40 INTRODUCTION TO THE 



f* you find any, through which there may be a probability ot 

 " passing into the Pacific Ocean, you are to attempt such 

 " passage ; and if you succeed in the attempt, and shall be 

 " able to repass it again, so as to return to England this year, 

 " you are to make the best of your way to Spithead, or the 

 " Nore, and remain there until you receive further order; 

 " sending us an account of your arrival and proceedings. 

 " But if you shall succeed in the attempt, and shall find the 

 " season too far advanced for you to return the same way, 

 ** you are then to look out for the most convenient place to 

 " winter in, and to endeavour to return by the said passage 

 " as early in the next year as the season will admit, and then 

 " to make the best of your way to England, as above di- 

 " rected. 



" In case, however, you should not find, or should be sa- 

 " tisfied there is not any probability of finding, any such 

 " passage; or, finding it, you should not be able to get through 

 " in the vessel you command, you are then to return to 

 " England, as before mentioned, unless you shall find any 

 " branch of the sea leading to the westward which you shall 

 " judge likely to afford a communication between the At- 

 " lantic and Pacific Oceans, and which you shall not be able 

 " to explore in the course of this year, it being, in that case, 

 " left to your discretion to stay the winter in the most com- 

 " modious situation you can find, in order to pursue the dis- 

 " covery next year, if you shall find it adviseable so to do; 

 " and, having discovered such passage, or not succeeded in 

 " the attempt, you are to make the best of your way to Eng- 

 " land, as above directed." 



It was natural to hope, that something would have 

 been done in one or other, or in both these voyages 

 of the Lion, that might have opened our views with 

 regard to the practicability of a passage from this 

 side of America. But, unfortunately, the execution 

 did not answer the expectations conceived. Pickers- 

 gill, who had acquired professional experience when 

 acting under Captain Cook, justlj merited the cen- 

 sure he received, for improper behaviour when in- 



