k-out for the 'Emerald.' She had given him money to purchase some
food to bring afloat to me. He fulfilled his request with the
greatest satisfaction, for an hour after we had anchored, he was on
board, with a basket of provisions, enquiring for me. I gave him a
hearty welcome, all the more so on account of the basket he bore, as
I had foregone my biscuit and cocoa that morning and had had nothing
to eat. I will just add that the contents of his basket were eagerly
devoured by me and my mess-mates.

My father, so it afterward proved, had been on the Hoe every morning
recently, to see if the 'Emerald' had arrived, but on account of the
fog this morning he did not walk there, knowing that such a fog would
hide the Sound from view, so he contented himself with making
enquiries, and was told that no ship had come from sea. As the day
wore on he chanced to be in a shop in Plymouth, when one of the
stewards of the 'Emerald' entered it, to purchase. That was enough!
He flew away, bringing with him a large box of the best provisions
that money could buy--it had been packed a whole week in readiness
for my home-coming, so as there should be no delay when the ship
arrived. A waterman rowed him down the Sound. In my heart I knew
there was some mistake, as otherwise my father would have been one
of the first to board the ship.

However, about 3 p.m. someone called down the hatchway for me.
Instantly I bounded away to the gangway, there to greet my father,
who was now on board. We spent an hour together, and at 4 p.m. all
visitors were 'piped' out of the ship. The coal was shipped--for we
had been coaling all day.

The boats were hoisted, and the anchor weighed. Being a member of the
drum and fife band on the 'Emerald,' whose work was to play marches
while the capstan was being manned, I must say that our march on this
occasion was out of place. A gallop would have been suitable. With
four men on each capstan bar, it was nothing less than a maddening
whirl, whilst the cry sounded--

"Heave ho! The last time my hearties."

We left Plymouth for Portsmouth to payoff. One of the Portsmouth
outfitters had made it his business to come to Plymouth, and to take
the return passage in our ship. Truly he was a highly favoured man.
Nor was he idle, for he was measuring men for suits of clothes the
most of the night. I suppose he did not mind such night-work. We
sighted Portsmouth in the morning, and after doing the customary
steam trials