160 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
sailors were plunged up to their knees, and caused them to fall 
with the load which they were carrying. 
The berth for the ship’s company was now completed, and it 
was acknowledged that some very great improvements had 
been made, but still it was in no degree to be compared to that 
of the Hecla. It must however be admitted, that Capt. Ross 
could only execute the plans which he had formed for the con¬ 
tributing to the comfort of the crew, according to the means 
which were in his possession, and the small quantity of fuel 
compared with that which was on board the government ships, 
was certainly a great drawback to the execution of those mea¬ 
sures, by which the comfort of the crew could be more perma¬ 
nently promoted. At the same time it must be considered, that 
the fuel on board the government ships had not been uselessly 
and foolishly wasted, in keeping up large fires for the purposes of 
a steam engine, and this circumstance alone ought to have 
had its preponderating weight with Capt. Ross, before he 
adventured upon a plan, the failure of which was clear and 
evident to every one but himself. The Hecla and Fury arrived 
at their winter quarters, with their stock of fuel comparatively 
speaking scarcely touched; whereas the Victory, from the con¬ 
sumption of the steam engine, had her stock very seriously 
diminished. It is true that in some of the northern latitudes s 
considerable quantity of drift wood is always to be found, bu 
this can only be gathered in clear water, and not in the depth o 
winter, when it would be found of the greatest service. Thi 
was therefore a resource from which Capt. Ross was shut out 
and the country itself in which he had taken up his winte 
quarters affording him not the least supply, he was obliged t< 
husband his resources, and this is sufficient to account for thos 
limited measures which were adopted for the comfort of th 
crew, in regard to the temperature of their berths. 
During the cessation from their labour, the crew employe 
themselves in making traps for catching the animals indigenou 
to the country, particularly the foxes, whose skins were highl} 
prized as a protection against the cold. Commander Ross se 
several traps for seals, in which he was generally successful 
