M'Keevors Voyage to Hudson's Say. 



merely crossing a single flake of ice, Here we spent a very 

 pleasant evening. After taking tea and other refreshments, 

 a dance was proposed. The Scotch piper was instantly sum- 

 moned upon deck, and I was much amused at the haughty 

 air with which this rawboned athletic highlander strutted up 

 and down, his plaiden pendant streaming in the air, while 

 the pitroch sent forth its shrill-inspiring peal through the 

 adjacent hills and rallies. After some preparatory arrange- 

 ments, the whole party, consisting of about eight couple, 

 were in brisk and rapid motion. 



When the dance was ended, our musician, after some 

 introductory screams and flourishes, commenced the famous 

 battle song. For my part, I could discover nothing in this 

 favourite production of the Celtic muse, but a confused col- 

 lection of harsh and dissonant sounds. On the faces of our 

 Caledonian friends, however, it appeared to operate like 

 magic : their hard and rigid features began to relax, the eye 

 began to sparkle, and the whole visage to assume a gay and 

 animated appearance, mixed, I thought, with some little por- 

 tion of lofty unbending pride, which shewed itself particu- 

 larly by a complacent smile that played about the angle of the 

 mouth. About twelve o'clock we sat down to a very elegant 

 supper, and soon forgot the perilous, I might say, the awful 

 situation, in which we were placed. We resolved on strewing 

 with flowers " the moments as they rolled," and gave ourselves 

 up for some hours to gaiety and mirth. 



The storm, without might rain and rustle, 

 Tarn did na iniml the storm a whistle. 



About two o'clock we parted; the moon had just emerged 

 from amidst a mass of dark black clouds, and poured her full 

 tide of effulgence on the surrounding scenery, giving it an 

 appearance, to borrow the words of a favourite, though un- 

 known author, as if a covering of the thinnest silver gauze 

 had been thrown over it. The canopy of heaven had a clear 

 and sparkling appearance, while the horizon was on all sides 

 thickly studded with ice-islands, whose [clustering peaks ap- 

 peared to penetrate the airy clouds. 



Silence accompanied : for beast and bird, 

 They to their icy couch, these to their nests 

 Were slunk. 



But to attempt describing the grandeur of a moonlight-scene 

 in the ice would be vain indeed. No language (at least that 

 I could select) would afford adequate means of description. 

 The richest proves but poor in the attempt ; and all the pos- 



