REFLECTIONS IN DANGER. 309 
look back upon that mercy that had first brought 
me to a knowledge of the Saviour, with a gratitude 
never perhaps exceeded. Him, and Him alone, I 
found to be a refuge, a rock in the storm of con¬ 
tending feelings, on which my soul could cast the 
anchor of its hope for pardon and acceptance 
before God ; and although not visibly present, 
as with his disciples on the sea of Tiberias, 
we could not but hope that He was spiritually 
present, and that, should our bodies rest till the 
morning of the resurrection in the unfathomed 
caverns of the ocean, our souls would be by Him 
admitted to the abodes of blessedness and rest. I 
could not but think how awful would my state 
have been, had I in that hour been ignorant of 
Christ, or had I neglected and despised the offers 
of his mercy; and while this reflection induced 
thankfulness to Him through whom alone we had 
been made to share a hope of immortality, it 
awakened a tender sympathy for our fellow-voy¬ 
agers, who sat in mournful silence at the helm or 
in the bottom of the boat, and seemed averse to 
conversation. Our prayers were offered to Him 
who is a present help in every time of danger— 
for ourselves—and those who sailed with us ; and 
under these, or similar exercises, several hours 
passed away. The storm continued during the 
day. At intervals we beheld, through the clouds 
and rain, one or other of the waterspouts, the 
whole of which appeared almost stationary, until 
at length we lost sight of them altogether, when 
the spirits of our native voyagers evidently re¬ 
vived. 
The natives of the South Sea Islands, although 
scarcely alarmed at thunder and lightning, are at 
sea greatly terrified by the appearance of water- 
