Archibald Hughson, the Young Shetlander | Page 7

to the
ends of the lines, and various articles were stowed away in the boats, so
that they were all ready to be lowered, and to shove off at a moment's
notice, should a whale appear. The crow's-nest was also got up to the
main topgallant mast-head. It is like a tall cask with a seat in it, where
the officer can take his station and look out far and wide over the ocean
to watch for the spouting of the monsters of the deep.
Next morning, when Archy went on deck, he saw at no great distance
from the ship a vast white towering mass, glittering like alabaster in the
rays of the sun. At the lower part were projecting points and curious
arches, and a deep cavern, with numberless columns and long icicles
hanging from the roof, while the summit was crowned with pinnacles
and towers of every possible shape. From the higher points, as the ice
melted under the rays of the hot sun, came down two or three tiny
cascades of bright water, leaping from ledge to ledge till they fell with
a splash into the calm ocean.
Archy had often heard of icebergs, but he had formed little conception
of what they really were. He stood gazing at it for some minutes, lost in
wonder.
"Well, boy, what do you think of it?" asked Andrew Scollay, who was
passing at the time.

"It's very wonderful," said Archy.
"All God's works are wonderful," observed old Andrew. "You will see
thousands of such bergs as this where we are going, all formed by
God's will, just as He forms everything else in the world; and yet if all
the kings of the earth and their people were to try and build up one like
them, they could not succeed. Now, Archy, I put it to you, whether it is
not wise to try and be friends with such a God--to know that you are
under His care and protection, instead of disobeying Him and daring
His power? The time may come before long when you will feel how
helpless you are to take care of yourself, boy. I have seen stout ships
crushed in a moment between masses of ice, as if they had been made
of paper, and once I saw one of those large bergs come down and
overwhelm a passing ship, not a soul on board escaping. Ay, and I have
known numbers of poor fellows, when their ships have gone done,
wandering over the ice till they have been frozen or starved to death. I
don't tell you these things to frighten you, but that you may learn to put
your trust in God. The person who truly trusts Him is never frightened.
It is a blessed thing to know that He cares for us."
Archy was unable to make any reply; but the old man's words were not
forgotten.
The next day many more icebergs were seen, and as the ship passed
near some of them, Archy could not help dreading that they might
topple over and carry her and all on board to the bottom.
In a short time the ship made the ice. As far as the eye could reach, the
whole ocean was covered with broken sheets of ice,--some several
miles in extent, others of smaller size, which the seamen called
floes,--huge icebergs towering up among them. The ship sailed along
the edge of a large floe for some distance, till an opening appearing, her
head was pointed towards it. She entered and sailed onwards for a
considerable distance, the water being as smooth as in the most
sheltered harbour. The captain, or an officer, was continually stationed
in the crow's-nest to look out for the widest openings. Into these she
forced her way, now and then being impeded by pieces of ice, against
which her bow was driven to turn them aside. At length, after running

through a narrow passage, her further progress was stopped by a sheet
of ice through which she could not force her way, while beyond the
water appeared perfectly open. The sails were furled; the ice-saws got
out, and the crew commenced sawing out large blocks, so as to form a
passage towards the open water. The work was very laborious; for, in
addition to the operation of sawing, each block had to be towed out into
the wider channel. At length a canal was formed, and the ship glided
through it. Once more the sails were set and she steered to the
northward. Again, however, she had to encounter similar obstructions.
Still the captain pushed on, eager to get to a part of the bay where
whales were plentiful. Generally there was a breeze, and she made
good progress through the open water, but