xliv INTRODUCTION. 



the committee, who direfted this voyage, admitting the 

 impraaicability of effeaing a paffage at Rcpulfe Bay, had 

 refufed allowing the fliips to go into it, hemgfatlsfied as to that 

 place *. 



Setting Repulfe Bay, therefore, afide, within which we have 

 no reafon for believing that any inlet exifts, there remained 

 no part of Hudfon's Bay to be fearched, but Cheaerfield's. 

 Inlet, and a fmall track of coaft between the latitude 62", 

 and what is called the South Point of Main, which had been 

 left unexplored by the Dobbs and California. 



But this laft gleam of hope has now difappeared. The 

 averfion of the Hudfon's Bay Company, to contribute any 

 thing to the difcovery of a North Weft pafTage, had been 

 loudly reported by Mr. Dobbs ; and the Public feemed to be- 

 lieve that the charge was well founded. But ft ill, in juftice 

 to them, it muft be allowed, that, in 1720, they had fent 

 MefTrs. Knight and Barlow, in a floop on this very difco- 

 very ; but thefe unfortunate people were never more heard 

 of. Mr. Scroggs, who failed in fearch of them, in 1722, 

 only brought back proofs of their fhipwreck, but no frefh 

 intelligence about a palTage, which he was alfo to look for. 

 They alfo fent a floop, and a fliallop, to try for this difco- 

 very, in ^72)7 'i ^'^^ ^° "° purpofe. If obftrudions were 

 thrown in the way of Captain Middleton, and of the Com- 

 manders of the Dobbs and California, the Governor and 

 Committee of the Hudfon's Bay Company, fmce that time, 

 we muft acknowledge, have made amends for the narrow 



» Account of the Voyage, by the Clerk of the Cnlifornia, Vol. ii. p. 273. Mr. 

 Dobbs himfelf fays, That he tlmight the pajfage would he imprankable, or, at leaji, 

 very difficult, in cafe then was om farther North than 67 \ 



Account of Hudfon's Bay, p. 99. 



prejudices 



