Page:Narrativeavoyag01wilsgoog.djvu/333

Rh weather, and a northerly breeze, which lasted many days.

On the 28th, we passed the sub-meridian of Greenwich, in latitude 35° 42'. On the 29th of May, we passed a small piece of ice, in lat. 58° 30', and long. 118° 12' W. This unexpected sight caused us much uneasiness, as we hitherto understood that, during the winter season, in these high latitudes, no danger was to be apprehended from icebergs, which were only to be met with during summer, when, from the length of the days, they could easily be avoided. Thus finding, however, that the above generally-received opinion was erroneous, our anxiety was greatly increased and not without reason; as it neither can be considered safe nor agreeable, to be scudding under a close-reefed main-topsail, during a long, dark, cold, and stormy night, in continual dread of being dashed to pieces against an iceberg.