viU PREFACE. 



permitted me to make ufe of ia this colle6lion. This 

 voyage, which redounds greatly to the honour of the 

 fovereign who planned it, confirms in general the au- 

 thenticity of the treatife above-mentioned ; and afcertains 

 the reality of the difcoveries made by the private mer- 

 chants. 



As a farther illuftration of this fubje6t, I colledled the 

 beft charts which covild be procured at Peterfburg, 

 and of which a lift will be given in the following ad- 

 vertifement. From all thefe circumftances, 1 may ven- 

 ture, perhaps, to hope that the curious and inquifitive 

 reader will not only find in the following pages the 

 moft authentic and circumftantial account of the pro- 

 grefs and extent of the Ruffian difcoveries, which has 

 hitherto appeared in any language; but be enabled here- 

 after to compare them with thofe more lately made by 

 that great and much to be regretted navigator, Captain 

 Cooke, when his journal fliall be communicated to the 

 public. 



As all the furs which are brought from the New 

 Difcovered Iflands are fold to the Chinefe, 1 was natu- 

 rally led to make enquiries concerning the commerce 

 between Ruflia and China ; and finding this branch of 

 traffic much more important than is commonly imagined, 

 I thought that a general fketch of its prefent iiate, 

 3 together 



