THE PACIFIC OCliAN. 51 



in that hemifphere, from the Atlantic into the Pacific Ocean, '779- 



February. 



either by an Eaftern or a Weltern courfe. In fhort, if we 

 except the fea of Amur, and the Japanefe Archipelago, 

 which Hill remain imperfectly known to Europeans, he has 

 completed the hydrography of the habitable globe. 



As a navigator, his fervices were not perhaps lefs fplendid; 

 certainly not lefs important and meritorious. The method 

 which he difcovered, and fo fuccefsfully purfued, of pre- 

 ferving the health of feamen, forms a new ccra in naviga- 

 tion, and will tranfmit his name to future ages, amongfl. the 

 friends and benefactors of mankind. 



Thofe who are converfant in naval hiflory, need not be 

 told, at how dear a rate the advantages, which have been 

 fought, through the medium of long voyages at fea, have 

 always been purchafed. That dreadful dilbrder which is 

 peculiar to this fcrvice, and whofe ravages have marked the 

 tracks of difcoverers with circumftanccs almoft too mock- 

 ing to relate, mud, without exercrfing an unwarrantable 

 tyranny over the lives of our feamen, have proved an in- 

 fuperable obftacle to the profecution or fuch cnterprizes. It 

 was refcrved for Captain Cook to ihew the world, by 

 repeated trials, that voyages might be protracted to the un- 

 it fual length of three or even four years, in unknown re- 

 gions, and under every change and rigour of climate, not 

 only without affecting the health, but even without di- 

 minifhing the probability of life, in the fmallcft degree. 

 The method he purfued has been fully explained by him- 

 felf, in a paper which was read before the Royal Society, in 

 the year 1776*; and whatever improvements the experience 



* Sir Godfrey Copley's gold medal was adjudged to him, on that cccafion. 



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