CHAPTER XIII.

THE MEETING WITH CAPTAIN GAIN-IS-GODLINESS.-NEGLECT

OF THE CHART AND THE CURRENTS.-FISHING FOR

PEARLS AND CATCHING ICEBERGS.-THE

PERILS OF AN ARCTIC WINTER.

THE change from the South Pole to the North is hardly greater than that which befel our navigators, soon after all this gracious experience. It seemed almost impossible that such a change could come. The mercy of the Lord was now so great, and they enjoyed so much in Christian communion, conversing by the way, their hearts burning within them in love to the Redeemer, with bright anticipations of the Celestial City, that sometimes, unless their senses deceived them, they thought they could verily see, far, far away over the ocean, at the point where the horizon was lost in heaven, the gates shining and the domes and spires rising. Often and long did they gaze towards the appearance, which sometimes they caught at noon, and sometimes in the evening just at sunset; and sometimes a sound as of very distant

heavenly melodies would come floating over the waves, entrancing all their sensibilities. On such occasions it seemed to them as if they were not far from the end of their voyage, and had no more perils or difficulties to encounter. But as heretofore the lovely weather had thrown them off their watch, so now these fair-enchanting scenes, and continued prosperous breezes, lulled them in security.

A sense of security is always a dangerous and false thing at sea, and the more secure men feel, the less secure they are. An uninterrupted continuance of blessings sometimes provokes an imagination of permanent safety, which is almost as bad as the insensibility produced by prayerlessness and carelessness. Indeed, it may make the soul so dependent upon God's blessing, instead of God himself, and withal so neglectful of prayer, by little and little, as to give the Adversary of the Soul a great advantage in laying snares, or in sudden assaults, or in gradual and unsuspected temptations. By reason of these things, instead of being able to follow our navigators still on their onward progress serenely over the deep, we have to trace them, after no long interval, struggling among icebergs.

The ship went into that peril, partly from neglect of her directions. She was to have kept her course, according to the Chart and required navigation,

Southward by the Isles of Contrition, where a warm trade-wind would have taken her on a steady pull for very many leagues, and carried her entirely beyond that danger. But it is well known that Northward from those Isles there are great fishing-grounds for pearls, where, in favorable seasons, much wealth may be made, or cargoes gained, that can be disposed of to great advantage elsewhere. The position of those banks is uncertain, and the Pilgrims did not intend to make for them, and if they had had any such idea, they could never have been aware how far off from their true course a visit thither would take them.

But one day it so happened that they hove in sight of a strange sail, whose course seemed to be in that direction, though they tried all the signals in the King's Book for telegraphing, but could not make her out, and her rig, so far as they could tell by the glass, was not of the Celestial Country. However, as it would cause but little delay, they concluded to trim the ship and put up the helm so as to lay her athwart the strange sail, that they might speak with her. In a little time they got near enough to hail. So they hailed, and the Captain answered that she was a merchantman from the Country of GAIN-ISGODLINESS, seeking goodly pearls.

Now if they had not been thrown off their watch,

the very name of the vessel might have bethought them of a warning laid down in the Chart; for it was there as plain as day, and they afterwards found and remembered it. But before they took time to examine their Chart, and overhaul their reckonings, they were in communication with the stranger, and the Captain had invited them to come on board, and consult about his adventure for the pearls.

What do you think? said Peter to John. Shall we go?

Why, my brother, answered John, you know best, and are the most experienced; but I would be very cautious in these seas.

Well, said Peter, it is wise to know something of the ways of the world, and we may have opportunities of being useful. Besides, we don't want to be discourteous; and it can do no harm just to go and see the man's cabin.

But said John, The friendship of the world is enmity with God.' Had we not better ask him to come with us, for we can talk as well and better aboard our own ship, and more freely.

So they answered the Captain's invitation by inviting him, in their turn, to come with them, and they would show him many things. But he told them that he had a supercargo on board, who could

1 James iv. 4.

not speak their language, and needed continual looking after, and that just then they were very busy taking account of stock, so that it was not a convenient season; but if Peter and John would do him the honor to come on board and partake of a plain dinner of tongues and sounds, he would be extremely happy of their company.

So, not to be obstinate, they concluded to accept the invitation, and ordered the boat to be lowered. Just as they were stepping down into it, two of the crew, named Watchful, and Mind-the-things-of-theSpirit, together with the men Contrition and Sincere, before spoken of, as having done such good service with the pumps, made bold to press forward for a word with Peter; and indeed he would have waited to hear whether they had anything to say, for all the communion with the crew on board the King's ship was kind, confiding and affectionate in the greatest degree; but they, perceiving that they were a little too late, and fearing to be out of order, drew back. But there was much anxiety and whispering about the matter, and they did not feel easy till Peter and John came on board again, nor even then.

Meantime, Captain Demetrius, for that was his name, received Peter and John with great cordiality, and they found him a most agreeable, friendly, and well-spoken man, and all things aboard ship looked