1227 Review-Captivity and Escape of Captain Knox. 1228 | tieth and one-and-thirtieth verses, where the Gaoler asked St. Paul, “What must I & to be saved?" And he answered, saying, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; and thou shalt be saved, and thine house." means should fail. 21st of January, 1657, with a design to trade one year from port to port, and then return to England. On taking in her cargo for this country, a violent tempest compelling them to cut away "The sight of this book at once so rejoiced their main-mast, and preventing them and affrighted me, that I cannot say which from pursuing their voyage, they sailed passion was greater; the joy, that I had got to Cottair Bay, on the eastern shores sight of a Bible, or the fear that I had not enough to buy it; having, then, but one pagoof Ceylon, to trade with the inhabit-da (8s.) in the world, which I would willingly ants, while their ship was undergoing have given for it, had it not been for my boy, repairs. On their arrival, they were who dissuaded me from giving so much, altreated with apparent kindness, until leging my necessity for money many other their suspicion was lulled to repose, for a far meaner price, provided I would seem ways; and undertaking to procure the book when being decoyed ashore, they were to slight it in the sight of the old man. This surrounded with the natives, made counsel, after I considered, I approved of; prisoners, and carried up into the in- my urgent necessities earnestly craving, and terior. Of the treatment which the my ability being but very small to relieve the author and his companions in misfor- same; and, however, I thought I could give tune received, during the long period my piece of gold at the last cost, if other of their captivity, their manner of life, "The sight, indeed, of this bible, so overand various efforts to regain their li-joyed me, as if an angel had spoken to me from berty, we have a detailed account; but heaven; to see that my most gracious God had it is such as will admit of no epitome. prepared such an extraordinary blessing for On February 9th, 1660, the author's miraculous; to bring unto me a bible in my me, which I did, and ever shall look upon as father, who had previously command- own language, and that in such a remote part ed the vessel, died, and himself being of the world; where His name was not so sick and weak, and unable to bury much as known, and where an Englishman him, he applied to a native for assist- was never known to have been before. I ance; but the only aid he could pro-ture with the Ten Commandments, he had looked upon it, as somewhat of the same nacure without paying for it, was, to have given the Israelites out of heaven; it being a rope tied round the neck of the the thing, for want whereof, I had so often corpse, by which it was to be dragged mourned, nay, and shed tears too; and, than naked into the woods. This, how the enjoyment whereof, there could be no ever, was refused; and by some trifling greater joy in the world to me. property a grave was procured, into which he placed the body with his own hands. Shortly after the death of his father, the author relates the following remarkable incident : "Provisions falling short with me, though rice, I thank God, I never wanted; and money, also, growing low, as well to help out a meal, as for recreation, sometimes I went with an angle to catch small fish in the brooks, the aforesaid boy being with me. It chanced, as I was fishing, an old man passed by, and seeing me, asked of my boy, if I could read a book? He answered, "Yes." "The reason I ask," said the old man," is, because I have one I got when the Portuguese lost Columbo; and, if your master please to buy it, I will sell it to him." Which, when I heard of, I bid my boy go to his house with him, which was not far off, and bring it to me, making no great account of the matter, supposing it might be some Portuguese book. God having brought a fish to me that my soul Upon the sight of it, I left off fishing; had longed for; and now, how to get it, and enjoy the same, all the powers of my soul were employed. I gave God hearty thanks that he had brought it so near to me, and most Now, it being well towards evening, and not earnestly prayed that he would bestow it on me. having wherewithal to buy it, about me, I departed home, telling the old man, that in the morning I would send my boy to buy it of him. thinking of it, fearing lest I might be disap"All that night I could take no rest for pointed of it. In the morning, as soon as it was day, I sent the boy with a knit cap. he had made for me, to buy the book, praying in my heart for good success, which it pleased God to grant; for that cap purchased it; and the boy brought it to me, to my great joy; which did not a little comfort me over all my afflictions." To the narrative of Captain Knox, The boy having formerly served the Mr. Harvard has prefixed a judicious English, knew the book; and as soon as he had got it in his hand, came running with it, preface, in which he has included such calling out to me, "It is a BIBLE! I testimonies, as must remove all doubt startled me to hear him mention the name of a of the author's veracity. We cannot Bible, for I neither had one, nor scarcely could conclude our remarks in language ever think to see one; upon which, I flung more appropriate, than that which has down my angle, and went to meet him. The first place the book opened in, after I took it in already expressed the character of my hand, was the 16th chapter of Acts; and this work. The author's narrative exthe first place my eye pitched on, was the thir-hibits " a lively picture of the state of 1229 Sanctification-Memoir of William Scoresby. 1230 the country, and the manners of the | the ensuing number we should be able people; and the account which he has to furnish a memoir of his life. That given of what relates more imme- wish, however, we were prevented diately to himself, and particularly of from accomplishing, through causes in his extraordinary escape from such a which the reader can have no particuvigilant enemy, and in such difficult lar interest. From that period until circumstances, combines the accurate the present, we have been exerting details of a real transaction, with the ourselves to collect materials to reglowing interest of a romance." deem our pledge with the public; and altbough we have not been able to succeed to that extent which would at once gratify our subscribers and ourselves, we have been able to trace the general outline of his life; and we now present to our friends a narrative which we flatter ourselves will be REVIEW. Sanctification through the neither destitute of interest, nor unworthy of their acceptance. So far as the fetters of the author's creed will allow, he every where inculcates experimental and practical god-780, we introduced a paper inserted In our number for September, col. liness throughout this pamphlet. He in the Transactions of the Wernerian informs his readers, that, The high importance of sanctification appears the possibility and practicability of Society, written by this gentleman, on from its necessity to qualify us for reaching the North Pole. This paper eternal blessedness. A man may go is replete with sound and manly sense, to heaven without wealth, without power, without learning, without elo- actual experience, and conducting the containing observations founded upon quence, without all or any of those reader on the ground of analogical things by which secular and worldly reasoning, through the only practicable men estimate his character, but methods that appear to be placed withwithout holiness no man can see the in the reach of man, of accomplishing Lord." But lest they should become that great object, which would be hailed righteous over much, he adds in the with joy by every nation in Europe. next paragraph, "that the holiness of saints in the present life is imperfect. for such an arduous undertaking are In this paper, the necessary equipments Perfection, though the ambition and aim of all the truly pious, is not the briefly given; and the various difficulties which the daring adventurers positive attainment of any. We have would have to encounter, so far as heard of some such pure, and perfect, probability can extend her views, are and spotless beings; we have never seen any such; and we look in vain within the same compass a greater faithfully stated. Few papers contain for them in the historical record of the fund of information, or display a more Old and New Testaments. Where vigorous and comprehensive mind. shall we find this boasted perfection?" —p. 5. These passages fairly develope the character of this discourse. It is a pretty little dish of Antinomianism, rendered palatable to the taste by the seasoning that has been used in the cookery. In the life of such a man, every incident, however trifling, becomes scarcely a reader who does not feel a interesting ; and perhaps there is wish to peruse the journals of his numerous voyages into the Greenland seas, to catch those emanations of science which associate with the various objects which arrested his attenBRIEF MEMOIR OF WM. SCORESBY,tion, and excited his observations. JUN. ESQ. F. R. S. E. &C. LATE OF WHITBY, YORKSHIRE, BUT NOW OF born at the village of Cropton, near Mr. William Scoresby, Jun. was Pickering, in Yorkshire, October 5th, 1789. His grandfathers were both farmers; and his father was originally intended for an agriculturist: but his active and enterprising mind finding itself cramped in such a limited scene of employment, he left his paternal 1231 Memoir of William Scoresby, Jun. Esq. 1232 123 roof while yet a youth; and atWhitby, | privilege of an excellent seminary of The next year he repeated his voyage to Greenland, along with his father; who having himself proved eminently successful in this occupation, was solicitous to train up his son to the same profession. He accordingly pursued it year after year, and was progressively entrusted with the import At the age of three years, Mr. Scoresby, Jun. was removed from the place of his nativity to Whitby, in which town his father, from his maritime employment, had found it convenient to take up his abode. Here the son received the rudiments of his education; but this consisted only in the acquirement of such common branches of knowledge as are regular-ant and arduous duties of chief-mate ly taught in country schools. and harpooner. In his 16th year, he His education, thus interrupted by In the year 1800, when the subject of this memoir was only in his 11th year, his father, then commanding a whale fishing vessel from London, put into Whitby Roads, and invited him off to see the ship; and he, not being unwilling to undertake the enterprise, remained on board throughout the voyage. The first consideration of his father was, to furnish him with suitable clothing for resisting the severities of the climate in the region to which they were bound. Fortunately, there were several persons in the ship, who, previous to their engaging in the sea service, had been regularly trained to different handicraft occupations. These, being supplied with the requisite materials, most of which were on board, soon equipped the young adventurer in a complete sailor's garb; and every thing being ready, they departed on their hazardous expedition. The voyage proved an arduous one. Owing to the uncommon perseverance of the commander, the ship became involved in the ice of Spitzbergen, where it lay immoveable, notwithstanding every exertion of the sailors to free themselves, for eight In the autumn of this year, (1809) successive weeks. During this period there was a call made upon all British the limit of the ice was never discerni-seamen, especially upon those enble from the mast-head; and the field into which the ship was frozen, accumulated to the thickness, in many places, of more than 14 feet. The following year Mr. Scoresby remained in England, to improve himself in learning, while his father navigated the Greenland seas. This interval, however, afforded him no other opportunity of improvement than what a common day-school regularly supplies. In 1802, Mr. S. joined his father in London, after his return from his usual voyage. During their stay, which was about 3 or 4 months, he enjoyed the In these intervals of his voyages, he attended a school in Whitby; but his opportunities of improvement being very much abridged, he was sent in 1806 to the university of Edinburgh, and again in 1809, where, for about two-thirds of each session, he attended various classes, calculated for expanding the mind, and imparting philosophical knowledge. In this institution, the development of his talents so far excited the attention of the learned and scientific, that, as a testimony of their approbation, and an encouragement to perseverance, on the latter occasion he was elected a member of the Wernerian Society. gaged in the Greenland trade, by the On his arrival in Denmark, he was 233 Memoir of William Scoresby, Jun. Esq. and. Under the protection of a man of war, and with a crew of six seamen, he left Copenhagen, at the time of its evacuation by our troops: but after sustaining part of a heavy gale of wind, the gun-boat not being seaworthy, filled with water and foundered, immediately after the crew had been taken on board the Alfred. From this ship he was drafted to the Scyeren, a prize line-of-battle ship; in which, having drifted over the Galloper Sand in a storm, he had again a narrow escape from shipwreck. The following year, while on a passage from Leith to London in a smack, Mr. Scoresby had an opportunity of displaying his presence of mind on a disastrous occasion, and of rendering essential service to 25 passengers on board; who, in all human probability, were indebted to his vigorous exertions for their lives. The vessel in which they sailed grounding on the Maplin Sands, the crew were about to seize the boats, and provide for their own safely, by making for the shore, and leaving the remainder to their fate. If this measure had unhappily been carried into effect, about twenty lives must inevitably have been lost, as this number exceeded what the boats could possibly carry. The confusion which prevailed on board, it is more easy to imagine than to describe. The captain's orders were disregarded; all authority was at an end; and the sailors thought of nothing but providing for themselves. At this critical juncture, Mr. Scoresby, who had previously passed for a landsman, authoritatively commanded the men to return to their duty, and endeavour to get the vessel afloat; but to this they replied, that they were determined not to perish with the approaching wreck, while the boats were within their reach. Authority having awakened their attention, Mr. S. next proceeded to expostulation, and requested them to await the floating of the vessel to clear her of the anchor, and to set the sails, after which they were at liberty to act as their own judgment might direct. He also urged, that should the vessel float, himself and passengers should be able to take her up the Swin; and as they (the sailors) were in possession of the boats, they could not expose themselves to any real danger, until the the 1234 water rose above the cabin deck. Influenced by these persuasions, the sailors returned to their duty, and providentially, as the tide advanced, the smack beginning to float, soon got under way; and, by the vigorous exertions of the passengers, who continued working at the pumps, remained above the waves until they had passed the Nore. The water then gaining upon them, they ran the vessel upon a bed of mud, a little after high water, on the bank of the Thames, where she lay while the tide retired, and before its return the leak was overcome. As soon as Mr. Scoresby could legally take charge of a vessel, namely, at the age of 21, he was appointed to the command of the Resolution, of Whitby, one of the Greenland whalers. He entered on the arduous duties of this station with great diffidence, but with competent ability; and the result was most prosperous, his labours being crowned by one of the largest cargoes that had ever been taken into the port. After this trial, he continued annually to prosecute the whale-fishery as a profession, and, in a general way, his exertions have been very successful. On returning from this voyage, in which for the first time he had filled the station of commander, Mr. S., in 1811, married Miss Mary Eliza, second daughter of Mr. Richard Lockwood, of Whitby, a gentleman of amiable manners, of honourable character, and of a comprehensive mind. By this lady he has several children. In the year 1816, he met with one of those trying adventures to which vessels in the whale-fishery are continually exposed; the ship being arrested in a calm between two immense flakes of ice, by which, part of the keel was carried away, and one of the lowest planks torn from its bed; the consequence was, that the vessel filled with water, and the captain and crew had to flee to the ice for refuge. The exertions made use of on this occasion, and the successful and unexpected issue, are detailed in his Account of the Arctic Regions, vol. 2, p. 438;-a work which has gained him, as an author, and a scientific observer of nature, a considerable share of renown. During his numerous voyages to these extraordinary regions, Mr. S. omitted no opportunity of noting 1235 Interment of Major Andre. 1236 teresting matter, and animated de- Mr. Scoresby and his family now down the various phenomena in na- He But it is not on diplomas or honourable elections, that Mr. Scoresby founds his claim to literary and scientific fame. His various observations of nature, his philosophical knowledge, and nautical skill, enabled him to present to the world in 1820, his justly celebrated work, in two volumes octavo, on the arctic regions. Of this work an extended review was honourably given in the Literary Gazette, shortly after its appearance; and an analysis of its varied contents, and a delineation of its character, may be found on record, in No. 8, p. 285-294, of the Edinburgh Philosophical Jour nal. These volumes, abounding with in INTERMENT OE THE REMAINS OF MAJOR JOHN ANDRE, AWARE that some measures had been deposited among those whose exits The death of Major Andre was of such a complection, as to forbid national honours to accompany him to his final vault. He had violated the laws, which nations, in a state of hostility with one another, have engaged to hold sacred; and although many mitigating circumstances appeared in his favour, the letter of the law was against him, and therefore every effort made to preserve his life was rendered ineffectual. National honours under such circumstances would indicate a national approval of his conduct, and indirectly sanction a breach of these rules which humanity and honour must prescrve from violation. Such a deed 12 |