438 AVOYAGETO 



December tnrou g n mcans of the Eaft-India Company, not only with- 

 out expence, but even with the profpeet of very conGder- 

 able advantages. Though the fituation of affairs at home, 

 or perhaps greater difficulties in the execution of my fcheme 

 than I had forefeen, have hitherto prevented its being car- 

 ried into effect, yet, as I find the plan in my journal, and 

 flill retain my partiality for it, I hope it will not be intirely 

 foreign to the nature of this w T ork, if I beg leave to infert 

 it here. 



I propofed then, that the Company's China mips fhould 

 carry an additional complement of men each, making in all 

 one hundred. Two veffels, one of two hundred and the 

 other of one hundred and fifty tons, might, I was told, with 

 proper notice, be readily purchafed at Canton ; and, as vic- 

 tualling is not dearer there than in Europe, I calculate, that 

 they might be completely fitted out for fea, witli a year's 

 pay and provifion, for fix thoufand pounds, including the 

 purchafe. The expence of the neceffary articles for barter 

 is fcarcely worth mentioning. I would, by all means, re- 

 commend, that each fhip fhould have five ton of unwrought 

 iron, a forge, and an expert fmith, with a journeyman and 

 apprentice, who might be ready to forge fuch tools, as it 

 mould appear the Indians were mod defirous of. For 

 though fix of the lined fkins purchafed by us, were got for 

 a dozen large green glafs beads, yet it is well known, that 

 the fancy of ihefe people for articles of ornament, is exceed- 

 ingly capricious; and that iron is the only furc commodity 

 for their market. To this might be added, a fewgrofsof 

 large pointed cafe-knives, fome bales of coarfe woollen 

 cloth (linen they would not accept of from us), and a barrel 

 or two of copper and glafs trinkets. 



I have 



