_Tuesday, August 14th._--We are nearing the second station. Leaving
Hopedale about dawn yesterday we made good progress northward, sailing
quietly between innumerable islets, all bleak, bare, uninhabited
rocks. We saw many small icebergs. In the evening one singularly
shapely and beautiful berg floated past us, tipped with violet, which
contrasted with the curious yellow tint of one side, the pure white of
the mass and the living green of the waves rippling at its base. The
sunset and the northern lights were very fine.

When I went on deck this morning the island of Ukalek, or "The Hare,"
was astern, various rocky islets, imperfectly marked, or altogether
omitted on the chart, were on both sides of us, and Zoar far ahead
among the distant hills. Our vessel was almost imperceptibly gliding
in that direction. May the Lord, who alone knows the rifts and rocks
of this marvellous coast, bring us safely thither, and guide me aright
amid the difficulties of the present situation there! These people
have learned no wisdom or thrift, in spite of all the love and
patience shown them, and they have made the past winter a most trying
time for their devoted missionaries.

The mirage yesterday and to-day is a wonderful freak of nature. At
times, nothing can be seen as it really is. Icebergs and islands are
flattened to one dead level, or doubled, so as to appear now like long
bridges, now like high towers. The rapid changes in the appearance of
solid masses are marvellous. All day we have been slowly sailing
westward, new prospects of distant hills ever opening up as we passed
headland after headland. Presently the barren rocks began to be
clothed with firs here and there, but the lifelessness of the scene
was striking. Once we caught sight of two or three Eskimo tents on a