Company's agent at Nachvak.

It was most interesting to move slowly out of the bay, passing point
after point, each headland opening up new vistas of grand, snowy
mountains at the heads of the bays southwards, whilst northwards the
great cliff of the Ramah Hill looks down upon us. Having brought the
"Harmony" round the first point into more open water, where she can
better avail herself of the occasional light puffs of wind, our
Eskimoes came aboard for their breakfasts and presently rowed away in
their boats. They bade us a hearty "Aksunai" and went down the side
evidently well pleased with their wages. Nor were they sorry to leave
the ship, which was beginning to roll a little. Accustomed as they are
to brave high waves in their kayaks or flats, they nevertheless felt
the motion of the vessel and were afraid of seasickness. Before
starting John had to splice his oar with a strip of seal hide. I
watched him put it round the handle, then holding on to the oar with
both hands get the rope in his teeth and pull his lashing tight with
all the strength of his back. So the teeth served him at each turn.

SUNSET, MOONRISE AND AURORA BOREALIS.

Now we have got fairly out to sea. The light land breeze has ceased
and we are lying becalmed. What a sunset there is over that Alpine
range of snowy mountains! Yonder dark hills to the north of Ramah are
glowing as if they were red hot through and through. True this is a
glory that fadeth, yet the cloudless sky long retains the brilliant
hues, and the seaward horizon has a broad red band shading off above
and below into blue. Still more beautiful is the paler pink
reflection, tinting the smooth surface of the water on all sides of us
save the west. There the sun has just gone down, and the lingering
glories of the sky are reflected on the rippling waves in a wonderful
network of bright yellow and deep orange. Look southward again, now
that the darkness is beginning to tell on the scene. Over yonder great
iceberg the rising moon sends a path of silvery light across the
water, now a broad waving band, now innumerable sparks and circlets
dancing like fairy lights upon the gently swelling sea.

All this is beautiful, but what follows is a rarer sight.

"Mr. La Trobe, the northern lights."

"Thank you, captain, I will be on deck in a moment."

I have seen many pictures of the Aurora Borealis, and we have already
had some fine displays during this voyage, but I never witnessed