Section One

 Latitudes and Departures

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I suspect this chapter will be full of the boys departing for different latitudes! One of the latitudes they need to depart for is in South Africa to view the transit of Venus. Then they'll have to depart for a different latitude to go see a guy about a clock. Then they'll need to depart for another latitude which might be England or it might be America. I don't remember where they go after that!

"Latitude"
This also means "scope for freedom or action of thought." I think Dixon has more latitude than Mason because Mason is a big emo baby boy. Dixon is a happy Quaker who joyfully breaks Quaker rules when whimsy takes him, like wearing a big red coat or guzzling as much beer as possible. Mason just sits in the corner drinking sour wine and becoming a vampire.

"Departures"
Not only does "departure" mean leaving on a journey but it's the nautical term for the east-west distance between two points of a voyage. I don't know if that provides any insight into the subtext of the story but I thought I would point it out just in case.