304 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. IX. 



with the exception of the trifling accidents already men- 

 tioned, a few bowel complaints, which were soon removed 

 by care, and some rather troublesome cases of chilblains, 

 arising from our constant exposure to wet and cold." — pp. 

 104, 105. 



On this day of rest from their labours, Parry says, 



" Our ensigns and pendants were displayed during the 

 day ; and severely as we regretted not having been able to 

 hoist the British flag in the highest latitude to which we had 

 aspired, we shall perhaps be excused in having felt some 

 little pride in being the bearers of it to a parallel consider- 

 ably beyond that mentioned in any other well-authenticated 

 record." 



On the 27th thev set out on their return to the 

 southward, and, says Parry, " I can safely say that, 

 dreary and cheerless as were the scenes we were 

 about to leave, we never turned homew 7 ards with 

 so little satisfaction as on this occasion." No man 

 nor body of men are chargeable with blame for not 

 accomplishing impossibilities : the party in question 

 have done more than had ever been done at any 

 time, or more probably than will ever be done again 

 on the same plan ; it is much to say that they 

 succeeded, in advancing towards the Pole of the 

 earth, to" a point which no human being before 

 them had ever reached, and after a cheerful and 

 patient endurance of laborious drudgery, which, it 

 is to be hoped, no human being will ever hereafter 

 be induced to repeat. 



It will not be necessary to follow our voyagers 



