MUSIC ON THE WATER.

After the evening meal we went down to the shore and embarked.  The people crowded the pier, and many a hand was stretched out with a hearty “Aksunai.”  As we rowed away they were singing, and when their voices sounded fainter across the water Thomas began of his own accord the following hymn in his own language:—­

    “O Lord! lift up thy countenance
      Upon thy Church, and own us thine;
      Impart to each thy peace divine,
    And blessings unto all dispense.

    ’Tis our desire to follow thee,
      And from experience to proclaim
      Salvation in thy blessed name: 
    O bless thy servants’ ministry.”

The other Eskimoes rowing our boat sang with him, until we reached the “Harmony.”

We were having a quiet time of cheerful converse in the cabin, when the sound of singing again called us on deck.  A procession of eight or ten boats, the bow of one almost touching the stern of the other, was rowing slowly round and round the ship, and the people in them were singing sweet Christian songs to the measured beat of the oars.  Sarah was in the first boat, evidently the leader and director of the proceedings.[C] Hymn after hymn, in well-sustained parts, sounded beautifully over the still water, and not till it was getting quite dark did they row away, singing “Victoria,” i.e. “God save the Queen,” in honour of the English visitor.  Her Majesty has very loyal subjects in that unknown corner of her realm; and, by the way, some of them charged me to bring home an “Aksunai” to her, too.

Tuesday, September 25st.—­Yes, “good-bye;” yet, when your vessel is not a steamer, but dependent on the wind, you may have repeated “good-byes,” as often happens in Labrador.  Not till this afternoon could the “Harmony” hoist her sails and speed away to the broad Atlantic.  As soon as the Eskimoes saw our sails being unfurled, they again came around the vessel in their boats, and anew commended us to the Divine protection in their version of a very favourite hymn of Count Zinzendorf’s ("Jesu geh voran").

    “Jesus, day by day,
    Guide them on their way.”

HOMEWARD BOUND.

The story of our homeward voyage must he told in short.  We had more stormy days than bright ones, and more contrary winds than fair breezes.  We left Hebron on Tuesday, September 25th, and on the following Sunday found ourselves among Greenland icebergs and fogs.  So we had to turn southwards and run on that tack for two days.  Then a moderate side wind followed the strong contrary gale, and we made good steady progress eastward.  This was undoubtedly pleasant after the heavy rolling and pitching of the previous days.  For two weeks and more nothing was to be seen but sea and sky, yet both had their interest and beauty.  The sunsets were lovely, and the phosphorescent