( 82 ) 



I did not, however, fee this piece of ice, as I 

 was not then got up but all who were then upon 

 deck, allured us, that it feemed as high as the towers 

 of Notre Dame at Paris, and that it was a great 

 deal higher than the mails of the fhip. I have of- 

 ten heard it maintained that this was impolTible, 

 becaufe, befides its extraordinary height above the 

 fea, it muft alfo reach to a confiderable depth under 

 water, and that it was not poflibie in the nature of 

 things, that fuch a piece of ice could be formed. 

 To this I anfwer, in the firft place, that in order to 

 deny the fact, we muft give the lie to a number of 

 perfons, for it is not the firft time that fuch float- 

 ing iOancls have been feen at fea. The Mother of 

 the Incarnation being upon the fame paflage, run 

 the fame hazard in broad day-light. The piece of 

 ice which for want of wind to carry her out of its 

 way, had like to have fent her to the bottom, was 

 feen by the whole crew, and was reckoned much 

 larger than that which we met with. She adds, that 

 the general abfo!ution was given as is ufual in cafes 

 of extreme danger. 



It is moreover certain, that in Hudfon's bay there 

 are pieces of ice formed by the fall of torrents, 

 which tumble from the top of mountains, and 

 which breaking off in the fummer with a hideous 

 noife, are afterwards carried different ways by the 

 current. The Heur Jeremie, who palled feveral 

 years in this bay, tells us, that he had the curiofity 

 to caule found clofe to one of thefe pieces of ice 

 which had been ft rand ed, and that after running out 

 a hundred fathom of line, they found no bottom. 

 I return to our adventure. Cape Race,- Madam, 

 is the fouth eaft point of the ifland of Newfound- 

 land ; it is fituated in 46 deg. and about 30 min. 

 north latitude. The coaft runs from hence weft- 

 ward^ 



