300 NOTES. 



consequently on an even keel, while the watch rolled a very 

 large cask of oil away from, the cooler. While running off 

 for this purpose, we were suddenly hailed by a strange voice 

 from the surrounding gloom, apparently close aboard of us; 

 at first we thought the sound came from under the ship's 

 bows, but fortunately it was not exactly there, and it turned 

 out afterward, that while running off in the manner described, 

 we had unconsciously (but for being hailed) passed quite 

 close to another ship. 



At such times as these, most men will think, and that se- 

 riously ; but, alas ! it soon passes away ; with the recollection 

 of such dangerous occurrences vanishes, I may say, the recol- 

 lection of the superintending care of an Almighty God. Who 

 can tell how many unseen dangers are passed through by a 

 ship during a three years' voyage ? 



If there be any class of men who oiight, more than others, 

 to feel grateful to God, I think that class is sailors, of whom 

 many may well exclaim, " Surely goodness and mercy have 

 followed me all the days of my life." 



C, p. 227. 



AN instance has come to the knowledge of the writer of a 

 ship in the North Pacific, from which there was lost a boat 

 and crew of six men, under the following circumstances. 

 They had been lowered to take a whale, and had succeeded 

 in plunging the harpoon into the monster's side, but he had 

 rushed with them, at rail-road speed, out of the sight of the 

 ship, which was making after them at what rate they could. 

 Suddenly a fog be'gan to rise, and enveloped both the ship and 

 her lone boat, and to spread over the whole expanse of the 

 ocean, involving a danger of very frequent occurrence to 

 whalemen in high latitudes. 



It was impossible to see any object at the distance of a 

 ship's length ; and there was an open whale boat, with six 



