PARRY IN WINTER QUARTERS 181 



to return to Winter Harbour, where, on the 26th of 

 September, they were warped to their quarters through 

 a channel cut in the ice. The Hecla, sending down all 

 her upper masts except the main topmast, and the 

 Griper, housing her fore and main topmasts, used the 

 spars to support a roof which completely enclosed their 

 upper decks and made them both snug for the winter, 

 which did not seem so long owing to the efforts of the 

 officers to keep every one amused and on the move. 

 Parry, a host in himself, was well seconded by his 

 lieutenant, Beechey, late of the Trent., James Clark 

 Ross, one of his midshipmen, Captain Sabine, and 

 Lieutenant Liddon, the commander of the Griper, who 

 was almost disabled with rheumatism, and Lieutenant 

 Hoppner, also of the Griper. A couple of books of 

 plays on board proved a real treasure ; owing to them 

 the Royal Arctic Theatre was started, the pioneer of so 

 many amateur theatrical ventures in the Polar seas, 

 and the North Georgia Gazette and Winter Chronicle 

 came into existence, the first of ship newspapers. On 

 Christmas Day there was a dinner of roast beef which 

 had been on board since May, the condition of 

 which, as Parry said, was an excellent testimony to the 

 antiseptic properties of a cold atmosphere ; and the 

 food generally was good and abundant, and the manage- 

 ment and supplies far better than on many subsequent 

 expeditions. In the spring, game was found in fair 

 quantity, nearly four thousand pounds of musk ox, 

 deer, hares, geese, ducks, and ptarmigan being brought 

 on board. 



In May the vessels were afloat again, though ice- 

 bound, and, in June, walking, not sledging, journeys 



