THE RETREAT TO FURY BEACH. 313 



And now on the 29th May 1832, the men of the "Victory" commenced 

 one of the most laborious marches on record. The object of the march was 

 to reach Fury Beach from Victoria Harbour by travelling north along the 

 east coast of Boothia Felix and North Somerset Land, known, since the dis- 

 covery of Bellot Strait in 1852, as North Somerset Island. In other words, 

 the journey was to be along the greater part of the then known western 

 coast of Regent's Inlet. The plan of the journey was to carry both the 

 boats on to Elizabeth Harbour, with provisions for six weeks at full allow- 

 a,nce, there, to deposit the boats and half the provisions, and to proceed with 

 the sledges and the other half of the provisions until the lat. 71° was reached, 

 from which a " light " or unburdened party of five should be sent on to 

 ascertain the state of affairs at Fury Beach. 



On the 31st May the travellers had reached to within sixteen miles of 

 Elizabeth Harbour. On the morning of the 3d June, after three days' most 

 fatiguing labour, the mate Blanky approached Captain Ross and stated that 

 he was deputed by the men to state that they wished to be permitted to 

 abandon the boats and spare provisions there and then, and proceed direct 

 for Fury Point. "" This," says Ross, " was the first symptom approaching to 

 mutiny which had yet occurred." But the gallant captain perceived the 

 w^hole situation in an instant, and was prepared to deal with it. He had 

 already suspected the existence of a spirit of insubordination among his 

 men, and was prepared to extinguish it at once. " I not only expressed my 

 refusal," writes the captain, " but ordered the party to proceed in a manner 

 not easily misunderstood, and by an argument too peremptory to be disputed, 

 after reprimanding the ambassador for the extreme impropriety of his con- 

 duct." Ross knew that the last hope of escape from the ice depended on 

 his carrying the boats and provisions vsdth him, and when he picked up his 

 gun and ordered his men to advance, he did what was best for them as well 

 as for himself. 



On the 9th June everything had been got forward to Elizabeth Harbour. 

 Here Ross resolved to leave the boats in the meantime, and to proceed 

 northward for twenty or thirty miles with the men and with three weeks' 

 provisions. After advancing a few miles farther north, on the 12th June, 

 the advance party, consisting of Commander Ross, Abernethy, and Park, 

 set out for Fury Point, carrying with them a light sledge, fifteen days' pro- 

 visions, and a tent. They were directed to leave a note under a cairn at 

 every place where they slept. Their destination was still one hundred and 

 fifty miles distant, and by the time they had reached it Ross expected to 

 have advanced half the distance, or seventy miles, with the loads. This 

 arrangement was observed by both parties. On June 27th Ross had reached 

 Cape Garry, and on July 2d arrived at Fury Beach. " We were once more 

 at home," he writes—" such a home as it was. There was the feeling of 

 6 2 R 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



