The vast bulk of this iceberg sheltered the smaller one, which was to the leeward of us, so that it did not move in the least, and we who were between the two, were completely becalmed. The ship was not advancing a knot in an hour, and we could do nothing whatever to help ourselves. We were in the greatest dismay, and could only consider the way in which we should meet our entire destruction. The larger mountain of ice continued to bear down upon us, and in a few minutes our vessel was crushed between it and the smaller one, as if it had been put in a huge smith's vice. Fortunately, however, for us, the two icebergs clung together, the greater one impelling the lesser one forward, and we thus had time to get out of the ship all our sea-chests, a large quantity of cordage, nearly all our provisions, and everything portable; but the smaller iceberg soon shifted round the large one and let our ship loose, which instantly sank, and we, being on the small iceberg, were left floating on the ocean with despair staring us in the face. Our despair, however, was soon put to flight, for we perceived a ship at a short distance, to which we made signal, and they came to our assistance. But, now I come to a part of the event which I grieve to record.--The captain and crew of the vessel which came to our succour, seeing that we had no other alternative, thought they could make an easy prey of us, and before they would consent to save us, required that we should give up to them all the things which we had been enabled to rescue from our wrecked ship!--In such circumstances you need not ask what we did,--life is sweet, it is said, and the pitiless prospect of the frozen regions around us, sharpened our appetite for the enjoyment of it, and we surrendered all but the clothes in which we stood. Shall I tell you the place where these savages came from? No. I will only tell you that it lies in about 56 degrees North latitude, by 4-1/2 West longitude; you may, if you please, find its name by looking in the map. [Illustration] CHAPTER II. THE STORY OF A LONG JOURNEY OVER THE ICE. [Illustration] The Esquimaux live in the most northern parts of America, where there is hardly anything but ice and snow to be seen from year's end to year's end. They build their houses of snow, and make their longest journeys in sledges upon ice along the sea-shore. You, who have been used to a very different kind of life, may wonder how they can enjoy themselves, or even endure existence in such inhospitable regions. But I can assure you they love their native country so much, that they could by no means be happy out of it; and their pleasures are real pleasures, though they would not be pleasures to you. And thus you may learn that God wishes everybody to be happy, and enables them to be so if they choose to act according to the light which He has given them, and not be ever struggling for something which they _cannot_, and therefore _ought_ not, to possess.