LAST VO 1 AGE OF C!APT ROSS 
129 
parsnips, were in a state of complete preservation; even the 
bread towards the middle of the casks was in good condition, 
being musty only in those places where it had been subject to 
the immediate influence of the weather. It was a most provi ¬ 
dential circumstance for the crew of the Victory, that the Fury’s 
stores were in such good condition, and it will be found at a 
subsequent part of the voyage, that, but for that seasonable 
relief, it amounts almost to a certainty that not one of the crew 
of the Victory would have lived to see his native land again. 
On leaving Fury Point, the wind came on to blow heavily 
from the south, accompanied by violent rain, the Victory sail¬ 
ing along undiscovered land, with the ice closely packed on 
shore, and several icebergs in sight. On the 16th they continued 
to tack off and on, and at 10 p.m. made fast to a berg. At noon 
four of the officers went on shore on an island, and being the first 
discovered beyond the latitude to which Capt. Parry had sailed, 
it was taken formal possession of, the silk colours were hoisted, 
three cheers were given, and some gin from the distillery of Mr. 
Sheriff* Booth was drank on the hill. The crew on board an¬ 
swered the cheers, and the Victory may now be said to be 
entering on an ocean which had never before been ploughed by 
a British keel, and where the sound of the human voice had never 
before been heard. The latitude of the island was 71° north. 
In the afternoon of the 16th, the berg floated and sent the 
vessel adrift, on which the anchor was let go, and the steam 
got up. but it was found of little use, as they were running 
among cross ice, which impeded the motion of the paddles, and 
as a fair wind sprung up, the engine was stopped. They now 
sailed through some very large floes of ice, and the weather 
coming on thick, they made fast to one of them where they 
remained during the night. 
On the 18th they still continued to sail among loose ice, and 
about noon a young whale came and played round the ship, when 
Curtis, one of the seamen hove a lance into her, and she plunged 
away, but not having any line to the lance, the fish escaped alto¬ 
gether. It was a matter of regret to the crew that this whale 
was not caught, as their stock of oil began to fall short, and 
