I need not say that the sun never appears in these regions in the cold season for more than two months together and that it never sets here in the summer for an equal length of time, from the middle of May to the end of July.
30th July. We now commenced our return voyage south wards. It was cloudy and gloomy the whole day,
'Twas not in south Italian skies
Where brightly shines thy beaming face,
'Twas not where Spanish hills arise
In stately form and matchless grace.
'Twas not in cheerless English heaven,
There have I looked hut looked in vain,
Where the dark cloud by cold winds driven
Incessant pours in tears of rain.
But I have found thy home at last,—
'Tis where the bleak and cheerless sea
Keeps music to the north wind's blast
Far in the world's extremity!
Here standing on Norwegian cliff
That peeps into the icy pole,
And where the wind blows cold and stiff,
And clouds and mists in masses roll.
I view thy home from this wild height
Yon mists and clouds and waves among;
Hail god of day and god of night!
By Rishis as by Sages sung!
Hail deity of the infant earth,
Adored in every distant clime,
Changeless since creation's birth,
Changeless to the end of time!
Rest, rest on yonder icy main
Until it is thy time to rise.
A few short months, and back again
I'll hail thee in our Indian skies.
