A " CLOSE SHA VE." 295 



ward was made on the 9th, and on the 10th Eoss had rounded Cape York 

 and was heading the entrance to Eegent Inlet. Standing across the mouth 

 of the inlet, on the 11th land was made on its western shore, between Cape 

 Seppings and Elwin Bay. At nine p.m. Batty Bay was passed, and ice was 

 met thicker and much rougher than any that had been seen in the voyage 

 up Baffin's Bay. The weather became thicker after midnight, but there 

 being no appearance of danger. Captain Ross and his nephew (now Com- 

 mander Ross) retired to rest, leaving the charge of the vessel to their 

 " experienced and ejccellent mate, Blanky." This officer soon had occasion 

 to prove whether the ti^ust reposed in him was justified by his vigilance and 

 the quality of his seamanship. " At two o'clock in the morning," writes 

 Ross, " a heavy pack of ice which had been concealed from us by the fog, 

 suddenly made its appearance at only three cables' length under our lee, and 

 was only then recognised by the tremendous breakers that were surging over 

 it. Deciding at once that the only chance for us was to weather the end 

 next the land (the west extremity of the pack), he let fly the storm trysail 

 sheet, and pulling the helm up, gave us notice of the danger." In wearing 

 round to westward, however, the ship received a violent shock from a piece 

 of ice on the larboard, which helped to bring the ship's head the right way. 

 The pack was now on the lee-bow with the sea breaking over it, and in 

 order to weather it all sail was set. The ship drove on and was provi- 

 dentially carried clear of the pack by a distance of about her own length. 

 At once the most delightful relief was experienced, and the "Victory" came 

 suddenly out of a turbulent sea into a reach of water as smooth almost as 

 glass. 



At six o'clock, the weather moderating, Ross set the mainsail, passed the 

 ice, and stood towards the land. " In half-an-hour we saw the place where 

 the 'Fury' was wrecked, with the poles of the tents standing; but we 

 coiild not discern the ship, though we were sometimes willing to think that 

 she was distinguishable. To our great mortification, however, we could not 

 reach the spot ; and we now saw that a strong southerly current or tide was 

 hurrying us away from this unlucky place. A thick fog obliged us to wear, 

 and return to our shelter under the ice we had just quitted." After beat- 

 ing about for some time an anchorage was sought for in Adelaide Harbour, 

 on the western shore of Regent Inlet, and a few miles south-west of Fury 

 Beach. A wind springing up from the westward, however, the "Vic- 

 tory " was driven out of its shelter toward the north-east, and after much 

 trouble Ross succeeded in mooring her securely in a good ice-harbour at 

 a spot of the coast within a quarter of a mile of the place where Parry had 

 landed the stores of the " Fury," prior to abandoning that vessel. Being 

 anxious to examine this interesting spot, the captain, taking with him Com- 

 mander Eoss, Mr Thorn, the purser, and the surgeon, landed to visit it. 



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