486 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS* 
would have been a sure indication to them, that the Kabloonas 
were still in their vicinity. It must, however, be remarked, that 
the Esquimaux had no very urgent motives for visiting the ship ; 
they had already, in their commercial dealings with Capt. 
Ross, denuded themselves of almost their whole stock of cloth¬ 
ing ; and until the seals began to be plentiful, they had scarcely 
any other article, which they could barter away with the Euro¬ 
peans, for their fish-hooks, needles, files, and old pieces of iron. 
On the 1st December, the crew were put into five watches, 
the principal reason of which was, to keep all the men in a re¬ 
gular state of exercise. Two of the watches were continually 
walking in the day-time; two were at work; and one was 
down below, for the purpose of keeping the lower deck dry, and 
in good order. The working party about the ship, were em¬ 
ployed in building a snow wall four feet high, which reached 
from stem to stern, and which served the purpose of a screen to 
the men, in their various operations about the ship. 
The officers now began their usual occupation of the chase, 
and seldom a day elapsed, that some animal or game was not 
brought to the ship. A very rare animal, a black fox, was 
killed on the 3rd December; and the following day, a white 
one and a hare. During the whole month of December, not a 
Sunday elapsed, that a roasted hare did not smoke on the table 
in the cabin; and in truth it may be said, that the gun w r as the 
best purveyor of food for the cabin, which was known, during 
the whole of the time, that the vessel was blocked up. 
On the 18th, being Sunday, the usual service was performed: 
and in fact, it may be stated, as a general thing, that during the 
whole of the time that the expedition was out, not six Sundays 
elapsed, that divine service was not performed, but it was more 
a matter of discipline belonging to the ship, than the effect of a 
religious spirit. The service began generally a little after ten, 
and lasted for about an hour, during which time, the whole of the 
morning service was gabbled over in one breath ; so that it was 
scarcely possible to understand a single word that was said. 
A sermon was certainly read; but had it been compiled in the 
Esquimaux language, it would have been equally instructive and 
