ARCTIC VOYAGES, FROM BAFFIN TO M'CLINTOCK. 



353 



ber of boats left for their purpose, and all the provisions in good condition, 

 they set out on August 1 — a considerable extent of open sea being visible — and 

 after much buffeting among the ice, reached the north of the inlet by the 

 end of the month. But here they were doomed to disappointment, for, after 

 several fruitless attempts to run along Barrow's Strait, the ice obliged them to 

 haul their boats on shore and pitch their tents. Day after day they lingered 

 till the third week in September, but the strait continuing one impenetrable 

 mass of ice, it was unanimously agreed that their only resource was to fall back 

 again on the stores at Fury Beach, and there spend a fourth long winter within 

 the Arctic Circle. They were only able to get half the distance in the boats, 

 which were hauled on shore in Batty Bay on September 24, and performed the 

 rest of their journey on foot, the provisions being dragged in sledges. On Oc- 

 tober 7 they once more reached the canvas hut, dignified with the name of 

 " Somerset House," which they had erected in July on the scene of the 

 " Fury's " wreck, and which they had vainly hoped never to see again. 



They now set about building a snow-wall four feet thick round their dwell- 

 ing, and strengthening the roof with spars, for the purpose of covering it with 

 snow, and by means of this shelter, and an additional stove, made themselves 

 tolerably comfortable, until the increasing severity of the cold and the furious 

 gales confined them within-doors, and sorely tried their patience. Scurvy now 

 began to appear, and several of the men fell victims to the scourge. At the 

 same time, cares for the future darkened the gloom of their situation ; for, should 

 they be disappointed in their hopes of escaping in the ensuing summer, their 

 failing strength and diminishing stores gave them but little hope of surviving 

 another year. 



It may easily be imagined how anxiously the movements of the ice were 

 watched when the next season opened, and with what beating hearts they em- 

 barked at Batty Bay on August 15. Making their way slowly among the mass- 

 es of ice with which the inlet was encumbered, they to their great joy found, 

 on the l'7th,the wide expanse of Barrow's Strait open to navigation. 



Pushing on with renewed spirits, Cape York soon lay behind them, and, al- 

 ternately rowing and sailing, on the night of the 25th they rested in a good 

 harbor on the eastern shore of Xavy Board Inlet. At 4 o'clock on the follow- 

 ing morning they were roused from their slumber by the joyful intelligence 

 of a ship being in sight, and never did men more hurriedly and energetically 

 set out ; but the elements were against them, and the ship disappeared in the 

 distant haze. 



After a few hours' suspense, the sight of another vessel lying to in a calm, 

 relieved their despair. This time their exertions were successful, and, strange 

 to say, the ship which took them on board was the same " Isabella " — now re- 

 duced to the rank of a private whaler — in which Ross had made his first voyage 

 to the Arctic Seas. 



The seamen of the " Isabella " told him of his own death — of which all Eng- 

 land was persuaded — and could hardly believe that it was really he and his 

 party who now stood before them. But when all doubts were cleared away, the 

 rigging was instantly manned to do them honor, and thundering cheers wel- 



23 



