1852.] QUIT GREENHITHE. 23 



After His Royal Highness had inspected the vessels, he 

 returned to London. 



On the 20th Commodore Eden arrived with the pay- 

 clerks, paid the crew up to this date, at which they com- 

 mence their double pay, and six months' ordinary pay in 

 advance (two months' being customary). Under ordinary 

 circumstances, the payment, with such facility to escape, 

 many having no men-of-war's time, would have been con- 

 sidered hazardous. We had no such feeling on the whole, 

 nor were we deceived. A finer body of men never trod 

 the decks of any of Her Majesty's ships of war. Our 

 North Sea pilots being embarked the same who took 

 out Sir John Franklin having been allotted to us I went 

 to London to receive my final instructions, returning by 

 eleven o'clock that night, accompanied by a warm-hearted 

 friend, who had volunteered to see me to the Orkneys, 

 and be the bearer of our last adieus. Such friends are 

 not butterflies. My detention to this date was by su- 

 perior will. 



Shortly after four A.M. on the morning of the 21st 

 we slipped our moorings. The Squadron, towed by 

 the ' Lightning,' 'African,' and ' Monkey,' and tenders 

 under steam, quitted Greenhithe before the good people 

 had time to open their eyes, or think of anything like 

 cheering. About eight o'clock we sighted the ships at 

 Sheerness, the ' Ocean' bearing the broad pendant of 

 Commodore Hope, Admiral the Honourable Josceline 

 Percy being absent on leave. 



About nine o'clock, casting off the steamers, we an- 

 chored at the Nore, in order to complete the stowage 

 of the ' North Star,' and to make good certain defects 



