PARRY'S POLAR ATTEMPT. 197 



the spirits of his party, and concealed from 

 all whom he could the true state of the case, 

 which was, that instead of advancing each 

 clay as they imagined ten or twelve miles, they 

 sometimes lost three or four. At length, finding 

 it impossible to overcome this difficulty, and 

 half their resources being expended, it was hope- 

 less to think of attempting anything further. 

 " For the last few days," says Captain Parry, 

 " the eighty-third parallel was the limit to which 

 we had ventured to extend our hopes ; but 

 even this expectation had become considerably 

 weakened since the setting in of the northerly 

 wind, which continued to drive us to the south- 

 ward during the necessary hours of rest, nearly 

 as much as we could gain by eleven or twelve 

 hours of daily labour. Had our success been 

 at all proportionate to our exertions, it was my 

 full intention to have proceeded a few days 

 beyond the middle of the period for which we 

 were provided, trusting to the resources we ex- 

 pected to find at Table Island. But this was 

 so far from being the case that I could not but 

 consider it as incurring useless fatigue to the 

 officers and men, and unnecessary wear and tear 

 for the boats, to persevere any longer in the 

 attempt. I determined, therefore, on giving the 

 people one entire day's rest, which they very 



