arious channels they had to leap, and the instability of the
masses, compelled them, after much delay, to drop their burdens and save
themselves. They only managed to reach the berg with extreme
difficulty.

"Thank God, all safe!--but we have had a close shave," exclaimed Rooney,
as he held out his hand to assist Ippegoo, who was the last of the party
to clamber up the rugged side of the berg from the broken floe-pieces
which were grinding against it.

"I wish we could say with truth `All safe,'" was Okiok's gloomy
response, as he surveyed the ice-laden sea; "we have escaped being
crushed or drowned, but only to be starved to death."

"A living man may hope," returned Angut gravely.

"Ay, and where there is life," added Rooney, "there ought to be
thankfulness."

"I would be more thankful," said Ippegoo, with a woe-begone expression,
"if we had saved even a spear; but what can we do without food or
weapons?"

"Do? my son," said Kunelik; "can we not at least keep up heart? Who
ever heard of any good coming of groaning and looking miserable?"

"Right you are, old girl," cried Rooney, giving the mother of Ippegoo a
hearty pat on the shoulder. "There is no use in despairing at the very
beginning of our troubles; besides, is there not the Great Spirit who
takes care of us, although we cannot see or hear Him? I believe in God,
my friends, and I'll ask Him to help us now."

So saying, to the surprise of the Eskimos, the seaman uncovered his
head, and looking upwards, uttered a few words of earnest prayer in the
name of Jesus.

At first the unsophisticated natives looked about as if they expected
some visible and immediate answer to the petition, but Rooney explained
that the Great Spirit did not always answer at once or in the way that
man might expect.

"God works by means of us and through us," he said. "We have committed
the care of ourselves to Him. What we have now to do is to go to work,
and do the best we can, and see what things He will throw in our way, or
enable us to do, in answer to our prayer. Now, the first thing that
occurs to me is to get away from where we stand, because that
overhanging cliff beside us may fall at any moment and crush us. Next,
we should go and search out some safe cavern in which we may spend the
night, for we sha'n't be able to find such a place easily in the dark,
and though it will be but a cold shelter, still, cold shelter is better
than none--so come along."

These