LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS, 
437 
same pursuit, and had the same end in view, yet there existed 
a reserve between them, as if each of them were afraid to com¬ 
municate their discoveries to one another, from the suspicion 
that if any merit were attached to them, it might be wrested 
from him, and the laurel planted on the brow, which did not 
deserve it. The existence of this discordance was particularly 
visible in their examinations before the committee of the House 
of Commons, for they not only contradicted one another, on some 
most essential points, but, in some instances, the observations 
which Capt. Ross pretended to have made, were entirely new 
to Commander Ross, he never having heard of them before his ap¬ 
pearance in the committee room. In regard to the collection 
of specimens, Capt. Ross, as we have seen, issued his orders 
respecting them; but Commander Ross distinctly states, that 
he was the only person, who understood any thing about the 
subjects, to which they referred. Thus, in question 300, Com¬ 
mander Ross is asked, Did you conduct the observations in geo¬ 
logy, natural history, and botany ?— Such observations as were 
made upon those subjects, were of course conducted by myself. 
And collected the specimens? — Yes, every thing of that kind . 
When you say you conducted them, do you mean, that they 
were confided to you by Capt. Ross?— No, they came to me as 
a natural consequence ; 1 was the only person, who at all under¬ 
stood the nature of those subjects, but I was not ordered to un¬ 
dertake them . 1 never received an order of any kind from any 
person on that expedition. 
The most extraordinary instance of contradiction, however, 
is to be found in the opinion, which they respectively entertain 
of the danger attending the discovery of the North W T est Pas¬ 
sage, and the advantages that are likely to accrue from it 
On this subject, Capt. Ross is asked, in the 196th question 
From your experience of the Polar seas, do you conceive that 
any further attempt to discover the North West Passage would 
be attended with great danger ?—1 do. 
And if successful, would it be attended with any public bene¬ 
fit ?— I believe it would be utterly useless. 
The indications, that were relied upon in the beginning of 
