Twenty-Seven Years in Canada West | Page 4

when no medical assistance could be procured.
It blew so fresh for two or three days, that we made up for our lost time,
and were soon out of sight of Scilly: then I bade a long farewell to old
England. I had often been on the sea before, but this was my first long
voyage; every object, therefore, was new to me. I caught some birds in

the rigging they were of a species unknown to me, but very beautiful.
Being in want, too, of something to do, I amused myself with cleaning
the captain's guns, which I hoped to use for our joint benefit before the
end of the voyage.
The 18th and 19th of April were very stormy: the sea ran mountains
high; we had a foot of water in the cabin, and all hands were at the
pumps to lessen the growing evil. The gale lasted till the following
morning. In the night the aurora borealis was particularly brilliant; but
though the storm lulled, the wind was against us. On the 26th of April,
I saw a whale, and, boy-like, fired at the huge creature: the shot must
have hit him, for he made the water fly in all directions.
To vary the monotony of a sea-life, I sometimes played draughts with
the mate, whom I always beat; but he took his defeats in good part,
being a very easy-tempered fellow.
I awoke on the 21st of April literally wet to my skin by the deluge of
water pouring down the cabin. I dressed myself in great haste and
hurried upon deck to learn the cause of this disaster, which I found
originated in the coming on of a terrible hurricane, which would not
permit us to show a stitch of canvas, and found us continual
employment at the pumps; my chest in the cabin shipped a sea which
did not improve the appearance of my wardrobe. The following day we
had calmer weather, and pursued our course steadily, no longer
exposed to the fury of the elements.
On the following day I killed several birds, and saw two whales and
many porpoises. The weather was foggy, but the wind favourable for us.
As we were near the bank of Newfoundland, we got our fishing tackle
ready, with the hope of mending our fare with cod; but the water was
not calm enough for the purpose, and the fish would not bite. We
passed over the Great Bank without any danger, though the wind was
high and the sea rough.
On the 29th of April we fell in with some icebergs. A more magnificent
and imposing spectacle cannot be conceived; but it is very fearful and
sufficiently appalling. Suddenly, we found ourselves close to an
immense body of ice, whose vicinity bad been concealed from us by
the denseness of the fog. Our dangerous neighbour towered in majestic
grandeur in the form of a triple cone rising from a square base, and
surpassed the tallest cathedral in altitude. The centre cone being cleft in

the middle by the force of the waves, displayed the phenomenon of a
waterfall, the water rushing into the sea from the height of thirty feet. If
the sun had pierced the vapoury veil which concealed it from our view,
the refraction of his rays would have given to the ice the
many-coloured tints of the rainbow. We took care to keep a good look
out; but the fog was thick. We fell in with many other icebergs; but
none so beautiful as this.
We doubled Cape Ray, and entered, on the 5th of May, the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. The thermometer fell many degrees a change caused by the
vicinity of the ice. On the 5th of May we passed the Bird Rocks, three
in number, to windward, so called from the immense number of geese
and aquatic birds which resort thither to rear their broods. These rocks
rise to the height of four hundred feet, perpendicularly from the sea.
The fishermen, nevertheless, contrive to climb them for the sake of the
eggs they find there.
The 6th of May found us in the river St. Lawrence, between the
westernmost point of Anticosti to the north, and Cape Gaspe to the
south, in the middle of the channel, surrounded by ships tacking up the
stream, bound for Quebec and Montreal. We had plenty of sea-room, as
the river was more than ninety miles in breadth, and it is supposed to be
full a hundred at its embouchure.
The land was partially covered with snow, which fell throughout the
day. On the 8th of May we sailed as far as the Seven Islands. The day
was glorious, and the prospect most beautiful. Our vicinity to "the cold
and pitiless Labrador," rendered the air chilly,