630 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
they would fall in with a monument, from which the beach 
could be distinctly seen. Although it was the month of June, 
Commander Ross had experienced some very severe weather, 
the thermometer standing in the sun at noon-day, sometimes 
40°, and at others 10° above zero, and in the night 10° below. 
On Commander Ross first starting for Fury Beach, he and his 
companions were on the same allowance as the men, who com¬ 
posed the main body : but, on their arrival at the beach, they 
were not limited as to their provisions; and on the two parties 
meeting, they had with them 40 tbs. of bread, and the same 
weight of preserved meats, which they shared amongst their 
messmates, whose hunger was so great, that, to use their own 
phraseology, they could have devoured the flippers of a seal. 
For the first day or two after the arrival of Commander Ross, 
the crew were put on full allowance, but then it was afterwards 
unexpectedly reduced to the former quantity. 
During the previous part of their journey, they had plenty of 
cocoa, tea, and sugar on the sledges; but then it was very sa¬ 
gaciously observed by Capt. Ross, that an infusion of neither 
couid be made, without the assistance of water, and therefore 
the articles remained in their packages untouched : the quantity 
of tea amounted to 16 lbs. and the cocoa to treble that quan¬ 
tity. The crew had now succeeded in obtaining a little water: 
and as the good news had been brought, that the stores of the 
Fury were in good condition, it was expected, that Capt. Ross 
would have shown some relaxation in the severity of his conduct, 
and have given to the men some additional nourishment, consider¬ 
ing the unparalleled fatigue, which they had lately undergone • 
but not the slightest change took place in his conduct, which 
appeared to be regulated but by one principle, and that was the 
Jove of self. The men at this time had only two meals a day, and 
those on a limited allowance : it was then natural to suppose, 
that the thought would have entered into the mind of every 
considerate commander, that if he exacted duty and obedience 
from his men, they had a right to expect that he would per¬ 
form his duty towards them; the principal part of which then 
was, that the men should have that nourishment distributed 
