LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
531 
which could only be accomplished by a liberal administration 
of nutritious food. The sequel will very soon show, how directly 
opposite was the conduct of Capt. Ross, and how richly deserv¬ 
ing he proved himself of that dislike, which the men entertained 
for him. 
By the last party arrived from the fishing place, information 
was brought, that one of the men, Anthony Buck, was taken ill 
with severe fits, brought on, it was supposed, by eating stale and 
unwholesome food, particularly salmon, which had been dressed 
in the copper funnelling. This man, however, was not the only 
one of the crew, who was indisposed, although not exactly in the 
same manner, nor from the same cause 
It was the duty of the steward to wash the wearing apparel 
of the officers as well as their bedding; and it was on the 27th, 
that his task of washing commenced, having twenty-two blankets 
and four quilts, with four months apparel to wash, and all in cold 
vrater, with no one to give him the slightest assistance through¬ 
out his arduous labor. The washing was obliged to be post¬ 
poned, on account of the difficulty of getting a good supply of 
water, until the latter end of June, and then the labor lasted for 
three or four nights, during which time, he was never in his 
bed. The effect of such a continual dabbling in cold water, 
was, that he lost the use of his hands, by which, in the course 
of a few days he could not hold a tumbler, nor wipe out a tea 
cup; he was then put upon the sick list, but by the necessary 4 
applications, the use of his hands was restored to him. 
On the *Z6th, a party of four left the ship for the fishing place, 
leaving Capt. Ross on board to amuse himself with the pickling 
of some salmon in jars for his own private eating. On the fol¬ 
lowing day, the same parly returned, bringing with them 280 
salmon, and a note from Commander Ross to his uncle, inform¬ 
ing him, that at one haul, he had caught 3313 salmon, and that 
he was on his return to the ship. The greater portion however, 
of this extraordinary haul was wasted, as the men openly and 
boldly declared that they could not stand the fatigue any longer; 
for, independently of the privations, which they were obliged to 
undergo on account of the badness of their diet, there was 
