LAST VOYAGE OV CAPT. ROSS. 
202 
With the appearance of the sun, the weather assumed an ex¬ 
traordinary degree of mildness, the wind blowing from the south 
west, and the crew took the advantage of it to spread some gravel 
on the ice, for the purpose of making a walk from the vessel to 
the land. This labour was however in many respects rendered 
fruitless, for the irruption of the water was sometimes so sudden 
as totally to cover the gravel, which under those circumstances 
might be considered as wholly lost. 
A considerable number of Esquimaux visited the ship on the 
22nd, and they were all taken into the cabin, but some of them 
evincing a strong disposition to pilfer whatever they could slily 
lay their hands upon, Capt. Ross expressed his determination 
that none should be admitted into the cabin but under particular 
circumstances, and then not in a body, and never more than three 
at a time ; for it was found impossible to keep such a vigilant 
eye upon them as to prevent some of the things from being car¬ 
ried away. Some of these natives were as tall as 5 feet 9 inches, 
while others were as diminutive as 4 feet 9 inches. The oldest 
of them was 44, the youngest 28. 
On the 2Srd, a most beautiful exhibition of the Aurora display¬ 
ed itself, which was not confined to one part of the horizon, but 
appeared in vivid coruscations in every quarter of it, being 
equally as bright in the south as in the north, and throwing a 
light on every object almost equal to the rays of the sun. 
The 24th being Sunday, was the day appointed for the burial 
of the armourer, and the crew were called to breakfast at half¬ 
past seven, in order that the ceremony might be performed 
before the Esquimaux came on board, and previously to the 
regular service of the day. At half-past nine the whole of the 
crew were mustered, and part of the burial service was read; 
at ten the corpse was carried, attended by the whole of the crew 
to the grave, and although none of the gorgeous and emblazoned 
trappings which wave over the putrid remains of the noble and the 
rich, distinguished this humble procession of the funeral of a British 
sailor; although no undertaker; that sickening compound of exterior 
grief and inward joy, strutted slowly and stately before the corpse, 
calculating the amount of his gains, and the best possible means 
