A POLAR NIGHT. 29 



these are the veritable Tchutski (which I am inchned 

 somewhat to doubt), or another race, I cannot 

 pretend to decide ; but certainly their manners are as 

 much unlike those chronicled by geographers as can 

 be. Quiet and peaceful, having no idea of aggression, 

 and doing all they can to make us happy and conduce 

 to our comfort ; exceedingly cleanly also in their 

 persons and food, for although they consume fat and 

 all kinds of (to us) nasty stuff, they do not take it 

 when dirty, and generally cook everything. I am now 

 speaking only from very slight personal experience." 



I must also make another short quotation, as its 

 cause made a great impression upon me at the time : 

 " This evening the temperatiu'e has again fallen, and 

 a perfect calm ensued ; the harbour is freezing over 

 fast, with the water as smooth as glass : a bright 

 moon and cloudless starlit sky render the scene one 

 of the most perfect for tranquil beauty I can 

 remember ever to have witnessed ; yet here are no 

 trees, no woods, no foliage to enliven the view ; — all 

 is snow-clad ; mountains and rugged hills frowning in 

 their majesty where thrown into deep shade, and 

 assuming with the headlands and slopes strange 

 fantastic shadows, jutting out in bold relief on the 

 silent water. So, after all, there may be other than 

 tropic nights charming." 



