s.
Blessed be Thy name, who didst not despise the prayer of Thy servants,
but didst hear our cry, and hast saved us. Thou didst send forth Thy
commandment, and the windy storm ceased, and was turned into a calm."
The minister also gave us a sermon appropriate to the occasion, and most
deeply attentive to it were the greater part of the ship's company.
There is as much religious feeling about seamen as in any class of men,
though they are in general grossly ignorant of the doctrine of the
Gospel. This is owing entirely to the wicked neglect of those of the
upper classes who ought to have seen that they were properly instructed.
I have, however, only to remark that it is the duty of the rising
generation, not to sit idly down, and with upturned eyes to abuse their
ancestors, but to arouse themselves, and by every means in their power
to remedy the neglect of which they were guilty. The people seemed very
soon to forget the hardships they had endured, and I fear likewise that
the recollection of the mercies vouchsafed to us speedily passed from
our memories.

CHAPTER THREE.

HALIFAX HARBOUR.--LIFE IN THE BACKWOODS.--DANGEROUS EXPEDITION THROUGH
THE ICE.--LORD SHOULDHAM'S FLEET WITH LORD HOWE'S ARMY ARRIVES.--SAIL
FOR NANTUCKET ROADS.--BOSTON CANNONADED.--WATERING-PARTY ON SHORE.--
CAPTURE WHALING SLOOP RANGER.--CRUISE IN HER WITH GRAMPUS AND TOM
ROCKETS.--HER SKIPPER'S TRICK DEFEATED.--REACH HALIFAX.--ORDERED ON
BOARD CHATHAM.--SAIL FOR NEW YORK.--GENERAL WASHINGTON HOLDS POSSESSION
OF THE CITY.

The harbour of Halifax is a very fine one. A thousand ships may anchor
there in safety. It is our chief naval station in North America. The
town, which is a handsome one, stands on a peninsula, and rises
gradually from the water's edge, where there are numerous wharves,
alongside which ships can lie to discharge their cargoes. We found in
the harbour the Cerberus frigate, Captain Symonds, (see Note 1), hove
down alongside the wharf, as also the Savage sloop of war, wearing
Commodore Arbuthnot's broad pennant.

The inhabitants cordially welcomed our arrival, as they were in hourly
expectation of an attack from a body of rebels who were said to be
marching on the town, while the organised force existing for its defence
was very small. At length an express arrived from the interior, stating
that the enemy were at the distance of about twenty miles, at a small
village of which they had taken possession. We were insta