202 THE WHALEMAN ; OR. 



emotions, Captain Jernegan, of the ship Niger, 

 and Captain Goosman, of the ship Joseph Hay- 

 den, left immediately to secure the unfortunate 

 ones on East Cape, firmly resolving, like true 

 sons of the ocean, " We will have them on 

 board before to-morrow night." This was early 

 in the morning. They were distant from East 

 Cape more than fifty miles. With a favoring 

 wind, and success attending their efforts in get- 

 ting through the drifting ice, they reached the 

 cape next day, about two o'clock in the morning, 

 only a few miles in the offing, and in sight of 

 the settlement. 



The natives were the first to spy the ships, and 

 one immediately rushed in and informed Captain 

 Norton they had come. 



Though it was an event which we all had 

 long looked for and earnestly desired, and time 

 indeed had rolled heavily on its wheels in bring- 

 ing the happy day of deliverance, yet when it 

 was announced to us, we could hardly believe it. 

 Somehow or other, having been so long inured 

 to disappointment, we felt for the moment it was 

 too much and too good news to credit. 



The native who informed the captain at this 

 time had several times before told him that ships 

 were coming, but which proved false. He was 

 therefore inclined to give but partial credit to his 



