BEHIND THE SCENES 295 



passed from the old into the new year in a right 

 happy manner. Friends and thoughtful ones 

 they are sent me some letters for the new year. 

 I, however, took the liberty of opening half of these 

 before 12 p.m. and the remainder after. How 

 cheered, comforted and strengthened I felt by the 

 perusal of these loving messages my pen fails to 

 tell." Similarly Christmas Day was brightened. 

 How is it spent ? In various ways. " First the 

 dear ones at home are carried in prayer to God, 

 and then with feverish expectation I opened some 

 parcels which were marked : ' not to be opened till 

 Christmas Day,' Friends can have no concep- 

 tion how much their thoughtful kindness cheered 

 and comforted our souls." At another time we 

 read : " We tried to enliven ourselves with the musical 

 box. This, the gift of a kind friend, has helped to 

 cheer us up not a little and is a source of great 

 pleasure to the Eskimos." 



But we must leave these interesting pictures, 

 merely exhorting the reader to do something to 

 cheer and strengthen those who are endeavouring 

 themselves to bring gladness into the solitary 

 place. We never hear any complaint come from 

 the lips or pen of Mr. Peck concerning his separa- 

 tion from his family at home. We have to read 

 between the lines when he describes his eagerness 

 for the arrival of the Alert ; when we see him medi- 

 tating in his lonely walks upon the ice ; or when 



