I AST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS 
139 
a matter of deep regret to Capt. Ross, and the whole of the offi¬ 
cers and crew, for since the northern expeditions were fitted out, 
a greater prospect of success never presented itself; the wind was 
fair, the sea open before them as far as the eye could reach, and 
the ship lay tossing about at the edge of the floe, with no 
immediate prospect of being liberated. It were illiberal to at¬ 
tach any blame to the officers in having brought the vessel into 
such a predicament; for the most consummate caution and skill 
were necessary, in navigating the vessel amongst islands, the 
shores of which were surrounded by floes of ice, and which it 
was not in the power of the most skilful pilot to avoid. The ex¬ 
treme turbulence of the weather contributed also not a little to 
impose upon the commander of the expedition, a line of conduct 
which, under any other circumstances he would not have pursued, 
at the same time there were not wanting those on board, who 
secretly murmured at the plan of operations which had been 
adopted, and who hesitated not to say, that their present dilemma 
was actually owing to bad management, and an erroneous judge¬ 
ment. The crew felt their disheartening situation most acutely, 
and as the frustration of hope generally sours the temper, it is 
not to be wondered at, that many little bickerings and quarrels 
arose, which could not be attributed to any degeneracy of dispo¬ 
sition, but to the effect of disappointment, operating on anxious 
and sanguine spirits, whose minds were wholly bent on one 
object, and that object likely to elude their grasp at the moment 
when it appeared to be within their reach. 
On the 19th the same depressing scene presented itself, the 
ship was still imbedded in the ice, the wind fair, and the 
waiter clear of ice towards the westward. In the offing a large 
piece of ice was observed setting to the south east, which inspired 
the officers with some hope that their liberation was not far dis¬ 
tant ; but on the following day that hope was found to be an 
illusion, for it was discovered that during the night, the ice 
had set in, and had formed a complete blockade. According 
to the calculation of Commander Ross, the islands were eight 
miles distant from the ship. 
This day being Sunday, divine service was performed, and 
