LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
171 
is followed and killed with spears, and as he frequents the chasms 
and pools in the ice, he falls an easy prey to the natives. 
The weather becoming rather more mild, the crew were 
employed in digging gravel for the upper deck, but the transport¬ 
ation of it over the ice to the ship, was a task of no small 
difficulty. The inequalities of the ice with its slippery nature, 
proved to be so many stumbling blocks to the laden mariner, and 
many a basket full of gravel instead of forming the carpet of the 
upper deck of the Victory, lay scattered about on the ice, with 
the bearer of it at the same time measuring his length upon the 
ice, as a proof of his inability to preserve his equilibrium over the 
rugged road which he had to travel. 
Some of the crew were employed in training the dogs to the 
sledges, as it was the intention of the officers to penetrate further 
into the country, as soon as the ship had been put into that condi¬ 
tion, which, as far as its capabilities would admit of, was required 
for the winter sojourn. An accident however befel one of the 
dogs, the name of which was Annatatatook, who in fighting 
with another received so severe a wound in the throat, that it 
died on the following day. This circumstance was the more 
deplored, as Annatatatook was a bitch far gone with young, and 
it was intended to rear her offspring as a kind of a corp de 
reserve of their canine establishment, which as the only means 
of enabling them to explore the country, was a matter of no 
minor consideration. The name of Annatatatook implies in the 
Esquimaux language, “ the first in the chase,” but it must be 
observed that the Esquimaux seldom give any names to their 
dogs, as they govern them entirely by the reins and the whip, 
and a particular exclamation of Whew ! whew !—the dog that 
was killed was the property of Capt. Ross, the victor belonging 
to Mr. Light, the steward ; the dog was skinned and in its belly 
was found the standing part of a mutton ham. 
The following circumstance is by no means undeserving the 
attention of those, whose enthusiastic exertions have been direct¬ 
ed to the improvement of the intellectual character of the sailor, 
at the same time that we do not mean to rank ourselves amongst 
that class, who consider that the sailor ought to be called upon 
