208 ROSS'S SECOND VOYAGE. 



eure approach, by the return of pain in his old wounds. 

 Their situation was becoming truly awful ; since, if they 

 were not liberated in the ensuing summer, little pros- 

 pect appeared of their surviving another year. 



In April and May, as soon as it was possible to 

 travel, while yet the ice remained firm, it was necessary 

 to carry forward an ample stock of provisions to the 

 position of the boats, and there await the opportunities 

 of release. Though the distance was only thirty-two 

 miles, their reduced numbers, and the weight of the 

 loads, obliged them to go over the same ground eight 

 times, raising the space actually traversed to two hun- 

 dred and fifty-six miles ; so that it afforded laborious 

 employment for a whole month. They then returned 

 to Somerset House, where they remained till the 8th of 

 July, on which day the whole party quitted, without 

 regret, this dreary home, and, though much encumbered 

 by the transport of the sick, arrived, on the 12th, at 

 their boat-station in Batty Bay. 



The aspect of the sea was now watched with intense 

 anxiety, not unmingled with dread ; yet the very habit 

 of observing and of speculating on their prospects 

 some daily mounting the neighboring hill, and others 

 reviewing their report kept their spirits in a state of 

 salutary activity. The pursuit of feathered game, which 

 always afforded the hope, and sometimes the reality, of 

 a good supper, also enlivened their time. A month 

 was passed in vain expectation ; when, at length, on 

 the evening of the 14th of August, a lane of water ap- 

 peared, leading to the northward. Next morning the 

 seamen were in movement at an early hour ; and, hav- 

 ing cleared the shore of the ice that obstructed it, they 

 embarked the provisions and stores, and by eight o'clock 

 were under way, with a favorable wind. 



At midnight they passed Elwin's Bay, and on the 



