in
turn; but the right of being first answered, we thought, lay on our side.
"Letters, letters!" was the cry. They were produced, and torn open in
trembling agitation. News burst upon us like meridian splendor on a blind
man. We were overwhelmed with it: public, private, general, and particular.
Nor was it until some days had elapsed, that we were able to methodise it,
or reduce it into form. We now heard for the first time of our sovereign's
illness, and his happy restoration to health. The French revolution of
1789, with all the attendant circumstances of that wonderful and unexpected
event, succeeded to amaze us*. Now, too, the disaster which had befallen
the 'Guardian', and the liberal and enlarged plan on which she had been
stored and fitted out by government for our use, was promulged. It served
also, in some measure, to account why we had not sooner heard from England.
For had not the 'Guardian' struck on an island of ice, she would probably
have reached us three months before, and in this case have prevented the
loss of the 'Sirius', although she had sailed from England three months
after the 'Lady Juliana'.

[*These words bring to my mind an anecdote, which, though rather out of
place, I shall offer no apology for introducing. Among other inquiries, we
were anxious to learn whether M. de la Peyrouse, with the two ships under
his command, bound on a voyage of discovery, had arrived in France. We
heard with concern, that no accounts of them had been received, since they
had left Botany Bay, in March, 1788. I remember when they were at that
place, one day conversing with Monsieur de la Peyrouse, about the best
method of treating savage people, "Sir," said he, "I have sometimes been
compelled to commit hostilities upon them, but never without suffering the
most poignant regret; for, independent of my own feelings on the occasion,
his Majesty's (Louis XVI) last words to me, de sa propre bouche, when I
took leave of him at Versailles, were: 'It is my express injunction, that
you always treat the Indian nations with kindness and humanity. Gratify
their wishes, and never, but in a case of the last necessity, when
self-defence requires it, shed human blood.' Are these the sentiments of a
tyrant, of a sanguinary and perfidious man?"

A general thanksgiving to Almighty God, for his Majesty's recovery, and
happy restoration to his family and subjects, was ordered to be offered up
on the following Wednesday, when all publi