A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SEAS. 389 



not likely to lead to any means of discovering the inhabitants, he 

 determined at least to make use of them for present shelter. For 

 that purpose, having cleared out the inside of one of them, he pro- 

 cured some stakes proper for his purpose, from the drift timber which 

 was strewed about the shores of the bay in quantities sufficient to 

 build a frigate ; and, having stuck them in a line with the stakes 

 which still remained in the old sides of the hut, he interwove them 

 with branches of dwarf willow, and such shrubs as were most easily 

 procured ; then placing over all the sail of the boat, he formed a 

 dwelling capable of resisting any bad weather which might suddenly 

 arise. A quantity of the driest moss formed a couch on which the 

 Sybarite might have reposed with unalloyed pleasure, and one of the 

 boat-thofts erected against the front wall of the hut made an agree- 

 able seat, from which the rocks, ice-cliffs, green sloping ground, 

 inlet, and opposite coast afforded a pleasing and romantic prospect. 

 Hither he removed the guns, pistols, and ammunition, as well as the 

 axeheads, packets of needles, beads, and other articles which had 

 been put on board to be exchanged for furs, whalebone, &c., as has 

 been before related. He now threw a gun over his arm, and set off 

 to examine the interior of the country, leaving Flora to make her 

 toilet at the pool formed by the waterfall, which, from its translucent 

 purity, and the soft fresh moss with which it was bordered, was indeed 

 well fitted to be 



" A mirror and a bath for Beauty's youngest daughters." 



When he returned to the hut, he found Flora busied in preparing 

 a repast of the delicious tern-eggs with which the coast abounded, 

 and the mellow berries which she had gathered beneath the rocks. 

 While they partook of this simple fare, Arundel strove to encourage 

 his fair companion. But Frank had entirely mistaken the nature of 

 Flora's mind. She was, and women in general are, as infinitely 

 superior to men in that nobler kind of courage which is called pas- 

 sive, but which might with greater propriety be named intellectual, 

 as men are to the weaker sex in active or animal energy. She will 

 shrink from the naked weapon, or the tempest, which man fearlessly 

 braves ; but when any long-continued suffering calls for the severest 

 sacrifice which human beings can give, she rises superior to him in 

 noble and persevering resolution, and lays down unmurmuring on the 

 altar of affection her acute sensibilities, her joys, her health, and 

 even hope itself. 



Arundel was delighted to find that Flora listened to his attempts 

 at consolation with perfect complacency, and returned them with 

 sentiments of pious resignation and hope. He found himself obliged 

 to receive instead of giving encouragement in their isolated and 

 perilous circumstances. A woman's imagination is more vivid than 

 that of a man ; and Flora, even while she professed herself resigned 

 to the destiny before them, dwelt with so much cheerfulness and con- 

 fidence on their chances of regaining their native land, that Frank 

 involuntarily yielded implicit belief to the agreeable anticipation. 

 They were seated on a natural couch of the white moss which grew 

 around in abundance ; Flora's hands were clasped in one of her 



