LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
487 
edifying* to the majority of the congregation ; the great aim of 
the reader appearing to be, to get to the end of it, with all the 
expedition in his power. Capt. Ross was himself by no means 
a religious character; and his regular observance of the duties 
of the Sabbath, was more mechanical than the result of that 
inward feeling of sanctity and reverence, on which true reli¬ 
gion is founded ; nor, in the opinion of the crew, did he act up 
to the performance of those Christian principles, which breathe in 
some of those sublime prayers, which so particularly distin¬ 
guish the service of the Church of England. The prayers, that 
are in general used at sea, were, it is true, read or gabbled over, 
every Sunday; and it was always remarked by the crew, when 
Capt. Ross came to that beautiful prayer, “ Almighty Lord God, 
who alone spreadest out the heavens,that he always read, with 
a deep and profound voice, the latter part of it, “ and that we 
may return in safety, to enjoy the blessings of the land, and the 
fruits of our labor but strong indeed was the contrast, which 
appeared between the doctrines, which issued from his mouth, 
and the conduct, which he pursued towards his men. He re¬ 
turned in safety to his native land, supported and strengthened 
by that God, to whom in his desolation he had prayed for suc¬ 
cour, and it was not refused him. But did he, in return for such 
a gracious display of divine Providence, give to his men the 
fruits of their labor—did he, from the influence of a grateful 
spirit, give to those, who had stood by him in his forlorn and 
desperate situation, and without whose aid and manly efforts, he 
would have been left as a bleaching corse, on the eternal snows 
of an uninhabited land—did he give to those men even what 
was their lawful due, and for which they had stipulated, on en¬ 
tering into his service? Was it not refused and withheld from 
them, on a quibble, which would have disgraced the very lowest 
of the gowned and wigged rogues, that perambulate the pave¬ 
ment of Westminster Hall ? If he did not do these things, an 
opportunity is now afforded him of disproving the charges, 
which his crew have brought against him, and of proving, that 
the truth was not in him, when he declared, before the com¬ 
mittee of the House of Commons, that all the men were satisfied 
with what had been done for them by the Admiralty . 
