LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. FOSS 
443 
With the death of the dogs, an extra degree of labor fell upon 
the men, for that, which the animals were accustomed to perform, 
now devolved upon the former ; and severe, indeed, were the 
difficulties, against which they had to contend; at the same 
time, that they were destitute, in some measure, of that support, 
which was necessary to support their strength, or maintain the 
regular state of their health. On their arrival at the ship, the 
men appeared like human skeletons: their flesh shrivelled, their 
countenances wan and doleful, their gait feeble and tottering, 
and their general appearance bespeaking the liberated inmates 
of a prison, or a few miserable objects, who had escaped from 
the city of the plague. 
The result of this expedition was any thing but fortunate, or 
cheering; in fact, to whatever quarter Commander Ross directed 
his course, the conviction became still stronger impressed upon 
him, that, in regard to the ultimate object of the expedition, 
the prospect before him was one of the most disheartening 
nature. The extent of his researches to the southward, had 
not indeed been very wide, but as he never conjectured, that 
the passage was to be found in that quarter, he had not paid 
such particular attention to it, as he had done to the westward. 
It was, however, his comparatively total failure in the latter 
quarter, which determined him to prosecute his researches fur¬ 
ther to the southward ; and, with that perseverance, and un¬ 
daunted fortitude, which are the prominent features in his 
character, he determined upon another expedition to the south¬ 
ward, taking with him, however, that material, the want of 
which was so severely felt on his preceding excursions, and 
which contributed in a great degree to their failure. 
The month of June may be denominated the sporting season 
in the Esquimaux country: the birds have migrated from the 
south, and not a day elapsed, but some of the crew of the Vic¬ 
tory came home laden with the spoils of the chase. There was, 
however, something rather unsportsmanlike in their proceed¬ 
ings, for they killed the hares, although big with young, from 
one of which, Commander Ross took four young ones; the 
grouse were shot in the very act of incubation; the deer, in the 
