222 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



Not only was private prayer offered to Him 

 whose ear is ever attentive, who knows and re- 

 cords the pleadings of every humble worshipper, 

 who marks the beatings of every burdened heart, 

 but the spirit of supplication was manifested in 

 the house of God, and one general desire per- 

 vaded the community that He who can " bring 

 light out of darkness," and sustain when all hu- 

 man helpers fail, would grant a great deliverance, 

 and return the absent ones once more to their 

 families and friends. 



Prayer w T as heard; and tidings of good, of 

 hope, and safety were already being borne over 

 the ocean wave, and hastening homewards upon 

 the wings of the wind. 



In October, by an early arrival at San Fran- 

 cisco from the Arctic, it was reported that the 

 ship Citizen had been wrecked the year before, 

 in September ; that a number of her crew were 

 lost at the time of the wreck ; that the captain, 

 officers, and remaining part of the men had win- 

 tered among the natives ; that they were now on 

 board of several ships in that ocean, and, at the 

 close of the whaling season, they would be at 

 the islands. 



This was the first intelligence from the ship, 

 for more than twelve months, which imparted the 

 least reasonable hope to the friends at home. It 



