WHO IS PRESIDENT ? — THE PHANTOM SHIP. 



307 



with the inner world of civilization, and hear tidings of what was 

 going on in the ever-changing theatre of active and social life at 

 home. I should probably know who had been elected President 

 of the United States, and how my own country progressed in na- 

 tional weal.* This and much more I should soon learn if I made 

 speed and could get on board before this stranger vessel moved 

 too far away. 



Accordingly, I rapidly descended to the encampment, and told 

 Ebierbing and Koodloo what I had seen. Not a moment was 

 lost in getting ready for a walk across the land to the other side. 

 Loaded guns were taken for the purpose of firing a signal, that the 

 vessel might send us a boat ; and away we went, hurrying along 

 as fast as the rugged surface of the ground would permit. 



How beautiful was the picture fancy painted in my mind while 

 we were thus hurrying across the island from its south to its 

 north shore. How eagerly I wished we were there, and ready to 

 push off on the ice, if need be, to visit the stranger. What sur- 

 prise, too, I thought within myself, would be occasioned by our 

 coming from the " dreaded" land, especially seeing me, a civilized 

 man, alone with the natives. 



But all my pleasant visions and romantic fancies were sudden- 

 ly and rudely dispelled when we reached the other side, and stood 

 upon a spot near the north shore. No ship — no vessel was there ! 

 Had she disappeared ? No. The object upon which I had gazed 

 with such a transport of feeling was indeed there before me, as I 

 had seen it from above ; but what was my disappointment — my 

 utter amazement and chagrin, when I found that the supposed 

 steamer was only a remarkably-shaped portion of the mountain's 

 side ! Never before had I been so completely deceived ; and per- 

 haps, had I had my perspective glass with me, I might have de- 

 tected the mistake while upon the mountain-top. Yet even now, 

 after the illusion was dispelled, I was astonished at the similitude 

 which Nature had here portrayed of a steam vessel. The black 

 of that projecting rock, with the white snow apparently standing 

 out apart from the mountain-side to which it belonged, made up 

 a figure so completely like that of a ship, and my change of posi- 

 tion at every few steps so magically represented the appearance 

 of repeated tacking, that only the close inspection which I was 

 now making could convince me of the illusion. But it was now 



* Little did I then dream that my country had been plunged into a cruel civil 

 war ! 



