other Arctic mammals, 10 and millions of gulls, geese, auks, and other far-flying aquatic birds, are continually passing to and fro, some through the air, and others upon vast fields of ice either fixed or moving. The animals found in these frozen regions have a double interest to the voyager, for besides supplying him with nourishing food, they interrupt the intense solitude of that vast and silent land. Vegetable life grows more scant and stunted as he advances north; but animal life is larger and more abundant in development, although seen in less variety. The Arctic animals show less beauty of colouring than those of warmer climates; white and different shades of brown principally supplying the place of the more brilliant tints. There is nothing more wonderful than the adaptation of the clothing of creatures to their natural condition. In warm latitudes the quadrupeds have thin and short hair, but those of the polar regions are supplied with the thickest furs. The aquatic birds also are protected by a coat of oily feathers, so that they can plunge securely into the icy waters. Almost all Arctic animals are beasts and birds of prey; and they derive their sustenance mainly from the sea, the land furnishing very scanty means of supporting life. The ultimate source from which the food of all these animals comes-and which, from its abundance, is the cause of life being so extremely prolific in all those regions-is to be found in the vast number of medusa or jelly-fishes with which the seas in those latitudes are filled. Some of the species have a sort of fringe of hairs, like little snakes, which hang from the margin of the cup-shaped disc that is formed by their bodies, and float writhing and twisting in the water as the cup, by alternate expansions and contractions, forces fits way along. It is from this circumstance that they have received their name of medusaMedusa 11 having been a fabled mon ster of ancient times whose head was a dorned with snakes instead of hair. Many of the medusæ are phosphorescent;12 and these luminous species are sometimes so nu merous that the MEDUSA. whole surface of the ocean glows with them at night, as if the waves were undulations of liquid fire. The different species vary extremely, both in form and in size. Some are so minute as not to be seen by the naked eye; in consequence of which it often happens that curious persons, seeing the whole surface of the sea glowing with the light which they produce, are surprised to find nothing visible in the water when they draw up a bucketful of it to the deck of the ship in order to ascertain the cause. Others of the medusæ are of great size and strength. They sometimes seize and devour fishes of considerable magnitude; and yet their bodies contain so little substance that when drawn up on the beach, they look like a mere mass of jelly. On being exposed for a short time to the sun and air, they almost entirely dry up and disappear, leaving nothing behind them but a thin filmy web. Animals of this class swarm in countless millions in all the northern seas. So dense are the shoals sometimes, that the whole colour of the sea for hundreds of miles is changed by them! They furnish, of course, immense quantities of food for whales and other cetaceous 13 animals, and also for fishes of all kinds; which in their turn give sustenance to bears, seals, walruses, and multitudes of other animals. 1 Green'land was first discovered by a Norwegian in 981 A.D., and was colonized from Iceland. After being forgotten for centuries, it was rediscovered by Davis in 1587; and the Danes reopened communication with it early in the following century. 2 American expedition, sent out to the Arctic regions to search for Sir John Franklin. 3 Dr. Kane, a famous American traveller, born at Philadelphia in 1822appointed an assistant-surgeon in the United States Navy-travelled in India and Africa, and twice visited the Arctic regions-author of Arctic Explorations died in 1857. Glacier, a mass or field of ice. Glaciers accumulate in the upper valleys of lofty mountains; for example, in Switzerland and Piedmont. It is a French word, derived from the Latin, glacies, ice. * Hum'boldt -so called after the famous Baron von Humboldt, a distinguished German traveller and natural philosopher-born at Berlin 1769travelled in South America, Mexico, and Central Asia-author of Kosmos, or a Physical Description of the Universe, and of numerous scientific treatisesdied in 1859. • Mis'sionaries.-Many of the natives have been converted to Christianity by Moravian missionaries. The Moravians are a sect of Christians which sprang up in Moravia and Bohemia (Austria) about the middle of the fifteenth century. 'Parry, Sir William, an eminent navigator, born at Bath in 1790; he made five expeditions to the Arctic regions, four of which were under his command. The object of most of them was to ascertain the existence of a north-west passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He published interesting journals of all his expeditions. Died 1855. Kay'ak, the man's boat. • Winter solstice, the 21st December, the shortest day, when the sun, reaching the point in the ecliptic farthest from the equator, appears to stand still. [Lat. sol, the sun; sisto, I make to stand.] The summer solstice is the 21st June, the longest day. 10 Mam'mals, animals that suckle their young. [Lat. mamma, a breast.] "Medu'sa, one of the fabled Gorgons, who had serpents entwined in their hair, and eyes so terrible that they turned to stone every one who looked upon them. 12 Are phosphorescent-have the power of giving out light. All sea 13 Cetaceous, whale-like. mammals belong to the order Cetacea. QUESTIONS.-What is Greenland? Who reached the most northerly point in it that has ever been attained? When? What did they discover? What did a party going still further north discover? Who are the natives of Greenland? How many do the Esquimaux number in all? Of what are their houses built? What does their food include? At what age are their boys taught to manage a boat? What is their man's boat called? For what purpose do the Esquimaux often go on distant expeditions? What metals do they prize most highly? What is their chief festivity? What is the usual length of a kayak? And its weight? With what is it propelled? What is the length of the oomiak? Of what are the best sledges made? With what do the Arctic regions abound? What difference is noticed between Arctic animals and those of warmer regions? Mention instances of the adaptation of the clothing of animals to their condition? What is the chief source of food for animal life in the Arctic regions? What is the origin of the name? What is the cause of the luminous appearance which some of them give the sea? HYMN OF THE HEBREW MAID. [THIS hymn is intended to glance at some of the chief events in the history of the Israelites; in particular, the coming out of Egypt, and the Babylonish Captivity.] WHEN Israel, of the LORD beloved, Then rose the choral hymn of praise, With priest's and warrior's voice between. No portents now our foes amaze, Forsaken Israel wanders lone ; Our fathers would not know THY ways, But, present still, though now unseen, And, oh! when stoops on Judah's path Our harps were left by Babel's streams," And mute are timbrel, trump, and horn 'The land of bondage-Egypt. 'An awful guide.—"And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night." (Exodus xiii. 21.) "Por tents, signs or tokens, generally omens of evil; but here, the miraculous tokens of God's presence with, and care over, His chosen people. SIR WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832). willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?" ⚫ Cen'ser, a vessel in which incense is burned. The word is abridged from "incenser." [Lat. incensorium; from incendo, I kindle.] 7 Thou hast said.-Compare with the last four lines Isaiah i. 11, "I de 'Be thoughts.-The construction is, "Let thoughts of Thee be present still (always) as a cloudy screen to tem-light not in the blood of bullocks, or of per the deceitful ray." Our harps, &c. — -Compare with the first four lines of this stanza the opening verses of Psalm cxxxvii.: "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the lambs, or of he-goats;" and Psalm li. 16, 17, "For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." |