A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

improvement of discipline, the increase of knowledge, and the application of a higher tone of publicsentiment. There cannot be room for a moment's controversy, that to the efficacy of these threecauses, is to be ascribed, the superiority in the appearance, at least, of the morals and conduct of thepresent day, above that of even the preceding half century. Who can deny, e.g, that the odious viceof drunkenness is much more disreputable now than formerly, throughout the whole of Europe? Itmay be said to be almost unknown in genteel circles; and there seems not the least reason to doubt,that as improvements in arts and sciences advance, and as education extends to the lower classes, soas to supply sources of mental enjoyment and exercise, it will be almost altogether extirpated fromsociety. Let this and other vices be held as positively dishonourable, because unfitting forprofessional duty, and inconsistent with professional dignity--let them be visited by certainpunishment--give free scope to the emulation of intellect and to the cultivation of proper selfinterest--andvindicate to popular opinion, the claims of this most useful class, to the character ofmoral and rational beings, so that no flattering but injurious unction may be applied to film over thereal turpitude of their offences--then, and then only, may it be safely asserted, that such descriptionsas we have been considering, are the offspring of prudery or inflamed imagination, and have noprototype in nature.--E.In the morning of the 26th, the whole sea was in a manner covered with ice, 200 large islands, andupwards, being seen within the compass of four or five miles, which was the limits of our horizon, besidessmaller pieces innumerable. Our latitude at noon was 66° 15', longitude 134° 22'. By observation we foundthat the ship had drifted, or gone about 20 miles to the N.E. or E.N.E.; whereas, by the ice islands, itappeared that she had gone little or nothing; from which we concluded that the ice drifted nearly in thesame direction, and at the same rate. At four o'clock a breeze sprung up at W.S.W., and enabled us to steernorth, the most probable course to extricate ourselves from these dangers.We continued our course to the north with a gentle breeze at west, attended with clear weather, till fouro'clock the next morning, when meeting with a quantity of loose ice, we brought-to, and took on board asmuch as filled all our empty casks, and for several days present expence. This done, we made sail, andsteered N.W. with a gentle breeze at N.E., clear frosty weather. Our latitude at this time was 65° 53' S.,longitude 133° 42' W.; islands of ice not half so numerous as before.[8][8] "We had scarcely any night during our stay in the frigid zone, so that I find several articles in myfather's journal, written by the light of the sun, within a few minutes before the hour of midnight.The sun's stay below the horizon was so short, that we had a very strong twilight all the time.Mahine was struck with great astonishment at this phenomenon, and would scarcely believe hissenses. All our endeavours to explain it to him miscarried, and he assured us he despaired of findingbelief among his countrymen, when he should come back to recount the wonders of petrified rain,and of perpetual day."--G.F.At four in the morning of the 28th, the wind having veered more to the E. and S.E., increased to a freshgale, and was attended with snow showers. Our course was north till noon the next day. Being then in thelatitude of 62° 24', longitude 134° 37', we steered N.W. by N. Some hours after, the sky cleared up, and thewind abating, veered more to the south.On the 30th, had little wind westerly; dark gloomy weather; with snow and sleet at times; several whalesseen playing about the ship, but very few birds; islands of ice in plenty, and a swell from W.N.W.On the 31st, little wind from the westward, fair and clear weather, which afforded an opportunity to air thespare sails, and to clean and smoke the ship between decks. At noon our latitude was 59° 40' S., longitude