INTRODUCTION. xli 



ludes ? Particularly, why not explore the ftrait leading into 

 the Weflern fea of John de Fuca, between the latitudes of 

 47° and 48° ; the Archipelago of St. Lazarus of Admiral de 

 Fonte, between 50° and 55" ; and the rivers and lakes 

 through which he found a pafTage North Eaflward, till he 

 met with a Ihip from Boflon t 



As to the pretended difcoveries of de Fuca, the Greek 

 Pilot, or of de Fonte, the Spanifli Admiral, though they 

 have fometimes found their way into fi(5litious maps, or have 

 been warmly contended for by the efpoufers of fanciful 

 fyftems ; to have direded Captain Cook to fpend any time 

 in tracing them, would have been as wife a meafure as if 

 he had been dire6led to trace the fituation of Lilliput or Brob- 

 dignac. The latter are, indeed, confelTedly, mere objects 

 of imagination ; and the former, deflitute of any fufficient 

 external evidence, bear fo manyftriking marks of internal 

 abfurdity, as warrant our pronouncing them to be the fa- 

 bric of impofture. Captain Cook's inftru(ftions were found- 

 ed on an accurate knowledge of what had been already 

 done, and of what ftill remained to do ; and this knowledge 

 pointed out the inutility of beginning his fearch for a paf- 

 fage till his arrival in the latitude of 65°; of which every 

 fair and capable inquirer will be abundantly convinced, by 

 an attention to the following particulars. 



Middleton, who commanded the expedition in 1741 and 

 1742, into Hudfon's Bay, had proceeded farther North than 

 any of his predeceiTors in that navigation. But though, 

 from his former acquaintance with that Bay, to which he 

 had frequently failed in the fervice of the company, he had 

 entertained hopes of finding out a paflage through it into 

 the Pacific Ocean, the obfervations which he was now 



Vol. I. f enabled 



