WHALING VOYAGE. 
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den storms, which sometimes arise in a few minutes, 
allowing them no time to get on board the ship, or to 
a place of safety on the shore. I need not say, that 
in consequence many, very many, fatal accidents have 
occurred to boats 5 crews while engaged in such excur- 
sions, and as I was concerned in one of a terrible nature 
myself, 1 have thought the following description of it 
might prove interesting to the reader, and that its in- 
sertion may not be deemed irrelevant to the plan and 
object of this sketch. 
A BOAT ADVENTURE OFF THE BONIN ISLANDS. 
We had been cruising after the spermaceti whale for 
several months, and had been very successful, yet we 
found ourselves getting tired of the chase in consequence 
of having been without fresh provisions for several 
weeks, and all of us were longing for a fresh mess, and 
a little relief to our minds in looking upon the land, — for 
if we could only gaze upon its verdant surface, be near 
to it and inhale its exciting odours, we thought ourselves 
exceedingly happy, — for it is a vast relief to look upon 
one’s natural element, after having been absent from it 
several months, with naught but sky and water for our 
constant view. 
The captain, in consequence of our wants, now deter- 
mined to run in under the lee of South Island, which is 
one of an uninhabited group, called the Bonins, that 
lie a few degrees to the eastward of the coast of Japan. 
