INTRODUCTION. sxvii 



If former navigators have added more land to the known 

 globe than Captain Cook, to him, at leafl, was referved the 

 honour of being foremoft in difclofmg to us the extent of 

 fea that covers its furface. His own fummary view of 

 the tranfadlions of this voyage, will be a proper conclufion 

 to thefe remarks : " I had now made the circuit of the 

 *' Southern Ocean in a high latitude, and traverfed it in 

 " fuch a manner as to leave not the lead room for there 

 " being a continent, unlefs near the pole, and out of the 

 «* reach of navigation. By twice vifiting the Tropical Sea, 

 *' I had not only fettled the fituation of fome old difcove- 

 " ries, but made there many new ones, and left, I conceive, 

 " very little to be done, even in that part. Thus I flatter 

 " myfelf, that the intention of the voyage has, in every re- 

 " fpe(5l, been fully anfwered ; the Southern hemifpherc 

 " fufficiently explored ; and a final end put to the fearching 

 " after a Southern continent, which has, at times, engrofled 

 " the attention of fome of the Maritime Powers for near 

 " two centuries pafl, and been a favourite theory amongft 

 " the geographers of all ages*." 



Thus far, therefore, the voyages to difclofe new tracks 

 of navigation, and to reform old defers in geography, ap- 

 pear to have been profecuted with a fatisfa6lory fliare of fuc- 

 cefs. A perufal of the foregoing fummary of what had 

 been done, will enable every one to judge what was llill 



" fifant au pole meridionale. II eft vrai qu'un pled cube d'eau falee ne pefe pas au- 

 " tant qu'un pied cube de terre ; mais on auroit du reflechir, qu'il peut y avoir fous 

 " I'ocean des lits & des couches de matieres, dent la pefanteur fpecifique varie a 

 " I'infini, & que le peu de profondeur d'une mer, verfee fur une grande furface, con- 

 " trebalance les endroits oii il y a moins de mer, mais ou elle eft plus profonde." 

 Rechercbes PhUofophiqites, Tom. ii. p. 375, 



* Cook's Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 239. 



d 2 wanting 



