iviii INTRODUCTION. 



row ftraits, amidft perplexing currents, and dangerous 

 flioals? But, above all, what numbers of new bays, and 

 harbours, and anchoring-places, are now, for the firft time, 

 brought forward, where (hips may be flieltered, and their 

 crews find tolerable refrefhments ? To enumerate all thefe 

 would be to tranfcribe great part of the journals of our fe- 

 veral Commanders, whofe labours will endear them to 

 every navigator, whom trade or war may carry into their 

 tracks. Every nation that fends a fliip to fea, will partake 

 of the benefit ; but Great Britain herfelf, whofe commerce 

 is boundlefs, mull take the lead in reaping the full advan- 

 tage of her own difcoveries. 



In confequence of all thefe various improvements, leflen- 

 ing the apprehenfions of engaging in long voyages, may 

 we not reafonably indulge the pleafing hope, that freffi 

 branches of commerce may, even in our own time, be at- 

 tempted, and fuccefsfuUy carried on f Our hardy adven- 

 turers in the whale-fifliery, have already found their way, 

 within thefe few years, into the South Atlantic ; and who 

 knows what frefli fources of commerce may flill be opened, 

 if the profpeft of gain can be added, to keep alive the fpirit 

 of enterprize ? If the fituation of Great Britain be too re- 

 mote, other trading nations will affuredly avail themfelves 

 of our difcoveries. We may foon exped: to hear that the 

 Ruffians, now infl:ru(5led by us where to find the American 

 continent, have extended their voyages from the Fox Iflands 

 to Cook's River, and Prince William's Sound. 'And if Spain 

 itfelf fhould not be tempted to trade from its moft Northera 

 Mexican ports, by the frefh mine of wealth difcovered in 

 the furs of King George's Sound, which they may tranfport 

 in their Manilla fliips, as a favourite commodity for the 



7 Chinefe 



