a cathedral,
rising from a long roof, covered with delicate towers, fret-work, and
angles. In Wide Channel we felt really compelled to stop again to
admire some of the unnamed mountains. One we christened Spire
Mountain, to distinguish it from the rest; it consisted of a single
needle-like point, piercing deep into the blue vault of heaven, and
surrounded by a cluster of less lofty but equally sharp pinnacles.
This group rose from a vast chain of exquisitely tinted snow-peaks,
that looked almost as if they rested on the vast glacier beneath,
seamed with dark blue and green crevasses and fissures.

[Illustration: Two-peaked Mountain.]

All this time the weather continued perfect. Not a cloud was to be
seen, the sun was hot and bright, and the sky was blue enough to rival
that of classic Italy. If we could but be sure that this delightful
state of things would continue, how pleasant it would be, to stop and
explore some of these places. We have, however, been so frequently
warned of the possibility of detention for days and even weeks at
anchor, owing to bad weather, that we are hurrying on as fast as we
can, expecting that every day will bring the much-dreaded deluge,
gale, or fog. In thick weather it is simply impossible to proceed; and
if it comes on suddenly, as it generally does, and finds you far from
an anchorage, there is nothing to be done but to heave-to and wait
till it clears, sending a party ashore if possible to light a fire, to
serve as a landmark, and so enable you to maintain your position. How
thankful I am that we have been hitherto able to make the passage
under such favourable circumstances! It has been a vision of beauty
and variety, the recollection of which can never be effaced.

Europe Inlet, on our right, going up Wide Channel, was full of ice.
Husband's Inlet looked as if it was frozen over at the farther end,
and Penguin Inlet seemed quite choked up with huge hummocks and blocks
of ice. Tom therefore decided not to attempt the passage of Icy Reach,
for fear of being stopped, but to go round Saumarez Island to Port
Grappler by way of Chasm Reach, rather a longer route. It was a happy
decision; for nothing could exceed the weird impressive splendour of
this portion of the Straits. We were passing through a deep gloomy
mountain gorge, with high perpendicular cliffs on either side. Below,
all was wrapped in the deepest shade. Far above, the sun gilded the
snowy peaks and many-tinted foliage with