After following the sea for about twelve years, Ernest took up his residence in England, locating first at Hull and afterwards in South Shields, but continued to make voyages to various parts of the world, generally serving as boatswain or steward. On one voyage to his native land the ship "Thetis" in a violent storm had her bulk-head stove in and was filled up with water to such an extent that the table was floating around in the cabin, and, Ernest, with the companion way and skylight battened down, was shut up like a rat in a trap, and busied himself at baling the water out. To the surprise of all on board, they succeeded in floating the ship into Hamburg. There Ernest secured for a wife one whom he had known as a young girl. They arranged to be married in England the following April, and, after the cargo was discharged, he returned to England, where the ship was thoroughly repaired. The following March, while entering the port of Blyth, to load coal for Hamburg the "Thetis" was, through error of judgment on the part of the captain, run on to the rocks and became a total wreck. Of course, no lives were lost, but this wreck had the effect of deferring Ernest's marriage. Instead of it occurring in April, it was postponed till the following November. It took place in Shields, England, where he established a home and lived for many years, his six children being born there. In 1888, while sailing on the ship "Breton," commanded by Captain Ole Peterson, who was a Latter-day Saint, he first learned of "Mormonism." He had been investigating Spiritualism, but abandoned it on learning that the Spiritualists repudiated Christ as a Savior. He had heard of the "Mormons" as being a bad people, but was anxious to learn from the captain really what his belief was. He opened up a conversation by asking the captain his opinion of Spiritualism. The captain replied: "You are not a spiritualist. You belong to the Church of England, and have now found what you have been looking for so many years--the true Gospel. And you will soon become a Latter-day Saint." He then explained the Gospel to him, and told how it had been restored to the earth through the ministration of angels. On hearing this Ernest's heart beat with joy, and he felt certain the captain was telling the truth. He, being steward, one part of his duty was to keep the captain's stateroom tidy, and while doing so a copy of the Millennial Star came into his hands, which he read with avidity, and learned still more of "Mormon" doctrine.