MELVILLE AT HOME. 475 



side by side and hand in hand, sat Melville and Captain Watton, 

 talking together in low tones, and the tears coursing down the 

 cheeks of both. Within arm's reach of them, and also side by 

 side and hand in hand, sat Nindermann and his affianced bride; 

 but they spoke only with their eyes, and their faces were so happy 

 that they rained smiles on all around them." 



A crowd of people awaited the arrival of the yacht at Twenty- 

 third street. Mellville disembarked amid the greatest display of 

 enthusiasm, was led off the dock between two files of marines, 

 and, followed by the entire party, took carriages which were in 

 waiting to convey them to the Hoffman House. Shortly after- 

 ward a delegation from Philadelphia waited on Melville and his 

 companions, and tendered to them the hospitality of their city in 

 the name of the committee of citizens they represented. 



Mr. Melville had been invited to visit Public School No. 3, at 

 the corner of Grove and Hudson streets, and was there at nine 

 o'clock precisely. Many friends and relatives of the pupils were 

 present. After being introduced, Mr. Melville, in a short speech 

 said that he had himself received his first instruction at this very 

 school; that he looked back to those days as the happiest of his 

 life, and that he hoped all his juvenile hearers would ' make hay 

 while the sun shines,' and grow up to be useful members of the 

 community. 



After Mr. Melville had returned to his hotel, two ladies 

 dressed in deep black called upon him. They were the sisters of 

 Lieutenant Chipp, and there were tears in the eyes of all three as 

 they took their leave. Later in the day, Melville called on Mrs. 

 De Long, at the residence of her father, Captain Watton, and con- 

 veyed to her the last messages of her dead husband. In the af- 

 ternoon, at a public reception in the Governor's room at the City 

 Hall, many citizens called on Melville and Noros. 



In the evening about 150 gentlemen sat down to a banquet 

 tendered to Melville at Delmonico's. Judge J. R. Brady presided, 

 and in a short speech said that they had met to honor men who 

 had shed glory upon the American name in the Arctic regions. 

 As an explorer, Melville had distinguished himself by his fortitude, 

 fidelity, courage, and heroism. 



'But,' he continued, 'while the national heart throbs with 

 great pleasure at his return, and while in every household in the 



