Family mystery

[Wee lassie]

Hi
I wonder if anyone can help solve a family mystery.
I am trying to follow the tracks of thomas Coverly b 1806 in Fogo Berwickshire. He sailed to the Cape of Good Hope from Greenock in 1920 but never made it. The ship caught fire and sank. He and his brother survived but his parents and siblings were drowned. I know that they were rescued by a Portuguese ship and taken to Lisbon. It states in a newpaper report that he was put in the care of a British gentleman by the name of Gerland,Garland or Gorland (print not very clear).
The next we know of him is when he married Helenora Brown in Edinburgh in 1834. I would like to find out what happened to him between 1820 and 1834 and how he ended up in Edinburgh. In fact I need to confirm it is the same Thomas Coverly. I also know that his occupation was given as brewer. Helenora and Thomas had a daughter in 1835 ,Jane. Helenora remarried and it appears as if Thomas may have  died shortly after Jane was born. We can not find a death in Scotland so it could be possible that he moved abroad around this time and perhaps just left the family!
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Cheers

[aghadowey]

Duplicate post. Please post on original thread:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,549858.msg4032065.html