mately to attain to a knowledge of, and active belief in,
the truth. It shows by what varied instruments God works to bring about
his gracious purposes. It convinced me of the power and effect of
grace. Here was I, sunk deep myself in ignorance, and living among
those who were equally unaware of the truth, called out of darkness into
His marvellous light. But I am anticipating events.

We continued cruising near the Antarctic Circle during the few short
months of summer with unvaried success. We had frequent displays at
night of the Aurora Australis. Sometimes the whole southern hemisphere
would be covered with arches of a beautiful straw-colour, from which
streamers would radiate, both upwards and downwards, of a pure
glittering white. The stars would be glittering brightly overhead;
while, from east-south-east to west-north-west, a number of concentric
arches would appear, forming a complete canopy in the sky; then suddenly
they would vanish, again shortly to appear. Some nights it appeared in
the form of cumuli, tinged with pale yellow; and behind them arose
brilliant red, purple, orange, and yellow tints, streaming upwards in
innumerable radiations, with every combination of shade which these
colours could produce. Another night we saw a bright crescent, and from
it feathery-edged rays, of a pale orange colour, branched off in every
direction, while across it a succession of the prismatic colours
appeared rapidly to flit. Indeed, it is difficult to describe the
various forms which the Aurora assumes.

One of the most curious sights I ever beheld we witnessed some time
after this. It was the appearance of the sun and moon above the horizon
at the same time: the moon, which was nearly full, throwing her light--
stolen from the sun, which blazed forth at the same time--on the world
of icebergs. It was as if we had been looking on two distinct scenes.
On one side, the bright rays of the luminary of day were throwing a
golden hue on the vast mountain masses of ice which floated on the blue
waters; on the other, the pale orb of night cast a silvery fringe on the
clouds which surrounded it. There was, indeed, no night; the
binnacle-lamp was not even lighted; and we were able to continue,
without cessation, trying-out a whale, whose carcase floated alongside.
Among other curious things I observed, were large masses of rock--
boulders they are called--embedded in the base and centre of icebergs.
It shows that t