"The Discovery of Glacier Bay 



light was so full that I distinctly saw not only the 

 berg-filled bay, but most of the lower portions of the 

 glaciers, lying pale and spirit-like amid the mountains. 

 The nearest glacier in particular was so distinct that 

 it seemed to be glowing with light that came from 

 within itself. Not even in dark nights have I ever 

 found any difficulty in seeing large glaciers; but on 

 this mountain-top, amid so much ice, in the heart of 

 so clear and frosty a night, everything was more or 

 less luminous, and I seemed to be poised in a vast 

 hollow between two skies of almost equal brightness. 

 This exhilarating scramble made me glad and strong 

 and I rejoiced that my studies called me before the 

 glorious night succeeding so glorious a morning had 

 been spent! 



I got back to camp in time for an early breakfast, 

 and by daylight we had everything packed and were 

 again under way. The fiord was frozen nearly to its 

 mouth, and though the ice was so thin it gave us but 

 little trouble in breaking a way for the canoe, yet it 

 showed us that the season for exploration in these 

 waters was well-nigh over. We were in danger of being 

 imprisoned in a jam of icebergs, for the water-spaces 

 between them freeze rapidly, binding the floes into 

 one mass. Across such floes it would be almost im- 

 possible to drag a canoe, however industriously we 

 might ply the axe, as our Hoona guide took great 

 pains to warn us. I would have kept straight down 

 the bay from here, but the guide had to be taken 

 home, and the provisions we left at the bark hut had 

 to be got on board. We therefore crossed over to our 



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