M l Keevor > s Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 47 



Swcll'd and rag'd and foam'd, 



To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds. 



In a few minutes all was hurry and confusion ; the captain 

 flew himself from one part of the deck to the other with the 

 greatest alertness, to assist, by his own exertions, when fear, or 

 hurry, prevented the sailors from doing their duty. In the 

 middle of this awful scene I was called on to render professi- 

 onal assistance to Mrs. M'Clain, who was seized with labour- 

 pains. It would be difficult to conceive a more unpleasant 

 situation than that in which I was now placed. The dread of 

 being- driven on a lee-shore, the howling- of the wind among 

 the rigging 1 , the awful sound of the pumps, which we were 

 obliged to keep constantly at work ; the cries of my poor pa- 

 tient, who was now suffering the most intense pain which 

 human nature can suffer, all combined with the horribly de- 

 pressing effects of sea-sickness, contributed to render this the 

 mrst frightful night I had ever witnessed. 



About twelve o'clock, P. 31., in consequence of dreadful 

 shouting-, I went upon deck, and found every one in the 

 greatest consternation and terror; it appeared we had got in 

 among shoals, and that we had now not more than four-fathom 

 water ; in a short time, however, we got into ten-fathom, 

 when we cast two anchors. On these depended all our safety; 

 if they gave way nothing \vould have saved us from being 

 driven on shore, when we must inevitably have perished ; for- 

 tunately, however, they held fast. About ten o'clock, A. M., 

 Mrs. M'Clain was, to the great joy of all on board, safely de- 

 livered of a daughter. At twelve o'clock the weather began 

 to clear up, and, with the exception of a few showers, was fine 

 all day. A brighter atmosphere now permitted us to get 

 sight of the land, from which we were distant about ten miles. 

 Some grass and twigs were observed floating- along-side the 

 ship. 



The following morning, M'hile lying in bed, I heard one of 

 the men upon deck say he saw a schooner coming off from the 

 land. We all immediately went upon deck, and found, to our 

 great joy, that this piece of intelligence was correct. In a 

 short time she was along-side. A large quantity of venison 

 was sent us by the governor of York Fort, a present which 

 the reader may readily suppose was most acceptable, as we 

 had hardly tasted any thing for two days. 



Wednesday, August 26th, we cast anchor in view of York 

 Fort, lat. 57 2' N. long. 92 46'. The day following I went 

 on shore, in company with the rest of the cabin- passengers. 

 The coast, as \ve approached it, presented a very interesting- 

 appearance, being thickly studded with pine, poplar, and ju- 



