Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1833-12-05

some refreshment. Tne Dells ruOS merry
ueals, the colours were hoisted on all the
shipping in the port, and public dinner was
TO be given at two o'clock TO Capt. Ross, by
the principal inhabitants. He was to start for
I.ondOn at four in the evening. The freedom
of the Corporation was to be presented to him
10 silver box.
In 1929, our readers are aware that Capt.
Ross fitted Omt his expedition, with the view
to determine the practibility Of a new passage
which had been confidently stated 10 exist,
particularly by Prince Regents Inlet, and
that, in consequence Of the loss of the fore
mast Of his vessel, the Victory, he was obli-
ged 10 reit at WidefOrd, 10 Greenland. The
accounts Of his departure from thence ON the
9th July. 1929, formed the last authentic in
teliigence received of the expedition, until the
commander and crew were picked up by the
Isabella, of Hull. Capt. Ross old ship.
By Capt. Ross account it appears, that
the first season, that of 1899, was the mlldest
that had ever been recorded, and the sea was
more clear OF ice than hadsbeen experienced
during any preceding voyages. On the 18th
of August Capt. Ross reached the spot where
the stores of the Fury were; landed without
experiencing any difficulty, and there he found
the provisions, &c., but not the wreck, which
had totally disappeared. Having supplied all
his wants at this depot, he advanced to the
southwark round Cape Carey, from whence
the west coast led him, 10 s. w. direction,
| to the lat. Of ~ deg N. Here he was for the
FIRST time seriously impeded by ice: but. al
ter examining an inlet, he proceeded to urge
I his way TO the southwark, as near the west
shore as the shallowness Of the water permit
ted, and occasionally landed to take posses
sion of the newly discovered region for the
British crown, with the usual ceremony
Owing 10 the rapidly Of the tides and cur
| rocky character Of the coast the voyage was
extremely perilOus. Having experienced sew
| eral almost miraculous escapes from ship
wreck. they ultimately succeeded in reaching
the 10 deg. of latitude, in a direction nearly
cue south Of Fury Point, where their course
was arrested by an impenetrable barrier Of
ponderous ice. In a harh0r which they found
at this extreme point they wintered.
In January, 1880, they opened a eommuni-
cation with tribe Of natives, who had never
before held intercourse with Strangers
Friendship was soon formed between them
and the tars, and the FIRST winter. which was
not very severe, was spent very pleasantly
Having learned from the natives, that the east
sea was divided from the west by neck Of
land, the point was examined, and all hope OF
efecting passage in that direction completely
ertinguished. Commander Ross, (nephew Of
Capt. Ross.l who wassent to survey the coast
Of the west sea, leading to Cape Turnagain,
| succeeded in getting within $50 miles of It,
and left off within short distance Of where
Captain Back expected Fish River to join the
sea. They also determined that the land was
continuous to that which forms Repulse Bay.
During the autumn Of 1880, the vOyagers
waited In vain for the ice to dissolve, as it had
done the preceding year. They had not,
| with great exertion, proceeded more than four
miles, (retraeing their cOurse.) when they
were arrested, in very dreary position, by
( the approach of winter unparalleled in Sc
1 verity-the lowest temperature being 90 de-
grees below the freezing poiut. The summer
proving no less rigorous for the season, little
hope was entertained of a release, and fur
ther progress of IA miles was all they could
accomplish.
In October, 1881, the ship was laid up in
| the harbor 10 which she at present lies moor
ed, and where the party endured the rigors of
another winter, not less severe than that OF
the preceding year. Their provisions being
consumed, they had now no alternative but
10 abandon the vessel and proceed to the spot
where the Fury's provisions still remained
direct distance of 200 miles, which was in
creased by one half, in consequence Of the cir
cuitous route which the ice obliged them tn
take. They accordingly left the'Victory in
May, 1882, and after a journey Of uncommon
labor and hardship, reached Fury Beach in
the month of July. During this journey they
had not only to carry their provisions and
sick, but also supply Of fuel, for without
melting snow they could not even procure a
drink Of water.
They repaired the Fury's boats. and at
tempted to escape; but it was September he
fore they reached LeOpold's Island, which
they have fully established to be the N. E.
point Of America, Here they vainly waited
for the ice to break. 1t presented an impen-
etrable mass, extending across Lancaster
Sound, and intercepting the progress Of the
fishing ships, which could advance no further
than Admiralty Inlet, where some remained
as late as the 10th September the same year.
Winter set in. and they had no choice left but
to retrace their steps, and spend another in
clement season in canvass huts, covered with
snow. They had no beds, clothing, or ami
NAL food. Captain Ross says that their suf-
ferings cannot be completely submitted to the
public, for il could not be believed what they
had undergone. The carpsntcf pcrished {;
and several others were so much reduced that
they had to be carried to Batty Bay, where
the boats had been left.
The spring and summer of the present year
Afforded the desOlate party more cheering