394 
GREENLAND VOYAGE. 
pleasurable sensations, natural to the expectation 
of reaching home, after a long and dangerous voy¬ 
age. Next morning, aided by a strong flood-tide, 
we entered the channel; but before we could 
round the “ Black Rock,” to get into the Mer¬ 
sey, the tide failed us, and we were obliged to 
bring up. 
Numbers of boats and steam-vessels were pass¬ 
ing and re-passing, while we lay at anchor. Some 
of the former boarded us. They contained the 
friends of different individuals on board. I was 
in constant expectation of some person coming to 
inquire for one or other of our late officers and 
companions, whose death, during the voyage, we 
had to lament; and had the painful prospect of 
communicating the distressing tidings to such in¬ 
quirers, who must now look in vain for their 
friends. These feelings, however, were eventually 
absorbed, in the heart-rending intelligence in store 
for myself. 
Notwithstanding the number of boats that 
came alongside, no information whatever respect¬ 
ing the welfare of my nearest connections, the 
subject now paramount in my mind, could be ob¬ 
tained. This surprising ignorance, of so many 
persons, on a subject to which I was so much alive, 
increased my anxiety; but on marking the coun¬ 
tenances and conduct of the boatmen, there was 
