THE WORLD OF ICE, 159

North which, in some measure, makes up to the in-
habitants for the absence of the sun. It spread over
the whole extent of the sky in the form of an irreeular
arch, and was intensely brilliant. But the brilliancy
varied, as the green ethereal fire waved mysteriously
to and fro, or shot up long streamers toward the
zenith. These streamers, or “ merry dancers,” as they
are sometimes termed, were at times peculiarly bright.
Their colour was most frequently yellowish white,
sometimes greenish, and once or twice of a lilac tinge.
The strength of the light was something greater than
that of the moon in her quarter, and the stars were
dimmed when the aurora passed over them as if they
had been covered with a delicate gauze veil.

But that which struck our hero as being most re-
markable was the magnitude and dazzling brightness
of the host of stars that covered the black firmament.
It seemed as if they were magnified in glory, and
twinkled so much that the sky seemed, as it were, to
tremble with light. <A feeling of deep solemnity filled
Fred’s heart as he gazed upwards; and as he thought
upon the Creator of these mysterious worlds, and re-
membered that he came to this little planet of ours
to work out the miracle of our redemption, the words
that he had often read in the Bible, “Lord, what is
man, that thou art mindful of him?” came forcibly
to his remembrance, and he felt the appropriateness
of that sentiment which the sweet singer of Israel has
expressed in the words, “ Praise ye him, sun and moon;
praise him, all ye stars of light.”