214 THE MIDNIGHT SUN. 



at an early hour, and ran out of the anchorage ; they 

 were shortly joined by the yacht " Nancy Dawson," 

 owned and commanded by a noble-hearted man, 

 named Shedden, of whom I shall presently have 

 occasion to speak, in language, alas ! of mourning 

 as well as of admiration. The three vessels pro- 

 ceeded in company to the northward, along the 

 American shore, until the 25 th, when the anchors 

 Avere dropped off Wainwright Inlet, which it was 

 hoped might be found suitable for the " Plover " to 

 winter in. Only two incidents occurring on our 

 passage hither, will find jecord in my pages ; a view 

 of the midnight sun, which, when seen for the first 

 time, cannot fail to excite new emotions and reflec- 

 tions in the observant mind ; and the profusion of 

 hfe in the waters through which we passed ; a mid- 

 night watch in a nearly calm night made me a 

 sharer with subdued enjoyment in a scene strange as 

 imposing. Wliales near and afar throwing up 

 mighty volumes of water, with a noise like the sobs 

 of a huge steam-engine ; walruses and seals innumer- 

 able, the former growling and grunting in a peculiar 

 manner, the latter barking much like dogs ; eider 

 and other ducks almost in myriads, rising on our 

 approach in clouds from the sea. All this was new 

 and impressive enough. 



