noon
On the 25th of December the Nautilus sailed into the midst of the New Hebrides , discovered by Quiros in 1606 , and that Bougainville explored in 1768 , and to which Cook gave its present name in 1773 . This group is composed principally of nine large islands , that form a band of 120 leagues N.N.S. to S.S.W. , between 15 ° and 2 ° S. lat. , and 164 deg . and 168 ° long . We passed tolerably near to the Island of Aurou , that at noon looked like a mass of green woods , surmounted by a peak of great height . That day being Christmas Day , Ned Land seemed to regret sorely the non-celebration of `` Christmas , '' the family fete of which Protestants are so fond . I had not seen Captain Nemo for a week , when , on the morning of the 27th , he came into the large drawing-room , always seeming as if he had seen you five minutes before . I was busily tracing the route of the Nautilus on the planisphere .