of omitting to give Him thanks for answered prayer and restored health.
But to me it would appear as presumptuous and wrong to neglect the use
of those measures which He Himself has put within our reach, as to
neglect to take daily food, and suppose that life and health might be
maintained by prayer alone.

The voyage was a very tedious one. We lost a good deal of time on the
equator from calms; and when we finally reached the Eastern Archipelago,
were again detained from the same cause. Usually a breeze would spring
up soon after sunset, and last until about dawn. The utmost use was made
of it, but during the day we lay still with flapping sails, often
drifting back and losing a good deal of the advantage we had gained
during the night.

This happened notably on one occasion, when we were in dangerous
proximity to the north of New Guinea. Saturday night had brought us to a
point some thirty miles off the land; but during the Sunday morning
service, which was held on deck, I could not fail to notice that the
captain looked troubled, and frequently went over to the side of the
ship. When the service was ended, I learnt from him the cause--a
four-knot current was carrying us rapidly towards some sunken reefs, and
we were already so near that it seemed improbable that we should get
through the afternoon in safety. After dinner the long-boat was put out,
and all hands endeavoured, without success, to turn the ship's head from
the shore. As we drifted nearer we could plainly see the natives rushing
about the sands and lighting fires every here and there. The captain's
horn-book informed him that these people were cannibals, so that our
position was not a little alarming.

After standing together on the deck for some time in silence, the
captain said to me, "Well, we have done everything that can be done; we
can only await the result." A thought occurred to me, and I replied,
"No, there is one thing we have not done yet." "What is it?" he queried.
"Four of us on board are Christians," I answered (the Swedish carpenter
and our coloured steward, with the captain and myself); "let us each
retire to his own cabin, and in agreed prayer ask the LORD to give us
immediately a breeze. He can as easily send it now as at sunset."

The captain complied with this proposal. I went and spoke to the other
two men, and after prayer with the carpenter we all four retired to wait
upon GOD. I had a good but very brief season in prayer, and t