Chap. XII. BACK'S JOURNEY TO THE POLAR SEA. 473 



His own party had a full share of the general 

 distress ; their rations were deplorably reduced ; 

 but this, however, produced no complaining, no 

 sullen or sulky looks in the brave fellows he had 

 engaged in England and in Canada ; they had 

 none of those means, so skilfully employed by Parry 

 on board ship, to keep up the spirits of the men ; 

 but no objection was raised to the formation of an 

 evening school ; on the contrary, it was considered 

 as an amusement, that tended to the maintenance 

 of their cheerful and general good spirits. 



About the middle of April, active preparations 

 were begun for their intended journey to the sea- 

 coast ; and while so employed a messenger, on the 

 25th of that month, brought a packet for Back, 

 which contained the unexpected and welcome in- 

 telligence of the safety of Ross and his party. The 

 hurry and excitement of his feelings on the occa- 

 sion he thus describes : — 



" In the fulness of our hearts we assembled together, 

 and humbly offered up our thanks to that merciful Provi- 

 dence which in the beautiful language of Scripture hath 

 said, ' Mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime 

 from the deeps of the sea.' The thought of so wonderful a 

 preservation overpowered for a time the common occurrences 

 of life. We had just sat down to breakfast ; but our appe- 

 tite was gone, and the day was passed in a feverish state of 

 excitement. Seldom, indeed, did my friend Mr. King or I 

 indulge in a libation, but on this joyful occasion economy 

 was forgotten ; a treat was given to the men, and for our- 



