PROVIDENTIAL TESTIMONIES. 2o9 



view to the furtherance of our voyage ; but the 

 day being still stormy, with constant thick 

 weather from snow, sleet, or rain, we found it 

 expedient to remain in somewhat anxious idle- 

 ness, whilst our successful comrades were joy- 

 ously and usefully occupied in flensing the 

 valuable fish obtained almost under our stern. 

 This was doubtless an additional trial of the 

 good feelings of our crew ; but, whatever might 

 be the regrets of any in yielding up, for con- 

 science* sake, our chance of so fine a prize, I 

 heard of no other dissatisfaction than the mere 

 expression of a natural anxiety to be ' under- 

 way/ that we might find a fish for ourselves. 



" The state of the weather, however, in- 

 duced us to continue at our moorings, till forced 

 off by the movements of the contiguous ices, 

 which threatened the safety of the ship. Soon 

 afterwards we set forth on our object ; and, hav- 

 ing made a stretch to the westward, all hands 

 were speedily called into exhilarating action by 

 the discovery of several whales. The eagerness 

 of the men, indeed, was, in the first instance, 

 against us ; more than one of the objects of their 



n M 



