1852.] SAIL FROM STROMNESS. 29 



been forgotten. Possibly they recollect me at the Manse 

 only as the inquisitive " stone-breaker." I rode over to 

 Stromncss and back the same evening. To expect hos- 

 pitality or attention under present circumstances would 

 be unfair : who could entertain such an army of locusts ? 



One of our deserters, or rather an imfortunate middy 

 whose dreams were more powerful than the cheers at 

 parting, had now given himself up, having posted and 

 railed, express, through two parts at least of Great Bri- 

 tain to overtake us, and crossed by gig from Kirkwall. 

 As there was no " cheque without leave," no further 

 questions were asked ; I was only too glad to see him. 

 By him we received information that the steamer which 

 brought him to Kirkwall would depart on the next day 

 evening for Aberdeen. 



I had now to lose my kind companion Mr. E. Ray. 

 We took leave of him on the evening of the 27th, seeing 

 him off by the mail-cart ; and to his kindness, and in- 

 terference with the Post-office, I feel that we in a great 

 measure owe the reception of our letters by our return 

 officers. He carried with him our final despatches, 

 with which he would sail at dawn on the morning fol- 

 lowing for Aberdeen. 



April 28. Fortunately we obtained the sun for our 

 chronometers at two P.M., just as the weather began to 

 exhibit a suspicious, murky appearance, when the Squa- 

 dron weighed, cleared the islands, and was once more 

 on its forward progress. The absence of the 'African' 

 we now felt seriously ; her services might have proved 

 important to tow out the ' North Star,' as in this thick 

 weather one more tug would have kept us securely con- 



