LAST VOYAGE OF OAPT. ROSS. 
442 
To return, however, to our narrative. On the 7th of June, 
Capt. Ross returned from his expedition, bringing with him some 
birds of various kinds, and some fish, that he had caught in salt 
water, with a number of salmon, which he had caught in the 
lakes ; he had also seen hundreds of rein-deer, but not within 
range of his shot. He left some provisions for Commander Ross, 
on an island, which proved a very seasonable supply for him. 
On the 12th, the Esquimaux came to the ship, who went to 
Shagerwak for his canoe. He brought with him his wife and 
family; the former of whom went by the name of Mrs. Tigguta- 
geoo . She was, however, by no means a lady of the most refined 
and delicate habits; for, being apparently of a sulky and taci¬ 
turn disposition, she paid very little attention to the objects 
around her ; but her chief amusement appeared to be, to pick 
the vermin out of her head, and to eat them, giving her children, 
now and then, one to taste, as a kind of relish to them. 
On the 14th, several of the crew were taken alarmingly ill 
with a complaint in the bowels, and it became the general be¬ 
lief, that it was occasioned by the victuals being cooked in the 
apparatus, which was Slater’s patents; the boilers of which were 
made of copper, but the tin lining of which was found to be 
worn off. The steward was so ill that he was obliged to keep 
his bed, which he did for three days; by judicious treatment, 
however, he was off the sick list on the fifth day. 
On the evening of the 14th, Commander Ross returned, bring¬ 
ing back with him only two of his dogs, out of nine; having 
been under the painful necessity of killing some of them, as food 
for the others. He had been absent twenty-eight days from the 
ship, during which time, the stock of provisions, which he had 
taken with him for his dogs had become completely exhausted : 
every attempt had failed to catch a seal, and no other alterna¬ 
tive was left, than to kill a dog, to keep the others even in com¬ 
mon condition to draw the sledges. It was not, however, only 
the painful feelings, which the death of the dogs excited in the 
breast of Commander Ross, but it was also the great embarrass¬ 
ment, into which he was thrown, by the defalcation of the only 
power, by which the aim of his expedition could be accomplished. 
