140 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
in the afternoon the crew were permitted to go on shore, but as 
to any pleasure or amusement being derived from the excursion, 
it was wholly out of the question. As a matter of recreation or 
relief from the monotony of the ship, it was eagerly embraced 
by the majority of the crew, who were disposed to regard any 
change with satisfaction, but the picture which presented itself 
to their view was that of desolation in its most comprehensive 
sense, and which perhaps few besides themselves ever beheld 
before. 
It was a spot on which the human voice had never been heard ; 
not a vestige of man, of his labour or his industry was to be 
seen, their ship appeared the only inhabited place on the globe, 
themselves the sole inhabitants of it. Still however, whatever 
tends to abstract the mind from the immediate contemplation 
of its sufferings, possesses a salutary influence upon the spirits, 
they become thereby freshened and invigorated to endure the 
fate that may be in reserve for them, and by nobly contending 
against their difficulties, enjoy at last the proud satisfaction of 
having overcome them. 
Commander Ross accompanied by the surgeon, and the steward 
also went on shore, and from a hill they saw one or two islands 
to the southward; the land on which they were, appeared to 
be inclined towards the westward ; but as far as their eye could 
reach, which they calculated to be thirty five miles, not a piece 
of ice was to be seen. The two islands just mentioned were also 
supposed to be about that distance. Towards evening the ice 
made a slight move, but it was by no means to that extent as to 
excite any hope of its being so general as to effect their emanci¬ 
pation/ The air by the thermometer was 26°, the water 28°. 
On the morning of the 21st, so far from the ice having made 
a move in their favour, they found themselves completely blocked 
up with young ice, and at 9 a.m. all hands were sent on the ice 
to break the young ice, and if possible to effect a passage for the 
ship. This measure was however considered as the most injudi¬ 
cious and useless that could have been adopted. It was not in/ 
the power of a thousand men, much less of eighteen, to make 
such room as to admit of the passage of the ship, on account of 
