NE WFO UNDLA ND. 73 



"suddenly interrupted by work sent down from Mr. 

 " Elson. In the irritation of the moment, I muttered 

 "'Damn it!' not audibly, but to myself Instantly my 

 "conscience was smitten; I confessed my sin before 

 " God, and never again fell into that transgression." 

 On July lo, 1832, he sailed from Carbonear, in the brig 

 Convivial, for Poole. The skipper. Captain Compton, was 

 the most gentleman-like of the Elson captains, a man of 

 immense bulk, genial and agreeable in manners, and he 

 made the voyage a very pleasing one. Philip kept a 

 journal of this expedition, which still exists and bears 

 witness to his increased power of observation and descrip- 

 tion. On August 6 the young naturalist, who was now 

 within sight of the coasts of Devon and Dorset, had the 

 satisfaction of observing one of the rarest visitors to our 

 shores, the white whale, or Beluga. Late in the evening 

 of the same day he stepped on Poole Quay, and five 

 minutes brought him to the familiar house in Skinner 

 Street. As he knocked at the door, his heart was in his 

 mouth, for he knew not what tidings awaited him. His 

 brother answered his knock. " Oh," Philip said, as he 

 grasped his hand, " is all well } " for he could not speak 

 the name of Elizabeth. " Yes," was the reply, " very well ! " 

 and the new-comer felt a load lifted from him. Though 

 still weak, Elizabeth was fast recovering, and had been 

 removed to lodgings at Parkstone, in company with her 

 mother, for purer air. 



Little did Philip sleep that night. Awake in conversa- 

 tion until past midnight, he was up at four o'clock next 

 morning, and sallied forth, armed with pill-boxes, ready 

 for the capture of any unlucky insect desirous to experience 

 the benefits of early rising. During the voyage home his 

 dreams had been nightly running in the pursuit of insects 

 over the flowery meadows of Dorset. At length it was a 



