646 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
closing in upon them, and literally choking them up. At this 
time, the men had no other clothing than what they stood up¬ 
right in, their whole covering at night consisting of a blanket 
made in the shape of a sack, into which they crawled, and then 
drew the open ends over their faces. The chief object of making 
these bags was, that they could not get out their feet to be frozen. 
The method, in which the men frequently slept, was as 
follows-Three trenches were dug in the snow, each capable 
of holding seven men, a covering of canvass was thrown over 
the trenches, and a layer of snow over the canvass : they then 
got into their bags or blankets, and huddled close together for 
the benefit of the reciprocal heat. There was an officer in each 
trench, viz. Capt. Ross, Commander Ross, and Mr. Thom. The 
blankets of the officers were lined with skin ; but it is scarcely 
possible to form an idea of the misery and wretchedness, which 
the men endured in their terrible dormitories; the frozen snow 
was their bed beneath, and the cold, to which they were exposed, 
was, at one time, 32° below zero, or 64° below the freezing 
point of Fahrenheit; after encountering many hair-breadth 
escapes, from the treacherous state of the ice, they succeeded in 
getting eighteen miles to the southward, and were then obliged 
to haul the boats on shore, on account of the young ice making 
so rapidly, and the consequent danger incurred of having them 
frozen in. They remained in this place for two days, during which 
time they shot two foxes, which were eaten by the crew, as well 
as an old rook that was shot: in fact, although it could not be 
literally said that it vras all fish, that came to their net, yet they 
shot whatever came within their reach ; and that which, in their 
own country, would have been rejected with disgust, was, under 
their present circumstances, considered as a dainty morsel. 
On the ice opening a little, some further progress was made, 
and, after being exposed to the most imminent danger, they 
succeeded in reaching Batty Bay, which was on the 1st of Octo¬ 
ber. Here their progress was completely impeded by the young 
ice, and it was feared, that all further hope of reaching Fury 
Beach by the boats, must be abandoned. In this situation they 
were obliged to pitch their tents on the ice, not being able to 
