LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
193 
During 1 the night of the 15th the launch filled with water, but 
the weather was too severe for the crew to work outside, and 
therefore the most serious apprehensions were entertained, that 
the loss of the launch was irremediable. Notwithstanding the 
extreme cold, Tullooachiu was drawn to the ship by another 
Esquimaux, it being the appointed day on which the wooden 
leg was to be finished; they were taken down into the cabin, 
and the carpenter brought the leg, and fitted it to the stump, 
when he walked about the cabin exhibiting the most extravagant 
joy. He was so delighted with his new acquisition, that he 
would not allow the carpenter to take it off again, but showed 
the greatest anxiety to reach home, in order that his wife might 
make him a skin shoe to put on the end of the stump, to prevent 
him from slipping on the ice. Previously to seating himself in 
the sledge, he took off his wooden leg and carried it on his lap. 
The weather for some days was so severe that no communica¬ 
tion was had with the natives, and the crew were confined to 
their usual operations on board. The health of the Armourer 
was evidently daily declining, and little hope was now enter¬ 
tained of his recovery ; the weather had a sensible effect upon his 
disorder, which being asthmatic, he could not endure the incle¬ 
mency to which he was exposed, nor those sudden transitions, 
which distinguish the northern climates, and which are even 
trying to the most robust constitutions. 
On Sunday the 17th it blew a heavy gale during the whole of 
the day from the N. N. W., but the weather moderating on the 
19th, three men and two boys came to the ship, and were taken 
by Commander James into the cabin, where having made them 
some trifling presents, they were induced to draw a chart of the 
neighbouring coasts, and it varied considerably from the for¬ 
mer ones, which had been drawn by the natives, on their first 
coming to the ship. According to the first charts that were 
drawn, little doubt existed of a passage being to be found; but 
according to the chart now drawn, the place in which the Vic¬ 
tory then was, was nothing but a large bay, indented with ma¬ 
ny smaller bays and bights, and a great number of very large 
islands. From some information, however, which these Esqui- 
9 2c 
