226 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



Though the darkest days of the year were days of 

 trial, there was much cause for thankfulness. The 

 people had learned to regard the missionaries as 

 friends ; they had taken in a great deal of instruc 

 tion, and some at least had, as far as the eye of man 

 could see, been drawn nearer to God in Christ. 



Of a party of Eskimos who left Blacklead Island 

 on February 25, Mr. Peck mentions one, a woman 

 named Padlo, who had been a regular attendant at 

 the services, and could read in her own tongue 

 portions of God's Holy Word. In her case he ex 

 presses the earnest hope that she may become a 

 missionary among her own people wherever her 

 journeyings may take her. 



A little later, too, we are told of the progress of 

 the children ; how several can read and answer 

 correctly when questioned about the leading truths 

 of Christianity. And so, as days lengthened, hope 

 was strong that the true spiritual light that light- 

 eth every man that cometh into the world was 

 really shining. Even though the nights were long, 

 yet Arctic darkness had its special hope, as on 

 March 10, a glorious night, when an eclipse took 

 place. After that phenomenon " the stars shone 

 with a wondrous lustre, and the northern lights 

 (Aurora Borealis), which were of every conceivable 

 tint of the most exquisite colours, flitted across th( 

 heavens." Such a scene as this seems to speal 

 promises of the time when there shall be no nigh 



