Aug. 1858. AN ARCTIC VILLAGE. 157 



Although August had arrived, and the sum- 

 mer had been a warm one, the bay was still 

 frozen over ; and if there was an ice-covered 

 sea in front, there was also abundance of ice- 

 covered land in the rear — a glacier occupied 

 the whole valley behind, and to within 300 

 yards of the chosen spot ! 



The glacier's height a23peared to be from 150 

 to 200 feet ; its sea-face extending across the 

 valley, — a probable width of 300 or 400 yards,-^ 

 was quite perpendicular, and fully 100 feet high. 

 All last winter's snow had thawed away from 

 off it and exposed a surface of mud and stones, 

 fissured by innumerable small rivulets, which 

 threw themselves over the glacier cliifs in pretty 

 cascades, or shot far out in strong jets from 

 their deeply serried channels in its face ; whilst 

 other streamlets near the base burst out through 

 sub-glacial tunnels of their own forming. 



What a strange people to confine themselves 

 to such a mere strip of beach ! Upon each side 

 they have towering rocky hills rising so abruptly 

 from the sea, that to pass along their bases or 

 ascend over their summits, is equally impos- 

 sible ; whilst a threatening glacier immediately 

 behind, bears onward a sufficient amount of 

 rock and earth from the mountains whence it 



