Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 126.djvu/39

 you, and it iss many's the night I hef cried apout it since you wass away, from the night to the morning; and now that I hef been away from Darroch for more ass a year, it iss not any more to Darroch I would be for going — no, nor to Borva, nor to Styornoway — but where you are, Angus, if you will tek me — and where you will go I will go, too — if that iss your wish, Angus M'Eachran."

She stood there, mutely awaiting his decision, and trying to restrain her tears.

"Moira," said he, "come into the house. It iss a great thing you hef told me this tay; and it iss ferry sorry I am that I tit not hear of it pefore. But there iss many a tay that iss yet to come, Moira."

These two went into Angus M'Eachran's lodgings; and the landlady was more civil when something of Moira's story was told her; and the young wife — with trembling hands and tearful eyes, but with a great and silent joy at her heart — sate down to the little tea-table on which Angus's evening meal was laid. That was not a sumptuous banquet; but there was no happier meeting anywhere in the world that night than the meeting of these two simple Highland folks. And here the story of Moira Fergus, and of her marriage with Angus M'Eachran, may fitly end.

 

 From Blackwood's Magazine.

the next part of this review is in the hands of its readers an English expedition — the object of which is to explore the wide unknown region surrounding the North Pole — will be well on its way to the scene of its labours for the next two years. An event so remarkable in the annals of science cannot be allowed to pass unnoted. For months past almost every journal in the kingdom has had something to say on the subject; for years to come we shall hear talk interminable, or may read print of which there is no end on this fruitful subject. Judging from the past we may expect these articles to be plentifully distinguished for the want of knowledge, more especially of what are the scientific aims and objects of the expedition. A few pages may be therefore profitably devoted to this question. Thanks to the unwearying efforts of Sherard Osborn and Clements Markham, backed by the Arctic Committees of the Royal and Geographical Societies, and their refusal to accept a denial — sedunt æternumque sedebunt — in a few weeks the ships and the men will be ready. The "Alert" and "Discovery" are now fitting out at Portsmouth with every appliance which experience and ingenuity can suggest as best fitted for serving the purposes for which they are intended. Twenty-three officers have been selected from the overwhelming number of volunteers who offered themselves. The head of the whole expedition will be Captain Nares, of "Challenger" fame. Commander Albert H. Markham, who has shown that his skill as a naval commander in many seas is almost equalled by his literary power in describing his voyages, is second in command; while Captain Stephenson, late of the royal yacht, will have the command of the second ship. Under these officers will be about one hundred and twenty seamen. In addition there will be six ice-masters — experienced whalemen — who will advise the officers on questions connected with ice-navigation, and two civilian naturalists. It is to be hoped that one of these is a geologist; for, as we shall see presently, the geological questions to be solved are not the least important of all those which await the labours of these gentlemen. Altogether he would be a carping critic who would cavil at the arrangements of this expedition, or its personnel. By the end of May it is believed that it will be ready to sail. In a fortnight or so after it will be sighting the coast of Greenland. It will now enter Davis' Strait, and after touching one or two of the little Danish posts on that dreary coast, it will sail into Baffin's Bay, and then into Smith's Sound, the "threshold of the unknown region." The exploration of this sound has been advanced by the expeditions of Kane, Hayes, and Hall; and the chief aim of this expedition, geographically, will be to reach and explore a latitude beyond that attained by the last-named and ill-fated commander. How this is best to be accomplished may be safely left to the judgment of Captain Nares himself. Speaking broadly, the plan at present proposed is for the two ships to push north up Smith's Sound, or its continuation, to a point as far as the season, or the ice, will permit. One of the ships will remain in this locality, while the other will push still further on if possible,