AND KAYAK 211 



It was an hour or more before the ship came 

 into sight, and then, when the tall masts came 

 peeping over the rocks of the point and the 

 little black hull slipped silently into the mouth 

 of the bay, the shouting and banging began 

 afresh. The men were wild with glee : I saw 

 one brawny fellow with a Winchester repeater 

 letting off round after round in his delight, 

 until he had shot away enough cartridges to 

 account for dozens of prospective seals ; he 

 was as delighted as we, and that was his way 

 of showing it. 



The ship came on and on, looking strangely 

 near in the clear air ; we could see the fur- 

 clad captain on the bridge, and the first mate 

 standing on the bow, just over the painted 

 angel that spreads her wings beneath the bow 

 sprit. 



The mate s hand rose : there was a sharp 

 clatter, and the anchor plunged into the water. 

 At the same moment Jerry the organist raised 

 his voice, and the people joined in their hymn 

 of thanks : &quot; Now let us praise the Lord.&quot; 



&quot; Gud nakorilavut 

 Omamut illunanut.&quot; 



There was just one hint of sadness about 

 the coming of the ship. One evening in the 

 winter the missionary might say to his wife, 



