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1861 Aug 2 Fri could not think of loosing opportunity to return just to fill up a little food box within my tenement. Bidding all another good bye, I got together my Innuit crew & departed. The wind was blowing almost a gale, waves running high & strong. As I started off, Capt. B. cried down to me that if I found impossible to proceed to turn back & spend the night. In this place I will make record of what perhaps should have been inserted in the place adjoining that of conversation on deck. He said frankly: 'Is there anything you wish or require?. (Meaning in way of provision) If there is do not be backward in mentioning it. Consider yourself at home here same as any of us. I consider you have as much right here as myself.' Of course to this I made as kindly reply as I could for certainly my heart responded to the expression of Capt. B. sincerely as indeed it should. Our return was one of work for we had almost a gale the latter part of the way to contend against. The hard wind was not [[end page]] [[start page]] 1861 Aug 2 Fri all the obstacle. A storm of rain was also upon us as well as a thick fog wh. closed all land from sight. The "White Caps" indeed began to show their heads & occasionally made dashes into my Boat - into our very faces - onto our backs. The tide was ebbing & it with the other obstacles came near carrying us beyond the power of reaching the point of our destination this night. I have always taken the precaution of taking along with me a Compass when out, even on short excursions but this time I omitted it greatly to my disappointment when the fog closed us in. But as the overruling H and would have it land was finally made through thick a little distance ahead. We pulled for it with all our might. Some of the time hardly a part of progress did we make - occasional we lost what we had gained a slight lull now & then admitted of our regaining ground - & finnally of reaching Whale Isd. It was past VII PM when we reached Home (Whale Island is my Home for a few days). The tide was well down so that we were
