NEARING HOME. 273 



We were now, in God's good providence, 

 expecting to hail Boston Light by another 

 evening, rejoicing and thankful to say once 

 more, 



"This is my own, my native land !" 



To God be our grateful acknowledgments for 

 all the mercies of this pleasant voyage, two 

 hundred and thirty-six days from the Sandwich 

 Islands, and eighty from Kio de Janeiro, where 

 we put in for supplies. 



The engrossing earnestness with which our 

 captain, for the few previous days, had studied 

 the chart and watched the soundings, in order 

 to make his way safely to port, might teach a 

 lesson, I have thought, of the way in which we 

 should all study and watch the answers of God's 

 word and prayer as we prosecute the voyage of 

 life, having to steer by a thousand rocks, and 

 shoals, and quicksands, before we can make the 

 port of peace. He would himself carefully put 

 the tallow or soap into the hollow end of the 

 lead, then heave it himself, or hold the line, and 

 carefully ascertain when it reached the bottom ; 

 then he would scrutinize it closely when hauled 



s 



