LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
137 
dition that all fear of actual want was banished from their 
minds A considerable portion of the Fury’s stores was still 
left on the beach, and therefore Capt. Ross, in default of provi¬ 
sions, had only to retrace his course to his magazine, to obtain 
the supply which he might stand in need of. This circumstance 
alone was sufficient to instil spirit and confidence into the hearts 
of the officers and the crew, and prevent any despondency com¬ 
ing over them as to a possible dearth of provisions. 
The snow storm of the 15th was not of long duration, but on 
the same day the launch was nearly lost by the capsizing of a 
large piece of ice, which came in contact with it, but it fortu¬ 
nately rose to the ice, and thus escaped any serious injury. At 6 
a.m. all the hands were turned up to heave the ship out of the 
place where she lay, and they continued to heave for three hours, 
carrying away the hawsers and lines, and nearly capsizing the 
after-capstan; they then made fast to another berg, but after all 
their toil and trouble, their progress had not exceeded five 
yards, at the same time they had the mortification to know that 
the wind was fair, and clear water as far as the eye could reach. 
After breakfast another attempt was made, by placing a spring 
upon each quarter, but after trying every possible scheme, 
they were obliged to make fast again at noon. The ice was 
now setting in very rapidly, and by noon they were so completely 
blocked up, that they could walk very easily on shore. In the 
evening, three hands were sent on shore, to go a short distance 
over land, for the purpose of ascertaining the state of the ice, 
but they reported every thing to be stationary in regard to ti, 
with the exception of a large pond in the middle, which was 
not frozen. 
On the 16th the wind continued to blow very hard, but 
rather more westerly. During the night a sharp frost set in, 
which made their anxiety still greater to effect their liberation 
from their icy imprisonment. The wind drawing more off the 
land, an endeavour was made to heave the ship more in shore. 
At high water the berg floated, they cast off and got a short 
distance, when they again made fast, and got into the same 
place, where they carried away their hawsers, ropes, &c. In 
6 t 
