86 THE WORLD. 



seen the sun rise once more than they have. The year to him 

 has consisted of 366 days, but to his neighbors of only 365- Now, 

 what is not at all an improbable case, we will suppose him 

 arriving home on a leap year, on the 28th day of February, and 

 which he calls Sunday, the 29th, but those who have remained at 

 home call it Saturday. The next day, February 29th, is, according 

 to them, Sunday ; here is another Sunday in February, but there 

 have already been four others, viz : the 1st, the 8th, the 15th, and 

 the 22d, making six Sundays in this shortest month. It is said 

 that this case has actually occurred ; that a ship left New York on 

 Sunday, February 1st, and sailing eastward continually, arrived 

 home, according to her log-book, on Sunday, the last day in the 

 same month, but really on Saturday, according to the reckoning 

 at home. The next day, being the intercalary day, made the 

 28th,' and 29th both, Sundays to the voyagers ; thus giving six 

 Sundays to the month. If, on the contrary, a voyage had been 

 made westward, one day would have been lost in the reckoning, 

 as the sun would rise one horn 1 later for each 15, and if two 

 travelers should leave the same place, say on Tuesday, and each, 

 after passing completely around the globe, the one east, and the 

 other west, should again meet at the same place, there would be 

 a difference of two days in their account, the one calling the day 

 Monday and the other Wednesday, when, in reality, it would be 

 Tuesday. 



