'
An' I said a many more (I can't be accountable how many I said), an'
same uns many times, over: for I would keep on; an' 'ould sometimes
sing 'em very loud in my poor way.
"A poor baste (a silver fox 'e was) comed an' looked at me; an' when
I turned round, he walked away a piece, an' then 'e comed back, an'
looked.
"So I found a high piece, wi' a wall of ice atop for shelter, ef it
comed on to blow; an' so I stood, an' said, an' sung. I knowed well
I was on'y driftun away.
"It was tarrible lonely in the night, when night comed; it's no use!
'T was tarrible lonely: but I 'ould n' think, ef I could help it; an'
I prayed a bit, an' kep' up my psalms, an' varses out o' the Bible,
I'd a-larned. I had n' a-prayed for sleep, but for wakun all night,
an' there I was, standun.
"The moon was out agen, so bright; an' all the hills of ice shinun up
to her; an' stars twinklun, so busy, all over; an' No'ther' Lights goun
up wi' a faint blaze, seemunly, from th' ice, an' meetun up aloft; an'
sometimes a great groanun, an' more times tarrible loud shriekun! There
was great white fields, an' great white hills, like countries, comun
down to be destroyed; an' some great bargs a-goun faster, an' tearun
through, breakun others to pieces; an' the groanun an' screechun,--ef
all the dead that ever was, wi' their white clothes--But no!" said the
stout fisherman, recalling himself from gazing, as he seemed to be,
on the far-off ghastly scene, in memory.
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