favour in the world to which he's bound. But
mind you, I don't say it's what I would pride myself on, for I know that
the most one can do may count as nothing; but still it's pleasant, and
nothing can make it otherwise."

Strange as it may seem, thus we talked on. Indeed, what other subject
could we talk on but religion? for every moment we felt that we might be
in the presence of our Maker. As Andrew warned us, the shock the
iceberg had received by the ship striking against it might have detached
what are called calves, great lumps from the bottom, and, should the
gale increase, it might capsize in an instant.

We had many hours to wait for daylight. We were so well clothed, from
its having been our watch on deck, that we did not feel the cold
particularly; but poor Tom continued to suffer. Fortunately Andrew
discovered in his pocket his pipe with some tobacco, and a flint and
steel. He lighted the pipe, and let Tom have a smoke, which revived and
warmed him, and we then all took a few whiffs round. This little luxury
seemed to do us much good. We sheltered Tom as much as we could from
the wind with our bodies; and we wrung out his wet jacket, and chafed
his hands and feet till the circulation was restored. The night,
however, seemed interminable. To favour us still further, the wind
fell, and shifted further to the south, which made it much warmer. The
sea also went down, for it did not seem to lash with such fury as before
our floating resting-place.

"What chance have we of escaping?" I asked of Andrew, after a
lengthened silence.

"There may be some of the wreck cast up on the berg, and with it we may
make a raft, and reach the coast of Newfoundland or Labrador; or the
berg itself may be driven ashore, but that I do not think at all likely;
or we may be seen by some ship and taken off. I know of no other
possible chance of escape."

"Then I trust we may be seen by some ship," I ejaculated. "There must
be many whalers in these parts."

"They keep farther to the eastward, generally," replied Andrew. "They
are also not fond of icebergs, and try to avoid them."

I own that, seeing him so calm and collected, I fancied he must have
some hopes of deliverance, by means of which we were ignorant; so I
asked him whether he thought we should find any food to support us.

"I have often heard of people finding means of subsistence when in as
bad a condition as we are," he replied. "Providence has decre