LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
527 
delighted with it, that they would have taken all Weir clothes 
from their back, in exchange for it, and have returned to their 
huts, literally in a state of nakedness. Capt. Ross went to the 
lakes to try his success with the spear, but he returned without 
catching a fish. 
The tides were now exceedingly high, the water having risen 
18 feet 5 inches; and it was a most mortifying circumstance, 
to see an open sea before them, and to know that their ship 
was jammed up with the ice, in a small bay, wholly unable to 
extricate herself. On the 13th, the boats were got off from the 
shore, in expectation that the ice would give way, from the effect 
of the high tides, and enable the vessel to proceed on her voyage. 
In the afternoon of the 13th, Mr. Light went to the lakes 
with his salmon spear, and succeeded in striking a fish, which 
he conveyed on board. This spear was bought by Mr. Light, 
of an Esquimaux, at Widsford or Holsteinburg; and it was 
the first salmon, that had ever been caught by any of the crew, 
with a spear. Commander Ross also succeeded in striking three 
small fish, the whole weight of which was lib. 5oz. The 
weather was, however, exceedingly inauspicious for fishing, the 
rain coming down in torrents, and the wind blowing a strong* 
gale from the eastward. 
On the 14th, two Esquimaux arrived at the ship, bringing 
with them thirty-five pounds of fish ; but as they were all of last 
years catching, they were not held in very high esteem. These 
Esquimaux remained on board till the 16th, when they were to 
accompany Commander Ross and a party, to one of the five 
rivers in North Bay, of which mention has been already made, 
and which was reported, by the natives, to abound with all kinds 
of fish. Accordingly, early on the morning of the 16th, Com¬ 
mander Ross, Mr. Mc’Diarmid, with eight men, guided by the 
two Esquimaux, set out on this expedition, Capt. Ross accom¬ 
panying them part of the way; but who returned to the comforts 
of the ship, at 12 o’clock, on the following day, bringing with 
him a plover and a snipe. He saw a deer, and in his hurry to load 
his gun with ball, he broke his ramrod. The 17th, being Sunday, 
Capt. Ross, immediately on his return, proceeded to the per- 
