220 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



11.25 a.m., and set a g a i n at 12.30 p.m." And once 

 more, early in the following month, it is : "No sun 

 to-day. We do miss his genial rays. But Jesus, 

 the Sun of Righteousness, does not leave us without 

 His soul-reviving presence." 



Mr. Peck's notes on December 21, when the 

 weather happened to be bright and clear, were : 

 " On this the shortest day I was able to watch the 

 course of the sun and take observations. At no 

 time of day did we see the full orb of the sun. The 

 upper portion could be seen altogether for about 

 one hour and ten minutes ; the half orb was visible 

 about fifteen minutes, and threequarters for about 

 ten minutes." The weather was very cold ; the 

 thermometer stood about 25 below zero, and there 

 was a strong wind. . During the night the sky was 

 ablaze with the Aurora and countless brilliant stars. 



But cold and ice and darkness were not the only 

 trials of life in that little Arctic community. Want 

 of provisions, owing to the failure of the fishing, 

 had brought the Eskimos and their dogs to a con- 

 dition of starvation. There is, however, a joyful 

 entry on November 3 : " A whale has been caught 

 to-day. Thank God for it. This monster of the 

 deep will more than supply the needs of all." 



The total length of this huge creature was about 

 50 feet, the height was fully 15, and the breadth of 

 the tail was 12 feet. The thickness of blubber in 

 some places measured 12 inches. 



