The sun
at noon
The storm lasted six days . After that we got light winds , and soon crossed what sailors call the line . Not that there is any line or mark on the earth or sea ; but as the world is round , and turns round and round the sun , as an orange with a stick through it might be made to turn round a candle , it is that part which is nearest the sun . The sun at noon , in that part , all round the world , is overhead , and so it is just the hottest part of the world . It was hot , indeed . The pitch bubbled out of the seams in the decks , one calm day , and we could have fried a beefsteak , if we had had one , on any iron plates on the deck . I was glad when , after running for a thousand miles or so , we got cooler weather , though the sun was still hot enough at noon .