NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 95 



rushing into their minds with overwhelming 

 force, or, it may be, with the only exception of 

 their sleeping moments, never out of their 

 minds ; indeed, their very dreams shaded, colored, 

 and made treacherously illusive with • joyous 

 meetings of companions, parents, relatives, and 

 friends! Think of them at such a time as this, 

 when the hope of deliverance had taken its low- 

 est dip, like the wintry sun of the Arctic pass- 

 ing below the horizon, its light and comfort 

 quite departing; so hope in the minds of this 

 company of wrecked mariners had fallen beyond 

 any reasonable expectation of deliverance. 



Severe and terrific storms of wind, rain, hail, 

 and snow had swept over the northern ocean, 

 and ere this it was supposed that every ship had 

 sought a more southern and genial clime. 



What, then, was our unexpected and glad 

 surprise, on the following day, when, amid the 

 tumult and confusion, as well as the excitement 

 of the natives, both in and around the huts, it 

 was announced that a sail was in sight ! 



With all possible speed we hastened to a high 

 cliff bordering the sea shore, and there we saw, 

 indeed, what our eyes delighted to behold, and 

 our bosoms swelled with grateful emotions to 

 contemplate — a ship under sail, some ten or 

 twelve miles distant, and standing in directly 



