ian, but when dangers press
around him in a tumultuous scene of waters, it is peculiarly consolatory
for him to find upon examination, that the sheet anchor of his hope is
well grounded; and that he has laboured in the cause of his divine Lord
with a conscious integrity, though with a conscious imperfection of
character. It was _well_ said by the wife of a Missionary, in her last
moments, when it was observed to her that she was dying a sacrifice in
the cause of missions, "_I would rather_ (said she) _die a penitent
sinner at the cross of Christ._" Every day, in the smooth unruffled
calm of life, or on the tempestuous ocean of its existence, would I
_feel_ the sentiment so expressive of the Christian's security, and
simple reliance upon the omnipotent arm of the Saviour, as uttered by
St. Peter, when ready to sink amidst the threatening waves, "Lord save
us, we perish."

During the 25th we were becalmed off the Upper Savage Islands, amidst
several large icebergs, some of which were stranded on the shore, and
would receive the accumulation of another winter's fall of snow, from
not being driven out of the Straits into the Atlantic Ocean, where they
are dissolved. The winter was again setting in with a cold frosty air,
and frequent snow storms. The next morning the wind freshened, and on
the 27th, when we were off Saddle Back, we experienced another heavy
gale of wind, which was so violent about eight o'clock in the evening,
that it broke the mizen top sail yard, while nine of the sailors were
furling the sail. Providentially the broken part of the yard slung with
the ropes, or every soul must inevitably have perished, from the
violent rolling of the ship. A more rough and stormy night could not
well be experienced, with the aggravated danger of sailing among a
number of large isles of floating ice; the running foul of one of which
would be immediate destruction, as upon a rock.

The next day the wind moderated, and was favourable, but from the
rolling of the ship I could only read the morning and evening prayers,
and that with some difficulty, when we met for divine worship. In the
evening we approached Resolution Island, and the waters of the Atlantic
opened to us with the encouraging prospect of having more sea room to
encounter any storms that we might afterwards meet with. As we left the
barren rugged shores of the Straits, and the chain of rocks terminating
in ragged points on the coast of Labrador, there was a gen