THE COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND. 21 



be a vain attempt to describe H.'s rage ; had we not 

 sprung to the rescue, poor William would have been 

 strangled. When the gale moderated, more sail was 

 made, but the sea ran high, and through the wind being 

 north-west, we could not lay our course ; still way was 

 made, and that was a comfort. 



In the afternoon we saw another ship, and under 

 Bremen colors. The captains exchanged information 

 through the speaking-trumpets; we hastened towards 

 the land of the stranger, while she was in full sail 

 towards home ; with mournful thoughts, I watched the 

 snowy sails, growing less and less, until all traces of 

 them were lost in the distant horizon. 



Time began to hang heavy on our hands, our wished- 

 for port still distant, and the wind unfavorable ; we 

 approached the banks of Newfoundland, whose southern 

 points we were rounding under a thick fog. Towards 

 evening another ship was seen ; then the fog came on 

 thicker, so that the bell was frequently struck, or a 

 horn sounded, to prevent our running foul of other 

 vessels. Our captain was also anxious on account of 

 icebergs, which the other ship had spoken of, and the 

 thermometer was often dipped overboard, to try the 

 temperature of the sea, as it falls considerably on the 

 approach of icebergs. 



The fog lay thick and damp, and the north-west wind 

 blew very cold, so that our cloaks came again into 

 request. The smallpox did not seem mclined to leave 

 us, as one of the crew was now attacked, and confined 

 to the sick cabin. It was as cold as it is in Germany 

 in December, and if three fourths of the passengers had 

 not been driven on deck by the fumes of sulphur 



