ONE

IX.-ICEBERGS.

NE morning, earlier than the usual time of rising, the steward awakened us with the news that icebergs were close at hand. This was charming intelligence, for so late in the season as August they were but rarely met with. We were all soon on deck, and for a worthy object.

2. An iceberg was in sight-a grand fellow, with two great domes, each as large as that of St. Paul's. The lower part was like frosted silver. Where the heat of the sun had melted the surface, and it had frozen again, in its gradual decay it had assumed all sorts of angular and fantastic shapes, reflecting from its green, transparent mass, thousands of prismatic colors; while below the gentle swell dallied with its cliff-like sides.

3. The action of the waves had worn away a great portion of the base, just over the water, into deep nooks and caves, destroying the balance of the mass. While we were passing, the crisis of this process chanced to arrive.

4. The huge white mass tottered for a moment, then fell into the calm sea with a sound like the roar of a thousand cannon; the spray rose to a great height into the air, and large waves rolled round, spreading their wide circles over the ocean, each ring diminishing in height till at length they all sank to rest. When the spray had fallen again, the glittering domes had vanished, and a long, low island of rough snow and ice lay on the surface of the water.

5. There is something impressive and dismal in the fate of these cold and lonely wanderers of the deep. They break loose, by some great effort of

nature, from the shores and rivers of the unknown regions of the north, where, for centuries, perhaps, they have been accumulating, and commence their dreary voyage, which has no end but annihilation.

6. For years they may wander in the Polar Sea, till some strong gale or current bears them past its southern limits; then they float past the desolate coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland. The summer sun makes sad havoc of their strength, melting their lofty heights; but each night's frost binds up what is left, and still on, on, glides the great mass, slowly, solemnly.

7. You can not perceive that it stirs, the greatest storm does not rock it, the keenest eye can not discover a motion; but day by day, moment by moment, it passes to the south, where it wastes away, and vanishes at last.

8. They are most numerous in June and July, and there is often much danger from their neighborhood in dark, moonless nights; but the thermometer, if consulted, will always indicate their approach. It fell eight degrees when we neared the iceberg which I have described, and the cold was sensibly felt.

EXERCISES IN DEFINITION.

E. Warburton.

1. The steward awakened us with the news that icebergs were close at hand.

2. An iceberg was in sight-a grand fellow, with two great domes.

3. The huge, white mass, tottered for a moment.

4. Still on, on, glides the great mass, slowly, solemnly.

5. You can not perceive that it stirs.

V. 6

O'din was the chief god in the mythology of the Northmen. Sir John Franklin was a celebrated English naval officer and arctic explorer. In 1845, he sailed with two vessels to discover the North-west passage. His vessels were last seen in July of that year. In the course of the next eleven years more than twenty expeditions were sent to search for the missing crews. In 1859, traces of them were discovered: Franklin and all his men had been dead many years.

FEARLESS shape of brave device,

Our vessel drives through mist and rain, Between the floating fleets of ice

The navies of the northern main.

2. These arctic ventures, blindly hurled,
The proofs of Nature's olden force,
Like fragments of a crystal world,
Long shattered from its skyey course.

3. These are the buccaneers that fright
The middle sea with dream of wrecks,

And freeze the south winds in their flight,
And chain the Gulf-stream to their decks.

4. At every dragon prow and helm

There stands some viking as of yore;
Grim heroes from the boreal realm

Where Odin rules the spectral shore.

5. And oft beneath the sun or moon

Their swift and eager falchions glow,
While, like a storm-vexed wind, the rune

Comes chafing through some beard of snow.

6. And when the far North flashes up
With fires of mingled red and gold,
They know that many a blazing cup
Is brimming to the absent bold.

7. Up signal there, and let us hail

Yon looming phantom as we pass!
Note all her fashion, hull, and sail,

Within the compass of your glass.

8. See at her mast the steadfast glow

Of that one star of Odin's throne;
Up with our flag, and let us show

The Constellation on our own.

9. And speak her well; for she might say,
If from her heart the words could flow,
Great news from some far frozen bay,
Or the remotest Esquimaux;

10. Might tell of channels yet untold,

That sweep the pole from sea to sea;
Of lands which God designs to hold
A mighty people yet to be:

11. Of wonders which alone prevail,

Where day and darkness dimly meet;
Of all which spreads the arctic sail;
Of Franklin and his venturous fleet;

12. How, haply, at some glorious goal

His anchor holds-his sails are furled; That Fame has named him on her scroll, "Columbus of the Polar World."

13. Or how his plowing barks wedge on

Through splintering fields with battered shares, Lit only by that spectral dawn,

The mask that mocking darkness wears;

14. Or how, o'er embers black and few, The last of shivered masts and spars, He sits among his frozen crew

In council with the norland stars.

15. No answer-but the swollen flow

Of ocean heaving long and vast;

An argosy of ice and snow,

The voiceless North swings proudly past.

ANALYSIS.

1. What is meant by the phrase, "the navies of the northern main?" 2. What is the "middle sea?” 3. Give the substance of the third verse. 4. Who were the vikings? 5. What is meant by "boreal realm?" 6. Who was Odin? 7. What is meant by the expression, "The far North flashes up?" etc.

8. State what messages the phantom might bring. 9. Who is called the Columbus of the Polar World?" 10. What has since been discovered concerning Franklin and his crews?