ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI. 69 
had only been three weeks upon the ground she had 
taken up for the season’s whaling. As yet no whales 
had been seen, and the season was said not to com- 
mence before the end of June or beginning of July. 
The boats I saw in the morning belonged to her, and 
had been out chasing what they thought to be a 
whale, but which proved to be only a fin-back, a 
species which was not thought to repay the trouble 
of trying out. 
Early in the evening the whalers retired to rest, 
and I had a comfortable berth provided for me in 
the cabin, but could not sleep ; my thoughts were 
too much occupied in reflecting upon the great 
change which the last few hours had wrought in the 
position of myself and my attendant. Sincerely 
grateful to the Almighty for having guided us 
through so many difficulties, and for the inexpressible 
relief afforded us when so much needed, but so little 
expected, I felt doubly thankful for the mercy 
we experienced, when, as I lay awake, I heard the 
wind roar, and the rain drive with unusual wildness, 
and reflected that by God’s blessing, we were now in 
safety, and under shelter from the violence of the 
storm, and the inclemency of the wet season, which 
appeared to be setting in, but which, under the cir- 
cumstances we were in but a few short hours ago, 
we should have been so little able to cope with, or to 
endure. 
June 3. — I arose at day-break, as I found the 
whalers breakfasted betimes, to enable them to send 
