FIRST VOYAGE OF CAPT, BOSS. 
99 
spacious bay, completely occupied by ice, was named Barrow’s 
Bay; the north corner, which was the last Capt. Ross made out, 
was a deep inlet , and as it answered exactly to the latitude 
given by Baffin of Lancaster Sound, Capt. Ross entertained no 
doubt that it was the same, and he considered it a most remark¬ 
able instance of the accuracy of that able navigator, a meed 
of praise which future navigators will not be much inclined to 
award to Capt. Ross, when sailing up Lancaster Sound, they look 
for the Croker Mountains. 
Capt. Ross being now satisfied that there was not any passage 
in this direction, directed his course to the south east, and early 
on the 1st September, Cape Byam Martin was in sight. Towards 
noon, preparations were made for landing in a small bay to the 
northward of Cape Byam Martin, and the country was formally 
taken possession of, in the name and on behalf of his Britannic 
Majesty, and a bottle containing the proceedings of the ships, 
was buried on the summit of a conical mount near the centre of 
the bay. 
In conformity with his official instructions, which were, that 
Capt. Ross should leave the ice about the 15th or 20th September, 
he now determined to prepare for his voyage homewards, coasting 
along the western coast of Davis’ Strait, until he arrived in the 
latitude of Cumberland Strait, which may be considered as the most 
southernmost point which the expedition reached. It must however 
be observed, that the second in command, as well as the officers and 
crews of both vessels were dissatisfied; they believed their com¬ 
mander to be in error, and were but ill content to sail homeward, 
just as they seemed to be on the point of making some important 
progress in their search. Unmoved however by remonstrance or 
discontent, Capt. Ross returned home, and in the publication of 
his narrative, he was assailed from all quarters, which was not 
a little increased by the appointment of Lieut. Parry to the com¬ 
mand of another expedition, which was instructed to sail up the 
very strait, the passage of which, according to Capt. Ross, was 
blocked up by the Croker Mountains, and where he had given 
it as his decided opinion that the passage was not to be found. 
