WHALING VOYAGE. 
817 
ship grate over the crumbling rocks. The moment I 
found what was going on, I ran to the waist of the ship, 
and looking dowm saw the coral and rocky banks under 
us, with several projecting clumps, which the ship was 
so fortunate as to pass between. The sensation I ex- 
perienced at so suddenly finding ourselves in so dread- 
ful a situation may be more easily felt than described, 
for while the ship was passing over the reef, seeing that 
there was nothing to be done but to continue our course* 
I stood fixed by the rail, expecting every moment a 
horrible crash to ensue, that would have tumbled all 
our sails and masts overboard ; for as the ship was sail- 
ing quickly at the time, the concussion must have been 
most violent had she met with any sudden resistance. 
We were so near the top of the reef, as we passed over 
it, that I could even see some small shells which lay 
upon its surface. We became dreadfully alarmed at 
this new and unexpected danger, for the charts gave us 
no information or warning of anything of the kind. 
We sincerely thanked the Disposer of all things for 
again preserving us from so horrible a calamity ; as in 
the event of our shipwreck in this part of the world we 
should have been surrounded by savages whose sordid 
souls know naught of kindness to the stranger. There, 
no helping hand would have been stretched forth to 
snatch us from the ocean grave— no compassionate heart 
would have thrilled at witnessing our misfortunes— no 
hospitable roof was there, to shade us from the scorching 
sun, or under which we could have rested our wearied, 
or perhaps wounded limbs. The noise of the cracking 
