.52 INTRODUCTION TO THE 



might be enabled to bring back more authentic in- 

 formation than the world had hitherto obtained, about 

 the relative situation and vicinity of the two conti- 

 nents, which was absolutely necessary to be known, 

 before the practicability of sailing between the Pacific 

 and Atlantic Oceans, in any northern direction, 

 could be ascertained. 



After all that search in a lower latitude which 

 they who give credit (if any such there now be) to 

 the pretended discoveries of de Fonte, affect to wish 

 had been recommended to Captain Cook, has (if that 

 will cure them of their credulity,) been satisfactorily 

 made. The Spaniards, roused from their lethargy 

 by our voyages, and having caught a spark of enter- 

 prize from our repeated visits to the Pacific Ocean, 

 have followed us more than once into the line of our 

 discoveries within the Southern tropic ; and have 

 also fitted out expeditions to explore the American 

 continent to the north of California. It is to be 

 lamented, that there should be any reasons why the 

 transactions of those Spanish voyages have not been 

 fully disclosed, with the same liberal spirit of inform- 

 ation which other nations have adopted. But, for- 

 tunately, this excessive caution of the court of Spain 

 has been defeated, at least in one instance, by the 

 publication of an authentic Journal of their last 

 voyage of discovery upon the coast of America, in 

 177^; for which the world is indebted to the Honour- 

 able Mr. Daines Barrington. This publication, 

 which conveys some information of real consequence 

 to geography, and has therefore been referred to 

 more than once in the following work, is particularly 

 valuable in this respect, that some parts of the coast 

 which Captain Cook, in his progress northward, was 

 prevented by unfavourable winds from approaching, 

 were seen and examined by the Spanish ships who 

 preceded him ; and the perusal of the following ex- 

 tract from their Journal, may be recommended to 

 those (if any such there be) who would represent it 



