508 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
was supposed to have received, that, on the following day, he 
refused to attend divine service, and set out upon a walking 
excursion into the country. On returning on board, he brought 
with him some living insects, that he had obtained out of the 
fresh water ice, in a torpid or frozen state : by holding them 
in his hand, and exposing them for a time to the heat of the 
sun, they all came to life, but their existence was ephemeral, 
as they died before the close of the day. 
On the 16th, every thing was in readiness for the departure of 
the two parties : Capt. Ross taking with him five men, and 
provisions for 21 days, and Commander James, also five men. 
They were to travel in company for some distance; and, on 
Capt. Ross leaving the commander, the latter was to be supplied 
with provisions, in addition to his own, so as to make up a 
sufficiency for 21 days; and it was further agreed, that Capt. 
Ross, on his return, should leave five days provisions for his 
nephew, at Nichilli, and another supply between that place and 
the ship. 
The party of Commander Ross w^ere to travei to the head of 
the north bay, and thence to the south-west to Nichilli ; and 
the reason for directing his route in that quarter, was, that the 
Esquimaux were in some part of the bay; they having told him, 
that they would direct him a nearer way to Nichilli , than that 
by which he travelled, on the 1st of June of the preceding year. 
The Esquimaux were eleven days in travelling from the ship to 
Nichilli ; but Commander Ross and his party would have tra¬ 
velled faster, had they not been obliged sometimes to wait for 
the Esquimaux, who were, in general, such lazy fellows, that it 
was impossible to rouse them from their seniks ; for, although 
they were well shaken, and punched and pinched, and kicked, 
their only answer was, a deep surly grunt, somewhat similar 
to that of rousing a pig in its stye. At another time they would 
spend several hours in repairing their sledges, when in reality 
they did not stand in need of repair; but it was a subterfuge on 
the part of the Esquimaux, to give them an opportunity of in¬ 
dulging in their indolent habits. 
In this expedition, an Esquimaux, of the name of Nowena , 
