MIDNIGHT SUN. 47 



as well as the circumstances would admit, the variation of the 

 needle. 



" Twelve o'clock, low meridian, midnight — I use this in distinc- 

 tion of high meridian, midday — was approaching. Every man, 

 captain, and the ship's officers and crew, save the portion of watch 

 off duty below and asleep, stood around me awaiting the anxious 

 moment when the sun would cease its downward and commence 

 its upward course. 



" The George Henry was sweeping gently along, beating up north- 

 erly and easterly against the wind. From the larboard side we 

 peered out upon the glorious scene. With my azimuth compass 

 resting upon the bulwarks, my eye every other moment on it and 

 the watch (the latter had just been placed in correspondence with 

 the ship's chronometer below), I at length announced the wished- 

 for moment — twelve o'clock. Cheer — cheer upon cheer followed 

 from the ship's company. Time passed on ; the sun was slowly 

 on its upward track. At first its motion was imperceptible ; nev- 

 ertheless, it was rising. 



"I continued to watch the upward and onward progress of the 

 sun. Its northern declination is now growing less and less, there- 

 fore the sun's presence here is less and less prolonged. Soon the 

 arctic night will take the place of the arctic day, which is now 

 fast clothing the mountains in green and flowers. 



"Before we finally entered Holsteinborg Harbor, the George 

 Henry beat up against the wind by tacking ship four or five 

 times. At last the hour came when the position of the ship was 

 pronounced by the Danish Esquimaux pilot — Lars Kleijt by name 

 — to be good — very good. The morning was all that a high- 

 bounding spirit could wish. I had turned in about two o'clock 

 A.M., and was now greatly refreshed from a short sleep. When 

 I arose the vessel was bending her beak toward the long-wished- 

 for haven. Every one was on tiptoe with the joyousness of the 

 present. An inquiry had passed back and forth why the natives 

 did not come to meet us, as they were wont to meet American 

 and English vessels. While yet far off, some one exclaimed, 

 " There they come !" Every eye was quickly turned that way. 

 I saw them at a distance coming swiftly in their kyacks. Their 

 number seemed legion. On they come. They meet us, and greet 

 with smiles. The George Henry kept her course ; the kyacks fol- 

 lowed in our wake. We looked forward ; others and others were 

 coming, as if to welcome us to their bay and homes. 



