DANGERS OF THE FISHERY. — ANECDOTES. 345 



eight miles ; and shortly afterwards, the people in the 

 boats, and those in the corresponding ships, lost sight 

 of each other. Happily for the men who were in these 

 boats, the John was near ; and so long as she remain- 

 ed in safety, their lives were not exposed to immedi- 

 ate danger. My Father, who at this time command- 

 ed the John, had anticipated the consequences of the 

 ice closing, and sought out a place of refuge. This 

 consisted of a cove in an adjoining field, filled with 

 bay- ice, into which lie thrust his ship, and obtained 

 the desired shelter. After three days, the ice slack- 

 ed, and the Neptune's boats, together with those 

 belonging to the Earl Percy, left the John, al- 

 tliough neither the sea nor their ships were visible. 

 In this adventure they proved successful. When 

 they had rowed many hours to the south-eastward, 

 they discovered a ship, on their approach to which 

 they were invited on board, and received some 

 refreshment. After this, having received infor- 

 mation of the relative situation of their ships, 

 they put off, and soon afterwards had the happiness 

 of regaining their respective vessels. This circum- 

 stance, which was the occasion of so much anxiety, 

 danger, and loss of time to the crews of the Nep- 

 tune and Earl Percy, proved the contrary to the 

 people of the John, as they added to her cargo 

 seventeen whales, within tlic space of five days ; 

 and, on the sixth, tlie ice having again slacked, 

 they made their escnpc into a place of safety. 



