Je was op zoek naar: transversal (Engels - Xhosa)

but the cross-staff was adapted to the new purpose by attaching a piece of coloured glass to the end of the transversal, and so protecting the eye.
kodwa isithathu esinqumlayo senziwe ukuba sibenenjongo ezintsha ngokuncamathelisa iqhekeza lombala neglasi kwisiphelo esinqamlezayo ukukhusela amehlo.

a principal defect of this staff (used with one eye closed) is the practical difficulty of keeping the opposite ends of the transversal correctly on horizon and star, especially at sea.
intloko engalunganga kwesisitafi (isebenza elinye imehlo livalie) luqheliso olunzima ukugcina isiphelo esinqamlezayo sokuchasana ukunqamlezana ngokulungileyo kokuthe tyaba nakwinkwenkwezi ingakumbi elwandle.

now the ratio between the half-length of the transversal and its distance along the staff (that is, from the eye) defines half the angle of elevation of the object observed.
ngoku umlinganiso phakathi kwesiqingatha somlinganiso nomgama.

during the sixteenth century it was improved by having three (later four) transversals of different lengths, so as to cover a greater range of angles without lengthening the staff.
ngexesha lenkulungwane yeshumi elinesithandathu yaphuculwa ngokuba nezintathu (kamva zabane) zohlukane ngobude, ukugquma.