o the
earthly; and there are times when they so dazzle and overwhelm, that it
does seem as though only the language of spirits is adequate to the task
of describing them. Then they are so changeable. Never have I seen two
great exhibitions of them alike. At first they are of purest white; but
when the scintillations begin, they take on every colour of the rainbow.
Sometimes they appear in great brilliant arcs, as in the illustration.
At other times they are simply ribbons of wavy undulations that seem to
soothe, as well as charm, with their rhythmic motions and ever changing
hues. At still other times they are mighty armies of disciplined
warriors going out to conflict. Then, when they seem wearied with their
warlike deeds, they appear to marshal all their forces; and, fairly
filling the northern heavens, to rush on, and up, until the very zenith
is reached, where they form a corona of such dazzling splendour, that it
really seems as though the longing prayer of the church militant was
being fulfilled; and, that universal triumph had come to the world's
Redeemer here, and now the angelic and redeemed hosts of heaven and
earth are bringing forth the Royal Diadem to "crown Him Lord of all."

The dogs which we use in the dog-trains, are generally of any breed that
has in it size, endurance, and sagacity. The Esquimaux breed of dogs
formerly predominated; but in later years there has been such an
admixture of other varieties, that a pure Esquimaux dog is now a rarity
except at some of the most northern posts and missions. My worthy
predecessor among the Crees, left me a train of mongrels, that were good
enough for hauling wood and fish for the mission; and also for the short
trips to the places near home where I held weekly services; but when I
attempted to make the long journeys of hundreds of miles to the remote
parts of my great mission field, which was larger than all England or
the state of New York, they proved miserable failures. Travelling with
such dogs, was like the experience of the man who, in the olden times,
paid first-class fare to ride in a packet boat on the Erie canal, from
New York to Buffalo, and then drove a horse on the towpath all the way.
So, after nearly killing myself travelling with weak or lazy dogs,
having to walk or run on snowshoes all the time on account of their
inability to draw me, I resolved, if possible, to become the owner of
better ones. I appealed to some good friends in civil