weather, and a northerly breeze, which lasted many days.
On the 28th, we passed the sub-meridian of Greenwich, in latitude 35° 42'. On the 29th of May, we passed a small piece of ice, in lat. 58° 30', and long. 118° 12' W. This unexpected sight caused us much uneasiness, as we hitherto understood that, during the winter season, in these high latitudes, no danger was to be apprehended from icebergs, which were only to be met with during summer, when, from the length of the days, they could easily be avoided. Thus finding, however, that the above generally-received opinion was erroneous, our anxiety was greatly increased and not without reason; as it neither can be considered safe nor agreeable, to be scudding under a close-reefed main-topsail, during a long, dark, cold, and stormy night, in continual dread of being dashed to pieces against an iceberg[1].
- ↑ During my voyage home, in the following year, in the ship John, from Van Dieman's Land, we had a very narrow escape from a peril of this description. On August 7th, being in latitude 52° 58' S. and longitude 130° E., about four o'clock in the morning, the chief mate having reported to the Captain, that there was a suspicious appearance on the starboard bow, the Captain called me up to ask my opinion, and I distinctly saw the blink of the ice; but as the ship was going with much rapidity, it soon disappeared;—being on the alert from this circumstance, the Captain remained on the poop, and the chief mate on the forecastle, and in about an hour, a heavy cloud was perceived right a-head, through the surrounding haze, which was thought to be land. During these surmises, the chief mate called out "keep her away," which was done instantly, and we grazed the S.W. point of an immense iceberg, several hundred feet high; the rebounding swell from which assisted to keep the vessel
