If it should, my soul, how could you expect to be received? awful consideration!Surely it should be sufficient to enforce the duty which is incumbent upon all, to have your lamp burning and supplied with oil, ready to meet the bridegroom when he cometh."

Friday evening-While walking the deck I heard a poor woman ask another if she had any coffee-she was answered in the negative. "Oh that I had a little, what would I give for two spoonfulls of coffee!" exclaimed the poor creature, who had been exceedingly sea sick all day, and, from her languid situation, evidently stood in need of some refreshing nourishment. I was touched by the pitiful accents with which she uttered the expression, told her to stay a short time, and in a few minutes brought her some, for which she expressed herself very thankful. The gift was insignificant, and, of itself, not worth noticing, though, under the circumstances of the moment, it afforded her relief, and a corresponding

degree of real satisfaction to me. I merely mention the circumstance in order to re

mark, that, as an article of such trifling value, when judiciously bestowed, is found capable of affording a considerable degree of pleasure in return, what a large proportion of real, solid enjoyment the great, the wealthy, and the powerful, have within their reach, in the means which they possess of diffusing relief and comfort among their poor fellow-creatures; of protecting and providing for the fatherless, and making the widow's heart "sing for joy;" but which, in too many instances, they forego for fancied, imaginary pleasures, which, while at a distance, hold out alluring promises and flattering prospects, but, when obtained, are found to be delusive!!

In these, ere triflers kalf their wish obtain,
The toiling pleasure sickens into pain;
And ev'n while fashion's brightest arts decay,
The heart, distrusting, asks, if this be Joy.

Sunday-Captain Maxwell requested me to read the morning service of the Church

to the ship's company, and such of the passengers as were Protestants, to which I most willingly assented, and was happy to find that all who were assembled were not only willing, but manifested an anxious desire to fulfil, as far as possible, the commandment of the Great King of Kings, to keep holy the Sabbath Day, and wait -upon him in his Ordinances. The Roman Catholics, also, collected together at the forepart of the vessel, and one of them read the morning prayers of their Church. In the afternoon we assembled again in the cabin, and after we had sung a psalm, I read a sermon, and the Captain prayed, and read for an hour to the people. I felt very much gratified at the conclusion to hear a girl exclaim, “thank God for that, I did not expect to hear that much good until we should have arrived at the other side?

Wednesday During the night I was awakened by a great noise upon deck— heard the Captain ery, with a voice that

indicated much anxiety, "let go the top. sail halyards!" I listened a few moments and heard the wind howling dreadfully: the whistling noise it made through the rigging, and the orders of the Captain, which were given in quick succession, scón informed me of what was transacting on deck. I arose immediately, dressed and ran up, when an awful scene presented itself. The moon, which was thickly enveloped with clouds, afforded but a dim light, only sufficient to display the horrors that surrounded us. The sea, roaring in a terrible manner, was raised to a tremendous height by the fury of the tempest: while our vessel appeared to be made the mere sport of the foaming billows; for, as David beautifully expresses it, she was "carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep; she reeled to and fro, and staggered like a drunken man." The foresail (a large sail at the fore part of the ship) was ordered to be taken in; I ran to afford what trifling assistance was in my power, and,

C

while hauling one of the ropes, the light in the binnacle, which enables the seaman at the helm to see the compass, was extinguished, and he, from this accident, not knowing how to steer, the vessel deviated from her right course, which caused her to ship a great sea just where I was standing. I happened to let the rope go, and, as the vessel was rolling at a dreadful rate, I fell down among the sailors' feet, and was, for a minute or two, sliding about the deck before I could recover myself. At this time the scene was of the most appalling description; the sailors running about the deck in hurry and apparent confusion; some calling out as they hauled the ropes, while the sound of their voices, bursting with intense solicitude upon the gale, was only answered by the dismal howl of the pitiless tempest, whose increasing violence seemed to mock their active exertions to escape its fury; some of the sails flapping about with a frightful noise; while the women in the steerage who heard