LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
652 
We leave this part of the evidence without any further com¬ 
ment, than that it appears most strange, and almost inexplicable 
to our vulgar capacity, that, what was bad for the men, should 
be good for the master; at all events, there is no existing proof., 
that the health of the latter ever suffered from the periodical 
visitations to a square glass vessel, deposited in a corner of one 
of the chests, which the former had to drag over the hummocks 
of ice, the contents of which, however, were refused them, even 
in the character of a medicine. 
The last topic, of that most senseless arrangement of English 
words in a state of juxta-position, commonly known by the title 
of a King’s Speech, is generally the most important ; and as 
Capt. Ross could, with the greatest propriety, exclaim in the sup¬ 
posed language of Alexander Selkirk— 
“ I am monarch of all I survey; 
My right there are none to dispute,” 
it may be naturally supposed, that the last topic of his speech 
partook of the royal character; and certainly to the men, who, 
■pro tempore, might be considered as the subjects of the viceroy 
of Boothia, the last topic of his speech was the most important* 
as it embraced the imperative restriction, that, although an 
abundance of provisions of all sorts were on the beach, not a mail 
was to dare to touch a single article, until it was distributed to 
him in the regular manner, however keen his appetite or com¬ 
manding as the voice of nature might be, that it should be 
satisfied. In return for their obedience in this point, it was 
promised that they should be put immediately on full allow¬ 
ance, and should continue so, as long as the stock of provisions 
would sanction the advance. To the seamen these were, indeed, 
“ joyful tidings in the desert;” and although we have no autho¬ 
rity for staling, that an address was voted by the men to Capt. 
Ross, thanking him for his most gracious speech, and promising 
to take the subjects of it into their immediate consideration ; yet, 
with comparatively merry and lightsome hearts, they entered the 
house, and, whilst the stove was fixing by the engineer, they 
amused themselves with eating bread and sugar, which no school¬ 
boy could have eaten with greater relish, and as soon as the stove 
