, and on the
following Sunday found ourselves among Greenland icebergs and fogs. So
we had to turn southwards and run on that tack for two days. Then a
moderate side wind followed the strong contrary gale, and we made good
steady progress eastward. This was undoubtedly pleasant after the
heavy rolling and pitching of the previous days. For two weeks and
more nothing was to be seen but sea and sky, yet both had their
interest and beauty. The sunsets were lovely, and the phosphorescent
light in the water at night especially so. The wake of the ship was
luminous for a long distance, and the crests of the waves shone all
around us. Once I was leaning over the taffrail late in the evening,
when a shoal of fish passed. There were thousands of them, and each
one was a living, moving centre of light. Bottle-nosed whales
gambolled around us when we were within a few hundred miles of
Labrador, and later on "schools" of porpoises occasionally visited us.
The latter often sprang clean out of the water, and seemed to take
special delight in crossing the bows of the "Harmony." On October
10th, we sighted the first ship since leaving Labrador, and a day or
two later tacked southward near the coast of Ireland to make the
entrance of the British Channel. There a trial of patience awaited us.
A hard-hearted east wind barred our progress, and with long tacks we
seemed to make headway only by inches. Yet the little "Harmony"
bravely held on her way, when larger vessels had given up the fight.

_Sunday, October 21st._--Up at six, to find the Scilly Isles in sight.
The Bishop's rock and St. Agnes lighthouses were plainly visible. But
the old east wind is back again. The light, fair breeze of yesterday
evening sent us forward fifteen miles in an hour or two, and seventy
or eighty miles of tacking to-day has barely secured as much progress.
Visited the men in the forecastle, a small gloomy looking place, yet
fair as such accommodation goes. The good fellows are cheery and happy
there, indeed, they have been pleasant and faithful to duty throughout
the entire voyage. God grant them the true blessedness we have told
them of in this morning's and previous Sunday services.

_Monday, 22nd._--Weathered the Wolf Rock by this tack. Sighted Land's
End, with its white houses, and the Longships lighthouse on its lofty
rock. A steamer passing us into Penzance answered our signals and will
report us we hope.

_Tuesday, 23rd._--Four weeks away from Labra