
It is the means whereby a man takes a sextant and measures the altitude of a star or planet. That measurement is between 0 and 90 degrees, from the Horizon to the Zenith.
The altitude is then reduced to a horizontal line of position which correlates to a compass bearing, referred to as an Azimuth. By pretending that the bearing represents an object on the Horizon(such as a lighthouse) a line is drawn from it to your ship. Where three or more of these lines cross, the intersection, or small triangle which results, is your position on the terrestrial plane.

Also I have not addressed the cultural aspects of this lifestyle. In just a few short years I had seen 3 continents, lived in 2 cities and witnessed my first Volcano at Etna. I had also seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa on a bicycle tour from Livorno to Florence, where I saw the great works of all the past masters. I had been living alot of my dreams and getting quite an education along the way.

But some of my greatest trips were yet to come. I would shortly be poling down the Nile and crossing the desert from Giza to Cairo. And be chased from gold bazaars in Turkey by knife wielding Islamics when I asked them to make me a golden Star of David. But all that is still to come...
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