446 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
The effects of the extreme fatigue, which some of the crew 
had undergone, in the iate excursion with Commander Ross, 
now began to show themselves, for of the few, that were left 
on board, seven were laid up with swelled legs: the conse¬ 
quence of fatigue, superadded to a constant exposure to the 
severity of the weather, and especially to their extremities 
being perpetually subject to an extraordinary degree of cold. 
Moderate exercise was prescribed for them, but with some 
the complaint appeared to be of an obstinate nature, and very 
unwilling to yield to any of the remedies recommended. A 
deficiency of manual power was, however, at this period to be 
particularly deplored: for a number of hands were almost al¬ 
ways absent on an expedition, either with Capt. Ross or hiu 
nephew ; and the season having arrived, when the preparations 
were to be made for proceeding on the voyage, an extra portion 
of duty fell to those, who were left on board, and which was the 
instigation of many complaints, which Capt. Ross, in some 
instances, scarcely knew how to redress as they were actually 
founded on right and justice, and by no means in contravention 
of the discipline of the ship. 
The men expressed their readiness to perform the regular, 
and allotted duties of the ship, but they also required their stated 
periods of rest and relaxation. Thus, the larboard and star¬ 
board watches were in duty bound to work during their re¬ 
spective watches, but, at the expiration of the stipulated period 
of four hours, they were not in the least inclined to prolong 
their labors, but turned in, into their hammocks, as regularly as 
a horse into his stall, or a pig into his stye. This was, how¬ 
ever, a system, considering the extreme paucity of hands, which 
could not be allowed, consistently with the despatch, that was 
necessary for the repairs and the rigging out of the ship. Jn 
vain did Capt. Ross expound to them the urgent necessity of un¬ 
remitting labor; in vain did he hold out to them, that the dis¬ 
covery of the North West Passage was in immediate prospect 
before them, and which was only to be accomplished by putting 
the Victory in a proper state to prosecute her voyage;—in regard 
to the first, although it might be evident to them, that the ne 
