The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1826-09-26

turned away or refused to hear his call in
Iairer times, and now they had no reason
% apprehend that he would hide his eyes
rom their supplications, or mock when
heir fear was come upon them.
1t was at daybreak one morning that
their awful situation became fully known
to them all that day and night, and the
following day, the captain remained upon
deck, at the wheel by which the rudder is
governed, steering his ship through the
frightful icebergs that enclosed it on every
side. Another night came, and their dam
ger only appeared more imminent anoth-
er day passed, and still the captain never
left the deck.
There seemed, to the eye offeason, no
possibility of escape: to proceed--to re-
turn-to remain stationary, were alike per-
ilous; but what cannot the eye of faith
discern to encourage the believer, " who
endures as seeing him who is invisible, -
while the hand of tender father is direct
ing his course, and the watchfnl look of
everlasting love surveying him ?
The captain knew it was his duty to use
every effort for the preservation cf his own
life and the lives of his men: he therefore
worked diligently, and left the event to
God. He ordered the boats to be in read
mess to be launched in moment and a
small stock of provisions laid up in each.
Towards dawn on the third day, he was
aware that a very large and dangerous ice
berg threatened to cross the only place
where they could pass along, and he was
doubly watchful; the faint CLEAN of the
morning, Redeemed by its passage through
the fog, appeared to tip with fire each
huge mass of ice that lay piled around them;
and the more distinct the scene became,
he more evident was their exceeding dam
,er. They proceeded-the iceberg came
olling towards their course-thc captain
loped to evade it by a dexterous movement
# the rudder, but in vain. With a force
hat stunned every person on board, the
ieel of the vessel struck on the base Of
he iceberg, for moment became station
Try, and then began rapidly TO fill with
water.
What an awful moment was that! Eter-
ity seemed about to open upon their view
nd to them it was as if the angel had
reclaimed that there should be time no
Onger.
The boats were cut loose instantly; the
ailors dropped into them !; and the captain
aw nine of his men in one of these de
linutive vessels and five in the other, be-
pre- he, the last who left the ship, entered
he smaller boat. When he did SO, the
eek of his fine brig lay lower than the
dge of her little boat, and instead of de-
cending he had even to ascend into the
alter; they pushed off, and in few mo-
1ents nothing but the top of the masts re-
lained above water: am instant longer,
nd they too were gone.
If the situation Of the mariners had been
errible when in their good sheltering ship, |
hat must it now appear, exposed in two
uny boats that scarcely bore them above |
re surface of the ocean2 What helpless
bjects were they now, surrounded by the |
owering icebergs, one ofwhich could have
asily borne down thousand such boats
, its way
They looked up, and perhaps saw the
verhanging edges Of two such frozen crags
leeting above their heads, as if combined
Or their destruction they felt the grazing
f their little keels upon their bases be-
cath the water; and still the fog preyen-
ed them from beholding any objects but i
hose that Immediately surrounded them. |
70 hoist sail was impossible; oil they |
:ould do was to row cautiously along in the
direction of the land, as they hoped at a.
bout so miles distance.
J. asked the narrator what was his feel
ing when he stepped from his sinking ship
into the boat: his reply was short, but
comprehensive, -" / felt that was in the
Lords hands,"
Such is the blessed privilege of the
Christian while his surest earthly prop is
gliding from beneath him; while his enc
mics are mighty and increase on every
side; yea, perhaps, while the mists Of
doubt are suffered to hang upon his mind,
and to cloud the evidences Of his faith
still, in the utmost extremity, he feels that
he is " in the Lords hand,' and there he
can willingly remain, for his mercies are
great. The true believer may be parted
from all that promises his rest and security
on earth; but this is his comfort: that
nothing can separate him from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3
The sailors who were now toiling in
Lheir boats through the icebergs in the bay
Of Gaspe, had experienced very recently
what is here described. Their escape from
destruction on the passage from the West