THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 



123 



slippery wharves, and over the still more slippery floor of the 

 storehouses ; even the rocks about are slimy with fish-oil. 

 " O'er crag and fen " we went without so much as a kindly 

 light to guide us ; at length, after scrambling over numerous 

 large rocks, and picking our way as best we might over a bog, 

 we ascended a steep side-hill and looked about. It is difficult 

 to follow any given direction on a foggy night in Labrador, 

 and as we peered about us we could discern the lights of two 

 or three houses or huts gleaming out in the fog and darkness ; 

 but as the few houses of the settlement were scattered over a 

 large area, we paused, not knowing which light to follow. 

 Suddenly a moving light gleamed below us ; it was a fisher- 

 lass with a lantern, and I hailed her, but she would not an- 

 swer, being evidently frightened ; for she quickened her pace, 

 and was soon enveloped in the fog. Then a dog evidently 



HENLEY HARBOR. 



a large one, from his growls made advances, and I picked up 

 a large stone, and held a bit of hard-tack in my other hand, 

 ready to make friend or foe, as the case might be ; but after 

 considerable snarling the dog seemed to think better of us, 



