Chap. XIV. MISCELLANEOUS. 513 



must be imaginary, for he was promoted to the rank 

 of Captain immediately after his return from a few 

 months' voyage of pleasure, for so it may be called. 

 Captain Ross has since endeavoured to expiate the 

 fault imputed to him by a second expedition, though 

 a private one, in which, however, he has committed 

 some grave geographical errors, and made some 

 other very absurd observations, into which he was 

 incautiously led by injudicious and not very appro- 

 priate questions of the Committee. 



The money being promptly forthcoming, a ship 

 called the Victory was purchased, and fitted out 

 with steam-engine and paddle-wheels, which turned 

 out, as Ross, professing to be a good mechanic, ought 

 to have foreseen, a perpetual and harassing incum- 

 brance. The manning of this vessel consisted of 

 himself, Commander James Ross, Mr. M'Diarmid, 

 surgeon, Mr. Thorn, purser, and a crew of nineteen 

 men, making in all twenty-three persons. They 

 left England in June, 1829, reached Davis's Strait 

 in July, and Lancaster Sound in August ; found no 

 impediment in proceeding to the western side of 

 Prince Regent's Inlet, and from that side to the 

 beach where the Fury was wreeked, but no appear- 

 ance of the vessel, having either gone to pieces or 

 gone to the bottom. The tent-poles, however, 

 were still standing, and vast heaps of casks, cases, 

 and canisters were observed to be piled up ; and, on 

 landing, all found to be entire. The Victory was, 



2 L 



