1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAtf. 397 



to that part of the American coast, undertaken with 

 commercial views, appear to me of a degree of im- 

 portance sufficient Lo call for the attention of the 

 public. 



The rage with which our seamen were possessed 

 to return to Cook's River, and, by another cargo of 

 skins, to make their fortunes at one time, was not far 

 short of mutiny ; and I must own, I could not help 

 indulging myself in a project, which the disappoint- 

 ment we had suffered, in being obliged to leave the 

 Japanese Archipelago, and the northern coast of 

 China unexplored, first suggested ; and, by what I 

 conceived, that object might still be happily accom- 

 plished, through means of the East-India Company, 

 not only without expense, but even with the prospect 

 of very considerable advantages. Though the situ- 

 ation of affairs at home, or perhaps greater difficulties 

 in the execution of my scheme than I had foreseen^ 

 have hitherto prevented its being carried into effect, 

 yet, as I find the plan in my journal, and still retain 

 my partiality for it, I hope it will not be entirely 

 foreign to the nature of this work, if I beg leave 

 to insert it here. 



I proposed then, that the Company's China ships 

 should carry an additional complement of men each, 

 making in all one hundred. Two vessels, one of two 

 hundred and the other of one hundred and fifty tons, 

 might, I was told, with proper notice, be readily pur- 

 chased at Canton ; and, as victualling is not dearer 

 there than in Europe, I calculate that they might be 

 completely fitted out for sea, with a year's pay and 

 provision, for six thousand pounds, including the 

 purchase. The expense of the necessary articles for 

 barter is scarcely worth mentioning. I would, by all 

 means recommend, that each ship should have five 

 ton of unwrought iron, a forge, and an expert smith, 

 with a journeyman and apprentice, who might be 

 ready to forge such tools, as it should appear the 

 Indians were most desirous of. For, though six of 



