he whale must have taken. In a short time the dan
re-appeared at no great distance. The kayaks, as if shot from a bow,
darted towards the spot, and before the huge fish could dive a second
time, it received two more harpoons and several deep stabs from the
lances of the Esquimaux. Again it dived, carrying two additional dans
down with it. But the dragging tendency of these three large floats,
combined with the deep wounds it had received, brought the fish sooner
than before to the surface, where it was instantly met and assailed by
its relentless pursuers, who, in the course of little more than an hour,
killed it, and dragged it in triumph to the shore.

The natives were still occupied in towing the captured fish, when one of
the men uttered a wild shout, and pointed eagerly out to sea. At first
Edith imagined that they must have seen another whale in the distance;
but this opinion was quickly altered when she observed the eager haste
with which they paddled towards the land, and the looks of surprise with
which, ever and anon, they regarded the object on the horizon. This
object seemed a mere speck to Edith's unaccustomed eyes; but as she
gazed long and earnestly at it, a thought flashed across her mind. She
sprang up; her sparkling eyes seemed as though they would burst from
their sockets in her eager desire to make out this object of so great
interest. At this moment the oomiak touched the land. With a bound
like a gazelle Edith sprang on shore and ran panting with excitement to
the top of a rocky eminence. Here she again directed her earnest gaze
out to sea, while her colour went and came as she pressed her hands upon
her breast in an agony of hope. Slowly but surely the speck came on;
the wind shifted a point, which caused a gleam of sunlight to fall upon
a sail. It was a boat! there could be no doubt of it--and making
directly for the island! Unable to contain herself, Edith, uttering a
piercing cry, sank upon the ground and burst into a passionate flood of
tears. It was the irresistible impulse of hope long deferred at length
realised; for the child did not entertain a doubt that this was at
length the answer to her prayers.

Meanwhile the Esquimaux ran about in a state of extraordinary
excitement. These people had very probably heard of the ships which
once a year pass through Hudson's Straits on their way to the depots on
the shores of Hudson's Bay; but they had never met with them, or seen a
Ku