306 MARITIME OBSERVATIONS. 
been the practice to keep a /ook-out before in the channel, 
but at fea it has been neglected. If it is not at prefent 
thought worth while to take that precaution, it will in 
time become of more confequence; fince the number of 
fhips at fea is continually augmenting. A drum frequent- 
ly beat or a bell rung in a dark night, might help to pre- 
vent fuch accidents. 
Iflands of ice are frequently feen off the banks of New- 
foundland, by fhips going between North-America and 
Europe. In the day-time they are eafily avoided, unlefs 
in a very thick fog. I remember two inftances of fhips 
running againft them in the night. The firft loft her 
bow{prit, but received little other damage. The other 
{truck where the warmth of the fea had wafted the ice 
next to it, and a part hung over above. ‘This perhaps 
faved her, for fhe was under great way; but the upper 
part of the cliff taking her foretopmaft, broke the fhock, 
though it carried away the maft. She difengaged herfelf 
with fome difficulty, and got fafe into port; but the acci- 
dent fhows the poffibility of other fhips being wrecked 
and funk by ftriking thofe vaft mafles of ice, of which I 
have feen one that we judged to be feventy feet high above 
the water, confequently eight times as much under water; 
and it is another reafon for keeping a good /ook-out before, 
though far from any coaft that may threaten danger. 
It is remarkable that the people we confider as favages, 
have improved the art of failing- and rowing-boats in fe- 
veral points beyond what we can pretend to. We have 
no failing boats equal to the flying proas of the fouth feas, 
no rowing or paddling boat equal to that of the Green= 
landers for fwiftnefs and fafety. The birch canoes of the 
North-American Indians have alfo fome advantageous pro- 
perties. ‘They are fo light that two men may carry one 
of them over land, which is capable of carrying a dozen 
upon the water; and in heeling they are not fo fubjec& 
to take in water as our boats, the fides of which are 
lowelt 
