688 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
them to reach London. It might be supposed, that this 
considerate request would have been complied with without 
a murmur, but, at first, he evaded it, by telling them that he 
had no money. This statement, however, the crew knew 
well not to be founded on truth, for it was known by all of 
them, that he had a considerable sum in gold in his possession. 
The men, however, continuing to press their request, and de¬ 
claring their total inability to reach London without a slight 
advance of money, Capt. Ross at last consented to allow them 
two pounds a man. 
It was about eight o’clock in the morning, that the Gazelle 
steam boat came past the Isabella, when Capt. Ross, his nephew, 
Mr. Thom, and Mr. Mc’Diarmid, went on board, and proceeded 
towards Hull. The crew, however, did not go up until the 
following morning, which was a great disappointment to them, 
for just as they got within sight of the town, the London steam 
boat shoved off from her moorings, whilst they could see the 
whole of the water-side lined with people in expectation of 
seeing them land. The steam boat, however, came alongside, 
and the master said, that he wanted fourteen of the crew of 
Capt. Ross (one of them, Blankey, having been left on board the 
North Pole, a Greenland ship, 10 assist in navigating her home, 
and George Taylor remaining on board the Isabella, it being 
his determination to proceed to Liverpool). On leaving the 
Isabella, the respective crews gave each other three hearty cheers, 
and happy were the men of the Victory, when they found them¬ 
selves emancipated from the control of their commander, and the 
prospect of reaching their friends and home in 48 hours. Capt. 
Ross delivered to the steward of the steam boat two pounds for 
each man, allowing them their passage free, but whatever pro¬ 
visions they partook of, was at their own expense. 
It was on Sunday night, that they arrived at Deptford, having 
been exactly four years and five months absent from England. 
They were ordered by Capt. Ross to attend at the Admiralty 
on the following Tuesday, but they could not receive any tidings 
of their pay. It was not until the latter end of October, that the 
crew were informed that the Lords of the Admiralty had advanced 
