144 AURORA BOREALIS. 



upon the shore of a small island or penhisula (we 

 could not, from the mass of snowdrift, tell which), 

 and mist lay low^ down upon the horizon. After some 

 delay, however, we turned off to the eastward, and 

 soon discovered them. The aurora borealis was dis- 

 played this night in great beauty ; it lay like a fringe 

 on a dark bank of clouds which bounded the horizon : 

 the effect was almost funereal. Having arrived here 

 at a late hour, we delayed repose only to take refresh- 

 ment ; and set off again early next morning, after 

 presenting om- host wdtli some tobacco and his wife 

 with a few beads. We halted at noon on the sea- 

 ice to obtain the latitude ; but om- guides speedily 

 tired of waiting, and set off before us to a village on a 

 hill in sight, at some distance, where they were to 

 await our arrival. Martin and I, having concluded 

 our observations and a sketch, repacked the instru- 

 ments upon the sledges ; and he then mounted, and 

 set off a little before I reached my carriage : my dogs 

 were up and off in an instant after his sledge, and 

 both teams, gaining sight of the huts in the distance, 

 raced towards them at full speed. Martin coidd 

 not stop his dogs ; it was hopeless to expect mine 

 to halt, and away they all scampered, leaving me 

 to get over about two miles of distance as I best 

 might. 



