwinter, or when it is in the utmost part of the contrary side of the ecliptic ; and they keep it one whole day or 24 hours above their horizon at their midsummer, or when it is in the nearest part of their side of the ecliptic. The north polar circle is called the arctic circle, and the south is the antarctic. Here I might mention the five zones by which the ancients divided the earth, for they are a sort of broad circles : But per- haps these may be as well referred to the following part of this book. SECT. IV. Of the Points. THE most remarkable pointsin the heavensare these twelve or fourteen. I, and II, are the two poles of the earth or heavens, (viz.) the north and the south, whichare ever stedfast, and round which the earth or the heavens are supposed to turn daily as the globe does upon these iron poles. These are also the poles of the equator, for they are at 90 degrees distance from it. From one Of these poles to the other a supposed line runs through the cen- tre of the globe of earth and heavens, and is Called the axis or axleof the.world. III, and IV, are the zenith, or point just over our head and the nadir or the point just under our feet, which may be pro- perly called the two poles of the horizon, for they are 90 degrees distant from it every way. V, VI, VII, andVIII, are the four cardinal pointsof east west north and south i These four points are in the horizon which divide it into four equal parts. Note, For the uses of navigation, or sailing, each of these quarters of the heavens, east, west, northand south, are subdivied into eight points, whichare called rhumbs ; so that there are 32 rhumbs or points in the whole, each containing of degrees. These are described on the utmost circle of the wooden horizon. From the north towards the east these points are named north and by east, north north-east, north-east and by north, north cast ;
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