134 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
The 6th being Sunday, divine service was performed, after 
which Capt. Ross, Commander Ross and the surgeon went on 
shore. They returned at 2 p.m. having seen a number of red 
deer, hares and mice, two of the hares were killed, and the deer 
were fired at, one of them was wounded, but it made its escape. 
They now cast off, and ran between two headlands, which were 
supposed to be the opening of a passage, and a boat was sent 
away to sound and examine it. On the following morning the 
officers went again on shore, and during their absence the boat 
returned, and found the supposed passage to be a bay. On the 
7th the weather being fine, the boat was again sent out to measure 
the extent of the bay, and found it to be five miles in length and 
about four in breadth, but completely filled with ice. Whilst 
the officers went on shore they ascended an eminence to see if 
they could discover any clear water, but very little was discern- 
ible. They brought with them two hares, one weighing 9tbs. 
12 oz., the other only 5fbs. lloz. On the 8th the ice slackening 
a little, they cast off, and proceeded out of the bay, but the 
weather coming on foggy with a foul wind they made fast again. 
The water was so clear of ice that the boat was sent out to some 
islands in a northwesterly direction for the purpose of ascertaining 
if any passage existed in that quarter, or if there were room for 
the vessel to navigate between them. The report was so favour¬ 
able as to induce Capt. Ross to steer for them, which he deter¬ 
mined to carry into effect as soon as Commander Ross and his 
party returned on board, they being on shore on a shooting expe¬ 
dition. Commander Ross returned with two hares and found a 
dead deer supposed to be the one which had been fired at on the 
preceeding day. The boat was immediately despatched to 
bring it away. At 8 p.m., they cast off with a light wind from 
the north, but they had scarcely rounded the point when it 
changed to the south-east, and having tracked the ship the 
length of a whole line, made fast to a berg. The boat returned 
with the deer, the whole weight of which was 235tbs, the head 
and neck weighing 36|tbs. 
On the 10th the ice cleared away, the weather was fine and 
rather a cheering prospect presented itself to the crew. They 
arrived at the Islands, but were obliged to make fast on account 
