92 RECREATIONS OF THE CREW. 



ticated wind ; and, in the still serenity of the star- 

 lit sky, yet glowing in the west with the lingering 

 tints of a gorgeous sunset, there was a spirit of 

 beautiful repose which seemed to mock our dis- 

 appointment. All was uniform and motionless, 

 save where the fickle air aloft played with the 

 languid vane, coquetting round and round from 

 every point of the compass, as if, in very 

 waywardness, it knew not where to settle. 



The morning of Sept. 11th was also calm, and a 

 mist overhung the barren coast. The ice had 

 opened a few yards, and the ship was with diffi- 

 culty hauled into the space. As the sun gained 

 power the mist dispersed from the land, or lay in 

 long thin clouds along its dark cliffs, but no 

 water could be seen from aloft. Until to-day no 

 animals had visited us ; but now two seals and 

 some small fish appeared close to the stern. 

 After service the officers collected in groups, and 

 basked in the sunshine of an arctic summer day, 

 with the thermometer at 35° + . For the last three 

 or four evenings the people had been permitted to 

 go on the floe alongside, where they amused 

 themselves by playing at various games, and 

 among others the well-known game of baiting 

 the bear. To-day they went upon the ice for 

 quiet exercise merely, but had not proceeded 

 more than a hundred yards, when Mr. Green, 



