Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/43

22 "June 20th, lat. 53° 9′, long. 51° 16′.—A good run, with a fair breeze since yesterday. Approaching the north axis of the earth! Ay, nearing the goal of my fondest wishes. Every thing relating to the arctic zone is deeply interesting to me. I love the snows, the ices, icebergs, the fauna, and the flora of the North! I love the circling sun, the long day, the arctic night, when the soul can commune with God in silent and reverential awe! I am on a mission of love. I feel to be in the performance of a duty I owe to mankind—myself—God! Thus feeling, I am strong at heart, full of faith, ready to do or die in the cause I have espoused.

"This evening the sun set about ten minutes to nine o'clock, but it was quite light at ten o'clock.

"Thursday, June 21st.—This morning, a few minutes after eight o'clock, I went upon deck to take my usual exercise. I noticed or felt a perceptible change in the temperature of the air. I looked at the thermometer and saw that it was falling. I tried the sea-water, and found that much colder also, being only two degrees above freezing point. I immediately concluded that we were near icebergs, and mentioned it to Captain B, also to Sterry; but, though the latter had been on several voyages to the arctic regions, and had spent four winters there, he doubted my ideas about it, especially when I ventured to predict we should see them within three hours. He said 'we should not,' and even laid a wager upon it; but at twelve o'clock the icebergs were really seen, and many of the old salts on board at once set me down as well up in arctic knowledge.

"Directly the announcement was made I went on deck, and there, far away to the west, had my first view of an iceberg. By the aid of a good glass, presented by Allister and Brothers, of Philadelphia, the grandeur of this icy mountain of the deep was brought before me. Brief, however, was the glance I had. The motion of the vessel was such that I could not at first keep the iceberg within the field of the glass. But perhaps it was well I did not see all its splendor and magnificence at once. For years I had longed to see an iceberg, and,