Volume 1

Narrative of a second voyage in search of a north-west passage, and of a residence in the Arctic regions during the years 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833 / By Sir John Ross ... Including the reports of ... Captain James Clark Ross ... and the discovery of the northern magnetic pole.

  • Ross, John, Sir, 1777-1856.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Narrative of a second voyage in search of a north-west passage, and of a residence in the Arctic regions during the years 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833 / By Sir John Ross ... Including the reports of ... Captain James Clark Ross ... and the discovery of the northern magnetic pole. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    doubt that it joined, as the natives had previously informed us, to Ackullee, and the land forming Repulse Bay. It was also determined that there was no passage to the westward for 30 miles to the northward of our position. This summer, like that of 1818, was beautifully fine, but extremely unfavourable for naviga¬ tion, and our object being now to try a more northern latitude, we waited with anxiety for the disruption of the ice, but in vain, and our utmost endeavours did not succeed in retracing our steps more than four miles, and it was not until the middle of November, that we suc¬ ceeded in cutting the vessel into a place of security, which we named “ SheriflF’s Harbour.” I may here mention, that we named the newly discovered continent, to the southward, “ Boothia,” as also the isthmus, the peninsula to the north, and the eastern sea, after my worthy friend, Felix Booth, F.sq., the truly patriotic citizen of London, who, in the most disinterested manner enabled me to equip this expedition in a superior style. The last winter was in temperature nearly equal to the means of what had been experienced on the four preceding voyages, but the winters of 1830 and 1831 set in with a degree of violence hitherto beyond record, the thermometer sank to 92° below the freezing point, and the average of the year was 10° below the preceding; but notwitstanding the severity of the summer, we travelled across the country to the West Sea, by a chain of lakes, 30 miles north of the isthmus, when Commander Ross succeeded in surveying 50 miles more of the coast leading to the N.W. and, by tracing the shore to the northward of our position, it was also fully proved that there could be no passage below the 71st degree. This autumn we succeeded in getting the vessel only 14 miles to the northward, and as we had not doubled the Eastern Cape, all hopes of saving the ship was at an end, and put quite beyond possibility by another very severe winter, and having only provisions to last us to June 1, 1832, dispositions were accordingly made to leave the ship in her present port, which (after her) was named “ Victory Harbour.”* Provisions and fuel being carried forward in the spring, we left the ship on May 29, 1832, for Fury Beach, being the only chance left of saving our lives. Owing to the very rugged nature of the ice, we were obliged to keep either upon or close to the land, making the circuit of every bay, thus increasing our distance of 200 miles by nearly one half, and it was not until July 1 that we reached the beach, completely exhausted by hunger and fatigue. A hut was speedily constructed, and the boats, three of which had been washed off the beach, but providentially driven on shore again, were repaired during this month; but the unusual heavy appearance of the ice afforded us no cheering prospect until August 1, when in three boats we reached the ill-fated spot where the Fury was first driven on shore, and it was not until September 1 we reached Leopold South Island, now established to be the N.E. point of America, in lat. 73° 56', and long. 90° west. From the summit of the lofty mountain on the promontory we could see Prince Regent’s Inlet, Barrow’s Strait, and Lancaster Sound, which presented one impenetrable mass of ice just as I had seen it in 1818 ; here we remained in a state of anxiety and suspense, which may be easier imagined than described. All our attempts to push through werevain; at length b»ing forced by want of provisions and the approach of a most severe winter to return to Fury Beach, where alone there remained where¬ with to sustain life; there we arrived on October 7, after a most fatiguing and laborious march, having been obliged to leave our boats at Batty Bay. Our habitation, which consisted in a frame of spars, 32 feet by 16, covered with canvas, was during the month of November enclosed, and the roof covered with snow from four to seven feet thick, which being saturated * This has since been named Victoria Harbour, by permission of their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria.