Dec 15th The steam tug picked us up in the morning, the fog having lifted considerably. At 8.35 a.m. we came in view of the Thames and rounded the Nore lightship. We unbent our fore-course, mainsail and croj�ack, and the to�gallant and topmast stays�ls, and our spanker leaving only our t�gall�nts�ls and tops�ls set. At 6.20 p.m. we got off Greenwich, and the fog having come on thick again we brought up. At 9.30 the Trinity House pilot left us and the mud pilot came aboard in his place. It was quite a treat to see the gas lamps alight ashore once more. At 11.30 p.m. I was on anchor watch with the 3rd mate and the Captain had turned in. All at once I noticed a steam tug appearing through the fog and half drifting and half straight towards us; and before the 3rd mate could sing out to her sh struck on the starb�d quarter just where the Captain was sleeping. He rushed on deck and sung out to know whose tug it was and what was the name of her, but the men aboard of her refused to give her name until the Captain ordered a light to be directed on to her. She proved to be one of Watson�s tugs and the men were all half asleep and had not a good lookout. She smashed one of our plates close to the Captain�s berth.
Dec 16th Once more the fog having lifted we weighed anchor bound for Blackwall Docks; this time escorted by two tugs; one ahead and the other on our starboard beam At 9 a.m. the midshipmen received orders to knock-off work , have a wash and don our best uniforms in readiness to receive our friends at the docks. So we got out of ll the work of warping & mooring our vessel. A good many of the midshipmen had their friends waiting for them The Custom House officers came aboard the vessel fore & aft before we were allowed to go along side. In company with 2 or 3 middies, left Blackwall for Fenchurch Street about 11 a.m. and having made the best of my way to Liverpool Street, I arrived in my native town once more just in time for the first meal I had tasted since leaving the �lovely shore� of Australia.
Having taken my readers round the world and back again to Dear Old England, I beg that they will excuse any inaccuracy in the writing Grammar and Punctuation of this my diary, and also that they will recollect how much more difficult it is to write in a heaving and rolling ship, than a steady table at HOME.
